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Podrick Cast Rookie Profile [1/2]


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C – Podrick Cast

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Age: 25

Place of birth: Reading, England, UK

Height: 6'3”

Weight: 186 lbs.

Current team: Riga Reign

 

As we prepare to enter Season 62, it seems a good time to look back at the rookie season of the reigning Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy winner Podrick Cast. With nearly 100 points in his first VHL season, Cast took the league by storm from the outset, forming a devastating partnership with fellow S61 draftee Edwin Preencarnacion and guiding a limited Reign roster to a respectable 6th place finish in the league. The two took all the votes for the Stolzschweiger Trophy, with Cast winning a 5-3 decision, but was it a blip or is there more to come for the British center and his young Riga team? We have analysed Cast's style of play during S61 and considered some external factors below.

 

Why it's the start of something great:

 

An eye for the net

49 goals for a rookie is a remarkable amount – not quite record-setting of course, but in the top bracket of all-time rookie forwards, and in the context of today's VHL, Cast came mighty close to taking the Kevin Brooks Trophy as the entire league's top goal-scorer too. Cast is a late-bloomer in the hockey world, not even picking up a stick until his late teens, but was unearthed as a natural talent and has a great variety to the style and power of his shots. A pass to Cast near the net spells trouble for the goalie, and that is not something that he will lose over time.

 

Why it's just a blip:

 

A selfish style of play

It seems odd to criticise the very element of Cast's play that made him an instant success in his rookie season, but Cast is a sniper much more than a playmaker. Do not be seduced by his very pretty 49:48 goal:assist ratio in Season 61 – the assists number was more the product of necessity rather than design. Furthermore, Cast is more likely to get an assist off a rebound rather than a well-timed pass – this selfishness may come to hurt him and Riga as the team starts to fill out with other talented forwards, such as the rapidly improving Preencarnacion and S62 first overall pick Leph Twinger.

 

Why it's the start of something great:

 

Unlikely to rock the boat

Throughout his life and budding hockey career, Cast has not been known to stir the proverbial pot when it comes to friends or foes. Having surrounded himself by a team of professionals with the best intentions (more on that in a moment), Cast is unlikely to throw tantrums or become a nuisance with Riga. An instant leadership role with the Reign in S61 (Cast was named the team's captain as a rookie) further supports this. Keeping a calm head and not losing his cool should help Cast maintain his hot start to life in the VHL and help guide a young Riga team to tangible success – this attribute can not be underestimated.

 

Why it's just a blip:

 

Lack of a winning mentality

Most of sport's greatest athletes, hockey being no exception, are driven to the top of their game by an endless thirst for more – more goals, more wins, more trophies. Cast was never planning to be an athlete and in most of his endeavours does not show that same type of hunger that separates the greats from the nearly's. Coasting on raw talent alone has served Cast surprisingly well so far, but as his opponents get used to him, it might become difficult to maintain this pace over 8 seasons, on indeed even 2. As a specific example, Cast is not one to use strength to his advantage and prefers to evade physical contact rather than engage in it. This is an area which can be easily improved upon but no indication so far has been made that he ever intends to to so.

 

Why it's the start of something great:

 

Backed by one of the best in the business

Well-known player agent Victor Alfredsson's return to the VHL after a near 10-season hiatus raised a few eyebrows and instantly elevated Cast's status in the S61 draft like nothing else possibly could. With a streak of 4 straight Hall of Fame players having come through Victor's agency, including 2 fellow centers in Lars Berger and Alexander Chershenko, it's a name which almost comes with its own stamp of guarantee. Judging on the rookie season, Alfredsson's eye for talent remains as sharp as ever. His contacts in the league, in training, and in lifestyle should ensure Cast stays on the well-trodden path to success.

 

Why it's just a blip:

 

Big fish – little pond

Podrick Cast's career to date is about being the best without having to rise to the challenge of someone better. In the UK and now in S61 Riga, Cast has been the star player and has revelled in this role, but can he carry on when surrounded by other, potentially even more talented players? Time will tell, but coupled with maybe not the best mentality as mentioned above, perhaps Season 61 was the best we'll see from the British center. There's lots of time left to go and many variables to overcome – after a blistering start we can be sure of one thing – whatever happens in Cast's career going forward, it should be entertaining to watch.

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  • 1 month later...

I like how you've structured all the paragraphs with bold headers, as compared to the lighter fonts of each paragraph.

The pic is a great touch as well.

All the topics covered were written quite well with proper wording and sentence structure.

Very neat and professional looking so great write up.

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  • 1 month later...
  • DollarAndADream changed the title to Podrick Cast Rookie Profile [1/2]

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