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KlusteR · 09-26-2019, 08:45 AM

(2937 words, Draft Week, Research, etc.)

As a new player that had never seen an SHL draft before, I didn't really have a firm grasp on what metrics can be used to determine a high draft pick from a middling one. When I saw the mock draft opportunity presented to myself, I was mostly looking at TPE, not really considering the other, external aspects that help general managers make their decision on who to shortlist, and in what order.

With a better understanding of the different metrics that come into play when making a draft pick, I undertook the titanic task of rating the different drafts of all 16 teams in the SHL. While not everyone had many picks to re-garnish their cupboards full of juicy prospects, both newcomers and recreates alike, it was an interesting exercise to do – and I may be completely wrong, so really, does it matter what I think in the end?

So, without further ado, I present to you – A Complete Outsider’s Analysis Of The 50th SHL Draft, starting with the Eastern Conference.

Buffalo Stampede

6. Augustus Wang (D – ANC)
21. Aron Hernadivic (LW – STL)
24. Tom Fiddler (C – CAR)
27. Rintarou Okabe (C – LET)
35. Hans Schweinsteiger (D – CAR)
59. Mitchell Maverick (G – CAR)

The Stampede had a slew of picks early on in the draft, including three in the second round – which made their range of potential targets very wide. Seeing as their defense is getting older with every passing season (albeit still very good and able to pull their own weight), it was only natural that Buffalo used their first-round pick with a young, two-way defenseman who performed very well on both the TPE and money earning sides, Augustus Wang. A couple more seasons in the J and he should be more than ready to tear it up in the big leagues.

Their three picks in the second round were more middling, and the margin is very slim between a good pick and a reach at those stages, especially with a draft as deep as this one was. Aron Hernadivic was projected by some to be a first-round pick, so when the Stampede saw him falling down to 21, it seemed only logical to grab him. The pass-first left winger was a decent earner money-wise, but his TPE total probably scared some teams off. Buffalo then went on to solidify the other aging part of their roster, their center depth. Tom Fiddler and Rintarou Okabe both have their up- and downsides, the former being a statistical darling with a bit of inconsistency in the TPE and money department, while the latter is a recreate with deep pockets and decent TPE, but that the simulation engine seems to despise. All three picks are what you could consider “projects”, but they have a good chance of panning out, in my opinion.

Buffalo then went out to grab a depth piece on defense in Hans Schweingsteiger, as he was playing sheltered minutes in Montreal, but still performed well in his given role. It’ll be interesting to see if he develops, but if he does, it was a nice gamble from the Stampede. Their last pick, a fourth-rounder, was used to select Montreal’s (now Carolina’s) backup goalie, Mitchell Maverick, who seems to have a real shot at a backup position in the SHL as early as this season. This is a recreate with deep pockets, that could use some consistency on the TPE side, but it’s definitely an interesting pick.

Draft Rating : B

Chicago Syndicate

5. Ryan Shepard (C – KEL)
42. Johnny Patey (C – LET)
69. Akira Ren (D – LET)
85. Zeno Miniti (D – CAR)

I would say it’s pretty easy to hit home runs when the ball is coming to you straight down the middle, but even with a “gimme pick” in the form of current GM’s recreate and best defenseman available in the draft (I will stand by this affirmation, we can argue this outside), Akira Ren, the Chicago Syndicate have done well with the limited picks they had in bank.

Their first pick, fifth overall, was a no-brainer in many ways. The most glaring issue on the Syndicate’s current line-up is their strength in the middle, seeing as they only have three “natural” (but very good) centers. It only made sense that they would target one with such a high pick. And seeing as there were three standout prospects at that position, the possibility of one of them falling to their draft position was more than likely. In Ryan Shepard, they’ve drafted a good playmaker (that sims don’t necessarily like, but for no real reason) to complement their many good wingers, a TPE maniac that is (already!) almost SMJHL-capped, an avid money-maker, and even better, they found someone that is very active in the SHL’s communication channels on Discord, always chatting away on the rookie’s channel and others. I’m certain the Chicago brass is psyched to have such a player on board for the future.

Chicago didn’t have another pick until the end of the third round, and that’s when they went for another center, Johnny Patey. Patey saw his wingers change quite a bit last season, so the fact that he was still able to produce decently is a testament to the player he can become. Obviously, you can look at his plus/minus rating and start convulsing, but the underlying numbers are not as bad as they seem. TPE acquiring and money making are on the lower end, but the potential is there for a solid third/fourth liner in the SHL. And in the fifth round, at the very end of the draft, the Syndicate went towards a rather inactive (and rather uninteresting) defenseman in Zeno Miniti. This is a gamble in the hopes that the user will come back to the site to finally create their update thread. You read that correctly.

Draft Rating : B-

Hamilton Steelhawks

9. Hariken Urawa (RW – COL)
18. Samuel Michaud (D – ANC)
33. François Breton (LW – VAN)
41. Yamamoto Mitsuharu (RW – STL)
81. Marques Brownlee (G – STL)

Hamilton’s disastrous season was rewarded in part by some good drafting position (I’m certain their GMs would have preferred to keep their first overall pick, but let’s not rub salt in the wound, shall we?) They seem to have found a hidden gem in the ninth position with right winger Hariken Urawa, who impressed everyone at the combine this season (yes, I’m talking about his 10k words article he casually dropped two days prior to the draft. Hello assured income for the season!) The user is very active, both on the forums or on Discord, and looks to have improved on the TPE acquiring throughout the season. Look out for this young Japanese sniper, he could surprise quite a few people in three or four seasons.
Their early second round pick sought to solidify a poor defense (who will hopefully be galvanized by the arrival of a few youngsters this season), and they went for Gabriel Johnson’s teammate in Anchorage, Samuel Michaud. Michaud had a third pairing assignment this season, and had a very interesting season with those sheltered minutes. Add to that the very consistent TPE earning and money earning, and it’s a wonder why the young American slid down to 18th on the board. Very good pickup by the Steelhawks.

With the first pick of the third round, Hamilton once again went for a winger, this time on the left side, with François Breton (what is it with those two Americans sporting VERY French-Canadian names? The world may never know.) A defensively responsible winger, Breton did very well on the third line in Vancouver, even leading all of their rookies in points this season. The TPE is low, the earnings and activity also a bit low, but it’s an interesting project – which is really what the third round is about, no? Another interesting project is Scarecrows’ GM player, Yamamoto Mitsuharu. While the player’s TPE is not very high, the Steelhawks know they can count on an active user, a good earner, and seemingly a good builder, as the young Japanese was a statistical darling this season, finishing on top of St. Louis rookie scoring race, and 8th in the league.

With their last pick, Hamilton went for the backup goalie in St. Louis, Marques Brownlee. The user is active, but the TPE is fairly low, especially for a S49 available player. We’ll see how this pans out, but if he can climb the mountain and establish a good amount of TPE, this may be considered the steal of the draft.

Draft Rating : A-

Manhattan Rage

14. Phineas Gold (LW – CAR)

Manhattan had only one pick they chose to use in this season’s draft, and it was a late first-rounder to acquire the services of Montreal’s (Carolina’s… IT’S STILL NOT REAL TO ME OKAY) Phineas Gold. Gold was on an all-rookie line alongside Tom Fiddler and Ricky Bobby, and that line showed sparks during the regular season, but especially in the playoffs for the eventual Four Star Cup champions. This is a good offensive player, responsible defensively nonetheless, and the user is very active with decent TPE. He may not crack the young Rage lineup just yet, but he’s definitely got a shot at making it in a few seasons.

Due to the very low number of picks, I can’t really help but lower the Rage’s draft rating. Sorry, boys.

Draft Rating : C

New England Wolfpack

37. Sasha Dangelchek (RW – STL)
40. Marcus Weiser (C – VAN)
46. Georgy Gorbachenko (D – COL)

With no picks in the first two rounds, the Wolfpack are looking to their younger players, flanked with experienced studs, to continue making an impact this season after falling short in the Challenge Cup final last season. They still had three picks in the third round to help rebuild their prospects’ cupboard, and with a draft so deep, they could still find some hidden gems.

They went for Sasha Dangelchek with the 37th overall pick, a low TPE earner, but a steady and active money earner. Statistically, Dangelchek didn’t have a stellar season by all means, but the Wolfpack are hopeful that with better minutes in the SMJHL, he could develop into an interesting depth piece for them in the future. Three picks later, they set their sights on Vancouver center Marcus Weiser. This is a player that seems to be in the same situation as Dangelchek, whereas the TPE is low, but the earnings and the activity have been present throughout his tenure in the SMJHL. Weiser is a very gritty kind of player, excellent on the forecheck, but this has yet to convert into points, even when playing sheltered minutes. Another interesting project for New England. And lastly, they’re hoping to bolster their defensive depth by selecting Georgy Gorbachenko – but that is very hopeful, to say the least. The user is active, but a slow earner in both TPE and money, so there will be work to do on his end if he wants to crack the Wolfpack’s lineup in a few seasons.

Draft Rating : C+

Tampa Bay Barracuda

20. James Ronlain (RW – STL)
39. Michael Fitted (C – CAR)

Another team with a low number of draft picks, the Barracuda has a relatively young team with already interesting prospects, so they were simply hoping to find players that could develop nicely over the course of the next three to four seasons. With their early second round draft pick, they went for young sniper James Ronlain of the St. Louis Scarecrows. The potential is definitely there, with moderate-to-high TPE earning, and decent money earning, paired with an active user. He should have accrued responsibilities in the coming season, so it will be interesting to see how he develops.

In the third round, Tampa Bay went for a late create in the shape of center Michael Fitted. Fitted was signed as a free agent by the Montreal Militia, and slotted on the fourth line on an already rookie-crowded line-up, but still made a name for himself as a solid playmaker. While the TPE is a bit on the low-side (which is to be expected for later creates), the user is active and a good money earner, which should help him compensate for his late start. A very interesting prospect to keep an eye on for the Barracuda.

Draft Rating : B-

Toronto North Stars

4. Bobby Lane (RW – CAR)
25. Daniel Kuster (D – COL)
30. Ursin Zimmermann (D – ANA)
38. Jay Reeves (RW – ANC)
45. Andrei Petrikov (LW – ANC)

Toronto had a disappointing season in the SHL, so they turned to the draft to try and rebuild their line-up – which will be quite an undertaking, but not absolutely impossible. They had some needs on defense and on the wings to try and be ready for the eventual departure of their older players, and with the fourth overall pick in the draft, they went for a safe value in right winger Bobby Lane. Lane is a sharpshooter, notching 13 goals this season, leading all SMJHL rookies in that department. Since this is a recreate of a user that is a bank manager, you can be certain that he has his mind on his money, and his money on his mind – and a very good TPE showing helps solidify him as a very good up-and-comer in the next few seasons, and a worthy successor to Mikhail Loktionov on the right side of the offense.

With two picks in the second round, the North Stars sought to answer their defensive woes by yodeling the names of Daniel Kuster and Ursin Zimmerman, both Swiss defensemen, with the 25th and 30th picks respectively. Kuster made a name for himself as a high-octane, offensive defenseman that played important power play minutes and had good synergy with his partner Derek Bohne Jr. While his TPE is a bit on the low side, and his earnings could use some help, this is an active user that could surprise many people in the coming seasons. On the flip side, Zimmerman is another offensive defenseman, but built like a truck, which is probably why we saw the Anaheim Outlaws use him in all sorts of situations throughout last season. Zimmerman was able to accrue more TPE than Kuster, but the earnings of the user are left to be desired, even if he’s been active throughout the season. Two very interesting cases for the future on Toronto’s backline.

In the third round, the North Stars went for Anchorage’s right winger Jay Reeves. While not a simulation darling, Reeves has an offensive upside that Toronto are wishing they will see more of in the coming seasons. The TPE is low, but the activity and earnings are there for the user, so there’s a chance at a good depth piece for the future here. Still in the third round, Toronto aimed at correcting the other wing with another Armada rookie, Andrei Petrikov. This is a recreate, so the North Stars have a decent idea of what they’re looking at. Petrikov had better numbers than Reeves while playing on the same line, but the two players are somewhat comparable – seems like the Russian just had better puck luck. Once again, the TPE is a bit low, but for an active user, this should be surmountable with ease.

Draft Rating : B-

West Kendall Platoon

15. Andrey Barbashev II - (LW – KEL)
23. Karl Krashwagen (RW – HFX)
28. Jack Wilson (D – LET)

The final team in the Eastern Conference, the West Kendall Platoon, was looking to refill their bank of prospects in anticipation of their ageing players’ career coming to an end, and they had three relatively high draft picks to work with. At the tail end of the first round, they found a decent all-around offensive left winger in Andrey Barbashev II. Seeing as this is a recreate, the Platoon know they’re getting an active user, a good money earner, and one that can accumulate TPE fairly well, which he has done so far. This looks to be a sure-fire player on their roster in a few seasons.

With their first second round pick, West Kendall saw an opportunity to work on their other wing, and selected Halifax’s right winger Karl Krashwagen. While Krashwagen looks to have offended the simulation program for some reason, his stats don’t show everything – this is a very defensively responsible player. Add that to an active user, with good TPE and money earnings, and baby, you’ve got a stew going. A few picks later, they turned to Lethbridge to select defenseman Jack Wilson. Wilson opened a lot of eyes this season after being a very late draft pick in the SMJHL, even showing up at 9th place in total points for rookies this past season, all the while playing responsible defensive hockey – albeit on the third pairing, where he could be a bit more sheltered. Nonetheless, the is a good TPE earner, a decent money maker, and all-around active user. I can see him making an impact on the Platoon’s line-up once he’s called up to the SHL.

Draft Rating : B+

Stay tuned, for later in the day, we will look at the Western Conference!

awils13 · 09-26-2019, 08:55 AM

Quote:Hamilton’s disastrous season was rewarded in part by some good drafting position (I’m certain their GMs would have preferred to keep their first overall pick

definitely not but thanks for a good grade Sleepy

CementHands · 09-27-2019, 02:31 PM

Very cool writeup, nice idea!

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