CowboyinAmerica

If they pull this off, I promise to obnoxiously emphasize the word THE for at least the rest of the week. Let's go.

Last week, I took at what would happen if we asked one simple question: What would the VHL look like if it instigated a promotion/relegation system? Promotion/relegation is, evidently, a topic that many sim leaguers have looked into in the past, but according to my knowledge, nobody has ever integrated in an actual lasting league. It may be too late for the VHL, but so far, the results of this little thought experiment have been staggering. Three seasons past expansion, there already has been a major shakeup in the VHL ranks. The Toronto Legion, which experienced an excellent run of success during the league’s third decade, are poised to begin their third straight season in the VHLM. Similarly, Quebec City, which just joined the VHL in Season 31, have spent more time in the minors (two seasons) than the majors (one season). On the flip side, Brampton, Kolari/Turku, Ottawa, Saskatoon, and Yukon have all spent time in the top league, an odd amount of success for the former VHLM franchises. As noted before, there are certain ground rules to this thought experiment: 1. I will start from S31, where the VHL and VHLM both expanded into 10 teams. 2. Since the draft and TPE rules make a direct comparison of VHL and VHLM teams impossible, I instead must make the comparisons between the two subjectively. The easiest way to do this is assume that VHLM teams would be at a slight disadvantage when joining the VHL, about three positions worth. Thus, for every current VHLM team that would be in the VHL during a given season, I added three to their final standings position to see whether they would be relegated. I did the opposite for VHL teams in the VHLM, subtracting three from their total. Also, I gave any ties automatically to the VHL team. And as a reminder, here’s how we begin Season 34, coming off of Riga’s first championship in 17 seasons: The leagues entering Season 34 VHL Brampton Blades Calgary Wranglers Cologne Express HC Davos Dynamo Helsinki Titans Kolari Panthers New York Americans Ottawa Ice Dogs Riga Reign Saskatoon Wild VHLM Bratislava Watchmen Bern Royals Minot Gladiators Oslo Storm Quebec City Meute Seattle Bears Toronto Legion Vasteras Baby Eagles Vasteras Iron Eagles Yukon Rush In this article, we look at the next four seasons, between Season 34 and Season 37. Buckle up Seattle and Vasteras fans; it’s about to be a bumpy ride. Season 34 VHL Standings 1. Helsinki Titans 3. Calgary Wranglers 4. New York Americans 6. Riga Reign 7. Cologne Express 8. Turku Outlaws (5+3) 10. HC Davos Dynamo 10. Ottawa Lynx (7+3) 11. Brampton Blades (8+3) 13. Saskatoon Wild (10+3) VHLM Standings -1. Quebec City Meute (2-3) 1. Yukon Rush 2. Toronto Legion (5-3) 2. Bern Royals 3. Minot Gladiators 4. Vasteras Baby Eagles 5. Seattle Bears (8-3) 6. Vasteras Iron Eagles (9-3) 6. Bratislava Watchmen 9. Oslo Storm Analysis This is where the issues with the VHLM come to roost. Because their rosters shift extraordinarily from season to season, it’s simply too tough for teams to maintain success season over season. Of the four previously VHLM teams that performed well enough to enter Season 34 in the VHL, not a single one finished in the top half of the league. In fact, in the real Season 34, only a single one finished in the top half of the real VHLM – and that was a Turku squad who finished last. The Dynamo might have been bad in the pre-Moher and Bentley world, but in this iteration of the VHL, they still finished seventh. And on the other side… poor Toronto Legion. For the second straight season, the franchise finishes one position out of a transfer spot, with the Yukon Rush coming out of nowhere to claim the second transfer spot and get sent right back up to the VHL. Perhaps more interesting to me, though, is what happened with Quebec. In the actual Season 34, Quebec rode their greatest season ever to the top of the conference, a move that would set them up to win the championship in Season 35. In this iteration of the VHL, however, their strong play was only enough to move them up to the VHL. Would we have seen a different champion in Season 35 if promotion/relegation was in play? Season 35 VHL Standings 1. Quebec City Meute 2. Helsinki Titans 3. Calgary Wranglers 4. Ottawa Lynx (1+3) 5. Cologne Express 6. HC Davos Dynamo 9. New York Americans 10. Riga Reign 11. Yukon Rush (8+3) 13. Turku Outlaws (10+3) VHLM Standings 1. Toronto Legion (4-3) 2. Minot Gladiators 3. Saskatoon Wild 4. Vasteras Baby Eagles 4. Seattle Bears (7-3) 5. Vasteras Iron Eagles (8-3) 5. Brampton Blades 6. Oslo Storm 7. Bern Royals 9. Bratislava Watchmen Analysis The first original VHL team to return to the VHL wins the championship in its first season after promotion. The more interesting story to me, though, is the play of the Ottawa Lynx. Originally raised to the VHL following Season 32, and after just barely avoiding relegation in Season 33, the Lynx could have very well been the fourth best team in the VHL in Season 35 had promotion and relegation been a viable VHL system. As compared to an up-and-down VHLM team, Ottawa could have had the makings of a real dynasty here. Meanwhile, on the flip side, New York and Riga were real bad this season, but they likely wouldn’t have been as bad as Yukon and Turku, as the former’s yo-yoing between the VHL and VHLM continues. On the VHLM side, there are parties in the streets of Toronto as the Legion finally climb out of the depths of the VHLM after four seasons. Given the team’s fourth place real-life VHL finish, it’s not too much of a stretch to figure that they would beat the preexisting VHL teams. Minot, meanwhile, returns to the VHL for the first time since a one season stint that saw them as the first-ever promoted team. With Toronto escaping the dregs, the team to watch out for now is Seattle. Season 36 will mark the team’s fourth straight season in the VHLM, tying Toronto’s record for former VHL teams. Season 36 VHL Standings 1. Toronto Legion 2. Quebec City Meute 3. HC Davos Dynamo 4. Helsinki Titans 5. Cologne Express 7. Minot Gladiators (4+3) 8. New York Americans 9. Riga Reign 10. Calgary Wranglers 11. Ottawa Lynx (8+3) VHLM Standings 1. Bratislava Watchmen 2. Bern Royals 3. Vasteras Iron Eagles (6-3) 3. Vasteras Baby Eagles 4. Seattle Bears (7-3) 5. Yukon Rush 6. Oslo Storm 7. Saskatoon Wild 9. Turku Outlaws 10. Brampton Blades Analysis For the second straight season, a recently promoted team takes the top spot in the league. Granted, the Toronto Legion’s 113 points barely squeaked ahead of Quebec’s 112, but first place is first place. It doesn’t hurt that the Legion would go to their first of three straight finals either, this time losing to Davos. The Calgary Wranglers become relegated for the first time in six seasons, but to me, the bigger story is the Cologne Express. With Calgary’s relegation, the five teams to have never been sent down are Davos, Helsinki, Riga, New York, and… the expansion Express? It’s true, the Express sustained success from the beginning, and somehow, they’ve finished at least near the middle of the league every season. Meanwhile, Vasteras and Seattle are the only original VHL teams toiling down in the minors, but neither one is able to perform well enough to get back up to the top league. As a result, Vasteras will now spend its fourth straight season in the minors, while Seattle will extend that streak to a record five. Perhaps more interesting, though, is the spread of success for VHLM teams. With Bratislava and Bern moving up to the VHL for the first time, Oslo and the junior Vasteras squad (about to be Moscow Red Wolves) are the only teams to have never made the VHL (although both finished one position out of the transfer slot once). Season 37 VHL Standings 1. HC Davos Dynamo 2. Toronto Legion 3. Riga Reign 5. Quebec City Meute 5. Bern Royals (2+3) 6. Minot Gladiators (3+3) 7. New York Americans 8. Cologne Express 8. Bratislava Watchmen (5+3) 10. Helsinki Titans VHLM Standings 0. Vasteras Iron Eagles (3-3) 3. Seattle Bears (6-3) 3. Turku Outlaws 5. Yukon Rush 6. Calgary Wranglers (9-3) 6. Oslo Storm 7. Moscow Red Wolves 8. Saskatoon Wild 9. Brampton Blades 10. Ottawa Lynx Analysis For the first time, my completely arbitrary “ties go to the original VHL team” comes into play for a relegation spot. And this time, it’s Cologne that is the beneficiary, while the Bratislava Watchmen have a very short stay in the top league. Now, with Helsinki going into a minor rebuild, it’s down to four teams that have never been relegated: Davos, Riga, New York and Cologne. Riga and New York are barely on that list as well, given their pitiful Season 35 records that were beat out by even worse former VHLM teams. Surprisingly, the tie rule comes into play in the VHLM as well… and somehow, both Vasteras and Seattle escape purgatory! It was easy for the Iron Eagles, as they rode an exceptionally strong performance by goalie Eggly Bagelface to 96 points and a tie with Riga. For Seattle, though, the road was a bit tougher. The Bears beat the Americans by exactly one point to make the playoffs in real life, and it’s that exact span that keeps them ahead of the Outlaws and into promotion position. Now, just two VHL teams are in the VHLM once again entering Season 37, and it’s two well-regarded franchises: Calgary and Helsinki. The leagues entering Season 38 VHL Bern Royals Cologne Express HC Davos Dynamo Minot Gladiators New York Americans Quebec City Meute Riga Reign Seattle Bears Toronto Legion Vasteras Iron Eagles VHLM Bratislava Watchmen Brampton Blades Calgary Wranglers Helsinki Titans Moscow Red Wolves Oslo Storm Ottawa Lynx Saskatoon Wild Turku Outlaws Yukon Rush What happens when we decide to shake the VHL up even further? Check out the conclusion next week for Seasons 38 through 40, as well as final thoughts!

Seattle getting second overall and staring Molholt in the face is everything I want.

As much as it hurts me to be rooting Buckeyes... GO B1G! GO B1G! GO B1G!

Why is that? It's clear that every single lottery team must have told him so

I apply for this job. Given what Sterling told me via PM, I know that I will have the time and ability to do this. I've been reliable with past jobs in the league, such as VHLM Mag and Financier (even when I went inactive, I informed the commissioners that I would ahead of time). Also have updated files in the past, albeit with Madden in football sim leagues. Currently do not have a job either and am actively searching for one.

A Dish Served Raw: The Hans Wingate Story Name: Hans Wingate Age: 18 Hometown: Edinburgh, Scotland Height: 6'5" Weight: 232 lbs Position: Goaltender Team: Turku Outlaws In order to make traditional Scottish dish haggis, one first needs a sheep’s stomach. As one can imagine, extracting a sheep’s stomach isn’t exactly the most glamorous work. Even once it is pulled out of the body, making correct haggis requires holding open the stomach to insert a meat mixture and oats. However, in Edinburgh, Scotland, the butcher’s haggis recipes may be his lifeblood, the thin dividing line between a successful enterprise and a floundering local hole in the wall. That’s what made young Hans Wingate’s job transporting his father’s sheep hearts from the farm to the butcher’s shop of the utmost importance. He refused to let one drop or escape his grasp. And, to this day, when the puck flies in at him from the corner, he still sees the falling sheep’s heart in his mind’s eye, knowing that everything depends on his own steady hands. ******* His Youth Hans Wingate was born on a blustery winter day in January 1997, the son of Dona Wingate and her hardened butcher of a husband, Alan. The third of three children, all boys, Hans grew up on a nondescript street on the edges of Edinburgh, Scotland, with his father’s butcher shop in one direction and his uncle’s farm the same distance in the other. Hans was never a depressed or lonely child — his mother and father loved him, his brothers looked after him, and he maintained decent grades and a decent social standing in school. However, his father made sure to instill one key attribute in his son: the value of hard work. 6 a.m. meant the 10 minute walk to his uncle’s farm, where Kenneth Wingate would have been up before dawn tending to his sheep. 6:15 to 7 a.m. meant helping his uncle with the sheep, whether feeding them, tending to them, or yes, even slaughtering them. After loading up his baskets, young Hans would then walk the 20 minutes the other direction, past his house, to drop off the meats and other parts to his father’s butchery. There, he would work with his father preparing for the shop’s opening until 7:45, at which point he would scamper off the school. It was never grueling work, to be sure, but it became integral to his father’s burgeoning success. And, of course, with any measure of true responsibility comes a measure of fairness. Hans learned this lesson the hard way one drizzling April morning, when he was just nine years old. Attempting to deftly jump between small ponds forming in the road, one small miscalculation sent the young boy tripping over a break in the cobblestone road. End over end went Hans; worse, end over end went the basket of meat. Hans eventually arrived at his father’s shop, half in tears. Alan may have been a kind man — he knew that mistakes happened and did not scold his son — but he was a fair one too. Hans ended up having to work eight consecutive weekends at his father’s shop in order to pay for the lost profits he dropped, a punishment he accepted as just. Still, Hans promised to himself, he would never drop a basket or even a single stomach ever again. Not even one. ******* His Growth Hans Wingate kept his promise; perhaps he may have kept his promise too well. By the time he entered high school, Hans’s morning routine had devolved into a parkour exhibition that would make Ryan Doyle proud. What had previously been a 20 minute stroll was now a seven minute freerunning expedition, and any time that one of the contents of his basket was about to fall, Hans’s quick hands would immediate snatch it from mid-air. He was quickly growing into a larger frame — Hans measured 5’6” and 185 lbs. by the time he turned 15 — but his agility made for an intriguing physical specimen. Honestly, Hans could have played essentially any sport, be it football, rugby or even cricket. But one sport in particular always caught his eye. Ice hockey has never been a particularly well-known pastime on the British Isles. Great Britain last made the Olympics in 1948, while Scotland itself last fielded an independent ice hockey team in 1993, or four years before Hans was even born. Still, some moments are left up to fate. The Edinburgh Capitals moved into the top-tier Elite Ice Hockey League for the 2005 season, just as young Hans Wingate was beginning to take an interest in professional sports. Especially as local football clubs Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian were experiencing relative slumps, the town turned their eyes to the fledgling hockey team in hopes for a winner. They were sorely disappointed. Following a league finish no higher than eighth (out of 10) for each of the team’s first four EIHL seasons, most fans turned from the team. Wingate, though, remained. In particular, Hans seemed enthralled by the idea of the goaltender. He was a man of size, a player that the entire team depended on, the one who would receive the trust of his teammates to lead them through no matter what. And, of course, he was the one who always had to flash those quick hands. Hans Wingate first tried his goaltending chops for the Edinburgh Youth Ice Hockey League, which he joined at the age of 13. To say he was a natural would not be wholly accurate. Sure, young Hans presented the quick hands that made him the apple of his father’s eye every morning. It became clear quickly, though, that he had not picked up any other the finer points of hockey. His concept of angles, or of a five hole, was sorely lacking. He always wanted to use the glove, not knowing that his stick could actually help. And, perhaps worst given his underdeveloped competition, he never wanted to take advantage of his large stature, instead trying to make every play by catching the puck. For most kids, the lack of success would have been enough to turn off hockey forever. But Hans Wingate was one who had learned the value of hard work. The idea of being the “last one out of the gym” may be clichéd in today’s sports media world, but sources say that Wingate never stopped working if he had his choice. It was simply in his blood. 6 a.m. was going to his father’s farm. 8 a.m. was school. And now, 5 p.m. until he was dragged off the ice was hockey practice. The routine never changed. As mentioned in a recent profile of Wingate’s hockey abilities, that work ethic earned him a tryout with the team of his youth, the Edinburgh Capitals. A surprisingly strong showing in that tryout earned him a chance at Edinburgh’s starting goaltender job. Winning Edinburgh’s starting goaltender job earned him a chance to show his skills to the world. That chance to show his skills earned him an EIHL All-Star selection in his very first season, as well as a tryout to the VHLM. Step by step Hans Wingate built his hockey career, using the same steely determination of a young boy trying not to drop his basket of haggis. ******* His Future Now, Hans Wingate stands on a precipice. Just having turned 18 years old, Wingate recently to Turku, Finland, the first time he has lived anywhere outside of his native Edinburgh. There, Wingate will be a goaltender for the Turku Outlaws, a likely S41 playoff team in the Victory Hockey League’s minors system. Already, some view Wingate as a potential first round draft selection in S43. However, there remain obstacles, not the least of which being that Turku brought in a supposedly more seasoned goaltender, Callum Sinclair, soon after his own acquisition. Some scouts say that the move signals what they have been saying all along: Hans Wingate is just too raw, and without playing against top-flight competition, nobody knows what he is made of. Still, those scouts do not know the boy who woke up to arrive at his uncle’s farm at 6 a.m. Those scouts have never seen the steely determination, the unrivaled hard work ethic, and the unbridled joy that Hans Wingate possesses with the chance to play the game that he loves professionally. Making haggis is hard, and it can be brutally ugly at times. But, given the proper amount of attention, sometimes it can, just as with Hans Wingate’s professional hockey career, turn out to be a delight.

Donated $20 for S41, even though I wrote S40 on the donation because I live in the past, man. Also, considering that I did $20 each for S35 and S36 (see first post), I'll take one of those fancy donor tags for whatever I qualify for ($50?).

(S43) G Hans Wingate - A Scouting Report Name: Hans Wingate Age: 18 Hometown: Edinburgh, Scotland Height: 6'5" Weight: 232 lbs Position: Goaltender Team: Turku Outlaws A native of not-quite-hockey-crazy Scotland, 18-year-old goaltender Hans Wingate may be somewhat of a mystery to talent evaluators around the VHLM. After being picked up by the prestigious Warren agency however, which placed former defenseman Karsten Olsen with the second pick in the draft with his only previous player, the hype machine surrounding Wingate has already pulled into overdrive. One scout, known only as Brovy, wrote upon Olsen’s declaration for the VHLM, “So glad their [sic] is going to be an elite goalie besides DT.” So, just who is this unknown player making so many waves? Like many young players entering the VHLM, the story begins with a hope and a dream. Unlike many other players, however, this dream took him through the Elite Ice Hockey League, the highest level of competition in the United Kingdom. The EIHL Entering the 2014-2015 EIHL season, otherwise known as the S40 campaign in VHL parlance, the Edinburgh Capitals had never had a winning record since joining the EIHL from the now-defunct British National League in 2004. However, never before had the team employed a young phenom quite like local product Hans Wingate. Born in the suburbs of Edinburgh, Wingate was encouraged to try out for the Capitals by Assistant Coach Jock Hay, an Edinburgh native himself. Eager to have some hometown representation beyond longtime winger Kevin Forshall, Head Coach Richard Hartmann agreed on the tryout, but only on one condition: He face the club’s top point scorer, Curtis Leinweber, during his tryout. This way, Hartmann figured, he could rid himself of the local boy quite quickly. What he did not expect, however, was Wingate stopping every single one of Leinweber’s 20 shots, demonstrating unparalleled hand speed for an EIHL goalie. Wingate did not have the best 2014-2015 season among EIHL goaltenders; his lack of size and an inability to seemingly ever secure the rebound held him back. He did, however, leading Edinburgh to its best ever league finish: third place, and a final record of 25-10-0. Given an unexpected .910 save percentage and an electric-quick glove hand that made highlights throughout UK hockey, Wingate was a near shoo-in to the Elite League All-Star Team, and he was recognized as a top prospect throughout the region. However, despite his love for his hometown, Wingate saw himself doing bigger and better things. That’s where Hartmann, who had long since come around on his young goaltender, decided to parlay some hometown connections of his own. Originally a native of Bratislava, Slovakia, Hartmann decided to check with his old coaches at the Bratislava Watchmen to determine whether the VHLM would be interested in his goaltender. 10 minutes of tape later, Hans Wingate had begun to be hailed as the next great VHL goaltender, with a little bit of seasoning and coaching. The Good Agility: Compared with the finely tendered rinks of Canada and the United States, or even the always-frozen state of ponds in Scandinavia and Russia, hockey rinks in the United Kingdom can be a bit... rough. Constant rain and little freezing weather makes outdoor rinks a near impossibility, and indoor rinks are treated with nowhere near the same love and care as their football and cricket counterparts. Thus, Hans Wingate learned early to not only react to odd bounces of the puck, but to perhaps anticipate them. Especially before he joined Edinburgh of the EIHL, agility for a goaltender was not only helpful, it was a necessity. Thus, it’s unsurprising it ranks among his best skills. Hand Speed: Have you ever tried to fight an angry Scotsman? Chances are, it did not go well for you, did it? That’s because, following an inordinate amount of alcohol and haggis, Scotsmen are known for using their fists in violent, unexpected ways. For many, that simply means a spell in the local drunk tank. For Wingate, however, it means using his quick hands to keep pucks from flying behind him into the net. There aren’t many young goaltenders who have as high of a Highlight Per Save (HPS) ratio as Wingate, as he can make even the most routine play look flashy. Potential: Honestly, when push comes to shove and the wheel meets the road and overwrought metaphor meets Word document, scouts aren’t bullish on Wingate because of his agility and hand speed. It’s because of his potential. Wingate is the ultimate boom-or-bust product; he could be the next Daisuke Kanou just as easily as he could be the next Totally Notabear. However, the latter never enters the scout’s mind as much as the former, so experts will continue to fawn over Wingate’s progression. His agent has a big name, and it will be endlessly intriguing to see if the young prospect wilts under the expectations. The Ugly Rebound Control: The goal of a mousetrap is not only to catch a mouse, but once it is caught, to never release that mouse again. If a mousetrap caught a mouse, but then allowed that mouse’s tail to easily wriggle free, it would be considered a defective mousetrap. Well, Hans Wingate may very well be a defective mousetrap. His lightning quick speed allows him to block shots the first time, but he’s not particularly adept at holding the puck once it hits his pads. It was estimated that roughly 70 percent of the EIHL shots against him came on second, third or even fourth chances. Reaction Time: In the time it takes for the puck to be dumped behind the net, collected by an opposing player, and passed to the front of the net for a one-timer, Hans Wingate may recognize that the puck is in the defensive zone. Maybe. Wingate has the reaction time of a sloth three beers in, the quick thinking of U.S. disaster awareness post-Katrina. For all of his hand speed once he realizes what exactly is going on, it takes him twice as long to actually get there. Many scouts attribute this to poor coaching — there aren’t many hockey savants in Scotland — and expect that this will get better in short order. Timing: Nicklaus Mikaelson, with 391 practice hours, is only in his first year in the league. Fedir Okranitz is expecting to make it two from the S41 draft class next season, while Gunnar Skovsgard may make some noise as well. Jax Barnstormer, Callum Sinclair, and Ivars Klajums may all be first round picks in the S42. So why, then, is there even room for people to be excited about Wingate? The sheer number of goalies in the two classes ahead of him will be hard to overcome, and it’s expected that Wingate may be trying to play catch up for a large portion of his VHL career.

It's like Oprah's giveaways. You get a goal! And you get a goal!

Didn't even notice I had made this start. Yeah, you take that Unknown Players! I only let in three goals to you all!

*shrugs* It's a hell of a story line for future media spots. And I do want to be on a playoff team.

I mean, yes, doesn't happen to often though. And I've always found the idea of pro/rel to be interesting, but with at least the majority of sim leagues I've been involved with being very North America-heavy (the VHL is probably the most worldwide representation I've ever seen), I've always thought it wouldn't be received very well.

I'll apply for media grader. I've been grader/head grader about 10,000 times in sim leagues, so I know what the job entails. (And see, I even knew where to put the comma in that number!) Fully understand if you want to give the job to someone who hasn't had one yet though, just don't know how many you need.

*Sniff* I'll miss you Oslo. It was a wonderful... *checks watch* ... 9 minutes being part of your franchise. It'll be a nine minutes that I can promise you I won't forget until at least tomorrow. With that said, hello Turku! Let's win some things.

Edinburgh, Scotland -- Now that he has declared for the Season 43 VHL Draft, goaltender Hans Wingate has a lot of preparation ahead of him for both the Season 42 VHLM season and his long VHL career ahead. That does not mean, however, that he can completely look past the rest of Season 41. On the contrary, since he is coming into the league already with experience, Wingate may very well be the missing piece that can swing a playoff series. But which team will Wingate join? That all depends on the VHLM waiver system. Realistically, Wingate probably will not get past fifth on the waiver list, which means that Ottawa, Minot, Oslo, Bratislava and Saskatoon can all be seen as possible destinations. Wingate does not have a choice which team to play for, and he would honestly play for any team who claimed him, but we decided to get his top five potential teams anyway with a comment for each. 5. Ottawa Lynx – “I mean Ottawa no harm, because I think it’s an excellent place, and I’d love to be drafted there for Season 42. But for the rest of this year, it’s just not up my alley. I feel like I’d be facing roughly 500 shots per game there, and even with the delicious Delicious coming along, two guys aren’t enough.” 4. Bratislava Watchmen – “Yes, I know that they’re the overwhelming favorites in the European Conference. Honestly, though, who wants to sit on the bench? Barnstormer is firmly entrenched as the starter there, and even though I could displace Douffet, that’s not my goal.” 3. Minot Gladiators – “Minot would give me a stronger chance to work my way into a starting job than Bratislava, and I’d relish the competition from the up-and-coming Blake Campbell. However, the position in the standings does worry me a bit, as I’m not sure I would be the correct piece to bump the team into the playoff picture.” 2. Oslo Storm – “I like the idea of making a difference for whichever team I go to. In Oslo, that would be easy. Given how far back they are in the standings, a good goalie may even mean a playoff berth! It also doesn’t hurt that Karsten Olsen, who I’ve trained with, won a championship in Oslo as well.” 1. Saskatoon Wild – “Is it cocky for me to say that I could be better than Gunnar Skovsgard come playoff time? Because I think I could be better than Skovsgard come playoff time. I’d understand if Coach Kendrick wanted to sit me down the stretch in the regular season, but given the talent on this roster, it would absolutely be my top spot if I were guaranteed playoff starts. I think I could win big here.”

“Anyone who tells me US soccer should have promotion & relegation better argue that the NFL, NBA & MLB should as well.” - Sports Illustrated soccer reporter Grant Wahl via Twitter The idea of promotion and relegation is simple, in theory. There are varying levels of competitive play in one geographic region—think about U.S. baseball and how it has MLB, AAA, AA and A-level baseball. However, rather than remaining static, the worst teams in a league are eligible to move down a level, while the top teams in the lower leagues are able to work their way to the top. In many European soccer leagues, this means that, hypothetically, a small local team could one day be in the Premier League. Even though Wahl did not mention hockey in his original tweet, it’s easy to see on the surface how promotion and relegation would work in the VHL. Every season, the two bottom teams in the VHL would drop the VHLM. Meanwhile, the highest finishers in the standings in the VHLM would move up to the VHL, instantly becoming eligible for the Continental Cup the following season. You really want to find a way to prevent tanking, commissioners? This one’s for free. However, the actual applications of such a system would be difficult. For instance, the idea of a draft in itself would go away—players would instead be free to signed wherever they wanted, in either the VHL or VHLM. Also, there would need to be some discussion about how a modified salary cap would work, or else there would need to be some mechanism to decide how much money teams are able to spend without a true free market to dictate salary costs. But all of that is a discussion for another time. In this simple exercise, I want to determine one thing: What would the VHL look like if this sort of system was actually instituted? To find out, I instituted a few ground rules. 1. I will start from S31, where the VHL and VHLM both expanded into 10 teams. 2. Since the draft and TPE rules make a direct comparison of VHL and VHLM teams impossible, I instead must make the comparisons between the two subjectively. The easiest way to do this is assume that VHLM teams would be at a slight disadvantage when joining the VHL, about three positions worth. Thus, for every current VHLM team that would be in the VHL during a given season, I added three to their final standings position to see whether they would be relegated. I did the opposite for VHL teams in the VHLM, subtracting three from their total. Also, I gave any ties automatically to the VHL team. Given the length of this article, I decided to split it into multiple parts, with Seasons 34-37 coming next, then Seasons 38-41 coming the week after. As a note, teams that just moved down the previous season to the VHLM will be in red, while new entries into the VHL will be in blue. Season 31 VHL Standings 1. Calgary Wranglers 2. HC Davos Dynamo 2. Riga Reign 4. New York Americans 5. Helsinki Titans 6. Cologne Express 7. Vasteras Iron Eagles 8. Seattle Bears 9. Quebec City Meute 10. Toronto Legion VHLM Standings 1. Yukon Rush 2. Minot Gladiators 3. Vasteras Baby Eagles 4. Saskatoon Wild 5. Bern Royals 6. Bratislava Watchmen 7. Oslo Storm 8. Kolari Panthers 9. Brampton Blades 10. Ottawa Ice Dogs Analysis Just one year into the team’s existence, and already the Quebec City franchise is moving down to the VHLM. Poor Meute. The more surprising news, however, is the demotion of the last place Toronto Legion. Just two seasons removed from a championship, the rebuilding franchise is not able to scrap together enough points to even come within sniffing distance of Seattle, finishing 26 points behind. The Legion didn’t have much going for it at this point, except for one main piece: Remy LeBeau would see the beginning of his career include a detour to the VHLM. On the other side, meanwhile, Yukon sees its entry into the VHL hockey system correspond with an immediate upgrade to the VHL. Bolstered by Skylar Rift’s excellent goaltending, Yukon could have actually made a legitimate argument to take down the Legion in head-to-head play as it was. Right on the Rush’s heels were Minot, who rode strong defense with Till Lindemann and Gregory Glass to second place. The Gladiators finished three points ahead of the Baby Eagles, who were looking to establish Victor’s worst nightmare and put two Vasteras teams in the VHL. Season 32 VHL Standings 1. Riga Reign 2. Helsinki Titans 3. Calgary Wranglers 4. New York Americans 5. Vasteras Iron Eagles 6. HC Davos Dynamo 7. Cologne Express 8. Yukon Rush (5th place +3) 10. Seattle Bears 13. Minot Gladiators (10+3) VHLM Standings 1. Ottawa Ice Dogs 2. Saskatoon Wild 3. Oslo Storm 4. Brampton Blades 5. Quebec City Meute (8th place – 3) 6. Toronto Legion (9-3) 6. Vasteras Baby Eagles 7. Bern Royals 8. Bratislava Watchmen 9. Kolari Panthers Analysis In their first season in the VHL, the Yukon Rush are able to hang on, but just barely. They may have lost Skylar Rift and Damien Sandow to other VHL franchises, but some unexpected play from David Collier allows them to finish in eighth place in the conference. The Seattle Bears, meanwhile, are not so lucky. With rookie James Lefevre struggling to get up to top form, and Zack Sound still playing in the VHLM, the franchise follows up six straight playoff berths with a direct demotion to the VHLM. Minot, meanwhile, had a pitiful VHLM season in S32; it’s unsurprising to see them do even worse in the top stage, becoming relegated once again. However, on the other side, neither the Meute nor the Legion are able to answer the call and work their way back up to the VHL. Instead, for the second straight season, that honor belongs to two other North American teams: Ottawa and Saskatoon. Given that Ottawa seemingly had the entire first and second round that year in the VHLM draft, it’s unsurprising to see them make the leap to the next level. Saskatoon, however, may be a bit of a surprise, given the strength of eventual Founder’s Cup championship participants Oslo and Brampton. Season 33 VHL Standings 1. Helsinki Titans 2. New York Americans 3. Calgary Wranglers 4. Riga Reign 5. HC Davos Dynamo 7. Cologne Express 8. Saskatoon Wild (5+3) 9. Ottawa Ice Dogs (6+3) 10. Vasteras Iron Eagles 10. Yukon Rush (7+3) VHLM Standings 1. Kolari Panthers 2. Brampton Blades 3. Toronto Legion (6-3) 3. Bratislava Watchmen 4. Vasteras Baby Eagles 5. Quebec City Meute (8-3) 6. Seattle Bears (9-3) 8. Minot Gladiators 9. Oslo Storm 10. Bern Royals Analysis We’re beginning to see a trend emerging in the VHL. Given the sustained success of some certain VHL franchises, particularly Helsinki, Riga, Calgary and New York in the early part of the previous decade, it’s tough for VHLM franchises to maintain their spot in the top league. Both Saskatoon and Ottawa survive in their first season in the VHL, but only barely. Yukon, meanwhile, receives the axe in its second VHL season, losing out to Ottawa by a mere three points in the final standings. They are joined by the Vasteras Iron Eagles, leaving the city with two VHLM franchises and no VHL franchises in S34. On the other side, however, the former VHL franchises are having a tough time making their way back up to the VHL, even with the given artificial boost. In LeBeau’s third season, the Legion are beginning to put the team together, but they fall a mere one spot short in the standings. Quebec City and Seattle, meanwhile, are middle of the pack teams in the VHLM as compared to end-of-pack teams in the VHL. Completing a rebuilding project, the soon-to-be-relocated Kolari Panthers send out the team on a high note, while Brampton joins them after knocking on the doorstep the previous season. The leagues entering Season 34 VHL Brampton Blades Calgary Wranglers Cologne Express HC Davos Dynamo Helsinki Titans Kolari Panthers New York Americans Ottawa Ice Dogs Riga Reign Saskatoon Wild VHLM Bratislava Watchmen Bern Royals Minot Gladiators Oslo Storm Quebec City Meute Seattle Bears Toronto Legion Vasteras Baby Eagles Vasteras Iron Eagles Yukon Rush What happens when we decide to shake the VHL up even further? Find out next week when I examine Seasons 34 through 37!

Watchmen 4-1

Outlaws Rush Wild Blades

Meute Express Americans Dynamo

2-0 Riga

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Teemu Selanne status confirmed.

Aww, that's disappointing. 8 seasons, over 700 TPE, and exactly zero Finals appearances. Oh well, hopefully next guy has some more luck. Congrats Riga!

In case I need it