Victor

Ah damn thought you wouldn't be so basic. Can't blame you though, if I had O'Malley he'd be my favourite by a distance. Maybe Cast can come close.... So I'd have to guess one of Boomchenko, Tordahl, and Koenig so Tordahl? Also the best but really good at his peak and played for some good teams.

A A RON

Omg this is so rigged.

Krigars. I think you slowly built up from a good team player in Zeptenbergs (also threepeat member right), then a fun goon turned good all around defence man in Petenis, but Krigars was just really good and you won cups with Riga. I'd like to think Davey Jones because he lasted 6 seasons and Davos was good fun. Also Moon though maybe? He was really good for a time. It does feel like you have no favourites cuz you always retire them.

I did think you'd throw me a curveball tbh. BVJ is a fairly sensible choice and it was a fun time so makes sense.

1,764 words so week of 24th week of 1st week of 8th

Not so long ago I was thinking who a few people's favourite players are and realised there was some solid Media Spot potential there. It's a bit of a guessing game because it's all about the mindset – favourite doesn't necessarily mean best. It depends on a lot of factors, including activity at the time and how invested you are in the story. For instance, my best player was probably Clegane, but my favourite is still Chershenko. So, without further ado... Trying to guess your favourite player @CowboyinAmerica Karsten Olsen Hans Wingate Gabriel McAllister Quite a difficult one to start off here as you've done quite well on your last 2 players. I feel like I got a happier vibe from 'WinGod', what with being undisputed best goalie for a bit and the threepeat (first and only of its kind etc etc). Both Wingate and McAllister are remarkable playoff perfromers too but I'm going for Wingate here fully expecting the correct answer to be Olsen. @sterling Sterling Labatte Grimm Jonsson James Bencharski Alexander Labatte Tom Slaughter Jeff Hamilton With a 6/6 Hall of Famer record this is actually quite difficult to call, but I've always got the feeling that your favourite player was your first – hence the same username ever since. If I had to rank the rest it would be the other Labatte in second, and Grimm Jonsson in third, and who knows about the rest. Going for Sterling, but spoilt for choice really. @Higgins Mitch Higgins Tuomas Tukio James Faraday Black Velvet Jacob Jack Shephard The draft hype, the threepeat, then some individual success and finishing on a high in Helsinki as GM, I think this is a pretty easy call. Plus the banner in your profile always gives the game away given it's been nearly 10 seasons now. I reckon before Velvet it was Tukio, once upon a time the statistically best goalie ever (or thereabouts) but he's been usurped quite comprehensively. @tfong Terence Fong Ginzou Fujiwara Daisuke Kanou Ying Qin Xin Xie Xiao Biggu Kyanon Fook Yu The laid-back resident Asian Fong never lets on that he cares too much about his players, but still must have some favourites. Given Kanou was possibly the best playoff goalie ever (award named after him and all) and not too shabby in the regular season, I have to imagine he takes the crown. @Beketov Robert Sharpe Alexander Beketov Alex Young Niklas Kristensen Jason White Evgeni Chekhov Jackson Miller Jakab Holik Roman Sokolov What's in a name? Beketov changed his name early in the VHL days to, well, Beketov, and has kept that since despite going through a multitude of players in the ensuing 50+ seasons. That gives the game away to be honest and is no fun. Damn it Beketov. @street Fayt Leingod Geno Esposito Benjamin Glover Keiji Toriyama Lloyd Light Diana Maxwell mist4ke This is quite an interesting as I never know how to read street. I feel like Glover might have been the favourite at one point, just because that was probably the peak of your activity, but Maxwell to me achieved what Glover did, but even more given the two cups with New York. Therefore I'm going with Maxwell here out of the two Hall of Famers. @Quik Matthew Pogge Branden Snelheid Matt Bailey Matteo Gallo Mats Johnsson I know I've missed some off here, but I don't think it matters – it has to be Matt Bailey. You're still talking about him now and made his son (grandson?) just this past trade deadline. Granted, it's easy to understand why – one of the greats of his time, a pioneering two-way forward and massively versatile. My favourite is still Gallo mind (go Davos, what a steal by the GM). @Tyler Pavel Dubnikov Nicholas Evans Andreas Bjorkman Connor Evans Milos Denis Slava Aleksei The Charm Honestly, I have no idea. Going to go for the (probably) best player on the list in Bjorkman, with the added bonus of ending the Vasteras Curse, for a time anyway. However I feel like it could also be one of the Evans', or maybe even your current player, who's also broken a bit of a curse in Davos. Just don't let Damien take over as GM now. @.sniffuM @Green Remy LeBeau Thomas O'Malley Pietro Maximoff Peter Quill Adam Warlock If this was me, it would be O'Malley all the way. In fact, it might well still be O'Malley and that's completely understandable, given he is not so arguably probably almost certainly the best player ever accounting for Campbell playing in the stone age. But it's boring going for the best and I feel like if anyone has a softer spot for a slightly worse player then it's Green. I feel like Toronto playoff hero LeBeau is #1 in your heart. @Will Don Draper Aleksi Koponen John Locke Draper was actually a bit of an underachiever and Locke, while randomly an absolute beast (especially in the playoffs), I feel like you missed too much of his career to be the favourite. Therefore I have to default to Koponen, who had a pretty decent Hall of Fame career and was part of your very successful Helsinki GM stint. @diamond_ace Lars Intranquilo Clark Marcellin Martin Brookside Kerkko Hyvarinen Evan R. Lawson And they say the VHL doesn't allow for diversity – this is a pretty unique blend of players. Lots of good players to choose from – late-bloomer Brookside, assist god and best second line center money can't buy Marcellin, but I feel like you're a person who still thinks back fondly on your first player, being nearly lifetime Wrangler Intranquilo. Could be wildly off the mark here though. @Tagger Edwin Encarnacion Edwin Reencarnacion Edwin Threeencarnacion The weird random number generator one Edwin Preencarnacion Well at least these were pretty easy to remember. I think you had lots of fun collecting PIMs and maybe even being a career backup with a VHL record save %, and it's very possible Preencarnacion will turn out the best based on these first 2 seasons. That said, I feel like it's still Reencarnacion for being pretty much indisputably your best player (apart from in save % of course). @Smarch Tommy Brown Max Weinstein Baron Von Jonsson Robin Big Snake Abraham Sander Conner Low Ariel Weinstein Lee King Snatch Rusty Trombone Joseph Bassolino What an eclectic mix. Conner Low stands out so much here as a vindication of sticking around for 11 actual years that it has to be him. I was recently doing that rookie/sophomore stuff for Cast and I actually forgot how good Low was straight away bearing in mind that I was pretty aware of how good Low was. That said, all this talk of Low but your fave is Big Snake isn't it? @.sniffuM Damien Walec Joey Clarence Tukka Reikkinen GIYGAS E'Twaun Delicious I've missed a few of your weirder players because I don't think it matters. The Reik has to be the answer here and I remember there was one point I was making the argument that he was the best player ever (this was at a time where Leeroy Jenkins was the likeliest candidate for the new Campbell (i.e. the pre-O'Malley days)), and though that might have been a bit excessive, he was still ridiculously good that's for sure. Shame about all your other players though. @Devise Rauno Pajari Skylar Rift Logan Laich Thaddeus Humbert M.T. Power Ryzard Macht Verner Reinholdt You strange, strange man. I actually wouldn't be able to do this, this bizarre self sacrifice ritual which is your player building. It also means your mentality is clearly so different to mine that I'm not sure how I'd be able to get in your shoes. Is Rift your favourite because he was actually almost Hall of Fame material? Or Laich because he was so bad it was actually funny? I'm going to go for Humbert because I feel like that was when you had the most enjoyment as a GM and it was a decent player. @Fire Hakstol Jim Gow Robin Gow Bernie Gow Shayne Gow Jeff Gow Such incredible creativity. I never realised until I actually wrote out all your players' names. Also, I feel like you always liked Riga and Robin embodied Riga and also had a pretty decent career. I know for a fact you hated Bernie and have to imagine that the others didn't quite reach the team+individual heights to make them a favourite. @DollarAndADream Travis Boychuk Zach Parechkin Torstein Ironside Bo Boeser Threepeat, Hall of Fame, overall an excellent time, it has to be Parechkin. The rest of your players seem like fun but missed that tiny bit of luck which I think you need for maximum enjoyment. Parechkin took all of it and ran and so I feel this is one of my easier guesses. @Velevra Shane Baker Severin von Karma Apollo Skye You'll get inducted into the HOF this year I promise. A terrible oversight for a great player who I therefore assume is your favourite. My favourite of yours was Shane Baker of course, Matt Bentley's partner in crime on that great Davos team, but I feel like it'd be a stretch to think you think the same. Skye though, I missed most of his career but he was very impressive looking back. @Advantage Michael Angelo Ryan Sullivan Brick Wahl This is horrible because I can't remember all your players (Gunnar Rask is the only other one and I don't really want to include him). That said, seeing as your sig's 'past notable players' only include this trio, I reckon I can narrow it down pretty easily. And similar to Quik, I feel like your current player name gives the game away. That and the fact I've spoken to you a lot over the year and I am pretty confident that Sullivan is your favourite by some distance. @Bushito Tayson Barabash Peyton Nydroj Satan Damon Tyrael Brady Stropko Hudson Abbott Norris Stopko Jasper Canmore There are lots of options here and I wouldn't be surprised if Stopko or Canmore take the crown in the end, but of the earlier players, I feel like your peak activity over a whole career was with Nydroj and you also didn't have to cut it short for GMing reasons. Therefore, the Toronto sniper is my choice for your choice of favourite player. That ends that, I went off people I saw online and who had multiple past players, but if I missed you let me know and I'll take a wild stab in the dark at your favourite player too.

Ooh I'm back in the sexy dodger blue.

I hope you find no happiness in the rest of your careers.

I reckon this is where I drop two 50-point seasons, finish with a few just over 100 and get to the same 800-899 points mark for the career. But I'll always have these first two seasons.

RIP

EdWINNING. 56-53 shots this is truly the beautiful series.

The French are weird. Source: @Smarch

No other takers other than the good man @Beaviss? I always thought we had a load of people in Vancouver.

I think it's a French speaking thing in general, I've seen it when I've come across French people chatting football on Twitter and stuff.

Shhh, I paid him a lot for that.

I expected nothing less.

I'm glad someone appreciates my quest for authenticity.

Mais non !

Sterling is worse than Aamo.

FA?? Just come to Riga.

Well that was fun. I could make a Media Spot (and I probably eventually will) just on the headline figures like Smirnov's best ever rookie season, or Cast and Thompson featuring prominently on the points and goals records. But what I've done is focused on the sophomore seasons in VHL history, and carrying on from that, the first 2 seasons of a career. Here is the output: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_beGMNLWnFRBsxkVnB2U5EupOcu7Bf3ZHpHDnEjQ_ro/edit?usp=sharing As expected, Scotty Campbell and Brett Slobodzian appear a lot - hence the trophies named after them. Likewise, little surprise to see Scott Boulet but Christian Stolzschweiger you might be surprised to find had his 'top rookie season' in his sophomore season, being a S2 draftee who played in S1. Apart from these early legends, they were only really threatened by anyone so early in their career by Jardy Bunclewirth (RIP) in S18 and S19 and Tarik Saeijs in S19 and S20. Then a bit more recently the great Max Molholt and Max von Hohenzollern, who caught the Joel Jarvi gravy train. Until S62 of course, when Podrick Cast had indisputably the best sophomore season of all-time (very unfortunate for Thompson and Preencarnacion ) en route to the best first 2 seasons of anyone not named Campbell and Slobodzian (i.e. of the last 60 seasons). It will be interesting how Smirnov does in S63 as he really only need 110ish points to match that. Here's a few key highlights for those too lazy to sift through the linked data: Most Points: 1st season 2nd season Brett Slobodzian S1 Scotty Campbell S2 Jardy Bunclewirth S19 Tarik Saeijs S20 Aksel Thomassen S41 Podrick Cast S62 Most Goals: 1st season 2nd season Brett Slobodzian S1 Scotty Campbell S2 Tarik Saeijs S20 Max Molholt S46 Podrick Cast S62 MVP: 1st season 2nd season Brett Slobodzian S1 Christian Stolzschweiger S2 Jardy Bunclewirth S19 TBC? S62 Most sophomore season points, goals, and assists: Rookie Sophomore TOTAL first 2 seasons Goals Assists Points Goals Assists Points Goals Assists Points Podrick Cast S61, S62 49 48 97 79 95 174 128 143 271 Scotty Campbell S1, S2 73 61 134 79 82 161 152 143 295 Tarik Saeijs S19, S20 35 47 82 71 86 157 106 133 239 Matt Thompson S61, S62 33 23 56 76 74 150 109 97 206 Edwin Preencarnacion S61, S62 45 43 88 65 76 141 110 119 229 Rookie Sophomore TOTAL first 2 seasons Goals Assists Points Goals Assists Points Goals Assists Points Scotty Campbell S1, S2 73 61 134 79 82 161 152 143 295 Podrick Cast S61, S62 49 48 97 79 95 174 128 143 271 Matt Thompson S61, S62 33 23 56 76 74 150 109 97 206 Christian Stolzschweiger S1, S2 36 35 71 72 68 140 108 103 211 Tarik Saeijs S19, S20 35 47 82 71 86 157 106 133 239 Max von Hohenzollern S52, S53 54 44 98 67 69 136 121 113 234 Edwin Preencarnacion S61, S62 45 43 88 65 76 141 110 119 229 Rookie Sophomore TOTAL first 2 seasons Goals Assists Points Goals Assists Points Goals Assists Points Podrick Cast S61, S62 49 48 97 79 95 174 128 143 271 Aksel Thomassen S40, S41 22 29 51 44 92 136 66 121 187 Tarik Saeijs S19, S20 35 47 82 71 86 157 106 133 239 Scotty Campbell S1, S2 73 61 134 79 82 161 152 143 295 Conner Low S36, S37 19 64 83 27 79 106 46 143 189 Edwin Preencarnacion S61, S62 45 43 88 65 76 141 110 119 229 Jardy Bunclewirth S18, S19 54 78 132 45 75 120 99 153 252 Kevin Brooks S6, S7 39 50 89 53 74 127 92 124 216 Matt Thompson S61, S62 33 23 56 76 74 150 109 97 206 Best first 2 seasons: Rookie Sophomore TOTAL first 2 seasons Goals Assists Points Goals Assists Points Goals Assists Points Brett Slobodzian S1, S2 79 92 171 64 61 125 143 153 296 Scotty Campbell S1, S2 73 61 134 79 82 161 152 143 295 Podrick Cast S61, S62 49 48 97 79 95 174 128 143 271 Jardy Bunclewirth S18, S19 54 78 132 45 75 120 99 153 252 Scott Boulet S1, S2 53 79 132 60 59 119 113 138 251

Ctrl+F "my players" - no results found

Correct.

Ending on a game which perfectly represents this weird season.