Deryk Engelland

No.2

                  Sleep wouldn't come easy that night-his wife told him  to calm down and get some                     sleep for his forthcoming big day. He muttered and encanted to himself innumerable                             times the compact version that Melissa had helped him craft earlier in the day.

                  As a peripatetic working class family he frequently move around in his birthplace                     of Edmonton, Alberta-Ledu, Mayerthorpe, and eventually westerward to Chetwynd,                            British Columbia. Hockey was always on his mind, and an eternity in the minors(15 years),                 he played well enough to be drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the 6th round (194th),                       and yet, never played for Brodeur's old team. His long  term dedication forged a player of                   determination, reliability and  patience,  It did not go unnoticed by the Pittsburgh Penguins,                 and when they him sent down he put together a 171 consecutive games playing stretch. Five              years with the Pens, and he moved on to a lucrative 3-year deal with the Calgary Flames.                     A respectable career that payed off to a where Dyerk and his family made ''Sin City'' their                     home where he had a stint with the Las Vegas Wranglers in 2003-2004. Picked up by the

       VGKs in the expansion draft, he recently signed an extension to his current contract for the                 2018-2019 season,

                   Oh, that sleepless night. It turned out well as Deryk gave an opening day speech to                   the fans and teammates following the LV massacre that for some of the players and fans it                   was the prominent non-hockey playing moment of their inaugural season.

                                        

                                               

                               

''Wild Bill'' Karlsson

No.1


                                                               


           +30-yeah, that's right, the number one plus\minus player in the entire league. Perhaps,                     it's not surprising that Lars William, as he came into this world, is achieving so much in                       the desert in the 2017-18 season. The two biggest factories in his hometown of Marsta,                         Sweden produce paint. Well, ''WB" took the hint and is spreading his colors all over the                        ice, and is leaving memorable images behind him. All of them to the delight of the                               mushrooming fan base. As Marsta founded the first public school(1697), and mounted                         the first telegraph pole (1853) in Sweden, Karlsson is setting a lot of firsts in Vegas: The
       team's intial 'Hat Trick' on New Years Eve 2017 as an example.
          The ''Wild Bill'' tag? Well, it is tempered by strong family ties. His parents witnessed                         his first playoff goal with the CBJs, and accompanied him to the ''Mystere'' by Cirque du                     Soleil spectacular for a 'meet-and-greet' at the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino on the
       Strip. He was not surprisingly a popular guest  with the beauties associates with Las Vegas                   shows. Mom, and dad were surely dazzled by the atmosphere, and proud of their son's                         status in the city.
           At 6'1,'' 185 pounds he roams the perimeter with a quiet presence, He understands for                       the necessity of weight training to augment  his strength and stamina. There is a covey of                     Karlssons scattered throughout the league, including a budding legend in Ottawa. Yet,                         none of them are playing better than ''Wild Bill'' at present.. At 25, his best years are ahead                   of him and the VGK fans all over the country can only smile at that prospect.