Ottawa Selects YaBoi Oven First Overall

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Ottawa Selects YaBoi Oven First Overall

 

OTTAWA - From the time YaBoi Oven joined the VHLM as a waiver player at the Season 88 Trade Deadline, he was soaring up the draft board. Initially, Oven looked like a second round selection, but it quickly became apparent he would be a first rounder. From there, it became a question of how high he would be selected, especially once players began declaring for the VHLE Entry Draft. On Friday night, the matter was put to rest when the Ottawa Lynx selected YaBoi Oven with the first overall pick of the Season 89 VHLM Dispersal Draft, making him the first Hungarian to be selected with the top selection in a VHLM draft.

 

"To say I'm elated is an understatement," exclaimed Oven after being selected by Ottawa. "This isn't just a big deal for me, this is a big deal for the future of hockey in Hungary as well. This is proof to aspiring hockey players back home in Hungary that you can do this, that you can be something in the world of professional ice hockey. This has the potential to mean so much more than it does right now in the moment, and it's so surreal trying to take it all in."

 

 

After finishing dead last in the VHLM with a 20-46-6 record in Season 88, Ottawa now looks to make a run in the opposite direction in Season 89. Along with selecting defenseman YaBoi Oven first overall, the Lynx added another monstrous, hard-hitting defenseman in Tommy Sleeves with the tenth overall selection. With Celise Pereira returning in Season 89, the Lynx now have three quality blue liners on their roster heading into Season 89. Ottawa then selected Bruise Banner 11th overall, adding a powerful, but unproven forward to the mix. The Lynx addressed the elephant in the room in their vacant goaltending position with Andrew Cobberson with the 31st overall pick, and the fate of Ottawa's season may very well rest on him. His work ethic so far looks good, but he is untested on the ice. The Lynx rounded out their roster with three more forwards, Med, Shinoa Hiiragi, and Jakub Izacky.

 

Preliminary lines have not been released as of yet, but regardless of who Oven is paired with, big things will be expected of the top selection in the draft for Ottawa. Along with being the top defenseman on the roster, Oven will also now be expected to contribute more offensively as well. He played well as a complimentary piece with the Mississauga Hounds, in particular with allowing Reginald the Dodo to play up more and contribute more offensively. But this season in Ottawa, YaBoi Oven himself will be looked at himself to be the guy, especially if he wants to make himself worthy of the first overall status.

 

 

"To me, last season was all about getting experience and getting a feel for the game," commented Oven. "Now that I've gotten a taste of VHLM, WJHC, and Victory ProAm hockey, I feel like I've settled in nicely now. I was really concerned with not being a liability last season, but now that I know I can handle myself out there, now I want to be able to be a difference-maker for the Lynx. It's time to show how good I can really be this season."

 

Jethro Novacek is a writer for the MSFL Times, the premium purveyor of simulation sports news. He enjoys soft, fleecy blankets, blue raspberry slushies, and taking advice from cartoon dogs.