Las Vegas Aces

[Juddy 13]

This Week with the Las Vegas Aces

 

These articles usually center around VHLM forward David Wallace, but this week we decided to take a different route and examine his team the Las Vegas Aces. With 52 games played the Aces currently sit in third place with 33 wins 15 losses and 4 overtime losses for a total of 70 points. Minnesota sits 3 points ahead of the Aces and Houston is 7 points ahead.

 

Aces general manager @Matt_O made a lot of great moves last year to set the team up for this year. He acquired additionally draft picks, while still managing to make the playoffs last season, and with those draft picks acquiring some of the best young talent available in the VHLM draft pool.

 

With three first round picks, numbers 3,4, and 7, the aces selected George Washington, Benny Graves, and Cinnamon Block. That set the team up to be very deep at the center position while also giving them a defender to build their blue line around.

 

In the second round the Aces has two picks and used one on David Wallace and the other on Blacker Velvet. These moves gave the team a solid top pair and a winger for either line.

 

Selecting Bruce Grimaldi was @Matt_O only mistake made this draft, as Grimaldi went and played in the VHL for Prague.

 

Jeff Tates and Benny Graves currently lead to VHLM in scoring, Tates with 108 points and Graves with 107. They have been on a crazy pace and many thought this was just a short run but they both have sustained in all season, and their VHL are anticipating their arrival to help bolster their respective teams. Cinnamon Block lead the defense with 64 points 58 of which are assists. This silky puck moving defensemen will one day be an all star in the VHL.

Have all these players good season produced wins? Or has the depth of the Aces been the key factor to their winning? After the top 3 the Aces have two players with 52 points, and three players in the 40’s for points and one more at 39 points. Wallace has been hard on himself but it’s likely without his production the team would’ve suffered a few more losses. With out the Tates and Graves producing the way they have been, maybe someone like Wallace or Washington or Foilen could’ve stepped up and put up those numbers. This team has been as good as they are because they are a good team, on and off the ice. They go out as a group on off nights, they workout out together, and carpool together. They respect each other, motivate each other, and help each other out. Tates might be the leader on the score board most nights but he doesn’t act like a snobby superstar. Wallace and Washington May not put up as many points as they want to but they are not crying about lack of ice time or wanting more, they show up play their role and help the team get the win however they can. That’s why, even though they don’t lead the league in points, they will make a deep playoff run and should be considered one of the best teams in the VHLM.