NHL® 21_20201018151023
Seattle Kraken center ice at Climate Pledge Arena.
I play the game. I’ve coached the game. I write articles about the game. I play fantasy, talk on the fan pages, and drink at the hockey bars. But one thing about the game of hockey that doesn’t interest me is prognostication. I think the draft process is kind of interesting, but to me, it’s always hard predicting a player or team’s future potential. I usually focus on the here and now.
The only exception is during the annual release of the EA Sports NHL franchise. I’ve played this video game institution ever since NHL 94, and it keeps getting better and better each year. Debuting a month ago, new features for ’21 include more deke skills, rewarding skill mastery with stylish moves, and more realistic goalie movements. Seattle Totems anthem singer and avid gamer Dan White loves “Be a Pro” mode.
“Last year, you just played games and advanced your character. This year has the option to start playing in the CHL or over in Europe! The press asks questions, you meet with the coach and GM, and can get endorsements. I can’t wait for NHL 22 to do my own Kraken expansion draft!”
But since that scenario is many months or a future update away, I simulated the upcoming season in NHL 21 Franchise Mode to see potential Seattle Kraken pickups. The video game season included Pittsburgh and Calgary firing their coaches, McDavid winning the Art Ross Trophy again, Toronto making the Eastern Conference Finals, and a repeat 2017 Cup Final- Washington over Vegas in six games. With the most realistic simulation settings, here’s a full line of players the simulation placed on its trading blocks during 2020-21.
Josh Bailey, New York Islanders (Photo by Michael Miller, via Wikimedia).
At the March trade deadline on NHL 21, many high-caliber Long Island players were being shopped around, including Bailey, Jordan Eberle, Brock Nelson, and Anders Lee. Only 29-year-old centerman Casey Cizikas remained on the block before a would-be expansion draft.
Here’s Eric Duhatschek’s breakdown of the pick, as it was part of his July 2 mock draft for The Athletic.”…the decision should come down to either (Kieffer) Bellows or Bailey, who is signed until 2024 at $5M per season but is a reliable NHL scorer, which is where Seattle will be awfully thin.”
Alternate captain and longtime Blueshirt Chris Kreider was on the trading block at the end of the season, but NHL 21 doesn’t include “no move/trade clauses.” Even after a career-high 59-point season, Strome wasn’t safe in the Big Apple, according to Hockeybuzz’s Sean Maloughney last week.
“I have a hard time disagreeing unless Brett Howden takes a massive leap forward. Some will be quick to point out Strome only started producing higher once paired with Panarin…Strome would certainly continue to get top-six minutes in Seattle, and maybe a smart free agent signing or two can ensure he has successful wingers to play with and keep up this pace.”
Los Angeles Kings trade block (Photo courtesy of EA Sports).
Even though he does carry a hefty contract, Dustin Brown is a solid two-way player. The 2013-14 Mark Messier Award winner would also bring the Kraken instant leadership on the ice, not to mention a pair of Stanley Cup Championships.
Don’t be thrown off. For this NHL 21 simulation, free agent Mikael Granlund and Michael Grabner both signed with Los Angeles. Also part of the Kings season-long trade block above was grizzled veteran Jeff Carter.
Ethan Bear (Photo courtesy of EA Sports).
Formerly with the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds, this pick is what many local fans are hoping for besides the return of Mount Vernon’s TJ Oshie. Bear was the only Edmonton trade block item in the simulation, and Will Shanahan from the Georgetown Voice shared in the game’s prediction.
“Unless Andreas Athanasiou plays lights-out alongside Connor McDavid next season, the Oilers will probably be best suited doing an 8-1 protection format that shields defensemen…CapFriendly (mock draft engine) ended up protecting the largely unattractive forward group of Athanasiou, Zach Kassian, Tyler Benson, and, comically, James Neal. Out of Bear and Jones, the latter is the more likely to be prioritized by Edmonton.”
No relation to the future Hall-of-Fame netminder, this young blue-liner was on the NHL 21 trade block in Raleigh all year long with Petr Mrazek. Will the “Bunch of Jerks” be without Fleury instead of fellow young D-man Jake Bean? Last week, Alec Sawyer from Canes Country talked about historical ties with Seattle.
“Fleury was Carolina’s first-round draft pick in 2014, the first pick ever made by Francis as the Canes’ GM. Francis was fond of Fleury back then, and there’s no reason to believe Fleury wouldn’t be near the top of the list for Seattle when the expansion draft comes around.”
Anton Khudobin, Dallas Stars.
It was somewhat surprising to see a variety of goalies on the NHL 21 trade block throughout the simulation, including Calgary’s Markstrom and Rittich, Korpisalo from Columbus, and Toronto’s Aaron Dell. Taking his team all the way to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final, Khudobin, the Kazakh netminder, only makes sense to move if he falls in the tank next year as predicted. Last week, Patrick Smith of The Hockey Writers concurred.
“It’s a simple answer on who the Kraken should select…Khudobin provides options for the Kraken as either starter or backup. They get a solid goaltender that can play starter’s minutes at a good price. At the time of the draft, Khudobin will have two years left on a $3.33M AAV contract.”
Of course available in the sense of having a video game simulation predict the future seven months out. Other recognizable players left on their NHL 21 team’s trading blocks at season’s end include Chicago’s Andrew Shaw, Columbus’ Nick Foligno, Detroit’s Danny DeKeyser, Minnesota’s Nick Bonino, New Jersey’s Travis Zajac, and Ottawa’s Artem Anisimov.
And that’s the most involved you will see this guy get into the draft process…for now. Be on the lookout in the new week or so for Ed Stein’s follow-up to his way too early mock draft created in June. There are still many variables before expansion draft time, the biggest being the 2020-21 season.
If you haven’t done your own NHL 21 Franchise Mode yet, give it a go and see if your available players match mine! And enjoy the trade deadline mini-game too. ⚓