Matty Socks - Rookie Experience

[fishy 1,757]

Matty Socks went into the VHL with his expectations low and sights set on growth. Joining an expansion team, he really didn’t have any idea what would come of season 74. After watching Chicago struggle to compete with other teams in season 73, he had hopes that he and his new teammates would be able to start Chicago anew with the fresh talent and young, excited energy. 

 

Socks had some serious reservations about his entry into the VHL. He was set to play on a team with no name, no reputation, no real history. Worse yet, many of his teammates weren’t in it: skipping practice and not ready to put in the effort to really make the team and season great. As someone who highly values the memories and connections on a team, Socks was worried that he’d be out of place in Chicago. 

 

Much to his surprise, despite some of his teammates’ lack of commitment, a few players showed up ready to show the league what Chicago was made of. Jean Pierre Camus held down the fort as goaltender, and Squirrely Dan started the season hot. These two players laid down the real expectations that Socks and his fellow rookies had to live up to. Lee Xin and Christian Mingle worked with Dan to set up a strong forward front, while Socks was able to hold down the fort with Camus. 

 

Despite the hard work from this handful of players, the lack of overall team dedication from other players on the team showed through. As the season went on, Socks began to realize that, despite his success, he and his 4 teammates weren’t going to be able to push Chicago through to the playoffs. However, this didn’t stop him. He consistently showed up to practice ready to put in the work alongside his teammates, and it showed on the ice. 

 

 

Socks finished his rookie season with 26 goals and 45 assists to give ihm 71 points. With the fourth highest ranking of points on his team, number one in defensemen, Socks ultimately considers his rookie season a success. Next season, he’s hoping to spend less time in the penalty box to avoid putting his team on the defensive to cover for his mistakes. He’s also looking forward to improving his strategy and skills working alongside Jeff Downey, a star player for the Vancouver Wolves for the past few seasons. After a great season in S74, Socks thinks that Chicago is on their way to greatness. 

 

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