The Ace's Season Could Hinge on a Single Decision

[Erik Summers 451]

The Ace's Season Could Hinge on a Single Decision

 

One of the most interesting moments in last night's VHLM Dispersal Draft was when the the Las Vegas Aces chose Bruce Grimaldi with their first pick of the third round. How does a goalie as talented as Bruce fall to the third round, especially when this draft class was so short on goalies? Well, just hours before the draft, it was rumored that the twenty year old American may be getting called up to play for the newly created Prague Phantoms. This would be a big move for the young player, but he may end up riding the bench if he does go to Prague.

 

This is a big decision for a young player, and we all wish the best for him as he continues to develop. However, there may be bigger things in play than just Grimaldi's growth as an up and coming goaltender. The Aces' passed on the two other goalies in this season's draft and will be left without a keeper if Grimaldi makes the move to the Phantoms. This will leave the Aces in a tight spot and just when things were really starting to look promising for them. Perhaps a trade could save them, but that begs the question of how much they would have to give up in order to stabilize.

 

All of this is a lot to put on the shoulders of just one young player. However, Bruce may be saved from having to make this choice. The rules of what happens to a play when they are drafted in two leagues at the same time are not perfectly clear, and Vegas and Prague may be able to come to an agreement that benefits both teams. Giving Grimaldi another year to develop in the minors might put him in the perfect position to take over the starting job in Prague next year.

 

Only time will tell how these three parties will settle this conundrum, but we will all be looking on eagerly due to the significant consequences this could have on the playoff picture of the VHLM in the coming season.