Shevchenko's First Words Since Major Trade

[der meister 3,240]

This offseason has been a rather chaotic one for winger Konstyantyn Shevchenko. Following a sophomore season hat saw him eclipse the point-per-game mark, Shevchenko found himself an unexpected member of the rumor mill. Sources close to the massive Ukrainian have confirmed that he had not asked for a trade. Given that, the question of why the D.C. Dragons, a team that has finished at the bottom of the North American Conference in back to back seasons, would look to move a budding young star like Shevchenko, is up for debate. With cities such as Helsinki, Moscow, Davos, New York, and Seattle rumored to express interest in Shevchenko, ultimately it was the Toronto Legion who captured the eye of Dragons' management. Thus Shevchenko, along with defenseman DB IV, packed their bags and headed north of the border.

 

"I will be honest," Shevchenko said in an interview after the trade, "I have no hard feelings against the Dragons or their management. I do think now is a good time for me to leave the U.S. capitol, though. I know the incoming administration will not support my people or my country, and having that distraction is not going to help anyone. In Toronto, I can focus on being the best player I can be while still making money to support my parents' charity. 'Slava Ukraini' is more than just a song, or a throw-away statement. To us, it is a call to remind us of our freedom from foreign oppression, and it is so, so important to me that I can honor those words with my gifts."

 

The Legion will be looking to improve on last season's performance, which saw them finish outside of the playoff picture, missing the wild card by 5 points. Their two best forwards are, unfortunately, their two oldest, in the form of center Diego Machado and winger Harry Callahan. Callahan, who led the team with 55 goals and 107 points last season, looks to have a bright future in the game after his playing career is done. On the other end of the age spectrum, winger Dorji Khan was able to notch an impressive 46 points last season for the Legion. Standing 6'8" tall, the Legion may very well put together a Twin Towers line with Khan and 6'7" Shevchenko flanking center Mikko Borisyuk. Which forward combinations hit the ice in any given matchup is going to be a fascinating story to watch in Toronto this season.

 

"I have not really spoken to anyone from Toronto," Shevchenko added. "I think getting traded in the offseason is a very different thing that being traded during the season. In the season, it's like, 'Okay, time to pull on a new color' but you still do the same thing, you know? My job is to score goals and play big defensively. But during the offseason, it's kind of nice to have time to think things through, but also your thoughts can get too deep. Spend too much time thinking and wondering instead of just reacting. Either way, though, I am excited for this new chapter and hope I show the Legion fans they are right to support the team."

As for the Dragons, they picked up two 1st round picks and players Adam Joy, Ben Laas, and Kyle Toms. Both Toms and Laas are closing in on retirement and will be looked at to provide veteran leadership to a very young squad. Adam Joy joins an incredibly lengthy list in the prospect pool. A Season 96 draftee, the 6'6" Joy is a defenseman playing for the Philadelphia Reapers. In two seasons, he has 78 points in 144 games, along with 232 hits and 160 blocked shots.

 

Edited 8 hours ago by der meister