Claimed:Cologne Express Prospect Watch

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Cologne Express Prospect Watch - Part I

 

It has been a long season for the Cologne Express where the motto has been patience and transitioning. Many established players have been moved since last season and even more are likely to follow with the team having given up on the playoffs pretty much since day one. But while players like Kameron Taylor, Malcom Spud, David Collier and Evgeni Chekhov are holding the fort for the Express, the focus of the Cologne management has shifted to the next generation of ‘Expressos’, who are currently playing in the VHLM. Today we will take a look at some of these players and the seasons they have had so far. All of them were drafted in the Season 37 VHL Entry Draft and they will soon be joined by another crop of young players that will enter the organization through the Season 38 Entry Draft, where the Express own a plethora of first and second round picks.

 

Blaine Olynick – Bern Royals

 

The Bern Royals have dominated the European Conference so far this season and one of the biggest reasons for that is the strong play of goaltender Blaine Olynick. Through 55 games he has an incredible 48 wins, a 91.1% save percentage and a goals against average of 2.30. As expected Olynick has been in an intense battle for the title of top goaltender in the VHLM with Yukon’s Kimmo Salo, and so far it is a very close race. Salo’s individual numbers are slightly better than those of Olynick, but he put them up in arguably the weaker of the two conferences. Looks like we won’t have an answer to the question of “Who is the VHLM’s top goalie?” until it’s crunch time in the play-offs…

 

Lars Strummer – Yukon Rush

 

 

Heralded as more of a two-way center up until this season, Lars Strummer has had a real break-out year offensively. Playing on the league’s best team, the Yukon Rush, Strummer forms a deadly one-two punch with fellow draftee and 5^th overall pick Konstantin Azhischenkov down the middle. Through 55 games Strummer has put up 81 points to go along with a +44 and a 66.52% faceoff-percentage. His 100+ hits also are a pretty remarkable feat for a team that usual has the puck for the majority of the game and if he keeps playing like that, he could already center one of Colognes top-two lines next season.

 

Mikael Svensson – Turku Outlaws

 

It has been a rather unremarkable year for Mikael Svensson so far, not bad but not great either. The Swedish centerman has scored at roughly a point per game pace (55 points through 54 games) and is the second best goalscorer on the Turku Outlaws with 28 tallies. His defensive game has also improved, showcased by his +12 rating and almost a hundred hits, but his general progression  has been rather slow, so right now it looks like Svensson will spend at least another season in the VHLM after this one and will probably join the Cologne Express in S39.

Edited April 7, 2014 by RomanesEuntDomus

[Guest Svoboda_3]

Content: 3/3

507 words. It wasn't extremely long, but it didn't have to be. You covered three of your prospects, one of which plays for the Outlaws and with each you did a good job detailing their season. As hard as I've tried, I haven't been able to get Svensson and a few others to get the most out of their activity

Grammar: 2/2

 

faceoff-percentage = face-off percentage

that usual = that usually

Colognes = Cologne's

goalscorer - goal-scorer

Appearance: 1/1

Looks really attractive.

Overall: 6/6

[Smarch 3,153]

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