Bio: Vaydar Odinsson [2/2]

[BOOM 8,745]

 

 

 

 

 

Vaydar Hamar Odinsson

 

 

Birthdate: January 26, 1994 (Age 25)

 

 

Birthplace: Hammerfest, Norway

 

 

Height: 6'3”

 

 

Weight: 202

 

 

Number: 10

 

 

 

 

 

 

LETS BEGIN

 

 

Vaydar Odinsson always seemed destined to be a star in the Victory Hockey League. He was born on the 26th of January to VHL Hall of Fame inductee, Odin Tordahl and Sara Vigursdottir. Odin had played for several teams in the VHL, most notably with the New York Americans and being a son of the great man, it was never going to be an easy thing to live up to. Along with older brother Thor, who had spent time with the Seattle, Vaydar was taught the basics and coached by his father, right through to his 15th birthday, when he became eligible to play in the Oslo Junior Hockey League.  Vaydar was never the best player on his team, but he always competed and worked extra hard on the skills, with his father on the outdoor rink that had been constructed on the family property. In the OJHL, his rights were picked up by Valerenga Hockey Club in the second round of the Bantam draft.

 

 

Odinsson during his time with Valerenga

 

 

 

 

JUNIORS
 

 

 

Vaydar's junior career started off like the rest of his hockey career. He was not the most talented guy on this ice his first year and was unable to make much of an impact on the ice. One thing that he always had was his skating ability and it allowed him to continue to put up good minutes even though he wasn't producing a large amount of goals and points his first year. After his first season, he went back to Odin for more advice on how to improve, and over the off-season they worked on his scoring and passing skills. He went into his second season with a whole new wave of confidence and it immediately led to an increase in his scoring. He went form only scoring 11 goals and 47 points his first year to scoring 43 goals and 102 points in 69 games in his sophomore season. This boost in production led to him gaining the attention of scouts from the NHL and VHL. When the time came to declare for either the NHL or VHL, Vaydar's decision was relatively simple.

 

 

 

VHLM
 

 

 

 

Based on the family history in the VHL, Vaydar decided to commit to the league and forge his own path in the popular hockey league. He entered the S62 VHLM Dispersal Draft and he was selected in the 2nd round(11th overall) by the Ottawa Lynx. While it did take Vaydar some time to get used to his role on the Lynx, he adjusted to the new style of play, although his production was on the low side compared to his offensive output in the OJHL. Through 72 games, he only managed 36 points(19G 17A) with 99 hits, hardly the output to put potential VHL suitors on notice. Still, he was a part of the championship winning Lynx team and will fondly remember his time there, and the support of the Ottawa fans.

 

 

 

VHL
 

 

 

In S63, Odinsson was selected by the Helsinki Titans in exactly the same draft position as he was in the VHLM(Rd 2, Pick 11). Coincidence? Maybe. It was a great season for Vaydar, who after amassing 82 Points(39 G, 43A) finished second to his Titans teammate Julian Borwinn, in the race for Rookie of The Year. However, S64 was a self-proclaimed disaster for the young Norwegian, with a thud back to earth with a paltry 40 points through 72 games, along with a breakdown of relationships with both teammates and management, that culminated in a trade with the New York Americans that sent Roctrion King and two draft selections, in return for Vaydar.

Here in S65, he has started in a much brighter way with 9 goals, 9 assists and 58 hits after 18 games for the Americans. His position within the New York franchise is assured, with him recently being named an alternate captain, as the Americans look to begin a run at the playoffs for the next few seasons.

 

Strengths

 

 Skating

One of Vaydars greatest assets is his speed and skating ability. With his strong physique and great genetics, he has developed a smooth, rhythmic style that propels him around the ice effortlessly. He can get up and down the ice very quickly and is deceivingly strong on his skates and hard to push off the puck. He will continue to develop and is likely to be one of the better skaters in the VHL.

 

 Vision/Playmaking

 

He is still developing his play-making abilities but there is little doubt that soon he will be able to feed his line mates at will. With the capability to make plays equally as well on his backhand as he can on his forehand he will be a sensation in the VHL as soon as next season. His awareness on the ice and his hockey sense is excellent and often seems to be one step ahead of everyone else. Being a play-maker is something that comes naturally to him.
 

 Size

Standing at 6'2 and a little over 200 pounds, he is very strong. With a solid base and the way he skates and protects the puck, it can be almost impossible to strip the puck from him. He's got a wide stance so the center of gravity is low and he has the ability to protect and look for things and then make things happen for his team. He is very durable and if he is matched with elite players, he will be able to be used in different situations such as a power play type of guy or play-maker that makes things happen.

 

Weaknesses

 

 Checking/Physicality

Despite his size, there is an over-whelming urge to avoid checking his opponent. Obviously this is something he will need to address as he continues to develop in the VHL as teams demand that ability from their forwards to ensure success at that level. He does play with an active stick and can disrupt the plays and generally perform his defensive duties decently, but at this point his lack of physicality is a real issue that will need attention from his coaches as soon as possible.

 

 Defense

A glaring weakness in Odinsson's game is his limited defensive play. As often occurs with Scandinavian players, he has spent a little too much time developing his strong offensive talents and almost forgotten that hockey has another aspect to it. He is often out of position and late to arrive in the defensive zone, allowing the opposition to get a lot of shots on goal. It's a major liability and he should be prepared to put in some long hours to develop this part of this game.

 

 

      Discipline

 

Vaydar seems to have a chip on his shoulder regarding his up and down run of form, and has been known to take out his anger on the opposing players. Besides being an unattractive part of his game, it also leads to large parts of the game in the penalty box, punishing his team for his ridiculous play and poor decision making. It's an area that he seems determined to work on, but knowing he has a short fuse, he will be a target for smart opponents and coaching staff who will attempt to bait him into rash decisions.

 

 

 

The Final Word

 

Vaydar Odinsson is a big winger who is smart, can make plays and can impact the game in multiple ways. He's the type of player that any team would covet because of his combination of size and skill. For now at least, the New York Americans have him on their side, as they look to once again become a powerhouse in the Victory Hockey League.

Edited March 5, 2019 by BOOM™

[Thranduil 293]

I thought this was very well written and I really liked how you didn't just make Odinsson out to be a naturally gifted hockey player like everyone else does. He actually had to put in some work and wasn't always the best player on his team. Those kind of bios are more readable, realistic and relatable. I liked how you tied a former VHL star into the story as Vaydar's dad and how you didn't ignore the existence of the NHL, but included into the story in the form of Odinsson having to choose between the two leagues. Overall, very solid bio, and my only suggestion would've been to focus more on Vaydar's life and less on his strengths and weaknesses.

Edited March 7, 2019 by Thranduil

[leafssteen 50]

Review: I really like the flow of this bio, nice colour & nice titles. The pictures were a great addition to the bio. I saw a few spelling errors but not many. Overall definitely the most interesting bio I have come across! Great job!