VSN Presents: VHL's All-Decade Team: S1-S10

[animal74 1,855]

Credit: @v.2

 

 

 

Recently VSN’s history writers tackled naming the Top 75 players in the VHL’s first 75 seasons. Then, since we’re gluttons for punishment and hours of research, we thought, hey, since S80 will be ending soon, what a great time to pick the best players of each decade! And instead of just a single lineup, let’s do a full 20-man roster! 

 

And so, over the next few weeks, VSN will be taking you on a journey back to the beginning and make our way through each decade as we name the most impactful players in those 10-season spans. Now, they may not be the players with the best stats or the most games played, although slight preference has been given to players who have played the majority of their career in one decade, but we wanted to recognize players who’s all-around influence was felt throughout all aspects of the game (regular season, playoffs, World Cups, the locker room). Due to short VHL careers, many players may have only played 2-4 seasons in a certain decade but had a big impact in a short time. Hence, we may have players make two All-Decade Teams if they were equally stellar in both halves of their career. Fringe inclusions were voted on by 8 long-time members of the league.

 

VSN Presents: The VHL’s All-Decade Teams:

S1-S10

 

Scotty Campbell, F, S1-S8 @scotty

GP: 577 PTS: 1239, HOF

Widely considered the best player to ever play in the league let alone the first decade of the VHL’s existence, Campbell’s career scoring records still stand today. Five scoring titles, four-time goal leader, four Continental Cups, three MVPs are just a few of his accomplishments.  

 

Mike Szatkowski, F, S3-S10 @Mike

GP: 573 PTS: 971, HOF

Overshadowed by Campbell much of his career, Szatkowski is the second-most prolific scorer in VHL history. He finally got his due in S8 when he led the league in goals and points and won the MVP. He captured his only Continental Cup the following season with Toronto.

 

Christian Stolzschweiger, F, S1-S8

GP: 574 PTS: 912, HOF

The second-best goal-scorer next to Campbell had five seasons of 63 or more goals. He won the MVP in his second season and won his only Cup in S7 where he was named the Playoff MVP.

 

Matt Defosse, F, S1-S8 @Cowboy

GP: 546 PTS: 797, HOF

Although he started his career as a defenseman, Defosse switched to forward during his second season to create a fearsome partnership with Campbell. He was a five-time All-Star, three times named the best defensive forward and won two Cups.

 

Scott Boulet, F, S1-S6

GP: 432 PTS: 737, HOF

One of the VHL’s first true power forwards, Boulet did it all in his six seasons, hit and score. He was named the league’s best defensive forward three times, won two Cups, and was named MVP in his final season. He never scored less than 53 goals in a season and has the third-highest point/game average of players who played more than two seasons.

 

Brannan Anthony, F, S1-S7 @brannan12a

GP: 506 PTS: 737, HOF

A gifted playmaker who really took off later in his career, Anthony was the third player in VHL history to score 100 assists in a season. His even hundred led the league in S7.

 

Dust'n Funk, F, S3-S9 @Strummer

GP: 504 PTS: 701, HOF

Funk was a respected leader and feared competitor. He helped Seattle win back-to-back Cups in S4 and S5 and racked up over 800 penalty minutes, 700 points, and 600 hits during his career.

 

Brett Slobodzian, F, S1-S5

GP: 360 PTS: 643, HOF

The only man who could rival Campbell’s offensive output in the league’s first three seasons, Slobodzian lead the league in goals, assists, and points and was named MVP in S1 and S3. He also won two Cups during a career that unfortunately, took a sharp turn down near the end and only lasted five seasons.

 

Branden Snelheid, F, S5-S10

GP: 432 PTS: 661, HOF

A true gentleman on and off the ice, Snelheid quietly produced each of his six seasons, never scoring less than 96 points. He won Continental Cups in S6 and S9.

 

Kevin Brooks, F, S6-S10 @brooks.

GP: 360 PTS: 608, HOF

Although his career continued into the second decade, it could be argued that Brooks was the VHL’s best forward in S9-S10 when he led the league in points and was named MVP both seasons, led in goals and assists once, and captured his only Continental Cup in S9.

 

Alex McNeil, F, S1-S6 @McNeil

GP: 428 PTS: 634, HOF

McNeil was one of the early VHL’s most colorful characters and brought his scrappy yet effective style of play to a few teams. He was named the best defensive forward in S4, scored 68 goals in S5 and won consecutive Cups in those two seasons with Seattle.

 

Alexander Beketov, F, S6-S10 @Beketov

GP: 362 PTS: 515, HOF

Known for his supreme skills even before making it to the VHL, Beketov produced at an elite level and led the league in assists and won the trophy that now bears his name in S8.

 

Sterling Labatte, D, S1-S9 @sterling

GP: 648 PTS: 772, HOF

Aided partially by an extra season of play, Labatte is nonetheless the all-time scorer among defensemen and still considered the best. He won the trophy that now bears his name best defenseman three times, was named top leader twice, won three Cups with Calgary and was named playoff MVP twice. 

 

Jochen Walser, D, S5-S10 @marshall_222

GP: 431 PTS: 508, HOF

Walser would beat you on both ends of the ice and usually with a snarl. He won Rookie of the Year in S5 and would lead Toronto in playoff scoring in S9 to win the Cup and MVP. He set the single-season goal record for a defenseman in S10 with 46 goals that stood until S31. First to be named best defenseman three years in a row, he is still third all-time in penalty minutes.

 

Patrice Reynaud, D, S3-S9

GP: 506 PTS: 594, HOF

One of only three defensemen to win multiple best defensemen awards in the first decade, Reynaud is sometimes overlooked when mentioning the greats. He had five seasons of 80+ points, was named an All-Star five times and won two Cups with Seattle.

 

Joey Kendrick, D, S1-S6 @Kendrick

GP: 428 PTS: 561, HOF

Kendrick’s career was short but sweet and generally considered one of the game’s purest offensive blueliners. He had four straight 90+ point seasons, won a Cup with Calgary in S3 and set the league record for assists with 112 and was named best defenseman in S5. He was an All-Star in all six seasons and still ranks first among pure defensemen with a 1.31 point/game.

 

David Night, D, S1-S7 @Knight

GP: 504 PTS: 534, HOF

Night was as steady and polite as they come – typically British – and while he didn’t win a Cup, he was named best defenseman after a 38-goal, 95-point performance in S2 and then went on to post six consecutive 75+ point seasons.

 

Doug Schneider, D, S1-S8

GP: 538 PTS: 530, HOF

Although he’s not in the Hall of Fame and his regular season production may not be on par with the others on this list, Schneider had another gear in the playoffs. He is the highest playoff scoring defenseman of the decade, beating Labatte by one point and ranks fourth all-time with 84 points in 78 games while winning four Continental Cups.

 

Alex Gegeny, G, S7-S10 @Pominville29

W: 200 SV%: 0.929, HOF

When you have four HOF goalies to choose from, picking the two to be on this team was a tighly voted affair. Gegeny was spectacular in his career and led the decade with a sparkling 2.24 GAA and 0.929 SV% while posting the second most win with 200. He was named an All-Star all four seasons, named best goalie S8 and S9 led Toronto to the S9 Continental Cup

 

Matthew Pogge, G, S1-S4 @Quik

W: 181 GAA: 2.48, HOF

Pogge led Vasteras to winning the league’s inaugural Continental Cup and was named best goalie in S1 and S3. He was also named an All-Star in each of his four seasons and his career 2.48 GAA is second to Gegeny for the decade’s best.

 

Checkout the S11-20 Team!

Edited April 18, 2023 by animal74

[v.2 1,411]

Vestiquan FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY!!

[animal74 1,855]

1 hour ago, v.2 said:

Vestiquan FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY!!

I would actually tend to agree. Just happened to be just on the outside of both decades. 

[a_Ferk 766]

It's really telling how many members have been lost over the years. I don't even know who some of these people are. There are others who I recognize but only because they made the hof.

[animal74 1,855]

1 hour ago, a_Ferk said:

It's really telling how many members have been lost over the years. I don't even know who some of these people are. There are others who I recognize but only because they made the hof.

Yeah, just like leagues, few members stay on for 13 years. That's a big commitment and a testament to those who have stayed.

[Beketov 9,101]

You flipped the tags for Gegeny and Pogge BTW. Doesn’t make a difference, just pointing it out.

 

Great to see Beketov get the nod. But where’s Sharpe

[animal74 1,855]

6 hours ago, Beketov said:

You flipped the tags for Gegeny and Pogge BTW. Doesn’t make a difference, just pointing it out.

 

Great to see Beketov get the nod. But where’s Sharpe

Oh, I thought I may had flipped those. Whoops. Fixed now.

 

Sharpe going up against four HOFers so not much chance unfortunately!

[animal74 1,855]

Claim 2/2 (1300+ words)

[Mike 708]

These were the days.