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AJW · 01-11-2022, 12:01 PM

Disclaimer: I'm basically extremely sleep deprived so I hope y'all have fun reading this! My name is AJ and I'm new to the SHL. This story is 100% all over the place I know, I feel like I have insomnia right now and my brain is fried, but I just wanted to type something stupid and fun for my first PT that would keep you readers interested in it lol. Hope y'all enjoy!

Scouting Report

AJ Williams is a 6'3, 215 lbs sniper built right winger, born and raised in London Ontario, Canada. Williams models his game after Nathan MacKinnon, the star studded centreman from Cole Harbour, Halifax. Even though Williams is not a center, he has fallen in love with the way MacKinnon plays ever since he stepped on the ice for the Halifax Mooseheads. Williams plans to train and progress his play style in order to mirror the way MacKinnon does. Williams has chosen to take his talents to the SMJHL where he is in search of a team to sign with after just missing the entry draft.

The Story of AJ Williams

As mentioned above, AJ Williams was born and raised in London Ontario, growing up with a passion for the game of hockey and playing/watching it his whole life. This love for the game started at birth, with Williams' father introducing him to hockey at a very young age. Williams' father is a die hard Montreal Canadiens fan and had AJ dressed from head to toe in Canadiens merchandise from the second he entered this world. Williams is the oldest of 4 children in his family and was the first to be flooded with hockey in his blood.

The skates were stuck like glue to his feet since the age of 2. Skating for the first time on his hand-built backyard rink that his father built. Williams would forcefully go out on the rink everyday in the winters by his father until his brain developed enough to want to do it on his own. By age 3, Williams could skate on his own, not well, but he could. Williams would beg his father to flood the ice and turn the spotlights on every day so he could skate around and whack a puck into a net. This continued on until the age of 5 when Williams was finally of age to play organized hockey. He was quickly signed up for his city's Timbits hockey league where it was easy to see that Williams was already ahead of his competition. Day in and out, Williams would breathe hockey. When he wasn't on the ice playing against other children, he was on his backyard rink. When he wasn't on any rink, he would play ball hockey with the neighborhood kids. When he wasn't playing any hockey, he was thinking about playing hockey. This addiction grew and was what fueled Williams to play more and become better without even realizing it.

Fast forward to age 11, Williams was finally old enough to play Pee Wee for his local London Jr Knights AAA team. Although being of a minor age, Williams had been moved up to play 12 and 13 year olds for the Major AAA team. Even with the age gap, Williams was seen as the best on his team and could skate circles around his competition. Scouts were quick to the scene and had AJ shipped out to Toronto the next year to play in the GTHL. The Toronto Marlboros, the organization in which Connor McDavid played for, is where Williams found his spot. At 15, Williams found a 'C' on his chest and lead his Marlboros squad to the finals of the GTHL playoffs. At age 16 Williams entered the World Junior Hockey Championship to play for Team Canada. This same year Williams found himself back in his hometown London where he was drafted 1st overall to play for the London Knights in the OHL. With all of this success, Williams had the most promising career planned ahead of him by any prospect to hit the ice. This is where the injury happened.

When playing a home game against the rival Sarnia Sting, Williams was playing one of his best games of his career. Having 4 goals and 2 assists just in the first period alone, a Sting defender caught the back of Williams' skate and sent him flying head first into the boards. Williams was sent immediately to the hospital where doctors found out he had suffered a huge blow to the head, resulting in a major concussion, the first major injury of Williams' hockey career. A scary and sad time for his family and fans, Williams did the best he could to recover and return to the ice as fast as he could. This took a solid year and a half to do, but when he was healthy, he was greeted by a warm welcome from the London Knights fans.

It was clear to see that something was not right with Williams' game. Although being the first game back in two seasons, something was off. Williams' lightning fast speed had decreased immensely, his shot was as soft as a newborn's bottom, and his game overall was not the same as he left it. Fans and critics started doubting the kid, and he also did himself. His stats used to be over 3 points a game, now below 0.5. He dropped lines throughout the season, and his passion for the game seemed to disappear. Williams was at an all time low and to make matters worse, he was not drafted to the NHL. With everything coming down at once, Williams decided to leave the game of hockey and take time for himself at the age of 19. Williams would find a job at his local rink and live with his parents, spending most of his time with family if not at work. The tables surely turned but he gained a true sense of what family meant to him while stepping away from the game.

A year went by and during mid summer his father was diagnosed with lung cancer, a strain which wasn't curable. With his last days on Earth with his father, Williams made sure to stay by his side for his final minutes. His father is what brought passion and love to his life, but now to see everything he had taken away from him, a new fire was burning. After the passing of his father, Williams had determination again, he wanted to play hockey. Williams grabbed his old gear and rebuilt his dad's backyard rink. Williams would spend hours on hours everyday gaining back his skill that he once had. Another year went by and Williams was ready. He felt like his two year old self, skating with his dad and finding a love for the game. With the NHL being out of reach, there was one last option, a last resort to carry on his father's dream, the SMJHL.

(Word Count: 1300)

**Chevy** · 01-11-2022, 12:04 PM

Gotta say, I really enjoy when players add the backstory/depth to their player. Reminds me a bunch of @sve7en 's player Jimmy Wagner who has done a bunch of Players Tribune series' on his backstory.

Good write and good read!

r1c3bowl22 · 01-11-2022, 12:04 PM

Welcome to the site!

***sve7en*** · 01-11-2022, 12:12 PM

01-11-2022, 12:04 PMGeekusoid Wrote: Gotta say, I really enjoy when players add the backstory/depth to their player. Reminds me a bunch of @sve7en 's player Jimmy Wagner who has done a bunch of Players Tribune series' on his backstory.

Good write and good read!

Hell yeah more lore

**brickwall35** · 01-11-2022, 12:21 PM

Nice writeup!

***RAmenAmen*** · 01-11-2022, 01:41 PM

This is great! I love the unique take on your player's road to the SMJHL and how you came in as a free agent. Looking forward to seeing AJ make a comeback!

Accka · 01-11-2022, 04:15 PM

1300 words, what an introduction to the league! But I do think you forgot the most important part.. Does he like mayo on pizza?

/

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AJW · 01-11-2022, 05:28 PM

01-11-2022, 04:15 PMYAccka Wrote: 1300 words, what an introduction to the league! But I do think you forgot the most important part.. Does he like mayo on pizza?

I can honestly say I’ve never had mayo on pizza wow. Have to give that a try ?

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