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Elyk · 08-11-2015, 09:45 AM

Elykâ€™s Journey to and Through the SHL

Elykâ€™s journey to the SHL all began back in the S19 SMJHL Entry Draft. He was still getting oriented with his new workout routines and ended up not attending any pre-draft combines or pre-draft workouts because he simply didnâ€™t know they existed. This caused his draft stock to be incredibly low as he entered the draft with pretty much the base TPE amount. Elyk however wasnâ€™t really worried about where he got drafted because all that mattered was that he got drafted. In the eighth round of the S19 SMJHL Entry draft the Regina Force stepped up to the podium and drafted Elyk with the 48th overall pick in the draft. Elyk was overjoyed and couldnâ€™t wait to get started. Each week he slowly tried to get better doing his weekly training and activity checks, as a result Elyk was progressing slowly and steadily but simply not as fast as his other fellow draftees. You see Elyk was quite overwhelmed with how things worked in the SMJHL and wasnâ€™t too familiar with things like point tasks, he heard of them but didnâ€™t know completely what they were all about. Elyk played a support role in his rookie season in Regina and amassed a total of 18 points (7G, 11A) in 40 games. Regina finished good enough to make the playoffs however they were swept in the first round with Elyk totalling only one point in the series.

[Image: draft_turris7.jpg]

After the playoffs, Elykâ€™s attention turned towards the SHL Draft, he still hadnâ€™t been able to develop as quickly as his other draft hopefuls so just like in the SMJHL draft his stock was quite low. As Elyk watched on he saw many of his other Force teammates hear their names called and saw them get drafted in the first couple of rounds. Elyk just sat patiently and watched; he knew that he wasnâ€™t going to be a high draft pick because the S20 draft class was arguably the best draft class in SHL history with so many other great players. Finally in the fourth round of the SHL Entry, the New England Wolfpack selected Elyk with the 48th overall pick. Elyk was so excited to be selected by the Wolfpack because there were so many of his fellow Force teammates that were drafted by the Wolfpack too. Rumour has it that the only reason the Wolfpack drafted Elyk was because Mac told them too.

[Image: turris2.jpg?w=620]

During the offseason Elyk kept progressing slowly and he was subsequently sent back down to Regina. This season, Elyk had a lot bigger of a role on the force and was a top line winger on the team. Elyk finished the season with a total of 36 points (18G, 18A) in 40 games. Regina managed to make the playoffs but were swept again and Elyk recored 4 points in the 4 games.

During the S21 offseason, Elyk was going along, business as usual, doing his thing, working out until he got a text from the New England General Manager, Ace, saying that he had been traded to the Winnipeg Jets. Elyk was upset at first that he would be leaving the only organization he knew and all of his great teammates that he met back in Regina but he was then excited because he realized that he was involved in a trade for one of the best players in the SHL and was going to be an important piece of the rebuild in Winnipeg. That season Elyk worked really hard at improving his game and did pretty much anything possible to gain TPE. Elyk wanted to prove all of the doubters wrong and show that it was a mistake to trade him. When Elyk arrived in Winnipeg he was going from a locker room that was considered one of the most active in New England to one that was considered to be on of the most inactive. Elyk want to change this and he, along with other teammates of his were successful and managed to bring back the activity in the locker room and to this date, Winnipegâ€™s locker room is active. As a result, of his hard work and dedication to improve his game and being vocal in the locker room, Elyk was named an Alternate Captain as prior to his rookie season. This was the first time in franchise history that a rookie had ever been given a captaincy position and is something that Elyk puts a lot of pride and honour into.
When the season began Elyk managed to get to about approximately 350 TPE and he found himself playing a depth scoring role on the teamâ€™s third and fourth lines. Elyk finished the season with a total of 13 points (7G, 6A) and 34 hits which was surprising because Elyk isnâ€™t a player that looks to throw the body very often. Winnipeg unfortunately missed the playoffs and seeing as it was year one of their rebuild, it didnâ€™t come as too big of a surprise.

[Image: 030114TurrisDL.jpg]

During the past season Elyk worked incredibly hard at improving his game and as a result at the beginning of his second season he was at 507 TPE, approximately 150 TPE more than he entered last season with, and in S21 he got to play on the Jets top line. Elyk saw improvement in his game over the course of the season and ended up finishing with a total 27 points (13G, 14A). Despite it being only year number two of their rebuild Winnipeg managed to not only make the playoffs but also win the Presidents trophy and the leagues best team in the regular season. The Jets were matched up with the Edmonton Blizzard in round number one and the Jets unfortunately fell to the Blizzard and were eliminated.

During the offseason, Elyk was able to reflect on his season and he was really proud of what he and his teammates were able to accomplish. They were a team that no one even gave a chance and they managed to win the Presidents; he knew though that meant expectations would be higher however so Elyk made sure he put in a lot of work in the gym. By the start of S23 season Elyk was at 627 TPE; this year things didnâ€™t go as well for the Winnipeg Jets. They would end up missing the playoffs and Elyk finished with 27 points (14G, 13A), the same as his last year total.

[Image: turris-130317.jpg]

Winnipeg didnâ€™t want to settle for missing the playoffs so their GM Leafs4Ever pulled off some moves to improve the team acquiring EmÄ«ls Vilmenietis, Ondrej Ravchitikov, and Taylor McDavid. These acquisitions really excited Elyk and when he heard that he would be playing on a line with Taylor McDavid and team captain Vidrik Onoprienko. Elyk wanted to make sure he was at his best and worked hard in the gym every day and entered the S24 season with 708 TPE. This season Elyk had a dreadful start to the season scoring only one point in the first 12 games. After the first 12 games however, things started to click for Elyk and he ended up finishing the season scoring 40 points in 40 games for a total of 41 points in 52 games. This season was Elykâ€™s best ever in the SHL and has raised his expectations fro himself. The moves that GM Leafs4Ever made in the offseason also paid off because they managed to make the playoffs a year after missing them. They were playing McDavidâ€™s former team, the Texas Renegades. Unfortunately, Texas would get the best of the Jets and eliminated Winnipeg.

Entering the S25 offseason, Elyk is determined to get better and improve on his last season and currently set to enter the season with 826 TPE. So when you look back at Elykâ€™s career he 111 points (54G, 57A) in 213 career games (regular season plus playoff games). Overall, Elyk has come a far way in his career from a player that most people never heard of and overlooked in the SHL Entry Draft to a first line winger on a playoff team.

1357 Words

4 Pictures

soulja · 08-11-2015, 10:00 AM

nice read. I can relate as I was in a similar situation where I got drafted by Wolfpack

. My activity declined a bit due to a busy schedule, which led me to being traded. End result, I am glad i ended up in LAP.

Elyk · 08-11-2015, 10:05 AM

Quote:Originally posted by soulja@Aug 11 2015, 10:00 AM
nice read. I can relate as I was in a similar situation where I got drafted by  . My activity declined a bit due to a busy schedule, which led me to being traded. End result, I am glad i ended up in LAP.

Yeah, i simply didn't know how to do everything and was a little overwhelmed so I didn't really gain as much TPE. I'm also glad to be where I ended up in Winnipeg :D

Mac · 08-11-2015, 05:12 PM

That I had to push to get you drafted into New England was poor scouting on our part.

Sending you out quite clearly was an error as well, as you have turned out better than anything I projected.

You were a great presence in the Firebirds LR and are a great teammate to have.

Cheers

***Leafs4ever*** · 08-11-2015, 06:36 PM

My boy Elyk!

Guy Incognito - D - #24
Tampa Bay Barracuda
Season 82
22-8-3
Regular Season - [G 2] [A 17] [Pts 19] [+/- +11] [PIM 22] [Hits 49] [SB 63]

Alex Mack · 08-11-2015, 08:17 PM

Great read! It's been an impressive journey!
Cheers

Jorec · 08-11-2015, 08:50 PM

I'm rootin' for yea, and not just because you've chosen one of my favourite Sens as your player image. :lol:

Elyk · 08-11-2015, 09:25 PM

Quote:Originally posted by Jorec@Aug 11 2015, 08:50 PM
I'm rootin' for yea, and not just because you've chosen one of my favourite Sens as your player image. :lol:

Thanks, and yeah, Turris is my favourite player :lol:

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