VSN Scouting Presents the S77 VHL Re-Draft

[Spartan 4,401]

(graphic by @Ricer13)

 

Hello everyone, and welcome to a new type of article by VSN Scouting! @MattyIce and I have covered prospect pools quite a lot in the past, done mock drafts every season, and had all sorts of focus on current prospects in the league. However, we wanted to switch things up and turn the clock back a bit, and focus on prospects from four seasons ago. Hindsight is 20/20, so we want to redraft the S77 class and try and see what could have been if teams knew then what they know now.

 

A couple ground rules as to how we’re doing this redraft:

1. Matty and I will be doing two separate redrafts, just to see where we agree and disagree and to foster a little bit of discussion.
2. We are not going to be going back in time to what a team may have needed in S77, but rather what a team could use today.
3. This is more of a personal disclaimer, but this is just a fantasy draft and does not directly represent what I would have preferred to happen on draft day (Yes, this is me hinting I picked someone other than my original picks at 1st and/or 3rd overall. Don’t worry, if I had to do it again, I’d do the same thing, but I do gotta show a little love to the objective top player in the class so far, stats-wise).

 

Anyways, let’s get into it!

 

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1st overall - Moscow Menace - Original Pick: Paul Atreides - C

Matty’s Pick: Duncan Idaho - @OrbitingDeath  - RW

Spartan’s Pick: Brendan Telker - @Telkster - LW

 

Matty: This draft had a very solid top 5 players to choose from, and seriously, anyone could have gotten selected first.  The Moscow Menace had the first and third selections, but unless a serious off-the-board pick was made, they were getting franchise players with those picks.  I’ve selected Duncan Idaho to take the top spot.  He’s proved to be that top line, power forward that all teams hope to have.  With over a point-per-game average and already over 1k hits, and a Stolzy to start off his trophy collection, this man could have some serious hardware coming his way, and he hasn’t even entered his prime yet…

 

Spartan: This was honestly one of the most difficult picks to redraft for me, partially because this is my own pick, but also because of how great both of the top 2 players in this class have been. Matty has pointed out how great Duncan Idaho has been so far but Brendan Telker has been statistically better, simply lacking the physicality side. Telker is the leader in goals, assists and points and while he doesn’t hit much, he doesn’t take penalties which could be the difference in a close game. An added bonus would be that Telker had a fantastic career in Moscow with Nate Telker so Moscow would simply be bringing back a franchise favorite user. If I had to actually go back and redraft this pick it'd be Idaho 10 times out of 10, but for the sake of this piece and the integrity of it, I have to show Telker some respect for his phenomenal performance.

 

 2nd overall - HC Davos Dynamo - Original Pick: Reylynn Reinhart - D  

Matty’s pick: Brendan Telker - @Telkster - LW

Spartan’s pick: Duncan Idaho - @OrbitingDeath  - RW

 

Matty: Telker was selected by Malmo with the 5th pick, but his growth, play and value have massively grown with him getting his breakout season in S78.  He won the Dustin Funk award for most improved player, getting a 40 point improvement in only his second season.  In S79, he would dominate the league in goals with 58, and help lead Malmo to both a Victory Cup and the Continental Cup.  It’s arguable that he and Gunnar Odinsson are each other’s reason to be such dominant players, or could we be looking at the top duo in the league for seasons to come?

 

Spartan: This is in no means a slight to Reylynn Reinhart who is still one of the best defensemen in the class, and rapidly approaching that title in the league as well. But what Davos severely lacks right now is a secondary scorer to pair with Taro Tsujimoto, and Duncan Idaho is one of the best point scorers in the league right now. Davos has another selection in this draft class with plenty of defensemen, so there shouldn’t be an issue replacing Reinhart, albeit at a bit of a dropoff.

 

3rd overall - Moscow Menace - Original Pick: Duncan Idaho - RW

Matty’s Pick: Reylynn Reinhart - @Ricer13 - D

Spartan’s Pick: Paul Atreides - @Mr_Hatter - C

 

Matty: In this redraft, I’m going with Reylynn Reinhart to get selected by Moscow with the third pick.  Why?  After selecting Idaho 1st, taking a defensewoman next just makes good sense.  She’s enjoying a breakout year this season with Davos, cementing her place in the league as one of the best going forward.  She’s taken her game to the next level at both ends of the ice, and isn’t shy to dish out the hits either.  Imagine a top pair d-corps of Reinhart and next season's top pick, Hard Markinson?.... That’s a scary thought…

 

Spartan: I simply can’t pass over our 1C at 3rd overall, who is actually 2nd in the S77 class in points. 3rd in goals as well, he can do a bit of everything on both ends of the ice. Despite Moscow missing the playoffs for 3 years straight after he was drafted, Atreides has a +46 rating, one of the best in the class showing his two-way prowess on the ice. Regardless if Moscow selects Idaho or Telker 1st overall, Atreides would be a perfect center to build a top line around. 

 

 4th overall - New York Americans - Original Pick: Zeedayno Chara - D

Matty’s Pick: Asher Reinhart - @rjfryman - C

Spartan’s Pick: Reylynn Reinhart - @Ricer13 - D

 

Matty: New York has had a string of bad luck in recent seasons, but after selecting Red Lite at 1st overall the previous season, envision him playing with a solid centerman, faceoff wizard, Asher Reinhart.  Could their point totals be higher?  Could they have been the top forward duo in the league?  Could they have possibly already won a Cup?...

 

Spartan: Going with a Reinhart seems to be the consensus here between myself and Matty, but I’m going with the defensewoman Reinhart over the forward Reinhart. Chara hasn’t been a poor selection by any means, but Reylynn slipping down to 4 should be a slam dunk here. She sits 3rd in the class with points, and sports a -23 instead of the -51 that Chara displays, showing a bit more defensive prowess to go along with terrific offense. She has half the penalties of Chara despite having 100 more shots blocked, and only about 200 fewer hits. Both strong defensemen, but Reylynn is the girl to go with.

 

5th overall - Malmo Nighthawks - Original Pick: Brendan Telker - LW

Matty’s Pick: Paul Atreides - @Mr_Hatter - C

Spartan’s Pick: Asher Reinhart - @rjfryman - C

 

Matty: An unlikely slide would land Atreides in Malmo at 5th, but that doesn’t mean his value is any lower.  He does have the second-most points in the draft class, so maybe he’s the centerman Malmo needed.  It’s possible Malmo could have had that dominant S79 with Atreides and Odinsson up front, but who knows?

 

Spartan: I agree that Malmo would take a center here, but since I’ve already mocked Atreides, I’ll have Asher Reinhart come over to Malmo to anchor a line with Gunnar Odinsson. Malmo currently has a fantastic first line that features Brendan Telker and Gunnar Odinsson, but they only have one true center on the roster in Jakob Sosa. Adding Reinhart would give them a truly lethal first line.

 

6th overall - Toronto Legion - Original Pick: Asher Reinhart - C

Matty’s Pick: That Dude - @Cornholio - C

Spartan’s Pick: Zeedayno Chara - @Jubis - D

 

Matty: Toronto’s pick here had plenty of options to address any need they desired, so I went with That Dude.  He was originally picked 10th by London, but he was the next best centerman on the board.  He’s been a very steady player, quietly improving his craft up to this point.  He’s having his breakout season right now, and he should be a point-per-game player for the rest of his career.

 

Spartan: Honestly, Toronto could really select anyone right now. Since they selected 3 forwards in the top 5 of the S80 draft and lack many defense prospects in their pool, defense is the way I’m leaning, with the 2nd best defenseman in the class available at 6th overall. Even if Toronto was in the same state today after drafting Chara, the trade market is always much more conducive to moving defensemen than forwards. 

7th overall - Calgary Wranglers - Original Pick: Rolf Fizzlebeef Jr - D

Matty’s Pick: Aurelien Moreau - @Frank - D

Spartan’s Pick: Aurelien Moreau - @Frank - D

 

Matty: Moreau was still on the board when Calgary picked Fizzlebeef Jr, but it’s questionable who the better defenseman is.  The only glaring difference between the two is Moreau’s physicality.  Perhaps he would have been a more ideal defensive partner for Tom Eagles, Calgary’s top pick the previous season.  He’s already on his third VHL team and hasn’t hit his prime yet, but he, like most S77 draftees, is having a career season with Moscow.

 

Spartan: Fizzlebeef Jr may have been the more touted prospect before the S77 draft with his very consistent development, but it's Aurelien Moreau who has outshined him to grab the title of 3rd best defenseman in this class. TPE-wise, he’s second, and having escaped both Helsinki and Toronto who are going through massive rebuilds, is showing why he’s one of the best defensemen in this class while playing for Moscow.

 

8th overall - Riga Reign - Original Pick: Jan Hlozek - D

Matty’s Pick: Jan Hlozek - @Bojovnik - D

Spartan’s Pick: Druss Deathwalker - @animal74 - RW

 

Matty: I think Riga got their guy with Hlozek.  Sure, he wasn’t VHL ready at the time, but since joining the Reign in S78, he’s been very solid.  His improvement has been steady and Riga has their defense corps rounded out.  He’s playing at a point per game pace, getting a lot of assists and blocking shots.  Very solid value pick here.

 

Spartan: Deathwalker wasn’t selected until 11th overall in the actual draft, so this is a nice little bump up for him in the redraft. One thing I’ve always sort of noticed about Riga is that they have too many defensemen. While Hlozek would go here to almost any other team, I don’t think Riga needs another defenseman on their team, and should instead go with the wildly underrated Druss Deathwalker to provide some additional scoring up front. Plus, Deathwalker was VHL ready right off the bat, having played 254 games to Hlozek’s 182, making him the hotter commodity in this redraft.

 

9th overall - Helsinki Titans - Original Pick: Aurelien Moreau - D

Matty’s Pick: Druss Deathwalker - @animal74 - RW

Spartan’s Pick: Jan Hlozek - @Bojovnik - D

 

Matty: This guy hits everything, and at the time, probably could’ve helped Helsinki as a rookie in their final seasons as a dominant team.  They came close to a Continental Cup; his physicality has shown that, despite spending a lot of time in the sin bin, he could have been a game changer.  He did prove that, helping Malmo to a Cup in S79.  He’s still coming close to being a point-per-game player, but it depends what value is placed on being a power forward in the league.  

Spartan: Moreau would have been a solid piece for Helsinki today, but I think it’s clear anyone we redraft to the Titans would have been sold in Helsinki’s massive fire sale a couple seasons ago. However, that’s not going to stop me from sending the all-around defenseman in Jan Hlozek to the Titans to shore up their back end. He has 30 goals to his name and 144 points in 182 games, quietly having a very solid season. I think he could be even better without being buried under all of Riga’s defensive depth.

 

 10th overall - London United - Original Pick: That Dude - C

Matty’s Pick:  Zeedayno Chara - @Jubis - D

Spartan’s Pick: That Dude - @Cornholio - C

 

Matty: Man, would London love having this guy on their team right now.  He solidified his place in the VHL in only his sophomore season, and for a d-man, that’s saying a lot.  He’s the equivalent of a swiss army knife; he has the right tools for the right jobs.  Has a great shot, great passes, blocks shots, and hits very hard.  Everything that London needs right now, he can do.

 

Spartan: I honestly don’t see any reason why That Dude shouldn’t go back to London in this redraft. He was VHL ready off the bat, and has also had a very solid career to the tune of 73-118-191 in 254 games. While London is going through a retool after trying to compete in S77 and S78, That Dude has shown that he is going to be the center-piece of the London team that emerges from the rebuild. 

 

11th overall - Malmo Nighthawks - Original Pick: Druss Deathwalker - RW

Matty’s Pick: Rolf Fizzlebeef Jr. - @TacticalHammer  - D

Spartan’s Pick: Rolf Fizzlebeef Jr. - @TacticalHammer  - D

 

Matty: Malmo was in full rebuild phase at this point, and a solid defensive prospect could have been what the doctor ordered.  Although Mr Beef has had 40+ point seasons during his ELC, he’s broken out this season.  He’s a great puck-mover and plays more in a support role, but could this type of player have helped Malmo win that S79 Cup?  I’d like to think so.

 

Spartan: The only remaining thing that Malmo could sorely use would be another blue chip defenseman such as Fizzlebeef. Losing Deathwalker at this spot costs them some forward depth, but their defensive situation was much bleaker before they swung a trade for Scotty Kaberle from Toronto, and even he is starting to head into the twilight years of his career. Fizzlebeef Jr may not be the most offensive defenseman, but he provides solid defense and racks up assists, which would be perfect alongside the loaded forward group Malmo boasts.

 

12th overall - Helsinki Titans: - Original Pick: Gustislav Nasherov - RW

Matty’s Pick: Gustislav Nasherov - @Vat - RW

Spartan’s Pick: Gustislav Nasherov - @Vat - RW

 

Matty: Yep, no change here.  Helsinki made the right pick with Nasherov.  Although he had a slow start, playing lower in the lineup on a stacked team, he quickly became Helsinki’s top young forward the following season.  The team has been stripped and is currently rebuilding, but with Nashy at the forefront, this pick will bear fruit for the Titans going forward.

 

Spartan: Agreed, there really isn’t a better pick for Helsinki here. While not VHL ready at the time, having the extra season to develop only helped him as Helsinki ended up going into a rebuild anyways. Like That Dude in London, Nasherov is primed to be one of the centerpieces of the finished product once Helsinki completes their process. 

 

13th overall - HC Davos Dynamo - Original Pick: Miles Johnson - LW

Matty’s Pick: Joe Madison - @Brewins15 - D

Spartan’s Pick: Joe Madison - @Brewins15 - D

 

Matty: With Davos selecting Telker instead of Reinhart, the Dynamo would have been hard pressed to not select a defenseman.  Madison would have been somewhat an off-the-board pick, but he has grown into a reliable player.  This season, he’s producing at a higher rate, and could have seen top line duty sooner on Davos had he gotten selected here instead.  He’s at the point where he could play up or down in any lineup and be an effective player.

 

Spartan: Similarly to Matty, because I had Davos passing over Reylynn Reinhart, I have to select a defenseman for them here. While Madison hasn’t really put up many points over his career, he’s been stuck behind Tom Eagles and Rolf Fizzlebeef Jr for his entire career. Perhaps the chance to make up the top pairing in Davos instead would be more beneficial, with Davos securing their Reinhart replacement at 13. 

14th overall - Calgary Wranglers - Original Pick: Joe Madison - D  

Matty’s Pick: TheCHEESE - @TheCHEESE - RW

Spartan’s Pick: TheCHEESE - @TheCHEESE - RW

 

Matty: Originally selected 31st overall by HC Davos, The Cheese could be considered the steal of this draft.  He has developed some talent to play in a depth role, more or less, but he isn’t an elite player.  He’s the type of player that supports a top line with good offensive and positional skill, and as of right now, he’s on pace to break his previous bests.  Maybe another season or two could see him explode, but for now he’s playing on a 2nd line with some good players.

 

Spartan: I was honestly surprised to see that Cheese has put up 115 points in 181 games considering he was drafted 31st overall. He’s really been one of the most underrated players in this class, and could provide Calgary with solid 2nd line depth scoring. This would mean Calgary is short a 2nd pairing D-man, but unfortunately I don’t think there’s a replacement option here. Hadrian hasn’t really lived up to the hype, but TheCheese has more than exceeded it. 

 

15th overall - Warsaw Predators - Original Pick: Hadrian - D  

Matty’s Pick: Kyle Glass - @Tbeez99 - LW

Spartan’s Pick: Nicholas Mariani - @Mistxh J - LW

 

Matty: Kyle Glass slid all the way to 22nd overall, a second round steal by the Moscow Menace.  Glass has become a solid power forward now, having been moved from Moscow to London.  He could have been a mainstay for Warsaw, even though they are in somewhat of a type of retooling.  Glass excels at hitting mostly, although his defensive IQ hasn’t yet reached the levels of a top line VHL player yet.  

 

Spartan: Mariani was pretty slow in his development but has torn it up this season, his sophomore year in the VHL. While he wouldn’t have helped the seemingly perennial contenders that was Warsaw before this season, he’d be a solid piece today and for their future. With 94 points in 110 career games and only 8 total penalty minutes, he’s showing that he’s a fantastic late bloomer and could be a big piece of Warsaw moving forward.

 

 16th overall - Vancouver Wolves - Original Pick: Baron Kruulenstien - D

Matty’s Pick: Hadrian - @bluesfan55 - D

Spartan’s Pick: Kyle Glass - @Tbeez99 - LW

 

Matty: Hadrian has become a very solid depth defenseman so far in his VHL career, also helping Warsaw win the Continental Cup in his rookie season.  He defends quite well and loves to throw around the body.  Warsaw got him at 15th; had he gone one pick later, Vancouver would have had one less issue to worry about during their rebuild with this man on the blue line.  He hasn’t provided much offense to date, but that’s changing slowly.

 

Spartan: Kyle Glass may just be the worst defensive player in this class sporting a -64 rating, but that could just be a byproduct of playing for Moscow for the first few seasons of his career. Before the VHLE, Moscow also ran 3 forward lines, which could have also contributed to his lower point total, but he has shown that he is fully capable of scoring goals which is really all the Vancouver Wolves could ask for. 

 

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Thank you all for reading our take on redrafting the S77 VHL Draft! Let us know if you agree with our redraft, or what you’d do if you had the chance to go back in time and redo this draft. If you like reading this kind of work from VSN Scouting, let us know so we can do more redrafts in the future!

 

Also a fun little table of the top 18 players by TPE of the S77 Draft Class and their stats:

Spoiler

 

(3.4k words, Matty and I claiming 2 weeks each)

Edited October 11, 2021 by Spartan

[hedgehog337 3,483]

6 minutes ago, Spartan said:

One thing I’ve always sort of noticed about Riga is that they have too many defensemen.

 

6 minutes ago, Spartan said:

I think he could be even better without being buried under all of Riga’s defensive depth.

 

Say that to 6/3/1 Riga now

[Ledge 1,131]

I actually really love this format, good on you guys

 

Love the article

[Spartan 4,401]

22 minutes ago, hedgehog337 said:

Say that to 6/3/1 Riga now

Lollllll, I didn't even look when writing this. I just got used to seeing 5 D-man Riga with you trying to move one every offseason. Hlozek and Deathwalker are basically interchangeable, I could have seen them going at either spot. Seems like Matty was better at redrafting your selection though!

[Ricer13 2,796]

Thankfully I went two to Davos and not 4 to NY

[Vat 234]

Good article, never heard my player get called Nashy but I like it

[animal74 1,808]

Finally, Deathwalker recognized as a Top-10 talent!  Great article, guys. Love the two opinions side-by-side. Fantastic job!

[TacticalHammer 95]

11th?! How dare.

[hedgehog337 3,483]

6 hours ago, Spartan said:

I just got used to seeing 5 D-man Riga with you trying to move one every offseason.

 

I think we only had one season with 5 defs and Milk Jugs didn't play a single minute in that season

[Dom 1,445]

S75 next!

[Spartan 4,401]

claim 2/2