Wolves Talk

[Smarch 3,189]

New Blood in Vancouver

 

After winning the season ninety-six Continental Cup in six games against the HC Davos Dynamo, the Vancouver Wolves players and management knew that season ninety-seven would look different round the locker room. With the team right up against the cap in season ninety-six, raises to players that progressed over the regular season and playoffs last year would likely make it impossible for the Wolves to carry the same roster into season ninety-seven, even with the forced retirement of Liv Slater, Rip Wheeler and Olober Skyo. The Wolves made a few moves this off-season so far as I covered in a VHL.com article on December 11, 2024. Today we’ll look into those new roster players that were brought over in those off-season trades, with a bit more in-depth look at their VHL careers so far.

 

(Season Eighty–Nine) - Celise Pereira (LW)

Pereira comes to Vancouver after spending last season with the Chicago Phoenix. Originally drafted twenty-first overall in the season eighty-nine VHL Entry Draft by the New York Americans, Pereira is currently gearing up for their seventh VHL season on their fourth VHL team, fifth if you include New York who Pereira never played a VHL game for. Last season in Chicago Pereira put up ten goals and thirty-four assists in seventy-two regular season games played. Pereira also saw action in Chicago’s four playoff games, putting up two assists in those four games. Pereira enjoyed her best season in season ninety-five with the Helsinki Titans where she put up eighteen goals and forty-two assists in seventy-two games. Vancouver hopes the 6’7 forward can replicate the last season with Helsinki and help the club back to the Continental Cup finals again in season ninety-seven.

 

(Season Ninety) – Eno Velvson ©

Eno Velvson would be the other forward the Vancouver Wolves traded for this off-season to fill the gap left by off-season retirement and trades. Velvson joins the Wolves roster after spending the last three seasons with the Riga Reign, where he won a Continental Cup with in season ninety-five. Drafted twenty-fifth overall by the D.C. Dragons back in the season ninety VHL Entry Draft but was traded to Riga in season ninety-two in exchange for Henry Tucker Jr. Velvson would play his rookie season with the Reign in season ninety-three and put up his best numbers to date in that season. In seventy-two games played with Riga in his rookie season, Velvson put up twenty-seven goals and thirty-five assists, which was fifth most in the rookie scoring race. While Velvson hasn’t been able to replicate that points total his last two seasons with the Reign, that rookie season shows that Velvson can be a good contributor on a VHL roster, which is what the Wolves are looking for after acquiring him this off-season.

 

(Season Ninety-Five) – Einar Mathiesen (D)

Season Ninety-Five draftee Einar Mathisesn will be joining the Vancouver Wolves for their rookie season in Season Ninety-seven. Mathiesen spent season ninety-six with the Philadelphia Reapers of the VHLM where he put up an impressive twenty-seven goals and sixty assists in the Reapers seventy-two regular season games. With the VHLM awards expected to happen this week, Mathiesen might hear his name called as his sixty assists and eighty-seven points both lead the VHLM in assists and points by a defenseman. His eighty-seven points were also the third most point total in the entire VHLM last season, which is impressive for a defensive defenseman. Now Mathiesen will make the jump to the VHL this season, hoping to replicate his offensive totals from last season in the VHLM.

 

(Season Ninety-One) – Scrungle Bungle (D)

The last player that is new to the Wolves roster is another defenseman Scrungle Bungle. Bungle joins the Wolves roster after a trade with the D.C. Dragons at the beginning of December. Bungle is another new member of the Wolves that will be experiencing their taste of the VHL for the first time in Season Ninety-Seven. Last season Bungle played in the VHLM with the Houston Bulls, after three seasons with the Cologne Express of the VHLE before the league was abolished. Last season in Houston Bungle played in all seventy-two games putting up fourteen goals and thirty-nine assists. Bungle also saw action in four playoff games last year where he put up one goal and one assist. Bungle comes to the Wolves with a championship pedigree after winning two straight Renaissance Cup wins in season ninety-four and ninety-five with the Cologne Express. Bungle’s style of play is to protect his own end first, which should help the Wolves this season as they look to re-tool and reach the Continental Cup finals again.

 

Veteran Players Looking to repeat.

After the Wolves core roster were able to finally lift a Continental Cup last season, the veteran players on the roster will look to improve their games even more with a few rookies and younger VHL players on the roster. For instance, the Wolves first overall draft pick from the season ninety-two VHL Entry Draft will look to take his game to another level. Logan Ninefingers was a goal machine last season putting up forty-three goals in seventy-two games, which was a career high for the American Forward. Ninefingers also put up forty-six assists, which allowed him to match his career high in points with eighty-nine points. If you were ask Ninefingers he would be the first one to tell you he would like to do even more in the upcoming season, which is crazy for a player that put up the numbers he did last season.

 

Another player that will be looking to improve on a very impressive sophomore season is Pierre Marc Bouchard. Bouchard just finished his second season in the league with the Wolves and improved immensely from his rookie season. Bouchard put up a very impressive thirty-two goals and forty-nine assists in seventy-two games with the Wolves last season, which was a twenty-three-point increase from his rookie point total. Now Bouchard will enter his final season on his rookie contract and will be looking to provide to Wolves management that  he is more than worth a second contact with the west coast based team.

 

1, 027 Words (Written Early for Christmas Holidays and lack of computer access)

Dec 23-29

Dec 30-Jan 5
 

 

 

 

 

[Scurvy 1,538]

10 hours ago, Smarch said:

Logan Ninefingers was a goal machine

I was riding Martin's coattails!!!!   And I will again this season all the way to a second Cup!!   LOL   Great article pal !