S79 Moscow Menace Number Retirements

[Spartan 4,410]

 

With the recent revamp to the retired numbers section of forums, I felt it was about time to upgrade the old Moscow tradition of inducting players to the team Hall of Fame!

 

I'll be honest, there are a few different factors why we're moving over from an official team HoF to retired numbers. First, I have no clue where the team HoF thread is. Chatting with Bek, I found out that the team threads may have been hidden since the focus has shifted towards number retirements and getting them on the forums. Second, gorlab used to make the little HoF graphic things, and he's not around to make them anymore. So what better time to adopt the new push towards number retirements?

 

A small note though as to how I'll be treating these retirements compared to how the NHL treats number retirements - number retirements are purely cosmetic and will not prevent anyone in the future from choosing to use these numbers as their own. Obviously I'd encourage folks to pick a number to make their own, but millions of people believe 7 is a lucky number. Who am I to stop them from picking 7? However, we will be creating banners for each player, and those will be hung up in the retired numbers section for Moscow.

 

On to the real part of this post!

 

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Our first number retirement is going to our franchise leader in Games Started, Wins, Save Percentage, Goals Against Average, and honestly probably every other goalie statistic tracked (minimum of 100 games played with Moscow). A recent inductee to the VHL Hall of Fame, this goalie had winning in his blood from the time he joined the VHL. As a rookie goalie in the VHLM for Ottawa, he posted 41 wins in 49 games to lead the Lynx to both the Prime Minister's Cup and the Founder's Cup.

 

After being drafted 11th overall to the Menace in S68, he continued to fill his hardware case, acquiring 2 Victory Cups, a Campbell Trophy, a Clegane Trophy, 2 Shaw Trophies, and a Continental Cup and the Kanou Trophy for those playoffs. Without this gem of a goalie and user, Moscow would never have been able to dream of the success they were able to ride to start the S70's.

 

It's my pleasure to officially retire the number of:

 

G - Raymond Bernard - @Mr_Hatter

 

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Our second retiree is also no stranger to filling up his hardware case, just as Bernard did. He is one of the few players inducted to either the Moscow HoF or having his number retired who did not spend more than 3 seasons with the team, but rather came to the team via a trade from Calgary. His issues in Calgary were unclear to the general population, but his talent was undeniably special, posting 84 and 75 points in the two seasons before his trade. However, something flipped in the young man when he was sent to Moscow, notching 198 goals and 236 assists for a total of 434 points in 288 games with Moscow, also never recording a season with less than 90 points or 35 goals. 

 

Also the winner of a Founder's Cup in the VHLM with Saskatoon, his quench for success was not easily met. He succeeded in winning a Victory Cup with Calgary in S72, along with the Dustin Funk Trophy for Most Improved. After the trade to Moscow, he decided that all of the awards would be his, acquiring 2 Campbell Trophies, 2 Slobodzian Trophies, 2 Brooks Trophies, 2 more Victory Cups, 3 Boulet Trophies, and a Szatkowski Trophy in just 3 seasons with Moscow. While he was never able to win a championship with Moscow, his contribution and impact on the organization is immeasurably significant, and therefore one of the worthiest candidates to have his number retired. 

 

Congratulations:

 

C - Mikko Lahtinen - @Beketov

 

 

[Beketov 9,033]

A great honour with a great franchise. @Mr_Hatter and I go into the HoF together and get our numbers retired together, it's only fitting.

 

Of note you cans till claim this as an MS, consider this my confirmation of that, but I am going to move it to the team announcement forum where it belongs. I've also updated the official list  

[Spartan 4,410]

2 minutes ago, Beketov said:

Of note you cans till claim this as an MS, consider this my confirmation of that, but I am going to move it to the team announcement forum where it belongs. I've also updated the official list  

Oh I just hadn't seen many retirement/team HoF posts in that subforum so I posted it in MS, since Vic was posting HoF's in the VHL.com sections . Anyways, congrats to me for getting 6 tpe and I suppose congrats to you for helping me get 6 tpe

[McWolf 3,115]

London United legend Mikko Lahtinen

[Garsh 1,192]

grats to you both.

[Mr_Hatter 1,608]

MOSCOW MOSCOW MOSCOW 

 

Happy day

[Beketov 9,033]

1 hour ago, McWolf said:

London United legend Mikko Lahtinen

I expect he'll be the first London retired number any day now.

[N0HBDY 1,119]

Bob Tristan when?

[OrbitingDeath 3,198]

1 hour ago, N0HBDY said:

Bob Tristan when?