Obuz Schneider Canet du Bocage Rookie Experience

[Grape 528]

The Trade Deadline has come and gone, and now, deep into the season, where the standings are beginning to be set in stone, we look at one of Moscow’s rookies, the defenseman Obuz Schneider Canet du Bocage. Over 50 games into the season, while he has not necessarily impressed, he also has not seemed completely out of place. With top pairing minutes night in and night out, Bocage has been able to put up 25 points, 5 of them goals, 20 assists, while also sporting a -17 rating on a pretty awful Moscow team. Looking at the more physical side of things, Obuz has 126 shots blocked and 84 hits. While the stat lines are not necessarily eye popping, they are respectable for a first year defenseman.

Upon being drafted 12th overall, some question marks were immediately raised at the selection. Some said that this was a reach, as at the time, there were more developed, better players still available, even in the defenseman position which Moscow really needed to address. Obuz did choose to spend an additional season in the VHLM instead of moving on up to the VHLE, putting him well behind in the draft class. Yet, as of now, Bocage sits 11th in terms of overall TPA in his draft class and third for defenseman in the class. Suffice to say, when Moscow came up to make that selection, Obuz has become the best selection for the team at that time.

 

Throughout the season, Obuz has been seen as the guy on defense, even being made assistant captain in his rookie year. While there hasn’t been a real mentor on the blue line to help OBSC develop and hone his game at the VHL level, Obuz has continued to grow and develop through trial by fire, and his game has been getting better and better as the season goes along. The hope is that Obuz continues to develop and eventually become a top defenseman in the league, although it will take some time to do that.

 

The eventual hope for Obuz Schneider Canet du Bocage, as stated, is to develop into a top defenseman in the league. Moscow is a young team in the midst of a rebuild, and because of that, most players are at or around OBSC in terms of development. This matched development with the players has really brought the locker room together and helped maintain a light, entertaining, and overall accepting group for all rookies, Bocage included. Success is for the future. The main focus in Moscow is development. Bocage is fully dedicated to the plan Moscow has in store, and while his freshman season has not been overwhelmingly exciting, it is expected that he will make massive strides in the coming seasons and truly fulfill his top pairing role with the Moscow Menace.