Hans Schultz II's Junior Review

[HoPeFuLCheWBaCCa 7]

The former pride of the Germany, Hans Schultz II, was regarded as the best U14 hockey player in the Northeast Region of Germany living in the suburbs of Hamburg.  He grew up in a family of 6 with 2 sisters (who play on the German Olympic team) and a brother that is 3 years younger than him and plays soccer in the Hamburg FC Academy as a striker.  His father played for the German National team for over 10 years in the 1980's.  Hockey and athleticism runs in his family and Schultz is determined to live up to his family name.  When he was 15 years old, he got drafted by the WHL's Tri-City Americans in the first round.  At the age of 16, he started playing with the Major Junior team.  In 3 seasons with the Americans, Schultz II scored 220 points in 180 games in the regular season and was considered one of the best scoring defensemen to ever play.  People were calling him the defensive Leon Draisaitl as the best German to come out of juniors in since.  After three great seasons, Schultz II was set to be a top 3 pick in the NHL draft.  BUT, his career and life took an unexpecting turn whenever he tore his ACL/MCL/PCL playing pond hockey in Hamburg before the NHL draft.  Doctors said he might never be able to play hockey again and possible have arthritis in his knee by the time he was 5 due to the severity of the injury.  Because of this, NHL teams decided to stay away from Schulz II.  Now over a year and a half later of intense knee rehabilitation with dreams of still making it to the NHL at some point, Hans Schultz II has decided to play in the VHL to get back his notoriety and show that he is still the elite defenseman that he was once projected to be.  There are concerns that Schultz will not be able to make it through a full season especially if he has to play extended minutes due to the knee injury.  German doctors have designed a special knee brace for him to wear underneath his equipment which will hopefully help him.  He was passed up in the VHLM draft and had to sign as a free agent in the VHLM with the Yukon Rush.  We will have to see how his career pans out and if Yukon and/or VHL clubs will be able to keep him within the VHL or if he will continue to pursue his childhood dream of playing in the NHL.

[fromtheinside 1,278]

That's a great backstory!