LucyXpher

Of course! It's always fun Congrats on your trophy win!

As ever, with the MVP award handed out, we conclude our awards show with... *checks queue card* "Lucy popping open a bottle of wine and proceding to drink it straight--" Who wrote this? It used to be a spontaneous thing and now you're scripting it? People of the VHLM, this is what it's come to. Simon T. is ruining my life. Anyway, it's definitely time to call it an awards show. After a thrilling but exhausting offseason, Season 96 kicks off in a few short days and it promises to be another enthralling season of VHLM hockey! Thank you all for tuning in and congratulations to all of our award winners on another incredible season! Enjoy your night, and don't forget to congratulate your teammates! Oh-- and if you see any errors or mistakes, please yell at me! Ugh, where's that drink... --<>-- LucyXpher for VSN 10/08/2024 4700+ words

The Mitch Higgins Trophy Awarded to the player deemed the VHLM's most valuable player during the regular season "This award was renamed from the Sakic Trophy to the Mitch Higgins Trophy in S42. Higgins won the award as part of a legendary Ottawa Ice Dogs team in S23 before leading a notable VHL career and securing at various points the positions of Oslo Storm GM, VHLM commissioner, Helsinki Titans GM, and VHL commissioner" - VHLM Awards Page Here are the nominees: @WildfireMicro Inker Belle (SDM/LVA) - 48 G, 57 A, 105 P, +69, 30 PIM, 122 HIT, 33 SB Splitting time between the Marlins and the Aces, Inker Belle collected 85 points in 48 games for Marlins team that struggled mightily this season, and 20 points in 24 games for a much deeper Vegas squad. Belle's 1.40 P/20 was the highest in the league while they were with the Marlins, though that stat fell drastically to .59 with the Aces. It should be noted that Inker Belle's +69 was the highest in the league, despite playing 48 games for a last place team. @Alex Deadpanda (LVA) - 50-15-7, .924 SV%, 1.75 GAA, 9 SO What more can be said about Deadpanda's dominance this season? Vegas was exceptional in the regular season in large part due to the play of their superstar netminder. It's a bit of chicken and egg with Vegas-- what really carried their defensive dominance, the defensive skaters or the goalie? How about both. There's no denying, however, Deadpanda was the cornerstone of their back end. @Ender9511 Ender (SDM) - 42 G, 73 A, 115 P , +64, 40 PIM, 112 HIT, 41 SB With the 2nd most points in the league and the 2nd highest +/- at +64, Ender spent the entire season playing for the last place San Diego Marlins. With a total point gap of 37 between Ender and the next highest scoring player to finish the season with the Marlins, it was clear who drove the bus in San Diego. +/- doesn't always tell the whole story, but in the extreme it can be useful. Recording a +64 on a team with a -69 goal differential is certainly noteworthy. @twists Youre Not Fucking Retiring (PHI) - 58 G, 58 A, 116 P, +38, 40 PIM, 155 HIT, 43 SB YNFR appears as a nominee once again and puts forward a strong case with as the league's highest scorer, beating out Ender by 1 point. Despite having more talent around him in Philadelphia, some would argue his 21 point gap to the Reapers' next highest scorer is more impressive even than Ender's 37 point advantage in San Diego. No matter how you spin it, YNFR should probably not call it a career just yet. With this kind of production in the VHLM, it seems things are just getting started! And the winner is... --<>--

The Jack Reilly Trophy Awarded to the general manager deemed to be the best in the VHLM "This award was renamed from the Ken Holland Trophy to the Jack Reilly Trophy in S42 to honour the VHLM managing career of later HC Davos Dynamo GM Jack Reilly. Reilly was GM of the Saskatoon Wild for 11 seasons from S18 to S28, winning three Founder's Cups and a record four Top GM awards" - VHLM Awards Page Here are the nominees: @McLovin Las Vegas Aces 50-15-7 - 107 points The Prime Minister's Cup winning GM this season, McLovin's Aces had the best regular season record and the fewest goals against, putting on a defensive clinic in the VHLM this season and controllng the points race from start to finish. Though they didn't get it done in the playoffs, a strong run to the finals is still a respectable showing for a general manager who is headed to the VHL next season to take over the Helsinki Titans. @mattyIceman Philadelphia Reapers 49-20-3 - 101 points As the Founder's Cup winning GM this season, Matty's Reapers only finished 6 points behind the Aces in 2nd place and won the games when they mattered most, completing a sweep of Vegas in the finals. While the Aces were a defensive powerhouse, built from the net out, Philadelphia boasted the league's best forward corps and a great defense and goalie to back it up. Some might argue they were the most complete team and the results would support this. And the winner is... --<>--

The Mat Bentz Trophy Awarded to the player deemed to be the best two-way forward in the VHLM "This award was renamed from the Yzerman Trophy to the Matt Bentz Trophy in S42 to honour the VHLM contributions of Matt Bentz. Well-known for a Hall of Fame VHL career as a potent goal-scorer and long-time Calgary Wranglers GM, Bentz's path to the VHL pinnacle started with an Yzerman Trophy in S8. He repaid the VHLM in full by serving as VHLM commissioner and arguably pioneering the modern interpretation of the role" - VHLM Awards Page Here are the nominees: @Eb14 Clapbomb Bardownski III (MIS) - 40 G, 54 A, 94 P, +29, 61 PIM, 179 HIT, 45 SB With the 4th most hits among forwards, Bardownski III also collected an impressive 94 points, making them the 6th highest point-getter in the league. A solid 45 blocks and +29 rating also cements Bardownski III as one of the better 200-foot-players in the VHLM in S95. @barryst Jerry Box (MIA) - 43 G, 40 A, 83 P, +1, 32 PIM, 171 HIT, 61 SB Despite recording fewer points than some of our other candidates, Box had the most goals with 43 while also landing 171 hits and collecting 61 welts as a result of blocked shots. In truth, the +1 rating might hurt his chances, but his other well-rounded attributes may sway voters this time around. @Captain nugget Captain Nugget Jr (SSK) - 43 G, 41 A, 84 P, -9, 28 PIM, 160 HIT, 96 SB 96 shots blocked! That's the number that stands out for Captain Nugget Jr and it ranks him 1st among all forwards by 17. With 84 points, he also boasts the offense to back up the nomination, as well as the physical play with 160 hits. Like Box, however, the -9 is a tough look for a potential Bentz winner, though it must be noted that Nugget Jr's Saskatoon Wild finished 2nd last in the league this season. @David VanHousen David VanHousen (HOU) - 35 G, 33 A, 68 P, +25, 73 PIM, 205 HIT, 41 SB Despite being a slight 5'10, 160 pounds, David VanHousen can throw hits with the best of them as he recorded the 8th most in the league and the 4th most among forwards. A solid +25 and 41 shots blocked add to his case, though his 68 points may come up short in comparison to other candidates. @Spartakiller2 Danny Ross (MIA) - 34 G, 51 A, 85 P, +37, 82 PIM, 235 HIT, 31 SB Playing for the Marauders, Ross collected the 2nd most points among our nominees and had the highest +/- rating at +37, as well as the most hits with 235. The knock on Ross for the Bentz this season is the 31 shots blocked, the least among our candidates. And the winner is... --<>--

The Ryan Sullivan Trophy Awarded to the player deemed to be the top defenseman in the VHLM "This award was renamed from the Bourque Trophy to the Ryan Sullivan Trophy in S42. One of the greatest VHL defencemen of all-time, a three-time recipient of the Sterling Labatte Trophy, Sullivan proved his mettle in the VHLM in S28. In addition to an illustrious career, Sullivan's case was strengthened by his victorious role as Kolari Panthers GM and later becoming VHLM" - VHLM Award Page Here are the nominees: @koty_k Dog Jagr (MIA) - 15 G, 48 A, 63 P, +15, 84 PIM, 219 HIT, 148 SB Though only ranking 11th in points among defenders, Dog Jagr had the 3rd most hits in the league and the 3rd most shots blocked. Jagr played a nearly unmatched physical style while keeping the puck out of his own net. As an added bonus, 63 points in 72 games is nothing to turn your nose at. @TheHockey_pro Victory Hockey League (HFX) - 23 G, 39 A, 62 P, -5, 58 PIM, 155 HIT, 152 SB Similar to Jagr, VHL was a stalwart minute muncher for a mid-table 21st team that struggled to control the puck offensively this season. Defending his own end, VHL picked up the 2nd most shots blocked and managed a solid point total of 62 as the team's top offensive defenseman after the departure of Mathias Gunnarsson. @OblivionWalker Slava Kovalenko (MIS) - 24 G, 65 A, 89 P, +24, 54 PIM, 179 HIT, 142 SB What Kovalenko lacks in physicality with only the 9th most hits among defenders, they make up for with the league's highest point total by a defenseman with an impressive 89 in 72 games. Add 142 blocks and a +24 rating and Kovalenko makes a great case to take this season's honors playing on the 2nd place team in the Eastern Conference, the Mississauga Hounds. @Gage2 Kasper Saarinen (MIA) - 18 G, 61 A, 79 P, +28, 70 PIM, 191 HIT, 162 SB Another Miami defender-- this time with the highest shot block total in the league and the 4th most total points-- Saarinen had the highest +/- rating of our nominees, going +28 in 72 games. Collecting the 6th most hits definitely solidifies Saarinen as a worthy candidate on this season's ballot. @ThatCanadian Mathias Gunnarsson (HFX/LVA) - 19 G, 67 A, 86 P, +18, 84 PIM, 185 HIT, 100 SB Another player that had a hot start with Halifax and tapered off after being traded, Gunnarsson had 57 points in 44 games for the 21st before shipping out to Las Vegas where he finished the season with 29 points in 28 games. Gunnarsson led all defenders with 67 assists and was 2nd in points with 86, though he trailed behind in the shots blocked category ranking 15th among defenders. And the winner is... --<>--

The Benoit Devereux Trophy Awarded to the player deemed to be the top goalie in the VHLM "This award was renamed from the Sawchuk Trophy to the Benoit Devereux Trophy in S42 to honour the illustrious career of VHL Hall of Famer Benoit Devereux. The HC Davos Dynamo legend won this trophy in a spectacular S9 campaign with Toledo before becoming the first three-time top goalie in the VHL. He would have been a worthy name for that award if it wasn't for a younger generation to follow and so is at last honoured in this way." - VHLM Awards Page Here are the nominees: @Alex Deadpanda (LVA) - 50-15-7, .924 SV%, 1.75 GAA, 9 SO As the goaltender masterminding the league's top defensive team, Deadpanda was a brick wall for the Las Vegas Aces as he led the league with the best SV% and GAA, and his 9 shutouts were good for 2nd most in the league. Despite playing all 72 games for his team, he faced the 6th most shots against of all goaltenders. The combination of Vegas' stingy defense and Deadpanda's rock-solid play was the stuff of nightmares for opposing offenses. @okochastar Draw Mac (MIA) - 34-21-9, .922 SV%, 2.04 GAA, 7 SO Recording the 2nd highest SV% while playing 64 games for the Miami Marauders, Mac stakes his claim for being the league's best goalie. The 2.04 GAA is good for 4th in the league, as are their 7 shutouts. It should be noted, however, that Miami certainly didn't have the defense of Las Vegas and Mac was a big part of their solid regular season. @Xflexz Chazz Michael Michaels (MEX) - 44-23-5, .914 SV%, 1.92 GAA, 11 SO The league leader in shutouts with 11 behind a defensively optimized Mexico City team, CMM was the backbone of the team with the 2nd fewest goals against. Don't be fooled by the .914 SV% as that number is dragged down by low shot totals against-- only the 8th most in the league despite playing all 72 games. @samthemancub Samuel Wazinski (HFX/MIS) - 45-23-4, .915 SV%, 2.01 GAA, 9 SO Wazinski started the season with the Halifax 21st and was one of the league's top goaltenders statistically through the first half of the season. In 40 games, he recorded an impressive .923 SV%, 1.92 GAA, and 6 shutouts on a middling Halifax squad. Behind a better defense, his numbers took a bit of a dip as he had a .903 SV%, 2.12 GAA, and 2 shutouts in 32 games with the Hounds. And the winner is... --<>--

The Ethan Osborne Trophy Awarded to the player who leads the VHLM in points at the end of the regular season "This award was renamed from the Dionne Trophy to the Ethan Osborne Trophy in S42 to honour the VHL Hall of Fame career of Ethan Osborne. VHLM MVP and top scorer in S30, he repeated the feat in the VHL in S36, in between founding and managing one of the VHLM's most successful franchises: the Bratislava Watchmen." - VHLM Awards Page With an even goals to assists ratio, this player possessed a dynamic offensive arsenal. Capable of beating goaltenders and filling the goal, he could also dish crisp, clean passes to teammates, forcing defensive breakdowns. With 116 total points, this player won the league's scoring race by a single point and was the focal point of the league's top offensive team, beating out his next closest teammate by 21 points. He would continue this dominant form into the playoffs, leading the league in goals and capturing the Founder's Cup with the Philadelphia Reapers. --<>--

The Vladimir Boomchenko Trophy Awarded to the player who leads the VHLM in assists at the end of the regular season "This award was renamed from the Oates Trophy to the Vladimir Boomchenko Trophy in S42. Boomchenko won this award in S25 and mirrored the achievement in S29 in the VHL. A vocal member of the Riga Reign, Calgary Wranglers, and Cologne Express, Boomchenko also contributed, in a co-GM capacity or as a volunteer, to many VHLM teams and locker rooms, most notably the Yukon Rush and Saskatoon Wild." - VHLM Awards Page The S95 Boomchenko winner played for the league's last place team, though that unfortunate distinction can hardly be blamed on them. With the league lead in assists with 73 in 72 games, this player dished out 5 more apples than the next highest player while also potting an impressive 42 goals! This player also recorded the highest P/20 of any player with 1.25, the next highest being 1.14. Putting the puck in the net is one of the most difficult skills for an offensive player, doing so 42 times while racking up 73 assists on a last place team is no easy feat when the team is generally lacking for talented offensive options. --<>--

The Alexander Chershenko Trophy Awarded to the player who leads the VHLM in goals during the regular season "This award was renamed from the Hull Trophy to the Alexander Chershenko Trophy in S42 to honour the career of VHL Hall of Famer Alexander Chershenko. Though trophyless in a respectable VHLM career, Chershenko is one of two three-time winners of this award in the VHL. In addition to this, Chershenko was honoured for his contributions to enhancing the VHLM experience while VHL commissioner." - VHLM Awards Page This season's Chershenko Trophy winner completed the regular season with 58 goals and an equal number of assists. That impressive goal total was the best in the league by 10! This player also managed to outshoot all other players by 32 and recorded an astounding 502 shots over 72 games-- that's an average of nearly 7 shots per game! Shooting at an 11.55% clip, it was nearly a foregone conclusion that the puck would find the back of the net in every game he played. As the only player to cross the 50 goal plateau this season, he has well earned the crown as the league's top goal scorer. --<>--

Our next awards are all individual awards, starting with the MVP of the playoffs. The Skylar Rift Trophy Awarded to the player deemed to be the VHLM's most valuable player in the playoffs "This award was renamed from the Esposito Trophy to the Skylar Rift Trophy in S42. Rift epitomised the modern VHL by winning two playoff MVPs, in the inaugural season of VHLM expansion franchise Yukon Rush and leading the expansion Quebec City Meute to their first Continental Cup. In addition to his player achievements, Rift's role as VHLM GM and vocal member of the VHL Board of Governors had significant impact on the VHLM" - VHLM Awards Page Here are the nominees: @Alex Deadpanda (LVA) - 8-5-2, .929 SV%, 1.59 GAA, 5 SO Holding down the fort behind the league's best defense, Deadpanda put in a stellar playoff performance through the first two rounds, recording 5 shutouts and allowing only 10 goals in those first 11 games. This would be a slam dunk pick for the honors had he not struggled in a finals sweep at the hands of the Reapers, allowing 15 goals through those 4 games. Even still, his .929 SV% was the 2nd highest of the playoffs and his 5 shutouts were a league best. @BryceP Leifr Eiriksson (PHI) - 5 G, 15 A, 20 P, +18, 8 PIM, 27 HIT, 24 SB Leading all playoff skaters with a +18 rating through 14 games, Eriksson ranked 4th in the league in playoff points with 20, and 1st among all playoff defensemen. His 24 shots blocked were the second highest total in the playoffs, demonstrating his value in influencing play at both ends of the ice. @Plate Joel Jakobs (PHI) - 8 G, 16 A, 24 P, +17, 10 PIM, 30 HIT, 2 SB Jakobs was the league's leading point-getter with 24 in 14 games, collecting a league high 16 assists in the process and the 3rd most goals. A +17 rating also reflects the effectiveness of his line when they were on the ice as they dominated possession and outscored the opposition by more than one goal per game. @TenIQ Onyekachukwu Chidieber Oluwaseun (PHI) - 12-1-0, .922 SV%, 1.60 GAA, 2 SO As the Founder's Cup winning goaltender, it's hard to look past OCO for playoff MVP honors as he only lost a single game and recorded impressive statistics across the board. Though his SV% and GAA weren't tops in the league, sometimes it's the consistency and clutch factor that matters much more. OCO was stellar in the final round of the playoffs, only allowing 5 goals in the team's 4 game sweep over the Aces. @twists Youre Not Fucking Retiring (PHI) - 12 G, 9 A, 21 P, +1, 6 PIM, 21 HIT, 4 SB YNFR was the playoffs leading goal scorer, potting nearly a goal per game with 12 in 14. Compared to some of his teammates, his +1 rating seems to come up a little short, though his prolific offense and shot volume make up for any defensive proficiencies. @Quanack Bret Weier (PHI) - 9 G, 13 A, 22 P, +18, 8 PIM, 23 HIT, 1 SB Weier finished the postseason with the 2nd most goals, 3rd most points, and tied with a league best +18 rating. As a balanced playmaker in the Reapers' top-six, Weier was a consistent scoring and passing threat throughout the Reapers' playoff run and a big part of their dominant offensive performance. And the winner is... --<>--

The Founder's Cup While Vegas might have dominated the regular season, the Reapers stayed close behind and entered the playoffs with 101 points and a 49-20-3 record. And as the Aces boasted the league's best defense, @mattyIceman's Reapers were an offensive powerhouse, racking up the league's most goals. Notably, @twists Youre Not Fucking Retiring (YNFR) topped the league with 116 points in the regular season and an impressive 58 goals-- 10 more than the next highest goal scorer in he league. In the first round of the playoffs, Philadelphia would knock off an outmatch Halifax roster that managed to eke out a win in game 3 before the Reapers put them away in 5. The second round saw the Reapers take on a much tougher opponent in the Mississauga Hounds, though the outcome was the same. The Reapers opened up a 3-0 lead in that series before the Hounds scratched and clawed their way to a 3-1 game 4 victory. In game 5, the Reapers would return to their winning ways, closing out the series 2-1 on home ice. It was fitting then that the league's top two teams should meet in the finals-- the top defense against the most potent offense. In the end, the immovable wall succumbed to the unstoppable force that was the Philadelphia offense as the Reapers crushed the Aces in 4 straight games by a total score of 15-6. Joel Jakobs @Plate led the way for the Reapers with 24 points in 14 games while goaltender Onyekachukwu Chidieber Oluwaseun @TenIQ finished the postseason with a stellar .922 SV%, a 1.60 GAA, and 2 shutouts. After back-to-back Saskatoon cups, the VHLM finally has a new champion. Congratulations to the Philadelphia Reapers on winning the S95 Founder's Cup! --<>--

The Prime Minister's Cup With a regular season record of 50 wins, 15 losses, and 7 overtime or shootout defeats, the Las Vegas Aces are the winners of the Season 95 Prime Minister's Cup. From beginning to end of the season, @McLovin's team was the class of the VHLM as they recorded the league's best goal differential at +85. Their 132 goals against were the lowest total in the league and their 217 goals for were the 3rd highest in the league behind Mississauga (249) and Philadelphia (260). While they possessed a more than capable offense featuring Inker Belle @WildfireMicro, Finneas Finnean O Cleirigh @Gorth, and Mad Villain @Tate, Vegas' strength was in the defense and goaltending positions with the likes of Mathias Gunnarsson @ThatCanadian, Miles Bryant @Kendrick, Manuel Ceson @dylanjj37, and Taavetti Jokinen @Ahma patrolling the blueline while DeadPanda @Alex stood between the pipes. Winning the league's regular season by 6 points over the 2nd place Reapers, Vegas entered the playoffs as the team to beat and made a strong run to the finals before the Reaper came calling. Even still, this team has every right to look back on this season with pride as they ran teh gruelling race of the regular season and came out on top. Congratulations to the S95 Las Vegas Aces on capturing the Prime Minister's Cup! --<>--

Good evening and welcome to the S95 VHLM awards! This next hour is a fun way to acknowledge the achievements of the VHLM's top players during this past season. Maybe it's a bit odd to say this at the beginning of an awards show, but awards don't always tell the whole story-- let me explain! While we honor the league's best and brightest for their contributions in the games, there are so many fantastic players-- people who may not be recognized tonight that make this community a fun place to be. While only a handful can be honored with an award, many more deserve a shoutout for the positivity they bring, in the locker rooms and on the forums. Most of you probably won't receive an award tonight, but you're what makes the VHL great and it wouldn't be the same if all we did was look at sim results. Okay, that's my spiel done, on to the awards-- what you're all really here to see! --<>--

Here are the nominees for tonight's awards: --<>-- The Skylar Rift Trophy - Awarded to the VHLM's Most Valuable Player in the playoffs @Alex Deadpanda (LVA) - 8-5-2, .929 SV%, 1.59 GAA, 5 SO @BryceP Leifr Eiriksson (PHI) - 5 G, 15 A, 20 P, +18, 8 PIM, 27 HIT, 24 SB @Plate Joel Jakobs (PHI) - 8 G, 16 A, 24 P, +17, 10 PIM, 30 HIT, 2 SB @TenIQ Onyekachukwu Chidieber Oluwaseun (PHI) - 12-1-0, .922 SV%, 1.60 GAA, 2 SO @twists Youre Not Fucking Retiring (PHI) - 12 G, 9 A, 21 P, +1, 6 PIM, 21 HIT, 4 SB @Quanack Bret Weier (PHI) - 9 G, 13 A, 22 P, +18, 8 PIM, 23 HIT, 1 SB --<>-- The Benoit Devereux Trophy - Awarded to the VHLM's top goaltender @Alex Deadpanda (LVA) - 50-15-7, .924 SV%, 1.75 GAA, 9 SO @okochastar Draw Mac (MIA) - 34-21-9, .922 SV%, 2.04 GAA, 7 SO @Xflexz Chazz Michael Michaels (MEX) - 44-23-5, .914 SV%, 1.92 GAA, 11 SO @samthemancub Samuel Wazinski (MIS) - 45-23-4, .915 SV%, 2.01 GAA, 9 SO --<>-- The Mat Bentz Trophy - Awarded to the best two-way forward in the VHLM @Eb14 Clapbomb Bardownski III (MIS) - 40 G, 54 A, 94 P, +29, 61 PIM, 179 HIT, 45 SB @barryst Jerry Box (MIA) - 43 G, 40 A, 83 P, +1, 32 PIM, 171 HIT, 61 SB @Captain nugget Captain Nugget Jr (SSK) - 43 G, 41 A, 84 P, -9, 28 PIM, 160 HIT, 96 SB @David VanHousen David VanHousen (HOU) - 35 G, 33 A, 68 P, +25, 73 PIM, 205 HIT, 41 SB @Spartakiller2 Danny Ross (MIA) - 34 G, 51 A, 85 P, +37, 82 PIM, 235 HIT, 31 SB --<>-- The Ryan Sullivan Trophy - Awarded to the top defenseman in the VHLM @koty_k Dog Jagr (MIA) - 15 G, 48 A, 63 P, +15, 84 PIM, 219 HIT, 148 SB @TheHockey_pro Victory Hockey League (HFX) - 23 G, 39 A, 62 P, -5, 58 PIM, 155 HIT, 152 SB @OblivionWalker Slava Kovalenko (MIS) - 24 G, 65 A, 89 P, +24, 54 PIM, 179 HIT, 142 SB @Gage2 Kasper Saarinen (MIA) - 18 G, 61 A, 79 P, +28, 70 PIM, 191 HIT, 162 SB @ThatCanadian Mathias Gunnarsson (HFX/LVA) - 19 G, 67 A, 86 P, +18, 84 PIM, 185 HIT, 100 SB --<>-- The Jack Reilly Trophy - Awarded to the top General Manager in the VHLM @McLovin Las Vegas Aces 50-15-7 - 107 points @mattyIceman Philadelphia Reapers 49-20-3 - 101 points --<>-- The Mitch Higgins Trophy - Awarded to the VHLM's Most Valuable Player during the regular season @WildfireMicro Inker Belle (LVA) - 48 G, 57 A, 105 P, +69, 30 PIM, 122 HIT, 33 SB @Alex Deadpanda (LVA) - 50-15-7, .924 SV%, 1.75 GAA, 9 SO @Ender9511 Ender (SDM) - 42 G, 73 A, 115 P , +64, 40 PIM, 112 HIT, 41 SB @twists Youre Not Fucking Retiring (PHI) - 58 G, 58 A, 116 P, +38, 40 PIM, 155 HIT, 43 SB --<>-- Tuesday, October 8th, 8:00pm EST

Graphic by @ace_five_ Welcome to the Season 95 VHLM Awards! My name is Lucy and I'll be hosting the awards presentation which will begin tonight at 8:00pm EST. Season 95 saw the standings shuffle as former juggernauts slipped from dominance and new contenders rose to the occasion, capturing victory for themselves. Across the league, new stars were born as they began their journey up through the ranks towards the VHL. Tonight, we honor the best in our league, those players whose star shone the brightest in Season 95. And so, whether you are nominated for an award or not, please come and join us tonight! It's a great opportunity to show support for your teammates and to build up the VHL community! --<>-- Tuesday, October 8th, 8:00pm EST

I actually did one up just like you're describing with the baby blue and Halifax lettering! I'll have to dig it up for an alternate maybe!

There's no doubt that S95 was a challenging one for the Halifax 21st. Finishing 4th in the Eastern Conference and 6th overall in the league meant that the team managed to make the playoffs, though they were a little out of touch with the league leaders. With 71 points, it was a respectable showing, all things considered. After a dominant run of form in S94 that saw the team produce their 2nd best regular season ever, S95 was a step back-- and for good reason as all but one player from the S94 roster graduated to the VHLE. With limited draft selections and a bare roster, any success Halifax had this season is owed entirely to the players who consistently put their best foot forward and willed the team to victory. Identifying those key contributors was much easier on a team with fewer players, though it doesn't diminish their contributions in the slightest-- in fact, they're all the more valuable without the insulation of a full team. This is an opportunity to acknowledge those players for their efforts and to appreciate the silver linings of S95. The Most Improved Player: This award is for the player who makes the most significant individual improvement over the course of a single season. This season's most improved player was selected in the 4th round of the S95 VHLM dispersal draft at only 32 TPE. By the end of the season they were up to 93. I think sometimes it's underappreciated how much goes into learning the league and how difficult it can be to be thrown in with only 32 TPE while some recreates turn up with 100+. In spite of that, this player finished with a remarkable 69 points in 72 games, which was the 2nd highest point total on the team. In the playoffs, they led the team with 6 points in 5 games against the eventual Founder's Cup champion Reapers. The perseverance of this player through a challenging season in Halifax to continue earning and building up consistently was commendable, and those qualities earned them the captaincy as the season went on. This player was also active in our locker room more than most and I'm excited to see how they continue to grow in the league in S96! The Leadership Award: This award is presented to the player who demonstrates qualities of leadership and teamwork throughout the season, building up their teammates in the locker room, posting quality team-related content on the forum, and leading by example through individual dedication and consistency. Though they joined the team later in the season, the two players that will share this award brought a ton of fun and enthusiasm to the locker room and really gave it life after a difficult trade deadline that saw two of the team's best players shipped out for draft picks. With a playoff berth in the balance, this dynamic duo brought their A game and some exceptional attitude to the locker room. On top of that, their contributions on the forum and in press conferences were hilarious and always something to look forward to. Even as the team got into the playoffs and ice time was limited, these two kept their heads up and continued to bring positive vibes to the team. Now joining forces on the San Diego Marlins for S96, they will be greatly missed for their exceptional leadership and locker room presence. The Jacob Richard Award (Top Defender): Jacob Richard holds the franchise's single season assists record with 97 in S80. He finished that season with 141 total points which is the also the highest mark by a Halifax 21st defender in a single season. This award is presented to the defender who demonstrates excellence at their position, contributing to the team's success through a strong well-rounded game. The team's top defenseman in S95 was a bona-fide minute muncher-- a player who could be used in any situation and who could be relied upon to stay stalwart defensively, while also jumping up in the rush and contributing to the offense. With 1988 minutes played, he ranked 2nd on the team in this category while racking up an impressive total of 152 shots blocked, good for the team lead by 100! This player also dished out 155 hits, making his physical presence known across the ice. His 23 goals and 39 assists for 62 points in 72 games ranked him 1st among all Halifax defenders this season and 3rd overall in team scoring. The Bryn Yrwy Award (Top Forward): Named in honor of Bryn Yrwy, the franchise's all-time leading scorer with 405 points in 288 games with the Halifax 21st, this award recognizes the team's top offensive player. Yrwy also holds the franchise single season points record with 167, and goals with 76-- both in Season 80. Like the Jacob Richard award for defenders, it is presented to the player who plays the strongest and most consistent all-round game at the forward position, contributing to the offensive and defensive success of the team. This season's winner scored the 2nd most points on the team, but was only beaten out by 1 point for the team scoring lead. With 0.73 points/20, they led all Halifax forwards in scoring efficiency while also collecting 45 blocks and 179 hits. This player was all over the score sheet for the 21st from the drop of the puck and made great strides to progress as the season went on. He finished the season in a 3 way tie for the team lead with 29 goals and recorded 40 assists in a rookie season that has him primed to do great things in the VHL. The Anton Edvin Award: Anton Edvin is the Halifax 21st franchise leader in games played with 426-- 138 more than the next highest games played mark. This award honours a player who has played parts of at least two seasons with the franchise and has exhibited a high level of play throughout their time with the team. Though this player didn't finish the season with the team, his impact on the 21st's season was undeniable. Having played for the 21st for a short stint in S93, this player signed in the offseason to rejoin the team for S95 and was the team's starting netminder through the first 40 games. In those games he recorded a solid 22-17-1 record with a .923 SV%, a 1.92 GAA, and 6 shutouts! He was dealt to the Mississauga Hounds at the trade deadline, but was the league's top goaltender at that point in the season, leading in multiple categories. Though the decision to trade him was a difficult one, it ultimately gave him the best chance to chase a Founder's Cup and helped the 21st recover some much needed assets to be used in the S96 draft. Season 95 SuperSailor: This award is like the weekly SuperSailor honor, but is presented to a player who best exhibits SuperSailor qualities throughout the full campaign. A SuperSailor is involved not only in the locker room as a good teammate, but also on the forums as an ambassador for the team, and also demonstrates effective play on the ice. There's no denying that S95 was a difficult season for the 21st. After 105 points in S93 and 121 points in S94, the team's 71 point showing in S95 paled in comparison. That being said, it was still a respectable showing for a team that was left bare after graduating nearly the whole roster at the end of S94. The fact that the team made the playoffs and still managed a regular season record near .500 is a silver lining that the 21st will cling to. The Season 95 SuperSailor also established himself as a bright spot in the Halifax locker room and on the ice. With impressive rookie point totals and positive contributions around the team. This player deserves a ton of commendation for their effort and persistence through a challenging season and for their clutch performances down the stretch and into the playoffs. Their positive attitude, work ethic, and consistency were certainly noticed and worthy of recognition. ༻❁༺ As with all awards in every season, there are players who probably deserved acknowledgement but didn't receive it. Congratulations to all of our Halifax 21st players for making S95 a fun season, even if the game results left something to be desired. A special honorable mention needs to be given to our 5 waiver players from this past season as well. Though most of them didn't play enough to warrant recognition with a team award, their contributions were no less important down the stretch and it was an honor to have you all choose to play for Halifax this past season! As the S96 draft concluded yesterday, a new crop of talent is fresh off the boat in Halifax, ready to make an impact. S96 offers hopeful new horizons for the 21st and I, for one, can't wait to move forward! LucyXpher 10/13/2024 1500+ words

Awesome bio! I love all the background you gave your player, including his junior career and journey through the Liiga.

I love it!!! Welcome to the BOAT GANG!

This is incredible like everything else I've seen from you so far! So glad to have you join Halifax!

@mattyIceman Thanks for the chats! Best of luck in the draft tonight!

Welcome to my offseason ramble where I look back on the last season (or two) and how things have gone for me in the VHL as a player and as a manager. S94 I don’t want to talk about S94… the way it ended at least. With the Halifax 21st, we had an incredible team and a dominant regular season. After a run to the finals, though, we managed to lose again to the Saskatoon Wild in 6 games, missing yet another opportunity to claim the franchise’s first Founder’s Cup. That last week of the playoffs that season also coincided with a short hospital stay that kinda pulled me out of commission during those last few sims and put a finer point on an already crushing defeat. Losing in a sim league shouldn’t be a big deal, and it isn’t in the grand scheme, but it certainly does sting when you want nothing more than to celebrate with the teammates you’ve gotten to know over the past two months. The sim results in and of themselves ultimately aren’t that deep and Simon is a menace, we know this-- though I'd be lying if I said the unfortunate conclusion of our playoff run, a finals loss after a promising season, and personal health complications didn't leave a sour taste in my mouth about S94. But that’s how it goes sometimes and the bitter defeats only make the victories that much sweeter. On the health front, things are much better now and I'm relieved to be basically back to 100% in time for what should be my last year of college. S95 S95 was my player’s 2nd VHL season playing for the Riga Reign and we won the Continental Cup! I honestly had no expectation that my player would be part of a championship team so early on, and so much of the team’s success is owed to @Lemorse7 putting together such an incredible roster. I’ll say more about this team in another article I’m hoping to get around to soon, but I loved the hype in the locker room every day as we got closer and closer to the goal. I'm already excited to see what we can do next season with a few new faces! This win for my player really did a lot for my spirits after a tough season for Halifax in S95. After the dominant S94 campaign that ended miserably, we lost all but one player on our roster to the VHLE and were left to draft new players to fill out the team. Having gone pretty much all-in the previous season, the cupboards were a little bare as far as early round picks, though we did have a bunch of 4th and 5th rounders. I had hoped we would have a deeper draft with the ad that went out near the end of the season, but it didn’t work out quite as well as I was anticipating. That said, we still managed to select four players who stayed active and contributing for the duration of the season and were lucky to have a capped goalie come back from inactivity to help as well. We were also blessed with five incredible waiver players in S95 that helped us make the playoffs and give the eventual Founder’s Cup champions a bit of fight in the first round. We’ve lost to the eventual champions in three consecutive seasons now. I’m going to choose to feel good about that and take comfort in the fact that we beat Philly more times in the playoffs than their finals opponents. We take what we can get around here. This off-season, I’ve had a ton of fun interviewing players for the upcoming M draft and I have high hopes that this is going to be a good one for us. I'm also excited for what the VHLE’s dissolution means for the M. We should get more time with players now as the cap increases to 400 TPE. That means more options for team building and, most importantly, more opportunities to build relationships with players before they move up to the next league. On top of that, I'm looking forward to the chance to prepare players to go directly to the VHL. I think sometimes the VHLE could be a development killer as players were bounced to a new team, sometimes losing momentum as they had to build new rapport with a new GM and teammates. While I enjoyed my one season in the VHLE personally, I would have much rather spent another season on the Houston Bulls with teammates I had gotten to know and a GM that I came to trust as a new player. And maybe it didn’t affect my player development a whole lot, but I’ve seen the drop off in players that have left Halifax and other M teams. I'm not sure that so much change is good for players who are still getting to know their way around. With the ultimate goal being the VHL, having only one development league makes way more sense so that players have stability and continuity early on. There’s lots to look forward to for S96 and I could ramble on for another thousand words, but I think I’ve accomplished what I set out to do, reflecting on the past couple of seasons. I probably won’t be claiming this for TPE anyway. I do have other things I plan to write before the next season is underway so I’ll save some words for those. ──•~❉᯽❉~•── LucyXpher 10/06/2024 - 800+ words