Around the League

[Scurvy 1,503]

While this off-season seems incredibly long there has been some things going on to keep me interested.  Although, at least in the Vancouver locker room the team is hungry for the start of the upcoming season.  We’ve had the WJC, Pro-Am, and drafts lately which have been fun but still it sometimes is hard to write media spots during off-season but I will do my best.

 

VHLM Draft

 

 

 The VHLM draft started, and the Mississauga Hounds went with towering defenseman, Erik Thorvaldsson @Tetricide.   Erik is big, nasty, and has skills so it should be fun to see what he can do on a re-tooling Hounds team.  

 

Other draft notables:

#2- Pierre Marc Bouchard  @Gaikoku-hito– Halifax-  a solid and speedy center who in his quick time in Saskatoon showed he could score against VHLM talent and shoots the puck early and often.  Solid pickup for the 21s.

 

#3- Lazlo Holmes @Gustav - Saskatoon- A defenseman who can dangle and score he averaged over a point per game with Halifax in his quick stint there.  Joins a powerful rookie defensive core in SSK that looks to shut down the league. 

 

#4-Jillian Woods @jacobcarson877-Ottawa- small and quick, this is well rounded defensive player that can do it all.  Joins a talented Ottawa club that looks ready to challenge for a cup. 

 

#5-Oliver Loo @Misty- a first gen forward and Calgary prospect looking to make a mark in Saskatoon.  A capped TPE member that should start the season hot.  

 

RIP WHEELER TRADED!

Now for several seasons I have begged Calgary to trade my buddy and nemesis, Rip Wheeler @ScottyP for a used puck bag, a bus pass, or toilet paper.  Something commensurate with his skill level.   Now, my player finally made to the VHL and I was poised to be in the same division and heated rivalry with Calgary when he told me he was being traded.  Part of me thinks he wanted to be traded to avoid Ninefingers but I know that isn’t true. 

 

Rip Wheeler and all-star defenseman Skor McFleury @AlexAlex were shipped to Prague where they join some really good players in John Jameson @Frank, Nikolas Kauppi @Tetricide, and goalie Matt Murdock @Acydburn.  Overall, I think it was good for Rip.  He was a very loyal teammate in Calgary and loved his time there but hopefully the new scenery in Europe will light a fire under him.   Best of luck Rip

 

S94 Draft

Just looking at the pool of prospects in the VHLM I noticed that the S94 draft is very balanced and full of huge earners.  I was surprised that in the top 20 of TPE currently there is only one goalie, Soju @Frank.  There are some really talented defensive players in the top 10 as well like Jillian Woods @jacobcarson877, Felicia Hardy @JCarson, Lazlo Homes @Gustav , and Bollos de Trueno @Thunder so curious if the first overall pick will be a defensive player next year.  Defensive players Yaboi Oven @Doomsday was #1 in S90 draft, Callum Gary Yannick Janser @Daniel Janser was #1 in S91, and Mark Calaway @Beketov was #1 in S88 showing its pretty wise to take a high earning defensive player first.  

 

At forward we have Maverick Goncalves @leandrofg who definitely knows how to make a player that scores, The Phantom of the VHL @Hogan, Pombo @samx,  Maple Dogwood @dogwoodmaple, and Wally Lose @youloser1337.   

 

All could be a force at the first overall pick but only time will tell.