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*lmao* · 06-16-2021, 03:36 PM

Newfoundland Berserkers Draft Checkup - Holes Filled? (2x media)

It wasn’t a hugely eventful draft day for the Newfoundland Berserkers, as co general managers Nhamlet and Juke ended up only making three selections. However, those picks netted some very strong selections, adding a couple of current SHL general managers to the team with Jannik “KlusteR” Nordstern (general manager of the Minnesota Monarchs) and Archangelo “Citizen of Adraa” Scaradog Jr. (general manager of the Manhattan Rage). Currently, their builds are well positioned, as Jannik Nordstern is sitting at a solid 221 TPE and Archangelo Scaradog Jr. sitting pretty much equally at 219 TPE. Nordstern was not actually drafted by the Berserkers, but he was so high up on their draft board that the general managers worked the phones and targeted him in a draft-time trade for picks. The Berserkers also snagged a depth addition in the 5th round, 48th overall in goaltender Olov Larsson.

While the Berserkers general managers made two very solid pickups of SHL GMs, have they done enough to augment this core and push for a Four Star Cup. To figure out if they have, we need to take a look at some of the outgoing players that will be called up this season. The players we will be taking a look at have been very key pieces of the Berserkers lineup and locker room, and are all leaving huge holes to fill.

Those who will be missed:

Jakey.peach - 429 TPE
C - Jonas Caspari

As a season 56 player, Caspari was due to age out at the end of the season. As a moderately active player, it did take him a while to reach the 425 TPE juniors cap, but the Berserkers are glad he kept plugging through. After his junior career was finished, he decided to hang up the skates and move on to greener pastures. The team had fond memories of playing with him and certainly wished him well after many seasons of playing together. Let’s take a look at Caspari’s stats:

Goals: 4
Assists: 15
Points: 19
+/-: +13
PIM: 15
S%: 7.3%
ATOI: 10:50
GR: 58
CF%: 58.9%

As we can see, Caspari was not expected to take a huge role on the ice by the Berserkers coaches, as he only ate up around 11 minutes per game of ice time. However, producing at a clip of 19 points in 65 games is nothing to sneeze at for a member of the bottom 6. Caspari did not put the puck in the net much with only four goals, but had a decent amount of helpers, setting up his fellow bottom 6 linemates.

Caspari also worked almost exclusively at even strength, with an average of just 2 seconds of powerplay time per game, and 23 seconds of penalty kill time per game. His possession stats were good at 58.9% Corsi For. That could have to do with playing with strong teammates, as his corsi for relative percentage was just negative 2.3%.

Overall, I think with Caspari that the Berserkers general managers will be hoping that a rookie can step up and fill that fourth line spot. Caspari’s replacement needs to focus on fundamentals and does not to be a flashy or fancy player. One of the rookies needs to just ensure that they do not become a liability on the ice in lieu of Caspari.

Jedi - 612 TPE
G - Hugo Gronroos

Next up, we have the Berserkers former starting goalie: Hugo Gronroos. Gronroos has been officially called up to backstop for the Minnesota Monarchs.

Gronroos has been a solid man in the crease throughout his time with the Berserkers. However, the Berserkers have had a strong tandem in goal, with backup goalie Evgeni “Reno” Petrov performing very well in his sophomore season. Let’s take a look at how the numbers for Gronroos stacked up last season:

GP: 47
Record: 29-12-5
GAA: 2.20
SV%: 0.907
SO: 5
GR: 64

As you can see, Gronroos put up some very solid numbers last season, with a solid save percentage and a handful of shutouts, stealing some games for the Berserkers. Any team in the SMJHL would be happy to have him, and find it tough to replace him.

Since, the Berserkers only ended up with three rookies coming out of this season’s draft, selecting a goaltender was not one of their top priorities. Instead of filling this hole left by Gronroos through the draft, the Berserkers will be looking at goaltender Evgeni Petrov to step into that starting role this season, especially as he reaches the 425 TPE cap in his third season in the SMJHL. The Berserkers shouldn’t be too worried about who controls the starring role in net, but their backup situation might leave something to be questioned. They selected a backup in the 5th round in Olov Larsson, but can Larsson keep earning enough to not be a liability in those backup games? The Berserkers front office have faith that he can.

TheBigSandeenie - 753 TPE
LD - Matty Sandeen

Now, let’s take a look at the defensive stalwart, the Berserkers’ assistant captain Matty Sandeen. Sitting at 753 TPE, Sandeen’s talent level is definitely high enough to warrant a call-up from his team, the Manhattan Rage. Let’s take a look at Sandeen’s stats to see how difficult it would be to replace him with a draft day addition:

Goals: 12
Assists: 27
Points: 39
+/-: +36
PIM: 6
S%: 6.4%
ATOI: 21:23
GR: 67
CF%: 62.5%

As we can see, Matty Sandeen absolutely ate minutes on the backend for the Berserkers. The Berserkers leaned on all of their defensemen pretty equally at around 19-21 minutes per game, but Sandeen was definitely at the top end of that. However, Sandeen wasn’t just taking up minutes standing around on his own end on the ice, he was a pretty strong offensive force with 39 points, and strong possession numbers with a Corsi For of 62.5%.

As the Berserkers selected a winger, a defenseman, and a goalie in the draft, they may be looking for a rookie to not necessarily replace Sandeen, but at least plug a hole in the lineup here. Sandeen’s performance will be a huge hole to fill for a rookie and will definitely be difficult, if not impossible to match. With RD Jannik Nordstern being taken early in the SMJHL draft, the Berserkers are definitely expecting him to step up and grow into a bigger role as the season goes on. Nordstern has a proven track record throughout his career so far, so I would not believe that is too much of a gamble on the part of the Berserkers’ front office.

Nordstern may have trouble replicating those PIM numbers of only 6, as Sandeen was one of the most gentlemanly players in the entire SMJHL. Nordstern will have to focus on minimizing mistakes and playing strong fundamentally to not increase the Berserkers’ penalty load.

3lewsers - 906 TPE
LW - Dwayne Gretzky

Throughout his career, Dwayne Gretzky has been a very high earner, being called up to his SHL team with a great amount of 906 TPE. Gretzky will be taking his services from the Newfoundland Berserkers to the Winnipeg Aurora. Gretzky was definitely one of the best players on the Berserkers last season and will be leaving some very big skates to fill. His stats show this clearly:

Goals: 16
Assists: 32
Points: 48
+/-: +12
PIM: 18
S%: 10.0%
ATOI: 17:03
GR: 63
CF%: 58.6%

Gretzky put up some very solid scoring numbers last season, and those will undoubtedly be very difficult to match if not impossible as a rookie. Gretzky is a solid playmaker that can put the puck in the back of the net as well. He was not a liability when it comes to puck possession either, though no one on the Berserkers is really due to solid team play.

Just like Jannik Nordstern needing to fill the hole on defense, the Berserkers will likely be looking to Archangelo Scaradog Jr. to fill the big hole left on the wing by Gretzky. If Scaradog Jr. can continue to earn TPE solidly throughout the season, he will prove to be a great addition and a bright spot in the Berserkers lineup. The Berserkers do not believe this will be a problem, as Scaradog Jr. has proven himself throughout his career to be able to progress and develop very well. The Berserkers have done very well to select two SHL GMs to replace two outgoing strong players.

Sopath - 912 TPE
LW - Bas O’Bigbers

Last but absolutely not least, we look at the Berserkers former captain, Bas O’Bigbers. O’Bigbers will surely be dearly missed, not only for his great performance on the ice throughout the seasons, but also for his great presence in the locker room, working his way up from rookie to captain.

O’Bigbers was the highest earner of the S57 players on the Berserkers, just edging out teammate Dwayne Gretzky. He will surely leave a hole unable to be filled both on the ice and in the locker room, at least right away.

Goals: 15
Assists: 34
Points: 49
+/-: +17
PIM: 18
S%: 9.2%
ATOI: 16:09
GR: 66
CF%: 62.9%

Bas O’Bigbers was not the top scorer on the Berserkers but still put up very strong point numbers with 49. His profile on the ice looked very similar to Dwayne Gretzky, and the two of them were able to hold down their lines and contribute quite a bit.

As it stands, I do not think the Berserkers have really filled the hole left by O’Bigbers in the draft. They really focused on consolidating later picks into stronger players in two SHL GMs and a much needed backup goalie. However, since the Berserkers also wheeled some picks into depth players within trades, it could be said that the Berserkers used their later round picks more effectively to patch up any issues left by the absences from their call-ups.

Overall, the Berserkers did well to secure their two main targets in the draft, as well as a backup goaltender. Their main picks are almost certainly going to be very strong earners. While the rookies will not be completely able to fill the roles of those that are leaving the team immediately, they should be very solid lineup additions come playoff time, which is when things will really matter for the Berserkers. Outside of the draft, a lot of the team’s current roster players will be making the next step to 425 TPE, which would assuage any fears of the team performing worse than last season. The goal for the Berserkers this season is absolutely the Four Star Cup, and it seems that the picks that the Berserkers have made and the moves that the Berserkers have made with their picks will help them achieve that goal this season.

(1841 words)

visceralpotamus · 06-16-2021, 03:40 PM

***yosh*** · 06-16-2021, 03:46 PM

Nhamlet · 06-16-2021, 04:06 PM

We fill those holes

KlusteR · 06-16-2021, 04:10 PM

Sandeenie's shoes are pretty big to fill, but I'll be damned if I don't try my hardest to do it. Berserkers

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