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Helsinki Titans

Victor

By Victor
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Victor

Victor 10,550

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The Helsinki Titans, one of the most storied teams in VHL history, has certainly had it's fair share of star power pass through its rosters. Being able to include just three forwards, two defenseman, and a single goalie certainly forced us to make some tough decisions as we reflected upon the 40 seasons of history that our mighty team carries with it. We are confidant that we have put together a roster composed of what are, truly, the best-of-the-best players to ever wear a Titans jersey. Although many of these players are long gone from Helsinki, some more recently, they will always be Titans. 

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Brody Hodgson:
Brody Hodgson, or BroHo as his teammates knew him, won't go down in history as the flashiest player in VHL history and he won't make the Hall of Fame, but he brought so much to the Helsinki Titans during his seven season career. He embodied the true spirit of the Titan, he was patient, committed and loyal. He holds the record for most games player in Helsinki Titans history with 504 and was with the Titans through the toughest of times into some of the greatest seasons Helsinki has ever had. He stuck with the team through a GM change and a complete rebuild, he was a constant for the Titans as they drafted the next generation. Hodgson was a warrior and wanted to help shape the future of the Titans as a veteran leader. He accepted any role the team had for him and sacrificed recognition for the betterment of the team. Playing second fiddle to Ethan Osborne as the second line center role, Hodgson found a niche that he was comfortable playing and that allowed him to thrive as a member and team mate in the locker room.
 
Hodgson is truly one of the most underrated players in league history. Through his seven seasons in teal he put up 600 points, which puts him third all time in Titans history. He also contributed 751 hits making him a solid two-way center presence for the Titans every night. Of course he was also part of the S34 Titans Continental Cup winning team. Not many people will recognize Hodgson as one of the best players in Titans history, but he truly is one of the greatest teammates in both statistics and character. A true Titan who bled teal.
 
Ethan Osborne:
If you ask anyone whom he or she associates with the Helsinki Titans in the past decade, there is a good chance they will answer with Ethan Osborne. A star player right from the get go, Osborne, a S30 player, was a constant fixture for the Titans organization up until his departure from the Titans at the conclusion of S36. He served as captain for the entirety of his tenure with Helsinki, during which time he was awarded the Grimm Jonsson Trophy (formerly the Messier Trophy) four times.
 
Of course, Osborne was not just a leader in the emotional sense, but also leader in a statistical sense. Throughout his 432 games played as a Titan, Osborne amassed 268 goals and 384 assists, which makes him the all-time point scorer for Helsinki with a total of 652. It is for this unique combination of immense skill, unrivalled leadership, and ever-lasting dedication that we proudly add Ethan Osborne to our all-time best franchise roster, as one of the best players to ever wear teal. 
 
Daric Radmonovic:
When asked about the best Titans players of all time, Ethan Osborne, Michael Angelo, and Tuomas Tukio are three names that are sure to come up. However, there is something to be said for winger Daric Radmonovic, the third overall pick in the S3 VHL Draft, who played all six seasons of his career with the Titans. Radmonovic finished his career with an impressive total of 292 goals, 351 assists, and 643 points in 432 games - a point total that, until Ethan Osborne’s impressive career, would not be matched by any Helsinki player; while his goal-scoring performance would remain untouched to this day as the Titans’ career scoring record.

While Radmonovic’s statistics clearly place him in position as one of the franchise’s best, he finished his career with no individual accolades save for his four all-star game appearances. Nonetheless, he still managed to achieve success with the teams that he played for. Radmonovic was able to reach the finals with the Titans in Seasons 3, 5, and 6, and as the team’s GM from Seasons 4-8, he led Helsinki to a cup in Season 6. Having represented both Scandinavia and his home country of Russia on the international scale, he was able to win a World Cup silver medal as a member of team Scandinavia in Season 4. With his impressive scoring record, consistent statistical display, and leadership, it is easy to see why Daric Radmonovic is one of the Helsinki Titans’ best ever players. 
 

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Matt Bailey:
The second defenseman to be selected for our all-time roster is an interesting one. The monstrous 6'5" Matt Bailey actually played his first four seasons in the league as a right-winger, before volunteering to become a full-time defenseman in order to fill a hole in the Titans roster. The move made sense because, as a winger, Bailey was always one of the best two-way forwards in the league - this allowed him to adapt to his new position quite effectively. 
 
Although he was certainly a physical player, amassing over 1500 hits throughout his career, Bailey's offensive game was spectacular as well; even after his switch to the blue line. As a forward, Matt racked up 366 points. On the other hand, as a defenseman, he totalled 376 - a combined total of 742 points through his eight season career. For his impressive skill on both offense and defense, as well as the sacrifice he made for the betterment of his team, we're thrilled to include Matt Bailey as part of our all-time franchise roster. 
 
Michael Angelo:
What are championship teams defined by? Defense. Not that flashy defenseman that skates circles around everyone and scores but always gets caught out of position, but the one that has the ability to do exactly that while holding up a mean streak. We're talking about one of the best defenseman in the history of the historic franchise the Helsinki Titans. None other than Michael Angelo from the United States of America.
 
Michael Angelo suited up in a Helsinki Titans jersey an amazing 432 games, that's the 6th most games played by anyone ever in a Titan's jersey. Angelo won a cup in S22 with the club when they clinched the best record of every team and won the Presidents Trophy. Angelo wasn't the biggest goal scorer with only 75 goals but that's understandable considering he was a defenseman, but what was amazing about Angelo was the way he controlled the game with his on-ice vision and racked up 394 assists in his Titans' career and was the only one to get close to 400 and leads the assists franchise record to this day. Michael ended up 7th in Points with 469, not too shabby if you look at how he controlled the game physically finishing Top 5 in hits in franchise history with 875 of them. Michael also leads the team alone in shots blocked over his career. 
 
You could see how Michael was an important part to the Titans' S22 Championship run as he was a pure menance for the opponents night in and night out. The guy could do everything but score goals, but I'm sure if he wanted to, he could accomplish that as well. A truly historic piece of the Titan's even almost 20 seasons from when he announced to come to the VHL and we're still talking about him. There's a reason his jersey still hangs in the Helsinki rafters.


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Tuomas Tukio:
When you think of the all the great goaltenders throughout Helsinki Titans history, one name stands out as the best to ever put on the Titans jersey. Tuomas Tukio, who played for the Titans from S31-S38 is known as the greatest Helsinki goalie of all time. His pictures are hanging throughout Hartwall Arena and in every one of them he’s making a ridiculous save. The pride Tukio felt as a Finnish net minder playing for his home country was evident every time he took the ice. Tukio was truly a special talent, the likes of which the Titans may never see again.
 
He holds the record for most Wins in Titans history with 266 and is #1 in shutouts with 36. His career goals against average is unreal at 2.08 in 406 games played and his save percentage is one o f the highest in team history at an incredible .922%. To think that Tukio saved 92% of the shots he faces in his long Titans career really puts things in perspective. His ability to steal games was also remarkable and the Titans knew they could always count on him in pressure situations. His poise and calmness in the net was also one of his strengths as he never seem to get rattled even in the biggest games of his career. Tukio’s numbers speak for themselves, but it was the intangibles that really separate him from the rest of the Titans net minders. Without question Tukio is the greatest Titans goalie of all time.

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Don Draper:
We start off our look at the current system with our team captain. It seems like every great dynasty needs their first-gen anchor. For the current generation Helsinki Titans it is Don Draper. While he was the second Titan selected in his draft behind former Titan captain Svoboda, Draper has proven to be their guy. Draper is the guy they depend on not only to be the hardest worker on and off the ice, but to be the ambassador to the rest of the league. It was mentioned that Osborne was one of the most memorable captains in VHL history, but it will only be a matter of time when Draper’s name is at that same level. His productivity on the ice has been hit and miss - some nights he is on fire, while other nights he plays a quiet defensive role. Don’t let those numbers fool you, this is going to be a generational player.

Willem Janssen:
Janssen has been one of the feel good stories of the year. He had a monster year last year with Vasteras, and for years was the face of their franchise after being selected high in the draft. It was clear that the Titans were targeting Janssen early on in the off-season and pulled the trigger on a deal to bring him to Helsinki. Some said they overpaid - well, the Titans sit on top of the league currently, and no one is talking about that overpayment anymore. Janssen brings a wealth of knowledge and a great amount of playmaking talent that the Titans will be using for the next two seasons. Willem has proven to be a very exciting and productive hockey player, but he has the drive for more - he wants to prove he can win a cup.

Damon Tyrael:
During the off-season many people were wondering when Tyrael would be moved. He declared his retirement in Seattle, and as they were under a rebuild, many people knew that he would probably be moved to another team. Tyrael was then sent to Helsinki late in the off-season, and hasn’t shown signs of slowing down. His development in Riga and then in Seattle was accelerated, and even in his young career he has accomplished a lot and proven to be a great leader. Damon has taken young center, Tyson Stokes under his wing, as he has shown him what it takes to be an elite scorer. That scoring touch is what helsinki was lacking last year, and this year they got it with Tyrael. He leads the team in scoring, and most of them have made it onto the highlight reel.

James Faraday:
There were tempered expectations when Helsinki called out Faraday’s name at the S39 Draft first overall. While many have said his potential is endless, the Titans knew this would be a slow developing prospect. Faraday spent an extra season in the minors, but made his VHL debut this season. He doesn’t project to be a sure-fire elite player in the VHL, but he has one of the best shots in the league as a rookie. Faraday has made his impact on the locker room as a likable individual - however, he has big shoes to fill being represented by the same player agent as Tuomas Tukio. The ties in Helsinki history are there, for Faraday he looks to make his own history.

Jackson Miller:
The Helsinki fans love this guy. He’s known as Mr. Clutch around Finland as he has a ridiculous shooting percentage, a team leading game winning goals number, and a knack for being in the right place at the right time. People have been waiting to see how this player performs in the playoffs. While he was drafted as a safe two-way player, he has blossomed into a fan favorite, team leader, and one of the league's most dangerous snipers. His role will be a lot larger once Tyrael and Janssen leave, one thing is for sure this kid will be going in guns a blazin’.

Tyson Stokes:
When Tyson Stokes’ name was called out in the S39 Draft Titan fans knew they were getting a great prospect. While many thought he would explode out of the gates, Stokes has been a rather quiet player. He is poised to be a playmaking center with great puck possession skilled, and has definitely filled that role. Many more people had hoped this would be the face of the franchise and would blossom into the first line center the Titans desperately need for the future. Stokes could very well progress into that but he has a lot of work to do. He is praised by his teammates as being able to perfectly find the seams to pass the puck for tap-in plays. He rarely finds the back of the net himself but usually provides his teammates with at least three or four great scoring chances per game.

Christopher Raymond:
The Titans were more than excited to sign this player long term, as this has been a heart and soul kind of player. Raymond is a defensively responsible forward who is a deceptive forechecker. He’s a guy that goes all out every game and is proud to put on the jersey every night. While Raymond’s true potential is still unknown, it seems to be growing each day as he finds his niche in this league.

Kimmo Salo:
Salo is as enigmatic as any goalie in the history of the league. He broke into this league as a loud-mouth goalie who loved to get under the skin of his opponent. With age, Salo has found a way to control his temper and actually produce top end results which has hinted that he could one day be the elite goalie the Titans need him to be. Salo had posted 9 shutouts in 37 games started, and has been an absolute rock for them this year. There are nights where Titan fans are petrified to watch this positionally sounds goalie, but then other nights come around and you just watch in awe as he steals games.

Vojczek Svoboda:
The former Helsinki captain decided to call it quits early on this season. Due to personal reasons he cut his career short - a career that most people thought would be legendary. It was a big blow to the management staff who selected Svoboda first overall in hopes to be their go-to guy for the future. It didn’t take long for them to realize his leadership quality, and give him the reins to lead this team. Unfortunately the future is impossible to predict, and the Titans watched helplessly as Svoboda claimed S40 would be his last.

Jake Wylde:
Wylde may be the best player no one is talking about, and I mean no one. He was inherited to the Titans via the GM rule. His Player Agent is the GM of the Titans and former Player Agent of Titans Captain Ethan Osborne. Wylde has made his mark as a hard hitting offensive forward, but has always been in the shadow of Svoboda and Draper. Wylde looks to make that leap forward when Svoboda retires and line up with Draper on the first line. Wylde is a quiet player, but is fully committed to this franchise and will do whatever it takes for the team to have success.

King Czar III:
This player was a hidden gem in the S40 draft. He became the first ever player to enter the VHL in his first season after being drafted in the third round. On top of that he scored a goal in his very first VHL game. Czar has been labelled as a defensive defenseman that holds the other team accountable and lays gigantic bodychecks. He is an enforcer by trade, but he seems to have grown into so much more. It is early but Czar is reminding management of the same type of player that enriched the franchise a generation before in Brody Hodgson. While they share very few hockey skill characteristics, they way they were overlooked as prospects to only turn it on in a Titans uniform is rather uncanny.

Oscars Harumpf:
The Titans have been impressed with this young center since the moment they first laid eyes on him. They were so impressed that they decided to trade down in the draft passing off on elite prospects Zoidberg and Poole in order to get Harumpf. Coincidentally enough Harumpf and Zoidberg have proven to found some serious chemistry. Harumpf has already found himself with 97 points halfway through his VHLM season. He has shown flashes of being an elite passer, who Titan fans have been drooling over thinking of him and Faraday playing together. Harumpf came to Helsinki Training Camp and impressed although many knew he would be spending another season in the minors. His development is right on track for him to enter the VHL next year - he’s another exciting player to add to the mix.

Jarome Iginla:
Iginla was drafted the same year the Titans drafted Faraday, Miller, Stokes, and Erikson - naturally he was overlooked. Two years later people are starting to talk big things about this player. He was a late bloomer, but his development has actually been more impressive since the draft. It was as if seeing his name on the draft board ignited the fire he needed to elevate his game. Today he is the talk of many arm-chair Titan GM’s. Heck, even the real Titans GM has warned the league about this player. He was a gamble at 15th overall who really ended up paying off. After one very strong VHLM season he garnered strong interest from around the league. The Titans believe they have a very special player here and decided to elect to keep this promising prospect rather than moving him. Many have said Iginla actually won his spot over Andrew Erikson last year, as Erikson was sent to Calgary for a pick in the off-season.

Ryan Cattrall:
The S40 draft might go down in history as one of the most unique drafts. While the draft was deep, it seems like the picks through all five rounds were hit or miss. At 15th overall Helsinki definitely hit with Ryan Cattrall. While his development was slow leading into the draft, some scouts had him as high as the first round. The Titans were salivating at the opportunity to add this player to their system. Cattrall has noted that he is unhappy with his performance this season - even being quoted as saying he was frustrated. His expectations are high and that is what the Titans love about him. This is a guy who is fully focused on making the VHL next year. The Titans are going to be a highly competitive team, but the passion that cattrall has to wear the teal is real, and could earn him the job come next season.
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Devise

Devise 4,475

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All-time greats in the making never.

 

Is BroHo seriously an all-time winger?  Fuck has Helsinki been bad!

 

It's a tough one for sure. Helsinki is a good team, but so many of their Cup runs were with players who only played on their team for 2-3 seasons. Hodgson is top 5 in most of the Helsinki all time categories, and is the current leader for all time games. I mean it's hard not to argue with those numbers. He wasn't bad by any means either.

 

Really the only other player you could consider instead of him is Koradek, and only because he spent nearly 3 seasons with the team, helped them win a Cup and is a current HoF player. 

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Higgins

Higgins 3,617

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Translation: BroHo spent seasons on Helsinki through really bad times and stuck with the team his whole career with a good attitude.

You should be able to figure out the rest of what I said now.

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