New York GM Talks S52 Draft, NYA Future

[Devise 4,475]

New York General Manager Ryan Power sat down with the media a day before the proposed S52 Entry Draft to answer some questions and give some statements about the Americans going forward. 

 

Reporter A: The Draft is coming up tomorrow, and you pretty much confirmed that you will not be trading your 1st overall pick and that @Phil Shankly will be taken at first overall. Is that still the case, and can you give us your thoughts on Shankly as a player and what makes you so committed to him?

 

"Certainly. You know the last time myself in a management position stood up on a VHL draft podium lucky enough to have the first overall selection it was with the Cologne Express. At the time I was assisting Alexander Schneider. We were lucky enough to have the first two picks in that draft and we grabbed generational talent Thomas O'Malley first overall, and career underrated defender Mason Richardson. Of course thats hindsight. At the time it was two very talented young players. Looking back on it now, I'm happy with the results. That team had 3 straight finals appearances under my leadership, but only a single Cup win. For me Shankly is just as certain to me as O'Malley was. A once in a life time type player. Although I almost feel a bit guilty because Shankly will be joining both Ravenwing and Maxwell as a forward group, and I do truly feel like that is going to be a line people talk about in seasons to come. As for what makes me so committed to him other than him being the best player in the draft, it's just what he excels at. He scan score, he can hit, he can agitate. He's exactly the type of compliment we felt was lacking in our forward group right now."

 

Reporter Z: You also mentioned a potential New York announcement forthcoming, yet we haven't heard word on it, can you elaborate any further on that?

 

"Yeah I will probably end up making that announcement before the draft, at least that is the plan as of this moment. I know the speculation was a jersey retirement, and we do have a few things in the works so it's going to be a joint announcement. All I can say really is that this team and group are really looking forward to the future here. Our fans have had to go through a few seasons of rebuilding now and I've seen my fair share of both success and failure in the VHL. Being an elite level talent like some of our players are and suffering through rebuilds is tough. So now we are trying to position it sort of as the light at the end of the tunnel, or the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow."

 

Reporter P: It's going to be a big free agency class again this year, do you feel New York has a chance at attracting any free agents? If so can you give us some targets?

 

"I mean, targets? Sure everybody.  Of course as the roster make up changes, and needs change you evaluate what you need but you saw it last season even. GM's were going all out for everyone because free players are free players. I think some of the players knew this, and I think some of them enjoy the power they get to hold teams up. And that is of course totally within their rights. We'll see what happens this time out. I'm really interested to sit down with some of these players again and see if any of their positions have changed or been evaluated. Like for example is it all going to be one season deals like last season? Who knows right. We got a few players retiring, a few goalies in the mix there too. Our team has a lot of options pending FA, but that is the case for every VHL team. At this stage I'm just going to try to best prepare this roster to make the best impression possible on the players that have the best chance at joining our club. Because going forward this club has had enough of the rebuild and enough of sitting outside looking in during the playoffs. So we will go forward with that mind set, and see what happens." 

 

 

[Kesler 1,514]

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