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Jearim · 05-21-2018, 09:34 PM

The room was full, as it typically is here in Montreal. 10 am said the press release, and at ten on the nose came out Montreals GM, Assistant GM, and the three new captains of the Montreal Militia.

â€œ We called this press conference to announce this seasons Captains. As you can see before you, our choices vary. Our alternate Captains this season will be Piotr Czerkawski and Daniel Daniil. Both players have been excellent players for our team and great leaders in the locker room. Both played for team World at the WJC and have valuable experience. This Season we kind of went against the norm. Our Captain will be our starting Goalie Walter Hobbs. Hobbs is a constant professional in the locker room, as our alternates are. He came in last season when Moreau was called up and helped carry the load and he too has WJC experience, having been a backup for team Canada.â€œ said GM Keygan in his opening Statement.

â€œWe are proud of our team and we have a firm belief in our Captains, that they will help this team be the best they can be.â€

Piotr Czerkawski and Daniel Daniil were both rookies last season and both had better than expected seasons. Piotr Czerkawski played the full 50 games last season amassing 11 goals ,12 assists for 23 points. He had some Powerplay time and got 1 goal and 3 assists for 4 points. He finished the season with a shooting percentage of 11%. Averaging just under 20 minutes a game Czerkawski is a productive player. he also had 36 hits. Not a player to shy away from conflict he will call you out if your not pulling your weight. A solid Alternate Captain.

Daniel Daniil also played the full 50 games last season. He only had 8 goals but his 13 assists and 21 points were very good for a rookie. He also had no Power play time so all his points came five on five. Averaging 15 1/2 minutes a game he had 95 hits last season. Very respected in the locker room he is a good choice for Alternate Captain.

This Seasons Captain is Walter Hobbs, the teams starting net minder. Hobbs played in 28 games for his team last season, starting 24 of them. He went 14-8 and 2 with a 3.03 G.A.A and 0.894 save percentage on a team littered with rookies. Even the teams normal starter, Cedric Moreau had a 0.902 save percentage and a 2.89 G.A.A. Hobbs was easily top 5 in goalies last season. He was also the teams Alternate Captain.

â€œItâ€™s never easy when you go into a rebuild. We feel we are ahead of schedule. The last two drafts were good to us so we feel confident that we are on the right track.â€ Answered the GM.

â€œCan we win this season? Iâ€™ll never say never because in this league as in the SHL you never know. Look at Calgary last season. Their goalie got blistering hot and was a huge reason they became Champions, so you never really know. I think next season is where we become a genuine contender. Last seasons rookies will have developed and this seasons rookies will know what lies ahead for them. Weâ€™ll be a dangerous team moving forward.â€ Replied Hobbs.

â€œ Itâ€™s not a question of what we can do as a leadership group. The reality of any successful team is that everyone on the roster contributes to that leadership. I think our role is more to make sure everyone stays on the same page. No one gets discouraged or down on any night to want to quit, give up. We donâ€™t quit.â€ said Daniil.

â€œMamy dobry zespÃ³Å‚. Solidne dzieci. JeÅ›li wszyscy pracujÄ… razem, myÅ›lÄ™, Å¼e moÅ¼emy osiÄ…gnÄ…Ä‡ wspaniaÅ‚e rzeczyâ€ Said Czerkawski. which translated means â€œWe have a good team. Solid youngsters. If everyone works together, i think we can acheive great thingsâ€. When asked how Czerkawski can communicate with the team Hobbs answered â€œ He can speak english, heâ€™s just shy in front of you guys and his communicating happens on the ice with his play.â€

When questioned about the teams defense last season versus this season Hobbs answered saying â€œ The talk last season was Mister Shit. Everyone talks about him being the last pick and how he should never have been picked. I wonder if people forget that i was the last pick in the previous draft. A chance pick like Mister Shit was. Iâ€™m sure a lot of GMs would not mind having me on a roster. You never know how that last pick will go. Even Mister Shit was doing alright point wise. Things happen. Our defense was young and still is. This season we revamped a little. Our first overall pick, Charlie SchieckÂ is a huge upgrade. Harvey Danger, another solid defensemen. Viktor ValentineÂ is always solid as is Ensio Kalju. Obviously there is an adjustment period but i believe weâ€™ll be a tough team in the long run. Our Gm has made some pretty good moves and we trust the management team.â€

Obviously time will tell how this leadership group does. The Montreal Militia are a positive group and in reality the future is bright. The question tho is do they have enough to become that Championship team soon, or will full time SHL call ups hurt them in the short run. What we do know is that all three Captains have experience in the SMJHL and in international play, playing for their respective countries. All three are valued by their SHL parent club and for good reason. for now we will sit back and enjoy the show, hopefully for Montreal fans, a long show that goes deep into the playoffs, and maybe even a Championship in the near future.