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the5urreal · 06-30-2022, 03:46 PM

Another SHL offseason is upon us. This is sure to be a historic one with some enormous changes coming next season. There’s still a lot of uncertainty around FHM 8 and the impact of making that switch, but it sure is exciting! One thing is for certain though. The offseason means another entry draft is just around the corner! All those promising SMJHL prospects will find out where they’ll be starting their SHL careers. Big trades and chaos abound await!

After spending my first two SHL seasons with the New Orleans Specters, and being an observer a few seasons before that, I have noticed that the team has tended to lean more heavily on league veterans as opposed to drafting prospects. Building through trades and free agency does eliminate some of the guesswork that comes with the entry draft, but it can also be a gamble in its own right. It got me thinking, “what has come of the Specters’ draft picks over the past several seasons?” I know the team had a pretty rough stretch for a while so some of those picks were near the top of the board. Some have actually been used to make selections in the entry draft, but many have been traded. Were these picks busts? Who ended up being selected with the picks that were traded away?

I didn’t have to go too far back in my quest for answers. The New Orleans Specters’ inaugural season was in S46. Doesn’t seem that far back, but this season will have been 20 seasons since the franchise’s inception! I’m going to look at that very first draft, just out of curiosity. After that, I’m going to pick it up in S55 - the season after NOLA won the Challenge Cup and only a couple seasons before the big rebuild began.

DISCLAIMER: Before I get started, let it be known that I’m no SHL historian. I probably won’t know the majority of the players and/or users I’ll be commenting on. Research will include looking up the player page of each pick (if I don’t know them) and won’t extend further than that unless information seems to be incomplete. I’m looking at the draft and commenting on it at face value.

S46 SHL Entry Draft

New Orleans Specters Picks
1 (6) - Jimmy Slothface
2 (20) - Michael Fox
3 (47) - Mike Hunt
3 (48) - Osbert Whacker
4 (52) - Basil Magnicotta
All other picks PASSED

Other Picks via the New Orleans Specters
3 (37) - Dick Clapper (New England Wolfpack)
5 (69) - Olin O’Dowd (Calgary Dragons)

Thoughts: This was a pretty eventful draft. Understandably so as NOLA was building from the ground up. Jimmy Slothface became the first ever pick in the history of the New Orleans Specters franchise. A good one in my opinion as slothfacekilla is a great dude and is still active in the league. Slothface wound up reaching the 2K TPE club which makes this pick the perfect one - a great start. The same could be said about Michael Fox and Fuzz as the second pick! A steal in fact! Fox had a long and successful career, earning 1668 TPE for his career and retired at almost 1300 TPE. Mike Hunt looks like he was a bust in the third round and so does Osbert Whacker. I usually wouldn’t consider a player taken in the fourth round a bust, especially since Basil Magnicotta out-earned both players taken in the third round, but he had a very successful career in the SMJHL and I’m sure NOLA was hoping to get more out of him.

There were also a couple picks previously held by NOLA at one point. The New England Wolfpack picked Dick Clapper in the third round. Mr. Clapper went on to have a pretty good career and was pretty solid as far as third rounders go, earning on the level of NOLA’s first two picks (currently 1131 TPE according to the player page). Olin O’Dowd, drafted in the fifth round by the Calgary Dragons, was basically irrelevant, earning slightly over 250 TPE.

From the team’s first season through S56, the New Orleans Specters had a long run of solid seasons, winning the Challenge Cup in S54 and finishing as one of the top teams in S55. After S56 though, the team began a hard rebuild. I’m going to be looking at each draft over the course of this rebuild, starting in S55.

S55 SHL Entry Draft

New Orleans Specters Picks
1 (4) - Connor Hutton
2 (32) - Sven Gunnar
3 (36) - Vincent Wolfe
All other picks PASSED

Other Picks via the New Orleans Specters
1 (16) - Adrik Baranov
3 (48) - Fleetway Super Sonic

Thoughts: With the fourth overall pick, the Specters selected Connor Hutton. A solid pick, he was a big part of the NOLA blue line and overdoo is a cool dude. Sven Gunnar, drafted at number 32, has since become inactive. Vincent Wolfe has as well.

With picks previously owned by NOLA, Adrik Baranov was drafted at number 16 has had a solid career as a top earning defenseman currently feeling the burn of regression. Fleetway Super Sonic, the 48th overall pick, retired and sits at 752 TPE.

S56 SHL Entry Draft

New Orleans Specters Picks
2 (21) - Zbynek Dobrovsky
5 (89) - Xavier Doom

Other Picks via the New Orleans Specters

1 (17) - Phillip Weaver
2 (35) - Patrik Money
3 (53) - Raivo Helminen
4 (71) - PASS

Thoughts: Zbynek Dobrovsky at pick 21 seeemed solid at the time considering the user behind the player, but accumulating just under 500 TPE for their career, Dobrovsky wound up being a bust. Xavier Doom in the fifth round was simply a GM pick. Doom will be one of NOLA's best ever when all is said and done.

With picks formerly owned by NOLA, Phillip Weaver accumulated just under 1K TPE for their career and would have been a useful goalie. Patrik Money earned over 1400 TPE for his career and was a great pickup in the second round. Raivo Helminen was an even bigger steal in the third round also earning over 1400 TPE for their career.

S57 SHL Entry Draft

New Orleans Specters Picks
1 (4) - Vlatislav Malik
1 (10) - Jon St. Ark
1 (12) - Clan McFelter
1 (18) - Robert Feltersnatch
2 (21) - Farley Hank
2 (22) - Michael Scotch
All other picks PASSED

Other Picks via the New Orleans Specters
N/A - Draft recap did not include this information

Thoughts: Wow…what a draft. At the time, this seemed like the draft that would put NOLA back on the map in the SHL. Vlatislav Malik is currently a mainstay on the first line and a recent member of the 2K TPE club. Jon St. Ark has often been called on to stand on his head at times as the starting goaltender and has been a John McBride Award (best goalie) nominee twice. Clan McFelter and Robert Feltersnatch should have been foundational pieces of the lineup at this point. I’m familiar with both the users behind these players and know that they could have been a big part of the team as they are prominent members of the community from a team management sim league. They both unfortunately retired and/or went inactive. A huge setback to the rebuild. Farley Hank and Michael Scotch both hit the SMJHL max, then went inactive.

S58 SHL Entry Draft

New Orleans Specters Picks
1 (6) - Friedensreich Hundertwasser
1 (12) - Nikolaj Boyle
1 (14) - Ole Olson
2 (36) - Jean Locke-Zidane
3 (43) - FORFEIT
All other picks PASSED

Other picks via the New Orleans Specters
1 (7) - Bean Beanman
1 (18) - Tomas Lind
2 (24) - Bryan Davenport
2 (25) - Leon Schweingruber
2 (27) - Jesse Trudeau

Thoughts: Another foundational draft for NOLA. Hundertwasser is the current second line center and is sniffing 2K TPE. Asked Madden is an all-around cool dude too. Nikolaj Boyle and Ole Olson are both currently holding down the NOLA blue line and both zayn and Amidships are good people. Jean Locke-Zidane is no longer a member of the team (and I can’t seem to find their player page). The third round pick was forfeited. Perhaps Joe was drunk?

Without looking it up, I can only assume that the picks acquired from NOLA were via trades to move up in a draft or to acquire other assets. That said, Bean Beanman was a solid pick, earning on the same level as NOLA’s other first rounders in this draft. Tomas Lind would go on to become the GM of Manhattan, out-earning the other first rounders mentioned here and was a steal at number 18. Bryan Davenport turned out to be a great pick in the second round, currently sitting at 1310 TPE. Leon Schweingruber, taken one pick later, would turn out to be a bust, barely breaking 400 TPE. One pick after that, Jesse Trudeau would wind up not panning out either, just surpassing 600 TPE.

S59 SHL Entry Draft

New Orleans Specters Picks
1 (14) - Ville Kurri
2 (26) - Lebron Brady
3 (37) - Iorek Byrinson
3 (46) - Sabarro Torretta
4 (55) - Erik Andrews
All other picks PASSED

Other Picks via the New Orleans Specters
1 (2) - Dane Von Gucci
2 (19) - Robert Black
2 (28) - Kappa Kappa
2 (29) - Salzberger Lillehammersson
3 (39) - Josh Jennings

Thoughts: Ville Kurri, taken 14th overall, is currently a solid third liner for NOLA with 1447 TPE. Lebron Brady would be a bust at number 26. Iorek Byrinson, taken in the third round at number 37, is currently a solid backup to St. Ark. Sabarro Torretta isn’t a member of the team anymore, but with 856 TPE, he has definitely been serviceable for a fourth rounder. Fifth rounder Erik Andrews would flame out after his SMJHL career.

Again, considering all the picks that were formerly owned by NOLA in this draft, I can only assume they were included in other deals. Dane Von Gucci, drafted second overall, turned out to be an epic bust, seemingly going inactive after accruing 743 TPE. Robert Black, drafted at number 19, was a force in the SMJHL and could have been a steal, but it seems as though he flamed out at 975 TPE and the user hasn’t logged in since April. Kappa Kappa was a bust and has been inactive. Salzberger Lillehammersson, however, has proven to be a huge steal at number 29, currently sitting at 1625 TPE. Josh Jennings, drafted in the third round, also turned out to be a bust.

S60 SHL Entry Draft

New Orleans Specters Picks
1 (2) - Duncan the Walrus
2 (26) - Ragnar Ragnarsson
All other picks PASSED

Other Picks via the New Orleans Specters
1 (12) - Bjorn Bjorn
2 (21) - Uhtred Ragnarsson
3 (41) - Zhen Roza

Thoughts: This was unfortunately not a draft to remember for NOLA. Duncan the Walrus went inactive soon after the draft and has turned out to be a big bust. The same can be said for Ragnar Ragnarsson, who is also inactive.

With picks formerly owned by NOLA, Bjorn Bjorn, picked 12th overall, hasn’t updated in quite a while, sitting at 805 TPE. Uhtred Ragnarsson, at 440 TPE, is currently inactive. Zhen Roza hasn’t been updated since April, but with 1200 TPE, is certainly a serviceable goalie for a third round pick.

S61 SHL Entry Draft

New Orleans Specters Picks
1 (2) - Atticus Hale
1 (8) - Tomas Zadina
2 (21) - Giannis Kroustis
2 (26) - Conner Tanner
3 (41) - FORFEIT
All other picks PASSED

Other Picks via the New Orleans Specters
N/A

Thoughts: This was a big draft for NOLA, and not just because they took me second overall. More so because they got both solid, active users and future first liners. Atticus Hale is one of the class’s top earners. Tomas Zadina (caltroit) is a big part of the community and a solid earner himself. Giannis Kroustis (Air Crou) has out-earned his draft position to this point. Conner Tanner ended up being traded, but was also a solid pick at number 26 in the second round. NOLA’s third round pick was forfeited. Joe was legitimately drunk this time Smile

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S62 SHL Entry Draft

New Orleans Specters Picks
The team’s first pick was in the fourth round and was a PASS
All other picks PASSED

Other Picks via the New Orleans Specters
1 (4) - Spack Jarrow
2 (24) - Brady Bertrand
2 (28) - Gordie Goodenough
2 (33) - Malach Skoda
3 (44) - Akashi SixNine Jr.
3 (48) - Tuuka Pack

Thoughts: With an established foundation, picks from this draft were used to acquire veteran/proven assets for NOLA’s rebuild. That said, with the picks that were traded, Spack Jarrow was selected fourth overall and looks to be living up to that pick as a top earner. Brady Bertrand is now inactive. Gordie Goodenough was earning pretty well, but hasn’t been updated since January and appears to have gone inactive. The same can be said about Malach Skoda, Akashi SixNine Jr., and Tuuka Pack.

S63 SHL Entry Draft

New Orleans Specters Picks
The team’s first pick was in the third round and was a PASS
All other picks PASSED

Other Picks via the New Orleans Specters
1 (1) - Lias Ekholm-Gunnarsson
2 (24) - PASS

Thoughts: No picks in this draft for NOLA yet again. However, they previously owned the first overall pick which was used to draft Lias Ekholm-Gunnarsson (skolpaddor) who is a sure thing top earner, already sitting at 900 TPE.

S64 SHL Entry Draft

New Orleans Specters Picks
1 (10) - Mikael Jakobsen
1 (15) - JR Frankenstero
All other picks PASSED

Other Picks via the New Orleans Specters
1 (8) - Outdoor Truck
2 (28) - Petra Sabor

Thoughts: NOLA actually chose to use their draft picks in the S64 draft. With two first rounders, they chose Mikael Jakobsen (Banackock) and JR Frankenstero (Punk42AE). Both are earning very well and appear to be key pieces to the future of NOLA’s lineup.

Picks number eight and 28 were both previously owned by NOLA and were used to draft Outdoor Truck and Petra Sabor respectively. Truck is currently earning well while Sabor has seemingly gone inactive.

S65 SHL Entry Draft

New Orleans Specters Picks
The team’s first pick was in the third round and was a PASS
All other picks PASSED

Other Picks via the New Orleans Specters
1 (10) - Patches the III
2 (30) - Don Juan

Thoughts: NOLA again used their picks in the draft to acquire other assets. Those picks, 10th and 30th overall, were used to draft Patches the III and Don Juan respectively. Patches (Big Newff) is still active, but hasn’t updated in a while. Don Juan also appears to be active, but is currently earning at a slower pace.

With the S66 draft upon us, time will tell which direction NOLA will go. They have several holes to fill this offseason after what was a relatively disappointing season and have already been active in the trade market. Will they use the 8th overall pick to acquire proven assets or will they draft a prospect for the future? Will Joe be drinking or will he have to work and hand the reins to Python to guide the draft for the Specters? These questions and more will be answered tonight!