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funk · 10-30-2023, 12:39 PM

Early last season, a young Finn by the name of Axel Hamalainen was signed to the St. Louis Scarecrows in order to replace
NBA legend LeBron James, and to help grant them some scoring depth as they grinded through the gruelling SMJHL regular season.
What the Scarecrows got from taking a shot on this kid has been so much more than what they were ever looking for in the
first place.

A cerebral offensive winger, Hamalainen never seems to be rushing the play ahead of what he's capable keeping up with.
He reads the game in a class shared by few others in the SMJHL, and often finds himself producing as either a sniper
or a playmaker, depending on the need of his team in any given moment. Axel is confident with the puck and capable of
handling in a phonebooth. Despite his size, Hamalainen holds the puck with strength and uses his high IQ to make plays
out of the corners. Axel is a real standout offensively and beats opponents with off-puck smarts and on-puck skills.

After Axel's initial pickup, he laced up his skates against the Great Falls Grizzlies and filled into the lineup seamlessly.
He slotted in as the 4th line RW and generated an optimistic number of chances, despite no points coming his way in a 5-1 victory.
The Scarecrows would remain undefeated through the next 6 games as well, with Axel putting up 4 assists and 1 goal in the span,
for 5 points in his first 7 games. Over the remainder of the season, Hamalainen would put up a respectable 31 points in 55 games
despite a team-low 15:33 ATOI.

What makes this kid's story truly special is what happened when the postseason rolled around. Once again defying a team-low
16:45 ATOI, Hamalainen rocketed up the squad's scoring leader list. With 8 goals and 17 points in 20 games played, good for 2nd
in goals and 4th in total points on the team, Axel displayed an ability to make an impact every time he stepped on the ice by
leading the team in P/60 in the playoffs. This impact was especially present in the clutch,as Axel scored both the Conference
Finals-clinching goal and the Four Star Cup-clinching goal. The kid has a knack for stepping up to ice the game when needed most.

This season, Axel has flourished in a slightly increased role with the Scarecrows. Hamalainen finished 5th in scoring on the
Scarecrows roster while being 14th in ATOI and logging only an average of 0:50 on the powerplay, a level of scoring potency
that's just waiting to be unleashed on the rest of the league when Axel is inevitably placed in a top-6 role in the coming seasons.
Axel's small stature hasn't dissuaded his physical edge, with a hearty 159 hits and 44 blocks credited to the forward this season.
Hamalainen's adept scoring arsenal and overall determination leads him to be my projection for the biggest breakout star of the
upcoming 74th SMJHL season, and I can't wait to see what Finland's Clutch King does in the playoffs this year.

The upcoming first round of the playoffs has slated the St. Louis Scarecrows to be facing the Newfoundland Berserkers, a matchup
that Axel's hometown of Tappara will be watching with bated breath.

Arayvenn · 10-30-2023, 01:18 PM

Thanks for pumping my tires homie. Playoff Axel is engaged for tonight and I couldn't say it more subtlety myself so I won't: put me on PP1 you cowards. The league is ready.

Arayvenn · 10-30-2023, 01:20 PM

Edit: I have no idea how I double-posted here and I don't know how to delete replies Smile

chetib · 11-01-2023, 05:27 PM

Approved @funk @CptSquall

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