VHL Storylines- CCCCChanges

[Smarch 3,196]

VHL Storylines- CCCCChanges

 

After one of the busiest off-seasons in the Victory Hockey League in possibly decades, the league is on the verge of getting its Seventy-Seventh season underway. While we say it was one of the busiest off-seasons in history, of course we had the usual trades, some bigger free agent signings than usual, but then we have the VHL General Manager mini-exodus.

The first domino to fall in the off-season for management changes was Moscow General Manager Victor Alfredsson announcing his retirement from the Menace, after being with the club since their inaugural season in Season Sixty-Five. In twelve seasons at the helm of the Menace, Alfredsson had a 380-326-26-27 record. While Alfredsson and the Menace didn’t fare as well in the post-season as they did in the regular season, Alfredsson still ends his Menace GM career with a winning record in the post-season with a 42-41 record. Of course during this retirement announcement, Alfredsson touched upon his other accolades leading the Russian franchise, some of those accolades included;

9 Playoff Appearances (8 Seasons in a row currently)

3 Victory Cups (Seasons 70, 74, 76)

2 Continental Cups Final Appearances

1 Continental Cup (Season 70)

3 David Knight Trophies (Seasons 67, 69, 74)

 

While Moscow wasn’t the first time Alfredsson has seen success with the VHL club as their General Manager, this was the first time he undertook an expansion club, allowing him to see the club into what he expects out of a hockey club from day one. When one looks back on the General Manager career of Victor Alfredsson, you would be foolish to think he’s anything but one of the top three VHL General Managers of all time.

 

On March 9^th, it was announced that the new Moscow General Manager would be first time VHL GM Euron Leonidas, better known to the VHL as Spartan. While Leonidas doesn’t have any VHL management experience under his belt, he has held various management experience in the league, including the Season Seventy-One World Junior, where he put together the Canadian roster that won a bronze medal, while also holding the roles of General Manager for the Las Vegas Aces from Season Seventy-Two to Season Seventy-Six, alongside the Assistant General Manager role for the New York Americans from Season Seventy-One through Season Seventy-Two. With a possible re-tool/re-build season in Moscow, we will have to see what the season hold for Moscow and Leonidas.

 

The second General Manager domino to fall in the VHL, was the former General Manger in Vancouver, Keaton Louth stepping down after a very lengthy and successful career with the Wolves. Louth had stepped down from his very important commissioner and Head of Victory Hockey League Recruitment a few weeks prior, but during the announcement he expected to continue his General Manager duties. Just over two weeks after the resignation from the commissioner position announcement, the league made a subsequent announcement on a new General Manager taking over the reins in Vancouver. After eighteen seasons at the helm of the Quebec/Vancouver Wolves franchise, Louth stepped down from his position as General Manager. Louth and the Wolves has a good regular season record during those eighteen season, putting up a 583-509-35-42 record. Louth and the Wolves also made the playoffs in fourteen of those eighteen seasons, putting up a 62-67 record in those fourteen seasons. Louth had many accolades during his time with the Wolves, including the following;

 

14 Playoff Appearances

2 Victory Cups (Season 69, 71)

4 Continental Cups Final Appearances (Seasons 62, 66, 67, 74)

2 Continental Cups (Seasons 67, 74)

1 David Knight Trophy (Season 62)

 

While Louth currently has left the VHL to take some time for himself after this long tenure in Vancouver, its undeniable that over the past 18 years in the VHL, you could count on Vancouver being a competitive team almost each season. With only two cups to the franchises name before Louth came around, It’s safe to say hockey fans in Vancouver are glad Louth brought the franchise and winning attitude to the west coast.

 

On March 20^th, the league again released a press release regarding a new General Manager in the VHL, and again it was a first time VHL General Manager announced. Ted Mosby, better known to the VHL as the man from How I met your mother, we mean fonziGG. Mosby was most recently the Assistant General Manager for the D.C. Dragons, but he also has experience as the General Manager for the Halifax 21^st from Season Sixty-Seven through Season Sixty-Nine. Mosby inherits a roster that finished ninety-five points last season and still has a lot of that fire power heading into Season Seventy-Seven. Eyes will be on Vancouver here early in the season to see if they will hold the course or head more towards a re-tool/rebuild.

 

While those were the two General Manager changes that were announced in the off-season, we would be doing a disservice to the other two General Managers that will be taking their swing at VHL management in Season Seventy-Seven. Calgary General Manager Ryan Jubis announced he would be stepping down after five seasons at the helm of the Alberta based VHL franchise. Jubis has a decent run as Calgary GM putting up a 170-118-16-13 record in the regular season, and a 10-14 record in the post-season with the club. While Jubis wasn’t able to bring home a Continental Cup for the Wranglers, he did lead the lead to a Victory Cup last season in Season Seventy-Five. After deciding during the regular season, Season Seventy-Six would be his last with the Wranglers, the league announced Kris Rice would be taking over in Calgary. Rice is again another First time VHL GM, but comes to the Wranglers with loads management experience including experience in the World Junior Championships in Season 70 with a bronze medal win with Team Europe. Rice also was the Assistant General Manager in Yukon from Season Seventy through Season Seventy-One, before moving up to taking over the Miami Marauders from Season Seventy-Two until this past VHLM season. Rice comes to the VHL after a successful run with Miami during those five season, winning two Jack Reilly Trophies for Top VHLM Executive and a Season Seventy-Five Founders Cup with the Marauders.

 

The other VHL franchise that will have a new person in charge of the team this season is the Malmo Nighthawks. While this announcement was made a few days prior to the end of the Season Seventy-Six regular season, it was announced the second GM in team history John Frostbeard would be stepping down immediately. Just under two seasons removed from the franchise’s first Continental Cup, the man that was the architect of that roster was announced to be leaving the Swedish club after six seasons at the helm of Malmo. Frostbeard will be leaving the club with a regular season record of 169-189-15-10 to go along with a post-season record of 22-22. It was announced on February 19^th the league would be appointing a new GM to lead the Malmo, leaving the job to Christopher James, better known to the members of the league as Hylands. James is the fourth new General Manager taking the reins of a VHL franchise, but like everyone else announced he comes to the Nighthawks with management experience in the VHLM with the Mexico City Kings. James was the General Manager of the Kings from Season Seventy-Three until this past year in Season Seventy-Six. James has a pretty successful but short carrer with the Kings, winning the Prime Minister’s Cup as the top regular season team in the VHLM in Season Seventy-Five following it up with a Founders Cup win in his last season with the Kings in Season Seventy-Six.

 

Now that we have touched upon the four changes in the VHL management landscape, I would like to take moment to thank those who have recently stepped down.

 

@Victor- I don’t really need to say much here. I appreciate everything you have done over the course of your VHL career. Of course I’ll always make fun of you for being your best advocate in terms of your VHL success, but let’s be honest, you deserve tooting your own horn after everything you have done. Hopefully you continue to stick around and don’t go away like last time you left some positions of power in the VHL.

 

@Beaviss – While I’m not certain what happened to make the fast exit you have done, I can only imagine why you have done so and honestly would agree with any information you gave. I understand the grind the league can be in a position of power, something that is often thankless. You were and still are a valuable member of the community, and hope one day soon you can find some peace in just coming on to enjoy yourself on the league again. Thank you for everything since you joined the league.

 

@Jubis– While we have had almost zero contact, outside I believe you contacting me to see if I had a contact outside the VHL for Bushito. From what I can remember, you stepped up in Calgary when it was needed, leading one of my favorite VHL franchise back to relevance again. I'm not sure again why you have stepped down or your plans moving forward, but hopefully you are still sticking around and looking for more in your VHL experience.

 

@FrostBeard- Our main crossing of paths came in the Philadelphia Reapers Discord, which I was the least active of that great roster back in Season Sixty-Six. You were a great member of the team and discord, which was great to see from a new member. Now after a few seasons running a VHL franchise, I am glad you were able to hit the top of the GM pinnacle with a Cup in Season 75. I wish you the best moving forward and hope our VHL paths cross again.

 

Weeks of:

Mar 22-28

Mar 29-Apr 4

Apr 5-11

Edited March 22, 2021 by Smarch

[Victor 11,039]

Love you too Smarch x

 

Don't worry, the league isn't getting rid of me this easily.

[Smarch 3,196]

Claiming 2/3

[Smarch 3,196]

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