In this deep dive, I have interviewed some of the Vancouver Whalers recent rookie acquisitions, namely their rookie goalie B Jobin and rookie forward Benjamin Surkhi-Ze-ev.

I asked both players how they feel about their first season at the professional level. Did anything stand out as different from wherever they'd played prior to being drafted?

Benjamin was quoted as saying, "it's definitely... more competitive. Going from the oldest in the minors, crushing every aspect of the game, to a rookie in the J its, definitely jarring. It's like going from high school as a senior to freshman in college and being at the bottom of the food chain again..." The rookie forward had a solid first campaign for the Whaler, making his first All-Star game after scoring 18 goals and 18 assists in 66 games played. The reigning All-Star went on to say, "I am ready to destroy the league for year to come... As a rookie All-Star, it just shows how ahead I am from the rest of the rookies... Be sure to keep watch, as the Golden Wolf is just getting ready."

The Whalers have stated that they are delighted with Benjamin's breakout and are excited to see what he has to offer as he develops further.

The Whalers goalie, B Jobin answered, "I think my first season was rough, but it was a major learning experience, one I had fun with despite the season the Whalers had. Obviously,, the talent jump from minor hockey was a very big chance for me to adapt to, the SMJHL is a lot more focused talent-wise, so really everyone you face is a scoring threat, definitely was a lot for me to adjust to, knowing each shot was to going to be a good one. It is something I'm going to have to be more aware of next season and beyond." The young goalie had a rough season, posting a save % of .908 while having a record of 11-38-6. He had a good game rating and posted 1 shutout in the campaign.

Whalers management have expressed their faith in the goaltender, and fully expect him to flourish in the future.

Both players were gracious enough to answer a follow-up question, and this what they had to say:

Me: "How's the Vancouver locker room atmosphere? You guys had a rough season results wise, but some of the rookies had bright starts. Do you all get along?"

Benjamin: "Its very cool! I see myself as a leader with all the other young players, and I'm gonna take initiative and start leading us to more victories... I love these guys. They couldn't be better teammates or friends."

B Jobin: "The atmosphere is fantastic! A lot of te guys in the room have been wonderful to share a team with, and I think we have made the most of a bad season by embracing this year as a development year. Guys like Miroslav Ketil, Capy Bara, Matthews McGarry and Benjamin Surkhi-Ze-ev are all players I am sure I'll always be close with, even if we go separate ways in the SHL Draft. I've definitely gotten along with everyone well! With this season being what it was, I think we've tried to focus on building a foundation here in Vancouver more than anything else, so we've really put an emphasis on being close with one another, building friendships and all that. We've been doing a lot of bonding as a team due to our longer offseason, and that's been really nice."

A lot has been made of the poor outing that this team had, being at the beginning of a full rebuilding phase, but it absolutely seems like this team is getting along despite the adversity. Management in Vancouver has been very supportive of their guys and expect them to turn it around as they develop.

Code:

669 words

Miroslav Ketil
Next Great Whaler
S64 VAN - 66 GP - 7 G - 16 A - 23 P
S65 VAN - 66 GP - 16 G - 24 A - 40 P
S66 VAN - 66 GP - 21 G - 33 A - 54 P

@ArmTheSharks APPROVED! +5 TPE