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With the S73 VHL Awards set to be awarded tomorrow night, it’s only appropriate to take a rundown of each award to see who might win each award. 
 
 
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 | S74 Draft Coverage | Under 250 
 
 
Mike Szatkowski Trophy
This trophy goes to the player with the most points. This year, Sigard Gunnar’s otherworldly performance brought him to the top of the point list, with 119 points for the Los Angeles Stars. Hunter Hearst Helmsley finished second place with 113 for Warsaw, but it wasn’t enough to win the award.
 
Kevin Brooks Trophy
The Brooks Trophy goes to the player with the most goals, and Gunnar picks up another piece of hardware. Gunnar had a jaw-dropping 60 goals in S73, by far the most in the league. No other player was able to reach the 50 goal mark, as Brock Louth and Guy Lesieur both had the second-most goals with 46.
 
Alexander Beketov Trophy
The Beketov Trophy belongs to the assists leader in the VHL, and this year it’s none other than Lincoln Tate. Tate had the most assists in the league in S73 with an incredible 85 helpers. When Tate was drafted first overall in the S67 draft, many people thought it wasn’t a great pick, but he has proved the doubters very wrong. With multiple awards over the past few seasons, Tate adds to his collection with his second consecutive Beketov Trophy.
 
Christian Stolzchweiger Trophy 
The top rookie each year earns the Stolzchweiger Trophy, and this year has some fierce competition. Last year no rookie eclipsed the 50 point marker, but this year's rookie class saw two players make it past 72 points, averaging over a point per game. Chicago saw two rookies headline their roster, with winger Adam Syreck having 73 points and fellow winger Squirrely Dan dropping 68 points. Second overall pick Tyler Walker had an impressive rookie campaign for Malmo, with 60 points and 172 blocked shots, but only four hits all year. London also saw numerous rookie sensations take the spotlight, with Jay Jones, James Rose, and The Terrible Trivium scoring 63,63, and 62 points respectively. James Rose especially was fantastic, putting up 63 points as a defenseman alongside 186 hits and 162 blocked shots. Despite all these very strong performances, Chris Hylands finished first among all rookies with 76 points this season. Hylands will be the likely favorite, but Syreck is likely his toughest competition. Syreck had only one less goal despite taking 100 less shots, and had more hits and blocked shots. However, Hylands was -1 on the year, while Syreck was -66 and his hit totals were undoubtedly inflated due to being on an expansion team. It’s a tough call to make, but Chris Hylands is the favorite heading into awards night.
 
Nominees: Adam Syreck, Chris Hylands, James Rose
Favorite: Chris Hylands

 
Dustin Funk Trophy
This trophy goes out to the player who showed the most improvement from the previous season, and every year there is usually a ton of competition for this award. Last year there were plenty of great candidates to choose from, and this year is no different. Top scorer Sigard Gunnar improved by 39 points this year, going from your typical all-star to a superstar in the blink of an eye. Jeff Downey also had a huge breakout season, with 106 points, surpassing his previous career high of 67, while also topping his hit and blocked shots career highs. Guy Lesieur of the Dragons a @lso had a big year, with 99 points, over 40 points higher than his previous career high. Wranglers defenseman General Zod also had a breakout year, going from 14 points to 66 while also having 100 more hits than the season prior. Despite all these names, it’s best to not overthink this award and go with the man who has been the favorite since the first week of S73; Ray Sheilds. After his pedestrian rookie season where he scored only 19 points, Sheilds burst onto the scene in S73. Sheilds was one of the top point scorers in the VHL after two weeks, and even though he didn’t keep up his pace, he still finished with 85 points, a whopping 66 point increase from his rookie year. Sheilds should be the favorite to earn the Funk.
Nominees: Ray Sheilds, Jeff Downey, Guy Lesieur
Favorite: Ray Sheilds
 
Scott Boulet Trophy
The Boulet is handed out to the forward that plays the best two-way game. Generally, the same handful of players are in contention for this award year after year, and this year seems to follow that trend. Phil Marleau led the league in hits with 373, and Chad Magnum finished second with 371, while Markus Nygren was third with 360 hits. All three of these players finished top ten in hits the season prior. Julius Freeman, last season's Boulet winner, had 260 hits and didn’t finish in the top ten for hits this year. Hits aren’t the only metric that are taken into account, as points also play a role, and plus minus can also be a small factor. Many people dislike using plus minus as a player stat because it doesn’t really tell the true story of how well a player plays, but it can be useful sometimes, and this is one of those situations. Nygren, Magnum and Marleau all have very similar hit totals and point totals, but Nygren has a plus 8, better than both Magnum and Marleau by 5 and 6 respectively. This isn’t a big enough margin to give Nygren the edge, but Nygren played for Los Angeles, an expansion team that finished in twelfth place in S73. Nygren even being a plus player is pretty incredible, and the fact that his line all finished as plus players could win over some voters. The Boulet is always a tough award to give out, but Nygren may have the slightest of edges headed into the awards show.
 
Nominees: Chad Magnum, Phil Marleau, Markus Nygren
Favorite: Markus Nygren
 
Alexander Valiq Trophy
The league's top offensive defenseman is awarded the Valiq Trophy. Despite Condor Adrienne and Luciano Valentine's efforts this season with a stunning 90 points, as well as teammates Hulk Hogan and Berocka Sundqvist putting up 93 points each, this award is centered around two players; Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate. Downey has had solid seasons leading up to S73, but this year he truly became a star on the blue line, with 74 assists and 32 goals for 106 points. Lincoln Tate won the Beketov Trophy with 85 assists, but he also put in 20 goals for 105 points. Only one point separates the two players, so we need to look a little deeper to try to give someone the edge. Riga was much better than Vancouver this season, which could swing the odds towards Tate. However, Tate also had Guy Sasakamoose on the blue line, who had 88 points, while Downeys best defensive partner had only 68 points, which could give Downey an edge in some voters' eyes. Tate had 10 power play goals, while Downey had 18, which led the league. These two players are practically dead even. This is most likely the hardest award to pick a favorite on, but I think the power play production and lack of another high production defenseman gives Downey a very slight edge over Tate.
 
Nominees: Jeff Downey, Lincoln Tate, Hulk Hogan
Favorite: Jeff Downey
 
Jake Wylde Trophy
The Wylde Trophy is for the league's top defensive defenseman. Warsaw defenseman Alex Bridges led the league in blocked shots with 194, and also put up 259 hits in what was an incredible year for him. The only knock for Bridges is that he played for Warsaw, which put him in a situation where he could pad those stats, which could deter potential voters. Condor Adrienne of the Nighthawks also had a great year, with 273 hits and 171 blocked shots. He also played for a better team than Bridges, and since their stats are relatively close, the fact that Bridges played for a very weak team could really hurt his chances. Erik Killinger also could get some consideration, with 250 hits and 166 blocked shots in S73. You also have the incredible seasons of Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate. Downey had 149 hits and 138 blocked shots, while Tate had 250 hits and 130 blocked shots. This award is another tough one to give out, but it all depends on how the voters view Bridges' success; is it a result of his skill, or were his numbers heavily inflated from playing on a poor team?
 
Nominees: Alex Bridges, Lincoln Tate, Condor Adrienne
Favorite: Lincoln Tate
 
Sterling Labatte Trophy
The league's top overall defenseman takes home the Labatte, one of the most prestigious awards the league has to offer. Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate are obvious favorites due to their offensive productions, but there are plenty of other players who deserve some consideration. Hulk Hogan and Berocka Sundqvist both had 93 points this year while also putting up good defensive numbers. Condor Adrienne had 90 points as well as defensive stats that put him in the Wylde Trophy debate, and the same can be said for Alex Bridges. Despite all these great performances by defenseman, they are overshadowed by Downey and Tate. Downey may take home the Valiq, but Tate can also take home the Wylde. The difference between Tate and Downey’s offensive totals are very slim, but the difference in their defensive numbers are much greater, which is why Lincoln Tate may have the edge.
 
Nominees: Alex Bridges, Lincoln Tate, Jeff Downey
Favorite: Lincoln Tate
 
Greg Clegane Trophy
The Clegane goes to the goaltender with the lowest goals against average, which belongs to Jacques Lafontaine for the second consecutive year. His GAA of 2.46 just barely edged out Rayz Funk and A Red Guy.
 
Aidan Shaw Trophy
The Shaw Trophy is for the league's top goaltender. Jacques Lafontaine and Greg Eagles both had great seasons, but not good enough to earn serious consideration most likely. Lafontaine won the Clegane, but his .917 save percentage is too low to get votes, and while Eagles had a .920 save percentage and 2.54 GAA, it’s just a little behind the two frontrunners for the Shaw, which are Rayz Funk and A Red Guy. Funk has surprisingly never won the Shaw, but has put up some great seasons, and this year was one of his best. With a 2.48 GAA and a .921 GAA, as well as six shutouts, Funk was one of the top two goalies this year. The other goalie in question is the Americans netminder A Red Guy, who got a lot of votes for most outstanding player. He had a 2.51 GAA and a .928 save percentage in what was a career year for him. He also had eight shutouts, the most in the league in S73 and the most he’s had in a single season. A Red Guy likely has the edge over Funk but it certainly isn’t an easy decision.
 
Nominees: Greg Eagles, Rayz Funk, A Red Guy
Favorite: A Red Guy
 
Daisuke Kanou Trophy
The Kanou goes to the playoff MVP, and this year it couldn’t be an easier choice. Hats off to Scott Greene’s 22 points in 19 games, as well as Berocka Sundqvists 20 points, but Rayz Funk is without a doubt the Kanou winner this season. That brings his Kanou total to four, which is the record for most all time, beating out the one and only Daisuke Kanou, who won three in his career. Funk also broke the record for most playoff wins in a career this postseason, as he guided the Bears to a 3-1 comeback over the Wranglers in the conference finals before taking down the Titans in six. Funk’s .936 save percentage is nearly the best mark of his playoff career, while his goals against average of 2.04 is the second lowest through all of his postseason runs. The argument can be made that no player or goalie in VHL history raises their game more than Rayz Funk does in the playoffs. Perhaps in the future, this award will be named the Rayz Funk Trophy, although that is a bit unlikely. Funk should easily win his fourth Kanou of his career on awards night.
 
Nominees: Rayz Funk, Berocka Sundqvist, Scott Greene
Favorite: Rayz Funk
 
Scotty Campbell Trophy
Nicknamed after the league's greatest player, the Scotty Campbell Trophy goes out to the league's MVP. It is always difficult to pick favorites for this award. A Red Guy is the first player that jumps off the page, as his league best eight shutouts and .928 save percentage helped guide the Americans to 43 wins and fifth place in the league, despite not having a top 15 scorer this season. RJ Jubis for Calgary also can get some recognition with 99 points, which helped Calgary secure the second seed in the North American Conference. Perhaps Scott Greene gets some consideration as the top scorer on Seattle with 105 points this year with 75 assists. Lincoln Tate could also get some recognition for Riga, as their top scorer and one of the best defenseman in the league. Picking players as nominees for this award is really difficult, but I think the lack of a real stand out candidate really boosts A Red Guys chances. 
 
Nominees: Scott Greene, A Red Guy, Lincoln Tate
Favorite: A Red Guy
 
Thank you to those who read VSN’s S73 VHL Award Preview! Good luck to all players that are in the running for an award!
 
 

With the S73 VHL Awards set to be awarded tomorrow night, it’s only appropriate to take a rundown of each award to see who might win each award. 
 
 
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 | S74 Draft Coverage | Under 250 
 
 
Mike Szatkowski Trophy
This trophy goes to the player with the most points. This year, Sigard Gunnar’s otherworldly performance brought him to the top of the point list, with 119 points for the Los Angeles Stars. Hunter Hearst Helmsley finished second place with 113 for Warsaw, but it wasn’t enough to win the award.
 
Kevin Brooks Trophy
The Brooks Trophy goes to the player with the most goals, and Gunnar picks up another piece of hardware. Gunnar had a jaw-dropping 60 goals in S73, by far the most in the league. No other player was able to reach the 50 goal mark, as Brock Louth and Guy Lesieur both had the second-most goals with 46.
 
Alexander Beketov Trophy
The Beketov Trophy belongs to the assists leader in the VHL, and this year it’s none other than Lincoln Tate. Tate had the most assists in the league in S73 with an incredible 85 helpers. When Tate was drafted first overall in the S67 draft, many people thought it wasn’t a great pick, but he has proved the doubters very wrong. With multiple awards over the past few seasons, Tate adds to his collection with his second consecutive Beketov Trophy.
 
Christian Stolzchweiger Trophy 
The top rookie each year earns the Stolzchweiger Trophy, and this year has some fierce competition. Last year no rookie eclipsed the 50 point marker, but this year's rookie class saw two players make it past 72 points, averaging over a point per game. Chicago saw two rookies headline their roster, with winger Adam Syreck having 73 points and fellow winger Squirrely Dan dropping 68 points. Second overall pick Tyler Walker had an impressive rookie campaign for Malmo, with 60 points and 172 blocked shots, but only four hits all year. London also saw numerous rookie sensations take the spotlight, with Jay Jones, James Rose, and The Terrible Trivium scoring 63,63, and 62 points respectively. James Rose especially was fantastic, putting up 63 points as a defenseman alongside 186 hits and 162 blocked shots. Despite all these very strong performances, Chris Hylands finished first among all rookies with 76 points this season. Hylands will be the likely favorite, but Syreck is likely his toughest competition. Syreck had only one less goal despite taking 100 less shots, and had more hits and blocked shots. However, Hylands was -1 on the year, while Syreck was -66 and his hit totals were undoubtedly inflated due to being on an expansion team. It’s a tough call to make, but Chris Hylands is the favorite heading into awards night.
 
Nominees: Adam Syreck, Chris Hylands, James Rose
Favorite: Chris Hylands

 
Dustin Funk Trophy
This trophy goes out to the player who showed the most improvement from the previous season, and every year there is usually a ton of competition for this award. Last year there were plenty of great candidates to choose from, and this year is no different. Top scorer Sigard Gunnar improved by 39 points this year, going from your typical all-star to a superstar in the blink of an eye. Jeff Downey also had a huge breakout season, with 106 points, surpassing his previous career high of 67, while also topping his hit and blocked shots career highs. Guy Lesieur of the Dragons a @lso had a big year, with 99 points, over 40 points higher than his previous career high. Wranglers defenseman General Zod also had a breakout year, going from 14 points to 66 while also having 100 more hits than the season prior. Despite all these names, it’s best to not overthink this award and go with the man who has been the favorite since the first week of S73; Ray Sheilds. After his pedestrian rookie season where he scored only 19 points, Sheilds burst onto the scene in S73. Sheilds was one of the top point scorers in the VHL after two weeks, and even though he didn’t keep up his pace, he still finished with 85 points, a whopping 66 point increase from his rookie year. Sheilds should be the favorite to earn the Funk.
Nominees: Ray Sheilds, Jeff Downey, Guy Lesieur
Favorite: Ray Sheilds
 
Scott Boulet Trophy
The Boulet is handed out to the forward that plays the best two-way game. Generally, the same handful of players are in contention for this award year after year, and this year seems to follow that trend. Phil Marleau led the league in hits with 373, and Chad Magnum finished second with 371, while Markus Nygren was third with 360 hits. All three of these players finished top ten in hits the season prior. Julius Freeman, last season's Boulet winner, had 260 hits and didn’t finish in the top ten for hits this year. Hits aren’t the only metric that are taken into account, as points also play a role, and plus minus can also be a small factor. Many people dislike using plus minus as a player stat because it doesn’t really tell the true story of how well a player plays, but it can be useful sometimes, and this is one of those situations. Nygren, Magnum and Marleau all have very similar hit totals and point totals, but Nygren has a plus 8, better than both Magnum and Marleau by 5 and 6 respectively. This isn’t a big enough margin to give Nygren the edge, but Nygren played for Los Angeles, an expansion team that finished in twelfth place in S73. Nygren even being a plus player is pretty incredible, and the fact that his line all finished as plus players could win over some voters. The Boulet is always a tough award to give out, but Nygren may have the slightest of edges headed into the awards show.
 
Nominees: Chad Magnum, Phil Marleau, Markus Nygren
Favorite: Markus Nygren
 
Alexander Valiq Trophy
The league's top offensive defenseman is awarded the Valiq Trophy. Despite Condor Adrienne and Luciano Valentine's efforts this season with a stunning 90 points, as well as teammates Hulk Hogan and Berocka Sundqvist putting up 93 points each, this award is centered around two players; Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate. Downey has had solid seasons leading up to S73, but this year he truly became a star on the blue line, with 74 assists and 32 goals for 106 points. Lincoln Tate won the Beketov Trophy with 85 assists, but he also put in 20 goals for 105 points. Only one point separates the two players, so we need to look a little deeper to try to give someone the edge. Riga was much better than Vancouver this season, which could swing the odds towards Tate. However, Tate also had Guy Sasakamoose on the blue line, who had 88 points, while Downeys best defensive partner had only 68 points, which could give Downey an edge in some voters' eyes. Tate had 10 power play goals, while Downey had 18, which led the league. These two players are practically dead even. This is most likely the hardest award to pick a favorite on, but I think the power play production and lack of another high production defenseman gives Downey a very slight edge over Tate.
 
Nominees: Jeff Downey, Lincoln Tate, Hulk Hogan
Favorite: Jeff Downey
 
Jake Wylde Trophy
The Wylde Trophy is for the league's top defensive defenseman. Warsaw defenseman Alex Bridges led the league in blocked shots with 194, and also put up 259 hits in what was an incredible year for him. The only knock for Bridges is that he played for Warsaw, which put him in a situation where he could pad those stats, which could deter potential voters. Condor Adrienne of the Nighthawks also had a great year, with 273 hits and 171 blocked shots. He also played for a better team than Bridges, and since their stats are relatively close, the fact that Bridges played for a very weak team could really hurt his chances. Erik Killinger also could get some consideration, with 250 hits and 166 blocked shots in S73. You also have the incredible seasons of Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate. Downey had 149 hits and 138 blocked shots, while Tate had 250 hits and 130 blocked shots. This award is another tough one to give out, but it all depends on how the voters view Bridges' success; is it a result of his skill, or were his numbers heavily inflated from playing on a poor team?
 
Nominees: Alex Bridges, Lincoln Tate, Condor Adrienne
Favorite: Lincoln Tate
 
Sterling Labatte Trophy
The league's top overall defenseman takes home the Labatte, one of the most prestigious awards the league has to offer. Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate are obvious favorites due to their offensive productions, but there are plenty of other players who deserve some consideration. Hulk Hogan and Berocka Sundqvist both had 93 points this year while also putting up good defensive numbers. Condor Adrienne had 90 points as well as defensive stats that put him in the Wylde Trophy debate, and the same can be said for Alex Bridges. Despite all these great performances by defenseman, they are overshadowed by Downey and Tate. Downey may take home the Valiq, but Tate can also take home the Wylde. The difference between Tate and Downey’s offensive totals are very slim, but the difference in their defensive numbers are much greater, which is why Lincoln Tate may have the edge.
 
Nominees: Alex Bridges, Lincoln Tate, Jeff Downey
Favorite: Lincoln Tate
 
Greg Clegane Trophy
The Clegane goes to the goaltender with the lowest goals against average, which belongs to Jacques Lafontaine for the second consecutive year. His GAA of 2.46 just barely edged out Rayz Funk and A Red Guy.
 
Aidan Shaw Trophy
The Shaw Trophy is for the league's top goaltender. Jacques Lafontaine and Greg Eagles both had great seasons, but not good enough to earn serious consideration most likely. Lafontaine won the Clegane, but his .917 save percentage is too low to get votes, and while Eagles had a .920 save percentage and 2.54 GAA, it’s just a little behind the two frontrunners for the Shaw, which are Rayz Funk and A Red Guy. Funk has surprisingly never won the Shaw, but has put up some great seasons, and this year was one of his best. With a 2.48 GAA and a .921 GAA, as well as six shutouts, Funk was one of the top two goalies this year. The other goalie in question is the Americans netminder A Red Guy, who got a lot of votes for most outstanding player. He had a 2.51 GAA and a .928 save percentage in what was a career year for him. He also had eight shutouts, the most in the league in S73 and the most he’s had in a single season. A Red Guy likely has the edge over Funk but it certainly isn’t an easy decision.
 
Nominees: Greg Eagles, Rayz Funk, A Red Guy
Favorite: A Red Guy
 
Daisuke Kanou Trophy
The Kanou goes to the playoff MVP, and this year it couldn’t be an easier choice. Hats off to Scott Greene’s 22 points in 19 games, as well as Berocka Sundqvists 20 points, but Rayz Funk is without a doubt the Kanou winner this season. That brings his Kanou total to four, which is the record for most all time, beating out the one and only Daisuke Kanou, who won three in his career. Funk also broke the record for most playoff wins in a career this postseason, as he guided the Bears to a 3-1 comeback over the Wranglers in the conference finals before taking down the Titans in six. Funk’s .936 save percentage is nearly the best mark of his playoff career, while his goals against average of 2.04 is the second lowest through all of his postseason runs. The argument can be made that no player or goalie in VHL history raises their game more than Rayz Funk does in the playoffs. Perhaps in the future, this award will be named the Rayz Funk Trophy, although that is a bit unlikely. Funk should easily win his fourth Kanou of his career on awards night.
 
Nominees: Rayz Funk, Berocka Sundqvist, Scott Greene
Favorite: Rayz Funk
 
Scotty Campbell Trophy
Nicknamed after the league's greatest player, the Scotty Campbell Trophy goes out to the league's MVP. It is always difficult to pick favorites for this award. A Red Guy is the first player that jumps off the page, as his league best eight shutouts and .928 save percentage helped guide the Americans to 43 wins and fifth place in the league, despite not having a top 15 scorer this season. RJ Jubis for Calgary also can get some recognition with 99 points, which helped Calgary secure the second seed in the North American Conference. Perhaps Scott Greene gets some consideration as the top scorer on Seattle with 105 points this year with 75 assists. Lincoln Tate could also get some recognition for Riga, as their top scorer and one of the best defenseman in the league. Picking players as nominees for this award is really difficult, but I think the lack of a real stand out candidate really boosts A Red Guys chances. 
 
Nominees: Scott Greene, A Red Guy, Lincoln Tate
Favorite: A Red Guy
 
Thank you to those who read VSN’s S73 VHL Award Preview! Good luck to all players that are in the running for an award!
 
 

With the S73 VHL Awards set to be awarded tomorrow night, it’s only appropriate to take a rundown of each award to see who might win each award. 
 
 
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 | S74 Draft Coverage | Under 250 
 
 
Mike Szatkowski Trophy
This trophy goes to the player with the most points. This year, Sigard Gunnar’s otherworldly performance brought him to the top of the point list, with 119 points for the Los Angeles Stars. Hunter Hearst Helmsley finished second place with 113 for Warsaw, but it wasn’t enough to win the award.
 
Kevin Brooks Trophy
The Brooks Trophy goes to the player with the most goals, and Gunnar picks up another piece of hardware. Gunnar had a jaw-dropping 60 goals in S73, by far the most in the league. No other player was able to reach the 50 goal mark, as Brock Louth and Guy Lesieur both had the second-most goals with 46.
 
Alexander Beketov Trophy
The Beketov Trophy belongs to the assists leader in the VHL, and this year it’s none other than Lincoln Tate. Tate had the most assists in the league in S73 with an incredible 85 helpers. When Tate was drafted first overall in the S67 draft, many people thought it wasn’t a great pick, but he has proved the doubters very wrong. With multiple awards over the past few seasons, Tate adds to his collection with his second consecutive Beketov Trophy.
 
Christian Stolzchweiger Trophy 
The top rookie each year earns the Stolzchweiger Trophy, and this year has some fierce competition. Last year no rookie eclipsed the 50 point marker, but this year's rookie class saw two players make it past 72 points, averaging over a point per game. Chicago saw two rookies headline their roster, with winger Adam Syreck having 73 points and fellow winger Squirrely Dan dropping 68 points. Second overall pick Tyler Walker had an impressive rookie campaign for Malmo, with 60 points and 172 blocked shots, but only four hits all year. London also saw numerous rookie sensations take the spotlight, with Jay Jones, James Rose, and The Terrible Trivium scoring 63,63, and 62 points respectively. James Rose especially was fantastic, putting up 63 points as a defenseman alongside 186 hits and 162 blocked shots. Despite all these very strong performances, Chris Hylands finished first among all rookies with 76 points this season. Hylands will be the likely favorite, but Syreck is likely his toughest competition. Syreck had only one less goal despite taking 100 less shots, and had more hits and blocked shots. However, Hylands was -1 on the year, while Syreck was -66 and his hit totals were undoubtedly inflated due to being on an expansion team. It’s a tough call to make, but Chris Hylands is the favorite heading into awards night.
 
Nominees: Adam Syreck, Chris Hylands, James Rose
Favorite: Chris Hylands

 
Dustin Funk Trophy
This trophy goes out to the player who showed the most improvement from the previous season, and every year there is usually a ton of competition for this award. Last year there were plenty of great candidates to choose from, and this year is no different. Top scorer Sigard Gunnar improved by 39 points this year, going from your typical all-star to a superstar in the blink of an eye. Jeff Downey also had a huge breakout season, with 106 points, surpassing his previous career high of 67, while also topping his hit and blocked shots career highs. Guy Lesieur of the Dragons a @lso had a big year, with 99 points, over 40 points higher than his previous career high. Wranglers defenseman General Zod also had a breakout year, going from 14 points to 66 while also having 100 more hits than the season prior. Despite all these names, it’s best to not overthink this award and go with the man who has been the favorite since the first week of S73; Ray Sheilds. After his pedestrian rookie season where he scored only 19 points, Sheilds burst onto the scene in S73. Sheilds was one of the top point scorers in the VHL after two weeks, and even though he didn’t keep up his pace, he still finished with 85 points, a whopping 66 point increase from his rookie year. Sheilds should be the favorite to earn the Funk.
Nominees: Ray Sheilds, Jeff Downey, Guy Lesieur
Favorite: Ray Sheilds
 
Scott Boulet Trophy
The Boulet is handed out to the forward that plays the best two-way game. Generally, the same handful of players are in contention for this award year after year, and this year seems to follow that trend. Phil Marleau led the league in hits with 373, and Chad Magnum finished second with 371, while Markus Nygren was third with 360 hits. All three of these players finished top ten in hits the season prior. Julius Freeman, last season's Boulet winner, had 260 hits and didn’t finish in the top ten for hits this year. Hits aren’t the only metric that are taken into account, as points also play a role, and plus minus can also be a small factor. Many people dislike using plus minus as a player stat because it doesn’t really tell the true story of how well a player plays, but it can be useful sometimes, and this is one of those situations. Nygren, Magnum and Marleau all have very similar hit totals and point totals, but Nygren has a plus 8, better than both Magnum and Marleau by 5 and 6 respectively. This isn’t a big enough margin to give Nygren the edge, but Nygren played for Los Angeles, an expansion team that finished in twelfth place in S73. Nygren even being a plus player is pretty incredible, and the fact that his line all finished as plus players could win over some voters. The Boulet is always a tough award to give out, but Nygren may have the slightest of edges headed into the awards show.
 
Nominees: Chad Magnum, Phil Marleau, Markus Nygren
Favorite: Markus Nygren
 
Alexander Valiq Trophy
The league's top offensive defenseman is awarded the Valiq Trophy. Despite Condor Adrienne and Luciano Valentine's efforts this season with a stunning 90 points, as well as teammates Hulk Hogan and Berocka Sundqvist putting up 93 points each, this award is centered around two players; Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate. Downey has had solid seasons leading up to S73, but this year he truly became a star on the blue line, with 74 assists and 32 goals for 106 points. Lincoln Tate won the Beketov Trophy with 85 assists, but he also put in 20 goals for 105 points. Only one point separates the two players, so we need to look a little deeper to try to give someone the edge. Riga was much better than Vancouver this season, which could swing the odds towards Tate. However, Tate also had Guy Sasakamoose on the blue line, who had 88 points, while Downeys best defensive partner had only 68 points, which could give Downey an edge in some voters' eyes. Tate had 10 power play goals, while Downey had 18, which led the league. These two players are practically dead even. This is most likely the hardest award to pick a favorite on, but I think the power play production and lack of another high production defenseman gives Downey a very slight edge over Tate.
 
Nominees: Jeff Downey, Lincoln Tate, Hulk Hogan
Favorite: Jeff Downey
 
Jake Wylde Trophy
The Wylde Trophy is for the league's top defensive defenseman. Warsaw defenseman Alex Bridges led the league in blocked shots with 194, and also put up 259 hits in what was an incredible year for him. The only knock for Bridges is that he played for Warsaw, which put him in a situation where he could pad those stats, which could deter potential voters. Condor Adrienne of the Nighthawks also had a great year, with 273 hits and 171 blocked shots. He also played for a better team than Bridges, and since their stats are relatively close, the fact that Bridges played for a very weak team could really hurt his chances. Erik Killinger also could get some consideration, with 250 hits and 166 blocked shots in S73. You also have the incredible seasons of Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate. Downey had 149 hits and 138 blocked shots, while Tate had 250 hits and 130 blocked shots. This award is another tough one to give out, but it all depends on how the voters view Bridges' success; is it a result of his skill, or were his numbers heavily inflated from playing on a poor team?
 
Nominees: Alex Bridges, Lincoln Tate, Condor Adrienne
Favorite: Lincoln Tate
 
Sterling Labatte Trophy
The league's top overall defenseman takes home the Labatte, one of the most prestigious awards the league has to offer. Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate are obvious favorites due to their offensive productions, but there are plenty of other players who deserve some consideration. Hulk Hogan and Berocka Sundqvist both had 93 points this year while also putting up good defensive numbers. Condor Adrienne had 90 points as well as defensive stats that put him in the Wylde Trophy debate, and the same can be said for Alex Bridges. Despite all these great performances by defenseman, they are overshadowed by Downey and Tate. Downey may take home the Valiq, but Tate can also take home the Wylde. The difference between Tate and Downey’s offensive totals are very slim, but the difference in their defensive numbers are much greater, which is why Lincoln Tate may have the edge.
 
Nominees: Alex Bridges, Lincoln Tate, Jeff Downey
Favorite: Lincoln Tate
 
Greg Clegane Trophy
The Clegane goes to the goaltender with the lowest goals against average, which belongs to Jacques Lafontaine for the second consecutive year. His GAA of 2.46 just barely edged out Rayz Funk and A Red Guy.
 
Aidan Shaw Trophy
The Shaw Trophy is for the league's top goaltender. Jacques Lafontaine and Greg Eagles both had great seasons, but not good enough to earn serious consideration most likely. Lafontaine won the Clegane, but his .917 save percentage is too low to get votes, and while Eagles had a .920 save percentage and 2.54 GAA, it’s just a little behind the two frontrunners for the Shaw, which are Rayz Funk and A Red Guy. Funk has surprisingly never won the Shaw, but has put up some great seasons, and this year was one of his best. With a 2.48 GAA and a .921 GAA, as well as six shutouts, Funk was one of the top two goalies this year. The other goalie in question is the Americans netminder A Red Guy, who got a lot of votes for most outstanding player. He had a 2.51 GAA and a .928 save percentage in what was a career year for him. He also had eight shutouts, the most in the league in S73 and the most he’s had in a single season. A Red Guy likely has the edge over Funk but it certainly isn’t an easy decision.
 
Nominees: Greg Eagles, Rayz Funk, A Red Guy
Favorite: A Red Guy
 
Daisuke Kanou Trophy
The Kanou goes to the playoff MVP, and this year it couldn’t be an easier choice. Hats off to Scott Greene’s 22 points in 19 games, as well as Berocka Sundqvists 20 points, but Rayz Funk is without a doubt the Kanou winner this season. That brings his Kanou total to four, which is the record for most all time, beating out the one and only Daisuke Kanou, who won three in his career. Funk also broke the record for most playoff wins in a career this postseason, as he guided the Bears to a 3-1 comeback over the Wranglers in the conference finals before taking down the Titans in six. Funk’s .936 save percentage is nearly the best mark of his playoff career, while his goals against average of 2.04 is the second lowest through all of his postseason runs. The argument can be made that no player or goalie in VHL history raises their game more than Rayz Funk does in the playoffs. Perhaps in the future, this award will be named the Rayz Funk Trophy, although that is a bit unlikely. Funk should easily win his fourth Kanou of his career on awards night.
 
Nominees: Rayz Funk, Berocka Sundqvist, Scott Greene
Favorite: Rayz Funk
 
Scotty Campbell Trophy
Nicknamed after the league's greatest player, the Scotty Campbell Trophy goes out to the league's MVP. It is always difficult to pick favorites for this award. A Red Guy is the first player that jumps off the page, as his league best eight shutouts and .928 save percentage helped guide the Americans to 43 wins and fifth place in the league, despite not having a top 15 scorer this season. RJ Jubis for Calgary also can get some recognition with 99 points, which helped Calgary secure the second seed in the North American Conference. Perhaps Scott Greene gets some consideration as the top scorer on Seattle with 105 points this year with 75 assists. Lincoln Tate could also get some recognition for Riga, as their top scorer and one of the best defenseman in the league. Picking players as nominees for this award is really difficult, but I think the lack of a real stand out candidate really boosts A Red Guys chances. 
 
Nominees: Scott Greene, A Red Guy, Lincoln Tate
Favorite: A Red Guy
 
Thank you to those who read VSN’s S73 VHL Award Preview! Good luck to all players that are in the running for an award!
 
 

With the S73 VHL Awards set to be awarded tomorrow night, it’s only appropriate to take a rundown of each award to see who might win each award. 
 
 
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 | S74 Draft Coverage | Under 250 
 
 
Mike Szatkowski Trophy
This trophy goes to the player with the most points. This year, Sigard Gunnar’s otherworldly performance brought him to the top of the point list, with 119 points for the Los Angeles Stars. Hunter Hearst Helmsley finished second place with 113 for Warsaw, but it wasn’t enough to win the award.
 
Kevin Brooks Trophy
The Brooks Trophy goes to the player with the most goals, and Gunnar picks up another piece of hardware. Gunnar had a jaw-dropping 60 goals in S73, by far the most in the league. No other player was able to reach the 50 goal mark, as Brock Louth and Guy Lesieur both had the second-most goals with 46.
 
Alexander Beketov Trophy
The Beketov Trophy belongs to the assists leader in the VHL, and this year it’s none other than Lincoln Tate. Tate had the most assists in the league in S73 with an incredible 85 helpers. When Tate was drafted first overall in the S67 draft, many people thought it wasn’t a great pick, but he has proved the doubters very wrong. With multiple awards over the past few seasons, Tate adds to his collection with his second consecutive Beketov Trophy.
 
Christian Stolzchweiger Trophy 
The top rookie each year earns the Stolzchweiger Trophy, and this year has some fierce competition. Last year no rookie eclipsed the 50 point marker, but this year's rookie class saw two players make it past 72 points, averaging over a point per game. Chicago saw two rookies headline their roster, with winger Adam Syreck having 73 points and fellow winger Squirrely Dan dropping 68 points. Second overall pick Tyler Walker had an impressive rookie campaign for Malmo, with 60 points and 172 blocked shots, but only four hits all year. London also saw numerous rookie sensations take the spotlight, with Jay Jones, James Rose, and The Terrible Trivium scoring 63,63, and 62 points respectively. James Rose especially was fantastic, putting up 63 points as a defenseman alongside 186 hits and 162 blocked shots. Despite all these very strong performances, Chris Hylands finished first among all rookies with 76 points this season. Hylands will be the likely favorite, but Syreck is likely his toughest competition. Syreck had only one less goal despite taking 100 less shots, and had more hits and blocked shots. However, Hylands was -1 on the year, while Syreck was -66 and his hit totals were undoubtedly inflated due to being on an expansion team. It’s a tough call to make, but Chris Hylands is the favorite heading into awards night.
 
Nominees: Adam Syreck, Chris Hylands, James Rose
Favorite: Chris Hylands

 
Dustin Funk Trophy
This trophy goes out to the player who showed the most improvement from the previous season, and every year there is usually a ton of competition for this award. Last year there were plenty of great candidates to choose from, and this year is no different. Top scorer Sigard Gunnar improved by 39 points this year, going from your typical all-star to a superstar in the blink of an eye. Jeff Downey also had a huge breakout season, with 106 points, surpassing his previous career high of 67, while also topping his hit and blocked shots career highs. Guy Lesieur of the Dragons a @lso had a big year, with 99 points, over 40 points higher than his previous career high. Wranglers defenseman General Zod also had a breakout year, going from 14 points to 66 while also having 100 more hits than the season prior. Despite all these names, it’s best to not overthink this award and go with the man who has been the favorite since the first week of S73; Ray Sheilds. After his pedestrian rookie season where he scored only 19 points, Sheilds burst onto the scene in S73. Sheilds was one of the top point scorers in the VHL after two weeks, and even though he didn’t keep up his pace, he still finished with 85 points, a whopping 66 point increase from his rookie year. Sheilds should be the favorite to earn the Funk.
Nominees: Ray Sheilds, Jeff Downey, Guy Lesieur
Favorite: Ray Sheilds
 
Scott Boulet Trophy
The Boulet is handed out to the forward that plays the best two-way game. Generally, the same handful of players are in contention for this award year after year, and this year seems to follow that trend. Phil Marleau led the league in hits with 373, and Chad Magnum finished second with 371, while Markus Nygren was third with 360 hits. All three of these players finished top ten in hits the season prior. Julius Freeman, last season's Boulet winner, had 260 hits and didn’t finish in the top ten for hits this year. Hits aren’t the only metric that are taken into account, as points also play a role, and plus minus can also be a small factor. Many people dislike using plus minus as a player stat because it doesn’t really tell the true story of how well a player plays, but it can be useful sometimes, and this is one of those situations. Nygren, Magnum and Marleau all have very similar hit totals and point totals, but Nygren has a plus 8, better than both Magnum and Marleau by 5 and 6 respectively. This isn’t a big enough margin to give Nygren the edge, but Nygren played for Los Angeles, an expansion team that finished in twelfth place in S73. Nygren even being a plus player is pretty incredible, and the fact that his line all finished as plus players could win over some voters. The Boulet is always a tough award to give out, but Nygren may have the slightest of edges headed into the awards show.
 
Nominees: Chad Magnum, Phil Marleau, Markus Nygren
Favorite: Markus Nygren
 
Alexander Valiq Trophy
The league's top offensive defenseman is awarded the Valiq Trophy. Despite Condor Adrienne and Luciano Valentine's efforts this season with a stunning 90 points, as well as teammates Hulk Hogan and Berocka Sundqvist putting up 93 points each, this award is centered around two players; Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate. Downey has had solid seasons leading up to S73, but this year he truly became a star on the blue line, with 74 assists and 32 goals for 106 points. Lincoln Tate won the Beketov Trophy with 85 assists, but he also put in 20 goals for 105 points. Only one point separates the two players, so we need to look a little deeper to try to give someone the edge. Riga was much better than Vancouver this season, which could swing the odds towards Tate. However, Tate also had Guy Sasakamoose on the blue line, who had 88 points, while Downeys best defensive partner had only 68 points, which could give Downey an edge in some voters' eyes. Tate had 10 power play goals, while Downey had 18, which led the league. These two players are practically dead even. This is most likely the hardest award to pick a favorite on, but I think the power play production and lack of another high production defenseman gives Downey a very slight edge over Tate.
 
Nominees: Jeff Downey, Lincoln Tate, Hulk Hogan
Favorite: Jeff Downey
 
Jake Wylde Trophy
The Wylde Trophy is for the league's top defensive defenseman. Warsaw defenseman Alex Bridges led the league in blocked shots with 194, and also put up 259 hits in what was an incredible year for him. The only knock for Bridges is that he played for Warsaw, which put him in a situation where he could pad those stats, which could deter potential voters. Condor Adrienne of the Nighthawks also had a great year, with 273 hits and 171 blocked shots. He also played for a better team than Bridges, and since their stats are relatively close, the fact that Bridges played for a very weak team could really hurt his chances. Erik Killinger also could get some consideration, with 250 hits and 166 blocked shots in S73. You also have the incredible seasons of Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate. Downey had 149 hits and 138 blocked shots, while Tate had 250 hits and 130 blocked shots. This award is another tough one to give out, but it all depends on how the voters view Bridges' success; is it a result of his skill, or were his numbers heavily inflated from playing on a poor team?
 
Nominees: Alex Bridges, Lincoln Tate, Condor Adrienne
Favorite: Lincoln Tate
 
Sterling Labatte Trophy
The league's top overall defenseman takes home the Labatte, one of the most prestigious awards the league has to offer. Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate are obvious favorites due to their offensive productions, but there are plenty of other players who deserve some consideration. Hulk Hogan and Berocka Sundqvist both had 93 points this year while also putting up good defensive numbers. Condor Adrienne had 90 points as well as defensive stats that put him in the Wylde Trophy debate, and the same can be said for Alex Bridges. Despite all these great performances by defenseman, they are overshadowed by Downey and Tate. Downey may take home the Valiq, but Tate can also take home the Wylde. The difference between Tate and Downey’s offensive totals are very slim, but the difference in their defensive numbers are much greater, which is why Lincoln Tate may have the edge.
 
Nominees: Alex Bridges, Lincoln Tate, Jeff Downey
Favorite: Lincoln Tate
 
Greg Clegane Trophy
The Clegane goes to the goaltender with the lowest goals against average, which belongs to Jacques Lafontaine for the second consecutive year. His GAA of 2.46 just barely edged out Rayz Funk and A Red Guy.
 
Aidan Shaw Trophy
The Shaw Trophy is for the league's top goaltender. Jacques Lafontaine and Greg Eagles both had great seasons, but not good enough to earn serious consideration most likely. Lafontaine won the Clegane, but his .917 save percentage is too low to get votes, and while Eagles had a .920 save percentage and 2.54 GAA, it’s just a little behind the two frontrunners for the Shaw, which are Rayz Funk and A Red Guy. Funk has surprisingly never won the Shaw, but has put up some great seasons, and this year was one of his best. With a 2.48 GAA and a .921 GAA, as well as six shutouts, Funk was one of the top two goalies this year. The other goalie in question is the Americans netminder A Red Guy, who got a lot of votes for most outstanding player. He had a 2.51 GAA and a .928 save percentage in what was a career year for him. He also had eight shutouts, the most in the league in S73 and the most he’s had in a single season. A Red Guy likely has the edge over Funk but it certainly isn’t an easy decision.
 
Nominees: Greg Eagles, Rayz Funk, A Red Guy
Favorite: A Red Guy
 
Daisuke Kanou Trophy
The Kanou goes to the playoff MVP, and this year it couldn’t be an easier choice. Hats off to Scott Greene’s 22 points in 19 games, as well as Berocka Sundqvists 20 points, but Rayz Funk is without a doubt the Kanou winner this season. That brings his Kanou total to four, which is the record for most all time, beating out the one and only Daisuke Kanou, who won three in his career. Funk also broke the record for most playoff wins in a career this postseason, as he guided the Bears to a 3-1 comeback over the Wranglers in the conference finals before taking down the Titans in six. Funk’s .936 save percentage is nearly the best mark of his playoff career, while his goals against average of 2.04 is the second lowest through all of his postseason runs. The argument can be made that no player or goalie in VHL history raises their game more than Rayz Funk does in the playoffs. Perhaps in the future, this award will be named the Rayz Funk Trophy, although that is a bit unlikely. Funk should easily win his fourth Kanou of his career on awards night.
 
Nominees: Rayz Funk, Berocka Sundqvist, Scott Greene
Favorite: Rayz Funk
 
Scotty Campbell Trophy
Nicknamed after the league's greatest player, the Scotty Campbell Trophy goes out to the league's MVP. It is always difficult to pick favorites for this award. A Red Guy is the first player that jumps off the page, as his league best eight shutouts and .928 save percentage helped guide the Americans to 43 wins and fifth place in the league, despite not having a top 15 scorer this season. RJ Jubis for Calgary also can get some recognition with 99 points, which helped Calgary secure the second seed in the North American Conference. Perhaps Scott Greene gets some consideration as the top scorer on Seattle with 105 points this year with 75 assists. Lincoln Tate could also get some recognition for Riga, as their top scorer and one of the best defenseman in the league. Picking players as nominees for this award is really difficult, but I think the lack of a real stand out candidate really boosts A Red Guys chances. 
 
Nominees: Scott Greene, A Red Guy, Lincoln Tate
Favorite: A Red Guy
 
Thank you to those who read VSN’s S73 VHL Award Preview! Good luck to all players that are in the running for an award!
 
 

With the S73 VHL Awards set to be awarded tomorrow night, it’s only appropriate to take a rundown of each award to see who might win each award. 
 
 
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 | S74 Draft Coverage | Under 250 
 
 
Mike Szatkowski Trophy
This trophy goes to the player with the most points. This year, Sigard Gunnar’s otherworldly performance brought him to the top of the point list, with 119 points for the Los Angeles Stars. Hunter Hearst Helmsley finished second place with 113 for Warsaw, but it wasn’t enough to win the award.
 
Kevin Brooks Trophy
The Brooks Trophy goes to the player with the most goals, and Gunnar picks up another piece of hardware. Gunnar had a jaw-dropping 60 goals in S73, by far the most in the league. No other player was able to reach the 50 goal mark, as Brock Louth and Guy Lesieur both had the second-most goals with 46.
 
Alexander Beketov Trophy
The Beketov Trophy belongs to the assists leader in the VHL, and this year it’s none other than Lincoln Tate. Tate had the most assists in the league in S73 with an incredible 85 helpers. When Tate was drafted first overall in the S67 draft, many people thought it wasn’t a great pick, but he has proved the doubters very wrong. With multiple awards over the past few seasons, Tate adds to his collection with his second consecutive Beketov Trophy.
 
Christian Stolzchweiger Trophy 
The top rookie each year earns the Stolzchweiger Trophy, and this year has some fierce competition. Last year no rookie eclipsed the 50 point marker, but this year's rookie class saw two players make it past 72 points, averaging over a point per game. Chicago saw two rookies headline their roster, with winger Adam Syreck having 73 points and fellow winger Squirrely Dan dropping 68 points. Second overall pick Tyler Walker had an impressive rookie campaign for Malmo, with 60 points and 172 blocked shots, but only four hits all year. London also saw numerous rookie sensations take the spotlight, with Jay Jones, James Rose, and The Terrible Trivium scoring 63,63, and 62 points respectively. James Rose especially was fantastic, putting up 63 points as a defenseman alongside 186 hits and 162 blocked shots. Despite all these very strong performances, Chris Hylands finished first among all rookies with 76 points this season. Hylands will be the likely favorite, but Syreck is likely his toughest competition. Syreck had only one less goal despite taking 100 less shots, and had more hits and blocked shots. However, Hylands was -1 on the year, while Syreck was -66 and his hit totals were undoubtedly inflated due to being on an expansion team. It’s a tough call to make, but Chris Hylands is the favorite heading into awards night.
 
Nominees: Adam Syreck, Chris Hylands, James Rose
Favorite: Chris Hylands

 
Dustin Funk Trophy
This trophy goes out to the player who showed the most improvement from the previous season, and every year there is usually a ton of competition for this award. Last year there were plenty of great candidates to choose from, and this year is no different. Top scorer Sigard Gunnar improved by 39 points this year, going from your typical all-star to a superstar in the blink of an eye. Jeff Downey also had a huge breakout season, with 106 points, surpassing his previous career high of 67, while also topping his hit and blocked shots career highs. Guy Lesieur of the Dragons a @lso had a big year, with 99 points, over 40 points higher than his previous career high. Wranglers defenseman General Zod also had a breakout year, going from 14 points to 66 while also having 100 more hits than the season prior. Despite all these names, it’s best to not overthink this award and go with the man who has been the favorite since the first week of S73; Ray Sheilds. After his pedestrian rookie season where he scored only 19 points, Sheilds burst onto the scene in S73. Sheilds was one of the top point scorers in the VHL after two weeks, and even though he didn’t keep up his pace, he still finished with 85 points, a whopping 66 point increase from his rookie year. Sheilds should be the favorite to earn the Funk.
Nominees: Ray Sheilds, Jeff Downey, Guy Lesieur
Favorite: Ray Sheilds
 
Scott Boulet Trophy
The Boulet is handed out to the forward that plays the best two-way game. Generally, the same handful of players are in contention for this award year after year, and this year seems to follow that trend. Phil Marleau led the league in hits with 373, and Chad Magnum finished second with 371, while Markus Nygren was third with 360 hits. All three of these players finished top ten in hits the season prior. Julius Freeman, last season's Boulet winner, had 260 hits and didn’t finish in the top ten for hits this year. Hits aren’t the only metric that are taken into account, as points also play a role, and plus minus can also be a small factor. Many people dislike using plus minus as a player stat because it doesn’t really tell the true story of how well a player plays, but it can be useful sometimes, and this is one of those situations. Nygren, Magnum and Marleau all have very similar hit totals and point totals, but Nygren has a plus 8, better than both Magnum and Marleau by 5 and 6 respectively. This isn’t a big enough margin to give Nygren the edge, but Nygren played for Los Angeles, an expansion team that finished in twelfth place in S73. Nygren even being a plus player is pretty incredible, and the fact that his line all finished as plus players could win over some voters. The Boulet is always a tough award to give out, but Nygren may have the slightest of edges headed into the awards show.
 
Nominees: Chad Magnum, Phil Marleau, Markus Nygren
Favorite: Markus Nygren
 
Alexander Valiq Trophy
The league's top offensive defenseman is awarded the Valiq Trophy. Despite Condor Adrienne and Luciano Valentine's efforts this season with a stunning 90 points, as well as teammates Hulk Hogan and Berocka Sundqvist putting up 93 points each, this award is centered around two players; Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate. Downey has had solid seasons leading up to S73, but this year he truly became a star on the blue line, with 74 assists and 32 goals for 106 points. Lincoln Tate won the Beketov Trophy with 85 assists, but he also put in 20 goals for 105 points. Only one point separates the two players, so we need to look a little deeper to try to give someone the edge. Riga was much better than Vancouver this season, which could swing the odds towards Tate. However, Tate also had Guy Sasakamoose on the blue line, who had 88 points, while Downeys best defensive partner had only 68 points, which could give Downey an edge in some voters' eyes. Tate had 10 power play goals, while Downey had 18, which led the league. These two players are practically dead even. This is most likely the hardest award to pick a favorite on, but I think the power play production and lack of another high production defenseman gives Downey a very slight edge over Tate.
 
Nominees: Jeff Downey, Lincoln Tate, Hulk Hogan
Favorite: Jeff Downey
 
Jake Wylde Trophy
The Wylde Trophy is for the league's top defensive defenseman. Warsaw defenseman Alex Bridges led the league in blocked shots with 194, and also put up 259 hits in what was an incredible year for him. The only knock for Bridges is that he played for Warsaw, which put him in a situation where he could pad those stats, which could deter potential voters. Condor Adrienne of the Nighthawks also had a great year, with 273 hits and 171 blocked shots. He also played for a better team than Bridges, and since their stats are relatively close, the fact that Bridges played for a very weak team could really hurt his chances. Erik Killinger also could get some consideration, with 250 hits and 166 blocked shots in S73. You also have the incredible seasons of Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate. Downey had 149 hits and 138 blocked shots, while Tate had 250 hits and 130 blocked shots. This award is another tough one to give out, but it all depends on how the voters view Bridges' success; is it a result of his skill, or were his numbers heavily inflated from playing on a poor team?
 
Nominees: Alex Bridges, Lincoln Tate, Condor Adrienne
Favorite: Lincoln Tate
 
Sterling Labatte Trophy
The league's top overall defenseman takes home the Labatte, one of the most prestigious awards the league has to offer. Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate are obvious favorites due to their offensive productions, but there are plenty of other players who deserve some consideration. Hulk Hogan and Berocka Sundqvist both had 93 points this year while also putting up good defensive numbers. Condor Adrienne had 90 points as well as defensive stats that put him in the Wylde Trophy debate, and the same can be said for Alex Bridges. Despite all these great performances by defenseman, they are overshadowed by Downey and Tate. Downey may take home the Valiq, but Tate can also take home the Wylde. The difference between Tate and Downey’s offensive totals are very slim, but the difference in their defensive numbers are much greater, which is why Lincoln Tate may have the edge.
 
Nominees: Alex Bridges, Lincoln Tate, Jeff Downey
Favorite: Lincoln Tate
 
Greg Clegane Trophy
The Clegane goes to the goaltender with the lowest goals against average, which belongs to Jacques Lafontaine for the second consecutive year. His GAA of 2.46 just barely edged out Rayz Funk and A Red Guy.
 
Aidan Shaw Trophy
The Shaw Trophy is for the league's top goaltender. Jacques Lafontaine and Greg Eagles both had great seasons, but not good enough to earn serious consideration most likely. Lafontaine won the Clegane, but his .917 save percentage is too low to get votes, and while Eagles had a .920 save percentage and 2.54 GAA, it’s just a little behind the two frontrunners for the Shaw, which are Rayz Funk and A Red Guy. Funk has surprisingly never won the Shaw, but has put up some great seasons, and this year was one of his best. With a 2.48 GAA and a .921 GAA, as well as six shutouts, Funk was one of the top two goalies this year. The other goalie in question is the Americans netminder A Red Guy, who got a lot of votes for most outstanding player. He had a 2.51 GAA and a .928 save percentage in what was a career year for him. He also had eight shutouts, the most in the league in S73 and the most he’s had in a single season. A Red Guy likely has the edge over Funk but it certainly isn’t an easy decision.
 
Nominees: Greg Eagles, Rayz Funk, A Red Guy
Favorite: A Red Guy
 
Daisuke Kanou Trophy
The Kanou goes to the playoff MVP, and this year it couldn’t be an easier choice. Hats off to Scott Greene’s 22 points in 19 games, as well as Berocka Sundqvists 20 points, but Rayz Funk is without a doubt the Kanou winner this season. That brings his Kanou total to four, which is the record for most all time, beating out the one and only Daisuke Kanou, who won three in his career. Funk also broke the record for most playoff wins in a career this postseason, as he guided the Bears to a 3-1 comeback over the Wranglers in the conference finals before taking down the Titans in six. Funk’s .936 save percentage is nearly the best mark of his playoff career, while his goals against average of 2.04 is the second lowest through all of his postseason runs. The argument can be made that no player or goalie in VHL history raises their game more than Rayz Funk does in the playoffs. Perhaps in the future, this award will be named the Rayz Funk Trophy, although that is a bit unlikely. Funk should easily win his fourth Kanou of his career on awards night.
 
Nominees: Rayz Funk, Berocka Sundqvist, Scott Greene
Favorite: Rayz Funk
 
Scotty Campbell Trophy
Nicknamed after the league's greatest player, the Scotty Campbell Trophy goes out to the league's MVP. It is always difficult to pick favorites for this award. A Red Guy is the first player that jumps off the page, as his league best eight shutouts and .928 save percentage helped guide the Americans to 43 wins and fifth place in the league, despite not having a top 15 scorer this season. RJ Jubis for Calgary also can get some recognition with 99 points, which helped Calgary secure the second seed in the North American Conference. Perhaps Scott Greene gets some consideration as the top scorer on Seattle with 105 points this year with 75 assists. Lincoln Tate could also get some recognition for Riga, as their top scorer and one of the best defenseman in the league. Picking players as nominees for this award is really difficult, but I think the lack of a real stand out candidate really boosts A Red Guys chances. 
 
Nominees: Scott Greene, A Red Guy, Lincoln Tate
Favorite: A Red Guy
 
Thank you to those who read VSN’s S73 VHL Award Preview! Good luck to all players that are in the running for an award!
 
 

With the S73 VHL Awards set to be awarded tomorrow night, it’s only appropriate to take a rundown of each award to see who might win each award. 
 
 
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 | S74 Draft Coverage | Under 250 
 
 
Mike Szatkowski Trophy
This trophy goes to the player with the most points. This year, Sigard Gunnar’s otherworldly performance brought him to the top of the point list, with 119 points for the Los Angeles Stars. Hunter Hearst Helmsley finished second place with 113 for Warsaw, but it wasn’t enough to win the award.
 
Kevin Brooks Trophy
The Brooks Trophy goes to the player with the most goals, and Gunnar picks up another piece of hardware. Gunnar had a jaw-dropping 60 goals in S73, by far the most in the league. No other player was able to reach the 50 goal mark, as Brock Louth and Guy Lesieur both had the second-most goals with 46.
 
Alexander Beketov Trophy
The Beketov Trophy belongs to the assists leader in the VHL, and this year it’s none other than Lincoln Tate. Tate had the most assists in the league in S73 with an incredible 85 helpers. When Tate was drafted first overall in the S67 draft, many people thought it wasn’t a great pick, but he has proved the doubters very wrong. With multiple awards over the past few seasons, Tate adds to his collection with his second consecutive Beketov Trophy.
 
Christian Stolzchweiger Trophy 
The top rookie each year earns the Stolzchweiger Trophy, and this year has some fierce competition. Last year no rookie eclipsed the 50 point marker, but this year's rookie class saw two players make it past 72 points, averaging over a point per game. Chicago saw two rookies headline their roster, with winger Adam Syreck having 73 points and fellow winger Squirrely Dan dropping 68 points. Second overall pick Tyler Walker had an impressive rookie campaign for Malmo, with 60 points and 172 blocked shots, but only four hits all year. London also saw numerous rookie sensations take the spotlight, with Jay Jones, James Rose, and The Terrible Trivium scoring 63,63, and 62 points respectively. James Rose especially was fantastic, putting up 63 points as a defenseman alongside 186 hits and 162 blocked shots. Despite all these very strong performances, Chris Hylands finished first among all rookies with 76 points this season. Hylands will be the likely favorite, but Syreck is likely his toughest competition. Syreck had only one less goal despite taking 100 less shots, and had more hits and blocked shots. However, Hylands was -1 on the year, while Syreck was -66 and his hit totals were undoubtedly inflated due to being on an expansion team. It’s a tough call to make, but Chris Hylands is the favorite heading into awards night.
 
Nominees: Adam Syreck, Chris Hylands, James Rose
Favorite: Chris Hylands

 
Dustin Funk Trophy
This trophy goes out to the player who showed the most improvement from the previous season, and every year there is usually a ton of competition for this award. Last year there were plenty of great candidates to choose from, and this year is no different. Top scorer Sigard Gunnar improved by 39 points this year, going from your typical all-star to a superstar in the blink of an eye. Jeff Downey also had a huge breakout season, with 106 points, surpassing his previous career high of 67, while also topping his hit and blocked shots career highs. Guy Lesieur of the Dragons a @lso had a big year, with 99 points, over 40 points higher than his previous career high. Wranglers defenseman General Zod also had a breakout year, going from 14 points to 66 while also having 100 more hits than the season prior. Despite all these names, it’s best to not overthink this award and go with the man who has been the favorite since the first week of S73; Ray Sheilds. After his pedestrian rookie season where he scored only 19 points, Sheilds burst onto the scene in S73. Sheilds was one of the top point scorers in the VHL after two weeks, and even though he didn’t keep up his pace, he still finished with 85 points, a whopping 66 point increase from his rookie year. Sheilds should be the favorite to earn the Funk.
Nominees: Ray Sheilds, Jeff Downey, Guy Lesieur
Favorite: Ray Sheilds
 
Scott Boulet Trophy
The Boulet is handed out to the forward that plays the best two-way game. Generally, the same handful of players are in contention for this award year after year, and this year seems to follow that trend. Phil Marleau led the league in hits with 373, and Chad Magnum finished second with 371, while Markus Nygren was third with 360 hits. All three of these players finished top ten in hits the season prior. Julius Freeman, last season's Boulet winner, had 260 hits and didn’t finish in the top ten for hits this year. Hits aren’t the only metric that are taken into account, as points also play a role, and plus minus can also be a small factor. Many people dislike using plus minus as a player stat because it doesn’t really tell the true story of how well a player plays, but it can be useful sometimes, and this is one of those situations. Nygren, Magnum and Marleau all have very similar hit totals and point totals, but Nygren has a plus 8, better than both Magnum and Marleau by 5 and 6 respectively. This isn’t a big enough margin to give Nygren the edge, but Nygren played for Los Angeles, an expansion team that finished in twelfth place in S73. Nygren even being a plus player is pretty incredible, and the fact that his line all finished as plus players could win over some voters. The Boulet is always a tough award to give out, but Nygren may have the slightest of edges headed into the awards show.
 
Nominees: Chad Magnum, Phil Marleau, Markus Nygren
Favorite: Markus Nygren
 
Alexander Valiq Trophy
The league's top offensive defenseman is awarded the Valiq Trophy. Despite Condor Adrienne and Luciano Valentine's efforts this season with a stunning 90 points, as well as teammates Hulk Hogan and Berocka Sundqvist putting up 93 points each, this award is centered around two players; Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate. Downey has had solid seasons leading up to S73, but this year he truly became a star on the blue line, with 74 assists and 32 goals for 106 points. Lincoln Tate won the Beketov Trophy with 85 assists, but he also put in 20 goals for 105 points. Only one point separates the two players, so we need to look a little deeper to try to give someone the edge. Riga was much better than Vancouver this season, which could swing the odds towards Tate. However, Tate also had Guy Sasakamoose on the blue line, who had 88 points, while Downeys best defensive partner had only 68 points, which could give Downey an edge in some voters' eyes. Tate had 10 power play goals, while Downey had 18, which led the league. These two players are practically dead even. This is most likely the hardest award to pick a favorite on, but I think the power play production and lack of another high production defenseman gives Downey a very slight edge over Tate.
 
Nominees: Jeff Downey, Lincoln Tate, Hulk Hogan
Favorite: Jeff Downey
 
Jake Wylde Trophy
The Wylde Trophy is for the league's top defensive defenseman. Warsaw defenseman Alex Bridges led the league in blocked shots with 194, and also put up 259 hits in what was an incredible year for him. The only knock for Bridges is that he played for Warsaw, which put him in a situation where he could pad those stats, which could deter potential voters. Condor Adrienne of the Nighthawks also had a great year, with 273 hits and 171 blocked shots. He also played for a better team than Bridges, and since their stats are relatively close, the fact that Bridges played for a very weak team could really hurt his chances. Erik Killinger also could get some consideration, with 250 hits and 166 blocked shots in S73. You also have the incredible seasons of Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate. Downey had 149 hits and 138 blocked shots, while Tate had 250 hits and 130 blocked shots. This award is another tough one to give out, but it all depends on how the voters view Bridges' success; is it a result of his skill, or were his numbers heavily inflated from playing on a poor team?
 
Nominees: Alex Bridges, Lincoln Tate, Condor Adrienne
Favorite: Lincoln Tate
 
Sterling Labatte Trophy
The league's top overall defenseman takes home the Labatte, one of the most prestigious awards the league has to offer. Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate are obvious favorites due to their offensive productions, but there are plenty of other players who deserve some consideration. Hulk Hogan and Berocka Sundqvist both had 93 points this year while also putting up good defensive numbers. Condor Adrienne had 90 points as well as defensive stats that put him in the Wylde Trophy debate, and the same can be said for Alex Bridges. Despite all these great performances by defenseman, they are overshadowed by Downey and Tate. Downey may take home the Valiq, but Tate can also take home the Wylde. The difference between Tate and Downey’s offensive totals are very slim, but the difference in their defensive numbers are much greater, which is why Lincoln Tate may have the edge.
 
Nominees: Alex Bridges, Lincoln Tate, Jeff Downey
Favorite: Lincoln Tate
 
Greg Clegane Trophy
The Clegane goes to the goaltender with the lowest goals against average, which belongs to Jacques Lafontaine for the second consecutive year. His GAA of 2.46 just barely edged out Rayz Funk and A Red Guy.
 
Aidan Shaw Trophy
The Shaw Trophy is for the league's top goaltender. Jacques Lafontaine and Greg Eagles both had great seasons, but not good enough to earn serious consideration most likely. Lafontaine won the Clegane, but his .917 save percentage is too low to get votes, and while Eagles had a .920 save percentage and 2.54 GAA, it’s just a little behind the two frontrunners for the Shaw, which are Rayz Funk and A Red Guy. Funk has surprisingly never won the Shaw, but has put up some great seasons, and this year was one of his best. With a 2.48 GAA and a .921 GAA, as well as six shutouts, Funk was one of the top two goalies this year. The other goalie in question is the Americans netminder A Red Guy, who got a lot of votes for most outstanding player. He had a 2.51 GAA and a .928 save percentage in what was a career year for him. He also had eight shutouts, the most in the league in S73 and the most he’s had in a single season. A Red Guy likely has the edge over Funk but it certainly isn’t an easy decision.
 
Nominees: Greg Eagles, Rayz Funk, A Red Guy
Favorite: A Red Guy
 
Daisuke Kanou Trophy
The Kanou goes to the playoff MVP, and this year it couldn’t be an easier choice. Hats off to Scott Greene’s 22 points in 19 games, as well as Berocka Sundqvists 20 points, but Rayz Funk is without a doubt the Kanou winner this season. That brings his Kanou total to four, which is the record for most all time, beating out the one and only Daisuke Kanou, who won three in his career. Funk also broke the record for most playoff wins in a career this postseason, as he guided the Bears to a 3-1 comeback over the Wranglers in the conference finals before taking down the Titans in six. Funk’s .936 save percentage is nearly the best mark of his playoff career, while his goals against average of 2.04 is the second lowest through all of his postseason runs. The argument can be made that no player or goalie in VHL history raises their game more than Rayz Funk does in the playoffs. Perhaps in the future, this award will be named the Rayz Funk Trophy, although that is a bit unlikely. Funk should easily win his fourth Kanou of his career on awards night.
 
Nominees: Rayz Funk, Berocka Sundqvist, Scott Greene
Favorite: Rayz Funk
 
Scotty Campbell Trophy
Nicknamed after the league's greatest player, the Scotty Campbell Trophy goes out to the league's MVP. It is always difficult to pick favorites for this award. A Red Guy is the first player that jumps off the page, as his league best eight shutouts and .928 save percentage helped guide the Americans to 43 wins and fifth place in the league, despite not having a top 15 scorer this season. RJ Jubis for Calgary also can get some recognition with 99 points, which helped Calgary secure the second seed in the North American Conference. Perhaps Scott Greene gets some consideration as the top scorer on Seattle with 105 points this year with 75 assists. Lincoln Tate could also get some recognition for Riga, as their top scorer and one of the best defenseman in the league. Picking players as nominees for this award is really difficult, but I think the lack of a real stand out candidate really boosts A Red Guys chances. 
 
Nominees: Scott Greene, A Red Guy, Lincoln Tate
Favorite: A Red Guy
 
Thank you to those who read VSN’s S73 VHL Award Preview! Good luck to all players that are in the running for an award!
 
 

With the S73 VHL Awards set to be awarded tomorrow night, it’s only appropriate to take a rundown of each award to see who might win each award. 
 
 
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 | S74 Draft Coverage | Under 250 
 
 
Mike Szatkowski Trophy
This trophy goes to the player with the most points. This year, Sigard Gunnar’s otherworldly performance brought him to the top of the point list, with 119 points for the Los Angeles Stars. Hunter Hearst Helmsley finished second place with 113 for Warsaw, but it wasn’t enough to win the award.
 
Kevin Brooks Trophy
The Brooks Trophy goes to the player with the most goals, and Gunnar picks up another piece of hardware. Gunnar had a jaw-dropping 60 goals in S73, by far the most in the league. No other player was able to reach the 50 goal mark, as Brock Louth and Guy Lesieur both had the second-most goals with 46.
 
Alexander Beketov Trophy
The Beketov Trophy belongs to the assists leader in the VHL, and this year it’s none other than Lincoln Tate. Tate had the most assists in the league in S73 with an incredible 85 helpers. When Tate was drafted first overall in the S67 draft, many people thought it wasn’t a great pick, but he has proved the doubters very wrong. With multiple awards over the past few seasons, Tate adds to his collection with his second consecutive Beketov Trophy.
 
Christian Stolzchweiger Trophy 
The top rookie each year earns the Stolzchweiger Trophy, and this year has some fierce competition. Last year no rookie eclipsed the 50 point marker, but this year's rookie class saw two players make it past 72 points, averaging over a point per game. Chicago saw two rookies headline their roster, with winger Adam Syreck having 73 points and fellow winger Squirrely Dan dropping 68 points. Second overall pick Tyler Walker had an impressive rookie campaign for Malmo, with 60 points and 172 blocked shots, but only four hits all year. London also saw numerous rookie sensations take the spotlight, with Jay Jones, James Rose, and The Terrible Trivium scoring 63,63, and 62 points respectively. James Rose especially was fantastic, putting up 63 points as a defenseman alongside 186 hits and 162 blocked shots. Despite all these very strong performances, Chris Hylands finished first among all rookies with 76 points this season. Hylands will be the likely favorite, but Syreck is likely his toughest competition. Syreck had only one less goal despite taking 100 less shots, and had more hits and blocked shots. However, Hylands was -1 on the year, while Syreck was -66 and his hit totals were undoubtedly inflated due to being on an expansion team. It’s a tough call to make, but Chris Hylands is the favorite heading into awards night.
 
Nominees: Adam Syreck, Chris Hylands, James Rose
Favorite: Chris Hylands

 
Dustin Funk Trophy
This trophy goes out to the player who showed the most improvement from the previous season, and every year there is usually a ton of competition for this award. Last year there were plenty of great candidates to choose from, and this year is no different. Top scorer Sigard Gunnar improved by 39 points this year, going from your typical all-star to a superstar in the blink of an eye. Jeff Downey also had a huge breakout season, with 106 points, surpassing his previous career high of 67, while also topping his hit and blocked shots career highs. Guy Lesieur of the Dragons a @lso had a big year, with 99 points, over 40 points higher than his previous career high. Wranglers defenseman General Zod also had a breakout year, going from 14 points to 66 while also having 100 more hits than the season prior. Despite all these names, it’s best to not overthink this award and go with the man who has been the favorite since the first week of S73; Ray Sheilds. After his pedestrian rookie season where he scored only 19 points, Sheilds burst onto the scene in S73. Sheilds was one of the top point scorers in the VHL after two weeks, and even though he didn’t keep up his pace, he still finished with 85 points, a whopping 66 point increase from his rookie year. Sheilds should be the favorite to earn the Funk.
Nominees: Ray Sheilds, Jeff Downey, Guy Lesieur
Favorite: Ray Sheilds
 
Scott Boulet Trophy
The Boulet is handed out to the forward that plays the best two-way game. Generally, the same handful of players are in contention for this award year after year, and this year seems to follow that trend. Phil Marleau led the league in hits with 373, and Chad Magnum finished second with 371, while Markus Nygren was third with 360 hits. All three of these players finished top ten in hits the season prior. Julius Freeman, last season's Boulet winner, had 260 hits and didn’t finish in the top ten for hits this year. Hits aren’t the only metric that are taken into account, as points also play a role, and plus minus can also be a small factor. Many people dislike using plus minus as a player stat because it doesn’t really tell the true story of how well a player plays, but it can be useful sometimes, and this is one of those situations. Nygren, Magnum and Marleau all have very similar hit totals and point totals, but Nygren has a plus 8, better than both Magnum and Marleau by 5 and 6 respectively. This isn’t a big enough margin to give Nygren the edge, but Nygren played for Los Angeles, an expansion team that finished in twelfth place in S73. Nygren even being a plus player is pretty incredible, and the fact that his line all finished as plus players could win over some voters. The Boulet is always a tough award to give out, but Nygren may have the slightest of edges headed into the awards show.
 
Nominees: Chad Magnum, Phil Marleau, Markus Nygren
Favorite: Markus Nygren
 
Alexander Valiq Trophy
The league's top offensive defenseman is awarded the Valiq Trophy. Despite Condor Adrienne and Luciano Valentine's efforts this season with a stunning 90 points, as well as teammates Hulk Hogan and Berocka Sundqvist putting up 93 points each, this award is centered around two players; Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate. Downey has had solid seasons leading up to S73, but this year he truly became a star on the blue line, with 74 assists and 32 goals for 106 points. Lincoln Tate won the Beketov Trophy with 85 assists, but he also put in 20 goals for 105 points. Only one point separates the two players, so we need to look a little deeper to try to give someone the edge. Riga was much better than Vancouver this season, which could swing the odds towards Tate. However, Tate also had Guy Sasakamoose on the blue line, who had 88 points, while Downeys best defensive partner had only 68 points, which could give Downey an edge in some voters' eyes. Tate had 10 power play goals, while Downey had 18, which led the league. These two players are practically dead even. This is most likely the hardest award to pick a favorite on, but I think the power play production and lack of another high production defenseman gives Downey a very slight edge over Tate.
 
Nominees: Jeff Downey, Lincoln Tate, Hulk Hogan
Favorite: Jeff Downey
 
Jake Wylde Trophy
The Wylde Trophy is for the league's top defensive defenseman. Warsaw defenseman Alex Bridges led the league in blocked shots with 194, and also put up 259 hits in what was an incredible year for him. The only knock for Bridges is that he played for Warsaw, which put him in a situation where he could pad those stats, which could deter potential voters. Condor Adrienne of the Nighthawks also had a great year, with 273 hits and 171 blocked shots. He also played for a better team than Bridges, and since their stats are relatively close, the fact that Bridges played for a very weak team could really hurt his chances. Erik Killinger also could get some consideration, with 250 hits and 166 blocked shots in S73. You also have the incredible seasons of Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate. Downey had 149 hits and 138 blocked shots, while Tate had 250 hits and 130 blocked shots. This award is another tough one to give out, but it all depends on how the voters view Bridges' success; is it a result of his skill, or were his numbers heavily inflated from playing on a poor team?
 
Nominees: Alex Bridges, Lincoln Tate, Condor Adrienne
Favorite: Lincoln Tate
 
Sterling Labatte Trophy
The league's top overall defenseman takes home the Labatte, one of the most prestigious awards the league has to offer. Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate are obvious favorites due to their offensive productions, but there are plenty of other players who deserve some consideration. Hulk Hogan and Berocka Sundqvist both had 93 points this year while also putting up good defensive numbers. Condor Adrienne had 90 points as well as defensive stats that put him in the Wylde Trophy debate, and the same can be said for Alex Bridges. Despite all these great performances by defenseman, they are overshadowed by Downey and Tate. Downey may take home the Valiq, but Tate can also take home the Wylde. The difference between Tate and Downey’s offensive totals are very slim, but the difference in their defensive numbers are much greater, which is why Lincoln Tate may have the edge.
 
Nominees: Alex Bridges, Lincoln Tate, Jeff Downey
Favorite: Lincoln Tate
 
Greg Clegane Trophy
The Clegane goes to the goaltender with the lowest goals against average, which belongs to Jacques Lafontaine for the second consecutive year. His GAA of 2.46 just barely edged out Rayz Funk and A Red Guy.
 
Aidan Shaw Trophy
The Shaw Trophy is for the league's top goaltender. Jacques Lafontaine and Greg Eagles both had great seasons, but not good enough to earn serious consideration most likely. Lafontaine won the Clegane, but his .917 save percentage is too low to get votes, and while Eagles had a .920 save percentage and 2.54 GAA, it’s just a little behind the two frontrunners for the Shaw, which are Rayz Funk and A Red Guy. Funk has surprisingly never won the Shaw, but has put up some great seasons, and this year was one of his best. With a 2.48 GAA and a .921 GAA, as well as six shutouts, Funk was one of the top two goalies this year. The other goalie in question is the Americans netminder A Red Guy, who got a lot of votes for most outstanding player. He had a 2.51 GAA and a .928 save percentage in what was a career year for him. He also had eight shutouts, the most in the league in S73 and the most he’s had in a single season. A Red Guy likely has the edge over Funk but it certainly isn’t an easy decision.
 
Nominees: Greg Eagles, Rayz Funk, A Red Guy
Favorite: A Red Guy
 
Daisuke Kanou Trophy
The Kanou goes to the playoff MVP, and this year it couldn’t be an easier choice. Hats off to Scott Greene’s 22 points in 19 games, as well as Berocka Sundqvists 20 points, but Rayz Funk is without a doubt the Kanou winner this season. That brings his Kanou total to four, which is the record for most all time, beating out the one and only Daisuke Kanou, who won three in his career. Funk also broke the record for most playoff wins in a career this postseason, as he guided the Bears to a 3-1 comeback over the Wranglers in the conference finals before taking down the Titans in six. Funk’s .936 save percentage is nearly the best mark of his playoff career, while his goals against average of 2.04 is the second lowest through all of his postseason runs. The argument can be made that no player or goalie in VHL history raises their game more than Rayz Funk does in the playoffs. Perhaps in the future, this award will be named the Rayz Funk Trophy, although that is a bit unlikely. Funk should easily win his fourth Kanou of his career on awards night.
 
Nominees: Rayz Funk, Berocka Sundqvist, Scott Greene
Favorite: Rayz Funk
 
Scotty Campbell Trophy
Nicknamed after the league's greatest player, the Scotty Campbell Trophy goes out to the league's MVP. It is always difficult to pick favorites for this award. A Red Guy is the first player that jumps off the page, as his league best eight shutouts and .928 save percentage helped guide the Americans to 43 wins and fifth place in the league, despite not having a top 15 scorer this season. RJ Jubis for Calgary also can get some recognition with 99 points, which helped Calgary secure the second seed in the North American Conference. Perhaps Scott Greene gets some consideration as the top scorer on Seattle with 105 points this year with 75 assists. Lincoln Tate could also get some recognition for Riga, as their top scorer and one of the best defenseman in the league. Picking players as nominees for this award is really difficult, but I think the lack of a real stand out candidate really boosts A Red Guys chances. 
 
Nominees: Scott Greene, A Red Guy, Lincoln Tate
Favorite: A Red Guy
 
Thank you to those who read VSN’s S73 VHL Award Preview! Good luck to all players that are in the running for an award!
 
 

With the S73 VHL Awards set to be awarded tomorrow night, it’s only appropriate to take a rundown of each award to see who might win each award. 
 
 
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 | S74 Draft Coverage | Under 250 
 
 
Mike Szatkowski Trophy
This trophy goes to the player with the most points. This year, Sigard Gunnar’s otherworldly performance brought him to the top of the point list, with 119 points for the Los Angeles Stars. Hunter Hearst Helmsley finished second place with 113 for Warsaw, but it wasn’t enough to win the award.
 
Kevin Brooks Trophy
The Brooks Trophy goes to the player with the most goals, and Gunnar picks up another piece of hardware. Gunnar had a jaw-dropping 60 goals in S73, by far the most in the league. No other player was able to reach the 50 goal mark, as Brock Louth and Guy Lesieur both had the second-most goals with 46.
 
Alexander Beketov Trophy
The Beketov Trophy belongs to the assists leader in the VHL, and this year it’s none other than Lincoln Tate. Tate had the most assists in the league in S73 with an incredible 85 helpers. When Tate was drafted first overall in the S67 draft, many people thought it wasn’t a great pick, but he has proved the doubters very wrong. With multiple awards over the past few seasons, Tate adds to his collection with his second consecutive Beketov Trophy.
 
Christian Stolzchweiger Trophy 
The top rookie each year earns the Stolzchweiger Trophy, and this year has some fierce competition. Last year no rookie eclipsed the 50 point marker, but this year's rookie class saw two players make it past 72 points, averaging over a point per game. Chicago saw two rookies headline their roster, with winger Adam Syreck having 73 points and fellow winger Squirrely Dan dropping 68 points. Second overall pick Tyler Walker had an impressive rookie campaign for Malmo, with 60 points and 172 blocked shots, but only four hits all year. London also saw numerous rookie sensations take the spotlight, with Jay Jones, James Rose, and The Terrible Trivium scoring 63,63, and 62 points respectively. James Rose especially was fantastic, putting up 63 points as a defenseman alongside 186 hits and 162 blocked shots. Despite all these very strong performances, Chris Hylands finished first among all rookies with 76 points this season. Hylands will be the likely favorite, but Syreck is likely his toughest competition. Syreck had only one less goal despite taking 100 less shots, and had more hits and blocked shots. However, Hylands was -1 on the year, while Syreck was -66 and his hit totals were undoubtedly inflated due to being on an expansion team. It’s a tough call to make, but Chris Hylands is the favorite heading into awards night.
 
Nominees: Adam Syreck, Chris Hylands, James Rose
Favorite: Chris Hylands

 
Dustin Funk Trophy
This trophy goes out to the player who showed the most improvement from the previous season, and every year there is usually a ton of competition for this award. Last year there were plenty of great candidates to choose from, and this year is no different. Top scorer Sigard Gunnar improved by 39 points this year, going from your typical all-star to a superstar in the blink of an eye. Jeff Downey also had a huge breakout season, with 106 points, surpassing his previous career high of 67, while also topping his hit and blocked shots career highs. Guy Lesieur of the Dragons a @lso had a big year, with 99 points, over 40 points higher than his previous career high. Wranglers defenseman General Zod also had a breakout year, going from 14 points to 66 while also having 100 more hits than the season prior. Despite all these names, it’s best to not overthink this award and go with the man who has been the favorite since the first week of S73; Ray Sheilds. After his pedestrian rookie season where he scored only 19 points, Sheilds burst onto the scene in S73. Sheilds was one of the top point scorers in the VHL after two weeks, and even though he didn’t keep up his pace, he still finished with 85 points, a whopping 66 point increase from his rookie year. Sheilds should be the favorite to earn the Funk.
Nominees: Ray Sheilds, Jeff Downey, Guy Lesieur
Favorite: Ray Sheilds
 
Scott Boulet Trophy
The Boulet is handed out to the forward that plays the best two-way game. Generally, the same handful of players are in contention for this award year after year, and this year seems to follow that trend. Phil Marleau led the league in hits with 373, and Chad Magnum finished second with 371, while Markus Nygren was third with 360 hits. All three of these players finished top ten in hits the season prior. Julius Freeman, last season's Boulet winner, had 260 hits and didn’t finish in the top ten for hits this year. Hits aren’t the only metric that are taken into account, as points also play a role, and plus minus can also be a small factor. Many people dislike using plus minus as a player stat because it doesn’t really tell the true story of how well a player plays, but it can be useful sometimes, and this is one of those situations. Nygren, Magnum and Marleau all have very similar hit totals and point totals, but Nygren has a plus 8, better than both Magnum and Marleau by 5 and 6 respectively. This isn’t a big enough margin to give Nygren the edge, but Nygren played for Los Angeles, an expansion team that finished in twelfth place in S73. Nygren even being a plus player is pretty incredible, and the fact that his line all finished as plus players could win over some voters. The Boulet is always a tough award to give out, but Nygren may have the slightest of edges headed into the awards show.
 
Nominees: Chad Magnum, Phil Marleau, Markus Nygren
Favorite: Markus Nygren
 
Alexander Valiq Trophy
The league's top offensive defenseman is awarded the Valiq Trophy. Despite Condor Adrienne and Luciano Valentine's efforts this season with a stunning 90 points, as well as teammates Hulk Hogan and Berocka Sundqvist putting up 93 points each, this award is centered around two players; Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate. Downey has had solid seasons leading up to S73, but this year he truly became a star on the blue line, with 74 assists and 32 goals for 106 points. Lincoln Tate won the Beketov Trophy with 85 assists, but he also put in 20 goals for 105 points. Only one point separates the two players, so we need to look a little deeper to try to give someone the edge. Riga was much better than Vancouver this season, which could swing the odds towards Tate. However, Tate also had Guy Sasakamoose on the blue line, who had 88 points, while Downeys best defensive partner had only 68 points, which could give Downey an edge in some voters' eyes. Tate had 10 power play goals, while Downey had 18, which led the league. These two players are practically dead even. This is most likely the hardest award to pick a favorite on, but I think the power play production and lack of another high production defenseman gives Downey a very slight edge over Tate.
 
Nominees: Jeff Downey, Lincoln Tate, Hulk Hogan
Favorite: Jeff Downey
 
Jake Wylde Trophy
The Wylde Trophy is for the league's top defensive defenseman. Warsaw defenseman Alex Bridges led the league in blocked shots with 194, and also put up 259 hits in what was an incredible year for him. The only knock for Bridges is that he played for Warsaw, which put him in a situation where he could pad those stats, which could deter potential voters. Condor Adrienne of the Nighthawks also had a great year, with 273 hits and 171 blocked shots. He also played for a better team than Bridges, and since their stats are relatively close, the fact that Bridges played for a very weak team could really hurt his chances. Erik Killinger also could get some consideration, with 250 hits and 166 blocked shots in S73. You also have the incredible seasons of Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate. Downey had 149 hits and 138 blocked shots, while Tate had 250 hits and 130 blocked shots. This award is another tough one to give out, but it all depends on how the voters view Bridges' success; is it a result of his skill, or were his numbers heavily inflated from playing on a poor team?
 
Nominees: Alex Bridges, Lincoln Tate, Condor Adrienne
Favorite: Lincoln Tate
 
Sterling Labatte Trophy
The league's top overall defenseman takes home the Labatte, one of the most prestigious awards the league has to offer. Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate are obvious favorites due to their offensive productions, but there are plenty of other players who deserve some consideration. Hulk Hogan and Berocka Sundqvist both had 93 points this year while also putting up good defensive numbers. Condor Adrienne had 90 points as well as defensive stats that put him in the Wylde Trophy debate, and the same can be said for Alex Bridges. Despite all these great performances by defenseman, they are overshadowed by Downey and Tate. Downey may take home the Valiq, but Tate can also take home the Wylde. The difference between Tate and Downey’s offensive totals are very slim, but the difference in their defensive numbers are much greater, which is why Lincoln Tate may have the edge.
 
Nominees: Alex Bridges, Lincoln Tate, Jeff Downey
Favorite: Lincoln Tate
 
Greg Clegane Trophy
The Clegane goes to the goaltender with the lowest goals against average, which belongs to Jacques Lafontaine for the second consecutive year. His GAA of 2.46 just barely edged out Rayz Funk and A Red Guy.
 
Aidan Shaw Trophy
The Shaw Trophy is for the league's top goaltender. Jacques Lafontaine and Greg Eagles both had great seasons, but not good enough to earn serious consideration most likely. Lafontaine won the Clegane, but his .917 save percentage is too low to get votes, and while Eagles had a .920 save percentage and 2.54 GAA, it’s just a little behind the two frontrunners for the Shaw, which are Rayz Funk and A Red Guy. Funk has surprisingly never won the Shaw, but has put up some great seasons, and this year was one of his best. With a 2.48 GAA and a .921 GAA, as well as six shutouts, Funk was one of the top two goalies this year. The other goalie in question is the Americans netminder A Red Guy, who got a lot of votes for most outstanding player. He had a 2.51 GAA and a .928 save percentage in what was a career year for him. He also had eight shutouts, the most in the league in S73 and the most he’s had in a single season. A Red Guy likely has the edge over Funk but it certainly isn’t an easy decision.
 
Nominees: Greg Eagles, Rayz Funk, A Red Guy
Favorite: A Red Guy
 
Daisuke Kanou Trophy
The Kanou goes to the playoff MVP, and this year it couldn’t be an easier choice. Hats off to Scott Greene’s 22 points in 19 games, as well as Berocka Sundqvists 20 points, but Rayz Funk is without a doubt the Kanou winner this season. That brings his Kanou total to four, which is the record for most all time, beating out the one and only Daisuke Kanou, who won three in his career. Funk also broke the record for most playoff wins in a career this postseason, as he guided the Bears to a 3-1 comeback over the Wranglers in the conference finals before taking down the Titans in six. Funk’s .936 save percentage is nearly the best mark of his playoff career, while his goals against average of 2.04 is the second lowest through all of his postseason runs. The argument can be made that no player or goalie in VHL history raises their game more than Rayz Funk does in the playoffs. Perhaps in the future, this award will be named the Rayz Funk Trophy, although that is a bit unlikely. Funk should easily win his fourth Kanou of his career on awards night.
 
Nominees: Rayz Funk, Berocka Sundqvist, Scott Greene
Favorite: Rayz Funk
 
Scotty Campbell Trophy
Nicknamed after the league's greatest player, the Scotty Campbell Trophy goes out to the league's MVP. It is always difficult to pick favorites for this award. A Red Guy is the first player that jumps off the page, as his league best eight shutouts and .928 save percentage helped guide the Americans to 43 wins and fifth place in the league, despite not having a top 15 scorer this season. RJ Jubis for Calgary also can get some recognition with 99 points, which helped Calgary secure the second seed in the North American Conference. Perhaps Scott Greene gets some consideration as the top scorer on Seattle with 105 points this year with 75 assists. Lincoln Tate could also get some recognition for Riga, as their top scorer and one of the best defenseman in the league. Picking players as nominees for this award is really difficult, but I think the lack of a real stand out candidate really boosts A Red Guys chances. 
 
Nominees: Scott Greene, A Red Guy, Lincoln Tate
Favorite: A Red Guy
 
Thank you to those who read VSN’s S73 VHL Award Preview! Good luck to all players that are in the running for an award!
 
 

With the S73 VHL Awards set to be awarded tomorrow night, it’s only appropriate to take a rundown of each award to see who might win each award. 
 
 
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 | S74 Draft Coverage | Under 250 
 
 
Mike Szatkowski Trophy
This trophy goes to the player with the most points. This year, Sigard Gunnar’s otherworldly performance brought him to the top of the point list, with 119 points for the Los Angeles Stars. Hunter Hearst Helmsley finished second place with 113 for Warsaw, but it wasn’t enough to win the award.
 
Kevin Brooks Trophy
The Brooks Trophy goes to the player with the most goals, and Gunnar picks up another piece of hardware. Gunnar had a jaw-dropping 60 goals in S73, by far the most in the league. No other player was able to reach the 50 goal mark, as Brock Louth and Guy Lesieur both had the second-most goals with 46.
 
Alexander Beketov Trophy
The Beketov Trophy belongs to the assists leader in the VHL, and this year it’s none other than Lincoln Tate. Tate had the most assists in the league in S73 with an incredible 85 helpers. When Tate was drafted first overall in the S67 draft, many people thought it wasn’t a great pick, but he has proved the doubters very wrong. With multiple awards over the past few seasons, Tate adds to his collection with his second consecutive Beketov Trophy.
 
Christian Stolzchweiger Trophy 
The top rookie each year earns the Stolzchweiger Trophy, and this year has some fierce competition. Last year no rookie eclipsed the 50 point marker, but this year's rookie class saw two players make it past 72 points, averaging over a point per game. Chicago saw two rookies headline their roster, with winger Adam Syreck having 73 points and fellow winger Squirrely Dan dropping 68 points. Second overall pick Tyler Walker had an impressive rookie campaign for Malmo, with 60 points and 172 blocked shots, but only four hits all year. London also saw numerous rookie sensations take the spotlight, with Jay Jones, James Rose, and The Terrible Trivium scoring 63,63, and 62 points respectively. James Rose especially was fantastic, putting up 63 points as a defenseman alongside 186 hits and 162 blocked shots. Despite all these very strong performances, Chris Hylands finished first among all rookies with 76 points this season. Hylands will be the likely favorite, but Syreck is likely his toughest competition. Syreck had only one less goal despite taking 100 less shots, and had more hits and blocked shots. However, Hylands was -1 on the year, while Syreck was -66 and his hit totals were undoubtedly inflated due to being on an expansion team. It’s a tough call to make, but Chris Hylands is the favorite heading into awards night.
 
Nominees: Adam Syreck, Chris Hylands, James Rose
Favorite: Chris Hylands

 
Dustin Funk Trophy
This trophy goes out to the player who showed the most improvement from the previous season, and every year there is usually a ton of competition for this award. Last year there were plenty of great candidates to choose from, and this year is no different. Top scorer Sigard Gunnar improved by 39 points this year, going from your typical all-star to a superstar in the blink of an eye. Jeff Downey also had a huge breakout season, with 106 points, surpassing his previous career high of 67, while also topping his hit and blocked shots career highs. Guy Lesieur of the Dragons a @lso had a big year, with 99 points, over 40 points higher than his previous career high. Wranglers defenseman General Zod also had a breakout year, going from 14 points to 66 while also having 100 more hits than the season prior. Despite all these names, it’s best to not overthink this award and go with the man who has been the favorite since the first week of S73; Ray Sheilds. After his pedestrian rookie season where he scored only 19 points, Sheilds burst onto the scene in S73. Sheilds was one of the top point scorers in the VHL after two weeks, and even though he didn’t keep up his pace, he still finished with 85 points, a whopping 66 point increase from his rookie year. Sheilds should be the favorite to earn the Funk.
Nominees: Ray Sheilds, Jeff Downey, Guy Lesieur
Favorite: Ray Sheilds
 
Scott Boulet Trophy
The Boulet is handed out to the forward that plays the best two-way game. Generally, the same handful of players are in contention for this award year after year, and this year seems to follow that trend. Phil Marleau led the league in hits with 373, and Chad Magnum finished second with 371, while Markus Nygren was third with 360 hits. All three of these players finished top ten in hits the season prior. Julius Freeman, last season's Boulet winner, had 260 hits and didn’t finish in the top ten for hits this year. Hits aren’t the only metric that are taken into account, as points also play a role, and plus minus can also be a small factor. Many people dislike using plus minus as a player stat because it doesn’t really tell the true story of how well a player plays, but it can be useful sometimes, and this is one of those situations. Nygren, Magnum and Marleau all have very similar hit totals and point totals, but Nygren has a plus 8, better than both Magnum and Marleau by 5 and 6 respectively. This isn’t a big enough margin to give Nygren the edge, but Nygren played for Los Angeles, an expansion team that finished in twelfth place in S73. Nygren even being a plus player is pretty incredible, and the fact that his line all finished as plus players could win over some voters. The Boulet is always a tough award to give out, but Nygren may have the slightest of edges headed into the awards show.
 
Nominees: Chad Magnum, Phil Marleau, Markus Nygren
Favorite: Markus Nygren
 
Alexander Valiq Trophy
The league's top offensive defenseman is awarded the Valiq Trophy. Despite Condor Adrienne and Luciano Valentine's efforts this season with a stunning 90 points, as well as teammates Hulk Hogan and Berocka Sundqvist putting up 93 points each, this award is centered around two players; Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate. Downey has had solid seasons leading up to S73, but this year he truly became a star on the blue line, with 74 assists and 32 goals for 106 points. Lincoln Tate won the Beketov Trophy with 85 assists, but he also put in 20 goals for 105 points. Only one point separates the two players, so we need to look a little deeper to try to give someone the edge. Riga was much better than Vancouver this season, which could swing the odds towards Tate. However, Tate also had Guy Sasakamoose on the blue line, who had 88 points, while Downeys best defensive partner had only 68 points, which could give Downey an edge in some voters' eyes. Tate had 10 power play goals, while Downey had 18, which led the league. These two players are practically dead even. This is most likely the hardest award to pick a favorite on, but I think the power play production and lack of another high production defenseman gives Downey a very slight edge over Tate.
 
Nominees: Jeff Downey, Lincoln Tate, Hulk Hogan
Favorite: Jeff Downey
 
Jake Wylde Trophy
The Wylde Trophy is for the league's top defensive defenseman. Warsaw defenseman Alex Bridges led the league in blocked shots with 194, and also put up 259 hits in what was an incredible year for him. The only knock for Bridges is that he played for Warsaw, which put him in a situation where he could pad those stats, which could deter potential voters. Condor Adrienne of the Nighthawks also had a great year, with 273 hits and 171 blocked shots. He also played for a better team than Bridges, and since their stats are relatively close, the fact that Bridges played for a very weak team could really hurt his chances. Erik Killinger also could get some consideration, with 250 hits and 166 blocked shots in S73. You also have the incredible seasons of Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate. Downey had 149 hits and 138 blocked shots, while Tate had 250 hits and 130 blocked shots. This award is another tough one to give out, but it all depends on how the voters view Bridges' success; is it a result of his skill, or were his numbers heavily inflated from playing on a poor team?
 
Nominees: Alex Bridges, Lincoln Tate, Condor Adrienne
Favorite: Lincoln Tate
 
Sterling Labatte Trophy
The league's top overall defenseman takes home the Labatte, one of the most prestigious awards the league has to offer. Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate are obvious favorites due to their offensive productions, but there are plenty of other players who deserve some consideration. Hulk Hogan and Berocka Sundqvist both had 93 points this year while also putting up good defensive numbers. Condor Adrienne had 90 points as well as defensive stats that put him in the Wylde Trophy debate, and the same can be said for Alex Bridges. Despite all these great performances by defenseman, they are overshadowed by Downey and Tate. Downey may take home the Valiq, but Tate can also take home the Wylde. The difference between Tate and Downey’s offensive totals are very slim, but the difference in their defensive numbers are much greater, which is why Lincoln Tate may have the edge.
 
Nominees: Alex Bridges, Lincoln Tate, Jeff Downey
Favorite: Lincoln Tate
 
Greg Clegane Trophy
The Clegane goes to the goaltender with the lowest goals against average, which belongs to Jacques Lafontaine for the second consecutive year. His GAA of 2.46 just barely edged out Rayz Funk and A Red Guy.
 
Aidan Shaw Trophy
The Shaw Trophy is for the league's top goaltender. Jacques Lafontaine and Greg Eagles both had great seasons, but not good enough to earn serious consideration most likely. Lafontaine won the Clegane, but his .917 save percentage is too low to get votes, and while Eagles had a .920 save percentage and 2.54 GAA, it’s just a little behind the two frontrunners for the Shaw, which are Rayz Funk and A Red Guy. Funk has surprisingly never won the Shaw, but has put up some great seasons, and this year was one of his best. With a 2.48 GAA and a .921 GAA, as well as six shutouts, Funk was one of the top two goalies this year. The other goalie in question is the Americans netminder A Red Guy, who got a lot of votes for most outstanding player. He had a 2.51 GAA and a .928 save percentage in what was a career year for him. He also had eight shutouts, the most in the league in S73 and the most he’s had in a single season. A Red Guy likely has the edge over Funk but it certainly isn’t an easy decision.
 
Nominees: Greg Eagles, Rayz Funk, A Red Guy
Favorite: A Red Guy
 
Daisuke Kanou Trophy
The Kanou goes to the playoff MVP, and this year it couldn’t be an easier choice. Hats off to Scott Greene’s 22 points in 19 games, as well as Berocka Sundqvists 20 points, but Rayz Funk is without a doubt the Kanou winner this season. That brings his Kanou total to four, which is the record for most all time, beating out the one and only Daisuke Kanou, who won three in his career. Funk also broke the record for most playoff wins in a career this postseason, as he guided the Bears to a 3-1 comeback over the Wranglers in the conference finals before taking down the Titans in six. Funk’s .936 save percentage is nearly the best mark of his playoff career, while his goals against average of 2.04 is the second lowest through all of his postseason runs. The argument can be made that no player or goalie in VHL history raises their game more than Rayz Funk does in the playoffs. Perhaps in the future, this award will be named the Rayz Funk Trophy, although that is a bit unlikely. Funk should easily win his fourth Kanou of his career on awards night.
 
Nominees: Rayz Funk, Berocka Sundqvist, Scott Greene
Favorite: Rayz Funk
 
Scotty Campbell Trophy
Nicknamed after the league's greatest player, the Scotty Campbell Trophy goes out to the league's MVP. It is always difficult to pick favorites for this award. A Red Guy is the first player that jumps off the page, as his league best eight shutouts and .928 save percentage helped guide the Americans to 43 wins and fifth place in the league, despite not having a top 15 scorer this season. RJ Jubis for Calgary also can get some recognition with 99 points, which helped Calgary secure the second seed in the North American Conference. Perhaps Scott Greene gets some consideration as the top scorer on Seattle with 105 points this year with 75 assists. Lincoln Tate could also get some recognition for Riga, as their top scorer and one of the best defenseman in the league. Picking players as nominees for this award is really difficult, but I think the lack of a real stand out candidate really boosts A Red Guys chances. 
 
Nominees: Scott Greene, A Red Guy, Lincoln Tate
Favorite: A Red Guy
 
Thank you to those who read VSN’s S73 VHL Award Preview! Good luck to all players that are in the running for an award!
 
 

With the S73 VHL Awards set to be awarded tomorrow night, it’s only appropriate to take a rundown of each award to see who might win each award. 
 
 
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 | S74 Draft Coverage | Under 250 
 
 
Mike Szatkowski Trophy
This trophy goes to the player with the most points. This year, Sigard Gunnar’s otherworldly performance brought him to the top of the point list, with 119 points for the Los Angeles Stars. Hunter Hearst Helmsley finished second place with 113 for Warsaw, but it wasn’t enough to win the award.
 
Kevin Brooks Trophy
The Brooks Trophy goes to the player with the most goals, and Gunnar picks up another piece of hardware. Gunnar had a jaw-dropping 60 goals in S73, by far the most in the league. No other player was able to reach the 50 goal mark, as Brock Louth and Guy Lesieur both had the second-most goals with 46.
 
Alexander Beketov Trophy
The Beketov Trophy belongs to the assists leader in the VHL, and this year it’s none other than Lincoln Tate. Tate had the most assists in the league in S73 with an incredible 85 helpers. When Tate was drafted first overall in the S67 draft, many people thought it wasn’t a great pick, but he has proved the doubters very wrong. With multiple awards over the past few seasons, Tate adds to his collection with his second consecutive Beketov Trophy.
 
Christian Stolzchweiger Trophy 
The top rookie each year earns the Stolzchweiger Trophy, and this year has some fierce competition. Last year no rookie eclipsed the 50 point marker, but this year's rookie class saw two players make it past 72 points, averaging over a point per game. Chicago saw two rookies headline their roster, with winger Adam Syreck having 73 points and fellow winger Squirrely Dan dropping 68 points. Second overall pick Tyler Walker had an impressive rookie campaign for Malmo, with 60 points and 172 blocked shots, but only four hits all year. London also saw numerous rookie sensations take the spotlight, with Jay Jones, James Rose, and The Terrible Trivium scoring 63,63, and 62 points respectively. James Rose especially was fantastic, putting up 63 points as a defenseman alongside 186 hits and 162 blocked shots. Despite all these very strong performances, Chris Hylands finished first among all rookies with 76 points this season. Hylands will be the likely favorite, but Syreck is likely his toughest competition. Syreck had only one less goal despite taking 100 less shots, and had more hits and blocked shots. However, Hylands was -1 on the year, while Syreck was -66 and his hit totals were undoubtedly inflated due to being on an expansion team. It’s a tough call to make, but Chris Hylands is the favorite heading into awards night.
 
Nominees: Adam Syreck, Chris Hylands, James Rose
Favorite: Chris Hylands

 
Dustin Funk Trophy
This trophy goes out to the player who showed the most improvement from the previous season, and every year there is usually a ton of competition for this award. Last year there were plenty of great candidates to choose from, and this year is no different. Top scorer Sigard Gunnar improved by 39 points this year, going from your typical all-star to a superstar in the blink of an eye. Jeff Downey also had a huge breakout season, with 106 points, surpassing his previous career high of 67, while also topping his hit and blocked shots career highs. Guy Lesieur of the Dragons a @lso had a big year, with 99 points, over 40 points higher than his previous career high. Wranglers defenseman General Zod also had a breakout year, going from 14 points to 66 while also having 100 more hits than the season prior. Despite all these names, it’s best to not overthink this award and go with the man who has been the favorite since the first week of S73; Ray Sheilds. After his pedestrian rookie season where he scored only 19 points, Sheilds burst onto the scene in S73. Sheilds was one of the top point scorers in the VHL after two weeks, and even though he didn’t keep up his pace, he still finished with 85 points, a whopping 66 point increase from his rookie year. Sheilds should be the favorite to earn the Funk.
Nominees: Ray Sheilds, Jeff Downey, Guy Lesieur
Favorite: Ray Sheilds
 
Scott Boulet Trophy
The Boulet is handed out to the forward that plays the best two-way game. Generally, the same handful of players are in contention for this award year after year, and this year seems to follow that trend. Phil Marleau led the league in hits with 373, and Chad Magnum finished second with 371, while Markus Nygren was third with 360 hits. All three of these players finished top ten in hits the season prior. Julius Freeman, last season's Boulet winner, had 260 hits and didn’t finish in the top ten for hits this year. Hits aren’t the only metric that are taken into account, as points also play a role, and plus minus can also be a small factor. Many people dislike using plus minus as a player stat because it doesn’t really tell the true story of how well a player plays, but it can be useful sometimes, and this is one of those situations. Nygren, Magnum and Marleau all have very similar hit totals and point totals, but Nygren has a plus 8, better than both Magnum and Marleau by 5 and 6 respectively. This isn’t a big enough margin to give Nygren the edge, but Nygren played for Los Angeles, an expansion team that finished in twelfth place in S73. Nygren even being a plus player is pretty incredible, and the fact that his line all finished as plus players could win over some voters. The Boulet is always a tough award to give out, but Nygren may have the slightest of edges headed into the awards show.
 
Nominees: Chad Magnum, Phil Marleau, Markus Nygren
Favorite: Markus Nygren
 
Alexander Valiq Trophy
The league's top offensive defenseman is awarded the Valiq Trophy. Despite Condor Adrienne and Luciano Valentine's efforts this season with a stunning 90 points, as well as teammates Hulk Hogan and Berocka Sundqvist putting up 93 points each, this award is centered around two players; Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate. Downey has had solid seasons leading up to S73, but this year he truly became a star on the blue line, with 74 assists and 32 goals for 106 points. Lincoln Tate won the Beketov Trophy with 85 assists, but he also put in 20 goals for 105 points. Only one point separates the two players, so we need to look a little deeper to try to give someone the edge. Riga was much better than Vancouver this season, which could swing the odds towards Tate. However, Tate also had Guy Sasakamoose on the blue line, who had 88 points, while Downeys best defensive partner had only 68 points, which could give Downey an edge in some voters' eyes. Tate had 10 power play goals, while Downey had 18, which led the league. These two players are practically dead even. This is most likely the hardest award to pick a favorite on, but I think the power play production and lack of another high production defenseman gives Downey a very slight edge over Tate.
 
Nominees: Jeff Downey, Lincoln Tate, Hulk Hogan
Favorite: Jeff Downey
 
Jake Wylde Trophy
The Wylde Trophy is for the league's top defensive defenseman. Warsaw defenseman Alex Bridges led the league in blocked shots with 194, and also put up 259 hits in what was an incredible year for him. The only knock for Bridges is that he played for Warsaw, which put him in a situation where he could pad those stats, which could deter potential voters. Condor Adrienne of the Nighthawks also had a great year, with 273 hits and 171 blocked shots. He also played for a better team than Bridges, and since their stats are relatively close, the fact that Bridges played for a very weak team could really hurt his chances. Erik Killinger also could get some consideration, with 250 hits and 166 blocked shots in S73. You also have the incredible seasons of Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate. Downey had 149 hits and 138 blocked shots, while Tate had 250 hits and 130 blocked shots. This award is another tough one to give out, but it all depends on how the voters view Bridges' success; is it a result of his skill, or were his numbers heavily inflated from playing on a poor team?
 
Nominees: Alex Bridges, Lincoln Tate, Condor Adrienne
Favorite: Lincoln Tate
 
Sterling Labatte Trophy
The league's top overall defenseman takes home the Labatte, one of the most prestigious awards the league has to offer. Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate are obvious favorites due to their offensive productions, but there are plenty of other players who deserve some consideration. Hulk Hogan and Berocka Sundqvist both had 93 points this year while also putting up good defensive numbers. Condor Adrienne had 90 points as well as defensive stats that put him in the Wylde Trophy debate, and the same can be said for Alex Bridges. Despite all these great performances by defenseman, they are overshadowed by Downey and Tate. Downey may take home the Valiq, but Tate can also take home the Wylde. The difference between Tate and Downey’s offensive totals are very slim, but the difference in their defensive numbers are much greater, which is why Lincoln Tate may have the edge.
 
Nominees: Alex Bridges, Lincoln Tate, Jeff Downey
Favorite: Lincoln Tate
 
Greg Clegane Trophy
The Clegane goes to the goaltender with the lowest goals against average, which belongs to Jacques Lafontaine for the second consecutive year. His GAA of 2.46 just barely edged out Rayz Funk and A Red Guy.
 
Aidan Shaw Trophy
The Shaw Trophy is for the league's top goaltender. Jacques Lafontaine and Greg Eagles both had great seasons, but not good enough to earn serious consideration most likely. Lafontaine won the Clegane, but his .917 save percentage is too low to get votes, and while Eagles had a .920 save percentage and 2.54 GAA, it’s just a little behind the two frontrunners for the Shaw, which are Rayz Funk and A Red Guy. Funk has surprisingly never won the Shaw, but has put up some great seasons, and this year was one of his best. With a 2.48 GAA and a .921 GAA, as well as six shutouts, Funk was one of the top two goalies this year. The other goalie in question is the Americans netminder A Red Guy, who got a lot of votes for most outstanding player. He had a 2.51 GAA and a .928 save percentage in what was a career year for him. He also had eight shutouts, the most in the league in S73 and the most he’s had in a single season. A Red Guy likely has the edge over Funk but it certainly isn’t an easy decision.
 
Nominees: Greg Eagles, Rayz Funk, A Red Guy
Favorite: A Red Guy
 
Daisuke Kanou Trophy
The Kanou goes to the playoff MVP, and this year it couldn’t be an easier choice. Hats off to Scott Greene’s 22 points in 19 games, as well as Berocka Sundqvists 20 points, but Rayz Funk is without a doubt the Kanou winner this season. That brings his Kanou total to four, which is the record for most all time, beating out the one and only Daisuke Kanou, who won three in his career. Funk also broke the record for most playoff wins in a career this postseason, as he guided the Bears to a 3-1 comeback over the Wranglers in the conference finals before taking down the Titans in six. Funk’s .936 save percentage is nearly the best mark of his playoff career, while his goals against average of 2.04 is the second lowest through all of his postseason runs. The argument can be made that no player or goalie in VHL history raises their game more than Rayz Funk does in the playoffs. Perhaps in the future, this award will be named the Rayz Funk Trophy, although that is a bit unlikely. Funk should easily win his fourth Kanou of his career on awards night.
 
Nominees: Rayz Funk, Berocka Sundqvist, Scott Greene
Favorite: Rayz Funk
 
Scotty Campbell Trophy
Nicknamed after the league's greatest player, the Scotty Campbell Trophy goes out to the league's MVP. It is always difficult to pick favorites for this award. A Red Guy is the first player that jumps off the page, as his league best eight shutouts and .928 save percentage helped guide the Americans to 43 wins and fifth place in the league, despite not having a top 15 scorer this season. RJ Jubis for Calgary also can get some recognition with 99 points, which helped Calgary secure the second seed in the North American Conference. Perhaps Scott Greene gets some consideration as the top scorer on Seattle with 105 points this year with 75 assists. Lincoln Tate could also get some recognition for Riga, as their top scorer and one of the best defenseman in the league. Picking players as nominees for this award is really difficult, but I think the lack of a real stand out candidate really boosts A Red Guys chances. 
 
Nominees: Scott Greene, A Red Guy, Lincoln Tate
Favorite: A Red Guy
 
Thank you to those who read VSN’s S73 VHL Award Preview! Good luck to all players that are in the running for an award!
 
 

With the S73 VHL Awards set to be awarded tomorrow night, it’s only appropriate to take a rundown of each award to see who might win each award. 
 
 
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 | S74 Draft Coverage | Under 250 
 
 
Mike Szatkowski Trophy
This trophy goes to the player with the most points. This year, Sigard Gunnar’s otherworldly performance brought him to the top of the point list, with 119 points for the Los Angeles Stars. Hunter Hearst Helmsley finished second place with 113 for Warsaw, but it wasn’t enough to win the award.
 
Kevin Brooks Trophy
The Brooks Trophy goes to the player with the most goals, and Gunnar picks up another piece of hardware. Gunnar had a jaw-dropping 60 goals in S73, by far the most in the league. No other player was able to reach the 50 goal mark, as Brock Louth and Guy Lesieur both had the second-most goals with 46.
 
Alexander Beketov Trophy
The Beketov Trophy belongs to the assists leader in the VHL, and this year it’s none other than Lincoln Tate. Tate had the most assists in the league in S73 with an incredible 85 helpers. When Tate was drafted first overall in the S67 draft, many people thought it wasn’t a great pick, but he has proved the doubters very wrong. With multiple awards over the past few seasons, Tate adds to his collection with his second consecutive Beketov Trophy.
 
Christian Stolzchweiger Trophy 
The top rookie each year earns the Stolzchweiger Trophy, and this year has some fierce competition. Last year no rookie eclipsed the 50 point marker, but this year's rookie class saw two players make it past 72 points, averaging over a point per game. Chicago saw two rookies headline their roster, with winger Adam Syreck having 73 points and fellow winger Squirrely Dan dropping 68 points. Second overall pick Tyler Walker had an impressive rookie campaign for Malmo, with 60 points and 172 blocked shots, but only four hits all year. London also saw numerous rookie sensations take the spotlight, with Jay Jones, James Rose, and The Terrible Trivium scoring 63,63, and 62 points respectively. James Rose especially was fantastic, putting up 63 points as a defenseman alongside 186 hits and 162 blocked shots. Despite all these very strong performances, Chris Hylands finished first among all rookies with 76 points this season. Hylands will be the likely favorite, but Syreck is likely his toughest competition. Syreck had only one less goal despite taking 100 less shots, and had more hits and blocked shots. However, Hylands was -1 on the year, while Syreck was -66 and his hit totals were undoubtedly inflated due to being on an expansion team. It’s a tough call to make, but Chris Hylands is the favorite heading into awards night.
 
Nominees: Adam Syreck, Chris Hylands, James Rose
Favorite: Chris Hylands

 
Dustin Funk Trophy
This trophy goes out to the player who showed the most improvement from the previous season, and every year there is usually a ton of competition for this award. Last year there were plenty of great candidates to choose from, and this year is no different. Top scorer Sigard Gunnar improved by 39 points this year, going from your typical all-star to a superstar in the blink of an eye. Jeff Downey also had a huge breakout season, with 106 points, surpassing his previous career high of 67, while also topping his hit and blocked shots career highs. Guy Lesieur of the Dragons a @lso had a big year, with 99 points, over 40 points higher than his previous career high. Wranglers defenseman General Zod also had a breakout year, going from 14 points to 66 while also having 100 more hits than the season prior. Despite all these names, it’s best to not overthink this award and go with the man who has been the favorite since the first week of S73; Ray Sheilds. After his pedestrian rookie season where he scored only 19 points, Sheilds burst onto the scene in S73. Sheilds was one of the top point scorers in the VHL after two weeks, and even though he didn’t keep up his pace, he still finished with 85 points, a whopping 66 point increase from his rookie year. Sheilds should be the favorite to earn the Funk.
Nominees: Ray Sheilds, Jeff Downey, Guy Lesieur
Favorite: Ray Sheilds
 
Scott Boulet Trophy
The Boulet is handed out to the forward that plays the best two-way game. Generally, the same handful of players are in contention for this award year after year, and this year seems to follow that trend. Phil Marleau led the league in hits with 373, and Chad Magnum finished second with 371, while Markus Nygren was third with 360 hits. All three of these players finished top ten in hits the season prior. Julius Freeman, last season's Boulet winner, had 260 hits and didn’t finish in the top ten for hits this year. Hits aren’t the only metric that are taken into account, as points also play a role, and plus minus can also be a small factor. Many people dislike using plus minus as a player stat because it doesn’t really tell the true story of how well a player plays, but it can be useful sometimes, and this is one of those situations. Nygren, Magnum and Marleau all have very similar hit totals and point totals, but Nygren has a plus 8, better than both Magnum and Marleau by 5 and 6 respectively. This isn’t a big enough margin to give Nygren the edge, but Nygren played for Los Angeles, an expansion team that finished in twelfth place in S73. Nygren even being a plus player is pretty incredible, and the fact that his line all finished as plus players could win over some voters. The Boulet is always a tough award to give out, but Nygren may have the slightest of edges headed into the awards show.
 
Nominees: Chad Magnum, Phil Marleau, Markus Nygren
Favorite: Markus Nygren
 
Alexander Valiq Trophy
The league's top offensive defenseman is awarded the Valiq Trophy. Despite Condor Adrienne and Luciano Valentine's efforts this season with a stunning 90 points, as well as teammates Hulk Hogan and Berocka Sundqvist putting up 93 points each, this award is centered around two players; Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate. Downey has had solid seasons leading up to S73, but this year he truly became a star on the blue line, with 74 assists and 32 goals for 106 points. Lincoln Tate won the Beketov Trophy with 85 assists, but he also put in 20 goals for 105 points. Only one point separates the two players, so we need to look a little deeper to try to give someone the edge. Riga was much better than Vancouver this season, which could swing the odds towards Tate. However, Tate also had Guy Sasakamoose on the blue line, who had 88 points, while Downeys best defensive partner had only 68 points, which could give Downey an edge in some voters' eyes. Tate had 10 power play goals, while Downey had 18, which led the league. These two players are practically dead even. This is most likely the hardest award to pick a favorite on, but I think the power play production and lack of another high production defenseman gives Downey a very slight edge over Tate.
 
Nominees: Jeff Downey, Lincoln Tate, Hulk Hogan
Favorite: Jeff Downey
 
Jake Wylde Trophy
The Wylde Trophy is for the league's top defensive defenseman. Warsaw defenseman Alex Bridges led the league in blocked shots with 194, and also put up 259 hits in what was an incredible year for him. The only knock for Bridges is that he played for Warsaw, which put him in a situation where he could pad those stats, which could deter potential voters. Condor Adrienne of the Nighthawks also had a great year, with 273 hits and 171 blocked shots. He also played for a better team than Bridges, and since their stats are relatively close, the fact that Bridges played for a very weak team could really hurt his chances. Erik Killinger also could get some consideration, with 250 hits and 166 blocked shots in S73. You also have the incredible seasons of Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate. Downey had 149 hits and 138 blocked shots, while Tate had 250 hits and 130 blocked shots. This award is another tough one to give out, but it all depends on how the voters view Bridges' success; is it a result of his skill, or were his numbers heavily inflated from playing on a poor team?
 
Nominees: Alex Bridges, Lincoln Tate, Condor Adrienne
Favorite: Lincoln Tate
 
Sterling Labatte Trophy
The league's top overall defenseman takes home the Labatte, one of the most prestigious awards the league has to offer. Jeff Downey and Lincoln Tate are obvious favorites due to their offensive productions, but there are plenty of other players who deserve some consideration. Hulk Hogan and Berocka Sundqvist both had 93 points this year while also putting up good defensive numbers. Condor Adrienne had 90 points as well as defensive stats that put him in the Wylde Trophy debate, and the same can be said for Alex Bridges. Despite all these great performances by defenseman, they are overshadowed by Downey and Tate. Downey may take home the Valiq, but Tate can also take home the Wylde. The difference between Tate and Downey’s offensive totals are very slim, but the difference in their defensive numbers are much greater, which is why Lincoln Tate may have the edge.
 
Nominees: Alex Bridges, Lincoln Tate, Jeff Downey
Favorite: Lincoln Tate
 
Greg Clegane Trophy
The Clegane goes to the goaltender with the lowest goals against average, which belongs to Jacques Lafontaine for the second consecutive year. His GAA of 2.46 just barely edged out Rayz Funk and A Red Guy.
 
Aidan Shaw Trophy
The Shaw Trophy is for the league's top goaltender. Jacques Lafontaine and Greg Eagles both had great seasons, but not good enough to earn serious consideration most likely. Lafontaine won the Clegane, but his .917 save percentage is too low to get votes, and while Eagles had a .920 save percentage and 2.54 GAA, it’s just a little behind the two frontrunners for the Shaw, which are Rayz Funk and A Red Guy. Funk has surprisingly never won the Shaw, but has put up some great seasons, and this year was one of his best. With a 2.48 GAA and a .921 GAA, as well as six shutouts, Funk was one of the top two goalies this year. The other goalie in question is the Americans netminder A Red Guy, who got a lot of votes for most outstanding player. He had a 2.51 GAA and a .928 save percentage in what was a career year for him. He also had eight shutouts, the most in the league in S73 and the most he’s had in a single season. A Red Guy likely has the edge over Funk but it certainly isn’t an easy decision.
 
Nominees: Greg Eagles, Rayz Funk, A Red Guy
Favorite: A Red Guy
 
Daisuke Kanou Trophy
The Kanou goes to the playoff MVP, and this year it couldn’t be an easier choice. Hats off to Scott Greene’s 22 points in 19 games, as well as Berocka Sundqvists 20 points, but Rayz Funk is without a doubt the Kanou winner this season. That brings his Kanou total to four, which is the record for most all time, beating out the one and only Daisuke Kanou, who won three in his career. Funk also broke the record for most playoff wins in a career this postseason, as he guided the Bears to a 3-1 comeback over the Wranglers in the conference finals before taking down the Titans in six. Funk’s .936 save percentage is nearly the best mark of his playoff career, while his goals against average of 2.04 is the second lowest through all of his postseason runs. The argument can be made that no player or goalie in VHL history raises their game more than Rayz Funk does in the playoffs. Perhaps in the future, this award will be named the Rayz Funk Trophy, although that is a bit unlikely. Funk should easily win his fourth Kanou of his career on awards night.
 
Nominees: Rayz Funk, Berocka Sundqvist, Scott Greene
Favorite: Rayz Funk
 
Scotty Campbell Trophy
Nicknamed after the league's greatest player, the Scotty Campbell Trophy goes out to the league's MVP. It is always difficult to pick favorites for this award. A Red Guy is the first player that jumps off the page, as his league best eight shutouts and .928 save percentage helped guide the Americans to 43 wins and fifth place in the league, despite not having a top 15 scorer this season. RJ Jubis for Calgary also can get some recognition with 99 points, which helped Calgary secure the second seed in the North American Conference. Perhaps Scott Greene gets some consideration as the top scorer on Seattle with 105 points this year with 75 assists. Lincoln Tate could also get some recognition for Riga, as their top scorer and one of the best defenseman in the league. Picking players as nominees for this award is really difficult, but I think the lack of a real stand out candidate really boosts A Red Guys chances. 
 
Nominees: Scott Greene, A Red Guy, Lincoln Tate
Favorite: A Red Guy
 
Thank you to those who read VSN’s S73 VHL Award Preview! Good luck to all players that are in the running for an award!
 
 

Not questionable but just hilarious

TBH,
 
blue team should remove a season or two from his GMing record. I don’t even know how many times I brought it up that he was basically doing fuck all, hiring an AGM and then using that to pad his stats but it took something like 5-10 seasons to actually have him removed and it shouldn’t of taken that long. I’m sure focus was elsewhere (firing Shawn), then that personal thing made it bad timing etc.
 
He should not have the statistics he does though and it’s disappointing to be sitting at the same totals for wins as him (973)... knowing many other Assistants - NOT JUST JUBIS.. did much more than 50% of the work, most of the time.
 
As for CGY now, they might be getting better but still not champs. I joke. Jubis and I talk fairly regular. Often, weekly. Sometimes even a day to day thing. Point is, we chat lots. I have lots of respect for him as a person. Started off him as a player, fun shit talk. Evolved into fun and respect and here we are. I help him, he does the same somewhat. Good dude. I wish him nothing but 2nd best behind Seattle haha  

Welcome to the fifth 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 simply can’t put it together for a strong playoff run. The S51 Calgary Wranglers fit that description, as they only would win a single game in the postseason, despite having one of the greatest regular seasons in league history. 
 
The seasons prior to S51, the Wranglers had been building a team slowly but surely through the draft. They drafted forward Travis Gowecny, defenseman Tobias Klingberg, and another forward in Ted Doughty, who they selected second overall in the S49 draft. While these three were not superstars, they were very reliable players that the Wranglers could depend on for the upcoming seasons. They also had goaltender Ariel Weinstein, who was a very strong goaltender for Calgary. He was drafted in S45 by the Quebec City Meute third overall, then played in Stockholm for a few seasons before finding his way to Calgary. He was a veteran goaltender that could help this young Wranglers team thrive. The team had some good young pieces, but didn’t have the big star just yet. In the S50 draft, the Wranglers selected Theo Axelsson second overall, a future Hall of Famer that would be instrumental in Calgary’s success. 
 

Future Hall of Famer Theo Axelsson was an important piece for the Wranglers throughout the early S50s
 
S50 was a solid season for the Wranglers. Theo Axelsson had a strong rookie year with 58 points, but only three players on the team had more than 50 points. The highest-scoring player was defenseman Marquis Hyvarian, who was a veteran for the team, with 63 points. Despite these very low offensive totals, goaltender Weinstein put up incredible numbers, with a 2.05 GAA and a .929 save percentage. This also was a time where goaltending dominated the league, with the likes of the Clegane brothers, Hans Wingate, and Jakab Holik, three of which are in the Hall of Fame, and Holik has been on the ballot for many seasons. The Wranglers finished with a record of 33-29-10, far from elite but it got them into the playoffs as the third seed in the North American Conference. 
 
They were promptly swept by the Quebec City Meute, but it was a valuable experience for Calgary. They were on the right track, and a couple more solid pieces could make them a contender. Unfortunately for Calgary, they couldn’t pick up anyone in the draft, as S51 was one of the worst draft classes in history, with only twelve players being taken, not even enough to fill out two rounds. They had to resort to free agency.
 
Building teams through free agency is risky. You usually have to overpay for players in free agency, and many people believe building a team through the draft and trades is a better way. The S51 Wranglers had a very different philosophy. In order to try to bring their roster a couple more solid players to really take a big step forward, they signed not one, not two, not three, but four elite players who would go on to receive votes to make it into the Hall of Fame, although only three of them would end up actually making it. Those players were Unassisted, Black Velvet, Tyson Kohler, and Aleksi Koponen. The Wranglers went from a decent up and coming team to the best team in the league in the blink of an eye. Anything short of a cup this year would be a failure.
 
The regular season showed how incredible this team could be. They put up an astounding 132 points and 64 wins, one of the best seasons in VHL history. They had by far the best offense in the league, scoring 283 goals, nearly 40 more than the next best offensive team. The Wranglers' defense was also incredibly elite. Let's look at the best defensive season for every other team in their franchise history. The majority of the best seasons for each team defensively are around 115-130 goals against throughout that season, such as the Bears 128 goals against in S27, and the Titans 126 goals against in S33. The Meute had the best defensive season out of all of the other teams, allowing only 110 in S49. The Wranglers in S51 allowed only 96. Based on what I could find, that is the only time a team has ever allowed less than 100 goals against in a season. That’s barely more than one goal per game. The S51 Wranglers had statistically the greatest defense in VHL history. 
 
The strong defensive core they had certainly played a huge factor in allowing only 96 goals all year. Black Velvet's 98 assists were the most in the league, and his 121 points were the most any defenseman had that year. Tobias Klingberg also contributed with 56 points of his own, but this defense was all about Black Velvet, as well as goaltender Ariel Weinstein. His .932 save percentage, 1.35 GAA, and 16 shutouts were some of the highest totals in the league, and had the Greg Clegane trophy, which was given to the goalie with the lowest GAA, existed back in S51, Weinstein would have won the award. Weinstein's .932 save percentage is tied for tenth best all time, his 1.35 GAA is fourth best all time, and 16 shutouts is also tied for tenth most all time .The Wranglers' defense and goaltending was incredible, but the forwards deserve some love too.
 

Ariel Weinsteins historic season helped the Wranglers win 64 games in S51
 
Aleksi Koponen led the team with 135 points and 60 goals, while Tyson Kohler had 122 points. Travis Gowecny had 71 points, complementing Koponen and Kohler on the first line and they formed a deadly lineup. On the second line, Unassisted had 106 points, including 54 goals, while Theo Axelsson had 65 points to support him. The team was noticeably top heavy, but they still were an incredible team. They were heavy favorites to win the cup in S51, and anything less than that would be disappointing.
 
Since they finished first in the North American Conference, they received a bye, and would end up facing the Toronto Legion in the conference finals. The Legion had some elite talent themselves, with Zach Parechkin and Max Molholt leading the team, both of which are Hall of Famers. Goaltender Greg Clegane had a season arguably as good, if not better than Ariel Weinstein, with a .940 save percentage and a 1.50 GAA, which are the second and eighth best all time respectively. The series was likely to come down to the goaltender battle; could Weinstein outduel Greg Clegane?
 
Game One was an intense matchup, as it was tied at one after regulation, and overtime was needed. Both goaltenders were playing incredibly, as was expected. After five minutes of overtime, Zach Parechkin scored to win the game for the Legion. Clegane’s .972 save percentage in game one helped the Legion pick up the win, as they were outshot by ten and outplayed for most of the game. The Wranglers had to win game two. In Game Two, Tyson Kohler scored only six seconds into the game, but the Legion tied the game up at one only a few minutes later. After that, the defense settled in and we went through the next two periods without any goals, still tied at one. Unassisted scored on the powerplay early in the third to give the Wranglers a 2-1 lead, and Weinstein shut down the Legion as Calgary would win Game Two and tie the series. Weinstein won the goaltending battle in Game Two, with 26 saves on 27 shots. Game three in Toronto was coming up next.
 
Game Three was not how Calgary expected. Max Molholt’s goal just twelve seconds in seemingly set the tone for the remainder of the game, as the Legion would go on to win 4-0. Clegane stopped all 26 shots he faced, and the Legion easily won Game Three. Game Four was now a must-win for the Wranglers, as they wouldn’t want to go down 3-1. Unassisted and Molholt traded goals in the second period of Game Four, and it was tied at one heading to the third. The Wranglers could not score, most notably their top line. Unassisted was doing what he had to do, but Koponen, Kohler, and Black Velvet had been very disappointing thus far. About halfway through the third, the Legion scored to take the league. The goal scorer was Marquis Hyvarinen, who was the Wranglers' leading scorer just a year prior, but they let him leave as they pursued other marquee free agents. That goal would end up being the winner, and Toronto would take a 3-1 series lead. Weinstein bounced back from Game Three, but his efforts were still not enough to help the Wranglers win. You can’t blame the goalie when your team has four goals in four games. Game Five was do or die for the Wranglers.
 
The home fans in Calgary had waited all season for a possible cup, but their hopes seemed to be crashing down. Greg Clegane was putting up some of the best performances ever against the Wranglers, and this elite offense failed to do much, but there was still hope. After all, the Legion’s offense hadn’t done great either. It was a scoreless first period in Game Five, but the Legion took the lead midway through the second to go up by one headed to the third. If the Wranglers didn’t score in the next 20 minutes, their 64 win season would have gone to waste. Midway through the third, the Legion go on a rush and score again, doubling their lead. Aleksi Koponen finally scored his first of the playoffs with a few minutes to go, but it was too late. The Legion would win Game Five 2-1, and win the series. Weinstein made 38 saves in Game Five, keeping the Wranglers in the game even though they were seriously outplayed. The Wranglers relied on elite scoring, but it disappeared when they needed it the most. Greg Clegane single-handedly won this series for the Legion.
 

Greg Clegane's performance against Calgary was one of the greatest single series performances in VHL history
 
In S52, they still won 50 games, but lost Unassisted during the offseason. They would lose in the semi-finals that year, and it all came crashing down after that. During the S52 offseason, they lost everyone, as Tyson Kohler, Black Velvet, Ariel Weinstein, Aleksi Koponen, and Theo Axelsson were no longer on the team by the time S53 began. The Wranglers' elite weapons were shut down against the Legion, and Greg Clegane’s performance may have been the greatest single series performance of all time. The S51 Wranglers were one of the best teams ever, but could only win one game when it mattered most.
 
 

Welcome to the fifth 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 simply can’t put it together for a strong playoff run. The S51 Calgary Wranglers fit that description, as they only would win a single game in the postseason, despite having one of the greatest regular seasons in league history. 
 
The seasons prior to S51, the Wranglers had been building a team slowly but surely through the draft. They drafted forward Travis Gowecny, defenseman Tobias Klingberg, and another forward in Ted Doughty, who they selected second overall in the S49 draft. While these three were not superstars, they were very reliable players that the Wranglers could depend on for the upcoming seasons. They also had goaltender Ariel Weinstein, who was a very strong goaltender for Calgary. He was drafted in S45 by the Quebec City Meute third overall, then played in Stockholm for a few seasons before finding his way to Calgary. He was a veteran goaltender that could help this young Wranglers team thrive. The team had some good young pieces, but didn’t have the big star just yet. In the S50 draft, the Wranglers selected Theo Axelsson second overall, a future Hall of Famer that would be instrumental in Calgary’s success. 
 

Future Hall of Famer Theo Axelsson was an important piece for the Wranglers throughout the early S50s
 
S50 was a solid season for the Wranglers. Theo Axelsson had a strong rookie year with 58 points, but only three players on the team had more than 50 points. The highest-scoring player was defenseman Marquis Hyvarian, who was a veteran for the team, with 63 points. Despite these very low offensive totals, goaltender Weinstein put up incredible numbers, with a 2.05 GAA and a .929 save percentage. This also was a time where goaltending dominated the league, with the likes of the Clegane brothers, Hans Wingate, and Jakab Holik, three of which are in the Hall of Fame, and Holik has been on the ballot for many seasons. The Wranglers finished with a record of 33-29-10, far from elite but it got them into the playoffs as the third seed in the North American Conference. 
 
They were promptly swept by the Quebec City Meute, but it was a valuable experience for Calgary. They were on the right track, and a couple more solid pieces could make them a contender. Unfortunately for Calgary, they couldn’t pick up anyone in the draft, as S51 was one of the worst draft classes in history, with only twelve players being taken, not even enough to fill out two rounds. They had to resort to free agency.
 
Building teams through free agency is risky. You usually have to overpay for players in free agency, and many people believe building a team through the draft and trades is a better way. The S51 Wranglers had a very different philosophy. In order to try to bring their roster a couple more solid players to really take a big step forward, they signed not one, not two, not three, but four elite players who would go on to receive votes to make it into the Hall of Fame, although only three of them would end up actually making it. Those players were Unassisted, Black Velvet, Tyson Kohler, and Aleksi Koponen. The Wranglers went from a decent up and coming team to the best team in the league in the blink of an eye. Anything short of a cup this year would be a failure.
 
The regular season showed how incredible this team could be. They put up an astounding 132 points and 64 wins, one of the best seasons in VHL history. They had by far the best offense in the league, scoring 283 goals, nearly 40 more than the next best offensive team. The Wranglers' defense was also incredibly elite. Let's look at the best defensive season for every other team in their franchise history. The majority of the best seasons for each team defensively are around 115-130 goals against throughout that season, such as the Bears 128 goals against in S27, and the Titans 126 goals against in S33. The Meute had the best defensive season out of all of the other teams, allowing only 110 in S49. The Wranglers in S51 allowed only 96. Based on what I could find, that is the only time a team has ever allowed less than 100 goals against in a season. That’s barely more than one goal per game. The S51 Wranglers had statistically the greatest defense in VHL history. 
 
The strong defensive core they had certainly played a huge factor in allowing only 96 goals all year. Black Velvet's 98 assists were the most in the league, and his 121 points were the most any defenseman had that year. Tobias Klingberg also contributed with 56 points of his own, but this defense was all about Black Velvet, as well as goaltender Ariel Weinstein. His .932 save percentage, 1.35 GAA, and 16 shutouts were some of the highest totals in the league, and had the Greg Clegane trophy, which was given to the goalie with the lowest GAA, existed back in S51, Weinstein would have won the award. Weinstein's .932 save percentage is tied for tenth best all time, his 1.35 GAA is fourth best all time, and 16 shutouts is also tied for tenth most all time .The Wranglers' defense and goaltending was incredible, but the forwards deserve some love too.
 

Ariel Weinsteins historic season helped the Wranglers win 64 games in S51
 
Aleksi Koponen led the team with 135 points and 60 goals, while Tyson Kohler had 122 points. Travis Gowecny had 71 points, complementing Koponen and Kohler on the first line and they formed a deadly lineup. On the second line, Unassisted had 106 points, including 54 goals, while Theo Axelsson had 65 points to support him. The team was noticeably top heavy, but they still were an incredible team. They were heavy favorites to win the cup in S51, and anything less than that would be disappointing.
 
Since they finished first in the North American Conference, they received a bye, and would end up facing the Toronto Legion in the conference finals. The Legion had some elite talent themselves, with Zach Parechkin and Max Molholt leading the team, both of which are Hall of Famers. Goaltender Greg Clegane had a season arguably as good, if not better than Ariel Weinstein, with a .940 save percentage and a 1.50 GAA, which are the second and eighth best all time respectively. The series was likely to come down to the goaltender battle; could Weinstein outduel Greg Clegane?
 
Game One was an intense matchup, as it was tied at one after regulation, and overtime was needed. Both goaltenders were playing incredibly, as was expected. After five minutes of overtime, Zach Parechkin scored to win the game for the Legion. Clegane’s .972 save percentage in game one helped the Legion pick up the win, as they were outshot by ten and outplayed for most of the game. The Wranglers had to win game two. In Game Two, Tyson Kohler scored only six seconds into the game, but the Legion tied the game up at one only a few minutes later. After that, the defense settled in and we went through the next two periods without any goals, still tied at one. Unassisted scored on the powerplay early in the third to give the Wranglers a 2-1 lead, and Weinstein shut down the Legion as Calgary would win Game Two and tie the series. Weinstein won the goaltending battle in Game Two, with 26 saves on 27 shots. Game three in Toronto was coming up next.
 
Game Three was not how Calgary expected. Max Molholt’s goal just twelve seconds in seemingly set the tone for the remainder of the game, as the Legion would go on to win 4-0. Clegane stopped all 26 shots he faced, and the Legion easily won Game Three. Game Four was now a must-win for the Wranglers, as they wouldn’t want to go down 3-1. Unassisted and Molholt traded goals in the second period of Game Four, and it was tied at one heading to the third. The Wranglers could not score, most notably their top line. Unassisted was doing what he had to do, but Koponen, Kohler, and Black Velvet had been very disappointing thus far. About halfway through the third, the Legion scored to take the league. The goal scorer was Marquis Hyvarinen, who was the Wranglers' leading scorer just a year prior, but they let him leave as they pursued other marquee free agents. That goal would end up being the winner, and Toronto would take a 3-1 series lead. Weinstein bounced back from Game Three, but his efforts were still not enough to help the Wranglers win. You can’t blame the goalie when your team has four goals in four games. Game Five was do or die for the Wranglers.
 
The home fans in Calgary had waited all season for a possible cup, but their hopes seemed to be crashing down. Greg Clegane was putting up some of the best performances ever against the Wranglers, and this elite offense failed to do much, but there was still hope. After all, the Legion’s offense hadn’t done great either. It was a scoreless first period in Game Five, but the Legion took the lead midway through the second to go up by one headed to the third. If the Wranglers didn’t score in the next 20 minutes, their 64 win season would have gone to waste. Midway through the third, the Legion go on a rush and score again, doubling their lead. Aleksi Koponen finally scored his first of the playoffs with a few minutes to go, but it was too late. The Legion would win Game Five 2-1, and win the series. Weinstein made 38 saves in Game Five, keeping the Wranglers in the game even though they were seriously outplayed. The Wranglers relied on elite scoring, but it disappeared when they needed it the most. Greg Clegane single-handedly won this series for the Legion.
 

Greg Clegane's performance against Calgary was one of the greatest single series performances in VHL history
 
In S52, they still won 50 games, but lost Unassisted during the offseason. They would lose in the semi-finals that year, and it all came crashing down after that. During the S52 offseason, they lost everyone, as Tyson Kohler, Black Velvet, Ariel Weinstein, Aleksi Koponen, and Theo Axelsson were no longer on the team by the time S53 began. The Wranglers' elite weapons were shut down against the Legion, and Greg Clegane’s performance may have been the greatest single series performance of all time. The S51 Wranglers were one of the best teams ever, but could only win one game when it mattered most.
 
 

Welcome to the fifth 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 simply can’t put it together for a strong playoff run. The S51 Calgary Wranglers fit that description, as they only would win a single game in the postseason, despite having one of the greatest regular seasons in league history. 
 
The seasons prior to S51, the Wranglers had been building a team slowly but surely through the draft. They drafted forward Travis Gowecny, defenseman Tobias Klingberg, and another forward in Ted Doughty, who they selected second overall in the S49 draft. While these three were not superstars, they were very reliable players that the Wranglers could depend on for the upcoming seasons. They also had goaltender Ariel Weinstein, who was a very strong goaltender for Calgary. He was drafted in S45 by the Quebec City Meute third overall, then played in Stockholm for a few seasons before finding his way to Calgary. He was a veteran goaltender that could help this young Wranglers team thrive. The team had some good young pieces, but didn’t have the big star just yet. In the S50 draft, the Wranglers selected Theo Axelsson second overall, a future Hall of Famer that would be instrumental in Calgary’s success. 
 

Future Hall of Famer Theo Axelsson was an important piece for the Wranglers throughout the early S50s
 
S50 was a solid season for the Wranglers. Theo Axelsson had a strong rookie year with 58 points, but only three players on the team had more than 50 points. The highest-scoring player was defenseman Marquis Hyvarian, who was a veteran for the team, with 63 points. Despite these very low offensive totals, goaltender Weinstein put up incredible numbers, with a 2.05 GAA and a .929 save percentage. This also was a time where goaltending dominated the league, with the likes of the Clegane brothers, Hans Wingate, and Jakab Holik, three of which are in the Hall of Fame, and Holik has been on the ballot for many seasons. The Wranglers finished with a record of 33-29-10, far from elite but it got them into the playoffs as the third seed in the North American Conference. 
 
They were promptly swept by the Quebec City Meute, but it was a valuable experience for Calgary. They were on the right track, and a couple more solid pieces could make them a contender. Unfortunately for Calgary, they couldn’t pick up anyone in the draft, as S51 was one of the worst draft classes in history, with only twelve players being taken, not even enough to fill out two rounds. They had to resort to free agency.
 
Building teams through free agency is risky. You usually have to overpay for players in free agency, and many people believe building a team through the draft and trades is a better way. The S51 Wranglers had a very different philosophy. In order to try to bring their roster a couple more solid players to really take a big step forward, they signed not one, not two, not three, but four elite players who would go on to receive votes to make it into the Hall of Fame, although only three of them would end up actually making it. Those players were Unassisted, Black Velvet, Tyson Kohler, and Aleksi Koponen. The Wranglers went from a decent up and coming team to the best team in the league in the blink of an eye. Anything short of a cup this year would be a failure.
 
The regular season showed how incredible this team could be. They put up an astounding 132 points and 64 wins, one of the best seasons in VHL history. They had by far the best offense in the league, scoring 283 goals, nearly 40 more than the next best offensive team. The Wranglers' defense was also incredibly elite. Let's look at the best defensive season for every other team in their franchise history. The majority of the best seasons for each team defensively are around 115-130 goals against throughout that season, such as the Bears 128 goals against in S27, and the Titans 126 goals against in S33. The Meute had the best defensive season out of all of the other teams, allowing only 110 in S49. The Wranglers in S51 allowed only 96. Based on what I could find, that is the only time a team has ever allowed less than 100 goals against in a season. That’s barely more than one goal per game. The S51 Wranglers had statistically the greatest defense in VHL history. 
 
The strong defensive core they had certainly played a huge factor in allowing only 96 goals all year. Black Velvet's 98 assists were the most in the league, and his 121 points were the most any defenseman had that year. Tobias Klingberg also contributed with 56 points of his own, but this defense was all about Black Velvet, as well as goaltender Ariel Weinstein. His .932 save percentage, 1.35 GAA, and 16 shutouts were some of the highest totals in the league, and had the Greg Clegane trophy, which was given to the goalie with the lowest GAA, existed back in S51, Weinstein would have won the award. Weinstein's .932 save percentage is tied for tenth best all time, his 1.35 GAA is fourth best all time, and 16 shutouts is also tied for tenth most all time .The Wranglers' defense and goaltending was incredible, but the forwards deserve some love too.
 

Ariel Weinsteins historic season helped the Wranglers win 64 games in S51
 
Aleksi Koponen led the team with 135 points and 60 goals, while Tyson Kohler had 122 points. Travis Gowecny had 71 points, complementing Koponen and Kohler on the first line and they formed a deadly lineup. On the second line, Unassisted had 106 points, including 54 goals, while Theo Axelsson had 65 points to support him. The team was noticeably top heavy, but they still were an incredible team. They were heavy favorites to win the cup in S51, and anything less than that would be disappointing.
 
Since they finished first in the North American Conference, they received a bye, and would end up facing the Toronto Legion in the conference finals. The Legion had some elite talent themselves, with Zach Parechkin and Max Molholt leading the team, both of which are Hall of Famers. Goaltender Greg Clegane had a season arguably as good, if not better than Ariel Weinstein, with a .940 save percentage and a 1.50 GAA, which are the second and eighth best all time respectively. The series was likely to come down to the goaltender battle; could Weinstein outduel Greg Clegane?
 
Game One was an intense matchup, as it was tied at one after regulation, and overtime was needed. Both goaltenders were playing incredibly, as was expected. After five minutes of overtime, Zach Parechkin scored to win the game for the Legion. Clegane’s .972 save percentage in game one helped the Legion pick up the win, as they were outshot by ten and outplayed for most of the game. The Wranglers had to win game two. In Game Two, Tyson Kohler scored only six seconds into the game, but the Legion tied the game up at one only a few minutes later. After that, the defense settled in and we went through the next two periods without any goals, still tied at one. Unassisted scored on the powerplay early in the third to give the Wranglers a 2-1 lead, and Weinstein shut down the Legion as Calgary would win Game Two and tie the series. Weinstein won the goaltending battle in Game Two, with 26 saves on 27 shots. Game three in Toronto was coming up next.
 
Game Three was not how Calgary expected. Max Molholt’s goal just twelve seconds in seemingly set the tone for the remainder of the game, as the Legion would go on to win 4-0. Clegane stopped all 26 shots he faced, and the Legion easily won Game Three. Game Four was now a must-win for the Wranglers, as they wouldn’t want to go down 3-1. Unassisted and Molholt traded goals in the second period of Game Four, and it was tied at one heading to the third. The Wranglers could not score, most notably their top line. Unassisted was doing what he had to do, but Koponen, Kohler, and Black Velvet had been very disappointing thus far. About halfway through the third, the Legion scored to take the league. The goal scorer was Marquis Hyvarinen, who was the Wranglers' leading scorer just a year prior, but they let him leave as they pursued other marquee free agents. That goal would end up being the winner, and Toronto would take a 3-1 series lead. Weinstein bounced back from Game Three, but his efforts were still not enough to help the Wranglers win. You can’t blame the goalie when your team has four goals in four games. Game Five was do or die for the Wranglers.
 
The home fans in Calgary had waited all season for a possible cup, but their hopes seemed to be crashing down. Greg Clegane was putting up some of the best performances ever against the Wranglers, and this elite offense failed to do much, but there was still hope. After all, the Legion’s offense hadn’t done great either. It was a scoreless first period in Game Five, but the Legion took the lead midway through the second to go up by one headed to the third. If the Wranglers didn’t score in the next 20 minutes, their 64 win season would have gone to waste. Midway through the third, the Legion go on a rush and score again, doubling their lead. Aleksi Koponen finally scored his first of the playoffs with a few minutes to go, but it was too late. The Legion would win Game Five 2-1, and win the series. Weinstein made 38 saves in Game Five, keeping the Wranglers in the game even though they were seriously outplayed. The Wranglers relied on elite scoring, but it disappeared when they needed it the most. Greg Clegane single-handedly won this series for the Legion.
 

Greg Clegane's performance against Calgary was one of the greatest single series performances in VHL history
 
In S52, they still won 50 games, but lost Unassisted during the offseason. They would lose in the semi-finals that year, and it all came crashing down after that. During the S52 offseason, they lost everyone, as Tyson Kohler, Black Velvet, Ariel Weinstein, Aleksi Koponen, and Theo Axelsson were no longer on the team by the time S53 began. The Wranglers' elite weapons were shut down against the Legion, and Greg Clegane’s performance may have been the greatest single series performance of all time. The S51 Wranglers were one of the best teams ever, but could only win one game when it mattered most.
 
 

Welcome to the fifth 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 simply can’t put it together for a strong playoff run. The S51 Calgary Wranglers fit that description, as they only would win a single game in the postseason, despite having one of the greatest regular seasons in league history. 
 
The seasons prior to S51, the Wranglers had been building a team slowly but surely through the draft. They drafted forward Travis Gowecny, defenseman Tobias Klingberg, and another forward in Ted Doughty, who they selected second overall in the S49 draft. While these three were not superstars, they were very reliable players that the Wranglers could depend on for the upcoming seasons. They also had goaltender Ariel Weinstein, who was a very strong goaltender for Calgary. He was drafted in S45 by the Quebec City Meute third overall, then played in Stockholm for a few seasons before finding his way to Calgary. He was a veteran goaltender that could help this young Wranglers team thrive. The team had some good young pieces, but didn’t have the big star just yet. In the S50 draft, the Wranglers selected Theo Axelsson second overall, a future Hall of Famer that would be instrumental in Calgary’s success. 
 

Future Hall of Famer Theo Axelsson was an important piece for the Wranglers throughout the early S50s
 
S50 was a solid season for the Wranglers. Theo Axelsson had a strong rookie year with 58 points, but only three players on the team had more than 50 points. The highest-scoring player was defenseman Marquis Hyvarian, who was a veteran for the team, with 63 points. Despite these very low offensive totals, goaltender Weinstein put up incredible numbers, with a 2.05 GAA and a .929 save percentage. This also was a time where goaltending dominated the league, with the likes of the Clegane brothers, Hans Wingate, and Jakab Holik, three of which are in the Hall of Fame, and Holik has been on the ballot for many seasons. The Wranglers finished with a record of 33-29-10, far from elite but it got them into the playoffs as the third seed in the North American Conference. 
 
They were promptly swept by the Quebec City Meute, but it was a valuable experience for Calgary. They were on the right track, and a couple more solid pieces could make them a contender. Unfortunately for Calgary, they couldn’t pick up anyone in the draft, as S51 was one of the worst draft classes in history, with only twelve players being taken, not even enough to fill out two rounds. They had to resort to free agency.
 
Building teams through free agency is risky. You usually have to overpay for players in free agency, and many people believe building a team through the draft and trades is a better way. The S51 Wranglers had a very different philosophy. In order to try to bring their roster a couple more solid players to really take a big step forward, they signed not one, not two, not three, but four elite players who would go on to receive votes to make it into the Hall of Fame, although only three of them would end up actually making it. Those players were Unassisted, Black Velvet, Tyson Kohler, and Aleksi Koponen. The Wranglers went from a decent up and coming team to the best team in the league in the blink of an eye. Anything short of a cup this year would be a failure.
 
The regular season showed how incredible this team could be. They put up an astounding 132 points and 64 wins, one of the best seasons in VHL history. They had by far the best offense in the league, scoring 283 goals, nearly 40 more than the next best offensive team. The Wranglers' defense was also incredibly elite. Let's look at the best defensive season for every other team in their franchise history. The majority of the best seasons for each team defensively are around 115-130 goals against throughout that season, such as the Bears 128 goals against in S27, and the Titans 126 goals against in S33. The Meute had the best defensive season out of all of the other teams, allowing only 110 in S49. The Wranglers in S51 allowed only 96. Based on what I could find, that is the only time a team has ever allowed less than 100 goals against in a season. That’s barely more than one goal per game. The S51 Wranglers had statistically the greatest defense in VHL history. 
 
The strong defensive core they had certainly played a huge factor in allowing only 96 goals all year. Black Velvet's 98 assists were the most in the league, and his 121 points were the most any defenseman had that year. Tobias Klingberg also contributed with 56 points of his own, but this defense was all about Black Velvet, as well as goaltender Ariel Weinstein. His .932 save percentage, 1.35 GAA, and 16 shutouts were some of the highest totals in the league, and had the Greg Clegane trophy, which was given to the goalie with the lowest GAA, existed back in S51, Weinstein would have won the award. Weinstein's .932 save percentage is tied for tenth best all time, his 1.35 GAA is fourth best all time, and 16 shutouts is also tied for tenth most all time .The Wranglers' defense and goaltending was incredible, but the forwards deserve some love too.
 

Ariel Weinsteins historic season helped the Wranglers win 64 games in S51
 
Aleksi Koponen led the team with 135 points and 60 goals, while Tyson Kohler had 122 points. Travis Gowecny had 71 points, complementing Koponen and Kohler on the first line and they formed a deadly lineup. On the second line, Unassisted had 106 points, including 54 goals, while Theo Axelsson had 65 points to support him. The team was noticeably top heavy, but they still were an incredible team. They were heavy favorites to win the cup in S51, and anything less than that would be disappointing.
 
Since they finished first in the North American Conference, they received a bye, and would end up facing the Toronto Legion in the conference finals. The Legion had some elite talent themselves, with Zach Parechkin and Max Molholt leading the team, both of which are Hall of Famers. Goaltender Greg Clegane had a season arguably as good, if not better than Ariel Weinstein, with a .940 save percentage and a 1.50 GAA, which are the second and eighth best all time respectively. The series was likely to come down to the goaltender battle; could Weinstein outduel Greg Clegane?
 
Game One was an intense matchup, as it was tied at one after regulation, and overtime was needed. Both goaltenders were playing incredibly, as was expected. After five minutes of overtime, Zach Parechkin scored to win the game for the Legion. Clegane’s .972 save percentage in game one helped the Legion pick up the win, as they were outshot by ten and outplayed for most of the game. The Wranglers had to win game two. In Game Two, Tyson Kohler scored only six seconds into the game, but the Legion tied the game up at one only a few minutes later. After that, the defense settled in and we went through the next two periods without any goals, still tied at one. Unassisted scored on the powerplay early in the third to give the Wranglers a 2-1 lead, and Weinstein shut down the Legion as Calgary would win Game Two and tie the series. Weinstein won the goaltending battle in Game Two, with 26 saves on 27 shots. Game three in Toronto was coming up next.
 
Game Three was not how Calgary expected. Max Molholt’s goal just twelve seconds in seemingly set the tone for the remainder of the game, as the Legion would go on to win 4-0. Clegane stopped all 26 shots he faced, and the Legion easily won Game Three. Game Four was now a must-win for the Wranglers, as they wouldn’t want to go down 3-1. Unassisted and Molholt traded goals in the second period of Game Four, and it was tied at one heading to the third. The Wranglers could not score, most notably their top line. Unassisted was doing what he had to do, but Koponen, Kohler, and Black Velvet had been very disappointing thus far. About halfway through the third, the Legion scored to take the league. The goal scorer was Marquis Hyvarinen, who was the Wranglers' leading scorer just a year prior, but they let him leave as they pursued other marquee free agents. That goal would end up being the winner, and Toronto would take a 3-1 series lead. Weinstein bounced back from Game Three, but his efforts were still not enough to help the Wranglers win. You can’t blame the goalie when your team has four goals in four games. Game Five was do or die for the Wranglers.
 
The home fans in Calgary had waited all season for a possible cup, but their hopes seemed to be crashing down. Greg Clegane was putting up some of the best performances ever against the Wranglers, and this elite offense failed to do much, but there was still hope. After all, the Legion’s offense hadn’t done great either. It was a scoreless first period in Game Five, but the Legion took the lead midway through the second to go up by one headed to the third. If the Wranglers didn’t score in the next 20 minutes, their 64 win season would have gone to waste. Midway through the third, the Legion go on a rush and score again, doubling their lead. Aleksi Koponen finally scored his first of the playoffs with a few minutes to go, but it was too late. The Legion would win Game Five 2-1, and win the series. Weinstein made 38 saves in Game Five, keeping the Wranglers in the game even though they were seriously outplayed. The Wranglers relied on elite scoring, but it disappeared when they needed it the most. Greg Clegane single-handedly won this series for the Legion.
 

Greg Clegane's performance against Calgary was one of the greatest single series performances in VHL history
 
In S52, they still won 50 games, but lost Unassisted during the offseason. They would lose in the semi-finals that year, and it all came crashing down after that. During the S52 offseason, they lost everyone, as Tyson Kohler, Black Velvet, Ariel Weinstein, Aleksi Koponen, and Theo Axelsson were no longer on the team by the time S53 began. The Wranglers' elite weapons were shut down against the Legion, and Greg Clegane’s performance may have been the greatest single series performance of all time. The S51 Wranglers were one of the best teams ever, but could only win one game when it mattered most.
 
 

Welcome to the fifth 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 simply can’t put it together for a strong playoff run. The S51 Calgary Wranglers fit that description, as they only would win a single game in the postseason, despite having one of the greatest regular seasons in league history. 
 
The seasons prior to S51, the Wranglers had been building a team slowly but surely through the draft. They drafted forward Travis Gowecny, defenseman Tobias Klingberg, and another forward in Ted Doughty, who they selected second overall in the S49 draft. While these three were not superstars, they were very reliable players that the Wranglers could depend on for the upcoming seasons. They also had goaltender Ariel Weinstein, who was a very strong goaltender for Calgary. He was drafted in S45 by the Quebec City Meute third overall, then played in Stockholm for a few seasons before finding his way to Calgary. He was a veteran goaltender that could help this young Wranglers team thrive. The team had some good young pieces, but didn’t have the big star just yet. In the S50 draft, the Wranglers selected Theo Axelsson second overall, a future Hall of Famer that would be instrumental in Calgary’s success. 
 

Future Hall of Famer Theo Axelsson was an important piece for the Wranglers throughout the early S50s
 
S50 was a solid season for the Wranglers. Theo Axelsson had a strong rookie year with 58 points, but only three players on the team had more than 50 points. The highest-scoring player was defenseman Marquis Hyvarian, who was a veteran for the team, with 63 points. Despite these very low offensive totals, goaltender Weinstein put up incredible numbers, with a 2.05 GAA and a .929 save percentage. This also was a time where goaltending dominated the league, with the likes of the Clegane brothers, Hans Wingate, and Jakab Holik, three of which are in the Hall of Fame, and Holik has been on the ballot for many seasons. The Wranglers finished with a record of 33-29-10, far from elite but it got them into the playoffs as the third seed in the North American Conference. 
 
They were promptly swept by the Quebec City Meute, but it was a valuable experience for Calgary. They were on the right track, and a couple more solid pieces could make them a contender. Unfortunately for Calgary, they couldn’t pick up anyone in the draft, as S51 was one of the worst draft classes in history, with only twelve players being taken, not even enough to fill out two rounds. They had to resort to free agency.
 
Building teams through free agency is risky. You usually have to overpay for players in free agency, and many people believe building a team through the draft and trades is a better way. The S51 Wranglers had a very different philosophy. In order to try to bring their roster a couple more solid players to really take a big step forward, they signed not one, not two, not three, but four elite players who would go on to receive votes to make it into the Hall of Fame, although only three of them would end up actually making it. Those players were Unassisted, Black Velvet, Tyson Kohler, and Aleksi Koponen. The Wranglers went from a decent up and coming team to the best team in the league in the blink of an eye. Anything short of a cup this year would be a failure.
 
The regular season showed how incredible this team could be. They put up an astounding 132 points and 64 wins, one of the best seasons in VHL history. They had by far the best offense in the league, scoring 283 goals, nearly 40 more than the next best offensive team. The Wranglers' defense was also incredibly elite. Let's look at the best defensive season for every other team in their franchise history. The majority of the best seasons for each team defensively are around 115-130 goals against throughout that season, such as the Bears 128 goals against in S27, and the Titans 126 goals against in S33. The Meute had the best defensive season out of all of the other teams, allowing only 110 in S49. The Wranglers in S51 allowed only 96. Based on what I could find, that is the only time a team has ever allowed less than 100 goals against in a season. That’s barely more than one goal per game. The S51 Wranglers had statistically the greatest defense in VHL history. 
 
The strong defensive core they had certainly played a huge factor in allowing only 96 goals all year. Black Velvet's 98 assists were the most in the league, and his 121 points were the most any defenseman had that year. Tobias Klingberg also contributed with 56 points of his own, but this defense was all about Black Velvet, as well as goaltender Ariel Weinstein. His .932 save percentage, 1.35 GAA, and 16 shutouts were some of the highest totals in the league, and had the Greg Clegane trophy, which was given to the goalie with the lowest GAA, existed back in S51, Weinstein would have won the award. Weinstein's .932 save percentage is tied for tenth best all time, his 1.35 GAA is fourth best all time, and 16 shutouts is also tied for tenth most all time .The Wranglers' defense and goaltending was incredible, but the forwards deserve some love too.
 

Ariel Weinsteins historic season helped the Wranglers win 64 games in S51
 
Aleksi Koponen led the team with 135 points and 60 goals, while Tyson Kohler had 122 points. Travis Gowecny had 71 points, complementing Koponen and Kohler on the first line and they formed a deadly lineup. On the second line, Unassisted had 106 points, including 54 goals, while Theo Axelsson had 65 points to support him. The team was noticeably top heavy, but they still were an incredible team. They were heavy favorites to win the cup in S51, and anything less than that would be disappointing.
 
Since they finished first in the North American Conference, they received a bye, and would end up facing the Toronto Legion in the conference finals. The Legion had some elite talent themselves, with Zach Parechkin and Max Molholt leading the team, both of which are Hall of Famers. Goaltender Greg Clegane had a season arguably as good, if not better than Ariel Weinstein, with a .940 save percentage and a 1.50 GAA, which are the second and eighth best all time respectively. The series was likely to come down to the goaltender battle; could Weinstein outduel Greg Clegane?
 
Game One was an intense matchup, as it was tied at one after regulation, and overtime was needed. Both goaltenders were playing incredibly, as was expected. After five minutes of overtime, Zach Parechkin scored to win the game for the Legion. Clegane’s .972 save percentage in game one helped the Legion pick up the win, as they were outshot by ten and outplayed for most of the game. The Wranglers had to win game two. In Game Two, Tyson Kohler scored only six seconds into the game, but the Legion tied the game up at one only a few minutes later. After that, the defense settled in and we went through the next two periods without any goals, still tied at one. Unassisted scored on the powerplay early in the third to give the Wranglers a 2-1 lead, and Weinstein shut down the Legion as Calgary would win Game Two and tie the series. Weinstein won the goaltending battle in Game Two, with 26 saves on 27 shots. Game three in Toronto was coming up next.
 
Game Three was not how Calgary expected. Max Molholt’s goal just twelve seconds in seemingly set the tone for the remainder of the game, as the Legion would go on to win 4-0. Clegane stopped all 26 shots he faced, and the Legion easily won Game Three. Game Four was now a must-win for the Wranglers, as they wouldn’t want to go down 3-1. Unassisted and Molholt traded goals in the second period of Game Four, and it was tied at one heading to the third. The Wranglers could not score, most notably their top line. Unassisted was doing what he had to do, but Koponen, Kohler, and Black Velvet had been very disappointing thus far. About halfway through the third, the Legion scored to take the league. The goal scorer was Marquis Hyvarinen, who was the Wranglers' leading scorer just a year prior, but they let him leave as they pursued other marquee free agents. That goal would end up being the winner, and Toronto would take a 3-1 series lead. Weinstein bounced back from Game Three, but his efforts were still not enough to help the Wranglers win. You can’t blame the goalie when your team has four goals in four games. Game Five was do or die for the Wranglers.
 
The home fans in Calgary had waited all season for a possible cup, but their hopes seemed to be crashing down. Greg Clegane was putting up some of the best performances ever against the Wranglers, and this elite offense failed to do much, but there was still hope. After all, the Legion’s offense hadn’t done great either. It was a scoreless first period in Game Five, but the Legion took the lead midway through the second to go up by one headed to the third. If the Wranglers didn’t score in the next 20 minutes, their 64 win season would have gone to waste. Midway through the third, the Legion go on a rush and score again, doubling their lead. Aleksi Koponen finally scored his first of the playoffs with a few minutes to go, but it was too late. The Legion would win Game Five 2-1, and win the series. Weinstein made 38 saves in Game Five, keeping the Wranglers in the game even though they were seriously outplayed. The Wranglers relied on elite scoring, but it disappeared when they needed it the most. Greg Clegane single-handedly won this series for the Legion.
 

Greg Clegane's performance against Calgary was one of the greatest single series performances in VHL history
 
In S52, they still won 50 games, but lost Unassisted during the offseason. They would lose in the semi-finals that year, and it all came crashing down after that. During the S52 offseason, they lost everyone, as Tyson Kohler, Black Velvet, Ariel Weinstein, Aleksi Koponen, and Theo Axelsson were no longer on the team by the time S53 began. The Wranglers' elite weapons were shut down against the Legion, and Greg Clegane’s performance may have been the greatest single series performance of all time. The S51 Wranglers were one of the best teams ever, but could only win one game when it mattered most.
 
 

Welcome to the fifth 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 simply can’t put it together for a strong playoff run. The S51 Calgary Wranglers fit that description, as they only would win a single game in the postseason, despite having one of the greatest regular seasons in league history. 
 
The seasons prior to S51, the Wranglers had been building a team slowly but surely through the draft. They drafted forward Travis Gowecny, defenseman Tobias Klingberg, and another forward in Ted Doughty, who they selected second overall in the S49 draft. While these three were not superstars, they were very reliable players that the Wranglers could depend on for the upcoming seasons. They also had goaltender Ariel Weinstein, who was a very strong goaltender for Calgary. He was drafted in S45 by the Quebec City Meute third overall, then played in Stockholm for a few seasons before finding his way to Calgary. He was a veteran goaltender that could help this young Wranglers team thrive. The team had some good young pieces, but didn’t have the big star just yet. In the S50 draft, the Wranglers selected Theo Axelsson second overall, a future Hall of Famer that would be instrumental in Calgary’s success. 
 

Future Hall of Famer Theo Axelsson was an important piece for the Wranglers throughout the early S50s
 
S50 was a solid season for the Wranglers. Theo Axelsson had a strong rookie year with 58 points, but only three players on the team had more than 50 points. The highest-scoring player was defenseman Marquis Hyvarian, who was a veteran for the team, with 63 points. Despite these very low offensive totals, goaltender Weinstein put up incredible numbers, with a 2.05 GAA and a .929 save percentage. This also was a time where goaltending dominated the league, with the likes of the Clegane brothers, Hans Wingate, and Jakab Holik, three of which are in the Hall of Fame, and Holik has been on the ballot for many seasons. The Wranglers finished with a record of 33-29-10, far from elite but it got them into the playoffs as the third seed in the North American Conference. 
 
They were promptly swept by the Quebec City Meute, but it was a valuable experience for Calgary. They were on the right track, and a couple more solid pieces could make them a contender. Unfortunately for Calgary, they couldn’t pick up anyone in the draft, as S51 was one of the worst draft classes in history, with only twelve players being taken, not even enough to fill out two rounds. They had to resort to free agency.
 
Building teams through free agency is risky. You usually have to overpay for players in free agency, and many people believe building a team through the draft and trades is a better way. The S51 Wranglers had a very different philosophy. In order to try to bring their roster a couple more solid players to really take a big step forward, they signed not one, not two, not three, but four elite players who would go on to receive votes to make it into the Hall of Fame, although only three of them would end up actually making it. Those players were Unassisted, Black Velvet, Tyson Kohler, and Aleksi Koponen. The Wranglers went from a decent up and coming team to the best team in the league in the blink of an eye. Anything short of a cup this year would be a failure.
 
The regular season showed how incredible this team could be. They put up an astounding 132 points and 64 wins, one of the best seasons in VHL history. They had by far the best offense in the league, scoring 283 goals, nearly 40 more than the next best offensive team. The Wranglers' defense was also incredibly elite. Let's look at the best defensive season for every other team in their franchise history. The majority of the best seasons for each team defensively are around 115-130 goals against throughout that season, such as the Bears 128 goals against in S27, and the Titans 126 goals against in S33. The Meute had the best defensive season out of all of the other teams, allowing only 110 in S49. The Wranglers in S51 allowed only 96. Based on what I could find, that is the only time a team has ever allowed less than 100 goals against in a season. That’s barely more than one goal per game. The S51 Wranglers had statistically the greatest defense in VHL history. 
 
The strong defensive core they had certainly played a huge factor in allowing only 96 goals all year. Black Velvet's 98 assists were the most in the league, and his 121 points were the most any defenseman had that year. Tobias Klingberg also contributed with 56 points of his own, but this defense was all about Black Velvet, as well as goaltender Ariel Weinstein. His .932 save percentage, 1.35 GAA, and 16 shutouts were some of the highest totals in the league, and had the Greg Clegane trophy, which was given to the goalie with the lowest GAA, existed back in S51, Weinstein would have won the award. Weinstein's .932 save percentage is tied for tenth best all time, his 1.35 GAA is fourth best all time, and 16 shutouts is also tied for tenth most all time .The Wranglers' defense and goaltending was incredible, but the forwards deserve some love too.
 

Ariel Weinsteins historic season helped the Wranglers win 64 games in S51
 
Aleksi Koponen led the team with 135 points and 60 goals, while Tyson Kohler had 122 points. Travis Gowecny had 71 points, complementing Koponen and Kohler on the first line and they formed a deadly lineup. On the second line, Unassisted had 106 points, including 54 goals, while Theo Axelsson had 65 points to support him. The team was noticeably top heavy, but they still were an incredible team. They were heavy favorites to win the cup in S51, and anything less than that would be disappointing.
 
Since they finished first in the North American Conference, they received a bye, and would end up facing the Toronto Legion in the conference finals. The Legion had some elite talent themselves, with Zach Parechkin and Max Molholt leading the team, both of which are Hall of Famers. Goaltender Greg Clegane had a season arguably as good, if not better than Ariel Weinstein, with a .940 save percentage and a 1.50 GAA, which are the second and eighth best all time respectively. The series was likely to come down to the goaltender battle; could Weinstein outduel Greg Clegane?
 
Game One was an intense matchup, as it was tied at one after regulation, and overtime was needed. Both goaltenders were playing incredibly, as was expected. After five minutes of overtime, Zach Parechkin scored to win the game for the Legion. Clegane’s .972 save percentage in game one helped the Legion pick up the win, as they were outshot by ten and outplayed for most of the game. The Wranglers had to win game two. In Game Two, Tyson Kohler scored only six seconds into the game, but the Legion tied the game up at one only a few minutes later. After that, the defense settled in and we went through the next two periods without any goals, still tied at one. Unassisted scored on the powerplay early in the third to give the Wranglers a 2-1 lead, and Weinstein shut down the Legion as Calgary would win Game Two and tie the series. Weinstein won the goaltending battle in Game Two, with 26 saves on 27 shots. Game three in Toronto was coming up next.
 
Game Three was not how Calgary expected. Max Molholt’s goal just twelve seconds in seemingly set the tone for the remainder of the game, as the Legion would go on to win 4-0. Clegane stopped all 26 shots he faced, and the Legion easily won Game Three. Game Four was now a must-win for the Wranglers, as they wouldn’t want to go down 3-1. Unassisted and Molholt traded goals in the second period of Game Four, and it was tied at one heading to the third. The Wranglers could not score, most notably their top line. Unassisted was doing what he had to do, but Koponen, Kohler, and Black Velvet had been very disappointing thus far. About halfway through the third, the Legion scored to take the league. The goal scorer was Marquis Hyvarinen, who was the Wranglers' leading scorer just a year prior, but they let him leave as they pursued other marquee free agents. That goal would end up being the winner, and Toronto would take a 3-1 series lead. Weinstein bounced back from Game Three, but his efforts were still not enough to help the Wranglers win. You can’t blame the goalie when your team has four goals in four games. Game Five was do or die for the Wranglers.
 
The home fans in Calgary had waited all season for a possible cup, but their hopes seemed to be crashing down. Greg Clegane was putting up some of the best performances ever against the Wranglers, and this elite offense failed to do much, but there was still hope. After all, the Legion’s offense hadn’t done great either. It was a scoreless first period in Game Five, but the Legion took the lead midway through the second to go up by one headed to the third. If the Wranglers didn’t score in the next 20 minutes, their 64 win season would have gone to waste. Midway through the third, the Legion go on a rush and score again, doubling their lead. Aleksi Koponen finally scored his first of the playoffs with a few minutes to go, but it was too late. The Legion would win Game Five 2-1, and win the series. Weinstein made 38 saves in Game Five, keeping the Wranglers in the game even though they were seriously outplayed. The Wranglers relied on elite scoring, but it disappeared when they needed it the most. Greg Clegane single-handedly won this series for the Legion.
 

Greg Clegane's performance against Calgary was one of the greatest single series performances in VHL history
 
In S52, they still won 50 games, but lost Unassisted during the offseason. They would lose in the semi-finals that year, and it all came crashing down after that. During the S52 offseason, they lost everyone, as Tyson Kohler, Black Velvet, Ariel Weinstein, Aleksi Koponen, and Theo Axelsson were no longer on the team by the time S53 began. The Wranglers' elite weapons were shut down against the Legion, and Greg Clegane’s performance may have been the greatest single series performance of all time. The S51 Wranglers were one of the best teams ever, but could only win one game when it mattered most.
 
 

The art of picking a player name is a difficult one. You want it to be something you won't get bored by, which sounds good and looks good. The traditionalist in me always prefers good hockey names but that's not essential – I did after all also bring in Greg Clegane and Podrick Cast. What you really want is something you look at which does not give you a brain tumour. A couple funky names are always welcome, although ideally not a whole draft of them.
 
Which brings us to the S75 draft....



 
…
 
…
 
What the actual fuck?
 
What the fuck?
 
This is the single worst collection of letters I have ever seen. This looks like AIDS. This sounds like someone slowly scratching a chalk board. This is actually vomit-inducing. I am ashamed that more than 10 fellow members of this league have sat down to think of their recreate's name and this is the best they could think of.
 
I hope none of you ever have a point per game season. I hope that the venereal disease that hedgehog named his goalie after never posts a shutout. I'm glad gorlab never wins awards because that would be one massive L for the HOF to take.
 
Good fucking lord. I need to lie down. Fuck you all, honestly.

Hello and welcome to VSN Announcement!

I would like to firstly say that this was not something that I expected to do even at the start of July but situation has turned in a way that I personally feel this is the best option. 
So without further ado, I want to announce my immediate resignation from VSN Manager position. It has been truly amazing run and these past 10 months have been so much fun. I would personally like to thank everyone who has worked and did amazing job in VSN and will continue to do it under their new Commander-in-chief. Personally, I wish VSN even more amazing content and great new projects that you all can create together for all our community to enjoy!

Congratulations on your promotion  Mr @Doomsday and I wish you fair winds and best of luck! I believe in you my friend!

Good luck VSN! 

1. The General is always prepared for battle
2. I hope we can win the cup, and I definitely think we can. I would say anything short of the conference finals is very disappointing, although losing at any point is disappointing.
3. Riga. They were my prediction at the beginning of the year so I'm sticking with them
4. Islanders and Avalanche. I'm an islanders fan so I'm biased but they are looking really really good right now.
5. Lafontaine, goalies usually have to play great for a team to win a cup and they win the playoff MVP most of the time.
6. Yes, I am more than happy. Last year I had 14 points and 1 point in the playoffs, this year I have 60 assists and majorly improved in every stat. I could make a real case for most improved, although I doubt I win that.

@Ricer13
 
 
 x4
@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.