Growing up in hockey mad Regina, I looked to make a name for myself and build upon everyone's dream, to make the NHL. Legend has it a distant relative of mine made it to the SHL and the stories i found were absolutely chock full of everything i could ever want in the NHL and more.
Born to Erma and Dick Physt, myself and my two brother's, John and Sven Physt, childhood was like most farm boys, hardworking. Slowly, yet steadily, I learned from a young age to put in the hard work and sacrifice necessary to succeed.
Never one known for having money, i gotta say the farm with building up my bulk. The farm provides a lot, fresh food, drinks, and more.
Going into the draft with low expectation, both by seeing my peers and knowing my style. I wasn't phased as the rounds went by, piling on one, after the other.
Going thirty seventh overall was well, a lot sooner than expected, was and honest pleasure
The Kelowna Knights seem like an exciting organization and sounding already tough to play against. they've got an amazing squad here. this seem to feel like fate to me and i cant wait to get out on the ice.
It has been a long journey, but reaching this point in the road made me realize that the journey is just beginning.
I come from a town in Southern Ontario called Brantford. Yes, that Brantford.
The fact we produced tractors for most of Canada up until the 80s, Ferrerro Rocher chocolates and Nutella (you're welcome) and the donuts for Tim Horton's is overshadowed by one particular hockey player that went and broke every record ever.
No, it isn't me.
Growing up in a middle-class family, we had benefits that some kids didn't, and shortfalls others didn't. My parents obliged with toys and video games through all the passing phases of Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, POGS, Pokemon, on and on and on.
Conveniently, I also enjoyed a game that my father actually understood: hockey.
My father was a goalie in his youth, but switched to football in high school and was drafted by a CFL team when he was 19.* But, he still loved the Maple Leafs, the sport of hockey, and happened to come from the hometown of the greatest player of all time.**
I remember the first time hearing that there were "actual scouts at the game." I was 12, and I was playing with the Brantford Smoke AAA Bantam team. There were whispers in the locker room that scouts were here, and they were totally going to draft someone that night.
Well, we played well (I had 3 assists) but no man in a suit was waiting in the hallway after the game to offer me millions of dollars and a chance to fulfill my dream.
But here we are, 5 years later. I have played the game I love my entire life, and now have the opportunity for that man in the suit to actually offer me a chance to fulfill my dream.
My journey is just beginning.
*IRL true. My dad was drafted by the Hamilton Tiger Cats in 1979 but didn't make the team.
** IRL true. I actually am from Brantford, Ontario. Walter Gretzky (Wayne's dad) and my grandpa owned a local baseball team together in the 70's.
Fenton Uriel has been a hockey kid for all his life. Growing up in the small town of North Bruce Peninsula, Ontario, he was known throughout the small town as the kid going places. People always mistook him for the coach of the team during practice because most of the practices he focused on his teammates, oh and he was 5'9" at 12. Playing two easy seasons in North Bruce he got the chance to play in a Toronto Junior League.
Continuing his powerful dominant play he helped his team in the first year go the finals but inevitably they lost. The following year, Fenton's SMJHL draft year, Fenton Uriel captained his team and looked for a new part to his game. Placing great defense, focusing on a pass first basis, and leading by example Fenton Uriel helped his team get past last years defeat and fight for the championship. They did exactly that going 16-2 in the playoffs Fenton Uriel was champion yet again. This wasn't everything that Fenton wanted because he strived for greatness, and the SMJHL was next. Fenton and his agent Bob McKenzy were getting the name FENTON URIEL out to the GM's of the SMJHL. Draft was quickly approaching. That's when Fenton Uriel received a message from Kelowna Knights GM Nour. Nour said to him, "you are exactly what we need on the Kelowna Knights, I look forward to draft day and you will be excited with what will happen that night".
November 30th 2017, 7pm approached. 1st overall pick Karno Grönkjær went to Vanouver Whales. There went the streak of Fenton being in the number one spotlight. Then came the Kelowna Knights to take the stage. He remembered what GM Nour said to him. "With the second pick of the Kelowna Knights, we are proud to select, Fenton Uriel".
Today is the day after the draft. The excitement is still there with Fenton but now he must focus. Training camp begins and Fenton Uriel is ready to prove to the SMJHL and SHL GM's watching why Fenton Uriel is the best at what he does.
I was inspired by watching the greats of the SHL play. Their amazing speed blew my mind! How their simulated tactics blew my mind every game despite them being the same every game! My parents were not supportive at first, fearing that I would not make it. When I first got on skates I feared that my feet were too small, but my fears of not being able to skate did not last for long. As I learned to skate, my vision and scoring ability were too good for any team to handle. Unfortunately it got harder. People started mocking me being a giant gopher, and I even got less ice time because of my eyes occasionally go cross eyed when I am concussed (so every couple games). My skills prevailed and after a while I started to gain the attention of the media. Nobody has ever seen a gopher hockey player before, then the scouts came. I was in the running for the draft, I had my whole career in front of me. Who knew where I was going to go or who would take me? I was scared but also hopeful. When my named gets called during the season 38 draft, I will egg every nevophobic person that made fun of me.
/// I wrote an entire backstory for my character here: My Backstory. ///
Looks like the draft day just ended and I can't believe I'm on the same team as my late father. He would've been so proud to see me play on his team. Nour picks me up as the forty-second player since we had so many amazing rookies playing this season. And why wouldn't there be a bunch of players? This is the 39th annual hockey league. This is the time to make a name for yourself so that the world knows who you are. Players from all over the world gather at the ice itching to start playing. I'm hella nervous, after injuring my dominant hand, would I be able to help my team as well? My team supports me since we all have our own strengths and weaknesses. I try to get and get on the ice only to find out compared to the other players, I'm not as good. Nour slowly leans in and the atmosphere gets hot and heavy. It's as if the ice is melting and he whispers: "GG, you brick, see you in the next lobby." Who's man is this yo someone claim this man. He steals the puck I was practicing with and skates towards the goal, but I catch up to him and to his and my surprise, I stop him. He gazes into my eyes and says "no homo tho" and waddles away. Thanks, Nour. For whatever you did I feel a bit better now that I know I have the potential to beat someone I respect on the ice. I won't let my team down.
Anders Christiansen grows in the beautiful town of Bergen in Norway. He watched his first hockey game in 2010, when the Norwegian national team qualify for the Olympics. This is where he fell in love with the sport and began to follow the sports closely by watching his favourite player Mats Zuccarello who was playing in the SHL at that time. At the beginning of the next winter, he asked his parent to bring to the local hockey rink where he joins the local team. His coach quickly notices how gifted he was as a hockey player and this is where he was put on a more competitive team. Since hockey is still a growing sport in Norway, Christiansen and his team had to travel all the way to Sweden and Finland to play against teams of their calibre in tournaments. Finally, last year, he joined a club in Sweden where he played for their junior team.
Wanting to follow the paths of his idol Mats Zuccarello by playing in the best league in the world, Anders Christiansen decided that the best way to reach his goal was to fly across the Atlantic and come play hockey in North America, where he signed up to be eligible for the SMJHL draft. On November 30th, the Prince George Firebirds choose him with the first pick of the 4th round (25th overall). This is where the Norwegian center will play for the next few seasons before he tries to accomplish his dream by joining an SHL team.
You all know my father, he of Nakatomi Plaza fame. But his story is not mine. After moving to Canada, it was in Halifax where I truly felt like I was my own man. Gone were the teasing jibes of the local schoolkids, replaced with adulation from the side of the ice. Everything was going swimmingly, until the 15th anniversary of my father’s passing. Media swarmed the area looking for what had happened to me.
I couldn’t take the pressure anymore, I vowed to go to the 30th floor of Fenwick Tower and join my father. As I was leaving, I was pulled aside by a teammate. ‘Are you okay?’ he asked, and I told him about the media scrum and now they knew who I was that I would be an outcast. ‘We don’t care where you’re from, we care about now. You’re from Halifax now’. A tear ran down my cheek as I embraced him, I no longer had thoughts about ending it all, it was just the beginning.
When the Raiders GM said my name in the second round, I collapsed to the floor. There was only one team I wanted to join and I had done just that. Now it’s time to repay the faith!
Pete Walker, star centerman and former captain of the San Diego Gamecocks of the SCHLSC (Southern California Hockey League of Southern California) has decided to declare his eligibility to the SMJHL. Although he loved his time playing with his fellow ‘Cocks, he’s ready to prove what he’s got at the pro level. His un-phased demeanor, total lack of showmanship, and two-way play are his most notable attributes. When asked about his play style he had this to say “Well… uh, I leave that flashy stuff up to the more flashy guys… I’m more of a silent type, block some shots, get some zone time, you know… uh pass the puck.â€
When asked of his decision to go pro after the draft had already passed, he had this to say, “What? The draft already happened… I have the worst agent. He told me that the draft wasn’t for two weeks. That’s what I get for hiring an agent because I liked the way he smiled on his billboard.â€
His agent, former SMJHL MVP, and long haired aging utility forward, Tony Flow had this to say, “I knew the draft happened. I didn’t want him to sign up so I could get him onto my son’s team after the draft.â€
Walker’s antics in his youth lead to him having media coaching so stringent that he permanently speaks like he’s in a post-game interview. When asked about it, he had this to say “Well, uh… we just gotta get those pucks on net, get our passing going, keep trying to score. Coach always says that you gotta put’em on net to score, so we’re gonna try to execute his game plan.â€
In Norway, skiing is king. Cross country, downhill, the climate and geographical features of Norway's rugged fjords and mountains has always lent itself to be a skiier's paradise. Oskar Tellofsen knows this, having represented Norway in the biathlon for numerous world championships over his consistent career. So how did he feel when his son Jon turned away from skiing and became interested in I've hockey?
"A little disappointed in some ways, to be sure", Oskar nods to himself at his home in Cranbrook, British Columbia. "It's difficult as a father no not be able to translate all of your technique and skills to different sports for your children. Even after our family moved here to Canada, I figured Jon would go into skiing like me." Gesturing out the window of the room to the snowy picturesque landscape, Oskar continues "B.C. has lovely mountains and facilities for skiing, similar to Norway. But Jon grew fascinated with the local sport of Canada, ice hockey."
Indeed, Jon Tellofsen first participated in bantam hockey and quickly showed an aptitude for the game. A smooth skater with an above-average hockey IQ, Jon adapted quickly, improving his game from the blue-line with each passing year. He eventually made his way to a junior career in the WHL, split between the Victoria Royals and Lethbridge Hurricanes, where he consistently put up strong numbers that belied his non-flashy game. After declaring eligibility for the SMJHL draft, Jon was drafted in the 7th round by the St. Louis Scarecrows, 52nd overall.
When asked about the draft, the 6 ft. 3 Norwegian youth immediately replied, "It was very exciting. Waiting to see where you would go after being drafted. And my father kept telling me, 'what position you get drafted does not matter. It is what you do for your team, no matter when you are taken.'" Jon smiles and pauses for a moment, then gently states, "you know, my father always lamented not being able to teach me [when it came to hockey]. But if I consider not just what kind of player I want to be, but what kind of person... He has actually taught me a lot."
Thursday, November 30th. The biggest day of my life. I arrived at the arena early to be sure I wouldn't miss it. It was draft day for the SMJHL. After countless hours of training and hard work on my local team I would finally get the chance to show my worth to the world and the GMs of the SHL. At 6:00 PM, I took my seat, sitting next to my parents. This was to be the end of a long journey in which all the hard work I put in from my small hometown of Lappajärvi would pay off. The night started with a bang, with fellow European Karno Grönkjær being picked first overall. Watching him walk up to the stage, I could only dream of what it would be like to have that honour. As the first round came and went, my name was not chosen. I watched on as the second, third, and fourth rounds went by. Would I be picked, or was all my travel not worth it? I did not want to return home. This is where my dream starts. As a few more rounds went by, I got very nervous at the prospect that I may not be drafted. However, there was still a small glimmer of hope. In the eighth round of nine, with the sixty-first pick of the draft, Prince George's GM walked up to the podium. "With the sixty-first pick in the Season 38 SMJHL Entry Draft, the Prince George Firebirds are proud to select, Kojla Seppänen." That was it. I had made it. Running down to the stage to meet my new GM and teammates, I almost tripped over the stairs. Looking on from afar, my parents showed complete jubilation as I joined my new team. It was now time to start the grind and get to work on challenging for the Four-Star Cup.
Heading back from the Draft in Anchorage, Alaska, I have time to reflect a bit on my situation. Draft over, I now know my new home for the next few years: Detroit. Well, it’s where I’ll be, a lot of the time. Will it ever replace Montreal as home? Time will tell.
Detroit. I did my research, and guess who their number one rival is? Montreal. How am I going to fit in there, I wonder. Crazy how things have worked out. Maybe I should have had a more solid preference for the draft, but it probably wouldn’t matter. We hockey players are a commodity to be traded and brokered. Still, I won’t second-guess myself regarding teams who did and didn’t pick me. I got picked, and that’s all that matters. I’ll apply myself to being the best player I can be, just like I always have. The individual teams have never been hugely important to me, it’s the hockey I’ve been playing on those teams that matters. Still, I’ll miss them.
For now, I’ll use what little time I have left here to tie up some loose ends. Visit coaches in my minor teams, who have contributed so much to my development. Teammates who have all gone their seperate ways now, drafted and moved to other teams. That’s the good and bad thing about Montreal. So many hockey teams, so many fans. So much turnover. Like me, heading out and away into pastures new and unexplored.
My step-father, the one who started all of this in motion many years ago with his encouragement and enthusiasm, is radiating pride. He was never good enough to play beyond childhood, but his infectious love of the game was channelled into me, and he’s been there every step of the way for me, in victory and defeat, with words of advice and enouragement. I’ll miss that most of all when I head to Detroit.
Getting to the SMJHL S38 Draft has been a long road for me. Over the past 7 years I have played in Czech Republic, Sweden, and Canada. Now I will be adding the USA to that list as I got drafted by the St. Louis Scarecrows. I started playing hockey at the age of 9 back home in Blansko, Czech Republic. I played there for a couple seasons before heading to Stockholm, Sweden where I played there from ages 12-14. At age 15 I traveled with the Czech U17 World Juniors to the tournament over in North America. We haven't won gold during my couple seasons with the team, but one day. After the first tournament concluded, I decided to stay and play Midget AAA with the Lloydminster Mountain Lions. I played one season with them and then declared for the S38 SMJHL Draft. Getting the experience to play in Canada has been amazing. At any given point in the winter I can just walk a couple blocks and toss on my skates because theres an ice rink EVERYWHERE!
My biggest supporters to playing hockey competitively were my mom and dad. Without their love and encouragement, long nights and deep bank account, I would of never had the opportunity to travel abroad and work on crafting my game.
My newest/first graphic is in my signature. Thanks <a href='index.php?showuser=2873' rel='nofollow' alt='profile link' class='user-tagged mgroup-3'>kareykoala</a>
Shout out to ml002, schultzy, slashacm, tedward!
I I I I
09-05-2018, 10:04 PMBeaver Wrote: Wow look what the PT affiliation has done to our pristine league.
12-19-2018, 12:31 AMBeaver Wrote: I personally blame the PT affiliation for handing out massive amounts of free TPE to all these players, inflating the TPE they're at when they get called up.
CptSquall
207 words baby
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