animal74

Last week I ended this .com miniseries talking about Christoph Klose, the player who always fell just a hair behind Lord Karnage when it comes to individual recognition.
 
Next was Essian Ravenwing, the Welsh centerman. Similar to Casey Jones, who I will get to next, chemistry was hit and miss, but by the end of his career he got himself a Championship and had multiple 100+ point seasons, so not much to complain about there. My only regret is not having the time to fully flesh out his story, which I thought started super strong, with him being the descendent of the actual Prince of Wales.
 
Chemistry seemed to always be an issue with Casey Jones, where I roleplayed the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles character. He started his VHL career really strong, winning top defenseman and top rookie after a 100 point season, if I recall correctly, but kind of petered out after that.  
 
From there I went to The Terrible Trivium, who was the first ever selection by the London United, which is something I'm proud of. Triv was a roleplay of the Demon from "The Phantom Tollbooth", an excellent children's book full of tremendous puns. Unfortunately being on an expansion team limited his success, but he spent his whole career there and I'm glad he did.
 
Finally was Ryuji Sakamoto, a roleplay of the Persona 5 character. I intended him to be a physical fighter, a hothead with a bad attitude, but I also wanted him to be a useful defensive player. The jury's out on how that ended up.
 
As I wrap this up, it occurs to me that Ravenwing is the only "VHL Original" character I've done before Shevchenko. I hope Shev can live up to that standard, and maybe even achieve top billing.

Toronto Legion veteran Joel Castle became the first VHL goalie to reach 40 wins tonight after a 5-3 victory over the Moscow Menace reaching the milestone for the second time in his career. The last time Castle reached 40 wins was in S91, the year the Legion last won the Continental Cup. Castle hopes the milestone is a good omen.
 
“Obviously, we want to win every game but that’s impossible so to win as much as we have this season has been great. I haven’t been as sharp as I’ve wanted to be so most of the credit goes to the rest of the team as they’ve been scoring at a phenomenal rate.”
 
To Castle’s point, Toronto has been the league’s highest scoring team (249 GF) and is on pace to score the franchise’s most goals in a season since S81 with they poured in 279. They currently have four 40-goal scorers and could finish with five by the end of the season.
 
Castle’s 40th win also kept Toronto’s slim lead at the top of the VHL with 96 points, two ahead of the red-hot Malmo Nighthawks who have beaten Toronto handily in all four of their meetings this season and have a game in hand. The Nighthawks netminder, Ash Sparks @DarkSpyro, who led the league with 46 wins last season, is second in the VHL with 39 wins and it won’t be long before he get his 40th win as well. It will be a close race between the two former Geneva Rush teammates for not only the wins title but also the Victory Cup.

1. We are currently hanging on to the top spot overall in the VHL but a few teams are close behind. Can we hold on and capture our first Victory Cup since S67? I sure as fuck hope so. Been more of a slog the 2nd half of the year but I feel like we'll get back to what we were doing and hoist the cup this year.
2. We're on pace to have our best offensive season since S81 (279 GF). How many goals will we have by the end of the season? No earthly idea, let's go with 282
3. Which do you think will happen first in the VHL: The next 70-goal scorer or 100-assist scorer? 100 assist scorer. 100 is a cooler number.
4. If Toronto used a third color to accent the double blue jerseys, what color do you think would look good? Yellow! LFG
5. Diego Machado is on pace to become Toronto's first 50-goal scorer since Paul Atreides in S83. Will he make it and how many goals will he end up with? He will, and he'll blow through it, getting to 55 goals and doing the damn thing.
6. Which NHL playoff matchup intrigues you the most? Which matchup could you care less about? Boston Toronto should be a good one. Don't much care for Florida and Tampa.

1. We are currently hanging on to the top spot overall in the VHL but a few teams are close behind. Can we hold on and capture our first Victory Cup since S67?
I hope so - our squad seems to be jiving really well and we're rolling. If we just stay the way we are we should have no trouble at the Victory Cup.
2. We're on pace to have our best offensive season since S81 (279 GF). How many goals will we have by the end of the season?
I say we crush this and get in the 300s. Every game we have someone stepping up and dominating offensively. I believe this is the best offensive team in Legion history.
3. Which do you think will happen first in the VHL: The next 70-goal scorer or 100-assist scorer?
100 assists for sure. goal scoring is just so hard and there's a higher chance of getting an assist than a goal. 2nd assists can come pretty easy sometimes. With the right luck - 100 assists seems easy.
4. If Toronto used a third color to accent the double blue jerseys, what color do you think would look good?
Why not black? I think it would work well with the Legion and help pull away from matching the Helsinki color scheme. B
5. Diego Machado is on pace to become Toronto's first 50-goal scorer since Paul Atreides in S83. Will he make it and how many goals will he end up with?
Absolutely, he's rocking it and I'm going to guess 52.
6. Which NHL playoff matchup intrigues you the most? Which matchup could you care less about?
Panthers/Lightning because they are going to kill eachother and it should be high tempo  hockey. Probably Islanders Canes for most boring. I have the Isles upsetting though.

1. I think we can do it, but the real objective is to end the season with a win and the Renaissance Cup.
2. It will be very tough to score more than 279 goals this season, but it would be really nice to reach 280 goals.
3. I believe we are going to have to wait a long time before seeing either of them, but we are going to wee a 100-assist scorer before.
4. White or black, I don't see any other color that would look good on the jersey.
5. He will have to have a really good end of the season, but I think he can end up with 50 goals flush.
6. Boston vs Toronto is going to be a really fun matchup and even if I will watch the game anyway I think that the Rangers will eat the Capitals alive.

1. We are currently hanging on to the top spot overall in the VHL but a few teams are close behind. Can we hold on and capture our first Victory Cup since S67?  This spot is locked down, no one can compete with Toronto this season.  The team is too loaded to not clench it.  Its been a fantastic year and will see some amazing results this year.  Expect a lot of hardware!
 
 
2. We're on pace to have our best offensive season since S81 (279 GF). How many goals will we have by the end of the season? This is a stacked lineup that will blow teams away, we will easily finish over 300 goals, will we even have 400 Maybe! It might be possible!
 
 
3. Which do you think will happen first in the VHL: The next 70-goal scorer or 100-assist scorer? 100 assist most likely, coming from Toronto.  I won't allow that to happen against us so that's why will it be someone from Toronto.
 
 
4. If Toronto used a third color to accent the double blue jerseys, what color do you think would look good? I am a 90s kid and I light bright colors, how about we get weird and go with a neon or lime green.
 
 
5. Diego Machado is on pace to become Toronto's first 50-goal scorer since Paul Atreides in S83. Will he make it and how many goals will he end up with? He will easily get it, the question you should be asking yourself is how many hattricks will they end up with when they score over 60 goals?
 
 
6. Which NHL playoff matchup intrigues you the most? Which matchup could you care less about? I am excited about the battle of Florida, TB vs FLA.  May the Lightning reign supreme! BOS v TOR I could care less about, I am tired of hearing about the original 6.

Kobe Johnson was drafted 22nd overall by the Toronto Legion in S86 following a successful S85 in Las Vegas with the Aces. Johnson returned to Vegas the following season, and exploded offensively, making the jump from 23 to 94 points as a sophomore in the VHLM, and earning a promotion the following season to the VHLE's Geneva Rush. Johnson maintained steady offensive numbers in Geneva for three seasons from S87-89, posting point totals of 71, 86, and 86. For S90, Johnson was caught in the VHLE's roster shuffling after the contraction of 2 teams. That led to Johnson playing in Vasteras down the lineup, only amassing 16 points in the S90 season. In the following season, the opportunity presented itself to play up the lineup again, and Kobe responded with a 67 point season, coming close to averaging a point per game.
 
The S91 season would prove to be Johnson's last in the VHLE, as he got the call to come up to the VHL's Toronto Legion, where he spent the S92 posting 22 points (9 G, 13 A) in 72 games. That brings us to this season, where Johnson has already set new career highs in multiple statistical categories. In 55 games this season, Kobe has already tied last seasons goal total with 9, and has surpassed last seasons assist and point totals with 16 and 25 respectively. Johnson is also more involved offensively through shooting, having increased his shot total from 96 last season to 127 and counting this season. So far, new career bests have been set in assists, points, plus/minus, shots, and shot blocks. He is a goal away from a career best in the VHL, as well as being 2 game winning goals, 2 powerplay goals, and 8 hits away from besting those categories as well. These last 17 games being productive will go a long way to helping set highs in those categories as well.

VHL Centennial Rebrand

 
 
I think that there's a huge opportunity coming up to in the next few seasons to not only rebrand a team or two but to give the league a new look - a celebratory refresh if you will - for its 100th season. With all the changes that have happened over one hundred seasons, this is possibly a once in a lifetime opportunity to give the league a new look if only for a season and to celebrate it’s rich history, the seven original franchises that have been around for all 100 seasons, and the teams and players that have made the VHL what it is today.
 
Here are a few rebrands/refreshes I think should be considered for the league’s 100th anniversary:
 
League Logo 
I think that the league logo needs a “rebrand” for it’s centennial, something that incorporates “100” to celebrate it’s one hundred seasons (similar to what the NHL did) and to show the world that it’s one of the best and longest lasting sim leagues ever. Perhaps it could also incorporate the seven (or eight) original team logos in the centennial logo. 
 

The NHL's Centennial Logo
 
Original 7 Logos/Jerseys
I would like to see the seven remaining original franchises (Calgary Wranglers, Helsinki Titans, Seattle Bears, Toronto Legion, HC Davos Dynamo (Amstel/Avangard), New York Americans (Hamilton), and Riga Reign (Stockholm) get special centennial logos: either a refresh of the original logos, a part of the original logo in the relocated logo where applicable, or a completely new rebrand of the colors and logos for something new and fresh. Also, I think all team logos should have “100” in the logo. I also propose a graphic/banner for each franchise showing things like number of seasons, past logos, number of Cups and Conference titles, player stats leaders, etc. That way, a new member to the VHL or someone joining a team for the first time have a fantastic way of getting a quick snapshot of the team’s history at a glance.  
 
Portal Page/Web
Now this is where the VHL’s community could really show their talent. I propose a refresh of the portal and forum banners and have a contest where all who wish can submit a centennial banner and the winner (or Top 3?) get TPE. But we could use all of them and have the banners rotate on the pages (if that’s possible). The banners would need to pay homage to the VHL's rich history.
 
Awards
There isn’t a better time to unveil a new award or a rebranded award than during a centennial season. I know that they went through a renaming before, but with so much history and great players since then, it might be time for an award or two to be renamed. Maybe induct a special centennial member into the Hall of Fame? I’m not going to throw out too many ideas at the moment but just putting it out there for the general public to discuss.
 
In conclusion, I think the VHL needs to capitalize on S100 to bring in some new looks and bring back old memories to celebrate this league and all the people that have made it run. New visuals should help attract new members and would liven the place up a bit. Plus it would allow our talented community to showcase what they can do and make this centennial a season to remember!

To decide what franchise is most in need of a rebrand it makes the most sense to look at how old each team's logo is. After nearly a quarter-century of VHL seasons of teams slightly modifying and re-using existing logos from other leagues and sports, since S24 all logos have been original, some designed by the VHL's own graphics community, and most of the more recent ones being purchased from third-party designers. Quite a few continue to stand the test of time. Let's count them down.
 
S81: Riga

The newest logo in the VHL belongs to the Riga Reign who avoided a rebrand for nearly 60 seasons beforehand and are only on their third logo overall (all variations of the orange lion). I think this one got quite widespread approval and is certainly an upgrade on the previous version so it would be unlikely to be changed any time soon, even as a big change is about to take place in Riga's GM position.
 
S75: Calgary

Another long-awaited change to an old franchise's appearance took place just six seasons previously, as the beloved derp horse was retired after 50 seasons to make way for a more imposing stallion. The Wranglers have also only gone through three variations of the red horse and the current version is likely here to stay for a while.
 
S73 expansion teams: Chicago, Los Angeles, London, and Warsaw
S68 expansion teams: D.C. and Prague
S65 expansion team (Moscow) and S66 expansion team (Malmo)


                                                       
I am grouping all the expansion teams together (which is actually half of the league) for a specific reason: unlike the rest of the teams' logos, these were purchased using the league's donation money with the thought process that these were long-term investments and won't be replaced on a whim in the short-term. Of course, these expansion teams have all been around for at least 20 seasons now but as we have seen with Calgary and Riga above, and indeed many more examples to come, this is far from a long time in VHL terms. Just as importantly, these are actually a solid set of logos, most of which I think there is no great clamour to replace. The exceptions might be LA and London and purely on a personal level I think LA is the franchise most in need of a fresh start but I'll let someone else dive into that topic in more depth.
 
S53: Helsinki

The Titans aren't far off from being joint-oldest on this list as their logo change in S53 was only a cosmetic one really, polishing up and slightly recolouring the version they got in S24 when all teams rebranded to in-house made logos. However, given Helsinki did give themselves an uplift 30 seasons later, they fall in the midtable of this list. There's nothing that needs improving for them but maybe they'll want another small makeover in the near future.
 
S52: New York

The next three logos are a tale of how logo changes can sometimes seemingly alter history. The Americans had lots of success following the S24 rebrand and were arguably the league's most successful franchise in the following 30 seasons. However, just before their back-to-back championships of S52 and S53 they swapped to this logo and after that initial short-term success.... well you guys probably know most of the story. One finals appearance has followed in the 40 seasons since, so if there's any franchise that needs a rebrand just to dump their loser era it's New York.
 
S47: Toronto

In a similar vein to the Americans, the Legion's logo swap immediately led to threepeat, the first of its kind. It's been a bit of a rollercoaster since but Toronto's logo just seems to work for them and also harks back to the version they used in the league's first decades. In fact, the S47 rebrand replaced a very unpopular logo so this change was welcomed and despite being one of the oldest ones in use now, it doesn't feel like there is much clamour for change at the moment.
 
S44: Davos

Until the recent renaissance under Alex, this, even more than New York's, was the league's most cursed logo. The Dynamo were definitely the league's most successful franchise before S44 and then they just stopped being that. I also personally preferred the logo they replaced, although I am biased as I was the team's GM just 5 seasons previously. Davos has turned things around a bit now but it's the third-oldest logo in the league so I say get them to switch it up and leave that cup drought firmly in the past.
 
S31 expansion team: Quebec, now Vancouver

Funnily enough, given what I said about the “new” expansion franchises above, it seems to be the fate of expansion teams in the VHL that they are stuck with their logo for life. Cologne never replaced theirs and have been resurrected with in in the VHLE, the Quebec's was considered so good that it survived the move to Vancouver (more of a translation rather than a rebrand). In fact, not touching the logo was one of the conditions for the move being allowed to go through. It is still unique in being a logo designed by the team's GM, in this case founding GM Pavel Koradek. What has changed over time is that this is now the second-oldest logo in the league so perhaps popular opinion could be swayed towards a change. It is such a simple yet effective one though.

S24: Seattle

Fittingly, the oldest logo in the VHL is in Seattle, also home to the league's (soon to be by far) longest-serving GM. The Bears logo does predate Bana's reign (yes there was such a time) and is the only logo to survive from S24, when all eight franchises at the time got custom-made logos, having survived until then on versions ripped from existing teams. Seattle until then (ignoring their 1-season stint as the Everblades) had used the Hershey Bears logo, swapped to fairly similar one in S24 and haven't looked back since. Time for a change? Maybe under a new GM...
 

For this media I will be talking about teams from the VHL, VHLE and VHLM in regard to rebranding. Because I suck at making graphics, I will be doing this by simply talking about the team names and logos, not showing them.
 
1. VHLM. Miami Marauders- Miami Night. Personally, I've never seen a team simply named "night" so I'll explain why I chose this strange name. Miami is known for its night life and bright florescent lights. Their jerseys would include florescent lights and be flashy overall. I think an appropriate logo for this rebranding would be a pair of eyes glowing neon green. This would also give Miami the chance to really spice up their arena. Every time they scored a goal on home ice, the lights could go up with strobe lights coming down on the ice. I would recommend the goal song being club like music to increase the vibes even more. 
 
2. VHLE. Oslo Storm- Oslo Warriors. Whenever I think of Norway, I think of Vikings. How sick would it be to have a team from Norway with a logo of a big, bearded Viking. Instead of an axe or sword, this Viking could be wielding a hockey stick. Out of all the teams I am writing about in this article, the storm has my favorite branding, it's just too hard to pass up on rebranding this Norwegian team to something related to Vikings. 
 
3. VHL. Moscow Menace- Moscow Mafia. For some reason the two Ms in a row really scratch an itch in my brain. The Menace isn't a bad idea for a Moscow branded team, but I think the Mafia just sounds much cooler. Being the only Russian team in the VHL, I think the Mafia should have a red themed branding.
 
4. VHL. Riga Reign- Riga Bears. This is probably the most basic rebranding I would consider. Riga is host to lots of diverse wildlife, one of them being the Eurasian brown bear. While I don't have a problem with their current branding, Latvia has never been known much for their royal heritage and many of their royal families have German heritage. When it comes to the branding of teams, I like it when the branding ties into something that is related to the team's location. By naming them the bears this would give a nod to one of the most well recognized animals across all of Latvia.   
 
5. VHLM. Mexico City Kings- Mexico City Settlers. The name settlers are inspired by the Aztecs, who are deep rooted in the history of Mexico. Naming this team after the Aztec tribe would allow for much opportunity, when it comes to branding the team. The jerseys could have beautiful patterns and vibrant colors and the logo could have anything to do with the ancient tribe. When many people think of iconic hockey jerseys, the Coyotes jersey usually comes to mind. The Settlers could make a jersey similar to the Coyotes and I'm almost certain it would be a hit throughout the VHL world. 
 
Overall, I think the VHL branding is done well. Shoutout to everyone who's put time and effort into making the branding of this league so good!

Rebrand Theme Week
 
I've only been in the league for a little while now and so I don't have any strong ties anywhere just yet so coming up with a rebrand I thought might be hard for me. However there is a team that has an NHL counterpart that when they were coming into the league had a name pitched for them that I absolutely loved, and so for my rebrand choice I'm picking Las Vegas.
 
So say hello to the Las Vegas Rat Pack this name is just so sick to me, for a logo you could have gnarly looking rat in front of a poker chip. For the Colour scheme I think I would go with black and purple as the primary colours and as a mascot you'd have to get the best rat of all time: Brad Marchand, I guess you could put him in a rat suit but I think that would just be redundant. They would need to go out and find an appropriate coach to teach the players the way of the rat, maybe Marchand could pull double duty somehow, or get someone like Nick Cousins and have Marchand as an special advisor in practice.

Obviously the most important thing in practice would just be teaching and instilling the rat mentality into the players, showing the players the best way to get under opponents skin and how to sneak in cheap shots whenever possible. Of course we'd want them to be offensively talented too, Just look at our mascot He's and incredibly gifted player as well as maybe one of the top rats in hockey history.
 
As for the players they'd want to bring in, they would want players who can mix it up and force opponents off their game, and also then of course capitalize on the mistakes they make when they are too agitated to play their game. At all times the Rat Pack would need at least one player with high end rat qualities to captain the squad, someone who has grit, speed, and a thunderous body checking ability but also the mental capability to trash talk opponents in a way that can get the most level headed player see red. Make them make mistakes, rush them into bad passes or plays and also take retalliation penalties. Then once they do take advantage and don't miss the opportunities that present themselves.

Of course this is just a silly Idea and probably should never come to fruition, but even if you take out all the nonsense of forcing the roster to play like rats I think that Rat Pack is just such a sick name fo a team in Vegas. I don't know why but to me it just seems to fit, That being said Aces is still probably better for Vegas. But I'd be interested to see if any of the ideas submitted during this theme week get picked up and utilized in some way in the league. I've looked at a couple and some I think are really good and make a lot of sense.

1. As a team it has been great! Our offense has been firing on all cylinders. I just wish my stats were a bit better.
2. He'll tie Max Molholt at the end of next season and surpass him in his ninth season. The party should be humungous! 
3. Sure looks like it. One more to go.
4. Machado has been amazing all season. Going to go with him.
5. It means great stability for the franchise and the chance to be a contender for a while which is something the Legion haven't been for a while.
6. We only had about a 23% eclipse here. I went outside at the peak but didn't see any difference. Watched a couple videos of it live in Texas where it went completely dark which was crazy. My father-in-law went down there and said it was incredible.

VHL Centennial Rebrand

 
 
I think that there's a huge opportunity coming up to in the next few seasons to not only rebrand a team or two but to give the league a new look - a celebratory refresh if you will - for its 100th season. With all the changes that have happened over one hundred seasons, this is possibly a once in a lifetime opportunity to give the league a new look if only for a season and to celebrate it’s rich history, the seven original franchises that have been around for all 100 seasons, and the teams and players that have made the VHL what it is today.
 
Here are a few rebrands/refreshes I think should be considered for the league’s 100th anniversary:
 
League Logo 
I think that the league logo needs a “rebrand” for it’s centennial, something that incorporates “100” to celebrate it’s one hundred seasons (similar to what the NHL did) and to show the world that it’s one of the best and longest lasting sim leagues ever. Perhaps it could also incorporate the seven (or eight) original team logos in the centennial logo. 
 

The NHL's Centennial Logo
 
Original 7 Logos/Jerseys
I would like to see the seven remaining original franchises (Calgary Wranglers, Helsinki Titans, Seattle Bears, Toronto Legion, HC Davos Dynamo (Amstel/Avangard), New York Americans (Hamilton), and Riga Reign (Stockholm) get special centennial logos: either a refresh of the original logos, a part of the original logo in the relocated logo where applicable, or a completely new rebrand of the colors and logos for something new and fresh. Also, I think all team logos should have “100” in the logo. I also propose a graphic/banner for each franchise showing things like number of seasons, past logos, number of Cups and Conference titles, player stats leaders, etc. That way, a new member to the VHL or someone joining a team for the first time have a fantastic way of getting a quick snapshot of the team’s history at a glance.  
 
Portal Page/Web
Now this is where the VHL’s community could really show their talent. I propose a refresh of the portal and forum banners and have a contest where all who wish can submit a centennial banner and the winner (or Top 3?) get TPE. But we could use all of them and have the banners rotate on the pages (if that’s possible). The banners would need to pay homage to the VHL's rich history.
 
Awards
There isn’t a better time to unveil a new award or a rebranded award than during a centennial season. I know that they went through a renaming before, but with so much history and great players since then, it might be time for an award or two to be renamed. Maybe induct a special centennial member into the Hall of Fame? I’m not going to throw out too many ideas at the moment but just putting it out there for the general public to discuss.
 
In conclusion, I think the VHL needs to capitalize on S100 to bring in some new looks and bring back old memories to celebrate this league and all the people that have made it run. New visuals should help attract new members and would liven the place up a bit. Plus it would allow our talented community to showcase what they can do and make this centennial a season to remember!

VHL Centennial Rebrand

 
 
I think that there's a huge opportunity coming up to in the next few seasons to not only rebrand a team or two but to give the league a new look - a celebratory refresh if you will - for its 100th season. With all the changes that have happened over one hundred seasons, this is possibly a once in a lifetime opportunity to give the league a new look if only for a season and to celebrate it’s rich history, the seven original franchises that have been around for all 100 seasons, and the teams and players that have made the VHL what it is today.
 
Here are a few rebrands/refreshes I think should be considered for the league’s 100th anniversary:
 
League Logo 
I think that the league logo needs a “rebrand” for it’s centennial, something that incorporates “100” to celebrate it’s one hundred seasons (similar to what the NHL did) and to show the world that it’s one of the best and longest lasting sim leagues ever. Perhaps it could also incorporate the seven (or eight) original team logos in the centennial logo. 
 

The NHL's Centennial Logo
 
Original 7 Logos/Jerseys
I would like to see the seven remaining original franchises (Calgary Wranglers, Helsinki Titans, Seattle Bears, Toronto Legion, HC Davos Dynamo (Amstel/Avangard), New York Americans (Hamilton), and Riga Reign (Stockholm) get special centennial logos: either a refresh of the original logos, a part of the original logo in the relocated logo where applicable, or a completely new rebrand of the colors and logos for something new and fresh. Also, I think all team logos should have “100” in the logo. I also propose a graphic/banner for each franchise showing things like number of seasons, past logos, number of Cups and Conference titles, player stats leaders, etc. That way, a new member to the VHL or someone joining a team for the first time have a fantastic way of getting a quick snapshot of the team’s history at a glance.  
 
Portal Page/Web
Now this is where the VHL’s community could really show their talent. I propose a refresh of the portal and forum banners and have a contest where all who wish can submit a centennial banner and the winner (or Top 3?) get TPE. But we could use all of them and have the banners rotate on the pages (if that’s possible). The banners would need to pay homage to the VHL's rich history.
 
Awards
There isn’t a better time to unveil a new award or a rebranded award than during a centennial season. I know that they went through a renaming before, but with so much history and great players since then, it might be time for an award or two to be renamed. Maybe induct a special centennial member into the Hall of Fame? I’m not going to throw out too many ideas at the moment but just putting it out there for the general public to discuss.
 
In conclusion, I think the VHL needs to capitalize on S100 to bring in some new looks and bring back old memories to celebrate this league and all the people that have made it run. New visuals should help attract new members and would liven the place up a bit. Plus it would allow our talented community to showcase what they can do and make this centennial a season to remember!

VHL Centennial Rebrand

 
 
I think that there's a huge opportunity coming up to in the next few seasons to not only rebrand a team or two but to give the league a new look - a celebratory refresh if you will - for its 100th season. With all the changes that have happened over one hundred seasons, this is possibly a once in a lifetime opportunity to give the league a new look if only for a season and to celebrate it’s rich history, the seven original franchises that have been around for all 100 seasons, and the teams and players that have made the VHL what it is today.
 
Here are a few rebrands/refreshes I think should be considered for the league’s 100th anniversary:
 
League Logo 
I think that the league logo needs a “rebrand” for it’s centennial, something that incorporates “100” to celebrate it’s one hundred seasons (similar to what the NHL did) and to show the world that it’s one of the best and longest lasting sim leagues ever. Perhaps it could also incorporate the seven (or eight) original team logos in the centennial logo. 
 

The NHL's Centennial Logo
 
Original 7 Logos/Jerseys
I would like to see the seven remaining original franchises (Calgary Wranglers, Helsinki Titans, Seattle Bears, Toronto Legion, HC Davos Dynamo (Amstel/Avangard), New York Americans (Hamilton), and Riga Reign (Stockholm) get special centennial logos: either a refresh of the original logos, a part of the original logo in the relocated logo where applicable, or a completely new rebrand of the colors and logos for something new and fresh. Also, I think all team logos should have “100” in the logo. I also propose a graphic/banner for each franchise showing things like number of seasons, past logos, number of Cups and Conference titles, player stats leaders, etc. That way, a new member to the VHL or someone joining a team for the first time have a fantastic way of getting a quick snapshot of the team’s history at a glance.  
 
Portal Page/Web
Now this is where the VHL’s community could really show their talent. I propose a refresh of the portal and forum banners and have a contest where all who wish can submit a centennial banner and the winner (or Top 3?) get TPE. But we could use all of them and have the banners rotate on the pages (if that’s possible). The banners would need to pay homage to the VHL's rich history.
 
Awards
There isn’t a better time to unveil a new award or a rebranded award than during a centennial season. I know that they went through a renaming before, but with so much history and great players since then, it might be time for an award or two to be renamed. Maybe induct a special centennial member into the Hall of Fame? I’m not going to throw out too many ideas at the moment but just putting it out there for the general public to discuss.
 
In conclusion, I think the VHL needs to capitalize on S100 to bring in some new looks and bring back old memories to celebrate this league and all the people that have made it run. New visuals should help attract new members and would liven the place up a bit. Plus it would allow our talented community to showcase what they can do and make this centennial a season to remember!

*A note ahead of the article. This is primarily about the current roster, which means that transactions of players who weren't in Toronto for long, or aren't on now won't get much of a mention. Doesn't mean that they weren't part of the turnaround*
 
Stop me if you've heard this before: a Toronto team has once again been a disappointment in the playoffs. As a die hard Leafs fan, I've heard that story all too much in my life.
 
The Toronto Legion had told a similar story for a long time. One of the original franchises in the VHL back in S1, the Legion saw 9 Continental Cup wins in the first 65 seasons (an average of one Cup in just more than every seven seasons). The longest Cup drought for the Legion in that span was 13 seasons. The Legion also appeared in the Cup Final 17 times in that 65 season stretch, getting there roughly once every four seasons. That Cup win in S65 kicked off a drought lasting 25 seasons that would not see Toronto make a Cup Final appearance, let alone win another Continental Cup. In fact, in that 25 season stretch the Legion would post just 3 Conference Final appearances, as well as only 10 playoff appearances. It was this run of futility that would leave the Toronto Legion branded as a Perennial Disappointment, and one that would require the team to address the issues and forge a better path.
 
S85 Off-Season
Off-Ice Changes Begin
 
The changes in the off-season needed to come off of the ice. Toronto was in need of a fresh voice at the top, and a new direction on the ice. That change came before the draft, as Moon was named the GM of the Legion following an interim stint by Agito, who had succeeded Doomsday. Moon headed into the S86 Entry Draft with a long-term plan to re-make the Toronto Legion into a team that could bowl over the competition, and went to work on crafting a team through the draft, free agency, and trades.
S86
The Changing of the Guard
 
The current roster for the Legion can be traced all the way back to S86. With a team in desperate need of new life, the Legion made a flurry of trades to acquire draft picks in the S86 draft. Their first draft pick in the S86 draft (13th overall) was used to take a young goaltender from Las Vegas in the VHLM. Coming off of a 41-14-4 season with the Aces, posting a .911 save percentage and 2.34 goals against average with 6 shutouts, Joel Castle was the third goalie off the board in the draft. By S87, Castle had already entrenched himself as the Legion starting goaltender, starting a run of six straight seasons with more than 60 starts in Toronto (with a seventh on the way this season). The Legion didn't only add a goaltender from this draft, as the 22nd overall pick was used on a right winger who has found a spot in the lineup for the last two seasons. Kobe Johnson was taken after playing for Las Vegas as well in the VHLM, and followed up his draft with a 94 point sophomore season in the M. Johnson made his way into the S92 forward group for the Legion, and has posted back to back seasons over 20 points for Toronto.
 
S87
The Franchise Forward Building Blocks
 
There is absolutely no doubt that the S87 Entry Draft was the most important draft in recent franchise history for the Toronto Legion. The Legion held the first overall pick in the draft after finishing second last and winning the draft lottery heading into the draft. Toronto was also fortunate with another pick that they had acquired previously in a deal with Seattle, one that would net them the third overall pick. With two of the first three picks in the draft, it was absolutely imperative that the Legion hit on both picks, and the hits ended up being home runs. The first of the two picks was used to draft a Centre out of Ottawa who had just piled up 128 points in his draft year. The second of the two picks was used on another Centre, this time out of Halifax, who had 129 points in his draft year. The players? Long time Legion Captain Mac Atlas, and multi-season scoring leader Jimi Jaks. Both of these players have been mainstays on the Legion roster, Atlas joining the team and playing in S87, and Jaks making the jump the following year in S88. There is no question that this draft has had the largest combined impact on the current team with what Atlas and Jaks have meant to Toronto.
 
S88
The Blueline Finds its Leader
 
Two drafts in, and the first round focus for the Legion had been in net and up front. There was a clear, growing need to ensure that the back end of the roster wasn't being ignored. Toronto headed into the S88 draft with the third overall pick, and had their sights set on a young defender coming off of a monstrous offensive season in Houston. The Bulls had a defender who led the VHLM in assists, and points by defenders, and that was too much for the Legion to pass up at three. Bobby Bob was added to the Toronto mix, and made his Toronto debut in S89. Since then he's been the offensive leader of the Legion blueline, and is well on pace to lead the blueline in scoring again for the third straight season.
 
S89
The Hidden Gems
The Legion had used first round picks three seasons in a row to build up what has now become the core of the team, and it was important to add to that group in order to ensure long term success. Toronto held the third pick again in the S89 draft, but it's not that pick that has ended up being the hits of the draft. Back in S87, Toronto had made a deal with D.C. to receive current and future draft picks. Two seasons out from that deal was the S89 D.C. 2nd Round pick that Toronto received, which ended up being the first pick of the second round (17th overall). The Legion used that pick on a right winger who had 65 points for Ottawa in the VHLM. Toronto held their own pick in the third round (34th overall) as well, and selected a Centre playing for Saskatoon that was coming off of a 67 point season. Those second and third round picks respectively ended up being Harry Callahan and Diego Machado, who both came up together to join the Legion in S91. Both first gen players, they have blossomed into big roles for Toronto, and are currently tied for the lead in points on the team. In addition to the draft picks that would help the Legion later on, Toronto also traded for defender Jimmy MacElroy from Vancouver. MacElroy would be a key member of the blueline for the Legion until his retirement following S92.
 
S90
The Final Piece, and the First Step
 
With players across the board in the forward group drafted, the Legion needed to focus on adding to the blueline. Holding the second overall pick in the draft, Toronto was hoping to make a pick to help round out a group that would ensure that they weren't going to be picking near the top of the draft again. To that end, the Legion had their eyes on one of their own, as Player/GM Walter Fitzroy Jr. was available to select at two in an effort to strengthen the defense portion of the prospect pool. Fitzroy Jr. was coming off of a season in the VHLM that was split between Houston and Las Vegas, one that saw a combined 39 points including 14 goals. The off-season was a hectic, and ultimately very productive one for the Legion. A blockbuster trade with Vancouver saw the additions of Ronan Lavelle and Tomas Sogaard in the forward group, while the Legion inked Siyan Yasilievich to a one year contract to bolster the blueline prior to his retirement. The additions immediately helped propel the Legion out of the depths of the North American Conference and into first place. The season resulted in Toronto's first Conference Final appearance since S83, and only the fourth since their Cup win in S65.
 
S91
The Ultimate Success
 
The Legion had a roster in place, one which had primarily been built through the draft and supplemented through trades. Added during this draft was back-up goaltender Toddly Bobbly out of Saskatoon, who was about to complete a season for the Wild that finished 56-11-5 with a .926 save percentage and 1.76 goals against average. It also ended in a Founder's Cup for Bobbly. Coming off of the monumental jump from last in the North American Conference in S89 to first in the Conference in S90, the Legion were cautiously optimistic that they were a contender again in S91, and set out to prove that their leap forward wasn't a fluke. The team saw three rookies (Callahan, Fitzroy Jr., Machado) all come up to the main roster and contribute. Those rookies helped fill the gaps that were left behind by the one year additions from the previous season. The core players continued to flourish, with Atlas, Bob, Castle, and Jaks all making major contributions to the team success. The rookies grew into their roles. Everything added up to the culmination of the Legion re-brand with a Conference Final berth, a Continental Cup Final berth, and finally a Continental Cup Championship. Gone were the days of the "Perennial Disappointment". The Toronto Legion were "Champions Again", for the first time in 26 seasons. 
 
S92
The Streak
It's difficult to follow up a Championship season, and it is surely impossible to match the success level. That was the task that faced the Legion in S92. Faced with filling another hole in the forward group following a retirement, Toronto made a mid-season trade to add Steve Lattimer from the Seattle Bears. Lattimer immediately stepped into a productive role with the Legion, and has since grown into a dominant two way player on one of the highest scoring lines in the VHL. The core group of Toronto players all stayed together, and the continued growth of the group resulted in another playoff berth, and enough playoff success to make it back to the North American Conference Finals for the third season in a row. It was the first time that the Legion had reached three straight since the run from S57-S59.
 
S93
The Drive Continues
Entering this season, the Legion look to continue the streak of Conference Final appearances. Prior to the start of the season, Toronto traded for forward Mason Rice from HC Davos, who immediately converted to defense to help with a positional shortage on the Legion roster. While there is still plenty of runway left in this season, the Legion currently sit at 37-10-1 and in first place in the North American Conference. The hope will be to continue to have a strong season and push into the playoffs as this core of players continues to grow together.
 
Summary
The Re-Brand Successfully Completed
Unlike some Toronto teams, this one knew how to do it right. Gone are the days of this organization being a punching bag or a joke. Gone are the days of being a "Perennial Disappointment". It's evident in the way that the Legion have been successful on the ice, whether it is in the standings as a team or on the individual statistical leaderboards for the players. It's even more evident off the ice in the way that the team has been able to get full buy-in from the players and a career long commitment from many as well. Contracts for Captain Mac Atlas, scoring ace Jimi Jaks, blueline stud Bobby Bob, and goaltending brick wall Joel Castle that were signed by each player to keep them in the blue and white for the entirety of their careers show just how far this team has come. The next wave is well on their way to signing extensions to remain with the Legion for their careers. That would never have been possible during the drought of success that had previously come for this team. There's something truly special about being able to have a group stay together for as long as possible, and it should be enjoyed for as long as it can be.
 
Thank you for reading.
 
Toronto Legion: Champions Again
 
 

LETS GO LEGION 🔥🔥🔥

It is an honour to be an assistant captain again for the Legion! Looking forward to the rest of this season, and hopefully a long playoff run!

LET'S GOO LEGION!!!

S93 Toronto Legion
Assistant Captains
 
Bobby Bob @Baby Boomer
 
Entering his fifth season, the Legion's 3rd overall pick in the S88 Draft has quietly become Toronto's leader on the blueline and one of the league's more underrated all-around defensemen. He has led the team in assists the past two seasons and works extremely hard off the ice setting an example for all Legion players to follow. This is his first season as an alternate captain.
 
Harry Callahan @dstevensonjr
 
After a successful rookie campaign, Callahan took his game to a new level finishing last season second on the team in scoring with 75 points and leading the Legion with 9 game-winning goals. He's proving to be as valuable off the ice as well as he has found his voice in the Toronto locker room and has the ear of the other leaders and management. Therefore, he has been voted an alternate captain for the second straight season. 
 
Captain
Mac Atlas @v.2
 
Who else would it be? Altas will serve as Legion captain for the fifth consecutive season in S93. Already one of the most prominent players in franchise history, Altas' passion and desire to win is unmatched on the team and pushes the team to strive for greatness. He will do anything to achieve victory and is also climbing Toronto's all-time goal list. 
 
These three will lead the Toronto Legion in S93! 

Holy smokes, TWO shutouts for @DarkSpyro??? How does he do it??

Yikes. 
 
GG @DarkSpyro

S93 Toronto Legion
Assistant Captains
 
Bobby Bob @Baby Boomer
 
Entering his fifth season, the Legion's 3rd overall pick in the S88 Draft has quietly become Toronto's leader on the blueline and one of the league's more underrated all-around defensemen. He has led the team in assists the past two seasons and works extremely hard off the ice setting an example for all Legion players to follow. This is his first season as an alternate captain.
 
Harry Callahan @dstevensonjr
 
After a successful rookie campaign, Callahan took his game to a new level finishing last season second on the team in scoring with 75 points and leading the Legion with 9 game-winning goals. He's proving to be as valuable off the ice as well as he has found his voice in the Toronto locker room and has the ear of the other leaders and management. Therefore, he has been voted an alternate captain for the second straight season. 
 
Captain
Mac Atlas @v.2
 
Who else would it be? Altas will serve as Legion captain for the fifth consecutive season in S93. Already one of the most prominent players in franchise history, Altas' passion and desire to win is unmatched on the team and pushes the team to strive for greatness. He will do anything to achieve victory and is also climbing Toronto's all-time goal list. 
 
These three will lead the Toronto Legion in S93! 

S93 Toronto Legion
Assistant Captains
 
Bobby Bob @Baby Boomer
 
Entering his fifth season, the Legion's 3rd overall pick in the S88 Draft has quietly become Toronto's leader on the blueline and one of the league's more underrated all-around defensemen. He has led the team in assists the past two seasons and works extremely hard off the ice setting an example for all Legion players to follow. This is his first season as an alternate captain.
 
Harry Callahan @dstevensonjr
 
After a successful rookie campaign, Callahan took his game to a new level finishing last season second on the team in scoring with 75 points and leading the Legion with 9 game-winning goals. He's proving to be as valuable off the ice as well as he has found his voice in the Toronto locker room and has the ear of the other leaders and management. Therefore, he has been voted an alternate captain for the second straight season. 
 
Captain
Mac Atlas @v.2
 
Who else would it be? Altas will serve as Legion captain for the fifth consecutive season in S93. Already one of the most prominent players in franchise history, Altas' passion and desire to win is unmatched on the team and pushes the team to strive for greatness. He will do anything to achieve victory and is also climbing Toronto's all-time goal list. 
 
These three will lead the Toronto Legion in S93! 

S93 Toronto Legion
Assistant Captains
 
Bobby Bob @Baby Boomer
 
Entering his fifth season, the Legion's 3rd overall pick in the S88 Draft has quietly become Toronto's leader on the blueline and one of the league's more underrated all-around defensemen. He has led the team in assists the past two seasons and works extremely hard off the ice setting an example for all Legion players to follow. This is his first season as an alternate captain.
 
Harry Callahan @dstevensonjr
 
After a successful rookie campaign, Callahan took his game to a new level finishing last season second on the team in scoring with 75 points and leading the Legion with 9 game-winning goals. He's proving to be as valuable off the ice as well as he has found his voice in the Toronto locker room and has the ear of the other leaders and management. Therefore, he has been voted an alternate captain for the second straight season. 
 
Captain
Mac Atlas @v.2
 
Who else would it be? Altas will serve as Legion captain for the fifth consecutive season in S93. Already one of the most prominent players in franchise history, Altas' passion and desire to win is unmatched on the team and pushes the team to strive for greatness. He will do anything to achieve victory and is also climbing Toronto's all-time goal list. 
 
These three will lead the Toronto Legion in S93!