S81 season end interview

[KnightRiley 72]

 

   Hello once again we are back here with Weenuk Warrior after the end of the VHLM season 81, I am Tony Bologna from Hockey Sandwich Inc. Tonight we are going to be asking Weenuk about his thoughts on his regular season and how play offs have went, Moving onto the next league and the future of his career so lets get into it!

 

  TB: So the seasons done and over with, Over the season you have been on three different teams, the Halifax 21st, Saskatoon Wild, and lastly the Philadelphia Reapers. So firstly I'd like to ask your opinion on each city and if there was anything in particular you liked about the teams or the city itself?

 

  WW: Halifax is a beautiful city and even though i wasn't there very long I got to enjoy it as much as I could in the free time I had before my trade. Think my favorite places i got to go were Point Pleasant Park, Halifax Central library, and just walking around in general. It was nice to get outside to be active for cardio training and Pleasant Park is a beautiful place to get to know fans of the team and just go for a run, I enjoy being outdoors and getting to chat with fans so it was a nice experience the few times i got to go. I'm not much of a bookworm but when they suggested i go here it was for the View from the top floor, it's a great view of the beautiful city. And lastly like i said, the city was a joy to be in just for how  beautiful it is, think my favorite part of running around it was seeing some of the murals on the buildings. As for the team it was a joy to be apart of and even though we weren't doing good which is what made me ask for a trade the environment was pretty positive to be around and all around it was a good time.

 

  As for Saskatoon and Philly, outside of training I didn't find the time to enjoy the city as much. Saskatoon was pretty rocky, competetive enough to get in play offs but not enough to really compete so in the end ended up being traded to Philadelphia. And the same could be said for Philly, I started off slow once i got there so i put most of my time into training and gaining chemistry with the team and once play offs rolled around i was in a pretty good spot on the team and started producing. I was around all three teams close to the same amount of time and all were a pleasure to be apart of, Team mates and management made being apart of and leaving an ease which was nice.

 

  TB: Like you said being apart of three teams in the span of a season, Do you feel like that hindered your stats on the scoresheet?

 

   WW: Oh definitely, it doesn't help that I didn't play my best hockey in either but not having the time to gain chemistry with line mates on all three teams made it harder to read off each others plays and effected our play on the ice. 

 

  TB: Philadelphia Ended up losing in the Semi finals to the Las Vegas Aces, how do you think the series went and how you did in general in the play offs?

 

  WW: The series against Las Vegas was a hard fought series, we ended up trading games until game 5 where they won 7-3, there was still hope to win against them as I thought overall we were pretty even to them but in game 6 they ended up winning 4-2, It was a hard fought series and they proved to be the better team in the end. Sucks to lose like that but you learn from your losses and move on and improve. As for my play itself i was a above points per game with one at thirteen in twelve games played. I did what i felt i do best at and that's being a playmaker with 12 assist. I only shot 10 times during these games but I'm not a known shooter and I'm sure that made it easier for teams to played against me on the ice. I am happy with my own performance as well as the teams to, maybe if we had more time together we'd have been able to make the series more competitive at the very least take it too game seven.

 

  TB: You're done with the VHLM and are moving up to the VHLE to play with the Oslo Storm, what are your thoughts on the team that drafted you?

 

  WW:  There is honestly not much i can say about the team, mainly because i tried to focus on my game in the VHLM. Looking at them from the past season they finished third last in the standings and didn't make the play offs. I didn't pay attention to see how they did throughout the season if they had a bumpy road straight through, started off good then dropped or picked it up at the end, I couldn't tell you. All i know is that management went through a change and they have a new GM in place. Far as I'm aware its where i will be playin this upcoming season so I'll just have to get settled in quickly and get the training i need to perform.

 

  TB: What do you plan to do with your off season, training or is there a break for you in the future?

 

  WW: Currently i have gotten chosen to play for team Canada for the world juniors so that is where ill be for the start of pre season. We're currently 2-1 in the tournament and i have three points in the three games played so hopefully ill be able to keep pulling my weight and help the team win a medal. After wards i do plan on going home for a bit before heading out to Oslo, Norway to be with the team and train with them.

 Not much of a break but I still have a lot to improve on and hopefully I'll be able to take some knowledge learned from the tourney to Oslo with me.

 

  TB: What are your expectations for yourself as a player?

 

  WW: The expectations i set for myself was to always be a pass first player. At heart I'm a playmaker and want to be the reason the players around me shine, I'm not one to shoots and i don't have the best shot so i leave it to the people that trained to score more then I have. To be responsible defensively on the offensive end of the ice and most importantly in my own zone, It's the main thing i plan on training during the off season along with my speed. Other then that im not sure what to expect of myself honestly. I learn and grown from experience on the ice from games so going against tougher competition in the VHLE will show me what i need to improve on and get ready for for the VHL. (99 passing btw i better not get any fucking goals)

 

 

 

 

 

TB:  If you keep growing at the pace you are it looks like your projected to be in the VHL by next season, what are your thoughts on eventually moving up into the club and later on?

  

    WW: Honestly pretty excited that i am close to moving into the big league, with the talks i had with GM Peace and seeing how the team did this season i can't wait to join them and hopefully be a player that helps take the team too a new level. As for the future we will have to see how things go i guess, anything can happen from now till then whether it be a accident during my career or a plain and simple trade. Either way my focus is on the now and ill see what's in store for when i get there.

 

  

  TB: I know I've took up quite a bit of your time but i have a draft related question I'd like to ask you. So in a couple days the VHL draft will be held and currently the Toronto Legion have two picks, one in the first round at number 7, and in the second round at 23. Is there anyone you hope to see get drafted by your club or that they should think about picking? 

 

  WW: I only have time for a couple more questions before i need to leave but i can answer more. As for the current question I can see them picking a defenseman with there first pick. And looking at the draft list it could either be Nagy Al who I played with this past season on Philadelphia after also being traded from Halifax. Al ended the season on the blueline with 77 points with 9 points in the play offs. The other option i see Toronto taking depending on how the draft goes is Bo Johansson who played with the Miami Marauders. He played 72 games with them netting a total 62 points during the regular season. Miami didn't make the play offs this season so im not sure how he would have done then. Toronto has two options to take here that i see and one is a more offensive defenseman in Al or a more two-way defender in Bo. Im sure whoever Toronto takes will be a big piece in there future. As for the second round pick Around this area in the draft it will be decided on how the earlier draft has gone or the need/want of Toronto. This area is mainly defense with a couple forwards and goalies so ill pick one of each. Goaltender - Ben Dahl, also played for the Miami Marauders along with Bo. Dahl played the majority of games for Miami and put up a .887 SV% with a 3.9 GAA. It's not that surprising and as far as I'm aware seems pretty good for being on a bottom team in the VHLM where scoring is crazy. Maybe Toronto pick both players who've known each and played on the same team to give them a familiar face to play with. Forward -  Girts Galvins, Played for the Las Vegas Aces who came up short in the S81 playoffs losing the Ottawa Lynx in 6 games. During the regular season Girts put up 91 points almost splitting evenly with 43 goals and 48 assists, and in the 16 games in play offs he put up 30 points splitting evenly 15 goals and assist. A winger with a shoot first mentality and the ability to make plays across the ice could be invaluable to the Legion in the future. And lastly for the defender - Seymour Butts, 51 points in 72 games also for the Philadelphia Reapers. Picking Seymour here for the base fact I've played alongside him for playoffs and the last 20 games of the regular season, and if Toronto were to draft  Mr. Butts he'd be alongside familiar faces in Myself and Nagy Al. 

 These are just my guesses as the VHL draft can go anywhere with teams having there own positional needs just basing it off the draft list but I know Toronto will pick great players that will help them in the future!

 

  TB: Thank you Weenuk for your thoughts but lastly, we were wondering if you had any comments for your future team mates and management?

 

   WW: Nothing much other then that hopefully in Oslo we will be able to turn things around and do better this season then last, my job is to put the puck on your stick so hopefully we can build the chemistry needed to get the job done when i get there. As for Toronto seeing how they did this past season and play offs it makes me want to train harder and get on that team now and to take it further then last season, hopefully it will only be a season then i am up there with them!

(oslo)

 

 

  Well we here at Hockey Sandwich Inc. would like to wish the best for Weenuk in the World Juniors tournament we hope he does great and to thank him for taking time to answer some questions from us, this is Tony Bologna signing out!

 

 

 

 

  2088 words 

If available will claim 01/23, 01/30, 02/06, 02/13

 

 

   

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

   

[KnightRiley 72]

2nd claim

[KnightRiley 72]

3rd

[KnightRiley 72]

number 4