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TheFlash · 03-21-2022, 01:37 PM

Jarmo Kekalainen sits in the bleachers at the Chicago Syndicate's home arena. It's 7:30 AM, the morning of the season opener. His new team, the Texas Renegades take them on today in the season opener. Kekalainen was moved from Montreal just earlier last week, in a blockbuster three way deal which saw goal scoring machine Burlok Sulfurgold go to Atlanta from Texas.

"Montreal was all I knew so far in my career, this feels strange", Jarmo says as players begin filtering in the facility. Drafted by the Patriotes in the S60 expansion draft, he was factored in as a major piece of an eventual contending team before on ice struggles and new management changed his path, and shipped him to Texas. His rookie season, he managed to score a respectable 30 points, but has yet to top that in the three seasons since, despite a larger role. Being on a losing team that didn't score much couldn't have helped. Montreal had the sixth fewest goals in the league in S60, Jarmo's rookie season, but has yet to escape the bottom three since. "It was a challenge, being a young player on the team and just coming up and finding my game, but being expected to be a leader and play big minutes. It's an unusual experience in the SHL", Jarmo cited as a reason for his struggles. What he said is true, generally players are brought up slowly, playing small minutes behind older players until their fourth or fifth season. Jarmo was thrusted into big minutes in his third season, logging time on both special team units as well.

Now a member of the Texas Renegades, Jarmo has a chance to start anew. A team with bundles of success in the past 5-10 seasons, Texas has a tradition and culture of winning, certainly a switch coming from a rebuilding expansion team. That winning, also comes with more competition for minutes. Jarmo played about 23 minutes a game over the past two seasons, a number which will certainly drop this season. He's the seventh ranked player as far as TPE goes, leaving him right on the bubble of the 2nd/3rd line with maybe some special teams action as well. The offence production will be there though if he can find it, as Texas has essentially doubled the amount of goals scored compared to Jarmo's former team since he came into the league. This is a massive season for Jarmo, as it's his second last before regression, and will also be his first opportunity to test free agency should he take that route. "It's too fresh right now to be thinking about free agency. My goal is to come here, play my best, and help Texas win. I'll speak with management after the season, and see what their goals are. If they line up with my own, I'd gladly stick around. But heading into the regression of my career, I'd definitely love to be on a winning club. But time will tell!"

502 words

*JURT* · 03-21-2022, 01:38 PM

Wowow Flash is back!

***brickwall35*** · 03-21-2022, 02:42 PM

Welcome back!

***luke*** · 03-21-2022, 03:16 PM

Glad to see the Braulin Wall get new life in a new player. Congrats on the success so far

***Ohtaay*** · 03-22-2022, 06:15 PM

Henrik · 03-22-2022, 06:33 PM

Welcome back mate!

Ronniewalker · 03-27-2022, 09:01 AM

Welcome to Texas!

Sigs by sulovilen , Ragnar , supertardis101 , Leviadan , High Stick King , Carpy & KaleSalad

S69 Challenge Cup Champion - Philadelphia Forge Forge

S59 & S62 Challenge Cup Champion - Texas Renegades

S57 Four Star Cup Champion - Anchorage Armada Armada

S57 & S58 WJC / S62, S64 & S66 IIHF Gold Medalist - Team Finland Finland

After 69 shots on net with still no SHL goals to show for it, even the opposition started to feel so sorry for Lemo, that they decided to help him out :D

- Bad pass by Jack Klompus, he gave it right to Lemo Pihl.

- Lemo Pihl rips it to the net...

- Lemo Pihl will find the empty net, that should do it!

TEX @ MAN, S59 game 31

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