Condor Adrienne - Hall of Fame article

[tcookie 991]

Condor Adrienne - D - Class of S76

Position: D
Birthplace: Holy See
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 250 lbs.
Drafted: S68 - Malmo - 1st round (1st overall)
Username: @OrbitingDeath

 

Career Awards
S70 - Jake Wylde Trophy (Best Defensive Defenseman)
S72 - Sterling Labatte Trophy (Best Defenseman)
S72 - Alexander Valiq Trophy (Best Offensive Defenseman)
S72 - Mike Szatkowski Trophy (Most Points)
S72 - Brett Slobodzian Trophy (Most Outstanding Player)
S73 - Jake Wylde Trophy (Best Defensive Defenseman)
S74 - Alexander Valiq Trophy (Best Offensive Defenseman)
S74 - Sterling Labatte Trophy (Best Defenseman)
S74 - Jake Wylde Trophy (Best Defensive Defenseman)
S75 - Alexander Valiq Trophy (Best Offensive Defenseman)
S75 - Alexander Beketov Trophy (Most Assists)
S75 - Sterling Labatte Trophy (Best Defenseman)
S75 - Continental Cup - Malmo Nighthawks
3x All-VHL First Team (S72, S74, S75)
1x All-VHL Second Team (S73)

 

Condor Adrienne was a freak athlete unlike any other freak athlete in VHL annals - a star quarterback from a league where 6’8, 250 was on the small side. Taking a little break from the Galactic Football League’s Orbiting Death, Adrienne decided to try his hand at hockey. Adrienne’s size and unbelievable mobility for that size gave him tantalizingly high upside, yet his unfamiliarity with hockey at first meant the rise to stardom that felt inevitable didn’t quite happen smoothly. Still, he was a consensus #1 overall pick in the S68 draft to Malmo and, after gradually adjusting and improving, he became one of the VHL’s most dominant defensemen over the second half of his career. As his career progressed, Adrienne would become the first player to win the Labatte, Wylde, and Valiq Trophies in the same season and the second defenseman to ever lead the VHL in scoring (the first in almost 60 years when he accomplished the feat in S72). Nobody was in the realm of dominance of Condor Adrienne from S72-S75, and he would fittingly cap his career off as a champion, winning his first Cup in his final season after spending his entire career in Malmo.

 

S66 - Philadelphia (VHLM)
27 GP | 0 G - 4 A - 4 P | +14 | 34 PIM | 35 HIT | 12 SB
Playoffs: 14 GP | 1 G - 3 A - 4 P | +5 | 8 PIM | 27 HIT | 11 SB

 

If anything truly encapsulates just how raw Adrienne was as he started his career, take a look at how it began in the VHLM with the Philadelphia Reapers. Joining a deep, contending team late in the season, Adrienne put up just 4 points in 27 games in his introductory campaign, though he did help the team capture the Founders Cup. Despite the unimpressive numbers, the Reapers knew what was there, and they would happily welcome Adrienne back for S67 after using the 3rd overall pick in the VHLM draft on him.

 

S67 - Philadelphia (VHLM)
72 GP | 25 G - 42 A - 67 P | +47 | 76 PIM | 147 HIT | 61 SB
Playoffs: 9 GP | 1 G - 3 A - 4 P | -1 | 10 PIM | 17 HIT | 7 SB

 

Adrienne’s second campaign in Philly went far more smoothly as he began to take steps towards being a solid hockey player, cementing his status as the big prize for the S68 Entry Draft. His 25 goals tied him for third among VHLM defensemen, and he added 42 assists while also beginning to effectively use his frame as both an imposing physical presence and to take space away from opponents. Adrienne finished the season with a +47 rating, 147 hits, and 61 shots blocked. As the draft approached, there was little doubt about where Adrienne would be picked, though it wasn’t as certain who would pick him as there was interest in the #1 pick.

 

S68 - Malmo (VHL)
72 GP | 11 G - 45 A - 56 P | +17 | 184 PIM | 228 HIT | 98 SB
Playoffs: 16 GP | 2 G - 8 A - 10 P | -1 | 38 PIM | 43 HIT | 26 SB

 

It would ultimately be the Malmo Nighthawks, coming off of a 28-38-6 season in their second VHL season in existence, that would land Condor Adrienne on draft night. They elected to keep their top pick and selected a player that would eventually give them a true VHL legend and face of the franchise. Adrienne stepped into the VHL with a promising rookie season, ranking 7th among rookies with 56 points and adding 228 hits and 98 blocked shots as he proved his worth at both ends of the ice. It was a promising start for Adrienne’s career and Malmo immediately jumped into contention as they would win the European Conference with a 46-20-6 record. The additions of Matt Thompson (recently ranked #6 on VSN’s list of the Top 75 VHL players of all time) and Ryan Sullivan Jr. made a difference too, as they each posted 100+ point seasons and Thompson scored 60 goals. They’d even go on a playoff run to the finals, but were swept aside in the Continental Cup Finals by Seattle.

 

S69 - Malmo (VHL)
72 GP | 10 G - 30 A - 40 P | +14 | 92 PIM | 117 HIT | 126 SB
Playoffs: 6 GP | 0 G - 6 A - 6 P | +6 | 10 PIM | 10 HIT | 15 SB

 

With Thompson gone, the Malmo offense struggled, despite having talent on paper. The team dropped off to fourth in the EU while scoring only 180 goals, 9th in the VHL. Adrienne’s play regressed, too, both in terms of his offensive numbers (10 goals, 40 points) and his defensive ones (117 hits, 126 blocked shots). It wasn’t the step forward in his development that Adrienne wanted, nor that Malmo wanted to see; they had hoped for him to step forward into the VHL’s elite. The playoffs went a little better for Adrienne personally as he managed 6 points in 6 games, but it wasn’t enough to get Malmo past Riga in the opening round.

 

S70 - Malmo (VHL)
72 GP | 17 G - 40 A - 57 P | +8 | 205 PIM | 289 HIT | 126 SB

 

A sophomore slump was excusable, but the pressure was on Adrienne to establish himself as a key player for Malmo this season if he was going to live up to his lofty draft status, and he indeed started to get his career back on track here. Though his offensive numbers weren’t exceptional, they bounced back up to 17 goals and 57 points, while Adrienne really made his presence known on the back end. He was an intimidator - third in the VHL with 289 hits and second in the VHL with 205 PIM. Opponents had to be aware whenever Adrienne was on the ice and it was hard for anyone to find space against him. Adrienne would earn the first addition to his VHL trophy case this season, taking home the Jake Wylde Trophy for the league’s Best Defensive Defenseman. However, for the first time in his career, he’d watch the playoffs from home as the Nighthawks finished 33-34-5, four points out of a playoff spot.

 

S71 - Malmo (VHL)
72 GP | 11 G - 44 A - 55 P | +3 | 169 PIM | 242 HIT | 117 SB
Playoffs: 4 GP | 1 G - 3 A - 4 P | -5 | 12 PIM | 15 HIT | 9 SB

 

Ahead of S71, the Nighthawks lost some key forward talent in the form of Phil Marleau, Dan Wilinsky, Aleksander Rodriguez, and Rob Mattalex. Adrienne was established as a very good, if not elite, defenseman, and had a talented partner in Jerry Garcia but the team didn’t seem improved from the S70 edition that didn’t make the playoffs. Adrienne disappointingly stalled again offensively, with 11 goals and 55 points. Though his 242 hits and 117 blocks indicated defensive talent, fans were expecting a true force of nature, and up to this point, he had only flashed the talent that made him the top pick. Meanwhile, the Nighthawks endured a 31-32-9 season - it was good enough to sneak into the playoffs, but they were easy prey for the Moscow Menace, bowing out in 4 games in round 1.

 

S72 - Malmo (VHL)
72 GP | 35 G - 65 A - 100 P | -29 | 165 PIM | 254 HIT | 188 SB

 

And then it happened. From the time Adrienne took the ice this season, something looked different, and finally everything came together. The raw tools had been put in the toolbox, and Adrienne became a truly dominant presence. The Nighthawks were officially entering a rebuild now, having lost Dan Baillie, Ryan Sullivan Jr., and Jerry Garcia among others in the off-season. Adrienne could not alone carry them into the playoffs, but his emergence gave hope that in the next couple of seasons, the Nighthawks and their young core could elevate into a true contender. Exploding for 35 goals, 65 assists, and 100 points, Adrienne became the first defenseman in 58 seasons to lead the league in scoring. Though he finished -29 on a struggling team, he still took care of business with 254 hits and 188 blocked shots. He took home the Brett Slobodzian award as the league’s Most Outstanding Player, and also added his first Alexander Valiq and Sterling Labatte Trophies to his trophy case while being named to the First All-VHL Team. The Nighthawks finished a league-worst 26-41-5, but Adrienne gave them something to cheer about, and it was only just beginning.

 

S73 - Malmo (VHL)
72 GP | 24 G - 66 A - 90 P | -1 | 216 PIM | 273 HIT | 171 SB
Playoffs: 12 GP | 3 G - 15 A - 18 P | Even | 20 PIM | 44 HIT | 25 SB

 

Malmo finally had a player to build around, and highly touted rookies like Chris Hylands, Tyler Walker, and Marshall James Frostbeard joined a young group that also featured Ray Sheilds and Lewis Dawson. Things looked promising as Adrienne followed up his dazzling S72 with a 90-point campaign that also featured 273 hits and 171 blocked shots. He helped the Nighthawks take a step forward and get back into the post-season, too, as they finished 4th in the EU just ahead of the HC Davos Dynamo and Prague Phantoms in a tight race. For his They beat Davos in the wildcard round of the playoffs and even made some noise in the second round pushing Helsinki to a 7th game, ultimately falling just short of pulling off an upset with a 5-3 loss. Adrienne was a force during the playoff run, with 18 points and 44 hits in 12 games. For his efforts, Adrienne added a second Wylde Trophy to his collection, and was named Second Team All-VHL.

 

S74 - Malmo (VHL)
72 GP | 28 G - 82 A - 110 P | +33 | 194 PIM | 242 HIT | 176 SB
Playoffs: 9 GP | 3 G - 10 A - 13 P | +7 | 16 PIM | 42 HIT | 28 SB

 

Malmo was finally working their way up to the league’s elite in S74, as the combination of Hylands, Shields, and Dawson began to break out. Meanwhile, Adrienne made a charge back to the top of the league leaderboard in scoring as he would finish 4th in the entire league with 28 goals, 82 points, and 110 assists (he also led defensemen in goals). With a +33 rating, 242 hits, and 176 blocked shots, Adrienne would repeat as the Wylde Trophy winner - his third - and also claimed his second Valiq and Labatte Trophies. In doing so, Adrienne became the first player to win all three of those awards in the same season. He was once again First-Team All VHL. A third straight phenomenal season from Adrienne had shifted the narrative around his career - there was now no doubt he was the best defenseman in the game, and well on his way to a Hall of Fame career. But Malmo met Helsinki in the playoffs again and, for a second straight year, couldn’t get by Helsinki as they were swept in the second round. With one season left in his career, Adrienne still had one major blemish on his record.

 

S75 - Malmo (VHL)
72 GP | 20 G - 70 A - 90 P | +29 | 192 PIM | 291 HIT | 142 SB
Playoffs: 19 GP | 5 G - 13 A - 18 P | +11 | 52 PIM | 78 HIT | 41 SB

 

Still in Malmo for his final season, Adrienne cemented his status as a one-team only player, and the Nighthawks hoped to repay his loyalty with a Continental Cup. It was a good season for the team, as they went 41-27-4 and ranked 3rd in the European Conference. While Adrienne didn’t really threaten the league scoring leaders this season, he still finished comfortably atop the VHL defenseman scoring race and also led the league with 70 assists to capture his first Beketov Trophy. Even in his final season, Adrienne was as dominant a physical presence as ever as he put up 192 PIM and 291 hits. Surprisingly, those numbers didn’t help him capture the Wylde Trophy this season - but he did pick up his third Labatte and Valiq Trophies. That made him one of seven 3-time Labatte Trophy winners, the only 3-time Valiq Trophy winner, and the only 3-time Wylde Trophy winner in VHL history. With his individual resume completed and a first-ballot HoF induction assured, it was time for the last bit of business in Adrienne’s career - a final playoff run. In a tense, seven-game series against Warsaw in the opening round, Adrienne put up 3 points in his team’s 7-4 game 7 win. The Nighthawks fought off Moscow in 6 games in the next round to advance to the finals. They’d lose the first two games to DC, but their fortunes would turn around. After tying the series, Hylands would score the OT winner in Game 5, then Sheilds the Cup winner in Game 6. Condor Adrienne’s career was complete - and now, so was his resume.

 

Career Totals

576 GP | 156 G - 442 A - 598 P | +74 | 1417 PIM | 1936 HIT | 1144 SB
Playoffs: 66 GP | 14 G - 55 A - 69 P | +18 | 148 PIM | 232 H | 144 SB

 

In many ways, it was a tale of two careers for Condor Adrienne. For the first four seasons of his career, Adrienne was somewhat underwhelming - still a solid player, but not what was expected of him as a prospect. For the next four, he was perhaps as good a defenseman as there has ever been in the VHL, picking up 11 individual awards and scoring 390 points in 4 seasons. Throughout his career, he was fantastic defensively, and was feared by his opponents as a 6-8, 250 pound monster with a mean streak evidenced by 1417 career PIM and 1936 career hits. Altogether, Adrienne ended up becoming a truly dominant defenseman who could do it all on the ice. He was a pleasure to watch, and even became the rare superstar to spend his entire career with the same team. He is truly both a Malmo legend and a VHL legend, and is well deserving of his place in the Hall.

Edited March 21, 2021 by tcookie

[OrbitingDeath 3,289]

Lovely written, thanks!

[Seabass 593]

Love these Hall of fame articles and this one didnt dissapoint. You obviously did a lot of research into this article as you even got some personal details from Andrienne's past point tasks. I feel you did a good job in keeping the reader engaged throughout and I think you went pretty in depth. I find it does lack a few photos or maybe some of Andrienne's past signature photos in it however. Else than that it was a perfect read.

 

9/10