Patrik Tallinder's Final S70 Draft Rankings

[Patrik Tallinder 1,087]

Well, here we are. After following the S70 VHL draft this entire season, it feels weird to say it's actually here. Nevertheless, it's time I reveal my final rankings. I'll be showing my top 24 prospects, which would make up the first two rounds. It's important that I clarify that this is not a mock draft, it is who I believe are the best picks at each spot without any connection to the teams making the selection. Hopefully you all enjoy.

 

#1 - Edwin THE Encarnacion - 366 TPE: No trend, Low risk, High potential

Edwin THE Encarnacion has been a player who has spent most of his time at number one in my rankings, and never falling out of the top two. He has consistently earned high amounts of TPE, never really slowing down much. With 75 TPE in his last 3 full weeks, it is clear that he is not taking his foot off the gas at all. It is also notable that he is the only player in this draft to earn every possible capped TPE. Encarnacion is a star player at both ends of the rink, being the two way defenseman that so many teams covet. He put up a mind boggling 122 points in the regular season, and had a +91 rating. I know he was on Saskatoon, but that is incredible. In the playoffs, he led all S70 draftees with 24 points in 14 games, ultimately winning the Founders Cup. I expect Encarnacion to become a star.

 

#2 - Mikko Lahtinen - 342 TPE: No trend, Low risk, High potential

Lahtinen is the other half of the top two that has never once been broken in my rankings, and for good reason. He is a speedy centerman with top tier goal scoring ability, and he showcased that with his 44 goals this season. He, like Encarnacion, has consistently earned high amounts of TPE, never once letting up. The Finn earns a minimum of 10 capped TPE per week for his jobs as a commissioner and simmer, so that further lowers the risk of taking him. Another key piece in the cup winning Wild, he put up 18 points in 14 games to help his team win it all. I could see a team opting to choose Lahtinen first overall because of his potential as a number one centerman, and I think they would be very happy with what they got. There is no right or wrong pick concerning the top two.

 

#3 - Odin Omdahl - 302 TPE:  No trend, Low risk, High potential

Here's a fun fact: Since joining the league, Odin Omdahl has earned the most TPE out of anyone in this draft (excluding this week, as it is incomplete). Not Encarnacion, not Lahtinen. Although I think they have the advantage right now, my bold prediction for this draft is that Omdahl becomes the best player to come out of it. He is the perfect powerplay defenseman, with a cannon of a shot from the point which scored him 48 goals this season. This is not to take away from his defensive game which is by no means lagging behind. The 21 year old blocked 102 shots this season alone, and posted a +48 rating with Mexico City. Omdahl is sure to become a great player for the team that drafts him.

 

#4 - Jacques Lafontaine - 258 TPE: No trend, Low risk, High potential

The top goalie in the draft, Lafontaine led Saskatoon to their dominating Founders Cup victory. He posted a near impossible 68 wins in 72 games on the season, and a .900 save percentage. Characterized by great reaction time and rebound control, the Canadian netminder has a calming presence in the net that instills confidence in his teammates shift after shift. His TPE earning has been steady, and he has earned most of it in the form of capped TPE. This means that he takes care of his weekly tasks extremely well, but doesn't necessarily make the most of TPE opportunities on the forum, like theme week for example. Despite this, Lafontaine is still an elite goalie with a bright future ahead of him.

 

#5 - Chad Magnum - 229 TPE: Trending up, Low risk, High potential

Magnum has been earning TPE at magnificent rates since joining the league, being our first first-gen player on the rankings. This means he started with just 30 TPE in mid November, and is already catching up to the top prospects. He led the draft class in TPE earned in a single week on three separate occasions, and has definitely earned his spot on the list. The big center put up a fair 25 points in 67 games, though preferably those numbers would be higher. He did show his ability to hit like a truck,  with 149 total this season. His build is based on a high energy, hard hitting style of play with some added scoring prowess. He is sure to be one to watch once this draft is all said and done.

 

#6 - Iangenere Risteneen - 212 TPE: No trend, Low risk, High potential

Risteneen has shown a lot of potential over the course of this season, earning TPE steadily, and even getting a job as the VHL News Manager. Averaging 24 TPE in his last 5 full weeks, he has proven his dedication to building a top tier player. He scored 39 goals in the regular season, helping the Lynx to a 7th place finish, and demonstrated his ability in all zones, with a +30 rating on top of his remarkable 91 points. The teenager is the top ranked winger on the list, and deservedly so.

 

#7 - Shawn Glade Jr - 245 TPE: Trending down, Moderate risk, High potential

These last few weeks before the draft have not worked to Glade Jr's advantage, but he is still 5th in TPE and has shown glimpses of immense potential. After earning 120 TPE across the span of 6 weeks, he fell down to a concerning 16 TPE in his last 3 full weeks. His stats in the regular season were the best among S70 draftees, with 129 points as a defenseman in Ottawa. His defensive stats were also dominant, recording a +22 rating, 145 shot blocks and 112 hits. There is a lot of potential here, and I really hope the American defenseman can make the most of it.

 

#8 - Jaxx Hextall - 186 TPE: Trending up, Moderate risk, High potential

Hextall has burst onto the scene lately, earning massive amounts of TPE for the past 3 weeks, 4 if you include this week in which he has already earned 20. He has lightning quick reflexes, and they will only get better with time. He had an .879 save percentage in the playoffs, helping Halifax advance to the second round. The only real concern with Hextall is that hopefully he can keep earning at an elite level, and not fall back into the 8 TPE per week he began with in his career. I believe he will keep up his fantastic work as of late, and become a really good goalie in the VHL in a few seasons. Expect him to be a force next season in the VHLM.

 

#9 - Lewis Dawson - 207 TPE: No trend, Low risk, Moderate potential

Lewis Dawson is a player who I think will break out next season if he stays in the VHLM. His offensive stats were acceptable, but this season his offensive tools are sure to shine, and I expect him to be among the league's best. Although his defensive game could use work, only blocking 2 shots all season, his offensive game is more than enough to make up for it. He is a quick skater with brilliant vision and a sneaky good shot. I put moderate potential for him, but he could very well prove me wrong and become a star in the VHL. 

 

#10 - Jared Spaz - 165 TPE: No trend, Low risk, High potential

Spaz came into the league rather late, and as a first-gen, had a steep hill ahead of him to climb in order to catch up to the top prospects. He has climbed with ease, landing at number ten in my rankings. I think he has a ton of potential, but his TPE suggests that he still needs another season to prepare for the VHL. During this extra season, expect him to showcase his elite scoring talent and improve upon his 24 points in 54 games from this season.

 

#11 - Kyle Andersen - 173 TPE: No trend, Moderate risk, Moderate potential

Andersen is a player which I would have called low risk, but his 5 TPE earned this week raises some concern. He performed well for Philly this season, with 65 points in 72 games. Even more impressive was his 12 points in 6 playoff games. The defender is very well rounded, with his only real weakness being his passing. I could see him becoming a real nice piece for a team that drafts him come draft day.

 

#12 - Justin Graves - 143 TPE: Trending up, Moderate risk, High potential

Graves joined in the last week of S70 draft eligibility, and like Spaz, had a steep hill to climb. He still has a ways to go, but he is catching up extremely quick. Earning over well over 100 TPE in his first 6 weeks, he is on a path to much success. His offensive numbers were not great, but joining that late in the season in a limited role with Mississauga didn't give him much opportunity. Next season he is sure to be great wherever he ends up, where he can use his nearly unmatched vision.

 

#13 - Derek Eriksson - 150 TPE: No trend, Low risk, Moderate potential

Eriksson has shown glimpses of higher potential, but it seems as though his baseline for TPE per week is 8. I think he could end up being better than expected, but as of right now his potential doesn't seem to be as high as those above him. This being said, he has been very consistent in earning TPE, and he posted some really nice numbers in the VHLM last season, with 55 points in 62 games with the Reapers. He is an offensive threat with notable defensive awareness as well.

 

#14 - Gabriel Gutzwiler - 150 TPE: No trend, Low risk, Moderate potential

Along with his brother, Leon, Gabriel Gutzwiler has been a force to be reckoned with in Halifax. With 73 points in 72 games and 35 goals, Gabriel is dangerous in the offensive zone, and uses his elite shot to his advantage. He also had a fantastic +54 rating, so his defensive game is also polished and effective. His TPE earning has been unwavering and steady, although not extremely high. While some players have consistency issues, that is the last of his worries. I see it as a very high possibility that he makes the VHL and is a valuable player, but I don't think at this point that he has shown star potential.

 

#15 - Damien Wolfe - 161 TPE: Trending down, High risk, High potential

Not too long ago Wolfe was a staple in the top 5 for this draft. His TPE production dipped for two weeks before going completely inactive for two more weeks, and he has just come back this week. I still see a lot of potential, but he needs to get back to where he was a month ago before I can consider him a top prospect again. Despite his lack of activity, Wolfe really came alive in the playoffs for Saskatoon, with 8 goals and 9 assists in 14 games. I hope he gets back to being the exciting prospect he was a month ago, because he could be a steal if he falls this far in the actual draft.

 

From here, I'm just going to be listing my picks rather than profiling them. Hope you enjoyed, and good luck to everyone in the draft tonight!

 

#16 - Aleelee Kiak - 125 TPE:  No trend, Moderate risk, Moderate potential

#17 - Leon Gutzwiler - 141 TPE: No trend, Low risk, Low potential

#18 - Dick Cheezy - 128 TPE: No trend, Moderate risk, Low potential

#19 - Ike Bennett - 89 TPE: Trending up, Moderate risk, Moderate potential

#20 - Alex Bridges - 97 TPE: Trending up, Moderate risk, Moderate potential

#21 - Jimothy Frost - 130 TPE: Trending down, High risk, Moderate potential

#22 - Vladimir Shaposhnikov - 77 TPE:  No trend, Low risk, Low potential

#23 - JaredN - 74 TPE:  No trend, High risk, Moderate potential

#24 - Aleksandra Olsen - 96 TPE:  No trend, Moderate risk, Low potential

[Tagger 2,722]

Great article, just wanted to say thanks as well for your work throughout the season covering the draft, it's been a fun series to follow!

[DMaximus 1,046]

Really great stuff on this series of articles. Thank you for producing high quality content!

[DarkSpyro 934]

Good reads all season Talli! Thank you for churning these bad boys out 

[Corco 1,228]

Keep up the good work man, stuff like this is great for newer members

[zepheter 586]

A more than pleasant ending to your first chapter of this series. I, along with most other players you covered are very appreciative of the tremendous amount of work you put into this every week. Thanks for keeping us in the loop. Looking forward to S71

[Beketov 8,994]

Finally got profiled in one of these

[Patrik Tallinder 1,087]

29 minutes ago, Beketov said:

Finally got profiled in one of these

You were actually in part 4 as well! It’s pretty outdated now but here’s the link:

 

[McLovin 466]

Definitely making my job easier with this, thank you very much!

[ROOKIE745 602]

A little late but I also wanna say great work man. I look forward reading this series for S71 draftees and I'll be sad not to see Hextall up here anymore XD