dshervill

Review: Great job by putting in some graphics and providing insight on how you feel your player played. Great insight and can't wait to see your future work! Only thing that I would give advice on is making sure that your player's quotes or answers to media starts a new paragraph to make them stand out. Overall: Great job! 9/10

To call Braxton Hunter's offseason this past year strenuous would be an understatement, after being eliminated in game 7 of the VHLM playoffs last season Hunter essentially went AWOL. He took no media interviews after the game and left a letter to management and a few of the players on the team that he needed to return home to London for an urgent family matter. With asking GM Doomsday about Hunter he provided no comment as well by saying; "We are aware of Braxton's whereabouts and why he needed to take this absence from the team. He will join us in offseason activities when he is ready to do so." Without providing any further comments about Hunter's whereabouts the local London media was on the "Hunt" for one of Saskatoon's brightest young stars. It was 3 weeks into the offseason when we had our first "Hunter sighting" which was coined by the local London media, leaving a local grocery store with an almost fully grown beard and looking like he was a person who didn't want to be found. After trying to get a word out of Hunter he jumped into a car and left in a hurry. With this being the only sighting we had of Hunter into the offseason so far, the social media experts got their fingers flying, with rumors that Hunter was going to be retiring from Hockey this early, to some even saying he was kidnapped and being held for ransom. With all of these rumors and seemingly no answers in sight, Hunter then disappeared again. Another month into the offseason we learned that Hunter actually flew from London to Calgary, after being spotted in the Calgary airport. Taking to questions and hopping into a car and was off, no words were even spoken by the Wild forward as again we waited for when we would have another interaction with probably the most bizarre offseason story we have had in quite some time in Saskatoon. With no end in sight we reached out again to the organization who provided no input on what was going on with Hunter. But just as we had thought all hope was lost, that we had lost another VHLM young star, Hunter made his presence known. In Saskatoon, three weeks after his sighting in Calgary and two days before training camp opened, a press conference was called by Hunter in cooperation with the Saskatoon Wild to finally put all the rumors to rest and to give everyone an idea on how and why the offseason was handled like this. The day had finally come, the media room completely filled and even the standing room at the back. Hunter entered the room, clean shaven and in a suit stepping up to the podium and finally addressing the media, GM Doomsday standing near and clearly showing support for Hunter; "First off I'd like to apologize for my absence and making people worry about me. I had a few family matters that I had to deal with and that took priority over hockey. I would like to thank GM Doomsday and the rest of the Wild organization for keeping the reason for my absence a secret to the general public and gave me all the support that I could ever ask for." Right after he started speaking the questions started flying from reporters, asking if Hunter was retiring, why he disappeared for the entire offseason, why he decided ot keep everything a secret, what happened after the last game of the playoffs. The rampage of questions was quelled quickly as Hunter continued with his statement; "Before game seven of the playoffs last year I received a text message that there was a family emergency and that I was needed at home. With this information weighing heavily on my mind I struggled in game seven and I apologize to the organization and my teammates that I did not have a good game and give us the best chance to win. I had talked with management and coaches before the game and they agreed that I needed to get back home as soon as possible, even if we won in game seven there was a good chance that I was going to be unable to play in the next round of the playoffs." Hunter struggled a little bit after continuing; " During my stay back in London I had found out that one of my family members had passed away in Calgary. I knew I needed to be out there and I knew that my family needed me, after the funeral I continued to train and keep in constant contact with management and coaches to make sure I was doing my best to follow the offseason program. My family is still shaken from our loss so we will not be disclosing what happened at this time." The room was so silent you could hear a pin drop, it seemed as if all the questions that the reporters had and all the mystery behind this offseason now has been revealed. Hunter continued on; "Overall I am proud to be part of the Saskatoon Wild organization and I hope that we can continue where we left off after last year's playoff run. I know that we lost a few great players to the VHL, but what I know is that our management and coaching has made a commitment to excellence and will give us every opportunity to succeed. So expect loud music, even louder hits and an amazing atmosphere coming from our locker-room this season." Hunter then walked off and reporters started to ask questions but GM Doomsday approached the podium and addressed the crowd; "We will not be taking questions about the specifics of Braxton's offseason, we appreciate everyone's commitment to helping Braxton through this offseason and we are looking forward to seeing how our roster is going to look for the upcoming season." A few days pass and training camp begins, Hunter looks like a man on a mission as he has shown that even with a difficult offseason that he has still not lost his form. Coming into training camp and having added around 10 pounds of muscle and is imposing his will, even in the post practice interviews he has been incredibly focused. Only answering questions that are related to the team and his outlook for the team this season. Any questions being asked about his offseason are met with; "No comment, next question." As training camp went on it was clear that Saskatoon was not going to be the same team that they were last year, losing Captain Steve Eso among many other players to the VHL it was evident during practices that Hunter was trying to take control and lead some of the newer Wild players through drills. Day after day there looked to be more and more optimism in the team's performance and you could see the team improving. After training camp there was the scheduled press conference to reveal who the captains are for the Saskatoon Wild, GM Doomsday stepped to the podium and the entire room was on edge to hear who the captains would be; "The captains for the upcoming season for the Saskatoon Wild are... Assistant Captain Tanky, Assistant Captain Griff Mackenzie and our Captain is Braxton Hunter." Hunter, Mackenzie and Tanky walked up to the podium with Jerseys worn with the captaincy letters on. With the captains announced and the "Wild" offseason coming to a close, it will be a matter of time to show whether or not this year's Saskatoon Wild team will be a contender or a pretender. From the Star Phoenix, this is Marek Joseph.

Claiming 6 uncapped

1. Vericel and Eso have been our best players all season, but who do you think has been the most underrated? Honestly, LeFriend or Fletcher. Both have been elite. 2. If you could update a VHLM team's logo, which one would you choose? Ours, obviously. GO WILD! 3. Individually, how well do you think your player has done so far? I think I have played above expectation, but still have a ton more room to improve 4. Florent Vericel is on pace to be the second straight league leader in points for us. Think he can do it? Absolutely, and I'll make sure everyone stays off of him in the process. Christmas themed questions: 5. What is your favorite Christmas song? Rockin around the Christmas Tree, by far 6. Have any gifts you're really hoping for this year? I have wanted an apple watch for a few years now, but honestly just spending time with family this year would be amazing.

For Graphic Player Name: Braxton Hunter Team: Saskatoon Wild Number: 65 Player Render: Connor McMichael

This is incredibly well detailed! It definitely gives a ton of good info to those of us that aren't following the ROTY race, overall for the article I would Have the heading in the middle but the text about the player to be alligned to the left. Might just be me but it would be more pleasing to read. Great article, 9.5/10

1. What's your favourite song to listen to before a game? I have a few, but if I had to choose a favourite I would say "Panda" by Desiigner, dude's a one hit wonder but that song still slaps. 2. Do you think we've been playing to our potential lately? I think we are close, but not at our full potential yet. 3. What is an area of your game that you think you could improve on? I think I can improve on my defensive game, I'd rather make a difference on the defensive end because our team is so offence heavy. 4. Who do you think is the most dangerous team in the VHLM right now? Us, without question. Next. 5. Have any plans for the holidays? Hit the Gym 6. Who makes the best chicken sandwich? My grandma, secret family recipe destroys every other chicken sandwich.

Claiming for second week due to article size.

I will definitely make the quotes italicized! Thanks for the help!

After the 59th game of the schedule, the Saskatoon Wild decided that a shift in the lineup was needed. That lineup shift sent 2nd year forward Braxton Hunter to the 1st line to play alongside of Captain Steve Eso and Florent Verceil while moving struggling goal scorer Victor Foles to the second line. Overall the change came as a shock to a few of the players as the Wild had been playing above expectations to start the season. But after having an in depth interview with GM Doomsday he had the following to say about the lineup shift right after it occurred; " I believe we can have a more balanced attack by moving Victor to the second line, he may be struggling a bit at the moment but maybe this type of a change is exactly what he needs to get going again." When asked about why moving Hunter to the first line made more sense than some of the other forwards he had this to say; "Braxton was an obvious choice, he's been one of the more physical guys not just on our team but in the league. He's been a force on the ice and has still been productive on our second line, if he can bring that physicality to our first line and open up more space for Eso and Verceil. Even if his production dips slightly, his physicality will do well against some of the other top lines in the league. My only concern is if he can keep up with a few of the other top lines in the league, but only time will tell." When asked about the move to the first line, Hunter was pretty ecstatic; "I couldn't believe what I heard when both coach and Doomsday told me I was going to be moved up the lineup, playing on the first line is a huge honour to me. The fact that they trust me to keep Eso and Verceil protected gets me fired up to get out on the ice with them. I worked a lot in off ice sessions how to be more physical and make a bigger impact on the game other than the score sheet, so it looks like that might be paying off." He also added this about the current lineup and his struggling teammate Victor Foles; "Folesy is a great guy, he really helps tie this locker room together. He was incredibly supportive of me moving up the lineup and hoping that would lead to more success for the team. I can't say enough about how good of a teammate he is and how much his play and contribution to the locker room means to this team." When asked about the locker room overall Hunter immediately brightened up; "I couldn't ask for a better group of guys to play with, from the leadership group on this team all the way to our newest pickups it feels like a family. I love coming to the rink every day and getting better with these guys, I can't imagine playing for another team in the VHLM other that Saskatoon." Immediately after that line change the Wild suffered a loss to the San Diego Marlins 4-2, you could imagine that for a team that just made a change that it might damper their spirits. Well you certainly wouldn't have been able to tell in the Wild dressing room, they could tell that something special was about to happen on the ice. Multiple players were overheard saying "just wasn't our night," and "once we get clicking I don't see us losing." Well, the next 6 games in a row started to go the Wild's way. With those 6 straight victories they were able to jump San Diego in the standings and prove to be a legitimate contender in the VHLM, currently sitting 3rd overall in the VHLM and 2nd in their conference. A few of those wins were in convincing fashion and had shown that the lineup change had proven to be effective, a few games to note were the games against San Diego and then their latest victory over Ottawa. In their matchup with San Diego the score wasn't indicative of the final result, the Wild were clearly the more physical team and were more effective in the faceoff circle. With their game against Ottawa the 1st unit was putting on a show, with captain Steve Eso scoring a hat trick and everyone on that unit scoring at least a point, even though it was against Ottawa that first unit is looking like they have more and more chemistry by the game. After that last game against the Ottawa Lynx, you would think that a mosh pit was going on in the Wild locker room. Both Braxton Hunter and Silas LeFriend were both heard very audibly pumping up the locker room screaming about "Big *expletive* Energy" and how "Sasky boys are going to tear this *expletive* up". It even got as far ask Hunter being told to quiet down by arena individuals just to then impersonate the famous Connor McGregor speech of Hunter saying; "I'd like to apologize.... To absolutely *expletive* nobody, the Wild will go and do what we want." It remains to be seen if the Wild can continue this pace especially with a daunting schedule ahead, the Wild's next 13 games is going to be a large hill to climb, playing against VHLM contenders like Philadelphia, Mexico City, San Diego, Halifax and Miami. It will show what the Wild are truly made of and if they are able to contend for a VHLM title this year. After speaking to GM Doomsday about the upcoming schedule he had the following to say; "This part of our schedule is going to easily be the toughest we have all season, but it will show what we are made of as a team and exactly how much will power these players have. We have a very talented group in our locker room, but it remains to be seen if they can handle the tough adversity that will either make you or break you in the big leagues. It will also show who the real contenders are in the league, that's exactly why we wanted to make this lineup change a few games ago, so that we can see if we contend with the best of the best." With that type of message coming from management I would assume he is also unsure of how his current roster will handle the upcoming schedule, but what this reporter knows is that they are coming in on a high note. The team overall seems to be in incredibly high spirits and very confident in their abilities evidenced by LeFriend and Hunter. However, someone better get a hold of these young guns before they get too loose, but from this reporters view it looks like the Wild are getting more "wild" and are ready to make an impact in the VHLM and only time will tell if they are able to make it through this next part of the schedule as a team or the locker room will start to turn on one another. From the Star Phoenix, this is Marek Joseph

So far throughout the VHLM season you can say that two things are true about the current Wild roster: 1) The Wild are an incredibly talented team as indicated by their 16-8-3 record. 2) They are having a great time in and out of the locker room. The energy that Saskatoon has when coming onto the ice is electric, you can tell that the players are extremely focused and ready to play. After the game if it's a win, the team is all smiles and looking for ways to improve. Even being in the locker room after the games there is an aura about this team. The group that management has put together certainly is a special one, led by their Captain Steve Eso who's been setting the tone for how the team plays and how the team has been performing this year. Compared to a loss, Saskatoon is still in high spirits. It's almost immediate how they understand what they could've done better, how they see the mistakes and start to focus on how to improve them. The ability for their coaching staff to keep the team focused on improvement and not get too down during losses is impeccable. This reporter has not seen a group like this in a long time, in a post game interview with assistant captain Braxton Hunter he had the following to say about the team; "This is just such a great group of guys, we all keep each other accountable and we definitely know how to have fun (he laughs and looks toward captain Steve Eso), I know this group is just going to get better and better as the season goes on. To have the start we've had is pretty amazing, all that credit goes towards management and the coaching staff for putting together such a great roster." That "great roster" as Hunter put it certainly has the potential to be a contender in the VHLM, so far the Wild have a few players that have shown that they can carry a heavy workload and it wouldn't surprise me to see a few of them in the VHL next season. Overall the team has seen a drastic improvement since last season and Hunter contributed that to their offseason program. "Our coaches and management had exit interviews with everyone, from my interview they gave me a structured program that they wanted me to follow and they told me that if I sold out to this program and fully committed that I would improve drastically as a player and the team overall would improve. So I followed that program to a 'T' and didn't let anything distract me from it. Being around the guys this offseason in our workouts for the guys who stayed in Sask made the workouts fun and made it easier for us to keep each other accountable." Who knows what the rest of this season has in store for the Wild, but it has certainly been entertaining to watch. It's clear that the offseason was certainly a big factor for the Wild's improvement. We certainly don't know what the rest of the season or even next season has in store, but for now, we get to have the joy of watching this what seems to be magical team take the ice, so enjoy it while you can folks. From The Star Phoenix, this is Jarrod Mansen

1. We are currently 5th in the standings, do you think we could be doing better? I think that we should be doing better, that's mostly on me. I need to work more in the defensive end and make sure we are keeping the puck out of the net. 2. Alex Zouzouambe is on the verge of being cut for not showing up to practice. Do you think this will adversely affect the team? I've been calling him for weeks now, I'm not sure what's up with Zouz but I hope that he's finding the help he needs and will join us back on the team soon. 3. After a bad game, who are you most likely to turn to for support? Honestly, the management staff and team here in Sask is just phenomenal. I get right to work after I know I had a bad game 4. What are your thoughts on the new VHLM Junior teams? I'm indifferent, I can see both why it would make a ton of sense and why it doesn't make sense. But I know that whatever the league decides it will be the right decision. 5. Which CHL team do you cheer for? I'm a Swift Current Broncos fan. London Knights, I grew up watching them and love going to checkout a game when I'm back home. 6. How have you been spending your time during the pandemic? Honestly, playing too many video games haha

Mexico city looks to be a threat this year! Excited to see where y'all end up! Overall for the article it would be easier to read if the orientation of the paragraphs all started at the same part on the left side of the screen. Amazing content and keep up the amazing work! 9/10

The time has already come upon us, after an absolutely wild offseason. Our boys from Saskatoon are ready to rock. Before entering the first game management and the coaching staff have announced their captains heading into the season with Braxton Hunter being named as one of the teams Assistant Captains. With just one day away from the start of the season we got in touch with Hunter on how he feels to be put in a leadership role with the Wild. He had the following to say; "Honestly, it was pretty unexpected. I know that I'm not too shy to be vocal in the locker room, the coaching staff really allows us to speak up and have open discussions on how we can improve on a team. Overall I just want to be an example from my hard work and willingness to be the first guy who shows up and the last guy to leave. But I'm incredibly honoured that my teammates and management believe in me enough to give me a leadership role on the team this year." The Saskatoon media overall were surprised when Hunter was on the list for captains on the Wild this year. Having been in the VHLM for a limited period of time joining the team very late in the season last year and not having the best stat line in those games. But in a conference call with the GM of the wild he had the following to say about Hunter: "Braxton Hunter was an ideal choice to wear an A for us this season. He didn't always get the most playing time, have the gaudiest stats, but that never stopped him from being one of the most vocal members of our locker room. He inspired his teammates to be better, and his desire to come back and be a part of this team cemented his dedication to Saskatoon. Braxton is a big part of this team, and he was a perfect choice to be a part of the team's leadership." Safe to say that management believes that Hunter can make an impact this year, and it's evident that from the practices that we've been able to see he should have a bigger impact as well. He is looking like he will play on the second line which should garner more opportunities for him to make an impact compared to last year. From the Star Phoenix, this is Steve Greene

1. Are you playing VHFL? If so, who was your first round pick? I'm not, but I know a few of the boys are. So I'll have to ask them. 2. What point task have you been doing in place of trivia this offseason? Just trying to learn what extra point tasks I can do actually hahaha. 3. What position do you think Saskatoon will finish in the regular season? #1 BABY! LET'S GOOOO 4. Do you think Florent Vericel will be as dominant for us this season as he was in S74? Why or why not? Absolutely, the guy is a beauty. Have you seen him play? He's only going to get better. 5. How has the weather been holding up for you in recent days? We are still under a foot of snow. A ton of high winds here, only had 1 day of snow so far. So hopefully we don't get any of that stuff until december. 6. If you could be a professional athlete, what sport would you play? If not for concussions I would be in the CFL. So I'd have to say football

1. Dagmar Havlova was traded to Warsaw this week. Do you any parting words for the longtime Phantom? Although I didn't have the pleasure of playing with Dagmar, I heard amazing things and I hope that he does well with his new team. 2. How do you feel about our offseason moves? Ex: Trades, Signings,Draft I mean, I'm part of the Prague organization now. So I'm pretty excited 3. What have you been doing to keep busy this offseason? Honestly, working out. I know that I need to get better in order to make it to the big club. 4. Many of our S68 players will be playing out their last seasons this year. How do you feel about this team looking ahead past this next season? All I know is that I want to help contribute and get a Cup for Prague. 5. What your favourite song to dance to? I wouldn't say dance, but I really jam out to "Panda" be Desiigner. There's an inside joke between me and my buddy from back home about it to so there's always an extra laugh. 6. Other than your hometown what is your favorite city to go visit? I love visiting Toronto. Always a great place to go, but you can't stay there for too long.

With the VHL draft come and now gone; the Prague Phantoms look to have gotten their man in Braxton Hunter, the young forward from Canada was selected by Prague 72nd overall. Prauge is definitely going to be putting the league on notice next year as they are starting to make that transition away from their older core to bring in younger players such as Hunter's teammate in Saskatoon Silas LeFriend as well as the talented forward Dominic Gobeil. Hunter was ecstatic when I spoke to him on the phone; "I'm in awe, I'm over the moon! I can't believe that I'm going to Prague! I was in the middle of a workout when my phone started ringing. I couldn't believe it when I looked at my phone and saw an area code from Europe. I was thinking Helsinki was giving me a call, but to hear Prague on the other line I was even more excited. I am really at a loss for words, I have been all day!" Prague definitely had a strong draft highlighted by the players mentioned above. When I reached out to GM Diamond about Hunter he had the following to say: "Hunter was a great pickup at that point in the draft and seems to have loads of potential. It might take him an extra season in the M as compared to our other draftees, but once he's reached the bigs, I fully expect he'll be a key contributor for us. Long term I fully anticipate Hunter carving his name into Phantoms history." A pretty bold take from GM diamond about the young forward, the potential is certainly there for Hunter but the real question is will he capture it? In a recent press conference with the Saskatoon wild Hunter mentioned that he was going to be "working out" during the draft so it seems as though Hunter knows that he has to be willing to put in the extra work to make sure he can make it and be productive in the VHL. Only time will tell whether Hunter becomes a Stud or a Dud. From The Prague Post this is Jan Novak.

1. How did you think we did in the dispersal draft? I think we did amazing, we were able to bring some of our younger guys back and also add some talented players to our core group. We should be able to make a good run next season. 2. What was the biggest draft day surprise, in your opinion? Cowboy going first overall. 3. Will you be tuning in to the VHL draft tonight? I'm going to be honest, no. I'm going to be in the gym. 4. What skills have you been working on this offseason? My Puck Handling and Skating. 5. What is your favorite part about living in Saskatoon? The Hiking trails 6. I've probably asked this before, but does pineapple belong on pizza? (Hint: the answer is no) Depends, I sometimes like it. Definitely not for everyone though.

What a trade day! Pretty exciting to see where Riga goes with all of these picks, it looks like one of those monumental days that can drastically shape where the franchise is going to go for at least the next 5-10 seasons. Especially considering how many picks they have in next years draft as well. 10/10 article btw!

1. With golf out of the question due to the weather, how have you been spending the offseason? - I've been spending my offseason mainly exploring Saskatoon. Since I came in mid season it's nice to be able to explore the museums and different hiking trails in the area. 2. 8th seeded Miami was able to defy the odds and take home the Founder's Cup. What do you think was their key to success? - I think it was a case of having the perfect pieces being able to compete during the playoffs. The playoffs always bring out the best players and it was a case of Miami being able to have their players show up more consistently than anyone else. 3. Are you excited for the VHLM draft? Who do you think goes first overall? - I would say I'm more nervous than excited to be honest, there are a lot of great guys in this year's draft. So I don't think I'm going to pick one over the other. 4. Who will you be cheering for in the offseason's World Cup? - I have to cheer for my homeland Canada! 5. What video games have you been playing recently? - A lot of League of Legends with some of my buddies from back home. Mostly liking the new champ Lillia and trying to play some 6. Who do you think wins in a fight, Steve Eso or Alex Zouzouambe? - Zouzouambe for sure, that guy is an animal.

This is amazing advice to newer players! Definitely going to be implementing this in my first offseason in the VHLM! One thing I would change for formatting is maybe bolding the different subheadings in your article, but that would be me "nitpicking" 9.9/10!

Heading into the VHL offseason means a load of excitement and optimism for most VHL franchises, with an influx of new young talent looking to enter the league. In today's segment we look at potential mid to late round draft pick Braxton Hunter. Hunter, who last played in the VHLM with the Saskatoon Wild came into the league with some excitement. Notching a few assists in his first few games, overall Hunter's game did develop during his time with the Wild as he drastically improved on his scoring ability and being able to keep up with considerably more talented players. You could tell that Hunter was outmatched in many of his matchups early on and it is evident in his -13 in 34 games played. Overall Hunter displayed that he wasn't afraid to "mix it up" with other players as he averaged more than 1 major hit per game, Hunter is also not afraid to take the risky play which is shown by his 16 PIM. When asked about his thoughts on the draft Hunter had this to say: "I mean everyone wants to go in the first round and thinks they should go there, and I do too. But I would rather go to a team that has a proven track record for winning and has a great environment. I don't care where I get drafted, 1st, 3rd, 100th round. It doesn't matter to me, I know I'm going to come in and be the hardest working guy on the team and show that I deserve to play." When asked about his time in Saskatoon Hunter had the following to say: "I can't say enough good things about Saskatoon, the locker room was a phenomenal group of guys, the management team there is also amazing. They consistently worked with me on how to improve my game and always gave me opportunities to show that I wanted to be there and wanted to make an impact. Just an amazing place to be." Overall, when grading Hunter it's going to be difficult to project where he goes and what he becomes at the next level. You could tell that there were moments where he just simply couldn't compete with the best of the VHLM, but there were times where it finally clicked and he was able to play his game. The more consistent he is in being able to play at the speed that the VHL and VHLM requires will definitely determine whether he can make a VHL roster or will be a career VHLM player. The draft projection for Hunter is that he will go in the 4th to 7th rounds, there are rumblings that there already have been 3 teams that have contacted Hunter's agent that are interested in taking the young Canadian forward. Draft Profile: Player: Braxton Hunter Height: 6'4" Weight: 225lbs Age: 17 Pros: Hard worker, VHL ready frame, doesn't shy away from contact. Cons: Needs to work on Offensive awareness and passing. Projected Round: 4th-7th From The Star Pheonix, this is Darren Johansson.

After a slow and mediocre first few games for Braxton Hunter in the VHLM with the Saksatoon Wild the young forward finally broke the ice with scoring his first goal in the VHLM at the 16:22 mark in the second period after carrying the puck into the offensive zone and firing an absolute laser into the back of the net beating the Marlins goaltender. This coming after Hunter was promoted to the 3rd line this game for the Wild and getting a bump in playing time, you could see the weight lift off the young rookie's shoulders as his teammates all were incredibly quick to congratulate him on the ice and after the game, our interview with Hunter was even cut short due to some post-game shenanigans. It's evident that Hunter is fitting in with his new team and also making an impact. When asked about his first goal on the season Hunter had this to say: "The first one can sometimes be the toughest is what coach told me, I'm just glad that I was able to get one on the board for the team and that we were able to come out with the w tonight... It was a pretty surreal moment, I got a great feed in centre ice by Nillsy, I got a great jump on the defender which gave me a ton of space. I knew if I got an opening I could beat this goalie high blocker side. So I took my shot and the rest as they say is history I guess." As he chuckled finishing up his answer he was quickly given a whipped cream pie to the face from Brian Strong Jr who scored a hat trick and was the first star of the evening. You wouldn't have been able to tell though because of how excited he was in the locker room for Hunter. When asked about how he's been fitting in with the team Hunter mentioned the following: "Honestly, it's better than expected. All the guys are awesome, they're super supportive and are even showing me a few things that have definitely impacted my game. Brian's been a strong influence on my game, he's clearly one of the most talented players in the league and I'm incredibly fortunate to be able to learn from him. The coaching has been phenomenal, coach has been pushing me to be better and make sure that I can contribute in more places in the lineup. I couldn't imagine playing for another team and glad that Saskatoon gave me a shot. I hope this is the first of many goals to come but even if I don't score I love being around this group of guys and winning." You can certainly tell that players on the team have made an impression on Hunter, making an impact this early on in his career is a good sign for the young forward. Only time will tell whether or not his potential will be realized or it will be wasted. If I were a betting man, I'd bet that this isn't the last we will hear of Braxton Hunter with the Wild.

After having a disappointing 0-2 start the Saskatoon wild have decided to take a chance on some younger blood to fill out the bottom 6 of their roster. Entering the lineup is winger Braxton Hunter, Hunter (pictured below) has a bigger frame and has no issues moving it around to create advantages in the offensive and defensive zones for his previous teams. With him entering the VHL however, the young forward will struggle against higher caliber players and how he will react to not being the biggest kid on the ice anymore. When asked for a quote from Assistant General Manager Timothy Brown, he had the following to say about his young foward: "We were looking to bring some grit and toughness to our 4th line. We have a lot of smaller framed skill guys here, so to bring Braxton in as a bigger kid he has a shot to make a difference on the fourth line. We really liked his willingness to check and lay the body out there, so we are hoping he brings that here as well." Promising words from AGM Brown, when asking Hunter for a quote and how he feels about being given the opportunity he has this to say: "Honestly... It feels pretty surreal, I was just getting ready to go start my shift as a delivery driver when I got the call. Especially to go to such a great team like Saskatoon, I heard so many great things about their team and even their fans are pretty awesome. I can see myself calling the city and team home for a long time." When asked about Hunter as a player, his former coach was more than willing to give us an inside look on what makes Hunter tick: "Braxton first and foremost is a great kid, he's always been the first one in the building and most days I have to kick him out so I can go home. He has an incredible work ethic that tends to rub off on his teammates, he's certainly a quiet leader and prefers to lead by example with his play on the ice. He won't put up a ton of goals, but what he does is make sure that he puts himself and his teammates in great positions to win. His passing for a guy his size is pretty impressive. He does have a lot of holes in his game though, his lack of scoring may turn some teams off because he does prefer to set up his teammates for better scoring chances. He also struggles in some games where he may be at a slower pace than what's being played on the ice. If he sticks to playing his game though he should be able to have an impact at the next level. I'm incredibly happy for him to have a shot at playing in the VHL, the kid deserves it." When asked for a player comparison he gave us a few names but the ones that stood out most to us are: Braxton Hunter's floor - Titus LaClass Braxton Hunter's ceiling - Hunter Hearst Helmsley Both are incredibly talented players but to throw out a legend like Helmsley's name is a pretty bold take, Hunter has the base to get there but it will certainly be difficult for him to reach that level. For the 17 year old forward it will be a drastic change, moving across the country away from London where he's played all of his hockey so far to Saskatoon, where excellence is expected and the fans are incredibly passionate. Time will only tell the impact Hunter will have on this roster, but Saskatoon will definitely be wanting to see Hunter make a big impact on the bottom two lines. Until next time, this has been Jeremiah Johnson with the London Gazette.

After having a disappointing 0-2 start the Saskatoon wild have decided to take a chance on some younger blood to fill out the bottom 6 of their roster. Entering the lineup is winger Braxton Hunter, Hunter (pictured below) has a bigger frame and has no issues moving it around to create advantages in the offensive and defensive zones for his previous teams. With him entering the VHL however, the young forward will struggle against higher caliber players and how he will react to not being the biggest kid on the ice anymore. When asked for a quote from Assistant General Manager Timothy Brown, he had the following to say about his young foward: "We were looking to bring some grit and toughness to our 4th line. We have a lot of smaller framed skill guys here, so to bring Braxton in as a bigger kid he has a shot to make a difference on the fourth line. We really liked his willingness to check and lay the body out there, so we are hoping he brings that here as well." Promising words from AGM Brown, when asking Hunter for a quote and how he feels about being given the opportunity he has this to say: "Honestly... It feels pretty surreal, I was just getting ready to go start my shift as a delivery driver when I got the call. Especially to go to such a great team like Saskatoon, I heard so many great things about their team and even their fans are pretty awesome. I can see myself calling the city and team home for a long time." When asked about Hunter as a player, his former coach was more than willing to give us an inside look on what makes Hunter tick: "Braxton first and foremost is a great kid, he's always been the first one in the building and most days I have to kick him out so I can go home. He has an incredible work ethic that tends to rub off on his teammates, he's certainly a quiet leader and prefers to lead by example with his play on the ice. He won't put up a ton of goals, but what he does is make sure that he puts himself and his teammates in great positions to win. His passing for a guy his size is pretty impressive. He does have a lot of holes in his game though, his lack of scoring may turn some teams off because he does prefer to set up his teammates for better scoring chances. He also struggles in some games where he may be at a slower pace than what's being played on the ice. If he sticks to playing his game though he should be able to have an impact at the next level. I'm incredibly happy for him to have a shot at playing in the VHL, the kid deserves it." When asked for a player comparison he gave us a few names but the ones that stood out most to us are: Braxton Hunter's floor - Titus LaClass Braxton Hunter's ceiling - Hunter Hearst Helmsley Both are incredibly talented players but to throw out a legend like Helmsley's name is a pretty bold take, Hunter has the base to get there but it will certainly be difficult for him to reach that level. For the 17 year old forward it will be a drastic change, moving across the country away from London where he's played all of his hockey so far to Saskatoon, where excellence is expected and the fans are incredibly passionate. Time will only tell the impact Hunter will have on this roster, but Saskatoon will definitely be wanting to see Hunter make a big impact on the bottom two lines. Until next time, this has been Jeremiah Johnson with the London Gazette.