Hello Europe: Harry Callahan heads to Bratislava!

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6,615 km from the VHLM to the VHLE

 

 

 

On the banks of the Danube River in Central Europe, Right Winger Harry Callahan continues his journey to the VHL. The picturesque city of Bratislava is located on the Western end of Slovakia, and it is home to an up and coming squad in the Watchmen. It is here that Callahan hopes to win a Renaissance Cup.

 

After 2 seasons in Ottawa of decent offensive production but poor overall play, Callahan realized that he needed improvement in the harder areas of the game. It has resulted in an off-season of shifting priorities, and work focused on building up a more well-rounded style of hockey that will hopefully translate into more team success. Through 154 VHLM games (including playoffs), Callahan floated just under a point per game, finishing with 72 goals and 72 assists for 144 points. The larger concern, and a recognition from the young winger, was a lack of contribution in other areas. He saw just 77 shot blocks in the two seasons, including a significant drop between years one and two. He also finished with a -49 plus/minus rating, showing that he was becoming a liability on the ice defensively. That renewed focus this off-season has led to massive increases in defensive ability and strength, hoping to ensure that Callahan would not be as irresponsible defensively as he was in his previous 2 seasons.

 

Heading into the upcoming season with a young Watchmen team, Callahan will look to put that improvement to the test and be a leader for his team. While the league is often looked down upon by many, Callahan views this as a great opportunity to continue developing in a gorgeous European city, with a team that has already shown the ability to be a close knit group who communicate well with each other. Early team bonding has included a competitive, but fun round of games such as Puckduko, and Wordle. Callahan finds these kinds of games important, as it helps build the team closer before the real fun of the season starts on the ice. He arrived in Bratislava just days after being eliminated in the VHLM playoffs with Ottawa, looking to put in the kind of work required to win at the next level.  In just a few short weeks, we'll get to see how much that work will pay off. The short term view includes continuing to train, while the Watchmen look to add to the roster via the draft and free agency. After that, the real stuff starts.