MexicanCow123

Have you ever asked yourself which VHLM franchise provides the best pathway to becoming a VHL GM? No? Well I did, a while ago in fact, but let the potential article idea sit there through Rara Rasputin's career and my recent second semi-hiatus. Now it is time to answer the eternal question however.
 
How does one quantify such a broad subject? A successful VHLM GM is not necessarily one who spends a season with their team and uses it as a springboard to a VHL career. Getting appointed in charge of a VHL team does not necessarily reflect VHLM GM success either. Furthermore, not every VHL GM tenure lasts long and/or goes well so are those GMs really a good reflection on their VHLM franchise? Finally, given our long and storied history, there are more than a handful of GMs who have managed in the VHLM on multiple occasions, often both before and after their (frequently multiple) VHL stints. How do we handle those? And these days, how do we handle time spent in the VHLE as well?
 
You'll be pleased to learn that I didn't bother tackling most of these quite complex questions. What I have produced instead is effectively a statistical analysis and ranking of VHLM franchises through the years based on the future employments of their GMs. I don't think it is necessarily a best-to-worst VHLM team list or even a best-to-worst GM list, but rather a fun way to look at the long and disorganised history of the M. Whilst this introduction has made it all look quite chaotic, there have been a few basic principles I followed in putting the ranking together:

 
All VHLM franchises ever to exist have been included, meaning 17 teams in total, including those which haven't been around for nearly 50 seasons
If a team has had the same GM multiple times, they are counted as 1 GM, with an exception or two which is explained separately
For the five franchises which existed both before and after the start of the “modern” VHL (I used as a cut-off the expansion to Halifax in S62 as most of the other expansion teams followed shortly after), some consideration has been given both to their performance before and after that date
This is mostly about VHLM GMs who subsequently worked their way up to the VHL but some teams have had good representation from experienced heads who did their stints in the big leagues and then came (back) down later on so that's been incorporated as well
The VHLE has been ignored entirely in keeping with public opinion

 
Without further ado then, let's count down the best franchises for an aspiring VHL GM, probably.

 
17. Vasteras IK J20 / Moscow Red Wolves (defunct S51)
Total GMs: 17
Future VHL GMs: 2 (Jochen Walser, Tyler Edgar)
Former VHL GMs: 2 (Frank Chadwick, Sterling Labatte)

At the bottom of the list is a franchise that always seems to be at the bottom of VHL lists. There is not much left to be said about Vasteras that hasn't been said before, other than that by association it seems to have cursed both Moscow and the Red Wolves (the former having won 1 of 6 Continental Cup finals as the Menace, the latter being contracted in the VHLE in its Istanbul incarnation). As for the purposes of this article, the most relevant piece is Tyler Edgar being the J20's longest-serving GM, finally getting his cup in S27, and then having a successful spell in Toronto in the 30s – but the franchise has not much of a lasting legacy otherwise.

 
16. Miami Marauders
Total GMs: 6
Future VHL GMs: 1 (Kris Rice)
Former VHL GMs: 1 (Zack Gagnon)

The VHLM's youngest franchise is next on the list which surprised me slightly, given its early success. But most of that came under the two names above, with Rice then going onto a very successful time as Calgary GM. As for Gagnon, Miami was his last gig before getting the Los Angeles job, but that was neither his first VHL role nor his last appearance in this article.

 
15. Las Vegas Aces (formerly Toledo Scorpions and Bern Royals) 
Total GMs: 34
Future VHL GMs: 8 (Matt Defosse, Zach Arce, Sam Helberg, Chad Murphy, Conner Low, Sachimo Zoidberg, Julian Borwinn, Euron Leonidas)
Former VHL GMs: 6 (Zack Gagnon, Tyler Barabash, Vince Wong, Sterling Labatte, Robbie Zimmers, Ron Dayne III)
Since S62, 11 GMs of whom 2 were future VHL GMs (Borwinn and Leonidas)

As you'd expect for a team that's been in the VHLM since the start (although in a wide range of locations), it's been a turbulent history for the Aces. There will be those that have fond memories of the franchise and those that think it's a forgettable one. In truth, recent history punishes Vegas a bit – unfortunate that its most successful modern era GM (Anthony Pratt) disappeared before getting a VHL job most expected him to get. Other than Borwinn and Leonidas who went onto long-term careers with Helsinki and Moscow, there's a lot of recent names which fizzled out way too quickly.

 
14. Mississauga Hounds
Total GMs: 9
Future VHL GMs: 2 (Jerry Garcia, Cole Pearce)
Former VHL GMs: 1 (Dominic Gobeil)

The team founded by the Gus/Berocka tandem has seemed to attract GMs who are happy staying at the VHLM level – lots of current actives but other than Garcia's stint in Davos, only Warsaw's Cole Pearce represents the Hounds in the VHL. However, after finally breaking the Founder's Cup duck in S90, maybe fortunes will be changing for Mississauga going forward.

 
13. Houston Bulls
Total GMs: 8
Future VHL GMs: 2 (John Frostbeard, Nils Godlander)
Former VHL GMs: 2 (Zach Arce, Vince Wong)
 
Similar proportion of VHL GMs to the Hounds with one difference – Houston's alumni have both won championships with Frostbeard's Malmo in S75 and Godlander's Toronto most recently in S91. Four different GMs have won the VHLM Top GM trophy while at Houston, so the Bulls are clearly doing things right at the minors level anyway.

 
12. Philadelphia Reapers
Total GMs: 7
Future VHL GMs: 2 (Victor Grachev, Alex Johnston)
Former VHL GMs: 0

Ranking higher than its fellow expansion franchises purely based on percentages, Philadelphia has had lots of VHLM success and provided the current Davos and Malmo GMs, with Alex in particular finally turning around the Dynamo's years of despair. A theme in this article now will be that I have increasingly little new insightful information to say about each franchise beyond the information already provided at the top.

 
11. Minnesota Storm (formerly Gothenburg Eagles, Oslo Screaming Seamen, and Oslo Storm)
Total GMs: 33
Future VHL GMs: 8 (Vladimir Kliment, Damien Walec, Zack Gagnon, Mitch Higgins, Thomas Corcoran, Thomas Landry, William Shaw)
Former VHL GMs: 7 (Brett Slobodzian, Joey Kendrick, Greg Harbinson, Jason Glasser, Tyler Barabash, Jim Gow, Matthew Boragina)
Since S62, 4 GMs of whom 1 was a future VHL GM (Funk), before moving to the VHLE and back to Oslo in S81

If you thought Las Vegas' history was tumultuous, spare a thought for the fans of the Storm. Three cities, two leagues, and screaming seamen, but also an impressive list of former GMs. Oslo peaked probably from S24 to S30 during the streak of Gagnon, Higgins, and Corcoran managing the team immediately before taking over Riga, Helsinki, and Vasteras respectively, although Higgins had by far the most success. There's been some dry spells followed by the Oslo reincarnation doing very well in the E, and overall the team's done good enough for midtable.

 
10. Minot Gladiators (briefly Syracuse Wolfpack) (defunct S42)
Total GMs: 15
Future VHL GMs: 4 (Matt Bentz, Chad Murphy, Jardy Bunclewirth, Tyler Edgar)
Former VHL GMs: 2 (Greg Harbinson, Zack Gagnon)

A blast from the past franchise brings a blast from the past in terms of VHL GMs too. Other than the ever-present Gagnon, none of the men listed has managed a VHL team since the 50s at the latest but several will be recognisable to the average reader. Minot did well when it was affiliated with Calgary, including producing two future Wranglers GMs and in the eyes of many did not deserve its contraction, although its name lives on in Rome today.

 
9. Saskatoon Wild (formerly Fresno Bulls and Buffalo Jr Bears)
Total GMs: 33
Future VHL GMs: 7 (Greg Harbinson, Jack Reilly, Jack Sixten, Spencer Flammer, Rylan Peace, Roger McWolf III, Thomas Landry)
Former VHL GMs: 5 (Brett Noiles, James Assayag, Brett Slobodzian, Thomas Corcoran, Vladamir Komarov)
Since S62, 10 GMs of whom 3 were future VHL GMs (Peace, McWolf, Landry)

A storied franchise, still adding to its impressive list of championships to this day, has also predictably churned through a fair few GMs, most famously the namesake of the VHLM's Top GM trophy, Jack Reilly. The Wild fall surprisingly low on the list, in part due to the lack of huge success either side of Reilly, but also few GMs making the leap in the modern, post-S62 era.

 
I sadly have nothing insightful to say about San Diego, Turku, and Brampton so am skipping my commentary straight to the top 5.
 
8. San Diego Marlins
Total GMs: 7
Future VHL GMs: 2 (Thadius Sales, Jacob Carson)
Former VHL GMs: 3 (Zack Gagnon, Frank Chadwick, Zach Arce)
 
7. Turku Outlaws (formerly Jonkoping Warriors, Kolari Wolves and Kolari Panthers) (defunct S42)
Total GMs: 18
Future VHL GMs: 6 (Matt Bailey, Tyler Edgar, Chris Miller, Pavel Koradek, Zack Gagnon, Clinton Chevy)
Former VHL GMs: 0
 
6. Brampton Battalion / Blades (defunct S53)
Total GMs: 22
Future VHL GMs: 7 (Scotty Campbell, Tyler Owens, Tyler Barabash, Bryan Svec, Ryan Power, Steve Smeall, Conner Low)
Former VHL GMs: 3 (Jochen Walser, Joey Kendrick, Matthew Boragina)

 
5. Yukon Rush
Total GMs: 22
Future VHL GMs: 5 (Austin Gow, Daniel Anderson, Josh Da Silva, Jordan Tonn, Dominic Gobeil)
Former VHL GMs: 3 (Sam Helberg, Victor Alfredsson, Conner Low)
Since S62, 5 GMs of whom 3 were future VHL GMs (Da Silva, Tonn, Gobeil), before moving to the VHLE and Geneva in S81
 
It's no surprise there was uproar when Yukon was the franchise stolen by the VHLE (Minnesota was less of an issue given Oslo was its home before) and moved to Geneva where it had a short and unsuccessful life. Up to that point, Yukon was a hugely successful and popular franchise, producing multiple future VHL GMs from the 40s through to the 80s at an impressive rate given the Rush were only founded in S31. Alas, they are no more, just like their fellow S31 expansion brothers below.

 
4. Bratislava Watchmen (defunct S53)
Total GMs: 8
Future VHL GMs: 3 (Vince Wong, Blake Campbell, Benjamin Zeptenbergs)
Former VHL GMs: 1 (Sachimo Zoidberg)

Ah Bratislava, back now in the VHLE, but never likely to reach the heights it climbed in its short 23-season spell in the VHLM. 7 cups, 8 GMs, of whom 3 are managing in the VHL today – Vince Wong in his third stint, Campbell and Zeptenbergs meanwhile in their roles pretty much since the Watchmen went extinct the first time, the longest VHL tenures ever, by a distance. A model VHLM franchise so no surprise to see it high on the list.

 
3. Mexico City Kings
Total GMs: 9
Future VHL GMs: 4 (Nyko Nax, Christopher James, Cole H, Mickey Dickson)
Former VHL GMs: 2 (Chris Miller, Christopher James)
 
A modern day Bratislava? The Kings are the first of the three teams rounding out this list which have one thing in common – a GM who did the VHLM stint, went to the VHL, and came back to the same minor-league franchise. In Mexico City's case that is Christopher James, who led Malmo to the Continental Cup and is now back with the Kings. With a threepeat winner in Nyko Nax and the current GMs of Chicago and Helsinki, it's a good return on investment so far.

 
2. Halifax 21st
Total GMs: 9
Future VHL GMs: 6 (Shawn Glade, Roger McWolf III, Ted Mosby, Dylan Wallace, Jeffrey Pines, Mickey Dickson)
Former VHL GMs: 1 (Shawn Glade)
 
Shawn Glade is Halifax's returning GM, with bonus points for being the first GM of the franchise as well, although his VHL stint was not quite as successful. Glade did open the door to a host of VHL GM hopefuls and whilst the 21st hasn't won a championship of their own, 66% of this GMs have graduated to the big leagues – maybe more than a coincidence?

 
1. Ottawa Ice Dogs / Ottawa Lynx
Total GMs: 33
Future VHL GMs: 12 (Tyler Owens, Brandon Best, Sandro Desaulniers, Victor Alfredsson, James Assayag, Jason Glasser, Jim Gow, Keaton Louth, Esso Drunkmann, Acyd Burn, Dakota Lamb, Nils Godlander)
Former VHL GMs: 6 (Sam Helberg, Frank Chadwick, Zack Gagnon, Jardy Bunclewirth, Joey Kendrick, Jason Glasser)
Since S62, 7 GMs of whom 4 were future VHL GMs (Burn, Lamb, Godlander)

And finally, to the surprise of no one probably, the VHLM's most successful franchise, and the only to be in the same city since S2, is top of the list. Percentage-wise, Ottawa is not actually ahead of Bratislava, Mexico City, and Halifax, but that gets overlooked as a lot of the early numbers are noise from the VHLM's affiliate era. Since Jason Glasser took over and gave the team its own identity, it's been a a very steady run of success both for the franchise and its GMs – 10 of the 12 future GMs listed above have won at least one Continental Cup. Glasser of course came back for a second stint, completing the cycle and keeping Ottawa as a model team into the modern era and very much the type of team I had in mind when coming up with this article.
 
@Ricer13 @InstantRockstar @Arce  @scoop @Smarch @Spartan  @STZ @MubbleFubbles  @Gustav  @N0HBDY @Dom @FrostBeard @Moon @KaleebtheMighty @Alex @Doomsday @JardyB10 @Ahma @McWolf @thadthrasher @jacobcarson877 @Frank @Toast @eaglesfan036 @Josh @MexicanCow123 @Banackock @hedgehog337 @Nykonax @hylands @badcolethetitan @samx @Advantage @ShawnGlade @fonziGG @Dil @rory @Esso2264 @Acydburn @dlamb

EW

INDEX
 
@VHL GM It's that time again! Please review your rosters to make sure they look good. Sims start on Wednesday, so ensure you have your lines in well before that.
 
<Copypasta on how to do lines>
To send in your lines please use the Team Management section of the portal. The process for downloading the client file and using STHS to make your lines is still the same, and if you have manual requests due to waiver pick-ups or other roster changes please DM me your notes through Discord. Ensure you are using the Copy Roster and Copy Lines to reduce the chances of your lines being auto-filled due to roster changes. If a player is traded, replace them with a bot or fear STHS's autofill wrath.
<End>
 
STHS Client 3.4.0 is the most up-to-date version, please check and update your client if required.
 
I think that covers it, best of luck everyone. I'll be pinging the VHL Sim Alert role on Discord before each sim so make sure you're signed up for that.

INDEX
 
@VHL GM It's that time again! Please review your rosters to make sure they look good. Sims start on Wednesday, so ensure you have your lines in well before that.
 
<Copypasta on how to do lines>
To send in your lines please use the Team Management section of the portal. The process for downloading the client file and using STHS to make your lines is still the same, and if you have manual requests due to waiver pick-ups or other roster changes please DM me your notes through Discord. Ensure you are using the Copy Roster and Copy Lines to reduce the chances of your lines being auto-filled due to roster changes. If a player is traded, replace them with a bot or fear STHS's autofill wrath.
<End>
 
STHS Client 3.4.0 is the most up-to-date version, please check and update your client if required.
 
I think that covers it, best of luck everyone. I'll be pinging the VHL Sim Alert role on Discord before each sim so make sure you're signed up for that.

F-Francesco Mancini
 
@MubbleFubbles

INDEX
 
@VHL GM It's that time again! Please review your rosters to make sure they look good. Sims start on Wednesday, so ensure you have your lines in well before that.
 
<Copypasta on how to do lines>
To send in your lines please use the Team Management section of the portal. The process for downloading the client file and using STHS to make your lines is still the same, and if you have manual requests due to waiver pick-ups or other roster changes please DM me your notes through Discord. Ensure you are using the Copy Roster and Copy Lines to reduce the chances of your lines being auto-filled due to roster changes. If a player is traded, replace them with a bot or fear STHS's autofill wrath.
<End>
 
STHS Client 3.4.0 is the most up-to-date version, please check and update your client if required.
 
I think that covers it, best of luck everyone. I'll be pinging the VHL Sim Alert role on Discord before each sim so make sure you're signed up for that.

But since I'm here, for the love of god, allow variable increment spending on the manage player page. Having to press the plus button over and over and over again is torture.
 
- An old man

i do NOT apply.

@Acydburn was nice enough to unlock passed the time to let me spread some more Christmas SPIRIT!
 
$1/1 ticket entry for @Acydburn
$1/1 ticket entry for @MexicanCow123
$1/1 ticket entry for @Alex
$1/1 ticket entry for @a_Ferk
$1/1 ticket entry for @wcats
$1/1 ticket entry for @JartY
$1/1 ticket entry for @leafsman
$1/1 ticket entry for @der meister
$1/1 ticket entry for @kirbithan
$1/1 ticket entry for @dstevensonjr
$1/1 ticket entry for @ScottyP
$1/1 ticket entry for @dogwoodmaple
 

 
= an extra $12 for $20/20 entries in total.
 
 

Who?

At least if we are getting members from the hub we shouldn't have issues with people being underage! 

At least if we are getting members from the hub we shouldn't have issues with people being underage! 

At least if we are getting members from the hub we shouldn't have issues with people being underage! 

At least if we are getting members from the hub we shouldn't have issues with people being underage! 

Fuck it, tis the season and we're trying to do a good thing here. Charity has been quiet this year so the few of us can keep auctioning our hearts out.
 
$1/1 ticket entry for @Kisslinger (good luck with quitting, maybe you can win and this will help with that)
$1/1 ticket entry for @Berocka I appreciate you as a pal. Buy the little one some Maccas if you win (or some sweet swimmers for the pool). Love, uncle bana.
$1/1 ticket entry for @Moon I love you long time, buddy. Thanks for being you. 
$1/1 ticket entry for @Esso2264 Sorry for being overly verbal about your managing when you were a gm. I was a dick.
$1/1 ticket entry for @v.2 for being the best of all versions
$1/1 ticket entry for @qripll because I'm a fan of their player
$1/1 ticket entry for @Smarch Congrats on the news in October! Maybe could go towards some Amazon diapers???  
$1/1 ticket entry for @Lefty_S because I seen you in #gaming-kranchland or whatever on Discord and you seem to like to game !
 
= $8 and 8 entries, 1 for each member tagged. CHEERS!

Annual watch fresco drink a six pack of your choosing in one sitting, live on discord voice chat

I will tell every member of the VHL that has been active in the past week that I love them live on stream. I don't know how anyone could turn this down

1. $250 (cumulative) total and I’ll do a massive cold plunge, outside, in the cold, Canadian, dark, Winter. 🥶 It’ll be worth it. We’ll make sure we pick a FREEZING DAY. ❄️ 
 
Love this time of year! Let’s get some
fun events going! 🎄 
 
 

Hello @Members!
 
Last week was Halloween and you can't tell me otherwise! I feel like I blinked and we're basically into December, wild! That does mean that the holiday season is nearly upon us which for the VHL means our annual charity drive!
 
For those who haven’t been around, a quick recap: Every December in addition to Christmas festivities we hold a charity donation drive to help out communities beyond our own. This will be our fifth year doing the charity drive with previous drives donating thousands to the Make a Wish Foundation, Food Banks of Canada / Feed America, the Red Cross, and the SickKids Foundation / St. Jude's.
 
But it's not even December yet, why do I bring this up? Because we need your help deciding a charity of course. As always you’ll be able to donate to any charity you wish and have it count but the league matching donation and any donated through us will go to the charity that’s chosen.
 
In an ideal world that charity fits a couple of criteria so if you can try to keep them in mind for your suggestions that would be great:
 
1. Should be something that accepts PayPal donations since all league funds run through that.
2. Should be something with a wide reach and ideally international or at least having Canadian / American equivalents we can split donations between.
3. Nothing political or divisive.
 
So let’s see what you can come up with! Feel free to also discuss your favourites in here if someone suggests something you feel strong about but try to keep it as on topic as possible. Here’s to the start of another VHL holiday season!

We all know telling someone to shut the fuck up when they bring up valid points means you've lost the argument before it started

Z... STFU Honestly...

It's alright. Once I hit it big on the YouTubes I'll promo the league for free. 

@ZetterbergI highly suggest you shut your mouth, as we both know you couldnt do any better seeing as you got fired from recruitment team LMFAO... Just STFU and let us work

Jerome Reinhart, Class of Season 87

User: @MexicanCow123

 

TPE: 1542

Position: LW/D

Nationality: Greenland

Height: 6'0

Weight: 165 lbs.

VHL Drafted: 3rd Overall, by the Vancouver Wolves

VHLM Drafted: 57th Overall, by the Mississauga Hounds

Played for: Yukon Rush, Vancouver Wolves, New York Americans, Riga Reign, London United

 

--

 

Career Awards

 

Individual

All-VHL First Team (2x) | S85, S82

All-VHL Second Team (2x) | S83, S81

Alexander Valiq Trophy | S85

Daisuke Kanou Trophy | S81

Christian Stolzchweiger Trophy | S79

Scotty Campbell Trophy | S85

 

Team

Founders Cup | S78
Victory Cup (3x) | S82, S81, S80
Continental Cup | S82, S81, S80

 

--

 

Introduction & VHLM

 

It can be easy to overlook a standout performance when paired with a standout team performance. Some players legacies are intrinsically linked with some nostalgic memory of a team era, or particular seasons. Then there are the players that break free from the shackles of their “just another player in the crowd” image and take their talents elsewhere to show they are in fact, that player. Today we (finally) take a moment to recognize one such talent who was brought up in a system of unparalleled dominance, and then escaped to parallel that dominance elsewhere.

 

His name is Jerome Reinhart, and while his story culminated in the VHL, like everyone’s it had to begin in the minor leagues, where he had to showcase his talent before the panel of judges that are VHL GMs, to earn his place in the ranks of their squads.

 

It starts with waivers, where Jerome chose to join the Yukon Rush at the beginning of their season. Many players at the time had mastered the style of game that would be rewarded on the scoresheet, but even on the 118 point Rush, he put up more than 40 goals, and a healthy 86 points. Success was early and often in J. Reinhart’s story, as his VHLM season was his first taste at a championship experience. One way to attract the attention of GMs is to help lead your team to a championship in your rookie season, and as such, the spotlight was on Jerome and several other Reinharts in the VHL Draft.

 

   

Regular Season Stats

78 (YUK), 72 Game Played, 42 Goals, 44 Assists, 86 Points, +47, 295 Shots, 43 PIMs, 118 Hits, 14 SB, 6 GWG, 14 PPG, 1 SHG.  

Playoff Stats

79 (YUK), 17 Games Played, 3 Goals, 10 Assists, 13 Points, +7, 80 Shots, 18 PIMs, 23 Hits, 1SB, 1 GWG, 2PPG.

 

--  


 
Greatness in the VHL

 

Vancouver restocked their rookie ranks after realizing a wretched regular season by rounding up a rig of Rush Reinharts. They picked the pair from the prominent pool of prospects populating the potential population of the professional players. Long story short, Tyler and Jerome Reinhart joined a league-worst Vancouver Wolves, who executed a rebuild so effective that it would alter the course of league history. This deadly duo would define the details of a distinct design, which would destroy even the most dominant demonstrations of the decade. Vancouver would provide a blank slate in which the management group could build an exaggerated style of shot-heavy barraging that would go on to be unstoppable for the end of the 70s and first half of the 80s.


 
S79 was a step up from the (purposefully) disastrous S78, in which the team gained a huge scoring influx, but couldn’t keep the puck out of their own net. Jerome would edge out Tyler by a couple of goals, leading to a Stolzchweiger win, to lead off what would only be a better career.


 
S80 was the season where everything clicked into place. In the matter of a season, the Vancouver Wolves had gone from the worst team in the league, to the best, and not by a small margin. Not only were they the only team to cross 300 goals scored, they lead the league by 61 goals! 7 players above 100 points, and another at 94. Even without upgrading their goaltending, this team trampled their way to a legendary finish. Even after a 114 point campaign, with 47 goals to boot, this was only just the beginning, despite Vancouver cruising to their first Continental Cup of this era.


 
The next 2 seasons were a bit of a blur. 2 Victory Cups, 120 goals from Jerome, consecutive seasons with 130+ points. Dominance that we may never see again. Jerome and Vancouver took goalscoring to a level that the game couldn’t figure out how to handle. And the speed and systemic cohesion the team developed was unable to be paralleled by even the most dedicated copycats. Everyone wanted to replicate what Jerome Reinhart was doing, and no one could even come close, at least not with that consistency. It looked as though Vancouver, lead by Jerome Reinhart, would defeat the game of hockey entirely, and create an unbeatable set of team records.


 
That was until everything changed.

'Cause all I know is we said, "Hello"
And your eyes look like comin' home
All I know is a simple name
And everything has changed
All I know is you held the door
You'll be mine and I'll be yours
All I know since yesterday
Is everything has changed

-       Taylor Swift on Jerome Reinhart and the Hybrid Attributes System


When the competition becomes unbalanced to the point of not being competitive, it is the onus of the governing body to remedy the situation by introducing new regulations. As such, the dream of the Vancouver Wolves eternal dominance was crushed. Jerome waived his no-trade clause and was moved to New York, ready to turn his image from cog in the Wolves wheel, to independent man who don’t need no Wolves. While everyone was trying to figure out how to adjust to this new era in the VHL, Jerome was taking on 2 changes at once. Having played a winger for the entirety of his career so far, he decided to turn the tables and become a defender. He was joined by his partner Tyler Reinhart, and while Tyler struggled to replicate the glory of the past, Jerome lead the team in points, despite a below-expectations finish.


 
With Tyler Reinhart’s momentum fizzling out, and New York tumbling down the standings, Jerom Reinhart needed to find a new groove in S84. At the deadline his talents were taken to Riga, where here performed at roughly the rate we had come to expect in his career. Despite a short run, this was Jerome’s first non-Wolves playoff appearance, and it felt wrong to have missed his performance in S83. He began to really lean into this playmaking role, and establish himself as one of the leading passers in the game.

In his final seasons, he took his talents to London. Forging a strong relationship with their management group, it just made sense to tag along and try to propel what had always been a middle of the pack franchise into the playoffs. With depreciation hitting and the clock ticking Jerome Reinhart did what no one would expect. He went on to put up a 99-point campaign as a defender, a feat that earned him the Valiq and Campbell Trophies. Even in his final season, he managed to pull off a near point per game performance, and secured the United consecutive playoff appearances.


 
Regular Season Stats

79 (VAN), 35 Goals, 38 Assists, 73 Points, +18, 288 Shots, 47PIMs, 90 Hits, 15SB, 4GWG, 11PPG.

80 (VAN), 47 Goals, 67 Assists, 114 Points, +76, 486 Shots, 44PIMs, 161 Hits, 39SB, 8GWG, 8PPG.

  81 (VAN), 61 Goals, 70 Assists, 131 Points, +62, 711 Shots, 48PIMs, 147 Hits, 39SB, 7GWG, 11PPG.

82 (VAN), 59 Goals, 82 Assists, 141 Points, +51, 713 Shots, 22PIMs, 46 Hits, 33SB, 7GWG, 18PPG.

83 (NYA), 35 Goals, 69 Assists, 104 Points, -15, 448 Shots, 90PIMs, 138 Hits, 245SB, 4GWG, 12PPG.

84 (NYA/RIG), 19 Goals, 38 Assists, 57 Points, -31, 393Shots, 56PIMs, 88 Hits, 171SB, 5GWG, 8PPG.

85 (LDN), 24 Goals, 75 Assists, 99 Points, +13, 386 Shots, 101PIMs, 122 Hits, 160SB, 3GWG, 14PPG.

86 (LDN), 12 Goals, 53 Assists, 65 Points, -4, 292 Shots, 79PIMs, 127 Hits, 164SB, 3GWG, 8PPG.

Playoff Stats

80 (VAN), 4 Goals, 11 Assists, 15 Points, +8, 108 Shots, 17PIMs, 28 Hits, 8SB, 2PPG.

81 (VAN), 28 Goals, 24 Assists, 52 Points, +16, 184 Shots, 4PIMs, 13 Hits, 14SB, 3GWG, 8PPG.

82 (VAN), 7 Goals, 22 Assists, 29 Points, +13, 140 Shots, 2PIMs, 9 Hits, 9SB, 1GWG.

84 (RIG), 2 Goals, 3 Assists, 5 Points, -2, 24 Shots, 6PIMs, 12 Hits, 10SB, 1GWG, 1PPG.

85 (LDN), 0 Goals, 3 Assists, 3 Points, -2, 23 Shots, 8PIMs, 8 Hits, 9SB.

86 (LDN), 0 Goals, 2 Assists, 2 Points, -1, 9 Shots, 8PIMs, 4 Hits, 10SB.


 
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Legacy

 

Jerome Reinhart is one of the few players who got to be a Hall of Fame player calibre player at 2 different positions. Dominating the descent into the Hybrid Era as a scoring dynamo, and emerging into one of the league’s premier playmaking defenders after the regulation changes, he proved to be a dynamic and multi-talented player, who was able to propel his teams into the playoffs, and win at a prolific rate. While he inspired and found chemistry with teammates along the way, he notably found a way to prove his individual value, even at the twilight of his career. Some may remember him for his Vancouver Wolves days, others for his legendary S85 run, but I think it is important to take both into consideration, as he was a player of two lives, and won them both. 

Congratulations Cow!

(Sorry for taking so long!)

 

Regular Season Career Record

292 Goals, 492 Assists, 784 Points, +170, 3717 Shots, 487 PIMs, 919 Hits, 866 SB, 41GWG, 90 PPG.

 

Playoff Career Record

41 Goals, 65 Assists, 106 Points, +32, 488 Shots, 45 PIMs, 74 Hits, 60SB, 5GWG, 11PPG.