In Appreciation of Ronan Lavelle

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This is just a quick note of appreciation for newly inducted Hall of Famer, Ronan Lavelle @Arce. The Legion were ecstatic when we landed Lavelle and Tomas Sogaard @Brandon from Moscow in the S90 off-season. Paired with the signing of Siyan Yasilievich @badcolethetitan, we felt like we were the team to beat. After years of not only losing, but being at the bottom of the league, there was finally real hope and optimism in the locker room.

 

Lavelle came exactly as advertised. He immediately pushed our offense to new heights, his 40 goals and team-leading 95 points helped the Legion to their best goal output in eight seasons. With his commitment and leadership, the Legion jumped from last in the NA Conference to first in one season, an incredible feat. He laid his body on the line every night and led the team with 205 hits. He showed us what it took to win. Having made the playoffs in every season he had played in, we could only follow his example.

 

While the season didn’t end how we had hoped, Lavelle never gave up. He tied for the team-lead in points (16) and hits (46) in the playoffs. But more importantly is what he instilled in us as a team. We believed in ourselves again – that we could make the playoffs and give any team in the VHL a run for their money. That’s the real legacy of Ronan Lavelle: Not as a scorer, or a winner, but as a leader. And that’s who the Hall of Fame is built for.

 

Congratulations, Ronan. You most definitely deserve your spot in the VHL Hall of Fame.