VSN Presents: S91 Review & Predictions WK 1

[Gaikoku-hito 2,087]

@leandrofg

 

Here we go again as the Season 91 is into it first full week of meaningful games and teams try to see if all the changes made during the off season will amount to anything meaningful this season but I hear most saying that is still very early. Well; some team hope that is the case as some have started very slowly and some have simply had shockers. So without much more waffling about let’s get into reviewing the first week of the season.

 

North American Conference

 

 

1.    

Record:       8 – 0 – 2         18pts

Being led by Scotty Sundin @fromtheinside with 9 goals and 13 assist for 22pts and rookie Ryan Artyomov @Enorama in net. It has been a prefect start to the season for the Phoenix but is this really what they want when they are still in a rebuilding situation? Ranked 7th in the conference in the VSN Presents: S91 VHL Season Preview seeing the team undefeated to date in the season is a bit surprising; but when you consider two top teams have struggle so far this season means someone has been taking an advantage of the situation. Well; enter Chicago as they have beat the struggling Legion twice this season.

 

Prediction:          2nd North American Conference       

Expect this team to drop at least one spot next week as they are currently too far ahead of 3rd place Seattle Bears and 4th place D.C. Dragons. It will be interesting to see if this hot start can be maintained and might led the team in making a surprise play-off appearance.

 

 

 

2.    

Record:      8 – 2 – 0           16pts

Great goaltending from Art Vandelay @Gustav and great offense as Todd Cooke @KRZY (proving it was not flash in the pants last season) has the Los Angeles Stars heading toward being the best team in the conference. They could also be the best team in the league at the moment with the best offensive number and defensive numbers; I cannot see that changing any time soon.

 

Prediction:       1st North American Conference       

As Chicago Phoenix fall back slightly this week; the Stars should benefit. Add in a games head-to-head against the Phoenix and it is just a matter of time before they claim the top spot in the conference. But they do have a tough schedule that might keep them in 2nd for another week as Prague, Malmo, Toronto and Chicago should give them some stiff challenge this week.

 

 

 

3.    

Record:      6 – 4 – 0          12pts

Seattle is playing tough close hockey with 2.90 GF and 2.70 GA as Clueless Wallob @DMaximus is keeping the Bears in a lot of games. Amazing start to the season for Rex Wolffe Gregor @oilmandan as he leads the team in goals, assist and points combined with Rookie Simons Worst Nightmare @zepheter leading the league in SB with 51. 

 

Prediction:       4th North American Conference      

Expected to play around five hundred hockey most of the season and hang around in the wildcard area most of the season. They should drop back as D.C. Dragons find a bit more consistency. A head-to-head game later in the week should determine final placement between the two teams.

 

 

 

4.    

Record:      5 – 4 - 1          11pts

While adding The Frenchman @OrbitingDeath has added a bit more offensive flare for the dragons this season; the team has been a bit inconsistent losing games to Calgary, Seattle and splitting games with Chicago. Depth has been an issue as well as bit of questionable goaltending; which has led to the bit of inconsistency. As Geoff Bezos @Quik improves his consistency so should the Dragons.

 

Prediction:        3rd North American Conference       

Easy schedule to start the week with Vancouver, Malmo before the schedule toughen with a lot of conference games. They have a chance to really carve a place in the standing with wins in Conference otherwise they might find themselves heading the other direction in the standings soon than later.

 

 

 

5.    

Record:      4 – 6 – 0         8pts

Rebuilding team with a losing record but hanging around where I actually have them placed. The team is being carried by three remaining players in FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY Analfist @STZ, Liv Slater @Subject056 and Brandt Fuhr  @Tate with the later providing serviceable goaltending in his final season. New additions Adison Bond @adison and Justin Adolfsen @NJDevils24 have provided consistency on the offense for a team that really should drop lower in the standings.

 

Prediction:       6th North American Conference        

Hard to see Calgary catching them by the end of the week or them being passed by New York so it feels like they are right around where they should be but Toronto should start playing better and over take the Wolves at some point this week.

 

 

 

6.    

Record: 3 – 7 – 1         7pts

It is amazing that a team has no goaltender, and has one of the worst goals against in the league. But somehow is still above two other teams in the standing after the first week of the season. All wins coming from teams expected to be fighting them for last except a surprise win over the struggling Legion. Bright spot is the youth being served by Jasper Davis @Josh, Francesco Mancini @GioSivo and Tord Yvel @Trazan

 

Prediction:       7th North American Conference      

Hard not to have New York last in the conference but with all the question marks around Calgary at the moment leads to me thinking that New York should stay ahead of Calgary at least for another week.

 

 

 

7.    

Record:      3 – 7 – 0         6pts

Have lost two back-up games otherwise could have been higher up the standings with at least a five hundred record but instead we are talking about a team that was viewed as one of the favorites for the Victory Cup being 7th in the conference and 13th in the league? Promising signs in the play of Mac Atlas @v.2 and Jimi Jaks @ke1vi but they need more from veterans Tomas Sogaard @Brandon and Jimmy MacElroy @Xflexz. Not letting Joel Castle @animal74 off the hook either as .917% simply isn`t good enough.

 

Prediction:        5th North American Conference       

Easier schedule as struggle Wranglers come to town for two games to start the week add in games against Vancouver, and New York before becoming tougher with Prague, Los Angeles and Malmo with two huge games against D.C. to finish the week. If they manage five hundred hockey they should climb back up to at least 5th in the conference; maybe even as high as 4th depending on head-to-heads against D.C.

 

 

 

8.    

Record:      1 – 7 – 2         4pts

They cannot score and they cannot keep the puck out of the net. Surprising placement for a team that looked much better on paper than they have currently shown during the first ten games of the season. Bright spots for the team is the offensive play of defensive defenseman Malum Maellard @frescoelmo as they sit second on the team in points with 10pts (all assist) only two point back of leading Oreo McFleury @JB123; who has 12pts.

 

Prediction:        8th North American Conference       

While I don`t think they are the worst team in the Conference looking at the lack of production from Randy Bobandy @AJW; a pass first defensive minded forward and Sadie St-Louis @sadie, two-way forward that leans toward defensive responsibility means it might have been unfair to expect an offensive flare from a team that is heavily defensive minded. Making it even more surprising that they cannot also keep the puck out of the net as they have received subpar goaltending so far from Merome Dilson @MexicanCow123 or is that a bit unfair? Either way they might end up holding the bottom of the conference for a while if they cannot figure out a way to score.

 

 

 

 

European Conference

 

 

 

1.    

Record:     8 – 2 – 0         16pts

Defending Champions had very little turn over last season and key members returning like John Jameson @Frank, who simply put has been dominate for Prague with 12 goals (2nd), 12 assists for 24 pts (1st). Prague was one of the best teams offensively in the first week of the season but not everything is coming up rosy as Prague needs to find some secondary scoring as Nikolas Kauppi @Tetricide is 10pts behind Jameson with 14pts.  Matt Murdock @Acydburn will look to improve his save percentage as 0.915 is rather pedestrian with a 3.09 GA; if Prague is going to contend for the Victory Cup and defend the Continental Cup.

 

Prediction:       2nd European Conference      

It is a bit of a mix bag schedule for Prague with a possible big game against Riga, London, Toronto and Los Angeles. While they should win the majority of the games; it will really come down to the game against teams they are currently tied with in Riga and London to determine final standings.

 

 

 

2.    

Record:     8 – 3 – 0         16pts

Landon Wolanin @jacobcarson877 is looking to keep is goal per game pace through the season as he leads Titans offense with 11 goals (3rd) with 20pts added by the Daryl Dixon @Ricer13 13 assists for 19pts  and new defender Pierre Emile Bouchard @Gaikoku-hito 14 assist and 16 pts. But the star for the team so far has been Fuukka Rask @Jubis with his 2.43 GA and 0.930 Sav%. How long can Helsinki keep pace with the top team in the conference?

 

Prediction:        4th European Conference      

Tough schedule against some of the stronger team in the league and it will be a make-or-break week in the standings for the Titians as they start with a game against London, Riga and three games against HC Davos before finishing the week softer with games against New York and Moscow. If they come out playing better than five hundred hockey than they could be higher in the standings.

 

 

 

3.    

Record:      8 – 3 – 0         16pts

Riga project is working with seven forwards and five defenders everything seems to be heading in the right direction with Sock Monkey @chikn leading the team in goals (8), AK92 Wit da Hoodie @hedgehog337 leading in assist (15) and points (22). Not to be over-shadowed Babay Shrimp @Blazzer is also in the league top 10 in scoring (20pts) and top three in the league in assist with 14. Add great goaltending from Henry Tucker Jr @NSG with 2.69 GA and 0.927 sav% and everything is coming up Riga at the moment.

 

Prediction:         3rd European Conference      

Bit of a mixed bag of schedule will see Riga play a majority of the team in the conference with Malmo, Prague (2), London, Helsinki, and HC Davos. I think they have a slightly easier schedule compared to Helsinki so I am giving them the edge as I think they should play around five hundred hockey as they continue to punch above their weight early in the season.

 

 

 

4.    

Record:     7 – 2 – 2         16pts

Expected to be a top team in the league and the conference; so it was a bit surprise that they finished the first week in 4th in the conference standings. Yeah, okay they are really tied for first. Scoring is a bit of a concern at the moment with 11th best offense in the league lead by Molly the Cat @JCarson (7G – 9A – 16pts) and new comer Wann Kerr @VattghernCZ (7G – 8A – 15pts) while Leonard Triller @Triller leads in assist with 11 for 13pts. But none of that matters when you have the best defense in the league and best goaltender Jesse Teno @aimkin sporting a 1.98 GA with 0.943 sav%. This team is going to be tough to beat even with the current scoring woes.

 

Prediction:       1st European Conference     

Easier schedule towards the back-end of the week but I still see this team winning more games than losing so expecting better than five hundred hockey from this team. Should continue to be either 1st or 2nd in the Conference.

 

 

 

5.    

Record:     6 – 4 – 0         12pts

David is doing as David does scoring by committee with six of the ten players over a point per game with Alfred Champagne @Anthique leading the way in goals (9) and points (18). While David Jokinen @Ahma leads the team in assist with 16 for 16 pts. Biggest concern for the team at the moment will be the play of Lachlan Summers @kirbithan as he has been rather average with 3.15 GA and 0.913 sav%. He will need to be better if HC Davos is going to stay with the top teams in the conference this season.

 

Prediction:      5th European Conference      

HC Davos has beaten the team that they are supposed to beat but lose to every team that is close to the same caliber; which is a rather concerning trend in the first ten games. If this continues than expect them to beat up on Warsaw and New York but lose to Helsinki and London this week. Their standings ultimately will be determined by the head-to-head against Helsinki as they play three times; which might be enough for them to leapfrog Helsinki for 4th in the conference standing by the end of the week or not.

 

 

 

6.    

Record:     4 – 5 – 1         9pts

Henry Eagles @Greg_Di is back!! Having struggled last season adjusting to a new team, he now is back amongst the leader in the league with 19pts being aided by newly signed Yaroslav Bogatyrev @Bojovnik (7g – 8a – 15pts) and acquired Skor McFleury @Alex (3g – 13a – 16pts) but the biggest issue still seems to remain in the form of inconsistent goaltending from Ash Sparks @DarkSpyro with an ugly 4.08 GA and 0.892 sav%. Considering they have the best defense on paper you would think these numbers would be better.

 

Prediction:       6th European Conference      

They continue to consistent at win one game and lose one game so I don`t think they will buck this trend any time soon so while they stay playing five hundred hockey, they won`t be able to keep pace with majority of the team a head of them. They will hope that Riga or HC Davos fall back to them or they could be looking at another long season ahead after only two weeks.

 

 

 

7.    

Record:      2 – 8 – 0         4pts

Young team that is still clearly in the rebuild stage but promising signs as young Maxim Anisimov @McLovin (5g – 6a – 11pts) leads the team along with King Kisslinger @Kisslinger (4g – 5a – 9pts) not that far behind. Add in better-than-expected goaltending from DJ Fire Dragon @Firekiss with a 3.02 GA and 0.932 sav%. They will continue to surprise a few teams this season. 

 

Prediction:       7th European Conference       

They should hover around this location all season and with so many good teams in the conference I cannot expect them move much up or down in the standings. They will race Moscow for draft placement.

 

 

 

8.    

Record:     1 – 10 – 0       2pts

While Warsaw is currently being led by the young stars; it is the old guard in Moscow that leads the way in Left Alone @okochastar (7g – 5a – 12pts) with promising rookie Axle Gunner @Steve (2g – 7a – 9pts) slight behind. They will continue to the whipping boys of the league and most likely the European Conference.

 

Prediction:        8th European Conference       

Was surprised that they even won a game until I seen that they beat Warsaw. Still a surprise but not completely unexpected. They have a long season ahead of them.

 

 

 

Final thoughts:

A couple of surprise teams higher up the standing in Chicago and Riga but last season D.C. Dragons was one of these teams; rode the hot start all the way to the play-offs so the biggest question will be Can the maintain the current form or will they fall back. Also, what the heck is happening in Calgary as they were expected to be a top team in the league, not struggling as they are. Can they turn it around or is my damming predictions the actual reality for the Wranglers this season? Holly European!!! The European Conference is going to be a blood bath with four teams currently tied for the conference lead and six of the eight team fighting for a play-off spot; expect a ton of movement week to week in this conference. It should be fun to watch through the season!!

 

Come back next week to tell me how wrong I was or why not wait and tell me know below in the comment section but please like and subscribe.

Edited November 11, 2023 by Gaikoku-hito

[animal74 1,819]

17 minutes ago, Gaikoku-hito said:

as .917% simply isn`t good enough

Which is why it's now 0.925!