LGHL S27 Redraft The LGHL Draft is often filled with some star players, but were they chosen in the right order? We're taking a look back at the S27 Draft and pulling a mulligan. What would a redo of the first round look like? The main factors considered to rank players were: LGHL Success (wins, points, etc. because essentially that's what you're drafting for) Awards (nominations, finalists, wins) Longevity (performance over multiple seasons is better than single seasons) Peak performance Talent/skill (very subjective, so it's very low on the list of factors) Other notes: Highest bid price is NHL bid unless otherwise noted (N/A means no bidding history). Draft Position is simply that player's specific movement, so being drafted 21st originally and being drafted 1st in the re-draft would give that player a +20. Players were graded on the position they were drafted for, i.e. if you were drafted as a FWD, then you were graded on your seasons at FWD. Had to play at least two full seasons in upper leagues which had me leave a few people off Moving up or down in the draft doesn't mean you are "better" or "worse" than another player per the listed factors (notice talent/skill is the least important factor). Let me know how I did. Did you like the format? Did I miss someone? Was someone too high or too low? Leave a rating or comment so I can get some feedback. Thank you all for reading. The Top 15: 1. @Optehic (LD) Draft Position: 0 Highest Bid Price: 6,250,000 The first player off the board is one of the premier offensive defensemen of the last few iterations of NHL. Most of the well-known NHLers agreed that @Optehic was already an NHL-caliber player before being drafted, and @Optehic quickly proved them correct. He was on a torrid pace in his first season collection 28 points in his first 15 games in his rookie season. He ended up on the All Star Team in his first season which would also be indicative of how his next few seasons would go earning 3 more All Star Team appearances as well as his name on two coveted trophies, the Norris Trophy and the Stanley Cup. An offensive defenseman who knows when to step up into the rush or into a hole created by his team has become more and more valuable recently, and @Optehic showed that he had the vision to do so and more as he became one of the best at transitioning from defense to offense over the past few seasons in LG. 2. @CaLL Me Jakoo (C/RW) Draft Position: +5 Highest Bid Price: N/A If it weren't for how valuable defensemen can be in this generation of NHL games, @CaLL Me Jakoo would likely be looking at the top spot; however, he will have to settle for number two for now. The Stars were really looking for a catalyst on offense with their original pick in @Deusyuk, but it has become clear that @CaLL Me Jakoo is probably the best at creating chances for himself and his teammates in this draft. His rookie season earned him an All Star Team appearance and the Calder Trophy, but even more impressive is that his offensive prowess has endured through different lineups and different games where he's put up 70+ points 4 of the last 5 seasons and 40+ assists since he joined the league. Two more All Star Team spots and the Plus-Minus trophy solidify his spot at number two. 3. @l JLP l (C) Draft Position: +4 Highest Bid Price: 7,250,000 Not the toughest choice in the world for Chicago. Their original pick was a defense-first player with a grind-it-out mentality. They'd be better served getting a quick transitioning center who can play that shut-down role but also has the ability and the poise to make those flashy plays beyond his own zone. That's essentially what they'd be getting with @l JLP l who has shown he can compete as well as anyone when he's able to grind the game. In addition, he's one of those guys that nobody can take the puck from; he's sort of like Jagr along the boards with people just wondering how he still has it. 4. @iAMoee (LW) Draft Position: +9 Highest Bid Price: 1,250,000 Chicago picks a dynamic offensive forward who has some inherent chemistry with their 3rd overall pick. He's been known to put up points and get creative with the puck, but his real asset is his ability to push the play forward and annoy defenders giving his teammates the extra room they need. He's had 30+ goals twice and reached a career-high 74 points and 21 wins last season earning him a spot on the All Star Team. His play style has been increasing in value with how tough it is to create in-zone offense, so picking him at #4 should be a smart move. 5. @MiNiNooch l3l (RD) Draft Position: +78 Highest Bid Price: 500,000 Wow, another Chicago draft pick. They've already picked up a LW, C, and LD. Here they go with another defenseman because you can never have enough defense. Originally drafted at 83rd overall, he jumps up to 5th for a few reasons. He's one of the more versatile defensemen in that he can do pretty much everything well. His biggest positive is that he can be aggressive all over the ice and rarely picks a bad spot to pressure in; he hardly cedes any of his ice uncontested. He had two 17+ win seasons in the AHL before jumping up to the NHL and immediately making an impact going 20-7-0 with an additional 3-1-1 in the playoffs. 6. @TacticalSwim (C/RW) Draft Position: +23 Highest Bid Price: 2,500,000 The Blue Jackets originally selected @CaLL Me Jakoo who played almost exclusively RW that season. @TacticalSwim has shown that he can lead the offense at times on the wing, so he's the Jackets pick at 6th overall. His last full season at RW he won the Rocket Richard with 48 goals. Even at the center position, he's shown he can put up decent numbers surpassing 20 goals in 4 of his last 5 seasons including a 31 goal rookie campaign. He doesn't usually hit those large shot numbers you see from some of the league's players with that shoot-first mentality which lends to the fact that he's smart with the puck and has enough vision to dish it if he thinks someone has a better chance than he does. Though, 2 of every 5 shots he took last season were goals, so he knows when to bang them home. 7. @Azkika (LD/RD) Draft Position: +20 Highest Bid Price: 5,000,000 We're going to diverge from the Jackets initial plan to take a center with this pick and choose one of the better defensemen from this draft. They got a player in @TacticalSwim that can play both sides of the puck, but when he's allowed to really focus on offense he can shine. @Azkika has turned into arguably one of the top 3 defenders in this draft reaching 17 wins twice so far in the LGHL and a +39 since he entered the league. He won't shy away from any match-up and occasionally breaks from his cautious playstyle to deliver a booming hit in the neutral zone which can easily frustrate opponents. 8. @Berulev (LW) Draft Position: +1 Highest Bid Price: 4,000,000 The Islanders wanted an offensive defenseman, but they probably would have been better served just going after a two-way forward. @Berulev showed quickly that he was ready for the show after a 19-win for his AHL squad in his rookie season. He earned the call-up next season showing a flair for offense with 41 points in 15 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Since then, he's racked up 3 50+ point seasons and captured 16+ wins twice which has been especially impressive because he hasn't been on the strongest teams. 9. @Der Panda71 (C/LW) Draft Position: -4 Highest Bid Price: 7,250,000 @Der Panda71 was seen as one of the most dynamic offensive players before the draft, and he definitely showed that during his first season making a major push for the Calder Trophy as the league's best rookie with a 19-5-3, 79 point rookie campaign. However, real life takes precedent over virtual hockey, and he's had trouble finishing a full season since then. While his availability has changed, his ability to take over a game is still there. 10. @booondock88 (LD) Draft Position: +11 Highest Bid Price: 1,000,000 Another one of many defense-oriented defenders taken in this draft, the Avalanche choose @booondock88 . While not being overly physical, he still is aggressive on the puck carrier which leads to a ton of takeaways, and he isn't afraid to look off a quick pass if he sees a lane opening up. Those abilities especially that pressuring of the other team's forwards has been beneficial to his team as he's gone above .500 in 3 of his 4 seasons on defense and has achieved two 17+ win seasons. 11. @BizyBounce (G) Draft Position: +48 Highest Bid Price: 2,000,000 The Hawks were pretty confident choosing a goalie this high in the first round which was pretty controversial getting a rookie goalie on a 2,000,000 draft contract and keeping him in the NHL. Despite, @BizyBounce having a tumultuous rookie season, he's been one of the best goalies S27 capturing 2 Stanley Cup wins, 3 All Star Team appearances, the William Jennings Trophy, and 2 (!) Conn Smythe Awards as the most valuable player to his team during the playoffs. Hopefully that is sufficient evidence to support my statement that he's one of those goalies that can take over a game and arguably the best goalie taken in this draft. 12. @F R i K S x 9 9 (G) Draft Position: -1 Highest Bid Price: 1,500,000 The Avalanche picked a forward that didn't really pan out the way they'd hoped. I think it'd be smart to go with a top tier goalie after choosing a defenseman to bolster their back end. @F R i K S x 9 9 has definitely shown he is an extremely reliable goalie who brings the same compete level to each game. He just doesn't have the hardware to match @BizyBounce , but he's shown he can play at an elite level with his most recent season finishing with 26 wins out of 42 games and an 85.2 save percentage and capturing 25 wins in his rookie season. Another important note is that he's almost always positive and can avoid getting rattled which seems like an important pair of attributes for a goalie. 13. @P3k1ng DuK (C) / @OFs (LW) Draft Position: +49 / +80 Highest Bid Price: 750,000 / 2,500,000 So, I messed up here and numbered the picks wrong. Of course I only realized this after I had already done all the work, but lets just go with it. The winger they wanted in @iAMoee has already been taken, but they very well could go with the next high-scoring winger in the draft in @OFs . He was able to get a few AHL seasons under his belt racking up increasingly more points with 62 points becoming 75 and finally 87. That last season he was able to show his worth as an ECU going 7-0-0 with 21 points. His past 3 seasons in the LGHL he's accrued 189 points in 79 games. They could also go with @P3k1ng DuK who, like @OFs , had a couple seasons in the AHL before moving up. Two exemplary seasons including an All Star Team appearance at forward got him a chance on a Nashville team in the NHL. He proved he was more than just a 3rd liner on the Predators which led him to an All Star performance the following season with a 20-win, 48 point season in S30 for that franchise. @P3k1ng DuK is more of a two-hundred foot player than @OFs and is a bit more versatile playing almost every position on the ice. Tampa has a tough decision to make, who will they choose? 14. @Dualtz (RD) Draft Position: +13 Highest Bid Price: 750,000 The Hawks pick their third defenseman of the draft selecting @Dualtz 13 picks higher than they original drafted him. He spends his rookie season in the AHL going 20-4-1 with 32 points. After an average first LGHL season on a struggling team, he leads the S29 Florida Panthers defense in wins, assists, and points going 20-4-1 with 29 points. He then spends two seasons on the New York Rangers going 31-18-4 with 31 points including going 6-1-1 during their Stanley Cup run in S32. He's one of those players that is able to take on a number of different roles being able to play physical, distribute the puck, and chip in on offense, and he's shown that over a number of seasons in higher leagues. 15. @MasterAmerica (C) Draft Position: -11 Highest Bid Price: 6,500,000 The Islanders initially pick a flashy center who turns out to be mostly just a "flash in the pan". Instead, the redraft has them picking a defense-first center in @MasterAmerica who likes to keep things simple on offense and play to his strengths which usually consisted of a possession and cycle game until a good opportunity such as a slot one-timer would open up. He really shined in S29 with 22 wins and 54 points, but had trouble reaching that same success on big contracts in later seasons. The kicker is that he ends up drafted to the same team as his North Bay teammate @Berulev giving them a bit of chemistry as their playstyles at the time would mesh well. It's a lot easier to drop him several spots because he didn't contribute on offense the same way other players in this draft did, but it's hard to build a championship team without guys like @MasterAmerica . The Bottom 15: 16. @GRAZoMatic (RD) Draft Position: 0 Highest Bid Price: 4,250,000 The second player to get picked at the same spot. The Jackets had already picked a defenseman, but it makes sense to pick another when a good one falls to you this late in the draft. His best season was on the Jackets in S28 where he went 12-6 before being a victim to the trade deadline. He was somebody who could gel with any other defense partner and could be moved up and down the lineup and still perform. His time in the NHL did end with a couple season on struggling teams which is never fun, but that versatility is always a positive. In addition, he was one of the defensemen that was able to force turnovers by hassling wingers with physical play and rarely take penalties, and he moved the puck up ice quickly which is invaluable with how potent and important counterattacks can be in this generation of NHL games. 17. @Whiisky x (RW) Draft Position: +52 Highest Bid Price: 6,500,000 The Stars already picked up a dynamic offensive player in @CaLL Me Jakoo , so why not add to that? @Whiisky x proved he was capable of providing offense on two Chicago teams that finished with the best record in the league, and he did it as a third liner and as a top six player. He went 7-2-3 with 23 points in the playoffs with those teams indicating he can still produce when up against the tighter checking playoff styles that teams revert to in the postseason. The Stars pick up a player to help build a powerful offense upfront and worry about getting defenders in bidding. 18. @l Chelios x24 l (RD) Draft Position: +19 Highest Bid Price: 2,750,000 The Red Wings were one of the several teams that took a chance on a few defensemen later in the first round. Some of these picks didn't work out as draft picks are want to do, but with hindsight the Red Wings likely would have picked up @l Chelios x24 l . He's had bad seasons mixed with good ones, but his good ones can outshine the others. His AHL campaign in S28 had him going 19-5-2 with a +31 which he eventually parlayed into a spot on the Stanley Cup finalists Anaheim Ducks in S31. He can be relied upon as a dependable breakout passer which is exactly what the Wings could have used coming from the draft. 19. @Position banc (RW) Draft Position: +39 Highest Bid Price: 2,500,000 The Panthers likely want a scoring winger in addition to the defense they had in S27. @Position banc fits the bill pretty well at 19th overall. He had an impressive rookie season in the AHL putting up 39 goals and 72 points. His first full season in the NHL saw him getting onto a playoff-bound Edmonton Oilers squad where he racked up 19 wins and 24 goals to go along with 24 assists. His most valuable attribute is that he knows how to get open. He's French, so yes they're playing the French version of NHL which gives them all like +3 speed and +3 puck control, but he has an penchant for ending up wide open as soon as his teammates look up to pass it. He jumps 39 spots in the redraft. 20. @Basful (LW) Draft Position: -1 Highest Bid Price: 4,250,000 The Ducks were a bit all over the place in this draft. They also had a lot of roster turnover for a couple seasons. I think that makes this pick a great one in that @Basful has skills that play well off his teammates which is extremely important if the roster is in flux for large parts of the season. The Ducks would later go on to acquire @Sitful and @l Sakic l during Basful's contract which would form a dangerous trio for Anaheim. 21. @KrOnWaLL ll55ll (RD) Draft Position: -7 Highest Bid Price: 4,500,000 Another one of the several defensive-minded defensemen in this draft, he gets knocked because of his lack of NHL experience and departure from LG. Regardless, Montreal was looking for exactly this archetype and would have been more than happy to get it at the 21st overall pick. @KrOnWaLL ll55ll had an amazing two seasons in the AHL going 46-11-4 (and +78) where he excelled at his particular brand of physical defense and ended second in the league in hits during his second AHL season. His signature step-up at the blue line (usually followed by a quick pass up ice) made him extremely hard to play against. Like a lot of people, a rough season on some bottom feeders has seen him take a break from LG, but I still think the Canadiens would have loved that this player dropped to them at 21. 22. @B L A M E x 67 (LD) Draft Position: +50 Highest Bid Price: 500,000 Super underrated defenseman who had a solid rookie season despite being traded in the middle of it. Can play a variety of roles, but really excels as a puck mover on the blue-line especially if he's got a semblance of familiarity with his linemates (though some might question his focus as he goes out of the way to obliterate a forward who happened to be cherry-picking much of the game). Also, a pretty solid choice to pair him with what I believe is another francophone in @l Chelios x24 l . 23. @WISHiHADaDAD (LD) Draft Position: +32 Highest Bid Price: 2,250,000 The Sabres knew they wanted a defensive defenseman. Their original pick was good based on CHL stats, but it just didn't pan out. If we keep that same line of thinking, @WISHiHADaDAD would excel in that role, and he has some really clear pros: he signs up for any game and is very consistent in that you know what you're going to get from him game to game. He's been above .500 in 3 of his last 4 seasons and is that type of low-event player that can make an impact if he's in the right role. 24. @Pont40 (LD) Draft Position: +30 Highest Bid Price: 3,000,000 The Kings took a couple chances on some defensemen that didn't really pan out. What they were looking for was a shutdown defenseman who was dependable in every zone and made the simple plays to get the puck out more often than not. @Pont40 fits the bill very well and his knack of not turning the puck over adds some value to this pick. His hiatus from LG knocks him down a bit, but he still ends up 30 spots higher in the redraft. 25. @SpenceDangles (C/RW) Draft Position: +21 Highest Bid Price: 1,500,000 Just a grinder. What else can you say. https://www.leaguegaming.com/forums.../league&action=league&page=game&gameid=441743 26. @Gerbe x 42 (LW/C) Draft Position: +54 Highest Bid Price: 500,000 The Kings picked a couple defensemen for their AHL, but it makes more sense to go with a winger looking back after already grabbing @Pont40 . @Gerbe x 42 is one of those guys that rubs people the wrong way sometimes, but he's still arguably a great bottom-six scoring forward. His 47 goal campaign under the @brandovedo Penguins in S30 is probably remembered fondly by fans. He was in the race for the Rocket almost all season and had an incredible 55% shooting percentage. He hasn't been able to replicate that success, but he's still put up decent numbers while playing on lines in an almost constant state of change. 27. @glex (RD) Draft Position: +16 Highest Bid Price (AHL): 1,750,000 The Hawks wanted to take a defenseman here for their AHL in S27, but it could be a mistake to immediately label @glex as an AHL send down. He's been more than good as an ECU for plenty of seasons and has been a model of consistency in the AHL with 4 straight 17+ win seasons. One of the attributes that is necessary for puck moving defensemen is that calmness with the puck that not everyone has, and @glex has shown that he can make good decisions with the rock on his stick. 28. @GmHz Mr Kaner (RW) Draft Position: +82 Highest Bid Price: 750,000 Pretty versatile winger who can excel at just about anything. Maybe falls a bit because he's missed games and has been banned a couple times, but, at 28th overall, it's not the worst to risk it on a player who can make a big impact when he makes it onto the ice. He also saw one of the biggest increases in the redraft moving up a whopping 82 spots. 29. @Weldxr (RW) Draft Position: +7 Highest Bid Price: 500,000 He was stellar in the Penguins organization in S27 and S28. His first full-time contract had him on a 500k for 2 seasons being bounced around a bit on a couple less than good teams. However, he did maybe better than expected and his "drive to the net" style would be beneficial to teams that stick to the outside too much. Canucks aren't risking much here especially with having already picked up another winger, so even more incentive to get a player who can energize a game when given the opportunity. 30. @Trocity V (RD) Draft Position: +85 Highest Bid Price: 500,000 He had one solid AHL season in S31 with the San Diego Gulls going 17-5-4 and a +11 proving that he can handle a bigger role. He hasn't proven much else besides that he's a dependable bottom pairing defenseman that can occasionally step up. Then again, at his original draft position of 115 and several 500k contracts, that really exceeds expectations. With that in mind, he's earned the last spot of the first round and the largest increase moving up 85 spots in the redraft. Just Missed: A bunch of people just missed out on getting into the first round, but these were the guys who I had to take a bunch of extra looks at. Forwards @Billsmafia1186 Original Draft Position: 42 @Neaverth Original Draft Position: 48 @BuddyWhackit7 Original Draft Position: 53 @Jaxx Pr Original Draft Position: 94 Defensemen @Large8876 Original Draft Position: 31 @uknome88 Original Draft Position: 73 @JC Enterprise Original Draft Position: 52 @N i n o 27x Original Draft Position: 18 Goalies @GoldyIsBack Original Draft Position: 50 @StatiK Wave YT Original Draft Position: 67
(though some might question his focus as he goes out of the way to obliterate a forward who happened to be cherry-picking much of the game) hahahaha @goonderk love you bud thx
You could get a job off these pro writeups goon. One of the best LG draft talent pools. Was my second season in chl and playing against most these names was a nightmare. Too bad that undefeated Seattle line didn’t pan out in upper leagues
Well, they were pretty good despite all of the accusations, but yeah basically all were done playing after S27.
Humbled by your kind words Goonderk. I think it goes without saying that you were one of the top defensemen to come out of this draft. Not only is your skill worth highlighting, but your overall contributions to our community.
Man I really tired to figure out a way to draft jlp and moe to get on same line with sitful. After i drafted moe and put him with sitful I spent half the season trying to get that 3rd piece only to see them both traded along with gally the same week. I was super salty
If I only knew I could have gone down in the record books I wouldn’t have taken so much time off. Oh well
Imagine drafting 2 guys with one pick, TB was lucky that season! Anyways good write up has always brother and thanks for the kind words! Happy to see you back in the great LIFE GAMING
