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Minot Success Hinges Upon Top Line

The VHLM Dispersal Draft unfolded in an extremely unpredictable fashion, which was in a way almost predictable as there was a glut of players of similar talent levels and scouts opinions player to player tended to fluctuate wildly. When the dust settled and rosters for the upcoming season began to solidify, three teams seemed to stand out above the pack. Thanks to a multitude of early picks the Yukon Rush, Turku Outlaws, and Minor Gladiators stood out as the early favourites.

 

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Bruno Wolf is expected to provide offence and leadership to a young Minot team

 

The Rush elected to use the draft as a way to build a balanced roster, selecting a goaltender, a forward, and a defenceman in the first round, while Turku opted to select two defenceman early before using the rest of their picks to build a deep and talented forward group. Minot was a sort of wild card in all of this, having three picks in the first round and then having to wait quite a while before making a fourth selection. With their later picks almost certainly going to be secondary players, Minot had to make their three first rounders count as those players would comprise the core of their team and a whiff on any of them would almost certainly result in a lost season.

 

When all was said and done at the draft Minot had elected to use their three vital picks on forwards, creating a very top heavy team that lacked goaltending or a stand out defenceman. Anybody with knowledge of the game of hockey would scoff at the idea of team building around one line, after all hockey is a team game and putting all your eggs in one basket is hardly a recipe for success. However, Minot may be an exception, simply because that the amount of talent on that one line.

 

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Linholm's offence saw him go 2nd overall in the VHL Draft

Bruno Wolf is the trigger man of the group. Out of Sterling Heights, Michigan, Wolf is a speed demon who is as adept at scoring as he is at throwing the body. His dangerous shot will victimize VHLM goaltenders all year and his penchant for throwing big hits will have defenceman looking over their shoulders all season. When the 7th pick rolled around for Minot there was shock and pleasant surprise that Jakob Linholm was still available. Arguably the most talented player in the draft, Linholm will do it all for Minot. He plays a two-way game while still being among the most offensively dangerous players in the VHLM. Linholm would probably challenge for the VHLM scoring title playing with a pylon and a rolled up newspaper but with Wolf and Galbraith by his side he should realistically be a favourite to lead the league in scoring. Galbraith is the third wheel on that line and brings speed and a talent for playmaking to Wolf’s scoring and Linholm’s all around dominance.

 

Although Wolf, Linholm, and Galbraith are all wingers it is expected they will be placed together for the entirety of the year. Perhaps no team in the VHLM has as much invested in three players as Minot, as the lack of depth behind them means if they aren’t scoring odds are nobody is. Minot has in essence placed all of its hopes for success on three players, but there aren’t three other players quite like Wolf, Linholm, and Galbraith in the VHLM. The top line for the Gladiators absolutely needs to score and score often or the Gladiators simply won’t go anywhere this season, the overwhelming talent that comprises that line just might be enough to overcome deficiency’s elsewhere. At the very least Gladiator games will be exciting this year as the goals should be coming fast and furious. However it remains to be seen if the firepower from line one will see the Gladiators come out on top of these track meets more often than not, only time will tell if Minots strategy of stacking one line will be successful.

 

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There should be a lot of these going off in Minot this year

Guest Svoboda_3

Content: 3/3

694 words. I'm sure with only you three, you will have plenty of opportunities to put up points. Your 'Spot was informational in that you re-capped Minot's draft and apparently the direction in which the team will be going in.

Grammar: 1.75/2

Personally, there were 3 instances where comma's were essential, otherwise it became one long thought, 1 sentence fragment and a collection of smaller things.

 

talent levels and scouts opinions player to player tended to fluctuate wildly.  = this segment was awkward and I couldn't understand how to fix it

 

picks the = picks, the

Minor = Minot

defenceman = defencemen (x2) - Just finding the right way to use defenceman and defencemen

draft Minot = draft, Minot

wingers it is = wingers, it is

season, the = season. The

Minots = Minot's

Appearance: 1/1

Ah, you took my advice on the title...nice.

Overall: 5.75/6

Content: 3/3 - A rejuvenated VHLM  with a lot of evenly matched players spread across the league will make for a very interesting season. You'll just have to get through Salo and I first.

 

Grammar: 1.75/2 - Some more errors I found.

 

line, after - line. After

 

However it - However, it

 

Appearance: 1/1 - Pretty standard. Good job.

 

Overall: 5.75/6

 

Final: 6/6

 

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