Marshall Maxx: Destroyer of Men

[lemonan 49]

Marshall Maxx: Destroyer of Men

 

I'll begin this article with a bold statement: Marshall Maxx is the best pure defenseman in the VHLM. 

 

Background:

       Born in the big hockey city of Toronto, many would be shocked to hear today that 17 year old Marshall Maxx did not start playing hockey until he was 16. At age 13, he was involved in a plane crash that left the young man in the wilds of Nunavut, and came back at age 15 a massive 6'4" and 200 pounds. Since his debut in high school, Maxx's development under personal trainer Brian Wist has been unprecedented. 
       After a stellar high school career in which he was known for knocking the opposing players out of the rink, he joined the Halifax 21st at an early age of 17 and began his professional career with a bang, quickly becoming well known in the VHL for his quick growth and big hits alongside teammate and fellow defenseman Connor Johnson. Nowadays, you can find the almost 18 year old Maxx practicing his checking and defensive skills on the San Diego Marlins practice rinks after being drafted with the 9th pick in the latest VHLM draft and the Riga Reign, alongside friend and rival Connor Johnson, in the recent VHL draft. 

 

Pros:

       Maxx is the human embodiment of a bear. In fact, there are stories of Maxx defeating polar bears in one-on-one combat in the Nunavut wilds.  In short, Maxx is quick, athletic, and most importantly, giant. At his size, it is nothing short of a miracle of how gracefully and swiftly he can maneuver around the ice. Additionally, his passes are almost always right on the mark, which will often lead to assists on the offensive end. However, the clear and best trait of Maxx is his pure instinct. He is known for being an absolute menace on the defensive end, blocking an impressive 30 shots in only 21 games for Halifax last season. Maxx's trademark is his massive hits, which often lead opposing players to fly across the rink and in some cases, straight out of the rink. As his career progresses, I hear that Maxx plans to become the hardest hitter in all of hockey, and I definitely wouldn't count him out.

 

Cons: 

       While looking at Marshall, there is one clear trait that will most likely define him for the rest of his career: He can't shoot to save his life. Anyone that has seen him with a stick can tell you this, and this showed up often in his time in Halifax. Teammates recall multiple times when he tried taking a shot from right in front of the net and had it sail right over the glass, missing by a mile. Simply, giving him a shot from any further than five feet from the net is a liability, so his only real scoring opportunities will be from driving into the net, where he can often be effective. 

 

Conclusion:

       Maxx aims to be the best hitter, and secondarily the best defender, in the VHL, and I believe that he can be right up there at the top with his skills and clear potential. His athleticism is top notch compared to many other players at his size, and was one of the prime reasons he was drafted as high as he was. His checking and defensive skills are nothing less than devastating to opposing players and continue to grow, while his passing and puck handling are nothing to scoff at either. Marshall will never be an offensive player, but he admittedly doesn't want to be. He doesn't want the attention, he doesn't want to be the hero, he just wants to be the most impactful player on the rink... and maybe destroy some opposing players along the way. VHL teams should already be afraid of the player San Diego and Riga fans are calling the "Destroyer of Men", and with his skills and quick growth he will undoubtedly be a core of the Riga Reign team in the future.