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MattyJ · 01-29-2024, 04:38 PM

The Biggest Surprises from the 75th SMJHL Draft
By Newfoundland Berserks Forward, MattyJ

There were two big fallers in the draft that stood out to me. Two players who should have gone a lot higher than they did.

First, and perhaps the craziest draft surprise was Nathan Abel, user DeThePyro, going completely undrafted. Perhaps GMs missed him on their board or maybe there was a glitch in the system. Nathan Abel is a well balanced right wing that can do it all. He can shoot, pass, skate, and play defense. Despite his small stature, he should still have been a top 50 pick. Him falling out of the draft completely was shocking to many in the community. He has been active in the discord and done all TPE tasks. I believe he is currently sitting in the free agency pool waiting to be picked up. He will prove to be a great asset for whichever team pulls the trigger. I have heard he will use this as a chip on the shoulder to prove every team that passed on him wrong. Turn your upset into rage Abel, and you will shine my friend. I am excited to see what happens in his future. Going undrafted last night will prove to be a mistake by every SMJHL team.

The next draft surprise was Brayden Point falling out of the second round. Many people had this center going top 20 and even top 15. Everyone expected this guy to be sought after by many teams. Detroit got themselves a great player in the 29th slot. The reigning champs gave themselves a great chance to keep competing with this steal. A great center that excels at offense and can skate all over the ice. He will quickly prove to be a great scorer in the upcoming preseason. He has been very active in the discord but also dropping long cohesive articles almost every day. This guy is stacking up cash and tpe like it is candy on Halloween. A first generation player with a lot to prove. Just like Nathan Abel, Brayden Point has a big chip on his shoulder. I know he is ready to hit the ice and make 13 GMs regret not take a shot on him. I look forward to catching him on the ice. I have the Detroit game circled on my calendar. Good luck Mr. Point.

Now, a lot of people would say that James Howlett was a shocker. However, this was not for me as I nailed this in the mock draft. I am sure there are many other fallers and risers that people are surprised by. Let me know who you thought was the biggest shocker in the draft. Lets all work and be the greatest draft class in history.

Honorable mentions: Will Nuck and Thorn Brown. These are my hall of fame picks and fell farther in the draft more than they should have. I think they will both prove to be huge assets to their organizations.

500 words

***sköldpaddor*** · 01-29-2024, 05:44 PM

I can't speak for the rest of J GMs of course, but I can definitely address this from Nevada's angle.

I'll answer the easy one first - I've enjoyed interacting with Brayden Point's user in his rookie server, we had a perfectly nice chat before the draft, but he made it clear that he'd very much prefer to play center. Since I have three active sophomores who all put points into faceoffs to play center specifically last season when we didn't have any active centers, I didn't think it'd be fair to them to go back on that and make them pay to redistribute the TPE elsewhere. Absolutely nothing against him whatsoever, just wanted to do right by my existing players.

Now the hard one. I'll level with you (and anybody reading this) - the "would you wear the pride jersey" question on the interested prospects survey, that's ours. And it's there for a reason that's incredibly important to both me and Aleris - we have put over two and a half real life years of effort into making Nevada a place that is not just "fine" for queer people (being as I am one and all) but is loudly, outspokenly, even aggressively supportive of the LGBTQ+ community. If someone cannot give us an unequivocal "yes" to something as basic as wearing an imaginary rainbow jersey (let alone comments about "shoving it down people's throats"), that's not someone we're going to draft. We've worked too hard to make sure our locker room is a place where people who have traditionally been unwelcome in sports spaces can join and feel like we will have their back, and that is not something I'm willing to compromise on.

**No Goal** · 01-30-2024, 08:30 PM

Best of luck to you MattyJ I have a lot of respect for you as a player and expect you to do great things - I do wish we could be in the same locker though. Good luck on the ice and I wish you the best mate! My DM is always open for you anything you need let me know.

NUCK · 01-31-2024, 08:42 AM

01-29-2024, 05:44 PMsköldpaddor Wrote: I can't speak for the rest of J GMs of course, but I can definitely address this from Nevada's angle.

I'll answer the easy one first - I've enjoyed interacting with Brayden Point's user in his rookie server, we had a perfectly nice chat before the draft, but he made it clear that he'd very much prefer to play center. Since I have three active sophomores who all put points into faceoffs to play center specifically last season when we didn't have any active centers, I didn't think it'd be fair to them to go back on that and make them pay to redistribute the TPE elsewhere. Absolutely nothing against him whatsoever, just wanted to do right by my existing players.

Now the hard one. I'll level with you (and anybody reading this) - the "would you wear the pride jersey" question on the interested prospects survey, that's ours. And it's there for a reason that's incredibly important to both me and Aleris - we have put over two and a half real life years of effort into making Nevada a place that is not just "fine" for queer people (being as I am one and all) but is loudly, outspokenly, even aggressively supportive of the LGBTQ+ community. If someone cannot give us an unequivocal "yes" to something as basic as wearing an imaginary rainbow jersey (let alone comments about "shoving it down people's throats"), that's not someone we're going to draft. We've worked too hard to make sure our locker room is a place where people who have traditionally been unwelcome in sports spaces can join and feel like we will have their back, and that is not something I'm willing to compromise on.

That's called exclusion and would not be tolerated the other way around!

***sve7en*** · 01-31-2024, 09:34 AM

01-31-2024, 08:42 AMNUCK Wrote: That's called exclusion and would not be tolerated the other way around!

The paradox of tolerance isn't real and falls apart as soon as you consider tolerance a social construct and not a function of morality. If someone does not abide by the social construct of tolerance they're not covered by the social construct of tolerance.

***sköldpaddor*** · 01-31-2024, 10:15 AM

01-31-2024, 08:42 AMNUCK Wrote: That's called exclusion and would not be tolerated the other way around!

Hi- no it’s not. Smile

exclusion would be if I said something like “NO STRAIGHTS ON MY TEAM.” If I didn’t want unapologetic racists on my team (I don’t) is that exclusion too? How about people who think women shouldn’t get to vote? Can I leave them out of my locker room or is that exclusion too?

This isn’t about excluding any group of people, it’s about making marginalized people feel safe in my locker room.

NUCK · 01-31-2024, 10:17 AM

01-31-2024, 09:34 AMsve7en Wrote: The paradox of tolerance isn't real and falls apart as soon as you consider tolerance a social construct and not a function of morality. If someone does not abide by the social construct of tolerance they're not covered by the social construct of tolerance.

So that makes it acceptable for leaders in our community ( The SHL ) such as Commissioners, GM's or anyone else with power to ostracize
members based on another view point? I think its easy enough to see where the SHL stands on the LGBTQ+ conversation and I am glad that it has become a safe place for all sorts of people to be. That safety net breaks down and starts to become the very thing its trying to avoid when we have people in power asking those question and in the same breath denying participation of an unpopular opinion. Of course if the answer was hateful or malicious I could fully see the reasons to avoid that member or situation. But at no time did Pyro cross a line, they clearly just stated their opinion on a very loaded and one sided question.

It has to be fair and safe for all, not just those of a sexual, political or any other view. Hate aside of course.

NUCK · 01-31-2024, 10:19 AM

01-31-2024, 10:15 AMsköldpaddor Wrote: Hi- no it’s not. exclusion would be if I said something like “NO STRAIGHTS ON MY TEAM.” If I didn’t want unapologetic racists on my team (I don’t) is that exclusion too? How about people who think women shouldn’t get to vote? Can I leave them out of my locker room or is that exclusion too?

This isn’t about excluding any group of people, it’s about making marginalized people feel safe in my locker room.

Thats exactly what you said!

" If someone cannot give us an unequivocal "yes" to something as basic as wearing an imaginary rainbow jersey "

***sköldpaddor*** · 01-31-2024, 10:20 AM

01-31-2024, 10:19 AMNUCK Wrote: Thats exactly what you said!

" If someone cannot give us an unequivocal "yes" to something as basic as wearing an imaginary rainbow jersey "

Where did you get “NO STRAIGHTS” from “won’t wear pretend rainbow jersey”?

NUCK · 01-31-2024, 10:22 AM

01-31-2024, 10:20 AMsköldpaddor Wrote: Where did you get “NO STRAIGHTS” from “won’t wear pretend rainbow jersey”?

It does have to be about straight or queer, you said it with the line I just posted. If someone can not fully agree to your choices, they are not welcome.

ec06aaj · 01-31-2024, 10:23 AM

Quote:It has to be fair and safe for all, not just those of a sexual, political or any other view. Hate aside of course.

And, just to check, what do you call somebody answering a hypothetical question about wearing a Pride jersey with a spiel about how Pride and LGBTQ+ rihts are being shoved down everybody's throats and that nobody would care if we didn't make an issue of it? He may not have thrown around any open slurs but that feels pretty hateful to me.

***sköldpaddor*** · 01-31-2024, 10:25 AM

01-31-2024, 10:22 AMNUCK Wrote: It does have to be about straight or queer, you said it with the line I just posted. If someone can not fully agree to your choices, they are not welcome.

I'd like to point back to my post and the questions I asked that you didn't address. Is it okay for me to exclude racists from my locker room? Or people who don't believe women should have the right to vote?

NUCK · 01-31-2024, 10:26 AM

01-31-2024, 10:23 AMec06aaj Wrote: And, just to check, what do you call somebody answering a hypothetical question about wearing a Pride jersey with a spiel about how Pride and LGBTQ+ rihts are being shoved down everybody's throats and that nobody would care if we didn't make an issue of it? He may not have thrown around any open slurs but that feels pretty hateful to me.

He literally said he was " fine " with it....

NUCK · 01-31-2024, 10:29 AM

01-31-2024, 10:25 AMsköldpaddor Wrote: I'd like to point back to my post and the questions I asked that you didn't address. Is it okay for me to exclude racists from my locker room? Or people who don't believe women should have the right to vote?

No and your right, sorry I did answer that in my response to 7. Hate has no place and it's best that way. Thats not going to make anything good or better. But the prespective I am seeing is that it's also not ok to not be on the " Pride jersey " bandwagon. Why cant people just be people and not make it about us vs them, straight vs queer, cats vs dogs. It dosnt help anyone when you wont allow someone whos not pro pride into your circle.

ec06aaj · 01-31-2024, 10:31 AM

Quote:It depends if the rest of the team is doing it if yes I would because at that point its a team activity. If no I wouldn't because Hockey isn't supposed to be political and the more people talk about pride the more you shove it down peoples throats the more they will come to dislike it or people will be pressured to join pride if you even show a slimer off the beaten path. If you gay fine of your lesbian fine I just feel like all of the pride events and logos is just too much and it will never integrate into society the more you shove it in peoples faces. The way you make something normal is by making it no big deal they attention you call to an issue the less normalized it becomes.

This is the text of his answer to the question. If you look at that and think that's a person who's completely fine with LGBTQ+ people then I don't know what to tell you. That last sentence is a guy (who I would stake my house on being straight and cis) telling us if we want to be accepted as normal we should just sit down and shut up. To hell with that.

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