Ending the Drought

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Ending the Drought

Over the past fifteen seasons, nine different teams have won at least one Continental Cup. Of the seven that have not, four are expansion teams that were established during that time frame. That leaves three teams that have current cup droughts of at least fifteen seasons. These three teams are the Calgary Wranglers, Davos Dynamo, and New York Americans. It is a very frustrating feeling, being fans of a team that just cannot get it done and bring home the cup. It is natural to start to wonder just how long it will go on. That is what I am going to be looking at here; which of these teams is in the best position to end their string of failure, and whose fans will continue to live in misery.

 

HC Davos Dynamo
Last championship: Season 61
Finals losses since last win: 0

Playoff appearance since last win: 6

 

41 seasons ago, the Dynamo won their ninth Continental Cup. At this point in time, Davos was the most successful franchise, with only other other team even having won more than five championships. Nowadays, they still rank third in that regard, but it relies heavily upon triumphs from times long since past. They are looking to end this trend before they slide even further down the ranks. This past season was a step in the right direction; the Dynamo

 

reached the post-season for the first time in six seasons. The season itself could be seen as a bit of a disappointment, as some expected more than 77 points out of their team.

Still, the way the team is built, they should be competitive for years to come. Team leaders Patrick Laine and Marshall James Frostbeard will be playing their last games in Season 80, but they have a good mix of players in their prime and rising stars. The defense is where their youth especially shines, with the trio of Reylynn Reinhart, Poopy Peepants, and David Tavau likely being key pieces for the team for years to come. They will need to find some more support for Luc Tessier after Addison McLaren and Taro Tsujimoto retire, but they have a few more seasons to get that done.

 

Calgary Wranglers
Last championship: Season 62
Finals losses since last win: 3 (S63, S70, S72)

Playoff appearances since last cup: 13

 

Calgary was the best franchise in the VHL until that title was usurped from them by the Dynamo. Like the Dynamo, they have struggled mightily in the latter half of the VHL's existence. Prior to their cup run in Season 62, the Wranglers had just one championship in 31 seasons. They are 0-for-3 in finals appearances since their last win. They have not been strangers to the playoffs, either, making the post-season in nine of the last ten seasons; this mark is only matched the Bears, who have not missed the playoffs since Season 67.

 

Even though the Wranglers have traded away quite a bit of talent this off-season, they may be in a better position to win this season than they were the last. Everyone on their current roster has at least three seasons left in the league. Alex Johnston and Nils Tallinder are two of the best young players in the league, and if those two stick around with the team, Calgary will probably be icing a top North American team year after year.

 

New York Americans
Last championship: Season 53
Finals losses since last cup: 1 (S60)

Playoff appearances since last cup: 12

 

The Americans have not had the same level off success that the Dynamo and Wranglers have had in the past, though at a time it did look like the team was heading in that direction. From Season 25 to Season 53, New York made 13 finals appearances and won a league-high six cups during that time span. Unfortunately, the team was unable to continue their run, and they have gone back to being one of the worst franchises in terms of success.

 

Their current drought is the second longest in VHL history, and they seem desperate to make sure they do not make it into the record books.

Just as their past has been a bit more dismal than the likes of Davos and Calgary, their future looks more bleak. This off-season, their new management has decided to go all in to win a cup, trading away two first round picks to acquire Luke Thornton and Cowboy Prout. In the Season 80 draft, they made no picks in the top two rounds, and as things currently stand, they won't make any in Season 81 either. I do expect they can be a playoff team for the next few seasons, but beyond that, I am worried for them. They do not have the draft capital to restock, and their players are too old to hole much trade value if they try to trade them a couple seasons from now.

 

Conclusion

If I were to rank these three teams in terms of how soon I think they will end their respective droughts, I would say Calgary, then Davos, then New York. While I think any of the three could do it as early as the next season or two, if New York doesn't get it done, they are going to be waiting a much longer time. I do also just think that they are the worst of the three now, so it would be an upset for them to win a championship with their current roster. When it comes to Davos and Calgary, I think the Wranglers have better youth to replace their aging players. Davos will have some work to do if they can't win it in the next few seasons, but they'll still have potential. It is Calgary's superior forward prospects that have me viewing them as one of the best teams right now. I think they will be a frequent participant in the North American semi-finals over the next several seasons. In fact, if you were to ask me what team I think will win the most cups in the next ten seasons, I would probably go with the Wranglers.

 

 

1027 words; claiming for weeks ending 9/19 and 9/26

[Rhynex Entertainment 473]

Very good article! Nicely structured, and also hjave their team colours for each teams respective representations. Interesting to find that Calgary's last cup victory was in Season 62, Davo's last cup victory was in Season 61, and New York has not made the finals since Season 60. S60, S61, S62.. that cannot be more of a coincidence, right? All in all very nicely written article 10/10