ATD 2015 - Draft Thread I (picks start at post 185)

[EagleBelfour]

I had a list of three players for this selection. Reginald Smith was one of them, whom I believe was the best fit, but the "poorest" player of the three (sorry for the poor selection of descriptive, Smith is a fantastic player in his own right, and a good selection at this point). I'm torn a bit between two players, I just can't pass (again!) who I believe is clearly the best player available at this point of the draft. A favorite of mine and an absolute legend of the game.


With our 4th selection in this year All-Time Draft, the Belfast Giants are extremely please to select, from Moscow, Russia, and formerly known as the USSR, Left Winger Anatoli Firsov

A dazzling dangler, a speed demon and a booming shot is what you will read about Firsov first and foremost. As you dig deeper, you will discover a nifty playmaker, a solid forward who wouldn't back away, one of the very best international competitor of all-time. You will discover a professional who would do everything to help his team win. Just one of the brainiest winger in this history of the game. He's just a player that should never be picked outside the top-80 (I'm sure some will disagree, but I think my biography cannot express better how highly I think of him)

I will have some work to find a perfect fit on the right side for Anatoli Firsov - Joe Malone, but that duo should be absolutely lethal. The incredible speed, creativity, dizzy dangling and incredible offensive awareness should give some headache to the opposition. The opposing defenceman better sharpen their skates well before the puck drop!

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

About time Firsov went. If I knew he would have lasted this long, I'd have picked a RW (Mikhailov or Iginla) in the 3rd round and then picked Firsov with my my 4th round pick.

But after taking Joliat in the 3rd round, I figured taking 2 wings at the same side in the first 4 rounds would basically be suicide without the flexibility allowed by trades. I almost took him anyway.

I'll have to be sold on the Firsov-Malone fit, however, though I guess a lot depends on the RW you get.

 

[EagleBelfour]

About time Firsov went. If I knew he would have lasted this long, I'd have picked a RW (Mikhailov or Iginla) in the 3rd round and then picked Firsov with my my 4th round pick.

But after taking Joliat in the 3rd round, I figured taking 2 wings at the same side in the first 4 rounds would basically be suicide without the flexibility allowed by trades. I almost took him anyway.

I'll have to be sold on the Firsov-Malone fit, however, though I guess a lot depends on the RW you get.

Firsov playmaking is definitely an underrated quality of his. I believe I've shown enough, statistically and anecdocally, that he be a playmaking presence on a line. He was such an intelligent hockey player. However, you do have two offensive forward that do prefer shooting first, are not overly physical, and although both are responsible defensively, they shouldn't be counted as defensively good at the ATD level. I will try to find the perfect linemate for those two guys; someone that can do some playmaking, speedy enough to follow them, strong physically and defensively. If I can'f find such player, I can always separate them. The value was just too good that I might have to reach later in the draft and still be ahead.

 

[ImporterExporter]

The Hershey Bears will select the best defenecman from the early 1900's. Life was cut way to short at 28, but he absolutely owned the ice before his death in 1907. He was considered the best hockey player in the world by many articles published between 1903-1907.

He was a massive player in those days at 6'0" 190 lbs. Born in 1879, that would translate into roughly 6'5" 240 lbs in today's game.

William "Hod" Stuart D

Awards and Achievements:
Stanley Cup Champion (1907)

WPHL League Champion (1903)
IPHL League Champion (1905)

Named WPHL’s Best Cover-Point (1903)
2 x Named IPHL’s Best Cover-Point (1905, 1906)
WPHL First Team All-Star (1903)
2 x IPHL First Team All-Star (1905, 1906)

Offensive Accomplishments:
Points among Defensemen – 1st(1900), 1st(1902), 1st(1903), 1st(1905), 1st(1906), 1st(1907), 2nd(1901)

Ultimate Hockey's All-Star Team of the 1900s

Ultimate Hockey’s “Best Offensive Defenseman” of the 1900s
Ultimate Hockey’s “Best Defensive Defenseman” of the 1900s
Ultimate Hockey’s “Best Skater” of the 1900s

Tremendous Dreakmur bio on Hod Stuart

 

[Johnny Engine]

I had a list of three players for this selection. Reginald Smith was one of them, whom I believe was the best fit, but the "poorest" player of the three (sorry for the poor selection of descriptive, Smith is a fantastic player in his own right, and a good selection at this point). I'm torn a bit between two players, I just can't pass (again!) who I believe is clearly the best player available at this point of the draft. A favorite of mine and an absolute legend of the game.

It's quite possible they were the same guys I was looking at. I felt that as deadly as Firsov - Apps would be, I'd be painted into a bit of a corner for my 1st line right wing, especially if those gritty full-toolbox players start dropping off. Of course, that's the situation you're willingly putting yourself in. It'll be interesting to watch each other's teams, and see the road not taken.

 

[EagleBelfour]

It's quite possible they were the same guys I was looking at. I felt that as deadly as Firsov - Apps would be, I'd be painted into a bit of a corner for my 1st line right wing, especially if those gritty full-toolbox players start dropping off. Of course, that's the situation you're willingly putting yourself in. It'll be interesting to watch each other's teams, and see the road not taken.

You're not wrong in your assessment. However, I feel fully comfortable separating them if the perfect winger isn't up for grab. The value was just too good to pass up.

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

Having an elite finisher on both lines will never be a problem.

 

[EagleBelfour]

Having an elite finisher on both lines will never be a problem.

I don't see it as a problem either.

 

[jarek]

How do you guys make up your mind when deciding between 2 players of the same position? I'm almost pulling my hair out while waiting for my turn.


One is per say better but I'm not so sure to be honest. There is not that many faults to dissect either.

Also team fit.

For our pick, we were seriously deciding between a D or Brimsek. We decided that since we'd probably get slammed for the amount of penalties we'd be taking (Clarke + Cleghorn will have a parade most likely), that we need a good goaltender in net.

 

[seventieslord]

I had a list of three players for this selection. Reginald Smith was one of them, whom I believe was the best fit, but the "poorest" player of the three (sorry for the poor selection of descriptive, Smith is a fantastic player in his own right, and a good selection at this point). I'm torn a bit between two players, I just can't pass (again!) who I believe is clearly the best player available at this point of the draft. A favorite of mine and an absolute legend of the game.


With our 4th selection in this year All-Time Draft, the Belfast Giants are extremely please to select, from Moscow, Russia, and formerly known as the USSR, Left Winger Anatoli Firsov

A dazzling dangler, a speed demon and a booming shot is what you will read about Firsov first and foremost. As you dig deeper, you will discover a nifty playmaker, a solid forward who wouldn't back away, one of the very best international competitor of all-time. You will discover a professional who would do everything to help his team win. Just one of the brainiest winger in this history of the game. He's just a player that should never be picked outside the top-80 (I'm sure some will disagree, but I think my biography cannot express better how highly I think of him)

I will have some work to find a perfect fit on the right side for Anatoli Firsov - Joe Malone, but that duo should be absolutely lethal. The incredible speed, creativity, dizzy dangling and incredible offensive awareness should give some headache to the opposition. The opposing defenceman better sharpen their skates well before the puck drop!

I'm becoming more of a believer in Firsov.

I'm actually pretty impressed by all the Firsov stuff in two books by this russian girl Tara that I read . If you want to build on the data bank that your last bio was, I will scan through both of these books (they are both long and un-indexed) as long as you promise to get those into the bio and improve the information we have on him!

 

[Elvis P]

Rene Lecavalier Division

Rob Scuderi - Pittsburgh Athletic Club
Reds4Life & Evil Sather - Detroit Red Wings
Hawkman & Hedberg - Ottawa 67's
Dwight - West Island Lions
BraveCanadian - Guelph Platers
Hawkey Town 18 - Chicago Shamrocks
ted1971 - Quebec Aces
EagleBelfour - Belfast Giants

Dang. Could we have more vets in our division? papershoes has defeated me. I give up. I'm gonna go watch the Hawks game. I sent my list to 8 people: BraveCanadian , Dreakmur , EagleBelfour , Hawkey Town 18 , Modo , Rob Scuderi , TheDevilMadeMe , tony d.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Allright, we'll complete our first line with a player that actually captained the Kenora Thistles in real life, Tommy Phillips, LW/RW.

While Phillips is not Toe Blake, there is some similarities between the two players.I think he will be a good choice to reproduce the punch-line spirit:

Phillips - Lach - Richard

 

[Elvis P]

With the 117th pick in the draft the Ottawa 67's are proud to select LW Luc Robitaille. MA pmed.

 

[BraveCanadian]

The run on LWs now?

Was seriously considering Phillips myself for his speed and two way play.

Short career in weak era, but lots of best in the world talk which is always something.

 

[BenchBrawl]

The run on LWs now?

Was seriously considering Phillips myself for his speed and two way play.

Short career in weak era, but lots of best in the world talk which is always something.

Even though it's my pick I won't pretend Phillips is great value where I grabbed him.I just thought he was the best fit for completing my first line, and yes some sense of urgency was there to fill the LW spot as well.There's still some good LWers left, but no guarante they will be there for very long.

I strongly prefer to have three strong players for the first line.I try to avoid filling the third wheel with a much weaker player, but I know a lot of people employ this strategy.

 

[jarek]

Even though it's my pick I won't pretend Phillips is great value where I grabbed him.I just thought he was the best fit for completing my first line, and yes some sense of urgency was there to fill the LW spot as well.There's still some good LWers left, but no guarante they will be there for very long.

I strongly prefer to have three strong players for the first line.I try to avoid filling the third wheel with a much weaker player, but I know a lot of people employ this strategy.

In the real NHL, successful teams don't always employ their best players on their top lines. The Hawks are a perfect example, often filling out their line with the likes of Bryan Bickell and Brandon Saad.

 

[BenchBrawl]

In the real NHL, successful teams don't always employ their best players on their top lines. The Hawks are a perfect example, often filling out their line with the likes of Bryan Bickell and Brandon Saad.

Sure, some teams do it, but at this level you have extremely strong players firing on all cylinders.It's a preference of mine, nothing more.

My ATD2012 team actually employed this strategy where my 2nd line RW was better than my 1st line RW, so sometimes I cheated my own philosophy.

My 2nd line RWer was Bryan Hextall Sr. and my first line had Denneny-Nighbor.

 

[jarek]

Sure, some teams do it, but at this level you have extremely strong players firing on all cylinders.It's a preference of mine, nothing more.

Fair enough.

Someone has to have the worst first line though. Not everyones' lines can all be great. It just means you have to compensate by being strong in another area.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Fair enough.

Someone has to have the worst first line though. Not everyones' lines can all be great. It just means you have to compensate by being strong in another area.

But in theory, every first unit (first line - first pairing - goalie) should be more or less equal, the difference of strenght being in the subtle and perhaps not yet known advantages of having X or Y original draft spot.I think people with top 4 picks have some sort of advantage, but I'm not sure how much.

Obviously this is not how it works since people make great moves or bad mistakes.

 

[jarek]

But in theory, every first unit (first line - first pairing - goalie) should be more or less equal, the difference of strenght being in the subtle and perhaps not yet known advantages of having X or Y original draft spot.I think people with top 4 picks have some sort of advantage, but I'm not sure how much.

Obviously this is not how it works since people make great moves or bad mistakes.

If every single GM filled out their roster by drafting their first line, first pairing and goalie before anything else, AND all GMs' drafting abilities were equal, then I'd probably agree. But the reality is that this is not the case, and the lines people put together don't always work. Sometimes people overdraft a player to fill a particular need.

 

[monster_bertuzzi]

In the real NHL, successful teams don't always employ their best players on their top lines. The Hawks are a perfect example, often filling out their line with the likes of Bryan Bickell and Brandon Saad.

This. This this this. I always penalize teams when it comes time to vote who stack up first line and their second line has no firepower to speak of what so ever.

 

[BenchBrawl]

This. This this this. I always penalize teams when it comes time to vote who stack up first line and their second line has no firepower to speak of what so ever.

All ATD champions since 2010 except ATD2012 had either their best three forwards on their first line, or else the forward that wasn't top 3 was grabbed within the first 6 rounds (which is the total 1st-unit rounds in theory so they sacrificed somewhere else).

 

[VanIslander]

With the 117th pick in the draft the Ottawa 67's are proud to select LW Luc Robitaille.

He belongs in this tier. His relentless effort and quickness from the corners to the net (as praised by his NHL coach in the ATD 2013 bio that was constructed after Hedberg & I chose him) and 7-year peak early in his long, long career are usually underappreciated. People remember too much the last few years of an old Luc and think of him as only a one-timer from the slot trigger man (one of the weapons in his arsenal).

.... first seven seasons were phenomenal with seven consecutive 1st or 2nd team all-star selections and seven straight years top-10 in goals. By age 26 he had already scored 382 NHL goals, including 34 playoff goals. He scored 799 points in his first 640 NHL games, not once in his first eight seasons dipping below the 84 point total of his rookie year.

"Lucky" Luc worked hard to put himself in good scoring position and had a fantastic shot. He was known for his competiveness, even in practices, as much as he was known for his friendliness. He had a boatload of determination and it showed.

He went on to play for over a decade more, including three more times top-10 in goals, five more times top-10 in powerplay goals, another 2nd team all-star. He is presently still top-10 all-time in career goals scored among all NHLers, tied with Jaromir Jagr. The fact that he has scored the most goals and points in history for a left winger is almost beside the point, as is his secondary role in a Stanley Cup championship in his 16th year.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=59213943&postcount=55

 

[jarek]

All ATD champions except ATD2012 had either their best three forwards on their first line, or else the forward that wasn't top 3 was grabbed within the first 6 rounds (which is the total 1st-unit rounds in theory so they sacrificed somewhere else).

Not sure if you can look at what good GMs did in the first 6 rounds and say that this is the key to winning. I think the key to winning is just building a strong all around team and getting the most value that you can with each selection while maintaining cohesiveness in your lines and defense pairings.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Luc Robitaille seems like a very nice guy.He can also be hilarious during interviews (at least in french, but no reason this shouldn't translate to english).