<div align="center"> Los Angeles Panthers Season 36 Future Watch
The Los Angeles Panthers have been very competitive the past few seasons and are considered one of the most talented teams in the SHL. Despite the talented roster, the team has come up short in the post-season and have not made an appearance in the Challenge Cup Finals since Season 24. A number of the teams best players such as Sebastian Strange, Timo Haas, Matthew Leetch, Felix Herzog, and Jean-Luc Reflieux are just now hitting their prime. Featuring prospects Matthew Auston, Sophia Bennett, and Chris Smulander, Los Angeles went into this off-season with a trio of great prospects already in the system, however, they were the only prospects in the system. Through the draft, free agency, and a couple of trades, the Panthers acquired a number of talented prospects this off-season.
The Sun is only beginning to rise over Los Angeles.
Matthew Auston- C - 611 TPE - Selected 1st round, 10th overall (S34)
The most SHL ready prospect in the Panthers system, Matthew Auston is expected to make his debut with Los Angeles this season. The expectations are high after Auston led the SMJHL in scoring last season while playing for the St. Louis Scarecrows. Matthew scored 15 goals, added 33 assists, and finished with a +22 plus/minus rating. Auston is a 6'5" center who uses his size to create space and unleash his deadly shot on unsuspecting goaltenders. A relatively unknown prospect heading into the S34 SHL Draft, many people were surprised that the Panthers selected the Swiss forward inside of the top 10. Auston has rewarded the Panthers for their confidence in him, developing into a great player and a potential SHL star.
Sophia Bennett just finished up her second season with the Vancouver Whalers in style, playing a key role during the teams successful run to the Four Star Cup. Bennett has perhaps the highest upside of any prospect in the Panthers system, she's probably ready to play in the SHL now, and she's only one year removed from being the 6th overall pick. The Panthers paid a high price to move up three spots and select Bennett, but they had her as the top prospect on their draft board and it was a price the team was happy to pay. Sophia finished last season with 20 goals and 17 assists. During the playoffs she showed off her playmaking ability, recording 9 assists in 9 games played. Sophia will spend another season with Vancouver and will probably be ready to play a key role for the Panthers by the time she joins the team as a rookie.
Chris Smulander- C - 350 TPE - Selected 1st round, 12th overall (S35)
The second of the Panthers Season 35 first round picks, Chris Smulander is a highly regarded prospect that the Panthers believe will become a great player for them in the future. Smulander was a important player for the Detroit Falcons last season, finishing the season third on the team in scoring with 31 points, 13 of his total being goals. Smulander will join a highly skilled Halifax Raiders team next season and has a great shot at winning a 4 Star Cup. Chris looks to have shown up a better player and could be in for a breakout season in the SMJHL. While Smulander may still be a season or two from being ready for the SHL, Los Angeles is confident that his game will continue to progress and eventually he'll be a key player for Los Angeles.
Ben Turska- D - 282 TPE - Selected 1st round, 12th overall (S36)
The first of back to back selections for the Panthers in the first round of the Season 36 SHL draft, Ben Turska is an excellent prospect and fills a big need on the blue-line in the Panthers farm system. Turska joined the Montreal Militia after the SMJHL draft after a paperwork mix-up prevented him from being eligible and led to the defenseman being a highly coveted SMJHL free agent. Turska played all 50 games with the Militia and played a steady defensive game, finishing the season with 19 assists, over 15 minutes of ice time per game, and a +6 plus/minus rating. Turska was traded to the Detroit Falcons in the off-season and will likely play a larger role this upcoming season. Ben is the son of Jackson Turska, a defenseman who played 12 seasons in the SHL, including a number of them with Panthers General Manager Niclas Wastlund. The Panthers love Turska''s potential and see him as a player who could potentially be a SHL captain.
The second of the Panthers consecutive first round picks, Yuri Boyka Jr. in an electric offensive player who has the potential to be a superstar player in the SHL. Boyka was the SMJHL's rookie of the year last season finishing the season with 19 goals and 39 points, leading the Halifax Raiders in both categories. Yuri Boyka Sr. began his SHL career with the Panthers after being acquired from New England in the Brandon Donini trade. Boyka Sr. was an offensive dynamo, making multiple all-star teams in the SHL, and winning numerous awards with the Montreal Impact in the SMJHL. After an impressive tenure with Los Angeles, Boyka was traded along with current Panthers Assistant GM Valterri Bottas to the Texas Renegades in a massive trade. It's hard to say that a first round draft pick is a steal, but the fact that Boyka Jr. was available at the 13th pick left the Panthers management jumping for joy. Yuri will be heading back to Halifax this season. Boyka has been developing at a very rapid pace and will undoubtedly be playing for the Panthers in the not too distant future.
Mark Ruggeri- D - 265 TPE - Selected 3rd round, 37th overall (S36)
Selected in the 3rd round of the S38 SHL Draft, Mark Ruggeri is a solid two way defenseman that the Panthers envision developing into a top 4 defenseman in the future. The Panthers reacquired the selection used to select Ruggeri from Calgary on draft day. The pick had initially been included in the deal with the Dragons that saw the Panthers acquire the pick that they used to select highly regarded prospect Sophia Bennett. The Panthers coaching staff has been very impressed with Ruggeri since he arrived in training camp. According to sources, Mark has improved his puck handling and is beginning to play with a physical edge that was not a part of his game before. Ruggeri was solid for the Mammoths in his rookie season, scoring 3 goals and finishing with 16 points, while playing nearly 20 minutes per game in Colorado. Expect Ruggeri to be an important player for the Mammoths this season. Ruggeri could end up being a diamond in the rough for the Panthers.
Evgeuni Marmeladov- G - 237 TPE - Trade with Portland (3rd round, 39th overall, S36)
Originally selected by the Portland Admirals in the 3rd round of the S36 SHL Draft, Evgeuni Marmeladov was acquired by the Panthers a week after the draft, as the Admirals struggled to create cap space to fit some veterans under the cap. The Panthers were thrilled at the opportunity to acquire the goaltender prospect, an area that the club had been looking to address. Marmeladov was widely regarded as the best goalie available in the season 36 draft. It may be a few seasons before the Russian net-minder is ready to make an impact in the SHL, but the potential is there and the Panthers believe that they have added the perfect prospect for their system in Evgeuni. Marmeladov had a good rookie season for the Detroit Falcons, finishing with a record of 20 wins, 20 losses, a goals against average of 2.77 and a 89% save percentage. Marmeladov will look to build on his rookie season and lead Detroit to a successful campaign. Marmladov stands 6'5" and plays a butterfly style, he covers a lot of net and has quick reactions in the rare case that he is caught out of position.
Smirnov Light Jr. - C - 397 TPE - Signed as free agent (2nd round 27th overall, S33)
Smirnov Light Jr. was a free agent after the Hamilton Steelhawks did not renew his contract, The Panthers moved in quickly and signed the former Prince George center to a one season deal with a club option for a second season. Another player with SHL bloodlines, Light Jr. is a playmaking center who should help chip in some offense from the Panthers 4th line. While he will most likely have to earn playing time, Light Jr. has shown a vast improvement in his skill-set since arriving in Los Angeles. Once considered a one dimensional player, Smirnov has worked hard this off-season to improve his defensive game and reports are that the hard work has paid off. SLJ recorded just 4 goals and 23 points for the Firebirds last season, however he stepped up his play in the post-season where he averaged over a point per game. Light Jr. is a bit of a wildcard for the Panthers. If he keeps improving his game, he could have found a long-term home in Los Angeles.
Lukas Muller - D - 342 TPE - Signed as free agent (3rd round, 32nd overall, S33)
The second player from the S33 SHL Draft to be signed as a free agent by Los Angeles this off-season, Lukas Muller was on the Jets roster last season but managed just 7 minutes of ice-time for the entire season. The Panthers are hoping that a change of scenery will help Muller take the next step in his game and hopefully establish himself as somebody who can skate a regular shift in the SHL. While his ice-time may be limited, Muller is expected to be a part of the Panthers defensive group this season and should see the ice a lot more than he did in Winnipeg. Muller was signed to a one season contract, many people see this as a tryout or a make or break season for the Austrian defenseman. The Panthers believe that Muller will prove that he is a solid defensive defenseman, the club hopes to extend the relationship beyond this season if everything works out.
Quote:Originally posted by WannabeFinn@Aug 9 2017, 04:43 PM
LAP LR > HAM
just cuz we lost Crutch doesn't mean we aren't still da bomb
It's true, replaced me with the GOAT LR presence in <a href='index.php?showuser=71' rel='nofollow' alt='profile link' class='user-tagged mgroup-8'>Banjo</a>
Quote:Originally posted by CRUTCHFIELD@Aug 9 2017, 05:58 PM
It's true, replaced me with the GOAT LR presence in <a href='index.php?showuser=71' rel='nofollow' alt='profile link' class='user-tagged mgroup-8'>Banjo</a>
Quote:Originally posted by CRUTCHFIELD@Aug 9 2017, 11:58 PM
It's true, replaced me with the GOAT LR presence in <a href='index.php?showuser=71' rel='nofollow' alt='profile link' class='user-tagged mgroup-8'>Banjo</a>
vbottas17
![[Image: wstd88.png]](http://i57.tinypic.com/wstd88.png)
![[Image: avWKl9F.png]](http://i.imgur.com/avWKl9F.png)
![[Image: Piastri2.png?ex=65ba64d4&is=65a7efd4&hm=...462889f09&]](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/210655650294792192/1197198326991441990/Piastri2.png?ex=65ba64d4&is=65a7efd4&hm=2887833fc1850326564d31be25e8e1adc880b784cdae492c0631b37462889f09&)
![[Image: or8VMxO.gif]](https://i.imgur.com/or8VMxO.gif)
![[Image: cWxBbhu.png]](https://i.imgur.com/cWxBbhu.png)
![[Image: bhn88m.png]](http://i60.tinypic.com/bhn88m.png)
![[Image: 7MO9RpC.png]](http://i.imgur.com/7MO9RpC.png)
| ![[Image: gs89eGV.png]](http://i.imgur.com/gs89eGV.png)
| ![[Image: gdppv5N.png]](http://i.imgur.com/gdppv5N.png)
![[Image: 2ugjkte.jpg]](http://oi40.tinypic.com/2ugjkte.jpg)
![[Image: e8s6jq.png]](http://i41.tinypic.com/e8s6jq.png)
Former Affiliates: ![[Image: xaoosh.png]](http://i62.tinypic.com/xaoosh.png)
![[Image: sIjpJeQ.png]](https://i.imgur.com/sIjpJeQ.png)
![[Image: KPt6Yuu.png]](https://i.imgur.com/KPt6Yuu.png)
![[Image: g7VtVXX.png?1]](https://i.imgur.com/g7VtVXX.png?1)
![[Image: Z8YSDad.gif]](https://i.imgur.com/Z8YSDad.gif)
![[Image: crutchfield.gif]](http://sig.grumpybumpers.com/host/crutchfield.gif)
![[Image: capybar22_600.png]](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/570654784085032981/953995870972559401/capybar22_600.png)
![[Image: vhY18i8.png]](http://i.imgur.com/vhY18i8.png)
![[Image: nBgNUTY.png]](http://i.imgur.com/nBgNUTY.png)
![[Image: goilers.gif]](https://sig.grumpybumpers.com/host/goilers.gif)
![[Image: pnI7R5r.png]](https://i.imgur.com/pnI7R5r.png)
![[Image: QhAQn2i.png]](http://i.imgur.com/QhAQn2i.png)
![[Image: yIvjn4j.png]](http://i.imgur.com/yIvjn4j.png)
