VHL Members Consistently Taken Early In The Draft

[MubbleFubbles 1,219]

Research table used: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13EvqPMdrxyn3pO3P2B-ayPlgimHCySFenybstnTiYB4/edit?usp=sharing (The players I've gathered are ones I remember having multiple high picks in the draft. If you can think of other members who could potentially challenge, lemme know and I'll add them in).

 

STZ

Drafts: 7

Average Pick Selection: 2.29 (1 1st overall, 5 2nd overalls, 1 5th overall)

 

The motivation for this piece and research was seeing that Snübbed Analfist was STZ's fifth player to be selected second overall in the draft in their seven drafts entered, which is a very consistent record. STZ's highest ever draft selection was actually in their first ever draft in Season 30 when Ethan Osborne was selected by the Helsinki Titans. In fact their only player to fall below 2nd overall was Bryce Zhields in the Season 60 Draft, but they only fell to 5th overall. 

 

Tate

Drafts: 3

Average Pick Selection: 1.33 (2 1st overalls, 1 2nd overall)

 

There could yet be a member from the past that I've completely forgotten about, but to my knowledge Tate has the earliest average pick selection of any member in the VHL who has been in two or more drafts, with both of their first two players Lincoln Tate (S67) and Red Lite (S76) going first overall along with Brandt Fuhr (S83) going second overall. 

 

McWolf

Drafts: 3

Average Pick Selection: 2 (1 1st overall, 1 2nd overall, 1 3rd overall)

 

The closest challenger to Tate for earliest average pick selection who currently has a player in the VHL is McWolf, who has never dropped out of the top 3 in each of their three drafts since joining the league. 

 

 

Sterling

Drafts: 6

Average Pick Selection: 2.83 (1 1st overall selection, 3 2nd overall selections, 1 3rd overall selection, 1 7th overall selection)

 

While Sterling hasn't made a player since Season 46's Jeff Hamilton, it's difficult to forget how consistently Sterling would feature high up on the draft board in his VHL tenure, with his first draft in Season 2 being the only one he was selected later than third overall. In fact their average could have been even lower, as their lone third overall selection in the Season 37 Draft could have easily been a fourth second overall selection for Sterling as New York had both the 2nd and 3rd picks in that draft, but elected to make the first-gen Jakob Linholm their 2nd overall pick before drafting Tom Slaughter 3rd overall.

 

Beketov

Drafts: 13

Average Pick Selection: 3 (4 1st overalls, 2 2nd overalls, 2 3rd overalls, 3 4th overalls, 1 5th overall, 1 8th overall)

 

It would have normally been crazy to think that the first member ever taken 1st overall in the VHL would go on to be the league's most recent 1st overall pick nearly 16 years later, but not when it comes to Beketov, as he's only gone from strength to strength over the last few years when it comes to player building, with three of their last four players going first overall (Matt Thompson, Papa Emeritus and Mark Calaway). The nearest member in average pick selection that I have to Beketov who has been in 10 or more drafts is Baozi, whose average selection is 4.5 in 10 drafts.

 

CowboyInAmerica

Drafts: 6

Average Pick Selection: 5.33 (2 1st overalls, 2 2nd overalls, 1 3rd overall, 1 23rd overall)

 

While CowboyInAmerica's average is a bit off of the other members in this piece, it's worth pointing out that their average is heavily skewed by their first player (Bobby Krims) being selected 23rd overall in Season 28. Since then, CowboyInAmerica has had an average pick selection of 1.8, with Gabriel McAllister (S56) and Xavier Booberry (S80) being their two first overall selections. In a similar tale of a 23rd overall pick affecting averages, Slobo would have been at a 2.2 average, had it not been for their last player Tony Pellerin being selected 23rd overall in Season 49. 

 

Edited April 10, 2023 by MubbleFubbles

[Gustav 6,149]

I'm 5.66 but partly because of the GM rule--going 9th because I could delay it takes that number down somewhat.

 

I think it's interesting that a bigger league (which you would think means more variance) has also involved a couple people with really low averages. Although I guess it's also true that a lot of older members have had more opportunities to go later.

[Beketov 8,685]

Damn 8th overall tanking my average. I don’t even remember who that was, likely one of my goalies. Chekhov maybe? The goalie market was a bit crazy when he joined.

 

Nice to see 1st overall has now passed 4th though. I was a perennial 4th choice for a bit.

[MubbleFubbles 1,219]

11 minutes ago, Beketov said:

Damn 8th overall tanking my average. I don’t even remember who that was, likely one of my goalies. Chekhov maybe? The goalie market was a bit crazy when he joined.

 

Nice to see 1st overall has now passed 4th though. I was a perennial 4th choice for a bit.

Your 8th overall was Alex Young, so maybe it's a similar story given they were a G as well. Chekhov was one of the many 4th overalls. 

[Beketov 8,685]

22 minutes ago, MubbleFubbles said:

Your 8th overall was Alex Young, so maybe it's a similar story given they were a G as well. Chekhov was one of the many 4th overalls. 

I figured it was Chekhov or Young, just couldn’t recall which one.

[STZ 5,294]