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VHLM pre-draft GM interview

ace_five_

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ace_five_

ace_five_ 135

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With the VHLM draft quickly approaching, I spoke with the VHLM GMs and asked them a few questions about their thoughts and goals for the future. 

 

 

1. What are your goals for the upcoming draft, and the season beyond?


Miami’s GM @Ricer13 is looking for long-term success. To do that he is looking to build his asset pool to gain future assets. With nine picks in the draft, four being in the first two rounds, there will be plenty of assets to work with. 


@Dadam30, GM of the Saskatoon Wild, hopes to put together a contending team this season. They are poised for the future as well, with plenty of draft picks to work with. With 10 picks in the S93 draft, there is plenty of capital for both the present and the future. 


The San Diego Marlins would love to draft players who are active and willing to learn. GM @Mysterious_Fish is looking for someone who can contribute in the locker room as well as on the ice, with a willingness to develop being a key to their success. The Marlins only have one early round pick and five total, so it seems development for the future is the key goal going forward.


@Grape's Ottawa Lynx want to compete now. They have 12 total picks in the upcoming draft and are looking to make some splashes that will help this season and extend beyond S93. The goal for the Lynx is to cultivate a consistent competitive mindset for seasons to come.


S93 is GM @JCarson first draft as Mexico City King’s GM. He told me that his goal for the season is to build a balanced team in the draft. He wants to be able to compete early on, but also be developed to be stronger in the playoffs. Mexico City holds a pick in each of the seven rounds of the draft so they can most certainly build a well-balanced team with those options.


For GM @LucyXpher and the Halifax 21st the goal is simple, use their early picks (two first rounders and two seconds, nine total) to select players who can play at the top of the lineup now. Halifax is looking for players that are reliable to compete for the full 72-game schedule but is hoping to find some late round talent with potential that can be fostered for seasons to come. They are not only looking for the obvious talent but also the diamonds in the rough who are really pushing to make a name for themselves in their early career. 


The Mississauga Hounds GM @Nathan_8's goal in the draft is simple: build a good team with the picks available. There is potential to also move down in order to grab more picks. He believes with the draft capital at his disposal he will be able to do just that. 


After a heartbreaking loss in the finals, @McLovin and the Las Vegas Aces are gearing up for a long and hard rebuild. With more later picks than early ones, the Aces will have to get lucky with a gem in the later rounds to kickstart the rebuild process.

 

Next is last season's Founder's Cup champs, the Philadelphia Reapers. GM @Lemorse7 is planning on making a splash in the draft to keep the Reapers' winning ways going. Although they only have five total picks, they have one in each of the first two rounds and have retained three players from last season so it isn't totally out of the question. Seeing as they need a decent goalie to make sure that happens, I expect a possible focus on doing just that.

 

Last but certainly not least, GM @AJW with the Huston Bulls. He believes the success of a team is built from within. With so much uncertainty throughout the VHLM season, the Bulls look for a winning mentality over pure skill. If the players they draft are active and willing to put the work in, he thinks anyone can come out as a champion. Surprisingly (or maybe not so surprisingly) AJW was quoted saying "Rebuilding/waiting for the future is BORING!!!!", so I think it's safe to say he's planning for the present above all else.


2. Who do you think will be the #1 pick and why?


It seems the GMs of the VHLM don’t have a consensus pick for #1 in the draft. Some names were thrown around, but they all seem equally likely to be picked first overall. Of the names mentioned, there were:


Felicia Hardy @JCarson - There was a gut feeling behind Hardy being the first pick in the draft. The big defenceman played 20 games with San Diego last season, shelling out 16 hits and blocking 28 shots.


Tyler Lawson @Nyx - If he chooses to stay in the VHLM, Lawson is one of, if not the best centre in the draft. He has a big shot and “high offensive upside” as quoted by one GM. A point-per-game player last season with 56 points in 56 games, any team would be ecstatic to have the offensive prowess of Lawson. 


Jillian Woods @jacobcarson877 - Jillian Woods is one of the only players remaining in the VHLM who has 200 TPA. A two-way defenceman, Woods can be effective at both ends of the ice.

 


3. What do you look for in a potential draft pick? What are your intangibles?


What the GMs are looking for in a potential draft pick is fairly consistent across the board. First and foremost, activity in the forums and on the Discord is completely necessary. They recognize that without this, there is little to no improvement. Staying active will show the GMs that you’re willing to put the work in to earn that precious TPE every week. Most are compassionate, understanding there is a world outside of the VHL that takes priority, but when building a team to win, activity is the highest indicator of an up-and-coming star. 
The next most important piece of the puzzle seems to be attitude. GMs want to see that a potential draft pick can fit in with their team in the locker room. The goal ultimately is to have fun and create an atmosphere that encourages that. Players that exude that energy are generally gravitated toward because they improve the experience for the others around them as well. While the process to earn the TPE to be a star can be a long one, players who understand that and embrace it will catch the eye of GMs throughout each of the leagues. 
Lastly, what players do to earn TPE and how they go about it is significant to the GMs that I spoke to. They want to see a variety of point tasks attempted to see that all avenues are being used to improve their players. A player who participates in trivia and press conferences each week is much more valuable to a GM than one who ignores them or completes them sporadically. It is understood that every player doesn’t inherently know how to do everything on arrival in the VHL, but it is recognized when an attempt is being made to take the initiative and learn. This tends to be a good indicator of what they’ll become early on in their career.

Overall, this is shaping up to be an exciting draft! I had multiple people tell me how deep it is and how likely it may be to find a diamond in the later rounds. For all the draft hopefuls, whether you’re the first pick or the last, keeping up with your point tasks and staying active will most certainly make a name for yourself quickly in this league. Even if you can’t tell, the GMs are keeping a close eye on everyone and making very informed decisions, so keep up the good work!

 

EDIT: I would like to source that I took some of my research from @Grape's article overviewing each team leading up to the draft so I'd like to give him credit:

 

Good luck to all the players and GMs participating in the S93 VHLM draft!

 

(1345 words)

Claimed week of 03/17

Claimed week of 03/24

Edited by ace_five_
Added the final two GM's thoughts and cited an article I used for research
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Grape

Grape 528

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16 hours ago, ace_five_ said:

EDIT: I would like to source that I took some of my research from @Grape's article overviewing each team leading up to the draft so I'd like to give him credit:

@LastOneUp Could've just done this instead :)

Edited by Grape
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