At the Halfway Mark - Maxim Anisimov

[McLovin 467]

At the Halfway Mark - Maxim Anisimov

 

 

My current player, Maxim Anisimov, has been the most successful player I've ever made, and by a long shot. He's had by far the most TPA of any player I've made, with my first coming just under 1000, and my second unfortunately being abandoned by myself halfway through his career, so he teetered out around 600. Anisimov has managed over 1100 by this point, and deprecation isn't even gonna hit him until S95's off season. Being at this critical mid point in Anisimov's career, it's important to note all the things that have happened to Anisimov to get him to this point, where he started and where I hope he ends up by the time retirement comes around.

 

Anisimov started in the M as all players do, playing for the team I was AGMing at the time, the Las Vegas Aces in S88. He had an okay first showing in the VHL, didn't do anything crazy or spectacular, only putting up 12 points in 18 games. While respectable, I had much greater aspirations for Anisimov, as almost all people do with their players. In S89, he took off a little bit, splitting time between the team who now drafted him in the Aces, and the Halifax 21st. The Aces were very much outside the contenders list for the Founder's Cup, and being Captain at the time, he wanted the Aces to get value from his being on the team instead of wasting a year of his own career, as well as the Aces time and effort and forcing them to reset entirely. It mattered little however, as the 21st were bounced from the playoffs in 5 games, and as Anisimov was about ready to be drafted to the E and majors, he could kiss a Founder's Cup goodbye!

 

Moving onto the E, Anisimov was picked up by the Stockholm Vikings, who looked to be an on the rise team, and I was personally very excited to play for a team of that caliber! While the team was still a ways off from being a true playoff contender, Anisimov was a goal scoring and true assist machine for them. Racking up 40 assists and almost 30 goals, Anisimov was capable of brining competitiveness to the Vikings, though he couldn't carry the team on his back, and the Vikings missed the playoffs in Anisimov's first and only year in the E. After being picked up by Warsaw in the same draft, after S90, Anisimov was off to the pros.

 

 Two leagues down, and next to nothing to show for it. It was a little disheartening, but being with a new pro team, under a steadfast manager and good locker room chemistry, I was looking forward to playing with the Predators from the get. Anisimov got drafted 5th overall in the S90 draft, by far the highest up any of my players have ever gone, so expectations were high for myself to bring a player to the team that could help Warsaw return to playoff contention and give the fans something to cheer for! In my first season with the Predators, I got a real nice slap to the face that my goal was still very far off. While putting up a respectable rookie campaign for the Preds, including 33 assists and 24 goals, Anisimov was a cataclysmic -42 in +/-. We did get some glimpse of greatness however, and Anisimov would put his full weight into the next three seasons to be a more well rounded player on both ends of the ice. S92 swings around, and Anisimov has been putting in effort like no tomorrow. 74 points in 72 games, only a -9 this time around, but again no playoffs. This marks the 5th season of Anisimovs career, but 3rd time the team he's playing for has missed the playoffs entirely. At this point something was needing to change fast, otherwise Anisimov was gonna just be stuck in hockey purgatory. S93 comes around, and this time, this time was gonna be different. 

 

Anisimov pulls a crazy season out of his back pocket. 109 points, including 58 assists and 51 goals to be specific. As a player who is advertised to be a strong playmaker, putting up 50 goals yourself on top of 50+ assists is a great showing indeed! The Preds on the backs of this effort as well as the rest of the top forward line were able to make the playoffs for the first time since Anisimov's arrival. It was a flash however, as the Predators were bounced in a mere 3 games. Our most recent season, S94 was going to be more of the same, but prove something to me. In 72 games, Anisimov managed to do another 50 and 50, with 51 goals and 54 assists, nearly matching his last season record he set for best individual seasons a player of mine has had before. with his +/- being well out of the negatives by now, his defensive game has certainly improved from his -42 showing in his rookie year. Despite this consistency, the Preds were bounced in the first round again, only winning one game for their efforts. At least it wasn't a sweep this time!

 

Anisimov is at a junction in his career. I want to stick with the Predators, stick to the program and the plan and try to help get the Predators deep into the playoffs. At the same time, I want Anisimov to succeed, and I want him to be able to have something to show for his effort minus a few Predator records he is on pace for and could possibly win. I'm a loyal man, and I want to see this project through with the Predators, the players and management, and get the a Cup or two, and at this junction in Anisimov's life, he's decided he's gonna play out the rest of his career in Warsaw. The ship will either sink or sail, and he'll be on board manning the cannons and supporting the mast in it's efforts to win the day. I have faith in myself, and in my teammates and management, and I believe that the Predators are only up from here. Let's go Warsaw!

 

[McLovin 467]

Here's the word counter and my claim for 2/2 on the media spot as well!