Erstwhile Lifelong Dragon goes to Expansion United

[KC15 340]

As soon as Guy Lesieur got to the VHML and started paying more attention to the VHL, he wanted nothing more than to be a District of Columbia Dragon. The thought of joining a brand new club, growing with that club from a wet behind the ears, talented, but unproven scoring forward, and eventually being the face of the franchise (or at least one of the most prominent members of the team) very much appealed to the young Lesieur. It was always in his mind that he would be a lifelong Dragon. A guy who played his whole career for one team, put down roots, and became the guy that fans wanted to have as their jersey to wear at all the hometown favorite’s games.

 

The dream had a bit of a falter right out of the gate. One pick before he was able to be drafted by the D.C. Dragons, Lesieur was snatched by another team – the Riga Reign. Guy was crestfallen, but soon good news came via his cellphone. D.C. had made a swap with Riga of their number 7 pick for Lesieur and other considerations in the deal. Lesieur was going to the American capital after all!

 

Guy played one year in the juniors, but jumped at the chance to come up early and play for the big club in D.C. There was a little struggle at first, but Guy scored right from the beginning and that cushioned the blow. So did the leadership of team captain and clear best player on the team – Mikko Aaltonen. Mikko really took Guy under his wing and taught him how to be a forward in the VHL – and how to handle all the off ice business of the senior circuit.

 

Guy has always credited the D.C. GM’s for making him the player he is today. The pair in charge when he started his career were @Enorama and @McWolf. There are not adequate words to describe Guy’s thankfulness for their faith in him when he was so green and inexperienced and their mentorship that made him into what most would agree is a “damn solid VHL forward”.

 

It looked like Lesieur would live out his dream – to be a Dragon for life. But then the S73 expansion came along. D.C. had grown enough as a team that even Lesieur could not be guaranteed protection in the draft. He was left unprotected and it happened as it was bound to happen. When you are a brand new team and trying to field a decent product on the ice, you can’t go all youth and development. You have to have some veterans to help mentor the future of the team. Guy had gone from being that up and comer to veteran since his draftee days and sure enough, he was selected by one of the four expansion teams – London United.

 

Guy wasn’t looking forward to leaving, but wait! Who was at the helm of this new team based in London? None other than his VHL co-GM when he joined the D.C. franchise @mcwolf.

 

Hey, this didn’t turn out so bad after all! He is reunited with McWolf and can be the veteran Mikko Aaltonen was for him to the younger bucks getting drafted by London to be the future of the franchise. Not a bad way to finish off a satisfying career.

 

United Forever!

[McWolf 3,115]

You're stuck with me. Traded for you when you were drafted before our pick, and I selected you in the expansion draft.

[KC15 340]

I'm alright with that.  lol