Way Way Way to early S85 Draft

[Gaikoku-hito 1,821]

Once again I decided to play GM of all the current VHL teams and try to figure out what they need and who they might draft during the S85 Draft so without much waffling about lets get into the way way way to early mock draft.

 

 

Again I realize I need to add a bit of disclaimer as once again the play-offs haven`t finished and the draft lottery still has been completed so I am once again going to use the finishing order from the regular season based on points. That means Prague Phantoms have the First selection in the S85 Draft.

 

 

Before we get too far into this here is the order that I am going to use:

1.       Prague Phantoms

2.       Vancouver Wolves

3.     Malmo Nighthawks

4.       Los Angeles Stars

5.       New York Americans

6.       London United

7.       HC Davos Dynamo            ( Malmo Nighthawks)

8.       Calgary Wranglers

9.       Toronto Legion

10.    Chicago Phoenix                (   Prague Phantoms)

11.  Riga Reign

12.    Warsaw Predators

13.    Helsinki Titans

14.    Seattle Bears                     ( Los Angeles Stars)

15.    D.C Dragons                      (Malmo Nighthawks)

16.    Moscow Menace

 

 

The way way way too early S85 Draft ......

 

 

1.      Prague Phantoms Select: Forward  (S85) Daniel Weaver      @ThePerfectNut  TPE: 343

This pick will come down to the best forward available; while the GM`S player is the highest TPE earner and would have been consider to be the first overall selection one needs to look at what the team requires and they have prospect joining the team next season in the way of goaltender in Clueless Wallob . While adding two defending prospects to the roster next season as well in the way of D - Faith Hope Love (VAS) and D - Jared Carter the 2st (IST). So I have the selection down between Daniel Weaver and Henry Eagles; There isn`t much to chose between the two so it will simple come down to preference.

 

 

2.       Vancouver Wolves  Select: Defenseman (S85) Phil Strasmore        @Phil    TPE: 300

Again this comes down to need as Vancouver only has P.E. Bouchard coming off his strong rookie season meaning they require a defender as they seem to have enough in the pipeline with RW - Svatopluk Puk (VAS) and C - Dogwood Maple (VAS) ready to join the forward core next season. They are also set in net with G - Brandt Fuhr so I am expecting a defender to come off the board at this pick meaning this was always going to be where Phil Strasmore was going to be selected.

 

 

3.     Malmo Nighthawks Select: Forward (S85) Henry Eagles          @Greg_Di      TPE: 338

Confidence level on this is pick is very low since Malmo needs a little bit of everything from a forward, a defender and a goaltender. Malmo has three picks in the first round so they should be able to add to all three areas so I am not completely sold that they skip on Matt Murdock here but being able to select a tender with a later pick in the first or even second is how I feel that Malmo will use their picks so I have them taking the best player available in Henry Eagles but don`t be surprised if Vancouver goes off the board and doesn`t select Phil Strasmore then Malmo will most defiantly will at number three.

 

 

4.       Los Angeles Stars Select: Forward (S85) John Jameson              @Frank          TPE: 285

LA Stars do not need a goaltender as they went off the board last season with the first overall selection to select G - Art Vandelay. The teams biggest need looks to be adding more skilled defender to the roster to complement D - Callum Murray who they selected third overall last season but I feel reaching down to grab a defender isn`t the correct play here plus adding a forward will add top five selection in the last two draft to all position within the team so they will select the best available player here and that will be John Jameson.

 

 

5.       New York Americans Select: Forward(S85) Astro Singh          @8Ovechkin8      TPE: 237

No Secrets here the team lacks offensive prospect so much so that they traded P.E. Bouchard; who they selected fifth overall last season to Vancouver to collect forward prospects and return of this pick, so they are selecting a forward it just a matter of which one; I have them selecting best available in Astro Singh.

 

 

6.       London United Select: Goaltender (S85) Matt Murdock               @Acydburn         TPE: 342

With a defender and a forward retiring one would assume that London would require a replacement one of the other positions but London actually has a good problem on the forward side of the puck as they have five players already signed for next season and three prospects ready to join the roster as soon as next season. While they could use a defender prospect with this selection, I just feel that they will not pass on such a great tender when G - Cole Pearce is one season away from UFA and they can add younger prospect to the mix to take over from Pearce as soon as year or two. If they do pass on the tender then they surely will pick Jani Karppinen but over 100 TPE between the two players in my mind is simply too great of a difference for London not to select the falling Matt Murdock.

 

 

7.     Malmo Nighthawks Select: Goaltender (S85) Henry Tucker Jr              @NSG             TPE: 284

Malmo might be a bit disappointed that they missed Matt Murdock by a single pick but they will be more than happy to add another Franchise goaltender to their roster as they quickly walk to the stage and select Henry Tucker Jr. They still have another pick which will most likely lean towards defender right?

 

 

8.       Calgary Wranglers Select: Goaltender (S85) Karl Pedersen         @JeffD           TPE: 256

This is a clear goaltender selection if I ever seen one but I also did have to consider the fact that the AGM player currently is the starter for the team but given the best players available and the strength of the goaltenders in the draft. I am very confident that they will either trade the pick or select Karl Pedersen.

 

 

9.       Toronto Legion Select: Goaltender (S85) Jesse Teno              @aimkin          TPE: 249

At team already deep in prospects really doesn`t need any more, right? Wrong they lack a replacement for Oskar Lindbergh; which means the run on goaltenders continues with the Legion selecting hopefully their future franchise tender.

 

 

10.    Prague Phantoms Select: Forward (S85) Alfred Champagne        @Anthique       TPE: 209

When I first looked at this selection I was thinking best player available but then I remembered that Prague has defender prospects so they are more likely to reach down a bit and take the best forward available so once again they grab a forward in Alfred Champagne.

 

 

11.  Riga Reign Select: Goaltender  (S85) Geoff Bezos          @Quik          TPE: 224

Another easy selection as the team clearly has a need to replace the soon to retire Tobias Reinhart making this clearly another place a goaltender will be selected and they cannot go wrong with Geoff Bezos; right?

 

 

12.    Warsaw Predators Select: Defenseman  (S85) Reid Johnson       @TopTiddee2      TPE: 206

This could be a steal of a pick if my quick scouting has done me well and with Warsaw need simply put prospects, they grab a defender that could turn into a top pairing defender late in the first round. I think they would love those odds if that was to happen and that is why I am drafting Reid Johnson here as he has a ton of upside.

 

 

13.    Helsinki Titans Select: Defenseman (S85) Lloyd Braun                 @Toast             TPE: 207

Another player that might go a bit under the radar of the teams as I know I missed him when I was scouting at first as I can also see him drafted higher by teams looking for defenseman help so if he is around at this selection then Helsinki will run to the podium to select this top pairing potential defender.

 

 

14.    Los Angeles Stars Select: Forward(S85) Babay Shrimp          @Blazzer       TPE: 195

While I was considering having LA add a defender with their second pick in the first round; I don`t think that is what they do here when they have a chance to collect another forward that should be top six on their roster in a few seasons. So once again they select a forward by adding Babay Shrimp to their roster.

 

 

15.  Malmo Nighthawks Select: Defenseman(S85) Isamu Knievel               @TMGSosa       TPE: 197

Having selected a forward and the goaltender already in the first round leaves only one position left to draft out of the needs that I mentioned earlier so they will select their much needed defender here in Isamu Knievel; who should become a stapple of the defensive core in the future.

 

 

16.    Moscow Menace Select: Forward(S85) Sunglasses Joyo           @JetsGoalie101              TPE: 175

Moscow only has one glaring positional need and that is a goaltender as prospect Ilya Bryzgalov

training has stalled meaning a season after drafting a goaltender they will be looking to draft another but with the top five already being selected via my mock draft then are left in a interesting situation where they could take a gamble on a depth longer term goaltender prospect or draft the best player available while working the phones for a replacement tender in the next few seasons. I have them taking the best player available who has goaltender in his users name but sadly for Moscow is a forward in Sunglasses Joyo.

 

 

That concludes what could really be a crazy draft with five top goaltenders in the mix with a bunch of teams not really needing any goaltending at the moment. It will be interesting and I am less confident than last season mock draft that I am close this season. As I know I am not considering as I went through this I found a few players that I can see being drafted much higher than even where I have them slotted now.

 

 

Anyways it was fun exercise and I hope you read this all with a grain of salt since it won`t be right in the first place.

 

 

1656+ words good for three week claim  

Aug 21st, Aug 28 & Sept 4 (if I am correct)

Edited August 16, 2022 by Gaikoku-hito

[Greg_Di 970]

Review:

Great draft predictions. Always fun to read this and it's more fun since I will be in this draft. Interesting to see all the predictions of where my player will go. Good writeup of why you think why each team will take that specific player in the draft. The only thing I would add is maybe tag the player you are predicating (as players always like to see the predictions) and maybe a picture to help spruce up the article. 8.5/10!

[ThePerfectNut 563]

I believe Henry Eagle is going number 1 NO MATTER WHAT

[NSG 495]

Is it a coincidence that I got mocked to Malmo the day that I said that they had the best VHL branding?

[Blazzer 759]

Wayyyyyy to early because the draft dates are nowhere to be found rn HAHA but nonetheless amazing article 

[Anthique 202]

Ohhhh a top 10 pick for Alfred Champagne???

Niiiiiice!

As you said it's early so we don't know for sure how everything will go. 

Going in the same team that the first overall means that we're probably not be successful next season, but if we can win in the long run why not?

Great piece and I hope you are right! If not I don't really care haha I will just play and do my best

9.5/10

[Gaikoku-hito 1,821]

8 hours ago, Anthique said:

Ohhhh a top 10 pick for Alfred Champagne???

Niiiiiice!

As you said it's early so we don't know for sure how everything will go. 

Going in the same team that the first overall means that we're probably not be successful next season, but if we can win in the long run why not?

Great piece and I hope you are right! If not I don't really care haha I will just play and do my best

9.5/10

Prague should be competitive sooner then later since they have a franchise goaltender in G - Clueless Wallob  joining the team next season, Two very good defenders joining the team this season in D - Jared Carter the 2st & D - Faith Hope Love with another two another season away. Where they lack at the moment is at forward depth so I am assuming they are going to add to this heavily this draft meaning a season or two before the whole group is ready to compete again. So your player fits very nicely into the quickly rebuilding team.

[Gaikoku-hito 1,821]

Aug 28th Claim 2/3

[Gaikoku-hito 1,821]

Last claim and I did look at the picks after the draft........ I was right on only two!!  LOL!!