Draft Day Sleepers - Eric Balnar's picks

Today is the day! It's time for the inaugural NHSL Draft.

The Adelaide XTreme, Port Adelaide Brewers and Noarlunga Stars have spent the weekend strategising. They put their ideas to the test tonight at Big Shed Brewing to fill out their teams.

We sure hope you'll join us for a 7:00PM first pick. Make sure you are there early to guarantee a spot.

Over the weekend I released two versions of how the draft could play out. You can read them here: (Version 1 and Version 2).

But those only covered the first three rounds. What about some players who might not go in the first three rounds that could be high value picks.

Here are some guys that I've pegged as good value picks 

Tyler Boyle: The youngster had 11 goals in his first full-year at the Tigers. Tyler played well on a line with Joey MacDougall. 11 tucks is nothing to scoff at as it puts him in the top-10 in the competition and ahead of names like Dave Gal. If a team is looking for a player to flourish, Boyle might be it. By all reports, a very coachable player who can thrive on the right line.

Daniel Chen: Chen’s first full year at Premier League was sensational. He’s a sure-fire rookie of the year pick. His 10 goals at 14 assists puts him at 10^th in the league in total scoring (24 points). Chen was an effective penalty killer, was physical, and showed his skill by scoring a couple flashy goals in the season. In the finals he set up a goal and scored a crucial opener in Game 2.

Noah Maley: Another Joker, but Maley really showed his value late in the season. Maley was trusted on the penalty kill and the second power play unit for the back-to-back champions. His awareness on the ice, his ability to finish checks, and to create turnovers makes him an excellent secondary option on any team.

Jeff Pellerin: If you’ve heard any of my broadcasts, you know I love to call the name of Jeff “the Pest” Pellerin. This guy was a workhorse for the Red Wings during an injury filled season for the team. He played physical, played the PK and used his tenacious work ethic to create opportunities for everyone. A solid depth player who put up 14 points in 20 games.

Tim Benson: Tim probably gets overlooked but he quietly strung together a nice season for the Jokers. He’s part of a team that won two straight championships. He’s a guy you don’t always notice on the ice and that’s a good thing – it means he’s doing his job on the blue line. A smart hockey guy from a smart hockey family! 

Andrew Glass: An intriguing name on the draft list is Glassy. He played (and won) multiple championships with the Adelaide Red Wings and played some time with the Adelaide Adrenaline. Andrew Glass is a guy with a reputation for being a solid team player and great guy in the room. A back-up will be important and a positive attitude with upside on the ice will go along way in the goalie ranks.