VHLM Free Agent Interview Article

[Thranduil 293]

S63 VHLM Free Agent Segment

 

This year's off-season has already seen a number of free-agent rookies get signed to various VHLM teams. Watching the players try to make names for themselves as they all begin new chapters of their careers should provide a lot of excitement for this upcoming season. Some will crumble under the pressure and end up being complete busts. Others will will thrive and could even be the deciding factor of their team winning the Founder's Cup. One thing is certain, every single one of them has something to prove, whether its something big, like showing their GM that they are a top signing, or something as small as maintaining a spot on the roster for the majority of the year. I was fortunate enough to have a chance to sit down with a few of this year's top free agents, many of whom have just received their very first VHLM contract. I grilled them on their experiences with signing to a brand-new team as a completely unknown entity to everyone. What I've gathered from talking to the free agents is that although it seems like the perfect opportunity, being an a Free Agent as a rookie is the farthest thing from easy.

 

 

The first thing I asked them about was what the deciding factor was in choosing the team they signed with. Newly minted Las Vegas Aces goalie, Brick Wahl, nephew of VHL goalie legend, Brick Wahl, says that he saw a rare opportunity with Vegas, to be a starting goaltender. He struggled quite a bit during the process to decide which team felt like the best fit, as some teams offered plenty of talent to play with or great management, but in the end, being a starter as a rookie was just too good of an opportunity to pass up on. Of course every player had their own reason and even some goalies aren't as picky as others. Goalie Divaani Sohva says he chose to sign with Oslo because they were the only team that made him an offer and they were in need of a netminder. Meanwhile, defenseman, Jonathan Hill, who was recently signed by Halifax felt that the team's plans for the future were the most in line with his own. He also feels that signing with a relatively new team will give him a great opportunity to prove himself to everyone.

 

 

While its a no-brainer for some players, a lot of players struggle with deciding which team to sign with as they would have built good rapport with multiple GM's and don't want to leave any of them hanging. "It was a very hard decision," says UK goaltender Finn Davison. "I had another team contacting me, (Oslo) but they have a young goalie, (Divaani Sohva) albeit not as good as I will be, but they signed the guy recently, so I understand what they are going through. I did not know where I was going until last minute, but in the end, Ottawa offered the most opportunity for me."

Halifax right winger, John Madden had a similar experience. He spent half an hour explaining to me how it was the hardest decision he has ever made and how he felt he was letting the other GMs down by not signing with them.

 

 

The off-season is an exciting time for the free-agents the VHLM. It is the time when they get to choose their own fate. I asked a couple of them about what they're looking forward to about the upcoming season. Las Vegas Aces newly signed Defensive prodigy, Evgeni Komarov expressed excitement in laying the body all over the ice.

"I just wan crush body. I am big tough, so if I not do, then I am disappoint in me," he says, through broken English.

Ottawa Lynx centreman, Mark Gebauer says he wants to make a name for himself but he'll just enjoy every minute that he's on the ice for. Formerly mentioned Finn Davison is looking forward to proving people wrong about him, making the statement: 

"Coming in as a Free Agent, people are already looking down at me. They are already looking at me as the next guy or as the next option. I promise that I will be better than that."

 

 

That will indeed be the biggest challenge for these undrafted players. Proving all of the skeptics wrong. Proving that they aren't just a waste of a million bucks. John Madden feels it is this season that will have the most importance.

"This is the season where we prove to everyone that we can be a high caliber player, or we end up being complete flops. This is our chance to get drafted to the VHL and if we waste it we won't be getting another one."

Some players such as Brick Wahl aren't taking the pressure that fans give too seriously.

"I am less concerned about proving anything to the rest of the VHLM, but rather looking to prove to my team that i have their back. I also look to make improvements in my game but this i do for myself. I want to be the best and i will continue to work not only until i achieve my goal, but long after that because hockey is not just what I’m good at, it is what I love," he told me, eyes gleaming with confidence and pride.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Hill feels that a lot of players are all talk and come playing time, they won't be able to handle the pressure. Of course he wants to make sure he's able to.

"All of the things that I'm saying right now are just words, sounds and letters. I need to to show my GM, teammates and scouts all of this and even more. I will be honest, I'm not the most gifted player, but I believe that with hard work, patience and never stopping in chasing your dreams you can achieve a lot. And I will."

Now that's the kind of attitude that gets you places in life.

 

 

The final question I asked the players was about what their  team for the upcoming season. Brick Wahl is a big goalie who leaves a mark on every team he plays for, just like his uncle did in when he was in his prime. Madden thinks he can add lots of offense and speed to Halifax if given the right opportunity to do so. Jonathan Hill says he can offer tonnes of hard work, dedication and perseverance and the same goes for Gebauer. Finn Davison had this to say on the matter:

"If you have not noticed already, I am very stubborn, but in a good way. I am someone that has their mind set on proving people wrong and looking back to playing and knowing that I gave every single thing that I could.  I am team player, so I will do what is best for the team. That will continue to the VHL, so if a team needs a team goalie, here I am.

 

Rylan Peace Segment

 

While I was at it, I also got the chance to interview second year VHLM stud forward, Rylan Peace. Peace joined Halifax through free agency in the final leg of last season and made an immediate impact on the team, helping them make the cup finals in their inaugural season. I asked him a few questions about his experiences last season. He says that the main contributing factor as to why he signed with Halifax was the GM, Shawn Glade.

 

 

 "Shawn was extremely supportive, first as my GM, then as a teammate. I also chose Halifax because the city is a namesake to a commissioned Canadian warship,"  Peace says, "Though I didn't have much of a choice because Halifax was the only team who wasn't pushing against the salary cap. Most teams couldn't even afford the mandatory minimum contract to sign me to sign me with the space they had left. However even if I'd received more offers I think I'd have chosen [Halifax] for reasons I've already shared."

Though it was an easy decision for Peace to sign with Halifax, not everything went smoothly for him after arriving there. Being the new player on the team, he barely saw any ice-time for the first several games.

 

 

"I started off only playing two minutes per night for the first fifteen or so games, had only a couple of goals, a couple of assists and handful of points. I finally started making an impact after talking to Shawn about giving me more ice-time. He had faith in me and moved me up to the second right wing slot and I finally started helping my team by contributing offensively," says Peace.

"By the end of the year, I was playing 22 minutes per game on the top line. I can definitely relate to the new free agent rookies because some of them will be in the same spot I will last year. They'll have limited ice-time and no real opportunity to display their skills they've been working so hard to develop. But I know, tested and true, hard work prevails. Of course there are other contributing factors to performance and the pressure is always there. Last year, when we were in the playoffs, I could not handle the pressure and balked, so even I'm still learning how to cope with the pressure from high expectations."

 

 

Last season after a spectacular inaugural VHLM regular season, the Halifax 21st disappointed in the playoffs, getting swept in the final, by theOttawa Lynx, who were definitely the underdogs. Nonetheless, Peace came out with a positive attitude.

"Being a member of Halifax's first season was beyond special for me," he said, "Even if it didn't end the way that we all would have liked it to. Watching my draft position rise through the short time I had with Halifax gave me the energy I needed to feed from. It helped me build confidence in myself as a player and I'm just hoping to make a name for myself in this upcoming VHLM season."

 

 

I don't think there's a doubt in anyone's mind the Rylan Peace will indeed make a name for himself this season and because of his work ethic and is possibly already the best player in the league. He will be spending this season with the vastly improved Saskatoon Wild. Peace's story proves that undrafted and late-blooming free agents, can have a huge impact on their team and that you don't need to be a hotly hyped prospect from the get go to become a top player. Many players believe that since they were passed over in the draft, they are unwanted, but there are the few, like Peace, who still push on, and it is they who achieve great things.

 

 

When asked if he has any advice for the brand new rookie signings for this season, he responded with this:

"Honestly, just work hard and keep your nose to the grind stone. The pressure is always there, but don't let it get to you. I try to be myself, and I'd tell everyone else to do the same."

 

Post Script

 

Whether they're scoring 50 goals this year or just playing their first VHLM, many brand new free agents will be making their mark on the league this year and writing this article has given me a new perspective on them. These undrafted players aren't just the guys who no one wanted, they're some of the most under-rated players in all of sports and though they have massive odds stacked against them, the truly great ones will find a way to prevail.

 

 

Written by Thranduil / John Madden

Total Words: 1,865

My Words: 1,137

TPE: 6

Using for PT weeks Oct 22-29, Oct 30-Sept 4

 

Massive thanks to @Peace, @BladeMaiden, @Fowll, @Sohva, @Sova, @Poptart and @Gooningitup for answering my interview questions, and also to @ShawnGlade for helping to turn Peace into the player he is today.

Edited October 18, 2018 by @Thranduil

[Bayley 419]

Thanks, it was fun! 

[Thranduil 293]

9 hours ago, Poptart said:

Thanks, it was fun! 

Thanks for participating.

[Thranduil 293]

Claiming TPE for this article's second week.