A Look Back at the S68 Defensive Class – One Season In

[JeffD 648]

A Look Back at the S68 Defensive Class – One Season In

 

There is no secret what the strength of the S68 VHL entry draft class was. Defenseman dominated the top of the rankings and it was viewed as a great thing since there were so many teams in need of defense coming into the draft. So what exactly has happened with these defensive prospects through their rookie seasons? Let’s take a look at the first round defensive prospects and how they did this year.

 

Name: Condor Adrienne @OrbitingDeath

Draft Position: Round 1 – Pick 1

TPE at Draft: 433

TPE at End of Season: 581

TPE Gain: 148

 

Condor Adrienne was far and away the top prospect going into the S68 entry draft and he was all but a lock to be taken first overall. The only wrinkle in that plan was that he had stated that if a team he did not like were to take him he would enter a holdout to get somewhere he wanted to be. Lucky for him the Malmo Nighthawks secured the first overall selection and they were on his list.

 

As for his rookie season? It was very good. He was drafted to what ended up being a very strong Nighthawks squad and after a slow offensive start to his season he managed to end up on a hot streak. His season totals ended up being 72 games played with 11 goals, 45 assists, 56 points, 184 penalty minutes and he was a +17. On the defensive side he had 228 hits and 98 shots blocked. This stat line will definitely have him in the conversation for rookie of the year and the fact that he was an important piece on the powerhouse Nighthawks should only help his case.

 

Name: Lance Flowers @CowboyinAmerica

Draft Position: Round 1 – Pick 2

TPE at Draft: 365

TPE at End of Season: 468

TPE Gain: 103

 

In any other draft class Lance Flowers could have possibly, or even likely, been the top pick overall. Unfortunately for him he got saddled with being ranked behind the above discussed Condor Adrienne. He ended up being selected second overall by the New York Americans where he had the potential to be immediately thrust into an important role for a team that had struggled the year before.

 

With ample opportunity to take a big role for the Americans, Flowers wasted no time at all putting up the statistics that easily justified his ranking at the top of the class. He managed to tally 72 games played, 7 goals, 52 assists, 59 points, 182 penalty minutes and was a +3 on an Americans team that sported a -15 goal differential. In the defensive end he picked up 294 hits and 159 shots blocked. While offensively his numbers were nearly matched by Condor Adrienne it was Flowers defensive game that really separated him and could see him as the front runner for rookie of the year.

 

Name: Jeff Downey

Draft Position: Round 1 – Pick 4

TPE at Draft: 305

TPE at End of Season: 428

TPE Gain: 123

 

Downey declared a bit later that both Flowers and Adrienne and for that reason was a bit behind in his development compared to those two. However he was still one of the hardest workers in the practice room when it came to the entire class and this fact was not missed by the general managers potentially looking at drafting him.

 

The 6’4 220 lbs. Downey was taken fourth overall by the defending champion Vancouver Wolves after they traded up to the pick to take him. The Wolves, having just come off of a championship, would not have a top end position available for Downey and he was to be slotted onto the second pairing at well as being named the quarterback for the second power play unit. He managed to put up some solid statistics in his rookie season with 72 games played, 9 goals, 15 assists, 24 points, 66 penalty minutes and he was a disappointing -11. Defensively he put up 99 hits and 86 shots blocked. While his statistics are far from the most impressive in the class he will be looking at increased usage in the next couple of years and could be a catalyst in returning the Wolves to the glory they found in S67.

 

Name: Luciano Valentino @Kekzkrieg

Draft Position: Round 1 – Pick 5

TPE at Draft: 297

TPE at End of Season: 426

TPE Gain: 129

 

Luciano Valentino battled throughout the season with Jeff Downey for who would end up ranked third among defensemen in the draft rankings. While in the end Downey ended up being taken above the Italian that is no slight on Valentino.

 

Valentino ended up being drafted fifth overall by the expansion DC Dragons and it would prove to be a great fit for him. In 72 games played he managed to score 12 goals, 36 assists, 48 points, 103 penalty minutes and would have a deceiving -56 plus/minus. Defensively he had 100 hits and 190 shots blocked. While he played for one of the worst teams in the league, as expected in their expansion season, Valentino proved that he was willing to lay his body on the line for the team as he came second in the league in blocked shots. Valentino should be a great piece going forward and should be a defensive cornerstone for the Dragons for many years.

 

Name: Wolf Stansson Jr. @Cornholio

Draft Position: Round 1 – Pick 12

TPE at Draft: 287

TPE at End of Season: 382

TPE Gain: 95

 

Much like Valentino above, Stansson Jr. was selected by an expansion team and certain statistics may have suffered because of it. After an unexpected fall in the draft all the way to 12^th overall the Prague Phantoms were ecstatic to land what could be a cornerstone defenseman for an expansion franchise.

 

Stansson Jr. had a very strong rookie year for the Phantoms. In 72 games played he had 13 goals, 45 assists, 58 points, 52 penalty minutes and was a -35. Defensively he put up 57 hits and a third best in the league 175 shots blocked. If he continues to develop as he has thus far he should be a great piece for the Phantoms for many years.

 

[STZ 5,280]

Green is a freak

[NotAVHLM-GM 1,858]

2 hours ago, STZ said:

Green is a freak

♡

[ThePerfectNut 563]

What about Dalton Wilcox for ROTY? He is eligible and was second in pts among rookies and there was another really good forward prospect who played with one of the expansion teams with better stats out of y'all. So putting Lance Flowers as the **front** runner and then Connor in the conversation (He is 100% top 5 though). That's debatable to be honest. 

 

Aka I hope Lance Flowers would win it 'cuz he had the potential to do even better, but he went down the second line. OR I would love that Dalton Wilcox because all of his stats were off the charts (Beside one dude)

[ThePerfectNut 563]

But I won't be surprised if Connor is a runner up despite all of these dudes. He is a #1 overall pick and that M.Thompson team is destined to win the cup 

Edited October 28, 2019 by Jtv123