Fight in the VHLE

[Grosgars 44]

Let's bring this  series back. Where I take some teams that are close in the standings trying to analyze their players and games to figure out what team is going to end up on top. 

 

Looking in the VHLE this time we have 3 separate fights and Geneva, in their defense the Rush did sell their best players for picks. 

 

The first fight that we are looking at is at the top of the standings where The Istanbul Red Wolves and The Bratislava Watchmen, they have only one point separated them. The Red Wolves are in a 4 games win streak lets see if the streak continues facing Cologne and Geneva in their next games. The first stats that catch my eye is the +/- where only 3 players have a +/- over 10 compared to Bratislava where all the players are positive +/- and only one player is below ten. Just that tells that The Watchmen have a more rounded team. 

 

The Red Wolves are still one if not the best defensive team in the league. With both goaltender The Red Menace and Kloxified, who are winning most of their respective games and have a .930SV% (for The Red Menace) and .928 (for Kloxified). With their fourth defenseman being really good on both sides of the ice, a huge portion of the points are produced by the defenseman. And their first line, who I will call the S77 first line, because they are all in the S77 draft class, are over a point per game. Most of the points produced by the Red Wolves are from these seventh players. Hulk Hogan 2 is leading the charge on both sides of the ice with 50 points and 92 shots blocked in 40 games. 

 

Now It’s Bratislava turn, Cadmael Ixazaluoh is leading the charge for them having a fantastic year with 57 points and 101 shots blocked in 40 games. Bratislava have 2 lines who are producing points for them with John Baard, Nils Godlander and Jlloyoid Blloyoiderson having more than 50 points each. Don’t forget about that second line who can also produce with William Groves who continues playing like he played with Ottawa in the playoffs last year. They have two great goalies who are giving them a chance to win every game. 

 

I think this fight is the closest one Bratislava has to a more productive team, but Istanbul is the more defensive. This fight will be close until the end of the season and I think Bratislava will end up on top. 

 

The second fight that I am analyzing is between three teams Cologne, Stockholm and Rome, only fourth points separating those teams. 

 

Starting with The Cologne Express, they have great players and they have  recently upgraded their team with trading for Sergey Preobrazhensky who is at exactly 1 points per game this season, interesting stats he didn’t take one penalty in his 16 games with Cologne. They have 4 players in the top ten in +/- and one of the most productive players in the league is Karjalainen. They are an offensive minded team with all their having more than 20 points. Cologne's first line is one of the best scoring lines in the league with all of them in the top 10 in points. With Meridius, Preobrazhensky and Mats Zuccarello on the second line, who can produce if their first line is lacking seeing a game or two. Defensively they are not to sleep on, with heavy hitters Ranogajec who have 165 hits and 57 points in 40 games. Don’t forget about their other defenseman Pete and Trenton are also a point per game with 90 shots blocked or more each. In net Protagonist is doing a great job stopping most of the puck directed at him. 

 

Now the The Stockholm Vikings, they have a nice roster with players like Matt Avens playing very well with 55 points in 40 games. They have 2 lines and 3 defenseman who produce points on a regular basis. With them upgrading the team even more, adding Colors, Nezuko and Sanderson to the team will give them more depth in the long run. Their goalie situation is okay but not good compared to other teams. 

 

The last team in this battle is the Rome Gladiators. The team is producing quite well with 11 players being around 1 point per game, but only 5 players have a decent +/- that means that only their first line and first pairing score more than they let in a goal and every other line or pair let the same amount in that they score. Surprisingly they didn't score a ton of goals. They score a lot of goals, will the team adjust to their first line power house? That’s a question only time will tell. Their goalie situation is not good, not bad they pick up a goalie from Geneva that’s better than a bot I guess. 

 

In this battle who is really close and weird I’m inclined to say that Cologne will end up on top, but that fight will be close until the end of the regular season for sure. The middle team is going to be Rome Gladiators and the last one is The Stockholm Vikings. 

 

That’s 2 big fights for first place in the standings and the other one for a playoff spot. I don’t think the three other teams have a chance against them but who knows. 

 

It’s kinda a long shot but I think Oslo can maybe pass Vasteras in the standings in a bit, here why. 

 

Vastera had a great start of the season but are now slowing down. They have Braxton Hunter and Hendrix Cobberson who are the heart of the offense and the majority of the points come from the defenseman. They have 5 players with a +/- positive and the 5 other players having around -16. They have a line and a pair that are playing okay and the other line are not doing great. With Thadhg Byrne in net who have started all the games so far. 

 

Oslo Storm now they started not that strong but with the recent trade that brought Yun Chiang in Oslo it changed the face of the franchise. The team is playing better now they found their identity. 

 

Alone at the bottom of the standings is the Geneva Rush who have really decided to tank and are trying to build for the future. 

 

1070 words 

 

[nurx 914]

41 minutes ago, Grosgars said:

Oslo Storm now they started not that strong but with the recent trade that brought Yun Chiang in Oslo it changed the face of the franchise. The team is playing better now they found their identity. 

I am the storm!!!

[Tomat0 50]

REVIEW

 

As somebody that doesn't follow the league that closely on a day by day basis I always appreciate these kinds of recaps! You've done a good job to explain how and why these teams are close together in the standings. It was concise and understandable, though could probably use some more formatting! Overall good work.

 

7.5/10

[Grosgars 44]

Claiming week 2