Mr_Hatter

1175 words, claiming for the week ending 9/15 and (eventually) 9/22 S2 #1 Sunday, September 8th: 5:17 a.m. PST I can’t sleep. I mean, I did for a couple hours, but that’s about it. Today is the S68 VHL Entry draft, which means that in a few hours, I might just end up in the majors. To think, just a season ago I was in this exact same position, virtually unknown, but ready to join the minors instead of the majors. Now the season has passed, I’ve grown a lot, and picked up a cup along the way - not too shabby for a 4th round steal. But all that doesn’t matter, because I am still terrified right now. I have no idea what to expect. It’s tricky to predict how this draft goes. There are a few likely guarantees when it comes to the top few picks, which makes a lot of sense. There are a few extremely prolific players this draft class. That being said, as far as goalies are concerned, there is a relative lack of both high level options and attractive opportunities. I think right now everyone is slating me to be the 2nd goalie drafted, behind A Red Guy, but honestly I wouldn’t take that for granted. There are a couple of good options “behind” me that might go first, Sam Ross, my buddy from Ottawa, the primary one. Honestly, as cool as it would be to be the first goalie taken, or the second, I don’t really think that matters. What is more important is that I end up at a team where I can both learn a lot to develop myself, and ideally get some good ice time. If that means I play backup to a contender for a season, then so be it. But if I jump right into a starting position, I’ll do my damnedest to make the saves. Anyway, back to my original point. Point is, it’s not really known where I’m going to be taken. It’s looking likely to be either a late 1st rounder or an early 2nd, but other than that there’s no guarantees. The Americans seem to be in need of a goalie, so I could be snagged there, but they might try and wait until later. Regardless, I don’t expect any teams picking ahead of them to draft A Red Guy so it’s likely that I will not end up in New York. A pity too, because I could foresee a lot of my Ottawa guys ending up there in the draft. New York does, after all, hold just about half the important picks this draft. So that leaves just the expansion teams as teams who need a starter immediately, and I gotta say that would be an exciting opportunity, even if the team would, well, be awful in the beginning. Most likely of course, no guarantees. You’d think that would be the end of it, that I might end up at one of those spots, but I’m not so certain of that. You see, I’ve been approached by a couple other teams interested in drafting me, that may end up surprising a lot of people at the draft. Davos is looking at getting a backup apparently, and I’ve ended up on their radar. Even Moscow might be on the hunt for a starter sooner rather than later. Owen May, their current goalie, has been taking some time this off-season it seems, and he might be reevaluating where he is in his life. I know that sounds a little strange, to say it like that, but it sounds like he has been dealing with some really awful personal issues lately. All I can say is I hope he returns; as great of an opportunity it would be to start at a place like Moscow, I wouldn’t wish such pain on anyone. I thought maybe writing this down would clear my mind and let me get a little bit of sleep, but all it’s done is sharpened my senses to the point that I can’t even close my eyes. I guess an early breakfast is in order. 8:32 p.m. PST Wow. A whole lot of unexpected movements this draft, and I’ve ended up at Moscow. I'm absolutely stoked! I know that I acknowledged it as a possibility, but I’m going to be honest; I did not expect that. And Sam went before me! Couldn’t happen to a better guy of course, he deserves it so much. I hope he is happy in Davos, beautiful country Switzerland, although it seems a little small of a town for a VHL team. To be honest, it’s kinda like I said earlier this morning. It doesn’t really matter to me when I was drafted, as long as I’m happy with my new team, and I think I am. I’ve had a nice long chat with Mr. Alfredsson, and I think we are both on the same page. The idea is that I play understudy to May for a season, and see how he is getting along, as well as see how I’m getting along in the big leagues. It will be a tough transition, but I’m ever optimistic. In fact, I don’t see why I can’t challenge for a starting spot this season alone! I believe in myself to get there, and I think that I could really help the team. That’s my goal of course, I want to play. I’m hungry for it. But I know how the league works, you can’t just expect to waltz into a squad and be put in net right off. I’ll do my best to get there though. The one thing I am a little bummed about is that there aren’t many of my Ottawa teammates sticking with me for this next step in my career (though Hawk will be there!). I would have loved it if it worked out that way. Especially Thorny and Sam (even if it wouldn’t make much sense for us to play for the same team, I’ll miss having my friend in the locker room). I know I’ll be able to keep in touch with them, and who knows, I might end up with them at some point, but it does hurt, even just a little. Oh well! On to the next big step. There are a bunch of great guys in a new locker room that I have yet to meet, and I’m sure that they will be just as great with me. I gotta be honest, it’s going to be great learning how to stop shots from a legend like Cast. And I briefly met up with Killy Foilen, another draftee who is probably going to stay down in the M this next season, but he seems to have a lot of spunk. I hope he can keep it up and do us proud. Finally, Jet seems like a real character. Jaguar, that is. We met briefly at the draft, and he gave me a nice welcome. Well, until next time! I gotta go celebrate with my family, the champagne’s waiting!

Wonderful article! Good luck all

Thanks for the kind words

Bookmark it

Good stuff!

I mean, NYA does already exist

Review: As I've been doing these reviews I love coming back to the articles posted at the beginning of the season, to see what the expectations were for all the GM's and teams. I'd be interested in seeing the opinion now. As always, your ECN pieces are a great read. Love the formatting and styling, as well as the well thought-out content. Great work!

Review: Wow, this was a really well put together and informative article! I'd really like to see what it looks like now that the season has completed, if anyone has changed their position in the overall, or if the top 5 is the same for the teams. Great formatting as well. Good Media spot!

Review: Getting some logs done, so its cool to go back to the beginning of this season. Frans Eller had a hell of a season, and looking back to the start of it I think you painted a pretty good picture of what was to come. I like the photo's chosen, and nice use of different styles (ie bolding important info) to highlight stuff. Well done!

Fantastic write up my guy. Thank you for the kind words. it was great to put a button on the whole season

Probably prefer espn but either works!

Bump. Is this something that can be considered seriously? I've seen no reason given against that seems adequate to me.

Welcome @ews99 ! Hope you enjoy your time here

I'll bite. 513

@Beaviss Not much of a graphic, but I thought I'd ping you for it. Congrats on the cup!

Thanks for the write up! Exciting to see where we all end up.

1) It's a fantastic feeling. We really worked all season to get here, and it's so satisfying. 2) I think that while we maybe dropped a couple games that we shouldn't have, we turned it around and maybe even over performed in those finals. Great work. 3) Taking a nice long break, maybe travel to Europe. I hear Prague is lovely this time of year. 4) I'm just hearing up for the VHL draft! I've been approached by a few teams, and honestly all of them have something to offer. I'm excited to see where I end up! 5) Probably the sweep. For selfish reasons, because otherwise that means I would have let more goals in, so I have a better record now I think. Unless the 3 losses were all 1-0 where I save like 40 shots lol. 6) I'm not sure... it depends who stays with the team. If I remember right, we dont really have draft picks, so it might be tough to be a contender. That's the weird thing with the M, so many players move on that it's really tough to build a dynasty. If I has to guess, I'd put us at the middle of the pack, maybe 5th in regular season, like between 40 and 50 wins.

Congrats Wolves! All I'm going to say is I predicted this so you are welcome

Welcome!

2st

575 words, claiming for September 1st #6 Saturday, August 31st: Just as it started, so it has come to an end. My season in the VHLM has come and gone, and at the end of it all, we are the champions!!!!!! Queue the music, Queen, confetti, champagne, the whole nine yards. The run has been nothing short of spectacular, and all I can say is that it has been an absolute pleasure. The Ottawa franchise is one of if not the most historic left in the league, and I am so proud that we were able to add to that legacy. Bringing the Founder’s Cup back to the Lynx was like a dream come true. Granted, I’ve only been attached to the franchise rather briefly, since the draft, but in time I’ve really come to respect and feel at home with the team. I can’t say enough how good the organization has been to me. Acyd and Hulk, they really were there for us in the locker room. Any questions we had, concerns we wanted to raise, we could go to them and they would help. I think that attitude really trickled down into the players dispositions. I’m sure everyone swears by their locker room as the best locker room, and to be honest, I’m not going to try and pretend with that whole “oh but ours actually is,” because let’s be real, that is some bullshit. All I will say is our locker room was all that I was hoping for and more. All I can say is that I hope wherever I end up in after the VHL draft has the same kind of feeling to it. I know that might be hard to replicate (and even harder to continue winning silverware into my first season in the VHL), but one can hope! Speaking of, the draft is coming up, and I am beyond excited. I have no idea where I will end up in the draft. All I know is that with two expansion teams, anything can happen. Of course, it doesn’t seem too likely at this moment that many of the current 10 teams will need to draft a starter right away. Maybe one of them. And while I’m not completely disregarding the idea of trying to work my way up to a starting position, I really would like to try and compete as the first choice in net within a year. Maybe that’s a bit of a stretch to hope for, but what else should I do? I don’t know, but I can’t help but shoot for the top right off the bat. Of course, there is always the possibility that the expansion teams work out a deal of some kind with one of the current teams. Perhaps they agree to take one of the young goalies in the expansion draft in exchange for some picks in the future, and then the current team in turn takes me in the draft. In that case, maybe I could be on a contender, and competing soon. Or maybe that won’t happen and I’ll be taken by an expansion team. That would be exciting indeed, maybe even preferable! Don’t get me wrong, I understand it might be a long road ahead, but I have no doubt that we could build a real competitor within the context of my career. And hey, even if we can’t, at least it will be fun starting off a franchise on the right foot.

GG Storm bros, thanks for the season all

Right back at you buddy, big double @jack

Good start to the series, hope we can continue this form.

Massive game from our captain!