Victor

As the rumours about their off-ice affairs persisted, Italian prospects Antonia Bucatini and Gianfranco Del Rocco went first and second overall, as expected, in the VHL draft. With Bucatini staying close to home in Davos but Del Rocco nine timezones away in Seattle, surely that was the end of that off-season fling? Well, maybe, if it existed in the first place. But with both players choosing to spend an extra season in Europe to hone their skills in the VHLE, the rumour mill has ended up churning.
 
Bucatini is spending her VHLE year in Oslo with Del Rocco across the border in Vasteras. A five-hour drive separates the two (or a six-hour train with a change at Hallsberg), not in itself surprising given half of the VHLE's teams are in either Norway or Sweden. What has been surprising and slightly disappointing for the paparazzi is that both young players have seemingly chosen to focus on their hockey, not leaving their team bubbles even when travelling away to other VHLE locations.
 
The step up to the VHLE hasn't hindered either Italian with Del Rocco leading Vasteras with 9 points and Bucatini's 4 goals joint most on Oslo. But have the harsher northern conditions cooled passions? Or is it that two points separate the Iron Eagles and Storm and it will likely remain a close-run race all season? Or was there nothing there to begin with? The speculation certainly won't be quelled so easily.

Vasteras - the Blessing and the Curse
 

 
Some cities are steeped in history and you can feel it in the ancient buildings, the cobbled streets, and evidence of lives enjoyed and endured centuries ago. Sometimes trying to make your own history can be daunting in a place whose past is so much larger than you. However, it's those who look to seize such an opportunity are the ones that tend to thrive.
 
Vasteras is a city which has that level of history in a purely Swedish context – one of the country's oldest inhabited places. But its place in VHL lore is arguably even more mythical. Founded by Lucas Tannahill in S1, the Vasteras IK were one of the oddest locations for one of the four European franchises and this only became more pronounced as other teams moved to more recognisable cities. Combined with the unoriginal logo, an identical VHLM team (Vasteras IK J20) which meant this city of some 120,000 took up 12.5% of the two leagues' locations, and a genuine and deeply-rooted hatred for the franchise started to become part of the VHL's fabric. It didn't help that Vasteras' S1 underdog Continental Cup win remained the franchise's only and despite best intentions seemed genuinely cursed, particularly after choosing to trade away Scotty Campbell in S4.
 
Cue the ill-judged move to Madrid, the move back, the curse-breaking second championships for both the Iron Eagles and J20 in S26 and S27, and then even longer cup droughts and moves to Moscow (in the VHLM) and Stockholm (in the VHL). You've probably heard at least some of the stories. By the Vikings' contraction in S57 all Vasteras-based franchises and their successors were removed, permanently it seemed.
 
Enter the VHLE. And of course, a good storyline always finds a way. Naturally, Vasteras won the inaugural Renaissance Cup, it wouldn't have made sense for anyone else too. Of course they weren't favourites for it. Obviously they've not won another championship since despite being overwhelming favourites at least once and being the best regular season on three separate occasions. You couldn't a Vasteras rebirth that is more Vasteras than what they've actually done. It's part of the magic that meant the franchise always had some support to not be killed and then to be brought back.
 
That is the historic franchise that Gianfranco Del Rocco has joined in S93. Losing in Vasteras isn't uncommon but isn't permanent, but valiantly snatching defeat from the jaws of victory certainly seems to be. The Iron Eagles are considered favourites by some to end their 12-season cup drought in S93 (in truth, barely even a cup drought by Vasteras' standards) and certainly have the players for it. Del Rocco has yet to win much with two first-round exits in both Miami and San Diego and to be honest a lacklustre time in the VHLM in general, not even hitting the point-per-game mark and being overshadowed by multiple teammates. Based on the potential, the skillset, and the alleged pedigree, he still went early in both the VHL and VHLE drafts but there is something to prove. So far, Del Rocco leads Vasteras in scoring and seems to be settling in but the city is quite welcoming at first, when expectations are low. The real challenge comes when the pressure rises, when it feels like this might be the season. The problem is Vasteras has broken the curse just enough times to keep the belief alive, but rarely enough that the sense of dread creeps in before you've even lost the game. Is Del Rocco made of the sterner stuff that can survive that pressure cooker, especially come playoff time? He has a lot to prove to his doubters and equally an enormous weight of history and potentially career-making legacy to contend with.
 
Hello Europe indeed... try to make it out alive Gianfranco.
 

As the rumours about their off-ice affairs persisted, Italian prospects Antonia Bucatini and Gianfranco Del Rocco went first and second overall, as expected, in the VHL draft. With Bucatini staying close to home in Davos but Del Rocco nine timezones away in Seattle, surely that was the end of that off-season fling? Well, maybe, if it existed in the first place. But with both players choosing to spend an extra season in Europe to hone their skills in the VHLE, the rumour mill has ended up churning.
 
Bucatini is spending her VHLE year in Oslo with Del Rocco across the border in Vasteras. A five-hour drive separates the two (or a six-hour train with a change at Hallsberg), not in itself surprising given half of the VHLE's teams are in either Norway or Sweden. What has been surprising and slightly disappointing for the paparazzi is that both young players have seemingly chosen to focus on their hockey, not leaving their team bubbles even when travelling away to other VHLE locations.
 
The step up to the VHLE hasn't hindered either Italian with Del Rocco leading Vasteras with 9 points and Bucatini's 4 goals joint most on Oslo. But have the harsher northern conditions cooled passions? Or is it that two points separate the Iron Eagles and Storm and it will likely remain a close-run race all season? Or was there nothing there to begin with? The speculation certainly won't be quelled so easily.

As the rumours about their off-ice affairs persisted, Italian prospects Antonia Bucatini and Gianfranco Del Rocco went first and second overall, as expected, in the VHL draft. With Bucatini staying close to home in Davos but Del Rocco nine timezones away in Seattle, surely that was the end of that off-season fling? Well, maybe, if it existed in the first place. But with both players choosing to spend an extra season in Europe to hone their skills in the VHLE, the rumour mill has ended up churning.
 
Bucatini is spending her VHLE year in Oslo with Del Rocco across the border in Vasteras. A five-hour drive separates the two (or a six-hour train with a change at Hallsberg), not in itself surprising given half of the VHLE's teams are in either Norway or Sweden. What has been surprising and slightly disappointing for the paparazzi is that both young players have seemingly chosen to focus on their hockey, not leaving their team bubbles even when travelling away to other VHLE locations.
 
The step up to the VHLE hasn't hindered either Italian with Del Rocco leading Vasteras with 9 points and Bucatini's 4 goals joint most on Oslo. But have the harsher northern conditions cooled passions? Or is it that two points separate the Iron Eagles and Storm and it will likely remain a close-run race all season? Or was there nothing there to begin with? The speculation certainly won't be quelled so easily.

Vasteras - the Blessing and the Curse
 

 
Some cities are steeped in history and you can feel it in the ancient buildings, the cobbled streets, and evidence of lives enjoyed and endured centuries ago. Sometimes trying to make your own history can be daunting in a place whose past is so much larger than you. However, it's those who look to seize such an opportunity are the ones that tend to thrive.
 
Vasteras is a city which has that level of history in a purely Swedish context – one of the country's oldest inhabited places. But its place in VHL lore is arguably even more mythical. Founded by Lucas Tannahill in S1, the Vasteras IK were one of the oddest locations for one of the four European franchises and this only became more pronounced as other teams moved to more recognisable cities. Combined with the unoriginal logo, an identical VHLM team (Vasteras IK J20) which meant this city of some 120,000 took up 12.5% of the two leagues' locations, and a genuine and deeply-rooted hatred for the franchise started to become part of the VHL's fabric. It didn't help that Vasteras' S1 underdog Continental Cup win remained the franchise's only and despite best intentions seemed genuinely cursed, particularly after choosing to trade away Scotty Campbell in S4.
 
Cue the ill-judged move to Madrid, the move back, the curse-breaking second championships for both the Iron Eagles and J20 in S26 and S27, and then even longer cup droughts and moves to Moscow (in the VHLM) and Stockholm (in the VHL). You've probably heard at least some of the stories. By the Vikings' contraction in S57 all Vasteras-based franchises and their successors were removed, permanently it seemed.
 
Enter the VHLE. And of course, a good storyline always finds a way. Naturally, Vasteras won the inaugural Renaissance Cup, it wouldn't have made sense for anyone else too. Of course they weren't favourites for it. Obviously they've not won another championship since despite being overwhelming favourites at least once and being the best regular season on three separate occasions. You couldn't a Vasteras rebirth that is more Vasteras than what they've actually done. It's part of the magic that meant the franchise always had some support to not be killed and then to be brought back.
 
That is the historic franchise that Gianfranco Del Rocco has joined in S93. Losing in Vasteras isn't uncommon but isn't permanent, but valiantly snatching defeat from the jaws of victory certainly seems to be. The Iron Eagles are considered favourites by some to end their 12-season cup drought in S93 (in truth, barely even a cup drought by Vasteras' standards) and certainly have the players for it. Del Rocco has yet to win much with two first-round exits in both Miami and San Diego and to be honest a lacklustre time in the VHLM in general, not even hitting the point-per-game mark and being overshadowed by multiple teammates. Based on the potential, the skillset, and the alleged pedigree, he still went early in both the VHL and VHLE drafts but there is something to prove. So far, Del Rocco leads Vasteras in scoring and seems to be settling in but the city is quite welcoming at first, when expectations are low. The real challenge comes when the pressure rises, when it feels like this might be the season. The problem is Vasteras has broken the curse just enough times to keep the belief alive, but rarely enough that the sense of dread creeps in before you've even lost the game. Is Del Rocco made of the sterner stuff that can survive that pressure cooker, especially come playoff time? He has a lot to prove to his doubters and equally an enormous weight of history and potentially career-making legacy to contend with.
 
Hello Europe indeed... try to make it out alive Gianfranco.
 

As the rumours about their off-ice affairs persisted, Italian prospects Antonia Bucatini and Gianfranco Del Rocco went first and second overall, as expected, in the VHL draft. With Bucatini staying close to home in Davos but Del Rocco nine timezones away in Seattle, surely that was the end of that off-season fling? Well, maybe, if it existed in the first place. But with both players choosing to spend an extra season in Europe to hone their skills in the VHLE, the rumour mill has ended up churning.
 
Bucatini is spending her VHLE year in Oslo with Del Rocco across the border in Vasteras. A five-hour drive separates the two (or a six-hour train with a change at Hallsberg), not in itself surprising given half of the VHLE's teams are in either Norway or Sweden. What has been surprising and slightly disappointing for the paparazzi is that both young players have seemingly chosen to focus on their hockey, not leaving their team bubbles even when travelling away to other VHLE locations.
 
The step up to the VHLE hasn't hindered either Italian with Del Rocco leading Vasteras with 9 points and Bucatini's 4 goals joint most on Oslo. But have the harsher northern conditions cooled passions? Or is it that two points separate the Iron Eagles and Storm and it will likely remain a close-run race all season? Or was there nothing there to begin with? The speculation certainly won't be quelled so easily.

At this moment, I’m a frustrated god venting to anyone who will listen. I set foot in Europe just a few weeks ago and everyone was ecstatic to see their lord and saviour Wayne Gretzky set foot on the ice for my first two games of the season, but something’s wrong and I can’t quite figure out what it could possibly be. See, ordinarily, when I strike the puck I do so with the fury and fire of a thousand demons and I hear a familiar sound that is the stadium’s way of letting the audience know what they already knew, they’ve just witnessed perfection. Now through the years I’ve heard this sound so many times that the only person who can count how many times I’ve heard it is myself Wayne Gretzky  because I am the only resident of this planet who knows the English name for the amount of goals I’ve scored, and atypically it is that of a horn. However, I scored 12 goals in those two games combined, yet was greeted with no horn, no fanfare, no adulation. At first I thought that this was maybe the European culture of hockey, greeting goals with as little fanfare as possible to be polite to the opposition fans or maybe the horn was like one of those dog whistles where only those with four legs can hear. However, when I asked a teammate where the goal horn was for the last two games, they looked at me confused. I mean I guess I can understand such a reaction, 12 goals in two games and I’m complaining about a horn of all things, I guess I can see the humour in that.
 
But there’s one more thing about the European game that I’ve noticed and it’s something that has still yet to be explained to me. When I have the puck at the end of my stick, I transcend everything anyone has ever known about hockey previously. Since I’ve entered Europe though, the reaction is not one that I’m used to. There are no gasps of amazement, no cheers of adulation, they just utter a word that I’m unfamiliar with. “Pass” is what I assume would be how one would write the word using traditional characters, but it has yet to be explained to me what this foreign word means. In fact, when I enquire, they just yell the word louder which is incredibly frustrating as I can quite clearly hear what they are saying, am just unable to gather what the word could possibly mean. I can only presume this is the new thing that the kids are saying now. 
 

was he well known for blocking shots lol? @Beketov

S92 Seattle Bears Season Awards 

Last season Seattle went through quite the rebuild. Not a lot of players on the roster, but everyone understood the assignment. Chances were favourable to stack up the losses, despite trades and line movement. What was most important was trying to have our players statistically produce and continue on with our mission with the goal in our sights. It was quiet, but things have turned around huge for us as we enter into S93. Congrats to those of S92!
 
ALL PLAYERS
Regular Season:
Markus Strauss Award - Most Goals
Severus Targaryen (40) @Banackock
 
Hulk Hogan Award - Most Assists
Severus Targaryen (49) @Banackock
 
Felix Peters Award - Most Points Award
Severus Targaryen (89)  @Banackock
 
Gabriel McMVP Award 
Severus Targaryen and SEA G @Banackock
 
James Lefevre Award - Most Penalty Minutes
Womp Womp Womp Womp Womp Jr (115) @AdamEss
 
Karsten Olsen Award - Most Hits
Toby Kadachi (289) @ROOKIE745
 
Heavyweight Belt - Most Fights
Toby Kadachi (4) @Rookie
 
Matt Thompson Award - Most Shots Blocked
Simons Worst Nightmare (251) @zepheter
 
Timothy Brown Award - Most Game Winning Goals
Lorenzo Cobberson (4) @Hendrix Cobberson
 
Vyacheslav Smirnov Award - Top Rookie Award
NA
 
DMEN
Mitch Higgins Award - Top Overall D-man
Simons Worst Nightmare @zepheter
 
Maxim Kovalchuk Award - Top Offensive D-man
Simons Worst Nightmare @zepheter
 
Patrice Reynaud Award - Top Defensive D-man
Simons Worst Nightmare @zepheter
 
GOALIE
Jakab Holik Award - Goalie Showcase
Justin Lion  @Emperor_Fun
11-40-4 - .916SV% - 3.90GAA - 1SO
 
 BONUS 
Spirit Bear Award - @zepheter
About the Award:
 
Odin Omdalh, Florida Man, Dylan Doyle and Simons Worst Nightmare. 3 of those names have played for Seattle franchises throughout their times. @zepheter has suited up in 121 with Florida Man, 576 with Omdahl and 150 so far with Simons Worst Nightmare for a total of 847 games with the Seattle Bears Franchise. Over this time, they've scored 188 goals, 452 assists, 640 points, 813 hits and blocked 1,730 shots during the regular season. They helped hoist 3 Continental Cups with the Seattle Bears in S71, S73 and S77. They're one of the most loyal Bears in the history of Seattle and they're always there to chit chat in the locker room. They're an excellent example of putting the Team first and would do anything for their teammates to be better and for the team to win. Good dude and I'm very happy to have had the opportunity for you to be such a historic member when it comes to the Seattle franchise. It's very fitting that you get one of these awards with SEATTLE!
 

 
As I mentioned HERE! in Bana Blabs #101, I'll be topping up the donation with an extra $9, 1 for every game we went over for the Anti-Spirit award. Thank you for everything you do and have done for myself, Seattle and the VHL. Appreciate you. Love you long time brother.
 

 
B
 
 

First 4 awards

Hello VHL!
I'm going to be doing something I couldent find anyone else has done yet in VHL, but I have done myself in PBE and SHL.
And as you have read the title already you know how this goes. VHL Scrabble!
So I will be taking every teams players one by one to a scrabble score calculator and then after I'm done with the team I will calculate the total points, the average etc. So with out a further a do here we go!
 
Calgary Wrangles
Jonny Elgar: 21
Merome Dilson: 17
Joe Block: 23
Moritz Stauffer: 31
Phil Strasmore: 20
Thor Odinson: 15
Raimo Tuominen: 17
Catia Goncalves: 22
Adam Rage: 12
Kyle Toms: 17
Randy Bobandy: 24
The Total: 219
The Average: 19.909...
The Highest points: Moritz Stauffer
The Lowest points: Adam Rage
 
Chicago Phoenix
Amir Redzic: 24
Ryan Artyomov: 23
Reinhard von Kongming: 34
Karol Lamb: 17
Darko Alexander Malkovich: 50
Lionel Collberg: 19
Yaroslav Trunov: 23
Joshua Schwarzer: 42
Bryce Woodworth: 31
Dank Turtle: 15
Legacy Gaming: 22
Babay Shrimp: 25
The Total: 325
The Average: 27.83..
The Highest points: Darko Alexander Malkovich
The Lowest points: Dank Turtle
 
D.C Dragons
Henry Tucker Jr: 32
Mark Calaway: 25
Eurydyka Sklodowska Dudzinska: 65
Ben Laas: 9
Theo Allard: 14
Lucas Grey: 15
Keita Kourou: 19
Keegan Gamble: 22
Vincent Laroche-Gagnier: 33
The Frenchman: 25
The Total: 259
The Average: 25.9
The Highest points: Eurydyka Sklodowska Dudzinska
The Lowest points: Ben Laas
 
HC Davos Dynamo
Karl Pedersen: 19
Womp Womp Womp Womp Womp Jr: 64
David Jokinen: 28
LeBen Aky: 17
James MacAvoy: 31
Carson Walker Jr: 30
The Total: 189
The Average: 31.5
The Highest points: Womp Womp Womp Womp Womp Jr
The Lowest points: LeBen Aky
 
Helsinki Titans
Fuukka Rask: 25
YaBoi Oven: 17
Tommy Sleeves: 22
Kronchy Kardashian: 37
Michael Shotter: 24
Owen Lazaro: 22
Daryl Dixon: 22
Adi Dassler: 12
Jarkko Laakkonen: 38
Ellis Woolfenden: 22
Isaac mclflopper: 28
The Total: 247
The Average: 22.454...
The Highest points: Jarkko Laakkonen
The Lowest points: Adi Dassler
 
London United
Geoff Bezos: 28
Jesse Teno: 16
Nick Sansoe: 16
Jack Jeckler: 37
Lloyd Braun: 16
Isamu Knievel: 21
Wann Kerr: 15
Sjin: 11
Halvar Torbjorn: 29
Brad Marchand: 23 
Ben Dover: 14
John Richards: 28
Leonard Triller: 15
The Total: 269
The Average: 20.69...
The Highest points: Jack Jeckler
The Lowest points: Sjin
 
Los Angeles Stars
Matthew McCagg: 29
The Mediocre One: 22
Astro Singh: 14
Mclean Hoover II: 24
Alexander Stroheim: 30
Jim Benning Jr: 31
Timothy Swearingen: 29
The Total: 179
The Average: 25.57...
The Highest points: Jim Benning Jr
The Lowest points: Astro Singh
 
Malmo Nighthawks
Karl Herzlich: 33
Ash Sparks: 18
Jacob Stone: 21
Eric Queefson: 26
Reese McFleury: 23
Conference Prince-de-Galles: 37
Yaroslav Bogatyrev: 32
Savaisk Tzesar: 29
Ronald Johnson MacWallace III: 46
Phillip Rave: 21
Gregger McKeggegger: 33
Viktor Jensen: 26
The Total: 345
The Average: 28.75
The Highest points: Ronald Johnson MacWallace III
The Lowest points: Ash Sparks
 
Moscow Menace
Olober Syko: 19
Joseph Reed: 23
Obuz Schneider Canet du Bocage: 51
Nils Andersson: 14
Leif Reingaard: 18
Celise Pereira: 17
Jeff Lewis: 25
Grimgor Ironhide: 23
George Richmond: 24
David Rashford: 25
Axle Gunner: 18
Jarmo Ruutu: 19
The Total: 276
The Average: 23
The Highest points: Obuz Schneider Canet du Bocage
The Lowest points: Nils Andersson
 
New York Americans
WWWWWWWWWWWW WWWWWWWWWWWW: 96
Rin Kagamine: 18
Jebediah Big Ol Doinks in Amish: 52
Callum Gary Yannick Janser: 47
Tord Yvel: 15
FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY Analfist: 23
Jasper Davis: 24
Alfred Champagne: 29
Keon Jeannot: 22
Vinny Lecavalier: 26
Francesco Mancini: 27
The Total: 379
The Average: 34.45...
The Highest points: WWWWWWWWWWWW WWWWWWWWWWWW
The Lowest points: Tord Yvel
 
Prague Phantoms
Matt Murdock: 22
Skor McFleury: 26
Pope Francis: 20
Admir Bala: 14
Spanish Moon Moth: 27
Rip Wheeler: 18
John Jameson: 30
Nikolas Kauppi: 25
Chris Sanzone: 26
The Total: 208
The Average: 23.11...
The Highest points: John Jameson
The Lowest points: Admir Bala
 
Riga Reign
Red Panda: 12
Reginald the Dodo: 22
Mina: 6
Braeden Panarella: 21
Fradin McGryer: 25
Martin Kemp: 20
Kimi Raikkonen: 27
Eno Velvson: 16
Otis Boudreaux Jr: 32
Eric White Jr: 26
Shubham Anand: 23
The Total: 230
The Average: 20.90...
The Highest Points: Otis Boudreaux Jr
The Lowest Points: Mina
 
Seattle Bears
Justin Lion: 17
Giorgiy Costanzov: 35
Simons Worst Nightmare: 31
Sigma Freud: 17
Justin Williams: 26
Big B: 9
Toby Kadachi: 26
Sadie St-Louis: 13
Oreo McFleury: 22
Gustav Mattias: 19
Henry Eagles: 18
Severus Targaryen: 23
Tullemore Dew: 18
The Total: 274
The Average: 21.07...
The Highest points: Giorgiy Costanzov
The Lowest points: Big B
 
Toronto Legion
Toddly Bobbly: 26
Joel Castle: 19
Walter Fitzroy Jr: 40
Mason Rice: 13
Bobby Bob: 21
Steve Lattimer: 18
Mac Atlas: 12
Jimi Jaks: 28
Harry Callahan: 24
Diego Machado: 22
Kobe Johnson: 27
The Total: 250
The Average: 22.72..
The Highest points: Walter Fitzroy Jr
The Lowest points: Mac Atlas
 
Vancouver Wolves
Dalkr Vidarsson: 23
Vlad Von Carstein: 24
Guntis Gavilrovs: 23
DB IV: 10
Liv Slater: 12
Jens Lekman: 23
Riley Martin: 16
Mikko Borisyuk: 32
Logan Ninefingers: 21
Larry Abass Jr. 24
Left Alone: 12
Sunglasses Joyo: 25
The Total: 245
The Average: 20.41...
The Highest points: Mikko Borisyuk
The Lowest points: DB IV
 
Warsaw Predators
Pipo Popa: 16
Lachlan Summers: 23
Hannibal Barca: 22
Rex Wolffe Gregor: 33
Tim Riggins: 14
Tater Tottingham: 21
Zyn Westwood: 30
Behrens Minion: 20
Montgomery Burns: 25
King Kisslinger: 24
Thor Reingaard: 18
Maxim Anisimov: 29
The Total: 275
The Average: 22.91...
The Highest points: Rex Wolffe Gregor
The Lowest points: Tim Riggins
 
That concludes the calculating!
Now we can get on with the speculation and talking about the stats!
So to recap
The Highest total points goes to New York Americans with 379, The Single highest point goes to WWWWWWWWWWWW WWWWWWWWWWWW with 96! (Absurd), and the least points goes to Mina with 6!
The highest average also goes to New York unsurprisingly! Now if we look at some other teams with high averages we can see that Davos with 31.5 is up there in second place! Although they only have 189 total points (the second least) their roster size makes up for that puts them firmly in 2nd place with average. 
So what does this all mean, I can hear you ask. Well nothing to be honest, this is just something I thought would be funny to do and did it. I will be doing one for E and M combined later since this is already 1000 words long!
See you then!
 

 
Total word count 1084
Claiming for week ending 24/3 and 31/3

POINT ON THE BOARD BABY!!!

First of all, fuck Vasteras.
 
Second of all, love a 4-3 win from a 0-3 deficit. 

I've always been fascinated by the nationalities of the VHL, both at a member level, but also in the countries that members have chosen for their players. There has been a dominance of Canada and the US as expected but also a lot of other traditional and non-traditional hockey markets, which has meant a very eclectic list of entries into the Hall of Fame, and also a very balanced World Cup which has recently become a particularly underappreciated tournament. I'm moving away from the most unusual locations for the purpose of this article but you can see the nationality of every single Hall of Famer in the linked thread below. In the meantime, here is an attempt to create all-time rosters (3 forwards, 3 defencemen, and 3 goaltenders) for the most popular nations in VHL history.
 
https://vhlforum.com/topic/63841-hof-players-builders/
Note: Blue = Hall of Famer. Italics = out of position (i.e. centers used as wingers)
 
Canada
Matt Thompson - Unassisted - Brett Slobodzian
Jardy Bunclewirth - Ethan Osborne - Zach Parechkin
Tom Lincoln - Andrew Su - Josh Vestiquan

Sterling Labatte - Daniel Braxton
Black Velvet - Aurelien Moreau
Elijah Incognito - Lincoln Tate

Aidan Shaw
Benoit Devereux
Rhett DeGrath
 
Canada's obviously #1 in this discussion. 46 Canadians have been inducted into the Hall of Fame to date, by far the most of any country, and nearly enough for 3 rosters exclusively made out of Hall of Famers. Strength in depth was never going to be an issue here but what I do find interesting is that Canada has almost not produced any player considered the best beyond dispute. Yes there's the award namesakes – Slobodzian, Labatte, Shaw – and for a time they would have been considered the pinnacle of their position, but all have been moved down the ranking with the passage of time. It's also curious that there's not really been an all-time great coming out of Canada since Matt Thompson retired in S68, evidenced by the fact only Su, Moreau, and Tate would be considered “modern” players and all three are a bit buried on the depth chart. Make no mistake, Canada would almost certainly win a hypothetical all-time tournament but it's nice that there is quite a bit of individual brilliance sprinkled across the other nations.
 
@Beketov @STZ @JardyB10 @DollarAndADream @Da_Berr @v.2  @sterling @Frank @Tate
 
USA
Gabriel McAllister - Thomas O'Malley - Diana Maxwell
Jarvis Baldwin - Mike Szatkowski - Cam Fowler
John Locke - Kevin Brooks - Brannan Anthony

Conner Low - Ryan Sullivan
Hard Markinson - Jake Wylde
Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen - Brian Payne

Apollo Skye
Xavier Booberry
Benjamin Glover
 
The US might have only half of Canada's Hall of Famers but it's arguably got more bang for its buck. O'Malley and McAllister are two of the 3-4 names in VHL history who can challenge Scotty Campbell as the league's GOAT. Conner Low and Ryan Sullivan – that's basically your #1 and #2 in the all-time defencemen ranking. Any of the 3 lines could realistically be the first and rolling out the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th all-time top scorers as your 3 centers puts the recent Pittsburgh Penguins dynasty to shame. Defence has been historically a weak spot (behind Low and Sullivan) but Markinson and Smitty have bridged the gap as the best of their generations, and likely S91 inductee Brian Payne is building on an impressive recent legacy. Whisper but America could well knock Canada off its perch in a one-off playoff.
 
@CowboyinAmerica @OrbitingDeath  @scoop @Will @Smarch @Advantage @Fire Fletcher @Velevra 
 
UK
Chris Hylands - Leeroy Jenkins - David Smalling
Brennan McQueen - Phil Rafter - Phil Gerrard
Dougie Daniels - Podrick Cast - Uhtred

David Walcott - Matt Bentley
Jeff Hamilton - Phil Hamilton
David Henman - Joseph McWolf

Hans Wingate
Adrian McCreath
Finn Davison
 
The streak of HOF-only rosters ends at 2. But the UK put up a very strong effort and is only 2 forwards and a goalie away from matching Canada and the US. Also, the UK as #3 in a hockey setting? The VHL's English speaking background has definitely had its impact here as has the influence of a handful of Builders. The Knight brothers account for 6 of the players on the team (hint: it's anyone named Phil or David) and as a UK resident I have also assisted with Cast and Bentley. Is it enough to challenge the top two? Probably not, despite a sprinkling of real VHL royalty in Jenskins, Smalling, and Rafter. Goaltending depth is where the team falls down (this will start to be a recurring theme from here), with McCreath widely considered one of the weaker goalies in the Hall, and Wingate's famous playoff heroics might not be enough to rescue the UK here.
 
@hylands @Knight @Phil @leafsman @McWolf
 
Switzerland
Scott Boulet - Scotty Campbell - Matt Bailey
Branden Snelheid - Daniel Janser - Leander Kaelin
Rudolph Schmeckeldorf - Jasper Davis - Tomas Ziegler

Tomas Jenskovic - Alexander Sauve
Petr Shirokov - Lars Intranquilo
Mike Kloepfer - David Tavau

Sandro Clegane
Matthew Pogge
Marius Henchoz
 
Probably the most unbalanced team of them all. Switzerland was a VHL superstar hotspot in its early days (see Campbell, Boulet, Jenskovic) and then after S20 or so stopped producing notable talent with any regularity at all. “Recent” Hall of Famers Clegane and Janser retired some 40 seasons apart. Tellingly, Jasper Davis makes the cut despite being in his third season at the time of writing. Tavau, Kloepfer, and Ziegler in the meantime might be the worst players on any of the teams being profiled although satisfyingly have a Davos connection as either cup-winners with the Swiss team (Kloepfer, Ziegler) or Dynamo lifers (Tavau). In a 6v6 tournament, Switzerland would be up there with the best of them. Even the second line can hold its own but it all falls apart after that and the production line doesn't seem to be getting any better.
 
@Quik @Daniel Janser @Corco @Josh @diamond_ace @Ahma
 
Sweden
Mathias Chouinard - Anton Brekker - Theo Axelsson
Miles Larsson - Niklas Lindberg - Lasse Milo
Ola Vikingstad - Sebastian Ironside - Scotty Sundin

Alexander Valiq - Mats Johnsson
Battre Sandstrom - Bo Johansson
Robin Galante Nilsson - Patrick Bergqvist

Torstein Ironside
Papa Emeritus
Oskar Lindbergh
 
Probably the team most expected to be third in the list, Sweden likely does occupy that spot based on quantity, but has not really provided the VHL's absolute cream of the crop over the years. The thing that does stick out here is the overall balance – take out Brekker and Valiq and there's not really much separating the Hall of Famers from the 3rd liners. Most of the players on the roster have been or currently are on the HOF ballot. In particular this is relevant in net where Emeritus and Lindbergh are still awaiting the call and could change the complexion of this Swedish team if they do get inducted. Overall, however, the verdict would have to be solid but unspectacular which definitely fits the stereotype.
 
@solas @boubabi @Dil @fromtheinside @Acydburn @Shindigs @RomanesEuntDomus @Doomsday
 
Finland
Tukka Reikkinen - Mikka Virkkunen - Jukka Hakkinen
Saku Kotkakoivu - Aleksi Koponen - Joel Jarvi
Valtteri Vaakanainen - Mikko Lahtinen - Karsten Olsen

Fabio Jokinen - Voittu Jannula
Kasper Kankkunen - Spencer Elsby
Kerkko Hyvärinen - Ville Sixten / Velociraptor Greg

Tuomas Tukio
Vase Trikamaki
Fuukka Rask
 
Sweden's neighbours and eternal rivals are hot on their tail and one thing stands out from the off – they love a center. 8 of the 9 forwards are centers by trade and fittingly the only winger, Karsten Olsen, was a defenceman to begin with. This means great depth in the middle (not quite US level but very possible second place) but less so elsewhere. This is particularly obvious on defence where Jokinen flies the flag alone in the Hall of Fame and the depth guys blend so much that I couldn't even pick one between Sixten of 30s Toronto fame and current Prague dinosaur Greg. But the contrast is clear in goal as well – Tukio is one of the greatest ever in contention with Shaw, Wingate, and the Cleganes yet somehow my first-gen who retired in S16 with 634 TPE is still the second-best Finland has managed to produce. Like Switzerland, we are top-heavy here and will struggle on the line changes.
 
@.sniffuM @Jubo @jRuutu @Spence King @samx @Higgins @Jubis
 
Denmark
Aloe Dear - Lars Berger - Max Molholt
Jerome Reinhart (GR) - Aksel Thomassen - Zach Arce
Tomas Sogaard - Venus Thightrap - Niels Skovgaard / Tyler Reinhart (GR)

Zeedayno Chara (GR) - Frans Spelman
Asher Reinhart (GR) - Reylynn Reinhart (GR)
Joe Madison (GR) - Sven Eightnine

Grekkark Gyrfalcon (GR)
Jakob Kjeldsen
Tobias Reinhart (GR)
 
The Danes have really put all their eggs in one basket. Six Hall of Famers is actually quite good going for a country that's not necessarily a hockey hotbed but each one has been a forward. Offense as a strategy is a pretty good one in the VHL and Dear, Berger, and Molholt is one of the higher-scoring first lines out there, but we shouldn't cut Denmark too much slack. They've been bailed out significantly by the VHL's Greenland and interlinked Reinhart epidemic and will soon need to worry about whether a stand-alone Denmark team could beat a stand-alone Greenland one. For now though, this is a well-balanced combined team which would hold its own in a Nordic tournament.
 
@Renomitsu @Molholt @MexicanCow123 @Arce @Brandon @BladeMaiden @Zetterberg @Ricer13 @BarzalGoat @Spaz @Sharkstrong
 
Germany
Tyson Kohler - Markus Strauss - Christian Stolzschweiger
Ignatius Feltersnatch - Felix Peters - Shawn Muller
Marek Schultz - Lukas Muller - Wolfgang Strauss / Christoph Klose

Jochen Walser - Joey Kendrick
Erik Summers - Torsten Schwarz
Cole Hagstrom / Jaeger Stryker - World B. Free / Klaus Muller

Dominik Stryker
Greg Harbinson
Mathieu VanCoughnett
 
Germany is definitely closer to the Swiss end of the range in that a lot of its strength comes from its past rather than more recent seasons. The majority of the roster had retired or at least debuted by S30 and talent has only trickled in since. There are two old names who continue to hold up well in modern discourse in Stolzschweiger and Walser and a strong trio of centers, while the 3 split decisions on the third line show that there is more than decent depth to call upon. Goaltending is definitely a weakness however, with one of the great first overall busts in VanCoughnett propping up two names more famous for their GM roles than their exploits on the ice.
 
@Kendrick @gregreg @TheLastOlympian07 @der meister @Erik Summers @stevo @Zero
 
Russia
Alexander Beketov - Daric Radmonovic - Pavel Koradek
Evgeni Fyodorov - Sergey Preobrazhensky - Nikolai Lebedev
Bogdan Trunov - Igor Molotov - Yuri Grigorenko

Maxim Kovalchuk - Aleksei Federov
Radislav Mjers - Vladimir Boomchenko
Siyan Yasilievich / Vladimir Pavlov - Victor Grachev

Alexander Labatte
Maxim Desny
Rara Rasputin
 
Finally we close off this piece with the Russian team which is quite similar to the Swedes in 1) being quite balanced with no real standout superstar and 2) being pleasingly stereotypical. Russia's famous in the hockey world for producing individually brilliant players with good attacking instincts and little in the way of a two-way game – it is both their strength and often their downfall. The all-time VHL Russian team is no exception with pretty much everyone on the team focused on scoring (other than the goalies of course) and doing so well enough to be in the Hall of Fame or at least the Hall of Very Good. Everyone on the roster except Desny is also a cup winner which is quite impressive so if nothing else, team Russia would be entertaining.
 
@Bulduray_1 @qripll @Dom @Banackock @InstantRockstar @BOOM @badcolethetitan @KaleebtheMighty
 
After Russia the disparity grows, with no other country really providing a consistent stream of high quality VHL players. Ukraine is the only other nation with more than 2 Hall of Famers, with 4, and features prominently on the best of the rest roster I've put together below just for fun. Of course there are not many traditional hockey markets not covered above (and indeed the UK and Denmark are probably less traditional than others). The Czech and Slovak presence has also been low in the VHL with just 1 Hall of Famer between them, while Latvia actually does quite well with 2 but as expected doesn't really have the depth. Apart from that, lots of VHL members opted to bring in talent from eclectic destinations, from Asia to Australia, from South Africa to the Caribbean. It's provided a good deal of flavour to the overall list but does mean there are still gaps to fill on the more traditional teams which should be the main takeaway from this.... don't make Canadians and Americans.
 
Everyone else
Volodymyr Rybak (UKR) - Franchise Cornerstone (MON) - Odin Tordahl (NOR)
Lord Karnage (SOM) - Alexander Chershenko (UKR) - Duncan Idaho (SMR)
Pietro Maximoff (ROM) - Grimm Jonsson (ISL) - J.D. Stomwall (NZL) *Ronan Lavelle (IRL) could have a claim here

Japinder Singh (IND) - Condor Adrienne (VAT)
James Bencharski (UKR) - Patrice Reynaud (FRA)
Tui Sova (FIJ) - Roque Davis (POR)

Greg Clegane (IRL)
Daisuke Kanou (JPN)
Alex Gegeny (NAM)
 
@Baozi

I think my curse is bound with Vasteras. Bjork's bargain to keep Vasteras from winning prevents himself from winning as well.
 
Vasteras won the championship in their inaugural season, and never won again, as is tradition.
 
Bjork also won the championship in his rookie season, and hasn't won again.
 
It's like poetry, it rhymes.

Best VHLE Players of All Time
I am about to embark on my first ever season VHLE, ironic as that is given I was one of the two founding commissioners 13 seasons ago. As such, whilst it is no notable anniversary or milestone for the league itself, I thought it was an opportune moment to look at the VHLE's past, specifically the best players to grace the league so far.
 
We're not counting one-season stars on their way up to the VHL, such as Omi Aberg and Kyosti Karjalainen in the VHLE's early days, future Hall of Famer and MVP trophy namesake Ronan Lavelle, or John Jameson and Jasper Davis more recently. These players wrote their name into the VHLE history books but haven't truly become part of its fabric; for them the league was more of a necessary pitstop.
 
Instead, this is a ranking of an arbitrarily selected 21 players who are best known for their VHLE exploits. Let's begin the countdown.

 
21. Al Land (S85-S91) – 379 points in 432 games – S89, S90, and S91 Renaissance Cup @Big Dee
Populating several slots towards the bottom of the ranking are the “lifers”, in particular those who managed to land on some of the dynasties that have come about in the second half of the VHLE's life so far. Al Land fits that bill perfectly, spending six seasons in the E, five of them on the Cologne juggernaut which swept all before them en route to a threepeat to end Land's career. Land never matched this 123-point season in the VHLM which earned him three individual awards in S84 but was a familiar face to VHLE fans and clearly a born winner, retiring with two Founder's Cups and three Renaissance Cups from nine seasons overall.

 
20. Adeline Delle Donne (S82-S89) – 490 points in 572 games – S87 Top Two-Way Forward, S83 and S88 Renaissance Cup @Dtayl
One of the all-time top scorers of the VHLE comes in at number 20 on this list having nearly cracked the 500-point mark largely thanks to longevity rather than being an individual standout. There was certainly a peak in S87 with 107 points and her only individual award but consistency was the name of the game for the most part. Delle Donne played for four of the current six VHLE franchises over her eight-season career, making the playoffs with each one and helping both Bratislava and Oslo to championships. Certainly a VHLE cult hero.

 
19. Arthur Kimura (S80-S88) – 477 points in 640 games – S80, S82, and S85 Renaissance Cup @FBR
Sneaking in ahead of Delle Donne in the longevity rankings, Arthur Kimura still stands as one of just three players with three or more Renaissance Cups, despite retiring pre-Cologne threepeat and more impressively doing it with three different franchises (Vasteras, Rome, and Oslo). In all, Kimura suited up for six VHLE teams, a genuine nomad who encapsulates the VHLE model – someone who would have been considered a burden on the depth chart of VHL teams pre-VHLE but managed to have a reasonably successful career at a lower level.

 
18. Rhys Trenton (S80-S81, S85-S86) – 277 points in 288 games – S85 Top Defenceman, S86 Renaissance Cup @DeeGoat
On the subject of archetypal VHLE players, here is an interesting case study of someone who started in the E, impressed enough to make the jump to the VHL (after a 99-point season as a defenceman in S81), held his own in the big leagues for a little while, but ultimately went back to the comfort zone for his best VHLE seasons. Fittingly, Rhys Trenton's three VHL seasons were all with European teams (London, Malmo, and Prague) and he was named the VHLE's best defenceman when moving to Rome in S85 before bowing out with a cup in S86.

 
17. Travis Clark (S84-S90) – 180-108-27 .929 sv% 2.53 GAA – S90 Top Goaltender @ClarkClanT
The first goalie and first Clark on our list, here is another player who had a VHL stint, albeit just one backup season with Davos back in S85. After another backup season in the VHLE with Oslo, an impressive 100% record convinced GMs that Clark was starter quality and he remained among the league's best for the remaining four seasons of his career. Individual glory came in his final season, which was also the closest Travis Clark came to the Renaissance Cup (losing to the other Clark in the final), but arguably S87 was his best regular season. A couple near misses push this Clark down the list however.

 
16. Nagy AL (S82-S90) – 560 points in 648 games – S84 and S88 Renaissance Cup @bigAL
Although VHLE career statistics are not tracked anywhere, Nagy AL is probably the all-time leader in points and games played. Possibly blocked shots as well. He never quite dominated the league but with 60-80 point seasons generally as a defenceman and two cups, he was ever-present for nine seasons of the league's existence. AL spent most of his time in Istanbul, winning that franchise's only Renaissance Cup before bouncing around the league, adding a championship with Oslo in S88 and having his individual best season in S89.

 
15. Jordan Bennett (S84-S85, S87-S92) – 463 points in 576 games – S87, S88, S90, and S91 Renaissance Cup @Plate
A perfect example of a late-bloomer and the impact of a position change. After two unimpressive seasons as a forward and even more so when playing that position for one season in Moscow in the VHL, Cologne's management moved Bennett to defence and reaped the benefits as he won three cups in four finals during his four-season stay in Germany. In between, Bennett snuck in another championship with Oslo in S88, making him the all-time leader in Renaissance Cups. Although his VHLE seasons were more solid than spectacular, that winning run more than earns a place on this list.

 
14. The Loch Ness Monster (S80-S84) – 363 points in 360 games – S81 Renaissance Cup @LuluSalesAway
Carrying on the streak of defencemen is the mythical Loch Ness Monster. He/she/they were actually in the VHL before the VHLE's formation, but fit in well into a five-season stint with Stockholm upon the league's creation. S81 was the highlight with 94 points in the regular season, and a tremendous return of 17 points from just 9 games in the playoffs en route to the Vikings' Renaissance Cup victory. The Monster remained a mainstay in Stockholm through to its retirement.

 
13. Florida Man (S80-S81) – 140 points in 144 games – S81 Renaissance Cup and Playoff MVP @zepheter
First trophy namesake on the list, Florida Man just about makes the cut despite only two seasons in the VHLE. As they were the first two seasons of the league, and Man's 20-point playoff performance in S81 was good enough to be more impressive than Loch Ness Monster's above, we have to afford bonus points here for being a formative part of the VHLE. Apart from the S81 playoffs, Florida Man didn't massively stand out in his two seasons in Stockholm, but with his VHL career being equally consistent without a massive breakthrough, this is not a case of someone using the league a stepping stone but instead becoming part of its fabric.

 
12. Sigma Freud (S87-S89) – 177 points in 216 games – S89 Top Defenceman, S89 Playoff MVP, S87 and S89 Renaissance Cup @CODENAMEJIMMY
Up next is in effect Florida Man a decade later, a short but memorable stint with a successful franchise. Sigma Freud joined the Cologne Express as they began to assert dominance on the VHLE, being a cog in the wheel for his first championship in S87. By his final VHLE season, in S89, Freud was now one of the leaders of the team, considered the league's best defenceman after a 94-point seasons and playoff MVP en route to another cup.

 
11. Ryan Li (S80-S81) – 191 points, 601 hits in 144 games – S80 and S81 Top Two-Way Forward @Ryan Li
A mix of several worlds – Ryan Li was someone who bounced between the VHL and VHLE and also did a lot in a short period of time in Europe. Li's career predated the league, as he spent a few seasons in a rebuilding Vancouver. Moving to the VHLE just as the Wolves embarked on their threepeat clearly inspired him as he had two of the best two-way forward seasons the league has seen, setting the bar for all those to come after him. Li then made his way back to Vancouver in time for their third cup, making his time in the E worth it.

 
10. Pope Francis (S89-S90) – 168 points in 144 games – S89 and S90 Top Defenceman @nurx
Another of the midtable pack of short but prolific stints, Pope Francis spent two seasons in Rome, fittingly, and was unmatched as the VHLE's finest defenceman in that time. The Gladiators fell short in the playoffs despite two strong runs, but no blame could fall on the Pope who delivered strong performances and made the most of his time in the E.

 
9. Aldwin Craig (S80-S84) – 320 points, 1,521 hits in 360 games – S82 Top Two-Way Forward, S81 Renaissance Cup @Eldredman
Ryan Li set the bar, but ultimately the man after whom the two-way forward trophy named is Aldwin Craig. After one unspectacular season in New York in S79, Craig joined the successful Vikings team of the early VHLE and was a formidable physical presence throughout his five seasons in Stockholm. The pinnacle came in season three with a scarcely believable 450 hits in 72 games – a marker was set and Craig's name immortalised.

 
8. Evan Bihler (S87-S89) – 98-76-11 .930 sv% 2.72 GAA – S89 MVP and Top Goaltender @Eb14
More recently known as Toronto's extremely dependable backup, Evan Bihler's time as starter in the VHLE was an indication of his underlying talent. Consistently putting up strong performances despite not being on the cup favourites, Bihler's crowning glory was S89, perhaps the VHLE's best goaltending season up to then which saw him crowned as MVP and left him well prepared for stepping in when needed for the Legion.

 
7. BjorkaBjorn BjornaBjorkson (S87-present) – 433 points in 432 games – S88 Playoff MVP, S87 Renaissance Cup @JardyB10
The first player to specifically target a career in the VHLE, BjornaBjorkson may be disappointed not to be at the top of this list yet, but still has time to add more crowning achievements and chase down Nagy AL's records. The accomplishments so far are impressive enough, with two 97-point seasons and a rare playoff MVP as a member of the losing finalist. His loyalty to Rome means he hasn't yet been the face of the best team in the league, but coming off his joint-best seasons yet in S92, there may well be more to come from the VHLE lifer.

 
6. Clark (S90-present) – 113-58-11 .928 sv% 2.32 GAA – S90 and S91 Renaissance Cup and Playoff MVP, S92 Top Goaltender and MVP @cl4rk
The Clark that was promised. From S89 (down in the VHLM with Las Vegas) through S91, Clark was playoff MVP and champion for three straight seasons, and the spell was only just broken in S92, albeit after a regular season .940 save percentage which was certainly the best goalie season we've seen yet. It will be interesting to see how Clark adapts to the new scoring-focused rules in the league but Cologne remains a formidable force while he is around so a place in top five is still on the cards.

 
5. Justin Lion (S87-S89) – 127-45-20 .930 sv% 2.10 GAA – S88 Top Goaltender, S87 and S89 Renaissance Cup @Emperor_Fun
A big part of the Express dynasty was the seamless transition to Clark from Justin Lion who came beforehand. Lion was an even more dominant force in the regular season, with three straight 40-win and .929 save percentage seasons, with Cologne riding that wave to two championships in that time. Lion has moved on to a starting role in the VHL but certainly the highlight to date is his VHLE achievements placing him as the league's second best goaltender ever.

 
4. Zeljko Ranogajec (S80-S83) – 326 points in 288 games – S81 Top Defenceman @ColeMrtz
Before Cologne had playoff success, they had Ranogajec, the best defenceman the VHLE has seen. In his sole VHL season before the VHLE opened its doors, Ranogajec won the Continental Cup with Malmo, and brought an edge to the E which was almost unmatched over his four seasons in the league. The highlight is definitely 103 assists in S81 and whilst a championship eluded the Express, Ranogajec's 11 assists brought them close in S82.

 
3. Orion D H Chiester IX (S80-S86) – 210-116-46 .923 sv% 2.63 GAA – S83, S84, and S85 Top Goaltender, S83 Renaissance Cup @Donno100
Barring continued success from Clark, Chiester's goaltending throne remains secure. Unlike other award names where some debate could be had, after being the league's best goalie for three seasons running, it was hard to argue against Chiester being the name for future netminders to look up to. After a slow start to life in Bratislava, that winning period was clearly his peak, but he also has strong career numbers having spent seven full seasons as the Watchmen's undisputed starter.

 
2. Fred Hampton (S85-S87) – 235 points in 216 games – S86 MVP, S87 Renaissance Cup and Playoff MVP @TownBizness
The man who kickstarted the Cologne dynasty? Perhaps. After a forgettable season in Geneva, Fred Hampton put up 200 points in just two seasons with the Express, being voted MVP both in the regular season and playoffs. Unusually for a player who spent that long in the VHLE, Hampton still went on to make a significant impact in the VHL, winning a championship with Prague and putting up a 98-point season in S90, but it all started with the formative years in Germany.

 
1. Sebastien Dokis (S83-S88) – 430 points in 418 games – S87 MVP, S86 Renaissance Cup @Sebastien
Eventually famous for being the oldest rookie to win the Continental Cup in S89, it was part of a long but ultimately successful path for Dokis through the VHLE. Whilst some of the players already ranked had higher peaks and some have higher career totals, Dokis has the best of both worlds – four seasons of being a solid performer before a big breakthrough with 115 points in S87. More importantly, the late graduation to the VHL and finding more success there is a perfect story of how different VHLE journeys can be enjoyable which feels like a worthy story for top spot.

Best VHLE Players of All Time
I am about to embark on my first ever season VHLE, ironic as that is given I was one of the two founding commissioners 13 seasons ago. As such, whilst it is no notable anniversary or milestone for the league itself, I thought it was an opportune moment to look at the VHLE's past, specifically the best players to grace the league so far.
 
We're not counting one-season stars on their way up to the VHL, such as Omi Aberg and Kyosti Karjalainen in the VHLE's early days, future Hall of Famer and MVP trophy namesake Ronan Lavelle, or John Jameson and Jasper Davis more recently. These players wrote their name into the VHLE history books but haven't truly become part of its fabric; for them the league was more of a necessary pitstop.
 
Instead, this is a ranking of an arbitrarily selected 21 players who are best known for their VHLE exploits. Let's begin the countdown.

 
21. Al Land (S85-S91) – 379 points in 432 games – S89, S90, and S91 Renaissance Cup @Big Dee
Populating several slots towards the bottom of the ranking are the “lifers”, in particular those who managed to land on some of the dynasties that have come about in the second half of the VHLE's life so far. Al Land fits that bill perfectly, spending six seasons in the E, five of them on the Cologne juggernaut which swept all before them en route to a threepeat to end Land's career. Land never matched this 123-point season in the VHLM which earned him three individual awards in S84 but was a familiar face to VHLE fans and clearly a born winner, retiring with two Founder's Cups and three Renaissance Cups from nine seasons overall.

 
20. Adeline Delle Donne (S82-S89) – 490 points in 572 games – S87 Top Two-Way Forward, S83 and S88 Renaissance Cup @Dtayl
One of the all-time top scorers of the VHLE comes in at number 20 on this list having nearly cracked the 500-point mark largely thanks to longevity rather than being an individual standout. There was certainly a peak in S87 with 107 points and her only individual award but consistency was the name of the game for the most part. Delle Donne played for four of the current six VHLE franchises over her eight-season career, making the playoffs with each one and helping both Bratislava and Oslo to championships. Certainly a VHLE cult hero.

 
19. Arthur Kimura (S80-S88) – 477 points in 640 games – S80, S82, and S85 Renaissance Cup @FBR
Sneaking in ahead of Delle Donne in the longevity rankings, Arthur Kimura still stands as one of just three players with three or more Renaissance Cups, despite retiring pre-Cologne threepeat and more impressively doing it with three different franchises (Vasteras, Rome, and Oslo). In all, Kimura suited up for six VHLE teams, a genuine nomad who encapsulates the VHLE model – someone who would have been considered a burden on the depth chart of VHL teams pre-VHLE but managed to have a reasonably successful career at a lower level.

 
18. Rhys Trenton (S80-S81, S85-S86) – 277 points in 288 games – S85 Top Defenceman, S86 Renaissance Cup @DeeGoat
On the subject of archetypal VHLE players, here is an interesting case study of someone who started in the E, impressed enough to make the jump to the VHL (after a 99-point season as a defenceman in S81), held his own in the big leagues for a little while, but ultimately went back to the comfort zone for his best VHLE seasons. Fittingly, Rhys Trenton's three VHL seasons were all with European teams (London, Malmo, and Prague) and he was named the VHLE's best defenceman when moving to Rome in S85 before bowing out with a cup in S86.

 
17. Travis Clark (S84-S90) – 180-108-27 .929 sv% 2.53 GAA – S90 Top Goaltender @ClarkClanT
The first goalie and first Clark on our list, here is another player who had a VHL stint, albeit just one backup season with Davos back in S85. After another backup season in the VHLE with Oslo, an impressive 100% record convinced GMs that Clark was starter quality and he remained among the league's best for the remaining four seasons of his career. Individual glory came in his final season, which was also the closest Travis Clark came to the Renaissance Cup (losing to the other Clark in the final), but arguably S87 was his best regular season. A couple near misses push this Clark down the list however.

 
16. Nagy AL (S82-S90) – 560 points in 648 games – S84 and S88 Renaissance Cup @bigAL
Although VHLE career statistics are not tracked anywhere, Nagy AL is probably the all-time leader in points and games played. Possibly blocked shots as well. He never quite dominated the league but with 60-80 point seasons generally as a defenceman and two cups, he was ever-present for nine seasons of the league's existence. AL spent most of his time in Istanbul, winning that franchise's only Renaissance Cup before bouncing around the league, adding a championship with Oslo in S88 and having his individual best season in S89.

 
15. Jordan Bennett (S84-S85, S87-S92) – 463 points in 576 games – S87, S88, S90, and S91 Renaissance Cup @Plate
A perfect example of a late-bloomer and the impact of a position change. After two unimpressive seasons as a forward and even more so when playing that position for one season in Moscow in the VHL, Cologne's management moved Bennett to defence and reaped the benefits as he won three cups in four finals during his four-season stay in Germany. In between, Bennett snuck in another championship with Oslo in S88, making him the all-time leader in Renaissance Cups. Although his VHLE seasons were more solid than spectacular, that winning run more than earns a place on this list.

 
14. The Loch Ness Monster (S80-S84) – 363 points in 360 games – S81 Renaissance Cup @LuluSalesAway
Carrying on the streak of defencemen is the mythical Loch Ness Monster. He/she/they were actually in the VHL before the VHLE's formation, but fit in well into a five-season stint with Stockholm upon the league's creation. S81 was the highlight with 94 points in the regular season, and a tremendous return of 17 points from just 9 games in the playoffs en route to the Vikings' Renaissance Cup victory. The Monster remained a mainstay in Stockholm through to its retirement.

 
13. Florida Man (S80-S81) – 140 points in 144 games – S81 Renaissance Cup and Playoff MVP @zepheter
First trophy namesake on the list, Florida Man just about makes the cut despite only two seasons in the VHLE. As they were the first two seasons of the league, and Man's 20-point playoff performance in S81 was good enough to be more impressive than Loch Ness Monster's above, we have to afford bonus points here for being a formative part of the VHLE. Apart from the S81 playoffs, Florida Man didn't massively stand out in his two seasons in Stockholm, but with his VHL career being equally consistent without a massive breakthrough, this is not a case of someone using the league a stepping stone but instead becoming part of its fabric.

 
12. Sigma Freud (S87-S89) – 177 points in 216 games – S89 Top Defenceman, S89 Playoff MVP, S87 and S89 Renaissance Cup @CODENAMEJIMMY
Up next is in effect Florida Man a decade later, a short but memorable stint with a successful franchise. Sigma Freud joined the Cologne Express as they began to assert dominance on the VHLE, being a cog in the wheel for his first championship in S87. By his final VHLE season, in S89, Freud was now one of the leaders of the team, considered the league's best defenceman after a 94-point seasons and playoff MVP en route to another cup.

 
11. Ryan Li (S80-S81) – 191 points, 601 hits in 144 games – S80 and S81 Top Two-Way Forward @Ryan Li
A mix of several worlds – Ryan Li was someone who bounced between the VHL and VHLE and also did a lot in a short period of time in Europe. Li's career predated the league, as he spent a few seasons in a rebuilding Vancouver. Moving to the VHLE just as the Wolves embarked on their threepeat clearly inspired him as he had two of the best two-way forward seasons the league has seen, setting the bar for all those to come after him. Li then made his way back to Vancouver in time for their third cup, making his time in the E worth it.

 
10. Pope Francis (S89-S90) – 168 points in 144 games – S89 and S90 Top Defenceman @nurx
Another of the midtable pack of short but prolific stints, Pope Francis spent two seasons in Rome, fittingly, and was unmatched as the VHLE's finest defenceman in that time. The Gladiators fell short in the playoffs despite two strong runs, but no blame could fall on the Pope who delivered strong performances and made the most of his time in the E.

 
9. Aldwin Craig (S80-S84) – 320 points, 1,521 hits in 360 games – S82 Top Two-Way Forward, S81 Renaissance Cup @Eldredman
Ryan Li set the bar, but ultimately the man after whom the two-way forward trophy named is Aldwin Craig. After one unspectacular season in New York in S79, Craig joined the successful Vikings team of the early VHLE and was a formidable physical presence throughout his five seasons in Stockholm. The pinnacle came in season three with a scarcely believable 450 hits in 72 games – a marker was set and Craig's name immortalised.

 
8. Evan Bihler (S87-S89) – 98-76-11 .930 sv% 2.72 GAA – S89 MVP and Top Goaltender @Eb14
More recently known as Toronto's extremely dependable backup, Evan Bihler's time as starter in the VHLE was an indication of his underlying talent. Consistently putting up strong performances despite not being on the cup favourites, Bihler's crowning glory was S89, perhaps the VHLE's best goaltending season up to then which saw him crowned as MVP and left him well prepared for stepping in when needed for the Legion.

 
7. BjorkaBjorn BjornaBjorkson (S87-present) – 433 points in 432 games – S88 Playoff MVP, S87 Renaissance Cup @JardyB10
The first player to specifically target a career in the VHLE, BjornaBjorkson may be disappointed not to be at the top of this list yet, but still has time to add more crowning achievements and chase down Nagy AL's records. The accomplishments so far are impressive enough, with two 97-point seasons and a rare playoff MVP as a member of the losing finalist. His loyalty to Rome means he hasn't yet been the face of the best team in the league, but coming off his joint-best seasons yet in S92, there may well be more to come from the VHLE lifer.

 
6. Clark (S90-present) – 113-58-11 .928 sv% 2.32 GAA – S90 and S91 Renaissance Cup and Playoff MVP, S92 Top Goaltender and MVP @cl4rk
The Clark that was promised. From S89 (down in the VHLM with Las Vegas) through S91, Clark was playoff MVP and champion for three straight seasons, and the spell was only just broken in S92, albeit after a regular season .940 save percentage which was certainly the best goalie season we've seen yet. It will be interesting to see how Clark adapts to the new scoring-focused rules in the league but Cologne remains a formidable force while he is around so a place in top five is still on the cards.

 
5. Justin Lion (S87-S89) – 127-45-20 .930 sv% 2.10 GAA – S88 Top Goaltender, S87 and S89 Renaissance Cup @Emperor_Fun
A big part of the Express dynasty was the seamless transition to Clark from Justin Lion who came beforehand. Lion was an even more dominant force in the regular season, with three straight 40-win and .929 save percentage seasons, with Cologne riding that wave to two championships in that time. Lion has moved on to a starting role in the VHL but certainly the highlight to date is his VHLE achievements placing him as the league's second best goaltender ever.

 
4. Zeljko Ranogajec (S80-S83) – 326 points in 288 games – S81 Top Defenceman @ColeMrtz
Before Cologne had playoff success, they had Ranogajec, the best defenceman the VHLE has seen. In his sole VHL season before the VHLE opened its doors, Ranogajec won the Continental Cup with Malmo, and brought an edge to the E which was almost unmatched over his four seasons in the league. The highlight is definitely 103 assists in S81 and whilst a championship eluded the Express, Ranogajec's 11 assists brought them close in S82.

 
3. Orion D H Chiester IX (S80-S86) – 210-116-46 .923 sv% 2.63 GAA – S83, S84, and S85 Top Goaltender, S83 Renaissance Cup @Donno100
Barring continued success from Clark, Chiester's goaltending throne remains secure. Unlike other award names where some debate could be had, after being the league's best goalie for three seasons running, it was hard to argue against Chiester being the name for future netminders to look up to. After a slow start to life in Bratislava, that winning period was clearly his peak, but he also has strong career numbers having spent seven full seasons as the Watchmen's undisputed starter.

 
2. Fred Hampton (S85-S87) – 235 points in 216 games – S86 MVP, S87 Renaissance Cup and Playoff MVP @TownBizness
The man who kickstarted the Cologne dynasty? Perhaps. After a forgettable season in Geneva, Fred Hampton put up 200 points in just two seasons with the Express, being voted MVP both in the regular season and playoffs. Unusually for a player who spent that long in the VHLE, Hampton still went on to make a significant impact in the VHL, winning a championship with Prague and putting up a 98-point season in S90, but it all started with the formative years in Germany.

 
1. Sebastien Dokis (S83-S88) – 430 points in 418 games – S87 MVP, S86 Renaissance Cup @Sebastien
Eventually famous for being the oldest rookie to win the Continental Cup in S89, it was part of a long but ultimately successful path for Dokis through the VHLE. Whilst some of the players already ranked had higher peaks and some have higher career totals, Dokis has the best of both worlds – four seasons of being a solid performer before a big breakthrough with 115 points in S87. More importantly, the late graduation to the VHL and finding more success there is a perfect story of how different VHLE journeys can be enjoyable which feels like a worthy story for top spot.

Everyone trying to hype us up smh

Practice facility is actually what keeps me going weekly

A day earlier than scheduled as I'm at an event tomorrow. In any case this is quite a short one this season as we have no Builders to induct and just one player.
 
D - Jake Thunder, S84-S91 
RS: 576 GP, 121 G, 531 A, 652 P, +151, 1,317 PIM, 1,696 HIT, 1,276 SB, 19 GW
PO: 98 GP, 25 G, 84 A, 109 P, -7, 259 PIM, 299 HIT, 246 SB, 4 GW
 
S85 Dustin Funk Trophy (Most Improved)
S88 Alexander Beketov Trophy (Most Assists)
S89 Daisuke Kanou Trophy (Playoff MVP)
S90 Sterling Labatte Trophy (Top Defenceman)
S90 Jake Wylde Trophy (Top Defensive Defenceman)
2x All-VHL First Team (S88, S90)
4x All-VHL Second Team (S85, S86, S89, S91)
One Continental Cup (S89)
 
But what a player it is. One of the best players in the hybrid era, one of the best defencemen in the 16-team era, and we can probably start the debate on his place in the all-time list. Jake @Thunder flew under the radar at the S93 draft, only going 19th overall, but what a steal that proved to be for Davos, who got 7 straight 80-point seasons out of Thunder, 6 elections to the top four defencemen in the VHL, and most importantly several deep playoff runs, two finals, and a first Continental Cup in nearly 30 seasons. Thunder and goalie Lachlan Summers invoked Dynamo dynasties of the past like those of Jenskovic and Devereux, and Bergqvist and Kanou. But even aside from franchise importance, Thunder also lands in the top 30 all-time of the defencemen stats that matter (assists, points, hits, shot blocks) and top 5 when just considering the playoffs. An all-time great first-gen career for sure and I'm glad you're back from a brief hiatus to allow me to congratulate you on a well-deserved Hall of Fame induction!
 
Voting results
Jake Thunder - 11/11
----
Voittu Jannula - 4/11
Papa Emeritus - 3/11
Bo Johansson - 2/11
Nico Pearce - 1/11
Kristof Welch, Paul Atreides, Oskar Lindbergh, Zach Kisslinger II, Hammar Voss - 0/11

it is the history of the vasteras

Best VHLE Players of All Time
I am about to embark on my first ever season VHLE, ironic as that is given I was one of the two founding commissioners 13 seasons ago. As such, whilst it is no notable anniversary or milestone for the league itself, I thought it was an opportune moment to look at the VHLE's past, specifically the best players to grace the league so far.
 
We're not counting one-season stars on their way up to the VHL, such as Omi Aberg and Kyosti Karjalainen in the VHLE's early days, future Hall of Famer and MVP trophy namesake Ronan Lavelle, or John Jameson and Jasper Davis more recently. These players wrote their name into the VHLE history books but haven't truly become part of its fabric; for them the league was more of a necessary pitstop.
 
Instead, this is a ranking of an arbitrarily selected 21 players who are best known for their VHLE exploits. Let's begin the countdown.

 
21. Al Land (S85-S91) – 379 points in 432 games – S89, S90, and S91 Renaissance Cup @Big Dee
Populating several slots towards the bottom of the ranking are the “lifers”, in particular those who managed to land on some of the dynasties that have come about in the second half of the VHLE's life so far. Al Land fits that bill perfectly, spending six seasons in the E, five of them on the Cologne juggernaut which swept all before them en route to a threepeat to end Land's career. Land never matched this 123-point season in the VHLM which earned him three individual awards in S84 but was a familiar face to VHLE fans and clearly a born winner, retiring with two Founder's Cups and three Renaissance Cups from nine seasons overall.

 
20. Adeline Delle Donne (S82-S89) – 490 points in 572 games – S87 Top Two-Way Forward, S83 and S88 Renaissance Cup @Dtayl
One of the all-time top scorers of the VHLE comes in at number 20 on this list having nearly cracked the 500-point mark largely thanks to longevity rather than being an individual standout. There was certainly a peak in S87 with 107 points and her only individual award but consistency was the name of the game for the most part. Delle Donne played for four of the current six VHLE franchises over her eight-season career, making the playoffs with each one and helping both Bratislava and Oslo to championships. Certainly a VHLE cult hero.

 
19. Arthur Kimura (S80-S88) – 477 points in 640 games – S80, S82, and S85 Renaissance Cup @FBR
Sneaking in ahead of Delle Donne in the longevity rankings, Arthur Kimura still stands as one of just three players with three or more Renaissance Cups, despite retiring pre-Cologne threepeat and more impressively doing it with three different franchises (Vasteras, Rome, and Oslo). In all, Kimura suited up for six VHLE teams, a genuine nomad who encapsulates the VHLE model – someone who would have been considered a burden on the depth chart of VHL teams pre-VHLE but managed to have a reasonably successful career at a lower level.

 
18. Rhys Trenton (S80-S81, S85-S86) – 277 points in 288 games – S85 Top Defenceman, S86 Renaissance Cup @DeeGoat
On the subject of archetypal VHLE players, here is an interesting case study of someone who started in the E, impressed enough to make the jump to the VHL (after a 99-point season as a defenceman in S81), held his own in the big leagues for a little while, but ultimately went back to the comfort zone for his best VHLE seasons. Fittingly, Rhys Trenton's three VHL seasons were all with European teams (London, Malmo, and Prague) and he was named the VHLE's best defenceman when moving to Rome in S85 before bowing out with a cup in S86.

 
17. Travis Clark (S84-S90) – 180-108-27 .929 sv% 2.53 GAA – S90 Top Goaltender @ClarkClanT
The first goalie and first Clark on our list, here is another player who had a VHL stint, albeit just one backup season with Davos back in S85. After another backup season in the VHLE with Oslo, an impressive 100% record convinced GMs that Clark was starter quality and he remained among the league's best for the remaining four seasons of his career. Individual glory came in his final season, which was also the closest Travis Clark came to the Renaissance Cup (losing to the other Clark in the final), but arguably S87 was his best regular season. A couple near misses push this Clark down the list however.

 
16. Nagy AL (S82-S90) – 560 points in 648 games – S84 and S88 Renaissance Cup @bigAL
Although VHLE career statistics are not tracked anywhere, Nagy AL is probably the all-time leader in points and games played. Possibly blocked shots as well. He never quite dominated the league but with 60-80 point seasons generally as a defenceman and two cups, he was ever-present for nine seasons of the league's existence. AL spent most of his time in Istanbul, winning that franchise's only Renaissance Cup before bouncing around the league, adding a championship with Oslo in S88 and having his individual best season in S89.

 
15. Jordan Bennett (S84-S85, S87-S92) – 463 points in 576 games – S87, S88, S90, and S91 Renaissance Cup @Plate
A perfect example of a late-bloomer and the impact of a position change. After two unimpressive seasons as a forward and even more so when playing that position for one season in Moscow in the VHL, Cologne's management moved Bennett to defence and reaped the benefits as he won three cups in four finals during his four-season stay in Germany. In between, Bennett snuck in another championship with Oslo in S88, making him the all-time leader in Renaissance Cups. Although his VHLE seasons were more solid than spectacular, that winning run more than earns a place on this list.

 
14. The Loch Ness Monster (S80-S84) – 363 points in 360 games – S81 Renaissance Cup @LuluSalesAway
Carrying on the streak of defencemen is the mythical Loch Ness Monster. He/she/they were actually in the VHL before the VHLE's formation, but fit in well into a five-season stint with Stockholm upon the league's creation. S81 was the highlight with 94 points in the regular season, and a tremendous return of 17 points from just 9 games in the playoffs en route to the Vikings' Renaissance Cup victory. The Monster remained a mainstay in Stockholm through to its retirement.

 
13. Florida Man (S80-S81) – 140 points in 144 games – S81 Renaissance Cup and Playoff MVP @zepheter
First trophy namesake on the list, Florida Man just about makes the cut despite only two seasons in the VHLE. As they were the first two seasons of the league, and Man's 20-point playoff performance in S81 was good enough to be more impressive than Loch Ness Monster's above, we have to afford bonus points here for being a formative part of the VHLE. Apart from the S81 playoffs, Florida Man didn't massively stand out in his two seasons in Stockholm, but with his VHL career being equally consistent without a massive breakthrough, this is not a case of someone using the league a stepping stone but instead becoming part of its fabric.

 
12. Sigma Freud (S87-S89) – 177 points in 216 games – S89 Top Defenceman, S89 Playoff MVP, S87 and S89 Renaissance Cup @CODENAMEJIMMY
Up next is in effect Florida Man a decade later, a short but memorable stint with a successful franchise. Sigma Freud joined the Cologne Express as they began to assert dominance on the VHLE, being a cog in the wheel for his first championship in S87. By his final VHLE season, in S89, Freud was now one of the leaders of the team, considered the league's best defenceman after a 94-point seasons and playoff MVP en route to another cup.

 
11. Ryan Li (S80-S81) – 191 points, 601 hits in 144 games – S80 and S81 Top Two-Way Forward @Ryan Li
A mix of several worlds – Ryan Li was someone who bounced between the VHL and VHLE and also did a lot in a short period of time in Europe. Li's career predated the league, as he spent a few seasons in a rebuilding Vancouver. Moving to the VHLE just as the Wolves embarked on their threepeat clearly inspired him as he had two of the best two-way forward seasons the league has seen, setting the bar for all those to come after him. Li then made his way back to Vancouver in time for their third cup, making his time in the E worth it.

 
10. Pope Francis (S89-S90) – 168 points in 144 games – S89 and S90 Top Defenceman @nurx
Another of the midtable pack of short but prolific stints, Pope Francis spent two seasons in Rome, fittingly, and was unmatched as the VHLE's finest defenceman in that time. The Gladiators fell short in the playoffs despite two strong runs, but no blame could fall on the Pope who delivered strong performances and made the most of his time in the E.

 
9. Aldwin Craig (S80-S84) – 320 points, 1,521 hits in 360 games – S82 Top Two-Way Forward, S81 Renaissance Cup @Eldredman
Ryan Li set the bar, but ultimately the man after whom the two-way forward trophy named is Aldwin Craig. After one unspectacular season in New York in S79, Craig joined the successful Vikings team of the early VHLE and was a formidable physical presence throughout his five seasons in Stockholm. The pinnacle came in season three with a scarcely believable 450 hits in 72 games – a marker was set and Craig's name immortalised.

 
8. Evan Bihler (S87-S89) – 98-76-11 .930 sv% 2.72 GAA – S89 MVP and Top Goaltender @Eb14
More recently known as Toronto's extremely dependable backup, Evan Bihler's time as starter in the VHLE was an indication of his underlying talent. Consistently putting up strong performances despite not being on the cup favourites, Bihler's crowning glory was S89, perhaps the VHLE's best goaltending season up to then which saw him crowned as MVP and left him well prepared for stepping in when needed for the Legion.

 
7. BjorkaBjorn BjornaBjorkson (S87-present) – 433 points in 432 games – S88 Playoff MVP, S87 Renaissance Cup @JardyB10
The first player to specifically target a career in the VHLE, BjornaBjorkson may be disappointed not to be at the top of this list yet, but still has time to add more crowning achievements and chase down Nagy AL's records. The accomplishments so far are impressive enough, with two 97-point seasons and a rare playoff MVP as a member of the losing finalist. His loyalty to Rome means he hasn't yet been the face of the best team in the league, but coming off his joint-best seasons yet in S92, there may well be more to come from the VHLE lifer.

 
6. Clark (S90-present) – 113-58-11 .928 sv% 2.32 GAA – S90 and S91 Renaissance Cup and Playoff MVP, S92 Top Goaltender and MVP @cl4rk
The Clark that was promised. From S89 (down in the VHLM with Las Vegas) through S91, Clark was playoff MVP and champion for three straight seasons, and the spell was only just broken in S92, albeit after a regular season .940 save percentage which was certainly the best goalie season we've seen yet. It will be interesting to see how Clark adapts to the new scoring-focused rules in the league but Cologne remains a formidable force while he is around so a place in top five is still on the cards.

 
5. Justin Lion (S87-S89) – 127-45-20 .930 sv% 2.10 GAA – S88 Top Goaltender, S87 and S89 Renaissance Cup @Emperor_Fun
A big part of the Express dynasty was the seamless transition to Clark from Justin Lion who came beforehand. Lion was an even more dominant force in the regular season, with three straight 40-win and .929 save percentage seasons, with Cologne riding that wave to two championships in that time. Lion has moved on to a starting role in the VHL but certainly the highlight to date is his VHLE achievements placing him as the league's second best goaltender ever.

 
4. Zeljko Ranogajec (S80-S83) – 326 points in 288 games – S81 Top Defenceman @ColeMrtz
Before Cologne had playoff success, they had Ranogajec, the best defenceman the VHLE has seen. In his sole VHL season before the VHLE opened its doors, Ranogajec won the Continental Cup with Malmo, and brought an edge to the E which was almost unmatched over his four seasons in the league. The highlight is definitely 103 assists in S81 and whilst a championship eluded the Express, Ranogajec's 11 assists brought them close in S82.

 
3. Orion D H Chiester IX (S80-S86) – 210-116-46 .923 sv% 2.63 GAA – S83, S84, and S85 Top Goaltender, S83 Renaissance Cup @Donno100
Barring continued success from Clark, Chiester's goaltending throne remains secure. Unlike other award names where some debate could be had, after being the league's best goalie for three seasons running, it was hard to argue against Chiester being the name for future netminders to look up to. After a slow start to life in Bratislava, that winning period was clearly his peak, but he also has strong career numbers having spent seven full seasons as the Watchmen's undisputed starter.

 
2. Fred Hampton (S85-S87) – 235 points in 216 games – S86 MVP, S87 Renaissance Cup and Playoff MVP @TownBizness
The man who kickstarted the Cologne dynasty? Perhaps. After a forgettable season in Geneva, Fred Hampton put up 200 points in just two seasons with the Express, being voted MVP both in the regular season and playoffs. Unusually for a player who spent that long in the VHLE, Hampton still went on to make a significant impact in the VHL, winning a championship with Prague and putting up a 98-point season in S90, but it all started with the formative years in Germany.

 
1. Sebastien Dokis (S83-S88) – 430 points in 418 games – S87 MVP, S86 Renaissance Cup @Sebastien
Eventually famous for being the oldest rookie to win the Continental Cup in S89, it was part of a long but ultimately successful path for Dokis through the VHLE. Whilst some of the players already ranked had higher peaks and some have higher career totals, Dokis has the best of both worlds – four seasons of being a solid performer before a big breakthrough with 115 points in S87. More importantly, the late graduation to the VHL and finding more success there is a perfect story of how different VHLE journeys can be enjoyable which feels like a worthy story for top spot.

About to dominate like it's the first season in VHL history or something

Spreadsheet showing every WJC teams placement/medal history 
link