Disappointing End To The Season

[Smarch 3,219]

Disappointing End To The Season

 

After a 106-point, fifty-one-win regular season, the Vancouver Wolves exited the playoffs after a game seven loss in the Conference Semi Finals against their rival Seattle Bears. During the regular season the Wolves saw an offensive explosion with five players putting up 100 points or more, with fifth year Wolves Logan Ninefingers leading the way with a career high 107 points. While in the playoffs three players put up a point per game, the team struggled to stay out of the penalty box as the team put up a combined sixty-six penalty minutes in those seven games against the Bears. As with the end of each season, with the off-season comes the likelihood that this will be the last time this roster plays together in Vancouver and this week we wish to look at the roster that ended the season for the Wolves, as an update to the media spot we wrote earlier on in the season.

 

Celise Pereira - LW (S89)

Pereia finished his first season with the Wolves after an off-season trade that brought the winger to the team. With the season eighty-nine draft class retiring at the end of the VHL playoffs this year, Pereira won’t be back for the Wolve next season. In season ninety-seven Pereira was a great depth piece for the Wolves putting up thirteen goals and fourteen assists in the seventy-two regular season games Pereira played in. Pereira also appeared in all seven playoff games for the Wolves this season, where the twenty-first overall pick from the season nightly-nine VHL draft put up one goal and two assists. With an automatic retirement ahead for Pereira this off-season, we wish him the best in the next chapter of his personal and professional career.

Eno Velvson – C (S90)

Another member of the Wolves roster that just finished his first season with the franchise, Velvson, was another very important depth piece during the regular season for the Vancouver based VHL franchise. While Velvson wasn’t active daily in the Wolves locker room, he continued to show up weekly to practice putting in work with Welfare and practice facility. On the ice during the Wolves seventy-two regular season games, Velvson put up seventeen goals and twenty-five assists, which was his highest point total since his rookie season with Riga back in season ninety-three. Velvson also played in all seven playoff games, where he put up respectable three goals and one assist. While Velvson has another yar of eligibility left in the VHL, its hard to say if the Wolves will bring him back as he is eligible for free agency his off-season.

 

Srungle Bungle – D (S91)

Another member of the busy Wolves off-season that saw a couple of depth pieces brought into the fold; Bungle just completed his rookie season in the VHL after being drafted twenty-first overall in the season ninety-one VHL Entry Draft. In his rookie season in the VHL Bungle was expected to be a defense first player but still put some points up during the regular season. Playing in all seventy-two regular season games, Bungle put up six goals and ten assists. Bungle also played in his first VHL playoff series this season, where he performed admirably putting up hour assists in the seven game playoff series. With season ninety-seven being the final year in Bungles rookie contract signed with the D.C. Dragons back in season ninety-five, Bungle might be another member of the Wolves that enters free agency during the offseason.

 

Guntis Gavilrovs – D (S92)

Likely the breakout star of the season for the Wolves, Gavilrovs had a year to be extremely proud of this past season. Known as a defensive defenseman prior to season ninety-seven, Gavilrovs showed he’s more than a punisher on the ice as he put up thirty-one goals and sixty-nine assists in seventy-two regular season games played. Out of those thirty-one goals, sixteen of them came on the powerplay, leading to some in the organization calling him the Wolves “powerplay quarterback”. Guntis also put up stellar defensive numbers this season with 291 hits, 140 shots blocked and a career low of 187 penalty minutes. Gavilrovs also kept the league on notice winning four fights during the regular season and drawing in two additional fights. Guntis does have another year on his contract with a no trade clause, along with the fact the Wolves will likely be short on defenseman signed to the club entering season ninety-eight, we are very sure Guntis will be back in Vancouver for his sixth season next year even If the cap is lowered by the VHL commissioners.

 

Logan Ninefingers – RW (S92)

The leader of the pack again in season ninety-seven for the Vancouver Wolves, Ninefingers put up career highs in both goals and points as he continues to climb the all-time Wolves points leaderboard. Ever since being drafted first overall by the Wolves back in Season ninety-two Ninefingers has been a consistent performer for the Wolves. In five seasons with the Wolves Ninefingers has put up 181 goals and 243 assists. This season alone Ninefingers put up forty-seven goals and sixty assists, which put him in fifth place in the entire league in the points race. Along with a very impressive offense season once again for Ninefingers, he also put up his second best hit total in his VHL career putting up 231 hits in his seventy-two regular season games played. Ninefingers continued to lead by example during the Wolves seven playoff games, where he put up three goals and two assists in those games. Ninefingers is signed for another season with the Wolves with a no trade clause attached to his contract and it is almost a certainty that Ninefingers will be returning to Vancouver for season ninety-right to help the Wolves attempt to head back to the Continental Cup Finals after a hiccup in season ninety-seven.

 

Pierre Marc Bouchard – C (S94)

After being traded to the Wolves before his rookie season back in season ninety-five, Pierre Marc Bouchard has consistently been improving each season and season ninety-seven was surely no exemption. After an eight-one point season in season ninety-six, Bouchard took his game to the next level this past season putting up forty-eight goals and fifty-three assists in the Wolves seventy-two regular season games played. The Finish born center has been a great player, but he might even exceed that greatness off the ice, as PMB as he is referred to around the locker-room is one of the best teammates anyone in the VHL or any other professional sports league could ask for. In the playoffs Bouchard continued his point per game pace for the Wolves as he put up four goals and three assists in the Wolves seven game playoff loss to the Seattle Bears. Now as the team enters the lull of the off-season early, PMB will be looking to continue to build on his impressive third season in the league. With 1111 TPA as of writing this article, it will be interesting to see how PMB built will continue prior to his depreciation seasons. Bouchard is signed to the Wolves for the remainder of his career, so like Ninefingers it is almost a guarantee that PMB will be back with the Wolves next season, likely in a bigger role with a veteran likely on the move in Vancouver to keep the Wolves under the cap.

Bollos de Trueno – D (S94)

Another member of the season ninety-four draft class that took a step forward in season ninety-seven, Bollos has a great season regardless of what he would tell you, due to his lack of fisticuffs. In his third season in the VHL, Bollos took the bull by the horns, putting up nineteen goals and eighty-six assists in the seventy-two regular season games he played in. Bollos was improving each season, but the jump from sixty-four points to 105 this past regular season might have been a surprise to everyone including Bollos. The 105 points put up by Bollos was tied for the league lead in defenseman points with Obuz Schneider Canet du Bocage. Furthermore, the eighty-six assists’ Bollos put up was the most in the VHL which will see Bollos take home his first VHL award when the awards ceremony takes place this off-season. Bollos is another member of the Wolves roster that has multiple years remaining in his contract with the Wolves, which means Bollos will likely be taking the ice for the Wolves next season and a few seasons after.

 

Matteo Stefano – RW (S94)

Matteo Stefano is another member of the Wolves that had a career year this past regular season. Matteo just finished off his second season in Vancouver and put up career highs in all offensive categories, including goals (31), assists (51) and points (82). Stefano was drafted fifteenth overall just a few seasons ago in the season ninety-four VHL Entry Draft and is just starting to come into his own, currently having 867 TPE as of writing this article. With a few more seasoned veterans in front of him, it may have been a bit surprising that Matteo put up over a point per game, but the guys in the locker-room and Wolves management knew what the youngster had to offer. Stefano also played in all seven playoff games for the Wolves and showed pretty well in the Wolves seven games, putting up two goals and three assists in the brief playoff appearance. With some veteran players more than likely on the way out this offseason Stefano has shown that he can fill those voids and contribute at a high level for the Wolves if his name is called in season ninety-eight.

 

Einar Mathiesen – D (S95)

The youngest player in terms of draft year on the Wolves roster last season Einar Mathiesen had an impressive first season in the VHL in season ninety-seven. Mathisen was drafted ninth overall back in the season ninety-five VHL Entry Draft by the D.C. Dragons before being traded in the season ninety-seven off-season to the Wolves. When the trade first happened it was the belief that Mathiesen was brought in to be a training camp body, but he turned into much more than that during the regular season. Playing in all seventy-two regular season games, Mathiesen put up a very respectable eight goals and thirty-one assists. Not only did Mathiesen put up respectable offensive numbers from the blue-line, he also played well defensively. Mathiesen put up a plus/minus of plus thirty-four and 114 shots blocked. While Mathiesen is currently scheduled to be a free agent this offseason there is likely a high possibility that he might be re-signed to a contract when the off-season begins.

 

Riley Martin – RW (S92)

Unfortunately, I am around 200 words short of having enough words to claim this media spot for four weeks, so I will have to talk about my player, which I rarely like to do. This past season I was very fortunate to play amongst some of the best members and players in the league and they inflated my numbers again this season, which I am very grateful for. Martin finally went over the century mark in points putting up hist second forty goal season, with forty-four goals, and sixty assists, good for 104 total points. During the post-season Martin was able to play in all seven games where he put up three goals and four assists however, it was not clearly good enough to help the Wolves past the Bears. After a twenty-four-point performance that was not recognized by the league last year, Martin was hoping for more this postseason to show it wasn’t a one off. With depreciation set to hit next season, it will be interesting to see if Martin will be able to grow offensively or if depreciation will take a bit out of Martins game. One thing that has been in the back of my mind as the regular season and now the Wolves post-season came to a close is if Martin will be playing with a new VHL team for the first time in his career. With a 6,000,000-cap hit again next season, hitting depreciation and the fact the Wolves have players just as good as Martin but younger, leads me to believe I won’t be back in Vancouver next season. This does disappoint me as I wanted to climb the all-time Wolves leaderboard again next year and the rest of my career, which is why I signed a multiyear contract with the team, but in the end, I understand the business side of the game and Frank has been known to make moves to keep his team competitive each off-season. We guess only time will tell in a few weeks where I will settle for season ninety-eight.

 

 

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Edited February 11 by Smarch

[Banackock 8,318]

Always a great battle! 

[Smarch 3,219]

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