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*Eggcracker* · 04-18-2024, 12:19 PM

The Oxford dictionary describes the word ‘bust’ as, “as sculpture of a person’s head, shoulders, and chest.” Or “a woman’s chest as measured around her breasts”. At the time of writing this deep dive, Jeyeff Effo’s (pronounced HFFO) rookie season does not look like he owns a head, shoulders, or chest, let alone has touched anything resembling breasts. He doesn’t even qualify to fall under the sports definition of bust as you have to be a highly-touted draft pick with high expectations or potential to begin with. Effo it seems, has been relegated to a lower echelon of existence, a has-been has-never-been.

The Icelandic native who was highly touted in his homeland, ranked 2nd in the nation, was ready to make the jump to the SHL through the SMJHL draft in season 76. Although he had great numbers playing in the Icelandic junior league, breaking and setting several offensive records as a defenseman. Not many scouts knew if it was going to translate to the North American FHM style of hockey. This great mystery had a lot of teams worried, and Effo’s stock fell from mid-to-late first rounder down to the second round. It seems that Jeyeff Effo would have a lot to prove, especially with a chip on his shoulder.

After 27 games in his rookie season in the SMJHL, Effo has amassed a less than stellar 9 points (5 G, 4A) and an embarrassing -19 rating which is one off from being team worst, and bad enough for 11th worst out of 244 players in the league. For people who are unfamiliar with the sport or the league, they could say that these numbers aren’t so bad for a rookie playing on a limited 3rd defense pair. Well all those people are wrong, every statistic and underlying numbers point to one conclusion, that Jeyeff Effo should have never been drafted, even in the 2nd round. It looks like the gamble that the Nevada Battleborn has not paid off like they had hoped.

The only slightly acceptable statistic from his 27 game sample size is his faceoff ability, and no the irony is not lost there. A defenseman with a 42.3% faceoff win percentage, with over 50 faceoffs taken so far. It seems that the Battleborn coaching staff and management are trying to squeeze any semblance of talent they can from Effo. But if he were to position swap to center, that faceoff stat is no longer as shiny as it looks, and everything else would look even worse in comparison to other centers. It seems the staff are stuck between a rock and a hard place with how to deal with Effo’s playing style.

His quest to prove his peers, and doubters wrong has not got off on the right foot. He has slipped and fallen out of the starting gate, and looks to be struggling to get back on his feet as he is naked and covered head to toe in baby oil (let that picture sink in). “There is still time, he may be a late bloomer,” some say. The league will be holding it’s collective breath waiting for that moment, this will be a defining moment in Icelandic hockey, future Icelandic prospects, and any hopes of Iceland in being a serious hockey nation and eventually getting a WJC or IIHF team of their own.

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