Playing in the VHLE

[RstortonYT 27]

I'd like to start off this article by quickly shouting out the fans in Istanbul. They have been absolutely awesome throughout the start of the season. Although we don't sit top of the league right now, I am confident we can turn it around. The fans will be a huge part of it. As someone who is close to getting past the TPE area for the VHLE. I am still thinking about how long I really want to stay here. I had a rough season in the VHL with Helsinki last year, but I am off to a good start with 9 points in 6 games, 3 of those games being wins. I think there is two ways to look at this. You can either look at it as a league or just player development. I I love Istanbul, but playing in the VHL is a huge opportunity and once next season comes around, there is no doubt in my mind that I will be off to the VHL once again. As an offensive minded player, playing in the pre draft tournament and putting up the numbers I did made me realize that I can use this as an opportunity to get my game right this season before heading back. But there's also the fact that I absolutely love playing in Istanbul. The fans are great and the city is great but who knows what the VHLE holds in store. In my final VHLM year with Minnesota, I had my best season ever., putting up 83 points in 72 games en route to a Founder's Cup final appearance. Halfway through that season is when I realized that I was ready to move up. I feel like that's a similar situation to what I am in right now. I love where I'm at but I want to be under the brightest lights in the VHL. Don't get me wrong, I will cherish my time in the VHLE no matter how long I stay here. I know that as one of the higher TPE guys on the team, I feel like I am under some pressure to perform well. Have I ever felt this pressure before? No. It's completely new to me. How can I handle it? I don't know. As a fairly new member, how I can handle the pressure that I think I have, that I think will be the biggest challenge for me. I have to do my best to tune out all outside noise and just focus on my game. I know I can score a ton of points and I know I am a really good player. I just can't let myself get overwhelmed.

 

In conclusion, I have some fears going in to this season but I know the fans here in Istanbul have got my back, as well as the guys in the locker room. I will be one and done in the VHLE, so I have to make the one season I have here count. I hope I will.

 

Heavems out.

[SpicyGecko 100]

Well done. I love this inside look of a player's mind and what they are thinking. Could've been a break in the formatting instead of one giant paragraph but not a huge deal. This definitely gets us thinking about what the player might do and where he is going next season as well as the stress and pressure being put on him. I enjoy articles that are through the eyes of a player and this one is well done and tells us something we wouldn't know otherwise. Stats are something we can all see but thoughts, well I am not a mind reader.

 

9/10