S75 Philadelphia Reapers Draft Review

[Spence King 387]

S75 Philadelphia Reapers Draft Review

(Data as of 2020-11-24)

 

The Reapers had a very busy S74 Offseason, after a surge of midseason recruits and an unfortunate ending to S74 the Reapers look towards an S75 VHLM Draft the Reapers and Dmax have been waiting for and preparing for since S73 in accumulating picks throughout the past 3 seasons making some little moves here and there as well as one major move in particular a trade with the team that would go on to be S73 Founders Cup champions sending them their playoff MVP and our team Captain for a massive haul of picks including a 1^st and two 2nds as well as 2 other picks. With another small trade prior to the Minnesota deal @DMaximus was just starting his build towards a HUGE S75 season.

 

Weve been talking Dmax and myself Spence King AGM in Philly, since my first season and we made those blockbuster and biggest trades in the VHLM since ive been here bringing in Adam Syreck, Big Chungus, @MikeDefenz Mann and RDM adding to our star studded squad with John Poremba, Bud Knight and @Big BobBob Helminen. Dmax taught me a lot and those trades were something he was very hesitant to do as it is somewhat irregular in the M to make a move like that . In the end we didn’t win that founders cup, and we were left going into the S73 draft with no picks in the first 4 rounds and only two picks in Total.

 

This is where the rebuild began when drafting MAJOR STEAL and now team captain for the 3^rd season in a row and just recently cemented his name in the top 10 Philadelphia Reapers career points. After the draft during the offseason Dmax was approached with a deal by Minnesota he could not refuse, after losing our top 6 players to graduating to the Pros the deal on Jul 14 2020 sending Founders Cup MVP to be Jer Lefebvre in exchange for an abundance of picks in S75 ;).  The s73 Season was TOUGH for the Reapers, a lot of losses, the team NEVER stopped working , despite only having 2 “active” players , those two continued to develop and along the way the reapers were oh so lucky to sign another key piece to the rebuild and resurgence in Philadelphia was the waiver signing that would go on to be our unanimous top pick in offensive dynamo and LR legend Carson Walkers.

 

***Trade Thread***

 

*HFX / PHI - Jul 12, 2020 S73:

Halifax Acquires:

S74 PHI 3rd

Philadelphia Acquires:

S75 PHI 3rd

S75 PHI 4th

 

*PHI / MIN - Jul 14, 2020 S73:

Minnesota Acquires:

Jer Lefebvre,

Turner McHugh

Ziarie Anigbogu

S75 PHI 4th

Philadelphia Acquires:

S74 OTT 2^nd,

S75 LVA 1st,

S75 MEX 2nd,

S75 MEX 3rd,

S75 MEX 4^th”

 

*MIA / PHI - Sep 13, 2020 S74:

Miami Acquires:

-S74 OTT 2^nd

Philadelphia Acquires:

-S74 YUK 4th (*Shawn Andrei Zyuzin)

S75 (241 TPE) Graduated to Pros (Playing for London) after being drafted 22^nd Ovr S75.

72 GP 11G, 31 A, 42 PTS, 233 HIT, 100 SB with the Philadelphia Reapers

-S74 MIN 4th (*Jacob Carson)

 S75 (258 TPE) Philadelphia Reapers Starting Goalie 

76 GP, 32 W, 37 L, 7 OTL, 2.94 GAA, 8.91 SV% with the Philadelphia Reapers

-S76 MIA 4th

*LVA / PHI - Oct 12, 2020 S74:

Las Vegas Acquires:

Breeze Ladrian

S75 SSK 7th

Philadelphia Acquires:

S75 HOU 5th

 

Philadelphia Reapers S75 VHLM Dispersal Draft Picks

Round 1: (3) 4^th ,7^th , 9^th 

Round 2: (2) 14^th, 16^th,

Round 3: (2) 26^th, 36^th 

Round 4: 38^th 

Round 5: (2) 52^nd, 55^th 

 

The Returning Players!!

 

3^rd Season as Captain - (RW) Darius Marimoto        (3^rd Season with Reapers) - Drafted by PHI 5^th Round S73

3^rdSeason as Assistant Captain – (RW) Carson Walkers (3^rd Season with Reapers) - Drafted by PHI 2^nd round S74

Starting Goaltender – (G) Jacob Carson           (2^nd Season with Reapers) – Drafted by PHI 4^th round S74

(S75) RW Thomas King                                          (2^nd Season with Reapers) – Drafted by PHI 5^th round S74

 

 

S75 Reapers Draft Class !!

 

 1^st Round 4^th Ovr: (S75) Jolly Greene Giant (D)TPE: 289 (39 Banked)  | 6' 8" | 250 lb. | Age: 16

1^st Round 7^th Ovr: (S75) Robert Bouchard (C) TPE: 234 (0 Banked)  | 5' 11" | 195 lb. | Age: 16

 

TRADE ALERT **PHI / HOU - Nov 08, 2020 S75 VHLM Draft Night:**

 

Houston Acquires:

S75 LVA 5th

S75 PHI 3rd

S77 PHI 2^nd

 

Philadelphia Acquires:

S75 MIS 1st [9th OA] (Addison McLaren)

 

*(With the player the we planned on taking was available to us at #7, and taking into consideration we somehow managed to get the top player in the draft at #4, the guy we've been watching very closely is still sitting there on the boards, before you know it Dmax hung up the phone and made the deal official with Houston picking up the Reapers THIRD 1st round pick allowing the reapers to bring in another Founders cup champion and teammate of our most recent pick, wow, just wow!) And the list continues:

 

*1^st Round 9^th Ovr: (S75) Addison Mclaren (LW) TPE: 281 (31 Banked)  | 5' 7" | 155 lb. | Age: 19

2^nd Round 14^th Ovr: (S75) Isau DaMoose (C) | TPE: 217 (0 Banked) | 6' 1" | 178 lb. | Age: 16

2^nd Round 16^th Ovr:(S76) Tom Eagles (D)| TPE: 188 (2 Banked) | 6' 6" | 230 lb. | Age: 18

3^rd Round 26^th Ovr: (S75) Bob Tristan (D) | TPE: 184 (0 Banked) | 6' 2" | 190 lb. | Age: 19

3^rd Round 36^th Ovr: (S76) Robin Galante Nilsson (D) | TPE: 136 (0 Banked) | 6' 3" | 210 lb. | Age: 16 |

4^th Round 38^th Ovr:(S75) Pekko Viitanen (LW) | TPE: 183 (1 Banked)| 6' 1" | 180 lb. | Age: 20 |  

5^th Round 52^nd Ovr:(S75) Kjell Nilsson (C) | TPE: 164 (4 Banked) | 6' 0" | 189 lb. | Age: 18

5^th Round 55^th Ovr:(S76)  Caitlyn Catowize (RW)| TPE: 142 (0 Banked) | 6' 0" | 185 lb. | Age: 18

6th Round 64th Ovr: (S75) Blim Blam McFluble (LW) | TPE: 170 (0 Banked) | 5' 10" | 170 lb. | Age: 21

7th Round 78th Ovr: (S76) Jivere Zolnek (C) | TPE: 123 (0 Banked)| 6' 3" | 213 lb. | Age: 21

7th round 79th Ovr: (S76) Sportsboy57 (D) | TPE: 71 (0 Banked) | 6' 6" | 195 lb. | Age: 19

8th Round 88th Ovr: (S75) Jackson Wilson (LW) | TPE: 138 (0 Banked) | 6' 1" | 198 lb. | Age: 18

9th Round 100th Ovr: (S75) Dommy Hasek (G) (Realeased Post Draft)| TPE: 89 (0 Banked)| 6' 3" | 190 lb. | Age: 22

10^th Round 112^th Ovr: (S76) Alex Zverina (D)| TPE: 69 (0 Banked) | 6' 3" | 190 lb. | Age: 16

Pick-by-Pick Analysis

1^st Round 4^th Ovr:

 (S75) Jolly Greene Giant (D) On Draft Night TPE: 244   CURRENT TPE: 289 (39 Banked)  |

 6' 8" | 250 lb. | Age: 16

Going into the VHLM Draft Jolly Greene Giant was the #1 Pick on all Mock Drafts, however with the surprise pick of Cowboy Prout and then the Marlins going with the safer defenceman pick in First Gen Scotty Kaberle followed by arguably the top forward in the draft Cabe McJake and there he is sitting at #4 Overall a player guaranteed to be at cap by opening night. This pick was a major gamble by Dmax considering on draft day JGG already has 244 TPE meaning a player averaging well over 13 TPE weekly must only earn 6 TPE until season cut-off, which pretty much the whole VHL community thought, however DMaximus knew exactly what he was doing and after Miami officially selected McJake Dmax had already starting dialing Jolly himself. This phone call ending with Dmax swiftly and confidently making the official. Dmax clearly hit the nail right on the head! The season is already ¼ in the books and on opening night roster suiting up for the Philadelphia Reapers is the recent 2^nd Ovr Pick in the S75 VHL Draft Mr. Jolly Greene Giant. This pick was a HUGE instant rebuild for the reapers blue line not to mention a capped player to build around and parther. Phenomenal Pick

 

 

1^st Round 7^th Ovr:

(S75) Robert Bouchard (C)  On Draft Night TPE: 174 // CURRENT TPE: 234 (0 Banked) 

 5' 11" | 195 lb. | Age: 16

With the Reapers having 5 returning players, including two high scoring veteran wingers in Marimoto and Walkers as well as Sniper Thomas King. The pick was obvious with Center being such an important position the Reapers didn’t hesitate to select the strong two way face off man coming off a great rookie season in Minessotta proving to be one of the drafts top forward prospects showing off incredible IQ up and down the ice, the puck just follows Bouchard around the rink. Bouchard’s scoring abilities are still untapped and the sky really is the limit for this young centerman.

 

 1^st Round 9^th Ovr:

 (S75) Addison Mclaren (LW) On Draft Night TPE: 211 // CURRENT TPE: 281 (31 Banked) 

 5' 7" | 155 lb. | Age: 19

After seeing teams following the trend in going with the Defence in the 1^st and an offboard pick after the JGG was off the picked and SSK going with the youth taking top ranked S76 Forward, leaving potentially the best pro player in the draft available. There’s no other player that works as hard as Addison. He is an energizer bunny out there every shift and if he’s on the ice you know it because you just got wrecked or he just scored. This young mans skill level and strength for his size are like nothing on this earth. Cannot wait to see what McLaren sophomore season has to bring coming onto a Reapers squad already shaping up to be an All star team.

 

2^nd Round 14^th Ovr:

(S75) Isau DaMoose (C) On Draft Night TPE: 152 // CURRENT | TPE: 217 (0 Banked)

| 6' 1" | 178 lb. | Age: 16

The Reapers are torn between two great centerman, at the end of the day the Reapers were more than happy to see that there guy was left on the board at 14. Isau Damoose has been one of the most consistent players with growth since joining the M and his potential is way up there too , Isau was a player Philly had been watching play very carefully. Dmaximus most recently appointed team scout Darius Marimoto had this to say about Damoose “Great scoring and defense, good skating with equally good strength. Knows how to pass and put the puck in the net. Great defensive forward. He reminds me of Ryan O'Reilly.”

 

2^nd Round 16^th Ovr:

(S76) Tom Eagles (D) On Draft Night TPE: 148 // CURRENT TPE: 188 (2 Banked)

 | 6' 6" | 230 lb. | Age: 18

Mr.King said he couldn’t be happier to have the opportunity to draft Tom, I cant imagine being happier in a real world with the outcome of this draft and the players on our board falling into our laps. Mr. Eagles was a player I knew we must have after seeing him play one shift. This tower of a young man does it all, and hockey is raging through his blood. Relative of the Recently retired and future HOF Goalie Greg Eagles. Tom is going to be a top 5 pick in the S76 VHL draft we couldn’t be luckier to have him on our roster. Tom fits right in with the reapers rebuild in this draft now sitting with a Starting goalie, a full top 6 Forwards and a true twin towers these two 1^st line D and 1^st round VHL talent in Giant and Eagles.

 

3^rd Round 26^th Ovr:

(S75) Bob Tristan (D) | On Draft Night TPE: 140 // CURRENT TPE: 184 (0 Banked) 

| 6' 2" | 190 lb. | Age: 19

Dmax raced to the stage to make this pick official in great excitement with the quality of D starting to dwindle down as the draft progresses with such a small crop of elite D we knew there was NO WAY he would still be there at our next pick 36, Furthermore the Reapers couldn’t be happier to announce the 26^th Ovr pick in returning Reaper from S74 Bob Tristan. Bob is a very highly respected teammate and one of the best guys in the LR , always keeping the team pumped and his energy is irreplaceable. Bringing back Bob only cements the Reapers rebuild status and at this point are starting to look scary with a beast forward group and now snagging an elite 1^st line D in Bob. After his amazing rookie season leading the Philadelphia blueline putting up 5 goals and 11 assists in 30 games with the reapers after being a midseason waiver signing. Bob’s sophomore season can only go up , the consistent progression since joining the league has been on par with superb, this is a future VHL 1^st line D and more than likely future VHL captain during his career.

 

3^rd Round 36^th Ovr: 

(S76) Robin Galante Nilsson (D) | On Draft Night TPE:81 // CURRENT TPE: 136 (0 Banked)

| 6' 3" | 210 lb. | Age: 16 |

This was a picked that shocked a lot of the VHLM and VHL community. Immediately when looking at the draft board and seeing an 81 TPE player being selected over what was available would have your head scratching. However again Dmax does it AGAIN, this man has spent hours with scouts searching the earth for the best hockey prospects , minds and people to bring into the Philly organization and that defines Nilsson to a T. Nilsson had 0 VHLM experience going into the draft and due to his low TPE wasn’t on many GMs draft boards and not one single mock draft. However Dmax knew Robin had been hinting at a VHLM return after many years of absence and playing in the SHL. Not only a week after but Galante Nilsson is the leader in the VHL community for TPE in week ending 22. Since the start of the season Nilsson has earned pretty much EVERY TPE capped or uncapped possible and working SO hard. His on ice results prove it, while leading the M in Assists at one point and continuing to play at a point per game , Nilsson along with his teammate and great D partner Tom Eagles, The S76 Draft is going be highlighted by Philly baby 

 

4^th Round 38^th Ovr

(S75) Pekko Viitanen (LW) | On Draft Night TPE:142 // CURRENT TPE: 183 (1 Banked)

| 6' 1" | 180 lb. | Age: 20 |  

After a trio of Defence pick the reapers select LW out of Finland who had a good rookie campaign putting up 7 goals and 7 assists for 14 points in his first 32 games in Minnesota along with another one of our earlier picks Mr.Robert Bouchard. Pekko has a consistent earnings of atleast 8 TPE a week, at this point in the draft we decided to look for the most reliable users that we believe are dedicated to the program and have the ambition and drive to continue to succeed at the next level and during our player interviews Pekko was someone Dmax couldn’t pass up.

 

 

5^th Round 52^nd Ovr:

(S75) Kjell Nilsson (C) | On Draft Night TPE:121 // CURRENT TPE: 164 (4 Banked) |

6' 0" | 189 lb. | Age: 18

The S75 Drafts are the longest and biggest draft classes in possibly history and WITHOUT A DOUBT recent years by a land slide almost doubling in players picked from the season prior going from a 7 round draft with 84 picks to a 12 round 144 pick draft. VHLM and VHL GMs also know that in previous years a 5^th rounder is pretty much a gamble in prior draft years, by the time you hit round 5 its all 1^st gen users or very inconsistent earners or just learning the ropes still before coming legendary making almost every pick a gamble. This year…. Not the case 3 picks into the 5^th round and over a dozen players with 110+TPE all potential 1^st liners, the draft continues to go our way and another guy we had on our board going much earlier is there again, A positional need and the top player at that position by a longshot left on the board

 

5^th Round 55^th Ovr:

(S76)  Caitlyn Catowize (RW)| On Draft Night TPE:83 // CURRENT  TPE: 142 (0 Banked) |

 6' 0" | 185 lb. | Age: 18

Caitlyn Catowize was a player the Reapers scout Marimoto was very high on , after her pre draft interview, Marimoto couldn’t stop raving about Catowizes teamwork and effort towards growth. Very quickly Caitlin was a player Dmax knew he wanted. CC has put up incredible TPE development and an amazing team player. Another S76 Draft eligible pick building the reapers future with a 1^st gen user earning like a vet.

 

6th Round 64th Ovr:

(S75) Blim Blam McFluble (LW) | On Draft Night TPE:138 // CURRENT TPE: 170 (0 Banked) | 

5' 10" | 170 lb. | Age: 21

Reapers decided to go with roster needs and BPA with this pick, with the team currently sitting with a very strong top 6 Forward core invested in SC. Blim Blam is the perfect complimentary player to so many of our recent draft picks just like Caitlin will provide. Mr. Mcfuble has slightly more experience and proven since his 1^st VHLM shift he hits like no other and you really need to know when hes on the ice. We knew this was not a player we wanted to play against, so having Mcfuble on our team couldn’t make us happier having one of the toughest guys in the league in our room especially being able to snag him in the 6^th round.

 

 

7th Round 78th Ovr:

(S76) Jivere Zolnek (C) | On Draft Night TPE:73 // CURRENT TPE: 128 (0 Banked)| 

6' 3" | 213 lb. | Age: 21

“This might be my favorite pick of the draft, I have NO CLUE how the other GMs let this user slide so low” Said Mr.King . Jivere Zolnek is our 2^nd waiver signing from the S73 season that will be returning to philly for S74. This user is familiar with the reapers and we cant express our excitement that a player of this quality is still on the board. It was an easy pick Jivere is going to be a top 10 pick in the S76 VHL draft and already getting looks from teams as there future franchise center in the pros. Zolneks potential is sky high and the Fans of Philly are in for a wild ride as long as Jivere is still here.

 

7th round 79th Ovr:

(S76) Sportsboy57 (D) | On Draft Night TPE:59 // CURRENT TPE: 71 (0 Banked) | 

6' 6" | 195 lb. | Age: 19

This pick marks our 13^th pick in this seasons Dispersal draft, more picks than in the S74 and S73 drafts combined. Reapers now have 13 Forwards 5 Defence and their #1 Goalie secured as they decide to go with another highly touted prospect with 0 games of VHLM experience other than a recent Junior Review. The Reapers selected the six foot six 19 year old from Maine. Sportsboy will be playing a smaller role considering going to such a stacked team, however no role is a small role, everyone is key to a championship roster and we see the championship effort here and this is a defence we want as a Reaper for awhile the potential and effort we see in this defenceman is the reason hes a Reaper. If Sportsboy follows the track that we see, this is going to be a D every VHL GM is looking to draft high in the S76.

 

8th Round 88th Ovr:

(S75) Jackson Wilson (LW) | On Draft Night TPE:110 // CURRENT  TPE:138 (0 Banked)

6' 1" | 198 lb. | Age: 18

Jackson Wilson will be our 3^rd draft pick coming over from Minnesota. So there will forsure be some familiar faces for this 1^st gen user. Jackson had a strong rookie showing with Minnesota putting up 2 hits a game along the way. Coming into Philly Wilson S74 season is going to have much less time on the ice coming to this stacked offensive squad compared to the empty roster hes coming from. However Jackson has skills and intangibles those top picks and “star” players don’t have. This young man can fight and he has made it vocal hes all in it to win it , regargless of the role assigned Wilson is a true team player, his junior days he explained learning how to play a role and that’s exactly the type of player the reapers need at this pick. Wilson looks like such an amazing fit with this incredible S75 VHLM Reapers Draft Class.

 

9th Round 100th Ovr:

(S75) Dommy Hasek* (Released Post Draft) On Draft Night TPE:89 // CURRENT  TPE: 89 (0 Banked)|

6' 3" | 190 lb. | Age: 22

I don’t know the whole story here , however Dommy Hasek has since gone inactive post draft and the reapers have parted ways with Hasek post training camp after no one saw him on the ice, it seemed inevitable and there we have it Hasek was drafted by the Reapers then shortly after drafted by the Seattle Bears into the Pros with just 12 games of VHLM experience. After the draft like I said Hasek has been nowhere to be seen or heard from, the Reapers have released his rights now a VHLM FA, however Seattle has held onto his rights I can only assume this is in hope of a return.

 

10^th Round 112^th Ovr:

(S76) Alex Zverina (D)| | On Draft Night TPE:50 // CURRENT TPE: 69 (0 Banked) |

 6' 3" | 190 lb. | Age: 16

At this point its really not even a surprise anymore, with a major wildcard of a draft board left, and so many uncertainties with the VHLM draft in the later round. However Dmax is always on point and a step ahead of everyone. Zverina was truly a needle in the haystack a user that has just joined and 0 VHLM experience. With the Reapers having a full 4 forward lines of 12+ forwards and 6 (maybe 5 due to uncertainty) taking a D was the obvious choice. Zverina a solid stay at home defenceman and an S76 Draft date means hes going to be in Philly for awhile, fans this is deffintely a player to keep your eyes on and you wont be forgetting this name for a few years  

 

[Gaikoku-hito 2,081]

Very nicely written as it provided some great insight to the teams past and information that lead into the draft this season. Also interesting to see all the players selected and the thought process behind select each of the players. Great read and look forward to more.

[Spence King 387]

Claiming for 2nd week*

[Callahan 39]

Spence this was unbelievably written and you've been clearly doing this for a while. As I read through the entire draft review, I really couldn't find any mistakes (maybe a comma I missed) but seriously unreal review. I love how you went into complete detail with each draftee. Philly is looking incredibly tough this year and they have a helluva squad. 10/10

[Spence King 387]

On 12/6/2020 at 1:06 AM, Callahan said:

Spence this was unbelievably written and you've been clearly doing this for a while. As I read through the entire draft review, I really couldn't find any mistakes (maybe a comma I missed) but seriously unreal review. I love how you went into complete detail with each draftee. Philly is looking incredibly tough this year and they have a helluva squad. 10/10

Thanks for the compliments Cally ! Means alot it truly does !! 

[Prout 373]

REVIEW- this is great in depth piece. Easy to follow along and overall great. I love how you made it colour themed and just made it nice and well put to read. I enjoyed your detailed trade thread and then the talking points after. Really enjoyed this

 

9.5/10