Initally meant to be a few, but actually just one rookie season I've witnessed

[Victor 10,949]

There are a lot of talented rookies in the VHL but we've had lots of talented rookies over the years. As we well know, I am not hugely bothered about the present but I do love the past. So naturally I will not be talking about today's rookies – have a good enough career and I will talk about you all when you retire – but some of the best rookies I have witnessed over the years. I wasn't around to see Christian Stolzschweiger, but he wasn't actually a rookie in S2 so that was all built on a lie. No, here are some legitimate rookies from the 2^nd decade of the VHL onwards.
 

Jardy Bunclewirth in S18 @JardyB10

The first man to challenge Stolzschweiger's crown and the famous story of the third-round steal who became a Hall of Famer, GM, and commissioner within four seasons. The ghost of Jardy we see today, much like yours truly, is but a shadow of the alcoholic bubble of activity that was Jardy circa S16-S24, with S18 being the year Bunclewirth broke out. Playing on a team with 4 Hall of Fame forwards, including himself, yours truly again (Lars Berger), Mikka Virkkunen and J.D. Stormwall, Bunclewirth was almost the star of the show and with 132 points he pushed the long-standing rookie record to the limit. It's still the 3^rd best result from any rookie ever.
 

There's the wider story here as well. Jardy was the symbol of a a new wave of VHL members, proof that the VHL drafts could be deeper than one round and the first of many promising first-gens to rise in that time period and go on productive VHL careers and high-ranking roles in the league, driving much of the league's activity through to the lull of the 50s and in some cases, still going today. It wouldn't be too much of an exaggeration to say that the momentum spearheaded by Jardy back then is a key reason why there even is a VHL today.

 

Plus, the general positivity of the league in S18 with storylines like Bunclewirth's rookie season and the excitement post the legendary S18 draft class, was crucial against the backdrop of what went on the off-season before. Long-time commissioner Brett Slobodzian, having pursued free agency with his player, bonafide superstar and unrivalled top defenceman Emerson Hrynyk, had a public outburst and ragequit his position while retiring his player. It transpired later, after he returned under an alias (Ignatius Feltersnatch) but had a lower-profile meltdown a few seasons later, that Slobo had been secretly managing at least 4-5 other players in the league through a convoluted multi scheme which was not truly outed until seasons after his many forms went “inactive”. That was probably part of the pressure that led to his breakdown but the repercussions could have been much more serious.

 

Instead, despite mass retirements, the league chose to dishonour some of them even if they took place before the pre-season, including that of Calgary goalie and former first overall pick Demetrjusz Dudek. With a zombie Dudek and a a mishmash of journeymen on defence (although also a 5^th Hall of Famer in Alexander Sauve), we, being Jardy and co, won an unexpected Continental Cup. Rookie seasons don't really get better than that.

 

With the unexpected Slobo detour adding to the word count, this is actually all I am willing to write on the rookie topic this week. Let this be an inspiration to rookies everywhere. Good night.

[JardyB10 4,865]

Ah yes, to be young and active. That's the stuff, Lionel!