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JHS · 03-14-2020, 05:16 AM

*Was originally going to do 9/10 picks, but its 2:30 AM and I got too tired to continue tonight so I only did 5. Sorry to disappoint with the title*

In the upcoming S53 SMJHL Draft, the media has so far gleaned..... almost nothing about how the picks might shape up. Teams have so far done an excellent job of keeping things close to the chest, so to speak, and there is not a consensus top pick nor is there much of a hint regarding the order top players will be taken. So, rather than trying to predict the order in which players might go, I have instead decided to take a look at the first 5 picks of the draft, and based on team need and other information, decipher what players might possibly go in each slot.

1st Overall - Maine Timber Timber

The Timber just finished off a season in which they ranked last in the league during the regular season, and fell 4-2 to the Kelowna Knights in the first round of the playoffs. With perhaps the weakest roster in the league, the team will likely be looking for a reliable pick that they know will be a solid player for them with their first overall. But they also have numerous second round draft choices, begging the question: what will be the defining factor for them in terms of which direction they go here? Knowing full well their top needs are center and defensemen, with goalie being a 3rd, I believe that there are a few things that will come into play here:

1. Relative amount of promising defensemen to promising centers projected to be available in the second round. With 3 second round picks, the Timber will be looking to supplement their positions of need. However, it is likely that whatever position they do not select with the first pick in the draft, they will be taking with the 11th, as the other two picks are in the end of that second round. So, if management decides that if it is likely that a higher value center will probably be available at 11 than defensemen, then they'll likely go with a top tier defenseman like Sondergard. But if the opposite is true, expect Konrad Danke to go here.

2. New vs Old: There are rumors that the management of this team have a soft spot for newer members rather than old timers. This could lead to a surprise pick, such as center Daniel Laforest instead of charted top center Konrad Danke, or up and coming Joseph Fantobeans, Tinke Jutila, or even PBJ Souppan in the place of top defenseman Mikkel Sondergard.

Likely Draftees: Mikkel Sondergard, Konrad Danke, Daniel Laforest, Joseph Fantobeans, Tinke Jutila

2nd Overall: Anchorage Armada Armada

The Anchorage Armada are known as a strong team, year after year, with pretty precise needs. Namely, this team is probably going to go with a defenseman or winger. So, if Sondergard does not get taken by the Timber, expect him to go here. If he does not, I'd think that Fantobeans or Jutila are likely the next choice. The team could also go with Simon Takshak, if they are more worried about the wing depth in their lineup or in the draft relative to the other positions. If this were the case, Darkhorse candidates could also be Corey Rigler, Kyle Sutton, or my personal #risingstarofthedraft , William Lockwood, among many others. All depends on the management's view of their team, and what they expect to find in the later rounds. For some reason, likely because it'll lose me 8 million smackaroos, my gut kinda says Takshak. Please do not quote me on this.

Likely Draftees: Simon Takshak, Tinke Jutila, Joseph Fantobeans, Corey Rigler, Kyle Sutton, William Lockwood

3rd Overall: Newfoundland Berserkers

It is known that the team from the newly found land are in need of a center, with defense being their secondary need and goalie coming as their third focus. With this in mind, I will state something I see as fact: if Sondergard does not get taken first overall, this is the farthest he will possibly fall. If he is not available, I believe the team will take 1 of 2 centers: Konrad Danke, or Daniel Laforest. I believe this is Danke's most likely landing spot, however, some teams enjoy taking newbies in the first round. So expect to Daniel Laforest to be an option here as well. I believe the likelihood of one of the two going here outstrips all others, however, they could always go defense and take Fantobeans or Jutila, should they be available.

Likely Draftees: Konrad Danke, Daniel Laforest, Tinke Jutila, Joseph Fantobeans

4th Overall: Kelowna Knights Knights

Honestly, I have the least feel for what this team needs in terms of their top draft pick. I have heard through the grapevine that Simon Takshak's agents think this is the possible landing spot for him, so i'll likely be expressing this in my mock. However, the team could always go defense, which is a strong area to go in, so Tinke Jutila or Fantobeans could always go here as well.

Kelowna has a lot of history, and to my knowledge that history includes getting new players interested and active in the community. This is why I've added a few rookie wingers as potential picks here, in case one or multiple of them have piqued the interest of management and they decide to go a route not heavily predicted by the player base at large. Like I've said, this draft is not one easily predicted, and with all the good options for top 5/9 picks in the draft, I believe that it is impossible to predict for certain who goes here for sure. Like I've said, I believe Takshak is most likely, but that means nothing because I have literally no insider knowledge or connections to this franchise.

Likely Draftees: Simon Takshak, Tinke Jutila, Joseph Fantobeans, Corey Rigler, Kyle Sutton, Will Lockwood

5th Overall - Vancouver Whalers Whalers

I think that this team's biggest need is a goalie. Luckily, there is a very obvious goalie in this draft: Cale Amundsen. I think he'll go here, but there's a couple notable ex whalers in this draft, Simon Takshak and Konrad Danke. Also, there's all the rookie wingers, defensemen, and centers available here, so they're all secondary possible choices to go with were their goalie choices taken.

So, although Amundsen in a fairly likely choice here, A team with equal needs in multiple categories (or pretty close, in this case) means that there is much potential for almost anyone to be looked at to be taken here. So although I have a couple favorites to go here, I do not know enough to even be specific in my statement for likely draftees. So therefore, I have decided to not name names in that category for this team. I am going to bed now. Goodnight.

Likely draftees: fucking anyone man

Overall, the fun of this draft is that anything is possible, pretty much. There's so many possibilities and its almost less fun to try and get a handle on where people are going. I believe that the best thing to do is just to take it all in, quit stressing, and enjoy the players walking up to receive their jerseys when their names are called. To leave you with a quote from the late, great Hunter S. Thompson: "Buy the ticket, Take the ride".