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mel24 · 07-30-2017, 12:50 AM

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i really had to make sure y’all know i’m back for real. all statistics, lineups, and roster information is found from the index or from update threads. at the time of this writing, the playoff index was not updated fully, so statistics from the playoffs have been calculated by hand and may be incorrect. IT IS UP TO DATE ON ALL ROSTER INFORMATION AS OF 7/31/17! if you have any questions or comments feel free to let me know. enjoy!

WORD COUNT: 4550

The Eastern Conference can be found here

<div align="center">SEASON THIRTY-SIX DRAFT PREVIEW
The Western Conference</div>

<div align="center"> Riot

Seattle Riot Riot

Regular Season: Wins: 19 | Losses: 28 | Overtime Losses: 3 | Points: 41 | Goals For: 112 | Goals Against: 154
Playoffs: Did not qualify

Season Thirty-Five Recap</div>
Seattle’s season was an unfortunately memorable one. Unable to hit twenty wins, the Riot only barely avoided last place in the league, but were kept out of the playoffs and finished last in the Western Division. With the fewest goals for in the SHL, Seattle was often left unable to win low-scoring games, and the Riot were shut out a surprising seven times in the season. Last in shots for, cumulative team points, and home losses, Seattle also had the worst power play in the league at under ten percent. It certainly wasn’t a season for the books, and was a struggle for many of the players as well. With a lot of personal change throughout the season, and an impressive amount of offseason moves, all the cards are on the table for Seattle.

<div align="center">Season Thirty-Six Draft Preview</div>
The Riot are last in another category: number of draft picks in this upcoming draft. With only five picks in six rounds, and no first rounder, Seattle doesn’t have very many opportunities to make something out of almost nothing. However, with two second rounders, there’s a good chance that in such a deep draft, the Riot might be able to find a few gems. They desperately need help on their power play, as well as just boosting all around scoring. The roster trends old and not very active, which is a tough place to be in when a team should be rebuilding. Luckily, the Riot does have two decent prospects in development, but that’s certainly not enough to revamp the entire team, and Seattle needs to either make a stand this draft or get ready to shake up their roster entirely.

<div align="center">Available Prospects</div>
Finn Jakobsen - St. Louis Scarecrows: LW | G: 2 | A: 5 | P: 7 | P/20: 0.30 | AMG: 9.48
Jakobsen is one of those players who, without a lot of ice time, it’s hard to get a good, solid read on. His regular season statistics were average, and his two goals in seven playoff games were impressive if not amazing. However, his activity level is a definite bonus, and on a Seattle team where any warm bodies would be helpful, Jakobsen could be a strong pick-up in the early second round. Seattle’s situation on the left is interesting at best, considering the general youth of all the members, but adding another young player to the pipeline could help fill the new gap on the third line.

Joakim Lindqvist - Vancouver Whalers: C | G: 4 | A: 11 | P: 15 | SH: 50 | AMG: 10.50
Lindqvist also didn’t get a lot of ice time his rookie season as a Whaler, but he had four assists in nine games, helping take the Whalers to a sweep in the Four Star Cup Finals. He hasn’t had any power play minutes, but as a developing playmaker, he could eventually slot into that role in Seattle. His assists total is solid for a rookie, and while a few more goals wouldn’t go amiss, there are a few players on the Riot who he could play off of. Most of the Riot’s centers are very similar build-wise, and while Linqvist doesn’t stray from this model, that might not be such a bad thing. With a few fresh faces on wing, he could help jolt a few of Seattle’s lines back to life.

<div align="center">

Edmonton Blizzard

Regular Season: Wins: 19 | Losses: 26 | Overtime Losses: 5 | Points: 43 | Goals For: 135 | Goals Against: 160
Playoffs: Did not qualify

Season Thirty-Five Recap</div>
Edmonton struggled this season, and only escaped last place in the West due to a couple of overtime loses. They had the worst home record in the league, winning only eight games in their own barn with a goal differential of -18. Their shot suppression was middling, but they failed to generate enough shots on their own to take advantage of any success in the defensive zone. They also had the second fewest hits, and lowest penalty minutes taken in the league. Out of everything, special teams seemed to be the biggest plus in Edmonton’s season, with a low, but not abysmal, power play percentage, and a strong showing on the penalty kill with two shorthanded goals. There’s definitely lots of room for improvement - the only question is if they’re going to manage to trend upward.

<div align="center">Season Thirty-Six Draft Preview</div>
In a blockbuster trade only a few days before the draft, Edmonton traded away the first overall pick to the Minnesota Chiefs, which bumped them down three spots in the first round but also gave them two more picks in the top twenty. In such a deep draft, Edmonton has a lot of potential to pick up a future superstar. With the lowest TPE average in the SHL, sitting at around 650 with their current roster, Edmonton desperately needs some new life. Their goaltending situation as well could use some improvement, with Broadway getting up there in years. Luckily, Edmonton had a strong draft last season, and boast one of the deepest prospect pools. With only three players on the roster over a thousand TPE, activity is the name of the game for Edmonton in this draft. A strong, active prospect base provides not only the potential to shape a strong roster, but also a good base for future trades to grab that new franchise player.

<div align="center">Available Prospects</div>
Yuri Boyka Jr. - Halifax Raiders: C | G: 19 | A: 20 | P: 39 | FO%: 43.69% | AMG: 22.67
On a Halifax team of mostly rookies, Boyka Jr. stood out as the points and time on ice leader, boasting an impressive thirty-nine points and scoring on almost one out of every seven shots he took. His dedication to training this season has been impressive, and his passion for the game cannot be overstated, ranking near the top of rookie TPE totals. It’s not clear yet if he’ll have the same success as his father, but Jr. does have the potential to become an amazing player in his own right. His performance in Halifax has been promising, and while the Raiders missed the playoffs this season, his regular season numbers are more than enough to project him going at number four.

Colton Hagan - Colorado Mammoths: RW | G: 12 | A: 6 | P: 18 | HIT: 91 | AMG: 17.64
When I first scouted Hagan for the Season Thirty-One draft, I also had him going to the Blizzard, and I’m still confident this team is a good fit for any iteration of the player. He played more minutes in Colorado, and it showed, almost doubling his shooting percentage in nearly the same number of games. His aggressive play style as one of the few power forwards in the draft helped him become a physical presence on the ice while still balancing it all out with a decent amount of points. It would be interesting to see what Hagan could do on an Edmonton team that doesn’t have the same aggression it once did. Hagan could be taken as a solid depth option, but also has the potential to become a breakout star in the future.

<div align="center"> Jets

Winnipeg Jets Jets

Regular Season: Wins: 28 | Losses: 21 | Overtime Losses: 1 | Points: 57 | Goals For: 162 | Goals Against: 158
Playoffs: Did not qualify

Season Thirty-Five Recap</div>
The Jets only barely missed the playoffs, falling short in the final tiebreaker against the Renegades. They scored the second most goals in the West, but were unable to turn success up front into success in the final few games of the season, despite finishing with a two-game win streak. Statistically, the Jets were the most run of the pack team in the season, with most of their team statistics close to the league average. Their shot suppression was third worst in the league, however, although they were also one of the leaders in shots blocked. They were the second hardest-hitting team, while still managing to draw an impressive 164 penalties. A big struggle for them was their faceoffs, where they stayed in the bottom three in all zones. It was a season of everything being almost enough for the Jets, and they have the chance to either turn a corner or go right back to where they started.

<div align="center">Season Thirty-Six Draft Preview</div>
The name of the game this season for the Jets has been “double-shifting”, with the team’s first line also acting as their third, playing an astounding sixty-two percent of games. It’s much less of an issue on defense, so Winnipeg’s focus this draft should absolutely be on selecting as many forwards as possible. They’re in good position with the sixth overall pick, and hold at least one pick in each of the following rounds. Luckily, they have a very large pool of prospective wingers, and a pretty well aged, well-rounded defensive core. Using this draft to pick up some defensive prospects wouldn’t hurt, but it shouldn’t be their highest priority, as Winnipeg should likely start shifting into win-now mode, with players like Visser and Evans starting to age up. In such a deep draft, the Jets actually have one of the best chances to buff up their roster with mid-TPE players and make a deeper push into the postseason in the future.

<div align="center">Available Prospects</div>
Dwayne Ryder - Halifax Raiders: LW | G: 11 | A: 12 | P: 23 | HIT: 156 | AMG: 21.02
Ryder is a definite first round selection, although public opinion seems to waver over where in the first round he’ll actually be selected. Personally, I think he would make a great fit in Winnipeg, where they need a new left winger pretty badly. He’d be an imposing power forward on a Winnipeg team that’s more heavily scoring focused, but he still brings a good amount of points to the rink. He’s active as well, which is just another plus. Skating is a unique weakness, but Ryder’s numbers clearly show he’s a well-balanced player, and could even start on Winnipeg’s bottom six as early as next season.

Tommy Toms - Prince George Firebirds: D | G: 1 | A: 20 | P: 21 | +/-: 5 | AMG: 14.14
Toms certainly isn’t the most active defensive prospect in the draft, but his impressive points total shows that he could still be a depth selection for the future. It’s unclear if he ever will come back and be active again, but with twenty assists, he could do well in a limited role on an SHL team in a few years. Since Winnipeg’s defense is mostly set for the future, Toms is a good insurance piece to pick up in the later rounds of this draft, who could later either become a player or be flipped for assets or more roster space.

<div align="center">

Texas Renegades

Regular Season: Wins: 26 | Losses: 19 | Overtime Losses: 5 | Points: 57 | Goals For: 161 | Goals Against: 158
Playoffs: Wins: 2 | Losses: 3 | Overtime Losses: 1 | Goals For: 19 | Goals Against: 24 | Lost in Round One to the Calgary Dragons

Season Thirty-Five Recap</div>
It was a tough postseason for the Renegades, who tried to recreate their miracle from last season and unseat the number one seed in the West, but were ultimately unsuccessful. They ran neck-and-neck with the Jets for the final spot in the playoffs, and tied for fourth in the entire league for cumulative points. They also had the best power play at almost 30%, and led the league with forty-one power play goals. However, while their penalty kill was above average, they struggled with taking a lot more penalties than they drew. Luckily, they were able to offset this, but making the penalty kill work too hard doesn’t always work out as well, and it’s something they might look to address before the next season.

<div align="center">Season Thirty-Six Draft Preview</div>
The Renegades are another team with an aging roster, with more than half of the team entering their tenth or higher season in the league. It’s unlikely that Texas will look to trade away any of their major pieces, and since their prospect pool is relatively small, this draft is the first step in updating a roster which has been struggling to find postseason success for the past few seasons. They’re one of the few teams in the SHL that actually rolls four real forward lines, however, which allows them to really shift their attention in this draft toward looking to replace some of their players which are starting to regress. However, with only one pick in the top two rounds, and four picks through six rounds, the Renegades will have to be targeted and focused to find players that can still make an impact.

<div align="center">Available Prospects</div>
Chase Byron - Colorado Mammoths: D | G: 5 | A: 15 | P: 20 | PPP: 7 | AMG: 20.87
Chase Byron was an impressive player for the Mammoths this season, taking charge of the second pairing and playing over twenty minutes a game. He generated plenty of shots for a defender, but stayed steady in his own end, leading the Mammoths with fifty-eight shot blocks. His presence on the power play was limited, but his seven points fit in well with Texas’ model. He played similar minutes on the penalty kill as well, so he has the capability to be used on either special teams roster and still benefit Texas’ process.

Tommy McMahon - Detroit Falcons: RW | G: 2 | A: 7 | P: 9 | HIT: 25 | AMG: 10.93
McMahon would be a great sniper pick up in one of the later rounds, after playing a good supporting role for the Falcons this season. He was tied for the second-fewest penalty minutes on the roster with only four, and was also able to generate eighty-two shots while playing on the third line. The Renegades don’t have any winger prospects right now, and adding McMahon now gives them more roster options in the future, since winger is one of the many positions they’re set at for the next few seasons at least.

<div align="center">

Los Angeles Panthers

Regular Season: Wins: 28 | Losses: 18 | Overtime Losses: 4 | Points: 60 | Goals For: 158 | Goals Against: 137
Playoffs: Wins: 1 | Losses: 3 | Overtime Losses: 1 | Goals For: 10 | Goals Against: 14 | Lost in Round One to the Portland Admirals

Season Thirty-Five Recap</div>
It was a bit of a heartbreak of a season for the Panthers, running up against the Admirals in the playoffs. Each game, however, was incredibly close, and the Panthers don’t look like they’re slowing down for a while. Five seasons ago, they weren’t able to even boast a .500 record; in hardly any time at all, they’ve been able to turn their fortune around almost entirely. A strong performance from Haas in the back end helped, as did some strong results from their forwards. Their penalty kill was best in the league, although they also led the SHL in hits and penalty minutes. While their playoff performance was lackluster at best, the Panthers still have a good few seasons left before they really need to worry.

<div align="center">Season Thirty-Six Draft Preview</div>
Los Angeles’ roster is full of players just now hitting their prime, most with four or five seasons under their belt. They’re in a great spot to keep improving, and with an impressive TPE average, it looks like they have the potential to win a cup in the near future. However, with the status of a few key free agents unsure at the moment, specifically Chris Crutchfield, the Panthers do need to be starting to manage their assets on defense. Currently they don’t have a single defensive prospect, and while this is another gap that can be filled through other offseason moves, Los Angeles’ focus should be on using this draft to keep their roster trending younger in order to ensure more long-term future successes. Finding strong playoff performers would also be a bonus, because while their first round exit this year was understandable, it’s just as understandable that the team would be looking for more. They have some great centers already in development, so it would also be in their best interest to shore up on a few wingers when they can.

<div align="center">Available Prospects</div>
Roman Augustus - St. Louis Scarecrows: D | G: 5 | A: 16 | P: 21 | SB: 41 | AMG: 14.13
With only one pick in the first three rounds, the Panthers need to act fast to find a strong defender, and Roman Augustus would be a strong choice. One of the largest prospects in this draft class, Augustus plays an important role on the powerplay for the Scarecrows, and is able to balance an imposing defensive presence with plenty of point production. He only had three points in seven games during the playoffs for the Scarecrows, but he has plenty of potential to grow into a top-four defender for the Panthers.

Oliver Klozoff - Montreal Militia: RW | G: 6 | A: 4 | P: 10 | FO%: 46.15% | AMG: 12.34
Klozoff is a promising forward prospect - listed as a winger on the roster, he still took a good number of faceoffs for the Militia during the season, and although his focus is on goal scoring, Klozoff is shaping up to be a player that could handle any number of responsibilities. For the Panthers, he could be a great pick up later in the draft, and his versatility provides a lot of options for the future. Of course, the Panthers are pretty heavy on the right side already, so it might be interesting to see if they draft another right winger, or if they would just have him play on the left.

<div align="center"> :admirals: Portland Admirals :admirals:
Regular Season: Wins: 29 | Losses: 18 | Overtime Losses: 3 | Points: 61 | Goals For: 146 | Goals Against: 123
Playoffs: Wins: 8 | Losses: 4 | Overtime Losses: 0 | Goals For: 37 | Goals Against: 31 | Currently playing the Toronto North Stars for the Season Thirty-Five Challenge Cup

Season Thirty-Five Recap</div>
After a hard loss to the Manhattan Rage in last year’s Challenge Cup Finals, the Admirals fought their way back into the finals for the second year in a row and are currently leading the series three games to two. A cup win would be the cherry on top of a strong season for the Admirals, coming second in the West by a single point with the third fewest goals scored in the conference. Portland’s strength undoubtedly resides with their stacked defense, as the Admirals had the fewest goals against in the league by a large margin. A lot of this came from impressive shot suppression, as well as a strong presence in goal from Wahlgren. The Admirals’ penalty kill was impressive as well, although their powerplay left a little bit to be desired, and overall, their offensive contributions were smaller than they should have been.

<div align="center">Season Thirty-Six Draft Preview</div>
Portland’s prospect pool is basically dried up already, with only one player still left in juniors. Their roster is trending toward the older side, although there are plenty of strong players from five or six seasons ago that are holding up the team. They could definitely use some help on the left side, with only a few true left wingers on the roster making an impact, especially after trading away Samee Iqbal. Of their younger forwards, only a few are primarily scoring-focused, putting Portland in the position to start looking for some young snipers or playmakers. Of course, they’re in a difficult position with the later picks in the rounds, but in such a deep draft, they have a unique chance to find impact players no matter what.

<div align="center">Available Prospects</div>
Vijanupatan Singh - Detroit Falcons: RW | G: 10 | A: 17 | P: 27 | PPP: 16 | AMG: 16.22
There might be some reservations about Singh’s dedication, but his performance in the SMJHL was impressive no matter what. Playing on Detroit’s top line, Singh was eighth in rookie scoring. It’s not likely that he’ll still be around for Portland at pick thirteen or fourteen, but if he is, he might be exactly what the Admirals’ offense needs. An impressive sixteen points on the power play also stand out, and could push some new life into special teams. The Admirals also have the benefit of not needing anyone new up front for a least a few seasons, which would allow a player like Singh to develop and improve without any pressure.

Dakota Reid - Montreal Militia: LW | G: 3 | A: 3 | P: 6 | HIT: 49 | AMG: 10.02
It’s been a difficult season for Reid: despite being one of the more active members of the draft class, she signed as a free agent in Montreal and hasn’t been able to produce as much this season as people expected. However, her activity level is going to be a high draw for the Admirals, or at least it should be - she would slot in very well on the left side, after holding down the Militia’s third line. She’s more physical than a lot of Portland’s current roster, and could add presence and scoring to the middle-six or even top-six forward lines.

<div align="center"> Dragons

Calgary Dragons Dragons

Regular Season: Wins: 36 | Losses: 12 | Overtime Losses: 2 | Points: 74 | Goals For: 164 | Goals Against: 117
Playoffs: Wins: 7 | Losses: 5 | Overtime Losses: 1 | Goals For: 49 | Goals Against: 42 | Lost in Round Two to the Portland Admirals

Season Thirty-Five Recap</div>
Calgary’s regular season was spectacular, securing the top spot in the Western Conference and the President’s Trophy after missing the playoffs last season, indicating that those results may have just been blip on the record. It was a hard-fought postseason as well, taking the Renegades to six games before losing to Portland in an intense seven game series. They boasted the second-highest cumulative point total in the entire league, as well as leading the normal season in shutouts. The top three goal scorers in the playoffs were all Dragons forwards, and despite a disappointing finish, they had plenty to be proud of. However, they had the third-worst power play during the regular season, scoring twenty-seven goals on 117 attempts. With plenty of firepower up front, it was a surprising lack of special team specialization out of Calgary.

<div align="center">Season Thirty-Six Draft Preview</div>
Calgary is one of the oldest teams in the SHL, with only six players drafted after Season Twenty-Five currently on the roster. It puts them in a tough spot moving forward, which makes a good performance in this deep draft absolutely essential. With a smaller prospect class than most teams, the Dragons should look to find as many diamonds in the rough as possible. With their youngest defender drafted almost eight seasons ago, Calgary should look toward the middle of the end of the draft to find solid, depth defenders that will continue to contribute. Since any current age problems on the back end could more easily be fixed through trade, now is the time to grow the prospect pool for the future. It’s also about time to start looking for some fresh blood up front, with a relatively ancient core of centers that could use a bit of rejuvenating. At the moment, immediate skill isn’t the problem for the Dragons: instead, they have the luxury of drafting for the future with plenty of time to develop their assets.

<div align="center">Available Prospects</div>
Cloud McCarthy - Halifax Raiders: D | G: 3 | A: 20 | P: 23 | SB: 47 | AMG: 20.55
McCarthy played an important top four role for the Raiders this season, and proved he can be valuable both on defense and in generating offense. As Calgary looks to move younger, McCarthy could be an important piece in making sure the team doesn’t miss a beat while infusing more youth into the system. He’s a strong playmaker, tied for third on the Raiders in assists, and played even minutes on both the power play and the penalty kill. His development has been focused, and while Halifax didn’t make the playoffs, he showed during the regular season that he’s definitely a promising prospect.

Dean Youngblood - Detroit Falcons: C | G: 9 | A: 9 | P: 18 | FO%: 53.56% | AMG: 16.43
He hasn’t been on many radars yet so far as scouting goes, but Youngblood had an impressively well-rounded season with the Falcons. Playing second line minutes, Youngblood scored a decent amount of goals for a rookie, and while he didn’t lead any categories, his focus and dedication to improving is clear. The Falcons were the only other team besides the Raiders to miss the playoffs, but like McCarthy, Youngblood’s regular season performance might be enough to have the Dragons pay attention. He’s definitely more of a depth pick up, but in a draft this deep, he could definitely be an important asset, especially as Calgary starts looking for younger centers.

*Wally* · 07-30-2017, 12:57 AM

She comes back from the dead... and does as she always has done... write a killer media piece. Awesome job ma'am!

vbottas17 · 07-30-2017, 01:00 AM

This is awesome Mel!

Well researched and a lot of fun to read!

The Panthers also own the Admirals S36 1st round pick. So hopefully we can land a couple of these players!

Cheers

*Wally* · 07-30-2017, 01:13 AM

Quote:Originally posted by vbottas17@Jul 29 2017, 11:00 PM
This is awesome Mel!

Well researched and a lot of fun to read!

The Panthers also own the Admirals S36 1st round pick. So hopefully we can land a couple of these players!

Rub it in

crutch · 07-30-2017, 01:31 AM

wow, nice article mel

greatly researched and well thought out

love it

Loco · 07-30-2017, 02:52 AM

Quote:Originally posted by mel24@Jul 29 2017, 08:50 PM

<div align="center">[b]Available Prospects</div>
Dwayne Ryder - Halifax Raiders: LW | G: 11 | A: 12 | P: 23 | HIT: 156 | AMG: 21.02
Ryder is a definite first round selection, although public opinion seems to waver over where in the first round heâ€™ll actually be selected. Personally, I think he would make a great fit in Winnipeg, where they need a new left winger pretty badly. Heâ€™d be an imposing power forward on a Winnipeg team thatâ€™s more heavily scoring focused, but he still brings a good amount of points to the rink. Heâ€™s active as well, which is just another plus. Skating is a unique weakness, but Ryderâ€™s numbers clearly show heâ€™s a well-balanced player, and could even start on Winnipegâ€™s bottom six as early as next season.
[/b]

I'M RELEVANT I'M GONNA TELL MY MOM :D ;

InciteHysteria · 07-30-2017, 05:52 AM

<a href='index.php?showuser=2240' rel='nofollow' alt='profile link' class='user-tagged mgroup-34'>mel24</a> I love the article Mel, we'll definitely get two great prospects in the first rouns!