First Round
The North Modernistic Nighthawks hold the first overall selection as a result of winning the draft lottery, and they retained their pick as the only expansion franchise not to make a trade for a pick. With the pick, the first player in their franchise history is the former Whitewater Shore, Cheddar. Cheddar has had previous success mostly in cricket, as a critical part of the highly successful Shores team from 2015. Pool success has evaded her, and she's not seen as a natural leader, which the Nighthawks will look for in later rounds.
Picking second after their trade sent Juno to the Stonebridge Wolves (appropriate for the wolf, who will likely captain the side), the Modernistic Union were on the clock for the first of their two picks in the round. They were looking for just about anything, with Ms. Puppy expected to captain them this year, and they got a rookie from the Mushroom Kingdom group, as Daisy will join the Union. Daisy is seen as a strong complementary player and a true rookie who should be able to help them in cricket as a third hitter. Pool success maybe tougher, but her competitive drive will make her popular in the big city.
In the third overall spot, the Web City will get to start their rebuild after shipping Rainmane off to the Midland Predators as their expected captain in a big deal. The Spiders are hoping to get either a star in the making or a player preparing for a rebound to bring them back to respectability after a rough couple of years. With the pick, the former Sharpshooter and Specter Dani will join the Spiders. Dani was undecided late into the year about her future in the league, which led to some lazy play. She'll get a chance to see the other side of the Halloween Derby now, after her rookie year with the Specters.
Now, we're into fourteen straight compensatory picks, beginning with the Southridge Defenders as they try to replace J. Garcia's absence in the lineup. The Defenders have had two of the last three Rookie of the Year awards, and they wouldn't mind going young with any or all of their three picks tonight. They got their wish, taking the Outcast rookie Hughbert fourth overall. Hughbert is a small-bodied bear that make pack more of a punch than he seems. He should definitely help them in pool, and is viewed as a cerebral player more than a physical or emotional one.
Selecting fifth are the Whitewater Shores in their efforts to replace Wild Thing. The aggressive veteran spent only one year with the team before exiting with the Puyallup exodus. This gifts the Shores a golden chance to rebuild on the fly after a down year. The Shores would like a complementary player with experience with this pick. They definitely got their wish, adding the former Defender and Volcano Shaggy to the squad. Shaggy has had moments of success before, although failure has more commonly plagued her teams. She can struggle with motivation, but will likely be slotted into the three slot for cricket, a new spot for the energetic veteran.
Going sixth are the Atlantic Pirates, as they'll get a chance to replace Amber after her retirement. The Pirates had one of their best years in cricket, but a terrible pool year. They'll be happy to continue their cricket success if nothing else, and they aren't afraid of fresh blood either. With the pick, they selected a highly-touted and extremely young true rookie in Isabella. The youngster, daughter of the Torpedoes' Smudge and current free agent Leonardo, is affectionately called Izzy and has shown a lot of energy ahead of the draft day. She may need to be tamed a bit before becoming truly successful, and she's got big shoes to fill, but her passion will carry her through the growing pains.
The Modernistic Union are back on the clock with the compensatory pick to recover from the loss of the enigmatic Chimpy, who departed as part of the Puyallup exodus. They are more looking for a veteran this time around, and would consider it a coup to get a former captain to help the leadership issues that have plagued them since Kiwi's departure last year. They used the seventh overall pick, and their last of the draft, to take Strawberry, the former Pronger Trident of four years. Strawberry was highly successful for the league average team, and looks forward to the chance of helping the Union, although she's not much of a leader.
The Victoria Spurs come up to replace Kavan with the eighth overall pick. The Spurs, notoriously good at pool but lacking in cricket, want to continue that, and would like a solid pool player if they could get one, or a rookie after developing Yekaterina so well this year. It's a rookie they'll get, and a perfect complement to the finesse and grace of Yekaterina. This time, they took Wario, a Mushroom Kingdom member. He plays with a bit of aggression and a lot of power, which should help them in both sports as the Spurs will get a bit tougher to stay competitive in the Southwest.
The 9th overall pick belongs to the Pacific Volcanoes, in their effort to replace Jack after he left in the Puyallup exodus. The Volcanoes are looking for depth scoring to bridge the gap between the top two and bottom two. They would also like a plus pool player, as they had a terrible season this year in that sport. In answer to their requests, they got Chicky Phil, a journeyman most recently from the Rockers. This isn't exactly what they were looking for, but Chicky Phil has had minor success in his days with the Sharpshooters. The Volcanoes still have a potent 1-2 punch if this doesn't work out for them, and they're league favorites in cricket if it does pan out right.
The Eastside Sharks are the first team that desperately need a star as they pick 10th overall to replace longtime star and two-year captain Graham, a Puyallup member who guided them to much success after Dusty's unceremonious departure in their roughest year as a franchise. It's widely expected the Sharks will be captained by third-year superstar Taylor Swift this year, and they will have homegrown all their players if they get a rookie. Instead, they find themselves with Paps, a former Trident who had been almost cut for a couple of years. This is a clear downgrade for the Sharks, and questions about fit also linger, as he's the only non-human on the team.
The Diamond Gems get the 11th overall pick, and they're trying to replace a former MVP from cricket, whose numbers tanked over time. With Cassandra leaving, the Gems would like to cultivate another rookie as they did with Pedey to reasonable success last year. With the pick, they ended up taking a highly-sought-after member of the Mushroom Kingdom group, adding the princess of the galaxy, Rosalina, to the lineup. Rosalina is a true rookie and should fill the hole left by Cassandra almost identically, or maybe even better. The big player is poised and highly cerebral, making her especially lethal as the Gems try to get another good year of pool.
Picking twelfth are the Pearl Surfers, who have just a minor hole to fill after dealing with Cowzart for a year before he left in the Puyallup exodus. The former Cascade would have been cut had he still played in the league anyway, so the Surfers have low expectations for this pick, making it a prime landing spot for a mid-level rookie or veteran. The newest Surfer will be the longtime Defenders captain Boots, who is now with the big-budget club Reality. Boots succeeded for a couple of years before a hard fall last year, and the Surfers offer her a chance to play deeper in the lineup and get her career back on track this year, a good fit for both sides.
The 13th overall pick belongs to the Maplewood Lumberjacks, who are making their first selection in two years. This is to replace that pick, as Cubby is leaving in the Puyallup exodus and the Lumberjacks need a new back-of-the-lineup player, so a rookie is more than acceptable in this position. With the pick, the rookie Waluigi of the Mushroom Kingdom group joins the Lumberjacks. The lanky and prickly figure may butt heads with the team, but can also be a merry prankster and should provide some freshness to an ever-solid lineup led by Fluffina.
A year after doubling down on a questionable roster, the Torpedoes are forced into rebuilding, and they use their first compensatory pick at 14th overall as they try to deal with Gabe's retirement and Shelley's departure with the rest of the Puyallup players. The Torpedoes could really use a veteran or a hyped rookie to help fill the void left behind by the core of their roster. They got just that, with Solaris, son of Pilots captain Valencia and Swifts mainstay Gradley, and also the nephew of the Torpedoes' captain Smudge. Solaris is expected to be a strong leader, and should mature well in his first season, even with the pressure of success on his shoulders for this team.
Fellow Southwestern rivals in the Lighton Prestige are picking 15th overall to replace Lydia after her one year stay with the team. The former Meteor has decided to leave for now, but stays on as an emergency reserve if necessary. The Prestige have plenty of leadership in place between Acorn and Spirit, so any pick is a good one for them to fill the spot at the back of their lineup. Doing so this year is the rookie Salmo, of the Outcast club. Salmo is the league's first fish, and is seen as a cautious player. His upside isn't highly valued in scouting, but he could be a surprise player.
The Central Warriors get the next pick, coming in at 16th overall as they'll be replacing Noelle, a Puyallup exodus departure. The Warriors also have a good core in place, and they could be happy with anyone joining the team, although they are a bit more ambitious than the Prestige by their nature. They used the pick to select the biggest name in the Mushroom Kingdom, Mario, to join the team. Mario is a steady and average rookie, expected to sometimes play the hero but mostly provide solid secondary scoring behind Twilight and Dustin. He'll be protected by Gizmo in back as the Warriors have a very hopeful structure for the upcoming season.
Ending the first round are the Everton Eagles with the 17th overall pick, a compensatory pick to cover for the departure of Cleo in the Puyallup exodus. The Eagles found great success, and want a highly polished player joining the roster as they try to keep up this new standard. They'll be flexible though, as the top of their lineup is one of the best in the league. The Eagles used the pick to take Kirstin, the second-year player formerly of the Southern Monarchs who was somewhat caught up in their purge after another poor year. Kirstin was regarded a questionable cut, and the Eagles think she has room to grow as a player, expecting her to be reasonably successful.
The second round has only six picks, three for expansion, two standard picks, and one compensatory pick.
First on the clock are the Nighthawks, picking 18th overall and adding their second player to the franchise. The Nighthawks are still in search of a true leader, but are also well aware of the need for youth early in their existence. With all that in mind, their selection is Luigi, Mario's brother, and the sixth of seven Mushroom Kingdom rookies, who have been hot commodities here. Luigi has a bit more potential and some extra motivation to prove himself on the expansion franchise, and that could help the Nighthawks, but their roster leaves plenty of questions so far.
The Stonebridge Wolves now look to add to their roster, not needing a leader as they already have Juno from the trade. The Wolves do need a player who can handle longer travel, so stamina and fitness are a big deal for their scouting. The Wolves wouldn't mind some toughness either. They ended up taking Cobalt, from the Outcast club, who is projected to produce solid secondary scoring and about league-average pool results. Not an ideal time for such a pick, but little is known about any of the Outcast members.
Going third in this round and with the 20th overall pick, the Midland Predators will try to find the perfect player to go with Rainmane. They want a player with poise and calm, to offset Rainmane's aggressive and wild technique. Their pick ended up being Leonardo, the former Todavía Still, who is more like Rainmane and is setting the powerful and aggressive tone for the Predators roster. Leonardo is well regarded, but ran out of time with the Stills, who were looking to shake things up after missing the cricket playoffs.
For the first time in four years, the Tridents will make a draft selection, with the full knowledge that their roster will look different for the first time since their founding. A color switch last year backfired for them, and they'll turn to new players to fix it. Anything goes on this pick, and they ended up selecting the Outcast club rookie Potter at 21st overall. The rookie is regarded as being a careful balance between bold and reserved, which sounds like a Tridents player right away. They know their team identity, and they are expecting average work from Potter.
The Viewpoint Sound Meteors are also in the rebuilding business, but have a decent chance of reclaiming a player, as none of their cuts have been selected so far. The Meteors would have cut all four players, but Mams earned protection for her pool efforts and will be the captain. Joining her on the 22nd overall pick is Hoot, the final former Trident to be taken in this draft. Hoot was often one of the better players for the Tridents, but he took a hard downturn in 2016, ending his four-year tenure with the team. The Meteors could use a bounce-back year from him.
Finally, the second round ends with a compensatory pick by the Torpedoes, as they are on the clock are 23rd overall. The Torpedoes would love to get another related player to pair with Solaris on the roster, and Smudge would definitely be open to welcoming family into the fold as she looks to guide the team to more success. They didn't quite get their wish, but Mr. Snowman comes aboard after a couple years as captain of the Meteors. They were mixed results, but he should play better with the Torpedoes as he will be less counted on to be the star with the team, and he's expected to slot deep in the lineup, potentially as their caboose hitter in cricket.
Third Round - 11 picks
The Nighthawks are back, still looking for a leader with the 24th overall pick in the draft. They could also use a player with high upside, and getting both at once would be a dream. They may just have done it, taking Peach, a big star and the final Mushroom Kingdom player in the group. Her familiarity with Luigi and solid leadership skills make their last two picks look really good, and they'll be more flexible in the final round after this major success.
Next up, the Wolves are in play for the 25th pick overall and second of the round. They have taken a balanced approach so far, with an aggressive trade and calm second player. The Wolves do want immediate success, so a high upside rookie would be the best fit. Leadership doesn't hurt either, as they select the former Crowns captain and longtime star Frosty to join their team. Frosty will play well under Juno as a similar mindset, and could even lead off the order or player at the back to provide late experience.
The Predators get another crack at beefing up their roster some more with the aggressive mindset they plan on defining themselves with. Getting anything other than a muscle player would not be well-received. Fuchsia is the pick at 26th overall, and this is a doable pick for the Predators. Fuchsia's the smallest player on the roster, but comes from an Outcast side expected to be a bit tough, and as a mother, will probably have a certain level of protectiveness. She's expected to fit in the third spot in the batting order as a rookie.
The Tridents are back knowing they will have another newcomer to the team at the 27th overall picking. This also puts us over halfway done once the pick is in. The Tridents style is very egalitarian in nature, so a superstar might be out of place. Average would carry them far. They made the pick by taking Spot, another member of Outcast. Spot brings a bit of energy that Potter doesn't, but without the intensity that Precious has. Spot is a good fit for the team, although that says nothing of if the team is headed in the right direction or not.
The Meteors get the 28th overall pick, and still have a decent chance of taking a former player back into the fold. The Meteors are really looking for a bit of leadership and accountability, someone who will challenge their teammates to be strong. Their selection of Dominic doesn't reflect that desire. Dominic has played in non-consecutive years for the Pirates, as well as the Monarchs and Spiders, a journeyman with very little success. He was brought for his second stint with the Pirates last year and did no better than the first time, done in by a poor pool effort. One might question the goals of the Meteors in this draft.
The 29th pick overall belongs to the Royal Crowns, as they are on a rebuilding effort. For years, they rode the line between average and mediocre, and decided to shake things up. Jake is the new captain, although extra leadership would help them as well. Getting a high-ceiling rookie and a certified leader would be ideal for the Crowns. Their first pick of the night netted them Kayla, who can certainly lead when called on. She is a former Flame, jumping to the other side of that regional rivalry as part of the Castle Derby. Kayla had an unlucky year last year, but should do well behind Jake in the second or third slot, depending on their other pick.
The Defenders are next, looking to add to Hughbert with the 30th overall pick. Again, this is a side unafraid of rookies, being captained by 2015 Rookie of the Year Debby at the core of their rebuild. A veteran wouldn't be bad either, but the Defenders are optimistic. They ended up taking another rookie, and a highly touted one at that, as Bianca joins the team. The all-white cat, still very young as a true rookie, is a bit more thoughtful than her sister Isabella, but can be intimidating and certainly brings honor as a member of the Clan's premier family. With the Defenders' pedigree with rookies, this is looking like a good draft year for them.
The Southern Monarchs hold the 31st overall pick, and could have their choice of a couple of former players from different years as they look to rebuild with Panda and Shannon as a questionable core. The Monarchs have lacked cricket success for two years, but played well in the pool tournament last year, and look to build on that. Joining them is a top rookie from Outcast, Hoppy, who probably slipped farther than expected. The rabbit is an energetic and balanced player with strong leadership qualities. The only concern is the Monarchs' history with rookies.
The Harrison Specters are next on the clock with the 32nd overall pick and both of their cuts still available to be taken. The interest is variable on those players. The Specters are assumed to be going in a new direction under the leadership of Twinkie II as she has clicked well with the team and environment in the Northeast. They'll be adding Kelly, the former Rocker and Meteor, who has lacked success on both teams. Still a young player, Kelly is expected to fit at the back of the lineup, where she was a controversial cut for the Meteors, done in by poor pool playing. She was just a pick away from going to her sister's team.
Speaking of that, the Oceanside Waves, with Alyssa and Snuggle as the new top-two, have the 33rd overall pick in the draft, and the second-to-last selection of the round. The Waves have struggled with veterans, so a rookie could be a good move for a team where expectations are never high. The Waves used the pick on a rookie, and one that comes in with some hype, as Celestia will be the newest Wave. Celestia, twin of Torpedoes' rookie Solaris, is a more cerebral player with just as much potential, and this could be a good replacement for the more energetic and erratic Bells.
Ending the third round on the 34th overall pick, the Todavía Stills hope to make something of their rebuilding efforts. They need role players, with the leadership of Easter and Sierra well established. They want a big player with muscle and strength, and a finesse player. This pick solves the finesse aspect, as they add the former Wave Bells to the team. Bells will fit nicely into the team as a good soldier, having played that role under Snuggle with the Waves. She'll have extra motivation to beat her former team in their Coastal division games.
Fourth Round - 19 picks
The Nighthawks look to finish up their roster with anyone they can find with the 35th overall pick, satisfied that Peach will be a good captain for them. They would prefer an experienced player if they could get one. They get just that, adding Bright, who was along for the ride on the last two Hummingbirds teams. His experience of going from bad to good as a team will be valuable for the Nighthawks, and adds a bit of muscle they were lacking up to this point.
The Wolves are eyeing taking another rookie with their final pick of the night. They would prefer a player who is calm under pressure and composed in their playing style. Their selection at 36th overall was Prism, a rookie from Outcast. Prism is the mother of Dewey, who has yet to be taken. This is another solid selection, and the friendship with Cobalt should be valuable to the team.
The Predators are next in the line, holding the 37th overall pick and aiming for a bit more muscle to add to the team. They are prepared to take a rookie if they can, with their eyes on one in particular. If not a rookie, a tough player would fit their identity. They did get a bit of toughness with their pick, taking Shawn, the former Blade and Monarch, who has a lot to prove and will get to do it with the expansion franchise. Shawn is best suited to a lead-off role as he had with the Monarchs in his best season, and he's good for average pool playing each year. He'll also be a help to Rainmane as a leader and former captain.
The Tridents are ready for the 38th overall pick, looking for one more league average player to add to the fold, and potentially another rookie. Their lack of stars has rarely been a detriment, as the Tridents are a humble franchise. Their selection of Zach, the first human in team history, is in line with this identity. Zach had a rough rookie year with the Meteors, but should fit in well as the Tridents look to build for the future.
The Meteors are next with the 39th overall pick, and they're trying to salvage a disastrous draft day with a big splash at the end. There's not a lot of difference making players left for them to grab. This reality was offset a bit by their selection of Nibbles, Outcast's expected top player. Nibbles will bring leadership to the new look Meteors, and also a bit of youth for the troubled franchise. Nibbles should have a successful season even if his teammates fail.
The Crowns are up for the 40th overall pick and their final one of the night, with a chance of doing something unprecedented if the chips fall just right. If not, the Crowns would like an experienced player to join the team, and maybe add some leadership as well. They took Cassie with the pick, a true rookie with a lot of motivation to succeed. There are questions about her ability to mesh with Kayla, but she should do her best to make the team better in some way.
Staying with teams in the Southeast, the Defenders are up for their third pick of the night, and they'd be happy making it a hat trick of rookies. There's still a decent chance for them to get a rookie with the 41st overall pick as well. That they did, landing one of the biggest names, both figuratively and literally, in Stephanie Livilotti. The sister of Knights star Jennifer, Stephanie is a bit more vocal and bold in her play, bordering on reckless, adding the right bit of aggression to the team. Stephanie and Debby are expected to play well together.
It's been awhile since the Shores last picked, but they're back with the 42nd overall selection tonight, looking for a vocal and assertive player to bring into the team. The Shores think they would be happy with any player remaining on the list. They got Marsell, the former Crown and Hummingbird, who is neither vocal nor assertive, but has played decently on poor teams. He should be able to match the departed Wild Thing's production at a minimum.
The Queens Flames decided not to tinker much from a roster that did well in pool in 2015, and this is their only pick of the night. A reserved and quiet player would be the best fit for them, as it would go well with the team chemistry. They might have just gotten that in Violetta with the 43rd overall pick, a rookie from Outcast with a scouting report of being small but stern. The Flames lack big personalities, which might help them stay calm against their Castle Derby rivals.
The Monarchs still have a chance to do an unprecedented thing, although teams behind them are also lined up to as well. The Monarchs hold the 44th overall pick in the draft, and they'd love to see a new face join them. Pounce will be the one to join them. He's unassuming and easy-going, a good fit for a Coastal team despite failing with the Waves last year. He's also spent time with the Torpedoes and Prestige, playing his whole career in the west.
The split between veterans and rookies is still close as the Atlantic Pirates look to fill out their roster with the 45th overall pick. They made a splash by taking Isabella early on, but no player left could make that much of an impact. Instead, they go with a composed and calm rookie in Klaus to fill things out. The Outcast club member is a strong fit as a subordinate to Delila, and should get along well with Americus as well. Isabella may step out of line more, but the Pirates have sent a message of youth.
At 46th overall, the Spiders also could still bring back a player they offloaded, and the odds are as high as ever now. They could really use a player to push the team and challenge Shadow's leadership, which is faltering more and more every year. The Spiders took the rookie Ted with this pick, offsetting the speedy and choppy Dani with a pure muscleman. Ted will add grit and toughness to the team, and should help them gel better as well.
The other Halloween Derby team, the Specters, are the second-to-last team with a chance to bring back a former player, at this stage. They hold the 47th overall pick, and they're looking for something a bit more solid. Ironically enough, they'll take the former Spider and Shark, Sugar, to be their newest player. With Dani on the Spiders and Sugar with the Specters, the Halloween Derby just potentially got more nasty for players facing their former teams.
The Westside Rockers went for only a minor change in their roster, looking for one new player in the 48th overall position. They would be most happy with one of the two remaining rookies, but the pickings are slim this late in the draft. Instead, the Rockers may have just pulled off a great coup, getting a leading Ringer Award candidate in Slinks. The former Specter was twice passed on by her old team, who had a great deal of interest in her. Instead, she'll add flexibility to the Rockers lineup as she looks to regain her form from 2014. This is a big upgrade for the Rockers.
The Capital City Sharpshooters are left holding the 49th overall picking, and the hopes for any teams now are rookies, as the remaining veterans inspire little hope. The Sharpshooters made the pick quickly, selecting the former Monarch Nicole. This is seen as a neutral move, with Nicole likely playing about as well as Dani. The Sharpshooters will have to hope last year was just a fluky bad year for them.
Fellow Heartland Derby members, the Swordpoint Blades, are hoping to go young with the 50th overall pick. They're already shaping up to be a top-heavy team. The Blades might have caught a break with their pick, taking Brute Force rookie Bandit. The story behind Bandit is a good one, left for dead on the sidewalk before finding a home as the adopted son of behemoths Roxy and Nikolai, both of the Cascades. Bandit will be looking to flex muscle even as a tiny bear, and the Blades will have high expectations for him to do so.
The Waves make their second pick of the night at 51st overall, with only three players left on the board. The Waves will continue their push toward youth, taking the final rookie available in Dewey, a member of Outcast. Dewey is expected to play smart, not all that different from Pounce in the long run. Dewey may need time to grow, but the Waves will need that to be a quick process.
The Stills are the last team to get a true choice, and it's a 50-50 chance they bring back one of their old players. At this point, that looks like a better option than the alternative. The 52nd overall pick was used on Sparkles, their second cut, and she'll be back with the only team she's ever known. The Stills are happy to have her back at this point. She'll be glad to see Oriental United partner Bells on the team as well, adding to the synergy the proud franchise expects to form.
This left the Hummingbirds with Brownie at 53rd overall. Brownie has been with many teams over the years, most recently the Specters and Pirates. She'll be riding along with the big three of Princess, Leandra (also a former Specter), and Charli as the Hummingbirds expect a small reduction in scoring prowess.
That's all for this draft. We'll have team introduction posts by division later on. For now, the weekend will be filled with making sure all league documents have consistency to the results of this draft. Thanks for being patient as this came a bit later than expected. Enjoy the upcoming new season, with qualifiers beginning as early as Monday.
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