Introducing...Thorny Underyew [1/2]

[jack 498]

Thorny Underyew: The Welsh Walloper

 

LAS VEGAS - MONDAY JUNE 17, 2019

 

Height: 6' 3" - 190cm

Weight: 240lbs - 109kg

Position: Centre

 

Underyew has recently moved to North America to pursue a career in the VHL. His recent signing with the Las Vegas Aces puts him in the right direction, although many are unsure if he can maintain the dominance that he has experienced in the UK. Underyew is from Wales, a country that has had very little homegrown talent make a splash across the pond. Underyew undoubtedly has skill, size, and cunning, but scouts are wary of his perseverance and commitment to playing hockey at the highest level.

 

Thorny has only played in the UK, his most recent stint playing for the Sheffield Steelers. His debut saw him rack up 4 points, including 2 goals. The season was middling for the Steelers as a whole, but Thorny put up excellent numbers. He tallied 22 goals and 18 assists through 48 games played as a rookie.

 

We'll have to wait until S67 to see Thorny suit up, and it's likely that he'll be assigned to a different team, as Las Vegas has only 1 draft pick in the upcoming dispersal draft. This is what we expect to see from Underyew as the 67th season gets underway:

 

Pros

 

Shooting: Hockey is not popular in Wales, and we doubt that Thorny really had too many people to play against for most of his upbringing. We'd hazard a guess that he spent a lot of time practicing his shot, and it sure shows. We've seen him score from nearly everywhere in the offensive zone, from seemingly impossible angles. Below the circles, behind the net, through traffic, while falling down, he can so often overcome adversity and find a way to get the puck in the net.

 

Intimidation: It's not just his size. There is a threatening air that surrounds Thorny Underyew that very few will enter into. People fear him when he's skating down the ice, and it seems to give him an extra edge. He will not relent, he will go straight through anyone that stands in his way. He will likely face more adversity entering the bigger International leagues, but we suspect that his confidence is built-in and will not fade.

 

Game Control: We have seen games where Underyew is able to single-handedly take over and change the pace. His mere presence on the ice can create space and opportunities, as seen with his team-leading +/- of +20 on a net negative team. Expect Underyew to find chemistry with anyone and make his teammates better.

 

Cons

 

Positioning: The UK is not nearly as developed as North America or Northern Europe when it comes to coaching and development. While Thorny certainly has raw skill, we expect to see him looking a little lost at times in the elite context. This will be the number one concern for GMs at the draft looking at Thorny.

 

Discipline: Thorny has a tendency to to take some unnecessary penalties, sometimes costing his team dearly. Expect coaches to come down hard on him, and hope that he listens to that advice, or he may spend more time on the bench—or in the press box—than he'd like to.

 

Communication: Thorny is relatively reserved, and may not adjust very well to the media's and his teammates' expectations. And that accent, who knows what he's saying on the ice?

 

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Thorny will enter the S68 draft class, and is expected to go close to, if not in, the first round.

[HenrikZoiderberg 469]

Review:

 

Good formatting, I like the picture.

 

On 6/17/2019 at 4:22 PM, jack said:

The Welsh Walloper

 

The Cretin from Sweden approves.

 

I'd suggest adding hometown/country to the stat block, it otherwise looks pretty good.

 

On 6/17/2019 at 4:22 PM, jack said:

Intimidation:

 

I really like the way you put this one, great paragraph! Gives me an almost Lindross-type vibe.

 

Needs a conclusion but otherwise solid. +1