#AsktheBouch: VHL Mock Draft

[Gaikoku-hito 2,154]

 

Let me start off with a bit of a disclaimer that a lot of things go into determining which player is selected by which team from interviews, activity, personal relationships, TPE, updating consistency etc..... When I created this mock draft I simply took a look at each teams current roster as of July 13th and tried to determine best fit for the team via position and TPE so I am expecting to be wrong on a lot of these but it will be interesting to see how correct I am after the draft. Considering two trades were also completed as I wrote this through out the day anything and most likely everything can and will change so this is simple my best prediction as to where I think each player fits best as the draft plays out in the current format.

 

 

1. LA Stars Select: Tyler Reinhart – RW (329 TPE)

As far as I am concerned this is the consensus number one overall pick in this draft, as it doesn’t matter who had the first he was always going to be selected first but the Stars actually don’t require another forward as they already have eleven forwards so could they trade down or trade away forward depth before the draft?  Either way if they still hold the first when the draft starts expect them to select Tyler Reinhart.

 

2. Vancouver Wolves Select: Poopy Peepants – D (248 TPE).

This is a selection made from needs as Vancouver requires defence man that can play now. So I am expecting them to select down the list a bit with both of their two top five selection. Vancouver only have three current defenders on their roster so Peepants should be able to make the jump straight into some meaning full minutes for retooling Wolves. Only way they select a different position here would be based on team concept of maybe selecting best player available; then they might select Taylor Mourning.

 

3. HC Davos Dynamo Select: Erlantz Jokinen – D (241 TPE).

Originally I had them selecting forward Taylor Morning here in the third spot but due to recent trades by GustavMattias bring in Gunner Odinsson and Patrik Laine mean they have a nice rounded forward core; which I cannot see them disrupting at the moment. This then means their greatest need is on the back-end and this selection also gives them options as Jokinen could still stay down another season in the VHLM or make the jump to the VHL playing bottom six moments.

 

4. Vancouver Wolves Select: Taylor Mourning – RW (262 TPE)

This selection comes full circle since they could have selected him at the number two slot but will draft from needs first. Then they lose who I think they would draft here in Jokinen to Davos. While Vancouver need defenders the next defender on the list would be a reach if selected this high so they take the best player available with this selection.

 

5. Moscow Menace Select: Jonathan Ori – C (249 TPE).

Simply put they are selecting the best available player with this selection as they are continuing to rebuild started a few season ago and have quickly added some nice piece over that period. Ori will be the twelfth forward on Moscow this season giving Moscow great forward depth. I also feel they would have selected a defender if any were available around this selection but the draft seems to be forward top heavy.

 

6. Riga Reign Select: Jerome Reinhart – LW (247 TPE).

Riga is built for a run at the Continental Cup through the great 75 draft but have stumbled so are a bit of a surprise to see selecting this high in the draft again this season. That being said they have no real pressing concerns so they select the best available player. Track record of drafting tenders with Papa Emeritus on the board still but due to three roster tenders after a trade earlier this week. I am not expecting them to take Emeritus here.

 

7. Prague Phantoms Select: Papa Emeritus – G (297 TPE).

This is one of the most clear-cut selection in the draft due to need; with Grekkark Gyrfalcon entering his final two season and the open spot back-up slot required to be filled expect Emeritus to be selected by Prague. This gives the team the goalie of the future and also fills the back-up role for the coming season.

 

8. Malmo Nighthawks Select: AJ Williams – RW (211 TPE).

They will miss out on the player that they wanted by a single selection as I think they would have taken Emeritus if he were still available. That being said Williams will be the first first Gen taken in the draft and add great depth to an already strong prospect pool. He seems a season away from VHL action at the moment.

 

9. Warsaw Predators Select: Sigard Petrenko – RW (203 TPE).

The first selection by new General Manager dlamb has them with a choice between two right wings. I have the team selection Petrenko but could also easly select Baby Bob with this selection. Either way it another team selecting best available player.

 

10. Seattle Bears Select: Baby Bob – RW (203 TPE).

Seattle has a massive prospect pool of two players at the moment so they will look to add as much as they can talent wise to the prospect pool so they select the best available player with the selection.

 

11. Helsinki Titans Select: Miroslav Tsarov – LW (198 TPE).

Helsinki confirmed that they are in a rebuild mode with recent trades of big named players away from their roster. They are looking to add prospect for the future and will select the best available player.

 

12. Seattle Bears Select: Omi Aberg (193 TPE).

Selecting only a few spots after their first selection it is much the same for the Bears so will select the best available player. They select the oldest player in the draft at age 50 right behind the second oldest Tsarov; who is 47 years young.

 

13. Vancouver Wolves Select: Jakub Brozik (156 TPE).

At first I thought that Vancouver might look to stretch down a bit and grab a defender with this selection but that doesn’t help their immediate needs by adding another defending prospect to their prospect pool so best player available make sense more here.

 

14. Malmo Nighthawks  Select: Em Em Flex – G (193 TPE).

While Malmo missed out on the tender that they would have likely selected earlier. They still end up with the second best tender TPE wise with either of the next two selections. While likely Malmo dips into the FA market to sign a back-up for a season or two giving Flex more time to develop in the VHLM.

 

15. Malmo Nighthawks Select: John Baard – LW (156 TPE).

Here I think they could select between a whole bunch of players but based on TPE earning I have decided that Baard has an greater upside then other players still available around this selection. Again this is about the best possible player available.

 

16. Chicago Phoenix Select: Deagun Rust – RW (154 TPE).

Here Chicago has a choice to make; select a tender with a first round pick or pick a solid depth forward. I decided that they will take the sure thing with Rust and hope to select a tender maybe later in the draft or a future draft.

 

As I went through the process it was actually a lot harder then I thought it was going to be to determine why a team would select said player. Which is why a lot of team have great scouting teams that help them narrow down the players not based around TPE but around all the determine factors that they feel will make a great player. I also wished that I spent more time scouting before trying this mock draft as I am sure I am way off the mark on some of these selections for various of reasons. It was a fun little article to write and we will see in a week and a few season how well this article ages. (1000+ words Claiming July 18th & July 25th)

Edited July 14, 2021 by Gaikoku-hito

[FrostBeard 2,061]

A lot of great work is put into this article, really happy to see people working this hard! I especially enjoy the fact that is not just a copy paste list, there is quite a bit of research done to evaluate picks and I think that just shows how much of a potential you have as a writer! Gotta love those small sarcastic jabs. Overall, great job and keep up this great work! 9/10

[Gaikoku-hito 2,154]

Claiming Second week July 25th. Thanks