Into the Fire: Three S73 First Gens Under the Spotlight

[Renomitsu 934]

Into the Fire: Three S73 First Gens Under the Spotlight

 

Expansion! Woo!

 

The VHL is going to be a beast this season as the classic 'expansion teams are terrible' paradigm sets in - and with exactly a quarter of the league with that designation, there are going to be some wonky scorelines come the end of the season to say the least.

 

But more relevantly, expectations for some of the S73 class members - be it for this season or their careers - are oftentimes disproportionate to their TPE or starting role in their respective teams. And since first gens are always a hot topic, why don't we start with a few of them?

 

LW Jeffrey Pines @rory, LA Stars 

 

The top first gen of S73 by TPE, winger Jeffrey Pines is coming off a 91-point season in what was one of the most successful seasons for a historically beleaguered Mexico City franchise. Indeed, of the Kings’ 275 goals last season, pines had a hand in just under a third while putting up a stellar +51 opposite fellow winger Chris Hylands. What had impressed many scouts throughout the season, however, was Pines’s commitment to playmaking and rock-solid fundamentals, as he has some of the best defense and passing technique out of any rising S73 player this past season.

 

On draft night most had expected Pines to go top five, what with his raw talent, first-gen status, and an expectation that Marshall James Frostbeard would go at the end of the first as a GM player. But VHLM front offices and Pines’s camp alike were shocked to find Pines available at eighth overall, at which point he became the first-ever selection for the Los Angeles Stars. And a franchise’s first pick presents an entirely different set of expectations and challenges: as one of the top four forwards on an expansion team, it’s entirely possible Pines will see some first-line minutes and plenty of powerplay time against players with half a dozen years of experience over him. And as a first selection, he undoubtedly has expectations of the franchise on his shoulders going forward.

 

Indeed, there’s no falling back on crushing the VHLM for Pines now; at 311 TPE, the winger’s a big boy with no option to return to his old stomping grounds. Without a storied set of true, star-level veterans to lead the way, he’s going to have to learn fast – but rory already has some managing chops under his belt and has no signs of slowing down.

 

LW Groovy Dood @bigAL , D.C. Dragons 

 

Speaking of expectations, woof. Half the VHL was shocked when the D.C. Dragons took Groovy Dood, a 258 TPE forward, as the first overall selection of S73. Now, naturally the other half wasn’t surprised with GM Enorama’s drafting strategy focused exclusively on first gens, including a specific connection to bigAL prior to draft night. But perhaps most relevantly, Dood was just barely past the 250 TPE mark that would have allowed him to stay in the minors, which puts him in the now much tougher position of playing on a star-studded D.C. lineup that fell far short of expectations last season.

 

As a user that spent his first week or two getting acclimated to the site, bigAL earned slowly.  But by mid S72, he was no stranger to the ice, managing 57 points as the first line centerman for minor league championship favorite Minnesota Storm. He falls in a mold not dissimilar to Pines: a pass-first forward with a strong emphasis on fundamentals. Indeed, the center probably has slightly worse technical skills in favor of a more diverse skillset that includes a little checking, face-offs, and an impressive ability to hold on to the puck down the ice.

 

For a player of Dood’s caliber, the expectations would typically fall around the middle of the road as far as first round selections go. He’s proven himself over the last season in spite of limited powerplay minutes, and he finds himself on a well-established roster that would allow him the mentorship of fellow centers Benny Graves and Boris the Forest (who could each be first line stars in their own rights). But what skyrockets Dood’s expectations over the course of his first three or four seasons is that status as 1OA, first gen or not: he will be the bar that all other S73 picks are judged against. Even while he sits as his team’s likely third line center, the fans in D.C. expect a lot from their relatively young franchise after the Dragons stunned their fanbase with an underwhelming eleventh-place finish.

 

C Dakota Lamb @dlamb , Warsaw Predators 

 

Let’s get back to the expansion team selections, shall we?

 

Dakota Lamb, whose agent is a self-professed VHLM Assistant Assistant Assistant General Manager reject by trade and perhaps better known for his escapades in the SBA, finds himself drafted to Warsaw with this most recent draft. And unlike our two previous picks, Lamb has the option of staying down in the minors this season – and he’ll likely be helping a star-studded Miami team take the league by storm thus upcoming season (no pun intended, Minnesota). But Lamb also finds himself in a pretty interesting position as Warsaw’s first-ever selection, and it’s a little tough to say anything about the future of their roster.

 

Indeed, one of the most glaring things about the Predators’ post-expansion roster is the presence of a soon-to-retire Hunter Hearst Helmsley and a Zeno Miniti that isn’t far behind him. But at this stage in their careers, these more veteran centermen are in very different positions – with HHH still in the prime of his career and Miniti having seen better days – that would theoretically allow Lamb to earn second line forward minutes from day one. As a result, it’ll be pretty interesting to see what GM Muffins does with Lamb’s major league eligibility over the course of his first season (even if there’s a 99% chance he stays down the entire season + playoffs).

 

Although Lamb has the pressure of being Warsaw’s first selection, I’d imagine the pressure on the young center is relatively lower compared to our first two selections. He’d sit third line at best, but most likely won’t see pro play for his first season. Obviously the expectations at the minor league level will be high – but that’s the case for any player in the first three rounds that has the option to stay down, not a perception unique to Dakota. At tenth overall, there was a player or two with less raw talent that were taken by non-expansion teams – so there may in fact be more ‘chip on his shoulder’ energy to this selection than high expectations.

 

[1,116 words, claiming 7/19 and 7/26]

[bigAL 2,176]

Well isn’t that just a delicious prospect sandwich you’ve built here Reno! 

[Plate 386]

14 hours ago, Renomitsu said:

Half the VHL was shocked when the D.C. Dragons took Groovy Dood, a 258 TPE forward

Ruining careers once again are you Reno? xD

[Renomitsu 934]

Claiming for Week Ending 7/26

[Gooningitup 1,290]

9/10

 

I cant really grade english well. But article looks polished and well put together. Your take on 3 true rookies on the VHL this year was a fun take an it will be interesting to see just how they all do on their respective teams this season. Especially in a year of expansion rosters, that should be high ice time for some of the kids. 

[Rhynex Entertainment 487]

3 prospects from 3 different teams, lot's of effort put into work. Good job 8/10