Theme Week MS, Wahl's unreal season

[Seabass 593]

Alright well I have less than an hour to write myself a Media Spot for theme week due to me leaving for a backpacking trip very soon. Honestly when the topic for the theme week was announced, I couldn't come up with anything to write about. I don't really pay attention to the VHL Awards much, it's always the same names winning it I find and I just don't follow who wins what every year. 

 

However one specific season came to mind while I was looking for inspiration to write this Media Spot. I'm talking about back in Season 71 when @BladeMaiden wrapped up her career with her goaltender, Brick Wahl (Brick Wahl II II in portal).  

 

Wahl arrived to the Prague Phantoms the season before in a trade with the Calgary Wranglers that sent a first round pick (Jacques LaFontaine) and inactive goaltender Owen May back to Calgary. It turns out that was a good deal as Wahl solidified a position in which the Phantoms were weak at and Blade helped install a fun culture to the locker room of a expansion team that had just joined the league just 2 seasons before. Hell she was more like the queen of that locker room as she really did drive the activity in the team discord during those two season. Yeah she arrived a little sour and was thinking of quitting the VHL but she quickly found a home in the Prague Phamily and we were very fortunate to have somehow convinced her to stick around a little longer ;). 

 

Season 71 was suppose to be her curtain call for Wahl. It was his eighth season and he was set to retire at the end of it. Wahl ended up ending his career with a career year, posting a insane save percentage of .931%, recorded 7 shutouts and had a Goals Against Average of less than 2. Not one goaltender since has posted a better save percentage over 60+ games since. Wahl essentially carried that year's Phantoms team on his back and all the way to the playoffs where the team ended up being ousted in the first round by the Riga Reign in 6 games. That was heartbreaking as we really wanted to get Wahl at least a cup since he had never won anything prior in his career. However Wahl did end up making up for in by cleaning it up at the VHL awards winning a total of 4 Awards. She ended up winning both MVP awards, the Brett Slobodzian trophy and the Scotty Campbell trophy as well as winning the Aidan Shaw trophy for best goaltender and the Greg Clegane for best GAA in the league. 

 

It's too bad we got ousted in the first round as I really had thought that we'd go deeper in the playoffs after finishing that year 2nd in the European Conference since I'm sure Wahl would've traded all those individual awards for a single Continental Cup ring. That single season is the best performance I've seen from a goaltender in the VHL and it will always come to mind when I talk about goalies in the future. 

 

That's over 500 words, I did it! With 20 minutes to spare.

[JB123 722]

Review: This is a great read. You provide nice context and background for the story. Stat lines are used in the right places and add depth to the article. Paragraphs are used appropriately. Also it’s good to know some Prague history I didn’t know a lot about before  10/10