VSN Presents: The Season 77 VHLM Awards Show

[fromtheinside 1,290]

 

After a long and grueling regular season, followed by a playoffs full of twists and turns, we have finally concluded Season 77 of the VHLM. Somewhat surprisingly, the Miami Marauders stunned the Mississauga Hounds and took the Founder’s Cup in convincing fashion. As the old adage goes, you might look good on paper, but that’s why we play the games.

 

 It was a season full of change for our league. Many new managers have stepped up to take over VHLM clubs as many of the previous GM’s have moved onto bigger and better things up in the VHL. New teams are emerging as major threats, and it should be interesting to see what teams come out ahead in the upcoming VHLM Dispersal Draft.

 

Before some of our league’s top stars go off to their respective pro teams next season, let’s celebrate their accomplishments. We will get voted-upon rewards in a moment, but first let’s take a moment to observe the statistical trophies and who came away with them!

 

  Championship - Founder’s Cup: Miami Marauders

2nd Founder’s Cup in Franchise History 

 

 Best Regular Season Record - Prime Minister’s Cup: Mississauga Hounds 

62-10-0/ 124 Pts

 

  Leading Points - Ethan Osborne Trophy: Willy Myers

59 G, 54A / 113 Pts

 

 Leading Goals - Alexander Chershenko Trophy: Dolant Willy Myers.

@Willy Myers

59 Goals / 113 Pts

 

 Leading Assists - Vladimir Boomchenko Trophy: Zeljko Ranogajec

@ColeMrtz

84 Assists / 90 Pts

 

Congratulations to all the winners of the statistical awards. Now let’s get things started with the rest of the show! First up we will have the Ryan Sullivan Trophy which is awarded to the Top Defenseman!

Edited May 15, 2021 by fromtheinside

[fromtheinside 1,290]

Top Defenseman Award "Ryan Sullivan Trophy"

 

The Ryan Sullivan Trophy goes to the league’s top blueliner. There’s a lot that goes into playing defense. While supplementing your team’s offense is all well and good, a defender is called upon to block shots, not to get caught out of position, and to shut down the opposing team’s offense. 

 

 

Our runner-up is no stranger to the VHLM scene. Having been the previous GM for the Mississauga Hounds, @ColeMrtz recreated last season and used S77 as a year to dominate in the M. Despite winning the Vladimir Boomchenko award as well leading all defensemen in points, Zeljko Ranogajec is our runner up this year. On top of being an offensive leader for the Reapers, he also was rock solid for his team defensively and wasn’t afraid to lay out the body. He managed to block 127 shots, and on top of that he laid out 292 hits. Ranogajec is right on the TPE bubble and could potentially come back for a third stint in Philadelphia if he so chooses. Alternatively, he could go up to play for the rebuilding Malmo Nighthawks. 

 

 

Our winner of the Ryan Sullivan Trophy goes to a player who has been somewhat of a VHL veteran. @Jakefufu created back in Season 75 and played for the Las Vegas Aces in his rookie season. After being drafted by the Mexico City Kings and winning a Founder’s Cup in Season 76, he was acquired by the Aces once again this season, returning to where his career began. He put up a thirty-plus goal season and really broke through and was a difference maker this season. He also had an impressive 12 point effort in 9 playoff games that propelled the Aces into the Conference Finals. Congrats to Shaggy Tipton! He will be off to the Motherland to play for Moscow next season so we wish him the best of luck!

 

 

Next up - Top Goaltender - Benoit Devereux Trophy!

[fromtheinside 1,290]

Top Goaltender Award "Benoit Devereux Trophy"

 

 

To be competitive in this league, or any hockey league for that matter, you need to rely on good goaltending from time to time. The goaltender serves as the last line of defense for the team when all else fails. To be a successful goalie you need to have positional awareness, poise, and a ton of athletic ability. Let’s take a look at our runner-up and winner for the Benoit Devereux Trophy. 

 

Our runner up just enjoyed his third and final season in the VHLM. @BrutalBoost started off in Season 75 and has shown steady improvement over the course of his minor league career. After starting off in Yukon as a rookie, he spent last season in Saskatoon as their starting goalie. He endured a long season as the WIld were in rebuild mode, but this season Saskatoon was back and primed to be a contender. Andrew Bowman led his team to a 49-18-3 record and also managed to pull out six shutouts as well. He had a .900 save percentage and an impressive 2.49 goals against average. He will be joining  Shaggy Tipton in Moscow next season for his rookie season in the VHL. 

 

 

The winner of the Benoit Devereux trophy goes to @Lspinelli who backstopped the Mississauga Hounds to the best record in all of the VHLM this season. In his third season with the Hounds, Spinelli has blossomed into the leagues premiere goaltender.  In 59 contests Spinelli posted a 50-9-0 record with a .901 save percentage and a 2.15 goals against average and 5 shutouts to boot. Luke Spinelli finds himself right on the bubble for VHL graduation. He could either stay down in the VHLM and sign with a team as a free agent, or alternatively he could join the Helsinki Titans.Once the Titans find a new GM, that will be one of the first decisions they will have to work out. All the best Spinelli, congrats!

 

 

Next up - Top Two Way Forward - Matt Bentz Trophy!

[fromtheinside 1,290]

Top Two-Way Forward Award "Matt Bentz Trophy"

 

 

As a forward, scoring goals and racking up points is what gets a lot of players noticed and adorned. However,  truly special players have the ability to get it done on both sides of the ice and play a full 200-foot game. Getting back on defense, finishing hits, sacrificing your body to block a shot. All these things go towards being a great two-way forward. The Matt Benz Trophy goes to the player who does just that, the best two-way forward. Let’s see who made the cut!

 

 

As a journeyman VHLM’er, @Grapes-Tophat_Clan- has been a mainstay in Minnesota for the past three seasons after previously playing his rookie year in Philadelphia. Grapes enjoyed a breakout season this year. He put up 43 goals, 47 assists for 90 points, which is a 40 point improvement over his efforts in the previous season. He broke the 300 shot plateau, and even managed to dish out 229 hits! He was a true swiss-army knife, making the Storm a tough matchup on any given night. Like many other of our award winners, he will be off to Moscow next season to see if he can crack the Kings’ roster. But for now he is our runner-up for the Matt Bentz Trophy! Congrats Grapes.

 

 

Our winner this year is truly a jack-of-all-trades for his club. @Eldredman just finished his sophomore campaign with the Marlins, and he has already established himself as one of the best all-around players in the league. He had 25 goals, 44 assists and finished with 69 points (obligatory niceeeeee). He put 256 shots on net to boot. He wasn’t afraid to drop the mitts either when needed as he racked up 166 PIMs this year. He threw out 310 hits which makes me sore just thinking about it!  And if that wasn’t enough, he’s also AGM for the Marlins, and though this wasn’t part of the vote process, it’s truly impressive how he provides value to the Marlins organization in so many different ways both on and off the ice. Next season he will be off to the Big Apple to play for the New York Americans! Best of luck and congrats Aldwin Craig!

 

  

Next up - Regular Season  MVP - Mitch Higgins Trophy!

[fromtheinside 1,290]

 

Regular Season MVP Award "Mitch Higgins Trophy"

 

The Mitch Higgins Trophy is awarded to the player who is most valuable to their team during the regular season. This season featured a lot of fringe teams that easily could have missed the playoffs if they lost only a couple more contests throughout the year. That being said, what players really helped act as a catalyst for their team to push them over the edge? Let’s take a look at what players were the biggest difference-makers for their clubs!

 

Our runner-up comes from the plains of Saskatoon. @124715 just finished his sophomore season, and it was a campaign to remember. He broke out in every single category and was a huge reason why the Saskatoon Wild were first place in the Western Conference all season. He notched 52 goals and added 59 helpers for a total of 111 points. The Wild were second in the league this season in goals scored with a whopping 273 goals. Of those goals, Duncan Montana contributed to 40.65% of them. In addition to that, he buried 10 game winning goals which proves he was an essential player for Saskatoon when they needed a player to step up in big moments. Montana should be back for another season for the Sasky Bois next year, and we expect him to have another dominant showing.

 

 

This season, the regular season MVP goes to @Willy Myers of the Houston Bulls. In their three seasons in the VHLM, Myers has bounced around to three different clubs. But despite that, Myers has shown promise and has showcased his ability to produce for his club. After a successful stint in Halifax during Season 76, Willy ended up in Houston for this season and he immediately made his presence felt. In 69 contests this season, Willy posted 59 goals which led the league, 54 assists and 113 points in total. He finished with a +21 plus/minus on a team that was just barely over .500, so that is a bit of a testament to how he used his minutes. Myers turned the VHLM into a shooting gallery, totaling a massive 381 shots this season. On top of that they even laid out 106 hits and blocked 56 shots which is an impressive number for a winger. Of Houston’s 208 goals this season, Myers was in on 53.36% of them which is a ridiculous stat to think about! When you are involved in over half your team's total offense, you definitely deserve to be in MVP talks. Congrats Willy!

 

 

Up Next - Playoff MVP - Skylar Rift Trophy!

Edited May 15, 2021 by fromtheinside

[fromtheinside 1,290]

Playoff MVP Award "Skylar Rift Trophy"

 

The Skylar Rift Trophy is awarded to the player who was most valuable to their team during the postseason. Getting to the playoffs is hard enough, but succeeding and finding postseason success is another battle entirely. Some players disappear in the playoffs while others thrive and seize the moment. Let’s take a look at who stepped up the most when their team needed them!

 

Our runner-up goes to the man in between the pipes. While @ClapbombsRus had a largely average regular season, he undoubtedly elevated his level of play for the postseason. In 15 playoff contests, ClapbombsRUs went 12-2-1 with a .907 save percentage and a 2.67 goals against average. You don’t win titles if you can’t keep the puck out of your own net, and this man managed to do just that. He was a brick wall for Miami en route to their 2nd Founder’s Cup Championship. Clapbombs has already earned over 300 TPE and will be off to serve as a backup in Calgary next season in the VHL. Best of luck!

 

 

As good as the goaltending was for Miami, the true X factor for the Marauders on their playoff run was none other than @Mashy. Noah Mashford was instrumental in guiding his team to the promised land this postseason. Mashford is a true career VHLM’er, having spent 5 seasons in the league after this year. He found a lot of success when he arrived in Miami in Season 76, and decided to re-up for another season this year. Needless to say the decision paid off. In 15 playoff games, Mashford put up 19 points (10 goals, 9 assists) and time after time he was coming up with clutch goals for his team. Now with a Playoff MVP under his belt, he is off to Riga next season to enjoy his first season as a pro! Best of luck and congrats Noah!

 

 

Lastly - Top Executive  - Jack Reilly Trophy!

[fromtheinside 1,290]

Top Executive Award "Jack Reilly Trophy"

 

To be a successful GM in the M, you need to have a lot of key qualities. Sometimes you need to deal with a fair amount of chaos, but above all else you need to have the people skills to be able to manage your players and motivate your team to be successful. The Jack Reilly Trophy goes to the VHLM executive who thrives under pressure, makes smart decisions and can impact their team without even lacing up the skates!

 

In a landslide victory, the GM of the Year is none other than @Zetterberg. When Z came in and took over Mississauga in Season 76, the team was at a low point. There were next to no returning players, however, he did inherit an impressive amount of draft stock.Instead of cashing in immediately, Z chose the methodical approach and opted to defer Season 76 and focus on  Season 77 instead. The decision paid off in spades as the Hounds enjoyed a long reign as the best team in the league for the entire season from start to finish. While the Hounds came up short in the Finals this season, you can’t fault the team-building decisions made by Z. Congratulations on your first executive award! 

 

 

That wraps up another year-end award show for the VHLM. Season 77 was a great year and there was a ton of competition. Years like this are always fun because it adds way more intrigue. Congrats to all the award winners today! We now look ahead to the VHLM Dispersal Draft which will be the first part of deciding who will emerge as the next top team in the league. Keep an eye out for more VSN coverage of the VHLM in the future, but until then thanks for reading!

Edited May 15, 2021 by fromtheinside

[v.2 1,406]

NO TOP D MAN?!?!

 

EDIT: I am so blind.

Edited May 15, 2021 by v.2

[Vkobe-v 169]

FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY 

Edited May 15, 2021 by Vkobe-v

[UnknownMinion 728]

thank you for doing this 

 

[Vkobe-v 169]

Mane I ain’t say all that

[v.2 1,406]

Just now, Vkobe-v said:

Mane I ain’t say all that

You said what you said... 

[Grapes-Tophat_Clan- 37]

I'm honored to be considered

[Mistxh J 186]

What about rookie awards?

[diamond_ace 3,112]

34 minutes ago, Mistxh J said:

What about rookie awards?

it's the m. 90% of the league is rookies

[tinafrombobsburgers 367]

Congrats to all the winners! Very well deserved!

[mattyIceman 1,214]

Congrats you future bunch of young next batch VHL salary cap eaters!!

 

[fromtheinside 1,290]

5 hours ago, Mistxh J said:

What about rookie awards?

 

Unfortunately they don't have a rookie of the year trophy for VHLM, but I think there should be one. I don't control the awards or votes though, I just write about it.

[fromtheinside 1,290]

5 hours ago, diamond_ace said:

it's the m. 90% of the league is rookies

Id be interested to see the numbers on that. Id bet its not as high as you think. But if not RotY then maybe a first-gen of the year trophy. There should totally be something for that.

[Mistxh J 186]

8 hours ago, diamond_ace said:

it's the m. 90% of the league is rookies

 

3 hours ago, fromtheinside said:

 

Unfortunately they don't have a rookie of the year trophy for VHLM, but I think there should be one. I don't control the awards or votes though, I just write about it.

 

 

I just feel like the huge drop off of number of awards from the VHL to the M is just drastic.. there isnt enough recognition for M players, just food for thought i guess idk

[thadthrasher 1,692]

10 minutes ago, Mistxh J said:

 

 

 

I just feel like the huge drop off of number of awards from the VHL to the M is just drastic.. there isnt enough recognition for M players, just food for thought i guess idk

Your award is that you play for San Diego

[NSG 498]

Hipe

[Lspinelli 4]

Thanks for the award! I look forward to what next season has for me!

[fromtheinside 1,290]

On 5/14/2021 at 11:34 PM, Mistxh J said:

What about rookie awards?

 

@Mistxh J 

Just to follow up, I formally made a proposal today to the BoG to add a Best First Gen award, as well as a VHLM Rookie of the Year award. So we will see what happens.

[Mistxh J 186]

1 minute ago, fromtheinside said:

 

@Mistxh J 

Just to follow up, I formally made a proposal today to the BoG to add a Best First Gen award, as well as a VHLM Rookie of the Year award. So we will see what happens.

Thats awesome! Too bad if it gets approved i wouldnt win any them

Edited May 19, 2021 by Mistxh J