Houston Bulls - Roster Rundown

[Plate 386]

Houston Bulls

Roster Rundown, Plate

 

Report Card

• Forwards - A+
• Defense - B+
• Goaltending - B+

 

Forwards

The Houston Bulls have deep pockets on the forward position. Their two star forwards, Lightning Mcsnipe and Alex Ovechkin III are both former San Diego Marlins (S93), linemates for their entire VHLM career. With the wealth of experience between the two Ovechkins passing offence matches nicely with the scoring focused Mcsnipe, creating a dominant 1-2 punch for both the powerplay and first lines. This high powered offense with very concise skill sets up front but going down the list with VanHousen, Smash and Longpre you find some more spread out builds. 

The two way winger VanHousen does have some use though. Being an anchor on the wing can make players like Ovechkin and Mcsnipe really stand out. You also do need some more defensive coverage on forward for 5 on 5 play. He's also likely playing center instead of the wing because he has an average skill set in quite literally every category, including face offs. On the second line you have the pairing of Smash and Longpre. Smash is pretty straight forward. He sees something, he hits it. He's got decent stickhandling so getting the puck off that guy is very difficult.

Important to note that three of these five players are 1st generational. Houston gets extra points for fulfilling the role of the VHLM and introducing new players into the league. Hence why they get an A+ for their forwards report card.

Defense

LaClapbomb Hitstick IV leads the charge on defense. Not much else to say besides this is a guy you want on defense. He does almost everything right and nothing wrong. He plays solid defense. He can pass, he can shoot for rebounds, he can hit and he can evade attackers with solid puck skills. The only real downside is the lack of discipline. When a player is getting that much ice time and is integral to your defensive strategies, he's someone you want killing penalties and not taking them.

His partner in crime and depth are LeBlanc, Kau and Smungus. The latter two players are both incredibly new to the league and have a decent amount of upside if the coaching staff in Houston can continue their development. Smungus is looking to be a bit of an enforcer, protecting players and punishing those who attempt to target younger players. The league has transitioned away from a physical game and into more of a skills one, so we'll see how the Bulls emphasize the utility of this player. Their linemate Kau is also a relatively new member to the VHLM. They too have a more physical build, caring more for player pressure than puck pressure. We'll see if the combination can work on securing 5v5 and penalty killing time. LeBlanc, who I saved for last, I think has the potential to develop into a top 5 defenseman in the league, maybe even by the end of the season and beginning of playoffs. This is a player that will strip the puck off of you and pass it away before you realize you lost it in the first place. Very interested to see how his development goes, in particular. 

Overall, because Houston has again selected many 1st gen players, they get a B+ on their defensive report card, with the defensive depth being a wild card.

Goaltending

Zaps Cat is looking to recreate a tremendous record from last season posting a very solid 46 win, 26 loss campaign (1 OTL). Very likely Cat will have to produce a lot more saves than what they are used to last season, as the defensive depth is looking to let certain scoring opportunities go in favor of roughing up opposing players. This transition from a very shut down defense might pose a bit of a leap for the netminder. However, I'm confident that with a few reps and early jitters out of the way that Cat can create a similar, but not better, record as last season. 

For that reason, and the fact that Houston has yet again another 1st-gen player on their roster, I am giving them a B+ on their goalie report card.

Editors Notes

Houston should prioritize sniping a 2nd line C from a fringe contender or rebuilder to bolster their already in depth offensive lines. And if they can reinforce some basic defensive principles to their depth defensemen I can see Houston being a force to be reckoned with. Their overall team grade is an A, and a nod to the general manager for selecting so many 1st gen players.

As always, I've been Plate.