Cologne Express Jersey Retirement

[Advantage 2,769]

COLOGNE EXPRESS JERSEY RETIREMENT

 

While I know I am technically not the current GM of the Cologne Express anymore, I received permission from current GM @BarzalGoat to make one more official announcement for the Express, as this was something I had been planning ever since I was named GM of the team back when VHLE was originally announced.

 

The Victory Hockey League has seemingly gone away from jersey retirements, and while I personally am fine with that, I also am a proponent of keeping it around.  For Cologne, there was one player that seemingly fell through the cracks.  Currently, Cologne's jersey retirements include Hall of Famer forward, Kameron Taylor, and long-time fan favourite, Ron World Peace.  However, now they will be joined by one of the greatest players in Victory Hockey League history.

 

Thomas O'Malley was a member of the Cologne Express from S40 to S44, playing five seasons on the German club after being selected 1st Overall in Season 40.  He would immediately make an impact winning the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy (Top Rookie) before following that up with a Mikka Virkkunen Trophy (Most Sportsmanlike) in Season 41.  The Season 42 playoffs would also see O'Malley and the Express win the first (and only) Continental Cup in the franchise's history.  From Season 43 to Season 46, the league saw arguably the greatest stretch of VHL individual success since Scotty Campbell.  O'Malley would spend two of those years with Cologne and tear it up winning the Scotty Campbell Trophy (League MVP) once, Brett Slobodzian Trophy (Most Outstanding Player) twice, Mike Szatkowski Trophy (League Leader in Points) twice, Kevin Brooks Trophy (League Leader in Goals) twice and the Alexander Beketov Trophy (League Leader in Assists) once.  He would continue that run and be a unanimous selection into the Hall of Fame and is widely regarded as the league's greatest player since the original decade.

 

I have known @OrbitingDeath  since he came into the league and have had the pleasure of being a teammate of his and even his GM.  He is a wonderful person that I encourage everyone to get to know.  Therefore, I was thrilled to still get the opportunity to make this long overdue announcement.

 

Please congratulate him on this great accomplishment!!

 

 

S40-S44 Regular Season: 360 GP | 229 G | 316 A | 545 P | +221 | 44 GW

S40-S44 Playoffs: 56 GP | 25 G | 33 A | 58 P | +2 | 6 GW

 

Continental Cup (League Champion) - S42

Terence Fong Trophy (EU Conference Champion) - S42, S43, S44

Scotty Campbell Trophy (League MVP) - S44

Brett Slobodzian Trophy (Most Outstanding) - S43, S44

Mike Szatkowski Trophy (Points Leader) - S43, S44

Kevin Brooks Trophy (Goals Leader) - S43, S44

Alexander Beketov Trophy (Assists Leader) - S44

 

 

 

*credit to Beketov for the banner creation*

[OrbitingDeath 2,937]

Honored to finally see his number being retired, thanks a lot Chris, I really wasn't expecting this anymore