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+---- Thread: [2X Draft Media] Texas Renegades S73 Draft Needs+Targets (/showthread.php?tid=132931)
[2X Draft Media] Texas Renegades S73 Draft Needs+Targets - Operation Ivy - 09-16-2023
It has been a while ride in the heart of Texas for the Renegades. One of the SHL franchises with the richest history, the Texas Renegades have bounced around from cup winning successes to full on rebuild throughout the franchise's history. Most recently, that rebuild was in effect as Texas put a lot of resources into drafting their targets in the late season 60's drafts. So much so, that Texas was willing to give up future draft capital to ensure they got who they wanted. This was not done to no avail, though, as Texas' gamble paid off in a big way in Season 72, as the team went 41-19-6, with many of their top prospects playing in their first full SHL season.
Now, Texas is moving into their true contending phase. And while they do not have the deepest prospect pool in the SHL at this point, their young core is ready to start a new era of Texas hockey success. One other thing Texas has to look forward to outside of team success, is they are once again entering a period in which they have their draft picks to utilize in the SHL draft. After several seasons in which Texas sat on the sidelines watching other teams select the most active players, Texas finds themselves with a pick in all four rounds of this season's SHL entry draft. As we have seen countless times in the SHL, success can only last so long with the same core. Texas is well aware that despite the young group they have up in the SHL currently, they need to continue to build the prospect pool during this time, and this draft will be a launching point for the franchise to once again focus on that.
The Texas Renegades pick at #11 in the Season 73 SHL draft. Today, we will take a look at the Texas Renegades biggest needs going into this draft. We will also assess a couple of possible draft selections for the Renegades based on those needs, and where their draft position is.
Assessing the Team Needs
Offense
Current state: The Renegades offense was middle of the pack in Season 72, finishing 12th in the league in goals scored. The team averaged 3.94 goals per game. Led by center David-Arturri Donskoi (79 points in 66 games), this unit was well balanced and many Renegades forwards finished with solid goals and assist numbers. The core 9 for Texas is solid, with veterans at the top and young players on the lower lines. This past season, Texas felt comfortable with any of their lines on the ice in any situation. This off season, the team made a trade to acquire veteran forward Videl Valor from New Orleans. Valor is a known point scorer, and finished last season with 74 points in 66 games. While Texas felt good about their forward core, they do not have that 100+ point player as of now that many of the league's top teams have. Acquiring Valor may be that boost they need to give a player like Donskoi the ability to eclipse the 100 point mark
Future state: As mentioned above, this team still is young and the same can be said about some of the forward core. While a chunk of Texas' forwards are experiencing regression, it is countered by second/third year players like James Dion and Tiberius Kane really starting to hit their stride. As the veterans continue to age, this team will ultimately need a fresh group of forwards to fill those lower lines and be effective. Also of note, three of the four prospects in Texas' current pool are forwards.
Draft need: Medium
While not the most pressing need for the next couple of seasons, I do believe Texas will at some point again need a player that has the potential to challenge the league lead for points. The current young core should be able to provide some excellent seasons coming up, and adding one more forward might pull things together when Texas is competing for the cup.
Potential forward prospect to target:
LW Prince Marius - Detroit Falcons
Picking just outside the top ten, the Renegades will not expect any of the top players to fall to them, barring a trade up. Project right around the 10th pick in many mock drafts is winger Prince Marius. Marius, at 6'2 and 200 pounds, is a bruising power forward type of player with a knack for finding the back of the net. On what was a bad Detroit team this past season, Marius netted 21 goals and registered 163 hits in his rookie campaign. We have seen time and time again how valuable a power forward can be in the SHL, and the young Prince Marius looks like he has all of the potential to blossom into one of the league's premier goal scorers while also providing physicality and defense on the other end. Marius looks like the exact player Texas would like to add to an already impressive group of young forwards.
Defense
Current state: When it came to letting in goals in Season 73, Texas was also middle of the pack in this category, finishing 13th in the league. The team allowed in 3.32 goals per game. Despite the overall goals against not standing out, individual performances certainly have. Household names like Dirty Boots (45 points, +16) and Hodor (348 blocked shots) have made this a respected defensive core. The top two defensive lines this past season were very good, while the third line of rookie Jack McCarthy and inactive player Potential Spam struggled to find their chemistry together.
Future state: Outside of veteran Dirty Boots, this defensive core is young. Hodor, Chris Valentine, Jack McCarthy and Angry Gilmore have all seemed to not hit their primes just yet, and will only continue to improve from here. With Hodor and Valentine being the true defensive defenseman, Gilmore being the offensive, and Boots being the two-way, this team may need McCarthy to find his identify and determine where he can best contribute to this budding defensive core.
Draft need: High
While the defensive core in Texas is surely going to continue to find success, it is the current depth that makes this a high need. Right now, only one prospect in their pool is a defenseman who was just draft last season. The biggest need for this Renegades team at the moment is finding an active, high potential defender who can fill the current gap on the third line that was occupied by Spam. If this team can find that defenseman who can be up in a few seasons as a high earner, then the Texas defensive group will surely become one of the most feared in the league.
Potential defense prospect to target:
D Guy Incognito - Regina Elk
Many mock drafts have defender Guy Incognito going to Texas with their 11th pick in the first round. Incognito had a good first season in the SMJHL, finishing with 25 points on 10 goals while also registering as a +7. Incognito looks like a do-it-all type of defender, as evident by the double digit goals while also blocking 131 shots and registering 124 hits. Incognito seems like a fantastic fit for Texas, where they can take their time and develop Incognito into that 6th defenseman that they will surely need in a few seasons.
Goaltending
Current state: As mentioned above, this team was middle of the pack in goals allowed in Season 72. Texas has their franchise goalie in Anthony Dionne. Dionne enjoyed his best season to date, winning a career best 32 games and a career best .902 save percentage. It is clear that Dionne is finding his stride, and it seems he will only get better as he enters his prime seasons and the team around him continues to improve. Dionne can't start everygame though, and backup Sea Jebus actually did a really nice job in his backup role, winning 9 games in 16 starts, with a 2.99 goals against average.
Future state; Anthony Dionne is still only in his prime years, so do not expect a goalie change anytime soon. Texas has committed to Dionne through and through, and they will rely on their goaltender to be a key piece in future cup runs. This team does not have any goalies in the prospect pool.
Draft need: Low
Spending a top pick on a goaltender would be an unnecessary move for a Texas team that has their guy in net. With a pick in every round in this year's draft, it is certainly possible that Texas spends a later one on a goalie to see if that player has potential to backup Dionne in future seasons.
That concludes our overview of the Texas Renegades draft outlook going into the S73 SHL entry draft. Given their history with trading picks in recent years, many would not be surprised to see that continue this season. But, perhaps Texas has identified players that can be a part of their next group of impressive young players. On Sunday night, Texas will welcome in their next group of players to wear the black & silver sweater.
RE: [2X Draft Media] Texas Renegades S73 Draft Needs+Targets - Anthique - 09-17-2023
We are looking good!
It's only the beginning and that's the best part of it
RE: [2X Draft Media] Texas Renegades S73 Draft Needs+Targets - Ohtaay - 09-17-2023
RE: [2X Draft Media] Texas Renegades S73 Draft Needs+Targets - CapnCooper - 09-17-2023
Dang what a great read! Good thing we drafted that Incognito Guy!
TEX TEX TEX
RE: [2X Draft Media] Texas Renegades S73 Draft Needs+Targets - bbjygm - 09-17-2023
09-16-2023, 03:44 PMOperation Ivy Wrote: Hodor... Hodor, ...Hodor...
Hodor!