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Alucard · 08-07-2015, 11:19 AM

<div align="justify">BLIZZARD REPORT: A Look at Edmonton's Draft Selections
Edmonton, 7 August

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Blizzard GM Cole Reinhart was the ladies' #1 pick at the S25 SHL Entry Draft.

One of the most exciting days of the off-season is behind us, as the S25 SHL Entry Draft was completed this past Wednesday. When all the trades had gone through Edmonton were left with six picks, though they wound up needing only five of them to further GM Reinhart’s vision of the Blizzard’s future. While the main talking point was clearly the decision to trade up mid-draft and select Kelowna Knights winger Ivan Koroviev at #7 overall, the team made some solid acquisitions in later rounds and will be hoping that three of their selections in particular will pay off in the long run. In today’s article Blizzard Report takes a look at each of Edmonton’s five selections and analyses what they will bring to the Western giants.

Going into the draft there were few doubts over the first five spots. Only those who had recently crawled out from a three month sojourn beneath a large boulder would have named anyone other than the Montreal Impact’s Evandrus Jesster at #1, and Seattle did not spring any surprises. At #2 the New England Wolfpack took everyone’s favourite Detroit Falcon, the promising and ever popular Jasper Clayton. Few would have placed the defenceman at #2 at the beginning of the season, but by draft day it was almost common knowledge that that was where he would be selected. The newly formed Buffalo Stampede traded up to ensure the acquisition of exciting St. Louis Scarecrows prodigy Robb Wind, and the West Kendal Platoon drafted the Kelowna Knights’ impressive rookie defencewoman Maria Maximova at #4. None of these selections came as much of a surprise, and the Wolfpack didn’t spring one anybody with the selection of Montreal’s Lord Pretty Flacko at #5.

It was at #6 that things got interesting. Nobody seemed to know for sure who the Calgary Dragons would select with their first pick of the draft, and the selection of the Falcons’ Michael Burch was met with a mixture of knowing nods and revelatory ‘aah’s. The seventh pick was Toronto’s to spend or trade, and following the selection of Burch the announcement was made that the North Stars had traded picks #7 and #26 to Edmonton in exchange for picks #13 and #16. Curiosity was piqued around the auditorium as those not in the know awaited the revelation of who the Blizzard were after.

Quote:Originally posted by GM Reinhart+SHL Entry Draft--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1' id='QUOTE-WRAP'><tr><td>QUOTE (GM Reinhart @ SHL Entry Draft)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>With the seventh overall pick in the S25 SHL Entry Draft, the Edmonton Blizzard] are very proud to select, from the Kelowna Knights of the SMJHL... IVAN KOROVIEV[/b]

[i]Koroviev gettin' dat love after being selected #7 overall.

The move to draft Koroviev has been met very positively by fans, players, and experts, and Koroviev himself seemed delighted to have been drafted by a franchise with such a rich and illustrious history. In fact, his first comment to the media after being drafted said exactly that.

<!--QuoteBegin-Ivan Koroviev[/i]
I’m delighted to be drafted by a team with such an illustrious history! Abo, I'm coming to get you.[/quote]

Koroviev played all of last season in the SMJHL with Kelowna, where he struck up a friendship with the Blizzard’s first round pick from last season, Adam Abodobe. With Abodobe seemingly set to play in the SHL this season after a sensational season with the Knights that saw him tied at 62 for the most points in the league, the onus may fall on Koroviev to fill his teammate’s skates in S25. But what do Edmonton get with this selection?

At 6’1” and 194 lbs Koroviev has good size and strength, especially when you consider that he is primarily a playmaking winger. He won’t deliver the same calibre of hit as Ratzon, but he has enough about him to make it difficult for opponents to move him off the puck. Those who have watched him train in the days since the draft have remarked upon the marked improvement in his skating and puck-handling, something which combined with his keen eye and deft hands will make all the more dangerous on offence. Defensively the Russian is solid enough as well. He doesn’t look like the kind of player who will ever be an effective checker, but he has exhibited decent defensive awareness which should ensure that no glaring holes are left on the ice when he plays.

Koroviev’s work ethic has also been highly praised, and after a slow start in S24 he seems to have fully adapted to life in North America. For someone who came into the SMJHL at the beginning of S24 with the same communicative ability in English as a coma patient, Koro has made many friends around the league, and comes to Edmonton with a reputation for being sociable, dedicated, and thoroughly professional, as well as a potential potential franchise player. . His loyalty and commitment to the cause in Kelowna has been admirable thus far, and if he shows the same fidelity in Alberta he is sure to be a big hit at Rexall Place. Fans of the Blizzard should look for him to become an integral part of the setup at Kelowna in the coming season, and can be excited about his reunion with Adam Abodobe in S26 or S27.

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“I’m very happy to be here,” Koroviev said after the draft. “Edmonton is a huge franchise. They have history, they have great management, and there is [a] good relationship with Kelowna. I’m very excited to play with the Blizzard, and I hope we will win many things together.”

The Blizzard’s next pick did not come until the back end of the second round—the price they payed for trading up to acquire Koroviev. Having already selected one Kelowna Knight, they spent pick #26 to acquire a second in Swedish centre Fredrik Zavstrom. An intelligent two-way forward, Zavstrom is another pick with size and purpose: at 6’2” and 190 lbs, the Swede is a strong skater who can hold his own on the ice. He is something of a face-off specialist—ranking fifth overall in face-off percentage in the SMJHL last season—and has exhibited excellent defensive awareness for a young player. Although he has been quiet during his time in the juniors, he has been touted as having a mature head on young shoulders, and GM Reinhart appears to have done his homework on this one.

“Zavstrom […] is obviously very capable of developing into a top end player at the SHL level,” said Reinhart after the draft. “We expect nothing less than that from Fredrik, and I know that he expects the same of himself.”

“I’m happy to go to Edmonton,” said Zavstrom. “I absolutely would love to play my entire career here and will no doubt do everything in my power to bring as many championships to Edmonton as possible.”

Blizzard fans may see Zavstrom in action sooner rather than later, as it seems that he may be given immediate fourth line time at Rexall Place to match his aspirations. His defensive awareness and ability in the face-off circle should make him a solid fit on the bottom line, and everyone will be hoping that he can develop his skills season by season and move up the pecking order.

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Zavstrom may be strutting his stuff sooner rather than later at Rexall Place.

After selecting at #26, Edmonton didn’t have to wait long to select again, and at #32 took Detroit Falcons left winger Ross Burke. A native of Buffalo, New York, Burke is a 6’4” 210 lb forward with good technical ability. He is not as strong a skater as either Koroviev or Zavstrom, but should be given time in the SMJHL to develop his skill set. Those who have worked with him in Detroit have spoken highly of his presence in the locker room, and he is projected to become a top 6 forward at the Jet Blue Airways Arena in S25. After suffering some early season setbacks in S24, Burke has expressed determination to improve and make a name for himself ahead of a move to the SHL in the coming seasons. Speaking after the draft, Burke also expressed his pleasure at bring drafted by the Blizzard, and showed that he too has lofty aspirations.

“I couldn't be happier to go to a team that wanted me well,” he said. “I was disappointed there wasn't more interest in me [from other teams], but I just wanted to go into a situation where the team wanted me. So far everyone’s been helpful and nice, and I hope I can make the squad in the near future and make a difference.”

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Burkey showing that he's a bit of ladies' man as well!

The final two rounds of the draft saw the Blizzard hold three picks, though in the end they used only two of them. Having already selected a pair from the SMJHL’s Kelowna Knights, they drafted their final pair from the Prince George Firebirds. Fourth round pick Hunter Bob (#52) is a raw talent with good stamina and an excellent shot, but the left winger will need to work hard to secure a role at the franchise in seasons to come. Fifth round pick Rich Chleb (#68) had an excellent start to S24, and at one point may have been touted as a 3rd or maybe 2nd round choice. A drop in work ethic towards the end of S24 meant that the Irish defenceman fell to the 5th round, and Edmonton will be hoping that he rediscovers his drive. He is a no nonsense player when he turns up, and in addition to offering good defensive awareness and big hits, Chleb recorded a healthy 20 assists in the SMJHL last season.</div>

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Alucard · 08-07-2015, 11:21 AM

ITT: Koroviev jerking himself off for money. #datSHLequip

Tylar · 08-07-2015, 11:23 AM

alucard so lovely

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