Defying Gravity - Jonathan Young (Wicked Cover)

[Spartan 4,547]

Wicked has good songs despite me not being a fan of musicals in general, but making it a rock song slaps too. I shouldn't be surprised given how talented rock/metal singers are, but I didn't expect this cover to come out as well as it did.

 

Also defying gravity, or rather father time, is about half of the Moscow roster. Despite being in his final season, recently re-appointed Moscow Captain, David Rashford @Knight, is still keeping up his high-flying, offensive-minded ways with a 4-4-8 in 6 games so far this season. It's rare that a player with tenure on the Menace can survive the harsh reality of the salary cap through their final season, let alone that a player can spend their full career with Moscow. I may be cherry picking stats a bit, but I can only recall Vladimir Pavlov, Hard Markinson and The Seabasstard as notable examples of career Menace players while playing in significant roles. While Rashford was a slightly late bloomer as an S89 draft pick who debuted in S91, he'll still be in the top 10 for Moscow games played - squarely at 10th. Out of those 10 players though, he ranks 5th behind the aforementioned trio and HOFer Duncan Idaho. Exalted company indeed.

 

Additionally, veterans Catia Goncalves @cLoWn, Jarmo Ruutu @jRuutu and Obuz Schneider Canet du Bocage @Grape who were all part of the S90 draft class and face retirement at the end of S98 are still critical contributors to a team slowly moving towards a new core of players. Ruutu ranks second on Moscow in scoring with 11 points while leading the team in goals with 7, while Obuz contends with the league lead for assists with 9. Catia is also no slouch here, with a very respectable 2-5-7 in 6 games as a second line player. While Moscow's focus on youth hasn't been a secret - with more than half the roster now aged S94 or younger - these veterans continue to defy both the gravity of their old cement feet while defying expectations for players at their ages. It's steadying to have reliable players across the lineup who can score against all levels of competition an opponent can throw at us, and while our young goaltenders are finding their feet, their presence is undoubtedly a critical piece in the team's success.