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There's more to Vegas than gambling...

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Las Vegas Aces Season Preview (VHLM S62)

 

With Season 62 of the VHLM about to kick off tonight's TEAM SHOWCASE features the Las Vegas Aces. The Aces had a medi-core season last year finishing 4th with 26 wins and a whopping 40 losses. This year the Aces look to build on their busy off-season and take a jump forward in the standings. Some new in-comings this season are Cayden Saint (D), Julian Borwinn (LW), B.B Natt (D) and Jessy Thomas (RW). Let's take a look at Vegas' depth chart and who we should expect to see from them this season.

 

Potential starting Line-up opening night

(C) Revchenko

(C) Shawinganen

(C) Lavallee

 

(LW) Borwinn 

(LW) Gonzalez

 

(RW) Thomas

(RW) Boucher

(RW) Stucky    

 

(D) Saint

(D) Nat

(D) Lombardi

 

(G) Pepper 

*Line-up is subject to change when team try-outs are finished and final cuts are implemented.

 

Roster Spotlight

As shown above, there are many new faces jumping into the lineup this year and a few old ones. Revchenko looks to build on a great season while youngsters Borwinn and Thomas look to make a name for themselves. Vegas is also going to be rolling out a brand new #1 defensive pairing with Saint and Natt projected to get the first 2 starting spots. Needless to say they have been extremely busy this off-season so let's dive right in and take a look at who we think will be some key players this season.

 

Oleksiy Revchenko (C)

Season GP G A P +/- SHT PIM HIT SB GW PPG SHG
61 (LVA) 72 12 44 56 -19 143 16 62 9 3 3

0

 

Revchenko is returning for his 3rd season in the VHLM and should emerge as a points leader this upcoming season. After scoring 12 goals and a total of 56 points in his first full year Revchenko enjoyed a very good year and gained some much-needed experience. Revchenko is not only expected to become a points leader on this team but also a vocal one in the locker room and help newcomers like Jessy Thomas grow into the league and find their way. Many are hoping he can reach his full potential and become a point-per-game player his coaches believe he can be. There is huge expectation riding on this young player and only time will tell if he relishes or crumbles under it.

 

Julian Borwinn (LW)

Julian Borwinn enters the league as a rookie and is eager to get a start on the season. "I just can't wait to get out there and show the guys what I'm capable of!" he said in a recent FruitLoops Hockey interview. The 25-year-old is a fast, smoothing skating, scoring winger that knows how to find the back of the net. Coming in at 6'1 and 182 pounds Borwinn still has some work to do to fill out his frame but with the great coaching staff down in Vegas he should be set down the right path. Borwinn is expected to debut on the first line alongside Revchenko and Thomas and it will be extremely exciting to see how he develops this coming year.

 

Jessy Thomas (RW)

Jessy Thomas is another one of Vegas' rookies and just like Borwinn there is a lot to like. Hes a super-fast, slick, scoring winger  that knows how to put the puck in the net. Known mostly for his speed and slick hands, Thomas is no stranger at finding the back of the twine and posses a wicked wrist-shot. In a recent interview for Lays Sports Thomas expressed his excitement to join the team, "I knew Vegas was the place I wanted to be. I didn't even think of any other offers, I knew where I had to go. I can't wait to get out there with the team and start winning some hockey games." Thomas is locked in as the first line RW and it will be his to lose. Him and Borwinn will be the two interesting watches this year. 

 

Cayden Saint (D)

Cayden Saint is joining the Las Vegas Acers for his second season in the VHLM after enjoying a very good first year playing for Yukon. Having played only 47 games Saint registered 10 goals and 34 points while keeping an impressive +30! He joins Vegas this year hoping to improve their D-corps and push them to the next level.

Season GP G A P +/- SHT PIM HIT SB GW PPG SHG
61 (YUK) 47 10 24 34 30 53 49 62 52 1 4 0

 

Just like Revchenko, there is a lot of expectation riding on Saint this upcoming year. Having logged a good first year many are hoping he can build on it and become the top-pair defenseman many fans believe he can be. He will certainly be given the chance to live up to that expectation as it is believed he will be starting on the top pair with B.B Nat. This will give Saint the opportunity to show everyone what he is made of. "I'm glad the coaches are finally seeing enough in me to put me on the top-pair and showcase my skills. However, in the end I just want to help the team win in any way possible." 

 

This is a big year for Saint. As with Revchenko, this is the year to show the big clubs what they are made of and get their names selected in next years draft. 

 

B.B Nat (D)

Just like Saint, B.B Nat is a new addition to Vegas but not to the VHLM. Last year Nat played for the Oslo Storm and scored a massive 20 goals and 71 points last year. 

Season GP G A P +/- SHT PIM HIT SB GW PPG SHG
61 (OSL) 72 20 51 71 16 148 62 112 120 4 9 1

 

Coming in at 6'1, 201 pounds, B.B Nat has grown a lot since last year putting on a lot of muscle and really growing into his body. "I've put in a lot of hard work this summer. Coach has talked to me about the things I need to work on and how to get there. This is a big year for me and I can't pass this opportunity up." Nat is a hardworking, smooth-skating defenseman that is not scared to stick up for his teammates or get a little rough in the corners. That's one reason why Vegas brought him in. At Vegas he will be paired alongside Saint and hopefully, together, they can create one of the leagues deadliest pairs. They need that type of attitude injected in the team this year and because of that Nat is a possible captain candidate and hopefully he can live up to the hype and become that #1 d-man.                         

 

Alexander Pepper (G)

Alexander Pepper comes to Vegas this year as a Rookie goalie and is expected to get the starting spot. Coming in with a lot of hype, one of Pepper's previous coach spoke about him "Alex is a great kid. Always wanting to improve and get better. Every practice hes the first one on the ice and the last one to leave. I've never coached a goalie like him before. I have no doubt he will go on to do great things in his hockey career." 

 

Pepper is a young, butterfly style goalie who comes into the team with a lot of expectation. Having won the starting position early in training camp Pepper came here with a mission and really never looked back. Sitting at 6'1 and 204 pounds Pepper is fully grown into his body and he can only improve from here. He is expected to play anywhere from 50-55 games this year and hopefully this can be his breakout season. 

 

Summer departures 

The Vegas Aces had 3 departers this summer in Dominik Walton (C), Victor Ball (G) and Michael Burzawa (G).           

 

Injuries

Vegas has placed 4 players on long-term IR. Jaroslav Zimmer (RW), Ho-Train (RW), Ian Drake (RW) and Leather Flasher (G). Their return is unknown.

 

Recap

The Las Vegas Acers finished 4th last year and are looking to improve on that terrible finish. Vegas has been very busy this offseason bringing some new faces in Jessy Thomas, Julian Borwinn, Cayden Saint and B.B Nat. They have also let a few players go in Dominik Walton, Victor Ball and Michael Burzawa. Oleksiy Revchenko and Cayden Saint carry all the expectation as these two are expected to bring Vegas to the next level and hopefully contend for a title. Revchenko is a returning Acers player that has high expectation many fans are hoping can get to a point-per-game. Saint has a different type of expectation. B.B Natt is coming off an impressive first year in the VHLM (70 points) and is looking to build on that and improve even more. 

 

Jessy Thomas and Julian Borwinn bring some much-needed speed and excitement down the wings. Coming in as rookies these two are tipped to make a huge impact on the Acers and push for their way to get drafted at the end of the year. 

 

Overall Vegas has done a lot this summer to warrant excitement from the fans. Fans should possess a positive outlook on their team as they are moving in the right direction. Bringing in some solid young-talent both proven in the league and not, while also getting rid of some dead weight should really help them this season. Improving their goaltending and having some consistency on the back end should stop the leaky goals from going in that haunted them so much last year. 

 

The Acers have a lot of young talent busting at the seems and it's only a matter of time before we find out if they can rise to the challenge. 

 

Our Prediction 

46W - 21L - 5OTL, good for 2nd in the league - a big improvement on last year.

 

_____________________________________

1570 words (not including charts)

Claiming for weeks August 19th, August 26 and September 2nd

 

 

 

 

Edited by Jtww
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