Rookie Draft Strategy for Expansion Teams

[CowboyinAmerica 2,889]

 

There’s a lot of speculation about what expansion means for an inevitable expansion draft, but so far there are few details about what that draft would entail. For me, though, the non-at-all-biased more interesting aspect is the rookie draft – especially since whatever rookies the expansion teams take would be more the team’s core moving forward.

 

Of course, there is no info yet about where the teams would draft either, be it at the top of the lottery, the middle of the lottery, after the lottery, or some other mechanism. Because of that, a mock is kind of pointless. Still, I think it’s worth taking a look at what positional strategies would make sense for the new expansion teams in the draft, from least worthwhile to most worthwhile.

 

3. Goalie – A good goalie is the centerpiece of a title squad, and by the time they are contending, the expansion teams would certainly want one. However, there are currently more good goalies in the league than there are starting spots. If the expansion teams are looking for value, the best way to go would be to pick one up in the expansion draft, or simply wait and trade for/sign one when it’s time to contend.

 

2. Defense – There’s something to be said for having a top-flight defenseman as the first pick, and the best argument is probably scarcity: There simply aren’t as many “great” defensemen as there are the other two positions, and you’re definitely going to want one when it’s time to contend. But on the flip side, the reason there aren’t as many is because it’s the least important position from a team-building standpoint, and some GMs may not see a high defenseman pick as a good value.

 

1. Forward – There’s a reason that a top-flight forward, and particularly a center, is often seen as the centerpiece of a rebuilding team. For an all-VHL scorer, you’re not going to regret paying them the big bucks when it’s time to contend, and they can help attract other talent to your team is well. It’s no surprise to me that both expansion GMs have created centers as GM players, and adding another forward would mean a dangerous power duo for years into the future.  

[McWolf 3,115]

9 minutes ago, CowboyinAmerica said:

2. Defense – it’s the least important position from a team-building standpoint

 

[CowboyinAmerica 2,889]

3 minutes ago, McWolf said:

 

 

I mean. If I'm a top team and I'm capped out, defense is probably the first thing to go. I like playing the position personally, but STHS has shown me too many defense-heavy teams that can't do much else.

[McWolf 3,115]

32 minutes ago, CowboyinAmerica said:

 

I mean. If I'm a top team and I'm capped out, defense is probably the first thing to go. I like playing the position personally, but STHS has shown me too many defense-heavy teams that can't do much else.

we got a perfect example right here right now.

Riga was barely into the playoffs at midseason. We had probably the best D pair in the league with Kastelic and I (edit: in TPA that is, he has 1000+, I have 800). We were both right around top 10 in D points. Kastelic moved to C, he's now well into the top 10 in points overall, I'm now first D in points and goals, also moved into the top 10 in hits overall, and Riga just took the lead in the European Conference.

 

So I understand what you say, it just makes me sad that we can't run defense heavy teams. That's the way I'd love to build a team but I know STHS isn't too good for them.

Edited August 13, 2019 by McWolf