VSN Presents: S96 VHLM Draft Recap

[sadie 904]

@mmrs617

 

Sunday was a night of applause and celebration as the fans of all 10 teams welcomed their newest players at the S96 VHLM Draft. Many of these players had an early first look in the league, joining a team on waivers and showing us what they could do. The only chance we’ve had so far to watch the rest is the Junior Showcase Tournament, packed with scouts from both VHL leagues and one of the premier places to prove they deserve a spot on these teams.

This was a large draft class by M standards; 65 picks were made in total, with a whole lot of first-gens in the mix. With the VHLE folding at the conclusion of S95 and many of its players returning to the M (either via opting in to their old teams or being drafted), rosters will be the largest they’ve been in a long time. The cap of 400 TPE also puts a different spin on this draft for general managers and how they factor in earning and activity. Going alphabetically, I’ll provide thoughts on each draft choice for a team as well as explaining any moves the team made this offseason.

 

Halifax 21st
S95: 33-34-5, 71 pts (7th)

Jay Sikes (9th) @JaySmacksss
Cysteine (10th) @Bea
Petr Novak (14th) @LastGoon007
Chad Powers (16th) @Big_Dyl
John Babydeer (21st) @Bobo
Pelayo Bolivar (24th) @SMYLS4
Devin Johnson (34th) @Homealonetwo
Michael Lee Jr (44th) @blueredlover
Jack Kidd (54th) @Jack kidd
John Giblin (64th) @Gibby28

 

 

Looking back, many believe that Halifax won the draft, but how did they get to that point? Turns out they had a pretty busy offseason, with GM @LucyXpher making seven (that’s right, SEVEN) trades after the rollover to S96. I hope 21st management is getting some well-deserved sleep.

 

Halifax trades away:
Victory Hockey League (185 TPE)
Michael Schmicael (78 TPE)
S96 MIS 1st (Albin Aldgard)
S97 HFX 1st
S97 MIS 2nd
S97 HFX 5th
S97 HFX 6th

 

Halifax receives:
Xhekajs middletoe
S96 PHI 1st (Jay Sikes)
S96 HFX 2nd (Petr Novak)
S96 MIA 2nd (Chad Powers)
S96 SDM 3rd (John Babydeer)
S96 HFX 4th (Devin Johnson)
S97 SDM 3rd

 

Halifax trades for and then trades away:
S96 MIA 1st (Luc Moreau)
S96 HFX 1st (Ricky LaFleur)
S96 SDM 2nd (Hugh Neutron)
S96 LVA 3rd (ALTO RED)
S96 SDM 4th (Louis Burley)

 

They essentially built half their draft class, and a very promising one, with these trades, often flipping picks they’d just traded for and have managed to grab some of the most exciting players in the draft while only losing out on 1 S96 pick.

 

The 21st got down to business with back to back picks in the first round; their first selection was Jay Sikes (124 TPE) at pick 9, by far the second best center in the draft by TPE and a consistent first-gen earner. Sikes put up an impressive 61 points in 68 games in their rookie VHLM season with Mississauga, and was recently drafted 25th overall by New York in the VHL Entry Draft. Halifax currently has six rostered options at center, but Sikes should blossom into a top 6 forward for them as the season progresses, especially given the hard work they’ve put into their faceoff skills.

 

Halifax opted to take first-gen defenseman Cysteine (108 TPE) at 10, the first of four defensemen they would acquire this offseason. Cysteine put up 42 points in 72 games for a struggling Ottawa group last season and their proficiency on the power play and puck handling made them a very attractive choice here at 10. 17 points in 30 Junior Showcase Tournament games are also an encouraging sign. They’ll likely slot in nicely on the second pair for Halifax this season.

 

Petr Novak (90 TPE) was Halifax’s choice at 14th overall, another defenseman who projects to partner with Cysteine this year. Novak played no VHLM games last year, but has looked strong thus far with the Royals in the JST, and is currently playing in the finals. Novak is known for their physical, defensive style of play and will add a much needed presence on a relatively inexperienced team.. They have been a consistent welfare earner along with the occasional press conference

 

The 21st opted to add a 3rd goaltender at 16, as their other two are projected to move up to the VHL relatively soon. Chad Powers (74 TPE) ensures Halifax will not lack goaltending as their team starts to develop and their window opens. They continue to build a young, potential-filled team as Powers is also a first gen, and in a small sample size has nearly max earned. They have helped the JST’s Royals to 4 wins so far and will play their first games in the VHLM this year, though it remains to be seen how time will be split among the trio of 21st goalies.

 

In the third round, Halifax further shores up their forward core with the additions of John Babydeer (74 TPE) at 21st and first-gen Pelayo Bolivar (73 TPE) at 24th. Both players have been active and high earners who will join the large group of 21st forwards vying for ice time. Right winger Babydeer brings a balanced game, and a decent physical presence as well, while center Bolivar is already developing into a playmaker.

 

Halifax’s empire of active users continues to grow with first-gen left wing Devin Johnson’s (60 TPE) selection at 34th overall. Johnson, joining part way through the JST, has already gotten their name on the scoresheet with an accurate shot and willingness to let it rip from wherever.

 

Michael Lee Jr (54 TPE) goes at 44th, a player who has completed press conferences but should click the welfare button to give themselves an added boost. In just 7 JST playoff games, Lee (a center) has 2 assists and is already a confident passer and faceoff taker.

As we enter the 6th round, picks become hopes to find a diamond in the rough. 54th overall pick Jack Kidd (105 TPE) looks good in terms of TPE number, but this marks the third straight week they have not updated, the sole source of TPE being one week of trivia. If Halifax can coax this user back, they will be a great asset as evidenced by their 10 points in 30 JST games this year. John Giblin (30 TPE) went 64th, and as of now, has yet to earn or apply any points of TPE. They neglected to participate in the JST this year, so nobody really knows what to expect of them should they elect to play for the 21st this year.

 

Halifax has hit it out of the park with this draft overall- so many talented players and exciting personalities make it hard not to believe in them going forward. The 21st should be an extremely strong team a couple seasons from now and management has made sure of it by shoring up all positions with high-skill, lower-risk players.

 

 

Houston Bulls
S95: 34-32-6, 74 pts (6th)

Cash Carti (5th) @v.2
Raoul Cyr (29th) @Tyler
Invader Zimothy Timothy (36th) @Emperor_Fun
Bj Blazkowiczzzz (39th) @moody_blues94
Meatloaf Kowalski (45th) @Waffles
Dart-For-Moderator (46th) @fonziGG
Atamos Eckhart (55th) @Secretary of Defence
Ethan Boddez (65th) @Flabebseth

 

Given that the Bulls had just hired their new GM @jacobcarson877 at the conclusion of the S95 playoffs, it makes sense Houston was a bit less active than Halifax, but they did make one swap with the Reapers, gaining both a player and pick in return.

 

Houston trades away:
S96 HOU 2nd (Jacob Seed)

 

Houston receives:
Feka Ohi Kau (158 TPE)
S96 PHI 4th (Bj Blazkowiczzzz)

 

Houston did pretty well here, getting Kau who adds to their already extremely deep, full roster, and a player that went in the first round of the VHL draft. @jacobcarson877 is gearing up to contend with this team and make sure they stay contenders for a long time.

 

Houston made only one early pick in this draft, and they decided to use it on right winger Cash Carti (146 TPE) at 5th overall. Carti, just the second forward to be selected, had expressed a desire to play for the Bulls prior to the draft and Houston was happy to grant that wish. v.2 produces tremendous players time after time and the future success of Carti is basically a foregone conclusion. Already boasting a menacing shot, Cash will look to light up the league, likely growing into a larger role as the season progresses.

 

Raoul Cyr (95 TPE) was the next Bulls pick at 29th and, being a more newly created player, is a bit of a wild card. Cyr is a first-gen and has claimed welfare in both weeks they’ve been here, but this could easily change for the better or the worse. Regardless, Cyr projects as a speedy right winger, focused largely on the offensive side of the game. We’ll see if they can work their way up the Bulls’ depth chart.

 

C Invader Zimothy Timothy (109 TPE) has a promising scoring build but has not updated since the week of September 6th, rendering them currently inactive. Emperor_Fun had a successful career with Justin Lion last time around though, so don’t count them out! They posted 14 points in 30 games in the JST and 14 points in 32 games with the Las Vegas Aces at the conclusion of S95. It’s a pick with some potential high upside at 36 for Houston.

 

Bj Blazkowiczzzz (112 TPE) was the choice at 39th overall, and we’re in a similar situation to the last player here. They’re officially inactive at this point, but the hope is that Houston is able to bring them back to form. Blazkowiczzzz put up 18 points in 22 games with the Reapers last season en route to a Founders Cup win, already giving them valuable playoff experience. The right winger’s biggest strengths are their speed and defensive stick, and should they stay active, will be a valuable part of Houston’s bottom six.

 

In the 5th round, at 45 and 46, Houston gambles again on two players who have yet to apply or earn any TPE. These are d-man Meatloaf Kowalski (48 TPE) and left wing Dart-For-Moderator (42 TPE) but the good news is at least we’ve seen Dart play in the JST, where they have managed 1 goal and 1 assist. Valuable additions for the future should Jacob bring them back, and in the 5th round these are the type of picks teams have to make.

 

Left winger Atamos Eckhart (80 TPE) and defenseman Ethan Boddez (42 TPE) round out Houston’s draft. Eckhart, while having shown signs of activity in August, is now 7 weeks removed from having shown activity and has yet to apply TPE, while Boddez is another player yet to earn or apply their TPE. Hopefully they are rejuvenated by being drafted to the Bulls and come back in full force.

 

Houston was able to grab some incredible centers in the VHLE redispersal draft and sensibly focused on shoring up their defense and wing play in this draft. Zaps Cat @scudmuffin19 is currently their only rostered goalie, so next time around they’ll probably be looking for a successor should Cat be on track to graduate. Encouragingly, Houston’s team is currently almost completely full with 12 forwards and 6 defensemen. Bulls fans must no doubt be happy with how the start to Jacob’s tenure is going so far.

 

 

Las Vegas Aces
S95: 50-15-7, 107 pts (1st)
Founder’s Cup Finalists

Albin Aldgard (8th) @animal74
Brian S (20th) @Bigb33
Ethan Ashcroft (28th) @EthanSea611
James Pearson (50th) @Jayrad28
Timmy stutzle (60th) @Xx1_stxtzle_8xX

 

Las Vegas also wasn’t one of the busiest teams on the trade market this season, with GM @sadie being hired at the start of the offseason, but the Aces were involved in two trades- one being on draft day.

 

Las Vegas trades away:
S96 SDM 2nd (Hugh Neutron)
S96 SDM 4th (Louis Burley)
S96 LVA 4th (Quinn Godin)
S97 LVA 2nd

 

Las Vegas receives:
S96 MIS 1st (Albin Aldgard)
S96 MIS 3rd (Ethan Ashcroft)

 

Vegas ends up getting Aldgard, who is poised to eventually be their #1 defenseman as well as trading up on draft day to select Ethan Ashcroft, likely banking on a slightly weaker draft class next season to lessen the sting of losing a 2nd. Two interesting trades that benefit the team in the short term, but who knows what the Aces will look like a little further down the road?

 

Vegas began their draft with the 8th overall pick they traded for and selected Albin Aldgard (151). The Swedish defenseman was the 3rd defenseman off the board and put up 8 points in 16 games with Mississauga last season. Aldgard had an incredible JST showing, scoring 28 points in 30 games and placing 4th overall in that category. They’re an adept skater and know how mix offense into their game. Animal is an active earner and consistently churn out top-tier players; we shouldn’t expect any different here.

 

At pick 20, the Aces selected their goaltender of the future, Brian S (90 TPE). Although they already have the formidable Deadpanda in nets, this year will be their last in the VHLM and Brian was a natural pick to replace them. BigB has a history of quality players and consistent earning and although we haven’t had the opportunity to see them play yet, fans can’t wait.

 

Las Vegas must really have had their eye on Ethan Ashcroft (56 TPE), trading up to 28th to select them. Having proven to be an excellent locker room presence in the JST, where Ashcroft put up 4 points in 27 games, they certainly stood out on many GMs’ draft boards. A skilled skater and faceoff taker, Ashcroft will look to broaden their game this season, and likely with a sizable role as Vegas may soon lose more forwards to inactivity.

 

With their penultimate selection (50th overall), Vegas chose James Pearson (50 TPE), coming from a user with a storied 10-player history. There was risk of inactivity at the time of selection but they have since returned to earning. Pearson scored 3 points for the JST Royals in 30 games and used their impressive speed and skill on the puck to help them into the finals. Pearson will also potentially see a top-6 role and will have the opportunity to improve this season.

 

Timmy stutzle (48 TPE) was Vegas’ last pick at 60th overall and has neither earned nor applied any of their TPE yet. We hope to see them active soon, but it remains up to Sadie to get them back. Stutzle has scored 2 points in 24 games with the JST’s Royals and it remains to be seen whether they will opt to play for the Aces this season.

 

Vegas had a small draft class compared to a lot of teams, but they went after the players they targeted and succeeded. It remains to be seen how Vegas will change throughout the season with such a small team as of now, but they have many high-tier players who they’ll want to win now with.

 

 

Mexico City Kings
S95: 44-23-5, 93 pts (4th)

Doc Hudson (7th) @ThunderCloud
Old Man On Skates (17th) @Jason 2.0
Alex Versti (27th) @VOID Stiles
Arochimaru Shahar (37th) @Zurgzz
Nick Abbott (47th) @preds
Axel Vora (57th) @Alex Beattie

 

Mexico City did nothing dramatic here- they kept all 6 of their picks and made no other trades or moves during the offseason leading up to the draft either. As an already strong team, I doubt they felt like they needed to give up anything for better draft capital, the plan just seems to be to build on their strong S95 season.

 

GM @JCarson of Mexico City did not trade away or receive any picks or players.

 

The Kings began their draft by selecting Doc Hudson (134 TPE) 7th overall, a first-gen RW who had a great start last year with 62 points in 72 games split between Mississauga and Philly. The Kings certainly have no shortage of wingers, but grabbing a consistent, promising earner like Hudson can't hurt. They have incredible skating ability and can always be counted on to chip in at both ends of the ice. Hudson had nine points in 30 JST games and projects as a top 6 forward for the Kings.

 

Old Man On Skates (112 TPE) is the return of Jason, a very successful member in the past but back from a long break from the league. Already showing potential max earning, Man On Skates hasn’t played in any VHLM or tournament games yet but has shown considerable scoring ability in training camp. Picked up at 17th overall by Mexico City, the left winger should also immediately slot into the top 6 for the team.

 

Mexico’s 27th overall pick was used on Alex Versti (66 TPE), a first-gen left wing who put up 3 points in 30 JST games this offseason. Versti has earned TPE each week, but would benefit from clicking the welfare button more and especially training camp this week. Offensively, they’re well-rounded with their greatest strength being their skating ability. Versti will be competing with other youngsters for ice time and will certainly be an asset as the Kings look to have another successful season.

 

At 37th overall… guess the position. That’s right! Mexico City takes another winger, this time RW Arochimaru Shahar (60 TPE). Shahar had started their VHLM career in Mexico last year, and the Kings must have liked what they saw because they’re going right back to Mexico City. Shahar brings a great blend of speed and puck handling and amassed 5 points in 30 games in the JST. It will be interesting to see how this build progresses.

 

Nick Abbott (48 TPE) was selected at 47th overall; it’s yet another winger but also was arguably the best pick available at the time. Abbott’s skill set is not specialized in any one area yet, and they could benefit from clicking more buttons than just practice facility. They will have time to grow around skilled Kings teammates and could be a steal for being picked this late if they keep up the activity. Abbott managed 7 points in 30 JST games and was useful when utilized on the man advantage.

 

The Kings’ last pick was Axel Vora (50 TPE), who hasn’t updated in the past two weeks but if they stay active, the right winger’s proficiency in passing will help the team out a lot. We have yet to see Vora play at this level but they’ll be given the same opportunity to fight for a spot as all the other wingers on the team.

 

Mexico City had a good draft, with no large reaches or surprises. The only questions are why they didn’t elect to draft a center, given they now have 8 wingers and 1 center, but it will work out for them, I’m sure. They are poised to have a great season with an amazing defense and two great goalies and their forwards are going to develop well.

 

Miami Marauders
S95: 39-23-10, 88 pts (5th)

Luc Moreau (6th) @minman
Grog Strongjaw (25th) @Grog Strongjaw
RicerFourteen (26th) @Bombshuka
LANDO (56th) @Lando10

 

Coming off a competitive season where many of their young talents began to bloom such as Kasper Saarinen @Gage2 and Narnia Shaw @Dabnad, the Marauders will be searching for more of the same this year, and belief is strong that they can contend for a cup. Miami and GM @Ricer13 clearly had their eyes on getting a high-TPE player, and they made it happen. Trading for Philly’s first and flipping it to move up three more spots got them Luc Moreau.

 

Miami trades away:
Einar Mathiesen
S96 MIA 2nd (Chad Powers)
S96 HFX 4th (Devin Johnson)

 

Miami receives:
S96 MIA 1st (Luc Moreau)
S97 PHI 2nd

 

Miami trades for and then trades away:
S96 PHI 1st (Jay Sikes)

Mathiesen @xsjack will fill a much needed role as the Reapers look to go back-to-back this season, and it leaves Miami with only 3 defensemen. Moreau’s upside definitely seems to be worth it, however.

 

Luc Moreau (163 TPE), the 6th overall pick, returns to the Marauders after a great start to their career with them last season with 45 points in 50 games. Luc also put up 23 points in 30 JST games this summer. Coming from a first gen user who has shown they know how to earn, and earn well, this should develop into a great pick for Miami. RW Moreau will likely start in the team’s top 6 and become even more comfortable utilizing their elite vision and skating in this league. They’ll be a key player for Miami to get going if they want to have the best chance to contend for the Founder’s Cup.

 

Grog Strongjaw (66 TPE) was the first of Miami’s third round back-to-back picks and as a first-gen user has been encouragingly active and engaged in the JST. As a player, Strongjaw is defense-first and will put their body on the line wihout hesitation. Strongjaw will take on more important roles as some Marauders approach the 400 TPE mark.

 

RicerFourteen (126 TPE) was the 5th goalie off the board this draft and has taken on a big workload early in the VHLM as a first generation player. They played 50 regular season games for the Reapers last year and managed to maintain a .901 SV% while also posting 6 shutouts. Their .933 SV% and 5 wins in 6 JST games played also showed their ability to turn it up when it matters. They are a consistent welfare earner and will back up Draw Mac @okochastar for the time being while they develop.

 

LANDO (77 TPE) is mainly a defensive defenseman but has some skill in all areas. The first-gen has yet to participate in either the VHLM or the JST but should they decide to play they would give Miami a much appreciated 4th defenseman. It’s up to the Marauders to see if they can be brought back, though.

 

Miami did well with the extremely limited number of picks they possessed. They might look back and wish they’d acquired a more active defenseman but they did a good job of getting good users for the locker room. Look out for them being a real threat this year.

 

 

Mississauga Hounds
S95: 46-20-6, 98 pts (3rd)

Shot Blocker (18th) @McGriddy10
Hank Smith (23rd) @Jett88
Sack Jparrow (48th) @JYD
Freddie Anderson (58th) @ConnorA

 

 

After a blistering start to S95, Mississauga ended up finishing 3rd in the regular season. The Hounds will be hunting for that Founder’s Cup this year. GM @ace_five_ made only one trade, that being on draft day.

 

Mississauga trades away:
S96 PHI 2nd (Ron World Peace Jr)
S98 MIS 1st

 

Mississauga receives:
Bartholomew Lorequavius
S98 SDM 3rd

 

Trading for Lorequavius @jaypc8237 gives them a true star goalie forming a great tandem with Wazinski and with defensemen like Slava Kovalenko @OblivionWalker and Kurt Bachmann @Blutch in front of them Mississauga will be formidable.

 

Mississauga was one of 3 teams without a first rounder, and they started their draft by selecting Shot Blocker (125 TPE) at 18th overall. They will be a formidable physical presence on the Hounds blue line and their statistics only underline this. Shot Blocker put up 38 points in 50 games with San Diego in S95 along with an incredible 198 hits, and earned 7 points in 30 JST games. The Hounds are also getting a great user out of this.

 

Hank Smith (62 TPE) is another defenseman, an important pick to help the Hounds start the season with four defensemen. Smith is a strong defensive d-man and will help balance their blue line between defense and offense. Their strength and defensive stick was a great asset to the JST’s Warriors and they put up 10 points in 30 games there. Smith has been a consistent welfare earner as well and should see steady improvement if that continues.

 

At 48th overall, Mississauga went with a forward in left winger Sack Jparrow (50 TPE). Jparrow does a bit of everything, and is a bit of a sharpshooter. They haven’t updated since the week they joined (W/E 9/29) but should they stay active could slide into the spot Yolishev @Joel Main will vacate after this season. We haven’t gotten a chance to see Jparrow in a game yet, and hopefully will see an encouraging start this week.

 

Freddie Anderson (44 TPE) is the Hounds 6th round, 58th overall pick. They have yet to apply any TPE, and yet to earn any besides one practice facility claim, but have impressed in the JST with 9 points in 30 games. It would be a definite positive for the future if they were to return to activity for Mississauga.

 

After this draft, Mississauga is looking like one of the teams to beat. They have a slew of quality forwards, have completed their two defensive lines, and solidified a great duo of goalies. It will be interesting to see if their offense stays as high-octane as it was last year.

 

 

Ottawa Lynx
S95: 22-41-9, 53 pts (8th)

Joel Jakobs (2nd) @Plate
Taavetti Jokinen (3rd) @Ahma
Hugh Neutron (11th) @Corco
Dr Victor von Doom (13th) @Garsh
Vladimir Trunov (33rd) @qripll
Quinn Godin (40th) @Qu1nn
Roman Skeptic (41st) @skeptic
Jason Arnott (42nd) @Jason Arnott
Hawk Tua (43rd) @Shadowpac16
Tumbleweed Johnson (53rd) @stupidtyler
Mitchell Mercurio (63rd) @Pastrnak88

 

 

Ottawa barely snuck into the playoffs last year with a less than ideal roster size, but this draft has completely changed the trajectory of the team, and they are another team that has a great argument for winner of the draft. GM @Grape found themselves with 3 first rounders at the beginning of the offseason, and sent one to Halifax. The only other trade they made was with the Aces on draft day.

 

Ottawa trades away:
S96 HFX 1st (Ricky LaFleur)
S96 SDM 3rd (John Babydeer)
S96 MIS 3rd (Ethan Ashcroft)

 

Ottawa receives:
S96 SDM 2nd (Hugh Neutron)
S96 LVA 4th (Quinn Godin)
S97 MIS 2nd
S97 LVA 2nd

 

Even with the building of this 11 player draft class, Ottawa has managed to keep all of their picks for S96 and even added a couple more second rounders via trade. They’re set up well.

 

Ottawa starts the draft incredibly strongly with the second and third selections, the first of which is center Joel Jakobs (227 TPE). Jakobs hit the ground running at the start of S95, and kept it up to the tune of 95 points in 72 games- good for the fifth most in league scoring and a truly impressive number for a player in their first year. Joel also led the league in playoff scoring with 24 points in 14 games, winning the cup with the Reapers. Jakobs’ playmaking ability is top-level and they skate extremely well too. They’ll be a vital part of Ottawa’s top 6 and will assuredly continue to grow, as Plate has max earned in essentially every week of this career. Most recently, Jakobs has torn apart the JST with 29 points in 30 games for the Rush.

 

The Lynx grab another high-tier defenseman in Taavetti Jokinen (163 TPE) to man the blue line with River Harrington @kirbithan and Masa Akimoto @Hokikeijot at 3rd overall. Ahma is a great and proven earner who will definitely be pushing hard to get back to the VHL and Davos, a team that the name Ahma has become irreversibly attached to. Jokinen has incredible defensive skill, and can outskate and outmuscle nearly anyone in 50/50 battles. Jokinen had 9 points in 20 games with Las Vegas in S95 and had 24 in 30 for the JST’s Royals.

 

Hugh Neutron (176 TPE) was the pick at 11 for the Lynx and rounds out the 4 man defensive group for the Lynx going into the season. Neutron entered the draft as the 3rd highest TPE player, so for Ottawa to get them at 11 is quite a good deal. Hugh is known for their vision on the ice and defensive positioning, and it translated into 21 points in 18 games with Halifax last season. They had 16 points in 30 JST games and only more success appears to lie in their future with Ottawa. Corco has also max earned every week since their return, and landing the job as Trivia Head suggests that will continue.

 

Dr Victor von Doom (149 TPE) was the first of the tandem of goalies Ottawa would draft in preparation for S96. Von Doom played for Ottawa last season for 18 games, so it was a simple choice to bring them back at 13th overall. With a weak team in front of them, they snagged 3 wins and maintained an .893 SV%. Shockingly, they were not selected to play in the Junior Showcase Tournament, but the Lynx are confident in von Doom’s abilities. Garsh is always a great earner and consistently produces great players, so there’s no reason to assume von Doom will be different.

 

Surprise, surprise! Ottawa with another goalie pick in Vladimir Trunov (221 TPE) which was quite unexpected after they took von Doom earlier. But then again, nobody suspected that the consensus #1 goalie in the draft would fall to THIRTY-THIRD! Qripll is a consistent earner and now even a VHL GM (and both their previous players have eclipsed 1300 TPE) so it’s a little mystifying to see them fall so far. They had the second most TPE in the class on draft day and have the stats to back it up. In 20 games with Halifax, they had 6 wins and a .917 SV% and in the JST, they showed up with 16 wins and a .935 SV% in 30 games, proving their ability to handle a large workload as well. Trunov is likely going to be seen as the steal of the draft, given just how far they fell.

 

The Lynx somehow found themselves with 4 consecutive picks starting at 40, after acquiring Las Vegas’ 4th rounder. The first of these was used on Quinn Godin (58 TPE), a speedy playmaking right wing who has not played VHLM games yet, but did grab 3 points in 30 JST games. They’ve earned TPE in 3 out of 4 weeks and should start in the Lynx bottom 6.

 

Ottawa then turned their sights towards Roman Skeptic (52 TPE) at 41, a bit of a wild card given that they have yet to play an official game. The center seems to favor the pass and will slot in nicely behind Brandon Petan Jr @sadie and Joel Jakobs @Plate. The last time they earned was last week, and as another first gen is a gamble that could really pay off.

 

The nice thing about four straight picks is that you don’t really need to choose between the players you want, you can just take ‘em all. At 42, Ottawa took Jason Arnott (50 TPE), a center notable for their shot and strength. They’ll be competing with Skeptic for that third center spot, and like Skeptic have yet to play professional games. Arnott has not earned since their week of creation but if they return it would be a sure asset to the Lynx who will see multiple forwards graduate after this season.

 

Hawk Tua (42 TPE) was the last of this pick flurry by the Lynx, another center who focuses on their shot and speed. Tua has begun a surprise hockey career when many thought they would be focusing on their popular podcast instead. Tua has earned nothing more than their base TPE and should they choose to stay with hockey, will bring a lot of much needed attention to the sport.

 

Tumbleweed Johnson (46 TPE), a sniper left wing, goes 53rd overall. Ottawa seems to just be filling out their forward group at this point, hoping for some diamonds in the rough. Johnson last updated the week of 9/29 and if they return, they will begin on the bottom six. Mitchell Mercurio (42 TPE) was Ottawa’s final pick at 63, and to this point has neither earned nor applied any TPE. They also did not visit the forum after they joined so it’s unlikely they return but never impossible.

 

Ottawa seems to be set up beautifully for the upcoming season and is one of the Cup favorites heading in, with 4 great defensemen, 2 top goalies, and a large selection of forwards to mix and match as they please. It’s crucial that that they find that success this year, as they will likely lose many key players in S97.

 

Philadelphia Reapers
S95: 49-20-3, 101 pts (2nd)
Founder’s Cup Champions

Jacob Seed (15th) @oilmandan
ALTO RED (30th) @alto_red
Louis Burley (31st) @EndoNate
Silas LeFriend II (35th) @yevty
Greg Alderman (49th) @GamblingDie
Sawyer Vermeulen (59th) @Sawyer

 

 

Coming off the high of a Founder’s Cup win, Philadelphia is under virtually no pressure right now. But that won’t stop GM @mattyIceman from assembling another loaded roster, and they started with three trades, all on October 6th.

 

Philadelphia trades away:
Feka Ohi Kau
S96 PHI 1st (Jay Sikes)
S96 PHI 4th (Bj Blazkowiczzzz
S97 PHI 2nd

 

Philadelphia receives:
Einar Mathiesen
S96 HOU 2nd (Jacob Seed)
S96 LVA 3rd (ALTO RED)
S96 SDM 4th (Louis Burley)

 

Philadelphia trades for and then trades away:
S96 MIA 2nd (Chad Powers)

 

Mathiesen likely immediately slots in as a top pair defenseman for the Reapers as they load up for another Cup run, but Philly still manages to acquire young players to develop. It’ll be interesting to see what their outlook is after these two top defensemen graduate.

 

With that Houston 2nd they traded for, Philly takes right winger Jacob Seed (113 TPE) at 15th overall. This user is another very consistent earner, having had 4 previous players who all had significant VHL careers. They earn a lot of affiliate TPE as well. The 6’6” Seed is at their best when they’re shooting the puck; they possess a wicked fast and accurate wrister as well as the skating ability to put themselves in those goalscoring situations, which helped them earn 14 points in 30 JST games. I can see Seed becoming a staple in the top 6 by the end of the year, but they’ll have to earn it.

 

Left winger ALTO RED (52 TPE) goes 30th as the first of the consecutive picks the Reapers traded for, and prides themselves on their speed and sportsmanship- however, they did not participate in the JST so we’ll have to make our conclusions once the season begins. First-gen RED has earned TPE in every week they’ve been here and this week seem to have figured out welfare! In a deep Reapers lineup, they’ll have to climb their way up the ranks but will be a good contributor no matter where they play.

 

With pick #31, Philadelphia invests in their future in nets with goaltender Louis Burley (60 TPE). They’ve claimed practice facility and welfare every week and are an extremely agile netminder. They’ll be backing up Onyekachukwu Chidieber Oluwaseun, and the first time we’ll see them in action will be this season due to not playing the JST. It’s the hope that Burley will develop with perfect timing behind Oluwaseun and eventually will take their spot.

 

Philly pick up Silas LeFriend II (75 TPE) with the 35th overall pick, no doubt hoping they can be vital next year as their top defensemen leave, in addition to helping cup hopes in the present. LeFriend has size, but is super quick on the ice and uses their excellent hockey IQ to set up teammates. They have yet to play a league or tournament game this season and should start on the 3rd pairing for the Reapers.

 

With the Reapers final two picks they select right wingers Greg Alderman (58 TPE) and Sawyer Vermeulen (50 TPE). Alderman brings a pass-first offensive approach while Vermeulen is more defensively minded. Neither of these players have claimed TPE past their first week, but just one of them panning out could give the Reapers three full forward lines. Similar to the others, neither has set foot on VHLM or JST ice yet in their careers.

 

This year, Philly has attempted mainly to secure a potential goaltender for the future, but also prepped for the weakening of their defense. The rest of their picks were wingers, and they don’t need everyone to be a hit due to their already strong lineup. The Reapers should be contending again this year, and could certainly see the Cup heading back their way, especially if they make some deadline acquisitions.

 

 

San Diego Marlins
S95: 22-46-4, 48 pts (10th)

Bubbles LaFleur (1st) @AJW
Ricky LaFleur (4th) @DarkSpyro
Ron World Peace Jr (19th) @stevo
BIG MOOSE (38th) @BIG MOOSE
Jonny Elgar Jr (51st) @Jonny
Alexander Reyes (61st) @areyes2718

 

San Diego was second only to Halifax in how busy they were this offseason, and it makes sense because they certainly needed some help after last season. Here’s what was moved in the 5 trades GM @Mysterious_Fish made:

 

San Diego trades away:
Xhekajs middletoe
Bartholomew Lorequavius
S96 MIA 1st (Luc Moreau)
S96 HFX 2nd (Petr Novak)
S96 LVA 3rd (ALTO RED)
S97 SDM 3rd
S98 SDM 3rd

 

San Diego receives:
Michael Schmicael
Victory Hockey League
S96 HFX 1st (Ricky LaFleur)
S96 PHI 2nd (Ron World Peace Jr)
S97 HFX 1st
S97 HFX 5th
S97 HFX 6th
S98 MIS 1st

 

The Marlins did wonders for their defense with these trades, but there are still big questions on offense. And can Ricky LaFleur fill the shoes of Bartholomew Lorequavius? Regardless, San Diego is in a much better situation than before, but will need to really capitalize on next year’s draft as well.

 

San Diego keeps their first overall pick, and with it selects right winger Bubbles LaFleur (157 TPE), one half of the inseparable LaFleur duo. Bubbles should instantly step into a top 4 role and will likely take the step to top pair sooner rather than later. AJ is an amazing earner and one need only look at the last two players to see what we can expect this time around. LaFleur is a coach’s dream, never hesitating to use their elite speed and strength to help out on defense. They put up 7 points in 14 games with Halifax last season and 21 points in 30 games with the JST’s Rush.

 

Here comes the other one! With 4th overall, San Diego officially secures the goalie they are banking on to be the future- Ricky LaFleur (155 TPE). If anyone knows how to build a goalie, DarkSpyro does, as this is now their 3rd goalie in 4 players. They earn excellently, and left 21st fans hungry for more last year, playing only 4 games but turning 2 of them into wins with a .911 SV%. In the JST, they played 15 games for the Steel and had 5 wins with a .922 SV%. San Diego is really banking on LaFleur, as they shipped out Lorequavius only minutes later to Mississauga.

 

And here’s the player they traded that former #1 overall pick for: Ron World Peace Jr (70 TPE). Peace seems to be completely defense first, and helped anchor the blue line of Mississauga for 14 games last year, scoring 2 points. They also had 3 points in 30 JST games and have earned TPE in every week so far (and sometimes more than just welfare too!). Peace will likely start on the third pairing for the Marlins but as the franchise rebuilds will be an big piece of what they do.

 

BIG MOOSE (54 TPE) is their second forward pick of the draft, and should fill in on the second line this year. For a player who has yet to play a game, this will be interesting, but their well-rounded game should render them prepared for whatever is thrown at them. First-gen player MOOSE has not earned anything past the base TPE but has been active in terms of discord and interviews, so the Marlins might have found some real potential at 38.

 

RW Jonny Elgar Jr (62 TPE) and first-gen LW Alexander Reyes (48 TPE) were San Diego’s last two picks of the draft. Neither have earned or applied any TPE past their base yet, but Elgar has had a previous player who had success and a long VHL career.

 

San Diego ought to be encouraged by the addition of some exciting players, and the knowledge that things are looking better than last year. They’ll need to make some more moves to get to that top tier, but their double firsts in both of the next two drafts are sure to help with that.

 

 

Saskatoon Wild
S95: 21-44-7, 49 pts (9th)

Brigitta Sandstrom (12th) @Acydburn
Gottfried Schloss (22nd) @acp
Reid Quinn (32nd) @rquinn
Ralo Surrel (52nd) @KalKenobi83
Jeffery The Elite Edger (62nd) @Ultimate Edger

 

Saskatoon made no trades this offseason, and are in a little bit of a rough spot right now. They’re getting back on track, but simple lack of players may be punishing if waivers aren’t plentiful enough.

GM @Dadam30 of Saskatoon did not trade away or receive any picks or players.

 

Saskatoon’s first rounder was owned by the Lynx this year, so their first selection was Brigitta Sandstrom (148 TPE) at 12th overall. Sandstrom already projects to be one of the most exciting players on the team and will take on the role of #1 defenseman considering they had zero coming into the draft. Sandstrom towers over the opposition at 6’8” and has almost unrealistic speed and puck handling considering that. They turned heads immediately in their 13 games with Miami last year, in which they scored 13 points. Sandstrom also put up a whopping 27 points in 30 JST games. The earning is of course going to be exemplary, given that Acydburn is a commissioner and even if they didn’t have that job pay, all previous players have been exemplary.

 

Saskatoon’s second pick is Gottfried Schloss (74 TPE) at #22. Schloss, a defensive defenseman through and through, will be an excellent complement to Sandstrom on the blue line. Schloss will also be getting power play time as a result of being one of the two defensemen rostered, and their development will be fun to watch. They had 6 points in 5 games with Halifax last season and had 7 in 30 JST games. It’s not acp’s first time around the block either, and they are earning well mainly via affiliate. This Wild duo will be fun to watch!

First-gen Reid Quinn (52 TPE) is the Wild’s choice at 32nd overall. Given their current forward dilemma, Saskatoon is really hoping Quinn will pan out for them, and their strength across a variety of offensive abilities is very encouraging. They haven’t played in the JST or the M yet, but did claim TPE outside of the week they created. The minutes are there for the taking on the Wild, and hopefully the first-gen steps up.

 

Saskatoon ends the draft with 52nd overall Ralo Surrel (42 TPE) and 62nd overall Jeffery The Elite Edger (72 TPE), and neither player earned TPE outside of the week of creation. Edger has not updated since W/E 08/11 but did put up 25 points in 44 VHLM games last season. Surrel there is more hope for, since they created more recently in W/E 09/22, and they have 1 point in 30 JST games played. It’s up to the GM to see whether or not they can bring them back.

 

Saskatoon may only have 4 active forwards soon, and will be hoping for an influx of new arrivals. Until then, a lot of responsiblity rests on these new draftees, and in particular goaltender Austin Goulet III @Tuchy. The Wild have many draft picks next year and should be able to jumpstart their rebuild with multiple first rounders. While the present may not be the brightest, the future holds hope with stars like Drosmis Sarkanis @Mr Bohannan and Sandstrom leading them.

 

 

Thanks for reading! It was quite the chaotic S96 offseason, with a metric ton of new VHL users to draft. Good luck to all of the draftees, their teammates, and their GMs this year as the VHLM adjusts to a very different format!

 

Spoiler

word count: 7372

 

Edited October 14 by sadie

[Pifferfish 512]

Tried reading it, got to a word over 5 letters. Need to sleep now. Great work @sadie

[animal74 1,819]

Um, WOW! Amazing recap. That is all.

[LucyXpher 1,420]

Sadie, this is an incredible write up!!!  You clearly put a ton of effort and research into this to be able to say something about virtually every pick and all the off-season trading.  Articles like these really breathe life into the league and I think they’re really huge for newer and first gen players.  
 

I know when I joined— and even still now— I get so excited seeing articles like this where someone has clearly taken the time to learn about other players and the happenings of the league, basically like a real journalist would.  It’s the kind of thing that just makes me want to dive in more and keep going.

 

Amazing job and thank you for everything you put into this.  I know I’m not the only one who appreciates it!

[sadie 904]

46 minutes ago, LucyXpher said:

Sadie, this is an incredible write up!!!  You clearly put a ton of effort and research into this to be able to say something about virtually every pick and all the off-season trading.  Articles like these really breathe life into the league and I think they’re really huge for newer and first gen players.  
 

I know when I joined— and even still now— I get so excited seeing articles like this where someone has clearly taken the time to learn about other players and the happenings of the league, basically like a real journalist would.  It’s the kind of thing that just makes me want to dive in more and keep going.

 

Amazing job and thank you for everything you put into this.  I know I’m not the only one who appreciates it!

 

Thank you Lucy! I wanted to cover every draft pick because I feel like the little boost you get from someone showing interest in/pumping up your player is huge (or at least it was for me) when I first joined. It was made a lot easier by actually being a GM this time and actually sending out the interviews to everyone and knowing about a lot of them already!

[Ricer13 2,796]

Incredible write up!

[mattyIceman 1,214]

Very cool and detailed writeup!

[comrade cat 283]

dang bro you will be good for a few months

[sadie 904]

claim 2 of 4 for W/E november 3rd
 

[Daniel Janser 2,172]

On 10/14/2024 at 8:18 AM, LucyXpher said:

 I know I’m not the only one who appreciates it!

you certainly are not...