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GoonerBear · 02-18-2019, 12:19 AM

(Now ready for grading)

With the SHL Draft wrapped up earlier than I remember it being in the offseason process, we have a fresh crop of youngsters tagged for Madison Square Garden once they've had another year to season in juniors. We can still meet them now, go over their rookie season in the SMJHL and consider what to expect, especially when considering where they may eventually fit into the organization.

8th: D - Andrej Doskočil raiders

S45 Regular Season (50 games): 1 G, 10 A (11 P), 11 SOG | -15 | 44 PIM | 92 HIT, 47 SB
S45 Postseason (11 games): 1 G, 3 A (4 P), 2 SOG | +3 | 8 PIM | 14 HIT, 11 SB

Doskočil fits a different archetype within the defensive defenseman style from that of the club's current leading goon defender Reginald MacIntyre. Where the Highlander goes more for puck handling and positioning behind the blue line and biding his time with the puck on the attack and developed physical play later, the Czech prospect favors roughhousing now in the defensive end and playing pass-first up the ice. His positioning is solid as well, though his style leads him more on defense to cut off passing lines as opposed to the incumbent's shot-blocking mentality. His skating leads him to ponder his move with the puck more as well.

Strength is key and puck handling will also boost his play in both ends if he works those out more. Though he has a more physical style, he has also opted to be somewhat judicious about it with discipline at 70 compared to 66 in checking. This showed as he led the Raiders in hits at 94 and was 10th in the SMJHL, though was a distant second in penalty minutes compared to teammate Perry Morgan, who served 89 minutes, including one major. His 44 PIM mark was also quite distant from the leaderboard, showing his more measured aggression. He may reconsider if he decides hitting more is worth the added penalties, and he will have to check more once he moves up to the SHL, though for now, he's in a solid position.

Overall, if he sticks with the club a few seasons, he could be a viable depth defensive defenseman where it's needed. There's plenty of forward scoring and it will be nice to have another physical presence to disrupt opposing attacks as well as a solid shot blocker.

32nd: G - Peter Larson Armada

S45 Regular Season (42 games): 24-12-4 record, 2.33 GAA, 3 SO, .898 SV%
S45 Postseason (6 games): 2-2-1 record, 4.07 GAA, .839 SV%

Larson got the nod out of the gate to start for the Anchorage Armada and the club chose wisely as he manned the pipes to their second-place finish in the regular season. It was a bit of a surprise for him to still be available for the Rage to pick up at the end of the second round, though goaltending depth is in need in Manhattan, as it may also be the case elsewhere. Larson led the SMJHL last season in save percentage and goals against average on top of recording three shutouts and earning five Star of the Game nods. I would hope there are award nominations coming soon with his name on the cards.

Larson is a jack-of-all-trades butterfly keeper, balancing all of his attributes, even his weakness in skating as he doesn't tend to maneuver far from the pipes or go for anything too fancy. This will help him not be too weak in any one aspect to get taken advantage of, though for the time being, he also won't be strong against any one particular attacking pattern, either. It is a double-edged sword and will be up to him to decide if that's the route he wishes to continue on or if he adjusts to meet up against a particularly bothersome or common playstyle. It seems to be working out for him to flex so far, so I'm interested to see where the remainder of his time in the J takes him.

On the whole, Larson presents a promising prospect to back up Scottey Crawfling for the time being, with the opportunity to rotate in or surpass him as GK1 in a few seasons of development. He's off to a great start as the leading keeper of his class after one season and he's in solid hands with the Armada to continue that development.

56th: D - David Vent Knights

S45 Regular Season (50 games): 0 G, 4 A (4 P), 15 SOG | -6 | 88 PIM | 67 HIT, 42 SB
S45 Postseason (4 games): 0 G, 2 A (2 P), 3 SOG | +1 | 8 PIM | 5 HIT, 2 SB

David Vent's figures read more like a pure defensive defenseman in the archetype of Reginald MacIntyre...though he's listed as a two-way. He's also weaker in puck handling, meaning he relies more on physical play than being a passing lane nuisance or poke-checking. It shows as he racked up the third-most PIM in the SMJHL last season despite not throwing as many hits as his fellow Rage draftee, Andrej Doskočil. Even if we discount his two major penalties for fighting, 78 PIM is quite a bit. He provided the third-place Knights a vital service, though, taking the pressure off others and having their backs on dirtier hits.

Looking over his build, Vent is a defensive enforcer in all but name. He checks a lot, fights more than once in a great while, still has some discernment, though not as much yet as one would hope as he still needs to develop his athletic skills on the ice. His defense needs to come up to improve his positioning, and his pass-first mentality will improve once he also improves his puck-handling skills, which will also complement his defensive positioning. In theory, he would be a stronger scorer than Doskočil if they played equivalent minutes. In practice, Vent has focused more on physical defense than athletics on the attack.

Overall, Vent would do well to find his identity and develop accordingly. His two-way playstyle is only a name so long as he plays to hit first. At the moment, he is more akin to Brynjar Tusk. If he wants to stand out as a two-way player, he must focus his athletic skills before coming up to the SHL. If he does that, I could see him as a good partner to Doskočil and a complement to a more skill-oriented forward line as well. If he wants to stake his identity on being a physical presence, then he should develop as such and embrace it fully. He would still fit well in being an additional physical presence behind the blue line.

[b]72nd: RW - Zach Laliberté Knights

S45 Regular Season (50 games): 7 G, 6 A (13 P), 36 SOG | -3 | 10 PIM | 7 HIT, 7 SB
S45 Postseason (4 games): 0 G, 0 A (0 P), 3 SOG | -2 | 0 PIM | 1 HIT, 1 SB

The only forward prospect drafted to the Rage, Laliberté got in some decent numbers for his place in the fourth line, averaging only 9 minutes a game for a 0.56 points per 20 minutes clip. His accuracy was pretty solid as well and he remained disciplined enough to minimize his time in the penalty box. His minimal numbers in the Knights' postseason exit were also a result of the minimal time on ice. He'll need a bit of development in the minors, though once he does start getting more minutes and more responsibilities, he'll be up to the task with the right linemates around him.

Looking at his build, he is all about attack, though has qualities that make him solid in other aspects. His discipline is excellent as well and serves him better as someone who is not nearly as inclined to hit as his fellow Rage prospects from this class. He could stand to up his strength, he may need to pad his face-off work a little and puck handling training will do more wonders as well. He seems to understand defensive understanding and positioning has its uses for offense and transition as well. On this track, he would be a good speed shooter, somewhere on a spectrum between sniper and grinder, leaning sniper since he's not into physical play.

Should he stay with the Rage program, he would be solid for depth scoring in his first few seasons with the Rage with an eye to step up into the top six as he starts to hit his prime. Manhattan's free agency focus has been on forward scoring, so it may be some time or it may be straight away, depending on how happy the free agents are to stay with the Rage for another contract. Anything that happens in the third line still counts on the final scoreboard, though, and having a player who could stand a head above inactives on the third line would be an immense boon for the club during that time. However this shakes out, I project he will need at least two more seasons in juniors before he's ready.

Final Impressions

The Rage did not enter this draft with much, though JayWhy still made some solid and interesting picks with them nonetheless. This draft was about building the blue line and the net for the future and that's accomplished with two physical defensemen, either of whom could fill in either the role Clint Eastwood left vacant with his departure in the expansion draft or the role Reginald MacIntyre will leave should he embrace the Eastwood part. Manhattan also absolutely needed a goaltender with Cedric Moreau gone. Laliberté coming on as a forward helps keep a steady inflow as well if he remains active and training. Though the top six forward lines have solid signings, the future is not set and he just might be the guy waiting in the wings should any ahead of him depart.

This draft helped prepare for the future to replace the depth on defense and at goalkeeper for when the current pros move up the depth chart or potentially move on after their entry contracts expire. The Rage lost a big physical presence on the blue line in Eastwood and Moreau as their starter for the past few seasons, though Crawfling or Larson was eventually going to supplant him.

With this offseason's addition of Luke Thomason in a trade with the San Francisco Pride for future draft stock, it was clarified all the more that the Rage will appear to build offense through free agency and defense through the draft. This doesn't necessarily mean they are opposed to a diamond in the rough prospect on the attack, as Laliberté may just turn out to be a massive late-round steal. Thomason has a one-year deal for $3M and the rental comes at a rather steep price, though it will be worthwhile if he turns around and signs a new deal to commit long-term, even with the S48 2nd turning into a 1st if he extends. Thomason comes in immediately a top-six forward featuring strong draft depth and other forward free agent signings. This especially was important to continue to hold up as Isaac Cormier-Hale would only spend his final season in New York City last season.

The Season 47 Reddit Draft is upon us next go-around. The Rage process continues, though with the team being on the cusp of playoffs once again and in the hunt until the final day, the improved squad continues to remain a threat to advance to the postseason for the first time in a while, especially with the realignment placing them in a favorable division in the East. The one main issue will be the club hurting at goalkeeper for a while unless there's a major signing on the horizon. The defense will have to batten down the hatches even harder with Crawfling taking on the starting role in Moreau's place. Their stock continues to rise, however, and they remain a #BullMarket.

(2019 words)

GoonerBear · 02-18-2019, 01:41 PM

Edited to update, add a prospect missed in the first edition. Now ready to grade.

caltroit_red_flames · 02-18-2019, 02:14 PM

I think you guys had a really good draft. Combined with the acquisition of Thomason MAN is going to be a force really soon

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