*** I asked Chat to do a mock draft based on the existing team roster. I did not give further instructions. *** 

The Season 6 draft class opens with a clear identity: premium centers at the top, a strong group of 18-year-old defensemen through the middle of the first round, and a goalie tier that probably begins in Round 2 rather than the top 26. Using the R1–R2 Need Mock board, this mock leans on best-player-available early, then gradually shifts toward organizational fit once teams with multiple picks begin shaping their pipelines.

Denver starts the night with the cleanest decision on the board. Seattle, Edmonton, Minnesota, Las Vegas, Tucson, Rochester, Maine, and Massachusetts all hold multiple meaningful picks, which creates the real story of the first two rounds: teams are not just drafting players, they are building positional waves.

Round 1

1. Denver Bandits — Oystein Gravdahl, C, Storm

Denver takes the best player on the board. Gravdahl brings the strongest model score in the class, a premium center profile, and major production with 32 goals and 74 points in 82 games. For a Bandits team sitting in the middle of the roster-strength picture, this is the obvious franchise-building pick: scoring, age value, and positional importance.

2. Massachusetts Militia — Boris Potokov, C, Warhawks

The Militia use the Halifax pick on another elite center. Potokov is nearly tied with Gravdahl by model score and actually outproduced him with 76 points. Massachusetts needs high-end pieces more than narrow positional patching, so taking a premium center here is the safest and most valuable play.

3. Saint-Lambert Maulers — Zane Bourbonnais, C, Warhawks

Bourbonnais gives Saint-Lambert the most productive offensive player among the very top tier, finishing with 87 points. He profiles as a playmaking center and gives the Maulers a player who can drive offense rather than simply complement it.

4. Seattle Stormbreakers — Gavriil Nazarov, C, Berries

Seattle has the lowest roster overall in the mock’s team-need lens, so the Stormbreakers cannot afford to get cute. Nazarov is a 77 OVR, 18-year-old two-way center with 75 points, making him both safe and projectable. He gives Seattle a foundational piece to build around.

5. Tucson Muertos — Brody Eastwood, C, Storm

Tucson takes the fifth center in the top five. Eastwood brings a goal-scoring edge with 37 goals, and while he ranked sixth by model score, the fit is easy to justify. Tucson has multiple firsts, so starting with a high-upside Canadian center gives them flexibility later.

6. St. Louis Voodoo — Gerhard Ryffel, D, Islanders

The first defenseman off the board is Ryffel, a 76 OVR two-way defender with major offensive production: 76 points from the blue line. St. Louis gets a premium-position prospect who can become more than just a defensive specialist.

7. Rochester North Stars — Nigel Erni, C, Chill

Rochester gets excellent value with Erni still available. He ranked fifth on the board but falls to seventh after the Voodoo prioritize defense. With 82 points and a two-way profile, Erni gives the North Stars another strong center option in a system that can now build around forward depth.

8. Port City Privateers — Edo Rozman, LW, Berries

Rozman is the first winger selected, and the appeal is clear: 40 goals, 81 points, 75 OVR, and a two-way tag. Port City needs more finishing talent, and Rozman gives them a winger with both production and ratings support.

9. Toronto Redtails — Tikamir Zila, C, Islanders

Toronto goes for center succession. Zila’s 70 OVR is lower than several players still available, but the model likes his production, and his 68 points in 75 games make him an interesting development bet. The Redtails’ aging high-end pieces make a younger center a logical target.

10. Calgary Lumberjacks — Stanislav Budaj, RW, Warhawks

Calgary is strong enough to draft for upside rather than need. Budaj gives them a pure scoring winger with 34 goals and a 75 OVR profile. This is a luxury pick for a better roster: add a dangerous right wing and keep the pipeline balanced.

11. Laval Red Bull — Aleksandrs Berzs, D, Warhawks

Laval goes blue line with Berzs, a 76 OVR shutdown defenseman. His offensive production is modest, but the defensive profile gives Laval a high-floor prospect at a premium position. For an organization with older premium pieces, this is a succession pick.

12. Atlanta Royals — Bryn Maybury, LW, Chill

Atlanta uses the New York City pick on Maybury, a strong value winger with 33 goals and 75 points. Rather than reaching for positional need, the Royals take one of the better remaining forwards on the board.

13. Maine Mighty Moose — Grayson Wiley, D, Berries

Maine starts its draft with a defensive anchor. Wiley is a 75 OVR shutdown D, and while the offensive numbers are not flashy, the role fit is strong. The Mighty Moose need to build a defensive foundation, and Wiley gives them that.

14. Los Angeles Dynasty — Skip Evans, LW, Warhawks

The Dynasty take one of the better goal-scoring wingers in the class. Evans scored 39 goals, giving Los Angeles a pure offensive winger to support a veteran-heavy roster. This is a straightforward scoring-upside pick.

15. Minnesota Dockheads — Roderick Tomkins, D, Chill

Minnesota begins what becomes a very deliberate succession draft. Tomkins is a 76 OVR two-way defenseman, and the Dockheads use their first pick to address the blue line before later turning to goalie depth.

16. Quebec City Harfang — Brandt McAlister, D, Islanders

The defending-caliber Harfang pipeline gets heavier with McAlister. He is a shutdown defenseman, 18 years old, and fits the kind of playoff-style profile that makes sense for a competitive roster drafting with acquired capital.

17. Memphis Blues — Aloys Johansson, RW, Berries

Memphis adds skill on the wing with Johansson, a playmaking RW who posted 73 points. The Blues could have looked at center or goalie depth, but Johansson is too good a forward value to pass up at 17.

18. San Francisco Orcas — Andreas Karlgren, LW, Berries

Karlgren gives San Francisco a skilled left wing with a playmaking profile. His production, 62 points, is not as loud as some earlier forwards, but the model and fit keep him firmly in the first-round conversation.

19. Rochester North Stars — Mitchell Megna, LW, Islanders

With their second first-rounder, Rochester doubles down on forward talent. Megna had 50 points in only 59 games, making him a strong production-per-game value. After taking Erni at center, adding a winger like Megna gives the North Stars a more complete forward wave.

20. Edmonton Blizzard — Edgars Cuksts, D, Storm

Edmonton begins the most obvious draft theme of the night: defense, defense, defense. Cuksts is the first of several Blizzard blue-line picks, and his 35 points give him enough offensive utility to fit a modern defensive pipeline.

21. Massachusetts Militia — Jannis Bruvers, C, Terror

The Militia take another center swing. Bruvers has a lower OVR at 70, but his production is excellent: 32 goals, 45 assists, 77 points. Massachusetts is prioritizing premium offensive value over perfect roster fit, and that is the right move for a team that needs more high-end talent.

22. Edmonton Blizzard — Radko Majer, D, Fog

Edmonton uses the Saint Paul pick on another defenseman. Majer gives them a second 18-year-old D in three picks, reinforcing the idea that the Blizzard are using draft volume to rebuild or refresh their blue line.

23. Las Vegas Voltage — Hunter Tozzi, LW, Chill

Las Vegas takes a safer forward before turning to goalies later. Tozzi is a 75 OVR LW with enough production to justify the pick, and for a strong roster, he adds useful scoring depth without forcing a reach.

24. Seattle Stormbreakers — Pasi-Pekka Hoikkala, D, Berries

After taking Nazarov at 4, Seattle uses the Cape Cod pick to add defense. Hoikkala is a 76 OVR defenseman, giving the Stormbreakers a clean first-round pairing: franchise forward at the top, high-rating defenseman later.

25. Miami Trident — Aleksandr Podgaisky, RW, Storm

Miami, a contender-type roster in this mock lens, adds a right winger with upside. Podgaisky’s 62 points and 72 OVR make him a reasonable late-first selection for a team that does not need to force an immediate roster fix.

26. Tucson Muertos — Niko-Veikka Lindsten, LW, Storm

Tucson closes the first round with Lindsten, a Finnish playmaking winger who posted 61 points. After taking Eastwood at center, the Muertos add a complementary winger and leave Round 1 with two forwards who can grow together.

Round 2

27. Denver Bandits — Ken Arn, RW, Berries

Denver pairs Gravdahl with a winger. Arn has 69 points and a 75 OVR, making him one of the better available fits for a team that already landed the top center.

28. Saint-Lambert Maulers — Svit Auber, D, Storm

After taking Bourbonnais in Round 1, Saint-Lambert balances the draft with Auber, a defenseman with useful production and a clean second-round profile.

29. Maine Mighty Moose — Carmine Sommervill, LW, Newfies

Maine follows its defensive first-round pick with a scoring winger. Sommervill scored 31 goals, giving the Moose a needed offensive injection.

30. Seattle Stormbreakers — Armon Berra, G, Chill

The first goalie comes off the board. Berra is only ranked 60th in the model, so this is a reach by pure board value, but Seattle can justify it because of rebuild status and extra capital. A .909 save percentage and 74 OVR give him legitimate goalie-prospect appeal.

31. Edmonton Blizzard — Elias Widlund, D, Grizzlies

Edmonton continues its blue-line push, and this may be the best offensive defenseman value of the run. Widlund had 74 points, including 59 assists, making him a major upside pick.

32. St. Louis Voodoo — Jesse-Petteri Ivari, RW, Chill

After Ryffel in Round 1, St. Louis turns to right wing. Ivari brings a 74 OVR and scoring profile, giving the Voodoo balance between defense and forward finishing.

33. Rochester North Stars — Erik Mortensen, RW, Gators

Mortensen is older at 19 and lower rated at 68 OVR, but the production is very strong: 75 points. Rochester continues to stockpile forward skill.

34. Port City Privateers — Ernests Vizmanis, D, Newfies

Port City gets its defenseman after taking Rozman in Round 1. Vizmanis is a 76 OVR D, which is strong value in this slot even if the points are modest.

35. Toronto Redtails — Josiah Sunday, C, Spirit

Toronto doubles down at center. Sunday is 21, so he does not have the same age-adjusted upside as the 18-year-olds, but 60 points in 69 games gives the Redtails a more mature prospect who could be useful sooner.

36. Calgary Lumberjacks — Lenny Varley, D, Berries

Calgary balances Budaj with a defenseman. Varley’s production is light, but the 75 OVR rating makes him a sensible second-round defensive depth pick.

37. Laval Red Bull — Camden Gordienko, D, Newfies

Laval goes defense again. Gordienko joins Berzs as part of a blue-line succession plan, giving the Red Bull two young defenders in the first 37 picks.

38. Las Vegas Voltage — Vojtech Pavlovec, G, Chill

Vegas makes the first of two goalie swings. Pavlovec’s sample is small, but the numbers are excellent: .931 save percentage and 1.74 GAA. This is a bet on efficiency and upside rather than model rank.

39. Maine Mighty Moose — Leo Stenberg, D, Reds

Maine returns to defense with Stenberg, an 18-year-old Swedish D who produced 34 points. The Moose leave the top 40 with two defensemen and a scoring winger, a very balanced start.

40. Minnesota Dockheads — Sten-Erik Rusanen, G, Terror

Minnesota addresses future goaltending with Rusanen. His .918 save percentage over 70 games gives him a stronger workload argument than some other goalie options.

41. Minnesota Dockheads — Benjamin Haab, D, Newfies

The Dockheads immediately follow the goalie pick with another defenseman. Haab is a 74 OVR D, reinforcing Minnesota’s draft identity: future stability in net and on the blue line.

42. Denver Bandits — Roy Perzchajlo, C, Force

Denver takes an older center with major production: 76 points in 78 games. After Gravdahl and Arn, this gives the Bandits another center option and a potentially quicker-development forward.

43. Edmonton Blizzard — Walter Waspe, D, Steelers

Another Edmonton defenseman. Waspe is 19 and ranked lower than the pick slot, but 62 points from defense makes him one of the more interesting offensive blue-line gambles in the second round.

44. San Francisco Orcas — Peter Vall, RW, Grizzlies

The Orcas add a finisher. Vall scored 36 goals, making him a strong second-round winger bet after San Francisco took Karlgren in the first.

45. Quebec City Harfang — Shamus Daubert, D, Warhawks

Quebec City takes another shutdown D. After McAlister at 16, Daubert gives the Harfang a clear draft theme: defensive floor, playoff-style depth, and future blue-line insulation.

46. Edmonton Blizzard — Eli Judd, RW, Newfies

Edmonton finally pivots back to forward. Judd is 20, but 66 points gives the Blizzard good value after heavily investing in defense.

47. Las Vegas Voltage — Remi Kvam, RW, Reign

Vegas adds scoring depth with Kvam, a 19-year-old right winger who produced 72 points. After taking a goalie at 38, this is a useful offensive correction.

48. Halifax Chaos — Enrico Katze, RW, Reds

Halifax starts its draft with a value winger. Katze is not a first-round-caliber prospect, but at 48 he gives the Chaos a useful forward pipeline piece.

49. Las Vegas Voltage — Gerold Giesen, G, Force

Vegas takes its second goalie of the round. Giesen has a .914 save percentage, 72 OVR, and a full 70-game workload. The Voltage are clearly using second-round capital to build goalie depth.

50. Cape Cod Stingrays — Ionut Sotir, C, Menace

Cape Cod gets center depth with Sotir. He is 20, but 63 points in 82 games gives him a reasonable second-round profile at a valuable position.

51. Halifax Chaos — Juraj Carny, LW, Invaders

Halifax adds another forward, this time on the left side. Carny posted 58 points, giving the Chaos a second useful winger in a draft where they had to wait until Round 2 to enter.

52. Memphis Blues — Erik Dina, C, Hellcats

Memphis closes Round 2 with center depth. Dina’s 54 points and plus-skating note make him a reasonable follow-up to Johansson, giving the Blues one winger and one center through two rounds.

Before we start Season 6 we have made a few changes to the rulebook.  It will be updated on the website soon under the Tools tab.  Please review it so you are familiar, while I am always happy to help you can probably find your answer there more quickly. 

Here's the biggest changes - 

1.  Salary Cap, no longer includes the Pro Head Coach salary.  So we remain at $59,000,000 for Season 6 but you gain some space by no longer counting the coach

2.  Divisions have been adjusted due to expansion and we no longer play a perfectly balanced schedule where each of you face the same opponents the same number of times each year.   A part fo growth, can't be avoided. 

3. We now have 16 playoff teams each year , which means 10 teams are in the lottery now not 12. 

4. Farm Coaches now have a minimum salary demand at $600,000 per season,  Pro Head Coaches are now at $1,200,000.   So a modest increase but remember they no longer are involved in the cap so it's just a finance issue.   If you fire a coach you payout the remaining contract in full.

5.  Coaches will now retire at age 70 so keep this in mind as you renew contracts (yes I will handle that soon).   

Longterm Issues we are still working on or exploring. 

1. How to let teams spend money in a meaningful way.  After 5 Seasons most of you have a nice bankroll built and no clear way to use it.  Some ideas include, no more free position switches, signing bonuses, a scouting system,  training camps for prospects, and probably some others I'm missing.  Nothing is locked in or ready for rollout so nothing else will change before Season 7 at the earliest but be warned we are looking into making you use some of that money.  

2. I am still looking into building an Agent for the coaches so that their salary isnt' just as simple as you bidding against your fellow GMs,  This may also impact when Coaches retire.  As you know Coaches rerate each offseason and with the amount of Coaches in the database between Pro, Farm and Juniors we will ultimately end up with too many unsigned coaches who are just sitting out there.  So we will find a way to clean that up rather than me just randomly removing them.

3. Obviously we have started expanding.  If the league remains strong and stable in a perfect world we would some day like to reach 30 teams and have 6 divisions of 5.  It brings back that balance to the schedule.  We are not in a rush and certainly we don't want to grow so fast that we upset the stability of the league.  Just know that future growth is out there as a possibility.   Of course to grow we need to have a nice group of GMs out there wanting to be a part of this league and the same solid level of participation from all of you.  

As always if you have ideas you can reach out to me and we can discuss them.  I know that all of you have a lot of experience in these leagues and have played in others that may have had pieces you liked or didn't.  Nothing wrong with sharing those with me and the admin team.  

When it comes to netminders in this draft class it's hard to argue that anyone is a brighter prospect than Armon Berra.  Berra is currently helping the US World Junior Team.  In two seasons in the Nissen Berra has 147 appearances with 69 regular season wins including 4 shutouts.  A save percentage of .909 and a goals against of 2.69 over two years.  Berra joined the expansion Buffalo Chill as a 16 year old kid and immediately grabbed the starters role.  Since then he's done nothing but improve.  Whatever team selects Berra will have a high level prospect who can immediately take charge of their farm team as he finishes his development.  No doubt he will soon be a regular in the pros.  

With the post season wrapping up the Season 6 player draft is just around the corner.  This year's draft class is unique with the Season 4 Junior league expansion adding a large group of eligible prospects to this draft class.  In fact, of the 10 skaters ranked highest in this draft class all 10 of them come from the expansion teams.  The consensus player to be the top selection is Saskatoon Berries Center Gavriil Nazarov.  The 6'3" Russian already has the size and strength to step right into a pro lineup.  Nazarov has recorded 143 points in 168 games in the Nissen.  With 51 goals and 92 assists he has everything a GM could want in a future first line Center.   The big question now is who will win the lottery and have the opportunity to make that first overall selection.  

The Light the Lamp Hockey League final has the right kind of tension to feel bigger than a bracket. Miami arrives looking like the colder, tighter machine: through 18 playoff games, the Trident are 12-6 with 62 goals for and only 44 against, a 3.44 goals-per-game attack backed by a playoff-best-looking 2.44 goals against per game. Québec City gets here with a louder profile: 12-5 in 17 games, 75 goals scored, 4.41 goals per game, and a penalty kill humming at 88.46%. On paper, Miami looks like the team that can suffocate you. On the ice, Québec looks like the team that can drag you into a game you cannot survive.

That is what makes this final compelling. These are not mirror images. The Harfang have come through the Northern side playing with pace, scoring volume, and a sense that one push can become three goals in a blink. Their playoff leaders tell the story: Brentt Bing leads them with 12 goals and 24 points, Helgert Pitt has 14 assists, and Ingemar Sjoberg has seven wins with a .910 save percentage. Québec has not hidden its identity; it has leaned into it. This is a team that wants the series played on its terms, with waves of offense, active special teams, and the emotional momentum of a building that believes every rush can change a night.

Miami’s case is different, and in some ways more dangerous. Lenny Koonts leads the Trident with 9 goals, 13 assists, and 22 points, Loren Converse sits at a +14, Tsurayuki Shibahara has seven wins, and Daulton Gammond owns a .946 save percentage. The Trident are not built around theatrical excess. They are built around pressure management. They have given up just 44 goals in 18 playoff games while facing 629 shots, more than Québec has faced, and they have still kept opponents to 2.44 goals against per game. That profile does not just suggest structure. It suggests trust: trust that the goaltending will hold, trust that the system will bend but not break, trust that they do not need to win the series in the first period of Game 1.

Both clubs earned this matchup by coming through real resistance. Québec’s route clearly ran through the Militia and then the Stingrays. The Harfang dropped an early game to the Militia, then answered with wins that included a 5-4 result and a 3-2 overtime victory; later, they outlasted Stingrays in at least one wild 6-5 overtime game on April 16. Miami’s path came through the Blues and then the Orcas: the Trident opened with wins over the Blues in Games 8, 16, and 24 before dropping Game 32, and later knocked off the Orcas in at least Games 68 and 80 by scores of 4-2 and 4-2. That matters because neither finalist backed into this round. Each had to absorb a push and keep moving.

There is history here too, even if it is lopsided in experience rather than trophies. Québec City is making its fourth playoff appearance and carries a 26-23 all-time playoff record. Miami is in only its second postseason, but already owns a 13-10 playoff record. Neither franchise has won the Cup. That strips this final down to something pure. No inherited aura. No dynasty language. No defending-champion script. One of these teams is about to create its first true league myth.

The tactical fault line is obvious. If this becomes a special-teams series, Québec has the cleaner résumé right now. The Harfang are running a 20.51% power play and an 88.46% penalty kill; Miami’s power play is right there at 20.00%, but the Trident penalty kill sits at 77.78%. Over a long series, that gap can become decisive. Québec does not need much encouragement to open games up, and a weaker kill is exactly the sort of invitation the Harfang can exploit.

But Miami has the counterargument every contender wants in late April: goaltending and defensive economy travel. The Trident do not need seven goals. They need enough. They have allowed fewer goals, faced heavy shot volume, and still kept their results clean. If Québec’s attack is a bonfire, Miami’s answer is oxygen control. Slow the exchanges. Win the second period. Turn one mistake into the only goal that matters. That is how lower-event teams tilt a final away from the more explosive roster.

And then there is the psychological layer. Québec looks like the side that can make the series feel huge. Miami looks like the side least likely to care. The Harfang are captained by Dillon Salerno, with Brentt Bing wearing an A, and their game has reflected that assertive tone. The Trident are captained by Koonts, whose fingerprints are all over their scoring, but their team personality reads calmer, more clinical. Finals are often sold as a contest of talent. More often, they become a contest of discomfort: who can remain themselves when the series starts trying to turn them into someone else.

My read is that Québec City has the broader path to victory, but Miami may have the cleaner one. The Harfang can win a track meet, win on special teams, and win if Bing continues to drive the offense. The Trident probably need the series in narrower lanes: elite goaltending, controlled pace, and Koonts converting the few chances that matter most.