NHL: EHM Player Dynasty

[chrisj]

I've never written a dynasty before, so you'll have to bare with me. I'm sure I'll get better as I go on. :)

I've taken control of the Halifax Mooseheads. The Mooseheads are a strong QMJHL organization (now owned by former NHL all star Bobby Smith) who have produced some of the NHL's brightest stars of today, including Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Alex Tanguay, Ladislav Nagy, Jason King, among others. But the 04/05 season was an awful one for the Mooseheads as they fell to last overall in the Q, their worst season ever. On the bright side, they had first pick in the draft, and the 2005 QMJHL draft was a deep one. This dynasty is going to follow the career of 5 of those players taken by the Mooseheads - Jared Rochefort, Michael Belanger, Neil Kenny, Brett Mills, and Jani Leinonen.

As this point, I've already passed through one season with these kids - a quick run down is coming up.

[chrisj]

Meet the players…

Jared Rochefort (Center/Left Wing)
DOB: 05/29/1989
Moncton, NB, CAN

Drafted (CHL): Halifax, Round 1 (#1) in 2005 QMJHL Selection Draft

STATS:
<pre>
Year TEAM LEAGUE GP G A PTS +/- PIM AVG R
04/05 Amos QMHL 27 17 29 46 24 71 8.00
05/06 Halifax QMJHL 70 36 41 77 5 12 7.56
05/06 Halifax QMJHL Playoff 17 12 7 19 9 8 8.00
05/06 Halifax Memorial Cup 3 0 0 0 -2 2 7.00
</pre>
COMMENTS: Rochefort may have been the consensus #1 pick in the 2005 draft, which is where I picked him up at. Both of my scouts believed that Rochefort was an excellent prospect who would make an immediate impact in the league, and they were correct as Rochefort averaged a point per game in his first year in the Q. A sure first round NHL pick, going into the 06/07 season Rochefort is currently ranked #2 for the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

Michael Belanger (Goalie)
DOB: 08/17/1989
Saint John, NB, CAN

Drafted (CHL): Halifax, Round 1 (#3) in 2005 QMJHL Import Draft

STATS:
<pre>
Year TEAM LEAGUE GP W L T GAA SV% AVG R
04/05 Cap Madelaine QMHL 30 22 1 7 1.45 .923 8.33
05/06 Halifax QMJHL 39 27 10 0 3.22 .882 6.36
05/06 Halifax QMJHL Playoff 11 7 4 0 3.20 .895 6.64
05/06 Halifax Memorial Cup 2 0 2 0 3.50 .919 7.50
</pre>
ACHIEVEMENTS:
- 05/06 CHL Memorial Cup Rookie All Star Team

COMMENTS: It's not often that a rookie goaltender leads a team to the Memorial Cup, but that's just what Belanger did in 2006. Taken with the 3rd overall pick in 2005 - I was considering taking him #1 overall, instead of Rochefort, but I was able to trade for the #3 overall pick and quickly picked Belanger up in that position. How valuable is Belanger? At the start of the 2006/2007 season, I had two different teams offering me up 2 first round draft picks and a player who could step in and make a good impact right away. The picks and player would have made sure I had a strong team for years to come, but you can't beat having a franchise goalie. Ranked #12 for the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

Brett Mills (Center)
DOB: 12/20/1989
Hey River, NT, CAN

Drafted (CHL): Halifax, Round 6 (#81) in 2005 QMJHL Selection Draft

STATS:
<pre>
Year TEAM LEAGUE GP G A PTS +/- PIM AVG R
04/05 Fredericton NPMHL 28 22 5 27 21 40 7.68
05/06 Halifax QMJHL 70 54 45 99 32 128 7.81
05/06 Halifax QMJHL Playoff 17 18 9 27 16 28 8.29
05/06 Halifax Memorial Cup 3 0 0 0 -1 8 7.00
</pre>
ACHIEVEMENTS:
- 05/06 Halifax Fans Player of the Year
- 05/06 Michel Bergeron (best offensiver rookie) Trophey
- 05/06 Jean Beliveau (leading scorer) Trophey runner up
- 05/06 QMJHL Rookie of the Year
- 05/06 QMJHL Second All-Star Team

COMMENTS: Thus far, Mills has been a huge surprise. He had a strong year in 04/05 in the NPMHL, with a deadly shot, but my scouts weren't that high on him - neither were any other scouts. I ended up taking him with my first pick in the 6th round (81st overall). I had no plans on him making the team this year, but gave him a trial in the preseason. Mills played well enough to earn a full time spot on the team, and then took everyone by surprise by scoring 54 goals in the regular season, and then by *scoring a goal a game* in the playoffs. Mills isn't available for the NHL draft until 2008, so it will be interesting to see how he develops on the team.

Jani Leinonen (Defence/Left Wing)
DOB: 05/31/1988
Hameenlinna, FIN

Drafted (CHL): Halifax, Round 1 (#3) in 2005 CHL Import Draft
Drafted (NHL): Halifax, Round 1 (#7) in 2006 NHL Entry Draft by Boston

STATS:
<pre>
Year TEAM LEAGUE GP G A PTS +/- PIM AVG R
04/05 Assat Jrs Fin Jr 54 14 49 63 33 93 8.30
04/05 Finland World Jrs 5 0 3 3 2 2 7.60
05/06 Assat Jrs Fin Jr 3 1 3 4 2 8 7.67
05/06 Halifax QMJHL 70 35 35 70 13 16 7.70
05/06 Halifax QMJHL Playoff 17 4 16 20 20 2 7.88
05/06 Halifax Memorial Cup 3 0 1 1 -1 0 7.33
</pre>
ACHIEVEMENTS:
- 05/06 Raymond Lagace (best defensive rookie) Trophy
- 05/06 Emile Bouchard (best defensive defenseman) Trophy
- 05/06 QMJHL All Star Team

COMMENTS: Leinonen was taken with the third pick in the CHL Import Draft, and did not disappoint. Already highly rated (he played as a 16 year old in the World Juniors for Finland), Leinonen took his game up another notch in the Q. Was rated 41st in the 2006 Entry Draft rankings, and improved his position throughout the season and ended up being taken in the first round (7th overall) by the Boston Bruins.

Neil Kenny (Left Defense)
DOB: 07/18/1989
Charlottetown, PEI, CAN

Drafted (CHL): Halifax, Round 4 (#49) in 2005 QMJHL Import Draft

STATS:
<pre>
Year TEAM LEAGUE GP G A PTS +/- PIM AVG R
04/05 Charles-Lemoyne QMHL 31 3 18 21 12 162 7.97
05/06 Halifax QMJHL 46 6 15 21 32 62 7.52
05/06 Halifax QMJHL Playoff 11 0 3 3 2 12 7.55
05/06 Halifax Memorial Cup 3 0 0 0 2 6 7.33
</pre>
COMMENTS: Kenny played a solid 05/06 - his one issue was his health. Often out with an injury, or playing injured, Kenny likely never really got going. As a fourth round pick, the team wasn't expecting anything huge out of him, but I am expecting some solid play. He's not ranked for the 2007 NHL Entry draft.

[sachmo71]

Cool!

[chrisj]

06/07 Season In Review...

Jared Rochefort (Center/Left Wing)

<pre>
Year TEAM LEAGUE GP G A PTS +/- PIM AVG R
06/07 Halifax QMJHL 60 31 31 62 25 26 7.68
06/07 Halifax QMJHL Playoff 16 6 9 15 3 4 7.75
06/07 Halifax Memorial Cup 5 1 1 2 1 6 7.40
06/07 Canada World Jrs 4 1 2 3 1 0 7.50
</pre>

Rochefort continued his upward movement in the hockey depth charts. Was ranked #2 in the NHL Entry draft rankings throughout most of the season, and ended up being selected third overall by Montreal in the draft. Rochefort was also selected, as a 17 year old, for the World Junior tournament - scoring big in the semi-final (a goal and an assist) and in the championship game (an assist on the game winning goal).

Michael Belanger (Goalie)

<pre>
Year TEAM LEAGUE GP W L T GAA SV% AVG R
06/07 Halifax QMJHL 63 36 21 4 3.61 .872 6.10
06/07 Halifax QMJHL Playoff 16 12 4 0 2.56 .898 6.69
06/07 Halifax Memorial Cup 4 2 2 0 2.27 .929 8.00
</pre>

Belanger went into the season as the top ranked goalie for the draft... but his stock fell during the season. Not because he didn't play well, but because he actually took a step backwards from his rookie year. In the final draft rankings, Belanger was ranked number 27 overall. Then it happened - the playoffs hit, and Belanger was a wall, and he picked it up once again as the team went to the Memorial Cup for the second straight year, and Belanger was the top goalie in the tournament in front of a national audience. Carolina quickly snapped him up in the first round, fifth overall.

Brett Mills (Center)

<pre>
Year TEAM LEAGUE GP G A PTS +/- PIM AVG R
06/07 Halifax QMJHL 70 47 42 89 19 77 7.86
06/07 Halifax QMJHL Playoff 16 8 5 13 2 16 7.56
06/07 Halifax Memorial Cup 5 1 2 3 1 6 7.73
</pre>

Like many people on the team this year, Brett Mills took a step backwards. Of course, he's still widely out producing what was expected of him, scoring nearly a goal a game. Mills looks to be a lock up front for the next few years.

Jani Leinonen (Defense/Left Wing)

<pre>
Year TEAM LEAGUE GP G A PTS +/- PIM AVG R
06/07 Halifax QMJHL 70 18 24 42 42 16 7.50
06/07 Halifax QMJHL Playoff 16 2 5 7 3 12 7.38
06/07 Halifax Memorial Cup 5 0 1 1 3 4 7.00
</pre>

Jani Leinonen took his defensive game to another level this season as he continued to mature. Even better for Leinonen is several NHL teams attempted to acquire his rights from Boston, although the Bruins are sold on Leinonen's potential as they refused to give up his rights.

Neil Kenny (Left Defence)

<pre>
Year TEAM LEAGUE GP G A PTS +/- PIM AVG R
06/07 Halifax QMJHL 56 6 9 15 10 62 7.20
06/07 Halifax QMJHL Playoff 16 0 3 3 3 10 7.56
06/07 Halifax Memorial Cup 2 0 1 1 2 5 7.50
</pre>

Neil Kenny began 06-07 much like he finished 05-06 - injured. It wasn't until Kenny was put on a strict conditioning program that he was able to overcome it. With that hopefully behind him, the team hopes Kenny will pick up his game in the 07/08 season.

[chrisj]

As the GM of Halifax, I have to say "damn!". Carolina has just signed Michael Belanger, who I was hoping would carry the team to another championship. If he sticks with the team (and they aren't very deep in net), my Mooseheads are going to have trouble this year.

[chrisj]

*whew*

They did send Belanger back to Halifax after only two pre-season games (he let in 5 goals in one, 2 in the other). Not unexpected I guess, not many teams go with an 18 year old goaltender. But it still had me worried.