CowboyinAmerica

There’s an interesting trend with Hall of Famers that I’m not sure many people have noticed - defensemen are getting shut out. In the past ten Hall of Fame classes, just two defensemen, Mats Johnsson and Ay Ay Ron, have made it in. That’s compared to three goalies, four wingers, and four centers over that same time span. Not a single defenseman created after the S57 draft class has made it in yet, and the topper, just three defensemen created after S50 (Ron, Johnsson and Fabio Jokinen) have made the HOF. It’s a dry spell, but yet, there are some potential entrants still playing in the VHL. Here’s a quick peek at who I think might have a reasonable chance if being evaluated today. S62 Maxim Kovalchuk - Retired He would have had a strong case anyway, given his five trophies that present an all-around game (one Labatte, one Valiq, two Wylde, and a Beketov for most assists). What will likely put him over the top, though, is the Bears back-to-back titles in his final two seasons, even after a switch to the forward spot. The S68 playoffs was definitely his stronger output, with 17 points in 14 games to help lead the Bears to a title, but both taken in tandem paint the portrait of a player who was able to be on top his entire career and across positions. I wouldn’t be surprised to him pick up HOF votes this very next offseason and be remembered primarily as a defenseman. S65 Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen - Moscow Menace The winner of the past two Labattes is an easy mention for this honor, especially given his offensive prowess and the possibility of passing 80 points for the third straight season. He may not have the hit totals of other defensemen, but he’s done just about everything else perfectly, including extremely high plus/minus totals in the past two seasons. Having both the offensive Valiq (he should win again this season) and defensive Wylde trophies helps his case as well, showing that he’s a well-rounded player. Werbenjagermanjensen also has the issue of not having a Cup quite yet, but he has a good chance this year with Moscow, plus two more seasons to play with. S63 Joseph McWolf - New York Americans McWolf should have an interesting case. The counting stats are certainly there - more than 60 points, 200 hits and 100 SBs every season of his career, five straight (potentially six) playoff appearances, often the top defender on Cup-contending teams. But most HOF defensemen have one of two things to fall back on: Cups, or lots of individual trophies. McWolf has a few of the latter, as his two Labattes and a Valiq have him at least on par with Johnsson. But having no title hurts, and he’ll need a miracle Americans run to break that in his final season. S62 Shawn Glade - Retired Glade presents an intriguing opposite case - he never really had the stats, falling just short of top defenseman trophies despite three straight seasons above 70 points (S65-S67) due to the Kovulchuks and McWolfs of the world. But he had the championship pedigree - three titles with three teams, in fact, something that has rarely been done in VHL history. He was a key contributor on all of those teams as well. Ultimately, I don’t think he’ll have the counting stats by only playing six seasons, but think he’s worth a mention given the playoff prowess.

Flowers +5

Flowers +5

+5

1. We've started in the middle of the pack but are leading the Low Division. Where can we improve to make sure we maintain that lead? I forgot we were called the Low Division. That's funny. My suggestion is that we not be a third year expansion team or a rebuilding squad, and we should be fine. 2. Whose start has been more surprising so far: Seattle or Toronto? Seattle, has to be. Everyone expected an actual challenge at the title, not whatever this is. 3. Is Joseph McWolf gonna finish with more hits or more PIMs this season? It's going to be hits, but man, those penalty minutes aren't good, are they? 4. Who has been the biggest key to the team so far this season? The refs. Seems like they've singlehandedly decided a lot of our games, so I've decided to pump up their feelings a bit. 5. We have the second most PIMs in the league and the third worst PK%. What can we do to improve those numbers? Well, I think we should play more defenseman Lance Flowers. Because if you notice, he is not in the top ten most penalty minutes, and thus is obviously not penalty prone whatsoever. 6. Who has been the unsung hero of the team so far this season? For probably my only serious answer, it's really nice to see Wilcox start out as hot as he has. A lot of preseason pub went to Forest and Jansen and Ylonen, understandably, but he's been a real star that has kept us in early games.

Flowers +5

3-2 Prague

85 Prague Phantoms @ Helsinki Titans 86 Calgary Wranglers @ HC Davos Dynamo 87 Riga Reign @ New York Americans 88 Malmo Nighthawks @ D.C. Dragons

I agree, it'd be more fun that way. D - Lance Flowers @Enorama

D - Jagger Philliefan @Erik Summers

1. What could be done to make the off-season more engaging for members? I actually don't mind an offseason that's a bit chill. Things like the World Cup take a lot of work, and I think it's more fun if it's every once in a while. 2. How do you stay busy when there’s no hockey to be played? I've been immersing myself more in the business side of the team. I enjoy looking at things like the cap, and I'm happy to help out there. 3. While the NA conference looks pretty set in stone, what are your predictions for the EU? I don't really have set opinions, but I do find Prague extremely interesting this year. I want to see them make a run - they seem like the EU version of New York, with a lot of depth and young players making a run for the first time. 4. What’s been the most interesting part of your offseason? There was probably the murder charge. But we don't talk about the murder charge. 5. On a semi-more serious note, how does the current Davos situation look? I honestly didn't have a strong opinion on the matter since I wasn't particularly plugged in, but after seeing the long "call out" thread the commishes probably made the right decision. It's a thankless job, sure, but one that does require a high level of engagement. I hope Gustav does well. 6. 49ers or Chiefs? Heart says Chiefs, head says 49ers. I have some friends in/around Kansas City, want to see them have some joy.

Four Games, Two Teams, Many Questions Well, if Calgary is going to have a better season than New York, we could find out soon. Every year, there's some sort of scheduling quirk that makes STHS look odd, and this year it's the season series between New York and Calgary. The two teams will be facing off the first four games of each team's season, alternating between Calgary and New York being at home for each of those four games. New York is expecting to make a leap this season, following a three-plus season rebuild that saw the franchise only make it back to the playoffs this past season. Calgary, meanwhile, is hoping for a quick reload following a draft that saw them with three of the top four picks - GM Bushito is feeling confident that not only will the team beat out D.C. for the final North American playoff spot, but rise further up the standings as well. "Everybody feels confident this time of year - that's what happens until you actually get a few games underneath your belt," said New York defenseman Lance Flowers. "I get that he's confident, but it's like Mike Tyson said: Everybody has a plan until you get smacked in the mouth." Last year, New York was the team getting smacked in the mouth early: The Americans were last in North America by the one-third mark of the season. However, a mid-season win streak saw them rise to third in the standings, where the team ultimately finished. The goal for the players this year is to not have a similar early season slump. "We have a few new guys like Ylonen and McWolf, but I don't think we'll need to play with our lines too much," Flowers said. "We're feeling confident that we can hit the ground running. And with one team four straight days, it'll be a good test to see if we're for real."

F - Acyd Burn @Enorama

G - Rayz Funk @Erik Summers

I mean. I have to take a forward before they're all gone, right? F Phil Marleau @Enorama

F Dan Wilinsky @Erik Summers

Kinda weird that the year-end trivia payout is considered before the cut off, while VHFL, prediction points and the like aren't, but whatever works.

You might want to double check those brackets actually. I noticed yesterday on New York's that McWolf had bumped up a bracket - because the system was counting his training camp and year-end trivia payout after the supposed cut off.

1. A lot of moves were made this offseason, some bigger than others, but overall who do you feel had the best offseason? Sure, I'll be biased as hell here and say us. I do feel like we were a couple of big pieces away from being true contenders, and we picked those up early. Calgary with their picks and Vancouver re-loading could be included here too. 2. One of the aforementioned moves brought McWolf back home to the Americans, how do you feel about his addition to the squad? It's spectacular. We need another top-flight defenseman on the ice anyway, but picking up one that knows the team and blends so seamlessly into the locker room is the cherry on top. 3. Young guns Ristenen and the Gutzwiler brothers join the squad as well via the VHL Draft. How do we feel about the rookie additions? Extremely positively. I honestly didn't have any expectations for this draft, but picking up young offensive pieces that will be able to contribute as soon as next season (when we start to run into cap trouble) is exactly what we needed. I'm hoping and praying they stick with the activity. 4. Although you never really know with our lord Simon, we look poised to make a run at the cup this season. How far do you think we'll go? I'm not going to jinx anything with predictions, but I do think we'll have a chance to win it all. Just need a couple of lucky breaks to bounce our way. 5. With training camps now open, who pushes you to work the hardest off the ice? I've always been my own worst critic. That can be both a positive (working hard) and a negative (easy to get down), but nobody's going to tell me anything that I haven't already thought through twice. 6. Does Flowers set a career high in hits and/or PIMs this season? Neither actually. Since the team's better, I think we're going be holding the puck a lot more, which gives me fewer opportunities for both. And I think that's a good thing.

New York -- Following Season 68, Lance Flowers was the toast of the town in New York - the second overall pick, a Rookie of the Year trophy, and a spot on the top line for years to come. However, Season 69 saw him take a major step back - his points, hits and plus/minus were all down, while his penalty minutes were up. Meanwhile, the Americans saw top-flight play from fellow defensemen Kevin Low and Fredrik Elmebeck, outpacing Flowers in most categories. It seems that this poor play has stuck in the minds of management as we enter Season 70. Early reports out of New York say that Flowers will begin the season on the team's second line, alongside rookie David O'Quinn. Meanwhile, Elmebeck and the recently (re)acquired Joseph McWolf will be the team's top line pairing to start the year. A statement from the team explains that this change is primarily due to styles of play - McWolf and Flowers are both checking-heavy and pass-first defensemen, and having them on the same line would cannibalize those strengths. That is not to say, though, that Flowers isn't using the demotion as a motivating tool. "Of course I'm going to do what's best for the team. But of course I also want to be on that top line," Flowers said in a recent press statement regarding the rumors. "Whatever happens will happen. But I intend to show people just what I can do, and that last season was a total fluke. Get ready for the year of the Flowers." Especially with the additions of McWolf and center Joel Ylonen, the Americans intend to be a contender in the North American conference this season. Last year, the team rode a late hot streak to a third seed, where they lost to eventual champions Seattle in the first round.

I'm in

Heyyyyyy

I already claimed Welfare for this week, so this is for the weeks ending 1/19 and 1/26. Also, making this my Charity Doubles for the week ending 1/19.

S70 New York Americans: The Rebuild is Over Season 70 is shaping up to be a big one for the New York Americans, who are looking to jump into the upper echelons of the North American conference and the VHL. Some would argue that they’re already there – a late-season run had New York third in the conference, and they almost took out the eventual champions Seattle in the first round of the playoffs. But now, the team is ready to make a leap. The young roster is starting to come into its prime, and – with filling a few holes – may be better than you remember. Haven’t paid attention to New York in a few seasons? Here’s an unofficial look at what they’ll be rolling out onto the ice next year. And a note: These TPA totals will also be their TPE totals as well, since not a single current New York player is old enough to be in depreciation. And these TPA totals are current as of the beginning of the offseason, meaning add 20-30 for each player by the time the first game is played. Offense Projected Lineup LW Soren Jensen (515 TPA) -- C Boris the Forest (827) -- RW Dalton Wilcox (623) LW (FA?) --- C Keven Foreskin (556) -- RW Owen Nolan (576) LW Jaxon Walker (273) -- C Walter Clements (309) -- RW Ryo Yamazuki II (366) Boris the Forest and Dalton Wilcox were the original two members of the Americans’ rebuilding squad, both being drafted in Season 67. Now, as they enter their fourth season, they’re the centerpiece of an offense that is just beginning to come into its own. Forest put up a career high with 71 points last year, but Wilcox took a step back from his rookie season with only 46 - both players have the talent to be doing much better. Potential ROY Jensen, meanwhile, could join them to create a powerful trio for the next 3-4 seasons. S68 forwards Nolan and Foreskin could be first liners in their own right on many other teams, especially with one more year of seasoning. But for now, they form the backbone of a stud second line that could rival those in Seattle and Vancouver. Last season, Yamazuki joined them on that line at LW, and could very well do so again. But I believe there’s a hole for a potential free agent to bolster that group (or perhaps even unseat Jensen in the first line and have him move to the second line), which would create a deadly top six. This also has the side effect of creating a fully active, young third line - which could feed on the lack of depth elsewhere in the conference that is necessitated by paying older players. Defense Projected Lineup D Lance Flowers (660) -- D Fredrik Elmebeck (521) D David O’Quinn (346) -- D (FA? Low?) Lance Flowers might have been the high draft pick and have the TPE total, but it was Elmebeck who was the revelation on the blue line last year for the Americans: In the top ten for defenseman scoring for much of the season, he ended the year with 52 points, a massive increase in hits to 121, and solid 123 shots blocked. If Flowers can regain his form that saw him win the S68 Wylde Trophy, this pairing of S68 defenseman provides a nice offensive/defensive balance that will only grow from here. On the second line, O’Quinn could be the Americans’ secret weapon - following a season with Saskatoon that saw him put up 99 assists and 114 points, he should be a Rookie of the Year dark horse with the opportunities he’ll get in New York. There is a question, though, of who will be across from him. Kevin Low, acquired midseason from Seattle, played alongside Flowers on the first line last season, but will be the only active Americans player to test free agency this year. The team wants him back (we love you @Smarch), but if he decides to take his talents elsewhere, New York has the cap room and the capability to sign or trade for a defenseman elsewhere. Goalie Projected Lineup G A Red Guy (614) G Thorvald Gunnarsson (407) If there’s one reason to point to why the Americans made their late season run last year, the play of second year goalie A Red Guy is it. He finished the year top five in the VHL in save percentage (.923), GAA (2.24) and shutouts (5), and he finished just one win outside the top five despite playing five fewer than the maximum goalie games. If he continues on this trajectory, especially with goalies like Pepper and Krikiters getting slammed by depreciation in their final season, he could very well be a Shaw candidate this year. Gunnarsson also provides a solid stopper for New York in the days where A Red Guy can’t go, at the very least making it so that New York doesn’t sweat against the bottom of the standings. Outlook New York’s oldest player is third line forward Walter Clements, entering his fifth season. Every single other player on the team is in the first half of their career, with a majority being S67 (fourth season) or S68 (third season) draftees. This was a team that was built to compete right about now, and for the next three seasons, they should be a force to be reckoned with. They have depth that few other teams in the league possess, and they have the activity to continue to improve throughout the season leading up to the playoffs. That said, the Americans aren’t a team without holes. They really need one more scoring forward to supplement those first two lines, creating a top six that could all be over 600 TPA by the time the playoffs roll around. There are a few of those players out there in free agency - a veteran presence like Svoboda, Materazo or Madden has to be intriguing - and leadership would do well to bring one of them in. If Low doesn’t re-sign, defenseman is also an area of need, even if it’s a stopgap like former Legion defenseman Carles Puigdemont. New York also has the 6th, 16th and 18th picks in the upcoming draft, which could be intriguing for a trade or for a play-now defenseman. It’s too early to tell where New York will finish in the standings. But it’s reasonable to believe they’ll compete with Seattle and Vancouver for tops in North America, with D.C. likely one more rebuilding season away. And if New York keeps building throughout the year, who knows what can happen with a little playoff magic?

New York -- It's been a long couple of seasons for Americans fans as New York management has undertaken a rebuild. All along, though, the team had a consistent message: Wait for Season 70. We have our window, and we know exactly when it's going to open. Well, my friends, Season 70 is just about here. And the New York Americans are as well - especially following a playoffs that saw them get the 3 seed perhaps sooner than anticipated, and take the eventual champion Bears to 7 games in the first round of the playoffs. Coupled with imminent rebuilds in Calgary and Toronto, and New York has an opportunity to join Seattle and Vancouver in the conference's elite. "We know it's our time to shine. I've been waiting for this season since I got drafted," said defenseman Lance Flowers. For Flowers, shining will mean playing much better than a sophomore season that saw him regress across the board, with points and hits going down, while penalty minutes went up. However, he's not getting down quite yet. "I'm a believer that talent shines through eventually, and I think we have the talent," Flowers added. "We showed that in the second half of last season and in the playoffs. Now we just need to put it together for a full year, which is always harder under a spotlight. But I think we can get there. In fact, I know we can."