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Draft Experiences - From a first Gen Player


VanCanWin

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As usual, time flies by and before we know it, the present has become the past. This is also true in our VHL lives. The seasons are short and fun-filled. There’s always something happening. There truly isn’t such a thing as the “dog days of summer” in the VHL. So, as this season has come and gone, and with the draft rapidly approaching, I thought I would reflect back on my draft experience in an effort to help those getting ready to be drafted, especially those who are going through this experience for the first time.

 

A few things I want to cover as I dive deep into my experiences. 

1. Leading up to the draft 

2. The Draft itself

3. After the draft is complete

 

Leading up to the draft.

 

My VHLM season was well under way and it was becoming clear who I was as a player and who I was intending to become. I was a big, scoring Center who due to being a first Gen player and having started my career later then the early birds of the draft class, was an underrated prospect — something I don’t fault the GM’s for at all but the truth none-the-less. Regardless, I had maxed out earning the entire season, was constantly contributing on the forums via Media Spots and Articles, all the while my player was putting up point per game numbers in my first season. 

 

Since I wasn’t getting any love on the forums and in draft spot lights, I felt a real possibility I was going to slip in the draft so I began to focus my articles and media spots on me as a person and on my player in an attempt to gain some of the draft spotlight. 

 

In the official Draft rankings I was always just on the outside of the elite of the class due to having a later start than others and not having any carry over TPE to give me a boost.  By the end of the season I ended up top 20 in rankings (higher when you discounted the GM players who couldn’t be drafted) so my thought was I would become a early second round pick. Boy was I wrong.

 

In the two weeks before the draft I had a couple GM’s reach out to me to let me know they were interested and to get to know a little about me. I handled these interviews with honesty and depth explaining who I was, who I wanted to become, and why exactly the should draft me. I even prodded a little about where they were thinking about possibly drafting me and again, was left with the impression I wasn’t making it out of the second round.  This set me up for what was next to come — the Draft itself.

 

The Draft

 

Draft night came quik and I was confidently tuned in expecting to hear my name called relatively early. With my eyes on a couple teams who were very interested in me, I sat and watched the picks roll by.  I actually tuned into the live feed and followed along there.  The first round came and went and I was still not selected. As the second round began, I was on the edge of my seat. My future was about to be determined. Pick by pick went by. Players I know were lesser prospects were being picked. I was beginning to wonder what the heck was going on. Why was no one taking me? I began commenting on the feed and in the forums that “hey I’m still out here guys” and others began to jump on board asking the world why.  The second round finished and the one thing I never would have guessed, happened. I was falling to the third round. 

 

At this point I was quite shocked, and frankly I was disappointed. I worked my butt off to show everyone who I was and yet everyone was passing on me. Then it happened. It started with whispers that there was a team really interested in me. Then a trade was announced. Malmo was moving up one slot and just like that I was the one selected. They didn’t have roster space for me but just couldn’t pass on the opportunity to draft such a high TPE player in the third round! I sighed, the wait was over. My VHL dreams were a reality! I really didn’t know Malmo much but I knew some of the guys on the team who had vouched for me so I was excited to be drafted by them. 

 

After the draft was complete

 

After a little bit of time passed and it began to sink in to me that I had been drafted, I began to look ahead. Malmo’s group excited me. They invited me to the team discord and I felt very welcome by some familiar faces as well as those I did not know yet.  As I evaluated my situation and took stock of how my career was going to start I began to realize that once again I was being under valued as there was only going to be room for me on the third line even though I was a higher earner than others ahead of me in the depth chart.  So I wasn’t going to win (we had a young team that needed to grow) and I wasn’t getting minutes. I would be lying if I told you I wasn’t itching for a move elsewhere. However, a trait I do admire is loyalty and something I try to have myself and so I stayed patient. The group of guys really struck a good chord with me and I began to really appreciate the locker room and this team. This really helps in looking at your future because if it wasn’t for the locker room I would surely have requested a trade. 

 

This exactly was my experience going through the draft as a first Gen player. You get undervalued because of no history, you fall to a deep team who still under values you but stick with it and prove your critics wrong and you will come out on top! 

 

Good luck to the S68 draft class, especially the first Gen players hoping to hear their name called on Draft night. Remember, no matter when your name is called, you will be given the chance to compete in the best sim League there is. It just doesn’t get better than that.

 

1089 words

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Wish I could go back and experience the draft for the first time again. When Glade was getting drafted, I was on vhl for unhealthy amounts of time researching where I would go. Fuck, I couldn't sleep the night before, i was that excited. I cancelled plans with friends to watch the draft live

 

Now it's just like "ah, cool"

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Yeah definitely was a fun experience. I honestly worried a bit after the excitement of the draft that the next step in my career would be more monotonous but fortunately it hasn’t at all as it’s been so great with the group of guys on Malmo.

 

I think I would become just as excited for draft on a recreate though. 

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