Unfamiliar Faces: A Who's Who of First Gens

[Renomitsu 934]

Unfamiliar Faces: A Who's Who of (Technical) First Gens

 

Outside of defense, scouting first generation players have always been a passion of mine. I could highlight storied users' recreated players for S71, but I think it's far more interesting to look at some of the best talent our new bloods (or those returning from long hiatuses) have to offer. This time, I've enlisted @JeffD to help me sift through and evaluate the handful of players we're going to feature here. No more beating around the Bushito - let's get to it.

 

 

 

Thomas Landry II @Doomsday, LW San Diego Marlins

Thomas Landry II comes from a family of athletes that have a history in the Victory Hockey League. He is the son of the original Thomas Landry who played a pivotal role in bringing multiple championships to HC Davos Dynamo as the captain of the team and it clearly shows in the younger Landry’s playstyle. Landry II, much like his father, plays a power forward style game and while he is a very proficient scorer when the puck is on his stick he is not afraid to use his size to his advantage when in the corners. His 6’3” 218 pound frame allows him to bully smaller forwards off of the puck on the back check and allows him to compete with even the biggest defenders when in the offensive zone. Landry II also brings the intangibles his father brought to the table and is often cited by teammates and coaches as an excellent leader both on and off the ice.

 

So far in his short VHLM career Thomas Landry II has played for both the Halifax 21st on a first year contract as well as the San Diego Marlins who picked him ninth overall in the S70 VHLM draft. Through his first 21 games as a member of the Marlins Landry II has put up an impressive 32 points and is the clear runaway leader in hits for the entire league with 115. While he still had a long way to go to match the accolades his father accrued in his career there is no doubt in anyone’s mind he is off to a great start.

 

ABOVE: A fan mock-up of VHLM keeper Joakim Bruden in national team pads.

 

Joakim Bruden @PadStack, G Ottawa Lynx

Bruden is an absolute monster in between the pipes for the Ottawa Lynx of the VHLM. He stands at an enormous 6’8” and weighs 250 pounds making him the largest goalie to ever grace the league. Hailing from a small town in the East of Sweden, Bruden grew up playing hockey with his three older brothers, and that is how he became the hardened goaltender he is today.

 

Not only is he enormous but he has the lateral agility and quickness that make him an effective goalie for the Ottawa Lynx. Starting as a backup last season when the Lynx signed him to a first year contract he impressed the management team in Ottawa enough that they decided to use their 10th overall selection in the S70 VHLM draft to select him. He came into the Lynx system as a very raw talent but through training with their coaching staff he has developed into a great talent. Through the first 22 games of the season he has led the Lynx to a 22-2-0 record while posting a .886 save percentage and a 2.56 goals against average.

 

 

Jeff Blaze @NyQuil, RW Houston Bulls

Third on our list is Tennessee native Jeff Blaze, who occupies the second-line right winger spot for the Houston Bulls. A multi-sport athlete, Blaze could have easily missed out on pursuing hockey as a career, as he played baseball at the age of twelve. But he immediately fell in love with hockey a few years later, playing his first game at about fourteen or fifteen and winning the state championship with his midget team. Known now as an overall raw prospect, Blaze makes his money on the offensive ice. He has a nose for loose pucks, and primarily puts his finesse from ice skating to use before launching precise passes or neatly aimed slapshots. Just a handful of years since he started playing hockey, Blaze has made his presence known in the minors extremely quickly.

 

Under one year ago, he played for the Omaha Lancers of the USHL. His stint didn’t last for long, however, as he was almost immediately recruited by several D1 NCAA teams – and then turned those away for an immediate shot at the VHLM.

 

Blaze doesn’t necessarily perfectly fit the paradigm of the VHL right now. There’s an extreme emphasis on high-quality defensive positioning and developing passing/shooting at around the same pace as changing possession. Regardless, Blaze has nearly averaged a point per game in spite of being a second liner: with 6 goals and 18 total points to his name with a +6, he’s shown a clearly positive impact on the ice and is an important reason why the Bulls are currently third in the minors.

 

 

Bennet Dahl @Nothing but goals, G Yukon Rush

As a netminder, you’re always split a hundred different ways. You travel the least distance on the ice, but your technical skill and reaction time must be second-to-none. Deflecting pucks is one thing – any old defender can do that – but skillfully controlling rebounds to avoid consecutive shots is a key skill for goalies. Dahl, a hybrid-style goalie from the farthest reaches of North Korea, was suddenly brought on to the scene just a few weeks ago; in a couple of his first pressers, he’d asked if it was possible for prospects to go undrafted. But he’s not just a new name for the league in general: Dahl was raised in an orphanage and has never known his parents – he was truly on his own for the first several years of his life.

 

It’s unclear why, but Dahl never really developed as a skater, and had to start at goalie for his backyard team when his team’s goalie tragically passed from a rare illness. He’s flourished in spite of using Walmart brand pads and gear, and eats hot Cheetos to avoid having bowel movements mid-game. As a hybrid, he’s a well-rounded goalie, and will only get better with time. he’s rather average at everything, but some may argue that’s because he needs time to adjust to the demands of the VHLM and an international style of hockey rather than that which he saw in North Korea. He’s facing a massive 34 shots a game so far but has managed a ~85% save rate. His goals against looks ugly (5.08) as with all rookies, but it’ll improve in time.

 

 

Gavin Harris @BigIrish, D Mississauga Hounds

The first defender on this list, American defenseman Gavin Harris is one of the most recent additions to the VHLM. A prototypical defenseman, Harris’s skills are diverse but focus primarily on controlling possession and moving the puck up to the offensive ice. He’s been stretched considerably in his team’s many games, as he’s one of just two defenders currently rostered for the team. He’s levied over two hits and a blocked shot per game, but will need some reinforcements with new creates, as no defenseman is truly fit enough to play a full 60 minutes on the ice.

 

One aspect scouts have been thoroughly impressed with is Harris’s checking technique. Few defensemen in the minor leagues have the guts to lay out opposing forwards as brutally as the Hounds defender – and indeed, some say he’s the best hitter on the team. It’s earned him some time in the penalty box, but few have an identity so distinct as Harris. Provided his recent rate of improvement – many VHL GMs have sent their own scouts to see the young American work on his passes and wall-to-wall movement – some suggest he may be a player with significant potential on a team that’s recouping losses after their championship berth last season.

 

Regardless, he’ll be a name to watch, as players with growth this rapid either tend to flame out quickly or go on to make unexpectedly good pros.

 

 

Big Chungus @Ferda and Rich Dickbutt McFudderdudder @Weretarantula, LW & D Ottawa Lynx

Why did we list these two together? Well, they’re both Lynx players, both updated for the first time on January 12^th, both Swiss, and are among the most peculiar duo of players in the minors right now.

 

An absolute unit, Big Chungus is one of the most intimidating defenders in the league at 6’8” and 250 lbs. Both he and McFudderdudder are Swiss – a country not well-known for producing high quality players save Toronto’s Owen May – and is a sniper in the most critical sense of the term. He’s an excellent shot, but can’t skate much better than even the youngest of minor leaguers; with 6 goals to his name and a +13 so far, however, he’s clearly putting his shooting skills to good use.

 

On the other end of the spectrum we have McFudderdudder, one of the league’s most diminutive defenders ever seen at 5’5” and 140 lbs. Much like Chungus, this young defender has invested most of his time into scoring and overall has shown incredible finesse on the ice. He sits at a massive +25 (good for seventh in the league) just twenty-two games into the season, and has 23 shots blocked to boot. Though not necessarily the only reason, these two are important factors in Ottawa’s 20-2-0 record to start 2020 – almost as if it had been planned from the beginning! They have a +61 goal differential and show no signs of slowing down, especially with these two Swiss skaters on the ice.

 

~1,610 words. Two claims for @Renomitsu, another one for @JeffD!

[Enorama 2,038]

> says it's an article about first gens

 

> first player mentioned is a recreate

[Doomsday 4,130]

27 minutes ago, Enorama said:

> says it's an article about first gens

 

> first player mentioned is a recreate

 

As far as the rulebook is concerned, he's a first-gen. 

[Doomsday 4,130]

Great write-up, can't wait to see where we'll be at after the S71 Draft!

[Ben 200]

Lol you really put the time into looking into Bennet Dahl.

[DarkSpyro 939]

I’m a first gen and only joined up this past October..  

[Renomitsu 934]

Claim 1 of 2, week ending 02/16/2020

[gorlab 4,321]

Who's gonna be the next big LICK in the VHL?? 

[Renomitsu 934]

Claim 2 of 2, week ending 2/23/2020

[Lockdown Defense 20]

where am i