Claimed:Where will S45 goalies land? [Final 6/6]

[CowboyinAmerica 2,840]

 

Where will the S45 goalies land?

 

As went enter Season 44 in the VHL, a not-insignificant portion of the league’s populous is already looking forward to Season 45. Seattle, Helsinki, Toronto and perhaps even Riga already have their eyes on the next steps. For some, that will include a goalie from a spectacularly talented group of individuals—the Clegane brothers and Ariel Weinstein are set to take the VHL by storm.

 

But, well, there’s one issue: Where exactly are they supposed to land? Helsinki, with four first round picks, is highly likely to take a goalie. Past that, though, the landscape is murky. Calgary, New York, Quebec, Davos, Riga and Stockholm all feature goalies that are S41 or younger. Toronto’s GM just recreated with a goalie of his own. And Cologne and Seattle don’t have any notable S45 picks to speak of.

 

So where will the Cleganes and Weinstein land? Here’s some completely baseless speculation to chew on, with the five most likely teams to have one of these three goalies next season.

 

1. Helsinki Titans

S45 Goalie Chances: 99.9%

 

There isn’t a more obvious fit around. Helsinki has four selections in the first round next season; perhaps more notably, they could very well have three of the first four picks, given Toronto and Seattle’s sudden rebuilding efforts. (And given Riga and New York starting to turn towards contending, they could have the top three.) Chances are, the Titans will have the goalie of their choice, and with GM Draper already having created a center to spearhead the rebuild, I have no reason to believe they won’t take full advantage. The only way Helsinki doesn’t take a goalie here if they receive a Godfather offer for someone otherwise (if Davos underachieves again, do they blow it up and trade Sinclair to get younger?), but I don’t see it happening.

 

2. New York Americans

S45 Goalie Chances: 72%

 

I know that the Americans feel an affinity for Jax Barnstormer; there’s a reason they traded for him and passed on Hans Wingate first overall in S43, after all. Still, though, it’s safe to say at this point that Barnstormer’s current practice production is nowhere near the level of past Jericho clients. Jericho may have reason to be with the franchise long-term, but what happens if, say, Barnstormer only reaches about 350 TPE, and there’s a 250 TPE Clegane sitting there with one of New York’s two first rounders (their own and Cologne’s)? Moving on from the older goalie would be an easy choice in this circumstance on paper, and the ever-vigilant Miller would likely find a way to make it work.

 

3. Seattle Bears

S45 Goalie Chances: 58%

 

As previously mentioned, the Bears don’t have any S45 draft picks to work with—trading for James Faraday may have helped get them a title, but it left the cupboard utterly bare afterwards. Still, out of the teams that need a goalie, they have the most pieces to move. Four S46 first round picks are an excellent starting point, and the team still has Faraday and Stropko to go player-wise. Both Davos and Stockholm could be interesting ones to watch here; both teams still hold their own S45 first round pick, and both teams could be in an arms race and benefit heavily from adding a Stropko or Faraday at the trade deadline. Either first would be later in the round, but given the goalie landscape, at least one goaltender is likely to fall.

 

4. Toronto Legion

S45 Goalie Chances: 36%

 

What’s that you say? Teuvo Rinne already exists? While that is true, I’m not entirely sure why. The already-saturated S45 goalie market became more saturated with the inclusion of Rinne, a recreate from the Toronto Legion’s general manager. While Jala was simply copying the strategy of his predecessor, with Edgar’s S44 Lenny Face, the marketplace dramatically changed between the two goalies with the inclusion of the S45 prospects. Although Toronto did not have an S45 first at the time—a self-professed reason for the goalie move—they do have one now: Calgary’s. Call me crazy, but if a goalie is best value on the board with Calgary's mid-to-late first, I still think it would be smart for the Legion to take the goalie anyway, then figure out Rinne’s fate later, even if it means a sudden retirement/recreation.

 

5. Riga Reign

S45 Goalie Chances: 26%

 

You want a potential shocker? Riga Reign GM Bernie Gow said before that he would be willing to retire and recreate right away if it meant the best option for his franchise; he simply didn’t believe that Hans Wingate was that option in Season 43. Well, we’re now two seasons later, and the Reign’s prospects look tight. They’re buffeted in the front by Stockholm’s and Davos’s S40 and S42-heavy lineups, and Helsinki’s glut of S43, S44 and S45 picks are not too far away from contention. Riga is caught in the middle, which could be tough... unless they try and extend their competition window. Their own draft selection would likely supply second pick of goalies behind Helsinki (barring lottery luck), and a retiring/recreating S46 Gow would provide young firepower to go alongside Faux, Valmount and Coutzen, or provide much-needed defensive help. It would be a gamble, but gambling may be the only way to reach the top in Europe.

[CowboyinAmerica 2,840]

Other fun scenarios I kicked around: A DT/Brovy fight that leads Quebec to trade him for a goalie pick, Cologne deciding draft picks actually worthwhile (like that would happen), Davos actually blowing it up like I hinted at in the article.

[Victor 10,830]

What you haven't considered is Wingate become Lossgate and being suddenly terminated by Calgary.

[CowboyinAmerica 2,840]

What you haven't considered is Wingate become Lossgate and being suddenly terminated by Calgary.

 

If you mean terminated as in Schwarzeneggered, I'm OK with this.

[boubabi 4,725]

All time VHLM

[Smarch 3,091]

Jokes on your guys, were all stopping at 175 TPE

[CowboyinAmerica 2,840]

Given how much extraneous shit Victor does/claims, I don't think he could do that if he willingly tried.

[boubabi 4,725]

Using my S45 for a scrub like Faraday?

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

I was going to add in the whole Bernie Gow thing but was pleasantly surprised to see you already mentioned it

[BOOM 8,650]

I predict Cologne will have picks.

[Kesler 1,514]

I am just gonna make a goalie tbh.

[Baozi 1,658]

Fong Cup Charm vs a goalie. Honestly its not hard to decide that.

[Molholt 2,185]

Fong Cup Charm vs a goalie. Honestly its not hard to decide that.

 

The Molholt Cup Charm isn't too bad as a fallback though, if you needed a goalie and had a secondary later pick. 

 

50% of the Cups since S36, including helping teams get over the hump (Riga, Seattle). 

 

Coincidence or Fate? BRAAAAAAAAAAAAM

[Mike 708]

Seattle needs a goalie.

[Tylar 219]

Content: 3/3 - Another interesting media spot by you. All the goalies coming up does create an interesting scenario for the S45 draft. I never thought of the possibility of GM's re-creating again if the draft falls their way. Could be interesting. I think your analysis is pretty spot on though. 

Grammar: 2/2 - Didn't catch anything

Appearance: 1/1 - Looks great. 

Overall: 6/6

[CoachReilly 688]

Claimed