First Week Wrap Up for UghSike

[UghSike 211]

  With the first week of games wrapped up, I'm here to report on a potential VHLM prospect who is currently in the VHLM. Initially going into the season, UghSike showed more potential on paper than he has on the ice. With ten games played, he only has five points. Four of which are goals. With a +/- of -3, it appears as though his current line is struggling a bit in the defensive zone. However, surprisingly he's been very successful on the face-off dot, winning a lot of draws when necessary. Going into the season, scouts predicted him to be "one to watch" as far as racking up a lot of assists, but with only one assist in ten games, I think they may want to reconsider their initial assessment.

  As far as draft potential goes, he was initially predicted to go early to mid second round, but that is also questionable. With the numbers (or lack there of) he's putting up, this may considerably drop him down the overall ranks at the end of the season. Of course, there's plenty of hockey left and still adequate time for him to make a noticable difference wholly as a player. Generally speaking, we don't count anyone out based entirely on early season performance. Even the big names and trophy recipients go through dry spells. All things considered, he's new to the league and some players adjust more quickly than others. He definitely has potential to be a top contributor to any team, but I feel it's just a matter of adjusting to his new environment.

  Recapping on what's been stated previously, maybe it's a matter of adjusting to a new team and "gelling" with his line-mate's style of play, or just first season jitters. His line is taking shorter shifts as well, so less ice time correlates to less opportunity to produce. He's going to have to utilize the shift lengths his line is receiving, and capitalize on any given opportunities to contribute something in that small window. Averaging roughly six minutes a period and respectively seventeen minutes per game, his line is responsible for about a third of the entire game on any given night. His lack of penalty minutes almost guarantees he'll at least be on the first penalty kill line. But, will he ever contribute enough in the points department to be considered for one of the two power play lines, let alone anything above the third line? All of Saskatoon is rooting for him as well as the team as a whole, which have been lackluster thus far. The team isn't terrible. Granted, they struggle with defensive pairings, but that's only due to being short manned in that department. I think the acquisition of one or two more solid defensemen will help greatly. I'm sticking with a previous prediction of UghSike going early in the draft. Sometimes, the bar is initially set too high, and when these players aren't living up to the media hype and expectations of the fans, they're considered a bust in the draft. But, with anything, time and patience is a bit of a requirement. I think as we get deeper into the season, a lot of naysayers are going to be eating their words.

 

Reporting from Saskatoon

Sharqueefa Cornstains.

 

*546 Words*

[Noodle Enjoyer 165]

18 minutes ago, UghSike said:

 

Sharqueefa Cornstains.

 

Is this the best reporter name ever, I think it might be.

[UghSike 211]

5 minutes ago, Noodle Enjoyer said:

Is this the best reporter name ever, I think it might be.

Maybe the best reporter name, but probably not the best reporter.