Claimed:Across A Nation - Part 3

[Guest Svoboda_3]

Across A Nation
Part 3
 

Newfoundland & Labrador

Zach Cuff

Zach Cuff is the lone VHL/VHLM player hailing from Newfoundland. Drafted 22nd overall in the Season 31 Draft by the Cologne Express, Cuff’s career started before that with the Bern Royals. During his draft season, Cuff took part in 62 games, compiling 5 goals and 7 assists for 12 points, but was a -23 rating with 52 hits. After being drafted by the Express, Zach was optioned back to Bern, where his experience from the season previously would weigh in heavily for the success he and the Royals had during Season 31. After a rough draft season, Zach improved on his numbers, tallying 17 goals and 31 assists for 48 points, a +27 and 127 hits. In the season following, Zach split time between Bern and his new team the Brampton Blades. In what would be considered one of his best seasons of his professional career, Zach departed from the VHLM having finished his final campaign collecting 119 points, including 62 goals and 57 assists, including a +63 and 115 hits.

 It appeared that Zach had accomplished all that he needed in the VHLM and thus, he would embark upon his rookie season in the VHL during Season 33. Suiting up for the Cologne Express, a team that had waited patiently for Zach’s development, Zach struggled during his rookie season, where he amassed only 21 points and was a -14. However during his sophomore campaign, once again Cuff acclimated himself with the VHL’s way of life, improving on his numbers statistically, going from 21 points in Season 33 to 65 points in the following season. During Season 35, Zach’s numbers would drop somewhat, but that was due to Cuff buying into the defensive system that Cologne was preaching. Despite his 54 points, an 11-point drop, Zach’s defensive numbers increased, finishing with a +28 and 116 hits. During the Season 35 off-season, Cologne cuts ties with Zach, trading him to Vasteras along with a 3rd round pick for a Season 36 2nd round selection and a Season 38 2nd rounder as well. Now, with his newest team in Season 36, Zach posted career highs, producing 32 goals and adding 37 assists for 69 points and a +22. Zach’s career is slowly winding down, and although he has produced somewhat, the development was stunted somewhere along the road and the potential was lost. So far this season, Zach and his Iron Eagles have been inconsistent. Currently, Zach has 11 points in 24 games and the team as a whole is 13-10-1 on the season.
 

British Columbia

Lars Strummer
Naomi Young
Shane Baker
Luke Riggs
Matthew Lemire
Joel Wielenga

Turning our attention towards British Columbia, we have two undrafted Season 35 players, a veteran VHLMer, two established VHL players and a recent VHL draftee. Starting with the two undrafted players in Matthew Lemire and Joel Wielenga, both were passed up during their draft seasons and thus, will probably be career VHLM players. Lemire, toiling with the 2-20 Ottawa Lynx, currently is second on his team in points with 21, but is a -10 while the team has struggled out of the gate. Wielenga on the other hand, skating with the Saskatoon Wild, a team with a 4-15-3 record, is off to a pretty good start statistically, picking up 19 points in his first 16 games. The Abbotsford, British Columbia resident has been one of Saskatoon’s most consistent players so far, but he could be playing above his talent level, which at some point, the VHLM will filter the more skilled players and the different talent levels as we delve deeper into the VHLM season.

Onto Luke Riggs, the seasoned VHLM veteran and 22nd overall draft selection of the Vasteras Iron Eagles during the Season 36 VHL Draft. Luke, prior to his selection of the Iron Eagles, played with the Oslo Storm where in 60 games, Luke picked up 19 points and was a -9. After being drafted by Vasteras of the VHL, the confidence level of Luke increased entering Season 36. In 72 games, Luke became a larger part of Oslo’s offense, factoring in with 20 goals and 35 assists for 55 points. Now in Season 37 and still with Oslo, Luke has continued on his journey towards the VHL. In 20 games, Riggs has managed to average just under a point per game, currently sitting with 18 points including 6 goals, a +13, 42 penalty minutes and 107 hits.

Hope, British Columbia, a community of just less than 6,000 people and sandwiched between Chilliwack and Princeton, is home to Cologne Express prospect and current Yukon Rush forward Lars Strummer. Lars is one of those up-and-coming types of players, who at this time, not a lot of people focus on, but is someone who will impress you and garner attention later on. Lars erupted onto the scene in Season 36 after being drafted in the VHLM by the Saskatoon Wild. After one season in Saskatoon, where Lars collected 22 goals and 53 assists for 75 points, including 112 hits, Lars was dealt from the Wild to the Yukon Rush in exchange for a Season 39 1st round selection. The impressiveness and due diligence that Lars displayed on and off the ice during Season 36 effectively propelled his draft stock enough to where the Cologne Express took the hulking forward in the first round, 10th overall. Playing for the first place Yukon Rush in Season 37, Lars continues to be a contributing factor in their success, tallying 12 goals and 21 assists for 33 points in just 20 games. Lars is projected to make the jump to the VHL next season and based on all accounts; he should be a key contributor on an Express team that is in transition in the European Conference.

Victoria, British Columbia’s own Naomi Young is currently one of a select few females to make a successful transition into the VHL, a league dominated by the male sex. The former Minot Gladiator (drafted 3rd overall in the Season 34 VHLM Dispersal Draft) and former Helsinki Titan (drafted 2nd overall in the Season 35 VHL Draft), is now a somewhat proud member of the Davos Dynamo. After spending the first two seasons playing in the Finnish capital, Naomi successfully escaped a tumultuous rookie campaign during Season 35 in which she only managed 5 goals and 28 assists for 33 points. Naomi rebounded during the following season to where she increased every offensive statistic in goals (23), assists (42), and points (65). However, Helsinki succumbed into a rebuilding situation that resulted in Naomi’s time being done with the Titans. In a Season 36 off-season transaction, Young was traded to a divisional rival and an up-and-coming Davos Dynamo squad for a plethora of draft selections, including first round selections in both Season 38 and 39 and Davos’ Season 38 2nd round pick. After Davos’ championship run last season, General Manager Victor Alfredsson needed to replace lost assets through various means, which prompted the deal to acquire Naomi. So far this season, Naomi has 30 points, including 8 goals in 24 games for the Dynamo.

Now, capping off the last member of British Columbia is Shane Banks, the elder statesman of this group. The Vancouver native kick-started his career after being drafted in the Season 33 VHLM Dispersal Draft, 12th overall by the Kolari Panthers, now the Turku Outlaws organization. Shane toiled around in the minors for a season or so, all whilst gaining valuable experience in order to flourish in the VHL. Having been drafted into the VHL by the Riga Reign during the Season 34 Draft and then traded to Davos during the Season 34 off-season, Shane experienced highs and lows during his rookie season, finishing with a respectable 56 points, while accumulating 130 penalty minutes and 178 hits, establishing himself as a physical and imposing force. In Season 36, more of the same took place. With an increase in playing time, Shane’s numbers improved, where he finished with 62 points, a +31, 166 penalty minutes and a whopping 225 hits. Shane Baker has given Davos a completely different look since his arrival; a more physical look. Shane has the ability to be effective at best when he plays the body, makes life difficult for the opposition and plays the agitator role to a tee. Not only can Shane give you all of that, but he can score and give you another option on the power play or as a depth guy. So far this season with the reigning champs, Baker has 25 points in 24 games and is a +6.

Next week we will break down the province of Quebec.

Edited March 23, 2014 by Svoboda_3

[Doomsday 4,130]

Content: 3/3 - Can't wait to see where the distribution of VHL talent has been in the United States to this point. Really curious to see how that one will be categorized.

 

Grammar: 2/2 - One little slip-up.

 

Shane Banks = Shane Baker

 

Appearance: 1/1 - The patriotism moves me.

 

Overall: 6/6 -

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