Analyzing the first round of the S86 VHL Draft! (>102% accurate)

[sadie 941]

Well, since I’ve been earning some form of TPE on all my drafts, it’s time to analyze the S86 VHL draft. Since I have seen others grade teams on how well they did throughout the draft, I will grade the 16 first round picks individually. As before, these are at least 102% accurate and therefore everyone should pick VHFL/predictions based off of this. I am not trying to offend anyone here and I am confident everyone picked in this round will turn into something special! And yes, I know the early picks are all an A+ but that is because I genuinely think there was no better option.

 

1. Riga Reign - The Frenchman (439 TPE)

We begin with the first selection in the draft- The Frenchman @OrbitingDeath . Riga's highest TPA player is currently Daniel Weaver, with 615 to their name. That is the lowest amount of TPA for any VHL team's highest earning player except for the Helsinki Titans. This provides a great opportunity for The Frenchman to step into the league now and be a truly huge part of this team's future. Having separated their passing and scoring stats by 10 already, the center is an elite scoring threat and we will undoubtedly be seeing them become a rapidly rising star this upcoming season. The Frenchman has also been named an assistant captain before the start of their rookie year!

 

Pick Grade: A+

 

2. Seattle Bears -  Yaroslav Bogatyrev (411 TPE)

After surprisingly falling to 4th overall in the VHLE Entry Draft, Yaroslav Bogatyrev @Bojovnik was certainly one of the most highly valued players of the VHL Draft. Having the 2nd most TPE out of anyone selected, it's no surprise that Seattle jumped at the chance to get them. Seattle had a monster draft with 4 first round picks and could essentially fill any positional need in the S86 draft. Bogatyrev has been a consistent and beyond great earner (being good at VHFL and predictions helps too) and will not be slowing down anytime soon. On a fairly young Seattle team, Bogatyrev is another leader of the future and if they choose to play in the VHLE this year, should have an absolutely amazing season. Should they choose to begin their VHL career, the league had better watch out for a top rookie with especially elite defensive capability. I believe Seattle made the best pick possible here.

 

Pick Grade: A+

 

3. Helsinki Titans - Daryl Dixon (383 TPE)

Daryl Dixon @Ricer13 is again, the best pick available in my opinion which brings a third straight A+ in a row to the table. Normally you can find Dixon on the same team as his counterpart, Rick Grimes. They found a way to stick together throughout their VHLM careers and were drafted 1st and 2nd overall by Istanbul in the E. This year, they were separated with Helsinki not being able to resist the talent of Dixon. Dixon has created a massive gap in scoring and passing with 71 SC and 61 PA and with defense relatively high, is a player capable of being the best at both ends of the ice. Posting an astonishing statline of 123 points in 72 games for the Miami Marauders of the VHLM, we have been treated to beautiful goal after beautiful goal by the American star. Helsinki's highest earning forward has 517 TPE to their name, so Dixon ought to immediately make an impact as either the top player or very close to it by the time they end their time in the VHLE.

 

Pick Grade: A+

 

4. Riga Reign - Sadie St-Louis (304 TPE)

Riga finally deviated from the order of highest TPE players at this point in the draft- they went for Sadie St-Louis @sadie who, outside of Bogatyrev and Dixon, is the highest earning winger in the draft. She has max earned nearly every week she has been a part of the VHL and is shaping up to be very effective both in scoring goals and in preventing them. She is a high volume shooter who puts the puck on net whenever she gets the chance and put up 85 points in 72 VHLM games in S85 and was playing over half of those games as a defenseman due to Ottawa's lack of them. She should be another player who should be able to make an immediate impact when she reaches the VHL and possibly could be playing with The Frenchman by that time. Riga has had a solid 2 picks in this first round- the reasons this pick does not receive an A+ are 1. I don't want to be biased and 2. I thought Riga would draft a defenseman given that they only have 1 in their system. In drafting a winger however, this was the best available player.

 

Pick Grade: A-

 

5. London United - Rex Wolffe Gregor (254 TPE)

The first defenseman to be selected in the draft was the young Canadian Rex Wolffe Gregor @oilmandan with the highest amount of TPE for any defenseman in the draft (at least currently). London already had amazing defensemen in the league and some could argue that taking a forward would have been the better move here when you have guys like Hari Singh Nalwa and Jerome Reinhart already on your team but I think taking a promising defenseman in Gregor that can fill the shoes of the veterans as they move to the latter stages of their careers is a great move. They consistently earn 12 affiliate tpe and were a huge asset in the VHLM last year with Philadelphia with 50 points in 72 regular season games, putting up 307 hits and 162 shot blocks as well. They were instrumental as well in Philadelphia's miraculous run to a championship and had 17 points in 18 playoff games. London will be watching Gregor's progress closely with Bratislava, waiting for the chance to get them going in the VHL.

 

Pick Grade: A-

 

6. Seattle Bears - Ash Sparks (300 TPE)

Seattle's GMs must not have been able to believe their eyes when they saw the upcoming picks because they managed to get 3 IN A ROW. FIRST ROUNDERS. So the order of the next three picks didn't matter too much of course; basically Seattle already has great players and young/inexperienced players at every position but goalie (they only have 1, that being Dusty Wilson). So Ash Sparks @DarkSpyro seemed like a logical pick to make here. Sparks max earns almost every week and posted 31 wins and a .913 save percentage last year for one of the weaker teams in the league in Halifax. You could argue that other goalies should have been taken but you can't argue that Sparks is a great pick no matter where you take them.

 

Pick Grade: B+

 

7. Seattle Bears - Elias Lampi (228 TPE)

Elias Lampi @Pifferfish is an interesting pick- we didn't get a full season out of them last year in the VHLM with them having created about halfway through the season. However, they impressed with 23 points in 43 games as well as 4 points in 4 playoff games which sadly ended in a sweep for the 21st. Pifferfish is super active and will make an awesome addition to the bears; they are a consistent max earner as well and GMed in the JST and WJC. They are the highest earning defenseman in the Bears system not playing in the VHL and there is a 3 year gap between the last one to make it onto the Bears roster and Lampi, who I am sure will. A defensively minded strong skater, they will be a force in the VHL for years to come.

 

Pick Grade: B

 

8. Seattle Bears - Left Alone (259 TPE)

I thought that with the overflow of wingers Seattle seem to currently have, they would have gone with a center (Hulk Hogan is their only VHL center at the moment). But picking Left Alone @okochastar was anything but a miss. With 71 points in 72 games in the VHLM, they went on a tear and earned themselves a high draft position in both the E draft (3rd overall) and the VHL draft (8th overall) as opposed to having been taken 55th in the prior VHLM draft. They are an extremely active earner (with affiliate 12 tpe as far as the eye can see) and will be a great asset as the Bears will have their pick of young star wingers.

 

Pick Grade: A-

 

9. Vancouver Wolves - Wann Kerr (268 TPE)

This Czechian talent is a great pick, being 10th in TPE and the 6th ranked skater. They look like they are growing into a shutdown winger who can do anything the team calls for. Shooting, passing, physicality, you name it, Wann Kerr @VattghernCZ will deliver.  They are an active player, max earning and participating in opportunities for extra TPE. Last year in the VHLM, Kerr tallied 97 points in 72 VHLM games and 24 points in 19 playoff games for the Las Vegas Aces who fell just short of a 3rd straight championship. Vancouver has some amazing players along with having a great draft and everything is in place for Kerr to become a top player on this team, learning under Nico Pearce.

 

Pick Grade: B+

 

10. London United - Rick Grimes (324 TPE)

So Rick Grimes and Daryl Dixon were at last split up by London (not that I would blame them). They were fortunately reunited shortly after via a trade to send Grimes to Helsinki. Grimes @tinafrombobsburgers is the 2nd best center in the draft class after The Frenchman and it is a surprise that they went this low honestly considering their caliber. With an astounding 116 points in 72 VHLM games last season, Grimes was near unstoppable for the Marauders. With multiple picks for London in a row here, it's impossible to refuse what Grimes brings by passing twice consecutively. They were drafted 1st overall in the VHLM and in the VHLE, so by 10th the pick kind of needs to be made.

 

Pick Grade: A+

 

11. London United - Leonard Triller (230 TPE)

Leonard Triller @Trilleris an interesting pick here because John Richards was still available, but the TPE difference is honestly not that much. Triller is from what I've seen a fun person and someone you'd definitely want on your team and in your LR! They are a pass-first forward (which we don't see too many of) and they are excellent on and off of the puck. They tallied 52 points in 55 games last year, and 116 hits. Triller has been a great earner, consistently hitting their 12 capped and show that they will continue to produce the TPE. As one of London's top prospects, I hope to see what they can do in the VHL soon- I think they may surprise everyone.

 

Pick Grade: B+

 

12. HC Davos Dynamo - Lachlan Summers (320 TPE)

Simply said, this is a home run pick by Davos. They get a young goalie with one of the highest ceilings in the entire league and they get an active and awesome person to have in their locker room. Lachlan Summers @kirbithan is a consistent max earner and participates in activities that get them extra TPE. With 320 TPE to their name, there is not a shot that Summers doesn't have a chance at stopping with his extremely quick reflexes and speed with the glove. Lachlan brought San Diego to an above .500 record in S85 with 34 wins and had an impressive save percentage (.916) and goals against average (2.57) as well as 4 shutouts! Davos came into the draft likely looking for a goalie who could succeed Booberry, who is doing a remarkable job right now, and they got Summers in a steal of a 12th pick. Lachlan will be ready for the VHL, but will the VHL be ready for him?

 

Pick Grade: A

 

13. Toronto Legion - Joel Castle (333 TPE)

Joel Castle @animal74is the 3rd goalie taken and the 2nd in overall TPE for goalies. They are a great earner despite claiming welfare fairly frequently (as evidenced by being 5th in TPE among the S86 draft class). It may have been weird to see another goalie taken when they had drafted a goalie last year who sits at around 300 TPE, but Castle is worth it over picking many other players in my opinion. Toronto has a BOATLOAD and I mean an entire fleet, of skater prospects, many of who should turn out good just because of how many of them there are. Their forward core and defense are well balanced in the big leagues and they have only 1 goalie there. Joel, who had 41 wins, a .911 save percentage, and a 2.34 GAA, seems like a great candidate for the future. This team, with a couple more pieces or prospects who turn out well, could be very good in the future.

 

Pick Grade: A

 

14. Helsinki Titans - Fuukka Rask (373 TPE)

Now how on earth did this happen? Fuukka Rask @Jubis , had the 4th most TPE in the draft by a margin of 40 and also had earned the most out of any goalie. So getting them at 14th is the biggest steal of the draft in my opinion for Helsinki. Rask was an amazing goaltender for Ottawa last season and led them to one of the top spots in the league, far exceeding the expectations for the team. They had a .912 save percentage and a 2.39 goals against for themselves- and 4 shutouts. This year, I believe Fuukka is playing in the VHLE but when they get into the VHL they will be contending for a starting spot, given that Helsinki's goalies have 561 and 484 TPE and are both S81. Rask, in my opinion, should not have fallen close to this far and this was definitely a huge step for the future of the Titans.

 

Pick Grade: A+

 

15. Calgary Wranglers - Vincent Laroche-Gagnier (195 TPE)

Some may look at this as a reach in terms of TPE compared to those taken around him, but Laroche-Gagnier @vincentlg2007 is more than just his TPE number. As well as being a funny and active locker room member, he is an underrated player. Calgary has only Landon Wolanin in terms of big-league LWs so snagging one in the first round here is a logical choice (he was also the next best LW available). Vincent also contributed 94 points in 72 games last year for the Marlins, being an integral part of their season. With skilled shooting and strength, he will be an asset to Calgary for years to come.

 

Pick Grade: B+

 

16. HC Davos Dynamo - John Richards (264 TPE)

Davos had another amazing pick to close out the first round in John Richards @John Cimarno the right winger. Another great locker room presence and hockey fan, John is a great player as well. Being the highest earning right wing in the draft after Dixon, it's impressive that he fell this far! I'm sure Davos jumped on the opportunity to take him immediately, taking into account that 1. they would be uniting part of the trio, 2. that they only had 1 RW in their entire organization in Alfred Champagne, and 3. because Richards was the highest remaining player on the board at this time. Richards had an amazing season last year with 86 points in 72 games as a member of the Ottawa Lynx. He valiantly tried to help Ottawa through the first round of the playoffs with 11 points in 7 games, but fell just short after an intense game 7 with Philadelphia. He is a scorer and a leader, and will take those qualities with him wherever he goes, first to Stockholm in the VHLE and then to Davos.

 

Pick Grade: A+

 

Well, this has certainly been an absolute monster of an article word count wise (I can't speak for quality). Somehow I got through this without giving anything lower than a B which is just a reflection on how good the GMs were in the draft this year! I look forward to seeing who exceeds the expectations of my unlearned first-gen eyes!

 

Word Count: 2701 (although does that matter at this point)

 

will be claiming for 11/13, 11/20, 11/27, 12/3

[Triller 1,688]

Wonderfully written!  I appreciate the kind words and the >102% accuracy on Leonard and his future!

[vincentlg2007 498]

Definitely more than 102% accurate . I love the fact that you stayed neutral and were not bias on everybody including yourself 

[Rhynex Entertainment 487]

Good long read, an excellent well thought out article. As someone who has not been following and doing research on each season's players and draftees, I always like to read otehr people's scouting reports. A well written and descriptive scouting report with easy to read colour coding, paragraph structuring, numbering and of course current draftee overalls. I would have to say you are overly lenient with your power rankings and pick grades but that's your opinion and I respect your scouting capabilities. Let's hope you don't disappoint and the >102% accuracy does not end up being <10.2% accurate. 9 / 10

 

[Jubis 1,350]

 biggest steal of that the draft at 14.

Why thank you    

[OrbitingDeath 3,229]

Thank you for the kind words

[Pifferfish 597]

That moment when your selection was lowest graded pick of the draft... T_T @sadiethinks I suck... So imma have to retire

[sadie 941]

Just now, Pifferfish said:

That moment when your selection was lowest graded pick of the draft... T_T @sadiethinks I suck... So imma have to retire

Nooooooooo it was only because of who else was also available I swear 

[sadie 941]

claim for week of 11/20

[Pifferfish 597]

3 hours ago, sadie said:

Nooooooooo it was only because of who else was also available I swear 

Sadie think I not as good as Rex Gregor or Jens Lekman T_T

[DarkSpyro 974]

B+ Sparks
A Summers

A Castle

A+ Rask
..

 

the disrespect is realllll

I mean.. can’t always be picked at 25th like predicted but damn give a guy credit for being believed in, especially after getting drafted in the 5th round of the VHLE as Castle’s backup. Some serious shade going on fml  

[sadie 941]

claim for week of 11/27

[sadie 941]

claim for week of 12/4