Moscow Menace Offseason "To Do" List

[Matt_O 897]

 

The Menace bounced back from an atrocious inaugural season, and showed great promise in their sophomore season. What else can they do to improve?

 

 

 

The Menace are in an excellent position right now. With the recent trades used to acquire Podrick Cast, Randoms, and Roger Sterling, they have become a potential playoff team and a darkhorse cup contender. They also have many young pieces that they have gotten through the expansion draft and the entry draft. Guys such as Mark Gebaurer, Jet Jaguar, Evgeni Komarov, and Mat Tocco are a few examples of young players that round out this Moscow team. What needs to improve for this team to be a true contender?

 

Draft

 

After a wild sequence of trades, Moscow finds themselves with the 11th overall pick as well as the 23rd pick. After a season that had the Menace finish second in Goals For but dead last in Goals Against, it's obvious that they need better defense. In the second round, guys like Lincoln Tate and Derek England could be available, but Tate has potential to be taken in the first round. I would anticipate Moscow selects Derek England with the twelfth pick. If Tate is available, then Tate will likely be heading to Moscow.

 

In the third round, I think the choice is quite obvious. While he isn't a defenseman, Berocka Sundqvist has been considered by many to be the most underrated player in the VHLM the past season. He won the Best Australian Award, which is quite the honor. Sundqvist would be another strong piece for Moscow to build a core with.

 

Trimming the Roster

 

The Menace have too many players. Guys such as Karl Von Moltke and Mitch Matthews are without a doubt inactive, and they should be released from the roster to make more room for active guys. Other players such as Conner McDavid, Devin Gabelle, and Edward Vigneault should be on thin ice, and haven't updated in at least two weeks. Beau Buefordsson also hasn't updated in a month, but @Radcow seems to be around. They need to get rid of some guys to make room for the active players.

 

Moscow actually doesn't have a tough job this offseason. In Malmo, the retirement of their starting goaltender, Johnny Havenk Carison, leaves a big hole for them to fill. Moscow has added to their team very nicely, and I could see them making the playoffs next season. Here is a potential lineup for Moscow next year:

 

Gebauer-Cast-Randoms

Baillie-Jaguar-Weyed

Voloshenkov-Pavlov-Tocco

 

Nano-Komarov

England-Bueffordsson

 

Sterling in net

 

The defense is certainly lacking, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Moscow deal away some of their picks for a top tier defenseman. I could see Moscow finishing fourth in the EU, but getting in the playoffs due to crossover with the NA conference.