Matt_O

Welcome to the fourth edition of Ringless. In this series we look at the best teams throughout VHL history to never win the cup.
 
Make sure to check out other series VSN has to offer, such as our weekly reviews, podcasts, and scouting reports
VSN Radio | Weekly Review | VSN Scouting | Under 250 | Talents Behind the Trophies
 
Some teams have the talent to win it all, but can’t put together the pieces to do it. Someone could say that these teams are even cursed. If you want to talk about cursed teams, look no farther than the Vasteras IK. After their season 1 Continental Cup win, they didn’t win it all again until S26. They moved to Madrid for a few seasons before returning to Vasteras, and the whole team was an absolute mess until S26. Vasteras was very irrelevant but still got hate simply for existing. Everything about the team was a disaster, but once S26 rolled around, things changed in a hurry.
 
That year was a special year for the Iron Eagles organization. Not just did they have the big league team end their curse and win it all, their minor league team Vasteras IK Jr., also known as the Baby Eagles, had serious championship ambitions. The S26 VHLM draft class was pretty hyped up, featuring numerous big name re-creates as well as some solid first gen players. Some of the biggest names were Satan (@Bushito), Phil Rafter (@Phil), Ying Qin (@tfong), Gunnar Rask (@Advantage), Alexander Chershenko (@Victor), and Marius Henchoz (@Frank). There are more high profile re-creates, but those are just the very high profile users from that draft class. If the Baby Eagles could pick up a few of these big names, they could put themselves in a great position to contend for a cup. The Baby Eagles GM, @Edgar, decided he wanted more than just a few of those big names. By the time the S26 VHLM draft was ready to start, the Baby Eagles had the first overall selection. And the second pick, and the third. It keeps going. In one of the most hyped up draft classes in VHL history at the time, the Baby Eagles had the first 16 picks of that year's draft. No other team made a pick until the third round. Keep in mind that these draft classes were no more than two rounds deep, and even though this draft class was extremely hyped up, they still got very low on talent come the third round. It was the Baby Eagles league, and everyone else was just playing in it.
 

Vasteras GM @Edgar strikes a deal for the 11th overall pick with the Bern Royals GM on draft day. 
 
This was, without a doubt, the greatest team in VHLM history up until S69. Owning half of the first round in a draft would put you in a great spot to win, but Vasteras took that to another level. To truly understand the Baby Eagles dominant roster, we have to compare them to the rest of the league. During the regular season, the Baby Eagles dominated. They had a jaw dropping 64 wins, and their 130 point season was 29 more than the second placed Brampton Blades. They had 53 more points than the Bern Royals, who finished second in the European Conference that season. Defensively, this team was historically tough to score on. Vasteras had the lowest amount of goals against that season, with only 179 goals getting scored on them all season. That may seem like a high total, it’s nearly three goals against per game. However, this era of VHLM hockey had high scoring, so we have to look at how well the other teams did defensively to truly understand how good Vasteras was. How many goals against could the second best defensive team let up? 200? 225? 250? 275? Even 300? If you picked any of those numbers, you are wrong. Not a single other team in the league that year allowed less than 317 goals against. The Baby Eagles goaltender Satan also put up incredible stats, with a .910 save percentage and a 2.35 goals against average. These may seem like average stats, but compared to the rest of the league, Satan ironically was the second coming of Jesus. The second highest save percentage was a pathetic .883, and no other goalie had a goals against average below 4.25. Satan would win the Sawchuk Trophy for best goaltender that year in what was most likely the least contested award in VHLM history.

Vasteras goaltender Satan makes a stick save against the Royals in a regular season game. Satan's elite play helped the Baby Eagles win 64 games
 
While the defensive and goaltending stats for the Baby Eagles were incredible, the individual player stats didn’t jump off the page. They only had one player finish in the top 10 in points, which was defenseman Nic Ropel. This is because the star players of other teams would have time on ice totals approaching thirty minutes, while Vasteras didn’t have anyone playing more than 25 minutes in a game because of how well rounded they were. Every line on Vasteras could have been any other team's best line. Come playoff time, they were the heavy favorite to win it all.
In the European Conference Finals, the Baby Eagles would face the Bern Royals, who finished second in the European Conference that season. This was about as predictable of a series as you can get, as most people pronounced the Baby Eagles the winner of the series before a game was even played, and most believed it would be a quick and easy sweep. Game One was a back-and-forth contest that saw a third period comeback by the Royals to force overtime. In overtime, the Royals would shockingly win. Vasteras was supposed to sweep their way to the cup, but they had just lost their first playoff game. They responded with four straight wins to force their way into the finals. Things were going well despite the loss. Surely that loss was just a fluke.
 
In the finals, the Baby Eagles would have to play the Blades, who finished second in the league. Their 101 points were nothing to look past, but the Baby Eagles were still far better. While one loss wouldn’t be completely shocking, anything more would be. If the Blades wanted to win, they would need Seth Plaut, the MVP of the league with 215 points, to really step up and lead the way. Plaut and superstar winger Aidan Richman would do exactly that in Game One, as the Blades stole a win from the Baby Eagles. Game Two was back to normal, as Vasteras bounced back and beat down on the Blades in that one, but Games Three and Four both went Brampton's way. The Baby Eagles longest losing streak that season was three games, and they had just lost two in a row in the finals. The greatest team in VHLM history, with the first 16 picks of that year's draft, were down 3-1 in the finals to a team that had one third round pick and one fourth round pick from that year's draft. This should have been an easy series. It clearly wasn’t. Despite Vasteras' dominance in Games Three and Four, they still couldn’t pick up a win. They had their backs against the wall heading back home for Game Five.
 
Vasteras had all the momentum going against them. They couldn’t afford any slip ups, or else their season was over. A 4-1 win in game five was much needed, and another 4-1 win in Game Six forced a deciding Game Seven. Could Vasteras survive this scare and win it all? Or were the Blades about to shock everybody and pull off a stunner in Game Seven?
Game Seven began in the worst way possible for Vasteras, as the Blades had a 3-1 lead after one period. A bad start got even worse as Brampton had a 5-2 lead heading into the third. Twenty minutes left in the season. Vasteras needed to give it everything they had, and they did. Two quick goals brought them to within one, but a dominant third period simply wasn’t enough to overcome their three goal deficit. It was over for the Baby Eagles. The Blades stunned everyone and won the Founder's Cup. 
 

The Blades stun the VHLM by defeating the star studded Baby Eagles in seven games and win the Founders Cup
 
How did the greatest VHLM team of all time not win the cup? This is still a mystery, as a team with that skill should not have lost a series to anybody. Even though they won the cup in S27, the team was very different from the S26 team. The Vasteras Baby Eagles in S26 are the greatest minor league team to not win a championship.
 
Before I finish, I wanted to thank @solas. His three part series about this team was extremely helpful as a research tool, and if you want to check out his articles on this team, click here. 
 

Welcome to the fourth edition of Ringless. In this series we look at the best teams throughout VHL history to never win the cup.
 
Make sure to check out other series VSN has to offer, such as our weekly reviews, podcasts, and scouting reports
VSN Radio | Weekly Review | VSN Scouting | Under 250 | Talents Behind the Trophies
 
Some teams have the talent to win it all, but can’t put together the pieces to do it. Someone could say that these teams are even cursed. If you want to talk about cursed teams, look no farther than the Vasteras IK. After their season 1 Continental Cup win, they didn’t win it all again until S26. They moved to Madrid for a few seasons before returning to Vasteras, and the whole team was an absolute mess until S26. Vasteras was very irrelevant but still got hate simply for existing. Everything about the team was a disaster, but once S26 rolled around, things changed in a hurry.
 
That year was a special year for the Iron Eagles organization. Not just did they have the big league team end their curse and win it all, their minor league team Vasteras IK Jr., also known as the Baby Eagles, had serious championship ambitions. The S26 VHLM draft class was pretty hyped up, featuring numerous big name re-creates as well as some solid first gen players. Some of the biggest names were Satan (@Bushito), Phil Rafter (@Phil), Ying Qin (@tfong), Gunnar Rask (@Advantage), Alexander Chershenko (@Victor), and Marius Henchoz (@Frank). There are more high profile re-creates, but those are just the very high profile users from that draft class. If the Baby Eagles could pick up a few of these big names, they could put themselves in a great position to contend for a cup. The Baby Eagles GM, @Edgar, decided he wanted more than just a few of those big names. By the time the S26 VHLM draft was ready to start, the Baby Eagles had the first overall selection. And the second pick, and the third. It keeps going. In one of the most hyped up draft classes in VHL history at the time, the Baby Eagles had the first 16 picks of that year's draft. No other team made a pick until the third round. Keep in mind that these draft classes were no more than two rounds deep, and even though this draft class was extremely hyped up, they still got very low on talent come the third round. It was the Baby Eagles league, and everyone else was just playing in it.
 

Vasteras GM @Edgar strikes a deal for the 11th overall pick with the Bern Royals GM on draft day. 
 
This was, without a doubt, the greatest team in VHLM history up until S69. Owning half of the first round in a draft would put you in a great spot to win, but Vasteras took that to another level. To truly understand the Baby Eagles dominant roster, we have to compare them to the rest of the league. During the regular season, the Baby Eagles dominated. They had a jaw dropping 64 wins, and their 130 point season was 29 more than the second placed Brampton Blades. They had 53 more points than the Bern Royals, who finished second in the European Conference that season. Defensively, this team was historically tough to score on. Vasteras had the lowest amount of goals against that season, with only 179 goals getting scored on them all season. That may seem like a high total, it’s nearly three goals against per game. However, this era of VHLM hockey had high scoring, so we have to look at how well the other teams did defensively to truly understand how good Vasteras was. How many goals against could the second best defensive team let up? 200? 225? 250? 275? Even 300? If you picked any of those numbers, you are wrong. Not a single other team in the league that year allowed less than 317 goals against. The Baby Eagles goaltender Satan also put up incredible stats, with a .910 save percentage and a 2.35 goals against average. These may seem like average stats, but compared to the rest of the league, Satan ironically was the second coming of Jesus. The second highest save percentage was a pathetic .883, and no other goalie had a goals against average below 4.25. Satan would win the Sawchuk Trophy for best goaltender that year in what was most likely the least contested award in VHLM history.

Vasteras goaltender Satan makes a stick save against the Royals in a regular season game. Satan's elite play helped the Baby Eagles win 64 games
 
While the defensive and goaltending stats for the Baby Eagles were incredible, the individual player stats didn’t jump off the page. They only had one player finish in the top 10 in points, which was defenseman Nic Ropel. This is because the star players of other teams would have time on ice totals approaching thirty minutes, while Vasteras didn’t have anyone playing more than 25 minutes in a game because of how well rounded they were. Every line on Vasteras could have been any other team's best line. Come playoff time, they were the heavy favorite to win it all.
In the European Conference Finals, the Baby Eagles would face the Bern Royals, who finished second in the European Conference that season. This was about as predictable of a series as you can get, as most people pronounced the Baby Eagles the winner of the series before a game was even played, and most believed it would be a quick and easy sweep. Game One was a back-and-forth contest that saw a third period comeback by the Royals to force overtime. In overtime, the Royals would shockingly win. Vasteras was supposed to sweep their way to the cup, but they had just lost their first playoff game. They responded with four straight wins to force their way into the finals. Things were going well despite the loss. Surely that loss was just a fluke.
 
In the finals, the Baby Eagles would have to play the Blades, who finished second in the league. Their 101 points were nothing to look past, but the Baby Eagles were still far better. While one loss wouldn’t be completely shocking, anything more would be. If the Blades wanted to win, they would need Seth Plaut, the MVP of the league with 215 points, to really step up and lead the way. Plaut and superstar winger Aidan Richman would do exactly that in Game One, as the Blades stole a win from the Baby Eagles. Game Two was back to normal, as Vasteras bounced back and beat down on the Blades in that one, but Games Three and Four both went Brampton's way. The Baby Eagles longest losing streak that season was three games, and they had just lost two in a row in the finals. The greatest team in VHLM history, with the first 16 picks of that year's draft, were down 3-1 in the finals to a team that had one third round pick and one fourth round pick from that year's draft. This should have been an easy series. It clearly wasn’t. Despite Vasteras' dominance in Games Three and Four, they still couldn’t pick up a win. They had their backs against the wall heading back home for Game Five.
 
Vasteras had all the momentum going against them. They couldn’t afford any slip ups, or else their season was over. A 4-1 win in game five was much needed, and another 4-1 win in Game Six forced a deciding Game Seven. Could Vasteras survive this scare and win it all? Or were the Blades about to shock everybody and pull off a stunner in Game Seven?
Game Seven began in the worst way possible for Vasteras, as the Blades had a 3-1 lead after one period. A bad start got even worse as Brampton had a 5-2 lead heading into the third. Twenty minutes left in the season. Vasteras needed to give it everything they had, and they did. Two quick goals brought them to within one, but a dominant third period simply wasn’t enough to overcome their three goal deficit. It was over for the Baby Eagles. The Blades stunned everyone and won the Founder's Cup. 
 

The Blades stun the VHLM by defeating the star studded Baby Eagles in seven games and win the Founders Cup
 
How did the greatest VHLM team of all time not win the cup? This is still a mystery, as a team with that skill should not have lost a series to anybody. Even though they won the cup in S27, the team was very different from the S26 team. The Vasteras Baby Eagles in S26 are the greatest minor league team to not win a championship.
 
Before I finish, I wanted to thank @solas. His three part series about this team was extremely helpful as a research tool, and if you want to check out his articles on this team, click here. 
 

1) I did, I was going to do my PTs today but I had to wait until now, it's okay though I have nothing to do.
 
2) I try to watch every game, but the round robin I haven't payed much attention too, and certain series I care about more than others. 
 
3) I would name the bot Tommy Wiseau, after the creator of the best movie of all time "The Room"
 
4) All of them, making the playoffs without winning the cup is the same as missing the playoffs in the grand scheme of things. 
 
5) His high level of play has gotten to his head and inflated it
 
6) I'd say a 7, we are doing well but not amazing. For me personally it's a 9 though, I'm doing better than I ever expected

Welcome to the third edition of Ringless. In this series we look at the best teams throughout VHL history to never win the cup.
 
Make sure to check out other series VSN has to offer, such as our weekly reviews, award trackers, podcasts, and scouting reports
VSN Radio | Weekly Review | Future Watch | Under 250 | S73 Season Preview
 
There are many teams in VHL history that were elite but never won a cup. Sometimes it’s because a different team is just plain better, or a lot of bad luck. The Quebec City Meute of S49 and S50 are one of the clearest examples of teams being great, but another team just being better. The Meute were the biggest victim of the Legion’s threepeat from S48 to S50, despite having a star-studded team. How did the Meute win only one playoff series despite having five hall of famers on their roster?
 
The S49 Meute were a few seasons in the making. After a solid run during the early S40s, they regressed and missed the playoffs three straight seasons from S46 to S48. In the S48 draft, the selected centre Unassisted second overall, and also added forward Tom Lincoln because of the GM rule. The draft wasn’t much help for the Meute in their rebuild, as they relied on trades in order to secure the big-name players, such as goalie Greg Clegane. They traded a first, a second and a young goaltender for Aleksi Koponen and Greg Clegane, both of which are now hall of famers. They also acquired defenseman Jeff Hamilton from the Bears at the deadline, completing their dangerous quintet of future hall of famers. 
 
Despite finishing low in the standings for three straight seasons, the draft wasn’t very valuable to the Meute. As teams such as the Titans and Bears began to rebuild, the Meute took advantage and acquired three future hall of famers in the process. These five players helped bring the Meute to the top of the league, with an eye-popping 60 wins. They won the Victory Cup and finished first place in one of the most stacked North American Conferences the league has ever seen, with second-placed Toronto having 59 wins and third-placed Calgary having 57 wins. Koponen had 132 points, Lincoln had 110, and Unassisted had 107, forming one of the deadliest lines in the league. Greg Clegane also had a .935 save percentage, and he would go on to win the Scotty Campbell and Aidan Shaw trophies. They headed to the playoffs with a first-round bye, and would eventually meet the Toronto Legion in the Conference Finals.
 
.
While Greg Clegane would eventually move on to the Legion, his time with the Meute was nothing short of spectacular.
 
The Legion were coming off a Continental Cup win in S48, and had an elite team themselves. Zach Parechkin, Max Molholt, and Black Velvet led the team while Hans Wingate held it down in net. All four of those players would go on to become hall of famers, leading to a star-studded clash between the Legion and the Meute in the Conference Finals. 
 
The Meute were the only team left that could stop the Legion, since the European Conference was very down that year. With the pure firepower each team had on offense, as well as the elite goaltending on both sides, it looked like we were in for an instant classic. Game’s one and two were in Quebec, and the Meute needed to set the tone. In-game one, the Meute dominated the first two periods, doubling the Legions shot totals, but it was tied heading to the third. In the third period, the Meute collapsed, and ended up losing 3-1. Game two was a must-win for the Meute, since they couldn’t afford to lose both home games. The Legion scored twice in the first period, but the Meute would tie it at 2 and the game headed to overtime. The Meute, yet again, were dominating the Legion. When the game was over, the Meute had 50 shots compared to the Legions 29. Late in the first overtime, Kol Mikaelson, a rookie that had only 13 points during the regular season, would score to give Toronto the win. The assists on the goal went to bot defenseman. The sim gods hated the Meute, but it only would get worse.
 
Game three was an absolute battle. The Legion had the lead four different times, but the Meute tied it up every time and the game headed to overtime tied at four. This was an absolute must-win for the Meute, but just ten seconds into overtime, forward Marcel Faux scored and the Legion won game three. The Meute had no life left in them. Game four came, and it looked like the writing was on the wall. However, the Meute showed signs of life and won 5-2. They dominated this game as well, and they should have had a 3-1 lead after this game. The Meute should have won this series, but they barely could win a game. In-game five, the Legion came to play and ended the series with a 2-1 win. The Meute won 60 games in the regular season, including a 27 game winning streak, and only got one postseason win to show for it. It was a rough series for the Meute, and the Legion would go on to win back to back championships. S50 had to be the year.
 

The Meute suffer defeat on home ice at the hands of the Legion in game five
 
The Meute returned what was practically the same team as S49, as all five core pieces returned in the hopes of a title run. They didn’t have the same success as they did the year prior, as they finished with only 52 wins this year, but it was still a strong season, and they finished in second place in the North American Conference, only behind the defending champion Toronto Legion. With a first-round matchup against the heavy underdog Wranglers, it looked like we were headed to a rematch in the Conference Finals.
 
The series against the Wranglers went as expected. Despite three close games, the Meute absolutely dominated, having 40 or more shots on goal every game. The Meute would sweep the overmatched Wranglers to book a date with the Legion yet again. The Legion were looking for the first-ever three-peat, and the European Conference wasn’t very strong yet again. It was up to the Meute to stop the Legions run.
 
For the second year in a row, the Meute and Legion were going to meet in the Conference Finals. The Meute had revenge in mind, while the Legion wanted to keep their winning ways. In-game one, the Legion opened up the scoring late in the first period as Black Velvet put one home. In the second, the Meute tied it up, as Tom Lincoln scored to tie it at one. The game remained tied as the horn sounded, and we were headed for overtime. The Legion had the momentum, badly outplaying the Meute in the third period, and used it to their advantage. The Legion scored five minutes into overtime and they would end up winning game one. Game two would be a huge game for both teams. No goals were scored in the first, but Unassisted scored in the second to give the Meute a 1-0 lead heading into the third period. Just a minute into the third, Legion forward Edwin Reencarnacion tied the game, before Marcel Faux, the overtime hero from last season's series, gave the Legion the lead with only a few minutes to go. The Legion would win game two, and take a 2-0 series lead heading to Quebec City.
 
Game three was a must-win for the Meute, and if they lost, it would almost certainly put the nail in the coffin for their season yet again. They had a 2-0 lead heading to the third before Edwin Reencarnacion of the Legion cut the lead in half late in the period. The Meute would hold on and win game three and make the series 2-1. There was very strong goaltender play in all three games thus far, but game four was different. Tom Lincoln scored within the first minute of the game before Max Molholt tied it for the Legion heading to the second. Lincoln scored again in the second, but Molholt responded again to tie it at two. John Sleeman of the Meute scored back to back goals to give the Meute a 4-2 lead, but a Toronto power-play goal cut that lead in half heading to the third period. Max Molholt completed his hat trick in the third period to tie the game, and it headed to overtime tied four to four. It took sixteen minutes of overtime play to decide a winner in this crucial game four, but Marcel Faux scored the overtime winner for the Legion, tearing the hearts out of all the Quebec players and fans for the second straight year. The Legion would have a 3-1 series lead heading back to Toronto.
 

Marcel Faux scores the overtime winner in game four
 
Despite being down 3-1, all hope wasn’t lost for the Meute. It felt different than last season, even though they were in the same situation. Zach Parechkin scored for Toronto in the second period of game five to give the Legion a 1-0 lead heading into the third, but Tom Lincoln tied it up early in the third before a bot forward for Quebec come through in the clutch with the go-ahead goal with just two minutes to play. Greg Cleganes 30 saves on 31 shots was plenty to force a game six back in Quebec City, and the momentum swung back into the Meutes favour. Game six started strong for the Meute, as Jeff Hamilton scored to give them the lead in the first period. The Legion would tie it in the second, and it would remain scoreless through the rest of the game. We were headed to another overtime. 
 
Both goalies had been fantastic all series long. There was only one game that a team scored more than two goals during the series. Overtime began, and the nervous energy of the crowd in Quebec was obvious. This might be their final chance at a cup. A few minutes passed by before none other than Marcel Faux scored the series-winning overtime goal to send the Legion back to the finals. Faux scored three goals all series, and they all were in the biggest moments. The Meute had fallen short, yet again.
 
The next season, they would end up trading everybody. They fell short of their goal, and now they needed to restart. Every dynasty has victims, certain teams that had the talent to win a cup but couldn’t beat the dynasty. The Meute had one of the greatest rosters in the league’s history but fell victim to perhaps the single greatest team in league history. The Meute should have won a ring, but the Legion stopped them in their tracks. The S49 and S50 Quebec City Meute are one of the best teams to never win a cup.
 
 

 

Welcome to the third edition of Ringless. In this series we look at the best teams throughout VHL history to never win the cup.
 
Make sure to check out other series VSN has to offer, such as our weekly reviews, award trackers, podcasts, and scouting reports
VSN Radio | Weekly Review | Future Watch | Under 250 | S73 Season Preview
 
There are many teams in VHL history that were elite but never won a cup. Sometimes it’s because a different team is just plain better, or a lot of bad luck. The Quebec City Meute of S49 and S50 are one of the clearest examples of teams being great, but another team just being better. The Meute were the biggest victim of the Legion’s threepeat from S48 to S50, despite having a star-studded team. How did the Meute win only one playoff series despite having five hall of famers on their roster?
 
The S49 Meute were a few seasons in the making. After a solid run during the early S40s, they regressed and missed the playoffs three straight seasons from S46 to S48. In the S48 draft, the selected centre Unassisted second overall, and also added forward Tom Lincoln because of the GM rule. The draft wasn’t much help for the Meute in their rebuild, as they relied on trades in order to secure the big-name players, such as goalie Greg Clegane. They traded a first, a second and a young goaltender for Aleksi Koponen and Greg Clegane, both of which are now hall of famers. They also acquired defenseman Jeff Hamilton from the Bears at the deadline, completing their dangerous quintet of future hall of famers. 
 
Despite finishing low in the standings for three straight seasons, the draft wasn’t very valuable to the Meute. As teams such as the Titans and Bears began to rebuild, the Meute took advantage and acquired three future hall of famers in the process. These five players helped bring the Meute to the top of the league, with an eye-popping 60 wins. They won the Victory Cup and finished first place in one of the most stacked North American Conferences the league has ever seen, with second-placed Toronto having 59 wins and third-placed Calgary having 57 wins. Koponen had 132 points, Lincoln had 110, and Unassisted had 107, forming one of the deadliest lines in the league. Greg Clegane also had a .935 save percentage, and he would go on to win the Scotty Campbell and Aidan Shaw trophies. They headed to the playoffs with a first-round bye, and would eventually meet the Toronto Legion in the Conference Finals.
 
.
While Greg Clegane would eventually move on to the Legion, his time with the Meute was nothing short of spectacular.
 
The Legion were coming off a Continental Cup win in S48, and had an elite team themselves. Zach Parechkin, Max Molholt, and Black Velvet led the team while Hans Wingate held it down in net. All four of those players would go on to become hall of famers, leading to a star-studded clash between the Legion and the Meute in the Conference Finals. 
 
The Meute were the only team left that could stop the Legion, since the European Conference was very down that year. With the pure firepower each team had on offense, as well as the elite goaltending on both sides, it looked like we were in for an instant classic. Game’s one and two were in Quebec, and the Meute needed to set the tone. In-game one, the Meute dominated the first two periods, doubling the Legions shot totals, but it was tied heading to the third. In the third period, the Meute collapsed, and ended up losing 3-1. Game two was a must-win for the Meute, since they couldn’t afford to lose both home games. The Legion scored twice in the first period, but the Meute would tie it at 2 and the game headed to overtime. The Meute, yet again, were dominating the Legion. When the game was over, the Meute had 50 shots compared to the Legions 29. Late in the first overtime, Kol Mikaelson, a rookie that had only 13 points during the regular season, would score to give Toronto the win. The assists on the goal went to bot defenseman. The sim gods hated the Meute, but it only would get worse.
 
Game three was an absolute battle. The Legion had the lead four different times, but the Meute tied it up every time and the game headed to overtime tied at four. This was an absolute must-win for the Meute, but just ten seconds into overtime, forward Marcel Faux scored and the Legion won game three. The Meute had no life left in them. Game four came, and it looked like the writing was on the wall. However, the Meute showed signs of life and won 5-2. They dominated this game as well, and they should have had a 3-1 lead after this game. The Meute should have won this series, but they barely could win a game. In-game five, the Legion came to play and ended the series with a 2-1 win. The Meute won 60 games in the regular season, including a 27 game winning streak, and only got one postseason win to show for it. It was a rough series for the Meute, and the Legion would go on to win back to back championships. S50 had to be the year.
 

The Meute suffer defeat on home ice at the hands of the Legion in game five
 
The Meute returned what was practically the same team as S49, as all five core pieces returned in the hopes of a title run. They didn’t have the same success as they did the year prior, as they finished with only 52 wins this year, but it was still a strong season, and they finished in second place in the North American Conference, only behind the defending champion Toronto Legion. With a first-round matchup against the heavy underdog Wranglers, it looked like we were headed to a rematch in the Conference Finals.
 
The series against the Wranglers went as expected. Despite three close games, the Meute absolutely dominated, having 40 or more shots on goal every game. The Meute would sweep the overmatched Wranglers to book a date with the Legion yet again. The Legion were looking for the first-ever three-peat, and the European Conference wasn’t very strong yet again. It was up to the Meute to stop the Legions run.
 
For the second year in a row, the Meute and Legion were going to meet in the Conference Finals. The Meute had revenge in mind, while the Legion wanted to keep their winning ways. In-game one, the Legion opened up the scoring late in the first period as Black Velvet put one home. In the second, the Meute tied it up, as Tom Lincoln scored to tie it at one. The game remained tied as the horn sounded, and we were headed for overtime. The Legion had the momentum, badly outplaying the Meute in the third period, and used it to their advantage. The Legion scored five minutes into overtime and they would end up winning game one. Game two would be a huge game for both teams. No goals were scored in the first, but Unassisted scored in the second to give the Meute a 1-0 lead heading into the third period. Just a minute into the third, Legion forward Edwin Reencarnacion tied the game, before Marcel Faux, the overtime hero from last season's series, gave the Legion the lead with only a few minutes to go. The Legion would win game two, and take a 2-0 series lead heading to Quebec City.
 
Game three was a must-win for the Meute, and if they lost, it would almost certainly put the nail in the coffin for their season yet again. They had a 2-0 lead heading to the third before Edwin Reencarnacion of the Legion cut the lead in half late in the period. The Meute would hold on and win game three and make the series 2-1. There was very strong goaltender play in all three games thus far, but game four was different. Tom Lincoln scored within the first minute of the game before Max Molholt tied it for the Legion heading to the second. Lincoln scored again in the second, but Molholt responded again to tie it at two. John Sleeman of the Meute scored back to back goals to give the Meute a 4-2 lead, but a Toronto power-play goal cut that lead in half heading to the third period. Max Molholt completed his hat trick in the third period to tie the game, and it headed to overtime tied four to four. It took sixteen minutes of overtime play to decide a winner in this crucial game four, but Marcel Faux scored the overtime winner for the Legion, tearing the hearts out of all the Quebec players and fans for the second straight year. The Legion would have a 3-1 series lead heading back to Toronto.
 

Marcel Faux scores the overtime winner in game four
 
Despite being down 3-1, all hope wasn’t lost for the Meute. It felt different than last season, even though they were in the same situation. Zach Parechkin scored for Toronto in the second period of game five to give the Legion a 1-0 lead heading into the third, but Tom Lincoln tied it up early in the third before a bot forward for Quebec come through in the clutch with the go-ahead goal with just two minutes to play. Greg Cleganes 30 saves on 31 shots was plenty to force a game six back in Quebec City, and the momentum swung back into the Meutes favour. Game six started strong for the Meute, as Jeff Hamilton scored to give them the lead in the first period. The Legion would tie it in the second, and it would remain scoreless through the rest of the game. We were headed to another overtime. 
 
Both goalies had been fantastic all series long. There was only one game that a team scored more than two goals during the series. Overtime began, and the nervous energy of the crowd in Quebec was obvious. This might be their final chance at a cup. A few minutes passed by before none other than Marcel Faux scored the series-winning overtime goal to send the Legion back to the finals. Faux scored three goals all series, and they all were in the biggest moments. The Meute had fallen short, yet again.
 
The next season, they would end up trading everybody. They fell short of their goal, and now they needed to restart. Every dynasty has victims, certain teams that had the talent to win a cup but couldn’t beat the dynasty. The Meute had one of the greatest rosters in the league’s history but fell victim to perhaps the single greatest team in league history. The Meute should have won a ring, but the Legion stopped them in their tracks. The S49 and S50 Quebec City Meute are one of the best teams to never win a cup.
 
 

 

Welcome to the third edition of Ringless. In this series we look at the best teams throughout VHL history to never win the cup.
 
Make sure to check out other series VSN has to offer, such as our weekly reviews, award trackers, podcasts, and scouting reports
VSN Radio | Weekly Review | Future Watch | Under 250 | S73 Season Preview
 
There are many teams in VHL history that were elite but never won a cup. Sometimes it’s because a different team is just plain better, or a lot of bad luck. The Quebec City Meute of S49 and S50 are one of the clearest examples of teams being great, but another team just being better. The Meute were the biggest victim of the Legion’s threepeat from S48 to S50, despite having a star-studded team. How did the Meute win only one playoff series despite having five hall of famers on their roster?
 
The S49 Meute were a few seasons in the making. After a solid run during the early S40s, they regressed and missed the playoffs three straight seasons from S46 to S48. In the S48 draft, the selected centre Unassisted second overall, and also added forward Tom Lincoln because of the GM rule. The draft wasn’t much help for the Meute in their rebuild, as they relied on trades in order to secure the big-name players, such as goalie Greg Clegane. They traded a first, a second and a young goaltender for Aleksi Koponen and Greg Clegane, both of which are now hall of famers. They also acquired defenseman Jeff Hamilton from the Bears at the deadline, completing their dangerous quintet of future hall of famers. 
 
Despite finishing low in the standings for three straight seasons, the draft wasn’t very valuable to the Meute. As teams such as the Titans and Bears began to rebuild, the Meute took advantage and acquired three future hall of famers in the process. These five players helped bring the Meute to the top of the league, with an eye-popping 60 wins. They won the Victory Cup and finished first place in one of the most stacked North American Conferences the league has ever seen, with second-placed Toronto having 59 wins and third-placed Calgary having 57 wins. Koponen had 132 points, Lincoln had 110, and Unassisted had 107, forming one of the deadliest lines in the league. Greg Clegane also had a .935 save percentage, and he would go on to win the Scotty Campbell and Aidan Shaw trophies. They headed to the playoffs with a first-round bye, and would eventually meet the Toronto Legion in the Conference Finals.
 
.
While Greg Clegane would eventually move on to the Legion, his time with the Meute was nothing short of spectacular.
 
The Legion were coming off a Continental Cup win in S48, and had an elite team themselves. Zach Parechkin, Max Molholt, and Black Velvet led the team while Hans Wingate held it down in net. All four of those players would go on to become hall of famers, leading to a star-studded clash between the Legion and the Meute in the Conference Finals. 
 
The Meute were the only team left that could stop the Legion, since the European Conference was very down that year. With the pure firepower each team had on offense, as well as the elite goaltending on both sides, it looked like we were in for an instant classic. Game’s one and two were in Quebec, and the Meute needed to set the tone. In-game one, the Meute dominated the first two periods, doubling the Legions shot totals, but it was tied heading to the third. In the third period, the Meute collapsed, and ended up losing 3-1. Game two was a must-win for the Meute, since they couldn’t afford to lose both home games. The Legion scored twice in the first period, but the Meute would tie it at 2 and the game headed to overtime. The Meute, yet again, were dominating the Legion. When the game was over, the Meute had 50 shots compared to the Legions 29. Late in the first overtime, Kol Mikaelson, a rookie that had only 13 points during the regular season, would score to give Toronto the win. The assists on the goal went to bot defenseman. The sim gods hated the Meute, but it only would get worse.
 
Game three was an absolute battle. The Legion had the lead four different times, but the Meute tied it up every time and the game headed to overtime tied at four. This was an absolute must-win for the Meute, but just ten seconds into overtime, forward Marcel Faux scored and the Legion won game three. The Meute had no life left in them. Game four came, and it looked like the writing was on the wall. However, the Meute showed signs of life and won 5-2. They dominated this game as well, and they should have had a 3-1 lead after this game. The Meute should have won this series, but they barely could win a game. In-game five, the Legion came to play and ended the series with a 2-1 win. The Meute won 60 games in the regular season, including a 27 game winning streak, and only got one postseason win to show for it. It was a rough series for the Meute, and the Legion would go on to win back to back championships. S50 had to be the year.
 

The Meute suffer defeat on home ice at the hands of the Legion in game five
 
The Meute returned what was practically the same team as S49, as all five core pieces returned in the hopes of a title run. They didn’t have the same success as they did the year prior, as they finished with only 52 wins this year, but it was still a strong season, and they finished in second place in the North American Conference, only behind the defending champion Toronto Legion. With a first-round matchup against the heavy underdog Wranglers, it looked like we were headed to a rematch in the Conference Finals.
 
The series against the Wranglers went as expected. Despite three close games, the Meute absolutely dominated, having 40 or more shots on goal every game. The Meute would sweep the overmatched Wranglers to book a date with the Legion yet again. The Legion were looking for the first-ever three-peat, and the European Conference wasn’t very strong yet again. It was up to the Meute to stop the Legions run.
 
For the second year in a row, the Meute and Legion were going to meet in the Conference Finals. The Meute had revenge in mind, while the Legion wanted to keep their winning ways. In-game one, the Legion opened up the scoring late in the first period as Black Velvet put one home. In the second, the Meute tied it up, as Tom Lincoln scored to tie it at one. The game remained tied as the horn sounded, and we were headed for overtime. The Legion had the momentum, badly outplaying the Meute in the third period, and used it to their advantage. The Legion scored five minutes into overtime and they would end up winning game one. Game two would be a huge game for both teams. No goals were scored in the first, but Unassisted scored in the second to give the Meute a 1-0 lead heading into the third period. Just a minute into the third, Legion forward Edwin Reencarnacion tied the game, before Marcel Faux, the overtime hero from last season's series, gave the Legion the lead with only a few minutes to go. The Legion would win game two, and take a 2-0 series lead heading to Quebec City.
 
Game three was a must-win for the Meute, and if they lost, it would almost certainly put the nail in the coffin for their season yet again. They had a 2-0 lead heading to the third before Edwin Reencarnacion of the Legion cut the lead in half late in the period. The Meute would hold on and win game three and make the series 2-1. There was very strong goaltender play in all three games thus far, but game four was different. Tom Lincoln scored within the first minute of the game before Max Molholt tied it for the Legion heading to the second. Lincoln scored again in the second, but Molholt responded again to tie it at two. John Sleeman of the Meute scored back to back goals to give the Meute a 4-2 lead, but a Toronto power-play goal cut that lead in half heading to the third period. Max Molholt completed his hat trick in the third period to tie the game, and it headed to overtime tied four to four. It took sixteen minutes of overtime play to decide a winner in this crucial game four, but Marcel Faux scored the overtime winner for the Legion, tearing the hearts out of all the Quebec players and fans for the second straight year. The Legion would have a 3-1 series lead heading back to Toronto.
 

Marcel Faux scores the overtime winner in game four
 
Despite being down 3-1, all hope wasn’t lost for the Meute. It felt different than last season, even though they were in the same situation. Zach Parechkin scored for Toronto in the second period of game five to give the Legion a 1-0 lead heading into the third, but Tom Lincoln tied it up early in the third before a bot forward for Quebec come through in the clutch with the go-ahead goal with just two minutes to play. Greg Cleganes 30 saves on 31 shots was plenty to force a game six back in Quebec City, and the momentum swung back into the Meutes favour. Game six started strong for the Meute, as Jeff Hamilton scored to give them the lead in the first period. The Legion would tie it in the second, and it would remain scoreless through the rest of the game. We were headed to another overtime. 
 
Both goalies had been fantastic all series long. There was only one game that a team scored more than two goals during the series. Overtime began, and the nervous energy of the crowd in Quebec was obvious. This might be their final chance at a cup. A few minutes passed by before none other than Marcel Faux scored the series-winning overtime goal to send the Legion back to the finals. Faux scored three goals all series, and they all were in the biggest moments. The Meute had fallen short, yet again.
 
The next season, they would end up trading everybody. They fell short of their goal, and now they needed to restart. Every dynasty has victims, certain teams that had the talent to win a cup but couldn’t beat the dynasty. The Meute had one of the greatest rosters in the league’s history but fell victim to perhaps the single greatest team in league history. The Meute should have won a ring, but the Legion stopped them in their tracks. The S49 and S50 Quebec City Meute are one of the best teams to never win a cup.
 
 

 

So this week I did a vhl.com article as a bit of fun as sometimes I miss writing silly things on the forum and making at least a few people laugh. Well not even laugh but blow air out of their nose slightly faster. Don't lie you all do it.
 
But today is serious this conspiracy theory is legit and I want you all to listen closely...
 
Recently there was some issues with the Reddit threads and for those who have been around the vhl a while know this is where we get a lot of recruits from. For TPE we ask the members of the community to upvote the post so it looks more legitimate for people stumbling upon it. 
 
Now this is well and truly against the ToS of Reddit and I was surprised we got away with it for this long. Now this might sound all pretty normal but this is just the back story. The VHL got called out about the upvoting so we are taking a back seat in the recruiting through Reddit no obviously this has hit the other Sim leagues as well. So without the easy recruitment how will they keep a constant stream of fresh faces into the VHL and other Sim leagues. Use the relationships we already have.
 
As we all know the SBA and VHL patched old wounds recently and are back to being buddy buddies. Now if the Reddit kerfuffle was not to have happened do you think this relationship would have been mended?
 
If you said yes than YOU ARE WRONG! This patching of the relationship was a purely business transaction. Now that the VHL and SBA can get some new players that have a higher than average possibility of sticking around.
 
So what I truly think happened was not that the SBA thought the VHL had approved enough but infact both organisations were worried about a lack of players and decided it would be mutually beneficial to create an alliance.
 
Not that this is bad for any group but it just is highly coincidental that it all happened this way.
 
Thank you for listening to my conspiracy.
 
Also I would like to take this chance to announce the return of my podcast which will be starting back next week. The first episode will be a deep dive into the expansion teams. How they look this season and how they will look into the future.
 
I will also be starting back my interviews if anyone is interested in that please let me know. I will have a calendly link up shortly so you can sign up for interviews.
 
Also I am curious if anyone would like to see the VHL conspiracy theories continue I think it could be a fun series so happy to keep it going if people want it.
 
Now I am going to leave you with some parting words of wisdom.
 
Remember that everyone on this site is just as human as you are, they have their own families and friends and issues. Just remember that if something is taking longer than it should or someone isn't replying that anything could be happening in their lives. So be friendly and make sure that we all be nice. This community will fall apart of we don't act like a community.

1. It's tough to not be able to score goals, but at least we put on some good pressure and there were good things that happened that game, despite losing.
2. I would go with me, myself, and I. The General can't rely on others for help because of his unusually huge size.
3. My first player Matthew Materazo would be up for the job.
4. Medium rare for sure, with chicken noodle soup .
5. Jubis is a bit of a character, so I wouldn't say this is completely out of the ordinary.
6. We just cant score. Zod has actually been contributing, but unfortunately the team is struggling

1. It was rough, but luckily it's only my rookie season and we still have plenty more chances to win it all.
2. Congrats to an amazing career for Smitty, and hopefully bush is doing well, he hasn't been around for a while.
3. It's always tough to leave after being with a team for a while, but you will come to terms with it after a little bit. Even though you couldn't win a cup for the Wranglers, you helped us field a great team.
4. Considering we lost Gunnar, this is a good move to try to replace him.
5. Warsaw, since they just signed HHH. I didn't look at the draft results though.
6. We picked up Kramerev, which is a great selection. He will be apart of the Wranglers for a while.

When I was 13 I went to Las Vegas and it was pretty great, I want to go again when I'm older because I wasn't able to do much of the real Vegas stuff when I went.

When I was 13, I got the girl of my dreams and promptly was a terrible boyfriend to her. Oops  I also discovered jerking off and that was fun

The S72 Season was a great one, which ended with the Riga Reign winning the Continental Cup. Now that the season is over, it’s time to hand out some awards. Let’s take a look at how each award race could pan out.
 
Make sure to check out other series VSN has to offer, such as our weekly reviews, award trackers, podcasts, and upcoming offseason coverage
VSN Radio | Weekly Review | S73 Draft Coverage | Under 250 | Expansion Draft Coverage
 
 
Mike Szatkowski Trophy
This award goes to the player during the regular season who had the most points in the league. This award has already been decided, and Condor Adrienne’s dominant season earns its first of likely many awards. He had 100 points and was the only player to finish in the triple digits. Jet Jaguar came close with 97 but ultimately fell short of Adrienne.
 
Alexander Beketov Trophy
With 70 assists this year, Lincoln Tate and Berocka Sundqvist will share the Alexander Beketov Trophy for most assists. This is the second year in a row that the Beketov Trophy was shared, but just the fifth time in VHL history. 
 
Kevin Brooks Trophy
Julius Freeman’s 45 goals were enough to win him his second consecutive Brooks Trophy and third overall to his career. If Freeman has a big year in his final season, he will give himself a good shot at making it into the Hall of Fame.
 
Christian Stolzchweiger Trophy
The VHL Rookie of the Year race this year was rather tame and lacked any high point scorers. No one cracked 50 points, but SS Hornet, the 1st overall pick of the S72 draft, came the closest with 47. On the surface, it seems like he would be the favourite, but there definitely is a debate to be made. Pengu is another good candidate, as he had 43 points, just four fewer than Hornet. Zyrok12 is another player that could get some attention, as his 37 points for a rookie defenseman is pretty solid. He also had 75 hits and 122 blocked shots, pretty solid defensive numbers for a rookie. Other players such as Vladimir Shaposhnikov and Gary Neal could enter the discussion, but it seems like this year’s race is only about points.
Nominees: Pengu, Zyrok12, SS Hornet
Favourite: SS Hornet
 
Dustin Funk Trophy
The Dustin Funk Trophy goes to the player that is most improved from the previous season. The number of good candidates from this year is extraordinary. Condor Adrienne, the league's point leader, scored in the 50s for points in the previous couple seasons, before exploding with 100 points this year. He also increased his blocked shots total by 70, which led the league. Mikko Lahtinen also makes a strong case, as his point-scoring went from 29 to 84, and Lahtinen went from 13 goals in his first two seasons to 41 this year. Lewis Dawson of the Nighthawks makes a very strong case as well, as he went from 32 points to 93. He also nearly doubled his hit total from the previous year, from 46 to 88. You also have RJ Jubis and Berocka Sundqvist, who both went from having point totals in the 50s to the 90s this year, with 93 and 92 points respectively. This season put up many great candidates for the Funk, and it’s a shame only one of them will be able to win. It's very difficult to pick a favourite.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Mikko Lahtinen, Lewis Dawson
Favourite: Mikko Lahtinen
 
Scott Boulet Trophy
The Boulet Trophy goes to the best two way forward, and the most important stats for this award are blocked shots and hits. The league leader in hits this season was Phil Marleau, with 404. He had 75 more hits than second-place Keven Foreskin, who also is worth taking a look at for the Boulet. Other players that also had high hit totals to complement their high point totals, such as Julius Freeman and Jet Jaguar, who ranked fifth and tenth in the league for hits respectively. Every year this is a pretty tightly contested award, and this year isn’t much different.
Nominees: Phil Marleau, Keven Foreskin, Julius Freeman
Favourite: Phil Marleau
 
Alexander Valiq Trophy
This award goes to the best offensive defenseman. This year, many defensemen put up very high point totals. Last year, the top defenseman had 73 points. This year, the top five defensemen all had 73 or more points, including an incredible 100 points from Condor Adrienne. Berocka Sundqvists 92 points and Lincoln Tates 86 points would be enough to be the favourite for this award in most other years, but unfortunately for them Adrienne’s 100 points this year makes it very unlikely for either Sundqvist or Tate to win the Valiq.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Berocka Sundqvist, Lincoln Tate
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Jake Wylde Trophy
The Wylde goes to the best defensive defenseman in the league, but unfortunately, great defence is a hard thing to grasp with just numbers. For any defenseman that hoped they could win an award over Condor Adrienne, this is the award that they would have to do it with. Unfortunately for them, Adrienne is one of, if not the top contender for this award as well. His 188 blocked shots are 30 more than second place, and he also finished second in hits for a defenseman, just one behind Lance Flowers. Flowers had 255 hits and 154 blocked shots. His 154 blocked shots are only one behind second place, and his 255 hits are the most out of all defenseman. Cinnamon Block is also a contender for this award, with 222 hits and 154 blocked shots. If voter fatigue comes into play, Lance Flowers or Cinnamon Block can take this award, but Adrienne is still the likely favourite.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Lance Flowers, Cinnamon Block
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Sterling Labatte Trophy
This trophy goes to the leagues top defenseman, and it’s pretty obvious who this trophy will go too. Berocka Sundqvist and Lincoln Tate had great seasons, but Condor Adrienne was simply too good this year. He is the clear favourite to win this award.
Nominees: Lincoln Tate, Condor Adrienne, Berocka Sundqvist
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Greg Clegane Trophy
This is another statistical award, and it goes to the goalie with the lowest GAA. The league lowest GAA belongs to Clayton Park, but he doesn’t fit the requirements for games played, as he has only played nine and it’s required to play at least 20. That means Jacques Lafontaine will win the Clegane, as his 2.31 GAA was the best in the league out of goalies that played 20+ games.
 
Aidan Shaw Trophy
This award goes to the league’s top goaltender. Jacques Lafontaine is probably the favourite, as he has the lowest GAA and was tied for the highest save percentage out of all starting goalies, as well as the most wins. However, Raymond Bernard of the Menace could give Lafontaine a run for his money, as his .924 save percentage was the same as Lafontaines, and his 2.47 GAA wasn’t far behind Lafontaine either. He also led the league in shutouts with four. Michael Johnson also can make a case, as his .922 save percentage was just barely behind both Lafontaine and Bernard. He also had a GAA of 2.55, which was third amongst starters. These three were the top three goaltenders this year, and it’s tough to pick a favourite.
Nominees: Raymond Bernard, Michael Johnson, Jacques Lafontaine
Favourite: Jacques Lafontaine
 
Daisuke Kanou Trophy
The Riga Reign won the Continental Cup in dominating fashion this year, going 12-1 in the playoffs. While the contributions of Lincoln Tate, Apollo Hackett, and Kyl Oferson played a big part in their success, no player was more important to the Reign than goaltender Greg Eagles. His .936 save percentage and 2.03 GAA were instrumental in taking down the Victory Cup-winning Wranglers. Calgary averaged 3.4 goals per game during the regular seasons, but only 2 goals per game in the finals. Greg Eagles will most likely continue the streak of goalies winning the Kanou with his stellar postseason run.
Nominees: Apollo Hackett, Lincoln Tate, Greg Eagles
Favourite: Greg Eagles
 
Scotty Campbell Trophy
The final award on our list goes to the league's most valuable player. This year we saw some really big names traded midseason, which is a huge damper on their chances to win the Campbell. The most notable player to be traded was Jet Jaguar. His 97 points were very impressive, but being traded to Davos midseason seriously hurt his chances at the Campbell. Condor Adrienne is definitely worth looking at simply because of his point production. The biggest drawback is that Malmo finished in the last place, which could pretty much destroy his case for MVP. Julius Freeman of the Americans has a good case, with 87 points. The only problem is that his teammate Owen Nolan had 82 points, not far behind Freeman. Regardless, Freeman’s elite two-way game and high point total, as well as New Yorks success, could be enough to get him some serious consideration. Scott Greene of Seattle could also get a look, with 93 points, although his two-way game took a huge drop off. Seattle also has plenty of other players with similar point totals which hurts his chances. RJ Jubis or Jacques Lafontaine of the Wranglers could be in the conversation too, as Jubis had 93 points and led his team, while LaFontaine led the league in GAA and save percentage, the two most important goaltending stats. Lincoln Tate of the Reign also deserves a shot, as his 86 points lead the team and he remains one of the leagues top defenseman. It is a really tough award to pick a favourite for. If the voters are willing to turn a blind eye to Malmo’s team success, then Adrienne will most likely win this award. But if they do pay attention to team success, then this award is clouded with uncertainty.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Julius Freeman, Lincoln Tate
Favourite: Julius Freeman
 
Thank you for tuning in for the S72 Awards Preview. Good luck to all those that are in the running!
 
 

So someone has to say it...basically until we have a non GM simming the playoffs these games will have seriously negative stigma. How this has been allowed for a second straight season is irredeemably nonsensical. Throw yet another asterisk on the winning team of the Victory Cup which is supposed to be the top award of a player and GM's career. But boy does this cast a dark cloud. Hate to say it. The inside knowledge of how the sim operates and its applied seasonal settings is incredibly valuable.

I'll put my name in I guess

Today marks my second year on this site. I joined the VHL on June 18th 2018 through a reddit post. I wanted to share my experiences and thoughts on the league and the members who make this place amazing, and hopefully give some behind the scenes looks.
 
- Being a GM actually isn't that great. I started out in the VHLM with Halifax when they became an expansion team in S62 and in my first two seasons I went to the finals. Never got a cup, but that offseason I was approached by Quik asking if I wanted to take of the HC Davos Dynamo. I actually almost said no, considering how much I loved Halifax. But I said yes and I think we all know what happens next. I poured everything I had into GMing and I really didn't get much back for my time invested. Some times I'd wonder if I should just quit because I'd make all the right moves on paper and say the right things, but I'd still fail and get made into a laughing stock. I take blame for what happened with Davos, but some days were really demoralizing, and it's a very thankless job. In the public eye, you're either great or you suck, and unfortunately I was seen as the latter. I don't mean to discourage new members from GMing, in fact I even put myself on the list of GMs to be hired. But it's definitely a job for a certain type of person, and if you don't have enough patience or luck, you won't succeed. I got so burnt out of it in the losing days. Something I've never admitted was I was inactive during S67. Coming off a deep playoff run, we lost some core guys and we sucked. I would pop on here and there, say a few words, leave. I made countless filler trades to make it look like I was trying, but in reality I was logging on maybe once every other day, and nobody seemed to realize, or at least publicly call me out. I think when your team is good, it's very fun, which is why guys like Beaviss and Bana can do it for so long, but guys like me struggle with it. This isn't me looking for pity, but it's very hard to be good at GMing, and most of the time the meta is to just YOLO it and pray it works. Definitely wish there was a different way.
 
- Reputation can be hard. I started out on the site as the kind of guy who said positive things on every thread, always ended with exclamation points, and didn't have a bad bone in his body. Over time, the "meme crowd" joined and it was right around the time I struggled with Davos. I played along and memed myself a lot in an attempt to be relatable. But I guess this just opened people up to thinking it's ok to repeatedly bash me, despite me not enjoying it. I became someone who would often challenge others and who would talk back to higher ups when I didn't like something. I already have another thread on this so I won't beat a dead horse, but it's not easy to try and save face constantly. I never even thought to just take it on the chin because growing up I was kinda that weird annoying kid, so I learned to verbally defend myself a lot against others. I just felt like it was an attack on me rather than my GM skills. I realized most of it was in good fun, but there were nights where I was genuinely shaken about what people were saying because I'm not good at keeping calm under tense situations. The thing I really hate to admit is that the asshole, cocky me, is my real personality. I will admit, I've burned bridges and such in other communities, much like I was doing here. I put on a fake smile when I joined and over time I just revealed the real me. I'm trying to make that the real me a good me, as I've said before. Over the past bit I've made an effort to be nicer to everyone by 50% and so far, it's going well. I'm slowly trying to build up my reputation again and be that guy that so many people want me to be. I'll admit, I miss being the resident nice guy here, so it's something I wanna work towards again. Gonna try applying for VHLM jobs here soon so fingers crossed?
 
- Tenure doesn't mean anything. Like I've admitted before, I'm really not a role model. However, I have felt very underappreciated in my time here. I've got thousands of log-ins, donated over $200 to the league, been here for 2 years, and it still feels like I am on even ground with new members. I don't mean that I'm better than anyone, but it's very disheartening to not get an updater job only to have them end up hiring someone who joined 3 weeks ago, or someone who was JUST inactive. I GM'd in the VHL for over a year and I was not once offered anything better. There are guys like Dil or Josh or Sonnet which joined the league after me and still have top-tier jobs. I know they're good at what they do, but I have skills too, yet I was never given an opportunity to prove it, or put them to use. Hell, I was 1 of 2 GMs in the whole league that wasn't a BOG, so despite being a GM myself, I was always the last to know info that pertained to me. In fact I think for the Moscow expansion, I was notified a week before it was scheduled to happen, when it had been discussed the offseason prior. I'm not saying I deserve the world, but not a lot of people make it past a year here, let alone 2, so I felt like I got boned a bit when it came to opportunity. It sucks to think even for a second that my legacy on this site one day will being someone who was only ever a GM, and a mediocre one at that. I've voiced these concerns privately before, but it's just a bummer to put so much into a site and care so much for it, only to be socially lower than someone who's still new to this and doesn't know much.
 
- I've definitely been too harsh on people. I will admit it, I've been a dick to people who really don't deserve it. I've done a complete 180 of my opinion on some guys like Dil or Doomsday. I used to fight tooth and nail with Dil, always calling each other nasty things and calling each other terrible people, but now we work together on Halifax and he's a super cool guy. Doomsday is more recent, me and him have been going back and forth a bit in recent months on the forums, but after some apologies both ways, we're on good terms. So consider this a public apology. I dunno why, but I've just always felt the need to defend myself so whenever someone comes at me, I've always seen it as an attack on my character, when it's anything but that. It's hard to explain, but hopefully you catch my drift. I've learned to just kinda take it on the chin recently, and just sorta shake it off and hope people stop, because I know I don't have much patience.
 
- The league has become way too PC. I just know I'll cause some controversy here, but I wanna say I'm not looking to start anything, this is just my opinion. IMO, the league has taken the whole image thing too far. I understand mutes and bans for racial slurs such as the n word, but some words that aren't really PC are a grey area. I will admit, I use the R word and G word in my daily life. I don't intend to, but growing up, those words meant stupid or dumb and us kids used a lot and it stuck with me. When I use the R word I don't mean that people with special needs are stupid, and same with the G word for the LGBT community, rather I'm using the WORD as a placeholder for stupid. Now this isn't just about me, but with recent events, I've felt like the league is just trying to protect itself by putting out a BLM statement or making certain things punishable now. Which that's not a bad thing, but it's kinda true that the league has become political recently, and in the event of Bana (IN MY OPINION) the way he leaned politically and his statements were the last straw in his firing. I've never revealed how I lean politically because I honestly fear that I'll be unjustly looked down upon for my opinions, and those opinions don't always line up with the PC way. Again I'm not looking to start shit, but it's really how I feel. If you have an issue with this, please PM me rather than quoting or commenting below.
 
- The league isn't much fun after a while. Like I mentioned earlier, it's super boring to play out a lost-cause season, and same with being a player. It's no fun in the middle of your career, not earning many points and playing on some doomed team. IDK how I'd fix this issue, but burn out is real, and it happens much earlier than you'd think. Part of the reason I went MIA is because the league just straight up isn't fun sometimes. No point in logging on daily to have meaningless convos and not do anything with your player, and after a while it snowballs and really bites you in the ass, and next thing you know you're inactive. GM wise, the sim makes no sense. I'd pull all nighters working out trades with EU GMs, or checking stats, or PMing back and forth with prospects. I literally lost sleep GMing Davos, and I built superteams. I tried every single combination of players, different types of players, different strategies, different lines, etc. In fact, S65 Davos was considered cup favorites that season, and we didn't even make the playoffs. Makes 0 sense. Also add in the fact that you can only get so involved here, and you've got a perfect storm for inactivity. I've watched some extremely active guys like McWolf and Thranduil seemingly go inactive out of nowhere, and you always wonder why until you realize the league isn't easy to always be enthusiastic about.
 
- My life has changed these past 2 years. Finally, a lot has gone on for me outside the league. I've been in 2 serious relationships since joining, one of which I'm still in and very happy with my girlfriend. I graduated highschool and moved out of my parents house, went to college, and failed this past semester. This past December, I got a Grade 3 (Severe) concussion which left me KO'd on the ice in front of my entire school student body, I lost my real life job as a result, and when I went home for Christmas, my bday gift was my parents telling me they were splitting (and as of last week they are divorced) and then about a month later, I was fired from my Davos job. This isn't a pity party, I've had some great things happen to me. Despite being 18 at the time, I lost my virginity to my now girlfriend and it was amazing, and I also got into Powerlifting and Boxing, which has changed my life and given me 5x more confidence than I've ever had. A lot has happened in the last 2 years, some bad, some good. Here's to hoping I have some positive words for 3 years next June.
 
Happy VHL birthday to me!
 
2,007 words
Claiming for Weeks:
6/15 - 6/21
6/22 - 6/28
6/29 - 7/5
7/6 - 7/12

The S72 Season was a great one, which ended with the Riga Reign winning the Continental Cup. Now that the season is over, it’s time to hand out some awards. Let’s take a look at how each award race could pan out.
 
Make sure to check out other series VSN has to offer, such as our weekly reviews, award trackers, podcasts, and upcoming offseason coverage
VSN Radio | Weekly Review | S73 Draft Coverage | Under 250 | Expansion Draft Coverage
 
 
Mike Szatkowski Trophy
This award goes to the player during the regular season who had the most points in the league. This award has already been decided, and Condor Adrienne’s dominant season earns its first of likely many awards. He had 100 points and was the only player to finish in the triple digits. Jet Jaguar came close with 97 but ultimately fell short of Adrienne.
 
Alexander Beketov Trophy
With 70 assists this year, Lincoln Tate and Berocka Sundqvist will share the Alexander Beketov Trophy for most assists. This is the second year in a row that the Beketov Trophy was shared, but just the fifth time in VHL history. 
 
Kevin Brooks Trophy
Julius Freeman’s 45 goals were enough to win him his second consecutive Brooks Trophy and third overall to his career. If Freeman has a big year in his final season, he will give himself a good shot at making it into the Hall of Fame.
 
Christian Stolzchweiger Trophy
The VHL Rookie of the Year race this year was rather tame and lacked any high point scorers. No one cracked 50 points, but SS Hornet, the 1st overall pick of the S72 draft, came the closest with 47. On the surface, it seems like he would be the favourite, but there definitely is a debate to be made. Pengu is another good candidate, as he had 43 points, just four fewer than Hornet. Zyrok12 is another player that could get some attention, as his 37 points for a rookie defenseman is pretty solid. He also had 75 hits and 122 blocked shots, pretty solid defensive numbers for a rookie. Other players such as Vladimir Shaposhnikov and Gary Neal could enter the discussion, but it seems like this year’s race is only about points.
Nominees: Pengu, Zyrok12, SS Hornet
Favourite: SS Hornet
 
Dustin Funk Trophy
The Dustin Funk Trophy goes to the player that is most improved from the previous season. The number of good candidates from this year is extraordinary. Condor Adrienne, the league's point leader, scored in the 50s for points in the previous couple seasons, before exploding with 100 points this year. He also increased his blocked shots total by 70, which led the league. Mikko Lahtinen also makes a strong case, as his point-scoring went from 29 to 84, and Lahtinen went from 13 goals in his first two seasons to 41 this year. Lewis Dawson of the Nighthawks makes a very strong case as well, as he went from 32 points to 93. He also nearly doubled his hit total from the previous year, from 46 to 88. You also have RJ Jubis and Berocka Sundqvist, who both went from having point totals in the 50s to the 90s this year, with 93 and 92 points respectively. This season put up many great candidates for the Funk, and it’s a shame only one of them will be able to win. It's very difficult to pick a favourite.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Mikko Lahtinen, Lewis Dawson
Favourite: Mikko Lahtinen
 
Scott Boulet Trophy
The Boulet Trophy goes to the best two way forward, and the most important stats for this award are blocked shots and hits. The league leader in hits this season was Phil Marleau, with 404. He had 75 more hits than second-place Keven Foreskin, who also is worth taking a look at for the Boulet. Other players that also had high hit totals to complement their high point totals, such as Julius Freeman and Jet Jaguar, who ranked fifth and tenth in the league for hits respectively. Every year this is a pretty tightly contested award, and this year isn’t much different.
Nominees: Phil Marleau, Keven Foreskin, Julius Freeman
Favourite: Phil Marleau
 
Alexander Valiq Trophy
This award goes to the best offensive defenseman. This year, many defensemen put up very high point totals. Last year, the top defenseman had 73 points. This year, the top five defensemen all had 73 or more points, including an incredible 100 points from Condor Adrienne. Berocka Sundqvists 92 points and Lincoln Tates 86 points would be enough to be the favourite for this award in most other years, but unfortunately for them Adrienne’s 100 points this year makes it very unlikely for either Sundqvist or Tate to win the Valiq.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Berocka Sundqvist, Lincoln Tate
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Jake Wylde Trophy
The Wylde goes to the best defensive defenseman in the league, but unfortunately, great defence is a hard thing to grasp with just numbers. For any defenseman that hoped they could win an award over Condor Adrienne, this is the award that they would have to do it with. Unfortunately for them, Adrienne is one of, if not the top contender for this award as well. His 188 blocked shots are 30 more than second place, and he also finished second in hits for a defenseman, just one behind Lance Flowers. Flowers had 255 hits and 154 blocked shots. His 154 blocked shots are only one behind second place, and his 255 hits are the most out of all defenseman. Cinnamon Block is also a contender for this award, with 222 hits and 154 blocked shots. If voter fatigue comes into play, Lance Flowers or Cinnamon Block can take this award, but Adrienne is still the likely favourite.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Lance Flowers, Cinnamon Block
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Sterling Labatte Trophy
This trophy goes to the leagues top defenseman, and it’s pretty obvious who this trophy will go too. Berocka Sundqvist and Lincoln Tate had great seasons, but Condor Adrienne was simply too good this year. He is the clear favourite to win this award.
Nominees: Lincoln Tate, Condor Adrienne, Berocka Sundqvist
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Greg Clegane Trophy
This is another statistical award, and it goes to the goalie with the lowest GAA. The league lowest GAA belongs to Clayton Park, but he doesn’t fit the requirements for games played, as he has only played nine and it’s required to play at least 20. That means Jacques Lafontaine will win the Clegane, as his 2.31 GAA was the best in the league out of goalies that played 20+ games.
 
Aidan Shaw Trophy
This award goes to the league’s top goaltender. Jacques Lafontaine is probably the favourite, as he has the lowest GAA and was tied for the highest save percentage out of all starting goalies, as well as the most wins. However, Raymond Bernard of the Menace could give Lafontaine a run for his money, as his .924 save percentage was the same as Lafontaines, and his 2.47 GAA wasn’t far behind Lafontaine either. He also led the league in shutouts with four. Michael Johnson also can make a case, as his .922 save percentage was just barely behind both Lafontaine and Bernard. He also had a GAA of 2.55, which was third amongst starters. These three were the top three goaltenders this year, and it’s tough to pick a favourite.
Nominees: Raymond Bernard, Michael Johnson, Jacques Lafontaine
Favourite: Jacques Lafontaine
 
Daisuke Kanou Trophy
The Riga Reign won the Continental Cup in dominating fashion this year, going 12-1 in the playoffs. While the contributions of Lincoln Tate, Apollo Hackett, and Kyl Oferson played a big part in their success, no player was more important to the Reign than goaltender Greg Eagles. His .936 save percentage and 2.03 GAA were instrumental in taking down the Victory Cup-winning Wranglers. Calgary averaged 3.4 goals per game during the regular seasons, but only 2 goals per game in the finals. Greg Eagles will most likely continue the streak of goalies winning the Kanou with his stellar postseason run.
Nominees: Apollo Hackett, Lincoln Tate, Greg Eagles
Favourite: Greg Eagles
 
Scotty Campbell Trophy
The final award on our list goes to the league's most valuable player. This year we saw some really big names traded midseason, which is a huge damper on their chances to win the Campbell. The most notable player to be traded was Jet Jaguar. His 97 points were very impressive, but being traded to Davos midseason seriously hurt his chances at the Campbell. Condor Adrienne is definitely worth looking at simply because of his point production. The biggest drawback is that Malmo finished in the last place, which could pretty much destroy his case for MVP. Julius Freeman of the Americans has a good case, with 87 points. The only problem is that his teammate Owen Nolan had 82 points, not far behind Freeman. Regardless, Freeman’s elite two-way game and high point total, as well as New Yorks success, could be enough to get him some serious consideration. Scott Greene of Seattle could also get a look, with 93 points, although his two-way game took a huge drop off. Seattle also has plenty of other players with similar point totals which hurts his chances. RJ Jubis or Jacques Lafontaine of the Wranglers could be in the conversation too, as Jubis had 93 points and led his team, while LaFontaine led the league in GAA and save percentage, the two most important goaltending stats. Lincoln Tate of the Reign also deserves a shot, as his 86 points lead the team and he remains one of the leagues top defenseman. It is a really tough award to pick a favourite for. If the voters are willing to turn a blind eye to Malmo’s team success, then Adrienne will most likely win this award. But if they do pay attention to team success, then this award is clouded with uncertainty.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Julius Freeman, Lincoln Tate
Favourite: Julius Freeman
 
Thank you for tuning in for the S72 Awards Preview. Good luck to all those that are in the running!
 
 

Zod's rookie year was not nearly as good as I was hoping, and my expectations weren't even very high. His 14 points during the regular season were pretty bad, but I wasn't super disappointed because I didn't expect much. I don't expect much next year either, but hopefully in my third season I'll be able to start scoring. The biggest disappointment with Zod is his playoff performance. He had two points in nineteen games. That is horrible. 33 hits and 22 blocked shots is okay, but two points was pretty embarassing. On the positive side of things though, Zod played great on the penalty kill. We took so many penalties especially against New York but Zod was pretty important when it came to killing them off.
 
Unfortunately the Wranglers lost in the finals, but I'm okay with it, after all it's only my rookie year and we are a decently young team. We will be back better next year and maybe Zod will actually be able to do something on offense. 

Zod's rookie year was not nearly as good as I was hoping, and my expectations weren't even very high. His 14 points during the regular season were pretty bad, but I wasn't super disappointed because I didn't expect much. I don't expect much next year either, but hopefully in my third season I'll be able to start scoring. The biggest disappointment with Zod is his playoff performance. He had two points in nineteen games. That is horrible. 33 hits and 22 blocked shots is okay, but two points was pretty embarassing. On the positive side of things though, Zod played great on the penalty kill. We took so many penalties especially against New York but Zod was pretty important when it came to killing them off.
 
Unfortunately the Wranglers lost in the finals, but I'm okay with it, after all it's only my rookie year and we are a decently young team. We will be back better next year and maybe Zod will actually be able to do something on offense. 

The S72 Season was a great one, which ended with the Riga Reign winning the Continental Cup. Now that the season is over, it’s time to hand out some awards. Let’s take a look at how each award race could pan out.
 
Make sure to check out other series VSN has to offer, such as our weekly reviews, award trackers, podcasts, and upcoming offseason coverage
VSN Radio | Weekly Review | S73 Draft Coverage | Under 250 | Expansion Draft Coverage
 
 
Mike Szatkowski Trophy
This award goes to the player during the regular season who had the most points in the league. This award has already been decided, and Condor Adrienne’s dominant season earns its first of likely many awards. He had 100 points and was the only player to finish in the triple digits. Jet Jaguar came close with 97 but ultimately fell short of Adrienne.
 
Alexander Beketov Trophy
With 70 assists this year, Lincoln Tate and Berocka Sundqvist will share the Alexander Beketov Trophy for most assists. This is the second year in a row that the Beketov Trophy was shared, but just the fifth time in VHL history. 
 
Kevin Brooks Trophy
Julius Freeman’s 45 goals were enough to win him his second consecutive Brooks Trophy and third overall to his career. If Freeman has a big year in his final season, he will give himself a good shot at making it into the Hall of Fame.
 
Christian Stolzchweiger Trophy
The VHL Rookie of the Year race this year was rather tame and lacked any high point scorers. No one cracked 50 points, but SS Hornet, the 1st overall pick of the S72 draft, came the closest with 47. On the surface, it seems like he would be the favourite, but there definitely is a debate to be made. Pengu is another good candidate, as he had 43 points, just four fewer than Hornet. Zyrok12 is another player that could get some attention, as his 37 points for a rookie defenseman is pretty solid. He also had 75 hits and 122 blocked shots, pretty solid defensive numbers for a rookie. Other players such as Vladimir Shaposhnikov and Gary Neal could enter the discussion, but it seems like this year’s race is only about points.
Nominees: Pengu, Zyrok12, SS Hornet
Favourite: SS Hornet
 
Dustin Funk Trophy
The Dustin Funk Trophy goes to the player that is most improved from the previous season. The number of good candidates from this year is extraordinary. Condor Adrienne, the league's point leader, scored in the 50s for points in the previous couple seasons, before exploding with 100 points this year. He also increased his blocked shots total by 70, which led the league. Mikko Lahtinen also makes a strong case, as his point-scoring went from 29 to 84, and Lahtinen went from 13 goals in his first two seasons to 41 this year. Lewis Dawson of the Nighthawks makes a very strong case as well, as he went from 32 points to 93. He also nearly doubled his hit total from the previous year, from 46 to 88. You also have RJ Jubis and Berocka Sundqvist, who both went from having point totals in the 50s to the 90s this year, with 93 and 92 points respectively. This season put up many great candidates for the Funk, and it’s a shame only one of them will be able to win. It's very difficult to pick a favourite.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Mikko Lahtinen, Lewis Dawson
Favourite: Mikko Lahtinen
 
Scott Boulet Trophy
The Boulet Trophy goes to the best two way forward, and the most important stats for this award are blocked shots and hits. The league leader in hits this season was Phil Marleau, with 404. He had 75 more hits than second-place Keven Foreskin, who also is worth taking a look at for the Boulet. Other players that also had high hit totals to complement their high point totals, such as Julius Freeman and Jet Jaguar, who ranked fifth and tenth in the league for hits respectively. Every year this is a pretty tightly contested award, and this year isn’t much different.
Nominees: Phil Marleau, Keven Foreskin, Julius Freeman
Favourite: Phil Marleau
 
Alexander Valiq Trophy
This award goes to the best offensive defenseman. This year, many defensemen put up very high point totals. Last year, the top defenseman had 73 points. This year, the top five defensemen all had 73 or more points, including an incredible 100 points from Condor Adrienne. Berocka Sundqvists 92 points and Lincoln Tates 86 points would be enough to be the favourite for this award in most other years, but unfortunately for them Adrienne’s 100 points this year makes it very unlikely for either Sundqvist or Tate to win the Valiq.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Berocka Sundqvist, Lincoln Tate
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Jake Wylde Trophy
The Wylde goes to the best defensive defenseman in the league, but unfortunately, great defence is a hard thing to grasp with just numbers. For any defenseman that hoped they could win an award over Condor Adrienne, this is the award that they would have to do it with. Unfortunately for them, Adrienne is one of, if not the top contender for this award as well. His 188 blocked shots are 30 more than second place, and he also finished second in hits for a defenseman, just one behind Lance Flowers. Flowers had 255 hits and 154 blocked shots. His 154 blocked shots are only one behind second place, and his 255 hits are the most out of all defenseman. Cinnamon Block is also a contender for this award, with 222 hits and 154 blocked shots. If voter fatigue comes into play, Lance Flowers or Cinnamon Block can take this award, but Adrienne is still the likely favourite.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Lance Flowers, Cinnamon Block
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Sterling Labatte Trophy
This trophy goes to the leagues top defenseman, and it’s pretty obvious who this trophy will go too. Berocka Sundqvist and Lincoln Tate had great seasons, but Condor Adrienne was simply too good this year. He is the clear favourite to win this award.
Nominees: Lincoln Tate, Condor Adrienne, Berocka Sundqvist
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Greg Clegane Trophy
This is another statistical award, and it goes to the goalie with the lowest GAA. The league lowest GAA belongs to Clayton Park, but he doesn’t fit the requirements for games played, as he has only played nine and it’s required to play at least 20. That means Jacques Lafontaine will win the Clegane, as his 2.31 GAA was the best in the league out of goalies that played 20+ games.
 
Aidan Shaw Trophy
This award goes to the league’s top goaltender. Jacques Lafontaine is probably the favourite, as he has the lowest GAA and was tied for the highest save percentage out of all starting goalies, as well as the most wins. However, Raymond Bernard of the Menace could give Lafontaine a run for his money, as his .924 save percentage was the same as Lafontaines, and his 2.47 GAA wasn’t far behind Lafontaine either. He also led the league in shutouts with four. Michael Johnson also can make a case, as his .922 save percentage was just barely behind both Lafontaine and Bernard. He also had a GAA of 2.55, which was third amongst starters. These three were the top three goaltenders this year, and it’s tough to pick a favourite.
Nominees: Raymond Bernard, Michael Johnson, Jacques Lafontaine
Favourite: Jacques Lafontaine
 
Daisuke Kanou Trophy
The Riga Reign won the Continental Cup in dominating fashion this year, going 12-1 in the playoffs. While the contributions of Lincoln Tate, Apollo Hackett, and Kyl Oferson played a big part in their success, no player was more important to the Reign than goaltender Greg Eagles. His .936 save percentage and 2.03 GAA were instrumental in taking down the Victory Cup-winning Wranglers. Calgary averaged 3.4 goals per game during the regular seasons, but only 2 goals per game in the finals. Greg Eagles will most likely continue the streak of goalies winning the Kanou with his stellar postseason run.
Nominees: Apollo Hackett, Lincoln Tate, Greg Eagles
Favourite: Greg Eagles
 
Scotty Campbell Trophy
The final award on our list goes to the league's most valuable player. This year we saw some really big names traded midseason, which is a huge damper on their chances to win the Campbell. The most notable player to be traded was Jet Jaguar. His 97 points were very impressive, but being traded to Davos midseason seriously hurt his chances at the Campbell. Condor Adrienne is definitely worth looking at simply because of his point production. The biggest drawback is that Malmo finished in the last place, which could pretty much destroy his case for MVP. Julius Freeman of the Americans has a good case, with 87 points. The only problem is that his teammate Owen Nolan had 82 points, not far behind Freeman. Regardless, Freeman’s elite two-way game and high point total, as well as New Yorks success, could be enough to get him some serious consideration. Scott Greene of Seattle could also get a look, with 93 points, although his two-way game took a huge drop off. Seattle also has plenty of other players with similar point totals which hurts his chances. RJ Jubis or Jacques Lafontaine of the Wranglers could be in the conversation too, as Jubis had 93 points and led his team, while LaFontaine led the league in GAA and save percentage, the two most important goaltending stats. Lincoln Tate of the Reign also deserves a shot, as his 86 points lead the team and he remains one of the leagues top defenseman. It is a really tough award to pick a favourite for. If the voters are willing to turn a blind eye to Malmo’s team success, then Adrienne will most likely win this award. But if they do pay attention to team success, then this award is clouded with uncertainty.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Julius Freeman, Lincoln Tate
Favourite: Julius Freeman
 
Thank you for tuning in for the S72 Awards Preview. Good luck to all those that are in the running!
 
 

The S72 Season was a great one, which ended with the Riga Reign winning the Continental Cup. Now that the season is over, it’s time to hand out some awards. Let’s take a look at how each award race could pan out.
 
Make sure to check out other series VSN has to offer, such as our weekly reviews, award trackers, podcasts, and upcoming offseason coverage
VSN Radio | Weekly Review | S73 Draft Coverage | Under 250 | Expansion Draft Coverage
 
 
Mike Szatkowski Trophy
This award goes to the player during the regular season who had the most points in the league. This award has already been decided, and Condor Adrienne’s dominant season earns its first of likely many awards. He had 100 points and was the only player to finish in the triple digits. Jet Jaguar came close with 97 but ultimately fell short of Adrienne.
 
Alexander Beketov Trophy
With 70 assists this year, Lincoln Tate and Berocka Sundqvist will share the Alexander Beketov Trophy for most assists. This is the second year in a row that the Beketov Trophy was shared, but just the fifth time in VHL history. 
 
Kevin Brooks Trophy
Julius Freeman’s 45 goals were enough to win him his second consecutive Brooks Trophy and third overall to his career. If Freeman has a big year in his final season, he will give himself a good shot at making it into the Hall of Fame.
 
Christian Stolzchweiger Trophy
The VHL Rookie of the Year race this year was rather tame and lacked any high point scorers. No one cracked 50 points, but SS Hornet, the 1st overall pick of the S72 draft, came the closest with 47. On the surface, it seems like he would be the favourite, but there definitely is a debate to be made. Pengu is another good candidate, as he had 43 points, just four fewer than Hornet. Zyrok12 is another player that could get some attention, as his 37 points for a rookie defenseman is pretty solid. He also had 75 hits and 122 blocked shots, pretty solid defensive numbers for a rookie. Other players such as Vladimir Shaposhnikov and Gary Neal could enter the discussion, but it seems like this year’s race is only about points.
Nominees: Pengu, Zyrok12, SS Hornet
Favourite: SS Hornet
 
Dustin Funk Trophy
The Dustin Funk Trophy goes to the player that is most improved from the previous season. The number of good candidates from this year is extraordinary. Condor Adrienne, the league's point leader, scored in the 50s for points in the previous couple seasons, before exploding with 100 points this year. He also increased his blocked shots total by 70, which led the league. Mikko Lahtinen also makes a strong case, as his point-scoring went from 29 to 84, and Lahtinen went from 13 goals in his first two seasons to 41 this year. Lewis Dawson of the Nighthawks makes a very strong case as well, as he went from 32 points to 93. He also nearly doubled his hit total from the previous year, from 46 to 88. You also have RJ Jubis and Berocka Sundqvist, who both went from having point totals in the 50s to the 90s this year, with 93 and 92 points respectively. This season put up many great candidates for the Funk, and it’s a shame only one of them will be able to win. It's very difficult to pick a favourite.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Mikko Lahtinen, Lewis Dawson
Favourite: Mikko Lahtinen
 
Scott Boulet Trophy
The Boulet Trophy goes to the best two way forward, and the most important stats for this award are blocked shots and hits. The league leader in hits this season was Phil Marleau, with 404. He had 75 more hits than second-place Keven Foreskin, who also is worth taking a look at for the Boulet. Other players that also had high hit totals to complement their high point totals, such as Julius Freeman and Jet Jaguar, who ranked fifth and tenth in the league for hits respectively. Every year this is a pretty tightly contested award, and this year isn’t much different.
Nominees: Phil Marleau, Keven Foreskin, Julius Freeman
Favourite: Phil Marleau
 
Alexander Valiq Trophy
This award goes to the best offensive defenseman. This year, many defensemen put up very high point totals. Last year, the top defenseman had 73 points. This year, the top five defensemen all had 73 or more points, including an incredible 100 points from Condor Adrienne. Berocka Sundqvists 92 points and Lincoln Tates 86 points would be enough to be the favourite for this award in most other years, but unfortunately for them Adrienne’s 100 points this year makes it very unlikely for either Sundqvist or Tate to win the Valiq.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Berocka Sundqvist, Lincoln Tate
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Jake Wylde Trophy
The Wylde goes to the best defensive defenseman in the league, but unfortunately, great defence is a hard thing to grasp with just numbers. For any defenseman that hoped they could win an award over Condor Adrienne, this is the award that they would have to do it with. Unfortunately for them, Adrienne is one of, if not the top contender for this award as well. His 188 blocked shots are 30 more than second place, and he also finished second in hits for a defenseman, just one behind Lance Flowers. Flowers had 255 hits and 154 blocked shots. His 154 blocked shots are only one behind second place, and his 255 hits are the most out of all defenseman. Cinnamon Block is also a contender for this award, with 222 hits and 154 blocked shots. If voter fatigue comes into play, Lance Flowers or Cinnamon Block can take this award, but Adrienne is still the likely favourite.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Lance Flowers, Cinnamon Block
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Sterling Labatte Trophy
This trophy goes to the leagues top defenseman, and it’s pretty obvious who this trophy will go too. Berocka Sundqvist and Lincoln Tate had great seasons, but Condor Adrienne was simply too good this year. He is the clear favourite to win this award.
Nominees: Lincoln Tate, Condor Adrienne, Berocka Sundqvist
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Greg Clegane Trophy
This is another statistical award, and it goes to the goalie with the lowest GAA. The league lowest GAA belongs to Clayton Park, but he doesn’t fit the requirements for games played, as he has only played nine and it’s required to play at least 20. That means Jacques Lafontaine will win the Clegane, as his 2.31 GAA was the best in the league out of goalies that played 20+ games.
 
Aidan Shaw Trophy
This award goes to the league’s top goaltender. Jacques Lafontaine is probably the favourite, as he has the lowest GAA and was tied for the highest save percentage out of all starting goalies, as well as the most wins. However, Raymond Bernard of the Menace could give Lafontaine a run for his money, as his .924 save percentage was the same as Lafontaines, and his 2.47 GAA wasn’t far behind Lafontaine either. He also led the league in shutouts with four. Michael Johnson also can make a case, as his .922 save percentage was just barely behind both Lafontaine and Bernard. He also had a GAA of 2.55, which was third amongst starters. These three were the top three goaltenders this year, and it’s tough to pick a favourite.
Nominees: Raymond Bernard, Michael Johnson, Jacques Lafontaine
Favourite: Jacques Lafontaine
 
Daisuke Kanou Trophy
The Riga Reign won the Continental Cup in dominating fashion this year, going 12-1 in the playoffs. While the contributions of Lincoln Tate, Apollo Hackett, and Kyl Oferson played a big part in their success, no player was more important to the Reign than goaltender Greg Eagles. His .936 save percentage and 2.03 GAA were instrumental in taking down the Victory Cup-winning Wranglers. Calgary averaged 3.4 goals per game during the regular seasons, but only 2 goals per game in the finals. Greg Eagles will most likely continue the streak of goalies winning the Kanou with his stellar postseason run.
Nominees: Apollo Hackett, Lincoln Tate, Greg Eagles
Favourite: Greg Eagles
 
Scotty Campbell Trophy
The final award on our list goes to the league's most valuable player. This year we saw some really big names traded midseason, which is a huge damper on their chances to win the Campbell. The most notable player to be traded was Jet Jaguar. His 97 points were very impressive, but being traded to Davos midseason seriously hurt his chances at the Campbell. Condor Adrienne is definitely worth looking at simply because of his point production. The biggest drawback is that Malmo finished in the last place, which could pretty much destroy his case for MVP. Julius Freeman of the Americans has a good case, with 87 points. The only problem is that his teammate Owen Nolan had 82 points, not far behind Freeman. Regardless, Freeman’s elite two-way game and high point total, as well as New Yorks success, could be enough to get him some serious consideration. Scott Greene of Seattle could also get a look, with 93 points, although his two-way game took a huge drop off. Seattle also has plenty of other players with similar point totals which hurts his chances. RJ Jubis or Jacques Lafontaine of the Wranglers could be in the conversation too, as Jubis had 93 points and led his team, while LaFontaine led the league in GAA and save percentage, the two most important goaltending stats. Lincoln Tate of the Reign also deserves a shot, as his 86 points lead the team and he remains one of the leagues top defenseman. It is a really tough award to pick a favourite for. If the voters are willing to turn a blind eye to Malmo’s team success, then Adrienne will most likely win this award. But if they do pay attention to team success, then this award is clouded with uncertainty.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Julius Freeman, Lincoln Tate
Favourite: Julius Freeman
 
Thank you for tuning in for the S72 Awards Preview. Good luck to all those that are in the running!
 
 

The S72 Season was a great one, which ended with the Riga Reign winning the Continental Cup. Now that the season is over, it’s time to hand out some awards. Let’s take a look at how each award race could pan out.
 
Make sure to check out other series VSN has to offer, such as our weekly reviews, award trackers, podcasts, and upcoming offseason coverage
VSN Radio | Weekly Review | S73 Draft Coverage | Under 250 | Expansion Draft Coverage
 
 
Mike Szatkowski Trophy
This award goes to the player during the regular season who had the most points in the league. This award has already been decided, and Condor Adrienne’s dominant season earns its first of likely many awards. He had 100 points and was the only player to finish in the triple digits. Jet Jaguar came close with 97 but ultimately fell short of Adrienne.
 
Alexander Beketov Trophy
With 70 assists this year, Lincoln Tate and Berocka Sundqvist will share the Alexander Beketov Trophy for most assists. This is the second year in a row that the Beketov Trophy was shared, but just the fifth time in VHL history. 
 
Kevin Brooks Trophy
Julius Freeman’s 45 goals were enough to win him his second consecutive Brooks Trophy and third overall to his career. If Freeman has a big year in his final season, he will give himself a good shot at making it into the Hall of Fame.
 
Christian Stolzchweiger Trophy
The VHL Rookie of the Year race this year was rather tame and lacked any high point scorers. No one cracked 50 points, but SS Hornet, the 1st overall pick of the S72 draft, came the closest with 47. On the surface, it seems like he would be the favourite, but there definitely is a debate to be made. Pengu is another good candidate, as he had 43 points, just four fewer than Hornet. Zyrok12 is another player that could get some attention, as his 37 points for a rookie defenseman is pretty solid. He also had 75 hits and 122 blocked shots, pretty solid defensive numbers for a rookie. Other players such as Vladimir Shaposhnikov and Gary Neal could enter the discussion, but it seems like this year’s race is only about points.
Nominees: Pengu, Zyrok12, SS Hornet
Favourite: SS Hornet
 
Dustin Funk Trophy
The Dustin Funk Trophy goes to the player that is most improved from the previous season. The number of good candidates from this year is extraordinary. Condor Adrienne, the league's point leader, scored in the 50s for points in the previous couple seasons, before exploding with 100 points this year. He also increased his blocked shots total by 70, which led the league. Mikko Lahtinen also makes a strong case, as his point-scoring went from 29 to 84, and Lahtinen went from 13 goals in his first two seasons to 41 this year. Lewis Dawson of the Nighthawks makes a very strong case as well, as he went from 32 points to 93. He also nearly doubled his hit total from the previous year, from 46 to 88. You also have RJ Jubis and Berocka Sundqvist, who both went from having point totals in the 50s to the 90s this year, with 93 and 92 points respectively. This season put up many great candidates for the Funk, and it’s a shame only one of them will be able to win. It's very difficult to pick a favourite.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Mikko Lahtinen, Lewis Dawson
Favourite: Mikko Lahtinen
 
Scott Boulet Trophy
The Boulet Trophy goes to the best two way forward, and the most important stats for this award are blocked shots and hits. The league leader in hits this season was Phil Marleau, with 404. He had 75 more hits than second-place Keven Foreskin, who also is worth taking a look at for the Boulet. Other players that also had high hit totals to complement their high point totals, such as Julius Freeman and Jet Jaguar, who ranked fifth and tenth in the league for hits respectively. Every year this is a pretty tightly contested award, and this year isn’t much different.
Nominees: Phil Marleau, Keven Foreskin, Julius Freeman
Favourite: Phil Marleau
 
Alexander Valiq Trophy
This award goes to the best offensive defenseman. This year, many defensemen put up very high point totals. Last year, the top defenseman had 73 points. This year, the top five defensemen all had 73 or more points, including an incredible 100 points from Condor Adrienne. Berocka Sundqvists 92 points and Lincoln Tates 86 points would be enough to be the favourite for this award in most other years, but unfortunately for them Adrienne’s 100 points this year makes it very unlikely for either Sundqvist or Tate to win the Valiq.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Berocka Sundqvist, Lincoln Tate
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Jake Wylde Trophy
The Wylde goes to the best defensive defenseman in the league, but unfortunately, great defence is a hard thing to grasp with just numbers. For any defenseman that hoped they could win an award over Condor Adrienne, this is the award that they would have to do it with. Unfortunately for them, Adrienne is one of, if not the top contender for this award as well. His 188 blocked shots are 30 more than second place, and he also finished second in hits for a defenseman, just one behind Lance Flowers. Flowers had 255 hits and 154 blocked shots. His 154 blocked shots are only one behind second place, and his 255 hits are the most out of all defenseman. Cinnamon Block is also a contender for this award, with 222 hits and 154 blocked shots. If voter fatigue comes into play, Lance Flowers or Cinnamon Block can take this award, but Adrienne is still the likely favourite.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Lance Flowers, Cinnamon Block
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Sterling Labatte Trophy
This trophy goes to the leagues top defenseman, and it’s pretty obvious who this trophy will go too. Berocka Sundqvist and Lincoln Tate had great seasons, but Condor Adrienne was simply too good this year. He is the clear favourite to win this award.
Nominees: Lincoln Tate, Condor Adrienne, Berocka Sundqvist
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Greg Clegane Trophy
This is another statistical award, and it goes to the goalie with the lowest GAA. The league lowest GAA belongs to Clayton Park, but he doesn’t fit the requirements for games played, as he has only played nine and it’s required to play at least 20. That means Jacques Lafontaine will win the Clegane, as his 2.31 GAA was the best in the league out of goalies that played 20+ games.
 
Aidan Shaw Trophy
This award goes to the league’s top goaltender. Jacques Lafontaine is probably the favourite, as he has the lowest GAA and was tied for the highest save percentage out of all starting goalies, as well as the most wins. However, Raymond Bernard of the Menace could give Lafontaine a run for his money, as his .924 save percentage was the same as Lafontaines, and his 2.47 GAA wasn’t far behind Lafontaine either. He also led the league in shutouts with four. Michael Johnson also can make a case, as his .922 save percentage was just barely behind both Lafontaine and Bernard. He also had a GAA of 2.55, which was third amongst starters. These three were the top three goaltenders this year, and it’s tough to pick a favourite.
Nominees: Raymond Bernard, Michael Johnson, Jacques Lafontaine
Favourite: Jacques Lafontaine
 
Daisuke Kanou Trophy
The Riga Reign won the Continental Cup in dominating fashion this year, going 12-1 in the playoffs. While the contributions of Lincoln Tate, Apollo Hackett, and Kyl Oferson played a big part in their success, no player was more important to the Reign than goaltender Greg Eagles. His .936 save percentage and 2.03 GAA were instrumental in taking down the Victory Cup-winning Wranglers. Calgary averaged 3.4 goals per game during the regular seasons, but only 2 goals per game in the finals. Greg Eagles will most likely continue the streak of goalies winning the Kanou with his stellar postseason run.
Nominees: Apollo Hackett, Lincoln Tate, Greg Eagles
Favourite: Greg Eagles
 
Scotty Campbell Trophy
The final award on our list goes to the league's most valuable player. This year we saw some really big names traded midseason, which is a huge damper on their chances to win the Campbell. The most notable player to be traded was Jet Jaguar. His 97 points were very impressive, but being traded to Davos midseason seriously hurt his chances at the Campbell. Condor Adrienne is definitely worth looking at simply because of his point production. The biggest drawback is that Malmo finished in the last place, which could pretty much destroy his case for MVP. Julius Freeman of the Americans has a good case, with 87 points. The only problem is that his teammate Owen Nolan had 82 points, not far behind Freeman. Regardless, Freeman’s elite two-way game and high point total, as well as New Yorks success, could be enough to get him some serious consideration. Scott Greene of Seattle could also get a look, with 93 points, although his two-way game took a huge drop off. Seattle also has plenty of other players with similar point totals which hurts his chances. RJ Jubis or Jacques Lafontaine of the Wranglers could be in the conversation too, as Jubis had 93 points and led his team, while LaFontaine led the league in GAA and save percentage, the two most important goaltending stats. Lincoln Tate of the Reign also deserves a shot, as his 86 points lead the team and he remains one of the leagues top defenseman. It is a really tough award to pick a favourite for. If the voters are willing to turn a blind eye to Malmo’s team success, then Adrienne will most likely win this award. But if they do pay attention to team success, then this award is clouded with uncertainty.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Julius Freeman, Lincoln Tate
Favourite: Julius Freeman
 
Thank you for tuning in for the S72 Awards Preview. Good luck to all those that are in the running!
 
 

The S72 Season was a great one, which ended with the Riga Reign winning the Continental Cup. Now that the season is over, it’s time to hand out some awards. Let’s take a look at how each award race could pan out.
 
Make sure to check out other series VSN has to offer, such as our weekly reviews, award trackers, podcasts, and upcoming offseason coverage
VSN Radio | Weekly Review | S73 Draft Coverage | Under 250 | Expansion Draft Coverage
 
 
Mike Szatkowski Trophy
This award goes to the player during the regular season who had the most points in the league. This award has already been decided, and Condor Adrienne’s dominant season earns its first of likely many awards. He had 100 points and was the only player to finish in the triple digits. Jet Jaguar came close with 97 but ultimately fell short of Adrienne.
 
Alexander Beketov Trophy
With 70 assists this year, Lincoln Tate and Berocka Sundqvist will share the Alexander Beketov Trophy for most assists. This is the second year in a row that the Beketov Trophy was shared, but just the fifth time in VHL history. 
 
Kevin Brooks Trophy
Julius Freeman’s 45 goals were enough to win him his second consecutive Brooks Trophy and third overall to his career. If Freeman has a big year in his final season, he will give himself a good shot at making it into the Hall of Fame.
 
Christian Stolzchweiger Trophy
The VHL Rookie of the Year race this year was rather tame and lacked any high point scorers. No one cracked 50 points, but SS Hornet, the 1st overall pick of the S72 draft, came the closest with 47. On the surface, it seems like he would be the favourite, but there definitely is a debate to be made. Pengu is another good candidate, as he had 43 points, just four fewer than Hornet. Zyrok12 is another player that could get some attention, as his 37 points for a rookie defenseman is pretty solid. He also had 75 hits and 122 blocked shots, pretty solid defensive numbers for a rookie. Other players such as Vladimir Shaposhnikov and Gary Neal could enter the discussion, but it seems like this year’s race is only about points.
Nominees: Pengu, Zyrok12, SS Hornet
Favourite: SS Hornet
 
Dustin Funk Trophy
The Dustin Funk Trophy goes to the player that is most improved from the previous season. The number of good candidates from this year is extraordinary. Condor Adrienne, the league's point leader, scored in the 50s for points in the previous couple seasons, before exploding with 100 points this year. He also increased his blocked shots total by 70, which led the league. Mikko Lahtinen also makes a strong case, as his point-scoring went from 29 to 84, and Lahtinen went from 13 goals in his first two seasons to 41 this year. Lewis Dawson of the Nighthawks makes a very strong case as well, as he went from 32 points to 93. He also nearly doubled his hit total from the previous year, from 46 to 88. You also have RJ Jubis and Berocka Sundqvist, who both went from having point totals in the 50s to the 90s this year, with 93 and 92 points respectively. This season put up many great candidates for the Funk, and it’s a shame only one of them will be able to win. It's very difficult to pick a favourite.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Mikko Lahtinen, Lewis Dawson
Favourite: Mikko Lahtinen
 
Scott Boulet Trophy
The Boulet Trophy goes to the best two way forward, and the most important stats for this award are blocked shots and hits. The league leader in hits this season was Phil Marleau, with 404. He had 75 more hits than second-place Keven Foreskin, who also is worth taking a look at for the Boulet. Other players that also had high hit totals to complement their high point totals, such as Julius Freeman and Jet Jaguar, who ranked fifth and tenth in the league for hits respectively. Every year this is a pretty tightly contested award, and this year isn’t much different.
Nominees: Phil Marleau, Keven Foreskin, Julius Freeman
Favourite: Phil Marleau
 
Alexander Valiq Trophy
This award goes to the best offensive defenseman. This year, many defensemen put up very high point totals. Last year, the top defenseman had 73 points. This year, the top five defensemen all had 73 or more points, including an incredible 100 points from Condor Adrienne. Berocka Sundqvists 92 points and Lincoln Tates 86 points would be enough to be the favourite for this award in most other years, but unfortunately for them Adrienne’s 100 points this year makes it very unlikely for either Sundqvist or Tate to win the Valiq.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Berocka Sundqvist, Lincoln Tate
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Jake Wylde Trophy
The Wylde goes to the best defensive defenseman in the league, but unfortunately, great defence is a hard thing to grasp with just numbers. For any defenseman that hoped they could win an award over Condor Adrienne, this is the award that they would have to do it with. Unfortunately for them, Adrienne is one of, if not the top contender for this award as well. His 188 blocked shots are 30 more than second place, and he also finished second in hits for a defenseman, just one behind Lance Flowers. Flowers had 255 hits and 154 blocked shots. His 154 blocked shots are only one behind second place, and his 255 hits are the most out of all defenseman. Cinnamon Block is also a contender for this award, with 222 hits and 154 blocked shots. If voter fatigue comes into play, Lance Flowers or Cinnamon Block can take this award, but Adrienne is still the likely favourite.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Lance Flowers, Cinnamon Block
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Sterling Labatte Trophy
This trophy goes to the leagues top defenseman, and it’s pretty obvious who this trophy will go too. Berocka Sundqvist and Lincoln Tate had great seasons, but Condor Adrienne was simply too good this year. He is the clear favourite to win this award.
Nominees: Lincoln Tate, Condor Adrienne, Berocka Sundqvist
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Greg Clegane Trophy
This is another statistical award, and it goes to the goalie with the lowest GAA. The league lowest GAA belongs to Clayton Park, but he doesn’t fit the requirements for games played, as he has only played nine and it’s required to play at least 20. That means Jacques Lafontaine will win the Clegane, as his 2.31 GAA was the best in the league out of goalies that played 20+ games.
 
Aidan Shaw Trophy
This award goes to the league’s top goaltender. Jacques Lafontaine is probably the favourite, as he has the lowest GAA and was tied for the highest save percentage out of all starting goalies, as well as the most wins. However, Raymond Bernard of the Menace could give Lafontaine a run for his money, as his .924 save percentage was the same as Lafontaines, and his 2.47 GAA wasn’t far behind Lafontaine either. He also led the league in shutouts with four. Michael Johnson also can make a case, as his .922 save percentage was just barely behind both Lafontaine and Bernard. He also had a GAA of 2.55, which was third amongst starters. These three were the top three goaltenders this year, and it’s tough to pick a favourite.
Nominees: Raymond Bernard, Michael Johnson, Jacques Lafontaine
Favourite: Jacques Lafontaine
 
Daisuke Kanou Trophy
The Riga Reign won the Continental Cup in dominating fashion this year, going 12-1 in the playoffs. While the contributions of Lincoln Tate, Apollo Hackett, and Kyl Oferson played a big part in their success, no player was more important to the Reign than goaltender Greg Eagles. His .936 save percentage and 2.03 GAA were instrumental in taking down the Victory Cup-winning Wranglers. Calgary averaged 3.4 goals per game during the regular seasons, but only 2 goals per game in the finals. Greg Eagles will most likely continue the streak of goalies winning the Kanou with his stellar postseason run.
Nominees: Apollo Hackett, Lincoln Tate, Greg Eagles
Favourite: Greg Eagles
 
Scotty Campbell Trophy
The final award on our list goes to the league's most valuable player. This year we saw some really big names traded midseason, which is a huge damper on their chances to win the Campbell. The most notable player to be traded was Jet Jaguar. His 97 points were very impressive, but being traded to Davos midseason seriously hurt his chances at the Campbell. Condor Adrienne is definitely worth looking at simply because of his point production. The biggest drawback is that Malmo finished in the last place, which could pretty much destroy his case for MVP. Julius Freeman of the Americans has a good case, with 87 points. The only problem is that his teammate Owen Nolan had 82 points, not far behind Freeman. Regardless, Freeman’s elite two-way game and high point total, as well as New Yorks success, could be enough to get him some serious consideration. Scott Greene of Seattle could also get a look, with 93 points, although his two-way game took a huge drop off. Seattle also has plenty of other players with similar point totals which hurts his chances. RJ Jubis or Jacques Lafontaine of the Wranglers could be in the conversation too, as Jubis had 93 points and led his team, while LaFontaine led the league in GAA and save percentage, the two most important goaltending stats. Lincoln Tate of the Reign also deserves a shot, as his 86 points lead the team and he remains one of the leagues top defenseman. It is a really tough award to pick a favourite for. If the voters are willing to turn a blind eye to Malmo’s team success, then Adrienne will most likely win this award. But if they do pay attention to team success, then this award is clouded with uncertainty.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Julius Freeman, Lincoln Tate
Favourite: Julius Freeman
 
Thank you for tuning in for the S72 Awards Preview. Good luck to all those that are in the running!
 
 

The S72 Season was a great one, which ended with the Riga Reign winning the Continental Cup. Now that the season is over, it’s time to hand out some awards. Let’s take a look at how each award race could pan out.
 
Make sure to check out other series VSN has to offer, such as our weekly reviews, award trackers, podcasts, and upcoming offseason coverage
VSN Radio | Weekly Review | S73 Draft Coverage | Under 250 | Expansion Draft Coverage
 
 
Mike Szatkowski Trophy
This award goes to the player during the regular season who had the most points in the league. This award has already been decided, and Condor Adrienne’s dominant season earns its first of likely many awards. He had 100 points and was the only player to finish in the triple digits. Jet Jaguar came close with 97 but ultimately fell short of Adrienne.
 
Alexander Beketov Trophy
With 70 assists this year, Lincoln Tate and Berocka Sundqvist will share the Alexander Beketov Trophy for most assists. This is the second year in a row that the Beketov Trophy was shared, but just the fifth time in VHL history. 
 
Kevin Brooks Trophy
Julius Freeman’s 45 goals were enough to win him his second consecutive Brooks Trophy and third overall to his career. If Freeman has a big year in his final season, he will give himself a good shot at making it into the Hall of Fame.
 
Christian Stolzchweiger Trophy
The VHL Rookie of the Year race this year was rather tame and lacked any high point scorers. No one cracked 50 points, but SS Hornet, the 1st overall pick of the S72 draft, came the closest with 47. On the surface, it seems like he would be the favourite, but there definitely is a debate to be made. Pengu is another good candidate, as he had 43 points, just four fewer than Hornet. Zyrok12 is another player that could get some attention, as his 37 points for a rookie defenseman is pretty solid. He also had 75 hits and 122 blocked shots, pretty solid defensive numbers for a rookie. Other players such as Vladimir Shaposhnikov and Gary Neal could enter the discussion, but it seems like this year’s race is only about points.
Nominees: Pengu, Zyrok12, SS Hornet
Favourite: SS Hornet
 
Dustin Funk Trophy
The Dustin Funk Trophy goes to the player that is most improved from the previous season. The number of good candidates from this year is extraordinary. Condor Adrienne, the league's point leader, scored in the 50s for points in the previous couple seasons, before exploding with 100 points this year. He also increased his blocked shots total by 70, which led the league. Mikko Lahtinen also makes a strong case, as his point-scoring went from 29 to 84, and Lahtinen went from 13 goals in his first two seasons to 41 this year. Lewis Dawson of the Nighthawks makes a very strong case as well, as he went from 32 points to 93. He also nearly doubled his hit total from the previous year, from 46 to 88. You also have RJ Jubis and Berocka Sundqvist, who both went from having point totals in the 50s to the 90s this year, with 93 and 92 points respectively. This season put up many great candidates for the Funk, and it’s a shame only one of them will be able to win. It's very difficult to pick a favourite.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Mikko Lahtinen, Lewis Dawson
Favourite: Mikko Lahtinen
 
Scott Boulet Trophy
The Boulet Trophy goes to the best two way forward, and the most important stats for this award are blocked shots and hits. The league leader in hits this season was Phil Marleau, with 404. He had 75 more hits than second-place Keven Foreskin, who also is worth taking a look at for the Boulet. Other players that also had high hit totals to complement their high point totals, such as Julius Freeman and Jet Jaguar, who ranked fifth and tenth in the league for hits respectively. Every year this is a pretty tightly contested award, and this year isn’t much different.
Nominees: Phil Marleau, Keven Foreskin, Julius Freeman
Favourite: Phil Marleau
 
Alexander Valiq Trophy
This award goes to the best offensive defenseman. This year, many defensemen put up very high point totals. Last year, the top defenseman had 73 points. This year, the top five defensemen all had 73 or more points, including an incredible 100 points from Condor Adrienne. Berocka Sundqvists 92 points and Lincoln Tates 86 points would be enough to be the favourite for this award in most other years, but unfortunately for them Adrienne’s 100 points this year makes it very unlikely for either Sundqvist or Tate to win the Valiq.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Berocka Sundqvist, Lincoln Tate
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Jake Wylde Trophy
The Wylde goes to the best defensive defenseman in the league, but unfortunately, great defence is a hard thing to grasp with just numbers. For any defenseman that hoped they could win an award over Condor Adrienne, this is the award that they would have to do it with. Unfortunately for them, Adrienne is one of, if not the top contender for this award as well. His 188 blocked shots are 30 more than second place, and he also finished second in hits for a defenseman, just one behind Lance Flowers. Flowers had 255 hits and 154 blocked shots. His 154 blocked shots are only one behind second place, and his 255 hits are the most out of all defenseman. Cinnamon Block is also a contender for this award, with 222 hits and 154 blocked shots. If voter fatigue comes into play, Lance Flowers or Cinnamon Block can take this award, but Adrienne is still the likely favourite.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Lance Flowers, Cinnamon Block
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Sterling Labatte Trophy
This trophy goes to the leagues top defenseman, and it’s pretty obvious who this trophy will go too. Berocka Sundqvist and Lincoln Tate had great seasons, but Condor Adrienne was simply too good this year. He is the clear favourite to win this award.
Nominees: Lincoln Tate, Condor Adrienne, Berocka Sundqvist
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Greg Clegane Trophy
This is another statistical award, and it goes to the goalie with the lowest GAA. The league lowest GAA belongs to Clayton Park, but he doesn’t fit the requirements for games played, as he has only played nine and it’s required to play at least 20. That means Jacques Lafontaine will win the Clegane, as his 2.31 GAA was the best in the league out of goalies that played 20+ games.
 
Aidan Shaw Trophy
This award goes to the league’s top goaltender. Jacques Lafontaine is probably the favourite, as he has the lowest GAA and was tied for the highest save percentage out of all starting goalies, as well as the most wins. However, Raymond Bernard of the Menace could give Lafontaine a run for his money, as his .924 save percentage was the same as Lafontaines, and his 2.47 GAA wasn’t far behind Lafontaine either. He also led the league in shutouts with four. Michael Johnson also can make a case, as his .922 save percentage was just barely behind both Lafontaine and Bernard. He also had a GAA of 2.55, which was third amongst starters. These three were the top three goaltenders this year, and it’s tough to pick a favourite.
Nominees: Raymond Bernard, Michael Johnson, Jacques Lafontaine
Favourite: Jacques Lafontaine
 
Daisuke Kanou Trophy
The Riga Reign won the Continental Cup in dominating fashion this year, going 12-1 in the playoffs. While the contributions of Lincoln Tate, Apollo Hackett, and Kyl Oferson played a big part in their success, no player was more important to the Reign than goaltender Greg Eagles. His .936 save percentage and 2.03 GAA were instrumental in taking down the Victory Cup-winning Wranglers. Calgary averaged 3.4 goals per game during the regular seasons, but only 2 goals per game in the finals. Greg Eagles will most likely continue the streak of goalies winning the Kanou with his stellar postseason run.
Nominees: Apollo Hackett, Lincoln Tate, Greg Eagles
Favourite: Greg Eagles
 
Scotty Campbell Trophy
The final award on our list goes to the league's most valuable player. This year we saw some really big names traded midseason, which is a huge damper on their chances to win the Campbell. The most notable player to be traded was Jet Jaguar. His 97 points were very impressive, but being traded to Davos midseason seriously hurt his chances at the Campbell. Condor Adrienne is definitely worth looking at simply because of his point production. The biggest drawback is that Malmo finished in the last place, which could pretty much destroy his case for MVP. Julius Freeman of the Americans has a good case, with 87 points. The only problem is that his teammate Owen Nolan had 82 points, not far behind Freeman. Regardless, Freeman’s elite two-way game and high point total, as well as New Yorks success, could be enough to get him some serious consideration. Scott Greene of Seattle could also get a look, with 93 points, although his two-way game took a huge drop off. Seattle also has plenty of other players with similar point totals which hurts his chances. RJ Jubis or Jacques Lafontaine of the Wranglers could be in the conversation too, as Jubis had 93 points and led his team, while LaFontaine led the league in GAA and save percentage, the two most important goaltending stats. Lincoln Tate of the Reign also deserves a shot, as his 86 points lead the team and he remains one of the leagues top defenseman. It is a really tough award to pick a favourite for. If the voters are willing to turn a blind eye to Malmo’s team success, then Adrienne will most likely win this award. But if they do pay attention to team success, then this award is clouded with uncertainty.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Julius Freeman, Lincoln Tate
Favourite: Julius Freeman
 
Thank you for tuning in for the S72 Awards Preview. Good luck to all those that are in the running!
 
 

The S72 Season was a great one, which ended with the Riga Reign winning the Continental Cup. Now that the season is over, it’s time to hand out some awards. Let’s take a look at how each award race could pan out.
 
Make sure to check out other series VSN has to offer, such as our weekly reviews, award trackers, podcasts, and upcoming offseason coverage
VSN Radio | Weekly Review | S73 Draft Coverage | Under 250 | Expansion Draft Coverage
 
 
Mike Szatkowski Trophy
This award goes to the player during the regular season who had the most points in the league. This award has already been decided, and Condor Adrienne’s dominant season earns its first of likely many awards. He had 100 points and was the only player to finish in the triple digits. Jet Jaguar came close with 97 but ultimately fell short of Adrienne.
 
Alexander Beketov Trophy
With 70 assists this year, Lincoln Tate and Berocka Sundqvist will share the Alexander Beketov Trophy for most assists. This is the second year in a row that the Beketov Trophy was shared, but just the fifth time in VHL history. 
 
Kevin Brooks Trophy
Julius Freeman’s 45 goals were enough to win him his second consecutive Brooks Trophy and third overall to his career. If Freeman has a big year in his final season, he will give himself a good shot at making it into the Hall of Fame.
 
Christian Stolzchweiger Trophy
The VHL Rookie of the Year race this year was rather tame and lacked any high point scorers. No one cracked 50 points, but SS Hornet, the 1st overall pick of the S72 draft, came the closest with 47. On the surface, it seems like he would be the favourite, but there definitely is a debate to be made. Pengu is another good candidate, as he had 43 points, just four fewer than Hornet. Zyrok12 is another player that could get some attention, as his 37 points for a rookie defenseman is pretty solid. He also had 75 hits and 122 blocked shots, pretty solid defensive numbers for a rookie. Other players such as Vladimir Shaposhnikov and Gary Neal could enter the discussion, but it seems like this year’s race is only about points.
Nominees: Pengu, Zyrok12, SS Hornet
Favourite: SS Hornet
 
Dustin Funk Trophy
The Dustin Funk Trophy goes to the player that is most improved from the previous season. The number of good candidates from this year is extraordinary. Condor Adrienne, the league's point leader, scored in the 50s for points in the previous couple seasons, before exploding with 100 points this year. He also increased his blocked shots total by 70, which led the league. Mikko Lahtinen also makes a strong case, as his point-scoring went from 29 to 84, and Lahtinen went from 13 goals in his first two seasons to 41 this year. Lewis Dawson of the Nighthawks makes a very strong case as well, as he went from 32 points to 93. He also nearly doubled his hit total from the previous year, from 46 to 88. You also have RJ Jubis and Berocka Sundqvist, who both went from having point totals in the 50s to the 90s this year, with 93 and 92 points respectively. This season put up many great candidates for the Funk, and it’s a shame only one of them will be able to win. It's very difficult to pick a favourite.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Mikko Lahtinen, Lewis Dawson
Favourite: Mikko Lahtinen
 
Scott Boulet Trophy
The Boulet Trophy goes to the best two way forward, and the most important stats for this award are blocked shots and hits. The league leader in hits this season was Phil Marleau, with 404. He had 75 more hits than second-place Keven Foreskin, who also is worth taking a look at for the Boulet. Other players that also had high hit totals to complement their high point totals, such as Julius Freeman and Jet Jaguar, who ranked fifth and tenth in the league for hits respectively. Every year this is a pretty tightly contested award, and this year isn’t much different.
Nominees: Phil Marleau, Keven Foreskin, Julius Freeman
Favourite: Phil Marleau
 
Alexander Valiq Trophy
This award goes to the best offensive defenseman. This year, many defensemen put up very high point totals. Last year, the top defenseman had 73 points. This year, the top five defensemen all had 73 or more points, including an incredible 100 points from Condor Adrienne. Berocka Sundqvists 92 points and Lincoln Tates 86 points would be enough to be the favourite for this award in most other years, but unfortunately for them Adrienne’s 100 points this year makes it very unlikely for either Sundqvist or Tate to win the Valiq.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Berocka Sundqvist, Lincoln Tate
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Jake Wylde Trophy
The Wylde goes to the best defensive defenseman in the league, but unfortunately, great defence is a hard thing to grasp with just numbers. For any defenseman that hoped they could win an award over Condor Adrienne, this is the award that they would have to do it with. Unfortunately for them, Adrienne is one of, if not the top contender for this award as well. His 188 blocked shots are 30 more than second place, and he also finished second in hits for a defenseman, just one behind Lance Flowers. Flowers had 255 hits and 154 blocked shots. His 154 blocked shots are only one behind second place, and his 255 hits are the most out of all defenseman. Cinnamon Block is also a contender for this award, with 222 hits and 154 blocked shots. If voter fatigue comes into play, Lance Flowers or Cinnamon Block can take this award, but Adrienne is still the likely favourite.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Lance Flowers, Cinnamon Block
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Sterling Labatte Trophy
This trophy goes to the leagues top defenseman, and it’s pretty obvious who this trophy will go too. Berocka Sundqvist and Lincoln Tate had great seasons, but Condor Adrienne was simply too good this year. He is the clear favourite to win this award.
Nominees: Lincoln Tate, Condor Adrienne, Berocka Sundqvist
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Greg Clegane Trophy
This is another statistical award, and it goes to the goalie with the lowest GAA. The league lowest GAA belongs to Clayton Park, but he doesn’t fit the requirements for games played, as he has only played nine and it’s required to play at least 20. That means Jacques Lafontaine will win the Clegane, as his 2.31 GAA was the best in the league out of goalies that played 20+ games.
 
Aidan Shaw Trophy
This award goes to the league’s top goaltender. Jacques Lafontaine is probably the favourite, as he has the lowest GAA and was tied for the highest save percentage out of all starting goalies, as well as the most wins. However, Raymond Bernard of the Menace could give Lafontaine a run for his money, as his .924 save percentage was the same as Lafontaines, and his 2.47 GAA wasn’t far behind Lafontaine either. He also led the league in shutouts with four. Michael Johnson also can make a case, as his .922 save percentage was just barely behind both Lafontaine and Bernard. He also had a GAA of 2.55, which was third amongst starters. These three were the top three goaltenders this year, and it’s tough to pick a favourite.
Nominees: Raymond Bernard, Michael Johnson, Jacques Lafontaine
Favourite: Jacques Lafontaine
 
Daisuke Kanou Trophy
The Riga Reign won the Continental Cup in dominating fashion this year, going 12-1 in the playoffs. While the contributions of Lincoln Tate, Apollo Hackett, and Kyl Oferson played a big part in their success, no player was more important to the Reign than goaltender Greg Eagles. His .936 save percentage and 2.03 GAA were instrumental in taking down the Victory Cup-winning Wranglers. Calgary averaged 3.4 goals per game during the regular seasons, but only 2 goals per game in the finals. Greg Eagles will most likely continue the streak of goalies winning the Kanou with his stellar postseason run.
Nominees: Apollo Hackett, Lincoln Tate, Greg Eagles
Favourite: Greg Eagles
 
Scotty Campbell Trophy
The final award on our list goes to the league's most valuable player. This year we saw some really big names traded midseason, which is a huge damper on their chances to win the Campbell. The most notable player to be traded was Jet Jaguar. His 97 points were very impressive, but being traded to Davos midseason seriously hurt his chances at the Campbell. Condor Adrienne is definitely worth looking at simply because of his point production. The biggest drawback is that Malmo finished in the last place, which could pretty much destroy his case for MVP. Julius Freeman of the Americans has a good case, with 87 points. The only problem is that his teammate Owen Nolan had 82 points, not far behind Freeman. Regardless, Freeman’s elite two-way game and high point total, as well as New Yorks success, could be enough to get him some serious consideration. Scott Greene of Seattle could also get a look, with 93 points, although his two-way game took a huge drop off. Seattle also has plenty of other players with similar point totals which hurts his chances. RJ Jubis or Jacques Lafontaine of the Wranglers could be in the conversation too, as Jubis had 93 points and led his team, while LaFontaine led the league in GAA and save percentage, the two most important goaltending stats. Lincoln Tate of the Reign also deserves a shot, as his 86 points lead the team and he remains one of the leagues top defenseman. It is a really tough award to pick a favourite for. If the voters are willing to turn a blind eye to Malmo’s team success, then Adrienne will most likely win this award. But if they do pay attention to team success, then this award is clouded with uncertainty.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Julius Freeman, Lincoln Tate
Favourite: Julius Freeman
 
Thank you for tuning in for the S72 Awards Preview. Good luck to all those that are in the running!
 
 

The S72 Season was a great one, which ended with the Riga Reign winning the Continental Cup. Now that the season is over, it’s time to hand out some awards. Let’s take a look at how each award race could pan out.
 
Make sure to check out other series VSN has to offer, such as our weekly reviews, award trackers, podcasts, and upcoming offseason coverage
VSN Radio | Weekly Review | S73 Draft Coverage | Under 250 | Expansion Draft Coverage
 
 
Mike Szatkowski Trophy
This award goes to the player during the regular season who had the most points in the league. This award has already been decided, and Condor Adrienne’s dominant season earns its first of likely many awards. He had 100 points and was the only player to finish in the triple digits. Jet Jaguar came close with 97 but ultimately fell short of Adrienne.
 
Alexander Beketov Trophy
With 70 assists this year, Lincoln Tate and Berocka Sundqvist will share the Alexander Beketov Trophy for most assists. This is the second year in a row that the Beketov Trophy was shared, but just the fifth time in VHL history. 
 
Kevin Brooks Trophy
Julius Freeman’s 45 goals were enough to win him his second consecutive Brooks Trophy and third overall to his career. If Freeman has a big year in his final season, he will give himself a good shot at making it into the Hall of Fame.
 
Christian Stolzchweiger Trophy
The VHL Rookie of the Year race this year was rather tame and lacked any high point scorers. No one cracked 50 points, but SS Hornet, the 1st overall pick of the S72 draft, came the closest with 47. On the surface, it seems like he would be the favourite, but there definitely is a debate to be made. Pengu is another good candidate, as he had 43 points, just four fewer than Hornet. Zyrok12 is another player that could get some attention, as his 37 points for a rookie defenseman is pretty solid. He also had 75 hits and 122 blocked shots, pretty solid defensive numbers for a rookie. Other players such as Vladimir Shaposhnikov and Gary Neal could enter the discussion, but it seems like this year’s race is only about points.
Nominees: Pengu, Zyrok12, SS Hornet
Favourite: SS Hornet
 
Dustin Funk Trophy
The Dustin Funk Trophy goes to the player that is most improved from the previous season. The number of good candidates from this year is extraordinary. Condor Adrienne, the league's point leader, scored in the 50s for points in the previous couple seasons, before exploding with 100 points this year. He also increased his blocked shots total by 70, which led the league. Mikko Lahtinen also makes a strong case, as his point-scoring went from 29 to 84, and Lahtinen went from 13 goals in his first two seasons to 41 this year. Lewis Dawson of the Nighthawks makes a very strong case as well, as he went from 32 points to 93. He also nearly doubled his hit total from the previous year, from 46 to 88. You also have RJ Jubis and Berocka Sundqvist, who both went from having point totals in the 50s to the 90s this year, with 93 and 92 points respectively. This season put up many great candidates for the Funk, and it’s a shame only one of them will be able to win. It's very difficult to pick a favourite.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Mikko Lahtinen, Lewis Dawson
Favourite: Mikko Lahtinen
 
Scott Boulet Trophy
The Boulet Trophy goes to the best two way forward, and the most important stats for this award are blocked shots and hits. The league leader in hits this season was Phil Marleau, with 404. He had 75 more hits than second-place Keven Foreskin, who also is worth taking a look at for the Boulet. Other players that also had high hit totals to complement their high point totals, such as Julius Freeman and Jet Jaguar, who ranked fifth and tenth in the league for hits respectively. Every year this is a pretty tightly contested award, and this year isn’t much different.
Nominees: Phil Marleau, Keven Foreskin, Julius Freeman
Favourite: Phil Marleau
 
Alexander Valiq Trophy
This award goes to the best offensive defenseman. This year, many defensemen put up very high point totals. Last year, the top defenseman had 73 points. This year, the top five defensemen all had 73 or more points, including an incredible 100 points from Condor Adrienne. Berocka Sundqvists 92 points and Lincoln Tates 86 points would be enough to be the favourite for this award in most other years, but unfortunately for them Adrienne’s 100 points this year makes it very unlikely for either Sundqvist or Tate to win the Valiq.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Berocka Sundqvist, Lincoln Tate
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Jake Wylde Trophy
The Wylde goes to the best defensive defenseman in the league, but unfortunately, great defence is a hard thing to grasp with just numbers. For any defenseman that hoped they could win an award over Condor Adrienne, this is the award that they would have to do it with. Unfortunately for them, Adrienne is one of, if not the top contender for this award as well. His 188 blocked shots are 30 more than second place, and he also finished second in hits for a defenseman, just one behind Lance Flowers. Flowers had 255 hits and 154 blocked shots. His 154 blocked shots are only one behind second place, and his 255 hits are the most out of all defenseman. Cinnamon Block is also a contender for this award, with 222 hits and 154 blocked shots. If voter fatigue comes into play, Lance Flowers or Cinnamon Block can take this award, but Adrienne is still the likely favourite.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Lance Flowers, Cinnamon Block
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Sterling Labatte Trophy
This trophy goes to the leagues top defenseman, and it’s pretty obvious who this trophy will go too. Berocka Sundqvist and Lincoln Tate had great seasons, but Condor Adrienne was simply too good this year. He is the clear favourite to win this award.
Nominees: Lincoln Tate, Condor Adrienne, Berocka Sundqvist
Favourite: Condor Adrienne
 
Greg Clegane Trophy
This is another statistical award, and it goes to the goalie with the lowest GAA. The league lowest GAA belongs to Clayton Park, but he doesn’t fit the requirements for games played, as he has only played nine and it’s required to play at least 20. That means Jacques Lafontaine will win the Clegane, as his 2.31 GAA was the best in the league out of goalies that played 20+ games.
 
Aidan Shaw Trophy
This award goes to the league’s top goaltender. Jacques Lafontaine is probably the favourite, as he has the lowest GAA and was tied for the highest save percentage out of all starting goalies, as well as the most wins. However, Raymond Bernard of the Menace could give Lafontaine a run for his money, as his .924 save percentage was the same as Lafontaines, and his 2.47 GAA wasn’t far behind Lafontaine either. He also led the league in shutouts with four. Michael Johnson also can make a case, as his .922 save percentage was just barely behind both Lafontaine and Bernard. He also had a GAA of 2.55, which was third amongst starters. These three were the top three goaltenders this year, and it’s tough to pick a favourite.
Nominees: Raymond Bernard, Michael Johnson, Jacques Lafontaine
Favourite: Jacques Lafontaine
 
Daisuke Kanou Trophy
The Riga Reign won the Continental Cup in dominating fashion this year, going 12-1 in the playoffs. While the contributions of Lincoln Tate, Apollo Hackett, and Kyl Oferson played a big part in their success, no player was more important to the Reign than goaltender Greg Eagles. His .936 save percentage and 2.03 GAA were instrumental in taking down the Victory Cup-winning Wranglers. Calgary averaged 3.4 goals per game during the regular seasons, but only 2 goals per game in the finals. Greg Eagles will most likely continue the streak of goalies winning the Kanou with his stellar postseason run.
Nominees: Apollo Hackett, Lincoln Tate, Greg Eagles
Favourite: Greg Eagles
 
Scotty Campbell Trophy
The final award on our list goes to the league's most valuable player. This year we saw some really big names traded midseason, which is a huge damper on their chances to win the Campbell. The most notable player to be traded was Jet Jaguar. His 97 points were very impressive, but being traded to Davos midseason seriously hurt his chances at the Campbell. Condor Adrienne is definitely worth looking at simply because of his point production. The biggest drawback is that Malmo finished in the last place, which could pretty much destroy his case for MVP. Julius Freeman of the Americans has a good case, with 87 points. The only problem is that his teammate Owen Nolan had 82 points, not far behind Freeman. Regardless, Freeman’s elite two-way game and high point total, as well as New Yorks success, could be enough to get him some serious consideration. Scott Greene of Seattle could also get a look, with 93 points, although his two-way game took a huge drop off. Seattle also has plenty of other players with similar point totals which hurts his chances. RJ Jubis or Jacques Lafontaine of the Wranglers could be in the conversation too, as Jubis had 93 points and led his team, while LaFontaine led the league in GAA and save percentage, the two most important goaltending stats. Lincoln Tate of the Reign also deserves a shot, as his 86 points lead the team and he remains one of the leagues top defenseman. It is a really tough award to pick a favourite for. If the voters are willing to turn a blind eye to Malmo’s team success, then Adrienne will most likely win this award. But if they do pay attention to team success, then this award is clouded with uncertainty.
Nominees: Condor Adrienne, Julius Freeman, Lincoln Tate
Favourite: Julius Freeman
 
Thank you for tuning in for the S72 Awards Preview. Good luck to all those that are in the running!