This week MNLHN seeks to release a pre-mock draft ranking. It’s release date has not been yet finalized but, tentative dates has it to be released later this Friday or Saturday. Your very own MNLHN insider Andrew Wheaties will be conducting the main MNLHN mock rankings with some takes from other high profile analysts such as @chaalsmachi and @chad_paulinski -possibly having their own separate profiles, and mocks up before the draft in August.

Teams Jockey for Early Round Draft Positioning as August 2nd Draft Looms:

In other news rumors of #1 overall draft picks being shifted or swapped has the league GMs abuzz. Trade whispers are at an all-time high as many teams look to repeat last years success, or hit the ground running towards that MNL Keg. For seasoned Nordiques GM @pantydropper in his third draft, it’s just another off season day at the office. . . literally.

“I’ve fielded some calls I’ve been working the phones. Almost exclusively my Quicken ones. Oddly, none of the clients have taken a bite yet. I wonder why?” Perplexed, he dismissed this contributing factor. “It couldn’t possibly be because I keep reaching out to @pearcy and the rest of the IT team here in the real world, and not fellow GMs. Working the phones seems not to be a sensible approach.”

“I’ve fielded some calls. I’ve been working the phones. Almost exclusively my Quicken ones. . .”

Even still, @pantydropper isn’t afraid to imitate his idol Kenny Holland when speaking of his position he alluded to standing pat as a viable tactic if the phones stay cold.

“We’re trying to take a bit of a different approach reaching out to others this draft year possibly swapping our #1. If we have to stay in our slot and nothing materializes we won’t press the issue. Ideally we have eyes on a target, but we have contingencies in place. We’re happy where we sit overall draft order wise (it’s a snake draft and the Diques sit #6) being able to draft back to back in a snake gives us a unique position to operate from (it’s a gap of ten picks before). We effectively get to choose two players every time the Dique name is called.”

One puzzle piece to remember is that when trading draft picks or players in MNL they have to be straight swaps i.e. 1st and an 8th for a 2nd and 6th. Hence why many GM’s may be cautionary to pull the trigger as they line up their proverbial pieces. This being said trading #1 draft picks seems to be a commonality among teams with as many as four teams expressing interest in moving up or down with their first round pick, and as many as three teams looking to move anything within the first three rounds. Curiously enough, only one of the expansion teams’ GMs have expressed such an interest thus far, but with two weeks still left before the draft stances can change as Mighty Ducks Assistant GM @turtletim notes.

“Yeah we may try to move some guys this season. Definitely some picks contrary to what we were thinking before we saw the draft order. Building a team that best fits the order you’re slotted into will be a general guide, but if there is a piece out there we’d like to have we have to be flexible enough to grab it.” Asst. GM @turtletim quipped. “Icing the best product for our fans, and giving Bombay the best players to work with is obviously our goal here. We’ll see if a trade opens up where we can get a better overall team by moving our #2 overall pick up or down. We may pull the trigger if acquiring scoring on both the 1st and 2nd lines is possible, or if a generational player can be gotten.” @turtletim goes on to say: “The jump from fourteen year olds to adult beer league is a huge step. With all the new talent in the league finding a way to supply offense from more than one catalyst will be key this year as there is a chance the league’s only Charlie Conway-like player may not be there even though we’re drafting #2 overall (the generational talent Charlie Conway is not an eligible player for the Mighty Ducks this season as he does not meet the MNL playing, and drinking age requirement).”

As teams reshuffle their picks at the top and bottom before the August draft strategies as @turtletim mentions above will be key for teams looking to build a strong foundation. While most managers have a public knowledge of what strategies are in play there has been some real out of the box thinking that only a few select managers and hockey minds have been privy to participate in whether through scrupulous Slack back-channels, or after skate brews. This elite think tank invited the Insider to discuss the draft, and rosters going forward. While the beer was still cold, and the can still read Blue Light I was able to participate, and hear some innovative ideas from other minds that could flip the draft on its head. One GM in particular brought up a wonderfully innovative tactic, I hadn’t thought of and would like to remain anonymous for such dynamic reasons.

“One type of villainous move that could allow a team in a precarious draft position to possible work out of it; cornering the market on a commodity. What if someone actually did though! *swig* For example, the league is short on goalies. Hell, we may only have six with Coaner to start the season. If a team for example, drafts you (Spicy Lettuce [not to be confused with S.I Andrew Wheaties]) and John Flo, or Flo and Officer A-aron, or Troy and you, you get the idea; some combination. Sure they’d have a team of goalies, but they could put some other teams that went for pure on ice talent on the back foot, literally. One could force a trade for a goaltender after the draft, and perhaps get much more for a goalie than the league initially viewed as later round ‘set’ asset.”

“Having a team of goalies on paper would be perfect. We’d never let up any goals, and they’d all be trying to block shots in the butterfly at the Blueline (he chuckles) I’ve seen @jcoan do that once or twice already.”

“Broooo, seriously, *swig* what if a team had to field a @jcoan , @bbusta24 or @chaalsmachi for a game before a trade could be made. One would think the league would mandate a trade before the season, but a team could fleece another with the goaltender market thin. The commissioners would have a fit @pantydropper and @ottotroy29 would be so mad. We should totally do this.” Reaffirming his position to himself. “Having a team of goalies on paper would be perfect. We’d never let up any goals, and they’d all be trying to block shots in the butterfly at the Blueline (he chuckles) I’ve seen @jcoan do that once or twice already”

With only 6 legitimate goalies (and Charles, Coaner) it’s an interesting play that could work with the above niche, or even sparse commodity such as elite defenseman, or league snipers. Will it pan out for that GM? Only the coming draft in August will tell. The next two weeks will only get spicier.

-S.I Reporter Andru Wheaties- You thought I wouldn’t put a ‘spicy’ in here? Nice try boys. Life will always be spicy.

*All opinions are expressed by Andrew Wheaties are a reflection of MNLHN.