A RETROspective: Who was who in the S62 Wranglers?

[Daniel Janser 1,983]

 

 

Dear VHLers,

 

You probably ask yourself: 'What does he mean with that title? We can look up the HOF and check on the S62 cup winning Wranglers team and see for ourselves.'

 

This is undeniable true, but please humour me on this one. I will attempt a completely subjective comparison on the roles/impact the S87 cup winners had and what their equivalent was in the S62 Wranglers. To that purpose I will only look at the playoff performance, as this is when champions are being made. This is also why Karl Pedersen @JeffD is only a honobra mention in this article, as CGY S62 did not have a human backup goalie (but then again Pedersen is a superhuman backup...). Sorry, bro. I still appreciate your contribution to our title, despite not being able to find your S62 'soulmate'.

 

Let's start with Lindbergh @Doomsday the S87 Daisouke Kanou winner. The easy choice would be to say, that it is of course HOF netminder Norris Stopko @Bushito (who won the Kanou in S63). Alas a case can be made that Keaton Louth @Beaviss as the S62 Playoff-MVP is the equivalent to Lindy. But I will stick with the low-hanging fruit with Stopko and look forward for you banging on me for going for the easy kill.

 

Next up, Phil Strasmore @Phil. I will go with HOFer Mats Johnsson @Quik. Both players showed grit as well as a scoring touch in the post season and are valued for their leadership skills.

 

Lloyd Braun's @Toast equivalent would be Cayden Saint @Symmetrik, both being low scoring rookie defenders.

 

AirRig GoodBrandSun @Rhynex Entertainment is paired with Jesper Stromberg @Tim. Both being the second highest scoring defender. Although this is where the similarities end, as Stromberg has retired with a mere 199 TPE to his name. A fate that we confidently deny for AG.

 

Marcel Janser @Morcar80 by the rule of exclusion would be Peter Quill @OrbitingDeath . Both are low scoring defenders, both with very good +/- rating going for them. And both would not dress for Calgary after their respective cup win. Quill retired at the pinnacle of his career, Marcel moved on to Helsinki (Vancouver/London).

 

Landon Wolanin @jacobcarson877 as the playoff top-scorer is matched up with Keaton Louth. Both exceptional scorer (Wolanin with a bit more balanced g/a ration), both leaders on and off the ice.

 

Leandro Gonçalves @leandrofg is matched with Niko Bodganovic @TurnDaddy. Both forwards provided crucial secondary scoring outside of the first line, and hence contributed heavily to the respective cup win.

 

Sax Justice @Eso, the reliable grinder in the second formation finds his opposite number in Evan R. Lawson @diamond_ace. Both rather on the light side in the goal scoring department but reliable, steady energy player who know how to shut down the opposition.

 

Larry Abbas Jr. @RileyL is reflected in Oyorra Arroyo @omgitshim. This may appear far fetched, as the latter is a HOF player and Abbas has still some ways to go to reach that level. But both were winger in the top formation and that is reason enough for me.

 

Vincent Laroche-Gagnier @vincentlg2007 is the S87 equivalent of Johannes Vihjalmsson, both adding some level of scoring to the squad. Vince was in his rookie season and the Iceland native was in his sophomore year.Alas, VLG has already double the TPE that Vihjalmsson retired with.

 

Daniel Janser is then by exclusion the equivalent of Jasper Canmore @Bushito. Both leading the first line and providing a one-two punch with their respective wingers. Canmore is a hall of famer and Janser is 50 career points short in overtaking Jasper in the Calgary all time scoring list.

 

So this is my absolutely biased RETROspective. I matched up as good as I could based on the stats only, as I was not nowhere near the VHL in S62. If veteran members have different opinions, I am open for input and would genuinely love to hear different point of views (affirmative action is of course equally welcome).

 

Live long and prosper

 

 

Edited April 25, 2023 by Daniel Janser

[diamond_ace 3,106]

Yes, but is Sax Justice CFO of Hank Med?