Halifax 21st SuperSailor #18 (S95 Week 3): Steven Nichols

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After back-to-back seasons where the Halifax 21st were in a prime position to contend for the VHLM's Founder's Cup, Season 95 has seen the team take a step back in order to restock the cupboards and prepare for another window of contention.  In the S95 draft, Halifax lacked the early round picks to bolster the roster with talent that could help the team in the near term, however the team was able to stock up on later round picks with the opportunity to select potential hidden gems in the draft.  One player who was taken with one of these later picks is left winger Steven Nichols @SlyDigi.  Drafted in the 4th round, 34th overall, Nichols has been a bright spot on the Halifax roster and a sign of hope for the team going forward.  Though Nichols-- who currently sits at 56 TPA-- has plenty of room to grow before reaching the league's cap of 200 TPE, he hasn't let that stop him from being a highly effective player on the ice.  In 44 games for the team this season, Nichols has collected 39 points and has flirted with the point-per-game mark all season long.  Despite shooting at a pedestrian 7.05%, Nichols shows great promise of being a future VHLM star as he's buried 13 goals in spite of some poor puck luck thus far.  His 13 goals ranks 3rd on the Halifax roster and he's remained very active offensively with 185 shots on goal.  As the bounces begin to go Nichols' way, he should find the scoresheet with more consistency.  Continued development will furthermore help the 6'0", 155 pound winger come into his own as a threat in the 21st's top six.  His current total of 26 assists is also nothing to sneeze at as most players at his point in development struggle to contribute offensively in such a meaningful way.  A plus 7 rating on this middling Halifax team also speaks volumes about his dedication to two-way play as well.

Off the ice, Nichols has been a regular contributor around the team's locker room and has remained engaged in the development process as he gets his feet under him.  With ample playing opportunity all but guaranteed for the young winger throughout this season and into next, all indications point to him being an important piece on the team going forward.  His drive weekly to stay involved in team activities and interest in continuing to improve also bodes well for his future in the VHL one day.  Congratulations to Steven Nichols on being named the 18th Halifax SuperSailor and our standout performer this week!

Notes: With the team struggling to separate themselves from the group of teams that comprise the middle of the table, Halifax GM Lexie Leitner has elected to trade players for future assets.  While the team still sits above .500 with a 24-19-1 record and a +9 goal differential, vaulting into the upper tier of contenders this season wasn't on the cards as the team lacked the assets to responsibly improve the roster now without compromising the future.  The team still remains in a good position to qualify for the postseason, even without the likes of star goaltender Samuel Wazinski @samthemancub and workhorse blueliner Mathias Gunnarsson @ThatCanadian.  Down the stretch, the team will be hoping for key players to step up and keep them in a position to fight for wins past the 72 game mark.  The team wishes all the best to Wazinski and Gunnarsson as they join bona fide contenders Mississauga and Las Vegas respectively.  On their new teams, those two incredible players should have every opportunity to cap their VHLM careers with some hardware to add to the trophy cabinet.  Going forward, the team's success will be left to players like Nichols, Victory Hockey League @TheHockey_pro, and Kokko Miskinen @MikkoKoskinensMistress to take their game to another level.  Trading away players is always one of the difficult realities of the cycle of competition in any league, though the VHLM is it's own animal in this respect as teams age out and turnover very quickly!

 

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