Renomitsu

VHL Headquarters – The S66 draft is unprecedented. Don’t believe me? Take a look at my intro here.
 
For the number of ‘firsts’ we’re seeing in this draft with respect to volume (which is commendable in its own right), there is frighteningly little talk of possible elite defenders in this draft. After all, you have to go down twelve spots in the live draft rankings to find a single defender. Rhye Tyr, the highest-ranked defenseman in last week’s rankings, is a startling 125 TPE below from the top prospect in this year’s class; the young Canadian sits below three centers, five left wings, and three right wings. In the first-round mock draft released less than a day ago, Tyr was expected to go fifth overall – but his TPE compared to the next three draftees is sorely lacking, and @DilIsPickle astutely notes that his draft spot is partially due to a scarcity in defense in this draft.
 
Let’s investigate – what defensemen might be best to draft (and briefly, why?), why is this historically-deep draft short of them, and how can we rectify the problem?
 
Best in Class

#1) Aron Nielsen @solas | Minnesota Storm | Canada
6’0” | 205 lbs. | TPE: 166 (+32 from 3/10-3/24)
We can argue ‘til we’re blue in the face about whether Nielsen or Rhye Tyr should be ranked the best defenseman in S66’s draft class, but ultimately Nielsen has shown more upside, has improved faster, and may be more likely to have a successful rookie season. In a league that constantly asks, "what have you done for me lately?", week-to-week improvement is a must. He’s a high-quality two-way prospect that frankly has a skill-set that resembles a center nearly as much as he does a defender.
 
We’ll save the discussion for what type of defender is ‘best’ for later in the article. With 39 points, a +16, 72 hits, and 49 shots blocked in 44 games, however, Nielsen has proven that he can do it all. He’s not as flashy as some of this class’s forwards, but he doesn’t have to be if he’s competent on every inch of the ice. He’ll likely hit the VHLM TPE cap before the draft happens, and although he has some stiff competition from some promising newer players (like our next couple of draftees), Nielsen is a safe bet for a defense-needy GM.
 

 
#2) Charlie Paddywagon @DMaximus | Las Vegas Aces | United States
6’4” | 208 lbs. | TPE: 154 (+52)
Nope, number two in the draft class still isn’t Tyr: it’s the Buffalo, NY-native Irishman Charlie Paddywagon, and only part of the reason is because one of his cop buddies is named Chet (https://vhlforum.com/topic/58556-charlie-paddywagon-an-oral-biography-12/). Paddywagon is a hard-nosed, coach’s dream of a defender: strong, immovable, and capable of stopping pucks and passing as those needs arise. He’s certainly important in the ‘best defender’ argument for this class in spite of a limited offensive repertoire (25 points in 45 games, -5): he averages nearly 2 SB and 1.5 hits/game, and devastates opposing forwards in the process.
 
Paddywagon is possibly the fastest-improving defender in the draft, and scouts have been impressed with his progress especially in the last few weeks. There’s plenty of tape for him, as he participated in S65’s Dispersal Draft, and I wouldn’t question a GM that drafts him in the late first or early second round.
 

 
#3) Jerry Garcia @GustavMattias | Houston Bulls | United States
6’1” | 194 lbs. | TPE: 150 (+54)
We covered this guitar-legend-turned-hockey-player in last week’s article about mid- and late-round steals, and it’s for good reason. While not quite as polished a raw defender as Paddywagon, Garcia has shown excellent puck-handling skills and a willingness to lay hits down on opposing forwards like nobody’s business – in fact, he’s fifth in hits (at 143) in the VHLM and first among Entry Draft-eligible players in S66.
 
He blocks shots (78) at a pace comparable to Paddywagon and Rusty Shackleford, further showcasing his willingness to be physical, but this physicality is also something to refine: Garcia currently has 108 penalty minutes, good for second only to teammate Viktor Kozlov in the minors.
 
#4) Rhye Tyr @Plate | Halifax 21st | Canada
5'10" | 205 lbs. | TPE: 159 (+8)
For most, this will be something of a surprise - Rhye is generally projected to be one of the first two defensemen off the board, possibly mid first round; I'm not dismissing that possibility, as he's considered to be one of the better prospects in the field. Certainly, this young Canadian has the scoring and defensive chops to make that argument; he has 37 assists to his name and earns about a point per game. In recent weeks, however, scouts have suggested Tyr hasn't been improving at as rapid a rate as he was previously.
 
Does this mean Tyr is as good as he'll be against VHLM competition, or is this something more worrisome for the future? If he gets back to work, Tyr could still be a first-round/early second-round pick.
 
#5) Codrick Past @Kylrad | Ottawa Lynx | United Kingdom
6’0” | 190 lbs. | TPE: 133 (+38)
One of the more promising two-way defenders in the minors, Codrick Past talks and plays a big game. He recently announced his preferences for draft destinations, but importantly showed that the choice of General Manager (and fantasy league results, heh) are moreimportant than current team success for him. He also recently accused some fellow VHLMers of doping.
 
On the ice, he’s shown to be an excellent passer (48 assists in 44 games) and a pretty good defender (83 hits & shot blocks) through his 44 games; he’s anchored an otherwise talent-depleted Ottawa Lynx defense and could go as early as the late second round for GMs in need.
 
#6) Rusty Shackleford @K1NG LINUS | Saskatoon Wild | United States
6’5” | 225 lbs. | TPE: 121 (+51)
Rounding out our top five is an actual steak-and-pulled-pork-eating, PBR/Bulleit Bourbon-drinking cowboy’s son in Rusty Shackleford. He brings his tough Texas attitude to the ice, where he’s the closest thing to an enforcer this class has; like Garcia, he has an abundance of hits (126), blocked shots (79), and penalty minutes (94).
 
Some scouts make an argument that Shackleford may actually be worth taking as high as the early third round; he’s improved quickly and has similar upside to many of the defenders higher up in this list, but simply had a later start (first TPE added in week ending March 3rd)
 
#7) Andreas Sundell @VisualDarkness | Minnesota Storm | TPE: 120 (+38) | Playmaking Defenseman (SK, DF, PH)
Sundell has a solid chance of breaking into the mid or early fourth round for the astute GM. He’ll get a chance on the big stage with fellow Euro Codrick Past as a part of Team Europe in the World Junior Championship before you know it. Doesn’t get a lot of chances to contribute points-wise due to limited minutes, but does generate a good number of hits and blocked shots. He has to share ice-time with four or five competent defenders, some from last season’s VHL Entry Draft – so the stats don’t say everything with this promising Swede.
 
#8) Cody Parkey @SaltyTalty| Saskatoon Wild |TPE: 103 (+62) | Playmaking Defenseman (DF, PA, SC)
Parkey is a solid defender with lots of scoring potential (65 passing, 55 scoring); currently projected as a 5th-rounder but has breakout potential and may go early in the fourth or even in the third. Produces plenty of hits; has only played in 36 games this season. Has an excellent +15, and is a relatively young player (created week of 3/3)
 
#9) Edward Vigneault @Patpou22 | Halifax 21st |TPE: 105 (+46) | Playmaking Defenseman (SK, DF, PA)
Like Parkey, Vigneault is a younger player (34 games played) but has slightly better defensive stats (57 hits, 53 shots blocked). Has shown high-quality passing ability on top of defensive fundamentals. Currently sitting behind S64 draftee Basaraba Moose and Rhye Tyr, but has better draft stock than the latter due to recent improvement, per scouts. Like many of his colleagues, will likely need to spend another half or full season in the VHL before any ice time with the pros.
 
#10) Dwin Championship @Award97 | Saskatoon Wild | TPE: 78 (+41) | Offensive Defenseman (PA, SK, SC)
Dwin is a strange defenseman, with subpar defensive technical skills but a good eye for passing lanes. Primary strength right now is finding high-quality assists and laying out hits. Like most of our defensemen ranked 5th or lower, Championship shares ice time with other defensemen in his class (Parkey, Shackleford) and hasn’t gotten much of a chance to shine yet.
 
#11) Beau Buefordsson @Radcow | TPE: 89 (+28) | Defender (DF, SK)
Beau is one of the few defense-first defenders in the draft, but he has shown smooth skating and glimpses of scoring potential in recent games. At this point, he’s a bit difficult to evaluate due to limited ice time and his rawness as a prospect - but pro teams looking for some depth at defenseman will find a solid pick in Buefordsson.
 
Honorable Mentions
#12) Papa Gage
#13) Samuel Sparrow
#14) Duncan Jeffers
#15) Richard Hejtsel
#16) Anthony Amberback
#17) Srraxxarrakex II
#18) Finn Theismann
 
[author note: excluded my player so as to avoid some bias]
 
Where Are the Defensemen?
Last season’s (i.e. S65's) Week Two Draft Rankings by @McWolf showed a much different picture than S66’s class: three defensemen in the top four prospects and six in the top twelve actually demonstrated a defense-dominant class. Wings were virtually nowhere to be found – with the first showing up at rank 13 (but centers were abundant through the top half of the class). Is this class's top 20 normal variance, or is it something more?
 
1) Is there a need for defensemen?
One possible explanation for the lack of high-TPE defensemen is that the professional league has enough. After all, if the league is saturated, veteran player builders wouldn’t want to sit behind players 4-5 seasons into their career for their first several seasons. Similarly, if there are a high number of excellent prospects sitting in the VHLM waiting for a chance to start, S66 draftees may need to wait a while before getting any significant ice time.
 

 
As shown above, there hasn’t been significant variance in defensemen among the top 20 prospects (until this season), though it is worth noting that the increase in LWs may be because of a limited wing class last season. Their distribution is important, too - with players like Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen, Dallas Jones, and Brady Stropko Jr. (in a class dominated by defensemen) all projected in the first round, veteran players might have just decided that there are too many S65 draftees just ahead of them.
 
More important, however, is the availability of defensemen to major league teams. Ideally, teams should be able to sport two lines’ worth of capable defenders – or have the means to replace them. Consider how many teams needed to worry about their future or depth in defense last season. Some GMs may have placed their hopes of fielding a good defense on this draft, but relatively few teams (Helsinki, Riga, and to some extent HC Davos, Riga, and New York) have a defensive corps worth talking about. Riga in particular has an excellent defensive lineup and future, with 4 active major leaguers and 4 active prospects to which they have the rights.
 
If teams want to field two complete lines of defensemen, there’s clearly a need – so maybe we need to diversify our search or have GMs reach further down these deep draft ranks for depth at defense.
 
2) Is there motivation to make defensemen?
A few VHL.com articles, Media Spots, statuses, and league chatter (Discord) conversations suggest that a lack of defensive stats may drive (1) members to make non-defensive players and (2) defensive players to be built as two-way, or even offensive players. The predominant build is a high Defense attribute with Passing, Scoring, and Skating; depending on the build, Puck Handling and (more rarely) Checking is seen on defensemen.
 
Let’s take Calgary’s defensemen as an example. Lando Baxter @Elhandon, the team’s highest-rated defender, has exceptional skating, roughly 85 Puck Handling, Defense, and Passing, and 75 Scoring. Their other defenders Dallas Jones @Trifecta and Elasmobranch Fish @Sharkstrong both have about 75 Scoring; Jones is very balanced between scoring, playmaking, and defense, while Fish is a bit more defensively oriented (90 DF, 80 PH, 60 CK) but still possesses average passing and scoring. In fact, among all players on the Wranglers, the lowest Scoring attribute is 73; only one player has Checking above the first TP threshold (70).
 
Even last year’s champions, the Toronto Legion, started two defensemen with 90+ scoring – each within one point of their defense (Tzuyu @tfong and Robert Malenko @pennypenny), and neither of which invested heavily in checking (40 and 50, respectively). These builds (and builders – looking at you, tfong <3) are so successful that the Best Defenseman trophy was split in three several seasons ago – producing the Jake Wylde, Alexander Valiq, and Sterling Labatte trophies for best defensive, offensive, and overall defenseman, respectively. Furthermore, the last defenseman to earn either of the Scotty Campbell or Brett Slobodzian trophies was Guntis Petenis (who earned both) in S54. Before that, Daniel Braxton took home the Slobodzian trophy in S27, and we have to dig to S20 until Patrick Bergqvist, the second-to-last defenseman recipient of the Campbell trophy.
 
In an offense-driven league, however, a lack of defensive MVPs/MOPs seems like a given. Importantly, diversity in defense builds is just as important as diversity in forward archetypes. On top of that, defensemen have three position-specific awards and equal representation (due to lower player population & fewer positions for defensemen on teams), and we had  high-quality defense in the S65 draft, so we have to ask...
 
3) Is scarcity of defensemen in S66's draft even a problem in the first place?
Ultimately, providing some arbitrary, undeserved impetus (e.g. extra TPE, overrepresentation in awards or All-Star teams) to make defensemen would be an overreaction – and if there is a scarcity of defensemen, GMs are much more likely to value high-quality players at this position anyway. For new and old players alike, the most important quality is staying power: will users stick around long enough for their players to see continued success? Is it even reasonable for every team to field a high-quality D1 pair? Artificially overpopulating the pool of D-men will make those users who only want to make defensemen less likely to stick around, and possibly make veterans who would otherwise make forwards enjoy their time in the VHL less.
 
So I ask @VHLM GM and @VHL GM – is this draft's lack of high-TPE defensemen a problem? Does the strength of defense in the S65 draft compensate for this offense-dominated draft?
 
Maybe most relevantly -- who's your top pick on defense, and where do you think they'll go?
 
Also tagged here: @PapaGage, @Birdman, @Tophdaddy, @hejta, @Oost, @flan, @StaticShocked
[Length >2,000 words; I'd like to use this MS for 4/14, and will claim others after the turn of the season. Am I allowed to do this?]

VHL Headquarters – The S66 draft is unprecedented. Don’t believe me? Take a look at my intro here.
 
For the number of ‘firsts’ we’re seeing in this draft with respect to volume (which is commendable in its own right), there is frighteningly little talk of possible elite defenders in this draft. After all, you have to go down twelve spots in the live draft rankings to find a single defender. Rhye Tyr, the highest-ranked defenseman in last week’s rankings, is a startling 125 TPE below from the top prospect in this year’s class; the young Canadian sits below three centers, five left wings, and three right wings. In the first-round mock draft released less than a day ago, Tyr was expected to go fifth overall – but his TPE compared to the next three draftees is sorely lacking, and @DilIsPickle astutely notes that his draft spot is partially due to a scarcity in defense in this draft.
 
Let’s investigate – what defensemen might be best to draft (and briefly, why?), why is this historically-deep draft short of them, and how can we rectify the problem?
 
Best in Class

#1) Aron Nielsen @solas | Minnesota Storm | Canada
6’0” | 205 lbs. | TPE: 166 (+32 from 3/10-3/24)
We can argue ‘til we’re blue in the face about whether Nielsen or Rhye Tyr should be ranked the best defenseman in S66’s draft class, but ultimately Nielsen has shown more upside, has improved faster, and may be more likely to have a successful rookie season. In a league that constantly asks, "what have you done for me lately?", week-to-week improvement is a must. He’s a high-quality two-way prospect that frankly has a skill-set that resembles a center nearly as much as he does a defender.
 
We’ll save the discussion for what type of defender is ‘best’ for later in the article. With 39 points, a +16, 72 hits, and 49 shots blocked in 44 games, however, Nielsen has proven that he can do it all. He’s not as flashy as some of this class’s forwards, but he doesn’t have to be if he’s competent on every inch of the ice. He’ll likely hit the VHLM TPE cap before the draft happens, and although he has some stiff competition from some promising newer players (like our next couple of draftees), Nielsen is a safe bet for a defense-needy GM.
 

 
#2) Charlie Paddywagon @DMaximus | Las Vegas Aces | United States
6’4” | 208 lbs. | TPE: 154 (+52)
Nope, number two in the draft class still isn’t Tyr: it’s the Buffalo, NY-native Irishman Charlie Paddywagon, and only part of the reason is because one of his cop buddies is named Chet (https://vhlforum.com/topic/58556-charlie-paddywagon-an-oral-biography-12/). Paddywagon is a hard-nosed, coach’s dream of a defender: strong, immovable, and capable of stopping pucks and passing as those needs arise. He’s certainly important in the ‘best defender’ argument for this class in spite of a limited offensive repertoire (25 points in 45 games, -5): he averages nearly 2 SB and 1.5 hits/game, and devastates opposing forwards in the process.
 
Paddywagon is possibly the fastest-improving defender in the draft, and scouts have been impressed with his progress especially in the last few weeks. There’s plenty of tape for him, as he participated in S65’s Dispersal Draft, and I wouldn’t question a GM that drafts him in the late first or early second round.
 

 
#3) Jerry Garcia @GustavMattias | Houston Bulls | United States
6’1” | 194 lbs. | TPE: 150 (+54)
We covered this guitar-legend-turned-hockey-player in last week’s article about mid- and late-round steals, and it’s for good reason. While not quite as polished a raw defender as Paddywagon, Garcia has shown excellent puck-handling skills and a willingness to lay hits down on opposing forwards like nobody’s business – in fact, he’s fifth in hits (at 143) in the VHLM and first among Entry Draft-eligible players in S66.
 
He blocks shots (78) at a pace comparable to Paddywagon and Rusty Shackleford, further showcasing his willingness to be physical, but this physicality is also something to refine: Garcia currently has 108 penalty minutes, good for second only to teammate Viktor Kozlov in the minors.
 
#4) Rhye Tyr @Plate | Halifax 21st | Canada
5'10" | 205 lbs. | TPE: 159 (+8)
For most, this will be something of a surprise - Rhye is generally projected to be one of the first two defensemen off the board, possibly mid first round; I'm not dismissing that possibility, as he's considered to be one of the better prospects in the field. Certainly, this young Canadian has the scoring and defensive chops to make that argument; he has 37 assists to his name and earns about a point per game. In recent weeks, however, scouts have suggested Tyr hasn't been improving at as rapid a rate as he was previously.
 
Does this mean Tyr is as good as he'll be against VHLM competition, or is this something more worrisome for the future? If he gets back to work, Tyr could still be a first-round/early second-round pick.
 
#5) Codrick Past @Kylrad | Ottawa Lynx | United Kingdom
6’0” | 190 lbs. | TPE: 133 (+38)
One of the more promising two-way defenders in the minors, Codrick Past talks and plays a big game. He recently announced his preferences for draft destinations, but importantly showed that the choice of General Manager (and fantasy league results, heh) are moreimportant than current team success for him. He also recently accused some fellow VHLMers of doping.
 
On the ice, he’s shown to be an excellent passer (48 assists in 44 games) and a pretty good defender (83 hits & shot blocks) through his 44 games; he’s anchored an otherwise talent-depleted Ottawa Lynx defense and could go as early as the late second round for GMs in need.
 
#6) Rusty Shackleford @K1NG LINUS | Saskatoon Wild | United States
6’5” | 225 lbs. | TPE: 121 (+51)
Rounding out our top five is an actual steak-and-pulled-pork-eating, PBR/Bulleit Bourbon-drinking cowboy’s son in Rusty Shackleford. He brings his tough Texas attitude to the ice, where he’s the closest thing to an enforcer this class has; like Garcia, he has an abundance of hits (126), blocked shots (79), and penalty minutes (94).
 
Some scouts make an argument that Shackleford may actually be worth taking as high as the early third round; he’s improved quickly and has similar upside to many of the defenders higher up in this list, but simply had a later start (first TPE added in week ending March 3rd)
 
#7) Andreas Sundell @VisualDarkness | Minnesota Storm | TPE: 120 (+38) | Playmaking Defenseman (SK, DF, PH)
Sundell has a solid chance of breaking into the mid or early fourth round for the astute GM. He’ll get a chance on the big stage with fellow Euro Codrick Past as a part of Team Europe in the World Junior Championship before you know it. Doesn’t get a lot of chances to contribute points-wise due to limited minutes, but does generate a good number of hits and blocked shots. He has to share ice-time with four or five competent defenders, some from last season’s VHL Entry Draft – so the stats don’t say everything with this promising Swede.
 
#8) Cody Parkey @SaltyTalty| Saskatoon Wild |TPE: 103 (+62) | Playmaking Defenseman (DF, PA, SC)
Parkey is a solid defender with lots of scoring potential (65 passing, 55 scoring); currently projected as a 5th-rounder but has breakout potential and may go early in the fourth or even in the third. Produces plenty of hits; has only played in 36 games this season. Has an excellent +15, and is a relatively young player (created week of 3/3)
 
#9) Edward Vigneault @Patpou22 | Halifax 21st |TPE: 105 (+46) | Playmaking Defenseman (SK, DF, PA)
Like Parkey, Vigneault is a younger player (34 games played) but has slightly better defensive stats (57 hits, 53 shots blocked). Has shown high-quality passing ability on top of defensive fundamentals. Currently sitting behind S64 draftee Basaraba Moose and Rhye Tyr, but has better draft stock than the latter due to recent improvement, per scouts. Like many of his colleagues, will likely need to spend another half or full season in the VHL before any ice time with the pros.
 
#10) Dwin Championship @Award97 | Saskatoon Wild | TPE: 78 (+41) | Offensive Defenseman (PA, SK, SC)
Dwin is a strange defenseman, with subpar defensive technical skills but a good eye for passing lanes. Primary strength right now is finding high-quality assists and laying out hits. Like most of our defensemen ranked 5th or lower, Championship shares ice time with other defensemen in his class (Parkey, Shackleford) and hasn’t gotten much of a chance to shine yet.
 
#11) Beau Buefordsson @Radcow | TPE: 89 (+28) | Defender (DF, SK)
Beau is one of the few defense-first defenders in the draft, but he has shown smooth skating and glimpses of scoring potential in recent games. At this point, he’s a bit difficult to evaluate due to limited ice time and his rawness as a prospect - but pro teams looking for some depth at defenseman will find a solid pick in Buefordsson.
 
Honorable Mentions
#12) Papa Gage
#13) Samuel Sparrow
#14) Duncan Jeffers
#15) Richard Hejtsel
#16) Anthony Amberback
#17) Srraxxarrakex II
#18) Finn Theismann
 
[author note: excluded my player so as to avoid some bias]
 
Where Are the Defensemen?
Last season’s (i.e. S65's) Week Two Draft Rankings by @McWolf showed a much different picture than S66’s class: three defensemen in the top four prospects and six in the top twelve actually demonstrated a defense-dominant class. Wings were virtually nowhere to be found – with the first showing up at rank 13 (but centers were abundant through the top half of the class). Is this class's top 20 normal variance, or is it something more?
 
1) Is there a need for defensemen?
One possible explanation for the lack of high-TPE defensemen is that the professional league has enough. After all, if the league is saturated, veteran player builders wouldn’t want to sit behind players 4-5 seasons into their career for their first several seasons. Similarly, if there are a high number of excellent prospects sitting in the VHLM waiting for a chance to start, S66 draftees may need to wait a while before getting any significant ice time.
 

 
As shown above, there hasn’t been significant variance in defensemen among the top 20 prospects (until this season), though it is worth noting that the increase in LWs may be because of a limited wing class last season. Their distribution is important, too - with players like Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen, Dallas Jones, and Brady Stropko Jr. (in a class dominated by defensemen) all projected in the first round, veteran players might have just decided that there are too many S65 draftees just ahead of them.
 
More important, however, is the availability of defensemen to major league teams. Ideally, teams should be able to sport two lines’ worth of capable defenders – or have the means to replace them. Consider how many teams needed to worry about their future or depth in defense last season. Some GMs may have placed their hopes of fielding a good defense on this draft, but relatively few teams (Helsinki, Riga, and to some extent HC Davos, Riga, and New York) have a defensive corps worth talking about. Riga in particular has an excellent defensive lineup and future, with 4 active major leaguers and 4 active prospects to which they have the rights.
 
If teams want to field two complete lines of defensemen, there’s clearly a need – so maybe we need to diversify our search or have GMs reach further down these deep draft ranks for depth at defense.
 
2) Is there motivation to make defensemen?
A few VHL.com articles, Media Spots, statuses, and league chatter (Discord) conversations suggest that a lack of defensive stats may drive (1) members to make non-defensive players and (2) defensive players to be built as two-way, or even offensive players. The predominant build is a high Defense attribute with Passing, Scoring, and Skating; depending on the build, Puck Handling and (more rarely) Checking is seen on defensemen.
 
Let’s take Calgary’s defensemen as an example. Lando Baxter @Elhandon, the team’s highest-rated defender, has exceptional skating, roughly 85 Puck Handling, Defense, and Passing, and 75 Scoring. Their other defenders Dallas Jones @Trifecta and Elasmobranch Fish @Sharkstrong both have about 75 Scoring; Jones is very balanced between scoring, playmaking, and defense, while Fish is a bit more defensively oriented (90 DF, 80 PH, 60 CK) but still possesses average passing and scoring. In fact, among all players on the Wranglers, the lowest Scoring attribute is 73; only one player has Checking above the first TP threshold (70).
 
Even last year’s champions, the Toronto Legion, started two defensemen with 90+ scoring – each within one point of their defense (Tzuyu @tfong and Robert Malenko @pennypenny), and neither of which invested heavily in checking (40 and 50, respectively). These builds (and builders – looking at you, tfong <3) are so successful that the Best Defenseman trophy was split in three several seasons ago – producing the Jake Wylde, Alexander Valiq, and Sterling Labatte trophies for best defensive, offensive, and overall defenseman, respectively. Furthermore, the last defenseman to earn either of the Scotty Campbell or Brett Slobodzian trophies was Guntis Petenis (who earned both) in S54. Before that, Daniel Braxton took home the Slobodzian trophy in S27, and we have to dig to S20 until Patrick Bergqvist, the second-to-last defenseman recipient of the Campbell trophy.
 
In an offense-driven league, however, a lack of defensive MVPs/MOPs seems like a given. Importantly, diversity in defense builds is just as important as diversity in forward archetypes. On top of that, defensemen have three position-specific awards and equal representation (due to lower player population & fewer positions for defensemen on teams), and we had  high-quality defense in the S65 draft, so we have to ask...
 
3) Is scarcity of defensemen in S66's draft even a problem in the first place?
Ultimately, providing some arbitrary, undeserved impetus (e.g. extra TPE, overrepresentation in awards or All-Star teams) to make defensemen would be an overreaction – and if there is a scarcity of defensemen, GMs are much more likely to value high-quality players at this position anyway. For new and old players alike, the most important quality is staying power: will users stick around long enough for their players to see continued success? Is it even reasonable for every team to field a high-quality D1 pair? Artificially overpopulating the pool of D-men will make those users who only want to make defensemen less likely to stick around, and possibly make veterans who would otherwise make forwards enjoy their time in the VHL less.
 
So I ask @VHLM GM and @VHL GM – is this draft's lack of high-TPE defensemen a problem? Does the strength of defense in the S65 draft compensate for this offense-dominated draft?
 
Maybe most relevantly -- who's your top pick on defense, and where do you think they'll go?
 
Also tagged here: @PapaGage, @Birdman, @Tophdaddy, @hejta, @Oost, @flan, @StaticShocked
[Length >2,000 words; I'd like to use this MS for 4/14, and will claim others after the turn of the season. Am I allowed to do this?]

VHL Headquarters – The S66 draft is unprecedented. Don’t believe me? Take a look at my intro here.
 
For the number of ‘firsts’ we’re seeing in this draft with respect to volume (which is commendable in its own right), there is frighteningly little talk of possible elite defenders in this draft. After all, you have to go down twelve spots in the live draft rankings to find a single defender. Rhye Tyr, the highest-ranked defenseman in last week’s rankings, is a startling 125 TPE below from the top prospect in this year’s class; the young Canadian sits below three centers, five left wings, and three right wings. In the first-round mock draft released less than a day ago, Tyr was expected to go fifth overall – but his TPE compared to the next three draftees is sorely lacking, and @DilIsPickle astutely notes that his draft spot is partially due to a scarcity in defense in this draft.
 
Let’s investigate – what defensemen might be best to draft (and briefly, why?), why is this historically-deep draft short of them, and how can we rectify the problem?
 
Best in Class

#1) Aron Nielsen @solas | Minnesota Storm | Canada
6’0” | 205 lbs. | TPE: 166 (+32 from 3/10-3/24)
We can argue ‘til we’re blue in the face about whether Nielsen or Rhye Tyr should be ranked the best defenseman in S66’s draft class, but ultimately Nielsen has shown more upside, has improved faster, and may be more likely to have a successful rookie season. In a league that constantly asks, "what have you done for me lately?", week-to-week improvement is a must. He’s a high-quality two-way prospect that frankly has a skill-set that resembles a center nearly as much as he does a defender.
 
We’ll save the discussion for what type of defender is ‘best’ for later in the article. With 39 points, a +16, 72 hits, and 49 shots blocked in 44 games, however, Nielsen has proven that he can do it all. He’s not as flashy as some of this class’s forwards, but he doesn’t have to be if he’s competent on every inch of the ice. He’ll likely hit the VHLM TPE cap before the draft happens, and although he has some stiff competition from some promising newer players (like our next couple of draftees), Nielsen is a safe bet for a defense-needy GM.
 

 
#2) Charlie Paddywagon @DMaximus | Las Vegas Aces | United States
6’4” | 208 lbs. | TPE: 154 (+52)
Nope, number two in the draft class still isn’t Tyr: it’s the Buffalo, NY-native Irishman Charlie Paddywagon, and only part of the reason is because one of his cop buddies is named Chet (https://vhlforum.com/topic/58556-charlie-paddywagon-an-oral-biography-12/). Paddywagon is a hard-nosed, coach’s dream of a defender: strong, immovable, and capable of stopping pucks and passing as those needs arise. He’s certainly important in the ‘best defender’ argument for this class in spite of a limited offensive repertoire (25 points in 45 games, -5): he averages nearly 2 SB and 1.5 hits/game, and devastates opposing forwards in the process.
 
Paddywagon is possibly the fastest-improving defender in the draft, and scouts have been impressed with his progress especially in the last few weeks. There’s plenty of tape for him, as he participated in S65’s Dispersal Draft, and I wouldn’t question a GM that drafts him in the late first or early second round.
 

 
#3) Jerry Garcia @GustavMattias | Houston Bulls | United States
6’1” | 194 lbs. | TPE: 150 (+54)
We covered this guitar-legend-turned-hockey-player in last week’s article about mid- and late-round steals, and it’s for good reason. While not quite as polished a raw defender as Paddywagon, Garcia has shown excellent puck-handling skills and a willingness to lay hits down on opposing forwards like nobody’s business – in fact, he’s fifth in hits (at 143) in the VHLM and first among Entry Draft-eligible players in S66.
 
He blocks shots (78) at a pace comparable to Paddywagon and Rusty Shackleford, further showcasing his willingness to be physical, but this physicality is also something to refine: Garcia currently has 108 penalty minutes, good for second only to teammate Viktor Kozlov in the minors.
 
#4) Rhye Tyr @Plate | Halifax 21st | Canada
5'10" | 205 lbs. | TPE: 159 (+8)
For most, this will be something of a surprise - Rhye is generally projected to be one of the first two defensemen off the board, possibly mid first round; I'm not dismissing that possibility, as he's considered to be one of the better prospects in the field. Certainly, this young Canadian has the scoring and defensive chops to make that argument; he has 37 assists to his name and earns about a point per game. In recent weeks, however, scouts have suggested Tyr hasn't been improving at as rapid a rate as he was previously.
 
Does this mean Tyr is as good as he'll be against VHLM competition, or is this something more worrisome for the future? If he gets back to work, Tyr could still be a first-round/early second-round pick.
 
#5) Codrick Past @Kylrad | Ottawa Lynx | United Kingdom
6’0” | 190 lbs. | TPE: 133 (+38)
One of the more promising two-way defenders in the minors, Codrick Past talks and plays a big game. He recently announced his preferences for draft destinations, but importantly showed that the choice of General Manager (and fantasy league results, heh) are moreimportant than current team success for him. He also recently accused some fellow VHLMers of doping.
 
On the ice, he’s shown to be an excellent passer (48 assists in 44 games) and a pretty good defender (83 hits & shot blocks) through his 44 games; he’s anchored an otherwise talent-depleted Ottawa Lynx defense and could go as early as the late second round for GMs in need.
 
#6) Rusty Shackleford @K1NG LINUS | Saskatoon Wild | United States
6’5” | 225 lbs. | TPE: 121 (+51)
Rounding out our top five is an actual steak-and-pulled-pork-eating, PBR/Bulleit Bourbon-drinking cowboy’s son in Rusty Shackleford. He brings his tough Texas attitude to the ice, where he’s the closest thing to an enforcer this class has; like Garcia, he has an abundance of hits (126), blocked shots (79), and penalty minutes (94).
 
Some scouts make an argument that Shackleford may actually be worth taking as high as the early third round; he’s improved quickly and has similar upside to many of the defenders higher up in this list, but simply had a later start (first TPE added in week ending March 3rd)
 
#7) Andreas Sundell @VisualDarkness | Minnesota Storm | TPE: 120 (+38) | Playmaking Defenseman (SK, DF, PH)
Sundell has a solid chance of breaking into the mid or early fourth round for the astute GM. He’ll get a chance on the big stage with fellow Euro Codrick Past as a part of Team Europe in the World Junior Championship before you know it. Doesn’t get a lot of chances to contribute points-wise due to limited minutes, but does generate a good number of hits and blocked shots. He has to share ice-time with four or five competent defenders, some from last season’s VHL Entry Draft – so the stats don’t say everything with this promising Swede.
 
#8) Cody Parkey @SaltyTalty| Saskatoon Wild |TPE: 103 (+62) | Playmaking Defenseman (DF, PA, SC)
Parkey is a solid defender with lots of scoring potential (65 passing, 55 scoring); currently projected as a 5th-rounder but has breakout potential and may go early in the fourth or even in the third. Produces plenty of hits; has only played in 36 games this season. Has an excellent +15, and is a relatively young player (created week of 3/3)
 
#9) Edward Vigneault @Patpou22 | Halifax 21st |TPE: 105 (+46) | Playmaking Defenseman (SK, DF, PA)
Like Parkey, Vigneault is a younger player (34 games played) but has slightly better defensive stats (57 hits, 53 shots blocked). Has shown high-quality passing ability on top of defensive fundamentals. Currently sitting behind S64 draftee Basaraba Moose and Rhye Tyr, but has better draft stock than the latter due to recent improvement, per scouts. Like many of his colleagues, will likely need to spend another half or full season in the VHL before any ice time with the pros.
 
#10) Dwin Championship @Award97 | Saskatoon Wild | TPE: 78 (+41) | Offensive Defenseman (PA, SK, SC)
Dwin is a strange defenseman, with subpar defensive technical skills but a good eye for passing lanes. Primary strength right now is finding high-quality assists and laying out hits. Like most of our defensemen ranked 5th or lower, Championship shares ice time with other defensemen in his class (Parkey, Shackleford) and hasn’t gotten much of a chance to shine yet.
 
#11) Beau Buefordsson @Radcow | TPE: 89 (+28) | Defender (DF, SK)
Beau is one of the few defense-first defenders in the draft, but he has shown smooth skating and glimpses of scoring potential in recent games. At this point, he’s a bit difficult to evaluate due to limited ice time and his rawness as a prospect - but pro teams looking for some depth at defenseman will find a solid pick in Buefordsson.
 
Honorable Mentions
#12) Papa Gage
#13) Samuel Sparrow
#14) Duncan Jeffers
#15) Richard Hejtsel
#16) Anthony Amberback
#17) Srraxxarrakex II
#18) Finn Theismann
 
[author note: excluded my player so as to avoid some bias]
 
Where Are the Defensemen?
Last season’s (i.e. S65's) Week Two Draft Rankings by @McWolf showed a much different picture than S66’s class: three defensemen in the top four prospects and six in the top twelve actually demonstrated a defense-dominant class. Wings were virtually nowhere to be found – with the first showing up at rank 13 (but centers were abundant through the top half of the class). Is this class's top 20 normal variance, or is it something more?
 
1) Is there a need for defensemen?
One possible explanation for the lack of high-TPE defensemen is that the professional league has enough. After all, if the league is saturated, veteran player builders wouldn’t want to sit behind players 4-5 seasons into their career for their first several seasons. Similarly, if there are a high number of excellent prospects sitting in the VHLM waiting for a chance to start, S66 draftees may need to wait a while before getting any significant ice time.
 

 
As shown above, there hasn’t been significant variance in defensemen among the top 20 prospects (until this season), though it is worth noting that the increase in LWs may be because of a limited wing class last season. Their distribution is important, too - with players like Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen, Dallas Jones, and Brady Stropko Jr. (in a class dominated by defensemen) all projected in the first round, veteran players might have just decided that there are too many S65 draftees just ahead of them.
 
More important, however, is the availability of defensemen to major league teams. Ideally, teams should be able to sport two lines’ worth of capable defenders – or have the means to replace them. Consider how many teams needed to worry about their future or depth in defense last season. Some GMs may have placed their hopes of fielding a good defense on this draft, but relatively few teams (Helsinki, Riga, and to some extent HC Davos, Riga, and New York) have a defensive corps worth talking about. Riga in particular has an excellent defensive lineup and future, with 4 active major leaguers and 4 active prospects to which they have the rights.
 
If teams want to field two complete lines of defensemen, there’s clearly a need – so maybe we need to diversify our search or have GMs reach further down these deep draft ranks for depth at defense.
 
2) Is there motivation to make defensemen?
A few VHL.com articles, Media Spots, statuses, and league chatter (Discord) conversations suggest that a lack of defensive stats may drive (1) members to make non-defensive players and (2) defensive players to be built as two-way, or even offensive players. The predominant build is a high Defense attribute with Passing, Scoring, and Skating; depending on the build, Puck Handling and (more rarely) Checking is seen on defensemen.
 
Let’s take Calgary’s defensemen as an example. Lando Baxter @Elhandon, the team’s highest-rated defender, has exceptional skating, roughly 85 Puck Handling, Defense, and Passing, and 75 Scoring. Their other defenders Dallas Jones @Trifecta and Elasmobranch Fish @Sharkstrong both have about 75 Scoring; Jones is very balanced between scoring, playmaking, and defense, while Fish is a bit more defensively oriented (90 DF, 80 PH, 60 CK) but still possesses average passing and scoring. In fact, among all players on the Wranglers, the lowest Scoring attribute is 73; only one player has Checking above the first TP threshold (70).
 
Even last year’s champions, the Toronto Legion, started two defensemen with 90+ scoring – each within one point of their defense (Tzuyu @tfong and Robert Malenko @pennypenny), and neither of which invested heavily in checking (40 and 50, respectively). These builds (and builders – looking at you, tfong <3) are so successful that the Best Defenseman trophy was split in three several seasons ago – producing the Jake Wylde, Alexander Valiq, and Sterling Labatte trophies for best defensive, offensive, and overall defenseman, respectively. Furthermore, the last defenseman to earn either of the Scotty Campbell or Brett Slobodzian trophies was Guntis Petenis (who earned both) in S54. Before that, Daniel Braxton took home the Slobodzian trophy in S27, and we have to dig to S20 until Patrick Bergqvist, the second-to-last defenseman recipient of the Campbell trophy.
 
In an offense-driven league, however, a lack of defensive MVPs/MOPs seems like a given. Importantly, diversity in defense builds is just as important as diversity in forward archetypes. On top of that, defensemen have three position-specific awards and equal representation (due to lower player population & fewer positions for defensemen on teams), and we had  high-quality defense in the S65 draft, so we have to ask...
 
3) Is scarcity of defensemen in S66's draft even a problem in the first place?
Ultimately, providing some arbitrary, undeserved impetus (e.g. extra TPE, overrepresentation in awards or All-Star teams) to make defensemen would be an overreaction – and if there is a scarcity of defensemen, GMs are much more likely to value high-quality players at this position anyway. For new and old players alike, the most important quality is staying power: will users stick around long enough for their players to see continued success? Is it even reasonable for every team to field a high-quality D1 pair? Artificially overpopulating the pool of D-men will make those users who only want to make defensemen less likely to stick around, and possibly make veterans who would otherwise make forwards enjoy their time in the VHL less.
 
So I ask @VHLM GM and @VHL GM – is this draft's lack of high-TPE defensemen a problem? Does the strength of defense in the S65 draft compensate for this offense-dominated draft?
 
Maybe most relevantly -- who's your top pick on defense, and where do you think they'll go?
 
Also tagged here: @PapaGage, @Birdman, @Tophdaddy, @hejta, @Oost, @flan, @StaticShocked
[Length >2,000 words; I'd like to use this MS for 4/14, and will claim others after the turn of the season. Am I allowed to do this?]

I didn't even know this was a thing! Thanks Shark!

Week/Month Start Day End Day Competition First Game Last Game RAND GAME RAND COM User Prize MAR 4 18/03/19 24/03/19 VHL 135 187 151 1 @Quik 3 Uncapped MAR 4 18/03/19 24/03/19 VHLM 120 164 161 1 @Renomitsu 3 Uncapped  
Proof:
 

42 saves on 44 shots? Hoo boy, I had a workload today!

The Halifax 21st have been the top seeded team in the VHLM almost all season long after starting out with a 2-2 record. Their GM decided to bolster their depth recently by trading away a few picks in exchange for some solid rental players.
 
Here was the trade:
 
Halifax receives:
Edward Vigneault
Jet Jaguar
S66 PHI 3rd
S66 PHI 6th
 
Philadelphia receives:
S66 HFX 1st
S66 HFX 4th
S67 HFX 1st
 
 
Philadelphia currently sits in last place at 25 points so this trade makes a lot of sense for both teams. Halifax definitely could use all the depth they can get if they want to finally win their first founders cup in franchise history after losing in both finals appearances they’ve previously been in. 
 
Jet Jaguar - C/W 174 TPE @gorlab
 
Jet has been one of the highest weekly TPE earners as of late with the last three weeks earning 20, 25, and 19 TPE. This guy will definitely hit 200 by the time playoffs roll around. He’s been playing second line center with Gaudette and Edvin on his wing. He has 27 points in 34 games played, so he’s not the top producer in the league but still has lots of room to grow before the end of the season.
 
Edward Vigneault - D 99 TPE @Patpou22
 
Edward is fairly new to the VHLM as his first claim was only 3 weeks ago but has been a pretty active player in his short time here. He managed to accumulate 24 TPE last week alone and will continue to grow right through the playoffs. He’s currently sitting on second and third line defense making up about 40% of the ice time. He’s definitely not an offensive powerhouse as he only has 9 points this season but being 6’6 and 240LBs he definitely makes his presence known with his 43 hits and 34 blocked shots. 
 
Along with the two solid players for Halifax, they also received a S66 3rd and 6th round pick. This is good extra addition to add to hefty price tag and gives a small amount of value to retain after this season.
 
 
Onto Philadelphia, with only 10 wins in 36 games played they are the definition of a selling team. As an expansion team in their first season they’ve struggled to put up wins night after night. Trading away two of their better players and adding two first round draft picks as well as a fourth will definitely help them grow their team for the future. Splitting the picks with S66 and S67 is a benefit and a curse. Having the two seasons ensures that you’re not putting all your eggs in one basket which is good if there is a weak draft class. The S66 pick is definitely going to be one of last of the first round but the S67 could possibly prove to be good value for the Reapers given Halifax could lose quite a bit of their roster to the VHL this off season. Overall it’s a good gamble to take on Blade’s part and is a fair trade on both sides. It’s yet to be determined who won this trade but as of right now it feels even given both teams filled needs and gave up things they don’t need at the moment.

Lots of goals in this one. GG Yukon!

S16 Draft represent

Currently in med school, but figured I'd try making a comeback for nostalgia's sake. Can't be as active as before (for obvious reasons), but here's to hoping I can make a positive second first impression, hah.
 
What's new?

Saskatoon Wild Scouting Center, Saskatchewan – Hunter Hearst Helmsley. Shane Mars. Kari Jurri.
 
Long ago, the four nations lived toge – uh, wrong intro. My bad.
 
These three prospects are ostensibly the most talented and highly-sought after players in a draft that is nearly (if not already) 90 players deep.  As expected, they (among maybe a half-dozen other prospects) have received plenty of airtime and speculation: we’re used to hearing the pro comparisons and possible career trajectories, fans clamoring for lower-ranked teams to ‘tank’ their season to get the next most valuable prospect, and so on.
 
To put this in perspective – the last several dispersal drafts have had between forty and seventy draftees; aside from last season’s dispersal (67 players) the next most comparable was a 51-man dispersal ten seasons ago, in Season 56’s draft. When compared with Entry drafts, it’s still potentially the largest field of selectable players in recent history.
 
The lowest TPE pick from S65’s entry draft was Billy Kimber, the thirty-first (although not the last) overall pick of the draft, who had 32 TPE with the season’s live draft rankings; there are 87 players this season with at least that many points waiting for their chance at the pros. Overall, the Season 65 draft had 38 drafted players – this season’s pool would have half of its players go entirely undrafted if the same were to happen this season.
 
Make no mistake – recruiters have been putting in their work and it’s been paying off. But because this season’s draft pool is so apparently deep, players with the potential to make it as World Juniors, World Cup players, or first-round fantasy picks may go without being mentioned until draft time.
 
“We’ve got enough first-round quality wings alone to make up most Entry drafts by themselves,” one anonymous scout commented at a Week 2 VHLM game, “Mars and Jurri are the obvious, but Aaltonen, Volosenkov, Freeman, Sigurdsson, Jagr, Meyers…”
 
“That would have been your average first round in most previous entry drafts. This year? Those are just the top eight prospects between two positions.”
 
General Managers and AGMs make it their job to look into each year’s eligible player list – so let’s take the dive for ourselves and try to find a few hidden gems, why don't we?
 
Inclusion Criteria
(1) S66 Draft Class; currently included in @Tagger‘s most recent Scouting Center rankings.
(2) As of the Week 2 VHLSC rankings, currently ranked below rank 20 (based strictly on TPE, likely to be drafted in Round 3 or later of the current draft)
(3) Early bird gets the worm – draftees with large TPE claims this week will be more highly considered. Last three weeks’ TPE gain will be the main inclusion criterion.
(NOTE – some of these TPEs may be reported several hours before article posting, and may not match current TPEs)
 

 
D Jerry Garcia – Houston Bulls
Current Projection – Mid-Late 3rd Round (23/88)
TPE – 144 (+56 after 3/3)
Garcia is a hybrid of the old-school defensive defenseman with a new-school prototypical skillset. He’s one of the more skilled defenders on a VHLM roster, with the ability to make it to loose pucks and stop many forwards in their tracks. In recent weeks, he’s been hitting the gym and working on his playmaking skills, but he’s still certainly most effective on his team’s half of the ice. The defenseman’s agent (@GustavMattias) has experience in a number of arenas – the most recent being a stint as Team Asia’s World Juniors GM. He’s been cited as an “incredible force for good” in the locker room by his own GM, and one of the prominent voices interfacing with the media for his minor league squad.
 
Perhaps most importantly, Garcia has been putting in plenty of work on the ice and in the gym; many scouts have noted diversification in the defender’s skills in the last couple of weeks alone. His plethora of proficiencies leave him most likely to continue along the defensive defenseman or enforcer route – but we’d be remiss to count out the possibility of development into a two-way defenseman. Regardless, Garcia’s rapid and recent improvement is a sign that GMs in the majors ought to take note of – he’d be a steal in the fourth round and wouldn’t be out of the question for the early third.
 
Scout’s Notes
“He’s well-rounded and is a threat on both sides of the ice because of his passing ability. Something of a black hole for errant passes and chasing the puck down after a big hit.”
“[Jerry] has a penchant for making big hits and blocking big shots. He’s probably your goalie’s best friend.”
“He played guitar for the Grateful Dead and has an ice cream flavor named after him, I mean come on.”
“If I’m a team in need of multiple positions, I’m looking to steal Garcia in the late third, or pick him for value as early as the second.”
 

ABOVE - Hans Gruber, seen here definitely not scheming.
 
C Hans Gruber – Saskatoon Wild
Current Projection – Late 3rd, early 4th round (29/88)
TPE – 125 (+46 after 3/3)
This promising young forward from Germany was traded from Philadelphia in exchange for picks just last Saturday (3/16) with teammates DWin Championship, Cody Parkey, and Brian Strong. Wild GM @Peace made the massive exchange of picks – including what may be over half of the team’s S67 dispersal selections – for a chance to win now.
 
Some suggest Gruber’s something of a grinder or playmaker – and this early in his career, he could probably opt to go either way. It’s hard to pick out one specific strength for the winger, who has shown glimpses of excellence in defense and puck handling in addition to the positional mainstays of passing and scoring. In 34 games in the minors, he’s accumulated 6 goals in 68 shots, and a total of 24 points. He’s presently second on the depth chart – which means he’s quite likely to run into other more-developed forwards and defensemen whenever he’s on the ice. Though his performance does not yet top the league, the Wild GM can rest easy: the young German scored an overtime-winning goal just earlier today in one of his first games with the team.
 
Scout’s Notes
“Sure, I see why he could be easy to sleep on. Plus-minus isn’t too flashy – but take a look at his last couple of games and tell me he can’t at least hold his own with the best.”
“That screamer to clinch today’s game against the Reapers should at least catch your eye.”
“Didn’t this guy steal like $640,000,000 or something?”
 

ABOVE - Clayton Park playing goalie for the Vienna Thunder, Midget AAA team (per biography)
 
G Clayton Park – Yukon Rush
Accolades – 1x WJC Team World (S65)
Current Projection – Early 4th round (32/88)
TPE – 119 (+68 after 3/3)
Buried underneath the (well-deserved) hype for Kandee Cain (@SlashACM) and Owen May (@FacebookFighter) is Austrian netminder Clayton Park, a top-four prospect for this season’s draft. Taken 49th overall (7th round) in the S65 Dispersal Draft, Clayton has stepped up his game considerably and may merit consideration for a pick as high as the early third round depending on how the rest of this season plays out.
 
He sits only behind the newly-reinforced Juan Jaundice in shots against but has managed an 86.6% save percentage in spite of the volume of shots against him, good for third in the minors behind the aforementioned Cain (89.2%) and S65 New York draftee Chase (90.0%). He’s currently in the bottom half of the table for goals allowed (3.39) – but many scouts believe that’s simply a function of the number of shots he’s had to defend this season. Park takes on the style of a classic butterfly goalie; though slightly undersized at 5’ 10” and just 150 lbs. (68 kg), Park has shown solid reaction time, positioning, and rebound control.
 
And don’t worry, even when he’s not playing hockey he finds a way to keep in the cold: he has a long history of downhill skiing in his free time.
 
Scout’s Notes
“Second-best butterfly goalie behind Cain… probably won’t see a ton of ice time in the pros next season but has potential through the roof.”
“Excellent support system, a lengthy history on the ice; if he sticks around he could be pretty good.”
“Clayton Park, eh? You talkin’ ‘boot the one in Halifax?
 

 
RW Mat Tocco – Philadelphia Reapers
Current Projection – Early 6th Round (43/88)
TPE – 98 (+68 since 3/3)
We’re fourteen games (sort of) into the young career of Czech/Italian forward Mat Tocco, and in spite of limited ice time (19.7 mpg, 67th in the minors) he’s racked up a nice plus-minus of +9 with 9 points – not too shabby for a brand-new entry. He has elements of the prototypical sniper-style forward, but with a nice added bonus of being able to skate around slower defenders. As with many of the prospects on the board thus far, Tocco is very moldable – but his strengths right now are mobility and scoring.
 
Though he’s recently had to move to the States, Tocco comes from humble origins. Born of an Italian immigrant and a butcher’s daughter, he’s proven throughout his life that hard work is just part of the process for him; his rapid improvement on the ice over the last few weeks certainly corroborates that. He faces an uphill battle, with nearly twenty wingers above him on most draft boards. If his past is any indicator, however, he’s ready for the test.
 
Scout’s Notes
 “Pretty raw, but the scoring potential is there. We can always use another high-quality sniper in the league; the sky’s the limit for him.”
“Built like a brick sh*thouse for a guy his height. Not surprising to see the number of hits he’s laid out so far.”
“Glad to see all of his hard work pay off. Seems like he’s in for the long haul.”
“I’d like to see a GM reach a little for him. Might not be out of the question to see him late third, early fourth round by the time all’s said and done. Guys that improve as fast as him go on to either have damn good careers or flame out.”
 
Other unlinked references in this article: @Sonnet, @TheFlash, @leafssteen, @Matmenzinger
 
[if possible, I'd like to use this for three weeks' worth of media spots (weeks ending 3/24, 3/31, and 4/7); currently sitting just under 1,700 words.]

Love the attention for Garcia! Can't wait to get drafted.

Saskatoon Wild Scouting Center, Saskatchewan – Hunter Hearst Helmsley. Shane Mars. Kari Jurri.
 
Long ago, the four nations lived toge – uh, wrong intro. My bad.
 
These three prospects are ostensibly the most talented and highly-sought after players in a draft that is nearly (if not already) 90 players deep.  As expected, they (among maybe a half-dozen other prospects) have received plenty of airtime and speculation: we’re used to hearing the pro comparisons and possible career trajectories, fans clamoring for lower-ranked teams to ‘tank’ their season to get the next most valuable prospect, and so on.
 
To put this in perspective – the last several dispersal drafts have had between forty and seventy draftees; aside from last season’s dispersal (67 players) the next most comparable was a 51-man dispersal ten seasons ago, in Season 56’s draft. When compared with Entry drafts, it’s still potentially the largest field of selectable players in recent history.
 
The lowest TPE pick from S65’s entry draft was Billy Kimber, the thirty-first (although not the last) overall pick of the draft, who had 32 TPE with the season’s live draft rankings; there are 87 players this season with at least that many points waiting for their chance at the pros. Overall, the Season 65 draft had 38 drafted players – this season’s pool would have half of its players go entirely undrafted if the same were to happen this season.
 
Make no mistake – recruiters have been putting in their work and it’s been paying off. But because this season’s draft pool is so apparently deep, players with the potential to make it as World Juniors, World Cup players, or first-round fantasy picks may go without being mentioned until draft time.
 
“We’ve got enough first-round quality wings alone to make up most Entry drafts by themselves,” one anonymous scout commented at a Week 2 VHLM game, “Mars and Jurri are the obvious, but Aaltonen, Volosenkov, Freeman, Sigurdsson, Jagr, Meyers…”
 
“That would have been your average first round in most previous entry drafts. This year? Those are just the top eight prospects between two positions.”
 
General Managers and AGMs make it their job to look into each year’s eligible player list – so let’s take the dive for ourselves and try to find a few hidden gems, why don't we?
 
Inclusion Criteria
(1) S66 Draft Class; currently included in @Tagger‘s most recent Scouting Center rankings.
(2) As of the Week 2 VHLSC rankings, currently ranked below rank 20 (based strictly on TPE, likely to be drafted in Round 3 or later of the current draft)
(3) Early bird gets the worm – draftees with large TPE claims this week will be more highly considered. Last three weeks’ TPE gain will be the main inclusion criterion.
(NOTE – some of these TPEs may be reported several hours before article posting, and may not match current TPEs)
 

 
D Jerry Garcia – Houston Bulls
Current Projection – Mid-Late 3rd Round (23/88)
TPE – 144 (+56 after 3/3)
Garcia is a hybrid of the old-school defensive defenseman with a new-school prototypical skillset. He’s one of the more skilled defenders on a VHLM roster, with the ability to make it to loose pucks and stop many forwards in their tracks. In recent weeks, he’s been hitting the gym and working on his playmaking skills, but he’s still certainly most effective on his team’s half of the ice. The defenseman’s agent (@GustavMattias) has experience in a number of arenas – the most recent being a stint as Team Asia’s World Juniors GM. He’s been cited as an “incredible force for good” in the locker room by his own GM, and one of the prominent voices interfacing with the media for his minor league squad.
 
Perhaps most importantly, Garcia has been putting in plenty of work on the ice and in the gym; many scouts have noted diversification in the defender’s skills in the last couple of weeks alone. His plethora of proficiencies leave him most likely to continue along the defensive defenseman or enforcer route – but we’d be remiss to count out the possibility of development into a two-way defenseman. Regardless, Garcia’s rapid and recent improvement is a sign that GMs in the majors ought to take note of – he’d be a steal in the fourth round and wouldn’t be out of the question for the early third.
 
Scout’s Notes
“He’s well-rounded and is a threat on both sides of the ice because of his passing ability. Something of a black hole for errant passes and chasing the puck down after a big hit.”
“[Jerry] has a penchant for making big hits and blocking big shots. He’s probably your goalie’s best friend.”
“He played guitar for the Grateful Dead and has an ice cream flavor named after him, I mean come on.”
“If I’m a team in need of multiple positions, I’m looking to steal Garcia in the late third, or pick him for value as early as the second.”
 

ABOVE - Hans Gruber, seen here definitely not scheming.
 
C Hans Gruber – Saskatoon Wild
Current Projection – Late 3rd, early 4th round (29/88)
TPE – 125 (+46 after 3/3)
This promising young forward from Germany was traded from Philadelphia in exchange for picks just last Saturday (3/16) with teammates DWin Championship, Cody Parkey, and Brian Strong. Wild GM @Peace made the massive exchange of picks – including what may be over half of the team’s S67 dispersal selections – for a chance to win now.
 
Some suggest Gruber’s something of a grinder or playmaker – and this early in his career, he could probably opt to go either way. It’s hard to pick out one specific strength for the winger, who has shown glimpses of excellence in defense and puck handling in addition to the positional mainstays of passing and scoring. In 34 games in the minors, he’s accumulated 6 goals in 68 shots, and a total of 24 points. He’s presently second on the depth chart – which means he’s quite likely to run into other more-developed forwards and defensemen whenever he’s on the ice. Though his performance does not yet top the league, the Wild GM can rest easy: the young German scored an overtime-winning goal just earlier today in one of his first games with the team.
 
Scout’s Notes
“Sure, I see why he could be easy to sleep on. Plus-minus isn’t too flashy – but take a look at his last couple of games and tell me he can’t at least hold his own with the best.”
“That screamer to clinch today’s game against the Reapers should at least catch your eye.”
“Didn’t this guy steal like $640,000,000 or something?”
 

ABOVE - Clayton Park playing goalie for the Vienna Thunder, Midget AAA team (per biography)
 
G Clayton Park – Yukon Rush
Accolades – 1x WJC Team World (S65)
Current Projection – Early 4th round (32/88)
TPE – 119 (+68 after 3/3)
Buried underneath the (well-deserved) hype for Kandee Cain (@SlashACM) and Owen May (@FacebookFighter) is Austrian netminder Clayton Park, a top-four prospect for this season’s draft. Taken 49th overall (7th round) in the S65 Dispersal Draft, Clayton has stepped up his game considerably and may merit consideration for a pick as high as the early third round depending on how the rest of this season plays out.
 
He sits only behind the newly-reinforced Juan Jaundice in shots against but has managed an 86.6% save percentage in spite of the volume of shots against him, good for third in the minors behind the aforementioned Cain (89.2%) and S65 New York draftee Chase (90.0%). He’s currently in the bottom half of the table for goals allowed (3.39) – but many scouts believe that’s simply a function of the number of shots he’s had to defend this season. Park takes on the style of a classic butterfly goalie; though slightly undersized at 5’ 10” and just 150 lbs. (68 kg), Park has shown solid reaction time, positioning, and rebound control.
 
And don’t worry, even when he’s not playing hockey he finds a way to keep in the cold: he has a long history of downhill skiing in his free time.
 
Scout’s Notes
“Second-best butterfly goalie behind Cain… probably won’t see a ton of ice time in the pros next season but has potential through the roof.”
“Excellent support system, a lengthy history on the ice; if he sticks around he could be pretty good.”
“Clayton Park, eh? You talkin’ ‘boot the one in Halifax?
 

 
RW Mat Tocco – Philadelphia Reapers
Current Projection – Early 6th Round (43/88)
TPE – 98 (+68 since 3/3)
We’re fourteen games (sort of) into the young career of Czech/Italian forward Mat Tocco, and in spite of limited ice time (19.7 mpg, 67th in the minors) he’s racked up a nice plus-minus of +9 with 9 points – not too shabby for a brand-new entry. He has elements of the prototypical sniper-style forward, but with a nice added bonus of being able to skate around slower defenders. As with many of the prospects on the board thus far, Tocco is very moldable – but his strengths right now are mobility and scoring.
 
Though he’s recently had to move to the States, Tocco comes from humble origins. Born of an Italian immigrant and a butcher’s daughter, he’s proven throughout his life that hard work is just part of the process for him; his rapid improvement on the ice over the last few weeks certainly corroborates that. He faces an uphill battle, with nearly twenty wingers above him on most draft boards. If his past is any indicator, however, he’s ready for the test.
 
Scout’s Notes
 “Pretty raw, but the scoring potential is there. We can always use another high-quality sniper in the league; the sky’s the limit for him.”
“Built like a brick sh*thouse for a guy his height. Not surprising to see the number of hits he’s laid out so far.”
“Glad to see all of his hard work pay off. Seems like he’s in for the long haul.”
“I’d like to see a GM reach a little for him. Might not be out of the question to see him late third, early fourth round by the time all’s said and done. Guys that improve as fast as him go on to either have damn good careers or flame out.”
 
Other unlinked references in this article: @Sonnet, @TheFlash, @leafssteen, @Matmenzinger
 
[if possible, I'd like to use this for three weeks' worth of media spots (weeks ending 3/24, 3/31, and 4/7); currently sitting just under 1,700 words.]

Saskatoon Wild Scouting Center, Saskatchewan – Hunter Hearst Helmsley. Shane Mars. Kari Jurri.
 
Long ago, the four nations lived toge – uh, wrong intro. My bad.
 
These three prospects are ostensibly the most talented and highly-sought after players in a draft that is nearly (if not already) 90 players deep.  As expected, they (among maybe a half-dozen other prospects) have received plenty of airtime and speculation: we’re used to hearing the pro comparisons and possible career trajectories, fans clamoring for lower-ranked teams to ‘tank’ their season to get the next most valuable prospect, and so on.
 
To put this in perspective – the last several dispersal drafts have had between forty and seventy draftees; aside from last season’s dispersal (67 players) the next most comparable was a 51-man dispersal ten seasons ago, in Season 56’s draft. When compared with Entry drafts, it’s still potentially the largest field of selectable players in recent history.
 
The lowest TPE pick from S65’s entry draft was Billy Kimber, the thirty-first (although not the last) overall pick of the draft, who had 32 TPE with the season’s live draft rankings; there are 87 players this season with at least that many points waiting for their chance at the pros. Overall, the Season 65 draft had 38 drafted players – this season’s pool would have half of its players go entirely undrafted if the same were to happen this season.
 
Make no mistake – recruiters have been putting in their work and it’s been paying off. But because this season’s draft pool is so apparently deep, players with the potential to make it as World Juniors, World Cup players, or first-round fantasy picks may go without being mentioned until draft time.
 
“We’ve got enough first-round quality wings alone to make up most Entry drafts by themselves,” one anonymous scout commented at a Week 2 VHLM game, “Mars and Jurri are the obvious, but Aaltonen, Volosenkov, Freeman, Sigurdsson, Jagr, Meyers…”
 
“That would have been your average first round in most previous entry drafts. This year? Those are just the top eight prospects between two positions.”
 
General Managers and AGMs make it their job to look into each year’s eligible player list – so let’s take the dive for ourselves and try to find a few hidden gems, why don't we?
 
Inclusion Criteria
(1) S66 Draft Class; currently included in @Tagger‘s most recent Scouting Center rankings.
(2) As of the Week 2 VHLSC rankings, currently ranked below rank 20 (based strictly on TPE, likely to be drafted in Round 3 or later of the current draft)
(3) Early bird gets the worm – draftees with large TPE claims this week will be more highly considered. Last three weeks’ TPE gain will be the main inclusion criterion.
(NOTE – some of these TPEs may be reported several hours before article posting, and may not match current TPEs)
 

 
D Jerry Garcia – Houston Bulls
Current Projection – Mid-Late 3rd Round (23/88)
TPE – 144 (+56 after 3/3)
Garcia is a hybrid of the old-school defensive defenseman with a new-school prototypical skillset. He’s one of the more skilled defenders on a VHLM roster, with the ability to make it to loose pucks and stop many forwards in their tracks. In recent weeks, he’s been hitting the gym and working on his playmaking skills, but he’s still certainly most effective on his team’s half of the ice. The defenseman’s agent (@GustavMattias) has experience in a number of arenas – the most recent being a stint as Team Asia’s World Juniors GM. He’s been cited as an “incredible force for good” in the locker room by his own GM, and one of the prominent voices interfacing with the media for his minor league squad.
 
Perhaps most importantly, Garcia has been putting in plenty of work on the ice and in the gym; many scouts have noted diversification in the defender’s skills in the last couple of weeks alone. His plethora of proficiencies leave him most likely to continue along the defensive defenseman or enforcer route – but we’d be remiss to count out the possibility of development into a two-way defenseman. Regardless, Garcia’s rapid and recent improvement is a sign that GMs in the majors ought to take note of – he’d be a steal in the fourth round and wouldn’t be out of the question for the early third.
 
Scout’s Notes
“He’s well-rounded and is a threat on both sides of the ice because of his passing ability. Something of a black hole for errant passes and chasing the puck down after a big hit.”
“[Jerry] has a penchant for making big hits and blocking big shots. He’s probably your goalie’s best friend.”
“He played guitar for the Grateful Dead and has an ice cream flavor named after him, I mean come on.”
“If I’m a team in need of multiple positions, I’m looking to steal Garcia in the late third, or pick him for value as early as the second.”
 

ABOVE - Hans Gruber, seen here definitely not scheming.
 
C Hans Gruber – Saskatoon Wild
Current Projection – Late 3rd, early 4th round (29/88)
TPE – 125 (+46 after 3/3)
This promising young forward from Germany was traded from Philadelphia in exchange for picks just last Saturday (3/16) with teammates DWin Championship, Cody Parkey, and Brian Strong. Wild GM @Peace made the massive exchange of picks – including what may be over half of the team’s S67 dispersal selections – for a chance to win now.
 
Some suggest Gruber’s something of a grinder or playmaker – and this early in his career, he could probably opt to go either way. It’s hard to pick out one specific strength for the winger, who has shown glimpses of excellence in defense and puck handling in addition to the positional mainstays of passing and scoring. In 34 games in the minors, he’s accumulated 6 goals in 68 shots, and a total of 24 points. He’s presently second on the depth chart – which means he’s quite likely to run into other more-developed forwards and defensemen whenever he’s on the ice. Though his performance does not yet top the league, the Wild GM can rest easy: the young German scored an overtime-winning goal just earlier today in one of his first games with the team.
 
Scout’s Notes
“Sure, I see why he could be easy to sleep on. Plus-minus isn’t too flashy – but take a look at his last couple of games and tell me he can’t at least hold his own with the best.”
“That screamer to clinch today’s game against the Reapers should at least catch your eye.”
“Didn’t this guy steal like $640,000,000 or something?”
 

ABOVE - Clayton Park playing goalie for the Vienna Thunder, Midget AAA team (per biography)
 
G Clayton Park – Yukon Rush
Accolades – 1x WJC Team World (S65)
Current Projection – Early 4th round (32/88)
TPE – 119 (+68 after 3/3)
Buried underneath the (well-deserved) hype for Kandee Cain (@SlashACM) and Owen May (@FacebookFighter) is Austrian netminder Clayton Park, a top-four prospect for this season’s draft. Taken 49th overall (7th round) in the S65 Dispersal Draft, Clayton has stepped up his game considerably and may merit consideration for a pick as high as the early third round depending on how the rest of this season plays out.
 
He sits only behind the newly-reinforced Juan Jaundice in shots against but has managed an 86.6% save percentage in spite of the volume of shots against him, good for third in the minors behind the aforementioned Cain (89.2%) and S65 New York draftee Chase (90.0%). He’s currently in the bottom half of the table for goals allowed (3.39) – but many scouts believe that’s simply a function of the number of shots he’s had to defend this season. Park takes on the style of a classic butterfly goalie; though slightly undersized at 5’ 10” and just 150 lbs. (68 kg), Park has shown solid reaction time, positioning, and rebound control.
 
And don’t worry, even when he’s not playing hockey he finds a way to keep in the cold: he has a long history of downhill skiing in his free time.
 
Scout’s Notes
“Second-best butterfly goalie behind Cain… probably won’t see a ton of ice time in the pros next season but has potential through the roof.”
“Excellent support system, a lengthy history on the ice; if he sticks around he could be pretty good.”
“Clayton Park, eh? You talkin’ ‘boot the one in Halifax?
 

 
RW Mat Tocco – Philadelphia Reapers
Current Projection – Early 6th Round (43/88)
TPE – 98 (+68 since 3/3)
We’re fourteen games (sort of) into the young career of Czech/Italian forward Mat Tocco, and in spite of limited ice time (19.7 mpg, 67th in the minors) he’s racked up a nice plus-minus of +9 with 9 points – not too shabby for a brand-new entry. He has elements of the prototypical sniper-style forward, but with a nice added bonus of being able to skate around slower defenders. As with many of the prospects on the board thus far, Tocco is very moldable – but his strengths right now are mobility and scoring.
 
Though he’s recently had to move to the States, Tocco comes from humble origins. Born of an Italian immigrant and a butcher’s daughter, he’s proven throughout his life that hard work is just part of the process for him; his rapid improvement on the ice over the last few weeks certainly corroborates that. He faces an uphill battle, with nearly twenty wingers above him on most draft boards. If his past is any indicator, however, he’s ready for the test.
 
Scout’s Notes
 “Pretty raw, but the scoring potential is there. We can always use another high-quality sniper in the league; the sky’s the limit for him.”
“Built like a brick sh*thouse for a guy his height. Not surprising to see the number of hits he’s laid out so far.”
“Glad to see all of his hard work pay off. Seems like he’s in for the long haul.”
“I’d like to see a GM reach a little for him. Might not be out of the question to see him late third, early fourth round by the time all’s said and done. Guys that improve as fast as him go on to either have damn good careers or flame out.”
 
Other unlinked references in this article: @Sonnet, @TheFlash, @leafssteen, @Matmenzinger
 
[if possible, I'd like to use this for three weeks' worth of media spots (weeks ending 3/24, 3/31, and 4/7); currently sitting just under 1,700 words.]

Saskatoon Wild Scouting Center, Saskatchewan – Hunter Hearst Helmsley. Shane Mars. Kari Jurri.
 
Long ago, the four nations lived toge – uh, wrong intro. My bad.
 
These three prospects are ostensibly the most talented and highly-sought after players in a draft that is nearly (if not already) 90 players deep.  As expected, they (among maybe a half-dozen other prospects) have received plenty of airtime and speculation: we’re used to hearing the pro comparisons and possible career trajectories, fans clamoring for lower-ranked teams to ‘tank’ their season to get the next most valuable prospect, and so on.
 
To put this in perspective – the last several dispersal drafts have had between forty and seventy draftees; aside from last season’s dispersal (67 players) the next most comparable was a 51-man dispersal ten seasons ago, in Season 56’s draft. When compared with Entry drafts, it’s still potentially the largest field of selectable players in recent history.
 
The lowest TPE pick from S65’s entry draft was Billy Kimber, the thirty-first (although not the last) overall pick of the draft, who had 32 TPE with the season’s live draft rankings; there are 87 players this season with at least that many points waiting for their chance at the pros. Overall, the Season 65 draft had 38 drafted players – this season’s pool would have half of its players go entirely undrafted if the same were to happen this season.
 
Make no mistake – recruiters have been putting in their work and it’s been paying off. But because this season’s draft pool is so apparently deep, players with the potential to make it as World Juniors, World Cup players, or first-round fantasy picks may go without being mentioned until draft time.
 
“We’ve got enough first-round quality wings alone to make up most Entry drafts by themselves,” one anonymous scout commented at a Week 2 VHLM game, “Mars and Jurri are the obvious, but Aaltonen, Volosenkov, Freeman, Sigurdsson, Jagr, Meyers…”
 
“That would have been your average first round in most previous entry drafts. This year? Those are just the top eight prospects between two positions.”
 
General Managers and AGMs make it their job to look into each year’s eligible player list – so let’s take the dive for ourselves and try to find a few hidden gems, why don't we?
 
Inclusion Criteria
(1) S66 Draft Class; currently included in @Tagger‘s most recent Scouting Center rankings.
(2) As of the Week 2 VHLSC rankings, currently ranked below rank 20 (based strictly on TPE, likely to be drafted in Round 3 or later of the current draft)
(3) Early bird gets the worm – draftees with large TPE claims this week will be more highly considered. Last three weeks’ TPE gain will be the main inclusion criterion.
(NOTE – some of these TPEs may be reported several hours before article posting, and may not match current TPEs)
 

 
D Jerry Garcia – Houston Bulls
Current Projection – Mid-Late 3rd Round (23/88)
TPE – 144 (+56 after 3/3)
Garcia is a hybrid of the old-school defensive defenseman with a new-school prototypical skillset. He’s one of the more skilled defenders on a VHLM roster, with the ability to make it to loose pucks and stop many forwards in their tracks. In recent weeks, he’s been hitting the gym and working on his playmaking skills, but he’s still certainly most effective on his team’s half of the ice. The defenseman’s agent (@GustavMattias) has experience in a number of arenas – the most recent being a stint as Team Asia’s World Juniors GM. He’s been cited as an “incredible force for good” in the locker room by his own GM, and one of the prominent voices interfacing with the media for his minor league squad.
 
Perhaps most importantly, Garcia has been putting in plenty of work on the ice and in the gym; many scouts have noted diversification in the defender’s skills in the last couple of weeks alone. His plethora of proficiencies leave him most likely to continue along the defensive defenseman or enforcer route – but we’d be remiss to count out the possibility of development into a two-way defenseman. Regardless, Garcia’s rapid and recent improvement is a sign that GMs in the majors ought to take note of – he’d be a steal in the fourth round and wouldn’t be out of the question for the early third.
 
Scout’s Notes
“He’s well-rounded and is a threat on both sides of the ice because of his passing ability. Something of a black hole for errant passes and chasing the puck down after a big hit.”
“[Jerry] has a penchant for making big hits and blocking big shots. He’s probably your goalie’s best friend.”
“He played guitar for the Grateful Dead and has an ice cream flavor named after him, I mean come on.”
“If I’m a team in need of multiple positions, I’m looking to steal Garcia in the late third, or pick him for value as early as the second.”
 

ABOVE - Hans Gruber, seen here definitely not scheming.
 
C Hans Gruber – Saskatoon Wild
Current Projection – Late 3rd, early 4th round (29/88)
TPE – 125 (+46 after 3/3)
This promising young forward from Germany was traded from Philadelphia in exchange for picks just last Saturday (3/16) with teammates DWin Championship, Cody Parkey, and Brian Strong. Wild GM @Peace made the massive exchange of picks – including what may be over half of the team’s S67 dispersal selections – for a chance to win now.
 
Some suggest Gruber’s something of a grinder or playmaker – and this early in his career, he could probably opt to go either way. It’s hard to pick out one specific strength for the winger, who has shown glimpses of excellence in defense and puck handling in addition to the positional mainstays of passing and scoring. In 34 games in the minors, he’s accumulated 6 goals in 68 shots, and a total of 24 points. He’s presently second on the depth chart – which means he’s quite likely to run into other more-developed forwards and defensemen whenever he’s on the ice. Though his performance does not yet top the league, the Wild GM can rest easy: the young German scored an overtime-winning goal just earlier today in one of his first games with the team.
 
Scout’s Notes
“Sure, I see why he could be easy to sleep on. Plus-minus isn’t too flashy – but take a look at his last couple of games and tell me he can’t at least hold his own with the best.”
“That screamer to clinch today’s game against the Reapers should at least catch your eye.”
“Didn’t this guy steal like $640,000,000 or something?”
 

ABOVE - Clayton Park playing goalie for the Vienna Thunder, Midget AAA team (per biography)
 
G Clayton Park – Yukon Rush
Accolades – 1x WJC Team World (S65)
Current Projection – Early 4th round (32/88)
TPE – 119 (+68 after 3/3)
Buried underneath the (well-deserved) hype for Kandee Cain (@SlashACM) and Owen May (@FacebookFighter) is Austrian netminder Clayton Park, a top-four prospect for this season’s draft. Taken 49th overall (7th round) in the S65 Dispersal Draft, Clayton has stepped up his game considerably and may merit consideration for a pick as high as the early third round depending on how the rest of this season plays out.
 
He sits only behind the newly-reinforced Juan Jaundice in shots against but has managed an 86.6% save percentage in spite of the volume of shots against him, good for third in the minors behind the aforementioned Cain (89.2%) and S65 New York draftee Chase (90.0%). He’s currently in the bottom half of the table for goals allowed (3.39) – but many scouts believe that’s simply a function of the number of shots he’s had to defend this season. Park takes on the style of a classic butterfly goalie; though slightly undersized at 5’ 10” and just 150 lbs. (68 kg), Park has shown solid reaction time, positioning, and rebound control.
 
And don’t worry, even when he’s not playing hockey he finds a way to keep in the cold: he has a long history of downhill skiing in his free time.
 
Scout’s Notes
“Second-best butterfly goalie behind Cain… probably won’t see a ton of ice time in the pros next season but has potential through the roof.”
“Excellent support system, a lengthy history on the ice; if he sticks around he could be pretty good.”
“Clayton Park, eh? You talkin’ ‘boot the one in Halifax?
 

 
RW Mat Tocco – Philadelphia Reapers
Current Projection – Early 6th Round (43/88)
TPE – 98 (+68 since 3/3)
We’re fourteen games (sort of) into the young career of Czech/Italian forward Mat Tocco, and in spite of limited ice time (19.7 mpg, 67th in the minors) he’s racked up a nice plus-minus of +9 with 9 points – not too shabby for a brand-new entry. He has elements of the prototypical sniper-style forward, but with a nice added bonus of being able to skate around slower defenders. As with many of the prospects on the board thus far, Tocco is very moldable – but his strengths right now are mobility and scoring.
 
Though he’s recently had to move to the States, Tocco comes from humble origins. Born of an Italian immigrant and a butcher’s daughter, he’s proven throughout his life that hard work is just part of the process for him; his rapid improvement on the ice over the last few weeks certainly corroborates that. He faces an uphill battle, with nearly twenty wingers above him on most draft boards. If his past is any indicator, however, he’s ready for the test.
 
Scout’s Notes
 “Pretty raw, but the scoring potential is there. We can always use another high-quality sniper in the league; the sky’s the limit for him.”
“Built like a brick sh*thouse for a guy his height. Not surprising to see the number of hits he’s laid out so far.”
“Glad to see all of his hard work pay off. Seems like he’s in for the long haul.”
“I’d like to see a GM reach a little for him. Might not be out of the question to see him late third, early fourth round by the time all’s said and done. Guys that improve as fast as him go on to either have damn good careers or flame out.”
 
Other unlinked references in this article: @Sonnet, @TheFlash, @leafssteen, @Matmenzinger
 
[if possible, I'd like to use this for three weeks' worth of media spots (weeks ending 3/24, 3/31, and 4/7); currently sitting just under 1,700 words.]

Saskatoon Wild Scouting Center, Saskatchewan – Hunter Hearst Helmsley. Shane Mars. Kari Jurri.
 
Long ago, the four nations lived toge – uh, wrong intro. My bad.
 
These three prospects are ostensibly the most talented and highly-sought after players in a draft that is nearly (if not already) 90 players deep.  As expected, they (among maybe a half-dozen other prospects) have received plenty of airtime and speculation: we’re used to hearing the pro comparisons and possible career trajectories, fans clamoring for lower-ranked teams to ‘tank’ their season to get the next most valuable prospect, and so on.
 
To put this in perspective – the last several dispersal drafts have had between forty and seventy draftees; aside from last season’s dispersal (67 players) the next most comparable was a 51-man dispersal ten seasons ago, in Season 56’s draft. When compared with Entry drafts, it’s still potentially the largest field of selectable players in recent history.
 
The lowest TPE pick from S65’s entry draft was Billy Kimber, the thirty-first (although not the last) overall pick of the draft, who had 32 TPE with the season’s live draft rankings; there are 87 players this season with at least that many points waiting for their chance at the pros. Overall, the Season 65 draft had 38 drafted players – this season’s pool would have half of its players go entirely undrafted if the same were to happen this season.
 
Make no mistake – recruiters have been putting in their work and it’s been paying off. But because this season’s draft pool is so apparently deep, players with the potential to make it as World Juniors, World Cup players, or first-round fantasy picks may go without being mentioned until draft time.
 
“We’ve got enough first-round quality wings alone to make up most Entry drafts by themselves,” one anonymous scout commented at a Week 2 VHLM game, “Mars and Jurri are the obvious, but Aaltonen, Volosenkov, Freeman, Sigurdsson, Jagr, Meyers…”
 
“That would have been your average first round in most previous entry drafts. This year? Those are just the top eight prospects between two positions.”
 
General Managers and AGMs make it their job to look into each year’s eligible player list – so let’s take the dive for ourselves and try to find a few hidden gems, why don't we?
 
Inclusion Criteria
(1) S66 Draft Class; currently included in @Tagger‘s most recent Scouting Center rankings.
(2) As of the Week 2 VHLSC rankings, currently ranked below rank 20 (based strictly on TPE, likely to be drafted in Round 3 or later of the current draft)
(3) Early bird gets the worm – draftees with large TPE claims this week will be more highly considered. Last three weeks’ TPE gain will be the main inclusion criterion.
(NOTE – some of these TPEs may be reported several hours before article posting, and may not match current TPEs)
 

 
D Jerry Garcia – Houston Bulls
Current Projection – Mid-Late 3rd Round (23/88)
TPE – 144 (+56 after 3/3)
Garcia is a hybrid of the old-school defensive defenseman with a new-school prototypical skillset. He’s one of the more skilled defenders on a VHLM roster, with the ability to make it to loose pucks and stop many forwards in their tracks. In recent weeks, he’s been hitting the gym and working on his playmaking skills, but he’s still certainly most effective on his team’s half of the ice. The defenseman’s agent (@GustavMattias) has experience in a number of arenas – the most recent being a stint as Team Asia’s World Juniors GM. He’s been cited as an “incredible force for good” in the locker room by his own GM, and one of the prominent voices interfacing with the media for his minor league squad.
 
Perhaps most importantly, Garcia has been putting in plenty of work on the ice and in the gym; many scouts have noted diversification in the defender’s skills in the last couple of weeks alone. His plethora of proficiencies leave him most likely to continue along the defensive defenseman or enforcer route – but we’d be remiss to count out the possibility of development into a two-way defenseman. Regardless, Garcia’s rapid and recent improvement is a sign that GMs in the majors ought to take note of – he’d be a steal in the fourth round and wouldn’t be out of the question for the early third.
 
Scout’s Notes
“He’s well-rounded and is a threat on both sides of the ice because of his passing ability. Something of a black hole for errant passes and chasing the puck down after a big hit.”
“[Jerry] has a penchant for making big hits and blocking big shots. He’s probably your goalie’s best friend.”
“He played guitar for the Grateful Dead and has an ice cream flavor named after him, I mean come on.”
“If I’m a team in need of multiple positions, I’m looking to steal Garcia in the late third, or pick him for value as early as the second.”
 

ABOVE - Hans Gruber, seen here definitely not scheming.
 
C Hans Gruber – Saskatoon Wild
Current Projection – Late 3rd, early 4th round (29/88)
TPE – 125 (+46 after 3/3)
This promising young forward from Germany was traded from Philadelphia in exchange for picks just last Saturday (3/16) with teammates DWin Championship, Cody Parkey, and Brian Strong. Wild GM @Peace made the massive exchange of picks – including what may be over half of the team’s S67 dispersal selections – for a chance to win now.
 
Some suggest Gruber’s something of a grinder or playmaker – and this early in his career, he could probably opt to go either way. It’s hard to pick out one specific strength for the winger, who has shown glimpses of excellence in defense and puck handling in addition to the positional mainstays of passing and scoring. In 34 games in the minors, he’s accumulated 6 goals in 68 shots, and a total of 24 points. He’s presently second on the depth chart – which means he’s quite likely to run into other more-developed forwards and defensemen whenever he’s on the ice. Though his performance does not yet top the league, the Wild GM can rest easy: the young German scored an overtime-winning goal just earlier today in one of his first games with the team.
 
Scout’s Notes
“Sure, I see why he could be easy to sleep on. Plus-minus isn’t too flashy – but take a look at his last couple of games and tell me he can’t at least hold his own with the best.”
“That screamer to clinch today’s game against the Reapers should at least catch your eye.”
“Didn’t this guy steal like $640,000,000 or something?”
 

ABOVE - Clayton Park playing goalie for the Vienna Thunder, Midget AAA team (per biography)
 
G Clayton Park – Yukon Rush
Accolades – 1x WJC Team World (S65)
Current Projection – Early 4th round (32/88)
TPE – 119 (+68 after 3/3)
Buried underneath the (well-deserved) hype for Kandee Cain (@SlashACM) and Owen May (@FacebookFighter) is Austrian netminder Clayton Park, a top-four prospect for this season’s draft. Taken 49th overall (7th round) in the S65 Dispersal Draft, Clayton has stepped up his game considerably and may merit consideration for a pick as high as the early third round depending on how the rest of this season plays out.
 
He sits only behind the newly-reinforced Juan Jaundice in shots against but has managed an 86.6% save percentage in spite of the volume of shots against him, good for third in the minors behind the aforementioned Cain (89.2%) and S65 New York draftee Chase (90.0%). He’s currently in the bottom half of the table for goals allowed (3.39) – but many scouts believe that’s simply a function of the number of shots he’s had to defend this season. Park takes on the style of a classic butterfly goalie; though slightly undersized at 5’ 10” and just 150 lbs. (68 kg), Park has shown solid reaction time, positioning, and rebound control.
 
And don’t worry, even when he’s not playing hockey he finds a way to keep in the cold: he has a long history of downhill skiing in his free time.
 
Scout’s Notes
“Second-best butterfly goalie behind Cain… probably won’t see a ton of ice time in the pros next season but has potential through the roof.”
“Excellent support system, a lengthy history on the ice; if he sticks around he could be pretty good.”
“Clayton Park, eh? You talkin’ ‘boot the one in Halifax?
 

 
RW Mat Tocco – Philadelphia Reapers
Current Projection – Early 6th Round (43/88)
TPE – 98 (+68 since 3/3)
We’re fourteen games (sort of) into the young career of Czech/Italian forward Mat Tocco, and in spite of limited ice time (19.7 mpg, 67th in the minors) he’s racked up a nice plus-minus of +9 with 9 points – not too shabby for a brand-new entry. He has elements of the prototypical sniper-style forward, but with a nice added bonus of being able to skate around slower defenders. As with many of the prospects on the board thus far, Tocco is very moldable – but his strengths right now are mobility and scoring.
 
Though he’s recently had to move to the States, Tocco comes from humble origins. Born of an Italian immigrant and a butcher’s daughter, he’s proven throughout his life that hard work is just part of the process for him; his rapid improvement on the ice over the last few weeks certainly corroborates that. He faces an uphill battle, with nearly twenty wingers above him on most draft boards. If his past is any indicator, however, he’s ready for the test.
 
Scout’s Notes
 “Pretty raw, but the scoring potential is there. We can always use another high-quality sniper in the league; the sky’s the limit for him.”
“Built like a brick sh*thouse for a guy his height. Not surprising to see the number of hits he’s laid out so far.”
“Glad to see all of his hard work pay off. Seems like he’s in for the long haul.”
“I’d like to see a GM reach a little for him. Might not be out of the question to see him late third, early fourth round by the time all’s said and done. Guys that improve as fast as him go on to either have damn good careers or flame out.”
 
Other unlinked references in this article: @Sonnet, @TheFlash, @leafssteen, @Matmenzinger
 
[if possible, I'd like to use this for three weeks' worth of media spots (weeks ending 3/24, 3/31, and 4/7); currently sitting just under 1,700 words.]

Appreciate the write up on me my dude. It's awesome to see how much you researched us. Great article!

Thanks for the shoutout! Hype me up!! Lol!

Saskatoon Wild Scouting Center, Saskatchewan – Hunter Hearst Helmsley. Shane Mars. Kari Jurri.
 
Long ago, the four nations lived toge – uh, wrong intro. My bad.
 
These three prospects are ostensibly the most talented and highly-sought after players in a draft that is nearly (if not already) 90 players deep.  As expected, they (among maybe a half-dozen other prospects) have received plenty of airtime and speculation: we’re used to hearing the pro comparisons and possible career trajectories, fans clamoring for lower-ranked teams to ‘tank’ their season to get the next most valuable prospect, and so on.
 
To put this in perspective – the last several dispersal drafts have had between forty and seventy draftees; aside from last season’s dispersal (67 players) the next most comparable was a 51-man dispersal ten seasons ago, in Season 56’s draft. When compared with Entry drafts, it’s still potentially the largest field of selectable players in recent history.
 
The lowest TPE pick from S65’s entry draft was Billy Kimber, the thirty-first (although not the last) overall pick of the draft, who had 32 TPE with the season’s live draft rankings; there are 87 players this season with at least that many points waiting for their chance at the pros. Overall, the Season 65 draft had 38 drafted players – this season’s pool would have half of its players go entirely undrafted if the same were to happen this season.
 
Make no mistake – recruiters have been putting in their work and it’s been paying off. But because this season’s draft pool is so apparently deep, players with the potential to make it as World Juniors, World Cup players, or first-round fantasy picks may go without being mentioned until draft time.
 
“We’ve got enough first-round quality wings alone to make up most Entry drafts by themselves,” one anonymous scout commented at a Week 2 VHLM game, “Mars and Jurri are the obvious, but Aaltonen, Volosenkov, Freeman, Sigurdsson, Jagr, Meyers…”
 
“That would have been your average first round in most previous entry drafts. This year? Those are just the top eight prospects between two positions.”
 
General Managers and AGMs make it their job to look into each year’s eligible player list – so let’s take the dive for ourselves and try to find a few hidden gems, why don't we?
 
Inclusion Criteria
(1) S66 Draft Class; currently included in @Tagger‘s most recent Scouting Center rankings.
(2) As of the Week 2 VHLSC rankings, currently ranked below rank 20 (based strictly on TPE, likely to be drafted in Round 3 or later of the current draft)
(3) Early bird gets the worm – draftees with large TPE claims this week will be more highly considered. Last three weeks’ TPE gain will be the main inclusion criterion.
(NOTE – some of these TPEs may be reported several hours before article posting, and may not match current TPEs)
 

 
D Jerry Garcia – Houston Bulls
Current Projection – Mid-Late 3rd Round (23/88)
TPE – 144 (+56 after 3/3)
Garcia is a hybrid of the old-school defensive defenseman with a new-school prototypical skillset. He’s one of the more skilled defenders on a VHLM roster, with the ability to make it to loose pucks and stop many forwards in their tracks. In recent weeks, he’s been hitting the gym and working on his playmaking skills, but he’s still certainly most effective on his team’s half of the ice. The defenseman’s agent (@GustavMattias) has experience in a number of arenas – the most recent being a stint as Team Asia’s World Juniors GM. He’s been cited as an “incredible force for good” in the locker room by his own GM, and one of the prominent voices interfacing with the media for his minor league squad.
 
Perhaps most importantly, Garcia has been putting in plenty of work on the ice and in the gym; many scouts have noted diversification in the defender’s skills in the last couple of weeks alone. His plethora of proficiencies leave him most likely to continue along the defensive defenseman or enforcer route – but we’d be remiss to count out the possibility of development into a two-way defenseman. Regardless, Garcia’s rapid and recent improvement is a sign that GMs in the majors ought to take note of – he’d be a steal in the fourth round and wouldn’t be out of the question for the early third.
 
Scout’s Notes
“He’s well-rounded and is a threat on both sides of the ice because of his passing ability. Something of a black hole for errant passes and chasing the puck down after a big hit.”
“[Jerry] has a penchant for making big hits and blocking big shots. He’s probably your goalie’s best friend.”
“He played guitar for the Grateful Dead and has an ice cream flavor named after him, I mean come on.”
“If I’m a team in need of multiple positions, I’m looking to steal Garcia in the late third, or pick him for value as early as the second.”
 

ABOVE - Hans Gruber, seen here definitely not scheming.
 
C Hans Gruber – Saskatoon Wild
Current Projection – Late 3rd, early 4th round (29/88)
TPE – 125 (+46 after 3/3)
This promising young forward from Germany was traded from Philadelphia in exchange for picks just last Saturday (3/16) with teammates DWin Championship, Cody Parkey, and Brian Strong. Wild GM @Peace made the massive exchange of picks – including what may be over half of the team’s S67 dispersal selections – for a chance to win now.
 
Some suggest Gruber’s something of a grinder or playmaker – and this early in his career, he could probably opt to go either way. It’s hard to pick out one specific strength for the winger, who has shown glimpses of excellence in defense and puck handling in addition to the positional mainstays of passing and scoring. In 34 games in the minors, he’s accumulated 6 goals in 68 shots, and a total of 24 points. He’s presently second on the depth chart – which means he’s quite likely to run into other more-developed forwards and defensemen whenever he’s on the ice. Though his performance does not yet top the league, the Wild GM can rest easy: the young German scored an overtime-winning goal just earlier today in one of his first games with the team.
 
Scout’s Notes
“Sure, I see why he could be easy to sleep on. Plus-minus isn’t too flashy – but take a look at his last couple of games and tell me he can’t at least hold his own with the best.”
“That screamer to clinch today’s game against the Reapers should at least catch your eye.”
“Didn’t this guy steal like $640,000,000 or something?”
 

ABOVE - Clayton Park playing goalie for the Vienna Thunder, Midget AAA team (per biography)
 
G Clayton Park – Yukon Rush
Accolades – 1x WJC Team World (S65)
Current Projection – Early 4th round (32/88)
TPE – 119 (+68 after 3/3)
Buried underneath the (well-deserved) hype for Kandee Cain (@SlashACM) and Owen May (@FacebookFighter) is Austrian netminder Clayton Park, a top-four prospect for this season’s draft. Taken 49th overall (7th round) in the S65 Dispersal Draft, Clayton has stepped up his game considerably and may merit consideration for a pick as high as the early third round depending on how the rest of this season plays out.
 
He sits only behind the newly-reinforced Juan Jaundice in shots against but has managed an 86.6% save percentage in spite of the volume of shots against him, good for third in the minors behind the aforementioned Cain (89.2%) and S65 New York draftee Chase (90.0%). He’s currently in the bottom half of the table for goals allowed (3.39) – but many scouts believe that’s simply a function of the number of shots he’s had to defend this season. Park takes on the style of a classic butterfly goalie; though slightly undersized at 5’ 10” and just 150 lbs. (68 kg), Park has shown solid reaction time, positioning, and rebound control.
 
And don’t worry, even when he’s not playing hockey he finds a way to keep in the cold: he has a long history of downhill skiing in his free time.
 
Scout’s Notes
“Second-best butterfly goalie behind Cain… probably won’t see a ton of ice time in the pros next season but has potential through the roof.”
“Excellent support system, a lengthy history on the ice; if he sticks around he could be pretty good.”
“Clayton Park, eh? You talkin’ ‘boot the one in Halifax?
 

 
RW Mat Tocco – Philadelphia Reapers
Current Projection – Early 6th Round (43/88)
TPE – 98 (+68 since 3/3)
We’re fourteen games (sort of) into the young career of Czech/Italian forward Mat Tocco, and in spite of limited ice time (19.7 mpg, 67th in the minors) he’s racked up a nice plus-minus of +9 with 9 points – not too shabby for a brand-new entry. He has elements of the prototypical sniper-style forward, but with a nice added bonus of being able to skate around slower defenders. As with many of the prospects on the board thus far, Tocco is very moldable – but his strengths right now are mobility and scoring.
 
Though he’s recently had to move to the States, Tocco comes from humble origins. Born of an Italian immigrant and a butcher’s daughter, he’s proven throughout his life that hard work is just part of the process for him; his rapid improvement on the ice over the last few weeks certainly corroborates that. He faces an uphill battle, with nearly twenty wingers above him on most draft boards. If his past is any indicator, however, he’s ready for the test.
 
Scout’s Notes
 “Pretty raw, but the scoring potential is there. We can always use another high-quality sniper in the league; the sky’s the limit for him.”
“Built like a brick sh*thouse for a guy his height. Not surprising to see the number of hits he’s laid out so far.”
“Glad to see all of his hard work pay off. Seems like he’s in for the long haul.”
“I’d like to see a GM reach a little for him. Might not be out of the question to see him late third, early fourth round by the time all’s said and done. Guys that improve as fast as him go on to either have damn good careers or flame out.”
 
Other unlinked references in this article: @Sonnet, @TheFlash, @leafssteen, @Matmenzinger
 
[if possible, I'd like to use this for three weeks' worth of media spots (weeks ending 3/24, 3/31, and 4/7); currently sitting just under 1,700 words.]

Saskatoon Wild Scouting Center, Saskatchewan – Hunter Hearst Helmsley. Shane Mars. Kari Jurri.
 
Long ago, the four nations lived toge – uh, wrong intro. My bad.
 
These three prospects are ostensibly the most talented and highly-sought after players in a draft that is nearly (if not already) 90 players deep.  As expected, they (among maybe a half-dozen other prospects) have received plenty of airtime and speculation: we’re used to hearing the pro comparisons and possible career trajectories, fans clamoring for lower-ranked teams to ‘tank’ their season to get the next most valuable prospect, and so on.
 
To put this in perspective – the last several dispersal drafts have had between forty and seventy draftees; aside from last season’s dispersal (67 players) the next most comparable was a 51-man dispersal ten seasons ago, in Season 56’s draft. When compared with Entry drafts, it’s still potentially the largest field of selectable players in recent history.
 
The lowest TPE pick from S65’s entry draft was Billy Kimber, the thirty-first (although not the last) overall pick of the draft, who had 32 TPE with the season’s live draft rankings; there are 87 players this season with at least that many points waiting for their chance at the pros. Overall, the Season 65 draft had 38 drafted players – this season’s pool would have half of its players go entirely undrafted if the same were to happen this season.
 
Make no mistake – recruiters have been putting in their work and it’s been paying off. But because this season’s draft pool is so apparently deep, players with the potential to make it as World Juniors, World Cup players, or first-round fantasy picks may go without being mentioned until draft time.
 
“We’ve got enough first-round quality wings alone to make up most Entry drafts by themselves,” one anonymous scout commented at a Week 2 VHLM game, “Mars and Jurri are the obvious, but Aaltonen, Volosenkov, Freeman, Sigurdsson, Jagr, Meyers…”
 
“That would have been your average first round in most previous entry drafts. This year? Those are just the top eight prospects between two positions.”
 
General Managers and AGMs make it their job to look into each year’s eligible player list – so let’s take the dive for ourselves and try to find a few hidden gems, why don't we?
 
Inclusion Criteria
(1) S66 Draft Class; currently included in @Tagger‘s most recent Scouting Center rankings.
(2) As of the Week 2 VHLSC rankings, currently ranked below rank 20 (based strictly on TPE, likely to be drafted in Round 3 or later of the current draft)
(3) Early bird gets the worm – draftees with large TPE claims this week will be more highly considered. Last three weeks’ TPE gain will be the main inclusion criterion.
(NOTE – some of these TPEs may be reported several hours before article posting, and may not match current TPEs)
 

 
D Jerry Garcia – Houston Bulls
Current Projection – Mid-Late 3rd Round (23/88)
TPE – 144 (+56 after 3/3)
Garcia is a hybrid of the old-school defensive defenseman with a new-school prototypical skillset. He’s one of the more skilled defenders on a VHLM roster, with the ability to make it to loose pucks and stop many forwards in their tracks. In recent weeks, he’s been hitting the gym and working on his playmaking skills, but he’s still certainly most effective on his team’s half of the ice. The defenseman’s agent (@GustavMattias) has experience in a number of arenas – the most recent being a stint as Team Asia’s World Juniors GM. He’s been cited as an “incredible force for good” in the locker room by his own GM, and one of the prominent voices interfacing with the media for his minor league squad.
 
Perhaps most importantly, Garcia has been putting in plenty of work on the ice and in the gym; many scouts have noted diversification in the defender’s skills in the last couple of weeks alone. His plethora of proficiencies leave him most likely to continue along the defensive defenseman or enforcer route – but we’d be remiss to count out the possibility of development into a two-way defenseman. Regardless, Garcia’s rapid and recent improvement is a sign that GMs in the majors ought to take note of – he’d be a steal in the fourth round and wouldn’t be out of the question for the early third.
 
Scout’s Notes
“He’s well-rounded and is a threat on both sides of the ice because of his passing ability. Something of a black hole for errant passes and chasing the puck down after a big hit.”
“[Jerry] has a penchant for making big hits and blocking big shots. He’s probably your goalie’s best friend.”
“He played guitar for the Grateful Dead and has an ice cream flavor named after him, I mean come on.”
“If I’m a team in need of multiple positions, I’m looking to steal Garcia in the late third, or pick him for value as early as the second.”
 

ABOVE - Hans Gruber, seen here definitely not scheming.
 
C Hans Gruber – Saskatoon Wild
Current Projection – Late 3rd, early 4th round (29/88)
TPE – 125 (+46 after 3/3)
This promising young forward from Germany was traded from Philadelphia in exchange for picks just last Saturday (3/16) with teammates DWin Championship, Cody Parkey, and Brian Strong. Wild GM @Peace made the massive exchange of picks – including what may be over half of the team’s S67 dispersal selections – for a chance to win now.
 
Some suggest Gruber’s something of a grinder or playmaker – and this early in his career, he could probably opt to go either way. It’s hard to pick out one specific strength for the winger, who has shown glimpses of excellence in defense and puck handling in addition to the positional mainstays of passing and scoring. In 34 games in the minors, he’s accumulated 6 goals in 68 shots, and a total of 24 points. He’s presently second on the depth chart – which means he’s quite likely to run into other more-developed forwards and defensemen whenever he’s on the ice. Though his performance does not yet top the league, the Wild GM can rest easy: the young German scored an overtime-winning goal just earlier today in one of his first games with the team.
 
Scout’s Notes
“Sure, I see why he could be easy to sleep on. Plus-minus isn’t too flashy – but take a look at his last couple of games and tell me he can’t at least hold his own with the best.”
“That screamer to clinch today’s game against the Reapers should at least catch your eye.”
“Didn’t this guy steal like $640,000,000 or something?”
 

ABOVE - Clayton Park playing goalie for the Vienna Thunder, Midget AAA team (per biography)
 
G Clayton Park – Yukon Rush
Accolades – 1x WJC Team World (S65)
Current Projection – Early 4th round (32/88)
TPE – 119 (+68 after 3/3)
Buried underneath the (well-deserved) hype for Kandee Cain (@SlashACM) and Owen May (@FacebookFighter) is Austrian netminder Clayton Park, a top-four prospect for this season’s draft. Taken 49th overall (7th round) in the S65 Dispersal Draft, Clayton has stepped up his game considerably and may merit consideration for a pick as high as the early third round depending on how the rest of this season plays out.
 
He sits only behind the newly-reinforced Juan Jaundice in shots against but has managed an 86.6% save percentage in spite of the volume of shots against him, good for third in the minors behind the aforementioned Cain (89.2%) and S65 New York draftee Chase (90.0%). He’s currently in the bottom half of the table for goals allowed (3.39) – but many scouts believe that’s simply a function of the number of shots he’s had to defend this season. Park takes on the style of a classic butterfly goalie; though slightly undersized at 5’ 10” and just 150 lbs. (68 kg), Park has shown solid reaction time, positioning, and rebound control.
 
And don’t worry, even when he’s not playing hockey he finds a way to keep in the cold: he has a long history of downhill skiing in his free time.
 
Scout’s Notes
“Second-best butterfly goalie behind Cain… probably won’t see a ton of ice time in the pros next season but has potential through the roof.”
“Excellent support system, a lengthy history on the ice; if he sticks around he could be pretty good.”
“Clayton Park, eh? You talkin’ ‘boot the one in Halifax?
 

 
RW Mat Tocco – Philadelphia Reapers
Current Projection – Early 6th Round (43/88)
TPE – 98 (+68 since 3/3)
We’re fourteen games (sort of) into the young career of Czech/Italian forward Mat Tocco, and in spite of limited ice time (19.7 mpg, 67th in the minors) he’s racked up a nice plus-minus of +9 with 9 points – not too shabby for a brand-new entry. He has elements of the prototypical sniper-style forward, but with a nice added bonus of being able to skate around slower defenders. As with many of the prospects on the board thus far, Tocco is very moldable – but his strengths right now are mobility and scoring.
 
Though he’s recently had to move to the States, Tocco comes from humble origins. Born of an Italian immigrant and a butcher’s daughter, he’s proven throughout his life that hard work is just part of the process for him; his rapid improvement on the ice over the last few weeks certainly corroborates that. He faces an uphill battle, with nearly twenty wingers above him on most draft boards. If his past is any indicator, however, he’s ready for the test.
 
Scout’s Notes
 “Pretty raw, but the scoring potential is there. We can always use another high-quality sniper in the league; the sky’s the limit for him.”
“Built like a brick sh*thouse for a guy his height. Not surprising to see the number of hits he’s laid out so far.”
“Glad to see all of his hard work pay off. Seems like he’s in for the long haul.”
“I’d like to see a GM reach a little for him. Might not be out of the question to see him late third, early fourth round by the time all’s said and done. Guys that improve as fast as him go on to either have damn good careers or flame out.”
 
Other unlinked references in this article: @Sonnet, @TheFlash, @leafssteen, @Matmenzinger
 
[if possible, I'd like to use this for three weeks' worth of media spots (weeks ending 3/24, 3/31, and 4/7); currently sitting just under 1,700 words.]

@Renomitsu omg!!!!! Robert!!!

Bruh call me medium again and see what happens

In an unprecedented series of events the Philadelphia Reaper's team is now almost unrecognizable from what they were just a few days ago. In an effort to get ahead next year Philadelphia GM BladeMaiden has taken an early start to trading this year. With now 10 members of their original roster traded, and possibly more trades to come Philadelphia's hopes of finishing in a playoff spot this year have been sealed. On all accounts BladeMaiden has chosen to do this with her teams best interest in mind, as the players traded will now have the chance to make a run on a more competitive team. Now with the Reapers having a plethora of picks in the coming draft and beyond, they are likely to be contenders next year. This is good news not only for the organization but also for any potential returning players next season. BladeMaiden has all but secured a competitive spot for her team after the draft. To her credit the trades have been very well received. A few players have made official statements regarding the trades, John FrostBeard for one had this to say, "I have to say that my time spent in Philadelphia was truly amazing, everyone was great and I will not stop loving all of the guys there. I hope, joining Yukon, will give my new team a boost and allow us to fight for that Cup! Good luck my lovely Reapers and le'ts rock it Yukon!".
 
As for the players remaining on this team, the situation actually presents opportunities for them to play larger roles than they normally would. It will be a valuable experience for them to be competing on top lines, against other teams elite prospects. With all of this being said Philadelphia will definitely be a team to watch out for next season. 

@Renomitsu
1 TPE.

You’ll be in the lineup ASAP!