Champagne going close to home

[Anthique 225]

The day of the VHL has finally come. 

After a good VHLM season, some experts put Alfred Champagne in the top 15 of his draft class. No surprise here, because he really had a good finish with Philadelphia, but not much and the playoffs and that was what he was scared the most. We love to see players get better in the playoffs where everything matters and you always have to give your 100%. Even the GM wants players who can drive their team and bring their game to the next level.

That first round loss motivates him in the off season to get better and to be able to be one day an offensive force who can lead his team to the promise land.

 

That doesn't scare the Prague Phantoms, because they took him in the first round!

 

But let's roll back to what happen on that day.

 

When he woke up, Alfred Champagne was ready for anything. Some teams have come to him to know more about his intentions, his character and who his style of play most ressemble as an VHL player.

He tough that everything went well, so he was just happy that it's THE day. 

In his hotel room, there is everything he needs to be ready in the evening when he will need to sit in the arena, while waiting for a team to say his name.

His parents had also a room, so during the day they can visit together the city and talk about something other than hockey. With his hockey season in North America, he didn't have the time to visit his family and they only come one time in December for Christmas. He appreciated the time he got with them and he hoped that his future VHL team will be in Europe so he can see them more often.

 

When he was waiting, he remembered his VHLM draft and how happy he was when the San Diego Marlins selected him. That was his first draft but not the last. He was picked at 19th so he hoped to get picked before that. That's not impossible with the season he had and all the hype around him. The top 5 is impossible to get in with all the great prospects of this draft class, but after that, it is open for a lot of players.

Malmo had two picks at 6th and 9th, Moscow the 7th, Riga the 8th and London the 10th. All those picks went by and still no sign of Alfred Champagne. 

Prague was next at 11th and until the 16th to close the first round, it was Helsinki, New York, Toronto, Los Angeles and finally Calgary. He had some good conversation with Prague so it was a possible destination and after that many North American teams, so he hoped to be at 11th.

He effectively didn't have to way that long, because he was the next pick!

 

For the next ten years, if all goes well, he can call Prague home.