Corco

NY should just get good.

It's Theme Week, Huh?
 
In Season 63, the VHL brought back its Theme Weeks. Each with a distinct theme, they allow the VHL’s members to write articles or create graphics in line with the theme. All in all, I think it’s a positive development - it’s a fun way to think outside the box and have members engage with weekly content in a different way.
 
However, not all Theme Weeks are created equal. Here’s my rundown of each season’s theme, from best to worst. As you’ll soon find, there is a reason I’m doing this. And remember, this is one guy's dumb opinion.
 
1. Season 67: VHL Expansion: Timed to be right before D.C. and Prague were introduced in Season 68, this theme was an excellent way to get members’ creative juices flowing, both in articles and in graphics. This isn’t a theme that’s easily replicable, but it provided some ideas the league could turn to in another round of expansion as well. It’s also a bit more broad than Season 64 below.
 
2. Season 69: Unsung Heroes: This was the perfect type of esoteric theme to me: It provided enough wiggle room that everyone’s definition of an unsung hero could be a little bit different, but still enough boundaries to make the content targeted and interesting. I really enjoyed reading/looking at this season’s entries.
 
3. Season 66: Playoffs: The playoffs are always what the member base shoots to be involved in, and I welcome the celebration of those playoffs. This allows for both VHL and VHLM playoffs as well, giving a little shine to the minor league division for potential exploration.
 
4. Season 64: League Expansion: This one is similar to Season 67’s above, but it was limited specifically to the teams imminently coming into the VHL (Moscow and Malmo) and VHLM, recently relocated franchises, and upcoming expansion drafts. Being so limited knocks this one a little bit, but I do like the potential for creativity.
 
5. Season 70: Potential Hall of Famers: I like the topic a lot for me personally and to promote engagement, but out of all of these, it’s probably the one that took the most work. Identifying potential Hall of Famers in an actual sense takes at least more than a passing knowledge of league history; that’s why a lot of people ended up with potential Hall of Famers that weren’t really HOF-worthy.
 
6. Season 63: Sponsor’s Shield Tournament: The Sponsor’s Shield Tournament didn’t last too much longer beyond this theme week, so I think that’s a good indicator of how people felt about it. It’s a fine enough topic on its own, and I understand the impetus of using the theme week to get people interested, but it doesn’t stand the test of time well.
 
7. Season 65: Season 66 Draft: I’m all for getting newer players a new platform, but having the entire league focus specifically on one draft doesn’t give much variation in what people are writing. It’s mock drafts, player profiles, potentially team needs, and… not much else, really.
 
8. Season 68: League History: As already explored, I’m all for themes that allow newer players to engage with the league’s history in a way that they never thought. This one was a bit broad for me though. Going too narrow can be an issue, but so too can giving new players 60+ seasons of a canvas with no palette.
 
9. Season 71: Recruitment: There’s just nothing new and novel to write about this. None whatsoever. Chances are, most of the topics that will be put up have already been debated in some form, or if they haven’t been, they’re likely too ludicrous to even be seriously considered. I’m all for the increased exchange of ideas, but there has to be a better way to solicit suggestions from the wider VHL user base that doesn't involve a number of people throwing things at the wall, right? Maybe I’m wrong, and an idea generated during this week will provide a boost to carry this wonderful league right into triple digit seasons, or we'll stumble upon the perfect infographic to generate engagement. But judging by the preponderance of “So. About Recruitment.” topic titles already, and it’s only Monday, I feel like many are in the same no-idea boat that I was in.

I never understood the idea of us being elitist when we are so clearly better than everyone else.

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Recruitment is vital to any online sim league; without a strong recruitment efforts, leagues would grow stagnant with members and slowly begin to die (and I believe that was what was beginning to happen in the VHL a short time ago, but I wasn't active at the time so I'm not 100% positive). Always having a fresh batch of newer members provides a league with a new perspective, as those newer members often have the freshest idea for what will bring people to the league, and I feel like the current VHL does a very good job of that. League management understands the importance of having a strong recruiting system, and promotes it with aplomb, however it wasn’t always this way.
 
Now, this is going off my memory, which may not be 100% accurate, but when I joined the league ~2013, recruitment was not NEARLY as intense as it is today. I was only on the SHL at that time, and I had only heard about the VHL in some casual chatter with some SHLers, so I went to check it out and see for myself. I likely received a welcome PM, but I can’t recall. The main point is that I immediately felt unwelcome, as I could feel a sense of elitism with the VHL, with certain members postulating that the VHL was the “big boy” sim league, and other leagues, especially the SHL, were seen as childish and inferior. Now, the members saying those things weren’t league management, but still, to hear that as a new member was not a good sign. In my first few seasons in the league I felt like this mindset persisted, and eventually it went away, but I cannot remember if it went away because I just got used to it, or because it actually went away. Thankfully, I don’t feel like the league acts like this as much anymore, but then again, I’m also not the most active person in the Discord, which is where most league discussion takes place now, so I could be wrong.
 
The league has many more features that aid in member retention now in comparison to when I joined; the portal, improvement in the VHLM, World Juniors, etc. Mentioning the World Juniors is a bit of a toot to my own horn, as I created it when I was VHLM Commissioner in S55, but all of the additions have been fantastic; if the portal had been around when I first joined the league, I feel like the VHL would be even further along in its development as a sim league than it is right now. Don’t get me wrong, I think the VHL is in a VERY good place right now in terms of member retention and recruitment, but hey, it could always be better right? I’ve always been interested in what the maximum amount of players the VHL could have would be, and if you had told me 30 seasons ago how many active members we would have now, I wouldn’t have believed you.
 

There was only one notable thing about Edwin THE Encarnacion right now and he’s only gone and fucked it up hasn’t he? All he had to do was follow the damn TPE train! 
 
But yes, for the first time in his not-even-remotely storied career, Edwin THE Encarnacion has failed to achieve the 12 TPE cap in a given week as he’s had to submit for welfare citing an “unwillingness to move his monitor from one room to another at 11 PM at night”, which we can only assume is some kind of hockey jargon or Canadian slang. As a result for his failings in the 11th hour, Encarnacion will appropriately only get 11 TPE this week, which will not hurt his progress in any way shape or form, and (as someone who came from an era where a welfare player only had access to a max of what, 6-7 TPE?) that feels really weird. 

Legion's Playoff Hopes Dwindling

A recent three-game losing streak has put a damper on Toronto's playoff hopes
 
TORONTO, Ontario - No one predicted the Toronto Legion to even be in the playoff conversation this season, let alone this deep into it, so the fact that they even are is a testament to how much the team has improved in comparison to last years squad. Up until now, the Legion were able to stay in the hunt thanks to strong play by veterans Aron Nielsen and Zeno Miniti, as well as admirable  goaltending from rookie Jaxx Hextall, but it looks like their luck may finally be running out. In the last three games, the Legion have been outscored by a combined total of 12-3 (6-2 Seattle, 5-1 New York, & 1-0 DC), and all of those games were against conference opponents above them in the playoff picture. Toronto's next four games include three against NA opponents, and they will almost certainly need to win all three of those games to even have the slightest chance of sneaking into the playoffs. This is a make-or-break weekend for the Legion's S71 hopes.

For everyone who actually searches for trivia @Esso2264 @GustavMattias, everything previously in this forum is now here: https://vhlforum.com/forum/77-vhl-hall-of-fame/ (including the subforums)
 
That includes career stats @Corco before you have a heart attack.

HISTORICAL BATTLES - EDITION 1.0
Gabriel McAllister vs. Matt Thompson
 
OVERVIEW
These two legendary Victory Hockey League forwards have become faces of the generation in the midst of some of the top offensive performers the league has seen since its inauguration. Gabriel McAllister ruled much of the 50’s, with his rookie season coming in Season 56 and his final season happening in Season 63.  Matt Thompson is a more recent retiree, finishing up in Season 68 and starting during McAllister’s later years, in Season 61.  
 
There were a few reasons that I decided to make this my first historical battle.  One is that they are both relatively recent players (last twenty years) which makes finding the information pretty simple.  Second, both players were tremendous offensive players who put up nearly identical statistical totals while also being very physical players.  Third, they both spent five or more seasons in Seattle, leaving towards the beginning of their regression period for other teams that play over in Europe.  There are so many parallels between these two players and the fact that they briefly crossed paths makes it that much more of an interesting study.
 
I personally have no idea who will come out better in the end, and I think that’s the true measure of whether this is a good matchup or not.  I know McAllister has a likely more prolific awards cabinet while Thompson finished with a more legendary resume when it came to scoring goals.  Admittedly, as I write this, I haven’t checked whether or not one of them stood out more internationally, or finished in the top ten in scoring more or even how their eras compare.  Therefore, get strapped in for this in-depth comparison as we look at the careers of these two-way legends of the Victory Hockey League.
 
JUNIORS
These two players have pretty different experiences in the VHLM, and while I won’t really be weighing these accomplishments in the overall verdict, I think they are at least worth looking at.  
 
Gabriel McAllister
Regular Season
Season 54 (SSK): 17 GP, 13-8-21, +10, 17 HIT, 2 GW
Season 55 (SSK): 72 GP, 58-56-114, +37, 95 HIT, 11 GW
Total Regular Season: 89 GP, 71-64-135, +47, 112 HIT, 13 GW
 
Playoffs
Season 54 (SSK): 11 GP, 12-9-21, +5, 15 HIT, 3 GW
Season 55 (SSK): 10 GP, 9-12-21, +11, 12 HIT, 3 GW
Total Playoffs: 21 GP, 21-21-42, +16, 27 HIT, 6 GW
 
International
Season 55 (USA WJC): 8 GP, 5-7-12, +2, 9 HIT, 0 GW
Total International: 8 GP, 5-7-12, +2, 9 HIT, 0 GW
 
Gabriel McAllister had an incredible time in the VHLM, recording 21 points in his first 17 games after being signed by the Saskatoon Wild to a one year contract.  This is rather unheard of as most players struggle extensively in their pre-draft year. He would cap this off by tallying a ridiculous 12 goals and 21 points in 11 playoff games, on route to the Skylar Rift Trophy for Playoff MVP, despite the fact that the Wild lost in the Founders Cup finals.  
 
McAllister’s second VHLM season was even more impressive than his first, as he finished his post-draft season with 58 goals and 114 points in 72 games.  The Wild would visit the finals for a second consecutive season with this one ending up differently. The Wild would win the Founders Cup in four games and McAllister would win his second straight Skylar Rift Trophy by recording 9 goals and 21 points in 10 games.  He became the second player to ever win two straight Rift Trophies, with Atticus von Braxton IV being the only other to accomplish this. Finishing off his season, McAllister would play 8 games at the WJC for Team USA, recording 12 points, showing he was truly elite among his peers.
 
Matt Thompson
Regular Season
Season 59 (YUK): 20 GP, 0-0-0, +10, 14 HIT, 0 GW
Season 60 (OTT): 72 GP, 35-28-63, +10, 105 HIT, 6 GW
Total Regular Season: 92 GP, 35-28-63, +20, 119 HIT, 6 GW
 
Playoffs
Season 59 (YUK): 10 GP, 0-2-2, +7, 9 HIT, 0 GW
Season 60 (OTT): 13 GP, 7-3-10, +4, 17 HIT, 3 GW
Total Playoffs: 23 GP, 7-5-12, +11, 26 HIT, 3 GW
 
Matt Thompson, on the other hand, accomplished far less as a VHLM player.  His pre-draft season saw him record 0 points in 20 games for the Yukon Rush.  The team would make the playoffs and go on to win the Founders Cup, with Thompson recording just 2 points in those 10 games.  The eventual star forward did perform pretty well defensively over these thirty games though, split between the regular season and playoffs, as he was a +17 over this time.
 
Thompson’s second season was slightly more successful, after being drafted by the Ottawa Lynx.  The forward recorded 35 goals and 63 points in 72 games, finishing with a +10 rating and 105 hits.  His playoff run was more successful individually as well, recording 7 goals and 10 points in 13 games.  Unfortunately for Thompson and the Lynx though, the team would ultimately fall just short, losing in game 7 in the finals.  
 
As stated prior, this part of the comparison doesn’t really weigh into the decision of who ultimately has the bigger legacy, but it is pretty clear that the only thing these two had in common was that they both made the finals in both their respective seasons, and also both won one Founders Cup.  Otherwise, McAllister was a more dominant junior league player and would go down as the best playoff performer in VHLM history.


 
REGULAR SEASON STATISTICS
The simplest and most common way to compare players is looking at the regular season statistics of individual players over an entire career.  This section will look at the regular season performances from both players over the course of their careers, and we will look at where they place all-time statistically.
 
Gabriel McAllister
Season 56 (SEA): 72 GP, 43-46-89, -13, 87 HIT, 8 GW
Season 57 (SEA): 72 GP, 47-46-93, +19, 19 HIT, 7 GW
Season 58 (SEA): 72 GP, 51-56-107, +45, 292 HIT, 11 GW
Season 59 (SEA): 72 GP, 39-41-80, +28, 290 HIT, 6 GW
Season 60 (SEA): 72 GP, 61-59-120, +57, 244 HIT, 11 GW
Season 61 (DAV): 72 GP, 50-49-99, +38, 461 HIT, 10 GW
Season 62 (DAV): 72 GP, 51-48-99, +47, 326 HIT, 10 GW
Season 63 (SEA): 72 GP, 55-84-139, +65, 360 HIT, 5 GW
Total Regular Season: 576 GP, 397-429-826, +286, 2079 HIT, 68 GW (1.434 P/G)
 
Gabriel McAllister was an incredibly consistent forward recording a dazzling 826 points and 2069 hits over his eight season career.  McAllister currently sits tied for ninth all-time in goals, eighteenth all-time in points and twenty-first all-time in hits.  
 
As a well-rounded forward, McAllister didn’t start his career as much of a physical presence, proving to be rather timid over his first two seasons.  However, in his final six years he recorded at least 240 hits to go along with his consistent offensive showings each and every season. How good was he offensively? His down year saw him record 39 goals and 80 points while his peak saw him record 55 goals and 139 points in his very last regular season.
 
While McAllister did consistently record strong numbers during his eight season career, he perhaps didn’t dominate too many seasons offensively like you’d expect someone with 826 points to have.  You will see some of this analysis later when I look at top-10 finishes, but McAllister only finished top-5 in points twice during his career which paints the picture that he was consistently a very good point contributor who consistently was one of the league’s elite two-way player, but doesn’t necessarily paint him as the best offensive player of his generation (with perhaps someone like Franchise Cornerstone taking that title).
 
Matt Thompson
Season 61 (SEA): 72 GP, 33-23-56, -69, 101 HIT, 3 GW
Season 62 (SEA): 72 GP, 76-74-150, +38, 274 HIT, 16 GW
Season 63 (SEA): 72 GP, 51-51-102, +70, 178 HIT, 9 GW
Season 64 (SEA): 72 GP, 56-54-110, +39, 311 HIT, 7 GW
Season 65 (SEA): 72 GP, 52-49-101, +48, 283 HIT, 11 GW
Season 66 (HSK): 72 GP, 51-50-101, +29, 275 HIT, 9 GW
Season 67 (HSK): 72 GP, 43-40-83, +7, 223 HIT, 10 GW
Season 68 (MAL): 72 GP, 60-62-122, +52, 182 HIT, 9 GW
Total Regular Season: 576 GP, 422-403-825, +214, 1827 HIT, 74 GW (1.432 P/G)
 
Matt Thompson had a similarly consistent career with a few exceptions.  First, he had an awful rookie season overall which tanks his plus/minus statistic and was nowhere near as strong as the rookie season that McAllister had.  Second, he had a couple absolutely dominant seasons in Season 62 and 68 with a number of strong elite showings throughout his prime as well. In comparison to McAllister (who had two top-5 point finishes), Thompson finished top-5 in points on four different occasions.
 
Thompson also was a slightly better goal scorer over his tenure in the Victory Hockey League.  While his rookie season brings him down slightly, Thompson recorded six 50+ goal seasons over the course of his career.  On top of that, he was a strong two-way player during his time in the VHL, with the league seeing less physicality than usual.  Ultimately though, he had around two-hundred hits less than McAllister over the course of his strong career.
 
Where does Thompson sit all-time statistically? His huge startling number is the fact that he currently is fourth all-time in goals with 422.  The only three players with more are Scotty Campbell (600), Christian Stolzschweiger (449) and Mike Szatkowski (434), who all played during the first decade of the Victory Hockey League, which saw weaker goaltenders in the league as a whole.  Thompson also sits nineteenth all-time in points and forty-fifth all-time in hits. While McAllister was probably a slightly better all-around player, Thompson is the best goal scorer we have seen in sixty seasons, and his legacy may ultimately wind up better as a regular season performer, given he also showed to be a physical two-way talent and probably the best of his era in that regard.
 
PLAYOFF STATISTICS
While the regular season is often the most common way to compare players, the playoffs are what make legends.  Playoff performance is one of the main things I championed back in the day, to be included in the Hall of Fame discussion.  It is the main reason that the likes of Brick Wahl and Brennan McQueen have been inducted, and while these players would have been inducted regardless of playoff performance, it is their dominance that has put them into the conversation of being two of the best in league history.  They both were elite playoff scorers, with each of them being top ten all-time in points per game, and with each finding their name on the Continental Cup Trophy, they both proved capable of leading their teams to the ultimate prize. Who did it better? That is the question we are here to answer.
 
Gabriel McAllister
Season 56 (SEA): - did not make the playoffs - 
Season 57 (SEA): - did not make the playoffs - 
Season 58 (SEA): 13 GP, 10-5-15, +5, 53 HIT, 2 GW
Season 59 (SEA): 16 GP, 11-17-28, +17, 62 HIT, 2 GW
Season 60 (SEA): 6 GP, 3-6-9, +5, 22 HIT, 0 GW
Season 61 (DAV): 14 GP, 12-11-23, +0, 87 HIT, 2 GW
Season 62 (DAV): 7 GP, 6-7-13, +6, 28 HIT, 2 GW
Season 63 (SEA): 6 GP, 2-2-4, +0, 29 HIT, 1 GW
Total Playoffs: 62 GP, 44-48-92, +33, 281 HIT, 9 GW (1.484 P/G)
 
Gabriel McAllister currently sits tenth all-time in points per game in the playoffs, and third all-time for players that started their career after the VHL’s first decade (only behind Matt Thompson and Alexander Chershenko).  His overall accolades saw him record 98 points in 65 career playoff games while averaging well over three hits per game, showcasing the tremendous two-way talent he was known for.  
 
Additionally, McAllister did more than just tally up the numbers as he would put his name on quite a bit of hardware as well, winning two Continental Cups and winning the Daisuke Kanou Trophy (Playoff MVP) for both of those runs as well.  These runs saw him record 28 points in 16 games for Seattle in Season 59 and 23 points in 14 games for Davos in Season 61.
 
Ultimately, while the fact that he missed the playoffs in the first two seasons led to him having less overall playoff points than Thompson, McAllister still did incredibly well for the six playoff campaigns he did participate in.  Ultimately, his playoff numbers were a little less empty given the extra Continental Cup he won and the Kanou Trophy performances as well.
 
Matt Thompson
Season 61 (SEA): - did not make the playoffs - 
Season 62 (SEA): 9 GP, 6-16-22, -3, 34 HIT, 0 GW
Season 63 (SEA): 6 GP, 3-1-4, +1, 36 HIT, 0 GW
Season 64 (SEA): 6 GP, 7-3-10, -2, 22 HIT, 0 GW
Season 65 (SEA): 6 GP, 6-6-12, +2, 33 HIT, 0 GW
Season 66 (HSK): 9 GP, 10-6-16, +9, 49 HIT, 2 GW
Season 67 (HSK): 13 GP, 3-12-15, -3, 27 HIT, 0 GW
Season 68 (MAL): 16 GP, 10-9-19, +3, 53 HIT, 2 GW
Total Playoffs: 65 GP, 45-53-98, +7, 254 HIT, 4 GW (1.508 P/G)
 
Matt Thompson didn’t win any Daisuke Kanou Trophies, but there is an argument that he should have.  Season 66 saw his only Continental Cup win, as a member of the Helsinki Titans, and in what was a close debate, lost the award to his goaltender Alexander Pepper.  Both players had tremendous runs but it was deemed that it was Pepper who really propelled the Titans to the holy grail. Ultimately though, the reality is that they probably don’t win without either player’s incredibly strong performances.
 
Matt Thompson is probably the best playoff performer of all-time to never be crowned Playoff MVP, especially considering the era he played in.  He finished in double-figures for scoring in six of his seven playoff campaigns, despite the fact that he only played double-digit games in his last two runs (Season 67 and 68).
 
In the end, Thompson would finish with slightly more points and a better P/G average, but did finish with less hits, game-winning goals and did not win a Playoff MVP despite his best efforts.  Given the extra Continental Cup as well for McAllister, and I think while this is a close comparison, the argument is there that Thompson’s playoff resume is slightly less qualified than McAllister’s.  
 
INTERNATIONAL
I do tend to believe that international accomplishments don’t make or break one’s inclusion into the Hall of Fame (since we rarely look at them), I did feel that these comparisons would benefit from an international analysis.  While these are rather small sample sizes, showcasing your skills on the world stage has always been one of the ultimate ways to formulate your legacy.
 
Gabriel McAllister
Season 56 (USA WC): - statistics unavailable - 
Season 58 (USA WC): - statistics unavailable -
Season 60 (USA WC): 13 GP, 7-12-19, +4, 49 HIT, 1 GW
Season 62 (USA WC): 12 GP, 9-10-19, +2, 56 HIT, 1 GW
Total International: 25 GP, 16-22-38, +6, 105 HIT, 2 GW
 
One of the major reasons I am rather skeptical of putting a lot of stock into international performance is the sheer lack of games by McAllister on the world stage that we were able to find.  We do know that McAllister played for Team USA in the Season 56 and 58 World Cup’s, but neither are listed on Corco’s complete stat listing for international tournaments. Now I can imagine that neither of those performances were as good as the above ones due to him being more or less in his prime during both of those tournaments, but it’s difficult to actually confirm this.  Nevertheless, it is clear that McAllister was the elite player we became accustomed to seeing, when he was donning the Team USA jersey.
 
Matt Thompson
Season 60 (MER WC): 11 GP, 3-0-3, -8, 3 HIT, 1 GW
Season 62 (CAN WC): 12 GP, 10-8-18, +19, 24 HIT, 2 GW
Season 64 (CAN WC): 11 GP, 5-5-10, +0, 14 HIT, 1 GW
Season 66 (CAN WC): 13 GP, 8-4-12, +3, 28 HIT, 1 GW
Season 68 (CAN WC): 11 GP, 4-4-8, +1, 30 HIT, 2 GW
Total International: 58 GP, 30-21-51, +15, 99 HIT, 7 GW
 
We have a much more complete picture of Thompson’s time on the international stage.  For one, he participated in five World Cup’s representing the Mercenaries in his first go-around and was then a mainstay for Team Canada in the other four.  His first World Cup was a little rough given his age and his lack of development at that time (after-all it was prior to his rookie VHL season). Therefore, his numbers get a little skewed because of it, but make no mistake about it, Matt Thompson was a force for Team Canada.  His best performance was certainly for the Canadians in Season 62 but he was a steady goal-scoring presence tallying up 17 goals in 35 games over the last three tournaments he participated in. Ultimately, his overall statistics do not really tell the whole story and what is quite clear is that Thompson was a tremendous sniper who also played a physical role during his five international spectacles.  
 
TOP-10 FINISHES
 
Gabriel McAllister
Points - 1,1,6,8
Goals - 1,2,4,4,8,9,9
Assists - 2,9
Hits - 1,1,2,8,9
 
What surprised me most about these finishes is that McAllister didn’t really dominate the overall points category as much as you’d expect someone with his accolades to do.  He was only top-5 twice (albeit he was first both times) and finished twice more in the top-10. His goal finishes are pretty impressive though, finishing seven out of eight seasons in the top-10 overall.  He was also a very physical player as well, twice leading the league and finishing another time second. This actually reminded me a lot of Alexander Ovechkin, being a higher-end goal scorer with physical dominance but just being a truly top-tier point accumulator only a couple of times during his career.
 
Matt Thompson
Points - 1,1,2,3,6,8,9
Goals - 1,1,1,2,3,4,4
Assists - 4,7,9
Hits - 2,5,7,7
 
Matt Thompson, on the other hand, was far more consistent offensively as an elite player.  On seven different occasions he finished top-10 in points and goals. He led in points twice and was top-5 four different times.  He led the league in goals three times and was a ridiculous top-5 seven different times! He was a physical player but finished with far less impressive hit totals and finishes compared to McAllister.  I have to say that I was quite surprised to see such a disparity in these finishes and I do believe this has to be a clear win for Thompson, where perhaps playoff totals were a clear win for McAllister.
 
AWARDS
 
Gabriel McAllister
2x Continental Cup Winner (League Champion)
3x Scotty Campbell Trophy (League MVP)
2x Brett Slobodzian Trophy (League MOP)
2x Daisuke Kanou Trophy (Playoff MVP)
2x Mike Szatkowski Trophy (League Leader in Points)
1x Kevin Brooks Trophy (League Leader in Goals)
3x Scott Boulet Trophy (Top Two-Way)
1x Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy (Top Rookie)
 
Gabriel McAllister truly does have one of the most impressive award cabinets ever seen, and ultimately it is clearly stronger than Thompson’s.  He is one of five players to ever win the Scotty Campbell Trophy on three different occasions (Scotty Campbell, Grimm Jonsson, Thomas O’Malley and Franchise Cornerstone being the other four).  He was also a dominant playoff performer, proven by his two Daisuke Kanou trophies. On top of all of his offensive accomplishments, including two Szatkowski trophies and one Brooks Trophy, he also took home three Scott Boulet trophies to showcase how well-rounded he is.  Ultimately, his biggest key versus Thompson in awards is that his advantages are more substantial with the three MVP titles and his two Playoff MVP titles.
 
Matt Thompson
1x Continental Cup Winner (League Champion)
1x Scotty Campbell Trophy (League MVP)
2x Brett Slobodzian Trophy (League MOP)
2x Mike Szatkowski Trophy (League Leader in Points)
3x Kevin Brooks Trophy (League Leader in Goals)
4x Scott Boulet Trophy (Top Two-Way)
1x Dustin Funk Trophy (Most Improved)
 
Matt Thompson does have a couple of edges in his award cabinet, more specifically leading the league in goals three different times instead of one for McAllister.  He also has one extra Boulet Trophy for best two-way, but it is important to consider that his competition for this award was a lot less than it was in previous decades.  Ultimately, Thompson still has one of the best award cabinets ever, but it just simply isn’t as meaningful as McAllister’s given the clear disparity in overall MVP and Playoff MVP’s.
 
ERA COMPETITION
 
Gabriel McAllister
Main Competition:
Franchise Cornerstone (384G, 471A, 855P, 836 Hits)
John Locke (355G, 337A, 692P, 491 Hits)
Fredinamijs Krigars (332G, 406A, 738P, 624 Hits)
 
Minutes Played:
S56 - 2146 
S57 - 2144
S58 - 2067
S59 - 2126
S60 - 2123
S61 - 2067
S62 - 2087
S63 - 2086
Total Minutes Per Game - 29:24
 
League Goal Scoring Strength:
S56 - 1860 Goals (5.17)
S57 - 1798 Goals (4.99)
S58 - 1427 Goals (4.95)
S59 - 1451 Goals (5.04)
S60 - 1620 Goals (5.63)
S61 - 1488 Goals (5.17)
S62 - 1806 Goals (6.27)
S63 - 1698 Goals (5.90)
 
Over the course of Gabriel McAllister’s career, the clear main competition was Franchise Cornerstone.  He finished with the most points of his era with 855, finished with three Scotty Campbell trophies, two Scott Boulet trophies, one Brett Slobodzian Trophy, one Mike Szatkowski Trophy and two Kevin Brooks trophies.  He likely has the best resume of anyone that either McAllister or Thompson played with or against, besides each other.  
 
Another major competitor for McAllister was the often overlooked John Locke, who snuck into the Hall of Fame mainly due to his incredible scoring resume that saw him finish with 355 goals during his eight season career.  He won one Brett Slobodzian Trophy, two Kevin Brooks trophies and a Daisuke Kanou Trophy to go along with his impressive four Continental Cup’s to showcase how strong he made his team around him.
 
Third and finally, Fredinamijs Krigars is someone I barely had heard of going into this article due to me taking a break for much of his career.  It caught me greatly by surprise to see how incredibly productive he was during his career with his 1.46 P/G (which is actually above McAllister and Thompson’s total).  Krigars didn’t win a ton of hardware during his career, but what he did win was still very impressive. Krigars retired with one Brett Slobodzian Trophy, two Mike Szatkowski trophies and one Alexander Beketov Trophy.  He had the second best P/G during his era, only slightly behind Cornerstone, and ultimately he was one of McAllister’s biggest competitors offensively.
 
In regards to minutes played and league goal scoring trends, I anticipated that McAllister would have played far more minutes and participated much of his career in a higher scoring era.  While McAllister did play more minutes, he only averaged about thirty-five extra seconds per game, which isn’t enough to draw any conclusions that matching ice time would have made much of a difference. I was also pretty surprised to see that McAllister’s era was actually lower scoring on average, likely due to more parity in Thompson’s era with less awful rebuilding teams leading to generally higher scoring outcomes.  Nevertheless, this did not match the hypothesis I had entering this analysis into the league trends, and this is definitely a favourable result to McAllister.
 
Matt Thompson
Main Competition:
Podrick Cast (379G, 467A, 846P, 487 Hits)
Sebastien Ironside (263G, 423A, 686P, 2053 Hits)
Julian Borwinn (325G, 380A, 705P, 1165 Hits)
 
Minutes Played:
S61 - 2307
S62 - 2167
S63 - 2106
S64 - 2094
S65 - 2075
S66 - 2072
S67 - 2051
S68 - 1771
Total Minutes Per Game - 28:89
 
League Goal Scoring Strength:
S61 - 1488 Goals (5.17)
S62 - 1806 Goals (6.27)
S63 - 1698 Goals (5.90)
S64 - 1605 Goals (5.57)
S65 - 1920 Goals (5.93)
S66 - 2144 Goals (5.96)
S67 - 2188 Goals (6.08)
S68 - 2536 Goals (5.87)
 
We have all heard and seen the comparisons of Thompson vs. Cast and without much of a surprise, he was his main competitor over his eight seasons in the Victory Hockey League. Cast had more points than both McAllister and Thompson, and ultimately looks like the Cornerstone of his era, being the more offensively complete player but perhaps not getting the overall recognition one would expect.  Cast was a two-time Scotty Campbell Trophy winner, a one-time recipient of the Brett Slobodzian Trophy and also won both the Mike Szatkowski Trophy and Kevin Brooks Trophy on one occasion each. An offensive marvel, Podrick Cast was easily the biggest competition Thompson had during his eight season career.
 
Sebastien Ironside was my second main threat on this list despite the fact that he was a defender during the first two seasons of his career.  The fact is that Ironside rattled off four consecutive one-hundred point seasons as a forward and while the end of his career wasn’t as shiny and decorated as Thompson’s, his overall accolades as a two-way player are the biggest reason he is on this list.  He was a Scotty Campbell Trophy winner, a Kevin Brooks Trophy winner, finished top-5 in goals one time, top-5 in assists three time’s, top-5 in points four time’s and top-5 in hits four time’s. He was the major two-way threat over much of Thompson’s prime and while his award cabinet is a little more bare, his statistical finishes show just how dominant Ironside was in his prime.
 
Julian Borwinn had two of his best season’s after Thompson retired but that didn’t stop him from having a bunch of consistently good seasons mixed in with an absolutely monstrous Season 66 campaign and another dominant Season 68 one.  Borwinn established a relatively solid two-way presence toward the end of his career and took home a Boulet Trophy in Season 68, snagging it from Thompson who was in contention for the award. Additionally and certainly more importantly, Borwinn was able to win one Scotty Campbell Trophy, one Brett Slobodzian Trophy, one Mike Szatkowski Trophy and one Kevin Brooks Trophy while Thompson was still in the league.  Borwinn would go on to complete his legacy with another Szatkowski Trophy in Season 69 and a Campbell Trophy in Season 70. Ultimately, while he was mainly competition for Thompson in his later years, Borwinn still represents the transition from Ironside to Borwinn as Thompson’s second major threat after Cast in the league.
 
While I already stated I expected Thompson to play a lot less minutes, I was surprised to see only one year (a Campbell Trophy year nonetheless) where Thompson really experienced the reality of having three lines in the VHL.  He played far more minutes in his opening season and far less in his last, but settled with a relatively close icetime figure to what McAllister recorded. What really shocked me is the goal strength of the S61-68 period in the Victory Hockey League.  When looking at the thirteen seasons covered by these two legends, the most offensively potent six seasons saw Thompson playing in them, while McAllister only played in two of them. While I certainly expected one thing, it actually showed that league parity has boosted offensive totals and therefore led to results I definitely wasn’t predicting.
 
VERDICT
Who was better? This is clearly the tough question this article set out to answer, and to be honest, I don’t know if it’s a clear-cut result.  Both players have very clear cases to why they should be considered the greater player. Gabriel McAllister’s case hinges on his potent playoff resume, his award cabinet and the fact that he played in an era that saw less goals scored per game than Thompson.  
 
McAllister’s playoff resume saw two Daisuke Kanou trophies, while Thompson simply didn’t win any.  Though, to combat the playoff resume argument, one could argue that Thompson had arguably more individual success and that it just led to less team success, including one less Continental Cup. He had an argument that his one cup should have saw him win a Kanou Trophy, but ultimately he has to stand by the fact that his performance clearly improved come playoff time (1.508 P/G vs. 1.432 P/G).
 
It is also pretty apparent that Matt Thompson’s award cabinet isn’t as impressive despite his accolades still being quite decorated.  McAllister won three MVP’s and two Playoff MVP’s which really put his overall impact on a higher platform than what Thompson accomplished.  With that being said though, the argument for Thompson is that those awards are voted for, while his three Kevin Brooks trophies (as opposed to one for McAllister) are results based and not voted.  Thompson also has the extra Boulet Trophy, although as I pointed out already, winning one during McAllister’s era seems more impressive (however, this could be due to parity taking a toll on hits totals). 
 
Thompson’s argument has to hinge on his statistical finishes, which may be the ultimate telling of one’s domination of their era.  McAllister, while recording impressive accolades, sorta underwhelmed me a bit, especially when looking at points. I expected far more domination than just two top-5 finishes in points and four top-10 finishes.  He certainly showed to be a far bigger physical presence in his eight seasons though and had very respectable goals and assists finishes. That being said, Thompson clearly wins in this area, especially in regards to his four top-5 finishes in points and seven top-5 finishes in goals.  He clearly dominated his era more offensively and while physically he wasn’t quite as impactful, this is the best argument going for Matt Thompson.
 
I am ultimately not sure who I lean to.  I think Matt Thompson would get the slight edge for me given his incredible statistical finishes but I know that those that value awards higher than anything will certainly lean to McAllister.  I think the arguments for playoffs are fair to McAllister but I also stand by the belief that Thompson should have won one Kanou and had the better overall playoff statistics during his career. The era comparison also is slightly in favor of McAllister but ultimately this one could go either way.
 
------------------------------
 
So what say you?  Does McAllister’s playoff resume and award cabinet while playing in a lower scoring era give him the edge? Or does Thompson’s amazing statistical finishes and clear domination of his era while still being tremendously decorated with awards give him the overall win?

As infamous as when @Corco traded a lottery pick for Toriyama cuz Vasteras was in the playoffs at the start of the season.
 
Especially if NY leaps over D.C.

Player Information
Username: solas
Player Name: Jean Pierre Camus
Recruited From: Other (Recreate)
Age: 19
Position: G
Height: 80 in.
Weight: 250 lbs.
Birthplace: Canada

Player Page
@VHLM GM

Hey everyone, 
 
I will be starting an article series, now that I have more time than I wish and a working computer, and I am hoping to keep it as community involved as possible.
 
For those that have seen deadliest warrior, it will be a type of comparison like that with two legends/former players where I break down their entire careers and see which is better and also gather the communities opinion on it.  They will be pretty long with each article being at least 2000 words so I will be picking the matchups based on people's wishes but also ones that I think would be good to write about.
 
There are a few restrictions on this:
 
1) I will likely be looking to keep this to mainly S20 and later careers due to the issue of finding older season by season statistics and content.  Though, this is case by case as some players have been documented quite well.
 
2) Those involved must be retired.  The exception could be GMs if we decide to do them as well.
 
Here is a list of all the articles that I've decided and I'll continue to update this as we go so you know who is upcoming next week.
 
1. Gabriel McAllister vs. Matt Thompson
2. Aidan Shaw vs. Daisuke Kanou
3. Daniel Braxton vs. Ryan Sullivan
4. Greg Clegane vs. Sandro Clegane
5. Jody 3 Moons vs. Mattias Chouinard
6. Skylar Rift vs. Martin Brookside
7. Joseph McWolf vs. Jake Wylde
8. Bobby Digital vs. Tzuyu
9. Phil Rafter vs. Max Molholt
10. David Smalling vs. Zach Parechkin
11. Felix Peters vs. Wesley Kellinger
12. Diana Maxwell vs. Theo Axelsson
13. Fredinamijs Krigars vs. John Locke
14. Franchise Cornerstone vs. Thomas O'Malley
15. Max Bentley vs. Black Velvet
16. Leeroy Jenkins vs. Tukka Reikkinen
17. Jeff Hamilton vs. Phil Hamilton
18. Alexander Chershenko vs. Grimm Jonsson
19. Joey Clarence vs. Jakub Kjeldsen
20. Podrick Cast vs. Tarik Saeijs
21. OG Brick Wahl vs. Jakab Holik
22.
23.
24.
25.
 
Please feel free to suggest below as I want to mainly create these off of feedback.  The ones listed above had already been mentioned by some members.

Edwin Encarnacion vs Goalies

Holy crap! That Russia stat is a super awesome one. Cool to be ranked high among fellow Russian's. Lots of my players tends to be that or Swedish.  
 
(Also just noticed... Aleksei Federov, my other Russian on here, has 607 PTS  ) 
 
@Corco Great write up, man. 

Maxim Kovalchuk
Position: D/F
Birthplace: Russia
Height: 6’6"
Weight: 208 lbs
Number: 44
Drafted: 2nd OV S62 (Seattle)
Username: @Banackock
 
 
Career Awards
S62 Alexander Valiq Trophy (Top Offensive Defenseman)
S64 Jake Wylde Trophy (Top Defensive Defenseman)
S65 Sterling Labatte Trophy (Top Defenseman)
S65 Jake Wylde Trophy (Top Defensive Defenseman)
S65 Alexander Beketov Trophy (Most Assists)
S68 Continental Cup (Seattle)
S69 Continental Cup (Seattle)
 

S62
SEA | GP: 30 | G: 87 | A: 87 | PTS: 117 | +/-: +16 | 2 GWG
SEA | GP: 9 | G: 5 | A: 13 | PTS: 18 | +/-: -4 | 2 GWG
Kovalchuk’s rookie season would not only turn out to be the finest of his entire career, but arguably one of the finest rookie seasons in VHL history. As of S71, only four VHL rookies ever scored more points in a single season than Kovalchuk: his own teammate C - Vyacheslav Smirnov (149PTS - S62), LW - Jardy Bunclewirth (132PTS - S18), C - Alexander Thrower (120PTS - S53), and D - Michael Angelo (119PTS - S20). Maxim was part of a dynamic Seattle offense whose top four scorers combined for over 500 points in the regular season; the Bears’ high flying offense wouldn’t turn into much success in the playoffs, as they would be eliminated by the eventual-champion Calgary Wranglers in 6 games. Kovalchuk wouldn’t go home without any hardware though, as he would take home the Alexander Valiq Trophy as the VHL’s Top Offensive Defenseman at the season's end.
 
 
S63
SEA | GP: 72 | G: 25 | A: 40 | PTS: 65 | +/-: +62 | 3 GWG
SEA | GP: 6 | G: 1 | A: 3 | PTS: 4 | +/-: +3 | 0 GWG
S63 was practically the definition of a "sophomore slump" for the Russian defender, and it would not be nearly as prosperous for Kovalchuk as the previous season; his point total nearly halved, with the only improvement coming in the form of adding nearly +50 to his +/- rating. In all fairness to him, it would be hard for any player to improve upon a 117-Point rookie season. Despite strong seasons from future HoFers Gabriel McAllister and Matt Thompson, the Bears would lose in the first round of the playoffs at the hands of the Calgary Wranglers once again.
 

S64
SEA | GP: 72 | G: 17 | A: 52 | PTS: 69 | +/-: +50 | 4 GWG
SEA | GP: 6 | G: 2 | A: 3 | PTS: 5 | +/-: -1 | 1 GWG
S64 would see Kovalchuk slightly raise his point totals from the season prior, although offense wasn’t where he made large strides that season. Kovalchuk’s improvements were mostly made in his physical play, as he reached a posted then-career highs in Hits (208) and Penalty Minutes (118) as he rounded himself into a quality two-way defender. His improvements in his own end would not go unnoticed, as he would take home the Jake Wylde Trophy as the VHL’s Top Defensive Defender after being eliminated at the hands of the Toronto Legion in the playoffs.
 
 
S65
SEA | GP: 72 | G: 18 | A: 70 | PTS: 88 | +/-: +31 | 2 GWG
SEA | GP: 6 | G: 0 | A: 7 | PTS: 7 | +/-: +1 | 0 GWG
Although he wouldn’t score as many points as he did in his rookie season, S65 might have been the finest overall season of Kovalchuk’s entire career. With 70 assists and 88 Points, Kovalchuk would take home the Alexander Beketov Trophy (Most Assists), Jake Wylde Trophy, and the Sterling Labatte Trophy as the VHL’s Top Overall Defenseman. His 88 Points led all defenders, 1 point more than rival Toronto defender Tzuyu. Despite 100+ point-seasons from Veran Dragomir, Sebastian Ironside, Vyacheslav Smirnov, and Matt Thompson, the Bears were once again ousted in the first round, this time via the Helsinki Titans.

S66
CGY | GP: 72 | G: 27 | A: 59 | PTS: 86 | +/-: +39 | 2 GWG
CGY | GP: 7 | G: 3 | A: 4 | PTS: 7 | +/-: +3 | 0 GWG
S66 would be the 1st of Kovalchuk’s career not spent in Seattle; in the offseason, Kovalchuk along with Sebastian Ironside and the FA rights of Matt Thompson, were sent to the Wranglers in a rebuilding move that gave seattle two 1st Rd picks, two 2nd round picks, along with depth players Lando Baxter and Wlodzimierz Zajaczkowski. Kovalchuk adjusted well to his new home, leading the Wranglers defense by scoring 86 Points and patrolling the blueline with 242 Hits and 221 PIM; his quest for a Continental Cup would fall short again, falling to the Vancouver Wolves in the semi-finals.
 

S67
CGY | GP: 34 | G: 8 | A: 16 | PTS: 24 | +/-: -12 | 0 GWG
SEA | GP: 38 | G: 21 | A: 33 | PTS: 54 | +/-: -3 | 2 GWG
Kovalchuk’s sixth VHL season would bring about massive change to his career; he would return to the city he had called home for so many seasons, but more importantly, Kovalchuk would switch positions from defense to forward. A midseason trade saw Kovalchuk head to Seattle along with promising John Frostbeard in exchange for budding star Joel Ylonen; despite those two acquisitions, the Bears would fall short of making the postseason in S67. Kovalchuk’s transition from defender to center went smoothly, as his 78 Points combined between Calgary and Seattle led the Bears in scoring at the season's end.
 

S68
SEA | GP: 72 | G: 33 | A: 29 | PTS: 62 | +/-: +21 | 5 GWG
SEA | GP: 14 | G: 7 | A: 10 | PTS: 17 | +/-: +8 | 1 GWG
At long last, Maxim Kovalchuk would get his ring. The S68 Bears finished the regular season with 91 points and the best record in the North American Conference, thanks to their fantastic forward core of Acyd Burn, John Frostbeard, Joel Ylonen, and Kovalchuk. The Bears would defeat the Toronto Legion 4 games to 2 in the first round, and that would be the most competition they would face in the entire postseason, as they swept their way through the Wranglers and Nighthawks in the next two rounds. 
 
 
S69
SEA | GP: 72 | G: 17 | A: 27 | PTS: 44 | +/-: +10 | 2 GWG
SEA | GP: 19 | G: 5 | A: 5 | PTS: 10 | +/-: +4 | 2 GWG
Kovalchuk’s final VHL season would be his worst statistical season by far, barely breaking the 0.5PPG plateau. There was a reasonable explanation for this though, as Scott Greene took over as Seattle’s #1C, which meant Joel Ylonen moved into the #2C spot previously occupied by Kovalchuk, and Kovalchuk became a winger, only playing around half of the minutes he had played every season prior. Cutting down on Kovalchuk’s minutes did proved to be fruitful for the Bears, as with 93 points they locked down the #2 seed in the NA Conference heading into the postseason. The Bears dispatched of the upstart NY Americans in a grueling 7-game series, and defeated both the Vancouver Wolves and Riga Reign consecutively in 6 games to capture their 2nd straight Continental Cup. In what was a perfect career-ending moment, Kovalchuk scored what proved to be the game-winner of game six, capping off a career where he sacrificed a great deal for the betterment of his team.

 
Regular Season Totals SEA | GP: 470 | G: 161 | A: 338 | PTS: 499 | +/-: +xx | 20 GWG CGY | GP: 106 | G: 35 | A: 75 | PTS: 110 | +/-: +27 | 2 GWG ALL | GP: 576 | G: 196 | A: 413 | PTS: 609 | +/-: +214 | 22 GWG Playoff Totals SEA | GP: 60 | G: 20 | A: 41 | PTS: 61 | +/-: +11 | 6 GWG CGY | GP: 7 | G: 3 | A: 4 | PTS: 7 | +/-: +3 | 0 GWG ALL | GP: 67 | G: 23 | A: 45 | PTS: 68 | +/-: +14 | 6 GWG
Maxim Kovalchuk retires as not only one of the best players of his generation, but arguably the greatest Russian defender in VHL history. His 609 career points ranks 122nd all-time in VHL history at the time of his induction, and 6th all-time among Russian-born VHLers. His career arc was quite odd, seemingly peaking in his rookie season and then dipping before another peak a few seasons later. Playing 3/8 VHL seasons as a forward also sort of skews his perception as well, as he certainly had a chance to be the greatest defender of his generation had he not switched positions. Instead, he enters the Hall of Fame as a member of a small but seemingly growing group of dual-position players, one that includes Ay Ay Ron, Conner Low, & Matt Bailey.
 

Maxim Kovalchuk
Position: D/F
Birthplace: Russia
Height: 6’6"
Weight: 208 lbs
Number: 44
Drafted: 2nd OV S62 (Seattle)
Username: @Banackock
 
 
Career Awards
S62 Alexander Valiq Trophy (Top Offensive Defenseman)
S64 Jake Wylde Trophy (Top Defensive Defenseman)
S65 Sterling Labatte Trophy (Top Defenseman)
S65 Jake Wylde Trophy (Top Defensive Defenseman)
S65 Alexander Beketov Trophy (Most Assists)
S68 Continental Cup (Seattle)
S69 Continental Cup (Seattle)
 

S62
SEA | GP: 30 | G: 87 | A: 87 | PTS: 117 | +/-: +16 | 2 GWG
SEA | GP: 9 | G: 5 | A: 13 | PTS: 18 | +/-: -4 | 2 GWG
Kovalchuk’s rookie season would not only turn out to be the finest of his entire career, but arguably one of the finest rookie seasons in VHL history. As of S71, only four VHL rookies ever scored more points in a single season than Kovalchuk: his own teammate C - Vyacheslav Smirnov (149PTS - S62), LW - Jardy Bunclewirth (132PTS - S18), C - Alexander Thrower (120PTS - S53), and D - Michael Angelo (119PTS - S20). Maxim was part of a dynamic Seattle offense whose top four scorers combined for over 500 points in the regular season; the Bears’ high flying offense wouldn’t turn into much success in the playoffs, as they would be eliminated by the eventual-champion Calgary Wranglers in 6 games. Kovalchuk wouldn’t go home without any hardware though, as he would take home the Alexander Valiq Trophy as the VHL’s Top Offensive Defenseman at the season's end.
 
 
S63
SEA | GP: 72 | G: 25 | A: 40 | PTS: 65 | +/-: +62 | 3 GWG
SEA | GP: 6 | G: 1 | A: 3 | PTS: 4 | +/-: +3 | 0 GWG
S63 was practically the definition of a "sophomore slump" for the Russian defender, and it would not be nearly as prosperous for Kovalchuk as the previous season; his point total nearly halved, with the only improvement coming in the form of adding nearly +50 to his +/- rating. In all fairness to him, it would be hard for any player to improve upon a 117-Point rookie season. Despite strong seasons from future HoFers Gabriel McAllister and Matt Thompson, the Bears would lose in the first round of the playoffs at the hands of the Calgary Wranglers once again.
 

S64
SEA | GP: 72 | G: 17 | A: 52 | PTS: 69 | +/-: +50 | 4 GWG
SEA | GP: 6 | G: 2 | A: 3 | PTS: 5 | +/-: -1 | 1 GWG
S64 would see Kovalchuk slightly raise his point totals from the season prior, although offense wasn’t where he made large strides that season. Kovalchuk’s improvements were mostly made in his physical play, as he reached a posted then-career highs in Hits (208) and Penalty Minutes (118) as he rounded himself into a quality two-way defender. His improvements in his own end would not go unnoticed, as he would take home the Jake Wylde Trophy as the VHL’s Top Defensive Defender after being eliminated at the hands of the Toronto Legion in the playoffs.
 
 
S65
SEA | GP: 72 | G: 18 | A: 70 | PTS: 88 | +/-: +31 | 2 GWG
SEA | GP: 6 | G: 0 | A: 7 | PTS: 7 | +/-: +1 | 0 GWG
Although he wouldn’t score as many points as he did in his rookie season, S65 might have been the finest overall season of Kovalchuk’s entire career. With 70 assists and 88 Points, Kovalchuk would take home the Alexander Beketov Trophy (Most Assists), Jake Wylde Trophy, and the Sterling Labatte Trophy as the VHL’s Top Overall Defenseman. His 88 Points led all defenders, 1 point more than rival Toronto defender Tzuyu. Despite 100+ point-seasons from Veran Dragomir, Sebastian Ironside, Vyacheslav Smirnov, and Matt Thompson, the Bears were once again ousted in the first round, this time via the Helsinki Titans.

S66
CGY | GP: 72 | G: 27 | A: 59 | PTS: 86 | +/-: +39 | 2 GWG
CGY | GP: 7 | G: 3 | A: 4 | PTS: 7 | +/-: +3 | 0 GWG
S66 would be the 1st of Kovalchuk’s career not spent in Seattle; in the offseason, Kovalchuk along with Sebastian Ironside and the FA rights of Matt Thompson, were sent to the Wranglers in a rebuilding move that gave seattle two 1st Rd picks, two 2nd round picks, along with depth players Lando Baxter and Wlodzimierz Zajaczkowski. Kovalchuk adjusted well to his new home, leading the Wranglers defense by scoring 86 Points and patrolling the blueline with 242 Hits and 221 PIM; his quest for a Continental Cup would fall short again, falling to the Vancouver Wolves in the semi-finals.
 

S67
CGY | GP: 34 | G: 8 | A: 16 | PTS: 24 | +/-: -12 | 0 GWG
SEA | GP: 38 | G: 21 | A: 33 | PTS: 54 | +/-: -3 | 2 GWG
Kovalchuk’s sixth VHL season would bring about massive change to his career; he would return to the city he had called home for so many seasons, but more importantly, Kovalchuk would switch positions from defense to forward. A midseason trade saw Kovalchuk head to Seattle along with promising John Frostbeard in exchange for budding star Joel Ylonen; despite those two acquisitions, the Bears would fall short of making the postseason in S67. Kovalchuk’s transition from defender to center went smoothly, as his 78 Points combined between Calgary and Seattle led the Bears in scoring at the season's end.
 

S68
SEA | GP: 72 | G: 33 | A: 29 | PTS: 62 | +/-: +21 | 5 GWG
SEA | GP: 14 | G: 7 | A: 10 | PTS: 17 | +/-: +8 | 1 GWG
At long last, Maxim Kovalchuk would get his ring. The S68 Bears finished the regular season with 91 points and the best record in the North American Conference, thanks to their fantastic forward core of Acyd Burn, John Frostbeard, Joel Ylonen, and Kovalchuk. The Bears would defeat the Toronto Legion 4 games to 2 in the first round, and that would be the most competition they would face in the entire postseason, as they swept their way through the Wranglers and Nighthawks in the next two rounds. 
 
 
S69
SEA | GP: 72 | G: 17 | A: 27 | PTS: 44 | +/-: +10 | 2 GWG
SEA | GP: 19 | G: 5 | A: 5 | PTS: 10 | +/-: +4 | 2 GWG
Kovalchuk’s final VHL season would be his worst statistical season by far, barely breaking the 0.5PPG plateau. There was a reasonable explanation for this though, as Scott Greene took over as Seattle’s #1C, which meant Joel Ylonen moved into the #2C spot previously occupied by Kovalchuk, and Kovalchuk became a winger, only playing around half of the minutes he had played every season prior. Cutting down on Kovalchuk’s minutes did proved to be fruitful for the Bears, as with 93 points they locked down the #2 seed in the NA Conference heading into the postseason. The Bears dispatched of the upstart NY Americans in a grueling 7-game series, and defeated both the Vancouver Wolves and Riga Reign consecutively in 6 games to capture their 2nd straight Continental Cup. In what was a perfect career-ending moment, Kovalchuk scored what proved to be the game-winner of game six, capping off a career where he sacrificed a great deal for the betterment of his team.

 
Regular Season Totals SEA | GP: 470 | G: 161 | A: 338 | PTS: 499 | +/-: +xx | 20 GWG CGY | GP: 106 | G: 35 | A: 75 | PTS: 110 | +/-: +27 | 2 GWG ALL | GP: 576 | G: 196 | A: 413 | PTS: 609 | +/-: +214 | 22 GWG Playoff Totals SEA | GP: 60 | G: 20 | A: 41 | PTS: 61 | +/-: +11 | 6 GWG CGY | GP: 7 | G: 3 | A: 4 | PTS: 7 | +/-: +3 | 0 GWG ALL | GP: 67 | G: 23 | A: 45 | PTS: 68 | +/-: +14 | 6 GWG
Maxim Kovalchuk retires as not only one of the best players of his generation, but arguably the greatest Russian defender in VHL history. His 609 career points ranks 122nd all-time in VHL history at the time of his induction, and 6th all-time among Russian-born VHLers. His career arc was quite odd, seemingly peaking in his rookie season and then dipping before another peak a few seasons later. Playing 3/8 VHL seasons as a forward also sort of skews his perception as well, as he certainly had a chance to be the greatest defender of his generation had he not switched positions. Instead, he enters the Hall of Fame as a member of a small but seemingly growing group of dual-position players, one that includes Ay Ay Ron, Conner Low, & Matt Bailey.
 

Maxim Kovalchuk
Position: D/F
Birthplace: Russia
Height: 6’6"
Weight: 208 lbs
Number: 44
Drafted: 2nd OV S62 (Seattle)
Username: @Banackock
 
 
Career Awards
S62 Alexander Valiq Trophy (Top Offensive Defenseman)
S64 Jake Wylde Trophy (Top Defensive Defenseman)
S65 Sterling Labatte Trophy (Top Defenseman)
S65 Jake Wylde Trophy (Top Defensive Defenseman)
S65 Alexander Beketov Trophy (Most Assists)
S68 Continental Cup (Seattle)
S69 Continental Cup (Seattle)
 

S62
SEA | GP: 30 | G: 87 | A: 87 | PTS: 117 | +/-: +16 | 2 GWG
SEA | GP: 9 | G: 5 | A: 13 | PTS: 18 | +/-: -4 | 2 GWG
Kovalchuk’s rookie season would not only turn out to be the finest of his entire career, but arguably one of the finest rookie seasons in VHL history. As of S71, only four VHL rookies ever scored more points in a single season than Kovalchuk: his own teammate C - Vyacheslav Smirnov (149PTS - S62), LW - Jardy Bunclewirth (132PTS - S18), C - Alexander Thrower (120PTS - S53), and D - Michael Angelo (119PTS - S20). Maxim was part of a dynamic Seattle offense whose top four scorers combined for over 500 points in the regular season; the Bears’ high flying offense wouldn’t turn into much success in the playoffs, as they would be eliminated by the eventual-champion Calgary Wranglers in 6 games. Kovalchuk wouldn’t go home without any hardware though, as he would take home the Alexander Valiq Trophy as the VHL’s Top Offensive Defenseman at the season's end.
 
 
S63
SEA | GP: 72 | G: 25 | A: 40 | PTS: 65 | +/-: +62 | 3 GWG
SEA | GP: 6 | G: 1 | A: 3 | PTS: 4 | +/-: +3 | 0 GWG
S63 was practically the definition of a "sophomore slump" for the Russian defender, and it would not be nearly as prosperous for Kovalchuk as the previous season; his point total nearly halved, with the only improvement coming in the form of adding nearly +50 to his +/- rating. In all fairness to him, it would be hard for any player to improve upon a 117-Point rookie season. Despite strong seasons from future HoFers Gabriel McAllister and Matt Thompson, the Bears would lose in the first round of the playoffs at the hands of the Calgary Wranglers once again.
 

S64
SEA | GP: 72 | G: 17 | A: 52 | PTS: 69 | +/-: +50 | 4 GWG
SEA | GP: 6 | G: 2 | A: 3 | PTS: 5 | +/-: -1 | 1 GWG
S64 would see Kovalchuk slightly raise his point totals from the season prior, although offense wasn’t where he made large strides that season. Kovalchuk’s improvements were mostly made in his physical play, as he reached a posted then-career highs in Hits (208) and Penalty Minutes (118) as he rounded himself into a quality two-way defender. His improvements in his own end would not go unnoticed, as he would take home the Jake Wylde Trophy as the VHL’s Top Defensive Defender after being eliminated at the hands of the Toronto Legion in the playoffs.
 
 
S65
SEA | GP: 72 | G: 18 | A: 70 | PTS: 88 | +/-: +31 | 2 GWG
SEA | GP: 6 | G: 0 | A: 7 | PTS: 7 | +/-: +1 | 0 GWG
Although he wouldn’t score as many points as he did in his rookie season, S65 might have been the finest overall season of Kovalchuk’s entire career. With 70 assists and 88 Points, Kovalchuk would take home the Alexander Beketov Trophy (Most Assists), Jake Wylde Trophy, and the Sterling Labatte Trophy as the VHL’s Top Overall Defenseman. His 88 Points led all defenders, 1 point more than rival Toronto defender Tzuyu. Despite 100+ point-seasons from Veran Dragomir, Sebastian Ironside, Vyacheslav Smirnov, and Matt Thompson, the Bears were once again ousted in the first round, this time via the Helsinki Titans.

S66
CGY | GP: 72 | G: 27 | A: 59 | PTS: 86 | +/-: +39 | 2 GWG
CGY | GP: 7 | G: 3 | A: 4 | PTS: 7 | +/-: +3 | 0 GWG
S66 would be the 1st of Kovalchuk’s career not spent in Seattle; in the offseason, Kovalchuk along with Sebastian Ironside and the FA rights of Matt Thompson, were sent to the Wranglers in a rebuilding move that gave seattle two 1st Rd picks, two 2nd round picks, along with depth players Lando Baxter and Wlodzimierz Zajaczkowski. Kovalchuk adjusted well to his new home, leading the Wranglers defense by scoring 86 Points and patrolling the blueline with 242 Hits and 221 PIM; his quest for a Continental Cup would fall short again, falling to the Vancouver Wolves in the semi-finals.
 

S67
CGY | GP: 34 | G: 8 | A: 16 | PTS: 24 | +/-: -12 | 0 GWG
SEA | GP: 38 | G: 21 | A: 33 | PTS: 54 | +/-: -3 | 2 GWG
Kovalchuk’s sixth VHL season would bring about massive change to his career; he would return to the city he had called home for so many seasons, but more importantly, Kovalchuk would switch positions from defense to forward. A midseason trade saw Kovalchuk head to Seattle along with promising John Frostbeard in exchange for budding star Joel Ylonen; despite those two acquisitions, the Bears would fall short of making the postseason in S67. Kovalchuk’s transition from defender to center went smoothly, as his 78 Points combined between Calgary and Seattle led the Bears in scoring at the season's end.
 

S68
SEA | GP: 72 | G: 33 | A: 29 | PTS: 62 | +/-: +21 | 5 GWG
SEA | GP: 14 | G: 7 | A: 10 | PTS: 17 | +/-: +8 | 1 GWG
At long last, Maxim Kovalchuk would get his ring. The S68 Bears finished the regular season with 91 points and the best record in the North American Conference, thanks to their fantastic forward core of Acyd Burn, John Frostbeard, Joel Ylonen, and Kovalchuk. The Bears would defeat the Toronto Legion 4 games to 2 in the first round, and that would be the most competition they would face in the entire postseason, as they swept their way through the Wranglers and Nighthawks in the next two rounds. 
 
 
S69
SEA | GP: 72 | G: 17 | A: 27 | PTS: 44 | +/-: +10 | 2 GWG
SEA | GP: 19 | G: 5 | A: 5 | PTS: 10 | +/-: +4 | 2 GWG
Kovalchuk’s final VHL season would be his worst statistical season by far, barely breaking the 0.5PPG plateau. There was a reasonable explanation for this though, as Scott Greene took over as Seattle’s #1C, which meant Joel Ylonen moved into the #2C spot previously occupied by Kovalchuk, and Kovalchuk became a winger, only playing around half of the minutes he had played every season prior. Cutting down on Kovalchuk’s minutes did proved to be fruitful for the Bears, as with 93 points they locked down the #2 seed in the NA Conference heading into the postseason. The Bears dispatched of the upstart NY Americans in a grueling 7-game series, and defeated both the Vancouver Wolves and Riga Reign consecutively in 6 games to capture their 2nd straight Continental Cup. In what was a perfect career-ending moment, Kovalchuk scored what proved to be the game-winner of game six, capping off a career where he sacrificed a great deal for the betterment of his team.

 
Regular Season Totals SEA | GP: 470 | G: 161 | A: 338 | PTS: 499 | +/-: +xx | 20 GWG CGY | GP: 106 | G: 35 | A: 75 | PTS: 110 | +/-: +27 | 2 GWG ALL | GP: 576 | G: 196 | A: 413 | PTS: 609 | +/-: +214 | 22 GWG Playoff Totals SEA | GP: 60 | G: 20 | A: 41 | PTS: 61 | +/-: +11 | 6 GWG CGY | GP: 7 | G: 3 | A: 4 | PTS: 7 | +/-: +3 | 0 GWG ALL | GP: 67 | G: 23 | A: 45 | PTS: 68 | +/-: +14 | 6 GWG
Maxim Kovalchuk retires as not only one of the best players of his generation, but arguably the greatest Russian defender in VHL history. His 609 career points ranks 122nd all-time in VHL history at the time of his induction, and 6th all-time among Russian-born VHLers. His career arc was quite odd, seemingly peaking in his rookie season and then dipping before another peak a few seasons later. Playing 3/8 VHL seasons as a forward also sort of skews his perception as well, as he certainly had a chance to be the greatest defender of his generation had he not switched positions. Instead, he enters the Hall of Fame as a member of a small but seemingly growing group of dual-position players, one that includes Ay Ay Ron, Conner Low, & Matt Bailey.
 

Maxim Kovalchuk
Position: D/F
Birthplace: Russia
Height: 6’6"
Weight: 208 lbs
Number: 44
Drafted: 2nd OV S62 (Seattle)
Username: @Banackock
 
 
Career Awards
S62 Alexander Valiq Trophy (Top Offensive Defenseman)
S64 Jake Wylde Trophy (Top Defensive Defenseman)
S65 Sterling Labatte Trophy (Top Defenseman)
S65 Jake Wylde Trophy (Top Defensive Defenseman)
S65 Alexander Beketov Trophy (Most Assists)
S68 Continental Cup (Seattle)
S69 Continental Cup (Seattle)
 

S62
SEA | GP: 30 | G: 87 | A: 87 | PTS: 117 | +/-: +16 | 2 GWG
SEA | GP: 9 | G: 5 | A: 13 | PTS: 18 | +/-: -4 | 2 GWG
Kovalchuk’s rookie season would not only turn out to be the finest of his entire career, but arguably one of the finest rookie seasons in VHL history. As of S71, only four VHL rookies ever scored more points in a single season than Kovalchuk: his own teammate C - Vyacheslav Smirnov (149PTS - S62), LW - Jardy Bunclewirth (132PTS - S18), C - Alexander Thrower (120PTS - S53), and D - Michael Angelo (119PTS - S20). Maxim was part of a dynamic Seattle offense whose top four scorers combined for over 500 points in the regular season; the Bears’ high flying offense wouldn’t turn into much success in the playoffs, as they would be eliminated by the eventual-champion Calgary Wranglers in 6 games. Kovalchuk wouldn’t go home without any hardware though, as he would take home the Alexander Valiq Trophy as the VHL’s Top Offensive Defenseman at the season's end.
 
 
S63
SEA | GP: 72 | G: 25 | A: 40 | PTS: 65 | +/-: +62 | 3 GWG
SEA | GP: 6 | G: 1 | A: 3 | PTS: 4 | +/-: +3 | 0 GWG
S63 was practically the definition of a "sophomore slump" for the Russian defender, and it would not be nearly as prosperous for Kovalchuk as the previous season; his point total nearly halved, with the only improvement coming in the form of adding nearly +50 to his +/- rating. In all fairness to him, it would be hard for any player to improve upon a 117-Point rookie season. Despite strong seasons from future HoFers Gabriel McAllister and Matt Thompson, the Bears would lose in the first round of the playoffs at the hands of the Calgary Wranglers once again.
 

S64
SEA | GP: 72 | G: 17 | A: 52 | PTS: 69 | +/-: +50 | 4 GWG
SEA | GP: 6 | G: 2 | A: 3 | PTS: 5 | +/-: -1 | 1 GWG
S64 would see Kovalchuk slightly raise his point totals from the season prior, although offense wasn’t where he made large strides that season. Kovalchuk’s improvements were mostly made in his physical play, as he reached a posted then-career highs in Hits (208) and Penalty Minutes (118) as he rounded himself into a quality two-way defender. His improvements in his own end would not go unnoticed, as he would take home the Jake Wylde Trophy as the VHL’s Top Defensive Defender after being eliminated at the hands of the Toronto Legion in the playoffs.
 
 
S65
SEA | GP: 72 | G: 18 | A: 70 | PTS: 88 | +/-: +31 | 2 GWG
SEA | GP: 6 | G: 0 | A: 7 | PTS: 7 | +/-: +1 | 0 GWG
Although he wouldn’t score as many points as he did in his rookie season, S65 might have been the finest overall season of Kovalchuk’s entire career. With 70 assists and 88 Points, Kovalchuk would take home the Alexander Beketov Trophy (Most Assists), Jake Wylde Trophy, and the Sterling Labatte Trophy as the VHL’s Top Overall Defenseman. His 88 Points led all defenders, 1 point more than rival Toronto defender Tzuyu. Despite 100+ point-seasons from Veran Dragomir, Sebastian Ironside, Vyacheslav Smirnov, and Matt Thompson, the Bears were once again ousted in the first round, this time via the Helsinki Titans.

S66
CGY | GP: 72 | G: 27 | A: 59 | PTS: 86 | +/-: +39 | 2 GWG
CGY | GP: 7 | G: 3 | A: 4 | PTS: 7 | +/-: +3 | 0 GWG
S66 would be the 1st of Kovalchuk’s career not spent in Seattle; in the offseason, Kovalchuk along with Sebastian Ironside and the FA rights of Matt Thompson, were sent to the Wranglers in a rebuilding move that gave seattle two 1st Rd picks, two 2nd round picks, along with depth players Lando Baxter and Wlodzimierz Zajaczkowski. Kovalchuk adjusted well to his new home, leading the Wranglers defense by scoring 86 Points and patrolling the blueline with 242 Hits and 221 PIM; his quest for a Continental Cup would fall short again, falling to the Vancouver Wolves in the semi-finals.
 

S67
CGY | GP: 34 | G: 8 | A: 16 | PTS: 24 | +/-: -12 | 0 GWG
SEA | GP: 38 | G: 21 | A: 33 | PTS: 54 | +/-: -3 | 2 GWG
Kovalchuk’s sixth VHL season would bring about massive change to his career; he would return to the city he had called home for so many seasons, but more importantly, Kovalchuk would switch positions from defense to forward. A midseason trade saw Kovalchuk head to Seattle along with promising John Frostbeard in exchange for budding star Joel Ylonen; despite those two acquisitions, the Bears would fall short of making the postseason in S67. Kovalchuk’s transition from defender to center went smoothly, as his 78 Points combined between Calgary and Seattle led the Bears in scoring at the season's end.
 

S68
SEA | GP: 72 | G: 33 | A: 29 | PTS: 62 | +/-: +21 | 5 GWG
SEA | GP: 14 | G: 7 | A: 10 | PTS: 17 | +/-: +8 | 1 GWG
At long last, Maxim Kovalchuk would get his ring. The S68 Bears finished the regular season with 91 points and the best record in the North American Conference, thanks to their fantastic forward core of Acyd Burn, John Frostbeard, Joel Ylonen, and Kovalchuk. The Bears would defeat the Toronto Legion 4 games to 2 in the first round, and that would be the most competition they would face in the entire postseason, as they swept their way through the Wranglers and Nighthawks in the next two rounds. 
 
 
S69
SEA | GP: 72 | G: 17 | A: 27 | PTS: 44 | +/-: +10 | 2 GWG
SEA | GP: 19 | G: 5 | A: 5 | PTS: 10 | +/-: +4 | 2 GWG
Kovalchuk’s final VHL season would be his worst statistical season by far, barely breaking the 0.5PPG plateau. There was a reasonable explanation for this though, as Scott Greene took over as Seattle’s #1C, which meant Joel Ylonen moved into the #2C spot previously occupied by Kovalchuk, and Kovalchuk became a winger, only playing around half of the minutes he had played every season prior. Cutting down on Kovalchuk’s minutes did proved to be fruitful for the Bears, as with 93 points they locked down the #2 seed in the NA Conference heading into the postseason. The Bears dispatched of the upstart NY Americans in a grueling 7-game series, and defeated both the Vancouver Wolves and Riga Reign consecutively in 6 games to capture their 2nd straight Continental Cup. In what was a perfect career-ending moment, Kovalchuk scored what proved to be the game-winner of game six, capping off a career where he sacrificed a great deal for the betterment of his team.

 
Regular Season Totals SEA | GP: 470 | G: 161 | A: 338 | PTS: 499 | +/-: +xx | 20 GWG CGY | GP: 106 | G: 35 | A: 75 | PTS: 110 | +/-: +27 | 2 GWG ALL | GP: 576 | G: 196 | A: 413 | PTS: 609 | +/-: +214 | 22 GWG Playoff Totals SEA | GP: 60 | G: 20 | A: 41 | PTS: 61 | +/-: +11 | 6 GWG CGY | GP: 7 | G: 3 | A: 4 | PTS: 7 | +/-: +3 | 0 GWG ALL | GP: 67 | G: 23 | A: 45 | PTS: 68 | +/-: +14 | 6 GWG
Maxim Kovalchuk retires as not only one of the best players of his generation, but arguably the greatest Russian defender in VHL history. His 609 career points ranks 122nd all-time in VHL history at the time of his induction, and 6th all-time among Russian-born VHLers. His career arc was quite odd, seemingly peaking in his rookie season and then dipping before another peak a few seasons later. Playing 3/8 VHL seasons as a forward also sort of skews his perception as well, as he certainly had a chance to be the greatest defender of his generation had he not switched positions. Instead, he enters the Hall of Fame as a member of a small but seemingly growing group of dual-position players, one that includes Ay Ay Ron, Conner Low, & Matt Bailey.
 

Maxim Kovalchuk
Position: D/F
Birthplace: Russia
Height: 6’6"
Weight: 208 lbs
Number: 44
Drafted: 2nd OV S62 (Seattle)
Username: @Banackock
 
 
Career Awards
S62 Alexander Valiq Trophy (Top Offensive Defenseman)
S64 Jake Wylde Trophy (Top Defensive Defenseman)
S65 Sterling Labatte Trophy (Top Defenseman)
S65 Jake Wylde Trophy (Top Defensive Defenseman)
S65 Alexander Beketov Trophy (Most Assists)
S68 Continental Cup (Seattle)
S69 Continental Cup (Seattle)
 

S62
SEA | GP: 30 | G: 87 | A: 87 | PTS: 117 | +/-: +16 | 2 GWG
SEA | GP: 9 | G: 5 | A: 13 | PTS: 18 | +/-: -4 | 2 GWG
Kovalchuk’s rookie season would not only turn out to be the finest of his entire career, but arguably one of the finest rookie seasons in VHL history. As of S71, only four VHL rookies ever scored more points in a single season than Kovalchuk: his own teammate C - Vyacheslav Smirnov (149PTS - S62), LW - Jardy Bunclewirth (132PTS - S18), C - Alexander Thrower (120PTS - S53), and D - Michael Angelo (119PTS - S20). Maxim was part of a dynamic Seattle offense whose top four scorers combined for over 500 points in the regular season; the Bears’ high flying offense wouldn’t turn into much success in the playoffs, as they would be eliminated by the eventual-champion Calgary Wranglers in 6 games. Kovalchuk wouldn’t go home without any hardware though, as he would take home the Alexander Valiq Trophy as the VHL’s Top Offensive Defenseman at the season's end.
 
 
S63
SEA | GP: 72 | G: 25 | A: 40 | PTS: 65 | +/-: +62 | 3 GWG
SEA | GP: 6 | G: 1 | A: 3 | PTS: 4 | +/-: +3 | 0 GWG
S63 was practically the definition of a "sophomore slump" for the Russian defender, and it would not be nearly as prosperous for Kovalchuk as the previous season; his point total nearly halved, with the only improvement coming in the form of adding nearly +50 to his +/- rating. In all fairness to him, it would be hard for any player to improve upon a 117-Point rookie season. Despite strong seasons from future HoFers Gabriel McAllister and Matt Thompson, the Bears would lose in the first round of the playoffs at the hands of the Calgary Wranglers once again.
 

S64
SEA | GP: 72 | G: 17 | A: 52 | PTS: 69 | +/-: +50 | 4 GWG
SEA | GP: 6 | G: 2 | A: 3 | PTS: 5 | +/-: -1 | 1 GWG
S64 would see Kovalchuk slightly raise his point totals from the season prior, although offense wasn’t where he made large strides that season. Kovalchuk’s improvements were mostly made in his physical play, as he reached a posted then-career highs in Hits (208) and Penalty Minutes (118) as he rounded himself into a quality two-way defender. His improvements in his own end would not go unnoticed, as he would take home the Jake Wylde Trophy as the VHL’s Top Defensive Defender after being eliminated at the hands of the Toronto Legion in the playoffs.
 
 
S65
SEA | GP: 72 | G: 18 | A: 70 | PTS: 88 | +/-: +31 | 2 GWG
SEA | GP: 6 | G: 0 | A: 7 | PTS: 7 | +/-: +1 | 0 GWG
Although he wouldn’t score as many points as he did in his rookie season, S65 might have been the finest overall season of Kovalchuk’s entire career. With 70 assists and 88 Points, Kovalchuk would take home the Alexander Beketov Trophy (Most Assists), Jake Wylde Trophy, and the Sterling Labatte Trophy as the VHL’s Top Overall Defenseman. His 88 Points led all defenders, 1 point more than rival Toronto defender Tzuyu. Despite 100+ point-seasons from Veran Dragomir, Sebastian Ironside, Vyacheslav Smirnov, and Matt Thompson, the Bears were once again ousted in the first round, this time via the Helsinki Titans.

S66
CGY | GP: 72 | G: 27 | A: 59 | PTS: 86 | +/-: +39 | 2 GWG
CGY | GP: 7 | G: 3 | A: 4 | PTS: 7 | +/-: +3 | 0 GWG
S66 would be the 1st of Kovalchuk’s career not spent in Seattle; in the offseason, Kovalchuk along with Sebastian Ironside and the FA rights of Matt Thompson, were sent to the Wranglers in a rebuilding move that gave seattle two 1st Rd picks, two 2nd round picks, along with depth players Lando Baxter and Wlodzimierz Zajaczkowski. Kovalchuk adjusted well to his new home, leading the Wranglers defense by scoring 86 Points and patrolling the blueline with 242 Hits and 221 PIM; his quest for a Continental Cup would fall short again, falling to the Vancouver Wolves in the semi-finals.
 

S67
CGY | GP: 34 | G: 8 | A: 16 | PTS: 24 | +/-: -12 | 0 GWG
SEA | GP: 38 | G: 21 | A: 33 | PTS: 54 | +/-: -3 | 2 GWG
Kovalchuk’s sixth VHL season would bring about massive change to his career; he would return to the city he had called home for so many seasons, but more importantly, Kovalchuk would switch positions from defense to forward. A midseason trade saw Kovalchuk head to Seattle along with promising John Frostbeard in exchange for budding star Joel Ylonen; despite those two acquisitions, the Bears would fall short of making the postseason in S67. Kovalchuk’s transition from defender to center went smoothly, as his 78 Points combined between Calgary and Seattle led the Bears in scoring at the season's end.
 

S68
SEA | GP: 72 | G: 33 | A: 29 | PTS: 62 | +/-: +21 | 5 GWG
SEA | GP: 14 | G: 7 | A: 10 | PTS: 17 | +/-: +8 | 1 GWG
At long last, Maxim Kovalchuk would get his ring. The S68 Bears finished the regular season with 91 points and the best record in the North American Conference, thanks to their fantastic forward core of Acyd Burn, John Frostbeard, Joel Ylonen, and Kovalchuk. The Bears would defeat the Toronto Legion 4 games to 2 in the first round, and that would be the most competition they would face in the entire postseason, as they swept their way through the Wranglers and Nighthawks in the next two rounds. 
 
 
S69
SEA | GP: 72 | G: 17 | A: 27 | PTS: 44 | +/-: +10 | 2 GWG
SEA | GP: 19 | G: 5 | A: 5 | PTS: 10 | +/-: +4 | 2 GWG
Kovalchuk’s final VHL season would be his worst statistical season by far, barely breaking the 0.5PPG plateau. There was a reasonable explanation for this though, as Scott Greene took over as Seattle’s #1C, which meant Joel Ylonen moved into the #2C spot previously occupied by Kovalchuk, and Kovalchuk became a winger, only playing around half of the minutes he had played every season prior. Cutting down on Kovalchuk’s minutes did proved to be fruitful for the Bears, as with 93 points they locked down the #2 seed in the NA Conference heading into the postseason. The Bears dispatched of the upstart NY Americans in a grueling 7-game series, and defeated both the Vancouver Wolves and Riga Reign consecutively in 6 games to capture their 2nd straight Continental Cup. In what was a perfect career-ending moment, Kovalchuk scored what proved to be the game-winner of game six, capping off a career where he sacrificed a great deal for the betterment of his team.

 
Regular Season Totals SEA | GP: 470 | G: 161 | A: 338 | PTS: 499 | +/-: +xx | 20 GWG CGY | GP: 106 | G: 35 | A: 75 | PTS: 110 | +/-: +27 | 2 GWG ALL | GP: 576 | G: 196 | A: 413 | PTS: 609 | +/-: +214 | 22 GWG Playoff Totals SEA | GP: 60 | G: 20 | A: 41 | PTS: 61 | +/-: +11 | 6 GWG CGY | GP: 7 | G: 3 | A: 4 | PTS: 7 | +/-: +3 | 0 GWG ALL | GP: 67 | G: 23 | A: 45 | PTS: 68 | +/-: +14 | 6 GWG
Maxim Kovalchuk retires as not only one of the best players of his generation, but arguably the greatest Russian defender in VHL history. His 609 career points ranks 122nd all-time in VHL history at the time of his induction, and 6th all-time among Russian-born VHLers. His career arc was quite odd, seemingly peaking in his rookie season and then dipping before another peak a few seasons later. Playing 3/8 VHL seasons as a forward also sort of skews his perception as well, as he certainly had a chance to be the greatest defender of his generation had he not switched positions. Instead, he enters the Hall of Fame as a member of a small but seemingly growing group of dual-position players, one that includes Ay Ay Ron, Conner Low, & Matt Bailey.
 

Even if I will never forgive @Nykonax for not drafting me, seeing Vasteras demolish Stockholm is INCREDIBLY cathartic.
 
VASTERAS FOREVER

The Vasteras Iron Eagles are back?! Say what?! Yes you aren't hearing it wrong for anyone who has been living under a rock and not paying attention to the craziness that is the NHLVE (National Hockey League Victory Edition duh?) 8 defunct VHL/M teams have been resurrected. Unlike in their heydays these teams get the honor of being bulked up by a cast of NHL stars and misfits alike. Of course on top of some user created players. 
 
But credit has to be given where credit is due, the two unlikely of duo's the Vasteras Iron Eagles and their GM @Nykonax have built the leagues highest flying team. Vasteras has put on some scorching performances, but don't take my word for it check out the NHLVE INDEX to see some of the bloodbaths. 
 
Even after a sim slider adjustment that saw in general some widespread scoring reductions, Vasteras managed to light up the poor Stockholm Vikings for 11 goals in Game 23, chasing poor Anders Nilsson out only for @Beketov Robert Sharpe to come in, and in true back up for give up 5 goals himself. The real notable NHL standout for Vasteras has been Jason Demers, who given the weaker layout of the randomized pool of NHL players finds himself as one of the more prominent D in the league this season. But still the chemistry between the top line of Kyl Oferson, Viktor Arvidsson and @Jubis Jubis Bardownallday cannot be understated. Right now they are probably without a doubt the two best performing user created players. 
 
All I can for certain is that I more than tempted fate in creating Vasteras in another league, and if things continue at this pace Vasteras is going to dominate every season of NHLVE in the hopes it somehow makes up for every failed season in the VHL. Which means we still have a lot of seasons to go to catch up.