VSN Presents: S97 VHL Mock Draft

[Alex 3,244]

	1	London United
	Cash Carti @v.2
			RW		TPE: 307
	Season	GP	G	A	P	(+/-)	SHT	PIM	HITS	SB
	S96 Regular Season	72	9	5	14	-1	69	35	71	3
	S96 Playoffs	4	0	1	1	0	5	8	3	0
	When you look at Cash Carti's statistics from last season with the Houston Bulls, you really don't see a prospect that screams "first overall pick." But in a draft class where six of the top ten prospects in the draft are defensemen and forward is a bigger need for London, they'd likely take the higher value forward. It doesn't hurt that Carti also comes from a member in v.2 that just had a tremendously successful career as a forward, giving the United a legitimate and much-needed star to add to their barren prospect pool. We'll likely see Carti play one more season in Houston, this time as a likely top line forward who will have a real opportunity to showcase their talents. Look for him to have a strong season in the VHLM before joining a London team on the verge of competing as a rookie in Season 98 as he proves that he's worthy of being the first overall pick of this draft class.
	2	Moscow Menace
	Kazuma Satou @Spartan
			D		TPE: 312
	Season	GP	G	A	P	(+/-)	SHT	PIM	HITS	SB
	S96 Regular Season	72	13	41	54	-4	143	66	129	134
	S96 Playoffs	7	3	5	8	-3	15	0	17	16
	Despite winning the Victory Cup in Season 96, Moscow still finds themselves with the second overall pick thanks to a trade with the New York Americans, and this really couldn't have worked out any better for Spartan, who has his own player fall into his lap second overall. Satou had a very solid season with Halifax, but he really shined in the playoffs, averaging over a point per game and scoring two game-winning goals. Although Satou has a tiny stature for a defenseman at 5'6, 160 lbs, he is lightning quick and as a result always seems to be in the right place at the right time in both ends of the ice. Furthermore, Satou couldn't have ended up in a better location, as Moscow has shown a knack for developing elite offensive defensemen lately. With a developing skill set and an elite work ethic, he'll be Moscow's latest superstar defenseman in no time at all.
	3	Helsinki Titans
	Hugh Neutron @Corco
			D		TPE: 347
	Season	GP	G	A	P	(+/-)	SHT	PIM	HITS	SB
	S96 Regular Season	72	4	20	24	-2	69	48	76	88
	S96 Playoffs	18	2	19	21	1	39	16	46	27
	It's really been a rough go of it lately for the Helsinki Titans, so it's nice to see them get some good fortune for a change as the top-rated prospect in the draft, defenseman Hugh Neutron, falls to third overall. With 24 points for Ottawa this season, he may not be as flashy as Kazuma Satou, but he is an elite, top pairing potential stay at home defenseman. His instincts and positioning are at a mind-boggling level for a prospect, but that's not the only draw to his game. Just like Satou, Neutron showed what he's really made of in the postseason, and that was showing that his offensive play has the chance to be just as elite. He scored 21 points, just three less than his regular season total, in just 19 playoff games, showing that his game has somehow gone to an even higher plane. If Neutron's offensive game continues to trend upwards like this, VHL Hall of Famer Corco's return to the league could prove to be a massive catalyst for the Titans' potential resurgence to the VHL's forefront.
	4	D.C. Dragons
	Albin Aldgard @animal74
			D		TPE: 296
	Season	GP	G	A	P	(+/-)	SHT	PIM	HITS	SB
	S96 Regular Season	72	5	22	27	-4	114	38	96	91
	S96 Playoffs	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
	The D.C. Dragons have been building a fantastic core of forwards for their rebuild, but they're missing that stud defenseman of the future. Luckily for them, this is the perfect draft class to address that need, and at fourth overall, they get an absolute gem in Albin Aldgard. animal74 is one of the VHL's best team players, and exactly the type of addition that any GM would be fortunate to add to a rebuild. Although he's an established leader and hype man in the locker room, Aldgard is still looking for similar validation on the ice. With the Las Vegas Aces missing the playoffs, Aldgard didn't get the same chance to showcase his skills like the previous prospects, but he has shown the potential to be an excellent two-way defenseman. Although he has been indecisive thus far in the offensive zone, he's excellent on the defensive and can be depended on in any situation. This will prove to be a huge addition for the Dragons down the road.
	5	Prague Phantoms
	Pelayo Bolivar @SMYLS4
			C		TPE: 274
	Season	GP	G	A	P	(+/-)	SHT	PIM	HITS	SB
	S96 Regular Season	72	16	23	39	4	129	32	87	11
	S96 Playoffs	7	1	4	5	-2	18	0	5	0
	With the addition of Pan Daffleck, Prague's top of their blueline is set for the foreseeable future. For that reason, VSN predicts them going a bit off the board to grab Pelayo Bolivar. Bolivar projects as a true number one center with the potential to be an outstanding standout in a truly unique class, with very few high rated forward prospects. Bolivar has had a long running podcast and has made a massive impact both on the ice and in the locker room. Last season Bolivar didn't have the best numbers, but did show some great signs of growth, namely their great playoff performance putting up 5 points in 7 playoff games! He has shon signs of growth that would hint towards a spectacular S97 coming up in the VHLM before making the jump to the VHL for S98! Bolivar will be a great fit for any team, but we see Prague taking the top center prospect early.
	6	Los Angeles Stars
	Bubbles LaFleur @AJW
			D		TPE: 288
	Season	GP	G	A	P	(+/-)	SHT	PIM	HITS	SB
	S96 Regular Season	72	16	26	42	-11	185	54	107	79
	S96 Playoffs	12	3	1	4	-4	90	8	13	12
	Los Angeles is back rebuilding and looking to build from the blue line out, and with franchise cornerstone Roger Eagles in goal, that's a good way to go. Bubbles LaFleur should develop into a true number 1 defensemen in the VHLM, since they're likely another season away from the VHL, but he's coming off a great season in the VHLM with 16 goals and 26 assists for a total of 42 points in 72 games. Their play did falter a touch in the playoffs, but that's no reason for concern, as they're progressing well and are primed for a massive breakout in the VHLM next season! Bubbles La Fleur has said that they will only play with their brother so we will have to stay tuned to see where Ricky LaFleur, the number 1 ranked goalie, eventually ends up!
	7	London United
	Brigitta Sandstrom @Acydburn
			D		TPE: 293
	Season	GP	G	A	P	(+/-)	SHT	PIM	HITS	SB
	S96 Regular Season	72	9	29	38	10	110	84	94	91
	S96 Playoffs	10	1	1	2	-2	25	10	17	16
	Brigitta Sandstrom is probably the pick in at this point with the highest floor of the draft. Sandstrom comes from the same agency as hall-of-fame defensemen Battre Sandstrom, and as a result will come in with extremely high expectations that they should be set to live up to. Sandstrom was average in the VHLM last season as they had a total of 38 points in 72 games played, which is very respectable, but we should see a considerable jump this coming season should they stay in the VHLM. Sandstrom could make the jump this season to help fill out London's roster, but that's a decision that we should see the result of shortly after the draft. London is in the middle of a rebuild right now and with adding Carti earlier in the draft, picking up Sandstrom here is just about as good as this draft could have gone for them.
	8	Chicago Phoenix
	Dr Victor von Doom @Garsh
			G		TPE: 274
	Season	GP	W	L	OT/SOL	Save %	GAA	SO	SA	GA
	S96 Regular Season	20	12	7	1	0.895	2.09	2	400	42
	S96 Playoffs	9	6	3	0	0.908	1.86	1	217	20
	With the 8th overall pick, Chicago will start to look to the future, as their roster is aging and a re-tool seems to be right around the corner. They'll start replenishing the prospect cabinet by adding Dr Victor von Doom, a top goaltending prospect that will get to learn from one of the best goaltenders in Chicago history which should set them up for success. Von Doom played in only 20 games last regular season, with just average goaltending stats, but came into a league of their own in the playoffs. In the playoffs, they posted a great 0.908 SV% and a 1.86 GAA as they played a major role in Ottawa's finals run. The future is bright for Victor von Doom and the draft should set them on the right path.
	9	Los Angeles Stars
	Taavetti Jokinen  @Ahma
			D		TPE:	293
	Season	GP	G	A	P	(+/-)	SHT	PIM	HITS	SB
	S96 Regular Season	72	3	21	24	24	49	60	106	91
	S96 Playoffs	19	3	7	10	3	20	10	25	29
	Finally at 9, the slide of the most controversial pick in the draft is complete. The story behind the Jokinens is fairly well known - all players in this familial line must only play for Davos. Generally, Davos has made a semi-respectable effort to acquire a pick in the general range Jokinen could reasonably go, and they've made some efforts this season by trading up from pick 15 to 13, and now to 11. While that's still not enough for a top 5 selection in this class, it's closer than Davos was a week ago. However, it's unlikely that every team allows Davos to just pick up Jokinen for a steep discount - so enter a team with a plethora of selections this draft - Los Angeles. While GM Zach Gagnon has been outspoken about wanting to select players willing to help the Stars finally get out of its long term rebuild, they do have the opportunity to take a risk and bring in even more value while diversifying the ages of their young prospects. Davos has some assets still up their sleeve, along with roster players that could be enticing to LA. Additionally, if LA takes Jokinen to arbitration, it gives them a three season window to find a deal with Davos. It is interesting to note, a Jokinen has not played a single season for a team other than Davos in recent memory - perhaps ever. If Los Angeles is ready to play hardball, this could finally be the generation that breaks the streak. And it's up to Davos whether they're willing to pay the fair price and risk a disgruntled agency that has taken admirable efforts to send players to Davos at every chance they get.
	10	New York Americans
	Ricky LaFleur @DarkSpyro
			G		TPE:	281
	Season	GP	W	L	OT/SOL	Save %	GAA	SO	SA	GA
	S96 Regular Season	66	34	29	3	0.905	2.13	8	1493	142
	S96 Playoffs	12	6	6	0	0.893	2.02	1	244	26
	With long time goalie 32W's approaching the last few seasons of their career, it would make sense for New York to select Ricky LaFleur here at 10th overall. While the LaFleur's have been outspoken about their desire to play together, the only team with multiple draft picks is Los Angeles - and they have a franchise cornerstone in net already, making a goalie selection to LA seem improbable, if not impossible. New York though offers a fantastic destination for a young goalie, with time before LaFleur will be required to man the net as a full-time starter. The Americans also play a very goalie-friendly defensive style, and have long stood towards the top of the league in defensive metrics, especially when looking at team Goals Against. While it's not quite the destination Ricky LaFleur might have in mind with Bubbles heading over to Los Angeles, New York would be a fantastic succession plan to be part of and you never know what the future might hold when it comes to the brothers' chances of playing together.
	11	HC Davos Dynamo
	Mikko Tuomala @flyersfan345
			D		TPE:	244
	Season	GP	G	A	P	(+/-)	SHT	PIM	HITS	SB
	S96 Regular Season	72	6	27	33	16	94	86	141	81
	S96 Playoffs	7	0	2	2	1	4	2	10	8
	The second first-gen player off the board, Davos brings in Mikko Tuomala from Halifax to address some shallow defensive depth. As of the time of writing, Davos sports two defensemen expected to retire within the next two to three seasons in Joseph Dubois and Mina. Fortunately for Davos, picking at 11th overall in the S97 draft gives them a treasure that most other classes wouldn't afford - the best first-gen defender in the class. Tuomala played second fiddle on the blue line in Halifax, but boasts an extremely high ceiling once he's given a few seasons to develop. While it'd have been nice to see him play alongside his friend, Pelayo Bolivar, the added motivation of having to compete against said friend could reap extremely positive rewards for the Dynamo. Add in the chance to play in an organization with top tier defensemen Felicia Hardy and the aforementioned Mina, Tuomala may have found himself in a great place for his development without extremely high pressure to contribute immediately.
	12	Los Angeles Stars
	CJ Daniels @xNJDevilsFanx
			RW		TPE:	200
	Season	GP	G	A	P	(+/-)	SHT	PIM	HITS	SB
	S96 Regular Season	72	10	19	29	-8	156	49	134	38
	S96 Playoffs	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	CJ Daniels is no stranger to a rebuild, having spent all of S96 on the last place Saskatoon Wild. As a playmaking winger, Daniels put up respectable numbers without significant assistance around him, but that looks to change with his selection here by the Los Angeles Stars. LA have already made two picks by this point and have addressed both defense and goalie, so it's time to address forward in a draft class where forward talent is expected to come off the board relatively quickly. Look for Daniels to make his debut in S98 after another season to develop in the VHLM, at which point he'll slot in nicely alongside the other young forward talent on LA such as UghSike and Wally Lose. LA certainly has an uphill battle ahead of them without elite talent to lead them out of the rebuild, but Daniels certainly has a chance to develop into that higher end talent.
	13	Riga Reign
	Chad Powers @Big_Dyl
			G		TPE: 242
	Season	GP	W	L	OT/SOL	Save %	GAA	SO	SA	GA
	S96 Regular Season	21	8	11	2	0.89	2.93	1	62	564
	S96 Playoffs	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Our third goalie goes off the board at 13 to the Riga Reign. Powers had the chance to play the backup role behind an MVP candidate in Jon Webber III, and he likely learned a thing or two from him despite his trademark Pit Viperz obstructing his vision. We can certainly see they aren't exactly helping his on ice performance with a mere .890 save percentage. What he lacks in talent, he certainly make up for with style though. No GM would value a trait like that more than Alexandre Leduc. Also, Red Panda is a pending UFA after S97 and is due to retire before S100. A goalie now could perfectly fit within their timeline with proper earning and engagement. Powers also is one of the last high earners in this class available and should be VHL ready within the 3 seasons left in the Panda's career.
	14	Los Angeles Stars
	Hater Tottingham @Trunkxolotl
			D		TPE: 209
	Season	GP	G	A	P	(+/-)	SHT	PIM	HITS	SB
	S96 Regular Season	72	18	27	45	16	196	37	114	12
	S96 Playoffs	7	1	3	4	0	20	4	10	5
	Tottingham is the projected 4th and final piece of the re-rebuild for LA in the S97 draft. After a very strong S96 regular season and a pretty decent performance in the playoffs, he earns a first round grade. Most classes would see a player like this in the top-10 but the defensive depth of this group of young players hold back his projected selection. Hater also does make some extra gains via trivia night at a local bar. Rumor has it Disney and Elton John are his best categories. As far as how he fits for LA, sadly they had to reset their painful rebuild and in this class they can get a 1a/1b for their future defensive core. They have no defensemen signed or in the farm system currently, so expect them to walk out of the draft with no less than two. Hater's pass first tendencies on the ice could provide a nice boost to the powerplay by getting the biscuit to the team's top player, Wally Lose. A lot of room to grow remains for the Canadian, but I'm sure the Star's GM will do everything they can to keep him engaged.
	15	Seattle Bears
	Pepe Silvia @STZ
			G		TPE: 189
	Season	GP	W	L	OT/SOL	Save %	GAA	SO	SA	GA
	S96 Regular Season	22	7	5	1	0.919	1.61	4	27	335
	S96 Playoffs	1	0	1	0	0.778	4.51	0	2	9
	Pepe Silvia may be missing a ton of mail to a crazy bar owner in Philadelphia, but he rarely misses the pucks blazing towards his net! Zaps Cat got the starting role most of this season but definitely gave some pointers to the young netminder in Silvia. Pepe managed an well above average .919 save perventage and very good 1.61 GAA. 4 shutouts in 22 games is also insanely great work. This class is stacked with goaltending talent so he falls farther than he would in most drafts. The only issue with this selection is that Seattle has a S92 and S96 goalie either on the roster or in the system, forcing the Bears into a situation in a season or two to clear up a minor goalie logjam. We just can't project a player this talented sitting until this late though.
	16	Calgary Wranglers
	Jacob Seed @oilmandan
			RW		TPE: 187
	Season	GP	G	A	P	(+/-)	SHT	PIM	HITS	SB
	S96 Regular Season	72	4	4	8	5	59	32	79	3
	S96 Playoffs	11	2	2	4	-4	10	10	12	1
	Jacob Seed isn't a highly touted prospect but he benefits from a shallow class in his position group. Sources with his current VHLM team confirm he does little more than the bare minimum weekly training and his presence within the locker room is lacking. The first round grade mostly has stemmed from his on ice play. The regular season saw little playing time and opportunity, but the postseason run however, saw Seed nabbing 4 points in 11 games played. This player is unlikely to find himself as a top liner in the VHL but could be valued as a depth piece and a powerplay specialist should he continue focusing on offensive growth. Calgary also has a ton of pending UFAs and Keegan Gamble retiring after S97, so investment in the forward core might be necessary at this point of the draft.

 

 

Written by @Doomsday, @Alex, @Spartan , and @Pifferfish

Edited Thursday at 11:33 PM by Pifferfish

[Big_Dyl 146]

Can’t believe I’m being slandered by saying I wear Oakley's. Pit Vipers demand respect and authority. 

[AJW 2,190]

RICKY AT 9 OR RIOT 

[Spartan 4,510]

7 minutes ago, AJW said:

RICKY AT 9 OR RIOT 

I guess I'm just curious, do you guys really expect LA, with Eagles who's sticking with them through the rebuild, to pick another goalie instead of a skater? Like I get they're currently the only team with multiple top 10 selections, but what's your guys' thinking there?

[Pifferfish 524]

21 minutes ago, Big_Dyl said:

Can’t believe I’m being slandered by saying I wear Oakley's. Pit Vipers demand respect and authority. 

Oakley's, who wrote Oakley's, I definitely did not incorrectly report anything. 

 

Gaslight Skill Check Roll: 20

[AJW 2,190]

1 hour ago, Spartan said:

I guess I'm just curious, do you guys really expect LA, with Eagles who's sticking with them through the rebuild, to pick another goalie instead of a skater? Like I get they're currently the only team with multiple top 10 selections, but what's your guys' thinking there?

 

6 9 is lol

[DarkSpyro 964]

Awesome read @Alex!

1 minor mistake-– Ricky is at 298 tpe, not 281. Otherwise this is good stuff!

[DarkSpyro 964]

2 hours ago, AJW said:

RICKY AT 9 OR RIOT 

Ricky did get 9 shutouts last season (8 reg season + 1 in the playoffs ) soooo hopefully that’s a sign-– to be drafted at number 9~

[Alex 3,244]

52 minutes ago, DarkSpyro said:

Awesome read @Alex!

1 minor mistake-– Ricky is at 298 tpe, not 281. Otherwise this is good stuff!

Because I kept making trades the mock got delayed, players TPE went up

[qripll 515]

Ahma to LA hype train

[Ahma 1,441]

I'm not going to LA lmao

 

What a joke

[DarkSpyro 964]

12 hours ago, Alex said:

Because I kept making trades the mock got delayed, players TPE went up

Ahh ok. Well I think you got a typo for Ricky at 281 cuz he was never below Bubbles like that, unless you wrote Ricky’s draft position 2 weeks before Bubbles and didn’t update it.

[animal74 1,855]

17 hours ago, Alex said:

animal74 is one of the VHL's best team players, and exactly the type of addition that any GM would be fortunate to add to a rebuild.

Aww, thanks!

[STZ 5,376]

I’m not going to Seattle lmao

 

what a joke

[Trunkxolotl 180]

Hey yeah, friends? I'm not a defensemen...

 

But you did call where I went exactly right, so I'll let it slide.

[AJW 2,190]

On 12/12/2024 at 6:28 PM, Spartan said:

I guess I'm just curious, do you guys really expect LA, with Eagles who's sticking with them through the rebuild, to pick another goalie instead of a skater? Like I get they're currently the only team with multiple top 10 selections, but what's your guys' thinking there?

 

Maybe wasn’t the picture perfect 6 9 lol but I’ll still take it

[BOOM 8,806]

Make Davos pay....