dlamb

Applied. I know this locker room with all my heart I've played there even.

This took me way too long, I tried to use a render each member used at one point. Please put that on player pages. Inspired by this reddit post I saw earlier.
 
Pretty interesting that every team has at least one MVP, but I guess it's been almost 20 seasons since the last expansion. TOR/MAL/RIG are the only teams without MVPs in the 16-team era.

This took me way too long, I tried to use a render each member used at one point. Please put that on player pages. Inspired by this reddit post I saw earlier.
 
Pretty interesting that every team has at least one MVP, but I guess it's been almost 20 seasons since the last expansion. TOR/MAL/RIG are the only teams without MVPs in the 16-team era.

With the addition of Tyler Lawson, has Houston found the solution
to their center woes?
Stay Tuned for an Exclusive Interview!
by Josh Harrison • Jan 18th, 2024
 

 
    
 
 
       Coming into this season, the Houston Bulls could've never predicted this turn of events. With one of their important centerpieces in Deez Nutz (who has since been let go) underperforming to their expected standards, and two crucial forwards retiring, it was back to the drawing board for the staff down in H-Town. Despite becoming pretty well known for their intense training regiment, allowing for a handful of homegrown talents to blossom into very strong players with the quick development of their recent prospects - Lucy Leitner, Nathan Ecker, Benjamin Abenduct, and lastly, their captain Trimiskez Artav to name a few - they found themselves seeking a new centreman or two. After a long, thoughtful review of the list of talents available, the team decided to outsource their centers from the free-agent pool. Two of them had caught their eye -- one of whom being Tyler Lawson, a center who last played for the UCLA Bruins of the American Collegiate Hockey Association, with the other being Murray Connolly. Lawson redshirted as a freshman, then came out and dominated the competition in his collegiate debut his sophomore season, scoring a hat-trick against the rivaling USC Trojans. He was raising the eyebrows of many scouts and fans alike for his ability to play with such smooth play, he made it look easy out there. Some compared him to a human highlight reel, as many big hockey pages on social media were drawn to his play, sharing clips of his outstanding in-game achievements very frequently. Unfortunately, after what was looking like a very strong start to Tyler's collegiate season, he suffered an MCL tear and both fans and analysts alike seem to think Lawson never quite fully recovered from it - after he rushed through his recovery at UCLA, assuring coaches and teammates that 'it was fine', and 'they were overreacting' to his injury, his performances plummeted and it was hard to tell that he was the same stud who had been killing it all season long, scoring a hat trick early on in his debut against a rivaling school. 
 
 
        This was an extremely rough patch for Tyler as many sources claimed at that time, as they held the belief that after the incident on the ice, he simply was not the same player following his return. Despite this, it seems to be that despite the adversity he has faced to this point in his career, the UCLA standout is getting a second chance at redemption. A media member close to both the Houston Bulls of the VHLM, and Tyler Lawson recently admitted that there had been some 'growing mutual interest' brewing between the two parties over the past week or two as the Bull's situation grew dire at the loss of so many center forwards. Lawson, the centreman with a tarnished reputation - fighting to prove he's still got it, and the Houston Bulls - a team growing so fast that it's, quite frankly, unbelievable could be a combination that leaves our mouths watering at the possibilities.
 
 
        On paper, it seems a match made in heaven between a young talent hoping to rise to his former glory and a VHLM team on the verge of contention. It should be noted that if Tyler Lawson gets healthy and finds his return to form, and thus rejuvenating his career, it could cause a complete shift in the team's dynamic as well as strengthen the position of the team. With such an already strong and dominant team around him, his filling in at such a pivotal position such as the center, whether or not he's able to successfully gel with his teammates and provide wins for the franchise very well could decide how the rest of this season goes for this young squad - and adds an interesting element to the Bull's narrative this year. Lawson has also added that he's excited to see how his new teammate, Connolly, can contribute to the team as well. He states that he's been a fan of Murray's game for awhile now, and to be playing on the side as him is something that he is grateful for.
 
 
          With this recent signing, though, it begs the question - does the addition of Lawson and Connolly add enough for this team to make the next step? The Bulls, as of the time of writing, are sitting pretty at 8-6-2, third in the VHLM Western Conference. With a young developing team like the Bulls, they wholeheartedly believe that as their talent continues to develop throughout this season, they could find their way into the playoff race. The running for third is tight this year - as both the Houston Bulls and the San Diego Marlins share 18 points a piece. With the addition of two young centers, alongside an already talented, growing, strong team, the Houston Bulls have no reason to believe this isn't their year.
 
 
             Much to his own dismay, analysts and doubters alike will likely find themselves watching closely over Tyler Lawson - all over him, scrutinizing his every mistake and missed opportunities, finding any reason to claim the prospect as 'washed up' - though, due to his internet stardom and 'wunderkind' status, he will undoubtedly be a fan favorite amongst those who have followed his career up until now. His contribution to the team going forward will be something that Bulls fans will likely find themselves discussing amongst themselves in anticipation as they await his first few games, making for a hot topic of discussion. Fans remain optimistic, while naysayers will advise against playing the prospect and giving him minutes due to his challenges thus far in his career.
 
 
            In such a drastic and dire situation such as the one recently forced upon the Houston Bulls, the strategic thinking to take in a player like Lawson, despite his complicated history with the sport, definitely shows the unconventional means by which Houston will take in the pursuit of success - not shying away from decisions that would make put other GMs on the hot seat, their comfortability determined solely by results. According to various sources, Houston did not inquire about his injury at all aside from necessary documentation and evidence that the prospect had healed entirely and was currently good to go, shifting the focus instead from his past to the future of the team - something other GMs thus far had refused to do, as they believed Lawson's career was tarnished -- ruined, even as the media had portrayed him out to be. 
 
 
            We have a reporter who is close to the Bulls organization and was able to get a brief interview with Lawson before entering the facility for his first-ever practice. Caught in his street clothes, we asked him for his time in answering a few questions - to which he obliged. The reporter would start off with an easy question, asking how it feels to join a squad like Houston - and whether or not he'd watched them as kid, as well as regarding how he's feeling starting his season at this stage of the schedule and in suiting up for the Bulls.
 
 
               "Well, ah, firstly - it's been great I have to say," he started, taking a small sip from his water bottle, raising it to his lips, "It feels really nice to feel, err, appreciated, I suppose. When everyone's sort of counted you out the way I've been, ah, it's not a very good feeling, is it? I'm just grateful for the opportunity and that I'm here at all. If you'd told me a couple of months ago I'd be suiting up here for the Bulls, I'd have thought you were pulling my leg. I would've definitely called bullshit on that one. No, but I'm happy to be here despite everything I've had tossed at me. I love hockey, and so I'll play just about anywhere that'll have me. Big thanks to the front office here in Houston for giving me a shot. Oh, and uh, it's a bit embarassing," he starts, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, "but, ah, I never watched much of the minors, really. I've always been a huge fan of the Los Angeles Stars, as I'm sure many of you know," he spoke to the camera. "As a kid, I never thought I'd make the minors - what kid truly believes they'll go pro, y'know? I mean it's always in the back of your head as a child, but you never really believe it, yeah? And as I suppose as I got older, I still didn't think I'd be making the minors, it didn't seem like it would be the path for me," [Lawson believed he would be selected during the VHL Draft], "but it looks like it's the next step for me, and I'm happy to be in Houston. I think it'll end up being a perfect stepping stone for my career, and I'm eternally grateful for the GM of Houston for taking the time to reach out and approach me in these difficult times of my life. I'd probably be moping at home, playing Be A Pro in VHL 24 or something had he not," he joked.
 
 
              The reporter gave a nod and a small smile, before continuing on. "Right, right, nice - that's very nice to hear, Tyler, I'm happy you're enjoying it here in Houston. Great city, huh? No, but seriously, have you got anything in particular to say to any of the teams that may have passed on you? I'm aware that just half a year ago you were at UCLA, hoping to be selected in the VHL Draft and now, here you are as a walk-on for the Bulls. When you think of the situation you're currently in, do you ever question if maybe you should've stayed at UCLA and pursued your degree? If I'm not mistaken, you were a law major, yes? Big money in that - why keep chasing hockey?"
 
 
              "Well, um, I'd just like to say that feels like sort of an odd question you've just asked me," he sort of laughed, though he was clearly uncomfortable with the question posed, shifting from leg to leg as he spoke, "I mean, why would I not continue after hockey? It's been my life's dream for, well, forever now - just as it was for anyone else in this league. And to be quite honest, no, I don't regret signing with the Bulls. Even if worst case scenario, I'm out of the league in a month, I have a contract and a guaranteed salary, and going back to school will be of no issue to me. I don't see how you could possibly ever conclude that - I'm someone who lives and breathes hockey, so I'm not sure why you'd ask me that. What if I asked you why you took up reporting? You'd feel pretty awkward, yeah? And as I said before, I'm overjoyed to be here in Houston, and I'd appreciate it if you could stay on topic,"  the center forward hissed, "or are we done here? Is that it?" He looked around with no response before continuing, "I guess so. Thanks," he spat bitterly, making his way into the arena.
 
 
               Tyler Lawson certainly is fiery, and he's been that way since high school. Many of his former teammates, coaches, and reporters have always made him out to be a hothead - and after that exclusive first look, I think it's safe to say that it's alright to assume that as true of the 19-year-old forward. Some call him toxic and a locker room cancer, while others believe that while fiery - it's more of a competitive spirit and is heavily dramatized by the media. We'll let you be the judge of that.
 
 
                 A huge thanks to Phillip Waters for attending the Bull's practice facility and getting himself an interview with Tyler Lawson, the Houston Bull's newest acquisition to the team, and the rest of our team and sources who were able to give us sound and exclusive information on all the details pertaining these moves including Lawson. 
 
 
                Connolly and Lawson are both expected to play in the Bulls upcoming games after their signing on the 18th.
 
 
                For more Houston Bulls' coverage, check out the Bulls' official tab on our website, TheHoustonTribune.com/Bulls.
 
 
 
* Bit hard to write without having playing any games yet - hoping the quality will increase a bit as I get some PT lol
 
  2000+ words
 
Will be using and claiming this media spot for the weeks ending Jan 21, Jan 28, Feb 4th, and Feb 11th. 
 
 
                
 
 
                 
 
 
                 

I'm looking forward to reading the remaining 480 words. 

Thijs Mooij has accepted Oslo's offer.

Awesome content And cool to see im the last mvp for both DC and Moscow

This took me way too long, I tried to use a render each member used at one point. Please put that on player pages. Inspired by this reddit post I saw earlier.
 
Pretty interesting that every team has at least one MVP, but I guess it's been almost 20 seasons since the last expansion. TOR/MAL/RIG are the only teams without MVPs in the 16-team era.

This took me way too long, I tried to use a render each member used at one point. Please put that on player pages. Inspired by this reddit post I saw earlier.
 
Pretty interesting that every team has at least one MVP, but I guess it's been almost 20 seasons since the last expansion. TOR/MAL/RIG are the only teams without MVPs in the 16-team era.

This took me way too long, I tried to use a render each member used at one point. Please put that on player pages. Inspired by this reddit post I saw earlier.
 
Pretty interesting that every team has at least one MVP, but I guess it's been almost 20 seasons since the last expansion. TOR/MAL/RIG are the only teams without MVPs in the 16-team era.

This took me way too long, I tried to use a render each member used at one point. Please put that on player pages. Inspired by this reddit post I saw earlier.
 
Pretty interesting that every team has at least one MVP, but I guess it's been almost 20 seasons since the last expansion. TOR/MAL/RIG are the only teams without MVPs in the 16-team era.

This took me way too long, I tried to use a render each member used at one point. Please put that on player pages. Inspired by this reddit post I saw earlier.
 
Pretty interesting that every team has at least one MVP, but I guess it's been almost 20 seasons since the last expansion. TOR/MAL/RIG are the only teams without MVPs in the 16-team era.

This took me way too long, I tried to use a render each member used at one point. Please put that on player pages. Inspired by this reddit post I saw earlier.
 
Pretty interesting that every team has at least one MVP, but I guess it's been almost 20 seasons since the last expansion. TOR/MAL/RIG are the only teams without MVPs in the 16-team era.

This took me way too long, I tried to use a render each member used at one point. Please put that on player pages. Inspired by this reddit post I saw earlier.
 
Pretty interesting that every team has at least one MVP, but I guess it's been almost 20 seasons since the last expansion. TOR/MAL/RIG are the only teams without MVPs in the 16-team era.

This took me way too long, I tried to use a render each member used at one point. Please put that on player pages. Inspired by this reddit post I saw earlier.
 
Pretty interesting that every team has at least one MVP, but I guess it's been almost 20 seasons since the last expansion. TOR/MAL/RIG are the only teams without MVPs in the 16-team era.

This took me way too long, I tried to use a render each member used at one point. Please put that on player pages. Inspired by this reddit post I saw earlier.
 
Pretty interesting that every team has at least one MVP, but I guess it's been almost 20 seasons since the last expansion. TOR/MAL/RIG are the only teams without MVPs in the 16-team era.

This took me way too long, I tried to use a render each member used at one point. Please put that on player pages. Inspired by this reddit post I saw earlier.
 
Pretty interesting that every team has at least one MVP, but I guess it's been almost 20 seasons since the last expansion. TOR/MAL/RIG are the only teams without MVPs in the 16-team era.

Nice work Dakota!

This took me way too long, I tried to use a render each member used at one point. Please put that on player pages. Inspired by this reddit post I saw earlier.
 
Pretty interesting that every team has at least one MVP, but I guess it's been almost 20 seasons since the last expansion. TOR/MAL/RIG are the only teams without MVPs in the 16-team era.

This took me way too long, I tried to use a render each member used at one point. Please put that on player pages. Inspired by this reddit post I saw earlier.
 
Pretty interesting that every team has at least one MVP, but I guess it's been almost 20 seasons since the last expansion. TOR/MAL/RIG are the only teams without MVPs in the 16-team era.

Do 9 season VHL careers actually work? An analysis of S80-83 draftees
 
With the introduction of the VHLE before Season 80 came a different, possibly even more radical change for history and stat buffs like myself: nine season careers. Now, rather than going straight to the VHL after the draft and playing for eight seasons, the idea was that most players would go to the VHLE for one season then the VHL for their remaining eight, thus necessitating nine season careers post-draft.
 
But there was an interesting wrinkle within the announcement: Some players didn’t ever need to go to the VHLE at all. For those at 350 TPE and above, they had the option of going straight to the VHL and playing a longer career than any player in VHL history had ever had before. In doing so, however, they would be subject to a stricter regression scale that means four seasons of decline, with their peak occurring one season earlier than their counterparts who went to the VHLE for a season.
 
There were some thoughts that this may force the VHL to re-write some record books, or that nine season players would be easier shoo-ins to the Hall of Fame. And there’s some logic behind that argument: It’s only top earning players that would even have the option to skip the VHLE in the first place, so it stands to reason that they would also be the players dominating stats and awards.
 
Luckily though, we now have a pretty good data set of those nine-season players to analyze and try and answer the question: Is it worth it? Anecdotal data seems to be swinging towards no - just look at the lengths Logan Ninefingers and George Richmond took to stay in the VHLE this season. My very own decision on this could be coming in a few weeks, which is why I decided to take a look at the data.
 
By my count (unless I missed somebody, which is completely possible), there have been 12 players from the S80-83 draft classes who went straight to the VHL and have finished their careers. And the general thought is, maybe you’re not getting the full experience that you were promised. What I’m seeing is a lot of Very Good players, but maybe not the ability (or in some cases the drive) to become truly great.

 
(S80) C Matty Ice - Total TPE: 1285 @mattyIceman
 
Season
GP
G
A
P
+/-
SHT
PIM
HIT
SB
GW
PPG
SHG
Totals
648
302
420
722
83
3854
548
1259
346
39
51
7
 
Personal Awards: 1 (S80 RotY)
 
There were only two players to jump directly to the VHL in the first season the option was offered, and unfortunately the first one to be drafted isn’t the best test case. Although Fire would win Rookie of the Year in a truncated class (since much of his competition went to the VHLE), the user behind Fire would receive a temporary ban a bit into his career. As a result, Fire would hit 49 goals in two of his first three seasons, but never top 40 again for the rest of his career en route to a solid, but unspectacular nine season career.
 
 
(S80) LW Vinny Detroit - Total TPE: 1519 @dasboot
 
Season
GP
G
A
P
+/-
SHT
PIM
HIT
SB
GW
PPG
SHG
Totals
646
239
280
519
113
2850
1753
3163
362
39
42
2
 
Personal Awards: 0
 
The other S80 player to jump directly to the VHL that first season may not be the best test case either, seeing as how Detroit had one very specific goal: as many hits as possible. In that regard he absolutely accomplished his goal - Detroit’s 3136 hits is far and away the VHL record, more than 200 more than the eight seasons of Druss Deathwalker. From that angle, Detroit can be seen as a nine-season career success, with the extra season (Detroit had 339 hits in S80) allowing him a record he wouldn’t have otherwise been able to hit.
 
 
(S81) LW Nico Pearce - Total TPE: 2206 @Spartan
 
Season
GP
G
A
P
+/-
SHT
PIM
HIT
SB
GW
PPG
SHG
Totals
650
362
412
774
177
4216
769
1785
335
52
82
2
 
Personal Awards: 2 (S84 MVP, S84 Most Goals)
 
Now we’re getting to some interesting ones. Pearce is the current all-time TPE record holder and exactly the type of player that VHL leadership was thinking of when instituting the nine season idea. He sailed past the VHLE cut-off, was a 59 point contributor to a powerful Moscow team in his very first season, and was even able to hold on to the tougher regression scale to hit 44 goals and 88 points in his final season. But if you think of a career as a bell curve, Pearce’s peak was never quite there. Outside of the S84 season with 59 goals and 120 points, Pearce never topped 100 points and only topped 45 goals one other season (S85). The overall counting stats look good - Pearce’s 362 goals ranked 29th all-time - but the end result is a career in the Hall of Very Good.
 
 
(S81) D Harkat Mulds - Total TPE: 513 @hylands
 
Season
GP
G
A
P
+/-
SHT
PIM
HIT
SB
GW
PPG
SHG
Totals
504
137
238
375
18
1606
243
553
679
16
42
5
 
Personal Awards: 0
 
The other S81 draftee to go right to the VHL is also our first one to not actually finish out the nine season career. Mulds would stall out their TPE earning fairly soon after reaching the league, hopping around to four different teams (including Moscow and Prague twice) before retiring after their seventh season. The one thing that is interesting from Mulds is that their highest point total (73) actually occurred in that very first season that other contemporaries spent in the VHLE, on a Toronto team that made the playoffs no less.
 
 
(S82) LW Vasile Lamb - Total TPE: 1433 @dlamb
 
Season
GP
G
A
P
+/-
SHT
PIM
HIT
SB
GW
PPG
SHG
Totals
649
342
379
721
134
3928
1469
2877
366
68
76
5
 
Personal Awards: 0
 
Lamb’s career reads as very similar to Pearce’s to me, just with some additional player movement and without that one standout season. The cumulative numbers look nice - 342 goals is 42nd all-time, 68 game winning goals is tied for 17th all-time, and 2877 hits is third all-time. Those totals are something you look for in a nine-season career. But I think the trade-off of never truly being top-tier in TPA did hurt Lamb, both in terms of individual season highs (he topped 40 goals three times) as well as team placement (he’d play for six teams in those nine seasons). Another very good player, but the nine season career is not leading to the Hall of Fame.
 
 
(S82) G Cole Pearce - Total TPE: 1654 @N0HBDY
 
Season
GP
W
L
OTL
SV%
GAA
SO
GA
SA
MP
Totals
504
278
182
42
0.922
2.65
33
1333
17110
30162
 
Personal Awards: 1 (S86 Lowest GAA)
 
We have our first goalie! When I was active with Booberry, I watched Pearce’s career with great interest because he took the path I didn’t take. I thought that the additional season of regression would hurt too much, and especially with all of the competition at the goalie position, it would put me behind the eight ball too much. The final answer to that then is a resounding - maybe? Pearce did indeed only win one individual award, as he was competing with a rash of goalies in the next couple of draft classes who were able to keep pace with him in TPA. However, he also had arguably his best season in his eighth season (49 wins, .929 save percentage) before retiring one season early. Another one for the Hall of Very Good here.
 
 
(S82) D/RW Tavish DeGroot - Total TPE: 1447 @rory
 
Season
GP
G
A
P
+/-
SHT
PIM
HIT
SB
GW
PPG
SHG
Totals
577
197
318
515
115
2305
943
1417
981
30
63
5
 
Personal Awards: 0
 
There’s a trend I’m noticing as I’m going through too. Many members are starting to top 1700, 1800 TPE and work their way towards the upper reaches of the TPE leaderboard. But by and large, those aren’t the players skipping the VHLE, which you might expect. That’s why I’m putting final TPE totals by player names, because you’re seeing a lot of very strong totals in the 1300-1700 range, but not necessarily totals that can withstand a fourth season of regression which leads to eight season careers regardless. Anyway, as somebody who has had two players start on defense and switch to winger at the end of their career, it makes interpreting career stats a bit of a mess. DeGroot’s career was solid enough (especially with that S84 Continental Cup), but they wouldn’t top 70 points in a season until the final season playing on the wing in Seattle.
 
 
(S82) D Max Torq - Total TPE: 1728 @Steve
 
Season
GP
G
A
P
+/-
SHT
PIM
HIT
SB
GW
PPG
SHG
Totals
576
166
403
569
97
2169
780
1197
1200
33
81
3
 
Personal Awards: 0
 
Comparing apples to apples of defensemen who went nine seasons, Torq had some slightly higher highs than did DeGroot - a point total that stayed consistently between 61-86 between his second and eighth seasons, a 1200 shots blocked total that ranks 37th all-time. And similar to DeGroot he’s got a Continental Cup, with Torq’s coming in Season 83 with Seattle. But in his eight season career (he retired a season early similar to Pearce), there weren’t too many very high peaks. A very valuable player to every team that he was on and occasionally in the awards conversation, but ultimately did not bring home any hardware himself.
 
 
(S83) C Scotty Sundin - Total TPE: 1263 @fromtheinside
 
Season
GP
G
A
P
+/-
SHT
PIM
HIT
SB
GW
PPG
SHG
Totals
648
334
410
744
41
4015
409
814
322
55
69
10
 
Personal Awards: 2 (S91 MVP, S91 Most Points)
 
Sundin is an interesting one to me because of the dualities. 1263 is one of the lower total TPEs on the list, and he only topped 40 goals three times in his career. And yet - he’s literally the reigning MVP after career highs with 49 goals and 112 points last season, his 334 career goals are top 50 all-time, and he is the first and only person on this list to play the full nine season career with the team that drafted him (Chicago). I think they’re happy with their investment with the first overall pick, even if they didn’t get a cup out of it. Sundin a point in favor of the argument that it’s not necessarily the length of the career, but how you build for it.
 
 
(S83) G Brandt Fuhr - Total TPE: 1418 @Tate
 
Season
GP
W
L
OTL
SV%
GAA
SO
GA
SA
MP
Totals
581
290
243
43
0.924
2.77
32
1592
21000
34533
 
Personal Awards: 3 (S86 Playoff MVP, S87 Top Goalie, S87 Lowest GAA)
 
Another goalie, and this time the first one to go the full nine! And you could very well argue that he has the best career of the dozen players listed here. A stalwart in net for 8.5 seasons in Vancouver, the Wolves would go to the playoffs six times during that stretch, go multiple rounds in four, and win it all in one. By virtue of going 60ish games longer than any other goalie before him, Fuhr also ranks 19th all-time in wins and 47th all-time in shutouts, and still manages to hold on to a tie with the 18th-best save percentage of all-time. As I’m writing I kind of feel like I’m making an HOF case here, and I think it’s right on that line. Maybe you’d like to see a few more individual awards, but those are tougher to come by in a competitive era. The best case scenario for a nine-season career here.
 
 
(S83) C Igor Molotov - Total TPE: 1483 @Dom
 
Season
GP
G
A
P
+/-
SHT
PIM
HIT
SB
GW
PPG
SHG
Totals
576
250
341
591
-10
2925
761
1601
266
39
60
2
 
Personal Awards: 0
 
Molotov reads to me as a player who had a ton of potential, especially following a number of awards at the VHLM level, but that the nine season career may have held back. Molotov’s TPA peak ended up being the same as their player peak, with 41 goals and 88 points in their fifth season of S87. But regression came swift, where despite his only Cup coming in S88 with London, Molotov would not top 34 goals while in regression. Molotov’s another who clocked out after eight seasons rather than face the tough fourth season of regression, limiting their career numbers somewhat.
 
 
(S83) D AirRig GoodBrandSun - Total TPE: 1558 @Rhynex Entertainment
 
Season
GP
G
A
P
+/-
SHT
PIM
HIT
SB
GW
PPG
SHG
Totals
648
121
430
551
214
1847
792
1127
1293
23
53
1
 
Personal Awards: 1 (S83 Top Defensive Defenseman)
 
We end with GoodBrandSun, whose career is interesting in that they’re the only player to win an individual award in the season they were originally supposed to skip - an award that ended up being the only one of their career, as it turns out. GoodBrandSun developed from a more defensive-oriented player at the beginning of their career (198 shots blocked in S83 was by far their highest) to a more offensive-oriented player (93 points in S86) near the peak of their career. I believe GoodBrandSun is also the first one to reach the playoffs nine times in a career, eight with Calgary and one with Seattle, with a Calgary Cup coming in S87. Overall a career I’d call a nine-season success story, even if it didn’t come with necessarily the individual accolades.
 
 
Verdict for Me: After doing the exercise, I’m leaning towards not trying to go nine seasons in the VHL with Antonia Bucatini. While there are some mitigating factors at play with many of the players who tried it in this sample, there are a lot of flame outs on this board - and depending on Fuhr and Sundin potentially not a Hall of Famer in the bunch. Even those with high TPE totals like Nico Pearce (or later Henry Eagles and The Frenchman) may not be seeing the individual success they hoped for themselves on draft day. But there’s always that temptation to try something that not many others have, so it may end up being a conversation between myself and my future VHL team following the draft.
 

It would also give every VHL team (active or not, I believe?) at least 1 Continental Cup victory, which would be nice.

With predictions now closed, I've decided to take a look at who the league collectively believes will win each award. There were 60 total submissions that are actually filled out, of which there are three that are exact copies of another set (not that I'm discounting the exact copies in any way). With that, here's a rundown of the favorites
 
Continental Cup: London United (16) Other Notables: Calgary Wranglers (9), Los Angeles Stars (9), Helsinki Titans (8)   London is the people's favorite to win the Continental Cup, and if you look at their roster, it's not hard to see why. Their low scoring output thus far could be a bit concerning for some, but looking at their forwards, it's hard to believe they won't figure it out. In total, there were ten teams that were predicted to win the Continental Cup, which each of those teams being picked by at least two people. Interestingly, those ten teams were the ten teams the VSN had making the playoffs in their season preview. After London, the next highest were Calgary and Los Angeles with nine predictions each. Europe is favored by a 34-26 margin to produce the champion.
Victory Cup: Calgary Wranglers (14)
Other Notables: Los Angeles Stars (13), London United (8), Helsinki Titans (7), Prague Phantoms (7)   Personally, I think the Wranglers are a bit overhyped. VSN had them ranked first in the North American Conference, and the predictions reflect that as well. Skor McFleury is a great addition, but I don't think it will be enough to solve their biggest issue from a season ago: goal scoring. While European teams are collectively favored to win the Continental Cup, people are more confident that the regular season will belong to the North American Conference. Just behind the Wranglers at 13 predictions were the Stars, while Toronto, D.C., New York, and Vancouver add another seven believers. Europe's favorites are the trio of London (8), Helsinki (7), and Prague (7).
Devon Marlow-Marta Trophy: Los Angeles Stars (19) Other Notables: Calgary Wranglers (15), D.C. Dragons (10), Toronto Legion (10)   While the Wranglers have the slight edge in regular season predictions, the Stars are believed to be the better playoff team. Perhaps it is the more experienced roster that gives them the edge. Calgary remains a favorite with a quarter of the total predictions, but people do seem to have more confidence in the remainder of the North American field when it comes to just beating out their conference foes. The other teams combine for 43.3% of the predictions to make the finals.
Terence Fong Trophy: Helsinki Titans (18) Other Notables: London United (16), Prague Phantoms (14)   Although London was the clear favorite to win the Continental Cup, more people actually picked Helsinki to win the European Conference Championship. Maybe the distrust in them to beat North America if they can come out on top of Europe once again has to do with their performance in the finals from a season ago. London is not far behind at 16 predictions, and Prague is up there at 14 as well. This trio of teams are clearly thought to be together in the top tier of Europe, with Moscow and Malmo being a sizable step behind.
Scotty Campbell Trophy: John Jameson (9) Other Notables: Molly the Cat (8)   Arguably the best player in the VHL, it shouldn't come as a surprise that John Jameson is atop the list for MVP predictions. He won the award back in Season 89, and although he dipped below 100 points last season, he looks to lead the Phantoms back into the playoffs this season. Molly the Cat is Jameson's closest competition at eight predictions. In total, there were 18 players different players who were picked by at least one person to take home the coveted Scotty Campbell Trophy.
Brett Slobodzian Trophy: John Jameson (12) Other Notables: Molly the Cat (8)   Again, we have John Jameson on top, with Molly the Cat following in second. With 20 different players being predicted to win this award, it had the third highest number of unique picks among all awards. Somewhat peculiar to me is the fact that more people predicted Art Vandelay (4) than Jesse Teno (3), when Teno is clearly seen as the better goalie (foreshadowing for later on). I also feel like the growing sentiment that goalies do not get enough credit for this award may have been a good reason for more people to predict Teno.
Daisuke Kanou Trophy: Jesse Teno (12) Other Notables: John Jameson (7)   It's no surprise that with London being the most picked to win the Continental Cup, their elite goaltender Jesse Teno would be the most picked to win playoff MVP. If Teno can win it, they would be the first player to win multiple Kanou Trophies since Rayz Funk, who won the last of four in Season 73. It's also no surprise to see this award receive a vast number of unique predictions. There are 26 different names, of which nine are goalies. Rookie Olober Syko is the only starting goalie for one of the ten teams predicted (by at least one person) to win the Continental Cup who was not predicted by anyone to win playoff MVP.
Mike Szatkowski Trophy: Molly the Cat (18) Other notables: John Jameson (8), FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY Analfist (7)
Kevin Brooks Trophy: Molly the Cat (13) Other notables: FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY Analfist (9), Jimi Jaks (8)   It's Jameson's superior two-way play that makes him a favorite over Molly the Cat for the MVP and most outstanding, but Molly the Cat is favored when it comes to the scoring awards. Analfist is garnering a lot of attention here as well to break into the upper echelon of forwards. This is the first time his name has appeared on here, but it is certainly not the last.   Alexander Beketov Trophy: Leonard Triller (14) Bobby Bob (7), Kronchy Kardashian (7), FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY Analfist (6)   Leonard Triller is one of those rare breeds among the elite forwards who deliberately operates more as a playmaker than a goal scorer, so it makes sense that they would be the most predicted to lead the league in assists, as they did a season ago. Aside from Triller, there is a lot of love for the defensemen when it comes to leading in assists.
Sterling Labatte Trophy: Skor McFleury (19) Other Notables: Jacob Stone (10), Kronchy Kardashian (10), Bobby Bob (7)
Jake Wylde Trophy: David Jokinen (10), Liv Slater (10) Other Notables: Skor McFleury (9), Jacob Stone (8), Pierre Emile Bouchard (6)
Alexander Valiq Trophy: Skor McFleury (21) Other Notables: Jacob Stone (10), Bobby Bob (8), Kronchy Kardashian (8)   Looking at the defender awards, it's clear to see that Skor McFleury is seen as the best in the league, with Jacob Stone, Kronchy Kardashian, and Bobby Bob up there as well. Among the awards that skaters are eligible to win, the Alexander Valiq Trophy is the least unique with only ten different players predicted to win it, led by McFleury, whose 21 picks to win it ranks as the fourth most common prediction overall. As for the top defensive defender, we see a couple of players from weaker teams who will more often be in positions to make defensive plays, but McFleury and Stone are too good to be ignored here as well.
Aidan Shaw Trophy: Jesse Teno (32) Other Notables: Art Vandelay (9)
Greg Clegane Trophy: Jesse Teno (29) Other Notables: Art Vandelay (10), Merome Dilson (7)   As a whole, the one thing the league seems to agree on the most is that Jesse Teno is the best goalie. The Aidan Shaw Trophy is the only award that had a majority of the predictions select one player, and the Greg Clegane Trophy nearly met that mark as well. There are of course fewer options to select from, but it's still remarkable nonetheless. Art Vandelay playing in his ninth season and still being one of the best goalies in the league is quite impressive as well.
Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy: Leif Reingaard (19) Other Notables: Grimgor Ironhide (11), Olober Syko (9), Callum Gary Yannick Janser (7)   Moscow's Leif Reingaard is the top pick for rookie of the year, and I think it is a very smart pick. Playing for Moscow, Reingaard will have the opportunity to shine. That's not to say Moscow is bad, but the roster is very balanced. Reingaard will not be stuck behind elite players or stuck playing with low-level players. I also expect a good number of hits and shots blocked from him. There is a very strong class of rookies at all positions, though, so I do expect it to be a battle, and one that may be difficult to judge in the end.
Scott Boulet Trophy: John Jameson (26) Other Notables: Larry Abass Jr (10)   The predictions for the Scott Boulet Trophy are interesting, to me. John Jameson as the heavy favorite is not a shocker. He may not be the most physical player in the league, but he is definitely the most complete package. Larry Abass Jr has had three straight seasons of 300+ hits, but last season was the only time in his career that he reached over 40 goals or 80 points. Clearly some people think he can repeat that offensive success, and that will be the question with him. After Jameson and Abass, though, there are 16 other players who received a prediction. Among those other 16 are 12 that were picked just once, which includes last season's winner AK92 Wit da Hoodie, who I thought for sure would be right up there with Abass.
David Knight Trophy: New York Americans (15) Other Notables: Calgary Wranglers (10), Moscow Menace (7), London United (6), Los Angeles Stars (6)   Returning to the GM scene for the first time since Season 60 (when he won this award with the New York Americans), STZ is the favorite to win the David Knight Trophy. The Americans look like a team that will be much improved from a season ago, and the acquisition of FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY Analfist could look like a masterful trade if the team can make some noise in the playoffs (especially when you consider they also received the pick that became Wayne Gretzky in that deal). There seems to be a pattern among the top predictions for the Top GM in that a lot of these are for teams that were not great last season, but look to be improved this year. The Wranglers were one of the worst playoff teams last season, and this year, many expect them to win it all. The Menace should make the jump from being one of the worst teams to potentially making the playoffs. Then we also have the teams that were good and are still good in London and Los Angeles. As two teams that are highly expected to make it to the finals at the very least, their GM's would at least be expected to be in the discussion for the award.
Dustin Funk Trophy: FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY Analfist (9) Other Notables: David Jokinen (6)   The Dustin Funk Trophy is a very difficult award to predict, and that is reflected by the 28 unique players that were predicted. The leader among them is Analfist, who I actually see as a longshot. They had 41 goals and 79 points last season, so to win most improved, I think they would have to have an MVP caliber season. I won't say that it's not possible, but I did not give him much consideration in my prediction. David Jokinen has potential, but I am not sure the offensive improvement will be there, as he probably isn't good enough to carry this Davos offense, as he will need to do. Personally, I was one of four who predicted Raimo Tuominen, who had just eight goals and 33 points last season.
 
 
 
1976 words; claiming for weeks ending 1/14, 1/21, 1/28