Gustav's Mock Draft: S66

[Gustav 6,431]

Welcome to Gustav's Mock Draft, the first-ever reasonably-long, stupidly-self-explanatory-in-title, first-sentence-and-in-fact-the-entire-thing-containing-way-too-many-hyphens-because-that's-how-I-tend-to-write-sometimes--I'm sorry. It's a media spot, a mock draft at that, and I'll be projecting picks right up until approximately whenever I feel like it. Anyway...I've been thinking about doing this for quite some time now, but since that time is now running out, I now pretty much have to do it in order to not hate myself for not doing it. 

 

As a side note, this would not have been possible without @rjfryman and his magnificent draft spreadsheet, which you can find here should you be interested. I also took the liberty of taking the tiny team logos from @Renomitsu's mock draft, though I'm fairly certain I've seen them all over the place (correct me if I'm wrong; I am not worthy). 

 

 

So, without further ado...

 

#1: Riga Reign (From Russia With Love)

Hunter Hearst Helmsley |@Beaviss| C | TPE: 431

Yep, right about what we expected. I don't remember a time when HHH wasn't the projected #1 choice. HHH being great was one of the very first things I learned about this league--before I'd fully figured out how to earn TPE, before I even knew who Shane Mars was, and probably even before Julius Freeman existed. The first indication of any doubt at all I saw came this week with an article posted by Victor after Moscow traded down, aptly titled "I was going to draft Shane Mars 1st overall." The reason given here was that, after Helmsley's initial contract was up, it was impossible to say whether he'd end up sticking around with his team--in that case, Moscow, and in this case, Riga. The Reign ABSOLUTELY will take Helmsley here--not only did they do well this year, but they've also managed to set themselves up for success, owning draft picks and owning a lot of them. Convincing a player to stick around is, and always has been, quite a bit easier when you're winning and will be for a while. So, I can see Hedgehog not only taking the risk here, but seeing it pay off as well. 

 

#2: Vancouver Wolves (From Davos)

Julius Freeman |@rjfryman| LW | TPE: 339

 

Anyone who wouldn't take Mars at 2 is an absolute imbecile. I mean the epitome of a boot licker.  I would question that person's judgement from that day forward and never trust a single decision they would ever make again.  I would go as far as to say that if you pass on Mars at 2, you should straight lose your job as a GM.  

 

But you know.

 

That's just my opinion.

-Spade18

Fire me @Banackock

 

What? Not Mars? You heard that right, the Wolves pick Freeman. And it's not even a tough decision for him--Beaviss trades up to this spot with Freeman in mind. Not only is he high up in the draft class in terms of TPE, and not only has he managed to cap every week (and, might I add, he's guaranteed to cap every week now that he has, like Beaviss and Spade, joined Recruitment Crew), but he entered the league as a free agent. He's had way less time to prepare than most others, and, though I haven't calculated it, I'd be willing to bet he's #1 or #2 in terms of earning rate. He's won quite a few points in the lottery, he's proven himself more than worthy research-wise (see my preliminary statement), AND he just recently started a Conan Exiles server with Beaviss (though I'm not on it, I bet they'd both appreciate some mention for it here as they're looking for new people). So sorry, Shane Mars, but there's a new #2. 

 

#3: Seattle Bears (From Calgary)

Shane Mars |@Spade18| LW | TPE: 358

Here's our year-long consensus #2, in my #3 spot (again, many apologies). I see Banackock trading up, to this spot specifically, because this draft has a definite "top 3," and this guarantees that one will be around at that point. That's perfect for a team that wants to start and end their rebuild as quickly as possible, and sticking Mars at the center of it makes it that much easier to escape, and come back even more powerful, within a season or two. No matter the placement of the top 3, there's almost no question that they are the top 3, and Seattle proves it here.

 

#4: Riga Reign (From Vancouver through Davos)

Mikko Aaltonen |@GRZ| RW | TPE: 315

I'd say that Riga is planning on selling, but they've already managed to gain control of much of the first round, and their star players--Edwin Preencarnacion, Podrick Cast, and Ryan Kastelic--are still there, making this not simply a sellout but a feat of epic proportions by management (let's not forget Kallis Kriketers). This season, however, would definitely be considered the start of a rebuild for the team had they not still managed to keep up their playing ability. Riga currently has a bit of an aging roster, with only three players S63 or newer at or above 400 TPE (and guess what? They're all S63 players, nobody newer). Minus Kriketers and Kastelic, in fact, the team isn't much beyond its core of Preencarnacion and Cast, both of whom proudly represent S61. Their picks in this draft leave them with plenty to work with, and space can, and will, easily be freed up by both retirement and trading for cheap picks. Here, I'm going BPA, simply because Riga has so many options.

 

#5: Moscow Menace (From New York)

Shawnomir Jagr |@TheLastOlympian07| RW | TPE: 296

Moscow needs, well, everyone. The Menace could use players at every position there is, and here I can see them moving around the draft board to pick not the best winger available (in Dmitri Volosenkov) but the second-best winger out there, in terms of TPE. Here's why: I can say that I believe Moscow is looking for a winger here--anything else would be a reach, other than Jet Jaguar. However, Moscow actually has a half-decent center in Mark Gebauer, so I can't see them loading up that position when they can spend time building a legitimate top line. Here I put Jagr over Volosenkov simply based on reputation--TheLastOlympian has been around forever, and while Volosenkov is likely just as trustworthy, I see Moscow taking the guarantee here.

 

#6: HC Davos Dynamo (From Riga)

Dmitri Volosenkov |@SirRupertBarnes| LW | TPE: 308

A while back, Davos was sure to pick a defenseman, and if that were still the case, I would actually put my own player here, at the risk of being labeled an egomaniac (just to be clear--I think Jerry would be a reach here, as Volosenkov and Jaguar are both very good forwards with higher TPE). The team recently traded for high-TPE defenseman Shawn Glade, however, giving them a nice linemate for Smitty. This trade gives them a bit more to work with, and though I would say that they will end up investing in defense, it's no longer a pressing need. So, here, they're quite happy to find Volosenkov, who they don't necessarily need but gives them much to work with in the trade market, whether they'd like to trade him or any other one of their rising star wingers for future assets, or, perhaps, high-TPE veterans.

 

#7: Malmo Nighthawks

Jerry Garcia |@GustavMattias| D | TPE: 286

Yes, this is me. Yes, Jaguar is at 304. No, I don't think I'd be here if this were most other teams. The fact remains, though, that the only position the Nighthawks find themselves in need of filling after the expansion draft is defense, as they only have one defenseman on the roster (Basaraba Moose). At the moment, they've got two forward lines, and a 500-TPE goalie. But the first defensive pair needs filling, and, though it's been a tight race, Garcia is the best available in terms of TPE. 

 

#8: Riga Reign (From Seattle)

Jet Jaguar |@gorlab| C | TPE: 304

It's about time that Jaguar went off the board, and here we see it happen. Gorlab is an experienced member of the league (since 2014!) and brings a virtual guarantee that he'll be around and active--not that that's much of a worry with this draft class. Riga has two established centers, but they're S61. I can see the team sticking Jaguar in a winger spot, or perhaps making a trade to clear some space, but regardless of what happens, Jaguar figures to find room to play in Riga. 

Also, remember back at #1 when I said there were potential concerns about Helmsley's chances of staying with his first team? Here's Riga's foolproof plan B if #1 overall doesn't work out.

 

#9: Riga Reign (From Helsinki)

Aron Nielsen |@solas| D | TPE: 274

Enough of Riga picking forwards--it's time to move on as by this point they've saturated their scoring lines with new talent. Nielsen comes into the draft as the #2 defenseman TPE-wise, and, though he went through a bit of an inconsistent patch during the regular season, is back at full activity and just as good as ever with solas, a 2-time Hall of Famer, steering the ship. Reputation alone may actually be enough to put him over Garcia in some GMs' rankings, but for now, I'll put him at #9. 

 

#10: Moscow Menace (From Toronto)

Owen May |@FacebookFighter| G | TPE: 266

May is a bit down in the draft rankings, but he's still got room this week to bring himself up, and I happen to know he's got an update or two on the way. He'll still be ranked below players like Bert Meyers (286 TPE) when the week is over, but the difference won't be as drastic as this article makes it seem. In May, the team gets their goalie--at the moment, they own the rights to inactive Justin Cole and semi-active Chase, but May is the class's first active goaltender, which earns him the last spot of the first round.

 

 

ROUND 2

 

 

#11: Moscow Menace

Arnor Sigurdsson |@bluesfan55| RW | TPE: 284

GMs are letting Bert Meyers slip here, but it seems like they all have their reasons. Here, Moscow picks up Sigurdsson--again, the team has Mark Gebauer at center, and, in fact, will welcome Victor's GM player, Vladimir Pavlov, also a center, next season. So, the Menace will opt for another forward, to complete at least one decent-looking line. 

 

#12: Calgary Wranglers 

Chico Smeb |@xDParK| LW | TPE: 272

Won't someone pick Meyers already? Nope! It just so happens that Calgary is lacking in every position but winger. Oddly enough, this would, for sure, be Meyers (and a steal!) if Meyers hadn't converted to center from left wing late last season. Thus, Smeb goes to Calgary, and Meyers stays on the board. 

 

#13: HC Davos Dynamo (From Vancouver through Riga)

Charlie Paddywagon |@DMaximus| D | TPE: 270

At this point, Meyers not being picked is likely going to make a lot of people think I'm an idiot. In fact, I initially put him down for this pick because I thought we'd gone way too far down the board. But we're talking about Davos, who owns a good top defensive pairing but not a whole ton of depth beyond that--semi-active Cayden Saint is on the team, but Shawn Glade is S62, and who better to serve as an eventual replacement than Paddywagon, whose build (90 defense already, but not a whole lot otherwise) offers a solid foundation and quite a bit of flexibility development-wise? Meyers deserves to be here (and higher!) but Davos won't regret this pick.

 

#14: Vancouver Wolves (From Davos)

Bert Meyers |@RunnerBert11| C | TPE: 286

Honestly? Vancouver doesn't need a center either, at least not at this very moment. But at this point, there's a big drop-off in talent, and it's about time Meyers went off the board (he's got the same TPE as Garcia, who I took the liberty of projecting for #7!). The pick does make a bit of sense for Vancouver--star players Beau Louth and Rauno Palo are S61 and S62, respectively, making Gritty the only center who won't be out of the picture in a few seasons. Though Meyers won't be filling any holes immediately, he'll be an important part of the machine in a while, and the Wolves are more than happy to pick up this steal at #14. 

 

#15: Helsinki Titans (From New York)

Codrick Past |@Kylrad| D | TPE: 258

Helsinki could use a winger here, but there simply aren't any here that wouldn't be a reach. So, they go for a different hole to fill and pick up Codrick Past, a defenseman who will do the job of giving them someone consistently active on defense. Though players like Sidney Crosby and Jesse Wilson are S63 and active within reason, Past gives the team a defender who consistently either caps or almost caps every week, something they don't have at the moment. 

 

#16: Riga Reign

Apollo Hackett |@Renomitsu| D | TPE: 231

Here, the top players in the draft rankings are centers. And, you know what? A center would be nice given Riga's current roster. But this mock satisfies the need for a center in Riga twice over in Round 1. Aside from me scoring another point in my tagging battle with Renomitsu, this pick allows me to talk about how Riga has far less defensive depth now that they've lost Shawn Glade. For Riga, only Ryan Kastelic is a high-TPE active, and in fact, he's the only Riga defenseman active on the level most GMs would like. To be honest, I'd say defense is Riga's #1 priority in the draft, but their placement in the first round is a bit tricky--if Malmo doesn't draft a defenseman, I can see the team picking up both Garcia and Nielsen. But if Malmo does, Paddywagon is a bit of a reach at #9. It's not an emergency, though--Renomitsu has media spot claims banked through God-knows-when and is a solid pickup as a league veteran. 

 

#17: Malmo Nighthawks

Rusty Shackleford |@K1NG LINUS| D | TPE: 199

What? Shackleford this high up? He's staying down in the minors another season; don't you know that? 

Yes, as a matter of fact, I do, and by the way, I also know he's a full 64 TPE behind Maximilian Kirbsson, who hasn't been picked yet. Here's the thing about this pick: Malmo needs defensemen, even after they've drafted Garcia in the first. They'll need at least a third defenseman on their team, and being an expansion team with no new players coming up this season, it's a hole in the depth chart almost more literally than figuratively. So why don't they pick Beau Buefordsson, who's sitting at 208 TPE and represents our last defenseman going up? Well, first, Advantage likely won't be trying to win a cup this season. It simply isn't feasible, so it doesn't really matter that Shackleford is staying down another season. Plus, his TPE earn rate, in the weeks before he was forced to stop to stay down, was a bit higher than Buefordsson's, and for that reason I have him ranked a bit higher for teams that likely aren't playing to win right away. 

 

#18: Vancouver Wolves (From Seattle)

Hans Gruber |@TheFlash| C | TPE: 225

Here's another pick that isn't entirely necessary at the moment. If Gruber's drafted to Vancouver, he'd have no place to play at center, especially with Bert Meyers being picked farther up. The team could use a few defenders, but again, it's a bit of a reach at this point, even after Malmo has just reached up a bit with their last pick. Instead, I say the team picks up Gruber for some nice forward depth, and either makes a move or two or waits for its aging players to move out of the picture while Gruber develops. 

 

#19: HC Davos Dynamo (From Helsinki)

Maximilian Kirbsson |@Kirby| C | TPE: 263

This pick is a bit of a development-type pick for Davos--Rylan Peace and John Madden currently hold down Davos' top spots at center, and figure to do so for most of Kirbsson's career. Though Kirbsson has slipped a bit here, as there are more active players out there, he put up some very good scoring numbers for the Houston Bulls this past season (as I should very well know) and is on every week to claim some TPE, whether he's capping or not. It's also true that he was, at the beginning of the season, quite active, so this pick could very well end up being a steal for Davos if Kirbsson returns to form. And if he doesn't, then it's no big deal--he's a solid choice for depth. 

 

#20: Seattle Bears (From Toronto)

Valeri Morozov |@Dangles13| LW | TPE: 213

Guess what: Seattle only has five players on their roster. Remember what I said earlier about a few teams (Moscow specifically), about how they could use players everywhere? It's even more true for Seattle--they don't have a team full of bad or inactive players, but rather a team with five decent ones and literally nothing else. Here, Seattle will consider Beau Buefordsson, but ultimately go with Morozov--they'll be getting close to filling up two forward lines at this point. 

 

 

ROUND 3

 

 

#21: Moscow Menace

Ludvig Sederstrom |@aleks| C | TPE: 218

Sederstrom just barely manages to fall into the third round here, and I know I'll be hearing all about it on Discord should he see this. While Gebauer is OK, a GM will want someone a bit more active to play center, and Victor grabs that here with Sederstrom, someone who hasn't claimed this week but has definite first-line potential if he's active enough. While I wouldn't say he's done so much that many GMs would be inclined to reach for him, he has definite potential to be a steal. 

 

#22: Helsinki Titans (From Calgary)

Beau Buefordsson |@Radcow| D | TPE: 208

Here's where I get to predict the fate of my AGM, and predicted it is--he's going to Helsinki, and this is likely the most sure I feel about any pick at this point in the draft. Number one: though Helsinki picked up Codrick Past in the last round, they would still appreciate bringing in a new era of defensemen rather than simply just one. And number two, Radcow's GM this past season (and mine as well), Sonnet, is now AGM of Helsinki, and he's likely done quite a bit to help out Quik scouting-wise. He's more aware than anyone else that Radcow is deceptively active, despite a bit of an inactive patch halfway through the season. Buefordsson to Helsinki, and I'd be willing to put money on it.

 

#23: New York Americans (From Vancouver)

Kyle Sabertooth |@uphillmoss| LW | TPE: 199

At the moment, New York's future needs a few brilliant moves to save. They have a bit of an aging roster, and next to no meaningful picks to speak of in this draft. No one draft choice, especially in the 3rd round, will save the team, and that's why I say that the Americans are here willing to pick a player who's planning on staying down in the VHLM this season, especially since he's also a player who's more active than any still on the board above him. The team can always call him up should they want to, and, if they don't, he's definitely a player who will make an impact for the team next season. 

 

#24: Riga Reign (From Davos)

Kolur Bjoernsson |@jblock3| G | TPE: 172

Bjoernsson gets the nod here because goaltender is the only position that Riga hasn't gone for yet. Kriketers is S63 and tearing it up, but the team doesn't have a backup and would appreciate it for the games in which they have to use one. In the future, we may see Bjoernsson going somewhere else as valuable trade material for, say, more picks, something that they're obviously not too opposed to in Riga.

 

#25: Moscow Menace (From New York)

Edgar Tannahill |@gregreg| LW | TPE: 191

I've got a good feeling about this. In the past, gregreg has been very much in favor of being drafted to Moscow. He's also, in recent memory, outwardly expressed a wish to be called up immediately. I can see Moscow reaching for him here--he's the only active, 190-some TPE VHLMer who isn't trying to stay down, and is only down this far because he created a bit late. I wouldn't be surprised to see him go sometime in the second round, but this pick is one of the first I could really see him being chosen at.

 

#26: Riga Reign

Nethila Dissanayake |@nethi99| RW | TPE: 199

Riga doesn't have any pressing needs right now, as they've managed to fill up just about every space they have with new guys. With the incoming depreciation of Edwin Preencarnacion, and the (very) recent trade of Kisshan Shan, Riga will have space for wingers on their roster before long. It's not an immediate need, given that at least one of their many centers will likely be shifted over to wing this season, so I've given them Dissanayake, a player who's staying down in the VHLM and could be waited for if Riga is so inclined.

 

#27: Seattle Bears (From Malmo)

Aleksander Rodriguez |@Jtv123| RW | TPE: 199

Here's our other 199-TPE VHLMer. Looking at Seattle's picks (three first-rounders next season), it's fairly evident that, while they're planning on rebuilding fairly quickly, they don't expect to be out of it with this draft class alone. So, they draft Rodriguez, who plans to stay down. At the moment, Seattle doesn't care about this, and it's likely that they like the idea of being able to plan around Rodriguez's arrival next season come draft time.

 

#28: Vancouver Wolves (From Seattle)

Rhye Tyr |@Plate| D | TPE: 201

Earlier this season, Tyr was battling it out with Aron Nielsen for the title of "S66's Best Defenseman." After hitting 158 TPE and falling inactive for a bit, though, he's been surpassed by a few, and though he gets on every now and then to claim something or other, he hasn't quite stuck with the strong start he had. Vancouver picks him up here for depth, as they only have two defensemen on the roster at the moment. 

 

#29: Helsinki Titans

 

Clayton Park |@leafssteen| G | TPE: 214

Though I'd heard (or at least thought I'd heard) earlier in the season that Park was inactive, upon checking his player page I found quite the opposite. He's a welfare claimer, but takes on various other minor point tasks which distinguish him from other welfare-and-practice-facility-only players. He figures to be a solid backup for Alexander Pepper, one of the league's premier, high-TPE goaltenders.

 

#30: Helsinki Titans (From Toronto)

Jordan Tonn |@MexicanCow123| C | TPE: 200

With Tonn, the Titans add a bit of forward depth to their lineup. Right now, the team has five forwards, and while they're all reasonably solid players in terms of activity, they'll need a bit of depth. Tonn, the last non-inactive eligible player who's going up to the VHL, gives them that here, and this may very well end up being a steal, as MexicanCow's appointment to AGM of the San Diego Marlins is indicative of activity. 

 

 

ROUND 4:

 

 

#31: Moscow Menace

Guillaume Fontenette |@okocha5| D | TPE: 156

Anyone who's been paying attention to the VHLM's latest draft class knows that Fontenette, a pickup of the Mexico City Kings in this past week's VHLM Dispersal Draft, has been steadily climbing the rankings, right after I listed him as semi-active on my own draft board and moved on with my life. As a consequence, I'm forced to put him here--I believe he was below 100 just a few weeks ago, and, assuming VHL GMs do their homework on these things, he wouldn't be out of the question for even the mid-3rd round. This is Moscow's first defensive selection, and, while he won't go up to the VHL, figures to be a valuable addition to the Menace next season. 

 

#32: Calgary Wranglers

John Frostbeard |@FrostBeard| RW | TPE: 184

FrostBeard is very close to Blade. Blade is very close to Bush. Calgary needs a winger, and Frostbeard is available. He'd be a good choice, too, with this pick. Starting off this past season highly active, Frostbeard trailed off a bit midway through, despite maintaining his status as an important member of the community. Recently, too, he was chosen as the new GM of the Houston Bulls (Horns Up!), a bit of a rise in status which may cause him to go off the board a bit earlier than this. If he's available here, though, expect him to be a lock for Calgary.

 

#33: Moscow Menace (From Vancouver)

Edward Vigneault |@Patpou22| D | TPE: 182

I'll be the first to say I had doubts about Vigneault's activity heading into the VHLM draft--he hung at 138 for quite some time, then brought that up to 143 and stayed there for a while too. Though largely a consistent welfare claimer, Vigneault has been known to do a media spot or two (including his first-ever media spot, infamously written in French) and has managed to re-legitimize himself with a burst of recent activity. While it's impossible to say whether he'll turn out highly valuable in the future, most teams here, and perhaps a bit earlier, will be willing to take the chance.

 

#34: HC Davos Dynamo

Juan Jaundice |@Jus| G | TPE: 166

This pick may come as a surprise to some, but Jaundice recently made a bit of a comeback, claiming a media spot and capping last week. Davos needs goalie depth, and, as by this point they will have picked up quite a few valuable skaters, they can use their fourth-rounder on Jaundice, who may, in a couple seasons' time, depending on which way his activity turns, end up as the starter. 

 

#35: Moscow Menace (From New York)

Emil Passarelli |@SparrowLTD| RW | TPE: 189

Passerelli is currently in a tie, TPE-wise, with fellow right winger Mat Tocco, but I'm putting him first as Tocco has somehow gotten by without claiming even so much as welfare in the realm of one-time point tasks. Passarelli, however, is a consistent welfare claimer, giving him the edge should both continue to claim as they have been. Plus, again, Moscow will take anyone they can get.

 

#36: Riga Reign

Mat Tocco |@Matmenzinger| RW | TPE: 189

Here's that guy I was talking about in the previous pick. Like most at this point, Tocco is staying down in the VHLM, and he's simply the best player available for Riga to pick up. The fact that he is, in fact, staying down gives Riga lots of room to work with, as they have a full season to watch his progress and decide whether he's worth making room for on the roster. 

 

#37: Malmo Nighthawks 

Nacho |@Nacci25| C | TPE: 158

Nacho may actually go higher up the board than this, and by quite a bit, in fact, as he should be on a few "hidden gems" lists should anyone write any sometime soon. Unlike most around him, Nacho, while he doesn't tend to cap every week, is a graphics guy rather than a welfare claimer. This should move him up on many scouts' lists, and Malmo at 37 is, in my opinion, a conservative estimate. Look for him to begin to be considered around #30. 

 

#38: Malmo Nighthawks (From Seattle)

AJ Axelsen |@littleboi| RW | TPE: 144

Axelsen is another hidden talent that I'd like to throw into the mix as another forward draftee by Malmo. While he does claim welfare, he's a bit like (hypothetically Moscow's) Vigneault in that he claims all his minor point tasks on top of that to make him not half bad at the end of the day. Axelsen could again be drafted higher than #38, but the pick makes sense for Malmo--they've focused on defense so far in this mock, and Axelsen provides a bit of needed forward depth. 

 

#39: Helsinki Titans

Rhys Chism |@Jables| C | TPE: 156

Helsinki again goes with the forward-depth choice, and picks up a weekly welfare guy in Chism, who's recently been on the site a bit more often since his choice in the VHLM Dispersal Draft by Philadelphia. He's really only been on for welfare and practice facility every week, but he has been on every week, and actually tagged me in Philly's press conference earlier this week. He's in and out of the locker room, and the fact that Sonnet is familiar with him as a player may be convincing enough for Quik to pull the switch and pick him up here.

 

#40: Calgary Wranglers (From Toronto)

Dylan Doyle |@zepheter| LW | TPE: 116

This pick may come off as a surprise--we have Blake Laughton, a 151 TPE winger (and former teammate of mine) on the board. Doyle, however, is our first player since Nacho to not do welfare every week. While he did last week, he's written some media spots, showing definite potential to rise above many ranked above him in the future. Even if Calgary drafts Frostbeard, too, they could use some winger depth, and Doyle will give them this in a season. 

 

 

ROUND 5

 

 

#41: Moscow Menace

Anthony Amberback |@Oost| D | TPE: 164

Amberback at 41 is a steal for the Menace, who pick up a third defenseman in the 5th round. Here, he's easily the best player available, but Moscow is perhaps the first team where this pick makes sense. Amberback claims welfare and practice facility every week, plus extra activities, and goes perhaps much later than he should here.

 

#42: Calgary Wranglers

Hunter Wagner |@Inf1d3l| LW | TPE: 169

The Wranglers here pick up Wagner, another practice-facility-and-welfare-plus-some-extra-stuff guy who will figure to form a decent combination with Frostbeard and Doyle next season. One could argue that Calgary would be overcompensating for its lack of wingers at this point, but since most of their choices aren't going up this season, 

 

#43: HC Davos Dynamo (From Vancouver)

Samuel Sparrow |@Birdman| D | TPE: 154

Sparrow was recently passed by Fontenette in the TPE rankings, which also moves him down a bit in the draft. Here, we see him being picked up by Davos, who we've seen picking up Charlie Paddywagon back in the second. While Sparrow won't be going up this season, he can certainly end up being a steal in the 5th for Davos, who would appreciate a bit of support from an already-developed player once Shawn Glade begins to depreciate. 

 

#44: HC Davos Dynamo

Blake Laughton |@Grape| LW | TPE: 151

Laughton comes off the board with this pick, and some might say it's about time. He's a welfare claimer, but gets on every week to claim it. Personally, I can also attest to his presence in the locker room, when he has the time for it. Look for him to go up to Davos next season for the sake of depth, and depending on his development, look for Davos to unload a forward or two in a trade. 

 

#45: New York Americans

Pascal Batz |@efiug| C | TPE: 139

Though New York needs a winger a bit more than they need a center at this point, Batz gives them room to work with as he's not going up right away. He's the best forward available at the moment, and, if the team doesn't make any moves to make room, he can always be moved to wing for more ice time. 

 

#46: Riga Reign

Cody Smith |@cody73| LW | TPE: 138

I'll never understand how Riga managed to get all these draft picks without giving up most of their own--and without completely selling out, to boot. Smith is a bit of a developmental choice here for Riga--he's a welfare guy, but like the others on my list, is on every week. The team can do whatever they'd like here--keep him, trade him, make room for him on the roster this season--anything. 

As a side note, Smith will end up being the first player ever drafted from my VHLM team, the Mississauga Hounds, and I'll admit that this mention was half of the reason I didn't stop after the fourth round.

 

#47: Malmo Nighthawks

Sunny Burst |@Sunburst| G | TPE: 114

The Nighthawks pick up Burst here, as their current goaltender is a S62 welfare claimer. Burst has been increasingly active lately, putting out what one could call a "burst" of activity prior to the expansion draft that made everyone's choices all the more difficult. Here, I can see Advantage pulling the trigger and going with the goalie, hoping that Burst's TPE will rise to a decent level before Johnny Havenk Carison is out of the league and before an early draft pick or an expensive trade is necessary for the position.

 

#48: Seattle Bears

Devin Gabella |@Gabella19| LW | TPE: 132

The Bears are here caught between Gabella and Halifax's Blake Gaudette (at least in terms of TPE level), but choose Gabella because Halifax is a Satanic cult Gaudette spent about a month as an inactive. While Gaudette seems to be back for good, with solid claims in the past couple weeks, this could hurt his draft stock a bit, and Gabella is chosen over him.

 

#49: Helsinki Titans

Ben Hafkey |@ItsMcLovin| LW | TPE: 112

So I was careful to drop the phrase "in terms of TPE level" in the last pick, and I'd like to explain exactly why here. The next player off the board is not Gaudette, but Ben Hafkey, a player who, if I remember correctly, had only 71 TPE when I first made my dispersal draft board. His activity has increased quite a bit since then, making him not only a steal for Philadelphia in the dispersal draft but a potential steal in the VHL as well, as Helsinki here digs into the TPE ratings to select him.

 

#50: Toronto Legion

Walter Clements |@cpetrella| C | TPE: 134

I actually don't have a tiny little Toronto logo to stick around the name here, as Renomitsu's mock was 4 rounds and we didn't get to this pick yet. Though I'd be very surprised if Devise actually keeps this pick, Clements is a choice that makes sense for Toronto. They need a center, first of all, and Clements is reasonably active--if I could find a more appealing acronym for "Welfare Plus Extra Stuff" than "WPES," I'd have been using it at this point, especially since Clements certainly fits the description. 

 

 

So! That concludes the first-ever "Gustav's Mock Draft" (I'll come up with a better name next season, I promise). Enjoy!

[Beaviss 4,957]

10/10 would read again! It will be exciting to see how close it comes out to be!

[xsjack 132]

This is 5.5k words you obviously put a lot of work in to this longest media spot I have seen have fun claiming this for 11 weeks 

Edited May 4, 2019 by xsjack

[Radcow 63]

Fisted

[Renomitsu 934]

I'm just here to confirm that I was tagged by @GustavMattias, and definitely not just to tag him back.

 

Just kidding - wonderful work. I think your justification for Freeman at #2 is interesting, and very fair. Personal relationships do tend to matter a lot more in sim leagues than a few TPE here and there - and putting that into context makes a shakeup in the top 2-3 more than plausible.

[Beaviss 4,957]

3 minutes ago, Renomitsu said:

I'm just here to confirm that I was tagged by @GustavMattias, and definitely not just to tag him back.

 

Just kidding - wonderful work. I think your justification for Freeman at #2 is interesting, and very fair. Personal relationships do tend to matter a lot more in sim leagues than a few TPE here and there - and putting that into context makes a shakeup in the top 2-3 more than plausible.

 

But me and @Spade18 are homies. Its going to be a tough pick.

[K1NG LINUS 145]

1 minute ago, Beaviss said:

 

But me and @Spade18 are homies. Its going to be a tough pick.

Start accepting bribes

[Spade18 1,305]

36 minutes ago, K1NG LINUS said:

Start accepting bribes

I'm trying to buy him a house.

 

yes its for personal reasons but try topping that as a bribe

[Banackock 8,062]

Interesting.

[TheLastOlympian07 2,388]

loved the read but @Victor would most likely pass on me. While I have been around forever, I haven't been the most reliable but real life stuff happens from time to time. However, I haven't been more excited for a player like this since well ever tbh

[hedgehog337 3,483]

dis some fire

 

I excpect Jaguar to be drafted 5th tbh. And it doesn't even matter if Pavlov's OG position is a center, Vic didn't spend a single TPE on faceoffs yet.

Davos needs more defs than forwards atm. Don't see a forward going 6th imo.

[leafssteen 50]

I’m definitely glad you discovered/mentioned that Clayton Park has never been inactive! Nice article dude!

[Matmenzinger 167]

7 hours ago, GustavMattias said:

Tocco has somehow gotten by without claiming even so much as welfare in the realm of one-time point tasks.

So confused by this. I've capped out almost every week since I've started and have done my rookie profile and bio as well as taken advantage of theme related point tasks. I've purposefully slown down as the new season approaches to stay in the M.

[okochastar 97]

Lot of work put into this. Yeah, I believe I've had 65+ TPE earned in the past weeks. I try to take the most out of the off-season and then surge towards 200 once the regular season gets underway. Hopefully I can land somewhere decent and with a GM that trusts my earnings and spendings.

[BOOM 8,759]

One of the better mocks I've read in my sim life. Congrats on the result and the work done to produce it. 

[bluesfan55 103]

me

-likes position in draft 

-likes article

-thinks mock is very good

also me

-goes narcissistic when not much is mentioned about self

[Gustav 6,431]

4 hours ago, Matmenzinger said:

So confused by this. I've capped out almost every week since I've started and have done my rookie profile and bio as well as taken advantage of theme related point tasks. I've purposefully slown down as the new season approaches to stay in the M.

Now that you mention it, you're right--I admittedly didn't take the time to dig that far back, as, you know, I was trying to write detailed statements about 50 different players. I saw the front of your player page, thought, "oh, that's interesting," and put it down. You'd be higher up if I'd taken a closer look. Sorry!

[Matmenzinger 167]

3 minutes ago, GustavMattias said:

Now that you mention it, you're right--I admittedly didn't take the time to dig that far back, as, you know, I was trying to write detailed statements about 50 different players. I saw the front of your player page, thought, "oh, that's interesting," and put it down. You'd be higher up if I'd taken a closer look. Sorry!

Of course! This was an insane amount of work and that's totally understandable, I was just like "wait, what have I been doing wrong?".

[Gustav 6,431]

12 hours ago, GustavMattias said:

It just so happens that Calgary is lacking in every position but winger.

To whoever reads this and thinks I'm an idiot: I meant the exact opposite here. Calgary is reasonably set at every position but winger. Have a good day.

[oilmandan 688]

12 hours ago, GustavMattias said:

At the moment, New York's future needs a few brilliant moves to save. They have a bit of an aging roster, and next to no meaningful picks to speak of in this draft.

Yikes!

[FrostBeard 2,054]

@GustavMattias, Truly great job on this Mock Draft! Very surprised with all this work you have put into this! I would buy you a drink, but then again, Latvia is too far away  The only thing I can say - I think you are undervaluing John Frostbeard (Did my best to stay down in VHLM), but with the amount of work put into this all I can really say is - Great job!

[Gustav 6,431]

1 minute ago, FrostBeard said:

I think you are undervaluing John Frostbeard

You're absolutely entitled to this opinion! I did say he could go off the board earlier; I just had him falling due to my own personal interpretation of the numbers.

Good luck in the draft!

[FrostBeard 2,054]

Just now, GustavMattias said:

You're absolutely entitled to this opinion! I did say he could go off the board earlier; I just had him falling due to my own personal interpretation of the numbers.

Good luck in the draft!

Well, I am biased as well soooo  

[hedgehog337 3,483]

2 minutes ago, FrostBeard said:

Well, I am biased as well soooo  

 

activity matters as much as TPE so there would be no surprise if you go higher than 32nd.

[Gustav 6,431]

Freeman at 2. 

I knew it @Beaviss