A S65 VHLM Redraft: Is This Relevant? Do People Care? Whatever, I'll Do It Anyway

[Gustav 6,407]

I'm going through wall of text withdrawal! Good thing I've got the media spot subforum to get me out of the degenerate world of graphics for the first time in a bit...

 

Today, I'll be doing something a tiny bit different--I've written a S66 redraft in the past as sort of a long-winded excuse to talk about myself for 50 words or so, and now I'm here to hit the general VHL public with a S65 redraft...but in the VHLM, of course, because, again, I do love my long-winded excuses to talk about myself for 50 seasons or so. Now, the VHLM is a bit different--this isn't just about who's active now, it's about who would have been a good fit for the teams then, in the VHLM, when sticking around for three seasons as a slow earner is a possibility and those who were active enough to get to the then-200-TPE cap were as good as any other whore out on the market.

 

So, let's get into it! Prepare for some weird picks and weird explanations.

 

 

ROUND 1

 

 #1: Yukon Rush 

Hunter Hearst Helmsley

@Beaviss | C | S66 | TPE: 181

Actual Pick: Hunter Hearst Helmsley

 

Little-known fact: before HHH was a bust in the VHL, he was quite good in the minors. Coming into the draft 19 TPE under the cap, this whore to end all whores was the league's best player and undoubtedly the #1 choice in the draft. With a good amount of distance between himself and the next Yukon player on the points leaderboard (Anthony Matthews at #8), it's safe to say that Helmsley carried the Rush to their status as a decent team with the hope of competing in S65, putting up 125 points along with a nearly assist-per-game pace.

 

#2: Minnesota Storm (from Saskatoon) 

Orion Slade

@BluObieZ | C | S65 | TPE: 167

Actual Pick: Denver Wolfe

 

Now, one might argue that Robbie being Robbie is the reason why Slade wasn't picked at #2 (though he did end up going to Minnesota two picks later). HHH's VHLM career, while fantastic, did quite a bit to eclipse that of Slade, and is likely the reason why Slade's time with Minnesota in S65 wasn't more well-remembered. Get this: Orion Slade finished the season with 121 points, only four fewer than HHH, had a significantly higher shooting percentage than HHH (15.68% vs. 11.73%--imagine having a choice between a goalie at .883 and a goalie at .843), and did all that while being on the ice significantly less than HHH, putting up 1.49 points per 20 minutes versus HHH's 1.21. The argument could even be made that Robbie should have been the #1 overall choice, but I am not blind to the fact that Slade put up the numbers he did with the VHLM's best team (the effects of which we'll see more later on), while HHH did not, and that Beav's member status and whore earning still make him a safe #1 in this article.

 

#3: Minnesota Storm 

Denver Wolfe

@InstantRockstar | D | S65 | TPE: 163

Actual Pick: Shane Mars

 

Wolfe is a forward today, but in the minors he was a defenseman, and a pretty good one at that. Back in S65, his identity as Rockstar wasn't even public knowledge--then, he went by "Goonie" and was AGM of the Yukon Rush. Minnesota had originally picked him up at second overall in this draft, and I guess it doesn't really matter whether he's second or third as both were Storm picks. Anyway, I digress--Wolfe was a monster of an offensive defenseman in the VHLM. Third on the points list for the entire league, with 116, he was the only defenseman to break 100 points, proving himself worthy of his draft position and only relegated to third on this list because of the sheer greatness of Robbie Zimmers.

 

#4: Yukon Rush (from Ottawa) 

Shane Mars

@Spade18 | LW | S66 | TPE: 144

Actual Pick: Justin Cole

 

We're at pick #4 here, and this name should look familiar to anyone who's had a good look at recent VHL history. One of the biggest draft busts ever, the highly-touted Mars was right near the top of the S66 draft pool, and great things were expected of him--Moscow GM @Victor traded out of the #1 overall spot but would have selected Mars there had he kept the pick, and his agent, @Spade18, famously said this a few days before the VHL dispersal draft:

Quote

 

Anyone who wouldn't take Mars at 2 is an absolute imbecile. I mean the epitome of a boot licker.  I would question that person's judgement from that day forward and never trust a single decision they would ever make again.  I would go as far as to say that if you pass on Mars at 2, you should straight lose your job as a GM.  

 

But you know.

 

That's just my opinion.

 

Before Mars disappeared into obscurity, though, he found quite a bit of VHLM success with Minnesota, finishing fourth on the points list with 110 and coming just one short of HHH's lead in goals. Though Yukon went for the draft's top goalie with this pick, it would have perhaps made more sense to go for more firepower up front, and they do just that here by going for Mars.

 

 #5: Minnesota Storm (from Halifax) 

Maximilian Kirbsson

@Kirby | C | S66 | TPE: 107

Actual Pick: Orion Slade

 

One of the top first-gen players of S66, Kirbsson got off to a great start and was looking like a lock for a top-5 VHL draft position, but shortly after hitting the VHLM cap, disappeared and hasn't been heard from since. In the minors, though, he was the first draft selection made by Houston, and proved himself worth a reach up the TPE list by racking up 108 points, shooting above 15% even as a playmaker. A perfect choice for an already-loaded Storm team, Kirbsson would have provided valuable build diversity and yet another capped-out player in time for the playoffs to hit.

 

 #6: Houston Bulls (from Las Vegas) 

Kari Jurri

@hockeyis66 | LW | S66 | TPE: 120

Actual Pick: Maximilian Kirbsson

 

Here we are, at the first pick of the draft not made by Minnesota or Yukon. Houston came out of the first round very well-prepared for their first season, with Jurri being picked at eighth overall after Kirbsson at 6. Jurri and Kirbsson were very much alike--both were hot prospects who played for Houston and ended up disappearing after hitting the VHLM cap. Jurri put up great VHLM numbers with the Bulls, with 102 points, and at one point early on held onto a league lead in goals for a while. Here, he finds himself with the same team, albeit a couple spots higher.

 

 #7: Philadelphia Reapers 

Anthony Matthews

@Anthony Matthews | C | S65 | TPE: 163

Actual Pick: Elasmobranch Fish

 

The S65 Dispersal Draft was a source of controversy for the Reapers, as their selection at #7, Elasmobranch Fish, proceeded to move up to Calgary and leave Philadelphia effectively with no selection in the first round. Any selection here would have been a better one than Fish, and improvement is certainly reached with the selection of Matthews, a S65 waiver signing and S64 cup winner in Vegas. Matthews, with Yukon, ended up with 101 points, and his playmaker build guided him to a pace of over an assist per game, fourth in the league and second among forwards in assists. Had the Reapers gone Matthews (or Jurri!) here, would their historic tanking season have happened? One can only guess.

 

 #8: Houston Bulls 

Shawnomir Jagr

@TheLastOlympian07 | RW | S66 | TPE: 92

Actual Pick: Kari Jurri

 

Though Jagr started with a significant amount of TPE less than Matthews, he ended up finishing the season with one more point, a surprisingly good 102 in Saskatoon. TLO, as a little-known fact, was actually the first AGM of Houston, being hired and very soon after leaving prior to the start of the season. A selection at 8, then, is perfectly natural in terms of both team devotion and on-ice production--it also represents our first major discrepancy between mock selections and actual selections, as Jagr fell to the beginning of the third round.

 

 

ROUND 2

 

 

 #9: Yukon Rush 

Rhye Tyr

@Plate | D | S66 | TPE: 85

Actual Pick: Anthony Matthews

 

Tyr was a player shrouded in mystery during his time in the VHLM. Initially drafted 16th overall by Halifax, he got out to a great start earning-wise and quickly dropped off after reaching 150 TPE or so. He then returned to activity for a short amount of time later on in the season, working his way up to an AGM position in Saskatoon for a brief period before disappearing once again--but not after going over the cap, so as to prevent VHLM teams from using him as a high-TPE inactive. It will forever be puzzling why he didn't just retire (or, should I say, "Rhye Tyr"), but none of that takes away from his spectacular statline in S65: 75 points and, at 111, not too far off of the lead in shot blocks.

 

 #10: Minnesota Storm (from Saskatoon) 

Mikko Aaltonen

@GRZ | RW | S66 | TPE: 94

Actual Pick: Aron Nielsen

 

Aaltonen managed to work his way up to the fourth overall selection in the S66 VHL Entry Draft, and though he didn't live up to expectations in Riga, has risen to the occasion in DC, returning to a healthy level of activity and putting up the points. In the minors, he was picked up in the late second round by Philadelphia, putting up 90 points on his way to becoming one of the top first-gens of the season. Minnesota is happy to pick him up at 10th overall--after all, who would turn down a player who's quickly on his way to the cap?

 

 #11: Yukon Rush (from Minnesota)

Valeri Morozov

@Dangles13 | LW | S66 | TPE: 111

Actual Pick: Valeri Morozov

 

We've finally reached the second pick of this mock that actually matched up with the real draft, and what do you know, it's another Yukon one! Morozov went inactive after a while, and he's a relatively unknown name in the league these days, even though his agent has been active around the VHL in times of the past. S65, with Yukon, was a great experience for Morozov, though--putting up 85 points and breaking the 200-hit mark, along with an already-decent TPE level at the time of the draft, was more than enough reason to bring him in here.

 

 #12: Houston Bulls (from Ottawa) 

Aron Nielsen

@solas | D | S66 | TPE: 97

Actual Pick: Fylo Gibbles

 

Though the recently-returned Nielsen didn't live up to VHL expectations, he managed to put together a decent VHLM statline. With 66 points and decent numbers in the defensive categories (118 hits/87 SB), he was generally regarded as the top defenseman of the S66 draft class prior to his sim league hiatus. Enough reflecting on what could have been, though--in the end, Nielsen put up a good season that was overshadowed by Wolfe's great one. Had he been on a different team, like Houston, it's possible that he'd have done better, and even if that isn't the case, the Bulls would be happy to have him here at 12--especially since Fylo Gibbles, the selection which was actually made here, went inactive at 136 TPE.

 

 #13: Yukon Rush (from Halifax) 

Dmitri Volosenkov

@SirRupertBarnes | LW | S66 | TPE: 97

Actual Pick: Richard Hejtsel

 

Volosenkov belongs in the same boat as Kirbsson and Jurri, though he did come along a bit later. Originally drafted at #17 overall by Halifax, he rose up the scouting leaderboards and found himself above 300 TPE at the time of the VHL draft, going 5th overall to Moscow (I think, anyway. Too lazy to check). He put up 77 points for the 21st back in S65, and flashed his two-way ability with over 200 hits. A solid all-around player, Yukon would have done well to select him 13th, as his solid play would have factored well into their cup chances and competition with the Storm.

 

 #14: Yukon Rush (from Las Vegas) 

Arnor Sigurdsson

@bluesfan55 | RW | S66 | TPE: 91

Actual Pick: Titus Stone

 

Sigurdsson was one of the most promising prospects of the S66 class, but dropped off and eventually fell victim to bluesfan deciding upon a fresh start. For the millionth time, though, I have to remind myself that we're talking about the VHLM and not the VHL, and Sigurdsson, originally a third-round, 19th overall selection by (guess who!) Yukon, certainly rose to the occasion in S65. With 77 points, and over 150 hits, he was able to prove his worthiness to a deep Rush roster, and with that information at hand, he's put here at 14 to add to an already scary group.

 

 #15: Philadelphia Reapers 

Milan Griffin

@Sogarn | LW | S66 | TPE: 82

Actual Pick: Mikko Aaltonen

 

Let's face it: Philly didn't stand much of a chance at success in S65. Though their tanking that season was historic and yielded great results (including a cup in S66), drafting and playing to win wasn't at the top of the priority list for the Reapers. So, here, they opt for Griffin, who only put up 48 points with Houston in S65, but stayed down the next two seasons, putting up 75 points in S66 and 77 in S67 while piling up the hits--he ran away with the two-way forward title in S66 after recording a whopping 352. Making this pick gives Philly a player who will be solid and productive for two seasons to come, perfectly aligning with their run of success.

 

#16: Halifax 21st (from Houston) 

Hunter Wagner

@Inf1d3l | LW | S66 | TPE: 53

Actual Pick: Rhye Tyr

 

If there's one thing Halifax took pride in before the Dil era, it was making the playoffs every season without fail. You're in the second round, you can go for a player who will stay down, so why not do that? Wagner was good in S65 and S66, putting up 75 and 91 points, respectively. In S67, he proceeded to put up 66 points as well, staying down for all three seasons of his VHLM career. He's a perfect match here for a team looking to succeed in the moment and in the future.

 

 

ROUND 3

 

 

 #17: Halifax 21st (from Yukon) 

Brian Strong

@Wheaties | RW | S65 | TPE: 81

Actual Pick: Dmitri Volosenkov

 

This pick goes along the same lines as the last one--Halifax wants to achieve present and future success, they go with Strong. This mainly-EFL agent has recently started making a difference in Helsinki when it comes to earning, under the newly-implemented auto-12 affiliation bonus, but before that he was a bit of a slower earner in the minors. Nonetheless, S65 and S66 were both very effective VHLM seasons for him, as he put up 64 and 74 points, respectively.

 

 #18: Saskatoon Wild 

Nethila Dissanayake

@nethi99 | RW | S66 | TPE: 72

Actual Pick: Shawnomir Jagr

 

Oh, look, it's another team finally making an appearance! We haven't seen Vegas or Ottawa yet, but that's fine. Fun fact about this pick: I've written enough about the S66 draft class that I've gotten to the point where I can correctly spell "Nethila Dissanayake" without looking. Maybe that's sad, but whatever--we're here to talk about a noted Saskatoon loyalist and a smart pick for the Wild, both here and in the draft itself. Dissanayake fell to the end of the fourth round, actually, but the same slower earn rate that resulted in a fairly low draft position turned out to be advantageous for Saskatoon here--he played two seasons in the minors, running up 74 points in S65 and following it up with a total of 51 in S66.

 

 #19: Yukon Rush (from Minnesota) 

Owen May

@FacebookFighter | G | S66 | TPE: 58

Actual Pick: Arnor Sigurdsson

 

Let the goalie picking begin! Yukon went through a slip-up in the actual S65 draft, when at 4th overall they picked top goalie Justin Cole, who proceeded to be called up by Moscow to lead the Menace through their abysmal first season. Drafted by Moscow in S66, oddly enough, was May, former goalie-of-the-future for the S70 champs and, since disappearing, "that 400-TPE goalie who's been passed around as everyone's backup." This is a VHLM draft both strong and weak on goaltending, depending on how you look at it--many have solid earning records in the VHLM, but none entered the draft with high TPE. May was the best of the bunch in S65, reaching the cap before anyone else. Here he goes to Yukon, setting him up for what would likely be a better season than he had, in reality, with Houston.

 

 #20: Saskatoon Wild (from Ottawa) 

Callum MacElroy

@GlowyGoat | RW | S65 | TPE: 32

Actual Pick: Raphael Nazarians

 

Coming all the way in from a selection at #56 overall, MacElroy may deserve an even higher spot on this list. Everyone's favorite drunk Scotsman wasn't expected to amount to much in S65, but ended up going active, putting up 56 points in S65 and going on to be the VHLM's MVP with Mississauga in S66 with 107. A selection here is perfect for Saskatoon, who weren't in much of a position to win the cup in S65 but would have appreciated MacElroy's presence in both seasons.

 

 #21: Houston Bulls (from Halifax) 

Jerry Garcia

@Ya Boi | D | S66 | TPE: 38

Actual Pick: Milan Griffin

 

Yes, I do believe that this is the right move. There are other players on the board who would have stayed down an extra season and been more valuable then, but Houston wants to win NOW. With the selection of Victor Kozlov in the expansion draft, the Bulls end up one defenseman short of a complete line of skaters, and that is fulfilled here by the selection of Jerry at 21. While my point output wasn't too hot, with 33, I ended up with 238 hits and 110 shots blocked--only Halifax's Basaraba Moose did better in both categories--and was capped out by the time playoffs rolled around. While @Sonnet may be stupid enough to say no to that, I've taken the liberty of assuming he isn't.

 

 #22: Las Vegas Aces

Blake Gaudette

@Gaudette | LW | S66 | TPE: 55

Actual Pick: David Harrison

 

Here's another pick for the future. The Aces were fairly out of it in S65, so why not go for a future piece, someone who would be around and producing in S66? Gaudette only put up 31 points with Halifax in S65, but saw a drastic increase in points in S66, hitting 105 and finishing second in MVP voting to Callum MacElroy. In the later 3rd round here, Vegas picks up someone who's worth at least a 1st-rounder in the following season.

 

 #23: Philadelphia Reapers 

Wendy Kandee Cain

@SlashACM | G | S66 | TPE: 58

Actual Pick: Brian Strong

 

Cain would eventually be selected by the Reapers later on in the draft, but her pick at 23 works here, and just as well. One of the league's top goaltenders, she got off to a hot start and was soon traded off to Minnesota, where she finished off the season with a cup win. After that point, she stayed down in the minors for another season in Minnesota, playing 60 games in S66 with decent results before retiring. Whether this pick here is made with the goal of moving Cain out for future picks or of keeping her around for the S67 cup run, it's a good one.

 

 #24: Houston Bulls 

Clayton Park

@leafssteen | G | S66 | TPE: 30

Actual Pick: Owen May

 

We've gotten to the point in the draft where Houston ended up picking a goalie, and it's no different in this mock. Park, now just under 300 TPE and an inactive VHL backup, entered the S65 draft as an unproven rookie with nothing yet earned, but soon proved to be one of the better earners in the VHLM for a while, and a star in the crease for Yukon. The only position that the Bulls don't have at this point in the draft is goaltender, and that's a need that we see fulfilled here.

 

 

ROUND 4

 

 

 #25: Las Vegas Aces (from Yukon) 

Charlie Paddywagon

@DMaximus | D | S66 | TPE: 30

Actual Pick: Luke Derion

 

A selection of Paddywagon at this point doesn't really fit the "pick players for the future" narrative of this article, but letting him fall much farther than this would be a crime. For about half the season, Paddywagon, a S66 player who started right before the draft (created the same day as Garcia, in fact), was the top first-gen defenseman in terms of TPE. His VHLM build was hyper-defensive, with defense up to 90, and that was reflected with his second-in-the-league mark of 119 shots blocked. Putting up 39 points, he beat Jerry in that regard as well, but was rated lower due to a significant disadvantage in hits. Here, the Aces don't get someone who they can use in the future, but they do get someone who they're able to move out for picks--and Paddywagon's earning would certainly lead to him being worth a good pick or two later on.

 

 #26: Houston Bulls (from Saskatoon) 

Walter Clements

@cpetrella | C | S66 | TPE: 45

Actual Pick: Blake Laughton

 

Clements spent the whole of S65 with Philadelphia, and though he managed only 43 points, it's very possible that he would be able to be used to greater effect on a team with a better support system. That brings us over to Houston, where three solid forwards already form the backbone of a solid team. Though this isn't taken to be a large consideration for Houston in this mock, it also doesn't hurt that he stayed down an extra season, putting up 80 points in S66.

 

 #27: Ottawa Lynx (from Minnesota) 

Pekka Pouta

@Snussu | G | S65 | TPE: 53

Actual Pick: Hunter Wagner

 

Pouta, in the actual draft, fell down to the 51st overall selection, but did, in fact, go to Ottawa. Here, the Lynx pick up a goalie and active locker room guy who will be a solid anchor in net in S65 and down an extra season to lead the team's deep playoff run in S66. Ottawa didn't stand much of a chance in S65 (though Jack Lynch carried them to having one for a while), and this pick nets them a goalie for the future.

 

 #28: Minnesota Storm (from Ottawa) 

Matteo

@tunedtorock | LW | S65 | TPE: 130

Actual Pick: Matteo

 

This first-name-only forward fell to the fourth round due to a bit of a drop-off in activity prior to the draft, but managed to pick it up somewhat during the season, hitting the cap and working his way up to 281 TPE before ultimately disappearing for good. We've got picks at this point that could be made with the goal of future success in mind, but Matteo's 51 points in S65 are simply the best out of everyone at this point, and that is why he's put on the Storm roster here as well as in the actual draft.

 

 #29: Halifax 21st 

Nacho

@Nacci25 | C | S66 | TPE: 30

Actual Pick: Blake Gaudette

 

Coincidentally, this mock sees two one-name players going back-to-back. Nacho was also picked by Halifax, though he fell to 45th overall. One of the steals of the draft, he also looked for a short time to be one of the steals of the VHL draft in S66, though he went inactive shortly after. As far as current and future success goes, he could provide, putting up 45 points in S65 and 75 points in S66 and representing a strong core piece for Halifax's future.

 

 #30: Minnesota Storm (from Las Vegas) 

Jordan Tonn

@MexicanCow123 | LW | S66 | TPE: 44

Actual Pick: Andreas Sundell

 

One might be surprised to find Yukon's current GM, pretty-darn-active MexicanCow, down here at 30 on the redraft list, but he didn't have a huge impact in S65, and even though he put up 71 points in S66, the other "future production" picks we've seen up to this point have done a bit better. He goes to Minnesota here because he's able to provide some solid forward depth, something that the Storm could still use despite their wealth of picks at the top. Putting up 40 points in S65, he might have contributed to a greater extent with the Storm, but even if he hadn't, his status as a high-TPE player in S66 would allow him to be traded for a solid pick or two in the team's rebuild.

 

 #31: Philadelphia Reapers 

Blake Laughton

@Grape | LW | S66 | TPE: 30

Actual Pick: Walter Clements

 

If there was ever a "future investment" pick in the VHLM, this would be the one. Putting up thirteen--yes, you read that right, thirteen--points in all of S65 between Houston and Ottawa, Laughton flipped the switch in S66 and proceeded to dump 80 points on the league. Philly doesn't mind his statline in S65 at all here, as they know they've got a solid piece for S67 on hand. In a testament to the depth of this draft class, too, Laughton (a former Bulls teammate of mine!) is still active after being drafted 47th overall, currently playing for Helsinki.

 

#32: Saskatoon Wild (from Houston) 

Fylo Gibbles

@SpartanGibbles | D | S65 | TPE: 136

Actual Pick: Nethila Dissanayake

 

Originally drafted with 136 TPE, this SHLer-by-trade was active on the forums for about a day or so after the draft with Houston...and then inactive. One of the first victims to the curse of inactivity of the season, he never earned a single point after being picked in the second round. That does mean, though, that he managed to stay down in the minors for three seasons, and with Saskatoon owning his rights, they've got a piece for the future. Obviously, a VHLM GM must prioritize actives over Inactives, but here the Wild pick up someone that can be used for solid depth when the team is good and for a defender of decent quality when one is needed.

 

 

That's it for this one, we've got a few more players after this who could have been mentioned, but none are active and it's not worth doing an entire round 5 if nobody is going to care about it.

 

4,459 words, see you in 4 weeks.

[bluesfan55 103]

ye i did a thing once (long live arnie) and now hes retired so now i have a new guy who i'm happy to say is even better yeehaw

[Gustav 6,407]

Segunda semana

[Gustav 6,407]

My claiming for this got interrupted by theme week, so I'm here to pick it back up again.

 

Claim 3/4

[Gustav 6,407]

Claim 4/4