Happy Holidays Everyone! 3119 Words x2 WJC Bonus split 50/50 between @MikeLiut and I

I'm going to start by thanking @By-Tor for once again giving me the opportunity to lead UCORCAL to a more rewarding finish than last season. This time around I've got a friend in the front office with the addition of Mike as co-GM. As already announced here we have a strong squad going into this tournament, and in this post, we've provided some insight into the rationale behind each player's selection and deployment in the upcoming tournament.

Fifth-Year Players (Old Geezers)
This season, UCORCAL has just four players who are transitioning from their final SMJHL season into their debut SHL season. In a few days, three of these players will be revealed as the on-ice leadership team based on a captaincy poll of this season's active players.

Munko Aitmukhambetov @Duff101
Munko began their career by being drafted 21st overall to Kelowna, and one season later had improved their draft stock enough to go in the first round, 14th overall, to Atlanta. If all goes according to plan, then we will see Aitmukhambetov make their debut for the Inferno in the 69th SHL season. At the conclusion of their SMJHL career with the Knights, Munko has racked up 45 goals and 104 assists in 264 regular season games. Munko and the Knights also made the playoffs in two seasons during their career, totaling 2 goals and 1 assist in 9 games while never reaching that elusive four-star championship. As for their youth international career, Munko is one of the rare examples of a player called up to their WJC team for each of their five seasons of eligibility, so far appearing in 48 round-robin games while scoring 2 goals and 13 assists. Aitmukhambetov is hoping to help UCORCAL break their medal-round curse, where they have scored twice and assisted once in eight playoff games across four tournaments. Munko is known as a strong and gritty forward able to play center and on the wing, and scouts say they have improved their passing, while their on-ice leadership may prove essential in UCORCAL's pursuit of the gold.

Oles Kobliska @The__Y-man__100
Drafted 1st overall in the S65 SHJML by Yukon, and drafted 7th overall in the S66 draft by Edmonton, Kobliska never disappoints. The Blizzard will need to make room, as Oles is one of three prospects making the jump from the juniors to the big leagues for the Albertan franchise next season. Over the course of their SMJHL career with the Malamutes, Kobliska appeared in 264 regular season games scoring 102 goals and racking up 171 assists for just over a point per game. Despite having not won the four-star cup in their four junior seasons, Oles did reach playoff hockey in all four seasons. Across 43 playoff games, Kobliska scored eight goals and assisted twenty times. Kobliska shares Aitmukhambetov's limited company in playing all five eligible tournaments for their home nation in the WJC, scoring 13 goals and 10 assists in 48 previous round-robin games. In terms of medal-round performance, Oles will need to step it up as they have only 1 assist in 8 games across the last four tournaments. Known to be an all-around player, we expect a lot from Oles for their last tournament.

Pyotr Gallen @StaticShocked
Gallen is a pure powerplay specialist, bringing firepower to the squad. At the onset of their career, Pyotr Gallen was taken 19th overall by Vancouver where they would spend the next four seasons working towards a four-star cup and an eventual SHL call-up. That call-up will likely be to Hamilton, who saw Pyotr's potential and selected them ninth overall, a monumental increase in draft stock in just one season. As Gallen's SMJHL career has come to a close, they finished with 105 goals and 140 assists in 264 regular season games for the Whalers. Like Kobliska, Pyotr may not have acquired a championship ring with Vancouver, but they did participate in playoff hockey in each of their four junior seasons. Across 25 playoff games, Gallen scored nine goals and fourteen assists, which is nearly a point per game. Meanwhile, in terms of youth international play, Gallen took a year off from the WJC last season but previously played for DACH and UCORCAL before that. In 36 career round-robin games, Pyotr has scored 7 goals and 9 assists, while in the medal rounds they have scored once in six games, a number that will need to greatly improve in the upcoming tournament.

Bavel Pure @Huck24
First, this name is goated and we're glad to have such a legend associated with our team. Bavel was taken by St. Louis at the tail-end of the first round in their SMJHL draft, and one season later slipped to 28th overall where they ended up with Edmonton, just like Kobliska. Now that we can look back on Pure's SMJHL career, it is clear that they were a dominant force despite being a late bloomer, playing in 264 regular season games for the Scarecrows while racking up 94 goals and 106 assists, most of which came in this most recent campaign. To make their case even stronger, Bavel Pure is an advanced analytics superstar at the SMJHL level. Bavel and the Scarecrows remain entangled in the S67 SMJHL playoffs, and this will be Bavel's last opportunity to seize championship glory at the junior level.  At the time of publication, Pure has 17 goals and 30 assists in 54 career playoff games (and counting) and is a big reason that St. Louis has gotten as far as they have in this season's playoffs. In terms of youth international production, this will be Bavel's fourth consecutive season as a part of the UCORCAL squad, having missed out as a draft-eligible prospect long ago. Previously, Bavel has scored 6 goals and 11 assists in 36 round-robin games, while recording just 2 assists in seven medal-round games, with both of these totals poised to improve in this tournament.

Fourth-Year Players (Breakout Stars?)
Moving on to the players who, after three full seasons in the juniors, will get to show their fully reached potential on the world stage at this season's WJC tournament. Just like the veterans introduced above, UCORCAL has three players entering the prime of their SMJHL careers and will be given the opportunity to dominate.

Bohdan Jarovsky @JustAnotherHockeyFan
What a season for Jarovsky. Bohdan finished 3rd in assists and 4th in points in the SMJHL this season, scoring 29 goals and 58 assists to reach 88 points. In last season's WJC tournament, Jarovsky did not make the UCORCAL final roster and instead suited up for Sweden. In twelve round-robin games, Bohdan scored five goals and two assists, and also scored a goal in Sweden's lone medal-round game before fizzling out of the tournament. A pure offensive player, Jarovsky is known for their off-the-charts hockey IQ. What is expected from Jarovsky is to bring that Detroit magic back to win the championship for UCORCAL.

Raiya Rabinov @diacope
Rabinov is an offense-oriented speedster known for being one of the fastest players in the league. Able to screen, and take a good shot, Raiya Rabinov should be used in many situations during the tournament. Rabinov finished 6th in Carolina with 26 goals and 30 assists this season, while averaging less than 18 minutes per game on the third line. Meanwhile, Raiya did get called up to the UCORCAL squad at this time last season, managed to score three goals and assist once in twelve round-robin games, and got even more productive in their three medal-round games notching two assists. What is expected from Rabinov is to be everywhere all at once, using their speed and physical strength to create opportunities.

Erick Vasiljevs @johjeff
Quebec-City born left winger Erick Vasiljevs - y vient sûrement pas du Lac St-Jean certain avec un nom d’même?!? - played a discrete role in the last tournament, scoring once, with one assist, and playing a little more than 12 minutes per game for the World Team. This past SMJHL season for the Regina Elk, Erick scored 19 goals and picked up 22 assists totaling 41 points. Vasiljevs might not be the player who will score a lot next week, but what is expected from them is their ability to launch counteroffensives, make great passes and exit their zone efficiently.

Third-Year Players (Halfway There)
The following players are coming off their first truly impactful seasons for their junior teams and will be expected to do the same for the coalition in the upcoming tournament. These three homegrown players and our lord and savior netminder loaned in from the British Isles, are not only the present of UCORCAL hockey but also the future.

Bandit Heeler @zeburgs
Bandit Heeler has been the face of the Malamutes for the last two seasons. Heeler had a tremendous start in their first season and was in the early talks for the MVP discussion. Bandit came into last season's WJC as a relatively unknown commodity but emerged as the hottest goaltending prospect on the planet by winning all eight of their round-robin appearances and posting a .930 save percentage, which was enough to earn them Best-Goalie and Best-Rookie honors for the tournament. After a great rookie season and an amazing first WJC tournament, Heeler had a more difficult second season. Bandit appeared in 55 regular season games for Yukon in S68, winning 25 of those games, allowing 3.5 goals per game, and saving 87.5% of the shots they faced. Nevertheless, we expect Heeler to lead by example. The goalie squad is young and already impressed to share the locker room with them.

Matiss Ozolinsh @LampLighter
We are excited to have Matiss Ozolinsh in the lineup. They were hard to play against this season while leading Newfoundland in goals (31) and second in points (60), which is not bad at all for a second-year player. At this very same tournament last season, Matiss scored twice and had four assists in twelve round-robin games. Ozolinsh stepped it up in the medal rounds, scoring once and assisting twice in three games. Matiss does share the same profile as some already in the lineup: a big, strong, offense-oriented winger able to score goals, but might have some problems playing in his own zone. We expect Ozolinsh to learn from his experience here, but also with Team Latvia (IIHF), and become a leader in these next three tournaments.

Toasty @Toast
Let’s address the elephant in the room: UCORCAL only has 3 natural defensemen in their lineup for the upcoming tournament, so Toasty should expect a lot of ice time during this tournament. Toasty is coming off an SMJHL season where they scored three goals and seventeen assists, but much more is expected from the Maine player. On the international stage last season, Toasty had four assists to their name in twelve round-robin games, adding nothing to their statline in the medal rounds. It might be a challenge for a sophomore player, but we expect Toasty to excel against star players and grow from this experience.

Ekaterina Valieva @MikeLiut
It will be interesting to see which Valieva we will get at this tournament: the WJC Valieva, or the SMJHL Valieva. This time last season, she played well with Sophie Bordeleau, notching a respectable 9 points in 12 games at her rookie tournament. She was second in hits in the tournament, and seventh in plus-minus while playing only an average of 13 minutes. She was nominated for the Alex Andani award for top WJC rookie before losing out to teammate Bandit Heeler. Meanwhile, in the 68th SMJHL season, Valieva struggled alongside her team as a whole, finishing with just ten goals and eighteen assists this season.

Second-Year Players (Sophomore Slump?)
The largest contingent of eligible players for UCORCAL this season fall into this category, speaking to the youth and potential of this team. With that said, we still feel that we have a strong chance to outlast the other teams and bring home the long-awaited gold medal to Russia/Czechia/Latvia. This young crop of both forwards and defencemen should excite the loyal fans of this team in this upcoming tournament, as well as in the near future.

Aurora Azjha @Aurora
With an impressive 50 points (8 goals, 42 assists) for their first season in Detroit, Aurora Azjha is a rookie who already knows how to win. A winning philosophy, the willingness to make sacrifices and to give that little extra to make a difference cannot be taught during a tournament, and that's what helped them reach the four-star cup final in their rookie season. Azjha brings extensive wisdom to our young squad. Aurora still has a lot to learn and we hope the experience of the WJC will help their development for years to come.

Copernicus Doomslatter @trella
Drafted in the first round (14th overall) by Great Falls just last season, Doomslatter did well as the designated backup goalie behind veteran Alvin Towne, while playing for a team in reconstruction mode. Doomslatter faced an average of 30 shots per game this past season which is the best way to learn and grow, so we expect Doomslatter to be ready, and ready to play in important situations. As for youth international experience, Copernicus debuted for rival coalition DACH in last season's WJC and wound up winning two of their appearances and impressing many by allowing just over two goals per game and saving 92% of the shows they faced.

David Doug @TheSparkyDee
We cannot wait to see how a full season of junior hockey impacted David Doug’s development. 6’7’’ Doug played undrafted last tournament for UCORCAL, finishing with an impressive 6 points (1 goal, 5 assists) in 12 games. He played big minutes (16 minutes average) on the blue line, and finished with plus-3. David proceeded to have an exemplary rookie season with the SMJHL's St. Louis franchise, scoring 7 goals and 28 assists from the blueline during the regular season. Doug's efforts helped the Scarecrows exceed expectations in the young team's playoff appearance, ultimately falling short in the semi finals. We were hoping they would get a nomination for the Alex Andani award last season, but we expect David to continue what they started by bringing great energy to the locker room and on the ice.

Wonada Jagrs @overdoo
It will be Jagrs’s second WJC appearance, after playing undrafted with Team Sweden in S67, finishing the tournament with three assists in 12 games, and playing an average of 8 minutes per game. Wonada wound up getting drafted by Kelowna, in large part due to their WJC performances, and put up a respectable 13 goals and 24 assists in their rookie season with the knights. Much more is expected from Jagrs in this tournament, where they will have the opportunity to showcase his skills and take on big responsibilities, and it is up to them to become indispensable.

Bender Junior @Wally
The Nevada Battleborn rookie did extremely well in their first season, with a production of 50 points in 66 games, playing an average of 18 minutes. Their advanced stats are great, with a Corsi of 59%, and we expect them to keep the same style of play. Junior already knows how to contribute to a team focused on offence and that is exactly what UCORCAL needs now and moving forward. If Bender manages to adapt quickly to their first WJC tournament, expect them to be on the radar for the Alex Andani award for top WJC rookie. It is also important to note that rumors are that Toronto scouts will be in attendance specifically to watch this player light it up.

Patricija Ozerova @Myspace
Very few experts expected Colorado to be that good this past season and Patricija Ozerova might be the piece of the Raptor puzzle that was overlooked. They finished second in assists (32) for the Raptors, and managed to play on the second line during their rookie season. Ozerova's hockey IQ is what we need and we expect them to demonstrat that in their first international experience. Selected 6th overall last draft, Patricija has every tool at their disposal to have an excellent first experience at the WJC and earn a coveted first round SHL draft selection as well.

Edžus Ozolins @Seany148
With only 41 games under their belt, the 6’6’’ 231- pound winger is here to learn. Ozolins (not to be confused with Ozerova and Ozolinsh) finished with 17 points (6 goals and 11 assists) last season with Maine. Edžus also brings with them some big game experience, given that they are currently playing for the Four-Star cup with the Timber. Reporters are pointing out that Ozolins’ presence will be felt in the locker room and we are looking forward to seeing Ozolins play physically and get better each game.

Petr Vrána @Randominoe
Another product of the Kelowna Knights, Vrána was selected fourth overall during the last SMJHL draft. He had a great rookie season, scoring 21 goals (6 of them game-winners) and managing 27 assists. It has been a rough season in Kelowna and what might have been Vrána’s greatest accomplishment was to keep a plus-minus of minus-5, leading the team in that category. Vrána already knows how to support key players on the top-6 and we expect him to play that same role during their debut tournament on international ice.

Dusty Wilson @dustywilson22
Wilson might have been THE sleeper pick of the last SMJHL draft. One of five Kelowna Knights playing for UCORCAL this tournament, Dusty is ready to bring a physical element to the blue line. We expect Wilson to play big minutes, more than 20 per game during the tournament, and it will be interesting to see how Wilson will react to playing a more defensive role. Wilson scored 8 goals and had 18 assists in his rookie season leading into this first WJC appearance. Dusty will be hoping that this prominent role will springboard them to becoming a first-round caliber talent for the upcoming SHL draft.

First-Year Players (Rookie Showcase)

C.J. Sparks @VeryNotCool Luka Nogoalov @TheNextGreatOne
Our scouts in the minor leagues told us to keep an eye on these two undrafted goalies. Sparks dominated the US-U17 tournament last year and Nogoalov is called the “next Great One” in Slovenia, so the UCORCAL Federation has decided to add them to our lineup. Expect them to play at least three games during the round-robin to learn the ropes and be the next superstars for their respective nations, and club teams, in the future.

We'll see with so many players that never played together how you will do.

For Vasiljevs, il vient du Saguenay, à ne jamais mélanger!

Good luck to you, hope that your rookies goalies will bring their game to the next level!

Anthony Dionne || G || Texas Renegades || Peak TPE : 2055
Name: Anthony Dionne
Catch: Right
Height: 6'4''
Weight: 225 lbs
Number: 39
SMJHL Draft: 36e by St Louis Scarecrows
SHL Draft: 12e by Texas Renegades
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SMJHL Regular Season:
S65 to S68 | STL | GP : 175 (89-67-14) | 3.21 GAA | 0.885 SV% | SO : 7
SMJHL Playoffs:
S65 to S68 | STL | GP : 56 (32-20-4) | 2.99 GAA | 0.895 SV% | SO : 5

SHL Regular Season:
S66 to S74 | TEX | GP : 328 (152-136-26) | 3.74 GAA | 0.898 SV% | SO : 11 
SHL Playoffs:
S69 to S74 | TEX | GP : 36 (9-22-4) | 4.44 GAA | 0.879 SV% | SO : 1
World Junior Championship Round Robin:
S64 to S68 | TBI-TNA-CAN | GP : 34 (13-17-3) | 3.56 GAA | 0.904 SV% | SO : 0
World Junior Championship Medals Round:
S66 to S68 | CAN | GP : 9 (6-2-1) | 2.27 GAA | 0.923 SV% | SO : 0 

IIHF Round Robin:

S67 to S73 | CAN | GP : 64 (37-22-4) | 3.09 GAA | 0.901 SV% | SO : 5
IIHF Medals Round:
S67 to S73 | CAN | GP : 8 (4-2-2) | 2.74 GAA | 0.898 SV% | SO : 0

Awards:

S66 IIHF | CAN | Silver Medal
S66 WJC | CAN | Bronze Medal
S67 WJC | CAN | Bronze Medal
S68 WJC | CAN | Bronze Medal
S69 IIHF | CAN | Gold Medal (+ record for most goalie wins in the round robin (11))