Vancouver Wolves (S93)

[Smarch 3,157]

Season Ninety-Three Year in Review

 

With lots of internal hype heading into season ninety-three for the Vancouver Wolves, expectations from management and players were set much higher than previous seasons. However, for the third straight season the Wolves came up short on their conquest to make the Continental Cup playoffs. After the seventy-two-game regular season, the Wolves only ended up missing the playoffs by three points, mostly due to their inability to keep the puck out of their own net, as they allowed the second worst goals against total in the North American Conference, with 236. Now that number might indicate the Wolves goaltender wasn’t up to par last season, but Dalkr Vidarsson wasn’t the real issue many nights for the Wolves, with that number likely to be much higher if not for the second-year goalie. Today we will do a quick recap of those players from the Wolves roster and what is expected as we head into season ninety-four.

 

(S85) LW – Larry Abass Jr.

After an off-season trade that saw Abass Jr. heading up the Pacific Coast from Los Angeles, Abass Jr. only lasted twenty-two games in Vancouver before heading to Calgary where he ended the season and his VHL career. In his short time in Vancouver Abass Jr. was one of the better offensive players for the Wolves, putting up thirteen goals and twenty assists, while also putting up a plus/minus of plus ten. With the season looking bleak after the first third of the season in Vancouver it was in the best interest in the long run for the team to trade off Abass Jr. to recoup some assets for the future. Unfortunately for Abass Jr. the trade to Calgary did not allow the retiring forward to head back to the playoffs, so he will have to ride off into the sunset with his one Continental Cup win with the season eighty-seven Calgary Wrangles in his back pocket.

 

(S85) C – Sunglasses Joyo

Another member of the Wolves that was brought over in an off-season trade from the Los Angeles Stars, Joyo much like Abass Jr. did not last one full season in Vancouver. While Joyo lasted a bit longer with Vancouver, as he spent fifty-two games with the team, he was eventually traded at the VHL trade deadline to the Warsaw Predators. Before being shipped off to Poland, Joyo was a productive member of the Wolves roster, putting up eighteen goals and forty-four assists in those fifty-two games played. Joyo wasn’t as successful offensively after being traded to the Predators, putting up eight goals and eleven assists in the twenty regular season games played with the Polish based VHL team, but he was able to get his last taste of VHL playoff hockey with the Predators, unfortunately being bounced during the wild card round.

(S86) D- Jens Lekman

Jens Lekman was the last off-season addition by the Wolves prior to season ninety-three, coming over in a secondary trade with the Los Angeles Stars. Lekman was brought over to help a younger defensive core that would see three rookies play for the Wolves in season ninety-three, giving the team another veteran presence beside one of the best defensemen in modern VHL history Liv Slater. Lekman would be the third off-season addition for the Wolves that wouldn’t last the entire season in Vancouver. Lekman played in twenty-two games for the Wolves putting up one goal and eight assists in his short time in Vancouver, while also having a plus/minus of minus six. Lekman was shipped out as part of the package of Calgary alongside Abass Jr. where he appears to be starting his last VHL season barring any future moves, as we enter the season ninety-four offseason.

 

(S86) LW – Left Alone

Alone was the first off-season addition for the Wolves as the VHLs ninety-second season turned into the season ninety-three off-season. Alone was brought over from Moscow in return for a season ninety-three Vancouver second round draft pick, which was a good exchange of both teams with the direction they were both taking at the time. However, like all other pick ups from Vancouver in the off-season, Alone couldn’t help Vancouver over the hump of making the playoffs. Alone was the only season ninety-three off-season addition that wasn’t dealt during the season and was able to play a full seventy-two games for the Wolves where he put up thirty-two goals and thirty-nine assists, which was second best overall on the team and lead the way for all the teams’ forwards. Alone appears to be coming back for a second full season in Vancouver as the off-season starts up, with the team hoping his final VHL season will be ended with a bang and Alones’ first Continental Cup in the league.

(S86) – Thor Odinson

Odinson was a part of the package deal return from Calgary that saw Abass Jr and Lekman return the other way to Calgary. Odinson played in fifty games last season with Vancouver, putting up six goals and ten assists in those fifty games. Odinson did perform better in the fifty games for the Wolves than he did in the previous twenty-two games played with Calgary, which was a good sign for the Wolves however, both the player and management will be looking for more out of the veteran forward in season ninety-four. With a older team around him this season, Odinson will hopefully be able to beat his previous career high of thirty-seven points back in season ninety-two with the Seattle Bears.

 

(S88) D – Liv Slater

The leader of the pack as I will call her Liv Slater is going to be back in the fold for the Wolves for her fifth straight season. After finishing second on the team in scoring in season ninety-two and first on the team in scoring in season ninety-three, Slater has really cemented herself as the best Wolves by far on the current roster. Last season Slater was awarded the captaincy of the Wolves for her consistent work ethic on and off the ice, a season that saw her pick up the Alexander Valiq Trophy, Jake Wylde Trophy and Sterling Labatte Trophy. Slater is constantly improving her game trying to be the best VHL defenseman in the league, something that appears to be happening as each day passes and now with a new veteran defenseman in the fold, the weight on the back of Slater should lessen as we head into season ninety-four. The only real question this season for Slater is whether she will again reach forty goals with what should hopefully be an improved Wolves forward core and will she finally break the 100-point barrier. Only time will tell for the sixth-year defenseman.

 

(S89) RW- Zyn Westwood

Westwood was part of the return from Warsaw in the trade deadline deal for Joyo last season, which saw the season eighty-nine draftee come over to Vancouver for the final twenty games of the season. In those twenty-two games Westwood put up three goals and five assists in a secondary role for the Wolves. Westwood is currently still on the Wolves roster currently in the off-season and hopefully will get another chance this season to help the Wolves head back to the post-season, but with the majority of the off-season still ahead of us and the Wolves currently making moves to improve the roster, Westwood many become a casualty of the moving parts.

 

(S91) G – Dalkr Vidarsson

Vidarsson just finished his second season in Vancouver, playing In sixty-three games in his sophomore season. Vidarsson had a decent rookie season where he put up twenty-six wins, a .925 save percentage and 3.09 goals against average unfortunately for the 6’7 goalie he was unable to improve on this numbers last season. In his second season in Vancouver Dalkr put up twenty-five wins a .913 save percentage and 3.08 goals against average. While his numbers didn’t improve, the team in front of him that was expected to help him grow also didn’t pull their weight, which wasn’t helpful to Vidarsson. As Vidarsson is about to enter his third season with Vancouver and in the VHL it would be safe to say the player and management are hoping he is ready to take the next steps for the franchise and help lead the Wolves back to the Continental Cup playoffs. With another veteran defenseman in the fold for season ninety-three Vidarsson should have more help keeping the buck out of the blue ice, even if Callaway doesn’t describe himself as a defensive minder defenseman. We look forward to Vidarsson lighting the league up this season and putting up what we expect to be career numbers.  

(S92) RW – Logan Ninefingers

The former First Overall selection from the season ninety-two draft is hoping that he will be able to take his game to the next level in his second VHL season. After being the consensus rookie of the year for the Wolves that saw Ninefingers put up thirty-two goals and thirty-one assists, which was good enough for third amongst all VHL rookies, Ninefingers is looking to lead the team offensively in season ninety-two. Ninefingers is a all-around player that can excel at both the offensive and defensive sides of the ice, and its afraid to muck it up with opposing players on the ice either. Ninefingers is also closing in on 800 TPE as we head into season ninety-four, a number that will hopefully see him grow his game from what was already a very good rookie season. With a better team hopefully around him in season ninety-four Ninefingers might find himself on more leaderboards at the end of next season.

 

(S92) D – DB IV

Another member of the season ninety-two draft class for the Vancouver Wolves, DB IV is coming off a rookie season that saw him put up three goals and twelve assists, which doesn’t seem like a big impact on the roster, but for a player that prides themselves on defense first, any points from DB IV is a nice extra bonus. DB IV started the season with the bare minimum in TPE to enter the VHL, which likely didn’t help the young Canadian defenseman, but plus/minus of -13 was the second best on the team amongst players that played the full season in Vancouver, which would speak to the way he was playing defensively. With DB IV getting ready to enter his second season in Vancouver, hopes are that the defensive defenseman will be able to continue to improve his game in the Wolves end of the ice and will help Vidarsson even more in season ninety-four.

 

(S92) D – Guntis Gavilrovs

Gavilrovs was another member of the Wolves season ninety-two draft class that made their rookie debuts in season ninety-three. Gavilrovs had himself a decent rookie season putting up seven goals and twenty-eight assists while appearing in all seventy-two games for the Wolves. The two-way defender also put up some good defensive numbers as well with 253 hits to go along with 164 shots blocked. Unfortunately, for Gavilrovs his plus/minus took quite the hit with him playing so many key minutes for the Wolves last season as he ended the season with a minus 41, which speaks more about the way the team was playing and not his individual play. Gavilrovs is looking even more ready to hit the ice as the season turns over with Gavilrovs currently sitting at 684 TPE earned. Gavilrovs will have a bit more veteran assistance on the defense this year in Vancouver and won’t be as heavily relied upon to play as many minutes as he did last season, which should help the still growing defenseman. Hopefully season ninety-four will be another step forward for the 6’8 defender.

 

(S92) D – Vlad Von Carstein

Vlad Von Carstein played in his first VHL season in Vancouver last year, and unfortunately will not be returning to the club for season ninety-four. Carstein was send as part of a three team deal to the Malamo Nighthawks just a few days prior to the writing of this article as Vancouver had to move the second year defender to improve their forward core. Carstein played in all seventy-two games last season for the Wolves putting up nine goals and thirty-six assists, which place him as the sixth highest point performer on the Wolves last season. Now as he enters his second season in the league Carstein will look to have the same impact on Malamo and continue to grow his offensive and defensive game.

 

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