Quick Re-Look At The Season 61 Draft Class

[Tagger 2,722]

Got some time for myself on the PC today so figured I'd do my article for the week ahead now rather than do a podcast later. This isn't going to be a super in-depth piece, but just looking at the first rounders taken in that draft. I got to writing this article and realised it was 932, so figured I'd tap in an extra few words in the intro so I can use it for two weeks. This draft is very comparable to the S48 Draft Class, four draftees who are going to stand a good chance at HOF consideration, with a few other players whose TPE they earned before inactivity will set them up as solid depth players with others who are quietly progressing. Looking at this draft in retrospect though, it's kinda weird that we had a Mock Draft PT for this draft, but then none in the following, much more interesting draft classes.

 

1 - Matt Thompson (Seattle Bears)

 

While Thompson is currently behind Podrick Cast in both points and goals, this is still a great pick at first overall. While his rookie season didn't see him get over a point per game, he's gone on to put up 100+ point seasons in the next two years. He is also a lot more physical than the other forwards taken in this first round and that physicality saw him pick up the Boulet trophy last season. 

 

In a ReDraft: He'd be competing for first overall with Cast. 

 

2 - Samuel Gate (Quebec City Meute)

 

Given that there were three very good skaters in the top of this draft, I was surprised that the Meute made a move to trade up from third to second. Ultimately, this wound up being a bit of a whiff for the Meute, a pick that could have seen them get last seasons MVP saw them get a now inactive defensemen whose nearly 200 TPE behind Cast. Given the Meute's lack of scoring this season, it makes you wonder how the Meute-Reign playoff series would have gone had the Meute taken Cast here.

 

In a ReDraft: While his TPE is high, his inactivity would have him selected around 5-8

 

3 - Podrick Cast (Riga Reign)

 

It's always a weird one taking a  once-super-established player who is returning from a long absence, sometimes the player immediately falls off after showing initial promise of a return to form before the draft (Prime example would be Leon Leitner, Scotty's player in the S35 Draft who went third overall) but other times, like Victor as, they just pick right up where they left off. Cast leads in TPE, has already won the biggest personal awards going and looks very much like he'll be extending his active streak of HOF players

 

In a ReDraft: Between himself and Thompson for first overall

 

4- Roger Sterling (Bears)

 

Sterling came in at a time where the goalie market was looking to soon become exceptionally weak, however that didn't stop the teams above from letting him fall to fourth overall. While you could argue he was the best TPE earner of the players prior to the draft (He closed the gap in TPE between himself and the first three taken exceptionally quickly despite creating post-VHLM Draft), he's not been at the same pace since the draft, mainly due to purely focusing on his assigned job rather than the other external TPE opportunities. Statistical wise, he's been a solid goalie, but still waiting for his true breakout season.

 

In a ReDraft: Given that we know how the next pick pans out, it would be between Sterling and Preencarnacion for fourth overall.

 

5 - Arvid Aamo (Reign)

 

I was surprised when Aamo was taken as high up as this in the draft given that even Daniel's best player (Dadanov) was only a solid player at best and all his players since then I believe failed to make the VHL. Aamo made the VHL, but he probably should have just stuck in the VHLM given how rough the last two seasons have been for him. This pick single-handedly forced the Reign GM Hedgehog to change his plans for his current player to make up for Aamo's inactivity. 

 

In a ReDraft: Mid to late 2nd. 

 

6 - Edwin Preencarnacion (Reign)

 

Given that I created after the VHLM Draft and with little recreate TPE, I'd like to think that I've done a pretty good job with my TPE earning to the point where I'm pretty much neck and neck with the first overall pick in this draft in TPE. My performance in the sim has been strong as well, not to the extent of Cast, but still keeping dreams of a HOF player very much alive. And to think the majority of the Mock Draft PT's had Mikhael Vega going ahead of me.

 

In a ReDraft: Competing with Sterling for third overall.

 

7 - Robert Malenko (Legion)

 

While Malenko kept up a good pace for a long time and has had a solid performance in the sim (especially this season just gone), he's become one of those players where you presume he's still very active in TPE earning, but in actuality has fallen behind. No update has been done by Penny since Week Ending Oct 28th and the only points I can see left over are the ones he earns for posting the welfare and practice facility threads (Unlike Marvin Harding, while he has not updated since Oct 14th, he has at least been submitting graphics on a weekly basis). 

 

In a ReDraft: Bottom half of this draft, competing with Gate, Harding and Kovalev

 

8 - Sergei Kovalev (Bears)

 

This was a pick where I was surprised it wasn't Jesper Stromberg (a player who in the leadup to the draft had been earning TPE at a very high rate), but with his inactivity, Kovalev actually wound up being the better player. In the sim, he's filled a role, getting 91 points in his rookie season before falling back to below a point per game this season. Since stepping down as VHLM GM, he's become a pure welfare and practice facility player, so will still improve as he approaches the mid-way point of his career

 

In a ReDraft: Same as Malenko

 

Using for two weeks (W/C 12/10 and 12/17)

 

Edited December 9, 2018 by Tagger

[Victor 11,037]

Seattle and Quebec dun goofed. Can't say I didn't warn ya.

 

 

Vase Trikamaki

Lars Berger

Alexander Chershenko

Matt Bentley

Greg Clegane

 

Robert Sharpe

Alexander Beketov

Alex Young

Niklas Kristensen

Jason White

Evgeni Chekhov

Jackson Miller

Jakab Holik

Roman Sokolov

 

Fayt Leingod

Geno Esposito

Benjamin Glover

Keiji Toriyama

Lloyd Light

Diana Maxwell

mist4ke

 

[Beketov 9,126]

1 hour ago, Victor said:

Seattle and Quebec dun goofed. Can't say I didn't warn ya.

 

 

Vase Trikamaki

Lars Berger

Alexander Chershenko

Matt Bentley

Greg Clegane

 

Robert Sharpe

Alexander Beketov

Alex Young

Niklas Kristensen

Jason White

Evgeni Chekhov

Jackson Miller

Jakab Holik

Roman Sokolov

 

Fayt Leingod

Geno Esposito

Benjamin Glover

Keiji Toriyama

Lloyd Light

Diana Maxwell

mist4ke

 

I’ll be the first to admit I make mediocre players. My longevity is what is given my a reputation, not my quality. Thompson is honestly shaping up to be my best forward purely because the bar is set very low.

[Victor 11,037]

Just now, Beketov said:

I’ll be the first to admit I make mediocre players. My longevity is what is given my a reputation, not my quality. Thompson is honestly shaping up to be my best forward purely because the bar is set very low.

You'll be in the HOF this time old boy. Just maybe not first ballot.  

[Beketov 9,126]

7 minutes ago, Victor said:

You'll be in the HOF this time old boy. Just maybe not first ballot.  

I mean I’m averaging over 100 points per season so I’m off to a good start but I’m not delusional. I expect at least 1 of 3 things to happen.

 

1. I’ll never get a cup so that’ll hold me back.

2. I’ll always be a bit off on awards so that’ll hold me back.

3. STHS will suddenly decide to hate me like it did in S61 and for a third of the seaaon in S63 and my stats will tank.

[Victor 11,037]

5 minutes ago, Beketov said:

I mean I’m averaging over 100 points per season so I’m off to a good start but I’m not delusional. I expect at least 1 of 3 things to happen.

 

1. I’ll never get a cup so that’ll hold me back.

 2. I’ll always be a bit off on awards so that’ll hold me back.

3. STHS will suddenly decide to hate me like it did in S61 and for a third of the seaaon in S63 and my stats will tank.

Hmm, should I focus my rivalry on Ironside instead now? @DollarAndADream

[ShawnGlade 1,010]

Should do this for the S62 class

[Tagger 2,722]

39 minutes ago, ShawnGlade said:

Should do this for the S62 class

Depends, I only did this because I had free time for writing today. Might cover it in some of my podcasts if not