Rookie Experience - Sadie St-Louis

[sadie 592]

Sadie St-Louis Rookie Experience

 

 

It would be hard for St-Louis to be more excited about something than graduating to the VHL. Realizing a dream of 5 years that you've worked toward tirelessly is a beautiful thing. Sadie has worked her way up from being cut in high school to the highest league in the world and honestly it's something every kid who plays hockey dreams of. To face off against players like Kotkakoivu, Wolanin, and Marner. The thing she is most excited about is the prospect of scoring her first VHL goal. It would be an unreal feeling and a feeling that could probably never be replicated. Being drafted to RIga 4th overall had been overwhelming but making the last league jump to the top is something else entirely.

 

But realistically, what should be expected of St-Louis? A rookie who will come into the league as one of the very bottom-end players is not someone you expect to score a point per game. Being on Riga, perhaps she will play a bigger role in her first year than she might on many other teams due to Riga's current rebuild and lack of high-power players who generate most of the offense. But tempering expectations is always good because one never really knows how good or bad a player will end up being in any specific season and being pleasantly surprised is better than being unpleasantly disappointed. I would say averaging at least .5 points per game would be a win for Sadie St-Louis; we know wherever she starts from, she should only get better and better from that point forward.

 

There are some nerve-wracking aspects of making the leap up to the VHL as well. Sadie will have more eyes on her than ever before as she begins VHL play, as it is the biggest and most prestigious league in the world. Fans will be potentially critical, opponents, media, perhaps even teammates or coaches (although she hopes not). The quality of the opposition is higher than it has ever been and any mistake she makes could be capitalized on as a goal against. She needs to be more precise with her movement and passes than in years past. The last thing that Sadie worries about is the people at the VHL level. She is worried she won't fit in because she worries about stuff like that a lot- what if she doesn't get along with her team or what if she is a negative impact instead of a positive one? Hopefully, we see Sadie shine bright among the young talent in the league and grow for years to come.

 

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