The Charm Bio [1/2]

[Tyler 881]

The Charm

Dublin, Ireland

Big Baller Brand

Davos Property

Centre

 

Here we go lads here we go!

 

Born and raised in Dublin, Ireland to an Irish father and Polish mother, The Charm is one of the few well known Irish hockey players. The 18 year old centre began his life with no goals of hockey stardom. He had played football (soccer to the uncultured swine's) and rugby growing up but had no real idea about hockey until taking a trip to Canada as a child. He visited Toronto and saw a Maple Leafs game and fell in love. So when he returned to Ireland at the age of nine years old he had to sign up for the local hockey team. Naturally, there were no real significant leagues in Ireland but he was able to find a smaller tier league where he learned the ins and outs. The coach was from Newcastle in the United Kingdom and had spent his hockey career playing in a few lower level European leagues. Never the less, the young boy took to the game quick and by twelve his family moved to London, England in order to play in a more competitive environment.

 

Once in London the family settled in the borough of Chelsea while his father took a position at a bank and his mother continued to work as professor, flying between Dublin and London at least once or twice a week. Things were hectic but it became clear that it was the right decision. The Charm had natural ability and spending two years (12 to 14) being taught by former NHL and European talent led to him becoming a top player in the UK leagues. At the age of fourteen he was scooped up by a talent scout in Germany where he began playing for a local youth development team. He barely played in his first year and spent most of his time doing off ice training and off ice learning about certain parts of the game he had no knowledge of. He became a better player for it and in his second season he was among the leagues better players. He scored 36 goals in 50 games and had a total of 73 points. He was the first Irish born player to ever lead a European league at any level in scoring, a mark he holds near and dear to his heart.

 

After he graduated from the league he was eligible for the CHL European Draft. He wasn't sure he wanted to move overseas due to how much harder the game would be, and when he wasn't drafted at first it was a bit of a relief. Turns out teams were anxious about drafting an Irish born player due to no real track record in the country. He spent his sixteen year old season in France playing in their professional league where he had 3 goals and 8 assist as a sixteen year old playing against men. Due to this, he had earned a bit of a reputation in North America and was drafted in the CHL European Draft at 17 years old. The team which selected him was the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League. He had never been back to Canada or the United States since is trip as a youth that introduced him to the game, so he was anxious about singing originally with the team. However after meeting with the teams scouts and owner he decided it would be a good move for his career.

 

 

He made his debut as a seventeen year old rookie playing mostly third line  minutes and on the power play. He had 11 goals and 23 assist in limited ice time but showed a lot of promise as an exploitive type of player. He had good wheels, a good shot and a good instinct to score although his actual hockey IQ was obviously lacking. He spent the summer that year watching professionals play and practice. Learning how to, in as few words as possible, be a professional. He came back that summer fifteen pounds heavier and ready to rock and roll. He had 10 goals in the first month of the season showing tremendous turn around in a short period of time. Over the season he had a nagging injury to his left wrist that kept him out of 25 games but he still finished with 25 goals, 20 assists and was one of the better European players in the WHL considering his point per game track record.

 

 

He was not drafted to the NHL but did attend the New York Rangers rookie camp. He found it difficult to keep up with some of the big name players and was not given a contract after the fact. He was disillusioned a bit but kept on working hard. Spokane was looking to make a real run at the Memorial Cup and traded Charm for a more established played. The young Irish player was dealt to Medicine Hat but he never did report, deciding instead to declare as a Season 59 VHL player. He is also an eligible player for the Season 59 VHLM Draft which is of course taking  place shortly.

 

No one is sure how he projects at this point. He can play all three forward position but is more adept as a centre. Time will tell if he can develop as a top tier forward or if he will simply be a depth player. His rights for the VHL have been purchased by the Davos Dynamo and he will return to Europe once he is a VHL player. He will bypass the draft but scouts have said he would likely have been a top player taken had he declared likely battling it out all season. He is raq, but he has pedigree and the potential to be a top player in not only his age bracket, but indeed the entire league at this point. He will be a solid addition for the Dynamo and could be a key piece in rebuilding and becoming a contender once again.

[HellBillyXIII 61]

REVIEW

Nice pedigree! Imagine all that travel and playing around the world would produce a well rounded player and person. Great bio, well formatted, thought out, and good pics.