my S88 VHFL and Super Coach thoughts

[sadie 940]

With this season being the first with the new Super Coach fantasy opportunity (and because I need TPE), I thought I would review my fantasy picks for S88. While I can't exactly gauge how good my Super Coach team might be, I think this VHFL squad is the best I have ever drafted in my entire 3 seasons of it. I have high hopes which hopefully don't come crashing down too quickly.

 

VHFL

 

F - Brendan Marner @MetalToday Pick #6 (absolute steal)

At 5th overall on the VHFL leaderboards and the 2nd forward, this was the pick that made sense at #6. Marner is the player with the highest TPA across the VHL, leading The Board Game Clue on Skates by more than 50. With a staggering league leading 111 points last year, similar numbers would be awesome and a total even higher than that would give me a huge boost. They score, pass, hit, and lead Warsaw, crucial to their success in every game. If shot blocking numbers get a bit higher this year, Marner would be even more of a perfect VHFL player.

 

S87 rank:

-5th among skaters

-2nd among forwards

 

F - Landon Wolanin @jacobcarson877 Pick #7 (absolute steal)

Wolanin will no doubt tear apart the league's defense and goaltending for another year while playing with the likes of Daniel Janser and Leandro Goncalves as well as Marlins legend Vincent Laroche-Gagnier. Coming hot off a 99 point season and looking for more, Landon the Marlins legend has seemingly succeeded in fighting off hard hitting depreciation, still ranked top 10 in TPA. In S87, he was ranked second in goals to only the insane season of Sirdsvaldis Miglaskems and 5th in overall points. I only see Calgary becoming stronger this season after winning the Continental Cup and with them, Wolanin's fantasy stats. 

 

S87 rank:

-14th among skaters

-5th among forwards

 

F - Vasile Lamb @dlamb Pick #18 (absolute steal)

Lamb, my 3rd round pick and perennially one of the best in the league, looks lined up for another great season to round out my forward group. With 945 TPA to their name, they will work with Hulk Hogan 2 and Tavish Degroot to try to get Seattle deep into the playoffs. Lamb ranked 1st overall in VHL hits last season and put up an impressive 85 points and although depreciation will have taken its toll, the players they are surrounded with will make up for any impact that may have I hope. Taking all three forwards with my first 3 picks seems to have panned out really well considering I still had such good defensive and goaltending talent left on the board.

 

S87 rank:

-9th among skaters

-3rd among forwards

 

D - Siyan Yasilievich @badcolethetitan Pick #19 (absolute steal)

After posting what has been by far the most stellar season of their career with NINETY FOUR POINTS and 23 goals as a defenseman, Yasilievich, an S83, looks to repeat their greatness. They had triple digits in hits and blocks as well as 19 points in 16 games in aid of Davos' finals run. Not to mention, winning the Alexander Beketov trophy for most assists. Siyan's move to London shouldn't slow them down too much as they now have the opportunity to play with Hari Singh Nalwa and forwards the likes of Molly the Cat, Igor Molotov, and Marlins legend Leonard Triller. A more than solid pick I was certain I wouldn't get as low as 18 and one I am very glad I did.

 

S87 rank:

-12th among skaters

-8th among defensemen

 

D - AK92 Wit da Hoodie @hedgehog337 Pick #30 (absolute steal)

AK92 Wit da Hoodie is starting the season off the right way with 14 points in 9 games, already solidifying my faith in what was an amazing grab at 30. Tied for 3rd in league scoring, they look to be on their way to an even better season than last year. Having had 66 points, 218 hits, and 168 blocks, the huge boost in TPE this year to above 1100 is going to drive the numbers up and should place AK92 as one of the best defensemen in the league. They will play with Hammar Voss in Moscow, the player with the third most TPA leaguewide, and have dynamic stars like Ronan Lavelle and Tomas Sogaard to feed the puck to, something that has happened many times this year already. 

 

S87 rank:

-20th among skaters

-11th among defenseman

 

G - Lachlan Summers @kirbithan Pick #31 (absolute steal)

Lachlan Summers, a true Marlins legend also known as the Mad Aussie, is a wild card pick for this year, but one I think will be one of, if not the biggest breakout star this year. I picked him to win the Stolzschweiger because after placing top 3 in GAA and SV% last year (despite the small sample size) my confidence is high. Davos is going to be a force for another season this year, looking to repeat their finals run and secure the championship this time. Boosting my confidence is the presence of dependable defensemen like Jake Thunder and David Jokinen the Marlins legend who will further aid in Lachlan's attempt to win me both my VHFL and my Super Coach TPE (as that is of course his primary aim).

 

S87 rank:

-17th among goalies (rookie in S88)

 

I think every one of the players I selected should have been gone before the point where I picked them, some by a significant margin. If things play out how I think they will, which of course there is no guarantee of, I have an excellent chance at those 6 TPE.

 

 

Super Coach

 

LW - Nezuko (cost - 10)

For my big cost player, I picked Nezuko partially because I couldn't afford a Wolanin or a Marner as it would leave me with very little room to maneuver with my other players. Nezuko also simply had an insane 98 point season last year, a solid jump from 84 the season before and they are also surrounded by 4 other 1000+ TPA players in Miglaskems, Maloish, Murray, and Vandelay. Hopefully they can be of similar value to those very top players at an excellent and efficient cost.

 

S87 rank:

-22nd among skaters

-11th among forwards

 

LW - Sadie St-Louis (cost - 6) @sadie

Well I've gone and picked myself. After having a good season with 59 points last year, Sadie St-Louis the Marlins legend should improve even more this year playing with teammates like Daniel Weaver and the Frenchman (who I totally didn't also pick). She had triple digit hits and for only 6 cost, should be one of the best value picks at that cost to make this work. Also, if I had a good season and didn't pick myself, I totally would have regretted it.

 

S87 rank:

-84th among skaters

-47th among forwards

 

C - The Frenchman (cost - @OrbitingDeath

The Frenchman, after a large resurgence with 77 points in 72 games after having 51 in S86, is one of the players I am most optimistic about this year. OrbitingDeath from what I have seen, finds ways to build amazing players season after season, and hopefully the Frenchman is no exception. I depend on Riga and their young core for my Super Coach team to work at all, and they are going to lead them into the future. This year, they should break the 100 hit mark and I hope for somewhere in the 80s in points if not just for the sake of Super Coach, but for the sake of Riga and St-Louis' fortunes.

 

S87 rank:

-69th among skaters

-39th among forwards

 

D - Skor McFleury (cost - 6) @Alex

To finish out my over-dependence and bias towards the Riga Reign, we have Skor McFleury. McFleury was one of the most exciting young rookies this league had to offer last year, placing 8th in rookie scoring as an S87 defenseman among many S86 players. I think playing with Max Torq is going to be an absolutely massive points boost for Skor and the fact that Riga SHOULD be more competitive in general certainly won't hurt. They are definitely the 6 cost defenseman with by far the most upside and I am excited to see what happens for them.

 

S87 rank:

-98th among skaters

 

D - Tater Tottingham (cost - 5) @Trunkxolotl

To finish out my Super Coach skaters, we have Tater Tottingham. They had a quiet but very solid 100 hits and 150 shots blocked last season, which along with their 35 points was good enough to lift them into the top one hundred skaters for VHFL. As the defenseman with the highest TPA on the Toronto Legion, Tottingham should see a lot of playing time and hopefully will get to create with the likes of Mac Atlas on the power play as well. The big minutes Tottingham may play give me hope for a big breakout season and I hope this is a good underdog pick.

 

S87 rank:

-92nd among skaters

 

G - Lachlan Summers (cost - 7)

 

i have said my piece on this australian man already, 3.82, 3.62

 

Well there we have it. My fantasy hopes for the S88 VHL season. One team full of players that I am brimming with confidence in, and one team with a much more uncertain future. I'd say it is definitely unique though which I believe counted for something. Please be kind to me simon.

 

Spoiler

Word Count - 1508 

claiming for weeks 9/4, 16/4, 23/4

 

Edited April 10, 2023 by sadie
marlins legend

[sadie 940]

claim for week ending 16/4

[dlamb 1,328]

On 4/10/2023 at 12:35 AM, sadie said:

although depreciation will have taken its toll

Just to interject, I have the exact same build as last season  Looking to be VHFL F #1 once again!

[sadie 940]

claim for week ending 23/4