London exits the VHL playoffs with a bright future still intact

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     After a roller coaster ride of a season for the United, they finally meet their match and end their ride against the Helsinki Titans and exit the playoffs early again. The good thing is contracts are signed and the team still will be strong with top players still developing next season, even without scoring phenom Mikko Lahtinen who changed the atmosphere in the dressing room with his intensity levels every game and outstanding leadership and knowledge of the VHL.

 

     We saw huge increases in individual statistics and the team as a whole played completely different compared to last season with a netminder like Jacob Tonn playing at his best like he did in Moscow and prospects like The Dude, Jon Strider and Rusty Knale stepping up in their first season, getting respect from the league as official VHLers now. In the minors Dextar Vaughn rose up as one of the best and helped the Minnesota Storm make the playoffs after a rough start and even after getting eliminated by the Halifax 21st he was the best player on his team, Gabby Dugan showed off her skills after being traded early in the season and fueled the San Diego Marlins all the way to Game 7 of the playoffs, almost getting a point per game, doing it alongside another one of prospects who had the same kind of impact with the Marlins who went from grinding power forward to top line sniper, Hendrix Cobberson.

 

     Who will step up next and fill the void? Kevin King and Alex Volchenkov seem to be a easy pick being so close in skill, knowing they can be trusted to hold the puck against the best but right now London hold two 1st round selections, their own and another acquired from the Riga Reign early in the season for all-star defender James Rose which is going to be a top 6 pick. With not a lot of prospects developing in the pipeline and depending on how the draft tournament turns out, the United should be adding a superstar to fill the absence on offense next season. Names like Hard Markinson and Sven Reikkenen have to be at the top of the scouts draft list and adding any of those big names will for sure give London an upgrade on the blueline specially seeing Killinger in his last year. In net, backup goaltender Nils Friedriksen doesn't have a contract so Aike van Giersbergen would be a great back up goaltender for the far future. Nils Tallinder, Luc Tessier, The Seabasstard are also great choices but with a breakout season from Julian Nousiainen and solid performances from King and Volchenkov we don't see them going that way. 

 

     You never really know though seeing the major deals manager McWolf made last season, he could easily trade away both top selections if he feels comfortable with his lineup to acquire another HoF player for another run. Despite not solidifying there selves as a top team this season, expect to see another surge from a hungry organization ready for glory. 

 

 

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Edited May 2, 2021 by 16z

[Banackock 8,170]

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