2023 1st Round Winners, Losers & Those With Balls of Steel
Jul 8, 2023 13:36:37 GMT -5
Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks, and 3 more like this
Post by Dallas Stars on Jul 8, 2023 13:36:37 GMT -5
What's unique about sim leagues especially the VHL is how so many armchair GMs value and evaluate talent differently than our real life NHL GM counterparts. Throughout the years you see guys dropping dramatically from their real life draft positions in the VHL while also having those picked typically in the 2nd round also jumping up into the 1st round here in the VHL. Now some GMs may perhaps be too ambitious with their assessment of talent and going off the board sometimes can result in being one of the biggest losers in the draft. Then we have those who live by the motto "good things come to those who wait" and end up as winners. However, there is a fine line between the two and that is where those with balls of steel come into play and are your VHL wildcards. Find out who I believe fell into these 3 categories based on the first round.
Winners
1. Calgary Flames - 1st Overall pick - Connor Bedard
I mean it's Connor Bedard, kinda hard to screw this up. This pick was so easy even Crazy Joe couldn't have messed it up.
2. New York Rangers - 31st Overall pick - Daniil But
Alright what the hell were the other GMs smoking letting But fall all the way down to 31? HELLO!? You may not have agreed with him going 12th overall in the draft but to let him fall out of the top 20 even top 30 is CRIMINAL. This guy is 6'5 200 pounds and skates like hes 6'. This is in my mind the biggest steal of the entire draft. This guy was even rated in Corey Pronman's top 10 draft picks. Idk if this was a case of VHL GMs thinking they are woke but good lord everyone slap themselves for not trying to trade up when you saw this guy falling.
3. Vancouver Canucks - 16th Overall pick - Dmitry Simashev
I don't know if there was a consensus from the VHL GMs that they all hate the Arizona Coyotes prospects or what it is but you guys are legit insane for letting Simashev drop to 16. This draft is so deep with forward prospects not taking what I believe the best overall defenseman in the draft is quite crazy (looking at those of you with multiple 1st round picks!) I get it there is a mix of the KHL / AZ factor but how the hell do you think NHL Franchises turn their teams around from going from a dump to a place players want to go to? By drafting guys who are going to be NHL talent.
Losers
1. Vancouver Canucks - 32nd Overall Pick - Gracyn Sawchyn
While Vancouver took the 3rd spot on the winners side, he finds himself ironically at #1 in the losers side. Drafting Gracyn Sawchyn this high in the draft isn't necessarily having balls of steels, it's more so having a fifth of Vodka and then logging into the VHL and selecting your pick at the podium. If Monty really wanted Gracyn he should have traded back in the draft to acquire some more assets or better yet idk picked someone else! This is a case where some GMs get a little too cute / outsmart themselves. I guess you can't always be a winner but at least the Simashev pick will wash this one out.
2. Pittsburgh Penguins - 26h Overall Pick - Gavin Brindley
Do I think Brindley will be an NHL player? Yes. Do I think he will be an impact one? No. Brindley though close to his draft spot in the NHL at 34tth overall wasn't at least a reach here. My issue is, while he put up solid numbers, his counterpart Adam Fantilli almost doubled him in points. It is hard to really get a good assessment on Brindley being the fact he was on an already loaded University of Michigan team with Fantilli, Luke Hughes, Samoskevich and McGroarty. Only potting 12 goals in 41 games with the most games played on that entire Michigan team is a bit concerning. I personally believe Brindley was over drafted and simply overscouted because of the fact he is playing with these star players already. Maybe I'll be wrong, but I much rather would have taken a few guys over Brindley at this spot such as Stenberg and Gulyayev for example.
3. Tampa Bay Lightning - 11th Overall Pick - Oliver Moore
Now I do like Oliver Moore and believe he will be a great player, but to choose him over the guys that went after him in the next 5 picks is why this pick is a loser. Passing on Yager, Barlow, Simashev and Willander for Moore who is most likely stuck as the #2 center in Chicago if he pans out being because of the fact there is some guy in Chicago already called ummmm idk... CONNOR BEDARD? Again the pick is solid, but I feel that Tony left something Moore on the table at this spot.
BALLS OF STEEL
1. Chicago Blackhawks - 24th Overall Pick - Andrew Cristall
Now this is a pick that SCREAMS I have Balls of Steel. Andrew Cristall dropping to 40th overall in the NHL draft was ABSURD. Getting him here at 24th is probably right around where he should have gone if not maybe even a tad earlier. You can argue that from a true ceiling perspective Cristall has a top 5 ceiling in this draft from a forward position. This guy can do anything you want on the ice and is being regarded as Debrincat 2.0. I mean the guy put up NINETY FIVE points in the WHL , 39 of them being goals on a team full of absolute DUSTERS. This is the guy we will all look at in a few years and say to ourselves, how the hell did he not go in the top 10 of the draft or maybe even top 5.
2. Tampa Bay Lightning - 29th Overall Pick - Riley Heidt
While Tony found himself at the #3 loser spot though with a good pick in Oliver Moore, you have to tip your hat to him making a balls of steel pick here in Riley Heidt at the 29th spot. Heidt who was on some draft boards expected as a late 1st rounder, has one of the highest ceilings and lowest floors in the draft. Similar to Cristall who was #1 on this list, Heidt put up a staggering NINETY SEVEN Points which tells you all you need to know that this guy has got the tools to be an incredible playmaker. While he had only 25 goals, he still has a goal scoring touch but with tremendous ability to dish the puck and create space. Falling to 64th overall in the NHL was quite unexpected and had people on social media clamoring for their teams to trade up and get him as he continue to fell. If Heidt hits his ceiling or comes close to it, Tony found himself a gem in the draft.
3. Calgary Flames - 17th Overall Pick - Gabriel Perreault
It was a bit hard to find another balls of steel pick but when you scan through the VHL draft and see who got taken where this one seems to fit the bill. While this pick was not as dramatic as the other 2 on this list, Will did take a bit of a ballsy pick here at 17 considering who was still available and in relation to where he was drafted in the NHL at 23rd. Now the real ballsy part of this pick is the fact that Perreault finds himself in the Rangers organization. While the NY Rangers are a good NHL organization, they have been tremendously bad at developing their prospect forwards. Look at Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko, Vitali Kravtsov.. the list goes on. The Rangers track record has been TERRIBLE. Perreault however has potential to be the one to flip the script. There isn't a real weakness in his game and I believe he is a sure bet NHLer with top 6 potential.
Let me know your thoughts on the list below and feel free to add who you would add or remove from the list!
Winners
1. Calgary Flames - 1st Overall pick - Connor Bedard
I mean it's Connor Bedard, kinda hard to screw this up. This pick was so easy even Crazy Joe couldn't have messed it up.
2. New York Rangers - 31st Overall pick - Daniil But
Alright what the hell were the other GMs smoking letting But fall all the way down to 31? HELLO!? You may not have agreed with him going 12th overall in the draft but to let him fall out of the top 20 even top 30 is CRIMINAL. This guy is 6'5 200 pounds and skates like hes 6'. This is in my mind the biggest steal of the entire draft. This guy was even rated in Corey Pronman's top 10 draft picks. Idk if this was a case of VHL GMs thinking they are woke but good lord everyone slap themselves for not trying to trade up when you saw this guy falling.
3. Vancouver Canucks - 16th Overall pick - Dmitry Simashev
I don't know if there was a consensus from the VHL GMs that they all hate the Arizona Coyotes prospects or what it is but you guys are legit insane for letting Simashev drop to 16. This draft is so deep with forward prospects not taking what I believe the best overall defenseman in the draft is quite crazy (looking at those of you with multiple 1st round picks!) I get it there is a mix of the KHL / AZ factor but how the hell do you think NHL Franchises turn their teams around from going from a dump to a place players want to go to? By drafting guys who are going to be NHL talent.
Losers
1. Vancouver Canucks - 32nd Overall Pick - Gracyn Sawchyn
While Vancouver took the 3rd spot on the winners side, he finds himself ironically at #1 in the losers side. Drafting Gracyn Sawchyn this high in the draft isn't necessarily having balls of steels, it's more so having a fifth of Vodka and then logging into the VHL and selecting your pick at the podium. If Monty really wanted Gracyn he should have traded back in the draft to acquire some more assets or better yet idk picked someone else! This is a case where some GMs get a little too cute / outsmart themselves. I guess you can't always be a winner but at least the Simashev pick will wash this one out.
2. Pittsburgh Penguins - 26h Overall Pick - Gavin Brindley
Do I think Brindley will be an NHL player? Yes. Do I think he will be an impact one? No. Brindley though close to his draft spot in the NHL at 34tth overall wasn't at least a reach here. My issue is, while he put up solid numbers, his counterpart Adam Fantilli almost doubled him in points. It is hard to really get a good assessment on Brindley being the fact he was on an already loaded University of Michigan team with Fantilli, Luke Hughes, Samoskevich and McGroarty. Only potting 12 goals in 41 games with the most games played on that entire Michigan team is a bit concerning. I personally believe Brindley was over drafted and simply overscouted because of the fact he is playing with these star players already. Maybe I'll be wrong, but I much rather would have taken a few guys over Brindley at this spot such as Stenberg and Gulyayev for example.
3. Tampa Bay Lightning - 11th Overall Pick - Oliver Moore
Now I do like Oliver Moore and believe he will be a great player, but to choose him over the guys that went after him in the next 5 picks is why this pick is a loser. Passing on Yager, Barlow, Simashev and Willander for Moore who is most likely stuck as the #2 center in Chicago if he pans out being because of the fact there is some guy in Chicago already called ummmm idk... CONNOR BEDARD? Again the pick is solid, but I feel that Tony left something Moore on the table at this spot.
BALLS OF STEEL
1. Chicago Blackhawks - 24th Overall Pick - Andrew Cristall
Now this is a pick that SCREAMS I have Balls of Steel. Andrew Cristall dropping to 40th overall in the NHL draft was ABSURD. Getting him here at 24th is probably right around where he should have gone if not maybe even a tad earlier. You can argue that from a true ceiling perspective Cristall has a top 5 ceiling in this draft from a forward position. This guy can do anything you want on the ice and is being regarded as Debrincat 2.0. I mean the guy put up NINETY FIVE points in the WHL , 39 of them being goals on a team full of absolute DUSTERS. This is the guy we will all look at in a few years and say to ourselves, how the hell did he not go in the top 10 of the draft or maybe even top 5.
2. Tampa Bay Lightning - 29th Overall Pick - Riley Heidt
While Tony found himself at the #3 loser spot though with a good pick in Oliver Moore, you have to tip your hat to him making a balls of steel pick here in Riley Heidt at the 29th spot. Heidt who was on some draft boards expected as a late 1st rounder, has one of the highest ceilings and lowest floors in the draft. Similar to Cristall who was #1 on this list, Heidt put up a staggering NINETY SEVEN Points which tells you all you need to know that this guy has got the tools to be an incredible playmaker. While he had only 25 goals, he still has a goal scoring touch but with tremendous ability to dish the puck and create space. Falling to 64th overall in the NHL was quite unexpected and had people on social media clamoring for their teams to trade up and get him as he continue to fell. If Heidt hits his ceiling or comes close to it, Tony found himself a gem in the draft.
3. Calgary Flames - 17th Overall Pick - Gabriel Perreault
It was a bit hard to find another balls of steel pick but when you scan through the VHL draft and see who got taken where this one seems to fit the bill. While this pick was not as dramatic as the other 2 on this list, Will did take a bit of a ballsy pick here at 17 considering who was still available and in relation to where he was drafted in the NHL at 23rd. Now the real ballsy part of this pick is the fact that Perreault finds himself in the Rangers organization. While the NY Rangers are a good NHL organization, they have been tremendously bad at developing their prospect forwards. Look at Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko, Vitali Kravtsov.. the list goes on. The Rangers track record has been TERRIBLE. Perreault however has potential to be the one to flip the script. There isn't a real weakness in his game and I believe he is a sure bet NHLer with top 6 potential.
Let me know your thoughts on the list below and feel free to add who you would add or remove from the list!
