2009 FHL Mock Draft by Joe Rogers

2009 FHL Mock Draft

By Joe Rogers

*Note: This is simply my opinion on how things will end up. I am extremely biased towards some players and I also place a huge emphasis on my own view of captain’s personal opinions. That being said, I did little if any consulting with any of the GM’s and know very little about many players’ attendance issues. I also only included a few of the newer players because of limited knowledge. With that being said, I would like to thank Commissioner George for his generosity by sharing a short analysis of some of the new players who could potentially make a huge impact. I would also like to apologize in advance to any person(s) who may disagree or take offense to my picks. Last, but certainly not least, may God bless the FHL.

I have projected the first 6 rounds of this year’s FHL Draft. One note, I projected a trade that I feel may happen due to some rumblings from GM’s and players. I have Jamie Zelena and the Kings trading their franchise player Adam Cristallini to Zack Siniawski and the Moose for their 3rd Round choice, the 14th selection overall.

  1. Kings – Matt Wierchowski – not much can be said about “Mitch” that I haven’t already mentioned last year, but he is definitely one of the most exciting players in the league. He has more energy than any human deserves to have and he uses every bit of it on Saturdays. I previously referred to him as the FHL’s Tyler Kennedy and I stand by that assessment. He is equally capable of scoring the scrappy goals as he is of making the perfect pass. To go along with his offensive skill set, he was also voted the FHL’s Best Defensive Forward. He’s a guy any GM would be happy to have, which is why I have him coming off the board first. OTHER OPTIONS: T. Fetsko, E. Doyle

  1. Moose – Tom Fetsko – after spending the majority of the past few months wondering which direction new GM Zack Siniawski would go with his franchise player, I now ponder who he’ll snag with the second overall pick. I see Siniawski loading up his backline with the 2008(Jeff Rogers) and 2009(Fetsko) Defensive Players of the Year. Fetsko burst onto the scene two years ago with the Ducks and made an impact on a poor team. Last year, with the FHL Champion Jets, he helped anchor the league’s most stout of defenses. I’ve often referred to him and his brother as being a second and third goalie out on the ice. Look for him to make a huge impact on another team’s run to a potential FHL Cup. OTHER OPTIONS: E. Doyle, M. Wierchowski

  1. Bishop Boyle – Eugene “Buddy” Doyle – Quite possibly my favorite FHL player, here comes Bishop Boyle anchoring their defense with one of the best blue-liners at Franklin. If you want to talk about a guy he leaves it all on the ice, that conversation has to involve Buddy Doyle. He combines a knack for blocking shots and playing strong positional hockey with a left-handed slap shot that is reminiscent of Mariano Rivera’s cutter. His scrappy style and puck moving ability could be the perfect complement to Grise and Nicky Siniawski’s offensive output. If he’s on the board, I don’t see any way Grise passes on him. OTHER OPTIONS: E. Doyle, T. Fetsko

  1. Crosbys – Drew Hruska – although the order may be different, it seems like Wierchowski, Fetsko, and Doyle will all go somewhere in the top 3 spots. From this point on, there is no clear-cut best choice so I see Commissioner and Captain John George going with a player that can help make his best player, Roy McDonald, even better. I think that player is Drew Hruska. Roy thrived alongside Wierchowski last year, and I think Hruska can help soften the blow of losing the long time Crosby. Although he may not bring the grit of Wierchowski, his passing and scoring touch are unquestioned. Pairing him alongside Roy can help both of them develop into premier talents, and rival the best forward pairings in the league. OTHER OPTIONS: J. Kortz, R. Cleary, D. Hess, B. Hreha

  1. Pirates – Brian Hreha – GM McDonald starts this year by trying to keep his core together. Hreha allows him the flexibility of using him as an offensive defenseman, an extra forward, or even using Bonacorso at the point to free him up for shots at the point. Hreha combines great hands with tremendous vision. As a defenseman, he is one of the best puck movers and passers in hackey. Could moving on to college hurt his availability, as well as his alcoholism? Nobody can be sure. But expect McDonald to take that chance. OTHER OPTIONS: D. Hruska, R. Cleary, Gabe Gerson

  1. Jets – Mark Fetsko – His attendance and injuries are potential question marks, but he expects to be ready to go by January. The 6th pick might seem like a stretch but without these issues he may have been franchised by The Moose. Having a healthy Mark Fetsko wearing blue during the playoff run is not something the rest of the league wants to see, but they better take a shot on him early. I don’t see Campbell letting him slip by.

  1. Jets – Jason Kortz – I know little about the newcomer. He had a younger brother, Jared, who played in the 07-09 season. However, according to Commissioner George he played college hockey at Slippery Rock. I’m sure he’s solid, and I don’t see Campbell and Barca passing on this type of reliable player knowing 10 players will come off the board before their next pick. OTHER OPTIONS: Gabe Gerson, R. Cleary, Z. Wahal

  1. Pirates – Ryan Cleary – The core remains in tact for McDonald. If they plan on making another run to the FHL Championship, Cleary is a piece they cannot afford to lose. He was a steal in last year’s draft, taken in the 5th round. I had him projected as an early 4th rounder, and he shattered my high expectations by going on to win the FHL Breakthrough Player of the Year. He is capable of playing an offensive style of defense, or a defensive style of offense. He combines a rabid forecheck with a dazzling slap shot. If he could develop a bit more of a scoring touch, he’ll be a player to watch. OTHER OPTIONS: D. Hess, Z. Wahal

  1. Crosby’s – Gabe Gerson – this is just a shot in the dark, but I see Gerson climbing back up on this year’s draft board. Due to attendance questions, he fell all the way to the 25th overall pick last year. However, he was at Franklin more often than most people originally thought, and he made quite the impact. He could slip again, but I think George likes his style and he could use a reliable, offensive defenseman to round out his core. OTHERS OPTIONS: D. Hess, Z. Wahal, B. Seaman

  1. Bishop Boyle – Dustin Hess – Merry Christmas Grise. Although he briefly considered slapping the franchise tag on Hess, he opted to go with Siniawski because of Hess’s recent entrance into the 40-hour work week. With Hess working full-time, and still taking his final credits before graduation, his attendance could be a major issue. However, Grease can’t help but take his buddy with this pick. Hess burst onto the scene and as a waiver wire pick two years ago. He is a tenacious forechecker, and combines quite a little sneaky wrist shot. He really impressed me after Jeff Rogers was traded for the Sandwich Brothers. He took one for the team and stepped back on defense and proved he is one of the more versatile players at Franklin. OTHER OPTIONS: D. Gilson, Gabe Gerson, Gary Gerson, J. Jones

  1. Moose – Zack Wahal – with his defense rounded out, Siniawski looks to add a pure scorer to play alongside him. Look no further. When Wahal shows up, he’s one of the best snipers in the league. His speed and scoring touch could mesh well with Siniawski’s grit and creativity. Although his attendance is never a certainty, he’s proved how valuable he can be down the stretch. OTHER OPTIONS: D. Hess, Gabe Gerson

  1. Kings - Jeff Pingor

  1. Kings – Gary Gerson,

  1. (from Moose) Bill Seaman – by trading Cristallini for the Moose’s third pick, Zelena gives himself three consecutive picks. Look for him to round out his core with two big veterans who can help fill the net, and the dirtiest player in FHL history. Pingor has proved his doubters wrong year after year and continues to produce. Gerson may be a bit of a stretch here, but his scoring touch is something the Kings will be lacking with the losses of Chad Kanz to retirement, and the potential trade of Cristallini. With Wierchowski, Gerson can play the other forward with Pingor and Zelena rounding out the defense. And look out when Bill Seaman makes it to the rink, not just for slashes. He is an FHL legend who is still capable of being an elite player. He moves the puck as well as any defenseman in history, and his leadership abilities are unquestioned. If Zelena can pull off this blockbuster trade, I don’t see how he passes on Seaman if he remains on the board. OTHER OPTIONS: D. Gilson, M. Zelena, Z. Wahal, J. Tatrai

  1. Boyle – Dave Gilson – Gilson was impressive last year after leaving the net. He was one of the few Lancers that you could count on to do his job consistently week in and week out. He took his net minding talents out onto the ice and established himself as an elite shot-blocker. His bruising style and safe plays meshed will with the Lancers, and I see them bringing back another member of the core with their 3rd round choice. OTHER OPTIONS: M. Zelena, J. Tatrai, J. Rogers

  1. Crosbys – Jeremy Jones – he’s another newcomer I know nothing about, but I know Commissioner George has had discussions with him at Harvard on the Mon. He was a former high school player so he should be solid at the very least. I see him as being capable of playing offense or defense, so he makes a great 5th player. OTHER OPTIONS: B. Seaman, J. Pingor, M. Zelena

  1. Pirates – Mark Zelena – Zelena proved to be a steal as a wrap around pick at the end of te 4th round last year. He showed up more often than most would have expected, and contributed when he did so. With a Staalsy-type body, he uses his size to protect the puck and his own net. He’s at his best when having the opportunity to be a stay-at-home defender, but he is capable of joining the rush as well. He’d be an ideal option of McDonald at this spot. OTHER OPTIONS: S. Lucas, J. Rogers, D. Rojtas

  1. Jets – Jason Tatrai – although he was definitely taken over slot, you can applaud the Jets for taken the newcomer early in last year’s draft because little was known about this big body around the league. It took him a few weeks to acclimate himself, but when he did he joined the Brothers Fetsko and Campbell as the best defense in the FHL. He became more aggressive as the season went on in terms of blocking shots and forcing opposing forwards into mistakes. He also had pretty soft hands for a man of his size. He’d be an absolute steal here, but I think the players off the board earlier fit their teams better.

  1. Jets – Dan Rojtas – He’s an extremely talented offensive defenseman he showed a little but more grit last year than we were used to. Think Ryan Whiney but a little more sound in his own end. He fits the Jets’ style perfectly because he can move the puck up the ice and join the rush, but the Jets also like to have confidence in leaving their defensemen on an island and back-checking. OTHER OPTIONS: S. Lucas, A. Pander, B. Bobick

  1. Pirates – Shane Lucas – Lucas was impressive in his first campaign in the FHL. Originally drafted by the Hawks, he was part of the blockbuster trade that sent Jeff Rogers and others in exchange for Lucas, Hruska, and Hreha. He really flourished in the Pirates system, both as a stay at home defenseman and getting a chance to use his speed to join the rush. Look for McDonald to continue to try and keep his core together here. OTHER OPTIONS: A. Pander, J Rogers

  1. Crosbys – Adam Pander – I see George using this pick on one of his favorite drinking buddies if he’s still on the board. Although Pander’s attendance and sobriety are always issues, he is a stout defenseman when he is available. He has experience at the high school level and shows some signs of brilliance at times. His only questions on whether he’s awake on Saturday mornings and if he can ever get that lethal slapshot on net. OTHER OPTIONS: S. Lucas, D. Rojtas, M. Cullen, B.Bobick

  1. Boyle – Mike Cullen – Cullen added to the list of former SV soccer players to lace up his skates at Franklin. Although not the most technically sound player, he provided consistent, reliable play when his team needed it the most. I think Boyle could use a solid player they can rely on to make the smart play, and at this point in the draft I think Cullen fits the mold. OTHER OPTIONS: J. Rogers, N. Paoletti, S. Lucas

  1. Moose – Dave Kwolek – Kwolek follows the Dave Gilson path of leaving the net to potentially develop into a sound defenseman. He got a quick chance to showcase his talent at the FHL Charity Event, and displayed some surprisingly soft hands and a sneaky shot. He even scored on a shootout goal. Although he’ll play goalie in emergency situations, he could fill a nice spot on a second defensive pair. OTHER OPTIONS: A. Pander, B. Bobick, N. Paoletti

  1. Kings – Ben Bobick – Bobick proved to be a spark plug last year, especially after tallying a goal in the FHL Charity Even Championship. His consistent energy and speed make him extremely valuable on an energy line, a role he played quite well along fellow youngster Mike Pavasko. I think he could be a great spark for a Kings team that I have filled with veterans. OTHER OPTIONS: J. Rogers, R. Sabo, S. Lucas

  1. Kings – Joe Rogers

  1. Moose – Josh McIntyre

  1. Boyle – Nick Paoletti

  1. Crosbys – Ryan Sabo

  1. Pirates – Neil Murray

  1. Jets – Mike Pavasko

  1. Jets – Dan Powers

  1. Pirates – Roy McDonald III

  1. Crosbys – Jay Haddad

  1. Boyle – Jake Maddigan

  1. Moose – Ryan Fish

  1. Kings – Jim “Beans” Johnson

Projected Lineups

Kings

J. Zelena, M. Wierchowski, J. Pingor, B. Seaman, Gary Gerson, B. Bobick, Joe Rogers, Jim Johnston

Moose

Z. Siniawski, J. Rogers, A. Cristallini, T. Fetsko, Z. Wahal, D. Kwolek, J. McIntyre, R. Fish

Boyle

B. Grise, N. Siniawski, E. Doyle, D. Hess, D. Gilson, M. Cullen, N. Paoletti, J. Maddigan

Crosbys

J. George, R. McDonald IV, D. Hruska, Gabe Gerson, J. Jones, A. Pander, R. Sabo, J. Haddad

Pirates

A. McDonald, T. Bonacorso, B. Hreha, R. Cleary, M. Zelena, S. Lucas, N. Murray, R. McDonald III

Jets

Z. Campbell, B. Barca, J. Kortz, M. Fetsko, J. Tatrai, D. Rojtas, M. Pavasko, D. Powers

Projected Regular Season Standings

  1. Jets
  2. Pirates
  3. Moose
  4. Crosbys
  5. Kings
  6. Boyle

Projected Playoff Results

Round 1

(1) Jets and (2) Pirates receive first round byes

(3) Moose over (6) Boyle

(5) Kings over (4) Crosbys

Round 2

(1) Jets over (5) Kings

(3) Moose over (2) Pirates

FHL Championship

(3) Moose over (1) Jets

Projected Awards (Runner Up in Parentheses)

  1. Good Guy – Joe Rogers (Jamie Zelena)
  2. Breakthrough Player of the Year – D. Hruska (J. Kortz)
  3. Best Defensive Forward – Matt Wierchowski (N. Siniawski)
  4. Defensive Player of the Year – Tom Fetsko (Z. Campbell)
  5. Most Valuable Player – T. Bonacorso (B. Barca)