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Muerto · 08-16-2021, 10:52 PM

A Chaotic Draft Adventure

FIRST: Many apologies to everyone who had to deal with the aftermath of my decision to step down as GM of WPG. It caused a lot of ripple effects and having to find new GMS for 2 teams in 2 different leagues couldn't have been easy but it was handled professionally and properly and I think it all worked out so thanks to you all!

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For most of the S60 SMJHL season, Grogu Mandosson toiled away in relative anonymity in Anaheim with the Outlaws. He was a marginal 4th line player without a lot of minutes per game, putting up a few points but more often than not, he didn't show up much on the scoresheet. He kept up his training to justify his position as a late second-round pick, but as one of the players whose agents were also GMs of SHL teams, there wasn't really any reason to pay attention to how he was doing. Winnipeg Aurora held his rights and he was going to be autodrafted.

Until he wasn't.

As S60 wound down, and Winnipeg found themselves out of the playoffs and without a first round pick, due to trading it away a couple drafts prior ... well, it seemed like more of the same for the Peggers. In 9 seasons under the current regime, the Aurora had a grand total of 1 winning season. Fan support and attendance was dropping and revenue streams were drying up, top prospects continued to choose to leave, and the core support staff had also accepted positions with other teams. Things came to a head and Winnipeg Ownership decided that for the team to get to the next level, a change was needed to shake things up.
GM Muerto was relieved of his duties and they recruited Anaheim Outlaws GM Ace to take the helm. This had ripple effects on the draft, as Ace also represented top S61 prospect Björn Viggosson - who would now be taken off the general board and would have to be drafted to Winnipeg with their first available pick at 22 OV. But, it meant that Winnipeg now had no claim on Grogu and he would be available for any team to draft. So basically one Outlaw was subtracted from the draft, but another one was added - so everything balanced out!

So now, with a week to go before the draft, there were still many questions about Grogu. Would stepping away from GMing cause his player to drop due to fears that he would only want to return to Winnipeg? Would he even stay active as a player? Could he convince inquisitive GMs that a new beginning with a new team would be worth a 1st round pick?

But nobody was actually asking those questions. No calls, no dms, no messages ... nobody was reaching out at all. After falling to 18th in the SMJHL draft, maybe the shine on this user had been tarnished, maybe he'd been the hero who lived long enough to become the villain? Obviously his stock didn't match what his ego felt he should be, as one of the few players in the draft with a consistent history of creating top tier players. It was humbling but also motivational, Grogu made a promise to himself that if someone took a chance on him, he'd give 100% and become the best player out of the draft.

Then, out of the blue, a few days before the Draft, there was a message from Izzy. How are ya, what's new, what's happening. Grogu assumed it was a courtesy call, but as he chatted with Izzy a bit more, the talk turned to how he would feel about becoming a Dragon. Grogu checked the draft order selection. Hmm, yeah Calgary has 18th, maybe they were looking at him there, same spot he went in SMJHL Draft. After a day or so of thinking about it, Grogu sent Izzy a message - he'd be willing to go there and be all in with Calgary if they took him at 18. Then Izzy shocked him - "We are looking at you at 5th OV"

Unexpected in a draft with a ton of high quality players and users, but at the same time it made sense - over the years, Calgary has often been a rival to the Muerto dynasty, but there was always mutual respect and the Dragons are a model franchise in the SHL of how to do things right. No guarantees, they said, we have a few others we want to talk to also. Fair enough! Just even being considered was enough to instill some hopefulness in Grogu that maybe he wasn't going to be totally shunned!

A short time later, it was announced that the Dragons had made a huge trade, picking up not only 6th Overall to give them 3 first round picks, but also former Winnipeg draft pick Alexis Saint-Michele, someone obviously known and highly valued by Grogu's agent as a top tier quality player and person. At that point Calgary contacted him again, and with back to back picks secured, they would be able to pick two of the players they were previously considering at 5, and Grogu would be one of them!

Even though the Dragons management had made it clear they would be targeting him at 5, right up until the moment his name was called, Grogu wasn't quite sure it was going to happen - his agent had been through enough drafts to know that anything can happen during the draft! He was delighted to see the Dragons continue to nail their picks as the draft progressed, and when the smoke cleared, the Dragons had secured a future full line of future stars to carry on their storied tradition when their time comes.

Since the Draft, it has been a whirlwind of activity, joining fellow draftees Darwin Koff and Duncan MacKenzie at the Big Parm for orientation and training camp, and being warmly welcomed by the Dragons vets - many of them legends or future stars. To feel the excitement and confidence of a pending new season, had assured Grogu that this is the new adventure he didn't even know he needed.

As training camp winds down, and the new group of Dragons draftees returns to the SMJHL to continue their development, Grogu paused to reflect on the experience. "It's been a bit of a strange experience, but I think it will work out just fine!" he smiled, and boarded the plane to head back to Anaheim.

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To new adventures, thanks to the Dragons for drafting me!

(~1100 words)

Steelhead77 · 08-17-2021, 12:06 AM

Couldn't be happier you're finally a Dragon!!

Dragons

---> ParmBorg Highlights <---

#1 All-Time SHL Goal & Point Scorer
- First 2,000 TPE Player in SHL History -
- First 400 Goal Scorer in SHL History -
- Only 500 Goal Scorer in SHL History -
- First GM to Win 5 & 6 Challenge Cups -
Esa Anrikkanen Award - SMJHL ROY - Est. S34
Vidrik Onoprienko Award Winner - S45

Dragonite