A New Dragon Lands in DC

[JigglyGumballs 1,056]

 

Washington D.C.

 

With the 79th VHL season having already begun, the DC Dragons had made some notable acquisitions prior to the start of the season. One of those acquisitions was none other than defenseman Jiggly Gumballs. Drafted 28th overall back in S73, the veteran Gumballs had spent the last 5 seasons playing for the Los Angeles Stars, one of the 4 expansion teams that had their first ever drafts that very season. Gumballs who had cemented himself as a reliable defensive defenseman during his time at LA hit the free agent market this past offseason. Opting to sign a 1 year 3.5 million AAV contract with the DC Dragons. Gumballs was interviewed just after the signings and he made a few statements regarding his decision to hit the market and sign with DC:

 

"My decision to sign elsewhere was nothing to do against LA. I honestly want to thank them for everything they've done for me these past 5 or so seasons. LA is like a home to me so it's honestly a shame to leave such a great city.  However as the more I grow older, the more I realize that my chances of winning a cup slip with each and every season. And continuing to play in LA right after they won the draft lottery again convinced me that if I wanted to win, I'd have to look elsewhere."

 

Gumballs last season had a decline in production last season with only 41 points in 72 games, with his defensive stats also taking a slight hit. In contrast to that, Gumballs so far has had a great start to the season. 7 points, 1 being a goal ironically scored against LA and was a game winner, in only 5 games. The change in scenery proved to so far be a renaissance for the veteran defenseman, and according to Gumballs, his new teammates are the keys to his recent success.

 

"Part of the reason why I signed in DC is because I honestly loved the idea of playing with some of the guys here. Being paired up with Kristof Welch and passing the puck to guys like Groovy Dood? It seemed like a great deal to me. I have a lot of respect for those guys even if they were rivals. Dood went first overall in our draft class and has been a big part of this team since. Welch on the other hand, I got to know him well since he was in another divisional rival in Toronto previously. So all of these guys I was pretty familiar with. That also contributed to my signing here. Getting to know younger guys like Jannik Nylen was also a nice treat. We have a pretty veteran group here and I think that'll help us make a good run. Being able to be a big factor to that run is something I'm looking forward to."

 

As of now, DC is tied for 1st in the North American Conference and 5th in league overall standings with 7 points, and with the NA Conference looking like a tight race to the playoffs, Gumballs and the rest of the DC Dragons are surely looking to maintain momentum and drive their way forward into the postseason.

 

(570 Words)

 

 

Edited July 26, 2021 by JigglyGumballs

[Greg_Di 1,028]

Review:

Great article on your free agency signing to DC. The quote from your player adds depth to the article and shows his point of view on why he went to free agency and why he decided to go with DC. I really enjoyed reading it. 9/10.

[KC15 340]

Review:  Nice article.  The well-chosen shot of DC sets the tone right from the off.  Loved the weaving together of narrative and player's perspective.  7.5/10