Concern Mounts as Riga Fails to Score

[Renomitsu 930]

Riga, Latvia - The Reign, a perennial playoff contender over the last ten-plus seasons, is in a bit of a tricky position. Well, multiple tricky positions: they're currently in tenth place - second to last in the conference next to the intensely-rebuilding Davos Dynamo - already a game behind playoff pace in the beleaguered European Conference, and terrifyingly have yet to score a single power play goal through ten games. They fought Malmo to a 0-0 tie through three periods, mercifully bailed from a slow-scoring game by promising young forward Patrik Tallinder.

 

But the point still stands: Riga needs change, else they're bound for long-term mediocrity.

 

"Well, we're coming up on the power play drought record," spoke grizzled veteran Apollo Hackett after their game against Malmo, "though often 'record' carries a different connotation, don't you think? Our young players still have a lot to learn, and it's up to Tate and I to teach them a thing or two - even our forwards."

 

The Reign are clearly a roster in transition, a squad built in the 60s on strong forward play and burgeoning talent on defense. But the script seems to have flipped itself - and in the meantime has seen its goalie play on the precipice, particularly with Finn Davison's imminent retirement this up-coming offseason. Admittedly this roster dynamic is not terribly uncommon across the league, as few teams have managed to move players or assets from one team to another: recall the trade deadline last season was remarkably uneventful, with a single inconsequential trade for picks being made at the buzzer without any real notice. Some have clamored that the structure of the league simply must change in some way, but the form that change takes - or if it's even necessary - has yet to be solidified.

Edited March 29, 2020 by Renomitsu