Claimed: S60 Rookie Breakdown

[omgitshim 903]

It's been a strange season with outstanding teams falling back to the pack and awful teams surging up the ranks. Now that we're approaching the 2/3rds mark of the season and getting ready for the playoff push, let's take a step back and take a look at some of the new faces in the VHL this season. Rookies are the lifeblood of any good sports league, and today we're going to look at the 7* rookies who are making noise this season.

 

*Rookies in this case are defined as players drafted in the last 3 VHL Entry Drafts who are playing in their first VHL season. Sorry all you Toronto Legion fans, your old journeymen rookies aren't making this list. All stats are as of the 46 games played mark.

 

The Young Guns (S60 Draft)

 

 

 Veran Dragomir, Left Wing, Quebec City Muete

Veran Dragomir entered the season as the favorite for Rookie of the Year, and so far the first overall pick has lived up to the hype. Dragomir is a scoring first wing who brings a finesse to the ice that is rarely seen these days. The rookie leads Quebec City in goals with 26 and (after some recent trades) in points as well with 51. It's not every day you see a rookie maintain a pace above a point per game, and it's even more impressive on a team like Quebec City who is sitting near the bottom with a 13-33 record. If there's anything to fault about Dragomir's game, it's his lack of physicality. His 11 hits is quite low for someone who logs the kind of minutes he does, though it has helped him stay on the ice, as he has only logged 2 penalty minutes this season. Dragomir is very likely to keep the Rookie of the Year title in Quebec City this season.

 

 Oyorra Arroyo, Left Wing, Calgary Wranglers

It seemed like a small reach that Calgary took Oyorra Arroyo second overall when there was a good chance he would have slid to fourth as well, but so far, Arroyo has managed to live up to his draft status. Arroyo is probably best described as Veran Dragomire-lite, as he has a very similar but less refined play style in a smaller body. He currently leads all rookies in +/- with 19 and is the only rookie with a shooting percentage above 10%. He ranks second behind Dragomir with 15 goals and 35 points this season, but he somehow has been even worst physically than Dragomir. Arroyo has an embarrassing 2 hits to his name this season, yet he has still managed to log 20 penalty minutes on the season. While Rookie of the Year seems to be Dragomir's to lose, a strong finish and a playoff spot could catapult Arroyo into the conversation.

 

 Noel Roux, Right Wing, HC Davos Dynamo

Noel Roux came up as a Defenseman in the minors, which made Dynamo's choice to take him 3rd overall all that more puzzling as they already had a solid core of young d-men on the roster, but he quickly converted to right wing to fill a glaring hole on the roster. Unlike the previous two wingers, Roux is a much more physical and defensive type of forward. Roux leads all rookies with an astonishing 212 hits, which is 3rd in the entire VHL. He is 2nd amongst rookies with 21 assists, and he's much more likely to setup his teammates than to take the shot himself. Many weren't sure how well Roux would fit in with the Dynamo, but the energy he brings to the ice every time he knocks an opponent on his ass has empowered the club and put them into the thick of the playoff race.

 

 On Schedule (S59 Draft)

 

 

 Evan R. Lawson, Left Wing, Calgary Wranglers

It's not every day you have two rookies on the same team at the same position, but Calgary is not your every day team. Granted, that's a bit disingenuous as Evan R. Lawson has mostly played Right Wing this season, but it's still noteworthy having two rookie wingers play together on a playoff caliber team. The 3rd pick of the S59 draft, Lawson brings a thug-like quality to the ice, daring his opponents to challenge him. His 75 hits is second amongst rookie forwards, and his respectable 9.17% shot percentage ranks him 3rd. While he's not much of a passer, his unique blend of power and shooting make him the kind of player that no one wants to play against.

 

 Luc-Pierre Lespineau-Lebrunette, Defenseman, Quebec City Muete

Our first actual defenseman on this list, Luc-Pierre Lespineau-Lebrunette is the definition of an enforcer. When it comes to skilled play, the 5th overall pick can't shoot, can't pass, and hell sometimes he flat-out just can't skate, but if you need someone taken out, he is your man. He currently ranks 2nd amongst rookies with 183 hits on the season, which has helped him lead the entire VHL with a ridiculous 169 penalty minutes this season. He is also second in the VHL in total fights, participating in 5 of them this season, though he has only won once. On the rare occasions he's not harassing someone, he is actually pretty good at defense, leading all rookies with 118 blocked shots. He may not be the sexiest name on this list, but growing up across the river in Levis, he is easily a fan favorite in Quebec City.

 

The Late Bloomers (S58 Draft)

 

 

 Dragon McDragon, Defenseman, HC Davos Dynamo

As the fourth pick of the S58 draft, Dragon McDragon never quite lived up to the hype. He spent two additional seasons in the minors before getting the call up due to team need, and he never seemed to improve over that time. Still, he has proven to be a useful piece to the Dynamo puzzle this season, pacing the team with 99 shots blocked. In addition, his passing skills from the backline are a boon to a team that is sometimes a bit lacking when it comes to playmaking ability. While it's unlikely that McDragon will ever become a special player, he has found the one spot where he can be a contributor.

 

 Otto Axelsson, Center, Seattle Bears

It was a long and arduous journey, but Otto Axelsson has finally cracked his way into the VHL. Axelsson entered the S58 draft as a virtual nobody, falling into the 2nd round before being grabbed by the Calgary Wranglers at 11th overall. The Wranglers didn't realize what they had in Axelsson, and prior to the S59 draft, shipped him off to Seattle in exchange for another 2nd round pick, which was used to take goalie bust Elfon Ashelf 15th overall. Axelsson has made it his lifelong goal to prove doubters wrong, and he has now grown into a solid-role player on the 3rd place Bears. While he may not have the same talent that the other rookie forwards have, his ability to do a bit of everything on the ice has made him indispensible. He doesn't fill up the stat sheet (though he does rank 2nd amongst rookies with an 11 +/-), but he's the kind of player whose presence is always felt when he's around.

 

1213 words, using for PT weeks May 14-20 (doubles), May 21-27