1034 Words - Ready for Grading

Looking back when I started in this league I never thought I’d be where I am today staring at the possibility of being drafted into the SHL and fulfilling a lifelong dream of mine to play professional hockey in the big leagues. The season really brought into focus the things that matter most to my development and with a healthy locker room atmosphere I felt I was able to grow into a well rounded out rookie in the first season I was able to play in.  There were plenty of struggles, as any rookie can imagine they’d get when you’re on a line of rookies, but those struggles helped me grow, helped me figure out where I needed to advance, and humbled me too. I felt that I could have done better through the season but given the opportunity regardless was a reward of its own. What I hope to accomplish with this look back into the season is to add some in depth perspective for someone new to the league and new to the whole process entirely.
                When I first heard about the SMJHL I was excited at the idea of a community of players who shared a common goal of the good ol’ hockey game, which was entirely an appealing thing for me.  Transitioning into the Juniors was a prospect that at first seemed overwhelming. All the work behind it, all the time spent taking care of the things needing care was refreshing though. Especially seeing the shared common goal amongst everyone to work hard, play hard, and have fun. It was a great thing to see and I was so excited to participate.

                Then the mock draft dropped.
                As any person does, they place lofty internal expectations of themselves, and to see myself even on the mock draft put an inordinate amount of expectation on me. I wanted to be drafted no doubt, but I wanted to be drafted high. I wanted to be that player that came out of no where and stormed through the league like a bat out of hell. I wanted to be a Goku of sorts, always there to kick some ass, save the day, and head on home full of pride and accomplishment. Boy oh boy does reality hit you like a bag of bricks.
                I watched the draft live while at work which is where I found out I was drafted 19th overall, which don’t get me wrong is still a great position to be drafted. I was taken by the Anchorage Armada, and soon I was to find some of the best people in the business to help a player grow and be mentored.  I was by no means disappointed in my selection but of course the expectations we place on ourselves tend to nag at your mind and cause you to pause and think about what you expected versus what reality gave you.  Regardless of my internal disappointment, I could not be happier about where I was placed. The Armada were coming off a Four Star Cup championship the prior year, and hopes were high for a repeat and deep playoff run. I wanted to be part of the reason why they attain that goal, and although things didn’t pan out that way, I still very much so enjoyed the whole season and was pleased with my production regardless if it was on the lower end, our line was all rookies after all!
                Through the season I had plenty of mentoring and knowledge to attain. I had an incredible coaching staff and front office to support me in that endeavor and I can say without any shadow of a doubt I could not have been placed on a better team. There is no way I would rather the draft go, and to be on this team has been incredibly fulfilling and helped big time when I wasn’t always there mentally. It can be rough when your line is slapped left and right every game, but even so, we all still managed to work together as a line and put in some serious effort to improve. Santtu Rasanen was most definitely a good person to lean on as we grew together, we collaborated together and worked on our fundamentals and abilities. I could not have asked for a better Center to our line, and someone to partner up with.
                As time went on and the prospects of a winning season started to wane, it never deterred me to try harder and do everything I can to gain the skills required to succeed not only in the J but in the SHL as well. Again, I had the best opportunities to work with the best people in the business and I feel like even though we ended where we did, we still had a successful transition season for the Armada. There will never be anything that will deter me from playing for the team though, and I have always stated that what’s best for the team is what’s best for me too. To that point moving forward, I have set myself a goal of finally earning more money and working on my fundamental skills and abilities, hence here we are and my simple perspective of my first season in the SMJHL.
                To any team that so desires to Draft me, I welcome any and all inquiries, as I would love to move on up to the SHL. To the Armada, thank you so much for everything that you’ve helped me with thus far, an incredibly fun experience for sure and one that I hope will continue no matter where I end up if I even end up anywhere in the first place! To the entire league, you’re all awesome people and I am glad to have been able to participate in such an incredible organization led by those who love the game for the game and take the time out of their day to keep it going.
 
Thanks for reading and here’s to the next season!

Cheers,

Chris de Siren