Claimed:Kyanon's Plummet on Draft Day [Final 6/6]

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Kyanon's Plummet on Draft Day

www.VHLHockeyNews.com

 

Biggu Kyanon was drafted in the S45 VHL Entry draft with the 5th overall pick by the New York Americans, deciding to roll the dice on the diminutive defenseman. Although having only one year of the VHLM under his belt, the defenseman declared that he did not want to go back to the VHLM, stating that he believed he had nothing left to learn in the junior league. Despite his quick development, his draft day stock saw him go from being a possible #1 pick the 5th overall pick, being passed over by both Cologne and Quebec.

 

 

One scout for one of those teams even remarked that he did not feel that Kyanon was going to turn into a player worthy of a top4 pick. Despite speaking to most teams in the draft, the consensus lay in the fact none of the teams in the top 4 picks were willing to risk their pick on what was deemed as a wildcard. There were indicators that Kyanon was progressing at a good rate and knew what he was doing given his 117 point season, good for 4th in the VHLM in his draft season. In the playoffs enroute to a championship title, Kyanon posted 11 points in 9 games alongside a powerhouse Saskatoon squad. So the wildcard factor wasn't really as far as skill, it was there already, the questions lay in whether he would be able to live up to being a top round pick. For this reason, it seems that Helsinki, Cologne and Quebec both decided to not roll the dice on the Japanese defender, leaving him to drop to the Americans. Coincidently, nine seasons ago, the same thing happened with another player from the Asia Academy of Hockey, a player known as Xin Xie Xiao lost out of the top overall pick race to Godavari Yumalatopinto and Robin Gow. XXX went on to win two Boulet trophies and two championships and recently was inducted into the hall of fame. Not bad for a player believed to not have franchise qualities and the Americans certainly enjoyed reaping the benefits of XXX dropping to their pick that year. Fast forward to today and we have an almost identical situation, the Americans are picking up another wildcard from Asian in hopes that he brings with him the same pedigree as their prior pick went.

 

So what did Kyanon have to say about dropping so heavily in the draft?

 

"It happens, some teams have different needs and others don't believe I fit what they need. Not my job to figure it out or convince them otherwise, the only thing I do from here on out is to get better and help New York win games. It's tough coming in here actually, XXX made a big name for himself in New York so people are looking at me to do the same, it'll be hard to live up to his trademark, he was very well liked here by the fans. Hopefully though they will enjoy the style I play as well, I may not be as physical or rough and tumble like Xin, but I like to believe I can bring fans to watch us play and to help my club win."

 

Player agent Terence Fong didn't have any care either it seemed.

 

"You go with whomever picks you and you do the best you can. Whether a team likes you or not is not up to him to decide, he just needs to go out there and play the best he can. There is a certain irony in him landing in New York after what happened to XXX of course and I wonder what will become of it in the long run." 

 

Only time will tell.

[Toast 887]

Content 3/3 - You would've been coming to Riga if I held on to the 3rd pick, if that helps with anything lol. Saskatoon will definitely miss Kyanon down in the juniors, but I'm excited to see what he does with New York.

 

Grammar 2/2 - Nothing serious.

 

from Asian -> from Asia

 

Appearance 1/1 - Looks good!

 

Final 6/6

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