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gordieboom · 06-27-2022, 11:18 AM

Alright folks, it is the time of the year. Future HoF, Alvin Towne is about to be drafted in the SHL. This is going to be my third player that is heading to the SHL. The draft is an exciting time and i am looking forward to see where i do end up.

My previous two players, Gordie Boomhover and Adrian Ayers, both got drafted by the New England Wolfpack. Is that why Alvin Towne probably ends up with them? Who knows, but there is a new management and the goalie might not be the position of need. It is very much possible Alvin Towne starts his SHL career with an other team.

There is a first for everything, so i thought it would be fun and a good learning for myself to rank all teams to see what teams would be my preferred destination. For the ranking i have considered several factors: Goalie situation (no one likes to backup a starter for ever), the history of the team (i am preferring teams that haven’t won many titles) and the personal vibe i get from the team.

So without further ado lets get started from most favorite to least favorite destination:

1 Dragons

Calgary Dragons is a team with a long history. They joined the league in S1 and have won 8 titles. The last time was in S50. The team is currently lead by Muerto and DarkCanuck29 who i am not familiar with. The team has three goalies under contract: S60 Zhen Roza, S61 Charlie Bombay and S63 Hank Stopper. Zhen Roza is the second best goalie of the S60 class, but is IA. Charlie is also IA. Hank is the second goalie of the S63 class, but with more than 100+ TPE behind.

verdict: The goalie situation in Calgary is interesting. On paper it looks like they have a great tandem in Zhen and Hank, but Zhen got IA and Hank is not a great earner. There is an opportunity for a new starter goalie. I have always liked Calgary as an organisation, while i was a member of the New England Wolfpack. They have had great members like Steelhead77, MikeIzzy and Katth. Steelhead77 is considered one of the best GMs in the SHL history and although he is not the current GM anymore, it would be an honour of meeting him. It is a shame what happened with MikeIzzy, but one thing he did right in the past is making Calgary an appealing destination to join thanks to his various media posts.

2 pride

San Francisco Pride is a team with a long history. They joined the league in S25, previously named the Portland Admirals. They have yet to win a championship. The team is lead by Toast and Bfine, two users i am not familiar. The team has two goalies under contract: S55 Nicolai Antonescu and S60 Osada Tamura. Nicolai is the top goalie of the S55 class, while Osada is a slow earner.

verdict: There are several things i like about San Francisco. First of all they haven’t won a cup yet. It kinda would be nice to give them one. The goalie situation is great for Alvin as Nicolai is regressing and Osada can’t be considered a starter goalie. The only downside i see with San Francisco is the fact that the team currently is old and Alvin would have to lead a rebuild.

3 Platoon

Baltimore Platoon is a team with a long history. They joined the league in S1, under an other name, West Kendall Platoon. They have won 5 championships, the last time was in S47. The team is lead by hhh81 and ? (still searching for an assistant). I know hhh81 from his time as IIHF Federation Head of Germany. The team has two goalies under contract: S51 Luca Del Vecchio and S60 Corey McFarland. Luca is old and will probably end his career sooner than later. Corey is IA.

verdict: There are several things to like about Baltimore. First of all their goalie situation is perfect for Alvin as he would jump into the starter role quickly. Although Baltimore Platoon has a long history it has been almost 20 seasons ago that they won their last championship. hhh81 is a respectful member on the site who just recently got hired as a GM so he should have fresh ideas on how to build the team. One concern i have is how long will Baltimore try to remain competitive as their core (S55-S57) still have several seasons left.

4 Specters

New Orleans Specters is a team with a medium long history. They joined the league in S46 and have won 1 championship (S54). The team is lead by JKortesi81 and Pythonic. JKortesi81 drafted my first player Gordie Boomhover to the St.Louis Scarecrows so i know him a bit. The team has two goalies under contract: S57 Jon St. Ark and S59 Iorek Byrnison. Jon is the top goalie of the S57 class, whilst Iorek is the second goalie of the S59 class.

verdict: New Orleans is an interesting option. I like the idea of being re-united with the GM that drafted me first 20 seasons ago. They haven’t won much and i do like their brand. They do however have quite an old team now who are hitting their prime. They don’t have many prospects. Joining them now would probably mean that Alvin would lead a new rebuild which is not ideal.

5 Stars

Toronto North Stars is a team with a long history. They joined the league in S1 and have won 1 Championship, back in S35. The team is lead by Wally and mcgriddleluver, two users i am not familiar with. The team has three goalies under contract: S47 Harry Carpet, S59 Istawp Puques and S64 Toms Zile. Harry is the top and sole goalie of the S47 class. Istawp is IA and Toms is the third highest earner among goalies in the S64 class.

verdict: I am getting Toronto Maple Leafs vibes from Toronto North Stars, which as a Detroit Red Wings fan is not a good thing. Like the Maple Leafs the North Stars haven’t won much in a while, which is a plus. The goalie situation is interesting. Harry Carpet doesn’t have much left in his tank, but Toms Zile looks like a solid pick. I am not really convinced yet if Toms is their goalie for the future as his bank balance is low. Alvin good give him a good competition despite being two seasons behind.

6 Inferno

Atlanta Inferno is a team without a long history. They joined the league in S56. They haven’t won anything, but they were close at winning their first title. The team is lead by two members i know from my time with New England: hotdog and goldenglutes. The team has two goalies under contract: S59 Evgeni Petrov and S62 Recently Tired. Evgeni tops the S59 class of goalies, Recently Tired is ranked third in the S62 class, but with a huge gap behind the top two.

verdict: I like several things about Atlanta. The goalie situation is not ideal, but a starter position could be within reach especially when Evgeni is hit with regression. Recently Tired is a backup goalie at best. The team is lead by some great members. The only concern i have is the window conflict. Atlanta Inferno is on a winning now mode and they will stay that for several seasons. Not an ideal situation for Alvin as i feel by the time that Alvin is ready, Atlanta could be forced into rebuilding.

7 syndicate

Chicago Syndicate is a team with a medium long history. They joined the league in S46 and won one championship back in S57. The team is currently lead by SDCore and JNH, two users i only know by name. The team has two goalies under contract: S56 Mat Smith and S62 Lord Skrolk. Mat is the top goalie of the S56 class, while Lord Skrolk is a backup at best.

verdict: The goalie situation is kinda perfect for Alvin. Mat is heading towards regression, so the likelyhood of a starter position is appealing. The biggest issue i have though is the brand of the team. i am not a big fan. I don’t like the idea of playing for the “Mafia”. As a Detroit Red Wings fan i don’t think i would be totally happy playing for a team located in Chicago either, but Alvin’s options are limited though and i might need to abandon that kind of thoughts.

8 Rage

Manhattan Rage is a team with a long history. They joined the league in S2 and have 4 championships, the last one was in S52. The team is lead by Citizen of Adraa and Canadice, both users i only know by name. The team has 4 goalies under contract: S54 Name Redacted, S55 Mertin Broduer, S64 Inda Bagg, S64 Adam Rage. Name Redacted is the top goalie of the S54 class. Mertin is IA. Inda and Adam are ranked at the bottom of the S64 class.

verdict: Manhattan is an interesting destination for a future star goalie. They are rebuilding, but haven’t hit the jackpot with their S64 goalie class. Out of all New England’s old division rivals Manhattan is the lowest on my dislike list. The only reason i don't put them higher on my list is because although they have many prospects from S64/S65 the talent they have is thin. Edit: i thought they were rebuilding, but in the last days they added a few old players. It seems they aren’t embracing the rebuild yet, which is strange considering they didn’t do well last season. Sending out a mixed message. As a result they have dropped a bit on my list.

9

Texas Renegades is a team with a long history. They joined the league in S10 and have won 6 Championships. The team is lead by Yagoyi and CapnCooper, two users i am not familiar with. The team has three goalies under contract: S52 Cillian Kavanagh, S59 Podan Podanovic and S64 Valerian Sauveterre. Cillian is the second best goalie of the S52 class. Podan is IA and Valerian is a slow earner.

verdict: Texas Renegades needs a new goalie for the aging Cillian Kavanagh. That is a big plus, but somehow i have never really liked the branding of Texas, it is too dark for me. Texas have also been too successfull in history which is why they are dropping a few places on my list.

10

New England Wolfpack is a team with a long history. They joined the league in S12 and have won 4 championships, the last one back in S33. The team is lead by luke and Snussu. Everybody knows luke. The team has three goalies under contract: S50 Tobias Lindeman, S54 Thor Odinson and S63 Evert Jansson. Evert is the top goalie of the S63 class.

verdict: New England will always have a special place in my heart as i played there with my previous two players. Unfortunately it is a not good match for Alvin this time as they already have their goalie for the future and Alvin isn’t planning playing a backup role. Heart

11

Minnesota Monarchs is a team with a long history. They joined the league in S5 and have won 3 championship, the last one back in S39. The team is lead is by mutedfaith and spooked, two users i am not familiar with. The team has 3 goalies under contract: S57 Hugo Gronroos, S64 Enes Gundogan and S64 Joshua CorcoranTwitch. Enes is a top two goalie in the S64 class. Hugo is an IA goalie.

verdict: Minnesota is a team that is currently rebuilding, but they do already have their goalie for the future in their team in the form of Enes Gundogan. I like their brand and the fact that they haven’t won much, but is not an ideal place for Alvin.

12 Aurora

Winnipeg Aurora is a team with a long history. They joined the league in S1, previously named the Winnipeg Jets. They have won 6 Championships, the last one back in S44. The team is lead by Ace and RashfordU. Needless to say, i know Ace well, since we shared a locker room for a long time in New England. The team has three goalies under contract: S61 Jonas Johansson, S62 Rebecca Montagne and S65 Shiny Shuckle. Jonas is the second best goalie of the S61 class, but a medium earner. Rebecca is the top goalie of the S62 class and Shiny is the third best goalie of the S65 class.

verdict. There are several things i like about Winnipeg. First of all they have a great GM, someone who is not afraid to pull big moves. I also like Winnipeg’s new branding and it has been over 20 seasons that they won their last cup. The huge downside though is the goalie situation. There is simply no room for Alvin.

13 Forge

Philadelphia Forge is a team with a short history. They joined the league in S60 and haven’t won a championship yet. The team is lead by Acsolap and KaleSalad, two users i am not familiar with. The team has three goalies under contract: S54 Scoochie Stratton, S62 Dominik Tretyak and S65 BASE PACK. Scoochie is the second best goalie of the S54 class. Dominik is IA. BASE is the second earning goalie of the S65 class.

verdict: Philadelphia picked their goalie for the future in their latest draft, which puts them straight out of the picture. That is unfortunate as i do like their brand (Philadelphia is my second favorite NHL team) and the fact that they don’t have a long history.

14

Seattle Argonauts is a team with a short history. They joined the league in S56 and haven’t won a Championship yet. The team is lead by notorioustig and juOSu, two users i am not familiar with. The team has two goalies under contract: S61 Willie Miller and S62 Hugh Jass. Willie is the top goalie of the S61 class, while Hugh is IA.

verdict: There are several things i like about Seattle. Obviously they haven’t won anything which makes it a challenging place to be. I also do like their branding. Unfortunately they already have their goalie for the future and it does look like he will be there for a long time. That kinda drops them out of my plans.

15

Montreal Patriotes is a team with a short history. The joined the league in S60 and not surprisingly haven’t won a cup yet. The team is lead by CampinKiller and benpachi, two users i am not familiar with. The team has two goalies under contract: S56 Damien Vertigo and S62 Brick Wall. Brick is the top goalie of the S62 class.

verdict: Montreal’s goalie position is settled with Brick Wall taking over the starter position of Damien Vertigo. I am not a big fan of their branding so that is okay.

16 Panthers

Los Angeles Panthers is a team with a long history. They joined the league in S2 and have won 2 championships, the last one back in S17. The team is lead by FuzzSHL and Whitecap. I know FuzzSHL as his first player was a draftee in the same class as my first player. The team has two goalies under contract: S60 Olof Karsikko and S60 Monster The Doctor. Olof is the top goalie of the S60 class, while Monster is an IA backup.

verdict: There are some things to like about Los Angeles Panthers. They are hunger for success and i love their brand. FuzzSHL is a great member, we played together on a winning team in St.Louis and while he was GMing in Carolina he drafted my second player. Unfortunately the Panthers do already have their goalie for the future who is only 6 year older than Alvin. There is simply no place. Edit: they just won the Cup so that drops them a few places on my ranking.

17

Edmonton Blizzard is a team with a long history. The joined the league in S2, under an other name, Edmonton Comets. They have won 8 championships, the last time was in S49. The team is currently lead by HabsFanFromOntario and Waters, two users i am not familiar with. The team has three goalies under contract: S57 Vincent Mietitore, S57 Tyler Ward and S64 Justin Time. Justin is the top goalie of the S64 class.

verdict: Edmonton already has their goalie for the future on their roster so they don’t need another. That’s totally fine, because i wouldn’t want to play for them since they crushed my old team back in S49. Since then the name only brings back bad memories.

18

Tampa Bay Barracuda is a team with a long history. They joined the league in S1 and have had several brand changes along the way. They only won 1 Championship, back in S18 as the Seattle Riot. The team is lead by hockeyiscool, an user i only know by watching his podcast. As far as i know the team is still searching for an assistant GM. The team has three goalies under contract: S42 Geezus Kryyst, S52 Strom Chamberlain, S65 Isabella Bouchard. I think Geezus is done. Strom is the top goalie of the S52 class. Isabella is a medium earner in the S65 class.

verdict: F Tampa. It is a phrase i have said many times during my time with my first player in New England. The hate for them grow when they kept winning despite a really bad roster. As a result, I can’t see me playing for them. I do however think they need a strong starter goalie as Isabella does not look to be a top goalie. Unfortunate for them it is not going to be Alvin.

19

Buffalo Stampede is a team with a long history. They joined the league in S25 and have won 4 titles, the last time in S60. The team is lead by Tomen and Seymour, two users i am not familiar with. The team has two goalies under contract: S51 Elizabeth Doyle and S62 Skating Dino.

verdict: I don’t see myself playing for the Buffalo Stampede. I didn’t even bother looking at their goalie situation that well, i just don’t like the team. I think the dislike started when Buffalo kept performing well during my period with New England Wolfpack. There is another team which had more success, which is why they are not at the bottom of my list.

20

Hamilton Steelhawks is a team with a long history. They joined the league in S1 and have won 9 championships, most of them lately. The team is currently lead by Hallsy and RotticusScott, two users i only know by name. The team has four goalies under contract: S53 A Jobin, S55 Walrus Walrus, S65 Andrew Kiehl and S65 B Jobin. B Jobin is the top goalie of the S65 class.

verdict: B Jobin is without doubt the goalie of the future for the Hamilton Steelhawks, so they won’t be looking for another goalie, atleast not one of calibre of Alvin Towne. That is fine, because i wouldn’t want to play for them. They have had too many success lately which doesn’t appeal to me. I rather play for a team that needs success more. Out of all teams it is the least appealing option for me.

Conclusion:
First of all, thanks for reading. I have ranked the teams based on a few criteria and learned a bit about their history along the way. Some teams i simply don't like playing for because of history/rivalry. Other teams are not a great fit because of their goalie situation, but there are still plenty of teams i would like to play for. My ranking will probably change (and have changed) due to talks leading up to the draft, but i figured this was fine enough now to be released. I think it gives the General Manager enough information to start with. Good luck at the draft!

P.S. All earned money from this will be spent on training and not on trading cards. Promised!