General managers in the EURO League seem to be onto a trend in Websim world. They showed during the Season 9 draft they have a lot of faith in prospects without attributes.

In fact when Minsk GM Igor Kirunov went to the podium to make the final two picks, there was just one prospect remaining and the shelf and Kirunov took him. Of the 72 players drafted over three rounds, 30 were prospects without attributes. Five were taken in the first round, 13 in Round 2 and 12 in the final round.

Prospect picks are risky because in a virtual evolution league like EURO, a player’s career is dependent on his first season in the NHL. We watched Clayton Keller and Nico Hischier get 91 PO ratings just before the draft started and Jesper Bratt, who a lot of people have barely heard of, wound up with an 84. So, it seems taking a gamble on a prospect could

Sam Duggan, PO rating 79, currently unemployed

turn into a great payoff. But then again, there are your Leon Draisaitls and Nino Niederriters – and this season Julius Honka (69) and Viktor Antipin (64) – who got terrible ratings in their rookie years but  who will surely do better in later seasons.

The drafting of all those prospects leaves more than two dozen young men who expected to be drafting looking around the room, wondering what the heck happened. Six players with PO ratings of 78 or 79 are now free agents hoping someone gives them a sweater before the season starts.