CowboyinAmerica 2,889 Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Last week, I took at what would happen if we asked one simple question: What would the VHL look like if it instigated a promotion/relegation system? Promotion/relegation is, evidently, a topic that many sim leaguers have looked into in the past, but according to my knowledge, nobody has ever integrated in an actual lasting league. It may be too late for the VHL, but so far, the results of this little thought experiment have been staggering. Three seasons past expansion, there already has been a major shakeup in the VHL ranks. The Toronto Legion, which experienced an excellent run of success during the league’s third decade, are poised to begin their third straight season in the VHLM. Similarly, Quebec City, which just joined the VHL in Season 31, have spent more time in the minors (two seasons) than the majors (one season). On the flip side, Brampton, Kolari/Turku, Ottawa, Saskatoon, and Yukon have all spent time in the top league, an odd amount of success for the former VHLM franchises. As noted before, there are certain ground rules to this thought experiment: 1. I will start from S31, where the VHL and VHLM both expanded into 10 teams. 2. Since the draft and TPE rules make a direct comparison of VHL and VHLM teams impossible, I instead must make the comparisons between the two subjectively. The easiest way to do this is assume that VHLM teams would be at a slight disadvantage when joining the VHL, about three positions worth. Thus, for every current VHLM team that would be in the VHL during a given season, I added three to their final standings position to see whether they would be relegated. I did the opposite for VHL teams in the VHLM, subtracting three from their total. Also, I gave any ties automatically to the VHL team. And as a reminder, here’s how we begin Season 34, coming off of Riga’s first championship in 17 seasons: The leagues entering Season 34 VHL Brampton Blades Calgary Wranglers Cologne Express HC Davos Dynamo Helsinki Titans Kolari Panthers New York Americans Ottawa Ice Dogs Riga Reign Saskatoon Wild VHLM Bratislava Watchmen Bern Royals Minot Gladiators Oslo Storm Quebec City Meute Seattle Bears Toronto Legion Vasteras Baby Eagles Vasteras Iron Eagles Yukon Rush In this article, we look at the next four seasons, between Season 34 and Season 37. Buckle up Seattle and Vasteras fans; it’s about to be a bumpy ride. Season 34 VHL Standings 1. Helsinki Titans 3. Calgary Wranglers 4. New York Americans 6. Riga Reign 7. Cologne Express 8. Turku Outlaws (5+3) 10. HC Davos Dynamo 10. Ottawa Lynx (7+3) 11. Brampton Blades (8+3) 13. Saskatoon Wild (10+3) VHLM Standings -1. Quebec City Meute (2-3) 1. Yukon Rush 2. Toronto Legion (5-3) 2. Bern Royals 3. Minot Gladiators 4. Vasteras Baby Eagles 5. Seattle Bears (8-3) 6. Vasteras Iron Eagles (9-3) 6. Bratislava Watchmen 9. Oslo Storm Analysis This is where the issues with the VHLM come to roost. Because their rosters shift extraordinarily from season to season, it’s simply too tough for teams to maintain success season over season. Of the four previously VHLM teams that performed well enough to enter Season 34 in the VHL, not a single one finished in the top half of the league. In fact, in the real Season 34, only a single one finished in the top half of the real VHLM – and that was a Turku squad who finished last. The Dynamo might have been bad in the pre-Moher and Bentley world, but in this iteration of the VHL, they still finished seventh. And on the other side… poor Toronto Legion. For the second straight season, the franchise finishes one position out of a transfer spot, with the Yukon Rush coming out of nowhere to claim the second transfer spot and get sent right back up to the VHL. Perhaps more interesting to me, though, is what happened with Quebec. In the actual Season 34, Quebec rode their greatest season ever to the top of the conference, a move that would set them up to win the championship in Season 35. In this iteration of the VHL, however, their strong play was only enough to move them up to the VHL. Would we have seen a different champion in Season 35 if promotion/relegation was in play? Season 35 VHL Standings 1. Quebec City Meute 2. Helsinki Titans 3. Calgary Wranglers 4. Ottawa Lynx (1+3) 5. Cologne Express 6. HC Davos Dynamo 9. New York Americans 10. Riga Reign 11. Yukon Rush (8+3) 13. Turku Outlaws (10+3) VHLM Standings 1. Toronto Legion (4-3) 2. Minot Gladiators 3. Saskatoon Wild 4. Vasteras Baby Eagles 4. Seattle Bears (7-3) 5. Vasteras Iron Eagles (8-3) 5. Brampton Blades 6. Oslo Storm 7. Bern Royals 9. Bratislava Watchmen Analysis The first original VHL team to return to the VHL wins the championship in its first season after promotion. The more interesting story to me, though, is the play of the Ottawa Lynx. Originally raised to the VHL following Season 32, and after just barely avoiding relegation in Season 33, the Lynx could have very well been the fourth best team in the VHL in Season 35 had promotion and relegation been a viable VHL system. As compared to an up-and-down VHLM team, Ottawa could have had the makings of a real dynasty here. Meanwhile, on the flip side, New York and Riga were real bad this season, but they likely wouldn’t have been as bad as Yukon and Turku, as the former’s yo-yoing between the VHL and VHLM continues. On the VHLM side, there are parties in the streets of Toronto as the Legion finally climb out of the depths of the VHLM after four seasons. Given the team’s fourth place real-life VHL finish, it’s not too much of a stretch to figure that they would beat the preexisting VHL teams. Minot, meanwhile, returns to the VHL for the first time since a one season stint that saw them as the first-ever promoted team. With Toronto escaping the dregs, the team to watch out for now is Seattle. Season 36 will mark the team’s fourth straight season in the VHLM, tying Toronto’s record for former VHL teams. Season 36 VHL Standings 1. Toronto Legion 2. Quebec City Meute 3. HC Davos Dynamo 4. Helsinki Titans 5. Cologne Express 7. Minot Gladiators (4+3) 8. New York Americans 9. Riga Reign 10. Calgary Wranglers 11. Ottawa Lynx (8+3) VHLM Standings 1. Bratislava Watchmen 2. Bern Royals 3. Vasteras Iron Eagles (6-3) 3. Vasteras Baby Eagles 4. Seattle Bears (7-3) 5. Yukon Rush 6. Oslo Storm 7. Saskatoon Wild 9. Turku Outlaws 10. Brampton Blades Analysis For the second straight season, a recently promoted team takes the top spot in the league. Granted, the Toronto Legion’s 113 points barely squeaked ahead of Quebec’s 112, but first place is first place. It doesn’t hurt that the Legion would go to their first of three straight finals either, this time losing to Davos. The Calgary Wranglers become relegated for the first time in six seasons, but to me, the bigger story is the Cologne Express. With Calgary’s relegation, the five teams to have never been sent down are Davos, Helsinki, Riga, New York, and… the expansion Express? It’s true, the Express sustained success from the beginning, and somehow, they’ve finished at least near the middle of the league every season. Meanwhile, Vasteras and Seattle are the only original VHL teams toiling down in the minors, but neither one is able to perform well enough to get back up to the top league. As a result, Vasteras will now spend its fourth straight season in the minors, while Seattle will extend that streak to a record five. Perhaps more interesting, though, is the spread of success for VHLM teams. With Bratislava and Bern moving up to the VHL for the first time, Oslo and the junior Vasteras squad (about to be Moscow Red Wolves) are the only teams to have never made the VHL (although both finished one position out of the transfer slot once). Season 37 VHL Standings 1. HC Davos Dynamo 2. Toronto Legion 3. Riga Reign 5. Quebec City Meute 5. Bern Royals (2+3) 6. Minot Gladiators (3+3) 7. New York Americans 8. Cologne Express 8. Bratislava Watchmen (5+3) 10. Helsinki Titans VHLM Standings 0. Vasteras Iron Eagles (3-3) 3. Seattle Bears (6-3) 3. Turku Outlaws 5. Yukon Rush 6. Calgary Wranglers (9-3) 6. Oslo Storm 7. Moscow Red Wolves 8. Saskatoon Wild 9. Brampton Blades 10. Ottawa Lynx Analysis For the first time, my completely arbitrary “ties go to the original VHL team” comes into play for a relegation spot. And this time, it’s Cologne that is the beneficiary, while the Bratislava Watchmen have a very short stay in the top league. Now, with Helsinki going into a minor rebuild, it’s down to four teams that have never been relegated: Davos, Riga, New York and Cologne. Riga and New York are barely on that list as well, given their pitiful Season 35 records that were beat out by even worse former VHLM teams. Surprisingly, the tie rule comes into play in the VHLM as well… and somehow, both Vasteras and Seattle escape purgatory! It was easy for the Iron Eagles, as they rode an exceptionally strong performance by goalie Eggly Bagelface to 96 points and a tie with Riga. For Seattle, though, the road was a bit tougher. The Bears beat the Americans by exactly one point to make the playoffs in real life, and it’s that exact span that keeps them ahead of the Outlaws and into promotion position. Now, just two VHL teams are in the VHLM once again entering Season 37, and it’s two well-regarded franchises: Calgary and Helsinki. The leagues entering Season 38 VHL Bern Royals Cologne Express HC Davos Dynamo Minot Gladiators New York Americans Quebec City Meute Riga Reign Seattle Bears Toronto Legion Vasteras Iron Eagles VHLM Bratislava Watchmen Brampton Blades Calgary Wranglers Helsinki Titans Moscow Red Wolves Oslo Storm Ottawa Lynx Saskatoon Wild Turku Outlaws Yukon Rush What happens when we decide to shake the VHL up even further? Check out the conclusion next week for Seasons 38 through 40, as well as final thoughts! Link to comment https://vhlforum.com/topic/16353-claimedwhat-if-the-vhl-had-prorel-part-2-final-66/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Victor 10,943 Posted January 13, 2015 Admin Share Posted January 13, 2015 Davos not even relegated in S34. The greatest. Link to comment https://vhlforum.com/topic/16353-claimedwhat-if-the-vhl-had-prorel-part-2-final-66/#findComment-171631 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higgins 3,618 Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 VASTERAS VS. VASTERAS Link to comment https://vhlforum.com/topic/16353-claimedwhat-if-the-vhl-had-prorel-part-2-final-66/#findComment-171687 Share on other sites More sharing options...
pxzero 65 Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Content: 3/3 Well thought out, very interesting just like last week. It would definitely make drafts a lot crazier, and player loyalty a lot more of an issue. Grammar: 2/2 I swear there must be something wrong, but I didn't seem to find anything? Even if there is a mistake, it's definitely small enough for full marks. Appearance: 1/1 Looks good Link to comment https://vhlforum.com/topic/16353-claimedwhat-if-the-vhl-had-prorel-part-2-final-66/#findComment-171944 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kendrick 4,741 Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Claimed Link to comment https://vhlforum.com/topic/16353-claimedwhat-if-the-vhl-had-prorel-part-2-final-66/#findComment-172188 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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