animal74

As much as I'm tempted to go with a Malmo homer pick... F - Red Lite @Spartan we're all done!

VHL best be on watch... #NightshawksRising #OwnTheNight

F Pistil Stamen Sorry, snuck it in there! @omgitshim

G Sirkants Klamasteris Still deciding on a forward.

MALMO! Two BIG wins to kick off the season! #NighthawksRising

Thanks again for this honor, team! I look forward to leading you into battle! #OwnTheNight #NighthawksRising

S78 Team Awards With high hopes going into S78, the Prague Phantoms had a bittersweet campaign. They came within two wins of advancing to the Continental Cup Finals but lost in six games to the eventual champion Warsaw. Thus, the Phantoms were unable to secure a Cup for captain and franchise cornerstone, Thomas Landry II @Doomsday before his retirement. As a consolation prize, he’ll have plenty of team awards and records to his name. Here are the S78 Prague Phantoms’ Team Awards as voted by the players and management: Best Defenseman Battre Sandstrom @Acydburn The third-year Swede was the offensive leader from the Prague blue line, pacing Phantom defensemen with 16 goals and a career-high 58 points. He was also second on the team with 27 power play points, a +17 plus/minus rating and 137 blocked shots. Unsung Hero Robert Bouchard @Gaikoku-hito, Dominic Gobeil @Domg5 On a team this deep, many players can be overlooked and while eight players received votes for the Unsung Hero award, two players tied with three votes each: Robert Bouchard and Dominic Gobeil, who finished third and fourth on team scoring respectively, will be sharing the award, each a first time winner which is fitting as the two have seemingly been linked since both being drafted by Prague in S75 although they are very different players. Bouchard had a breakout season scoring career-highs in goals assists and points, plus/minus and shots. His 35 goals were second on the team and he was a fantastic 52.68% in the dot, taking over 3000 draws. Gobeil is as steady as they come, producing his third consecutive 70-point 100-hit season. He also hit 30 goals for the second straight year and led the team with a +20. Both players were also fixtures on the power play, each scoring 20 points with the man advantage. Most Energetic Dominic Gobeil @Domg5 Gobeil won his third straight Most Energetic Award, a testament to his drive on the ice and his positive energy in the locker room. If Landry II is the heart of the Phantoms, Gobeil is its lungs, constantly breathing fresh oxygen into an emerging team whether it’s giving it all during the games or keeping the team motivated and energized. SPECIAL PRESENTATION And now we will continue the awards a bit differently than past years. The next four awards: Most Gentlemanly, Most Valuable Player, Phantom of the Year, and the 3-Stars Award have been won for the third consecutive year by the same player. This player has been with the Phantoms his entire career and is now retiring from the VHL, but not first without creating a legacy that extends beyond the arena and beyond Prague. Please turn your eyes to the screen for a very deserving tribute… Thomas Landry II (5th Overall - S71, S71-S78) From the moment Landry II announced he'd be going to the VHL, I had my eye on him. Throughout his whole time in the VHLM, all the way through to the moment he hung up his skates, he was a player I wanted in this franchise, whether as a prospect early on or as a player for the rest of his career. I'd had a pretty close relationship with Landry I back in the day, and if his son was half the player he was, he was going to be a fantastic VHLer - turned out he was far better than I could have imagined. He's definitely the best forward in franchise history, and arguably the best player on the whole (although Block, Perrin, Stansson Jr, and Wahl might have something to say about that). It's a shame we couldn't bring him a cup, but he did lead us to our farthest ever playoff appearance, and his whole career he embodied the notion of nothing is over until the whistle. The man is a legend, and I'm honored to have had the privilege of managing him over the years. ~ Prague GM Jason Glasser @diamond_ace ~ He was an amazing captain, was also there to help you improve your player and was always a big locker room presence! It was definitely an honour to play my whole career with him and I wish him the best! ~ Zachariah Kisslinger (Teammate S75-S78) @Kisslinger~ Landry II wasn't only a great team mate but a great leader on and off the ice. Teaching myself and I assume many others the way to be a true professional. His impact in Prague will live long past his playing career as the current players will pass along the knowledge that he pass onto us. Hopefully making every player that plays for Prague that much better in the long run. It has been a pleasure to play with Landry II and his lasting leadership will continue to be evidence in the Prague for futures to come. Cheers to a great career Landry II, and may you enjoy your retirement. ~ Robert Bouchard (Teammate S76-S78) @Gaikoku-hito~ I had the pleasure of playing in Prague with Lands for 4 seasons. He is truly an exceptional hockey player and leader. He was a role model for me on and off the ice. Proud to have been a teammate as long as I was. ~ Gary Tarantino (Teammate S72-S75) @Garrett~ The second half of his career was impressive. He grew from an underrated forward after his rookie season into a franchise player Prague needed to compete, and frankly I'm honestly surprised he didn't win any awards -- especially in season seventy six -- but I suppose those cards just weren't dealt this time around. I wish him all the best in retirement, he can come fishing with me anytime. ~ Erik Killinger (Fellow S71 Draftee – 11th Overall) @Peace ~ One of the best captains I have ever played for. It's sad to see that we weren't able to go all the way in his last year. ~ Silas LeFriend (Teammate S76-S78) @yevty ~ Coming to Prague was a stressful time for myself coming from Houston. First teammate I met after landing was Landry who helped me get adjusted to the city and the team environment. It was great getting to know him and I'm grateful I got to play with him during these seasons. ~ Riley Knight Gee (Teammate S74-S78) @KnightRiley ~ Landry II was probably the best player I played with in my career so far and his lost left a hole in the team. He will also be remembered as one of the top picks in VHFL seasons after seasons and he completely deserves to have his number retired in the Phantoms franchise. ~ Dominic Gobeil (Teammate S76-S78) @Domg5 ~ What can you say about Thomas Landry II? A few things come to mind: all-star, leader, face of the franchise, hype man, gold medalist. Easily the greatest Phantom of all time on and off the ice. He elevated the play of everyone who was lucky enough to hit the ice with him but not just that an absolute stand up human off the ice as well. There's some huge skates to fill here and no doubt the team MVP award has his name solidified on it. It was a pleasure playing with him and I wish him the best of luck going forward! If we win a championship in the next foreseeable future it will be fully dedicated to him. Thank you everything that you've done! We are all better players for having played with you. ~ Dan Baillie Jr (Teammate S74-S78) @wcats ~ Landry, congratulations on a full 8 season career as a member of the Phantoms. Landry II just brought a lot of energy right from the get go since he got drafted. Not only did he hit everything that moved, score big goals and give it his maximum effort every night on the ice but off the ice he was a fun guy to be around and everyone was just naturally drawn to him as a leader in the locker room even as a rookie. I'm very proud of seeing the career he's built in Prague, he's a Phantom legend and to me he's our GOAT so far. I consider myself lucky to have had to pleasure to have played with Landry II and I will always consider him a friend. ~ Seabass Perrin (Teammate S71-S73, S75) @Seabass ~ From the first day that Landry set foot in the locker room, we all knew he was going to be something special. Prague was always a close knit family, but this rookie came in with such a swagger that you could tell he meant business, and his personality fit right in with everyone. It didn't take long for him to slide into the first line, and he very quickly became the proud face of the franchise. Prague is a much better place having Landry around, and he will be greatly missed. ~ Cinnamon Block (Teammate S71-S75) @omgitshim ~ Landry, congratulations, buddy, on your retirement! We sure had some fun times, didn’t we? When I was traded mid-season in S71, everyone in Prague was amazing to me but you and me, you being a rookie and me only in my second season, we bonded and it was a hell of a ride. I was hoping you’d get that Cup before you hung them up. If you keep anything with you though, take Phamily. You helped create a forever Phamily here in Prague and once a Phantom, always a Phantom. So many people will be proud to say they played with or against Thomas Landry II. You’re a legend and more importantly, a great friend. Enjoy retirement! You deserve it. Thanks for the memories! ~ Ondrej Ohradka (Teammate S71-S75) @animal74~ Captain Thomas Landry II finishes his career 1st or 2nd in most Prague all-time statistical categories including the career leader in goals (265), points (600), hits (1685), and game-winning goals (48). He is the winner or co-winner of 21 Team Awards and finishes his career 67th VHL all-time with 1685 hits and tied for 65th with 72 power play goals. The Phantoms would also like to announce the Team MVP Award which he won the last four seasons will be named the Thomas Landry II Award. Thank you for joining our special presentation! Good night!

D Cowboy Prout F Valtteri Vaakanainen @omgitshim

Hatter beat me to it.

@Spartan so do I wait for @Baby Boomer?

S78 Team Awards S78 saw the underdog Nighthawks take another step forward in their rebuild/retool. They made the play-in round for the second straight year and this time advanced past Helsinki to the next round only to lose to eventual champion Warsaw. Many players took great steps in their development and the future is exciting for this young team from Malmo! Announcing the S78 Malmo Nighthawks Team Awards as voted by the players and management. Condor Adrienne Award (Best Defenseman) Randy Marsh @oilmandan The truculent Marsh was his usual self and made sure he was even more of a pain in the ass in his final VHL season. He led Malmo defensemen in most categories and helped the Nighthawks become the only team this season with two 300+ hitters. He matched his career-high in goals with 18 and set career-highs in shots (228), penalty minutes (260), hits (312), and blocked shots (162). He also was a stud in the postseason posting career-highs in goals, assists, and points with a point-per-game showing (3-7-10) in 10 games. His 260 penalty minutes also led the league and he finishes his career 6th all-time in VHL history with 1450. Rookie of the Year Tui Sova @v.2 Drafted 7th overall in the S78 Draft, the skilled defenseman from Fiji provided an instant boost to the Nighthawks’ blueline. He worked his way into a Top-3 role and became reliable in all areas of the game. His offensive game improved as the season went along collecting 8 goals and 32 assist for 40 points which put him third in scoring among all rookies. Defensively, he handled himself with poise and assertiveness as he placed second on the team in blocked shots (169), third in penalty minutes (108) and fourth in hits (148). Unsung Hero Carson Walkers @Cwalker Walkers blossomed into a consistent source of secondary scoring and defensive acumen all season long as the third-year winger set career highs in most categories. His 21 goals were fifth on the team and he chipped in five power play goals, three game-winners and converted both of his shootout attempts. He also provided grit with 162 hits, good for third on the team and was tied for second on the Nighthawks with a +18. Most Energetic Druss Deathwalker @animal74 Deathwalker saw steady improvement in his sophomore season and his non-stop motor caused havoc for opposing teams. He doubled or tripled his numbers from his rookie season scoring 23 goals on 288 shots both numbers fourth on the team. He also led the league with a monstrous 374 hits and was 7th in penalty minutes with 191. This is his second straight award. Most Gentlemanly Kevin Wu @kevinscix Although he had a down year offensively, Wu nevertheless was a solid contributor at both ends for Malmo with 35 points and 123 blocked shots. He was also a quiet leader and his calm demeanor carried into the locker room and on the ice. His calmness also attributed to him only taking nine minor penalties all season in spite of playing over 18 minutes a game. Most Valuable Player Muffbeav @.sniffuM, Brendan Telker @Telkster, Artem Tretiak @Molholt This was the most contested vote as three of Malmo’s stars fittingly tied for the award for Most Valuable Player. Muffbeav and Telker led Malmo offensively all season with Muffbeav flirting with a goal-a-game pace for the first quarter of the season. Telker led the Nighthawks in points with 90 and Muffbeav led the team in goals with 45. They were both among league leaders for goals and shots with Muffbeav leading the league with 531. Telker was also among league leaders for power play goals (14) game-winners (6) and hat tricks (3). Tretiak held the fort between the pipes and announced to the league he was a bonafide starter. He led the league with a sparkling 0.924 save percentage and was Top-5 in shots against and shutouts. His focus and determination helped power Malmo through rough stretches and into the playoffs. Nighthawk of the Year Druss Deathwalker @animal74 Deathwalker garners his second Nighthawk of the Year award on the heels of his first season as team captain. Proving that he wasn’t just all boast and bluster, he accepted an increased offensive role and still led the league in hits while providing boisterous energy on the ice and an encouraging presence in the locker room. He strives to help his teammates get better for the good of the team and the ultimate goal. 3-Stars Award Muffbeav @.sniffuM After such a sensational season, it’s no surprise that Muffbeav claims Malmo’s 3-Stars award for S78. He led the team in goals and shots and created offense from everywhere and thus he was selected 1st Star a team-high nine times. He also had a team-high 17 star selections for a total of 380 points. Although, his co-MVPs Telker and Tretiak weren’t far behind with 330 and 310 points respectively. Full 3-Star standings below: Player 1st 2nd 3rd Star Points Total Stars Muffbeav 9 3 5 380 17 Brendan Telker 4 9 3 330 16 Artem Tretiak 6 5 3 310 14 Druss Deathwalker 2 5 3 190 10 Arthur Dayne 4 1 5 190 10 Randy Marsh 2 4 4 180 10 Viktor Alexei Kamenov 2 2 3 130 7 Tui Sova 2 1 3 110 6 Kevin Sterk 2 2 1 110 5 Carson Walkers 1 2 3 100 6 Kevin Wu 0 1 1 30 2 Jakob Sosa 0 1 1 30 2 Woody McPine 0 0 1 10 1 Kirishima Wakaro 0 0 1 10 1 Nighthawks: @Infernal @TMGSosa @Snussu @BigTittySmitty @M1nT @STZ @hylands @HearnNation67

D Chris Hylands @omgitshim is on the clock!

@Domg5 Randy Marsh has also retired.

Great career nontheless! It was a pleasure winning the S69 Founder's Cup with you in Saskatoon! Wish you even more success with your next player.

14 for the Memories Even though we don’t have to write anything for the VHL’s 14th birthday, I still wanted to say a few words about this wonderful community that provides an opportunity to live out our hockey dreams as only the internet can. I discovered the VHL in 2008 after meddling with other sim leagues and helping Simon Tremblay a bit with the English in his STHS documentation. There wasn’t anything else like the VHL and the chance to create my own player was very intriguing. My first foray was a blast and relatively successful as Gunnar-Rune Rorvik became one of the first Triple Gold Winners (S5 Founder’s Cup, S8 WC Gold, S12 Continental Cup). I stayed with Seattle my whole career and it paid off when I won the Cup with such stars as Alexander Beketov @Beketov, Josh Vestiquan @v.2, Pavel Dubnikov, Steve LaFramboise, Zacky Vengeance and others, some of whom are still here and others have taken a hiatus, like me, and come back. And that’s a testament to the VHL’s leaders and community. Even though the league has had tough times and controversy, the VHL hasn’t given up. As a community you/we have grown together, gotten stronger together and now still stand for the new hockey fans that will become future stars and the old guard who have come back because of the good times had in the past. That’s one of the reasons I enjoy being a VSN History Writer is because I played with and interacted with many of the first HOFers and stars. I played against the likes of Scotty Campbell @scotty, Mike Szatkowski @Mike, Kevin Brooks @brooks., Christian Stolzschweiger, Matt Defosse @Cowboy, Sterling Labatte @sterling, Chris Julien, Dust’n Funk @Strummer, Layken Heidt, Devon Marlow-Marta, Markus Sedin, Anton Ingberg. In the S12 Cup Finals, we beat a stacked Dynamo team with Jochen Walser, Tomas Jenskovic, Alec Miller, Da’Brickashaw O’Neal, Jonathan Matthias, Sebastien Perrin @Seabass, Tomas Ziegler, Zach Arce and Benoit Devereux. It’s been fun being able to share these memories with all of you. And albeit the players are imaginary, the people behind them are real and the memories remain. A community is a group of people that have stayed together long enough to develop, have fun and make memories. I guess what I’m trying to say is thanks. Thanks to all the people who created the VHL. Thanks to everyone who have led the way, made tough decisions, and never given up. Thanks to the current BOG, GMs, and other leaders who continue to make the VHL a real place, a real community. And thanks for 14 years of memories. And here’s to a lot more! animal74 aka Gunnar-Rune Rorvik Ondrej Ohradka Druss Deathwalker

Wow!

Thanks! Good to know!

What's New at VSN: S79 Mock Draft | S79 Draft Combine Interviews | S78 VHL Awards | S78 VHLM Awards | S78 World Cup Recap Previous Articles: #24 - 19, #18 - 13, #12 - #7 Over the last few weeks, @Doomsday and I have been counting down the VHL’s best picks from each position in the VHL’s draft history. From Randoms (#24) to Sterling Labatte (#7), we attempt to debunk draft debates that have raged for years. Now, we come to the final segment highlighting the stars that were the best players ever selected from #6 to #1. Not surprisingly, these are all household names and were ranked among the greatest to have played in the league in VSN’s Top 75 Players. Without further ado, here are the VHL Draft’s All-Time Best Picks in the Top 6. #6. Conner Low, D/RW @Smarch Drafted: 1st Round, 6th Pick, S35 New York Americans Teams: New York Highlights: VHL Hall of Fame (S43), Continental Cup Champion x2 (S39, S41), Sterling Labatte Trophy x5 (S36-S40), Alexander Beketov Trophy x3 (S37, S39, S40), Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy (S36), Grimm Jonsson Trophy (S36) While getting a Hall of Famer at 6th overall doesn’t seem like a stretch - even though there have only been five HOFers selected at that spot – getting arguably the best defenseman in VHL history at 6th overall is quite the steal, especially when Davos passed him over twice in the first five picks in the S35 Draft! No player at 6th has made it to the Hall of Fame since Conner Low, the 5th-ranked player in the Top 75 Players of all-time, who was snagged by the New York Americans starting a dominant era in the franchise’s history. To say Low made an immediate impact is a drastic understatement. Not only did he win rookie of the year after leading all rookies with 83 points, Low was named team captain at the beginning of the season and won the Grimm Jonsson Trophy for leadership and won his first of many Labatte Trophies as the league’s best defenseman. Thus began Low’s run of five consecutive Labatte Trophies from S36-S40, the most in VHL history. He also led league in assists three times and won a Continental Cup in S39. After having nothing left to prove as a defenseman, Low switched to the wing for his last two seasons to help New York and all he did was have two 50+ goal, 100+ point campaigns and win another Cup. He also was captain for five of his seven seasons and is a member of the Triple Gold Club. He is 17th all-time with 491 assists. Need we say more? Honorable Mention: Phil Rafter, C @Phil (S27) #5. David Smalling, LW @Knight Drafted: 1st Round, 5th Pick, S27 HC Davos Dynamo Teams: Davos, New York Highlights: VHL Hall of Fame (S35), Continental Cup Champion (S31), Scott Boulet Trophy x5 (S28, S31-S34), Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy (S27), Grimm Jonsson Trophy (S31) From arguable the best defenseman to arguably the best two-way forward, David Smalling was one of HC Davos’ four first round picks in a franchise-altering S27 draft for the Dynamo. He kicked off his career by winning the Stolzschweiger Trophy with an 85 point season and setting a new VHL single season record for hits with 423. He would continue to produce (two 30+ goal seasons and his first Boulet Trophy), although not quite as his rookie year suggested for the next three years as Davos slowly transformed into a powerhouse. Everything culminated into a championship season in S31 when Smalling had career-highs in most offensive categories and led the Dynamo to a Game 7 victory over the New York Americans to win his first Cup. He would also win his second Boulet Trophy and the Grimm Jonsson Trophy. He wouldn’t relinquish the Boulet Trophy until his retirement winning the two-way award a league record five times! He was also the all-time leader in hits upon finishing his career and still sits third in league history. Honorable Mention: Pietro Maximoff, C @OrbitingDeath (S49) #4. Tukka Reikinnen, LW @.sniffuM Drafted: 1st Round, 4th Pick, S25 Vasteras Iron Eagles Teams: Vasteras, New York Highlights: VHL Hall of Fame (S33), Continental Cup Champion x2 (S26, S32), Scotty Campbell Trophy (S30), Lemieux (Mike Szatkowski) Trophy x2 (S27, S30), Malone (Kevin Brooks) Trophy x2 (S27, S30), Brett Slobodzian Trophy (S30), Daisuke Kanou Trophy (S31), Dustin Funk Trophy (S27) Many fine players have been selected 4th overall over the years but one talented Finn set the bar extremely high in the VHL’s early years and few have come close to his storied career. Tukka Reikinnen started his career with two good seasons in Vasteras including helping the Iron Eagles win their second Continental Cup and winning World Cup Gold in S26. Then he exploded in his third season (S27) with one the best offensive efforts in league history. Reikinnen would more than double his previous season’s goals, assists, and points with 78-74-152 on route to the 6th-highest single season goal total in league history! He would never quite reach those heights again but he would finish on top as his final act was to captain New York to the S32 Continental Cup championship. Reikinnen’s time in the VHL ended with six consecutive 40+ goal seasons and four 100-point seasons earning him many accolades along the way. He was just as productive in the playoffs where his 37 goals still have him tied for 23rd all-time and out of players having played 60 or more playoff games, he ranks 9th in goals-per-game. Honorable Mention: Anton Brekker, C @DGFX. (S18) #3. Hans Wingate, G @CowboyinAmerica Drafted: 1st Round, 3rd Pick, S43 Calgary Wranglers Teams: Calgary, Riga, Toronto Highlights: VHL Hall of Fame (S51), Continental Cup Champion x4 (S44, S48-S50), Aidan Shaw Trophy x3 (S44, S46, S50), Daisuke Kanou Trophy x2 (S45, S48), Scotty Campbell Trophy (S50), Brett Slobodzian Trophy (S50) The huge goalie from Edinburgh, Scotland was perhaps the most appropriately named player in history. All he did was win. Aside from his dismal rookie season which saw him win only 14 games, Wingate would assault the VHL records books for the next seven seasons and become the only Hall-of-Famer in his draft class. His teams were the best in their conference five times, tops in the league twice, won the Continental Cup four times and lost another time in the Finals. To highlight how important he was in net, he won the Aidan Shaw Trophy (Best Goalie) once with each of his three teams and co-won the Daisuke Kanou Trophy as playoff MVP after losing in the S45 Cup Finals. As good as Wingate was in the regular season, he elevated his performance in the playoffs to elite levels rarely seen since. He never finished a postseason with a save percentage lower than 0.924 and produced a sub-2.00 GAA four times. Hans Wingate retired on top of the VHL. He finished his career as the only goaltender in history to backstop a team to three straight Continental Cups and was named the league’s best goalie, most valuable player, and most outstanding player. He left the VHL its goaltending career leader in regular season games played and shutouts and playoff games played and wins and still ranks high in most goaltending categories. He is not only one of the top goalies of all-time but also one of the best players ever. Honorable Mention: Ryan Sullivan, D @Advantage (S28) #2. Scotty Campbell, C @scotty Drafted: 1st Round, 2nd Pick, S1 Vasteras IK Teams: Vasteras, Seattle, Helsinki, Toronto Highlights: VHL Hall of Fame (S9), Continental Cup Champion x4 (S1, S4-S6), Gretzky (Scotty Campbell) Trophy x3 (S4, S5, S7), Lemieux (Mike Szatkowski) Trophy x5 (S2, S4-S7), Malone (Kevin Brooks) Trophy x4 (S2, S4, S5, S7), Mikita (Alexander Beketov) Trophy x2 (S4, S6), Howe (Daisuke Kanou) Trophy x2 (S4, S5) Are there enough superlatives to describe Scotty Campbell’s career and his lasting effect on the VHL? Surprisingly, the draft is about the only time he wasn’t first as he dropped to 2nd overall to HC Davos after the Amstel Tigers selected goalie Robert Sharpe 1st overall. After his selection, Campbell dominated the VHL like no one has since, setting almost every offensive record in the league, most of which stand to this day. Among these records are the career marks for regular season goals (600), assists (639), and points (1239) – marks deemed unreachable. So influential was Campbell, that the trophy for Most Valuable Player, previously named after another Great One (Gretzky), and a trophy he won three times during his illustrious career, was renamed after him. He was unanimously named the Top Player of All-Time and it is unlikely that laurel will ever be removed. No question he is the greatest pick at #2 ever. Honorable Mention: Greg Clegane, G @Victor (S45) #1. Thomas O’Malley, C @OrbitingDeath Drafted: 1st Round, 1st Pick, S40 Cologne Express Teams: Cologne, Helsinki, New York Highlights: VHL Hall of Fame (S48), Continental Cup Champion x4 (S42, S45-S47), Scotty Campbell Trophy x3 (S44-S46), Brett Slobodzian Trophy x4 (S43-46), Mike Szatkowski Trophy x4 (S43-S46), Kevin Brooks Trophy x2 (S43, S44), Alexander Beketov Trophy (S44), Daisuke Kanou Trophy (S45), Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy (S40) Widely considered the VHL’s best player next to Scotty Campbell, Thomas O’Malley was the obvious choice as the league best ever 1st overall pick. O’Malley rivaled Campbell’s era of dominance (and his trophy case), equaling Campbell’s championships and MVP selections but also becoming only the second player in history to lead the league in scoring four consecutive seasons. That period, from S43-S46, saw O’Malley awarded 15 individual trophies and two Continental Cups. He averaged just over 129 points a season and was awarded the Slobodzian Trophy for player-voted Most Outstanding Player each of those seasons – the only player ever to win more than two (the award wasn’t created until Campbell had retired). He won a Cup with each team he played for and finished with 99 points in 90 playoffs games (5th all-time). He is also the last player to record 900 or more regular season points, accumulating 913 during his stellar career, good for 4th all-time and ranks 5th with 532 career assists. Thomas O’Malley is, without a doubt, the best 1st-overall draft pick in VHL history. Honorable Mentions: Gabriel McAllister, LW @CowboyinAmerica (S56), Matt Thompson, LW @Beketov (S61) Thanks so much for joining VSN as we showcased the best players selected at each of the top 24 draft positions in VHL history. We hope this brought to light some of the league’s less-heralded stars or jogged your memories of some of the league stars from the past. Maybe it churned up the excitement and anticipation that only a draft can bring in time for the S79 Entry Draft. Keep an eye on VSN as we produce more riveting content every week and be sure to check out VSN Scouting's recently posted S79 Mock Draft! Cheers!

Happy Birthday VHL!!! It's so awesome to see a community last this long on the internet. Have been around during Years 2-3 and then coming back 10 years later to see the league still thriving was incredible! So many people deserve tons of credit but everyone has been a small part. Thanks for the TPE and gifts!

Legend = @Doomsday Congrats to all the winners! Go Nighthawks!

Yeah! Congrats @oilmandan, @Telkster, @hylands, @STZ!!

Ditto! I'll be there next time!

Sign me up please!

Congrats Warsaw! Great job!

MALMO!!!