Package Includes:
One official NYA White Hoodie from VHLShop.com
2 SIGNED 5x10 photos of JEROME and TYLER REINHART
One official NYA Alternate Jersey from VHLShop.com
One official GAME USED NYA puck
One Vasile Lamb #68 Mini-Stick from VHLShop.com
EXCLUSIVE QR Code to redeem two tickets to a future New York Americans home game!
@rory Thanks again for your dedication!!
VANCOUVER
This side feels like a perfect example of how to execute success from a trade tree. The trades made led to a ton of success for Vancouver, and while Riga did not do badly, it's gonna be hard to argue their case by the time I'm done going through Vancouver's side.
Of the six pieces acquired in the original trade, two of them were not traded. Napoleon Bonaparte @CptSquall played two seasons with Vancouver before retiring. They had 39 points in 144 games. Then the S76 Toronto 2nd turned into Javad Kamkar @Parriyah9374. Kamkar had 45 goals and 173 points in 288 games as a defenseman. 4 seasons with Vancouver ended with them moving on to join Helinski. When it comes to the other four picks, only Jakob Sosa @TMGSosa played games. They had 96 points in 196 games before being traded midway through S78.
Trade Grade: B+. Even though only 3 of the 6 picks played for the team, Vancouver go assets for 4 of them and got some good games played out of 3.
Starting with the shortest branch of this side, the S76 CGY 1st is put into a 1st swap with Seattle, where Vancouver got a S77 1st. With that first the Wolves drafted Barron Kruulenstien @LefLop. Kruulenstien played 2 seasons before leaving in free agency.
Trade Grade: B-. Draft picks are just magic beans so the actual trade isn't bad, as the player picked with the traded pick was very good, but Vancouver might not have picked them. Kruulenstien is what the trade is really being judged on, and while they were a roster player, they weren't a huge impact player.
The next branch comes from Jakob Sosa. Sosa was traded to Malmo for a S80 first, so this tree continues a few seasons after it started. The 1st was used to pick Ryan Vidot @Enorama, who never got to the majors in time to play for Vancouver. Instead, they were traded in a three team trade, where Hari Singh Nalwa @Dil was the returning piece for the Wolves. Nalwa was a fantastic player for Vancouver, scoring 39 goals and 146 points in two seasons (144 games). After winning their 3rd consecutive Continental Cup, Vancouver needed to sell, and Nalwa was on the chopping block. They were sent along with another talented player in Omi Aberg @osens to Warsaw for the 2nd overall pick in the S83 draft. With that pick, Brandt Fuhr @Tate joined the Wolves, and they are looking like one of the top young prospects in the entire league.
Trade Grades:
Sosa for a 1st: C+. Sosa had been having a breakout season and continued to put up great points in Malmo. The first is a good return, but the team that gets the player wins unless the draftee is one of the best players in the draft.
Vidot for Nalwa: A. Vidot has looked good but has had nowhere near the impact that Nalwa had for Vancouver during their time at the top of the league.
Nalwa + Aberg for 1st: B. Trading two impact players is tough but getting a 2nd overall pick does cushion the blow a bit. Especially for a team now in the process of rebuilding.
Before the three-peat, Vancouver needed to build a team capable of winning. To do that, moves had to be made. The S75 Malmo 5th, the smallest piece of the original trade, somehow turned into the biggest and most impactful branch for Vancouver. It is sent to LA with another 5th to trade up for another 5th. That 5th became Paul Webber @WebberP. Webber did not play for the Wolves, and was added to a big trade along with Michael Schmitdt @Kmatt (in the minors that year), a S77 1st, a S77 2nd, and a S78 3rd. What they got in return was a S78 2nd, a S78 4th, and the big piece, SS Hornet @McWolf . Hornet joined Vancouver for a playoff push and a short run, which ended with a Wolves 2nd round defeat.
Trade Grades:
2 5ths for a 5th: C. Trading two of something to get the same thing is not great. A 5th and a 6th to trade up in the 5th would have looked a bit better.
Prospects + Picks for Picks + Hornet: B+. It's a lot to give up, but offloading prospects who might not pan out is very good. Hornet was also a top caliber player who made a huge impact.
Hornet scored 28 goals and 59 points in 55 games played. 22 games into season 77, Vancouver decided to trade them. Packaged with Micah Adrienne and a S78 2nd, the Wolves got a huge return for the star. Kate Upton @OscarTheSwagDude, Wolf Weiss @Matmenzinger, Ziarie Anigbogu @ngine4, a S79 1st, and a S79 2nd. The picks were both traded before the draft, but how did the players do? Kate Upton had a career year, putting up 49 points in 50 games before leaving in free agency. Wolf Weiss had 34 points in 50 games upon arrival, and the next season had 30 points in 72 games. Because of Weiss's regression, they were let walk in free agency. Anigbogu finished their career with Vancouver, scoring 95 points in 122 games before retiring.
Trade Grade: B. Hornet went on to have a fantastic rest of their career, making it hurt that the three players acquired were all gone in two years. The picks were good and what came from the picks was better, but this trade alone is just not the best.
Now for the most important part of the trade tree. I'm gonna start with the S79 2nd. It was traded in a quick 2nd rounder swap. The 2nd that came from that was traded to Toronto for L @gorlab, who played 25 games and had 11 points before being traded with a S81 2nd to LA for Jeffrey Pines @rory . Pines played the rest of the season with Vancouver, scoring 82 points in 47 games to end their fantastic career.
Onto the other branch. The S79 1st was packaged with a S79 4th and used to trade up in the draft to Davos's 1st. That 1st was the 3rd overall pick, and it was used to select Jerome Reinhart @MexicanCow123. Now Reinhart's numbers here are truly spectacular. In 4 full season with the Wolves, Reinhart won 3 cups, had 459 points in 288 games played, and 96 points in 48 playoff games. Just for reference, the best regular season numbers by any Riga player in this tree was 95 points. Reinhart's 459 points are more than double the 228 points that all of the Riga players scored. A truly incredible player, who unfortunately was the next to go after Nalwa and Aberg were traded. Vancouver had to start the rebuild this offseason, and selling Reinhart would get some important assets. This is when New York steps up. The trade is as follows: Jerome and Tyler Reinhart @Zetterberg for a S84 2nd and a S85 1st. As of now that is the end of the tree.
Trade Grades:
2nd for 2nd: B. It's a 2nd swap. No team comes out on top here. No team loses either.
2nd for L: C+. As a defenseman, L wasn't meant to put up points, but a 2nd rounder for 25 games is rough.
L + 2nd for Pines: A. While Pines only played 47 games for Vancouver, they scored 82 points, and made it so the trade was totally worth it. Pines was able to contribute to Vancouver's first of three cups, and was a great veteran voice on that team.
1st + 4th for 1st: A+. It's really no question here. Jerome Reinhart makes trading up totally worth it.
Reinharts for Picks: C-. It's really no question here. Trading Jerome Reinhart basically makes this trade an automatic loss. It also makes you wish that Vancouver could have gotten more. Probably 2 firsts at the very least and then the thought occurs that Jerome still has a few more seasons left. Out of all the trades made in this tree, this one makes the least sense to me.
VANCOUVER REVIEW
While the Reinhart trade at the end hurts a lot, there is no doubt that this trade tree was an absolute win for Vancouver. 3 straight cups makes it so there is no argument. The tree takes Vancouver from a rebuilding team, to a dynasty, to a rebuilding team. It's a smooth cycle that could very well repeat with pieces like Fuhr now on the team to lead the Wolves into the future.
VANCOUVER STATS
Vancouver traded 13 players and 15 picks to acquire 7 players and 18 picks. Of those acquired, there are 2 picks and 1 player left on the team, however 4 players did retire with the Wolves. All of the players combined scored 482 goals and 862 assists (1344 points) in 1697 games. In the playoffs they played a combined 150 games and had 51 goals and 116 assists (177 points).
FINAL THOUGHTS
Well there's not really any argument over who won. Vancouver, as I've said time after time, won three cups because of this tree. I really don't think Vancouver wins those cups without Reinhart and some of the other players acquired like Nalwa and Pines. Riga got a bit of short term success, but the Vancouver acquisitions had nearly 4 times the amount of goals, assists, and games played in the regular season. There's no question here, Vancouver won the trade.
After a long and exciting offseason, Justin Adolfsen looks back on the huge drafts that he was involved in. First, we will talk about how Justin was drafted 18th overall by the Rome Gladiators in the VHLE. Justin was very excited to get back to work in the E, after a successful cup run with The Saskatoon Wild. Justin looks forward to working with his new teammates, and hopefully can make another cup run in the E. Justin will look to grow his game, and become more of a goalscoring threat. He also wants to see growth before he enters the VHL. After a successful preseason, Justin is poised for another high scoring season.
This brings me to my next topic about how Justin was drafted 14th overall in the VHL draft to the New York Americans. This was a huge excitement for Justin because he always grew up rooting for the NYA, since he was born and raised in New York. As a NY sports fan this couldn’t be more of an exciting opportunity for Justin. Justin is very excited to get his first appearance for NYA, but is currently focusing on the E season with Rome.
Pick between Jerome and your other two defensemen, and then pick a new forward to replace Jerome. Tag @Gustav once you're done so he can edit the roster.
Fair warning from a previous recruitment head. This is NOT an easy job. You can very easily get burnt out doing the same thing constantly for a long period of time, it's a tough job. Only apply if you are sure you can handle doing the same exact tasks for a long period of time. Wish you all the best and goodluck, don't get burnt out!
Of note @VHL GM @VHLM GM @VHLE GM: With the deadline for applying hybrid attributes drawing ever closer if you have players that don’t TECHNICALLY fall under inactive rules but clearly have not been around for some time and are likely to not return before the deadline then you can handle them as if they are inactive. If they return to activity the free re-roll is still present.
This is being offered to ensure that members who may have just been away a couple of weeks aren’t being retired unnecessarily.
This past week was a wild ride, not only did I find out where I was going to be playing this season in the VHLE, but I also found out about where my future pro home would be as well, the funny thing though? I found out about my pro team prior to my VHLE team, which was a little funny. Augustus Kennedy was the second best goalie in his draft class and while many pegged him to slip to double digits, anywhere from 13th to 15th, he ended up going 9th overall to @MexicanCow123 and the New York Americans. A lot of people did have Kennedy slated to go to NYA, but at their 14th pick, and not their 9th pick, however the reason or whatever the reason, it seemed as though his fate was sealed and he would be heading to New York regardless. When the VHLE draft came up, it wasn't as 'fun' for the goalie as a lot of teams already had a goalie in place so the need for one just wasn't there, and because of that Kennedy slipped all the way to the 2nd round of the draft, ending up with @JB123 and the Oslo Storm. Kennedy had the below to say about the two teams he was drafted to:
"Both teams I was drafted to seem to be amidst a rebuild at the moment and we'll see what that does for me any my future in both of the leagues as time goes on. This will be my first and only season in the VHLE, so like any player I am hoping to make the most of it, as for the Americans, I can only hope that when this season is done, they are just a bit further along and can really ensure we've got a competitive team in front of us. I'm excited for the future and to play for both of these franchises."
I didn't think I was going to do this for this season, but I ended up with--gasp!--an evening to myself! And I'm spending said evening doing what I do best, which is nerding out to fake athletes and their fake numbers. I'll try to get the draft order right this time...
Without further ado!
ROUND 1
1st Overall
Scotty Sundin | C | 404 TPE | Houston Bulls | @fromtheinside
I've actually projected this pick already! In my (apparently controversial) article in which I talk about how I would save Chicago, I have the first step down as Sundin at first overall. Let's face it--the Phoenix could use just about anyone, anywhere. With TPE inflation being what it is, and the offseason being longer to make room for all the meta business, Sundin is the first player in a long time to be drafted with over 400 TPE, and with 9-season careers on the horizon, we might be looking at one of the highest-powered prospects of all time. There's simply no better choice, and if he's willing to stick around through the first half of his career while the team builds up, he could be on top of a very powerful lineup in the future.
2nd Overall (from Warsaw)
Brandt Fuhr | G | 378 TPE | Mexico City Kings | @Tate
This pick was a tough one to figure out. Looking at Vancouver's roster, my first impression is that a rebuild might be in order--Tucker is out after this season, Zolnek is out after this season, and the defensive unit is fairly depleted. In addition, the TPE-efficient model that helped make the past few seasons' lineups so great simply won't fly under the new system. So, why would a team in this situation make the aggressive move to trade up to 2nd overall? Generally, something like this (at least, according to the way I think) would be done to fill one specific gap in one specific way. The one specific gap that can be filled in one specific way, with one specific player, most effectively, is in net, where former first-rounder Aike van Giersbergen hasn't updated since November. Fuhr will likely have to sit through some period of difficult changes, but I can't rationalize the idea of trading up for anyone else. Also likely? Vancouver has done their homework on Fuhr (or whoever else goes here) and gotten a promising answer from someone willing to stick around.
3rd Overall (from DC)
Igor Molotov | C | 390 TPE | Miami Marauders | @Dom
I actually didn't even consider what might happen at 3 when I projected Fuhr at 2, but this makes me feel much more confident about 2 and 3. Trading into the #3 slot is none other than Dom, general manager of...the Malmo Nighthawks. Here, we've got a team that's got a lot to shuffle around in the coming seasons as well, so it's going to help to have someone who sticks around for as long as they're needed. It's also going to be a good general guiding principle for a rebuilding team to go after the best player on the board, with not a ton of consideration of position. Molotov does both of those things, and the GM factor...doesn't exactly hurt either. And when we ask the same question that we did at 2--that being "why would this team be aggressive in the draft when they're more or less in a rebuild?"--the answer is clear. Molotov is the equivalent of a #1 overall pick for Malmo, and chances are he's penciled into the lineup already.
4th Overall
AirRig GoodBrandSun | D | 361 TPE | Houston Bulls | @Rhynex Entertainment
I wrestled with this one a bit, and I wasn't sure if I projected this pick for the right reasons. But, I've got my reasons nonetheless and I think it's best if I speak honestly. Purely objectively speaking, if Hammer Voss can be trusted to stick around, that is the pick to make here and anywhere hereafter. I have endless respect for BOOM as a member and a builder, and I don't want any of my analysis to take away from that. His last couple players, though, will raise some questions--though Gunnar Odinsson was the league's best for a brief period of time, it's at least twice in a row that BOOM has both played around with free agency and retired early. There is absolutely nothing wrong with either of those things, but it could make a GM hesitant (and understandably so). As an alternative, a team could pick up GoodBrandSun, whose agent's former (self-named) player stuck around New York long-term. A forward would fit in much better for Davos, but the next seven players on the board play defense. I'd say trading down is in the team's best interest, but I find it hard to believe anyone would trade up to 4 unless Fuhr somehow escapes the top 3.
5th Overall
Hammar Voss | D | 366 TPE | Houston Bulls | @BOOM
Allow me to clarify something that may not have gotten across in the last spot: Voss is not a bad pick. He's perfectly worthy of being #4, and outside of the top 3 he's got easily the most upside. While some level of risk might turn Davos away, a team like New York might take a swing at the opportunity. Currently, the Americans are in rough shape, and they'll take whatever they can get. But on top of that, they're missing a lot of potential star power. There are very many good players on the board #5, but Voss may be the only one I'd tag in this moment as a potential great. With proper management and a good plan, this may turn out very well for New York.
6th Overall
Ryuji Sakamoto | D | 339 TPE | Mexico City Kings | @der meister
The need for more defense might not seem apparent in Helsinki, and the team is actually fairly well off across the board as it looks like they'll finally be escaping their rebuild this season. At first, I looked at the Titans' roster and thought they wouldn't need anyone else to play defense, but then I realized that there aren't any glaring needs for the immediate future and started looking deeper (especially because it would be hard to justify reaching down 70 TPE for a forward). There is a potential spot for Sakamoto--though the Titans are set on defense for the immediate future, many of their top players and prospects are from S81, and the team will likely have some cap issues to deal with in S84 when all of them are up for a bigger contract. With three defenders on the roster from two seasons (79 and 80), it might be smart to offload Nano or Remy next offseason to carve out a spot for Sakamoto, thus keeping cap down while sticking with decent players with a proven history of being productive in the league.
7th Overall
Brian Kowalski | D | 273 TPE | Saskatoon Wild | @Wheaties
Yes, TPE drops off noticeably after Sakamoto. The next few players on the board are fairly similar TPE-wise as well, and one would think that my job would be made harder by that. For this pick? Not really. Vets recognize vets, and I also think former Wild GMs recognize current Wild players. New GM @Doomsday is sure to pick out Wheaties, who's a prominent figure outside the VHL, and it helps quite a bit that the Legion could use a solid defensive prospect. I'd love to see how this pick goes, but if 1-6 follow 1-6 in TPE, as I think they will, I also think 7 won't be a difficult decision.
8th Overall (from MAL)
Tomas Sogaard | LW | 267 TPE | Mexico City Kings | @Brandon
DC should do something about their forward unit, and I think this is the perfect pick to do that. Let's ignore the overall draft ranking--Sogaard is the #3 forward in the draft, and he's just as good a pick as anyone surrounding him in the rankings, especially for a team looking for a forward. With five of six forwards on the roster being pre-S80, the time to start planning for turnover is now, and Sogaard is a valuable piece of the puzzle. With this pick, too, DC gets yet another member from the good old days who came back to the forum after years of being away, a class of members that's done very well in recent times.
9th Overall (from SEA via HSK)
Siyan Yasilievich | D | 282 TPE | Philadelphia Reapers | @badcolethetitan
Rebuild incoming! Calgary is tearing things apart. And you know what I like to do to teams that are rebuilding? That's right, I like to give them the best player available without thinking about position. The best player available right now is Yasilievich, who's been passed over a couple times ahead of this in favor of others who potentially represent better fits for their teams. I think it's very possible that Yasilievich could end up going at 7 as well (he's been max earning lately!), but in this projection I have Calgary pulling the trigger and getting someone with underrated potential.
10th Overall
Jake Thunder | D | 268 TPE | Las Vegas Aces | @Thunder
Yet another one for Calgary, and here they make a similar pick. Thunder is quietly earning very well, and could be a very nice complement to Yasilievich in the future. It's absolutely correct that I make this as another "best player available" pick, but I sincerely promise that "best player available" is a compliment. Thunder represents the chance for Calgary to lay a solid foundation on the blue line in one season, and to move on confidently with who they select in this draft.
11th Overall (from PRG)
Leandro Goncalves | C | 262 TPE | Mexico City Kings | @leandrofg
What? Yet another member I don't think I've ever interacted with, max earning and being a WJC GM? Unbelievable. I remember a time when I had nothing better to do than stare at the VHL all day, and that certainly wouldn't have happened then. ANYWAY, forwards are at a premium in this draft class, and Goncalves is a valuable pick at 11. I like to think Davos has a decent history with newer players and player enjoyment over the last decade (now included), and it should be a spot that's very conducive to Goncalves' development as the team aims to escape its rebuild over the next couple seasons.
12th Overall
Ivan Retoslav | C | 252 TPE | Houston Bulls | @eagle_3450
London would do well to pick Retoslav here, deviating ever so slightly from the TPE rankings (which are close enough here as to be inconsequential anyway). I've seen Eagle around league chat every now and then, always a bonus, and Retoslav has demonstrated very solid earning. I think that London would go with someone on defense if they really wanted to draft based on position, but that's a little bit of a reach and I also think that this pick is good enough to make up for that.
And no, I have no super secret insider AGM info about this pick. I just got here.
13th Overall (from RIG via PRG)
Landon Wolanin | LW | 260 TPE | Las Vegas Aces/San Diego Marlins | @jacobcarson877
I got really excited when I saw that the portal had Calgary for three picks in a row, but NEVER MIND! We should really get the portal draft order ironed out. Wolanin is yet another underrated first-round talent in this draft (and also one whose player...somehow doesn't have a nationality on the portal? What's up with that one?) who may be going under the radar of quite a few people. After picking up two on defense already by this point, Calgary conveniently sits in a spot where a forward is the best they can get--and that is what they will get.
14th Overall (from LA)
Augustus Kennedy | G | 259 TPE | Saskatoon Wild | @InstantRockstar
In my Chicago article, I had Kennedy going to the Phoenix after a trade up, for the reason that a rebuilding team with needs everywhere shouldn't be shelling out huge assets to get a goaler right away, but that Kennedy is still a very solid pick with fairly assured budget starter potential. That reason holds true for New York here, as they'll pick up the goaler they want (and need!) for the future. Unless another team manages to trade up ahead of 14 for Kennedy, too, he's all but guaranteed to be available here, as neither Calgary nor London nor Davos nor anyone else in the neighborhood has an immediate need for someone in net. Finally, it's a match made in heaven--GM @MexicanCow123 spent much of his early time in the VHL as AGM of San Diego under IR.
15th Overall
PJ Daniels | LW | 243 TPE | Las Vegas Aces | @xNJDevilsFanx
Imagine being from New Jersey! Never in a million years could that be me, but it could absolutely be Moscow's GM and there's a definite nonzero chance that it could be this player's agent as well. That's not why I projected this pick the way I did--solid earning did that for me--but it can't hurt, can it? There's a case to be made for Moscow to draft any skater position here--they've got a good handful of forward prospects (as opposed to none on defense), but none that stick out too strongly, so I consider Daniels the best choice here as defense is still a good reach.
16th Overall
Baxter Arcanum | D | 223 TPE | Ottawa Lynx | @ctots
Another pick, another max earner, and I can say quite safely that I'm very proud of this draft class. Any skater would make sense here, but defense is where the team is most lacking after both Kitson and Nalwa were shipped off elsewhere. Arcanum fills the role of a prospect perfectly, with less TPE and less name recognition than many others but with big potential to be a big solution to some big problems. This may be seen as somewhat of a reach, but it's one that the Wolves should feel comfortable making.
ROUND 2
17th Overall
Pete Mitchell | LW | 262 TPE | Las Vegas Aces | @Crstats23
Mitchell falls a bit due to a bit lower earn rate than the others ahead of him in this mock, but stays in respectable territory due to past league experience. No matter the earn rate, recreating is a mark of consistency, and it's one that can't be overlooked after Chris Reynolds' steady career with Warsaw. Chicago manages to pick up a player who they can count on (a factor which they desperately need) with this pick, potentially with less expectation of star power but with a good deal less risk.
18th Overall
Sock Monkey | LW | 209 TPE | Miami Marauders | @chikn
From one recreate we go to another, and it's with this pick that DC hopes to continue building up their future forward lines. The former agent of defender Chicken Wing, also of Warsaw for a while, Sock Monkey is a decent pick for much the same reason as Mitchell--it's a low-risk, team-knows-what-they're-getting type of deal where the team in question gets what's probably a decent second-line player in a competitive lineup. That's conveniently exactly what they need, and with Sock Monkey likely available at 18, it's a smart investment.
19th Overall
Adison Bond | C | 184 TPE | Ottawa Lynx/Mississauga Hounds | @adison
HOT TAKE! I think it's more likely than not that Bond doesn't end up in the top 20, but this pick makes sense, and here's why. Bond has been earning weirdly lately, with many supporting tasks being completed, but no welfare or 6-point task. Perhaps Bond's agent lacks a bit of clarification on the earning process, perhaps not--but with a little bit of guidance and a little bit of added consistency, we could see Bond moving up the rankings. Also, Davos has already drafted a forward, and with many picks in this draft, they can afford to take a little risk. Last but not least, Bond's agent was a GM in the Junior Showcase tournament...which GM @Alex runs.
20th Overall
Deron Nesbitt | D | 227 TPE | Ottawa Lynx | @AW13
There's a definite case to be made for Nesbitt to go higher up the board than this, and I wouldn't argue against it. AW is an established member of other leagues, and he's created some decent players here as well, most recently bringing Lexi Glass to Warsaw (is this the Warsaw recreate round? It sure feels like it). This pick offers some level of comfort if Voss ends up not working out for whatever reason, and I'd also argue that Nesbitt is the best player available at this point (certainly in TPE, yes, but there are more factors than that). I think this pick could go either way, but there's nothing wrong with picking someone who keeps coming back, and there's a good deal of potential for expectations to be exceeded.
21st Overall
Calen McKay | C | 192 TPE | Mexico City Kings | @Kendrick
Speaking of members who keep coming back...well, here's another one. I believe the last time Kendrick played for Helsinki was with Jesse Wilson, way back when I joined the league, and we'd all hope for a happy homecoming with McKay. Helsinki is no stranger to picking somewhat over-the-hill (though still consistent) earners in the second round (think Calix Pearce last season), and though that hasn't (yet) worked out supremely, it's a perfectly viable way to go about things and it's a huge understatement to say that Kendrick is perfectly capable of contributing to a team. I loved having Lewis Dawson (selected--I think--7th overall in--I think--S70?) as a teammate in Malmo, and it's the hope of Titans management that McKay turns out similarly.
22nd Overall
Justin Adolfsen | LW | 205 TPE | Saskatoon Wild/San Diego Marlins | @NJDevils24
The second round isn't the place to find the solution to your positional need, unless you're lucky, but Warsaw (despite being fairly well-balanced at the moment) could certainly use a forward prospect more than someone elsewhere at the moment and Adolfsen is at the top of the TPE list at this point in our projection. Looking more to pick smartly than to make a splash, the Predators go for Adolfsen here (who's been mainly taking welfare, but doing so consistently, which is more important) and plan for him to fit into the lineup a season or two down the road.
23rd Overall
James Marino | D | 197 TPE | Ottawa Lynx/San Diego Marlins | @Adrest245
Marino could certainly go higher than this, and I think that's a definite possibility, but Adrest's last player went inactive early on, which could lead to some GMs being hesitant. I don't think there's any way Marino ends up falling much farther than this, though, and I've projected him to Moscow because I know of @Spartan's connection with affiliate leagues, where Adrest is mostly focused. Not only does that bring a level of familiarity from a GM standpoint, it's potentially more conducive to player development and interest--a two-way street that goes well both ways.
24th Overall (from MAL)
Svatopluk Puk | RW | 186 TPE | Ottawa Lynx/San Diego Marlins | @Otaznik
The player I had going to Chicago in my Chicago article (after some pick movement) instead goes to Davos in this one--we're in mostly-welfare territory for most of our picks at this point, but Puk has been earning a bit more than that and also just so happens to be near the top of the TPE list at this point in the draft. This pick gives Davos some security in reaching for Bond at 19, as Puk should develop into a reasonable second-line option eventually if Bond doesn't pan out.
25th Overall (from SEA via DAV)
Sam Azjha | C | 140 TPE | Halifax 21st | @Azjha_59
ANOTHER HOT TAKE! This one sees Toronto reaching down 40-ish TPE in the rankings to grab a player at a position they don't even really need. Why, you ask? Azjha's earning has picked up markedly over the past two weeks, with graphics rather than welfare for a whole 10 capped. Though that will need to be kept up, it's an absolute bargain at 25 if it can be. This is also a name I think I recognize, and I believe it's someone I've interacted with on some level at some point. For not-living-here-as-much-anymore me to recognize a newer member at this stage is a mark of promise, and Toronto makes this pick hoping things will work out well.
26th Overall
Jeremy Davidson | RW | 164 TPE | Halifax 21st |@jpdavidson8787
Calgary shouldn't need to load up on defense any more after the first round, as evidenced by my projection of Wolanin up there. We're certainly in best-player-on-the-board territory at this point in the second round, and Davidson has some upside, mostly welfare but participating in things like press conferences and trivia on occasion. Even a player with potential to make the roster is valuable to a rebuilding team, and that's what Calgary gets.
27th Overall (from PRG)
Dens Oden | LW | 150 TPE | Saskatoon Wild | @Snussu
There are better picks in terms of both TPE and earn rate to be made here, but I make this projection under the assumption that Davos has done their homework well. I once had Snu as a player and loved having him on the team for his activity in our server--and he felt similarly about playing for Davos. One can look at this pick as a mostly welfare-only player going above their TPE ranking, but one can also look at it as a member who has been a member longer than I have going to a franchise that he's personally connected to. And that's something I think makes a lot of sense!
28th Overall
Nicholas Blue | D | 165 TPE | Miami Marauders | @lidz
Nicholas who? That's right, it's Nicholas Blue. Here in the draft, it's really, really small things that can set one player apart from another, and there's one really, really small thing about Blue that I'm a really, really big fan of. In both of the last two weeks, he's taken himself from welfare to welfare-plus-trivia, and with a couple press conferences done in the past, it's clear that we have more than just a clicker on our hands. There are more people doing more than just welfare, here, sure--but it's the trend that interests me. Just ask Jimmy Spyro--a player drafted right as they start to improve their earn rate can blow up if given the right attention.
29th Overall (from RIG)
Babushka | D | 186 TPE | San Diego Marlins | @BrutalBoost
"CaLgArY iSn'T dRaFtiNg MoRe DeFeNsE," said some idiot not long ago. Well, guess what: they are. It's not like that option is completely off the table, as everyone here has room to grow into an eventual future role. With Babushka, Calgary gets the top-TPE player on the board, and a former VHLM GM and current VHLM AGM at that. Though former-GM-now-on-welfare can often spell BUST, it doesn't always--and if it doesn't, Calgary gets more than what one would expect.
30th Overall
Hasbulla Magomedov | LW | 178 TPE | Mexico City Kings | @Motzaburger
It should make some GMs raise an eyebrow that Motza burned out fairly quickly on the last time around, but it should also be a point of interest that Micheal (yes, I spelled that right) Gary Scott was a good earner for a good while and that Motza is a former VHLM GM. IR is someone who's been around long enough to remember the latter, and it's for that reason that LA takes a chance on Hasbulla, who gets the chance to prove whether or not he is truly NUMBER ONE in the seasons ahead.
31st Overall
E Man | D | 165 TPE | Las Vegas Aces | @Ian Kingston
I can see E Man going as high as 26th, and this is another Moscow-projected pick that I think would be great value at its spot. Though there's been a slight hiccup in his earning over the last week-ish, E Man earned quite well for someone who would go at this point before that. If he can get back on track, this pick is a steal, and there's plenty of room to exceed even that with the proper coaching.
32nd Overall
Boston | LW | 154 TPE | Halifax 21st | @CanucksFan
This pick is projected for just about the same reasons as with E Man--earning ever so slightly less in the last week or so, Boston has better upside than just a welfare player. As an apparent Canucks fan, too, Boston's agent will have something in common with both the team's location and with Nyko, who hopes to keep the Wolves going strong after this offseason's changes.
As always, tell me what you think! I tried to actually get the draft order from the rulebook this time, so...fingers crossed on that one I guess? I'm looking forward to a great draft, and I'd love to see how the results of the draft stack up to my projections!
.png.ed69a7260a477fcf4feead7a0e4b7506.png)
(1).png.68dfd8a81209446a0490b991ae9ea8f6.png)
(1).thumb.png.c0bd0fa4781bec41855bf650b58e781b.png)
MexicanCow123 reacted to fromtheinside in Special Package for NYA SUPERFAN RORY
MexicanCow123 got a reaction from JardyB10 in Add a Position Swap Cutoff
MexicanCow123 got a reaction from Spartan in Add a Position Swap Cutoff
MexicanCow123 got a reaction from v.2 in S83 - VHFL Group 12 - Complete
MexicanCow123 got a reaction from rory in S83 Regular Season Index + Live Sim Hub
MexicanCow123 got a reaction from Thunder in S83 Regular Season Index + Live Sim Hub
MexicanCow123 got a reaction from Vkobe-v in Recruitment Crew Openings
MexicanCow123 got a reaction from diacope in VSN Presents: S82 VHL Awards
(1).thumb.png.c0bd0fa4781bec41855bf650b58e781b.png)
