VSN Presents: VHL`s Future Watch: Top 10 Rookie Ranking (Final Ranking S92)

[Gaikoku-hito 2,133]

@Zetterberg

 

Okay, I have delayed writing this article by a week mainly since I wasn`t rushed to get the stat lines as the season ended, not to mention a bit busy.... yad yada… So, one of the main reasons I also delayed was also to try to figure out how I wanted to present this final ranking and announcement of who I think will win. There is a difference between who I think will win and who will win FYI. Which brought up a few different questions should I be looking only at the stats or should I be putting my own influence into determining the final rankings as some players had great season but would I want them on my team over say another player that had a slightly less statistically strong season? Well, the answer to that is no!! I want the best player for my team for as long as I want so some my own influence will be added to determine the finals rankings for the Top 10 Rookie Ranking as this isn`t who will win the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy but rather who was the top 10 rookies in my opinion. I will also announce who I think wins the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy towards the end of the article so without too much faffing about lets get into the final ranking starting at 10th overall:

 

 

10th (S89) RW - Carson Walker Jr @Cwalker

32g – 29a – 61pts

Finished third in rookie scoring so some might be surprised to see Walker Jr at the bottom of the list well, this is due to my own personal influence as one of the older Rookies this season meant he was more than ready to make the jump compared to his younger counter parts so takes a hit. Add in the fact that he also played for a very bad Wolves team and boosted by getting looks he must likely wouldn`t of had if he was on a different team. I hope he proves me wrong as he has the opportunity to lead a young Vancouver roster next season but I feel he drops back in points after a strong rookie season.

 

 

9th (S91) G - Red Panda @Lemorse7

28-30-5  2.98GAA 0.917sav% & 1 SO

Finding a goaltender that can bring stability to the net is a goal for most franchises in the VHL so when Riga drafted Panda at 8th overall Riga was hoping for a franchise tender. Well, to say this nicely that wasn`t really what they got this season from Panda as Panda finished near the bottom in all stats catagories for a starting goaltender but being fair Panda played for an fairly weak Riga team as Rookie so these numbers should improve in the next few seasons as Riga as a team improves; as it cannot get much worse. Potential has them finishing the season as the 9th best rookie this season.

 

 

8th (S91) G - Olober Syko @Spartan

38-22-4.  2.86GAA 0.919sav% & 2 SO

While Moscow was rather impressive this season finish third in the European Conference this wasn`t down to great goaltending but rather a team effort so while Syko finished with the most wins as rookie at 38 (5th League) his other numbers where very average with his goals against, save percentage and shutouts all ranked around 10th best in the league. Scary to think that Moscow is only going to get stronger as they add even more prospects start next season and Syko will most lieky improve his numbers after a solid first season.

 

 

7th (S91) D - Callum Gary Yannick Janser @Daniel Janser

6g – 49a – 55pts

The former first overall pick would have been most people choice to lead this list or at least top three like I did at the start of the season but as the season progress the pass first, heavy checking defender failed to put up anywhere close to the numbers that most expected from the young rookie defender but when you have 191PIM and actually set a new career high in points in a season; it leads me to beleave most have overrated this prospect value at this point of his career. Will he improve? Yes, of course but his ceiling seems a bit lower than when New York selected him first overall in S91. Janser is a solid pass first hard noised defender that will punish the other teams top forward for years to come. His point tallies my never reach more that high sixties as that isn`t the type of player Janser is.

 

 

6th (S91) G - Dalkr Vidarsson @KaleebtheMighty

26-32-6.  3.09GAA 0.925sav% & 5 SO

Here I am thinking this goaltender should be higher on the list but others might question me if I do move him up as I feel Vidarsson isn`t going to get the respect that he truly deserves based around the fact that his stats look rather mid but that isn`t completely true when you consider Vidarsson has the 6th best save percentage in the league and 4th most shutouts suggesting that it was his team that inflated his goals against and record as Vidarsson played for the horrible Vancouver Wolves this season. Only one goaltender faced more shot this season, Lachlan Summers from HC Davos but comparison Vidarsson had much stronger numbers suggesting that the Vancouver Wolves might have a future award winning; if not HOF goaltender in between the pipes. Not bad from the 3rd goaltender taken during his draft class and not even rated in my top 10 at the start of the season. Like I said I still feel I am doing Vidarsson injustice by not having him higher up the final ranking list considering his current projection.

 

 

5th (S91) RW - Thor Reingaard @N0HBDY

24g – 34a – 58pts

The third highest goal scoring forward in the rookie class with a solid twenty-four goals while playing on a rather mid Warsaw Predators team but showed enough scoring ability to suggest that Warsaw has a bright future with Reingaard in their line-up. Reingaard plus minus was a bit of a concern at a negitive 23 on the season suggesting that the forward needs to learn to play at both ends of the rink and stop flying the zone so much leaning towards offense. Soild rookie that I think more was expected from him and similar to Callum Gary Yannick Janser; might have been slightly overrated at this point of his career as Reingaard has only managed around sixty points through the VHLE and now VHL so will he be able to break through to become the offensive threat most expected of him when he was drafted 2nd overall by Moscow or is this why Moscow gave up on the prospect already?

 

 

4th (S91) LW - Joshua Schwarzer @Velevra

26g – 31a – 57pts

As one of the best players on the Chicago Phoenix this season it was always going to be a tough ask for this rookie to put up strong numbers but that is what Schwarzer did at least halfway through the season before seeing his scoring touch slide slightly as did the teams chance to secure a playoff spot in the end based on past career numbers from the minor leagues suggested that Schwarzer has more to provide Chicago this season but just couldn`t completely figure it out. Schwarzer should be much stronger next season as one of currently three returning players; he will need to be if Chicago is going to make the playoff as their isn`t much help coming from draft picks or prospects. I will be looking for a solid seventy point campain next season from Schwarzer.

 

 

3rd (S91) D - Leif Reingaard @Zetterberg

13g – 49a – 62pts

Great season for this rookie defender and most likely in any other season would seriously be consider for the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy but with the other two on the list having superb season means Reingaard might have to be content with just being mentioned when the Award are presented. Reingaard will continue to lead a young and coming Moscow Menace teams and should only improve his numbers next season while becoming a star defender in the league for years to come.

 

 

2nd (S90) G – 36W @rory

29-27-6.   2.15GA  0.932Sav%  2SO

When a team trades for a veteran goaltender before the trade deadline does that mean they have no confindence in the rookie goaltender that is currently the teams start? That would have seemed the case when New York traded for Clueless Wallob but in the end 36W either reclaimed the net or kept the net simply by playing better than the retiring veteran goaltender. In the end I have dropped 36W to second due to the fact that with the introduction of hybrid stats we have seen goaltenders posting above average numbers to say the least. In the end 36W finished the seaosn with fourth best save percentage, eleventh most shutouts and the best goals against but he only faced the 15th most shots against out of all starting goaltenders this season suggesting rather he might have benifited from a stronger than average defensive core infront of him this season; boosting his numbers. Either way 36W will already walk away an award winner as he claimed the Greg Clegane award and should receive a ton of votes for the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy and could still win the award as I will tough on later.

 

 

1st (S91) LW - Grimgor Ironhide @FrostBeard

37g – 45a – 82pts

Twenty sixth overall in scoring by a rookie at the end of the season is rather impress but even more impress is top twenty in goals as Ironhide thirty-seven goals was good enough for fourteenth in the league. Ironhides total points are the highest since S83 when hybrid attrubutes was created in an era of goaltending; which rather surprised me today when he was traded to Moscow Menace as I have Ironhide finishing as the top rookie this season. Not nessarily winning the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy. Ironhide will now join the young and upcoming Menace team, trying to prove this season wasn`t based on riding veteran Daryl Dixon coat-tails.

 

 

So Who do I think should win the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy?
 

Spoiler

(S91) LW - Grimgor Ironhide @FrostBeard

In the end I don`t think the league can really get this wrong as it really comes down to three really good players in different positions but with two really standing out so it comes down to how really had the more impressive seasons. For me that was (S91) LW - Grimgor Ironhide as he was a true rookie with spending only a single seaosn in the VHLE before making the jump to the Helsinki Titans where he was heavily counted on to provide secondary scoring behind Daryl Dixon @Ricer13 and trying to replace Landon Wolanin @jacobcarson877 scoring touch. Not only did he provide the expected secondary scoring touch but he actually pushed the offensive play only getting better as the season went along finish with 82 points when I had him on pace for 76 points only a week earilier showing how dominate this rookie finished the season.

 

So who actually wins the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy?
 

Spoiler

(S90) G – 36W  @rory & (S91) LW - Grimgor Ironhide @FrostBeard

Just like in S83 when the last  player to reach the 80 point mark won the award; their was also a goaltender that put up good numbers with Calgary; Ben Dahl @Ben so I am going to say that we will see both 36W and Grimgor Ironhide share the trophy like Ben Dahl and Bo Johansson @Shindigs (CHI) did back in S83. Yeah, I know I hate ties as well but both are rather deserving of the trophy and I feel we are going to see a split vote within the voting committee.

 

What do you think? Let me know below who you think should win the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy? And if my prediction of a tie has any merit?

 

Honorable Mentions:

(S90) D - Conference Prince-de-Galles @UnkemptCL4PTP – Malmo Nighthawks

(S90) LW - Eric White Jr @Mysterious_Fish – Riga Reign

(S91) D - Lionel Collberg @Masu Chan - Chicago Phoenix

(S90) LW - Martin Kemp @leafsman - Riga Reign

(S91) C - Phillip Rave @tcookie - Malmo Nighthawks

[AJW 2,192]

Ironhide hasn’t stopped producing points since the VHLM, really excited to watch their career.

[rory 1,943]

Surely the player who won a statistical trophy against the entire league will win the rookie of the year 

Edited March 4 by rory

[Gaikoku-hito 2,133]

1 hour ago, rory said:

Surely the player who won a statistical trophy against the entire league will win the rookie of the year 

Edited March 4 by Gaikoku-hito

[Alex 3,247]

4 hours ago, rory said:

Surely the player who won a statistical trophy against the entire league will win the rookie of the year 

Sorry, can't read the stats page for some reason... giving it to Joseph Reed.