INTRODUCING MEDIA BOIS Bringing LGNHL media to you and your family for s38, our first post is a set of four power rankings for each division in LGNHL. In these rankings, you will see a synopsis of each team describing the team's structure heading into the season and our expectations for s38 as well as some superlatives and grades. MEDIA BoiS: @Gilbzey @JC Enterprise @Dangs92 @Miike Scott WEST PACIFIC 1. San Jose Sharks The defending cup champs! @CaLL Me Jakoo returns to San Jose after finally winning the Stanley Cup that he's been chasing forever. He brings in arguably the best C in the world in @ScaryJoeyy as his GM this time around, instead of having to win him in bidding like the season prior. They bring back most of the same forward group that won them the cup, only replacing 2 players in @OBrien x 8 & @TrevorZegras with 2 better players imo in @Crafted l95l & @Bweissss at a combined $1.75m, making them one of the deepest teams at the forward position. On Defence, they obviously lost @Gwan who like Trevor is probably the best in the world at his position, so that's a huge hole to fill. They did well tho, as they brought in @Lying-Hillary (PolandsFinest) on LD for a very reasonable $8.0m and @Lauxey on RD for another $4.0m. This D core is deeper than last season, but obviously losing Gwan makes the group as a whole worse off. In net, they brought in @x Rask x 40 for $2.0m who is a very solid G, but his LG stats are less than inspiring for a 2m goalie and he can be somewhat inconsistent, @Perellzy is brought back in bidding at $1.0m, his season 37 stats were bad, but he turned it on in playoffs enough to impress Jak to bring him back, for 3m the tandem is well known as good goalies, but they will need to perform better than they did in s37. Best Contract: @donnybrah ($500k) Worst Contract: @x Rask x 40 ($2M) X-Factor: Goalie tandem FWD Grade: A+ DEF Grade: B+ GOALIE Grade: B+ 2. Seattle Kraken Formerly the Los Angeles Kings, @Melvin x 94 returns as an owner for s38, 2 seasons removed from being the cup champ. After losing @xDream21 pre-bidding over an AHL argument, Slim brought in @jared2112 as his free contract GM, who brings with him the old Instinct roster. A couple of position changes make this team a bit of a ? mark, with @iTz x Luigi x and @oHeroism switching with one another, and going for $3.5m and $10.75 respectively, a lot of this team success will depend on these 2. Of course with Jared being on the roster, @NINETY ElGHT gets won in bidding for $6.5m, and they steal @Burns 9 for $500k?? People must think he is a natural goalie. Slim keeps his same line on fwd as last season, with @AG7859 still on his insane contract. The Kraken add @natesous10 a good PSN G and @DeIosh a former solid G making his NHL return to the mix, Slim hopes them paired with a solid forward group can bail out this somewhat suspect D core. Best Contract: @AG7859 ($750k) or @Burns 9 ($500k) Worst Contract: @oHeroism ($10.75m) X-Factor: Players at new positions performing FWD Grade: A- DEF Grade: C+ GOALIE Grade: B 3. Edmonton Oilers @Twistafied is back in Edmonton with something to prove this season after a very early exit last time around, he transitions to his s37 linemate in @Shxrpster as his new GM, and brings back his s37 GM @Mxtayer via bidding, as a $7.5m forward. He had great returning contracts in @Letunov and @VN willer on forward and only had to win 2 bids upfront and he absolutely hit on both. @Drxma is really good, how he was $6m last bidding, wins 19 games then goes for half the price makes no sense to me, and as mentioned above Mxtayer was the other. On defense he had @Wizzywar & @Marchand x l63l returning for prices I'd consider fair, he won @Flemmer x 16 for 500k which is a good contract, but @Wrxsto for $8.0m is a huge overpay, he'd be better suited as a second line D around the 3-4 range and @Maxwell23-_- for another $3.0m just isn't good value. The D core as a whole is above average, it has lots of depth but lacks a true game 7 D man on either side and although @Matthewpromanto could be something special based on lower league stats, I don't see this tandem lead by @o lggy o stealing them enough games. Best Contract: @Drxma ($3m) Worst Contract: @Wrxsto ($8m) X Factor: @o lggy o FWD Grade: A DEF Grade: B GOALIE Grade: C 4. Los Angeles Kings Old man @SweetLou9208 owns again this season, bringing in @Chicharito19607 (Soy Los) as his new GM. It was in doubt after Villain was wrongfully convicted of a crime, and at some points, we thought Lou was trolling as he missed his resigns by 20 minutes, had no GM until the day of bidding, and still has no AHL management... but I guess he isn't. He did well early in bidding opening @VI17AIN at 5.0m and then winning @aHuff21 for $7.75m later on, bringing in 4 of the 5 starters on Cobra Kai. Also scooped @Eatchy for 500k to play with @rG Breezyy to form a solid start to line 3. On defense, he had 3 returning contracts, the usuals like @Tom 0 and @DR0C, and then the recently acquired @goonderk who he got a 2nd with to take on the cap, ggs Goon. He added @x Neal x 18 x for $4.25 via bidding as he switches off G, @DADDYRIDESBIKE for 500k and @Grapplerhoo126 (Maywedda) for another $1.25, to form a very solid D core. The goaltending is average, with @immortalbmw, and won't be stealing them many if any games. Solid depth team all around, missing the G7 D tho, maybe Lou shoulda signed up at LD. Best Contract: @VI17AIN ($5m) Worst Contract: @x Neal x 18 x ($4.25m) X-Factor: @aHuff21 playing a full 28 game season FWD Grade: B+ DEF Grade: B GOALIE Grade: C 5. Anaheim Ducks The Ducks are under new management in @Chriz and @cj142 who had a stellar season together in s36 on Buffalo. They had a few good returning 3rd liners in @PPasK and @Steeler8820 both for 500k, then a solid 2 way C in @Stewkos at $5.0m which is a very reasonable contract for him. Chriz did well in bidding, adding ESHL teammates @I Karmz I, @Fr33kOnTheStix, and @cnumartyr85 all for 500k somehow as well as @x NoDnArB via trade. To add to these steals, they got @silentsoljacuz4 for 500k after a few solid AHL seasons, and @BoKnows x 88 for $3.25 who I don't know much about, but Dangs vouches as being very good. On defense, they overpaid big time on @Playoff Bren at $10.25m, he is a 1st line D but I'd say more of the 5-7 range, got @Duggan for $4.5m who is moving back to D and @KingClutch x 77 for $4.25 who I think is moving to D for the first time. It's a solid chem-filled top 6 forward group, with a decent goalie duo, and lots of depth at D, but their 2 best D are on the right side. This is my sleeper pick in the Pacific to do much better than I have them ranked here and surprise a lot of people moving forward. Best Contract: @Fr33kOnTheStix ($500k) Worst Contract: @Playoff Bren ($10.25m) X-Factor: 3rd line winning games FWD Grade: B DEF Grade: B+ GOALIE Grade: C 6. Vegas Golden Knights @xOgLowkeyyx has transitioned from the GnP Golden Knights to the i3hl Golden Knights. He has built solid teams in his first 2 seasons, but this season will be the real test without any of the GnP guys on his roster anymore. He started the transition with @HNZ Prince as his GM and continued it long into the bidding. He won bids early on 3s guys like @JJr, @l A7eX l, @wT Basic, and @X27xChuckyx27X for a combined $4.5m, which set him up to spend money big somewhere else, and boy did he ever. Giving out one of the largest contracts I've ever seen on Xbox, as @Burnsy x 95 is going gambling in Vegas with his new $15m contract, absolutely insane, you can spend this type of money when you get steals somewhere else as Vegas did, but they may have got baited into this, as when they were focusing on Burnsy they lost out on a lot of good D that could help this super suspect D core. I know @Landamov and @Newwdle are 2 solid D, but they are not top liners, rounded out with @El Donn Juan, @WeddingJUN and @WingelsDGC just screams disaster, especially when you factor in that they have 2 backup goalies. I'm not sold on Vegas, they might have to win games 8-7 this season. Best Contract: @X27xChuckyx27X ($500k) Worst Contract: @Burnsy x 95 ($15m) X-Factor: Literally any D not playing with Burnsy's line FWD Grade: A DEF Grade: D GOALIE Grade: C+ 7. Vancouver Canucks Another Jack Adams winner in @JxHaTch24x is back, and this isn't the first time I have projected his team to suck, he will just have to prove me wrong again. He brings in @ThaChosenOne-- (Freestyle 7) as his GM giving them two LDs as their free contracts. They didn't have much returning, @Tarasenko x 91 at $4m coming off an 11-16 season once people stopped playing on west and Hatch's expected D partner @Seek0 for 500k who he had on his team in previous seasons. He traped Mike for @LNDxGeorgio and @PeteyMaCx11 (Georgio is gross) and considering this bidding Petey is a very reasonable price. In bidding they got @Groulxz for $7m which is crazy considering the prices of some other guys and will probably pair him with @MaGiK x96x to form a pretty good 1/2 punch on their first line, also winning @TheFunkyH and @o BlueDream l for a combined $7.75 as a D pair with some chem. @Sejje and @Daqs x 13 for 500k apiece are 2 solid contracts, and @lHuskie is one of the best Gs in the LGHL so hopefully, he can steal them a few. All around, they have an okay first line that should be competitive, but they follow it up with 2 third lines. Best Contract: @Groulxz ($7m) Worst Contract: @xTarasenko91 ($4m) X-Factor: @Groulxz FWD Grade: B- DEF Grade: C- GOALIE Grade: B- 8. Calgary Flames @Matt4for4 takes over the Isles, before swapping to the Flames, and brings in Washington's old owner @l Assonnato l as his GM after a lengthy search full of stikeouts. They didn't have many returning contracts, but @JC Enterprise, @Verathy, and @IsC0NaLd0 for a combined $2.5 is a solid start. They picked up @Gwan for $11m who was only $7.5m 2 seasons ago as a forward. They added @Koho for $2.5m which seems fair, and @Snxpzy- for $4m who idk at all, it looks like an overpay but some PSNers are gross, some are not. Filled with Assonato on LD and a DP on RD it builds a solid line 1, probably not one that will beat other top lines on a week-to-week basis, but it should be competitive. The 2nd line added @Sando Sparkz who plays with Conaldo a lot, and @Snails 14 who is very overpaid at $5m, and the 3rd line is a chem line built around JC and @PigsOnJupiter. All in all, I'd consider this team to have a fringe line 1, and two 3rd lines just like Vancouver, I don't think they will make the playoffs, but they probably won't be complete trash all season. Best Contract: @PigsOnJupiter ($500k) Worst Contract: @Gwan ($11m) or @Snxpzy- ($4m) X-Factor: @Viktomize making em FWD Grade: B- DEF Grade: C- GOALIE Grade: C
4 players of 4 calibers and positions for media always gives great perspectives for writing! Good first post, might I suggest adding someone who knows something about goalies in there? Rask as the worst contract when there are about 5-6 goalies more expensive than he is in bidding, also worse in skill is weird to me. Especially with a one or two more questionable than a starter at 2m. The most accurate one was probably the one about me haha. Other than that keep it up ladies
What? He is the worst contract on a team full of great contracts, he is worth 2m in this bidding sure because goalies were insanely expensive. You tell me who the worst contract on San Jose is, if not Rask. Also worth noting, I said Rask & Perellzy are both well known good goalies, who need to improve on their s37 stats.