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***ghamss*** · 09-25-2024, 09:24 AM

Now that the playoffs are over, all eyes are on the upcoming SHL draft. Interest in the SHL draft is evident across media pieces, deep dives, and in Discord servers. Players are eager for the next step in their careers. It doesn’t take long for speculations to swirl and rumours to start. Names are being tossed around, mock drafts are being written, rewritten, and connections are being made between SHL teams and draftees. There’s some real detective work going on. Only time will tell if the speculations are accurate. To gain insight into what the teams and GMs are thinking, I interviewed four GMs.

Minnesota

, Chicago

, and Montreal Patriotes

have the top three picks in the draft, in that order. Minnesota is one of two teams with three first-round picks, the other being Winnipeg Aurora

. Based on the upcoming draft, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that these four teams struggled this past season. Edmonton (20th with 28 points), Montreal (19th with 35 points), and Chicago (18th with 39 points) were at the bottom of the league, finishing 11 points behind Seattle (17th). Collectively, they amassed fewer points (102 points) than the first-place team, Los Angeles (103 points). Winnipeg did slightly better, finishing 14th with 57 points. These four teams were chosen for the interview because they all have major decisions in the first round that will have a lasting impact. Will this draft help turn their teams around?

Before diving deep into this particular draft, I took a step back and asked the GMs about their drafting philosophy. Similar to the NHL, an SHL team’s draft philosophy heavily depends on the person calling the shots. In Winnipeg, they are constantly looking for the best available pick by finding a player who will fit into the locker room and stay for the long term. It’s not so different in Chicago, where GM Nike said, “we draft based on locker room fit (and) expected earnings.” Montreal is in the same boat, prioritising locker room fit over on-ice ability. CampinKiller, the GM of Montreal, went on to say, “Building a LR (locker room) is important since that will beget a better team.” Most users won’t argue with this philosophy. A fun locker room is inviting and will keep users engaged, resulting in longer-term users and, eventually, success. Getting to know the prospects and ensuring a good social fit is clearly very important.

While many teams are focused on the social side of the game, others are focused on the ice. The Monarchs’ draft philosophy revolves around two attributes: size and toughness. Minnesota is looking to make life hell for their opponents. “Our intention has been to create a team that plays a furious, physical game on both sides of the ice, punishing our opponents and creating a team you can't beat without losing some pieces of yourself,” GM eddiesnotthere said.

After learning the draft philosophy of each GM, I wanted to know their thoughts on their current roster and where their strengths and weaknesses lie. Perhaps this would give us some insight into their first-round picks. Ace, the GM of Winnipeg, was short and (not) sweet when it came to their roster: “Roster-wise, it's bleak. We're heavily in a wait-and-see rebuild mode. We have a few star players, but we're not in a place to contend whatsoever.” The other three teams are in a similar situation, either on the tail end of a rebuild or stuck between two eras of players. In Minnesota, eddiesnotthere is fairly pleased with his forward group and his goalies. “The weakness currently facing the roster construction concerns is absolutely the defense.” With the capital they have in the upcoming draft, I suspect we will see the Monarchs addressing this issue.

Given the number of picks and the draft position held by these teams, I wanted to get a sense of whether the teams were willing to make some deals on draft day. All four GMs are open to making a move if it helps their team. However, none of these teams are willing to sacrifice future capital to make a drastic change in this draft. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Winnipeg and Minnesota take advantage of their multiple picks in the first two rounds to move around a bit, either to set themselves up to take a player they really want or to gain more picks in the S80 draft. I’d be surprised to see Chicago or Montreal make a move with their 2nd and 3rd overall picks, respectively.

These four teams seem content with the status quo—who wouldn’t be when you have the draft picks they do! That has less to do with it, though, as all four GMs expressed their excitement for the strength and depth of this draft class. Nike went as far as to say, “This is, in my opinion, one of the best classes in quite a while.” eddiesnotthere echoed this sentiment, saying, “the S79 class is set to be one of many standout classes.” You may ask why this draft class is so solid. It’s clearly due to the number of Red Wings fans in it (I had to… Go Wings!!). In actuality, the draft class is deep, with a number of solid recreates from users well-known around the SHL and several first-generation players who appear committed for the long haul. @SchwarzNarr is obviously a highly touted user, and teams know they will be a solid pick. Eddiesnotthere had this to say about Schwarz: “A definite standout is SchwarzNarr, who is a noted community figure, tremendous person, and a known top-earner and solid player-builder.” You can trust me (GHamss) when I say they will be going high. Other names that pique Minnesota’s interest include @Valpix, @Lumosityfan, @juke, and @Fantobens Given the popularity of these users, Minnesota may find it tough to grab more than one of them without moving up their later two first-rounders. Montreal has its sights set on similar recreate players, including @juke, @SFresh3, @SchwarzNarr, and @Aleris. However, CampinKiller wasn’t going to outright pass on some rookies, stating, “there are also some solid rookies that I’ve heard good things about.” Winnipeg, on the other hand, will be looking to bring back some past users. Ace said, “We have multiple former Aurora career players that I’d love to bring back if possible.” Nike, in Chicago, wasn’t willing to give a list of potential picks but stated their team would be happy with numerous players. With the 2nd overall pick, they are guaranteed to get someone they like!

If you’re like me and unsure of anything to do with the SHL, you may be wondering which team you really want your player to be drafted by. I asked each GM to pitch why a user should be excited to be drafted by their team. Below is each team’s pitch:

The Monarchs believe everyone should want to be part of their team. The team's values and way of running the business are unique but allow users to get a real sense of what the SHL is all about. The team runs on three primary objectives. “First, a commitment to the freedom of information,” meaning users will get to see all the behind-the-scenes decisions and how they were made. Users may not be involved in the decisions, but they will know them ahead of time. For example, goalies will know exactly who is starting and when. “We publicize our team's starting schedule so goaltenders know what nights they'll be starting and when to perhaps tune out.” Despite this unconventional way of thinking, eddiesnotthere has a point, stating, “goalies, as we publicize our team's starting schedule so goaltenders know what nights they'll be starting and when to perhaps tune out.” You can’t argue with that logic. Second, the Monarchs are committed to making the user and player experience as good as possible. “We see the user and the player as different people, each one having needs that suit one or the other or both, at different stages.” This is accomplished through providing tips and mentorship to help each user feel they have the help and reassurance they need to take the next step. Although not explicitly stated by other GMs, I’m sure this foundational pillar is part of many organizations. Lastly, in Minnesota, you will never feel like your wallet is being squeezed. “We never sacrifice a user's wallet for the sake of our team,” eddiesnotthere stated, going on to say that despite the tough decisions required in a business such as professional sports management, a player will always be paid the maximum amount allowed under the player’s TPE pay tier. All in all, it sounds like a great place for new gen players to learn the ins and outs of the SHL.

Heading up to Canada, Winnipeg is another solid place to land. Users can expect a lot from the Aurora organization. “We have a very bright future and a track record of consistency,” Ace said. Disregarding the most recent season or two, Ace is correct. Historically, the Aurora have been a solid playoff team and have had many successful seasons, finishing near or at the top of the league, including four back-to-back appearances in the finals. Not to mention the flexibility the Aurora have with the upcoming draft, as they have five picks in the first two rounds. I may be biased (I love bears), but their outfits are amazing. Look good, feel good; feel good, play good, am I right? The next couple of seasons may be rough in Winnipeg, but you can rest assured that Ace will get you to the top soon.

Over in Montreal, you can be excited about joining a team that is emerging from a rebuild with a strong roster. CampinKiller was enthusiastic about why a player should look forward to joining the Patriots, stating, “[we’re] coming out of a rebuild with an absolutely stacked system/roster, that’s set up to compete for a long time.” If you ask me, that sounds like the perfect time to join a team. CampinKiller went on to praise the locker room. Sounds like an all-around great time to join forces with the Patriots.

Last but not least, we have Chicago. Nike couldn’t stop talking about the locker room the Syndicate have created. “[The] LR is awesome and it’s a great mix of people who have been around for 2-3-4 players and a young group that is very early in their SHL careers.” The focus is clearly on the locker room in Chicago. They aren’t strangers to winning, though. Fighting for the top spot in the league wasn’t uncommon for the Syndicate in the early 60s (seasons). More recently, they have been a mid-table team before finding their way to the basement over the past three seasons. I can guarantee one thing: whether you’re winning or losing in Chicago, you’ll be having a good time in the locker room.

Despite the recent struggles of these four teams, I am confident they are in good hands. You, as a user, should be pleased to be picked by any of these great GMs. Although none of them were willing to spill the tea on who they were taking, I'd like to thank @eddiesnothere, @Ace, @Nike, and @CampinKiller for taking the time to answer my questions.

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