#AsktheBouch: VHL & VHLE Draft!

[Gaikoku-hito 2,081]

Here we are the week of the Season 84 draft and it is a very exciting time in a young man’s career as they get selected by team that they will at least start their careers with unless unforeseen circumstance like a trade, death or anything else in between.

 

While P.E. Bouchard doesn`t control where his going to be selected or by whom and he himself has decided to stay quiet around his thought on the draft; we his agent at Gaikoku-htio Sports will have no problem spitting out some chicklets or thoughts on the draft.

 

Draft Lotto changed everything?

When we look at the draft lotto we cannot predict what LA would have done if they had been able to select #1 and #2 overall but the guess would have been a defender and a forward would have been selected in order but now we are unsure what they might select at #1 so we can assume Murray but we would be surprised if they are aware that HC Davos is licking their chops to draft Dynamite; who they would have selected if they still retained the second pick themselves so are they going to get cute and pick Dynamite at #1 hoping that Davos decides player position is greater than player available? If that is case LA could still end up with both players I expected them to select 1 & 2 but in a different order and now at 1 & 3 or is LA content to lick their wounds and take the defender that they want at #1 and then take a tender they need at #3.

 

The first chance I see P.E. Bouchard coming off the board would be Helsinki at #4 but when you look at the roster they really require a forward to replace Nasherov that will be departing the team. They will not be able to land Dynamite if we are correct that he is taken either at #1 or #2 meaning Helsinki will need to decide between taking the best available player or a player of need. I always draft by need rather than best player so they will reach down a bit to take a forward in either Marconi or Burns.

 

If Helsinki passes on P.E. then we have New York as the logical place for him to be selected but we currently have no pulse on what this team might actually do at #5 but with two defender and a prospect on the way really only one forward signed for next season and no prospect ready to make the jump we can also see them reach down to take a forward at #5 with Marconi & Burns going back to back just unsure of the order. (New York would be a good starting location to the VHL career for P.E. as he would like to play next season in the VHL)

 

What we are trying to say is the fact that we wouldn`t be surprised if P.E. Bouchard actually drops in the draft due to the little factor of forwards in the draft so watch for teams to reach down to select forward over the defender. The big question is when do they stop reaching down; and start taking the best player available. Later first round we are expecting a run of defenders as we expect the forwards to selected early leaving maybe a bunch of really good defender available in the middle of the draft. Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Seattle will also likely be selecting defender or best available player; a we expect a ton of defenders to be available at that stage of the draft. With possibly Bouchard, Maloish, Da hoodie, Love, Maellard & Greg all being selected in a row.

 

 

This draft could have a lot of different moving parts and is unlikely to follow any direct order as teams are expected to reach down selecting players that they want rather than the best player available. This isn`t counting any trades that might actually take part in the mid-late round of the picks. It starting to look like a cannot miss draft.

 

VHLE Draft

I haven`t seen anyone talking about the VHLE draft and I feel bad since Bouchard could be a top pick the VHLE but seems more like an afterthought to most of the player and the teams not in the VHLE. The VHLM has their day and the VHL clearly has their day but what about the VHLE. Are they always going to play second fiddle or the afterthought like when a mosquito bite you on the ass? The question I have is what VHL high end draft pick ends up playing in the VHLE unexpectedly this next season and are they even drafted in the right location in the VHLE draft or do they become a steal in a later round?