Taking a look at the future of a few VHLM franchises

[MichkovSzn 24]

With the VHL and VHLM season coming to a close I figured it would be a fun challenge to look at the future of a few teams in the VHLM and analyze the players that will be returning to the team next year and how the teams may compete in the league next year.

 

Halifax 21st:

Players Departing- 5
Potential Returning TPE Total- 1971

 

Halifax is the clear favorite to take home the Founder’s Cup this season being 8 points clear of the second place Miami Marauders, and having the top 3 scorers in the league. General manager rory has done an excellent job preparing this team for the future after this season’s hopeful cup run. Losing Pelayo Bolivar, Ty Duke, and Inker Belle will be a huge blow but those 3 and starting goalie Chad Powers are the only high value players leaving with the team likely retaining wingers Xhekajs Middletoe, Hater Tottingham, Steven Nichols, center Michael Lee Jr, and their entire defensive unit. Backup first year goalie Kim Chi will have big shoes to fill in Powers’ absence but overall this team is well prepared to compete for multiple years.

 

Miami Marauders:

Players Departing- 13

Potential Returning TPE Total- 385

 

Miami will likely be regressing immensely after this season so these playoffs will be do or die for the Marauders. Their offense will lose their 3 best forwards in Elf Shoes, Filip Zinek, and Luc Moreau. The team is also likely to lose Jacob Longstreet which will leave their offense with only 3 returning players in center Sidney Sheppard, and center Andreas Andreasen. On the defensive side of the puck it doesn’t look much better. Armas Jortikka will be leaving for the VHL and Dog Jagr will likely also be leaving the M. Tina Hughes, Titus Cunningham, and Xavier Dumont will all be going to the VHLM Dispersal draft after signing with the team after the draft this season. Star goalie Drew Mac will be taking his talents to Helsinki and his backup Simms will be released for the VHLM draft. Team GM Ricer13 will have a lot of work ahead of him to right the ship and rebuild this Miami team after the season’s end.

 

San Diego Marlins:
Players Departing- 4

Potential Returning TPE Total- 2083

 

The Marlins have a solid roster headlined by players like Jean-Pierre Devote, Blaze Thunderstrike, Bubbles Lafleur, and lockdown goaltender Ricky Lafleur who will all be leaving for the VHL after this season. San Diego will be looking to S97 draft picks Cardinal Copia, Zak Trokker, and Joseph Poole to build on the impressive rookie seasons in S98 and lead the offensive unit. The biggest hole that general manager Mysterious_Fish and assistant EthanSea611 will have to fill in the offseason this year is goalie which will be left vacant with Ricky Lafleur departing from the team for the Los Angeles Star. The defensive unit is very similar to the forwards with multiple promising young players who could be key parts of the future success of the Marlins with Ron World Peace Jr and Victory Hockey League with the latter only potentially returning. With all these high potential players hoping to take strides forward in the coming seasons it seems like the Marlins should have high hope and only require a few moves to continue to be cup contenders next season.

[JCarson 805]

I find the premise of this article interesting.  By looking at number of leaving players and amount of TPE remaining it gives a sense of the strength or lack of that a team will have.  It appears this is the final push for Miami as they have significant assets walking out the door and not much staying behind.  A rebuild will need to start shortly.  Would be interesting to see this extended to the remainder of the VHLM and use it to predict how the league may shake out next season.

I give this article a 9 out of 10, thanks for a new view at looking at team transitions between seasons