Observations of the Draft
First of all, a big thank you to all the captains for their patience and effort while overcoming the obstacles we had during the draft. The last 3 rounds were done afterwards as per captain's request on a looser schedule. The remaining players were allocated randomly in a short bonus 11th round. Overall, it was a great event and the stream peaked at over 350 viewers. Thank you!
The draft itself did not bring huge surprises. Quite expectedly the first round of the draft was dominated by centremen, totaling 14/30 of overall first-round picks. Goalies were, just like in last years Summer Cup, not at a premium until Rounds 2 & 3. This led to some really nice late pickups for the captains who seemed well prepared for this scenario.There was an interesting split between the drafting philosophies of picking the best player available, and drafting by need (picking players for the positions the team was lacking in). Regardless, following the draft through all its twist and turns was a genuine pleasure. One that we hope to repeat next year together with all of you.
Let's have a closer look at the Top 10 picks of the Summer Cup 2 Draft:
Top 10 picks
MVP of ECL 4 Elite and one of the very best versus players in the game, Dominointi was an expected #1 pick. A centreman who manipulates the flow of the game extremely well. Timing and positioning are the keys to his game. We are used to seeing him as a captain, and it will be interesting to see how Dominointi adapts to a new team dynamic.
2. tbnantti, NG Blackout
A flashy centreman with a long and impressive track record. Strong in the faceoff circle. Formed a lethal duo with PleeMaker in previous two ECLs. Will we see a new duo in the SC? I expect xDoumi to have had good hunch on it to happen; this pick was probably decided well in advance, as tbnantti and xDoumi had been playing together between ECL4 and SC2.
The highest pick from players that played in Pro division last season, Patzlaf is a guaranteed performer. Very traditional type of a center, who sees the ice well and is strong full length and width of the ice, with or without the puck. Can play any skater position on a high level.
Undoubtedly one of the best puck handlers in the game; the puck is the wheel of a stick-jojo in Penatski’s hands. Excellent at drawing penalties. The question is whether the team will find chemistry in time to make use of the resulting time and space.
5. Rullstolskalas_, NG Goose Egg
The highest-picked defenseman, Rullstolskalas, will find himself in a very nice spot, pairing the D with his team mate Floor17 from Northern Stars. Under pressure, Rullstolskalas is calm like a frozen pond. To round off his defensive awareness and positioning, he also has a great knack for getting pucks to the net through traffic. Expect a solid pts/G.
6. Foppatofflan, NG European Union
The first winger to be picked in the draft, Foppatofflan could be the most dangerous player on the counter-attack. Superb passing ability and vision. Last year’s SC champion needs at least a few players around him who think the game fast enough, to be able to play the way he’d like.
7. TehhAhola, NG 50 Shades of Blades
The centreman for ECL 4 Elite runner-up’s, TehhAhola is a consistent points producer, poised with the patience of a severed lama when equipped with the puck. Expect him to finish around his draft position in the scoring tables at the end of the regular season.
8. ADETIKKI, NG Trashers
Green and brown is the new black, and NG Thrashers will be eagerly waiting ADETIKKI to come back. Crisu_Rottis was ready to take a chance and this talented offensive stinger will join the team fully in a few weeks’ time, after completing his civil services.
9. janbonator (by The_Alpha_Furyan), NG International Army
A pure student of the game, janbonator can adapt to any type of situation or forward position you put in front of him. Known for maintaining a steady point production while never forgetting about his defensive responsibilites, he is a solid pick to build your team around - especially as he will most likely spend most of his games at the center position with NOS mainstay Mullweiser riding shotgun on the wing.
10. JaromirSniper68 (by The_Alpha_Furyan), NG Terror Squad
One of the highest scoring Swedish players in ECL history, JaromirSniper68 excels when the game is played at a fast pace. Being picked by longtime linemate (and sometime rival) TerrorsenkoI91I may have come as a surprise to many watching the draft, but should this C-RW duo re-kindle the chemistry they've had in previous editions of the game, look out.
Leading the Pack
At about mid-point of the regular season, the battle for playoff spots is as furious as ever. Each group has at least 7-8 teams with a very good chance of clinching a spot in the sun.
Current front-runners looked strong before the tournament, and have duly delivered thus far. NG KELAMIEHET, NG 50 Shades of Blades, NG Parolan Visa, NG Blackout, NG Ultras and NG Kannunkulma are the leaders of their groups and boast an impressive average of 1.5+ pts/G.
Individually it’s been NG Kannunkulma’s captain, PleeMaker, who has been topping the stat sheets since the start. 21 goals and 11 assists in just 8 games, adding up to a phenomenal 4 points per game average. Can he keep it up?
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