MVP Favorites

[scoop 3,382]

With the huge shift in attributes around the league, predicting this season is a bit unlike others in the past. One might think that people expect this to be a year that a defenseman or goalie might take home an award like Most Valuable Player, something which forwards win at a large margin (I'm not going to do the calculations for a VHL.com article, I've done enough research already). Alas, the favorites this season are forwards as usual. Polling 62 VHL experts (ie the 62 prediction sets that have been submitted at the time of my research), the favorites to win the Scotty Campbell Trophy are Reynlynn Reinhart and Saku Kotkakoivu. Third in the rankings was Duncan Idaho.

 

Reinhart is an understandable pick. She has the highest scoring rating in the league, and plays for a very good team in the Prague Phantoms. She took a huge leap in her goal scoring last season, having a career high of 27 during her five seasons with Davos before scoring 56 with the Wranglers. Back in Europe, she will be one of Prague's primary scorers, so she will likely find herself near the top in goals scored once again.

 

 

Kotkakoivu is a bit of an odd pick, but I understand it. While he could very easily lead the league in goals, and be far and away the best player on his team, I don't think the voters will respect a player who plays for a team as bad as the Calgary Wranglers, even though they'll probably make the playoffs. Their post-season presence will be just a formality, however, as the North American Conference has three teams that don't suck, and Calgary is not one of them. Kotkakoivu could very well have a high-scoring season, but I see him as more of a Most Outstanding candidate.

 

Idaho is one of the best players on arguably the best team in the league. He is a former MVP, and his two-way play could see him take home the award once again when the scoring around the league drops a bit. Having personally predicted him to win the award, I believe Idaho is a standout forward on his team, and even if Hard Markinson on defense could arguably be the better player, I see Idaho carrying the offense and garnering the praise.

 

Here are the tallies of the MVP predictions, out of 62 total

 

Saku Kotkakoivu	14	22.6%
Reylynn Reinhart	14	22.6%
Duncan Idaho	10	16.1%
Xavier Booberry	6	9.7%
Taylor Mourning	4	6.5%
Jonathan Ori	3	4.8%
Alex Johnston	2	3.2%
Em Em Flex	2	3.2%
Vinny Detroit	2	3.2%
Hari Singh Nalwa	1	1.6%
Jerome Reinhart	1	1.6%
Baby Bob	1	1.6%
AJ Williams	1	1.6%
Hard Markinson	1	1.6%

 

 

[Shindigs 1,771]

scoop for MVP tbh, just do the stuff and the things.

[CowboyinAmerica 2,840]

Huh, interesting that I got a few. I could see being an underdog pick if goalies come up huge this season but I think Papa Emeritus would be just as likely as me in that case. (I voted Idaho fwiw, but think everything's up in the air.)