2024-25 DRAFT PREVIEW
Show Me Division
The Barracudas are in a great position for the season. They brough back most of their players this off season, Jared Gilomen joined the captain group, and they finally have a rostered goalie who is projected to play the entire season. The Cudas only have $3 to fill one open position. With Cort and Jared likely playing defense this captain group should be targeting a forward. If I’m the Cuda’s, I’m either going to put up players to draw out money with my first couple of picks or I’m going to try and sneak in an Aj Flach or Zac Ruyle type of player in hopes to get them at only $3. The Barracudas biggest issue is going to be the fact that every team will be able to outbid them up until the late 3rd round. So, I have them taking the best of the remaining players with a 1 year $3 deal at the top of the 4th round. I can see this captain group reaching out to teams before and during the draft to try and trade a cap year or two in exchange for cap dollars. As it sits right now, I see them with a surplus of 3 years. The Venom and Thundercats (T-money) are the Cudas best chance to make a trade happen during the draft.
The Jets had a solid team last season and if they could have that exact roster this season, they would win the Show-Me division. Unfortunately, the departure of Jared Gilomen to the Barracudas captain group leaves the Jets in an interesting position. I don’t see anyone in the draft with Jared’s caliber of defense that they would be able to snag at his price point. Instead in my mock draft I chose the safe route and split the salaries fairly evenly with the Jets 2 picks, I don’t see this captain group carrying that mindset going into the draft though. The Jets will be patient and look for a contract similar to Hemker’s or Haselhorst’s that they can get the most value out of. I also see the Jets making their first pick towards the end of the second round while there is still some decent talent left in the draft. If they have more than $4 remaining, they will likely take their 2nd player a couple of selections later near the top of the third round. The alternative here is they will take a player that doesn’t necessarily fit their scheme, but the value is too high to pass up. They will then hit up the trading block after a game or 2 to find someone more suitable. This is a very knowledgeable captain group and will find a way to be at the top of the Show-Me this season.
Time to rustle some feathers with the Raptors comp pick. The Raptors are going to look to improve their scoring, but with the new rules they don’t have the same player pool that they would have had with last year’s rules. Aaron Gruebener is a solid player but lacks the goal scoring ability that the Raptors are going to want with this pick. Chris Niemeyer has excellent scoring potential, but the contract value may not be good enough for the Raptors to use their Comp pick on him. I actually have the Raptors selecting Brad Foiles over Nick Moore with their comp pick. Nick moves the puck better than Brad, excels as a playmaker when given the right tools, and gives them better value contract wise. However, Brad’s utility mixed with a 1 point per game average over the last two seasons is too good pass up. If the last two seasons have proven anything, it’s that having a rostered player that can play any position to include goaltending is an absolute must and can win you the cup. With $34 left for 3 players, I see the Raptors targeting Brady Griffin, Rj Pluhar, or Nick Moore in the first round. This should then give them $16-$18ish dollars to select their last 2 players and given their history of having a balanced team they will likely split that salary evenly for the last 2 spots.
The Venom have 5 roster spots with $48 in cap space and the 2nd overall compensation pick. The Venom’s comp pick is a no brainer for me, and they will choose to select Drew Estes, who I’d say is the number one overall player eligible to be a comp pick this season. Drew brings the ability to shut down the top scorers in the league and the ability to move the puck vertically down the rink when given space. Drew has 17 goals and 42 assists in his 1st two seasons in the GRHL and I’d wager he has 9 or more goals and 20+ assists this season for the Venom. For the remaining picks I see the Venom choosing players with size or speed. They have shown in the past to value big forwards and I see them take 2 in this draft mixed with 2 smaller speeder forwards. I see the Venom playing a 2x2 this season with Mearns jumping into the 2nd and 3rd lines periodically to take advantage of matchups and throw off the opposing teams that are trying to lock him down. I think the Venom will have a very balanced team this season with a strong defense and their scoring coming from the top 2 lines. I almost feel sorry for any forward looking to post up in front Frank this season and having to contend with this defense, but I for one can’t wait for the opportunity and hope to play at least one game against these guys this season. I also see them having the fewest goals against and Frank Hart as the league’s top goaltender in 2024.
The Yetis may have traded away Nick Weber for a chance at the cup, but this team is still solid at its core with Bryan Rucker, Kyle Gehrig, and Scott Robben all under contract for $9 or less. That leaves the Yetis’ captain group $30 to fill 4 spots. I see them targeting a forward early in the draft to play with Jared Jackson or to solidify scoring on the second line, and then targeting a defenseman like David Hempen or Brady Riechmann with their second pick. After these two picks the Yetis should be sitting around $5 or so to grab 2 more forwards for their third line. Despite selling the farm last season for a chance at the cup, the Yetis still look solid on my mock draft teams. The Yetis 1st pick is going to set the tone for them, and it will come down to how much they are willing to spend to solidify their offence. If they can get their guy for $18 or less, I think they will have an opportunity to put together a special team. I don’t think they will be able to win the Show-Me division this season given they will have less than $8 a player to spend on 4 open spots, but I don’t think they will be far behind those top divisional teams.
Lincoln Division
The Moose have some new faces in the captain group with Stephen Craig and Kyle Watson replacing Kenny Van de Hey and Joshua Pate who both moved to waivers. The new captains will have a simple draft this season with only having 2 roster spots to fill and 1 of those spots will be filled with the 1st overall compensation pick. Nick Costillo made it very clear that the 1st overall compensation pick would be used on Brent Lyons. I’d expect the Moose to choose to keep him on the roster for 2 seasons at $18. Brent is my 2nd overall available comp pick but his familiarity to this captain group and team will bring an immediate return and makes sense for the Moose. Brent also brings strong offensive capability to this defensive unit and will pair nicely with Hemker. Brent only had 13 goals and 10 assists last season, but I see him finishing closer to his 2022 totals of 23 goals and 34 assists. Brent and Hemker will both help the forwards transition into the offensive zone quickly and remove pressure off Craig in his first season as the Moose starter. The Moose should be giving up fewer shots this season living by “The best defense is a strong offense” motto. After the comp pick the Moose will have $5 and 3 cap years available for their final pick. The Moose are set defensively and should try to target a mid-tier forward early in hopes to sneak through a player that might otherwise cost more in the middle of the draft. The Moose lean heavily on Nick Costillo for their offense and will continue to do so as I’ve heard they are moving to a 3 forward 1 defenseman format. I expect Nick to run with both the first and second lines and cause absolute chaos for opposing captains to plan against. I question if they will keep a top-heavy format or try to make sure all 3 lines will have even scoring potential. One thing is certain and that’s this will be a very dangerous team in the offensive zone.
The 2024 Sting are in an ideal position this season. They have $41 to fill 4 roster positions and their compensation pick is going to give them deadly scoring potential that opposing teams will have to contend with. I have the Sting selecting Jordan Stradtman with the 3rd overall comp pick. Jordan is this year top offensive player available as a compensation pick. Jordan was a top 5 scorer last season and I expect to see the same output if not better this season. This captain group is going to have fun this season finding ways to rollout Jordan and Tyler to keep opposing defenses on their toes. Off season pickup Nick Weber should be putting up career numbers this season as the setup man for both Tyler and Jordan. The Sting will have $25 and 6 contract years after taking Jordan and I’m torn with the Sting in this position, because they could opt to spending up to $23 to bring in a 3rd forward and solidify 3 scoring lines, however I see this captain group grabbing a lesser-known player on a value contract in the middle of the second round. I’d like to see the Sting target a player capable of playing forward and defense to give them flexibility during the season, as you will see in my mock draft. I expect TK, Windmiller, and Baker will all see career numbers this season. Lastly, I’m excited to see who the Sting target as a second setup man to go with their top 3 forwards. This captain group plays a lot of hockey and will certainly do their homework to put forward one of the best scoring teams in the GRHL this season. This should be an exciting draft for the Sting. Although, they may struggle in the first matchup against the Moose, I see the Sting battling with Costillo and the Moose all season for the top spot in the Lincoln division and possibly in the semifinals.
We’re just going to call the ThunderCats (T-money) from now on, because this team is rolling in roster cap every draft and this year is no different with $49 to spend on 4 spots. The Thundercats are a team built on capitalizing on the transition and forcing turnovers in offensive zone behind the net. I think they will take either Brett Lucas or Ben Kleinschmidt early in the first round. But I’m leaning more toward Lucas as I think he fits their team profile better and has some chemistry with Cory Johnson from last season’s State Wars tournament. For the next 2 picks, I have them choosing players that play in the weekly pickup games as they will already know these players. The final pick will depend on how much money is left in the bank. They might get stuck in a position where they can’t outbid any team for a good portion of the draft and must sit back and wait towards the end of the draft to make their final selection. Which if I remember correctly is what happened to them during the 2023 draft. The ThunderCats (T-money) are going to have a helluva team this season, but I think they will struggle for the first couple of games of the season. I know, I know I say that about them every year, but I think it takes this team a couple of games to find their identity and start playing their game vs the game their opponents force them to play. I have them 3rd in the division going into Christmas break, but I promise if you sleep on this this team, they will drop 18+ goals on you. Look for them to make it at least to the semifinals if they play well at both ends of the rink.
Watching the Wolves last season was like watching the Hawks in the Mighty Ducks movie. They had the momentum and talent going into the playoffs to make a push for the cup, just to lose to the up-and-coming team that made some midseason adjustments. And then to have Yeargain fall 2 goals short of my hot take is the cherry on top of the cake. I’m kidding of course. For the most part this is the same team that was favored to win it all last year and is strong enough to make a run in the playoffs if they get some momentum going late in the season. Unfortunately, the Wolve only have $12 in cap space and the Lincoln division might be the strongest we have seen yet. I have the Wolves selecting a player or two that might cause them to be the most penalized team in the league but will also add some ferocity to the Wolves to help them contend in a speedy Lincoln division. The first pick I have for the Wolves is a guy that they have overlooked in the past but brings a well-rounded skillset and will affect the team in a positive way if he stays out of the penalty box. The second pick I have for the Wolve has played with them before, but they will likely have to spend more than they want to bring him back onto the team. The Wolves Captains will need to play the waiting game in this draft and try to find a player that fits their mold and can help bring in the scoring that Nick Moore took when he left for free agency. I like Chris Niemeyer and Brian Shedelbower for the Wolves first pick but it will depend on what they go for in the draft and how much other tea. The question here is when will the Wolves pull the trigger on their first pick? If they get FOMO and choose someone too early, they will likely overpay, but if they wait too long, they will likely end up in a similar situation position to the 2023 Venom and have more cap space left than they would like.
The 2023 Gateway Cup Champions are in a bit of a precarious spot in the 2024 draft. The Outlaws have $35 and 6 cap years for 5 open spots. In my mock draft I have them targeting Ben Kleinschmidt to go along side Grant, Aj, Shaw, and Wendel and see them planning to play a keep away style of game that leverages their speed. I was originally thinking the Outlaws would play a 2x2 style of play with AJ, Shaw, Grant, and Ben playing defense and ensuring that 2 of them would be always playing. But after previewing the other 9 teams I’m at a crossroad in my thoughts on the Outlaws. If they go with the above-mentioned draft and style of play, they will be competitive all season, but will it be enough to give them a solid chance at the cup in this projected powerhouse division? That’s a tough question to answer pre-draft. My other thought for them is to take Nick Moore or Brady Griffin with the hopes of also having enough to take Mason Kelly as well but lack the cap years to sign players long term. They still only have 6 cap years for 5 players unless they make a deal with the Cudas and acquire more cap years. But if they don’t position themselves to win this year, they will lose Grant to Free Agency in the next off season. So, for the sake of not drawing this out with what a trade might look like, I’m going with Plan A for the Outlaws, and they select Ben Kleinschmidt with the 1st or second pick.
GRHL Free Agency
Free agency is here, and we have 7 potential GRHL Free Agents this off season that we will go over. This year we have 7 forwards with varying skillsets they can bring to teams. The biggest question is will the teams these players land on utilize them in a way to maximize the skills these players bring to the table.
Jared Steinmann – Jared is a two-way forward that should play on the bottom 6 but is best served playing on the third line and using his skating ability to cause havoc for opposing teams. Jared skates well and can get back to slow down the rush on defense, but he lacks the pure shooting skills of a top line forward. With that said, Jared plays heads up hockey and could find time on the top lines if paired with a purely offensive talent or paired with another forward teams are looking to create space for. For these instances I could see him paired with Tyler Krapf (Sting), Brandon Payne (Wolves), Jared Jackson (Yetis), or Jordan Stradtman (Draft). Jared’s salary of 1yr $8 or 2yr $9 will likely have him go to the draft as I see him at his cap value. Look for Jared to be a midround pick in this year’s draft at $7.
Chris Niemeyer – Chris is more of a sniper type of forward who will look to shoot more than he passes. He is best suited to playing on the second line with a player of similar speed and skill or a player that will go to the net and free up space for Chris to move the puck or shoot. Despite Chris having a shoot first mentality, he is a willing passer if he trusts the person he is passing to. For this, it’s important to try to keep him with the same forward or forwards early on to build that chemistry. He skates well and will get back on the rush, but he will battle for pucks in the corner or behind the net and isn’t likely to be the first person back to support the defense. My top 3 teams for Chris to land to during Free Agency or the Draft are the Outlaws, Barracudas, and the Jets. Chris’s cap hit of 1yr $9 or 2yr $10 is where I see his value to be at. He is the first of 3 free agents I can see getting picked up prior to the draft.
Eric Urban – Eric is a two-way forward with the potential to play defense. I see him best suited for a 3rd line forward that will play around the opposing team’s net or a 2nd line forward whose job is to hang back and support the defenseman on teams playing with 3 forwards and 1 defenseman. Eric is not afraid of contact or grinding out the puck around the boards or the net. He is a bit raw in his potential and will make a few mistakes with the puck, but he will make far more plays than he gives up. Eric has a good mix of size and speed but lacks the scoring potential teams look for in the top 2 lines. Eric’s cap hit of 1yr $2 or 2yr $3 is a solid value for the potential a team gets. I see a team picking him up in Free Agency locking in a solid third line player and keeping a low cap hit to save money for the draft. My top 3 teams for Eric are Venom, Jets, and Sting.
Brett Miller – Brett is a third line forward/defenseman, but I like him better as a forward. He is absolutely not afraid of contact and will physically challenge opposing players for the puck. Brett is very raw skill wise and will do best on a team that will coach him on both positive and negative plays. Brett has good forward skating ability but lacks transitional skating skills at the moment. He plays a lot of hockey and is improving each week. With that said I see Brett as a $1 player currently and we should see him getting picked up in mid to late rounds of the draft as teams fill out their rosters. My favorite teams for Brett are the Outlaws and Sting, teams he has played for in the past and understand his skillset and how to utilize him.
Jason Housholder – Jason is a third line forward who sees the game well but lacks the skating ability to be a consistent threat with the puck. He also has solid positioning when transitioning into the defensive zone that helps limit his skating woes but should not be expected to shut down the league’s top speed skaters. With that said, Jason’s vision and opposing defenses tendency to ignore him allow for him to set up in gaps with space to shoot the puck. To get the most out of Jason’s skillset they should have him setup in front of opposing goalies for screens and rebounds like how the Venom utilize Joey Blackwood, or as the 3rd forward on an offensive line and let him play between the offensive and defensive faceoff circles. I see Jason as a $1 player and likely picked in the final round of the draft.
Nick Moore – Nick is the most talented free agent available this year and should be playing on the team’s 1st or 2nd lines. He is also capable of playing as an offensive defenseman for teams looking for help moving the puck or more scoring potential. He is a well-rounded playmaker who can feed the play or step into the slot and snipe corners. He has excellent hands and good speed to pair with a solid wrist shot. Nicks biggest drawback is playing time. He has missed a couple of games in each season, but when Nick is available teams are getting an excellent playmaker that looks to push the puck forward any chance he gets. When it comes to contract value Nick’s 1yr $17 and 2yr $19 are subjective and will vary from team to team and how many games they think they will get out of him during the season. My top 3 teams for Nick to potentially land during free agency or the draft are the Thundercats, Raptors, and Venom. If he goes into the draft Nick will be either a first-round pick that teams use to draw money out of the draft, or a mid-late round value pick a team will try to get for a discount as the high money is long spent.
Nick Ruffini – Nick Ruffini is an interesting free agent this offseason. His 1yr $3 is certainly enticing for a team looking for a solid 3rd line skater. Unfortunately, Nick was on LTIR for all but one game last season, and I was unable to get confirmation from Nick on when he is likely to return. Teams will likely pass on Nick during free agency due to the uncertainty of when he will return. However, a team that drafts him and is patient with him as he gets back to the speed of the game should see a good return late in the season and into the postseason. I see Nick being drafted with the final few picks of the draft. My top team for Nick to land on is the Jets for $1-$2 on a 2-year contract. To me this is Quinn Helman’s ideal player. A guy he can get cheap and coach up to play at a higher level than what he showed up to the team as.
Make sure to discuss on the GRHL socials on what you agree with and what I got wrong with my free agency take.