Pier 21: Flotsam and Jetsam

[LucyXpher 1,433]

With Season 94 now in full swing, the Halifax 21st have cruised to a 21-3-1 record, leading the VHLM by a 2 point margin over the 2nd place Mexico City Kings.  The team has received outstanding performances by players up and down the roster, many of them among the league leaders at this early point in the season.  This week, I had the chance to sit down with 2nd-season-GM, Lexie Leitner, to speak about this season's edition of the 21st and how this roster came together.  

 

Halifax, Nova Scotia

 

"Thanks for meeting me today, Lexie, I'm sure this is the kind of start to the season you would have been hoping for!"

 

"Of course, I'm happy to!  And yeah, this has definitely been an ideal start for us-- probably better than we would have expected, honestly."

 

"So coming into this season, what were your expectations for the team?"

 

"Well, after a great run last season there was definitely a lot of consideration about which direction we would go in Season 94.  We were expecting to have 6 returning players from last season's roster which we knew would be an excellent core for us this season, but we definitely had work to do to fill in the gaps around them.  We were able to make some progress in this regard at the draft and coming into the season, I think we were cautiously optimistic that we'd be able to fill the final three holes."

 

"Before the draft, was there ever any thought of trading players away for draft picks or to potentially start a rebuild early?  Initially, you only had a 2nd and two 4ths in the draft which was not expected to be very deep. Was there ever any concern that you might not be able to fill out the roster?"

 

"It was definitely something we weighed and considered-- selling and rebuilding.  The main problem I have with that is I think we owe it to our players to try and be competitive.  The plan in the offseason was to do our best to round out the forward and defensive groups with the assets we had and make a decision closer to the trade deadline on whether or not we sell or go for it.  I want to give credit to our players, though, because they really stuck with us throughout the offseason.  None of them ever expressed any interest in leaving and were all very happy to return.  They also did tremendous work training in the offseason to prepare, which really gave them a chance to come out flying!"

 

"Just before the draft, you made a deal with Philadelphia for the 5th overall pick where you sent away one of your 4th rounders and a S96 1st rounder.  Walk me through that trade and the thought behind that move."

 

"I mean, it was pretty simple really, we really liked what we saw at the top of the draft class, especially in terms of defenders.  Philly was selling and buying that pick was an opportunity to draft in that spot or to potentially flip it for multiple assets.  In the end we were able to select a player we really liked!  After seeing the work and commitment of our players in the offseason, it was important for us to do something significant to bolster our group instead of just waiting for waivers."

 

"So you ended up drafting Boris Bone-Breaker @RileyL, a 6'6" Russian defender.  What did you like about this player that made you ready to select him 5th overall?"

 

"The simple answer is everything!  But seriously, he was one of a group of about 3 defenders that we intended to pick if they were available at 5th.  When we saw he was there, it was a pretty easy choice for us.  He interviewed well with @ace_five_ our AGM who was also around him in the JST, I believe, so we were pretty confident in the person as well as the incredible player that he is.  He's definitely got the work ethic to be successful at this level as well so it'll just be fun to see how he develops as the season goes on.  Oh, and his phyiscal game is among the best I've ever seen-- seriously, one of the biggest open-ice hitters I've come across with a really nasty side on the ice.  Definitely a player you want on your team!"

 

"There seemed to be a run on defenders early in the draft which left very few available even in the second round.  Take me through your 2nd round pick at 19th overall where you selected Mathias Gunnarsson @ThatCanadian."
 

"I don't think I've ever run as fast as I did to go make that pick!  We knew we needed at least two defensmen in this draft to have a chance to attract waivers and free agents and to be competitive to start the season.  Seeing Gunnarsson available, I was just hoping nobody else snapped him up before we had the chance.  He's a great defenseman with a ton of upside and room to grow that we were just thrilled to add to our team.  I'm not sure how he wasn't drafted by anyone else at that point since every team needed defenders, but I certainly will not complain!"

 

"So you didn't pick again until the 4th round where you selected Lane Ellis @Brewguy7, a goaltender.  What was the thought with that pick since you already had a number one goalie returning in Jon Webber III?"

 

"By the time our pick came around in the 4th round, as much as we might have liked to draft a defender, there were just none left.  Ellis was a player who I really liked in the interview process and who I think has a very bright future ahead of him.  The thought was we could select a good goalie that we can develop and get familiar with to have as our starter for next season when Webber moves up to the E.  Alternatively, we'd be able to find a trade that made sense with a team that needed a goalie to bring in either a forward or defender to fill out our roster now.  Obviously, that's the way things played out."

 

"Yes, I was going to ask about that trade a bit later, but since you mentioned it, how did that come about?"

 

"Well, Anthony Simmons II @Starchychaff is a player I've liked since the S93 draft when I had an awesome interview with him.  Since then he's developed incredibly well and is one of the best players in the VHLM, in my opinion.  We only needed to fill one more spot in our forward group and ideally it would be a right wing.  Simmons II fills that spot perfectly for us, and I honestly don't think there was a player in the league I would have rather added at that spot to fit in with our team and the way we're trying to play.  Obviously we had to give up Ellis, who had done so well for us early on in the season, but he'll have the opportunity to play a lot more games in Mississauga and it allows us to really let Webber own the crease."

 

"The early returns seem to suggest that Simmons II has been a great fit so far with 17 points in 9 games with Halifax, so I'm sure that's a very positive sign for the team."

 

"Absolutely, we couldn't be more thrilled with the player we got in this trade."

 

"Going back a little bit, following the draft, you signed a waiver player, Brett Weier.  Tell me a bit about this player and the signing process?"

 

"At that point we had 4 great forwards, but a couple holes on the wings.  When Weier's agent @Quanack reached out to express interest in signing with Halifax, we jumped at the opportunity!  Weier isn't just a gapstop for us either.  He's definitely still a raw talent with room to grow, but he's got some great offensive skills and a solid work ethic that will see him develop into a scoring threat fairly quickly!  I think it's important to have a good mix of players with different levels of experience and who are at different stages in their development.  Weier will have a great group around him to support his development on and off the ice."

 

"Shortly after you signed Weier, you also signed a coveted free agent during the first week of the season.  How did those talks go with Blaze Thunderstrike @eaglesfan036 and what makes him a good fit in Halifax?"

 

"When I got the call from his agent saying he wanted to sign, I was beyond eccstatic.  We had one hole left on our blueline that needed to be filled and at that point, the best I was hoping for was a waiver signing that might develop over the course of the season.  To add a player with the talent and experience of Thunderstrike is incredible for us.  Not only that, but he brings a different element to our D corps with his puck handling being as good as it is.  He'll be a great option for us on the power play especially and paired with one of our more shut-down guys since he can really move the puck well.  I think basically every team in the league was interested in signing him, so it was quite unexpected that he chose to sign with Halifax, but we're so happy to have him here."

 

"As it stands, Halifax has 6 forwards, 4 defensemen, and a goalie.  Tell me about the other players who are returning from last season and what they bring for another season with the team."

 

"Right now, our leading scorer, Robin Sierra @ethanjaeda, is on another planet and has been playing incredibly well for us so far.  I know Robin worked very hard in the offseason to overhaul his game and it's been paying dividends so far for us!  Ty Duke @TheDuke is another player who made big strides in the offseason and who also took his game to another level.  As our top line center this season, he's really earned the role and can play in all situations for us-- a total swiss-army-knife of a player with some serious scoring punch.  Doji Khan @Oddpurplefly, our captain this season, has developed so much since he joined the team and we couldn't be more proud of his growth as a player and as a leader on the team.  He's now an amazing two-way player with a lot of size and physicality who we can trust to be on the ice anytime.  Aanarsi Reingaard @Laine is another one and he's been with the team for three seasons now, electing to sign one more season with the 21st before he ages out of the M.  Reingaard brings veteran leadership and lethal offensive capabilities.  His scoring is second to none and still has a solid enough defensive game to be relied on late in games.  On a personal level, he's been a great player for me as a GM to have around to bridge the gap between myself and the last GM.  Chatting with him is always a lot of fun and he's got great insights on the league that are valuable to a first time GM like myself. 

 

Dustin Moore @Maxx is also back for another season after we traded for him last season and he's just been a solid, stabilizing presence on our blueline for his whole career here with Halifax.  He's not flashy, but very consistent and reliable and I think you really need that on a good team.  We love having him around the team and he's such an important player for us. Finally, Jon Webber III @Webberj is quickly becoming a legend for this franchise.  He's been unreal for us since he joined and he's only gotten better this season.  He's so consistent and calm in the goal and I think that really gives everyone confidence that we have a chance to win every time he plays.  He may very well go down as the best goalie this franchise has ever had." 

 

"It sounds like you really like the group you have then?"
 

"Absolutely! I love every one of these players and I'm glad so many of them chose to be in Halifax too!  That really goes a long way, you know, players wanting to be on a team and wanting to win there."

 

"What are your hopes for the rest of the season now that the roster is looking so complete?"

 

"We just need to stay consistent, keep up the practice and development, and stay positive!  We won't win every game, but we're a good team and I think we have a legitimate chance against any team in the league on any given night."

 

"Well, thank you for your time and best of luck the rest of the way with Halifax! 

 

"My pleasure as always, thank you!"

 

Halifax Pier 21 - 1934

With 9 players leaving off of last season's Halifax roster either to play in the VHLE or through the dispersal draft in the M, Halifax was fortunate to have the 6 returning players that they did, and that core 6 has formed the foundation of what they will hope is a contender level team.  Halifax still remains the only team in the VHLM that has never won a Founder's Cup and they will certainly be hoping that 94 will be the season to break that curse.  As the season continues, Halifax will take on the San Diego Marlins, Mexico City Kings, and the Miami Marauders in their next three games, which will surely be a test for this 21st squad as all three of those teams are among the top in the league.  The most recent VSN Power Rankings were favorable to Halifax, but games still need to be played and anything can happen!  Just ask Simon...

 

༻❁༺

Lauren Lambert for Halfaxa Press

2300+ words

1st claim - 06/16/24

 

Edited June 10 by LucyXpher

[Webberj 87]

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6 minutes ago, Webberj said:

Absolutely badass @LucyXpher

No you!

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