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***sve7en*** · 03-13-2020, 01:39 AM

[1768 words x 2 (draft media) = $3.536 m expected payout]

Sunday night, sixteen teams and dozens of SHL hopefuls will gather to determine the first new faces of a new era in the SHL. As we get closer, more and more things are starting to fall into place. Rumors are flying everywhere, but they’re starting to overlap with each other and the top of the class is becoming really clear. But what if every team made moves in anticipation of the draft falling into place, and then it all went to hell? What would happen if every team lost what they were looking for right as it was their turn to pick? What could cause a domino effect down the draft board starting from the first overall pick?

Oh.

Yeah, that could do it.

Imagine a world where Winnipeg was looking at taking one of the guys on everyone’s top 5 or top 10 with that first overall pick, but as they found a deal on that pick they got the rug pulled out from under them. Wagner didn’t want to go to them, and it was suddenly clear. So they start fielding offers discreetly, seeing if anyone else has a gem in the draft they want to lock up. Then, just before they’re on the clock, they make it happen.

This is a thought experiment. What if every time a pick was made on draft night, the next team's plans changed? What happens next?

“Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the S53 SHL draft. Winnipeg was to be on the clock but I have just been given there word has been a trade...

With the first overall pick in this season's SHL draft, the Edmonton Blizzard select Ambacas Cuddles, Carolina Kraken”

[EDM get 1.1 | WPG get 1.10, 4.10 (58), S54 EDM 1st]

Think about it. Cuddles is a household name in Edmonton already, and they have the pieces to make a trade like this happen. They have a solid set of prospects, and Ambacas would be one of the last pieces to the puzzle and would quickly get back to relevancy. Cuddles is widely considered a generational prospect in this year's massive class, and his first year in Carolina really lived up to the hype. He took home All-Rookie honors, as well as team awards. He’s leading his class in TPE, has the pedigree that you know you can rely on him, and is a perfect fit here. Meanwhile Winnipeg gets to move down in a draft with a lot of talent, only dropping 9 spots back in a draft in which the TPE difference between the 5th prospect and 14th prospect is literally 9 TPE. A team with guys already looking at free agency next offseason could use the extra talent that this class brings to bring in a new era of great hockey to the Jets.

“Ladies and gentlemen, there has been a trade. With the second overall pick in the S53 SHL draft, the Toronto North Stars select Magnus Liljestrom, Detroit Falcons”

[TOR get 1.2, 2.7 (23) | TBB get 1.8, S54 TOR 1st, S54 MAN 2nd]

With one of the two top defensemen off the board, it would take a King’s ransom to pry the number two pick away from Tampa. Turns out the team needing a defenseman for their rebuild can’t resist what’s being offered by the other team needing a defenseman for their rebuild. Toronto get a gem of a first generation prospect, probably the best in the class, and someone that they’ll be able to pair with Axel Meszaros for the entire time they’re in the league potentially. Beyond that, they convert some picks from next year into a mid 2nd round pick this year. Those 4 second round picks should allow for Toronto to put a cap on their rebuild and begin their climb. In return, Tampa Bay gets to convert a 2nd round pick into a potential lottery first next year, in what is starting to look like another deeper than average class and another second round pick next year, at the low cost of moving back to the 8th pick in a stacked draft.

“Ladies and gentlemen, there has been a trade. With the third overall pick in the S53 SHL draft, the Los Angeles Panthers select Steve Harrington, Newfoundland Berserkers”

[LAP get 1.3 | BUF get 1.7, 3.7]

Los Angeles bucks their trend of taking recreates at the top of drafts to take the playmaking winger who is looking more and more like an established SHL name each and every day. On the user side, Lime has jobs, money, and a history of doing graphic media, which fits right in with the Panthers. They have a small prospect pool, but it’s filled with quality names, and one more certain lock at wing should do well for their forward depth as they’re overall going to hit regression before their defensemen. On the other side, Buffalo gets free draft capital as they should be able to get someone off their short list at 7, while still picking Zombie up at 5. That extra third in a reddit draft could turn into a good prospect down the line, and at worse probably lets Buffalo consolidate other draft capital to get a good S54 or S55 pick.

“Ladies and gentlemen, there has been a trade. With the fourth overall pick in the S53 SHL draft, the Calgary Dragons select Jimmy Wagner, Carolina Kraken”

[CGY get 1.4, S54 TEX 3rd | TEX get 1.10, S54 CGY 2nd]

Boom. There it is. Izzy gets his guy. While they couldn’t match the offer that LA was throwing together for the third overall pick, the Dragons add another Carolina forward to eventually join Weston and Rykov, as the next generation of wingers for the storied franchise. Wagner brings an immense drive and while he wasn’t one of the three tier 1 prospects this draft, he occupies his own little niche above the tier two guys with his activity and diverse media presence. Texas is far less interested in the 4th overall pick if the three picks ahead of them clean out the obvious must have prospects. They then get to potentially make a move for a lottery pick next season, while not really hurting their potential for getting a solid tier 2 prospect in this draft.

“Ladies and gentlemen, there has been a trade. With the fifth overall pick in the S53 SHL draft, the Minnesota Chiefs select Jukka Timonen, Newfoundland Beserkers”

“With the sixth overall pick in the S53 SHL draft, the Buffalo Stampede select Jaska Seppala, Kelowna Knights”

“With the seventh overall pick in the S53 SHL draft, the West Kendall Platoon select Edward Williams, Detroit Falcons”

[MIN get 1.5 from BUF | BUF get 1.6 from WKP, 2.4 (20) from MIN, C.T. Carragher from MIN | WKP get 1.7 from BUF, 2.10 (26) from MIN]

Ok, so hear me out.

Buffalo is taking Zombie here, they need another center prospect, and there’s some high risk high reward guys available in the twenties, when Buffalo has the prospect pool to make some high risk moves.

West Kendall has a good pool, there’s a number of tier two guys available, and getting a free second in the current Reddit draft is great upside.

Minnesota has a stacked core of centers, and Carragher is a high upside guy currently stuck behind classmate Danny Marston and S50 stud Daniel Bishoff. Turning Carragher into a top defenseman in this class, and finally getting a reliable defensive prospect, is worth the two seconds given up.

Some will say Minnesota overpaid for their pick, but Timonen is a hockey statistician’s wet dream, he has a great media presence, and he’s got a great bank account for a rookie. Buffalo wasn’t in need of him, potentially value the known quantity in Carragher more than the shot at an S53 rookie, and the Chiefs jumped at the opportunity. West Kendall would have liked to grab Jukka for themselves, but it’s hard to pass up a free 26th overall pick when Buffalo could easily go best player available, or another team could make the deal instead. Everyone leaves this trade happy, and improving their teams.

To follow that Chiefs pick, Buffalo get to finally select Jaska Seppala. The speedy winger gets their wish in going to Buffalo, and will look to carry the momentum from their rookie playoff run forward into their remaining career. It’s hard to deny the impact Seppala has in the locker room, despite being a rookie, and they’ll be welcomed into the herd with open arms. West Kendall would have liked to pick up the excellent defender in Timonen, but Edward Williams is an incredible consolation prize for facilitating the deal. The Falcons center quickly became a media powerhouse, and the fan favorite was constantly backing it up on the ice. When all is said and done, falling into this Williams pick has the potential to look insanely good years from now.

“Ladies and gentlemen, there has been a trade. With the eighth overall pick in the S53 SHL draft, the Texas Renegades select Rocco Berni, Kelowna Knights”

[TEX get 1.8 | TBB get 1.9, S54 TEX 3rd]

Knowing that Berni is still on the board, despite being one of the prospects closest to being “SHL ready”, Texas ensures the pick by throwing a low value flyer Tampa’s way and keeps anyone else looking at picking up the well established Knight. While there is some concern about his background, it’s hard to ignore the floor that Rocco has, and it makes sense that Texas would look to ensure some ensured level of play while they watch the rest of their class develop. This is a no-brainer for Tampa, as no one can match the level of value Tampa is getting off of Texas here, and they’re not as interested in Berni. Dropping down a single pick isn’t going to hurt their game plan, and they can soon pile up on potential with the four picks they have between here and 23rd overall.

--to be continued?--

TRADE OVERVIEWS

[TOR get 1.2, 2.7 (23) | TBB get 1.8, S54 TOR 1st, S54 MAN 2nd]

[LAP get 1.3 | BUF get 1.7, 3.7]

[CGY get 1.4, S54 TEX 3rd | TEX get 1.10, S54 CGY 2nd]

[MIN get 1.5 from BUF | BUF get 1.6 from WKP, 2.4 (20) from MIN, C.T. Carragher from MIN | WKP get 1.7 from BUF, 2.10 (26) from MIN]

[TEX get 1.8 | TBB get 1.9, S54 TEX 3rd]