nymets5

meanwhile, my 40 scoring got me 24% shooting percentage lmao

"I'd rather be lucky than good." This is one of the most popular phrases around, and it definitely has its merit. Today I thought I would look through the stats to see who are the most unlucky players in the VHLM, based on shooting percentage and shots. To be eligible for this list, the player must have played at least 30 games. Let's take a look to see who are the most unlucky players in VHLM S63.
 
Ryan Dodds-Saskatoon Wild (1st place)
 
Congrats to Ryan Dodds of the Saskatoon Wild for being the most unlucky player in VHLM so far this season! In 31 games, he has put up a shooting percentage of 3.23, with 31 shots, averaging one shot per game. I don't think he feels too bad, as he is inactive and only has 30 TPE.
 
Erik Johannsen-Saskatoon Wild (2nd place)
 
Another Saskatoon Wild player, they go back to back at 1 and 2 on this list. Another inactive player, he has only put up 1 goal and 4 points, shooting at 3.57 percent. The Wild will need to get their inactive player problems together if they want to improve for next season.
 
James Lombardi-Las Vegas Aces (3rd place)
 
I have to admit, when I came up with this idea, I had myself in mind. I have been pretty frustrated with my lack of goal scoring, and wanted to see who else was struggling across the league. I did end up finding out that I have the lowest shooting percentage amongst active VHLM players. It's disappointing, but I did not set out to make a great goal scorer. My shooting percentage is currently at 3.85%, and it should get better as I would imagine my PDO is pretty low.
 
Dylan Nguyen-Halifax 21st (4th place)
 
 This is someone who has gotten seriously unlucky, and you should feel really bad for him. He is in his second year in the VHLM, with 193 TPE. Last season he had 10 goals in only 49 games, impressive for a defense man. This year, he only has 2 goals in 31 games, and has 51 shots. This is a 3.9% shooting percentage, which must be frustrating him considering the season he had last year. Look for him to have a hot streak and keep the 21st up at the top of the standings.
 
Braylon James-Ottawa Lynx (5th place)
 
It is almost expected to see defense man on this list, so when you see a forward you feel just a little sadder for that person. James is an active member, with 64 TPE in his rookie season. So far through 32 games, he has registered 3 goals and 21 points, a respectable number. James is another guy I expect to go on a hot streak, as he is shooting only 5.55% but has 54 shots so far. Guys who shoot more tend to score more, and I expect his goal totals to shoot up.
 
There is the scoreboard for most unlucky. Don't really feel too bad about the inactive guys being so unlucky, but I really feel bad for that Lombardi guy?. Anyways, hope everyone enjoyed this, and I am excited for the next half of the season   

"I'd rather be lucky than good." This is one of the most popular phrases around, and it definitely has its merit. Today I thought I would look through the stats to see who are the most unlucky players in the VHLM, based on shooting percentage and shots. To be eligible for this list, the player must have played at least 30 games. Let's take a look to see who are the most unlucky players in VHLM S63.
 
Ryan Dodds-Saskatoon Wild (1st place)
 
Congrats to Ryan Dodds of the Saskatoon Wild for being the most unlucky player in VHLM so far this season! In 31 games, he has put up a shooting percentage of 3.23, with 31 shots, averaging one shot per game. I don't think he feels too bad, as he is inactive and only has 30 TPE.
 
Erik Johannsen-Saskatoon Wild (2nd place)
 
Another Saskatoon Wild player, they go back to back at 1 and 2 on this list. Another inactive player, he has only put up 1 goal and 4 points, shooting at 3.57 percent. The Wild will need to get their inactive player problems together if they want to improve for next season.
 
James Lombardi-Las Vegas Aces (3rd place)
 
I have to admit, when I came up with this idea, I had myself in mind. I have been pretty frustrated with my lack of goal scoring, and wanted to see who else was struggling across the league. I did end up finding out that I have the lowest shooting percentage amongst active VHLM players. It's disappointing, but I did not set out to make a great goal scorer. My shooting percentage is currently at 3.85%, and it should get better as I would imagine my PDO is pretty low.
 
Dylan Nguyen-Halifax 21st (4th place)
 
 This is someone who has gotten seriously unlucky, and you should feel really bad for him. He is in his second year in the VHLM, with 193 TPE. Last season he had 10 goals in only 49 games, impressive for a defense man. This year, he only has 2 goals in 31 games, and has 51 shots. This is a 3.9% shooting percentage, which must be frustrating him considering the season he had last year. Look for him to have a hot streak and keep the 21st up at the top of the standings.
 
Braylon James-Ottawa Lynx (5th place)
 
It is almost expected to see defense man on this list, so when you see a forward you feel just a little sadder for that person. James is an active member, with 64 TPE in his rookie season. So far through 32 games, he has registered 3 goals and 21 points, a respectable number. James is another guy I expect to go on a hot streak, as he is shooting only 5.55% but has 54 shots so far. Guys who shoot more tend to score more, and I expect his goal totals to shoot up.
 
There is the scoreboard for most unlucky. Don't really feel too bad about the inactive guys being so unlucky, but I really feel bad for that Lombardi guy?. Anyways, hope everyone enjoyed this, and I am excited for the next half of the season   

"I'd rather be lucky than good." This is one of the most popular phrases around, and it definitely has its merit. Today I thought I would look through the stats to see who are the most unlucky players in the VHLM, based on shooting percentage and shots. To be eligible for this list, the player must have played at least 30 games. Let's take a look to see who are the most unlucky players in VHLM S63.
 
Ryan Dodds-Saskatoon Wild (1st place)
 
Congrats to Ryan Dodds of the Saskatoon Wild for being the most unlucky player in VHLM so far this season! In 31 games, he has put up a shooting percentage of 3.23, with 31 shots, averaging one shot per game. I don't think he feels too bad, as he is inactive and only has 30 TPE.
 
Erik Johannsen-Saskatoon Wild (2nd place)
 
Another Saskatoon Wild player, they go back to back at 1 and 2 on this list. Another inactive player, he has only put up 1 goal and 4 points, shooting at 3.57 percent. The Wild will need to get their inactive player problems together if they want to improve for next season.
 
James Lombardi-Las Vegas Aces (3rd place)
 
I have to admit, when I came up with this idea, I had myself in mind. I have been pretty frustrated with my lack of goal scoring, and wanted to see who else was struggling across the league. I did end up finding out that I have the lowest shooting percentage amongst active VHLM players. It's disappointing, but I did not set out to make a great goal scorer. My shooting percentage is currently at 3.85%, and it should get better as I would imagine my PDO is pretty low.
 
Dylan Nguyen-Halifax 21st (4th place)
 
 This is someone who has gotten seriously unlucky, and you should feel really bad for him. He is in his second year in the VHLM, with 193 TPE. Last season he had 10 goals in only 49 games, impressive for a defense man. This year, he only has 2 goals in 31 games, and has 51 shots. This is a 3.9% shooting percentage, which must be frustrating him considering the season he had last year. Look for him to have a hot streak and keep the 21st up at the top of the standings.
 
Braylon James-Ottawa Lynx (5th place)
 
It is almost expected to see defense man on this list, so when you see a forward you feel just a little sadder for that person. James is an active member, with 64 TPE in his rookie season. So far through 32 games, he has registered 3 goals and 21 points, a respectable number. James is another guy I expect to go on a hot streak, as he is shooting only 5.55% but has 54 shots so far. Guys who shoot more tend to score more, and I expect his goal totals to shoot up.
 
There is the scoreboard for most unlucky. Don't really feel too bad about the inactive guys being so unlucky, but I really feel bad for that Lombardi guy?. Anyways, hope everyone enjoyed this, and I am excited for the next half of the season   

"I'd rather be lucky than good." This is one of the most popular phrases around, and it definitely has its merit. Today I thought I would look through the stats to see who are the most unlucky players in the VHLM, based on shooting percentage and shots. To be eligible for this list, the player must have played at least 30 games. Let's take a look to see who are the most unlucky players in VHLM S63.
 
Ryan Dodds-Saskatoon Wild (1st place)
 
Congrats to Ryan Dodds of the Saskatoon Wild for being the most unlucky player in VHLM so far this season! In 31 games, he has put up a shooting percentage of 3.23, with 31 shots, averaging one shot per game. I don't think he feels too bad, as he is inactive and only has 30 TPE.
 
Erik Johannsen-Saskatoon Wild (2nd place)
 
Another Saskatoon Wild player, they go back to back at 1 and 2 on this list. Another inactive player, he has only put up 1 goal and 4 points, shooting at 3.57 percent. The Wild will need to get their inactive player problems together if they want to improve for next season.
 
James Lombardi-Las Vegas Aces (3rd place)
 
I have to admit, when I came up with this idea, I had myself in mind. I have been pretty frustrated with my lack of goal scoring, and wanted to see who else was struggling across the league. I did end up finding out that I have the lowest shooting percentage amongst active VHLM players. It's disappointing, but I did not set out to make a great goal scorer. My shooting percentage is currently at 3.85%, and it should get better as I would imagine my PDO is pretty low.
 
Dylan Nguyen-Halifax 21st (4th place)
 
 This is someone who has gotten seriously unlucky, and you should feel really bad for him. He is in his second year in the VHLM, with 193 TPE. Last season he had 10 goals in only 49 games, impressive for a defense man. This year, he only has 2 goals in 31 games, and has 51 shots. This is a 3.9% shooting percentage, which must be frustrating him considering the season he had last year. Look for him to have a hot streak and keep the 21st up at the top of the standings.
 
Braylon James-Ottawa Lynx (5th place)
 
It is almost expected to see defense man on this list, so when you see a forward you feel just a little sadder for that person. James is an active member, with 64 TPE in his rookie season. So far through 32 games, he has registered 3 goals and 21 points, a respectable number. James is another guy I expect to go on a hot streak, as he is shooting only 5.55% but has 54 shots so far. Guys who shoot more tend to score more, and I expect his goal totals to shoot up.
 
There is the scoreboard for most unlucky. Don't really feel too bad about the inactive guys being so unlucky, but I really feel bad for that Lombardi guy?. Anyways, hope everyone enjoyed this, and I am excited for the next half of the season   

Out of nowhere, the Halifax 21st have stormed to the top of the league, with a 10-1-0 record. Analysts did not see this coming, predicting that the strong Ottawa Lynx would be at the top of the leader board. While the Lynx have had a good season and figure to get better as the season goes on, it is still work looking into how the 21st have been so dominant so far.
 
Karl von Moltke had an average first year in the VHLM for the Ottawa Lynx. The Lynx where a very good team, and it was hard to move up the lineup. In 55 games with the Lynx, he recorded 6 goals and 11 assists for a total of 17 points. He also recorded just over a shot per game. This season for the 21st, he has already matched his point total and is averaging 4.36 shots per game, which is a huge turnaround. Additionally, his shooting percentage is only around 10%, which suggests that he is getting unlucky. von Moltke could be due for a hot streak soon, and opposing teams should look out. He is due to be drafted into the VHL soon, as he already has 170 TPE.
 
On the other hand, one player that might end up regressing soon is Tzuyu. The offensive defenseman has already scored 7 goals, shooting at 24 percent. This is pretty unstable, but what is going for him is that he already has 8 assists. As long as he keeps passing the puck as well, which does not regress much, look for him to keep having strong point totals.
 
Defensively, the 21st have been strong, only allowing 20 shots per game. Both have the goaltenders have posted strong marks so far this season. Cole Mertz has played in 6 of the games, allowing 1.83 GAA and a save percentage of 0.915. Tyler Smith has been doing just as well in his five games, with a 1.59 GAA and a .914 save percentage. Those save percentages are fairly high for the league, so expect them to regress a little closer to .900. Still, it is impressive how well their goalies have played, and how they have suppressed shots so well.
 
Look for defense man Juri Rykonen to pot a couple more goals this season. He is only shooting 9%, which is a bit under the average. He is at 48 TPE with 4 banked, so if he puts a bit more into the scoring category, he could hit the 15 goal mark. 
 
In conclusion, the 21st are not going to be a team that ends up falling off a cliff by midyear. With the exception of two players, Tzuyu and Shawn Glade, they have very stable shooting percentages that will not regress. Also, while the goalie save percentages are a little inflated, they are unlikely to fall apart defensively. It is very impressive that they have only been averaging 20 shots a game, as the only team better than them in that category is the Las Vegas Aces.
 

Halifax GM here.
 
A large part of our success story is how active these guys are. Literally everyone in our starting lineup is active and that's HUGE.
 
I liked this article, up until you roasted my player and said he's due to regress

Out of nowhere, the Halifax 21st have stormed to the top of the league, with a 10-1-0 record. Analysts did not see this coming, predicting that the strong Ottawa Lynx would be at the top of the leader board. While the Lynx have had a good season and figure to get better as the season goes on, it is still work looking into how the 21st have been so dominant so far.
 
Karl von Moltke had an average first year in the VHLM for the Ottawa Lynx. The Lynx where a very good team, and it was hard to move up the lineup. In 55 games with the Lynx, he recorded 6 goals and 11 assists for a total of 17 points. He also recorded just over a shot per game. This season for the 21st, he has already matched his point total and is averaging 4.36 shots per game, which is a huge turnaround. Additionally, his shooting percentage is only around 10%, which suggests that he is getting unlucky. von Moltke could be due for a hot streak soon, and opposing teams should look out. He is due to be drafted into the VHL soon, as he already has 170 TPE.
 
On the other hand, one player that might end up regressing soon is Tzuyu. The offensive defenseman has already scored 7 goals, shooting at 24 percent. This is pretty unstable, but what is going for him is that he already has 8 assists. As long as he keeps passing the puck as well, which does not regress much, look for him to keep having strong point totals.
 
Defensively, the 21st have been strong, only allowing 20 shots per game. Both have the goaltenders have posted strong marks so far this season. Cole Mertz has played in 6 of the games, allowing 1.83 GAA and a save percentage of 0.915. Tyler Smith has been doing just as well in his five games, with a 1.59 GAA and a .914 save percentage. Those save percentages are fairly high for the league, so expect them to regress a little closer to .900. Still, it is impressive how well their goalies have played, and how they have suppressed shots so well.
 
Look for defense man Juri Rykonen to pot a couple more goals this season. He is only shooting 9%, which is a bit under the average. He is at 48 TPE with 4 banked, so if he puts a bit more into the scoring category, he could hit the 15 goal mark. 
 
In conclusion, the 21st are not going to be a team that ends up falling off a cliff by midyear. With the exception of two players, Tzuyu and Shawn Glade, they have very stable shooting percentages that will not regress. Also, while the goalie save percentages are a little inflated, they are unlikely to fall apart defensively. It is very impressive that they have only been averaging 20 shots a game, as the only team better than them in that category is the Las Vegas Aces.
 

Out of nowhere, the Halifax 21st have stormed to the top of the league, with a 10-1-0 record. Analysts did not see this coming, predicting that the strong Ottawa Lynx would be at the top of the leader board. While the Lynx have had a good season and figure to get better as the season goes on, it is still work looking into how the 21st have been so dominant so far.
 
Karl von Moltke had an average first year in the VHLM for the Ottawa Lynx. The Lynx where a very good team, and it was hard to move up the lineup. In 55 games with the Lynx, he recorded 6 goals and 11 assists for a total of 17 points. He also recorded just over a shot per game. This season for the 21st, he has already matched his point total and is averaging 4.36 shots per game, which is a huge turnaround. Additionally, his shooting percentage is only around 10%, which suggests that he is getting unlucky. von Moltke could be due for a hot streak soon, and opposing teams should look out. He is due to be drafted into the VHL soon, as he already has 170 TPE.
 
On the other hand, one player that might end up regressing soon is Tzuyu. The offensive defenseman has already scored 7 goals, shooting at 24 percent. This is pretty unstable, but what is going for him is that he already has 8 assists. As long as he keeps passing the puck as well, which does not regress much, look for him to keep having strong point totals.
 
Defensively, the 21st have been strong, only allowing 20 shots per game. Both have the goaltenders have posted strong marks so far this season. Cole Mertz has played in 6 of the games, allowing 1.83 GAA and a save percentage of 0.915. Tyler Smith has been doing just as well in his five games, with a 1.59 GAA and a .914 save percentage. Those save percentages are fairly high for the league, so expect them to regress a little closer to .900. Still, it is impressive how well their goalies have played, and how they have suppressed shots so well.
 
Look for defense man Juri Rykonen to pot a couple more goals this season. He is only shooting 9%, which is a bit under the average. He is at 48 TPE with 4 banked, so if he puts a bit more into the scoring category, he could hit the 15 goal mark. 
 
In conclusion, the 21st are not going to be a team that ends up falling off a cliff by midyear. With the exception of two players, Tzuyu and Shawn Glade, they have very stable shooting percentages that will not regress. Also, while the goalie save percentages are a little inflated, they are unlikely to fall apart defensively. It is very impressive that they have only been averaging 20 shots a game, as the only team better than them in that category is the Las Vegas Aces.
 

Since the draft, the Ottawa Lynx have made 3 trades and signed two guys off waivers. In total, this has improved the team significantly while not costing them a great deal in picks or other players. Looking at the trades first and then the acquisitions, we see how far this team has come even since the draft, when they were already favorites, and now are in an even stronger position.
 
The first move was a relatively big one, and of the trades, the one that was the most lopsided in Ottawa's favor. James Lombardi, a defenseman the Lynx selected in the 9th round, went to the Las Vegas Aces for a 2nd and 3rd in the S63 VHLM draft and inactive center Sam Hynes. Lombardi has proven better than your standard 9th rounder, in fact based on post-draft activity if all teams were to redraft based on current knowledge, Lombardi would probably go in the 5th or 6th round. Nonetheless, if the next draft is anywhere near what this one is, the trade heavily favors Ottawa. Delving into hypotheticals here, I'd estimate Vegas to likely finish 4th in the upcoming season, so who were the 9th and 15th overall picks in the most recent draft? Nikita Flipachyev and BB Nat. Flipachyev alone is enough to make the trade favor Ottawa, and while BB Nat has been decent, in the hands of Ottawa the pick would have become Joseph McWolf, the guy I selected with the very next pick. With all due respect to Lombardi, a guy I think is massively underrated at the moment, he's not hardly Flipachyev AND McWolf, or next year's equivalents of the same.
 
Looking into the second trade which was between Ottawa and Yukon, it is much more balanced, and largely equal and beneficial to both - although if pressed to pick a "winner" Yukon might just edge it slightly. Ottawa picked up Roctrion King, a nearly capped scoring winger who will inevitably become capped within a few weeks, bolstering the wings which were the weakest position on the roster (not that the wings were weak, just weaker than the rest). In exchange, Yukon got Athanasios Andrianopoulos, who has been less active than King but certainly has been active and will be a good multi-season contributor to Yukon's roster. Additionally, Yukon got Ottawa's 1st and 2nd in the S63 draft as well as the worse of the 3rds between Ottawa and Vegas (which should also be Ottawa's pick barring a massive fluke in the sim). I know what you're thinking. A 1st, 2nd, AND 3rd, plus Andrianopoulos, for King? The price was expensive, but you pay what you have to in order to get the best player in the trade, which is King. Plus, with Ottawa getting Vegas' 2nd and 3rd in the other trade, which are about half a round from Ottawa's if all goes as I'm projecting it, Vegas' 2nd and 3rd should be nearly as much in combined value as Ottawa's 1st and 3rd, which basically just leaves the 2nd.
 
The third trade, and by far the smallest of the three, was Tomos Walker to Halifax for a 7th. This might be the first time in league history a 7th was traded, but it's a calculated risk. More likely than not, the pick will amount to nothing, but shipping out an inactive winger who had only 38 TPE for basically a lottery ticket isn't a bad value. Risking a little for a chance at a lot, relatively speaking - you'll never get a star from the 7th, but there's a chance to get an active, which would turn out better than Walker. This third trade is essentially a non-entity for both sides, and the entire trade could fit into the margins of either of the other two.
 
All three trades put together to this point from Ottawa's perspective:
 
Coming in - Roctrion King, Sam Hynes, Vegas 2nd, Vegas 3rd, Halifax 7th
Going out - James Lombardi, Athanasios Andrianopoulos, Tomos Walker, Ottawa 1st, Ottawa 2nd, Ottawa 3rd
 
Looking at it combined, again with all due respect to the exiting Lombardi and Andrianopoulos, both of whom I expect to be multi-season contributors to their respective teams and eventually become decent pieces in the VHL in time, there's no debating this team came out ahead in total. King is the type of player who will be competing for awards this season.
 
Additionally, the Lynx have signed two extra players to fill in wing spots on their roster, and these two guys are what made Walker completely expendable and a non-entity as even a line filler for Ottawa. Chace Trepanier, a sniper who is fast and can handle the puck well, and Dan Wilinsky, a speed demon with a decent shot of his own and a bit of an all around game, have signed with the Lynx for 1.5 million each for the year. To start off the year they'll be centered by Jerome Mitchell, whose faceoffs ought to get this line the puck so Trepanier and Wilinsky can put in their fair share of goals. After the first week or two of the season, things will have the opportunity to be evaluated again for lines and Trepanier, Wilinsky, and Mitchell will all have the opportunity to climb their way up if they've surpassed some of the second liners, Braylon James, JP Desjardin, or Rzerk. James' spot is likely safe, but if one of the new guys can slip in ahead of, say, Desjardin, it would actually balance the lines a little better as right now the second line has no dedicated scorer and the third line has no dedicated passer. These things do tend to work themselves out in the sim but surely the most active guys should be rewarded with better lines. Additionally, power play and/or penalty kill depending on builds can bump up the time of each active, and on the whole everyone will get a good chance to perform.
 
Defensively, we've lost one guy in Lombardi, and that's never ideal, but sacrificing a little defensive depth for some added firepower up front was something we were in a position to do out of the draft. The top three guys - Baxter, McWolf, and Rasputinov - will all have opportunities on top pair at different times. Whichever combo works best, for both sim performance and activity of the players, will win out. The third will be able to double shift, in the absence of Lombardi, by playing opposite both Renner on the 2nd pair and Chat on the 3rd. All this in front of Kallis Kriketers, and I see no reason why the cup should find itself anywhere else at the end of the year.
 
1121 words
12 TPE for week ending 19th, with donation doubles
12 TPE for week ending 26th, with other donation doubles

Late last night, the VHLM saw its first trade after the S61 draft, which was this past Sunday. The Las Vegas Aces traded Sam Hynes, and a second and third round pick to the Ottawa Lynx for next season for rookie defenseman James Lombardi, who was a ninth round pick in the S61 draft. This seams like a lopsided trade in favor of the Lynx, but lets dive a bit deeper into this trade.
 
For the Lynx, James Lombardi is a 25 year old defense man entering his first season in the VHLM. At the draft, Lombardi only had 34 TPE, which is why he slipped so far in the draft. Either way, Lynx general manager diamond_ace was very high on him and his entire draft class as a whole. In the 11 picks that the Lynx had, five of them were used on defenseman and Lombardi was the lowest TPE player by 7, which shows how deep of a draft they had. The Lynx also drafted a 135 TPE goalie Kallis Kriketers, which makes up for any deficiencies they have on the blueline. Despite being an active player, Lombardi was a 3rd pairing guy and the Lynx felt that they could flip that into a large haul.
 
For Aces fans, there could be a bit of outrage about this trade. Lombardi was only a ninth round pick, and they shipped off a second and third round pick for him. But there are some other factors that make this trade better. The Aces get Hynes off of the roster, who was one of five inactive players on the roster. That is a lot for one team, so it makes sense to pay a premium to acquire a player that will be any active member of the team. Lombardi is set to be on the second defense pair this season, as well as special teams ice time.
 
The scouting report of Lombardi is that he is fairly undersized at 5'10, but makes up for it by being an solid skater. His game is modeled around his skating, as well as his passing. Lombardi also enjoys hitting people and is pretty strong and figures to get stronger. His shot is not very good yet, and needs to improve if he wants to be the point man on the powerplay. Statistically, Lombardi should get around 20-30, with most of them being assists. He is fairly disciplined, but some checks will cross the line and send him to the box, as most physical defenseman are.
 
At first glance, this trade does seem lopsided in favor of the Lynx, and understandably so. Trading two high round picks and a player for one late round player does seem like a steal. But there are benefits for both sides. The Lynx do a great job drafting year in and year out, as proven by this prior draft. But they do take on an inactive player, which is a nuisance. For the Aces, they get a player to fill out there second pairing, and also get to dump one of their inactive players. The Aces defense was looking weak heading into the draft, and while they were able to add a couple quality pieces, it still was not very good. Adding another defenseman, who at the time at the article had 48 TPE, is important. The backend is still a question mark for this team, but not as much as it was previously. I still think this trade is better for the Lynx, but the Aces still made a smart move.  

You're a good active member and you always hate dealing away good active members. Glad you understand that I had to do it though, and good luck in Vegas and on whichever VHL team you eventually end up on when you promote.

Late last night, the VHLM saw its first trade after the S61 draft, which was this past Sunday. The Las Vegas Aces traded Sam Hynes, and a second and third round pick to the Ottawa Lynx for next season for rookie defenseman James Lombardi, who was a ninth round pick in the S61 draft. This seams like a lopsided trade in favor of the Lynx, but lets dive a bit deeper into this trade.
 
For the Lynx, James Lombardi is a 25 year old defense man entering his first season in the VHLM. At the draft, Lombardi only had 34 TPE, which is why he slipped so far in the draft. Either way, Lynx general manager diamond_ace was very high on him and his entire draft class as a whole. In the 11 picks that the Lynx had, five of them were used on defenseman and Lombardi was the lowest TPE player by 7, which shows how deep of a draft they had. The Lynx also drafted a 135 TPE goalie Kallis Kriketers, which makes up for any deficiencies they have on the blueline. Despite being an active player, Lombardi was a 3rd pairing guy and the Lynx felt that they could flip that into a large haul.
 
For Aces fans, there could be a bit of outrage about this trade. Lombardi was only a ninth round pick, and they shipped off a second and third round pick for him. But there are some other factors that make this trade better. The Aces get Hynes off of the roster, who was one of five inactive players on the roster. That is a lot for one team, so it makes sense to pay a premium to acquire a player that will be any active member of the team. Lombardi is set to be on the second defense pair this season, as well as special teams ice time.
 
The scouting report of Lombardi is that he is fairly undersized at 5'10, but makes up for it by being an solid skater. His game is modeled around his skating, as well as his passing. Lombardi also enjoys hitting people and is pretty strong and figures to get stronger. His shot is not very good yet, and needs to improve if he wants to be the point man on the powerplay. Statistically, Lombardi should get around 20-30, with most of them being assists. He is fairly disciplined, but some checks will cross the line and send him to the box, as most physical defenseman are.
 
At first glance, this trade does seem lopsided in favor of the Lynx, and understandably so. Trading two high round picks and a player for one late round player does seem like a steal. But there are benefits for both sides. The Lynx do a great job drafting year in and year out, as proven by this prior draft. But they do take on an inactive player, which is a nuisance. For the Aces, they get a player to fill out there second pairing, and also get to dump one of their inactive players. The Aces defense was looking weak heading into the draft, and while they were able to add a couple quality pieces, it still was not very good. Adding another defenseman, who at the time at the article had 48 TPE, is important. The backend is still a question mark for this team, but not as much as it was previously. I still think this trade is better for the Lynx, but the Aces still made a smart move.  

Sorry Lombardi, you barely had any time with us but if I have the opportunity to turn a 9th into a 2nd and 3rd, of course I'm going to do it. Vegas are still a good team and you should still get a chance to have a decent playoff run with them.
 
Accept

Welcome to the league, man  @nymets5