badcolethetitan

On 4/9/2024 at 10:40 PM, Masu Chan said:

You ONLY have to answer 6 of the 8 Questions
WEEK OF April 8th-April 14th

 

1: Do you think the Phoenix needs to make a trade or two to be successful this season?

 

2: Not sure if our Arena has a name, but if you had to name/rename The Chicago Phoenix arena, what'd you call it?

 

3: What do you think of this season's Theme Week? (Rebrand)

 

4: Which NHL team should rebrand? (Doesn't have to be a bad team, just one you dislike the branding of.)

 

5: Will the Boston Bruins ever have a down year?

 

6: The NHL playoffs are right around the corner. Who is your early Stanley Cup-winning team? 

 

7: What is one song on your playlist that you haven't fully listened to in a long time?

 

8: What is your opinion of outer space?

 

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@Masu Chan @badcolethetitan @Gaming Ringleader @SirRupertBarnes @DankTurtle @Velevra @qripll @dlamb @Kylrad @Enorama

 

1. I think if the timing and trade is right, we should, otherwise we don't have to make trades now.

2. I would name it "The Nest".

3. I think it's pretty cool. You get to see the creative side of people.

4. Columbus Blue Jackets. I like the cannon, just not a fan of the jerseys.

5. I mean, it has to happen eventually, right?

6. I'm going to go with the Dallas Stars. They've got some great depth and seem pretty stacked.

Tage Thompson my KING

Chicago Phoenix Potential Rebrand to...

Why Rebrand?

First off, I just want to say that I like the Chicago Phoenix currently. I wouldn't actually want to rebrand the team and I'd want to keep it pretty much how it is. However, that's not the whole point of this week, which is the theme: rebranding. I had a couple ideas on how to take this, but ultimately landed on this one as the final choice, I think it's a cool idea, but it will never become a reality, thankfully.

Team Name and Colors, Reasoning

The team name I'm going to be rolling with is the Windy City Locomotives. You might be wondering, where is the Chicago name going? Well, we are going to be changing it to the "Windy City", as it's one of the nicknames for Chicago. If you didn't know, this actually comes from the 1870s, where a newspaper by the name of the "Cincinnati Enquirer" called Chicago this, because of a tornado that went through the city of Chicago. On top of that, they were doubling down on the name, highlighting the local speakers at the time who were "full of wind," basically calling them egotistical (I had to look this part up, because I had no clue why it was called the Windy City, I thought it was just because of how windy it is). Now that you know why we're switching to the Windy City, we can now focus on the team name, the Locomotives. I ended up choosing this over the "trains" because it obviously sounds way better in my opinion. Chicago actually has many trains that go in and outside of the city, as it's in the middle of the mid west and acts as a hub for most train companies as a middle point, hence why I chose the name Locomotives. As for the coloring, I decided to keep with some of the same colors that the Phoenix have. Overall, the main colors would be Red, Black, and White, however I decided to keep a bit of orange in the jersey to still have the "Chicago Phoenix" touch even though we are rebranding. Our goal horn would then change, as we would probably have a train horn as our goal horn, as for the song I have no clue. The coloring for the jersey was just my own opinion, because I think red and black work really well with each other. As for the logo, I basically found it online and recolored it, hence why I didn't use it for a full tpe graphic, and wrote an article instead. The logo belongs to the Syracuse Mets, which is the Triple A affiliate of the New York Mets. I think they've got a sick logo and it fits perfectly with the "C" standing for Chicago and the train obviously being for our team name. As for our arena and such, we'd still be located in Chicago and wouldn't end up changing location, as it wouldn't make any sense. Overall, this is all for fun and at the end of the day, I wouldn't want to rebrand the Chicago Phoenix, but I think this is a pretty fun spin on rebranding. 

1 hour ago, Banackock said:

You telling me you had Chicago slotted as a playoff team?

Plus, not really. I think I actually have not done the best job as a GM, and it's widespread that I think that about myself. lol

The Fire Rages on and the King of EU

Chicago Phoenix continue to surprise

The Chicago Phoenix are currently sitting in the final wildcard spot in NA, with a record of 17-14-7. They currently have a 7 point gap over 6th in NA, that being Vancouver, with a 15-19-4 record. Chicago coming into the season was projected to finish around the bottom of NA, as their team on paper wasn't as good as other teams, like the Calgary Wranglers and the Vancouver Wolves. However, as we've seen time and time again, Chicago continues to perform when they aren't expected to. They find way to win games and collect points, despite being on paper worse than a lot of teams. The spirits are high in Chicago where they might find themselves back into the post-season as they're ending the tail end of the rebuild, ready to start competing. Leading the way for Chicago is veteran Yaroslav Trunov @qripll, who has 55 points in 38 games played, with 30 goals and 25 assists. Trunov is currently on pace to break his career high that was set last season, where he's been on fire ever since he's joined Chicago, picking up a bigger role in the process. This team has some solid depth, but no real superstar player, as they rely on the sum of their parts to be a good team. Compared to the top teams, Chicago is a way off, but just making it to the post-season are baby steps to what the final goal is, to lift the trophy at the end of the day.

George Richmond impresses and Menace on top

The Moscow Menace have been the Kings of EU this season, finding themselves in first place in the conference, with a 26-9-3 record. Axle Gunner @Steve and Jeff Lewis @nerji have been the focal points on this team so far, both amassing over 50 points and bringing to life the offence. Richmond a rookie in the VHL currently finds himself at a point-per-game pace, with 38 points in 38 games played, 18 of those being goals. Currently, Richmond finds himself second in the rookie race, where he has a good shot to take home ROTY if he can continue to perform. We caught up with George Richmond and asked him about the pace of the VHL compared to the E, and how he's been able to adapt, to which he replied, "It's a lot faster for sure. You go from playing with players who are either veterans on their last leg, or young players trying to develop, to playing superstars and the best the world has to offer. It's for sure been a difficult process to adapt, but I felt like I've done my best in adapting. I'm still learning game by game on how to be a better player and read situations better, as Obuz Schneider Canet du Bocage @Grape has been helping me out, so shoutout to him. He's been like a brother to me and we hope to continue our dynamic duo on the ice." Moscow looks geared up for a playoff run, as they have been at the top of EU for a while now. While many players on Moscow have hopes for a championship, Richmond is just taking it all in and learning from the experience game after game.

On 4/3/2024 at 3:31 PM, Masu Chan said:

You ONLY have to answer 6 of the 8 Questions
WEEK OF April 1st - April 7th

 

1: Which teams do you think win their championships this season in each of the three leagues? (VHL,VHLE & VHLM?)

 

2: What'd be your goal song this season?

 

3: What kind of build are you planning for your next player?

 

4: With Rempe and Xhekaj joining the NHL in recent seasons do you think we'll see a resurgence of the Grinder / Enforcer-type players?

 

5: Do you think Ovechkin will retire the moment he hits 895 goals?

 

6: Speaking of retirement, which active NHL player do you think will make a great coach / GM?

 

7: Which Movie / TV character do you think deserves their own spin off series?

 

8: What is your favorite snack?

 

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@Masu Chan @badcolethetitan @Gaming Ringleader @SirRupertBarnes @DankTurtle @Velevra @qripll @dlamb @Kylrad @Enorama

 

1: For VHL, I'll go with Toronto. VHLE I'll say Cologne. For the VHLM, I will say Ottawa.

2: Kickstart my Heart by Motley Crue

3: It's going to be a while away for my next player, might try a goalie as I haven't done that yet.

4: I feel like possibly, but most of that specific type of game is dead. It's all about speed now.

5: He'll probably keep going until he thinks it's not worth it anymore. I don't know how many more seasons he's got in him though.

6: Sidney Crosby. I could see him being a coach after he retires in the near future.

A Look Around at Friends in the League

Before I start, I want to let everyone know that I have/had a bunch of friends create in this league. Some stick around, some eventually fizzle out, but one thing is consistent, in that they all enjoy the experience. They might not be the most active people, where some don't talk in locker rooms and prefer to talk on the forum, however, their passion for the league is just as same as some of the other players. I've had conversations with them about the VHL multiple times and daily now we talk about our players performance in sims. Although you don't see that on the forum, they are still active and it's key that some people might not be max earning and super active, there are still players that are just as important to our league!

Lightning McSnipe

My friend @Langostine joined the league a couple days ago, where he selected the San Diego Marlins. At first glance, I knew this was going to be very interesting, as SDM on paper is not a very good in the M currently. Riding a 3-18-2 record with a -46 GD makes them the worst team in the M currently. With only one capped player in Ray Stanton and an incomplete roster, it will be very difficult for this team to qualify for the playoffs. Regardless, McSnipe joined the team and finally played in his first games a couple days ago, where today he scored his first ever goal, two to be exact, in one game, helping San Diego secure their third win of the season. With 4 points in 6 games played, McSnipe could have a fairly decent season in his waiver season, on a pretty bad team. I'm hyped to see how he's going to be in the future, as he is very hyped about the VHL and won't stop yapping about it.

Wayne Shotzky

Shotzky has been around longer than McSnipe, as they are a S92 and had amazing success when they played in the M. They put up over 100 points and were a very solid player for the Ottawa Lynx, however, they have made the jump to the E this season, playing for the Stockholm Vikings. The Vikings seem to be a playoff team in the E, but they are right on the bubble sitting in the fourth place spot. @Kenamatic has had a great time in the league, but the crazy thing is his player always performs. In the E currently, he has 24 points in 24 games played, and is a +11 on the Vikings, despite being at only 257 TPE, around 150 off the cap for the E. I don't know what kind of magic this guy has been performing, but being able to perform at both the M and E level despite maybe not be the best player on paper is very impressive. On top of that, they are forever immortalized in the M hall of fame, taking home the Ethan Osborne Trophy (Most Points) in S92. An exceptional career in both the M and the E for him so far and hopefully he can continue this pace one day at the VHL level.

Toddly Bobbly

Last, is ToddlyBobbly, who is a S91 and the first one to join and stick around for a while. @ToddlyBobbly has had an exceptional goalie career so far, especially in the M where he helped lead the Saskatoon Wild to a championship, securing both the Founder's Cup in S91 and also the Skylar Rift Trophy (Playoff MVP). An exceptional 12-3-2 record with a .928 and 1.76 in the playoffs was his stat line, helping him secure such awards. In the E, he split time with Oslo before being called up with Toronto the season after. He was able to have a 14-14-6 record with a .923 and a 3.1 GAA. Now in the VHL for the Toronto Legion, he has a 3-1-0 record with a .891 and a 3.25 as the backup. Eventually, he will probably become a very good backup or average starter, where he will easily be able to find a team if he stays active. Another amazing player that dominated the lower leagues and is looking to make his impact felt on a bigger stage very soon.

Overall, all of them have one thing in common, and that's they enjoy the league. They are maybe not the most active in chats, but they truly do love checking how their team and players are doing every single day. A reminder to us all that every single player has a member behind them.

Game 165: Trunov put up 5 goals with 15 shots? Holy crap what is this guy on?

@qripll

On 3/25/2024 at 8:49 PM, Masu Chan said:

You ONLY have to answer 6 of the 8 Questions
WEEK OF March 25th - March 31st

 

1: Chicago has had a pretty decent start to the season with a 7-5-1 record. From what you've seen so far, do you think we will be a playoff team?

 

2: Do you think The Frenchman (DCD) wins back-to-back Mike Szatkowski (Most Regular Season Points) Trophies?

 

3: Chicago player Yaroslav Trunov is off to a hot start. Will they end the season as our team's MVP?

 

4: What is your player's nickname?

 

5: What player type (Playmaker, Sniper, etc.) do you think your player is?

 

6: Which logo around the league (VHL, VHLM, VHLE) is your favorite and why?

 

7: What is the television show you've re-watched the most?

 

8: Do you believe in the old saying "Don't meet your heroes?"

 

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@Masu Chan @badcolethetitan @Gaming Ringleader @SirRupertBarnes @DankTurtle @Velevra @qripll @dlamb @Kylrad @Enorama

 

1. I think we will make the post-season. We've played a lot of strong teams and have yet to play teams around us in the standings.

2. Yes, he has been going crazy this season and can see it doing again.

3. I think so. They've been the #1 guy since Scotty Sundin retired.

4. My player doesn't have a nickname, but it would probably be Georgie or Richie.

5. I think George Richmond at the moment is a two-way forward. Eventually he'll be a sniper.

6. I really like Chicago's logo, but besides that Moscow has a really nice logo. I think a lot of the VHL teams have extremely good logos.

MID

 S93 Chicago Phoenix Captains 

Another season gone, where did it go? This season the Chicago Phoenix look to finally start the climb into the post-season with their amazing young core. It should be interesting to see if we're able to get into the post-season. The new generation of players are finally here, and with that, new captains! Also, new gif!

ALTERNATE CAPTAIN #1 - Lionel Collberg - @Masu Chan

Lionel Collberg is coming off a fantastic rookie campaign, dropping 50 points as a defenseman. The sky is the limit for him and he's going ot be a fantastic add to the captain core moving forward!

ALTERNATE CAPTAIN #2 - Yaroslav Trunov - @qripll

Yaroslav Trunov although older than most of the players here, they can help provide veteran leadership and mentor the younger players coming into the team. Coming off of a career high 94 points with the team, Trunov will be a fantastic piece and one of the most important players on the team this season!

CAPTAIN - Joshua Schwarzer - @Velevra

The time is finally now, and we're excited to announce our new captain moving forward! Joshua Schwarzer burst onto the scene as a rookie last season, but has stepped it up on and off the ice. With 57 points as a rookie, the future is bright and having a young leader at the helm mixed with some veteran leadership is exactly what we need! Congratulations on being named the captain!

Graphic Review:

At first glance, there is a LOT of blue on this graphic. I will say that I like the border surrounding the image, even if it's slightly too big in my eyes. The text is unique in the fact that it punches into the border, which personally I do like. I also think the jersey swap was pretty well done with the render, so I will give you props for that. I would probably end up adding something in the background so there isn't just black void, but that's just me. Also, I would try to made the "Season 93 Draft" in the corner pop out more, as you can barely see the shape. There is an outline that is blue that helps, but you should make it a light blue so that you can see the shape pop out more. Overall, it's a good graphic and I like what you did!

Rating: 8/10

On 3/18/2024 at 10:04 AM, Masu Chan said:

You ONLY have to answer 6 of the 8 Questions
WEEK OF March 18th - March 24th

 

1: Not sure if we have a mascot, but if we did what'd you name it?

 

2: Which NHL team do you think deserves the 1st overall draft pick this season?

 

3: Are there any sports you watch besides Hockey? Which one(s)?

 

4: Which NHL videogame was the best in your opinion?

 

5: Who is your favorite Youtuber / YouTube channel right now?

 

6: What is your favorite movie / show genre? 

 

7: What was your favorite cartoon growing up?

 

8: What is your favorite Ice Cream flavor?

 

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@Masu Chan @badcolethetitan @Gaming Ringleader @SirRupertBarnes @DankTurtle @Velevra @qripll @dlamb @Kylrad @Enorama

 

1. I have no clue what I'd name it. Sparkie? Sparky? Because it's a Phoenix?

2. I think either Chicago or San Jose. Realistically, it should be San Jose because the Hawks got Bedard.

3. I watch College Basketball and College Football. Both are a blast to watch and March Madness is coming up!

4. I really like NHL 12, it had a banger soundtrack and was a bunch of fun.

5. My favorite youtuber at the moment is Stick On The Ice, he does a bunch of challenges for NHL and they are fun to watch.

8. Butter Pecan. It's a bit out there, but I like it a ton and so does my dad.

Week 2/2

Upcoming Season with the Chicago Phoenix

An Outlook

The Chicago Phoenix are coming into the season with high hopes of finishing in a playoff spot. With teams like Los Angeles focusing on the future, Chicago feels like their time to make the playoffs is now. It's going to be a difficult road though, as teams like Vancouver and Seattle this off-season have brought in players to help them compete in the playoffs, shortening their rebuild. I have three teams in Chicago, Seattle, and Vancouver battling it out for the last wild card spot, and it's going to be a battle all the way to the end. Chicago is most likely going to finish ahead of Seattle, but behind Vancouver, so they are going to need a bit of sim luck to be able to make it in. However, a couple seasons ago Chicago was able to secure a third seed in the playoffs, despite not being a very good team. They'll be looking to run that luck back and this time, finally make a run into the playoffs.

On 3/11/2024 at 8:28 AM, Masu Chan said:

You ONLY have to answer 6 of the 8 Questions
WEEK OF March 11th - March 16th

 

1: Do you believe the future is bright in Chicago with the prospects we've acquired this offseason? (Jean-Pierre Devote, Ughsike, Micah Cederbaum, Kevin O'Connor & Vanuza Kolesinska) I probably missed one...

 

2: Which attribute do you intend to focus on this offseason/season?

 

3: Does your character do anything unique with their equipment to stand out? (Different Colored Laces, Tinted Visor, Jersey Tuck, etc.)

 

4: I probably asked this recently, but I enjoy people's ideas...If you had to name the next VHL team, what'd you call it?

 

5: Do you like how the NHL handled the All-Star event this season?

 

6: Have you ever re-watched an NHL game? If so, why?

 

7: Which television gameshow do you think you'd have the most success on?

 

8: Has a song ever made you cry? If so, which one? (If you can recall)

 

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@Masu Chan @badcolethetitan @Gaming Ringleader @SirRupertBarnes @DankTurtle @Velevra @qripll @dlamb @Kylrad @Enorama

 

1. I think we will finally start to be on the up! I'm ready to start competing soon.

2. I intend to focus on defense the most, as it's the most important in my eyes.

3. I like the jersey tuck on the left, so the right side is hanging out.

4. We would be going to Utah and something with Salt Lake City. I don't know what the name would be, but somewhere there.

6. I've watched highlights of multiple games before, but never rewatched a full NHL game.

7. Probably the Price is Right, I am decent with guessing.

Deserved! @Thunder We had a bunch of fun on Davos together and you were always a blast to talk to. Congratulations!

Big deal!

Transaction ID: 90E12241X4456040D

5 TPE Uncapped

Doubles Week

Chicago Phoenix Fans Left Questioning

Off-Season

The Chicago Phoenix came into the off-season looking to be buyers, as a lot of their players had finally got to a level where they can compete. With names like Trunov, Schwarzer, Gaming, and Artyomov, in the system for a bit, and young guns in Collberg, Lamb, and Woodworth, this team seemed ready to make that next step to be a playoff team. Only a couple pieces away, as they already have much of the core in place, this team had the chance to do some damage in the upcoming season(s) with plenty of cap space and a young roster. The fans were finally ready to be out of the rebuild, to start competing and winning. One fan said that, "They can't wait to see Chicago hoist the trophy and we know we're getting there soon!" With the GM willing to part ways with picks, it seemed that it was finally time to start competing. However, too many trades ended up falling through for the young GM as he couldn't come to agreement on multiple deals. One by one the star players ended up being shipped away that were available and the Phoenix were left with nothing to show for it. The only notable move they made was moving out a defenseman for a third round pick in the upcoming draft, who they used to select Micah Cederbaum @MicahC a young forward who will take some time before reaching the pros. Regardless, what this team could have been for Chicago left them disappointed in the GM for not making moves. The fans wanted to compete and the time was now to make that next step, but that step hasn't been taken. 

Draft

Heading into the draft, there were questions if Chicago would be selecting 5th overall, as trades were coming in left and right for that pick. However, as no trade ended up sparking the GMs eye, the pick was made, drafting @UghSike at 5th overall. An amazing young forward that would be a huge addition to the young forward core in the future. Moving on, 20th overall was looming and the GM was busy with trades coming in from over 5 different teams. Originally, the plan was to move back in the draft and secure extra draft capital in an already stacked draft. However, there was a player that caught their eye at 20th overall, that being Jean-Pierre Devote @eagle_3450. A player with an amazing upside, however, question marks on his activity and consistency. Chicago ultimately decided that at 20th overall, the reward would outweigh the risk and took the young forward, however, that wouldn't be the end for the Phoenix already busy draft. After the pick was made, Chicago had been eyeing prospect Vanuza Kolesinska @chikn and had tried to move up in the draft previous to 20th overall, but to no avail, as they had been selected 18th overall to Prague. Eventually, Chicago and Prague would come to a deal where Chicago would land Kolesinska for two 2nd round picks in S94 and S95. Adding a solid player such as Kolesinska would be huge for the Phoenix, as they continued to add to their stacked forward core, however the risk is that in S95, the draft is extremely deep and that 2nd becomes an insanely solid player. The draft would end off with Chicago making their third round selection in Micah Cederbaum @MicahC and their fourth round selection in Kevin OConnor @Luke033. A very busy draft for Chicago as multiple trades were potentially going to happen!

Free Agency

After the draft, Chicago had to reassess where the team was this season. They were still again only a couple pieces away from being a playoff team and potentially going on a run in the playoffs. The expectation heading into this season was to be a wildcard, with teams at this point in Los Angeles, Vancouver, Seattle, potentially not being the strongest moving forward, however, that had changed. Chicago was making a run at top Free Agent Henry Eagles (so was almost every team I'm pretty sure), as he was the big fish to catch in free agency. However, Chicago again would come short, failing to land the stud forward that could've helped propel them into the post-season. Even worse, a team that potentially was going to be weaker in the Seattle Bears ended up landing the stud forward, throwing them into the playoff mix, and honestly, favorites ahead of Chicago at this point. Chicago now has a hole to fill in their forward core and also defensively, as their prospect Darko Alexander Malkovich had walked without a single word to the GM. There is still lots of time for Chicago to field a roster, and concerns of them not having a full roster are overblown, as they've found ways to ultimately put together a roster every season. Not too long ago was Chicago 3rd seed in NA, with Scotty Sundin carrying the way, when expectations were to finish bottom of the league. This team could potentially end up making a run again, and this season could look very different.

Conclusion

A disastrous off-season in what "could have been" a very young playoff team, with only upside as the season went on. Many fans are starting to question if their GM can truly get this team into the post-season, or if they'll be stuck in yet another rebuild. Chicago fans want to win, and they want to start winning now. This doesn't mean a championship this season, but forward steps into being a playoff team. Failure to do so would further make Chicago not an attractive destination for prospects and players in the future. The GM will have his hands full this season, including around the trade deadline where he'll have to decide if it's playoffs, or time to sell off for the draft. Regardless, you can expect Chicago to be "all-in" next season, where they'll finally look to make a push to the post-season.

Also, just want to point out that some of this is dramatized for the article. It's not actually that bad, most of the trades fell through due to timing, and not necessarily value. I'm still happy with how the draft turned out, as we got a bunch of young pieces for the future in a stacked draft class. Building through this draft was absolutely crucial, and I hope it's going to pay off in the future.

1000+ words

On 2/27/2024 at 4:02 PM, Masu Chan said:

You ONLY have to answer 6 of the 8 Questions
WEEK OF February 26th - March 3rd

 

1: Who is your pick for the cup? D.C. Dragons or London United?

 

2: Still a lot of season to go in the NHL, but who do you think will win the Stanley Cup at this point?

 

3: Another prediction. Who do you think will win the draft lottery and select 1st overall?

 

4: What was the first hockey game you ever watched? Can you remember the teams?

 

5: What color is your player's stick tape?

 

6: Should Comedy shows have laugh tracks?

 

7: What led to you picking your Discord or Forum profile picture?

 

8: In Rock-Paper-Scissors. What is your starting pick?

 

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@Masu Chan @badcolethetitan @Otis Boudreaux Jr @Gaming Ringleader @Spade18 @DankTurtle @Velevra @qripll @TacocaT9 @Kylrad @CODENAMEJIMMY @Enorama

 

1. London I think is going to win it all, as they were my pick before the series started.

2. I'm going to go with the Florida Panthers, they're built for the playoffs and I can see them winning.

3. Chicago Blackhawks. They'll be gifted Celibrini and then they have their dynamic duo.

4. It was the Buffalo Sabres vs. the Ottawa Senators back when Ryan Miller was on the team. It made me become a Sabres fan.

5. Richmond uses white hockey tape, as it looks clean with the toe taped and puck marks on it.

7. I was just watching Jujutsu Kaisen and picked Sukuna as my pfp, as I had some other people from JJK before.

I will say though, maybe assigning a value for each pick could be something that could be explored in the future data wise:
 

Possibly taking the amount of players that make it to the VHL from each round and assigning the pick then based on a value of that. Don't really know though, as each draft will be different, so it would need to be an average off of X amount of drafts then.