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***hockeyiscool*** · 03-17-2020, 03:06 AM

Note to the Editor: 2x draft related post 3050 words

Note to the reader: I apologize if you were drafted and I didn't include you. I am lazy and got to the point where I wanted to stop "doing research".

S53 SMJHL Draft in Review

What can I say about this draft as a whole, other than this one was a wild ride. There were so many notable slides in what were expected and gems in later rounds.

Grades are assigned based upon the following criteria: Where you went in the draft compared to who else is available, the team needs, my mood.

Starting out with the #1 overall. Everyone's favorite thickboy--Mikkelel Asmus Sondergard. The Timber GM's were looking to get some ass after this draft so they made sure they had M.A.S. --Solid 10/10--

Next we have a bit of a shock. A team that clearly needed a defender they selected with the #2 pick Mathew Sawful. He's a great pick if you need a lot of minutes out of the pick, but don't count on him getting open out of the gate. I'm just shocked he went before: Aumy Jr, Tinke Jutila, and Joseph Fantobens. He must have charmed their pants off.--7/10--

With the #3 pick the Beserkers select PBJ Souppan. To the Lehman this looks like a reach. With his balanced build as a great foundation and crushing it in the interviews. This was the prom queen everyone wished they had the ability drafting. --10/10--

With the #4 Pick the Knights select Simon Takshek. This was a great spot for him to go. He filled the Knights need both on the ice and the locker room. --10/10--

With the #5 pick the Whalers select Cal Covid. The first goaltender selected. Everyone needs a strong backbone in front of the net. He has a lot of potential. With the needs of the whalers, This pick was a shocker. I projected the Whalers Cale Amundsen at 5 in the mock. However with so much skating talent available, not taking top earning TPE players like centers Konrad Danke, Patrick Shepherd and defensemen Thinke Jutila may be a pick that bites the Whalers in the tail fin. ---4/10--

With the #6 pick the Raptors select Aumy Jr. not much to say here. Aumy is a child of a legend. If he's half as good as paps Aumy Jr. will crush it in Colorado. --9/10--

With the #7 pick the Knights select Daniel Laforest. This is a great fit for both players. The Knights are known for excellence and discipline. That's exactly what Laforest needs to round his game out and make a smooth transition into the SHL. -8/10-

The #8 pick of Joseph Fantobens was a solid pick by the Falcons. Not much to say here other than a strong lock down defender that will be a crucial piece for Detroits run at the cup this year. -9/10-

The #9 pick by the Scarecrows was a pick of William Lockwood. Great discord participation and displayed a willingness to learn. Being selected in the top 10 is an honor few get to have. He must have crushed it in interviews and the senior skate. He's now in the position to prove he was worth the selection. This is definitely the Daniel Jones Award for this draft. --Daniel Jones/10--

The #10 pick by the Houston Outlaws is hardly something they regret.[url=https://cdn3.iconfinder.com/data/icons/online-marketing-vol-3/72/122-512.png][/url]

The #11 pick by the Timber was a slide. Konrad Danke outside the top 10 made me feel like I was watching the Aaron Rodgers Slide. One mans loss, in this case, joins a newly planted forest. This fella has the ability to transform a locker room and create friendly competition, and leadership by example that can turn a franchise around.-10/10-

The #12 Pick of Scoochie Stratton by the Armada seems like a little bit of a stretch but not by much. He was a solid, friendly member of this draft class. I wasn't expecting him to go before the late second. Ton of potential -8/10-

The #13 pick was Cale Amundsen. Considering I had him going at 5 in the mocks. This was a great pick up for the Berserkers. Fills their needs and will be a solid player over the course of his time in the land up north. -10/10-

The knights selected Devin Williams with the #14 pick. A relative unknown going into this draft. I assume someone in the head office knows this guys dad and is returning a favor. Considering the availability at defense this seems like a decent pick. oh wait...Jutile is still on the board... -6/10-

Richard Majors went right where I said he'd go in the pre-draft breakdown. Dare I say St. Louis fits Majors like a glove? For what the needs were and what was available Best available goalie at a time where you need a body. -9/10-

The Whalers select Ryosuke Sato. Sato is in my Fantasy SHL group. With that being said, "You're going down, SATO!!!" 10/10 I'm sure he's a nice guy.

With the 17th selection the Outlaws pick Emilia Bergman. Long term, It should be a solid pick up. As a same day drafted/same day created I must give credit where credit is due. I believe they got all of the pre-draft TPE despite being created that day. If their tenacious mentality continues this could be a genius pick. -7/10-

The Timber continue to display how serious they are taking this move to Maine and how tired they were of being lackluster. The pick up a third top 5 TPE earner in Patrick Shepherd with the 18th pick. I'd normally try to be brief when covering so many players, Butt-fuck-it. This guy is a stud. He is a plug and play center that's one of the SMJHL experts in face-offs. His defensive prowess is just solid. Where other GM's are blinded by needs, the Timber said, "fuck that shit. We're getting the best future." -10/10-

With the 19th pick the Timber take a step back from the draft board. I can only assume they were still on cloud nine after their first 3 picks. so I'll let this pick slide. They probably got caught in the panic that someone else would nab a goaltender. They forgot that the other teams that needs a netminder already grabbed one. They select Leo Bloomfield when they could have secured their push for the cup in S54-55 by rounding out a top defensive pair with the next pick. -7/10-

The Berserkers grab Tinke Jutile and feel like they wonnered the draft bois. This has to be one of the largest slides in a draft. I joked about Konrad Dankes draft like it was watching Aaron Rodgers slide on national T.V. but this was worse. The Berserkers got a decent draft and PBJ Souppan+Jutile will be a defensive pair that you can build a franchise around. *gold star pick* +10/10

The Kraken traded up for the #21 pick. They select Dwight Knight (me). Before the draft had a lot of question marks due to off-season training (unknown TPE) and a poor interview. This relative unknown was selected in what I can assume was for his great love for Terry Bradshaw. -10/10 would do again-

With the #22 pick the Armada selected Alexei Petrikov. A defender with plenty of potential, He needs a gym date to get quite a bit stronger. -7/10-

I apologize Scott and Wallace--see lazy note above

With the 25th and 26th pick the Scarecrow select D Elwulf Jericson and C Grapefruit Lizard. These are some of the best available skaters. These two would be the talk of the town Jutile hadn't fallen so far. These two have displayed great activity thus far and are flat out some cool dudes. I'm looking forward to squaring off against either of them on the ice. -20/20-

#27- Jack Klompus-See not above

#28-Randen Skog-The name seems familiar. Probably a good pick. [not going to grade what I haven't the slightest clue]

#29-Will Windsor -The definition of old school, at this stage solid defense like this is a hot commodity. 9/10

#30-The Carolina Kraken traded into the draft to get their man, Vitek Vitecek. This is easily the best shooting forward in this draft. He has a formula and it works. It may be best to let Vitek be Vitek. -Easy 10/10-

#31 Red Arrow is the definition of a one-way player and with the speed he has, who can blame him. I'm not even sure he knows how to skate backwards. Kicking off the fourth round is a solid decision pending he doesn't skip leg day. -8/10-

#32 BOrk Lazer- It's frick_nasty I don't think I need to comment.

#33 Niccole Livius-Congratulations going on 33.

#34 Justin Keahi-A really neat player with specialty in front of the net and lifting your stick. An annoying big body that the Knights should be proud to get

#35 AJ Patella-This has the potential to be a monster pick up for the Outlaws. They seem to consistently find their hands in shit and pull them out clean...I hope he keeps up the good work and demands a trade.

At #36 Slimey Snail was selected by the whalers. I'm 99% sure this is Bagel, and if so this was an amazing pick up.He fills a hole in the defense the whalers need. My understanding is Bagel fell so far because of honesty in the interview process. Due to a lessened desire to make media-- with that being said Bagel has the potential to be a solid 4-5 season as an SMJHL player. With Bagel being 5'0, 300lbs I was beyond excitement to hear he went to the Whalers. It would have been disappointing if he hadn't ended up in the Armada or Whalers. -Bagel/10- *this would be embarrassing if it wasn't bagel.*

With the #37 pick the Trees grab Kyle Sutton a solid right wing adding balance to a center filled team. The Trees yet again got another great pick up.

#38 Sheen Beckett-see note to reader
#39 Panda Panico -he likes to hit. I like to hit, seems like he'll be the other half of the bash bros. Real talk at this point in the draft the Kraken feel like they must have hit the lottery.

#40 the Detroit Falcons selected AnderSvendsen (TubbyTim69). At this point this poor man was begging to go last pick in the draft and you robbed this man of that...FOR SHAME!! (-69/10)

#41 The rich get richer with Wang Liqin 10/10
#42 Corey Ringler is actually a beast I can't believe he didn't go in the top 3 rounds. what a steal for the boat people.
#43 M.S. -See above writer note
#44 Frankie Holtz -" "
#46 Luffy Richard is actually a decent pick up here. I assume others are running out of cap space
47 and 48 I don't know you. Play your cards right and that might change Wink

The Kraken select Stein Nilsen with the 49 pick thus picking up a what could be the Kraken's center of the future (pending he wants it). He already has great fundamental play and puck distribution is the name of his game. Real talk the Kraken are lucky with this one.

#Mike Rotchburns-nuff said with the 54th and an Inactive defensive player Robert Von Wertz.

The whalers pick up Sean Clark with the 56th pick and that's an amazing forward to pick up at this point.

JURT an inactive defenseman gets picked up by the raptors with the 58th only to rise from the dead, ready to clap some cheeks.

Ryan Hunt joins the 4 wings that the Kraken desperately needed. I'm looking forward to meeting him in the locker room. I heard his flight got delayed...Corona... :Sanitize: From what I've seen he's got the best stick-work of the boys and has a good read on the game.

Pass until Dumpstr Chk gets taken by the Berserkers which is a meh pick however It's the 63 pick.

With the 69th pick the Carolina Kraken select Joey Gabo *nice*

A Norwegian lad who has his sights on the puck getting in the back of the net. I'm really looking forward to overcoming the language barrier that comes with international teams. I'm sure he'll make the other teams "Remember the Name" (please don't demonetize me Fort Minor).

All in all, this draft was one for the record books.

Ranking in order of draft winners...this one is clear
Winners: Timber

Maine Timber Timber

Considering this was an organization on the verge of collapse and the quality of pick location in the draft the Timber could have easily lost the draft but seemed to nail it with each pick. The Maine Timber really did their homework. Let's take a moment to realize what they did... They secured 3 top 5 TPE gainers at spot 1, 11 and 18...they changed the atmosphere and culture in what was a doomed Halifax organization in the matter of 15 minutes. In an obvious pick they lock what was seen as the best TPE earning defenseman of the draft then follow it up with locking in the 2 best centers of the draft at pick 11 and 18. Not only were their first 3 picks gas even their late third rounder and 4th round pick were amazing. As a fellow rookie seeing them get Kyle Sutton at 37 was insane. I can only give a slight slap on the hands for not picking up the complimentary defensive partner with Tinke Jutile. I think you guys got scared seeing all the netminders go off the board and lost track you were the only one left looking for a goalie. I know running a team is a group effort but doing interviews and being responsible for draft picks is a big responsibility. I'm pretty sure it was a great team effort of CementHands and Citizen of Adraa. These guys deserve reach-arounds with the rebirth of this organization-don't forget to bring M.A.S.

In a world where we have winners and losers everyone else was a less winner.

Starting with the Outlaws Outlaws

: Netting Emilia Bergman, AJ Patella and Etan Merauk this was a lackluster draft but it's on par with the draft picks you have. The price for winning a cup in Houston.

In my opinion at the start of the draft the Beserkers Berserkers

were in the worst roster position of everyone. You made your picks work so well for you. actually got the set up to one of the stronger defensive duo's in the SMJHL with PBJSouppan and Tinke Jutile and locking up Cale Amundsen it was impressive. I'm unsure about your later round drafts though. Hopefully you got yourself some actives with the number of offensive darts you threw.

For the Knights Knights

where the Berserkers have a front half that's loaded on defense. You guys drafted like you were Shooter MCgavin getting some solid players in Laforest and Takshek. I have doubts in the Devin Williams pick especially considering who's still available hopefully they can prove me wrong.

The Armada Armada

, I would call this an below average draft for you. I don't think you got enough value out of your early round draft location for what you needs were. You do get praise for getting Bork Lazer at 32 and especially getting Ringler at 42. Your later rounds were stronger than your early rounds. Which is rough.

The Colorado Raptors Raptors

. A pretty Vanilla draft from my former team. No big surprises here. With other teams having so many picks, sometimes you take drafts off to find yourself --we'll call this the mental self-improvement time for you guys with a side of JURT.

The Scarecrows

. In some ways you guys feasted. You needed solid forwards and locked them down and saw the same quality in DICK Majors that I saw. Your third round was probably the second strongest. Only to the Kraken. Considering where you had your pick locations it was something to be proud of.

Speaking of Kraken Kraken

, you guys had the worst starting pick location of the draft and made aggressive moves to pick some amazing players. Your needs were meat bags that you could dress up in the forward position. Well, you guys got them and you did your research to ensure these bodies have pulses. Excited to grow with this potentially amazing group.

In this draft the Detroit Falcons Falcons

are like the friends in the group that have nice jobs and their shit together, they like running competitively with each other and don't do drugs. It may be the weekend, and while everyone else is having fun, the Detroit Falcons have their eyes on the prize. This draft was a reminder that this is their year to push for the cup, and everyone is sick of their shit.

Where the Falcons have their shit together, the Whalers Whalers

were waking up from a 5 day bender. They got themselves a questionable goalie and some skaters that everyone forgot about in their lucid state they somehow managed to get Bagel-the man-the myth-the legend. This guy is a great pick up for round 4 and can really help foster a fun atmosphere in Vancouver