Theme Week - Shawn Glade [1/2]

[Peace 1,518]

HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA -- The magical story from Halifax is one that rivals that of the Las Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017/2018 NHL season, and in my opinion, it should; it’s more impressive than the twilight story out of sin city actual, Halifax is a hockey club of young men and prospects with the pressure and expectations to succeed - and they are. Halifax has become the most competitive roster in the VHLM thanks to the marvellous efforts of player and GM Shawn Glade, but like the NHL club it had to start somewhere. Prior to the teams assembly, before a roster was iced and the season began, the Halifax club was just ink on likely long forgotten paper - so how did the GM develop such a dominant team in the clubs inaugural season?

How did Vegas do it?

GM Glade, a defensemen for his own club during game nights, opted to accelerate his roster through active trading rather than free-agent signings to acquire the core of his hockey club, although the young GM has signed some promising young players during his tenure as Halifax’s head honcho.

Glade’s first impact deal introduced Halifax’s leading scorer, Karl von Moltke; if Halifax is popular for its beautiful landscape and oceanside vacations, Glade should be popular for perhaps the best trade of the VHLM’s season 62 - even though they gave up some decent players, Lavellee and B.B. Nat (both now members of Yukon), Moltke has developed into a player that will lead teams deep into playoff runs. Halifax - as it stands right now - the clear winner of that trade.

Following the Moltke trade, GM Glade continued to aggressively shop for players in the trade market and found a willing partner with the Saskatoon GM. Glade sent three draft picks to Saskatoon; his first round pick in season 62, his second round draft pick in season 62 and his second round draft pick in season 63 - in return, Saskatoon sent back top prospects Ryuu Crimson and Dylan Nguyen.

The improvements didn’t stop there: GM Glade was also able to secure defender (via draft) Tzuyu from the Ottawa Lynx club, and with that, he cemented the Halifax roster together. It was the beginning of what has turned out to be an amazing season for the newest VHLM club, but again… the transactions continued, the improvements never ceased and the determined player/GM proceeded to find ways to improve his hockey club.
 

While GM Glade was wheeling and dealing with teams to improve his roster, he has also been actively signing talented and active prospects to contracts, using Halifax’s cinderella story as a point of interest from time to time. Some of those prospects include draft picks RW Nikita Flipachyev and C Nathan MacKinnon, who have each respectfully become key cogs in the Halifax’s dominating machine.

The player/GM has also signed D Toby Fitzgerald, LW King Gow and recently RW Rylan Peace; additionally, he also traded for D Juri Rykonen. 

Did we mention he also managed to secure Cole Mertz, the best goaltender so far in the VHLM after making a deal involving draft picks and conditions before Halifax played its first game?

All of those transactions - be it from a trade, a draft or free agent signing - have allowed the Halifax hockey club to become a competitive team in her inaugural season. The city is famous for its sprawling Citadel - the fortress of Halifax - and Glade has developed a core that is as strong as her walls.

Halifax is lead by Glade himself, manning the defensive core and becoming perhaps the most effective defensemen in the VHLM this season, but he’s got some healthy competition from other talented individuals. I must say, a job very well done Glade, you’ve turned a team that was likely headed to the bottom of the standings and built a club that could win a championship.

Edited September 10, 2018 by Peace

[Jose Gonzalez 33]

JGRS Review
Information 10/10 Amazing job showing what happened to cause this run
Readability 10/10 Cant complain really good job
PERFECT SCORE