A New Chapter Begins in Malmo

[fromtheinside 1,278]

A New Chapter Begins in Malmo

by Hans Lundin- Associated Press

 

The recent handful of seasons have been memorable ones for the hockey team here in Malmo. Last season's squad set out on a mission to accomplish a rare feat in VHL history, the elusive back-to-back Continental Cups. Season 79 saw them defeat the Seattle Bears in the finals  It was their second championship in the past five seasons (the last coming in Season 75).  This past season saw the Nighthawks set out to defend their trophy and bring the Cup back home to the fans in Sweden. They definitely gave it a valiant effort as the team enjoyed another highly successful regular season. Additionally, they eliminated their conference rivals Warsaw in the European Conference Semi-Finals. Unfortunately they would fall to a juggernaut Moscow squad in the Conference Finals, but they definitely gave their fans plenty of memorable moments along the way. It was definitely a squad that was beloved in Sweden and one the whole country was proud of.   However, things never last forever, especially in the VHL where things can change on a dime on a regular basis.

 

As we head into the Nighthawks' training camp, it's crystal clear we are embarking on the dawn of a new era here in Malmo. The entire landscape of the organization has shifted, not for better nor for worse, but different nonetheless. The biggest, and most impactful change, comes right at the top of the organization. Highly decorated and well-respected general manager Chris Hylands put out his own press release shortly after the end of the playoffs saying he would be opting out of his contract as GM of the Nighthawks effective immediately This sent shockwaves through the Swedish media as Hylands had really cemented his legacy during his time in Malmo. Shortly thereafter,  the team was quick to announce the replacement as Dominic Gobeil was handed over the keys to the Malmo kingdom. He was best known for his time serving as Assistant GM  for the Prague Phantoms over the past handful of seasons. Gobeil was Hyland's personal recommendation to be the heir to the throne for the Nighthawks. Since being named the new general manager, Gobeil has been busy and has wasted no time making his imprint on the club.

 

With defenseman Tui Sova's entry-level contract coming to an end, Sova was due to get a big time raise. It was also his opportunity to test the free agent market. Sova had really endeared himself to the team and the Malmo fans over his three seasons with the Nighthawks, becoming a team leader as well as a fan favorite. However, the rookie GM saw the writing on the wall and opted to trade Sova's rights to the LA Stars in exchange for a Season 82 first round pick.  Not even 24 hours later, before the dust had even settled on the trade, Gobeil was quick to find a suitable replacement on the blueline. He opted to flip the pick he just received from Los Angeles over to the DC Dragons in exchange for none other than Kristof Welch.

 

The Kristoff Welch trade immediately had the Malmo community buzzing. Welch is coming off of a season that saw him dominate as one of the league's premiere defenseman. Not only did he set personal bests across the board last year, he finished top in the league among all defenders in points, and sixth in the league overall. He enters this season still in the prime of his career as this will be his sixth season in the VHL. Aside from his insane statistical production, Welch should also find some immediate chemistry with longtime teammate and pal Scotty Kaberle. The two came up together as rookies in the Toronto Legion system back in Season 76 and played together for three seasons before parting their separate ways. This familiarity should help Welch feel at home in Malmo and continue his dominate ways. He is only under contract for this upcoming season, so Gobeil will need to either come to terms on a new contract for Welch next offseason, or go out do this whole process over again. For now though, its a great move that instantly gives the Nighthawks arguably the best one-two punch on the blueline in all of the VHL.

 

With the back end taken care of,  the new general manager turned his focus to offense, where he had a lot of tough decisions to make. He had a number of expiring contracts to contend with. Like Sova,  long time forward Muffbeav opted to test free agency. Muffbeav often gets overlooked because of how good Malmo's offense has been over recent memory, but his impact on the club's success can not be stressed enough. Losing him to free agency will undoubtedly hurt the Nighthawks. Gobeil seemed to have taken note and was quick to fill his shoes. Once he had gotten word that Muff would not be back, he went out and added veteran forward Steve Eso.  Eso was acquired for a third-round pick in Season 82.  Eso has spent his last four seasons playing for Calgary and should be a lock to put up 60 or more points this season. Oddly enough, much like Welch. Eso also has some prior history with Scotty Kaberle. The two both came up through the Saskatoon Wild system during their careers in the minors. 

 

The last big domino has yet to fall for Malmo this offseason. The only remaining question left heading into training camp is regarding the fate of superstar Gunnar Odinsson. He currently is without a contract and has various suitors interested in bringing him into the fold.  If Malmo were to bring him back, they would have to get creative to fit him on the roster and remain compliant to the salary cap. It would probably take a trade to alleviate some cap stress in order to fit him in. It's a tough call to make but if you look at the overall makeup of the Nighthawks, their window to compete is now.  A large chunk of their roster is in it's prime right now and they are only going to regress over time. It's only going to get harder in the seasons to come, so making a move to bring back Odinsson does make sense for Malmo. Whether or not that happens remains to be seen, but regardless of what happens, the Nighthawks look to have a strong roster yet again heading into this season.

 

 

1085 words, claiming for two weeks

[Tomat0 50]

REVIEW

 

I absolutely adored this article. It's written in a really professional and eloquent fashion - if we had a real life VHL with sports coverage, this would be the type of article I'd expect to read there. Awesome work, great research, great flow... just a truly great job here. My only gripe is the piece could use some picture or two to really help it come to life. Amazing work

 

9/10

[Beaviss 4,949]

Review

Great article like seriously great. Normally I think articles are better with a picture or something and some additional formatting with bolding etc. but since this one is written so well I don't miss it at all. Im a big fan of how its formatted like a newspaper and it actually makes it an easier and better read. 9.5/10

[fromtheinside 1,278]

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