Albert Albert may have entered the league as an unheralded kid with a questionable work ethic, but VHLM teams clearly think they can develop a star out of the oddly iconic, yet familiar, #7.
“I was a small-town kid playing in an unspecified but familiar-feeling town, probably in Ontario. Actually that might change to Scandinavia, check back in when the next World Cup of Hockey rolls around, I’m not fighting dudes for roster spots and Theo Axelsson seems like a fun guy to be dishing to. When Vegas came calling and asked if I wanted to be their top line Center on a max contract I wasn’t even going to think about waiting for any other offers. I think I was on the plane in minutes, ready to sauce dimes and have age-appropriate fun. I’m sure that my status as a star athlete in this city won’t afford me any opportunities to experience the rest of the city, so the league shouldn’t even worry about testing my pee. Just clean water entering my body, nothing else”
Albert has spent very little time ironing out his game, with scouts describing his potential as anywhere from “flexible” to “useless duster garbage”. However, despite a rocky first week he’s dedicated to becoming a decent option before the playoffs.
“We’re about three-quarters through the season, and we’re very barely the second best team - that’s a great sign. I’m going to be working on my faceoffs and then almost hyper-focussing on scoring. Vegas has one top ten scorer, and there’s a gulf between Mikey and Miika, the second guy. We’re number 2 with a single guy basically running the whole offense, so I’m sure coaching will be happy to have a guy go from 6 points in 14 to an actual second unit Center, so I guess I better be the guy.
It’s up to us to battle with Oslo for home ice, because we’re close teams. If improving turns this from a 7 game series to a 6, then that’s perfect, but my first target is to make sure we’re the home team for most of those. Maybe we can even make the Ottawa series a little more competitive - sorry to Yukon and Stoon, but I just don’t see either one getting through.”
Looking ahead to the playoffs might be putting the cart before the horse for a player who hasn’t ht the gym once, but Albert is clearly closer to the VHL than he ever has been. With a season and a half to develop, if not mature, in Vegas and rumors that there could be the opportunity to lean back on work done around the community instead of in hockey specifically, Albert has every opportunity in the world to not just bring Vegas closer to a championship and to have a long and great career. Whether he can live up to the promise that Vegas saw in him when they gave him $2m and a promise of the chance at first-line minutes remains to be seen.
Welcome @Jogn. Hopefully you'll enjoy you're time here in the VHLM/VHL. You'll see contract offers in this tread for your services for the remainder of Season Fifty-Eight.
As the GM of the Yukon Rush, we are pleased to offer you a one year contract worth 1,000,000.
Best of luck in the VHLM no matter where you sign!
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Jogn got a reaction from Spade18 in GM 109: Saskatoon vs. Vegas
Jogn got a reaction from Smarch in C - Albert Albert
Jogn got a reaction from Beaviss in C - Albert Albert
