Division 3 Season 2 Draft Grades

Grading Every PHL Division 3 Team's Draft

Written by: notlad 

This is an opinion piece and does not reflect on the values of the Wrenport

 

 

The second season of the PHL is official underway!  During season one in division three, the Manhattan Commanders took the top spot after defeating the Chiefland Sentinels.  Now for season two, we have some returning teams with familiar names and other new challengers for the trophy.  Their first task was to assemble their teams through the draft, so lets take a look at how the captains did.

 

 

Philadelphia Revolution

 

Grade: C

 

Quote from the captain: "The #1 pick being stolen was not favorable but it was entirely my fault.  I still feel very sound in my picks and feel the commissioners played fair and as in terms of the D3 draft as a whole, this was a great D3 draft for all.  Good luck on this season to all!" 

-OfficeLAMP

 

Analysis: Philadelphia had the first overall pick of the PHL D3 Draft for Season 2; emphasis being on the word "had".  Captain OfficeLAMP showed up late for the draft and was relegated to picking last in round 1, where Chitman ended up being the pick.  The team looks to be comprised of some classic names from across the PHL, with a few newcomers following up the ranks.  There doesnt appear to be a big X-Factor player on the team, but perhaps they will find their success through a team effort and strategy.  

Winnipeg Icebreakers

 

Grade: B+

 

Quote from the captain: "Draft went better than expected, much better." -Ram

 

Analysis: Winnipeg was the main beneficiary of the Philadelphia Revolution being relegated to the end of the first round, moving them from the second overall pick to the first.  With that pick, they took radioheadlover; a known offensive talent that receives criticism for his lack of team play.  He may be a major facor for this teams success, and some people don't understand how he fell to division three at all.  Winnipeg was very active on the trade board, making several moves with teams to end up picking three players between 35th and 39th overall.  The team has some clear talent, the big question marks are around the goaltending situation and whether or not Pino and Milk will be able to backstop the team to success.

 

 

 

 

 

Fernie Fungi

 

Grade: B+

 

Quote from the captain:  "Very happy with the draft results. I think we ended up with a well balanced team of sick talent, experienced grinders, and most importantly some FUN GUYs" 

-custom98"

 

Analysis: The Fungi may have earned the label of biggest "boom or bust" team in division three for season two.  With players like Silk, stephenrogers, and DadBagginz leading the charge, there is some serious potential for pure domination.  To add to that; picking up NeXuS at 40th overall, a goalie who saw starting time in division two last season, may prove to be the steal of the draft.  If this team can get all players firing on all cylinders, there is some serious championship potential here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Los Gatos Guapos de la Bella Guadalajara

 

Grade: B+

 

Quote from the captain: "I'm super happy with how the draft went for Los Gatos. Huge shoutout to bluski for helping conduct a scouting masterclass. Those middle rounds got a little spooky, but my chronic gambling addiction prepared me for moments like that. In the end, I think we picked up some incredible talent across the entire draft board. There are two main keys to success in the prospect division. Number one: having a really good locker room. Number two: everyone strives to improve and help their fellow teammates. Our roster is going to knock those keys out of the park! Anyways, VAMOS GATOS! Boooo Crusaders" -Log

 

Analysis:  If consistency is the name of the game, Los Gatos Guapos de la Bella Guadalajara are leading the charge in division three this season.  Also active on the trade board, the team was able to pick twice in the first round, grabbing both Guap and bleh, two very different players but both with tremendous upside.  If Fluff can find the same form as in last years playoffs this team will be very hard to get pucks past, making them a threat everywhere on the ice.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salem Coven

 

Grade: D

 

Quote from the captain: "Quite happy overall...I got scooped a lot on picks. In one round I had 3 players who went 2, 4, and 5 in a row so I had to panic. Fib is probably good enough to have gone first, Featherith is already proving to be a steal from the limited amount I've seen him, Miku I think was the best goalie on the board, Anarchist could start D1 if he didn't have work issues...overall, I think we're pretty scary, but we'll see on Sunday." -BuzzFlibbet

 

Analysis: The Salem Coven were one of two teams to take a risk on a 50% player in the PHL draft, and they picked Anarchist who would have likely played in division one this season if they didn't have some seriously limiting availability issues.  The problem is, there is not much of a supporting cast otherwise.  Miku, fib, and the popular featherlith are the next best players, with a pretty steep decline in skill coming after them.  BuzzFlibbet will have to play the role of leader both on and off the ice if this team is going to succeed.

 

 

 

 

 

Hobart Bay Caribou

 

Grade: A

 

Quote from the captain: "I had a lot of my picks taken from me early on but i'm very happy with my team. We had of late round steals that we honestly shouldn't have. Pinks and I went into the draft with the plan of building a team around a good scorer. we got richardp with our first pick like we wanted and all the pieces fell into place after that. The locker room vibes have been great so far. I wanted to bring back some of the players from old Hobart but Hotdogflaps wasn't gonna let that happen.  Overall I'm excited to get on the ice with the boys and bring some more hardware to the Caribou." - Wrandy

 

Analysis:  Hobart Bay looks nothing like they did last year, with most of their players now being considered young up-and-coming talent.  Several players are somewhat new faces to the PHL, like PRADA, marcus, and clubsoda.  There is no lack of skill on this team, and the three aforementioned players were taken after the third round.  The players expected to lead the way for this team are RichardP and Alicat, both of which are serious competitors who could help these younger players find their way.  Watch for the Caribou to surprise a lot of teams this season.  

 

 

 

 

 

Buffalo Bayou Bridge Bats

 

Grade: A-

 

Quote from the captain: "Draft went great. Got everyone I was planning on getting. Certainly stole quite a few players. I bet that Lewy, Tarasenko, and Farf would all fall an extra round and it paid off.  Frankly I might be the worst on the team… I guess we’ll see by the end of the season." 

-HunterS

 

Analysis:  There is no doubt that the Bridge Bats came out of this draft excited and happy with their team and will be strong competitors for the upcoming season.  Getting Tarasenko, the other 50% player taken in the draft, will give a huge boost to an already talented team.  Farf will be a force to be reckoned with in net and there should be no shortage of goal scoring.  The only issues that may arise for this team are the ones that come from the drop-off of talent going from their starters to their backups.  When the main lineup is on the ice, watch out.

 

Port Stanley Stachios

 

Grade: C

 

Quote from the captain: "I dost perceive that the draft hath transpired as favorably as might be for our noble company; it doth stand to reason, for the cadre of gentlemen charged with our scouting was most excellent." -gdylan

 

Analysis:  Some readers may be too young to remember the 1995 Stanley Cup Champion New Jersey Devils, or the dead puck era that followed.  This iteration of the Port Stanley Stachios may be the second coming of that era of hockey.  Undeniable talent on defense, with possibly the two biggest steals of the draft in net.  To add to that, an elite coaching staff made up of three current or former Division one players.  However, when you start to ask where the goals will come from, you may have to search a while for answers.  This team is a surefire goalscorer away from being the terror of the league, but without that, they may be seeing many 1-0 losses on their schedule.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drinkwater Storm

 

Grade: B

 

Quote from the captain: "After a very disappointing and revealing trade period before the draft, I went in demoralized but feel I still came out on top." -Inertia

 

Analysis: At this point in the draft order, captains are going to have a much harder time getting star talent without taking some risks on unknown players.  The Storm have some very good players, all of who are capable of doing very well on the ice, but the team lacks a clear superstar.  Many teams have found success with this formula, Inertia will have some work to do in order to achieve that as well.

 

 

 

 

 

Frostburgh Ice Daddies

 

Grade: B-

 

Quote from the captain: "Im real happy Topher, Owl,  Fly and Joose all messaged me saying that the Ice Daddies are the clear favorites for D3. It was pretty clear my kids didn't prepare for the draft, just like how they forget to use the bathroom before we leave the house. Now me and the dads are scheduling a little trip during the first round bye to get a little relaxation time from the kids before we go on to win the cup. All a dad wants is to see their kids grow up and become responsible young adults, so I'm real excited to see how this season turns out." 

-TheHairyW00kie

 

Analysis: The Ice Daddies were the second most active team with trading before the draft, sending many of their picks to move up, leaving a gap of over 30 picks between their second and their third.  Getting PaulKariya at #2 overall was an obvious choice, with Frosty following up at 17th adding some nice depth to the team.  After that, things start to take a bit of a dip, but it seems like the vibes are great overall at the team, which can definitely positively impact players performances.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Columbus Crusaders

 

Grade: A

 

Quote from the captain: "I think I have a lot of underrated talent on my team that people don’t really know about and I’m ready to surprise the league" -DJSnooze

 

Analysis: The captain said it best.  This team has a treasure trove of underrated or unknown talent.  Koochie is a sleeper pick in net, and Rhubarb falling to the 4th round after being a top producer in division three last season gives this team more talent than many of the teams that picked before them.  With so many unknown players, the team does face the risk of some of them not panning out or playing well.  This will be a top team to follow as the season goes on, and don't be surprised if they start slow, only to snowball towards the post season.

 

 

 

 

 

Florida Flamingos

 

Grade: A

 

Quote from the captain: "Yea I believe we had a pretty good draft, team chemistry is really good. I believe we have many underrated players ready to show off their skills so this should be a really fun season and I am looking forward to it." -kai2

 

Analysis: First of all, I want to apologize for leaving the Flamingos off the original list, that was an error on my part.  That being said, I have no idea how I did miss them.  Even though he was a first round pick, Andomal was a total steal and is a division two talent.  The supporting cast to help him out is no joke either; with every single player having a high upside, even all the way to their final pick Julez.  To top it all off the captain Kai is an exceptional goaltender and I could easily see this team as a championship contender.

 

 

 

Do you agree with the grades teams were given?  Let us know in the comments or on discord your thoughts, and follow along as the season goes on to find out what the grades look like once all is said and done.