Last MS as Vegas GM

[Shindigs 1,771]

So as some of you know and some of you don't, I made a .com article around the start of this season making it known that this was my last season as Vegas GM regardless of how we do this season. That decision hasn't changed.

 

I'm very happy that this season has been a great success so far, with us completing the Prime Minister's Cup threepeat for the first time since around S16(ish). Because in a lot of ways this season feels like the first one that was all me. Season 1 and season 2 I still had a fair number of players (and draft picks) that @MubbleFubbleshad acquired as GM, or was the scouting mastermind behind picking as AGM. So large part of both those wins do go to him. This season really was the true test in a lot of ways. Not just showing I could build a team without the help of what he did before me. But a shot at showing that the 2 season compete window is a lie. It's possible to bypass it in the VHLM.

 

As I write this we're headin into Game 7 against Mexico tonight, and whether we win it to go on and try for the real threepeat or not. I still feel like I have proven that with good drafting and personal touch in both scouting and helping develop your players you really can do a lot with a little. Heading into last season we had IIRC our 2nd round pick, our 4th and then just various late picks for the draft that I built this seasons team from. So I had to make a lot of draft picking shuffling trades to make a proper pick pool happen.

 

What I identified as the problem of the draft early was naturally the lack of defensemen, as well as how to be a real contender you'd have to pick up one of the top goalies in the draft. Something that *should* only have been possible with a very early 2nd round pick (if lucky) and only guaranteed with a early/mid 1st round pick. I gambled on the 2nd round pick, since it was the only way for us to gain enough picks to actually be able to build a Contender through the draft. And thankfully a lot of teams ended up greeding for near capped/capped forwards in the 1st. Despite the draft having insane forward depth (Antoine Barksdale at 20 OA, anyone?). Which played into my hands perfectly, leaving Joel Castle @animal74open at our first pick 13th OA. At that point I already knew we were fine, the fact that most teams just ignored dmen and kept picking high TPE forwards further played into our hands in Vegas by leaving us with the choice between the two top 1st gen dmen in the draft at 16 OA, namely Jens Lekman @Bobcat and Quinn Saint-Willes @Squids McKenzie. Bobcat was on the JST team I helped AGM, so I had helped him learn how to earn TPE and I also knew he wanted to build a Physical DFD, which is what Vegas success has been built on. So that tipped the scales in his favor, causing me to pick a 88 TPE dman at 16th overall when there were 140(ish) TPE forwards still on the board. Lekman entered the playoffs with 200 TPE as our de facto 1D and is currently nearly tied for our top point producer in the playoffs as well as being out best possession player and PP QB. So I couldn't be happier with that pick.

 

At that point we were in a situation where there was only one more thing we 100% needed, a 2nd elite center to work on the 2nd line. With Abass Jr still being around to Center the 1st line by a mere 2 TPE below the cut-off. As we got closer and close to that pick at 20 OA I couldn't believe Antoine Barksdale @CrookedAntwould actually fall to us. It made no sense, and I later learned that @Lemorse7had been trying to trade for every single pick between 17-20 to try and pick Anty with it. But no one was willing to move. Meaning that we secured a 100+ point scorer with elite faceoff abilities at 20th OA. At this point things were basically going better than my wildest dreams. With other teams picking winger after winger in a draft where Dmen and Centers were at a premium.

 

Our next pick at 23 I knew I needed 1 more dman to secure our core, and the next one on my list. A slow and steady earning by the strong name of Sigma Freud @CODENAMEJIMMY was available, and I was more than comfortable to go off the board hard to pick him up. To get a 2 season player that will have big impact this playoffs, and be the 1D in Vegas next season, and that's exactly how it's played out so far. So very happy with that pick as well.

 

After that we headed to pick 31 where I went with Moscow LR legend Kobe Johnson @Vkobe-v who has had a bit of a rough season, but who is always a goat and will, much like Sigma, be a key piece of the team next season still. A huge value pick and a great guy to have on your team. The way I see it he's given us the performance of a 4th round pick (which he was) this season and will be just as strong as a 1st round pick next season. Making it a pick that I would make again in a heartbeat.

 

After that came what I'd label the biggest steal of the draft, a player with a name so silly I actually considered not even bothering scouting him. I'm of course talking about Wann Kerr @VattghernCZ. Who else? Can you imagine my surprise when I scouted him and he was one of the most well put together, reasonable and mature seeming people I've interviewed for the VHLM draft? Well it blew me away to be honest, but I also hadn't quite felt like I had gotten through to him with my Ted Talk on how to earn TPE. So I had somewhat slept on checking back on his progress until draft day. Where I saw that holy moose, he's a Welfare+ guy now! So I prayed he'd still be up at 33. Which he was, and I ended up picking our *actual* 2C, who is one of the best players on Vegas in the playoffs and happily capped in the 4th round. May the legend of Wann Kerr be long and full of stiff competition!

 

At that point I was actually in disbelief at how the draft had gone, it just seemed impossible for it to go *that* well. But then everyone forgot that Shadow Thompson @Kelsey was still active in the JST LR, despite not having updated their player for a few weeks. So I was able to use the very last pick of the entire draft on an active BUG. Now I ended up trading Shadow to Houston at great value to @AJW since Shadow wanted starts, and Houston needed a goalie. So I was willing to be lenient on the price as it was in the player's and the league's best interest to do so. Even though for Vegas specifically, having Shadow on roster next season would be infinitely more useful than a 6th round pick.

 

So that's basically how everything panned out in this final season. It was nice to just "get it on paper" about how I felt about the draft at the time, and how it looks in hindsight. Our season started slow, just as expected but the insane growth among our players meant that while other teams were all "capped" in power at the draft from picking nothing but near 200 TPE forwards. We got stronger every single week and eventually just out-scaled everyone else to pass them in the standing and get awarded the top seed, which as is the norm in the VHLM. Meant we got the worst matchup in R2 FML!

 

So looking back at how I did this season, do I have any regrets? Not really, and as we head into my final week as Vegas GM I have to admit that I actually wanted to step down after last season. I felt burned out and just done, I won B2B in my first two seasons as GM and won the Reilly both seasons, I felt like I had proven what I needed to prove and knew that the passion to show what I could do was gone. But I also have to admit I have to much ego to just step down knowing those 2 wins were in large part due to things I was handed, not just what I did.

 

And I wanted my impact on the M to be that the 2 season window is a lie. Sure there were enough picks left for this season that whoever came after me should have been able to do what I did this season. But I also didn't trust that they would. So I forced myself to do one more season, just to prove a point to myself and the league. But it really hasn't been the best experience. Don't get me wrong, I've loved all my players on Vegas and helping them out. But I've also felt horribly burned out and just exhausted by my GM duties.

 

Right now I find myself just wishing this season to be over, because I just want to relax and be rid of the expectations I put on myself as Vegas GM. Now that may happen tonight, or it may happen after a series against Philly that either sees a massive underdog victory (which we all love those) or us threepeating and making history. I should be super excited about that possibility. But I'm just not, I know it will be over either way. Win or lose. And I'd be perfectly fine with it going either way. Because I'm just exhausted at this point and I'd value my ability to not have to stress over Vegas performance every day higher than the possibility of winning in a sim league, for my own mental health.

 

1720 words of word vomit to claim for 3 weeks

[jacobcarson877 2,128]

One of the best to ever do it! Hope to see the passion back in you one of these days but enjoy the rest and recovery.

[Garsh 1,098]

Been enjoying Kronchy's time in Vegas but glad you are stepping down when you feel you need to.  

[animal74 1,628]

@Shindigs you have probably been the most involved GM I have played under, and I've played under some great GMs. You're thoroughness and dedication have been taken to heart and the Aces have followed you with that same dedication to get to that third Cup Final tonight. I've learned so much from you and I hope you take the time you need to feel refreshed and I hope we work together again. All the best! And we'll get you that Cup! 

[Shindigs 1,771]

Claim 2/3 Week Ending 11/6

[Shindigs 1,771]

Claim 3/3 Week Ending 11/13