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FR's Unqualified Draft Performance Winners/Losers (2x draft media)
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(This post was last modified: 07-18-2020, 02:28 PM by FinnRhys.)

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words = 3,459; double draft media
The Season 55 Simulation Hockey League draft has come to a close and with it the drama of teams vying to see early returns from their draft nights begin. Fans of teams from across the league will hit the message boards and start evaluating how their team did and “professional” sports prognosticators will definitively state which teams “won” the draft and which teams “lost”. In similar fashion, this article seeks to do much the same, although it will focus entirely on a small sample size, the first two rounds. Additionally, unlike other prognosticators and pundits, I will readily admit I am neither an expert nor a professional at evaluating each team’s draft performance. Ultimately, I just need the double draft media money and I thought this would be a relatively fun way of doing it. (NOTE: All “winners”, “losers” and letter grades are completely subjective since determining who actually did something with this draft is a crap shoot so if you don’t like what I say then just ignore it.)

I will start my prognostication with the teams of the Western Conference. Overall, the Western Conference teams had a decent draft with several teams selecting some much needed top-flight talent.

SAN FRANCISCO PRIDE: By sheer volume the winner of the conference, in terms of the draft picks, was the San Francisco Pride. With three selection in the first two rounds, San Francisco paced the conference with the most selections, and arguably more importantly, they owned the first pick of the draft and put it to good use.
The Picks:
1.  pride  San Francisco Pride - Rikard Bjerg
22. pride San Francisco Pride - Walton Stromberg
27. pride San Francisco Pride(:Rage: -> pride) - Nicolae Andrescu
Evaluation:
San Francisco came into the draft desperately needing depth in their prospect pool. Prior to the draft the cupboard in their farm system was fairly bare with only two players identified on their prospects page. Because of this, every pick San Francisco made needed to be a winner and I think that they got what they needed. With Bjerg they add a potentially stalwart defender on a side of the ice that lacks any youth on the current roster. All but one of San Francisco’s current defensemen are hitting regression and Bjerg is the only defenseman in the farm system so this is clearly a big pick up for the team. The situation was slightly less dire with the selections of Stromberg, a center, and Andrescu, a goalie. Stromberg brings some much needed depth to the forward line up that is generally much older and predominantly in regression already. Andrescu was a bit of a surprise pick as the franchise already has a relatively young goalie on the roster but he could prove to be the heir apparent in this youth movement that San Francisco is going for. My only criticism for San Francisco’s draft is that I think they could have done more to help the team long term by trading back from the first overall pick for a middle of the first round pick and a potential second rounder. Other than that, I think overall this draft is a WIN for the San Francisco Pride.

EDMONTON BLIZZARD: Another winner in this season’s draft was the Edmonton Blizzard. While I am clearly biased, I think you could objectively say that it was a good draft, especially in the first two rounds as Edmonton had two picks in the first round, the only team in the Western Conference to do so.
The Picks:
10.  Blizzard  Edmonton Blizzard - Axel Foley
13.  Blizzard  Edmonton Blizzard ( Panthers  ->  Blizzard ) - Terrence "Big Terry" Smith
Evaluation: The Blizzard came into the draft needing to address defensive depth in the farm system and that is exactly what they did, using both picks on defensemen. This defensive depth fills a void as Edmonton had zero defensive prospects in the farm system prior to this draft, and to get two quality players so early in the draft is a clear victory for the Edmonton faithful. I would expect big things from both Foley and Smith in a few season’s time, especially with them being a presumptive first pairing for the future, especially with Tor Tuck, Jon Toner and Brady McIntyre all well into regression seasons and aging rapidly. While Edmonton still holds those defensive veterans and will get the most out of them, it is clear that Foley and Smith will be the next in a long line of great defensemen and will have big skates to fill.

MINNESOTA CHIEFS: I guess you would call this a winner for Minnesota. They are in a full on youth movement right now and it will take a few seasons for them to reap the rewards but I actually like the idea of building the franchise from the ground up the way they are doing it.
The Picks:
7.  Chiefs  Minnesota Chiefs ( Renegades  ->  Chiefs ) - Devin Basher
26.  Chiefs  Minnesota Chiefs ( Blizzard  ->  Chiefs ) - Alex Marshall
Evaluation: Like I said, this is a win for Minnesota. They continued to stockpile depth in their farm system, which now numbers 12 prospects, and they were able to pick up two very good players. With all the depth that they have in their farm system, the Chiefs could have used these picks on any number of positions but decided to use both picks on right wingers, which is probably my only criticism. It is a mixed bag on selecting the best player available but I think a little more diversity here, especially with an already deep bench would have been more advantageous. That said, I absolutely agree with the need for forwards, which they did address later in the draft, I just would like to have seen a right wing, left wing and center pick up. Overall, I think this is a win for Minnesota.

NEW ORLEANS SPECTERS: I am on the fence if this is a winning draft for the Simulation Hockey League champions or if this is just a ho-hum draft bordering on being a “losing” one. New Orleans used their two picks as well as I think they could, especially since after the number four pick they had a long wait to use the last pick of the second round, but I think they could have done a little more.
The Picks:
4. Specters New Orleans Specters (Chiefs -> Specters) - Connor Hutton
32. Specters New Orleans Specters - Sven Gunnar
Evaluation: Hutton is a quality defensemen and will likely pan out as one of the better defenders in the draft but I am not in love with New Orleans selecting him, especially because they already have several pre-regression defensemen in the line up, all of which are active and producing. I think that New Orleans probably could have traded back or potentially picked up another forward to go along with Gunnar, something they need more than more defensemen. That said, maybe New Orleans is just fulfilling the old adage that defense wins championships. It is hard to argue against the champs, especially because they made the current formula work for them, I just think they could have done a bit more. In the same token, this could just be the beginning of a shift for New Orleans, as many of their players are aging and the last two drafts have been relatively balanced in terms of positional selection. We shall see if these two picks are just the beginning for a new crop of Specters, or if New Orleans plans to trade for already existing talent rather than develop it in house.

TEXAS RENEGADES: If you haven’t figured it out yet, I am very much a fan of more picks since it increases your odds of keeping active players, but obviously that can’t happen all the time. With only one pick in the first two rounds it is hard to determine if Texas is a winner or a loser in this draft, but I would err on the cautiously optimistic nature that I have and say that it was at least marginally successful.
The Pick:
5. Renegades Texas Renegades (Platoon -> Chiefs -> Renegades) - Theo Kondos
Evaluation: With only one pick in the first two rounds the Renegades made lemonade with their lemons, or lemon in this case. I think that Kondos was a great pick overall and I think he fills a need for Texas so I can’t knock them too hard for selecting him there. He looks to be a solid left wing and he adds some needed depth at the position, especially since the position is very top heavy with older players. The more I look at it the more I like the selection of Kondos and I am almost ready to get off the fence and call this a win. Texas probably still has a few seasons before they will make the jump to being a consistent performer but I look at this pick and the existing farm system and I see a lot of potential there.

CALGARY DRAGONS: I don’t hate Calgary’s draft but I definitely don’t love it either. They did the best that they could with their two picks but I think they could have done a lot more.
The Picks:
9. Dragons Calgary Dragons - Chris Goodname
30. Dragons Calgary Dragons (Stampede -> Panthers -> Dragons) - Mack Daddy
Evaluation: Both players selected are quality guys, but I think the selection of Goodname, a defenseman, instead of another forward is a little questionable. I am sure Calgary’s leadership knows what they are doing but I just don’t see it. The team still has some relatively young defensemen on the roster that are pre-regression and I think adding another forward to the line up would have helped the team out more in the long run much better. That said, I am clearly not an expert in any of this so take it with a grain of salt. I am going to call this draft for Calgary a “loss”, albeit only just barely. I think both players selected will pan out but I just really think another forward was needed more than a defenseman.

WINNIPEG JETS: It is tough having only one pick in the first two rounds at it being so late in the second round. Just because of the one pick and it being late I have to call the first two rounds a “loss” for Winnipeg.
The Pick:
21. Jets Winnipeg Jets - Zakkira Diporov
Evaluation: The Jets selection of Diporov answers a need for either a center or right wing on the bench. Having Diporov available so late was a bit surprising but good for the Renegades. I think they did the best with what they had but because it was only one pick it has to be considered a “loss” in my books.

LOS ANGELES PANTHERS: Rounding out the Western Conference is the Los Angeles Panthers. With only one selection and it being almost the very last one of the second round, it is hard to rate this as anything but a loss for the franchise.
The Pick:
29. Panthers Los Angeles Panthers - Leonids Balzams
Evaluation: The Panthers have begun a full on youth movement with the majority of the current roster being pre-regression. Balzams doesn’t really fill any critical needs as the roster is already incredibly young but he does add some depth to a roster that may need it in the future as it rebuilds for the future.

The Eastern Conference is a bit more of a mixed bag when it comes to the draft with a few clear “winners” (at least in terms of numbers of draftees) and a few clear “losers”. The first big winner for the conference is the only team that did not register a win last season, the Tampa Bay Barracuda.

TAMPA BAY BARRACUDA: With seven (yes, you read that right, seven draft picks) draft picks amongst the first two rounds, including three first rounders, Tampa Bay was the night’s clear winner in terms of filling gaps and adding depth. By sheer volume Tampa Bay had an exceptional draft, all the more impressive when you consider that the Tampa Bay management collected five of their draft picks via traded picks. While on the face of it, that does sound pretty impressive, in reality, it probably wasn’t that hard to accumulate those picks after a fire sale of talent and a dumpster fire of a season. What is clear, however, is that Tampa Bay is fully invested in rebuilding the franchise from the ground up.
The Picks:
2.  Barracuda  Tampa Bay Barracuda - Colin Lambert
12. Barracuda Tampa Bay Barracuda ( syndicate  -> Barracuda) - Igor Victor
14. Barracuda Tampa Bay Barracuda ( Stampede  -> Barracuda) - Jöörgüštrâäd DuBølk
16. Barracuda Tampa Bay Barracuda ( Specters  -> Barracuda) - Adrik Baranov
17. Barracuda Tampa Bay Barracuda - TURG TURG
23. Barracuda Tampa Bay Barracuda ( Renegades  -> Barracuda) - Pavel Kharlamov
24. Barracuda Tampa Bay Barracuda ( Wolfpack  -> Barracuda) - Jesse Seppanen
Evaluation: This is a pretty easy one. Tampa Bay has fully gone into rebuilding mode, which isn’t surprising given that the team has only 3 players that have made it to regression at this point. With 12 players in the prospect pool (not including the 7 recent additions) Tampa Bay has restocked the cupboard and is setting the foundation for a team transformation. It will certainly take a few seasons and it will be interesting to see if all of their draft picks develop and come to fruition as contributors or not. What I like the most about their picks is that the Tampa Bay management cast a wide net knowing that only a handful of players may eventually pan out for them. While it is going to take some time and will take a lot of commitment, I could see Tampa Bay actually contending again in a few season’s time.

NEW ENGLAND WOLFPACK: I consider the New England Wolfpack winners during the first two rounds of this draft albeit by the narrowest of margins. I really think they could have done better with a more offensive (offense not insulting) approach early on but whatever.
The Picks:
8.  Wolfpack  New England Wolfpack - Alexander Oscarsson
11.  Wolfpack  New England Wolfpack ( Rage  ->  Wolfpack ) - Guðmundur Kristjánsson
15.  Wolfpack  New England Wolfpack ( Steelhawks  ->  Wolfpack ) - Ryan Rieley
Evaluation: They needed wingers, specifically left wingers, and they got… one. They picked one left winger. But hey, one is more than none so I consider this a win, especially when you consider that they also added much needed depth at defense to an aging defensive corps. All three players are quality pick ups and should develop into quality contributors down the line. With an aging defense it made sense to grab a defenseman, I just wish it was a little later since three of the team’s left wingers are in the waning seasons of their career and well into regression.

BALTIMORE PLATOON: I almost broke my personal bias rule about numbers of picks equaling success when it came to Baltimore. I actually almost rated Toronto ahead just slightly. This is my article though so I can do what I want and I actually think this could be a win for Baltimore.
The Picks:
6.  Platoon  Baltimore Platoon ( Jets  -> Platoon) - Teddy Park
20. Platoon Baltimore Platoon (Platoon ->  Stampede  -> Platoon) - Lord Raiden
28. Platoon Baltimore Platoon ( syndicate  -> Platoon) - Daniil Nikiforov
Evaluation: Baltimore needed to make a splash in the draft and they did… kind of. The Platoon needed to add some depth at Center, especially with three aging ones on the roster (although they do have two younger guys on the roster as well) and they did that with the selection of Raiden and Nikiforov. I love the pick up of Park, one of the best defensemen in the draft, and it makes sense to me taking him early, I just wish that Baltimore had another pick in the second round to add a winger. I am probably wrong, I usually am, but I am not sure that Baltimore has fully invested in the youth movement rebuild as much as I would like them to. Given a few seasons though, I am sure they will rebound and be competitors once again.

TORONTO NORTH STARS: Toronto nearly jumped ahead of Baltimore as winners in this draft. I still think Toronto did ok, especially with the number 3 pick overall. I think Toronto is going to take this a little slower than I would like but I am also not the one having to deal with trying to rebuild a franchise from scratch. By all accounts, it does look like the pieces of the puzzle are coming together.
The Picks:
3.  Stars  Toronto North Stars - Ryu Jones
18.  Stars  Toronto North Stars - Liam Slate
Evaluation: I said most of what I needed to say above. Jones and Slate are phenomenal additions to the squad and I actually admire Toronto’s methodical approach to rebuilding the team. None of their players are in regression (or even really close to it) and I like that they added forward depth where it was really needed on the wings. I am a big fan of Ursin so I am pulling for the North Stars to make this all come together in another few seasons.

CHICAGO SYNDICATE: Ok, I broke my rule and picked a team with less picks over a team with more picks. I think Chicago is one of the most exciting teams in the league right now and I like that they have built the franchise into one of the highest scoring in the league, and they’ve done it with powerful forwards and offensive defensemen.
The Pick:
25.  syndicate  Chicago Syndicate ( Dragons  ->  syndicate ) - Lassi Suhonen
Evaluation: For the spot in the draft they were in, Chicago made a great pick by adding a forward to the mix. I really like Chicago’s prospect pool so this was really addition by subtraction as some of their picks were traded away. I think Suhonen will turn some heads in a few season’s time and this selection adds some depth to an already exceptional position.

HAMILTON STEELHAWKS: I picked Chicago over Hamilton for two reasons: 1) because I like Chicago, 2) because I needed to add a little drama/variety, 3) I just don’t like Hamilton (although admittedly I have no real reason why, I just picked them as the team I would dislike). That said, they clearly know what they are doing by consistently performing at a high level and while I am calling this a “loss” it really is for the reasons listed above and not for any real reason.
The Picks:
19.  Steelhawks  Hamilton Steelhawks ( Chiefs  -  Steelhawks ) - Lonnie O'Donoghue
31.  Steelhawks  Hamilton Steelhawks ( Steelhawks  ->  pride  ->  Steelhawks ) - Jason Desrouleaux
Evaluation: Overall I think this was actually a pretty solid draft for Hamilton. Much like the musical, my pontification will likely have the Hamilton faithful giving calls to “rise up” against me, but hey, I just need word count at this point. Adding a winger and a defenseman early in the draft was a good call and I think both will turn out to be solid for the Steelhawks in the future.

BUFFALO/MANHATTAN: Let me make this easier since I am sure that if you have actually read to this point you are as tired of reading my dribble as I am of writing it. The real losers of this draft are Buffalo and Manhattan since they made no picks whatsoever in the first two rounds. Some of this is because both teams are apparently already in a good position (true for one but not the other). I would argue, and I will right here, that Buffalo probably is ok not having any first or second round picks, but Manhattan surely could have used at least one since so many of the players on its roster are in regression and their prospect pool is relatively moribund with only two prospects currently. Ultimately, we will see if any of my prognostication or ratings actually prove correct or not in a few seasons time.

Thanks for reading (and more importantly grading).

WolfpackBlizzardRaptors  raiders Switzerland  FINN RHYS  Switzerland raiders Raptors Blizzard Wolfpack


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Nice article man!

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