Christmas Articles

Christmas · March 15, 2015

Mid-Season MVP Predictions

Past the midpoint of the season, there have been a lot of players making a name for themselves in this junior league. We have seen goal scorers, defensive shut-down players, playmakers, among many other types of players who have been helping their teams succeed. But who are the favorites to be considered for the very valuable Sakic Trophy?

Vogon Jeltz: This winger has unleashed his shot on the competition this season, scoring over 80 goals past the halfway mark and leading all players in this category. While he isn’t the highest scorer in the league, he brings an incredible efficiency to the game, with a +67 on the year and a 1.83 P/20 average, 3^rd in both categories. He is also second in the league with 13 power play goals, and third with 10 game winning goals. With all those goals, you know he has to be scoring a lot of hatters, and he currently ranks 1^st with 14 of them.

Sam Teibert: This center has led the Blades to a playoff berth in a very quick span, scoring 115 points and first in the league. He has also been one of the top assist-men in the league with 68 assists on the season, as well as fifth in goals. He, like Jeltz, is also a very efficient player, leading the league with 2.04 points per 20 minutes played, the only player over 2. Faceoffs are his one deficiency, as he has only taken to the dot 531 times and won 49.34% of them.

Kyle Kingma: The highest-scoring winger in the league right now, Kingma is second in points with 114. He also is 2^nd in goals with 71. However, while he does not have the same amount of goals as his rival Jeltz, he is able to score at a much higher rate per shot, currently 2^nd in shooting percentage. He is also more efficient with the minutes he plays, scoring at a 1.98 P/20 clip, and 2nd in the league in that regard. He is the leader in +/- with 83, and also is first in game winning goals (12) and game tying goals (5). He also is right behind Jeltz in hat tricks with 13.

Jack Ryan: Jack Ryan is potentially the most likely to receive this award for what he has done on the back-end this season. He leads all defensemen with 103 points, right behind Jeltz and in the conversation for winning the scoring title if he can go on a tear. And that is as a defenseman. He also leads the league in assists with 94, well over the next best playmaking player.

Gunnar Skovsgard: Currently the most talented and dominant goaltender in juniors right now, Skovsgard is currently in the process of dragging the Red Wolves to a playoff berth, despite having only one player over a PPG (1.22), and a large group of players with mediocre point totals. He is dominating the league in save percentage and it likely will continue till the end of the season. Also, despite not having a great defensive unit in front of him, he currently leads all goaltenders in goals against as well.

Honorable Mentions: Pablo Escobar, Travis Willcox, Coca Cola, Patrick Demko, Ken Anderson, Markus Muller

Christmas · March 22, 2015

Mid-Season Bourque Trophy Predictions

Last issue, we discussed who would be the main contenders for the MVP of the season. This issue, we are going to look on the defensive side of things and check out who we believe may be the front-runners for the best defenseman of the year. While there are a couple of obvious choices, some of the players on this list may surprise you. It should be noted that while offensive contributions for a defenseman are important, defensive contributions are just as necessary for a defenseman to succeed.

Jack Ryan: Considering this offensive dynamo was on the list for MVP of the year, it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that he is first on the list for best defenseman. While last week he was well ahead of any other defenseman offensively, the gap has closed significantly. Currently Jack Ryan has over 120 assists and is by far the best passing player in the league, as he is the only one who is in the triple-digits in this category. He is also 5th in the league in points per 20, which shows that while he is getting a lot of minutes, he is still one of the best at utilizing them to his advantage. While he has Vogon Jeltz up front to pass to, they are the only two players on the team with 100+ points.

Patrick Demko: Demko has had a huge resurgence the last few sets of games, pulling to within 2 points of Jack Ryan for the defenseman scoring lead and completely destroying all defensemen in goals scored with 40. He is also 4th among rookies in points as well. He is 7th in points per game, though not quite at the same level as Jack Ryan. On the power play, he has been the most dominant goal scorer, scoring 22 of his 40 goals with the man advantage. Defensively, Demko is tied for second among defensemen with 110+ blocked shots, pulling close to the leader in this category. The one thing that may affect him winning this award is his scoring support. He is one of three players with 100+ points on the team, unlike Ryan who only has one other player with 100+ points.

Pablo Escobar: Escobar is not an offensive juggernaut compared to his peers, however he is the captain and MVP of the Lynx at this stage in the season. Playing in front of Roland Rengel and Holy the Goalie has forced him to take a very conservative approach, and he has done it amicably. He currently has over 20 goals and 90 points on the season, and leads the league in shots blocked, showing how important his defensive game has been for his team. Among players he has suffered in ice time due to management trying to spread out time to keep players from getting too tired, which brings him down to 8^th in ice time. However he is 8^th among all players in power play goals.

Chuck Goody: This pick may confuse some people, as he is well behind Ken Anderson for the scoring lead among defensemen on his own team. However, what separates him is his ability to play on both sides of the puck, which shows in his ability to eat minutes (almost 30 minutes per game). He is also doing very well in the goal-scoring department as he will likely finish with 20+ goals this year. He also is among the leaders in shots blocked, tied for 5^th among all players. Ken Anderson isn’t even ranked.

Honorable Mentions: Danny Schneider, Ken Anderson, Theo Matsikas, Merlin Malinowski

Christmas · March 31, 2015

Yzerman Trophy Predictions

Last issue, we discussed who would be the top defensemen of the season. This issue, we go in-depth with the best two-way players the VHLM has to offer, and exactly what they can bring to the defensive and offensive side of the game. This isn’t just about the top point-getters, folks! This is all about those players who can play well both defensively and offensively. I expect there will be a lot of dispute with these picks, but regardless these are my predictions for the Yzerman Trophy!

George Patton: A good offensive player on a weak Lynx team, George Patton has been pretty incredible center for the Lynx. He has not been the biggest offensive threat on this team, but centering the top line has not been too shabby for him, giving him a +42 so far on the season. He has also amassed the most hits on his team with 266, making sure that the opposition cannot get a hold of the puck. To top it all off, his faceoff numbers have been nothing short of incredible. He has taken the draw 1540 times, and has won over 63% of them! That is a huge number for a center who doesn’t chip in as much offensively, as he is the reason his team is able to keep possession despite the lack of talent.

Bronson Faux: The Blades have not needed a lot of offense out of this forward, but he has been able to roll on the first line and keep opponents at bay on a regular basis. With only 81 points so far, he is way back of his teammates Sam Teibert and Travis Willcox, but is tied for the team lead in +/- with 83. The one thing he has going against him in this class of players is his lack of throwing the body, and he has been hit off the puck over 200 times so far this season. However, he is able to make up for it with one of the best faceoff sticks in the league. Taking 2300+ faceoffs on the year, he has won almost 67% of the draws. That is a special accomplishment for a rookie and he should be looked at in the upcoming draft for his resilience at the dot. The man keeps the opposing team offense at bay and gives his high-powered scorers a better chance to win.

Til Baumann: The Storm have been well-known for their defensive resume, seeing Coca Cola with a .921 save percentage on a high-scoring league and their other defensive players with high +/- numbers. Baumann is a player who is overlooked, however, as he doesn’t have the highest +/- on his team or the best point totals. What he does have, is an astounding ability to break up plays, blocking 20 shots and playing 28 minutes a night as a forward. He also has taken a high number of hits on the year with 104, and still has a very high +/- even if it doesn’t compare entirely with his peers. Again, this forward is amazing on the dot with over 66% of 1300+ faceoffs taken.

Jacob Winters: The Rush are not a talented team. They have a poor goaltender, they have very few actual scorers, and they just do not have the personell on defense to get it done. What do they have? Jacob Winters. Winters is below a point per game but still manages to have a respectable +/-, as well as the best faceoff percentage on his team. It should also be noted he does not play a lot but still is able to produce.

Honorable Mentions: Valentin Taneyev, Prince Gigga-Bijou, Kyle Kingma

Christmas · April 6, 2015

Royals Vs Red Wolves Series Preview

The first round of the European conference features two very closely contested teams, the Royals and the Red Wolves. They ended the season only 5 points apart, and in team stats were very close overall. Let’s take a look at the two rosters and see who has an advantage in each category.

Offense: The Royals were by far the better team at converting their chances, scoring 3.74 goals a game, while the Red Wolves only scored 2.96 goals per game. As far as shots are concerned, the Royals had a whopping 34.71 shots per game, while the Red Wolves were once again behind with 28.26 goals per game. The big difference was due to the personnel, and the Royals were up and down much better offensively. Their leading scorer had 66 goals and 130 points, and they had 6 players who scored at over a point per game. The Red Wolves, on the other hand, had only one player who was over a point per game. Advantage: Royals

Defense: This is where the Red Wolves were the class of the league, only allowing 2.40 goals against per game. The Royals were a step behind, allowing 3.14 goals against per game. However, the Royals were a better team at limiting shots in general, allowing only 27.71 shots per game, with the Red Wolves at 28.31 shots against per game. The Royals had the better personnel on defense, with Ken Anderson with 117 points and Chuck Goody with 90 points. The Red Wolves had Jack Harkness with 78 points and Michael Clardy with 160 points. Advantage: Draw

Goaltending: The Royals needed to score a high number of goals in order to win games due to their terrible goaltending tandem in Soren Douffet and Bernie Gow. Douffet started 49 games for the Royals and allowed 153 goals for a .886 percentage, while Gow started 23 games, allowed 70 goals, and finished with a .889 save percentage. The Red Wolves on the other hand boast one of the best goaltenders in the league. Gunnar Skovsgard finished second among goaltenders with a .918 save percentage, second with 2.31 goals against per game, fifth in minutes played with 4279, fourth in shutouts with 5, and fourth in wins with 42. If the Royals want to win, they have to tighten up defensively or hope their offense can bail them out. Advantage: Red Wolves

Intangibles: Despite having a clearly weaker team, the Red Wolves were able to succeed with special teams play. On the power play, they finished fourth in the league with 22.76%, while the Royals were sixth with 20.53%. The penalty kill was more of the same, as the Red Wolves finished third in the league with 82.45% while the Royals were way back in seventh with 75.20%. Overall, the Red Wolves were third with 105.21% while the Royals were sixth with 95.73%, not even 100% between the two. The Red Wolves were also a superior hitting team, leading the entire league with 23.14 hits per game. The Royals on the other hand were last in the league with 19.72 hits per game. As far as winning draws are concerned, the two teams were nearly identical with the Red Wolves slightly on top with 53.10% compared to the Royals 52.55%. Advantage: Red Wolves

All in all, when it comes down to it, the Red Wolves have executed their system much better than the Royals despite having a much weaker team in terms of talent and top-tier players. This series is going to come down to whether special teams are common and if offense can beat defense and goaltending.

Our Prediction: Red Wolves in 6

Christmas · April 12, 2015

Recap: Why the Royals Prevailed

We went into the first round predicting the Red Wolves would defeat the Royals in 6 games. However, the Royals were able to defy our predictions and beat the Red Wolves in a 7 game series. The Royals started off strong, winning the first 3 of 4 games and taking a stranglehold on the series. However, their chances to move on became dicey when the Red Wolves stormed back in games 5 and 6 to force a seventh game. However, the Royals were up to the task and handily defeated the Red Wolves to finish them off.

So, what won them the series?

Possession

The Royals did what they could do best in this one: use their star players to keep the puck away from the Red Wolves on every opportunity. They finished the series with 30 shots for and 24 shots against, stifling the Red Wolves and forcing them to open up their defensive scheme in order to provide offense, which is why the Royals were able to win three games in a row. These possession metrics caused the Red Wolves to fall back into a defensive shell at times, which completely tired out the inexperienced team most of the series.

Discipline

While the Red Wolves were better on the special teams, they didn’t get many opportunities to take advantage of it, as the Royals were not often on the PK. The Red Wolves, however, took 11 PIMs per game, which forced them to play on the defensive a lot of the time. While it didn’t result in a heck of a lot of scoring against, it kept them from getting into a groove and it hurt them in the series, especially since it went the distance.

Josh Merica

Josh Merica is a new draftee, but he has been nothing short of amazing so far in the playoffs. He first broke out in game 2, not scoring any goals, but assisting on three of the team’s four goals in their first win of the series. He broke out huge there and has not looked back. When it came to the pivotal game 7, Merica was able to dominate the play and score a back-breaking goal in the third period, as well as provide an assist to finish with 5 points in the two games he scored. While he wasn’t the leader offensively, he did provide intangible assets which kept the Royals in the driver’s seat the entire series.

Coaching

Despite the fact the Red Wolves made it to where they were because of their incredible coaching, the fact remains that the Royals completely outcoached the Red Wolves for the majority of the series. They had the better schemes going, and they were able to completely dismantle the defensive scheme that the Red Wolves had tried during the series. The biggest problem the Red Wolves had was they simply could not adapt to the Royals when they pressed hard, and it forced them to play catch-up with the puck. It was a winning strategy for the Royals and the Red Wolves were outclassed in this regard.

The Royals face against the Storm, who will be a huge handful for the Royals this week. Odds are they will be dominated, but if the Royals can use the above to take it to the Storm, they may yet be able to take care of business.

Christmas · April 26, 2015

The Season 43 VHL Entry Draft has finished, and now we get a good look at which of the junior players will be moving on up and moving on down. Unfortunately not all prospects will get an immediate shot in the big leagues, and this article will focus on them and what they will be able to do next season in Juniors.

Thomas Duddy is the top player who will be coming back next season. Finishing in at second on the team in scoring, he will be expected to handle the workload with Escabar moving up. Jorma Ruutu will also be expected to step up his game next season, considering he only scored 58 points during the regular season. When going up against the other high-scoring teams, he will need to match their production. Souryuu Kaminogi had a disappointing season for the Lynx, but with all the talent in the world that should not continue going into next season.

Michael Clardy will be a staple on the Red Wolves next season, but if the team wants to continue to see success, he will have to bring up his game to a PPG. Theo Matsikas of the Storm could be the undisputed #1 pick next season, as he scored 116 points in 72 games. He will be a big re-acquisition for the team.

Chuck Goody of the Royals will be the top player on the team next year and will be taking over a big leadership role next year. He can definitely improve on his 90 point season. Josh Merica is a Royals forward who has a lot of talent but will also be sent down next year. His 62 point season needs to improve if the Royals want to defend that title.

With E’Twaun Delicious out of the picture, Golden Jedtsson will be the man the Blades are going to be looking to score the big goals this upcoming season. Erick Hedman of the Red Wolves has some talent to produce, but we may end up seeing next year if Hedman’s 53 point season wasn’t a fluke and he really is worse than we all expected.

Franklin Romanowski appears to be getting a little better each week, however the Blades may not necessarily need him to get that much better for them to be a contender next season. Romanowski needs to decide now if he even wants to play in the VHL next year, because the Blades are not going to employ him forever. Casper Solomon came into the VHLM a little late and only scored 24 points for the Gladiators, but he has the opportunity to become a premier VHLM forward and a future piece for the struggling Reign.

Zacharry Young and Holy the Goalie appear to be destined to play in the VHLM indefinitely, as neither has proven the talent to play in the big leagues. Kewl Runnins is another Lynx player who just doesn’t appear to have the ability to make the next step, so he will also be a permanent VHLM player. Ryan Carlson and Dennis Saad are the only Wild send-downs, and unfortunately for the team neither are worth keeping on the roster. The Gladiators have Screw Mark coming back, but he shouldn’t expect any more ice-time than last season with his play and ability.

Christmas · May 5, 2015

So far the Season 44 draft class has been quite small in comparison to previous years, but thankfully that doesn't exactly temper our expectations, because it means that there is a greater chance for a player to get picked top-5 than previous years. What does that mean? More competitive spirit from the active junior players! So let's jump in and see what this upcoming draft class has to offer!

Right off the bat, we have a contender for undisputed number one in the draft, and unless we see the players behind him step it up in a Mark Messier type of fashion, he will remain 1st up until the draft. This player is Edwin Reencarnacion, who already is bursting at the seams with 190 TPE. That right there is legendary. This winger is currently lighting up the VHLM, with 24 points so far in 12 games. I have to say, that isn't surprising, but it is surprising at the same time.

The next big name on this list is another winger. He doesn’t have nearly the same TPE as Edwin, but is destroying the Right Winger class. It is Simon Valmount! Unfortunately, his VHLM career hasn’t started off with him lighting the lamp as much, despite being on the same team as prodigy Reencarnacion. But expect him to get better and start to light it up towards the end of the season.

Third up is a center, who currently is on the same track as Valmount, but may prove to be even more valuable when it comes to the draft. Jefferson Jackson, nicknamed the “Presidential man”, also plays for the Watchmen, and also isn’t playing necessarily up to his level offensively. His time on the dots also remains skeptical, as he is only at 49.50% currently.

The first defenseman of this draft class of note is a man from across the sea, with a name I will not even try to pronounce out loud. Kerkko Hyvarinen of the Lynx will potentially be the top defensive pick in the upcoming draft, but that is assuming that no defensive prospects come out of the blue to take that spot, which may still yet happen this early in the season. Despite looking like the best defensive prospect so far, Hyvarinen shouldn’t rest on his laurels, because he could just as easily turn into a bust if he doesn’t work at it.

While these are the top prospects at their respective positions, there are others looking to steal the spotlight. Supa Hot Fire is a defensive prospect of the Oslo Storm who is not far behind Hyvarinen in development, and may surpass him very quickly. At center there are a few contenders to top Jackson, but the man who we are most interested in is Maxime Perron, who is a decent distance away, but is looking to get better and better each week. As far as Right Wingers and Left Wingers are concerned, there aren’t that many players who are currently looking to surpass either of Reencarnacion or Valmount. Marcel Faux is doing well with the rest of the class but will almost assuredly be the second best left winger of this draft class by the beginning of next season, and R Truth has had a pretty unremarkable development so far. He could just as easily be a nobody in a short span. However, all these prospects have plenty of time to shape up and prove to the VHL that they have what it takes.

Edited May 5, 2015 by Christmas

Christmas · May 10, 2015

Year after year we see fans of the league argue incessantly over one interesting point of discussion. Which conference really is best? What should quantify the best conference? Is it the conference with the best team? Most good teams? Fewest horrible teams? What exactly can you do to quantify this answer? Well, we at On the Rise are going to do that for you, so you won’t have to worry about figuring it out until next week!

The first thing that needs to be established is what the teams that are completely helpless so far are. It is safe to say we have three in the league. The Yukon Rush are currently 7-16-1, with 15 points and a -51 goal differential. They have consistently been spanked by the Brampton Blades and Ottawa Lynx, and are currently out of a playoff spot. Another team is the Moscow Red Wolves. They have fallen hard since last year, and are 5-17-2 with a -53 goal differential. Despite being in a playoff spot, they have only earned one quarter of the total points they had available. The final team that fits this mold is the Oslo Storm. They are 3-20-1, with a -62 goal differential, and have not even earn 20% of the team’s possible points. The North American Conference takes the advantage in this one, as the Red Wolves should not be in the playoffs at all with this record, and the Yukon Rush would be a playoff team in the European Conference with their record.

The second factor is figuring out who the top teams are. The Brampton Blades are destroying the competition, with a +82 goal differential and 22 wins in 24 games. The Bern Royals are leading the European Conference with 19 wins in 24 games and a goal differential of +65. It should be noted that the Brampton Blades have had harder competition in the North American Conference, but have been much more successful, unlike the Royals. Clearly, the North American Conference holds an advantage in this aspect.

A third factor focuses on which conference is the best offensively and defensively. Collectively, the North American Conference has scored 287 goals, and allowed 270. The European Conference has scored 265 goals and allowed 282. As it stands, the North American Conference has been more successful offensively and defensively, giving them yet another advantage.

So does the European Conference have anything on the North American Conference? I think they do not. Looking at the stats, the North American Conference has the better players, the better offensive teams, the better defensive teams, the better lower-seed teams, the better higher-seed teams, and the better all-around play. Looking at the eye test validates the statistics, as nothing about the European Conference so far has screamed “high talent” hockey. I credit the coaching staff for trying to get as much as they can out of their players, but when you look at the teams individually, you can’t really see any team that has a real shot at a championship. Maybe we will see it as teams progress over the season, but the North American Conference is starting out with a huge leg up.

If the European Conference fans want to call their conference the best, they better hope their favorite teams figure out their problems, because that conference is going nowhere fast.

Christmas · May 25, 2015

Closing on the end of the season, we have seen some great performances from some goaltenders, new and old. However, we wonder how good these tenders actually are at their position. There are a few names, but how many of them will be able to hack it in the VHL when the time comes?

Coca Cola has been by far the best goaltender of the VHLM so far. He has a .924 save percentage and 1.63 goals against average. Quite a feat for the youngster, though in his second year it shouldn’t entirely surprising. The one thing that makes his numbers look a lot better are the possession numbers for the Blades. They score 4.84 goals a game on average. They take 37.82 shots per game on average. They allow 1.56 goals against on average. They allow 19.36 shots against on average. They are at least top-3 in all of those positions. It is very easy to be a goaltender under those circumstances, and while Coa Cola has done very well, he hasn’t had all that much work to do.

Bernie Gow is another goaltender who has done very well for himself. He and Coca Cola are the only two goaltenders in the league who have been able to maintain a .900 save percentage or above this season. Gow is also tied with Coca Cola in goals against average with 1.63. Gow has had a much better workload than Coca Cola has, only facing 1009 shots compared to Coca Cola’s 1186. So with that workload, you would expect a goaltender of similar ability to have a similar statline, if not better. Bernie Gow fails in this regard.

The third goaltender we would like to look at is β-YUK G1. So far his season has been good in comparison to his peers, but not so good that we expect much out of him in his future in the VHL. His GAA is .899, just shy of the .900 benchmark. However, his goals against average is well below the rest of the competition, with a 4.04 goals against average. That in itself tells you a lot about his workload. Then when you add the fact he leads the league in shots with a whopping 2216 so far, you can tell why his save percentage looks a bit low. When you look at the general stats, you don’t think he is a VHL player, but when you look at the goaltender and his advanced stats, you can see that he is doing very well considering what he has had to go up against so far this season.

So how good are these goaltenders, really? I think Coca Cola is doing the best out of the three, but also hasn’t had the highest workload, and has a lot of goal support to help him out. VHL career? Definitely. But if he gets unloaded on during his first season as a starter, don’t be surprised. Bernie Gow is an interesting case, because his workload has been easier but he hasn’t done as well. Personally, I don’t see a VHL career out of him. β-YUK G1? With what he has had to deal with on a terrible VHLM team, he definitely has the tools to become an elite goaltender in the league.

Christmas · June 1, 2015

With the season close to its end, there have been a lot of players making a name for themselves in this junior league. We have seen goal scorers, defensive shut-down players, playmakers, among many other types of players who have been helping their teams succeed. But who are the favorites to be considered for the very valuable Higgins Trophy?

Tim TebowGow: The center to dominate all other centers. Tim TebowGow has been unreal throughout the season, scoring 61 goals and a whopping 111 assists in 65 games played. For those of you who have a bit of math trouble, that is 172 points in 65 games, a 2.56 PPG pace. Unreal so far. Don't think offense is all you need to be MVP? What about his +100 plus minus rating? Or maybe his 52% faceoff clip? This guy has done it all this year, and is one of the big reasons why the team is leading the way. Of course, he has a lot of support offensively, with three others at 100 points or more on the year.

Sam Teibert: Another year in the league, and he is continuing to be a dominant force. He was not the MVP last year, however is looking to change that with his performance this year. So far, he has 66 goals and 131 points, best on his team, with a +74 as well. Perhaps not as good as Tim TebowGow, but keep in mind he is playing with a weaker supporting case and is doing a lot with it. His biggest problem with winning this award will be the fact he is a winger and does not take a lot of faceoffs, but considering who he has as centermen, he may be considered regardless.

Kyle Kingma: Back to his old tricks, Kingma is once again on this list for the second straight season. This year he is right in the thick of the goal scoring race, tied with Teibert for most goals on the season. Now he may not have nearly the same number of assists as teammate Travis Willcox, but his goal scoring ability still needs to be acknowledged. I think with his performance on the Watchmen so far, and the fact he was on the Watchmen all season, he will be a better MVP candidate than Travis Willcox.

MC Hammer: The top scorer as far as defensemen are concerned, Hammer is the big man leading the way defensively for the Royals, and is one of the reasons why Time TebowGow is doing as well as he is. The pairing of Hammer/Goody has been ungodly so far, as they both have over 80 assists on the year and are continuing to score on a regular basis. Why does Hammer deserve the nod over Goody? Goal scoring. Hammer has over 40 goals so far, while Goody has only just eclipsed the 30 goal mark. Goal scoring from a defenseman can be incredibly valuable.

Coca Cola: While the level of goaltending hasn't been all that high so far, Coca Cola has been the most consistent of the group, leading the way with a .918 save percentage, 1.76 goals against average, and 48 wins. He is unlikely to win the MVP award just because he isn't getting a lot of shots against, but he is having a great year so far and should at least be looked at for this award. As far as goaltenders are concerned, he is the best around currently.

Honorable Mentions: Bernie Gow, Chuck Goody, Josh Merica, Valentin Taneyev, Ken Anderson, Golden Jedtsson

Christmas · June 9, 2015

Watchmen Vs Red Wolves Series Preview

The first round of the European conference features two teams. One who had the third best record in the league with 109 points, scored 270 goals, and had a goal differential of 112, and another who had one of the worst records in the league, with only 39 points, scored 143 goals and had a goal differential of -139. The teams are the dominant Watchmen and the brutal Red Wolves. Can the Red Wolves pull off an upset? Let’s find out.

Offense: The Watchmen had the third best goals for per game in the league, scoring 3.75 goals per game. That was a dominant performance by the squad. They also were third in the league with 32 shots per game. How did the Red Wolves stack up? Not even close. The Red Wolves scored just shy of 2 goals per game, good for 6^th in the league, and they only took 20.9 shots on goal, good for 6^th once again. Advantage: Watchmen

Defense: The Watchmen remained consistent in this category, allowing 2.19 goals against, third in the league, but allowing only 16.94 shots against, good for first in the league. The Red Wolves were basically where we expected them, as they were 6^th in both goals against and shots against. The Red Wolves remain one of the weakest teams in this category. Advantage: Watchmen

Goaltending: Goaltending appears to be the best chance the Red Wolves have at making this a series, because there isn’t too much of a difference between the two. Both goaltenders are at a very similar save percentage at around .875. However, Not Active of the Red Wolves has a more difficult time out there due to a higher goals against average with 3.94 and a much higher number of shots against with 2172 compared to David Blind’s 1209. Double the shots against means a bad time for Not Active. If the Red Wolves can limit shots for just one game, they may be able to make a series out if it. Advantage: Draw

Intangibles: The Red Wolves had a great special teams unit last season despite being a weaker team than the Royals in their matchup. However, the same cannot be said of this season, as the Red Wolves are last in both powerplay and penalty kill. In fact, they are not even close in either category to the next highest teams. The Watchmen, on the other hand, continue to be consistent in the third spot, with a 23.68% powerplay and a 82.18% penalty kill. As it stands, the Red Wolves are going to get slaughtered in this department, and they have to figure something out if they want to win. Basically, no penalties for or against. The Watchment have a bit of a chink in the armor with faceoffs, only finishing at 4^th in the league, but the Red Wolves remain behind in that category at 6^th in the league. Advantage: Watchmen

The Red Wolves tried their hand last year at a Cinderella run, but failed. This year, they are not even close to the same team as their counterpart, and in just about every single category they are lagging behind. Goals for, goals against, differential, intangible qualities. Everything. The only thing they can hope for is to win a game or two and hold their heads high that they actually did something in this series. No matter what, there is no way the Watchmen are going to lose this series.

Our Prediction: Watchmen in 4

Christmas · June 16, 2015

The VHLM finals are upon us, and there are some big names currently going up against one another. You have Chuck Goody and Giovanni Reuel of Bern, and Biggu Kyanon and Sam Teibert of Brampton. Those are some great players who are showing they may be future VHL stars. However, what about those stars who were eliminated from these playoffs?

The first name that comes to mind early is Kyle Kingma. From the Bratislava Watchmen, Kingma was able to will his team to the conference finals with a gaudy set of points, but it was unfortunately not enough to make it to the final big dance. He finished the playoffs with 23 points in 10 games, the highest point total of all players, and will likely be the leading scorer of the playoffs. The Watchmen had a couple other stars as well. Travis Willcox was right behind him with 11 goals and 17 points in 10 games, as well as Thaddeus Humbert with 13 assits and 14 points. David Blind stood strong for them in the pipes, holding upa .897 save percentage and one of the best GAA with 2.45 before being eliminated in this run.

Looking at the Red Wolves, there is not much that you can look at from this squad and think of star power. Not Active was about as inactive between the pipes as you could get, with a 7.00 GAA and a .817 save percentage. Their worst +/- player was -13 in 4 games, and they did not have a single player with a positive +/-. However, despite all the cards stacking up against them, and their predicted sweep at the hands of their opponents, they had at least one bright spot. Steven Bradbury was able to score 2 goals and 5 points during this series, leading the team, and somehow finding a way to be a point per game despite the team being outmatched in every single category. While he was a -3, that is still very respectable considering the matchups he had and the minutes he played.

The Ottawa Lynx did a great job in their run for the cup, despite losing just before the finals. The Lynx had a wealth of solid players, with 6 players above a point per game. Two players who led the pack in this regard were Benjamin Zeptenbergs and Theo Matsikas, both finishing at 15 points. Souryuu Kaminogi was also very solid, finishing with 14 points and scoring 8 goals, third highest in the playoffs. While they may not be in the running for the playoffs, they have some solid plaeyrs who could be stars in the VHL.

The Saskatoon Wild were in a similar situation as the Red Wolves, as they were also swept and were outmatched in every facet of the game. However, their defenseman, Erik Hedman, was the real shining force for the team. He scored 2 goals and 6 points in their 4 game series, as well as blocked 20 shots. When your team is being dominated to that kind of degree, it is no wonder he was able to rack up those kinds of numbers defensively. He may not have been the guy to get the team to win, but he sure was a defensive juggernaut in that series.

Christmas · July 29, 2015

The Oslo Storm are looking like they are the class of the European Conference. They are 18 points ahead of the Watchmen and have the best goal differential of the conference. Based on these factors, you would think the Storm are the favorites to come out of European Conference. The problem is the Storm look to be a team that is ripe for an upset. For starters, their goals for is 5^th in the league with 2.67 per game, despite their great goals against. They also have depth, but no real impact players who could make the difference between a win and a loss. Sandro Clegane has been great so far, but lately he has shown signs of fatigue and that could be a difference maker in a series they play against either the Watchmen or the Red Wolves. Chuck Goody has been impressive, but he has had many gaffes defensively which in the playoffs is a huge issue. Who else do they have on the backend to help them win it all? Supa Hot Fire who is all sizzle and no steak, and Artemis Fowll, who despite all the minutes he plays has not proven himself as a consistent offensive threat. All in all, that lack of depth defensively is a huge problem and could be why they are knocked out early in the playoffs.

What we Learned:

Bern Royals: Man have the Royals taken a step back since last season. Going from a 124 campaign and winning the President’s Trophy to finishing with only 12 points on the season? You think the GM would try to make a trade or something.

Brampton Blades: The Blades are a strong team so far this year, thanks to guys like Maxime Perron. However they are in the North American Conference, which means they will be going up against two other great teams, so their chances at a Cup are slim.

Bratislava Watchmen: Prime Contenders to come out of the European Conference. Surprised to keep seeing Not Active sticking around. Seems like this guy could be in the VHLM for many years with his decent play and refusal to move on up in the world.

Moscow Red Wolves: On pace to finish with similar point totals as they did the season before. Jace Hines could be a top-tier talent in the VHL, but him and Cleary are pretty much the only guys able to pull their weight on the team.

Oslo Storm: Top team in the European Conference. However, it is the European Conference, and they have not been all that impressive considering. Plus, their top scorer is Giovanni Reuel. He isn’t even a point per game in a high scoring league!

Ottawa Lynx: What happened to these guys? They used to be a good team, and now they are getting their sorry behinds kicked on a regular basis this year. Kewl Runnins needs to go back to Jamaica and run track again instead of playing on ice.

Saskatoon Wild: Well this team is pretty much stacked. Four point per game players? A goaltender with a .905 save percentage? Man oh man someone needs to pay more attention because they are drafting all the good players!

Yukon Rush: Despite not having nearly the same firepower as the Wild, they are doing pretty well for themselves. Second in the conference (expected), but their goal differential is pretty amazing, and Koponen is looking like a stud.

Christmas · August 5, 2015

What we Learned: Saskatoon's Defense is Too Good

Saskatoon is quite the powerhouse, and it shows. They lead just about every statistical category, and are primed to come out of the North American Conference. But how is this happening? Offense is one factor, yes, but the defensive side of the game is definitely overlooked. For starters, they have allowed the fewest amount of goals in the league so far, which compliments their offense by making them the only team in the league with a goal differential of more than 100. Second, they have a ridiculous penalty kill, currently at an 89.70% clip, 6% higher than the next best team. Third, they keep shots for high and shots against high. That isn't even discussing the players. Biggu Kyanon has been the best defenseman so far this year, with 34 goals and 103 points in 63 games. MC Hammer has also been incredible with his own 100 point campaign on defense. Eric Hedman is almost a PPG defenseman, and Stabby McFullO' Schmidt is primed to score 20 goals this year. That is an incredible defensive unit, which is by far the best in the league. Because of their ability on the defensive side of the game, they only need to show up right now to win the championship.

What we Learned:

Bern Royals: Frustrated player of the year award goes to Michael Burch. He is a -61, has taken a whopping 135 PIMs on the season, has hit 244 people, and has blocked 183 shots! This guy is doing his best to make something happen for a team that has earned three points since last week. What a dumpster fire.

Brampton Blades: Jefferson Jackson may sound like just a couple president's names, but he has been a true leader for the Blades. A late acquisition, he has only played 25 games so far, but somehow is leading the team in scoring. How did he do that? By being a patriot, that's how.

Bratislava Watchmen: They are still doing good, but haven't really caught up to Oslo, and that could be a problem despite guys like Valmount and Davidson doing really well. I think that they were expecting Tanner Hynes to do much better than he has. 3 points in 14 games since being acquired? Ouch.

Moscow Red Wolves: Super Cock has started to prove his mettle out there. Only problem is even with three players with the capacity to play well, they have a big hill to climb. I still see them having a chance against Oslo if they get that far, but Bratislava is simply better in every way.

Oslo Storm: Well look at this. They seem to have noticed they were ripe for the plucking in the playoffs and changed up their roster accordingly. Added Maxime Perron and Franklin Romanowski, two Brampton products who could be huge acquisitions for them in the future.

Ottawa Lynx: Kewl Runnings didn't take my advice, but at least he is producing out there. 49 points in 64 games is good for a second-liner, but this guy has to pretty much take on opponents by himself. Zachary Young is garbage out there, and Xavier Kirkland is already looking forward to his next contract. No heart on this team right now.

Saskatoon Wild: I talked about the defense a bit, but the offense is pretty incredible as well. They have six players with more than 20 goals, which is insane, and they dominate shots for, goals for, powerplay, and possession in general. Where did this team come from where they could be this good?

Yukon Rush: Right on the heels of the Saskatoon Wild, they are doing what they do best: win close games. Not a lot of goals scored with 192, but they have only allowed 94, which is third in the league. They will need to keep that up if they want to come out of the North American Conference.

Christmas · August 12, 2015

What we Learned: The First Round is Too Predictable

Honestly, the VHLM can be a very enjoyable part of a youngster’s career. Unfortunately, it appears it is a common occurrence to see the first round of the playoffs as the opposite for a good portion of incoming talent, as there is a wide gap between the haves and have nots. Currently, the Yukon Rush and Bratislava Watchmen are up in their respective series, which is not really surprising since they were the second-best teams in their respective conferences and will likely move on to the Conference Finals. But this isn’t just a one-year thing. S43 saw the Lynx and Watchmen swept their underdog opponents in the first round. S42 saw the Gladiators and Royals take down their weaker opponents. S41 saw it, then S40. The last time to see an underdog win a playoff series in the first round is S39. When you are a young player and you join an underdog team, how much motivation do you have when odds are the team that you will be facing is going to be much better than you? How do the fans enjoy something like that? This is supposed to kick off the excitement of the post-season, but it almost always starts with a whisper because nobody gets shocked anymore. When will we see a team shock the world in the first round? It needs to happen soon or the fans will just stop watching.

What we Learned:

Bern Royals: I feel bad for this team, particularly Jordan Maverick and Benjamin Tumack. Came into the VHLM all bright-eyed and then saw their enjoyment shattered with them getting destroyed game in and game out. Really sucks.

Brampton Blades: The Blades are just being mean to their fans right now, giving them hope by winning a game when they have no reason to have any hope at all. Maybe Parechkin can do something out there, but I doubt it.

Bratislava Watchmen: Up 3-0 on the Red Wolves, they appear to be cruising. Scoring 3.67 goals for and only 1.33 goals against, they are pretty much the example of what I was talking about earlier. Davidson and Valmount are putting on a clinic.

Moscow Red Wolves: Down 3-0 against the Watchmen, which is pretty much to no surprise. Their most talented player is Jace Hines, who has two points. Ouch. Don’t worry, Hines, if you keep working out you will either get drafted and leave or you can be a part of a potential solid team next year (if they draft well).

Oslo Storm: Not much to say about this team at the moment. Currently looking forward to seeing if they are going to prove us wrong by actually making it to the finals, or if they are going to prove me right and fold like a lawn chair to the Watchmen. What do you say, Oslo?

Ottawa Lynx: Well, um. Tuevo Rinne is a pretty good prospect. S45 prospect, that is. What happened in the draft to go so wrong that they had nobody of value? Has to be disheartening for new prospects when they have no send-downs and are facing teams like the Wild and the Rush.

Saskatoon Wild: Waiting around for the Rush to take care of business, then we will see what this team is capable of. Moholt, Weinstein, Kyanon, and Faux gotta pick it up, because this time next year they will be gonezo.

Yukon Rush: Yukon surrendered a game to the Blades, which almost makes you think that they are going to lose in the first round. Thing is, Yukon is basically on the same level as Bratislava. They are not to be denied in this first round. Hamilton with 9 points already? Get out of here. That guy is an assist machine.

Christmas · August 21, 2015

What we Learned: Phil Hamilton's Next Step

Phil Hamilton came into the VHLM in S44 with a lot of promise and incredible puck poise. While he may not be considered the most talented player of this draft class (slightly behind Clegane in TPE), he sure is one of the most sought-after players in the upcoming VHL draft. Why? Guy works harder than anyone and exudes confidence on the ice. Despite the Rush getting knocked out in four games to the Wild, Phil Hamilton was a shining star amongst the team, earning 16 points in 10 games. What does that mean for the future? Well, he will most assuredly be selected high in the VHL draft, which means he will potentially be the face of that franchise.

What that means for Phil is he probably won't have a decent group of talented guys to pass the puck to, which could kill his regular season numbers. He will have to carry the puck more, shoot the puck more, and rely on himself more than anyone else to make plays happen out on the ice. With his current skill level that may be difficult, and he will see a lot of failure early on. However Hamilton will need to break through that and use it as a learning experience to get better as a player. Can he do that? Does he have the will to make himself better despite overwhelming odds? Past accomplishments certainly imply as much. And he certainly has the raw talent to overcome a lot of obstacles in his way. With his VHLM season and career over, it is now time for Hamilton to show his mettle in the big leagues.

What we Learned:

Bern Royals: Ryan Price thinks he is a pretty awesome guy. Unfortunately none of those reasons are stopping pucks in Bern. Maybe focus less on the alphabet and more on his save percentage.

Brampton Blades: As expected, Brampton was knocked out in the first round. Though I will admit they did a pretty good job making a series out of it. Panik has been a little confused ever since, but that should change once the draft begins.

Bratislava Watchmen: Ummm, what happened? You seemed to have the finals in sight and you were ready to take down the overrated Storm, but...just nothingness afterwards. You had two chances to win it, too. Ouch.

Moscow Red Wolves: Despite getting knocked out in the first round, it seems like Jace Hines has done a good job getting to his artistic side. They may need some entertainment now that they have nothing else to do until the draft begins.

Oslo Storm: They seem to have proven me wrong. On to the finals after a close series with the Watchmen. Though can they make it all the way? We will see. Since I was wrong about them, I will hold my prediction this time.

Ottawa Lynx: The Lynx are silent, right now. No, seriously. Nobody on that team has done anything lately. Are they still in the locker room after the last regular season game or something? Someone get a defibrilator over here!

Saskatoon Wild: With a 4 game sweep the Wild are on to the finals. Thanks in large part to MC Hammer. Can't touch his playoff dominance right now.

Yukon Rush: They got pretty much stomped by Saskatoon, but Bubba Nuck appears to be okay despite this. Nuck may still be around next year, too, which will be a huge help if that team wants to contend next year.

Christmas · August 30, 2015

What we Learned: Goaltenders in the Dispersal Draft

Goaltenders can be a premium commodity in the VHLM, particularly when teams can only get one or two impact players from the draft each season. However, as of late there have been very few goaltenders coming out of the gate with a lot of talent, with S44 as a notable exception. S41 had only two goalies above 150 TPE going into the VHL draft, which went progressively worse each season till there were none in S43. We saw almost a resurgence of goaltending talent in the S44 dispersal draft, as going into the S45 VHL draft there will be three goaltenders at above 150, the first in quite some time. With the summer recruitment over and the number of players reaching its peak, this could be the last chance for VHLM teams to build from the back-end out. Greg Clegane will be gone next season, as will Ariel Weinstein. Sandro Clegane will probably be back next season, as well as other youngsters like Rinne, Price and Lundqvist. But those other players are at a step below what you would hope to get from a starting goaltender.

But does this next draft have good goaltenders coming in? As of right now, no, which is a major concern. Of course there could be some good goaltenders that come out of the woodwork, but so far it is concerning to see with regards to the VHLM. So what does that mean for the VHLM teams going into next season? The Lynx will have Tuevo Rinne, even though he is a meager goaltender. Saskatoon will be losing Ariel Weinstein. Yukon will be losing Greg Clegane. Bern will have Ryan Price. Bratislava will have Filip Lundqvist (who is about as good as no goalie at all). Oslo will have Sandro Clegane. So out of the 8 teams, only 4 will have a goalie for next year, and of those four, only one or two of them will actually provide something of merit to the team next season. Without goaltenders in the dispersal draft, there could be a huge problems in the future and lead to even less parity.

What we Learned:

Bern Royals: Jordan Maverick suggested a pretty drastic thing with the VHLM: downsizing. With the league downsizing very recently, one wonders if the league is willing to do so again. That said, Maverick has a point when there are so few players to play on each team.

Brampton Blades: Baptiste has stated he is excited for the draft, and despite the team getting knocked out in the first round, he has definitely solidified himself as a top-100 prospect going in.

Bratislava Watchmen: Alexander Davidson appears to be getting really bored with the media as of now. VHL teams might want to take note. This Davidson fellow could never turn out to be anything if he isn’t willing to spend time with the media.

Moscow Red Wolves: Super Cock has really fallen off a cliff ever since considering himself “too good” for most leagues. The VHL may have scared off his macho persona. Poor guy.

Oslo Storm: The Storm was able to make it out of one conference, but could not tame the beast that is the Saskatoon Wild. Five games, too. Oslo was completely outmatched in this one.

Ottawa Lynx: Ottawa is going to need to find some miracle players in this upcoming draft, because right now the team is a prime candidate to be removed should the VHLM actually contract. Better get Kol Mikaelson. That guy looks like a stud.

Saskatoon Wild: As we discussed previously, the Wild are a monster out there. They were able to take out the first place Oslo Storm and just cruise to a VHLM championship. What an effort by these guys.

Yukon Rush: Clegane seems to have a similar mindset with the rise of goaltending and defense in the upcoming draft. Can a resurgence be happening?

Christmas · September 3, 2015

Edition #97

What we Learned: Ottawa Isn't Rebuilding Properly

The VHLM dispersal draft is the way for teams in the VHLM to restock their cupboards when they have down seasons. Most of the time it does not take long for a team to bounce back after falling behind. How do they do this? By trading for picks when they know they aren't going to compete. Ottawa on the other hand has tried a different direction with trading picks without thinking of what their team will be like in the future. This season they had one of the worst seasons in their history, as one of the worst teams in the league and earning the second overall pick. On the surface, that is great. However, they traded that pick to the Bern Royals in exchange for a later pick and Bern's 1^st round pick next season. This makes sense for Bern since they are going to be in win-now mode with who they grabbed. But Ottawa? How many seasons do they need to rebuild before they are a contender? How long as they going to kick the can down the road?

Perhaps I could be wrong about how this will end up, and Ottawa may end up getting a really good first rounder that becomes a star in the VHLM. But honestly, when you have no talent on the team and you have a locker room that is devoid of activity, you would think the best option would be to add activity instead of trading it away. This isn't a rebuild, really. This is a poorly thought out plan.

What we Learned:

Bern Royals: The Royals took quite a few talents in the first round, thanks in large part to grabbing the 2^nd overall pick and being able to pick the top-two picks of the draft. Those picks turned into a winger and a goalie, two things they needed last season.

Brampton Blades: Saul Hackett and Maxime Deschamps were their only real acquisitions of the draft, which could get them over the top and make them a contender. But I doubt it.

Bratislava Watchmen: Well, with all their high-profile picks traded and only a conference final defeat to show for it, they better hope newcomer Michael Burch will lead the way somehow. Helps that he is on defense, but even he isn't projected to be a savior.

Moscow Red Wolves: This team put on a clinic in the draft, rivaling the Royals in acquisitions. Tons of first and second rounders, including Arcturus Mengsk. That guy is severely underrated and him falling could be just what the doctor ordered for Moscow to win it all.

Oslo Storm: Their only acquisition was Super Cock? That's not very good. They were overrated last season, but nobody is going to even think of overrating them now with what they have to work with going in. That was your chance to take the crown, Oslo, and you blew it.

Ottawa Lynx: I wonder what the odds are that Lucas Zhukenov will be inactive by the middle of the season. Ottawa looks primed for yet another disappointing season, and their LR, while getting some people to actually talk in it, is potentially going to be dead once again.

Saskatoon Wild: While their draft was expectedly pretty bad, they believe that it was worth winning the big prize last year. And with the way they took care of business game in and game out, I don't think anyone can argue with them on that account.

Yukon Rush: Unfortunately their gambles did not pay off, as they were dominated in the second round and didn't have any draft picks of note to restock the cupboards. Yukon can try and rebound with some guys who are coming back, but don't expect any miracles out of this squad.

Edited September 3, 2015 by Christmas

Christmas · September 14, 2015

What we Learned: Parity in S45

The VHLM has had a struggle with parity for a number of years. There are the great teams that can't be beat, the competitive teams that typically can win a few games but aren't contenders, and the teams that simply cannot win games at all. The question is can this season change that? So far, so good. The haves seem to have a less sizeable gap from recent years, and the have-nots appear to be at least more competitive on a game by game basis. But there are a few issues that still remain. Number one, the top players continue to dominate on a level that is unheard of at the professional level. Zach Parechkin himself had a game in which he scored 7 goals and 9 points. In a single game. I don't care what league you are in. No player should be able to do that in a league. I don't care if it is the best team in the history of the sport against the worst team. There has to be some level of competition between teams, otherwise the fans won't show up and put money down, and the players will just give up early on. On a team level the goal differentials are also creeping up to where they were last season, which again is a testament to how large the gap is between the good teams and bad.

While at first glance it may not appear to be a big deal, as teams do get their time to shine every few years or so, the fact is that with bad teams that are as bad as these guys are, the players lose focus. They lose the desire to work out. They lose camaraderie, which in turn leads to weaker and weaker draft classes. The VHLM is important, and if this kind of parity (or lack thereof) is allowed to continue, the VHL will start seeing the negative effects.

What we Learned:

Bern Royals: Bern is “only” 6-2 so far, but man that Parechkin. 18 points in 8 games, and 11 goals to boot. To be fair, 7 of those goals was from one game, so expect his point totals to drop a tad.

Brampton Blades: A .500 record so far, with the Lynx right on their tail. Thankfully the North American Conference is pretty weak this season, so the Blades will more than likely make it in even if they are at a .500 record or a little worse.

Bratislava Watchmen: Michael Burch is leading the way offensively, which is something the Watchmen needed to be sucessful. Unfortunately the team success part hasn't quite happened, yet. Team is 2-6-1 and will either need to get some ungodly production out of their new guys or make a trade.

Moscow Red Wolves: World B. Free is doing pretty well with his 15 points in 9 games. Third in the European Conference to start with, but they have a sizeable lead on the Watchment already and will have to have a brutal drop in production to fall behind.

Oslo Storm: Wesley Babiy and Giovanni Reuel are the two heroes for the team so far, each with over 15 points early on. Team is ahead of the pack in first, but Bern and Moscow are right behind them. Right now first place is a three-man race.

Ottawa Lynx: Individually nobody is lighting the lamp in a big way, but the team itself is doing alright considering. .500 team and could easily take over Brampton if they get better production from their players.

Saskatoon Wild: MC Hammer is dominating the scoresheet with 22 points, and they have 4 players in total with more than 10 points, helping them take over 1^st place in the North American Conference. Only problem is they haven't taken over in the same way we have seen other teams take over seasons, which could be concerning in the playoffs.

Yukon Rush: Worst team in the league right now. Not a single player with more than 5 points. So much for them potentially contending this season. Damn shame after getting dominated by Saskatoon and looking for revenge.

Christmas · September 21, 2015

What We Learned: Only One Conference Worth Watching

We have discussed in the past how the VHLM doesn’t have a lot of parity. The lack of parity in recent years has really affected the entertainment value of the league, forcing contraction and people wondering what the problem is with the way it is run. However, things have changed somewhat this season. The European Conference has been a treat to watch, as the current three playoff teams are in a wild chase for first. This is the kind of action that the VHLM needs, and it is a fresh change of pace. Moscow is currently leading the way, but each position is separated by two points.

Each team has its own storyline worth following as well. Moscow is currently on a 13 game win streak. Oslo is battling with the best teams and despite the weakest goal differential between the three teams is winning games due to a great defensive system. Bern is a well rounded squad trying its best to catch up to Moscow despite being third in the conference. They all are great teams worth watching for not only these stories, but also the quality of their teams.

As far as the players? Arcturus Mengsk is taking control right now with 46 points for Moscow. Oslo has no top-tier scorers right now, but Wesley Babiy and Giovanni Reuel are a two-man machine that are helping things on the offensive end while Coca Cola is willing the team to victory with a .937 save percentage. Bern has two ridiculous talents in Parechkin and Hamilton, who both have 45+ points right now. When these players match up against one another, you see some crazy results.

All in all, there are a ton of things to enjoy between these three teams. The North American Conference, sadly enough, has not been nearly up to par, which makes the European Conference the only one worth watching right now. Can that change next season? Maybe. But it appears that in S45 you really won’t have any reason to bother with any conference other than the European until a champion is crowned.

What we Learned:

Bern Royals: Baptiste is a prospect to keep an eye on. Has been really active going through training camp, and already has 45 points. Parechkin needs to watch his back on this team or else he will get passed up.

Brampton Blades: Still have a .500 record, but are pulling away from the Lynx. Matt Johnson is doing alright, almost at a ppg with 21 points. Well, that’s nice I guess.

Bratislava Watchmen: Watchmen are not making the playoffs. Sorry, but you are almost 20 points back, now. You are hurting this season.

Moscow Red Wolves: What happed to World B. Free? Mengsk just knocked him out of the race for top scoring on the best team in the North American Conference.

Oslo Storm: Oslo surrendered 1^st place in the European Conference, but they are still in the hunt. Reuel needs to get some more points if the team wants that first round bye.

Ottawa Lynx: Still in third, and falling behind. Ethan Henderson must be frustrated being the only player worth a damn on the roster right now.

Saskatoon Wild: Saskatoon is first in the North American Conference, but that isn’t saying much. They are a full 7 points behind the third place team in the European Conference. Pretty weak first place team.

Yukon Rush: Yukon can’t make the playoffs in a weak conference, which is too bad. None of their players are doing much of anything, which means they are pretty much a free win every single game.

Christmas · September 29, 2015

What We Learned: Has the League Changed?

In the 100^th edition of this magazine, it has given the writers of this magazine time to reflect on the seasons past and think about the league as a whole. We have had conversations about parity, the talent-pool, and future all-stars in the VHLM. But there is one question. Has it changed from the beginning?

The first answer is of course it has. Teams have been added, removed, players have changed the way rules are done, there have been high points and low points in roster sizes, and the general philosophy of managing has varied over the seasons. But as a whole, the league has been relatively consistent. The amount of parity has been relatively consistent, in that there really hasn’t been a lot save for a couple years. Teams typically go to contend every couple of years, then fade back into the basement for a bit until they can stock up on picks, then try to contend again. Management has been both good and bad for some teams. Finally, the VHLM has taken a major backburner to the VHL and is typically ignored by the masses.

Now while most of it has not changed. Is that necessarily a bad thing? Sometimes, yes. Sometimes, no. The idea of contending then dropping to the basement is not a horrible one, especially with the high turnover rate when prospects become stars in the VHL rather quickly. Management has on the whole been pretty decent, which is clearly a positive. However the biggest negative to the VHLM has been the lack of attention paid to its userbase. When teams tank, the players they do draft come to locker rooms completely empty. It kills the activity for the non-contenders, and in a way stunts the growth of the league. If there is one thing that we hope will have changed in our 200^th edition, it is the lack of attention given to prospects in this league.

What we Learned:

Bern Royals: They have made the playoffs 23 times, good to be tied for second among active teams. Unfortunately they have only made the finals 6 times out of those 23 years. Thankfully, they have won 4 times out of those 6 finals seasons.

Brampton Blades: They are about at par with everyone else in playoff years, going 22 times. They have made the finals 12 times, but only won 7 championships total.

Bratislava Watchmen: Despite being a relatively new team, they have made the playoffs more than half their history. Not only that, they have made the finals 4 out of 7 years, and won every single time.

Moscow Red Wolves: Currently the active leader in playoffs made, with 26. With that they have made the finals 9 times, but somehow only won the championship twice? Ouch.

Oslo Storm: Oslo has been a little sparse in the playoffs, but in the past were regular contenders. Made the finals 14 times in their history, but only won 5 times.

Ottawa Lynx: Among teams since the beginning, they have made it the fewest amount of times with 21. Thankfully, next time you see them in the playoffs and the finals, they are likely to win it all (8 for 9 in the finals)

Saskatoon Wild: Saskatoon also is last with 21 playoff appearances. Problem is they have made the finals 8 times but only won it all three times. Not very successful.

Yukon Rush: Yukon is another relatively new team, who have made the playoffs 6 times. Every time they have done so, they have made the finals. And out of those finals, they have won it four times. Talk about getting the most out of your shots.

Christmas · October 4, 2015

What We Learned: How Old is Too Old?

The VHLM is all about prospects. About new blood. About youth. It is a place where young players can become assets right away without a long period of playing in a depth position. Plenty of players have been able to play and win awards. Sometimes players spend an extra year in the minors, but it typically doesn’t go that much farther than that. The youth keeps coming in and the older players either move on to the VHL or they get pushed out to end their playing careers.

What doesn’t typically happen is for a player to continue in the league for multiple seasons after they are taken in the VHLM. Take Saskatoon for example. Markus Muller is from Season 41. MC Hammer is from Season 43. Ken Anderson of the Blades is from Season 42. Travis Willcox of the Red Wolves? Season 42 as well. These are old players. So how hold is too old?

The VHLM has an issue with parity as it is. So it is strange to see that older players like these are allowed who have such an impact on the game. MC Hammer is leading the league in scoring. Markus Muller has 70 points. Anderson and Willcox are both contributing in their own right. What would these teams be like without relying on these older players? Saskatoon would definitely not be tops in the North American Conference right now.

There should be a stricter limit on how long players can play in the league. Top-tier talents should either stay in the VHL or they should move on if they are no longer valuable to the VHL after a couple seasons. This just makes some teams artificially better than others because of some guys who they drafted who never were good enough to make the VHL.

What we Learned:

Bern Royals: Jeff Hamilton has been outed as a homosexual, particularly by Jon Panik. Personally, this outing should be a red flag to any VHL team. Not regarding Hamilton. Regarding Panik. Nobody should out someone as a homosexual publicly like that.

Brampton Blades: Some reports have said the Blades rely too much on Parechkin to succeed. This could be true, as they have a -20 goal differential. Could be an easy first round out, though Ottawa is way worse.

Bratislava Watchmen: Can you hear that? Didn’t think so. Bratislava has nobody who is making a splash, and apparently their locker room is completely empty.

Moscow Red Wolves: The twenty game win streak is over, but they still lead the European Conference. Bern is still right behind them, though. Although I wonder what that matchup will be like in the playoffs when it inevitably happens.

Oslo Storm: The Storm have fallen behind the Royals and Red Wolves, and look to be mired in that third spot, but they are at least winning and keeping it close. Too bad they weren’t in the North American Conference this year. They could have torn it up.

Ottawa Lynx: Henderson has been a little quiet as of late. He still sticks around and has a great group of people to keep him interested in the Lynx, but he has simply not the type of player we are expecting right now. Though to be fair the Lynx aren’t exactly full of great players.

Saskatoon Wild: Skovgaard looks to be an artist these days. If the hockey career doesn’t work out, he could really have a second career doing paintings and making a killing off it.

Yukon Rush: Do I even need to say anything about this team? Worst in the league by far. Four wins in 42 games. A negative 138 goal differential. That’s just unbelievable.

Christmas · October 10, 2015

What We Learned: Are the Finals Already Decided?

The season is getting close to ending, and at this point people start to guess who the real contenders are going to be. Right now there is only one true contender in the North American Conference, and they are the Saskatoon Wild. Way ahead of the Blades and Lynx, with multiple top-tier players like Hammer, Muller, Skovgaard, and Hedman. The European Conference, on the other hand, is a different story.

The Red Wolves of Moscow and the Royals of Bern are looking like the top guys, with Oslo pretty close behind. Some would say this is going to be a three-horse race between the three clubs coming out of the playoffs. Is it, really? Some would say the Royals are right up there with the Red Wolves with the amount of talent they have scoring on their team. Some would say that the Storm are pretty close behind the Royals, which means they could easily jump up. Some would be wrong on both accounts.

Let’s just eliminate the Storm right now. They are consistently ranked behind both the Red Wolves and Royals in both goals for/against, special teams, shot differential (where they are ranked 5^th in the league), and faceoffs. As a team, they may not look too far behind, but they have not proven themselves as much of a contender compared to either Bern or Moscow.

Now for the Royals. Are they right up there with Moscow? Not really. They have top-tier talent, absolutely. But has that talent translated to great team success? Not at the same level of the Red Wolves. The Red Wolves lead them in goals for/against and special teams. The Royals have a slightly greater shots differential, but the difference in goal between Clegane and Price makes up for it. And finally, the standings make the final call at which team is better. The Red Wolves are clearly superior and have been for almost the entire season. Honestly, with that first round bye and not having to tire themselves out, that is going to make it even easier for them to reach the finals. So really, when you look at it, the finals appear to have already been decided.

What we Learned:

Bern Royals: Sean Blacker has had a less than stellar season, and he knows it. He wants his game to improve, and he knows that in order to do that he has to be committed. Good mind on that guy.

Brampton Blades: Tom Lincoln is an up and coming prospect, who may not be killing it for the Blades right now, should do better in the playoffs. That is assuming they don’t get slaughtered by the Wild.

Bratislava Watchmen: I think we have some life in the locker room. Sir William Covington looks to be primed to be the franchise guy, but he will have to stick with the team even though they literally have nobody else that makes a difference.

Moscow Red Wolves: Will World B. Free become the next big thing in the VHL? Maybe, but it certainly doesn’t hurt he hasn’t had to worry about the pressure while playing behind his dominant teammates.

Oslo Storm: Olivia Diamond is preparing for the VHL, but her interesting personality may be the death of her considering the media is going to attack that on every single opportunity. That said, we hope she succeeds.

Ottawa Lynx: We talked about Henderson not doing all that much lately, but what about Andersson? Guy has been absent for over a month, now. What is going on in Ottawa? They do know they are in a playoff spot, right? Where is the hype?

Saskatoon Wild: Supernaw has some ideas for the VHLM, which I think should be looked at. The league needs some fresh things going on, because right now I think the fans are looking at it as a stale league. We know it isn’t the VHL, but still.

Yukon Rush: Yukon is bad. That’s about all I got. Sorry, guys.

Edited October 10, 2015 by Christmas

Christmas · October 19, 2015

What We Learned: Parechkin Needs to Stick Around

It’s not very often that we see a talent that could be one of the next greats in the VHLM. It’s also not very often that we see that talent come to life in their first season in the VHLM. With the season ending, we may have found that talent: Zach Parechkin. Why? Watch a game. Watch any game for the Royals. Guy does everything right and when the puck is on his stick you can just see that magic is going to happen. It is almost intoxicating to watch.

Don’t feel like watching those games? Just look at his stat line instead.78 goals, leading the league. 80 assists, 4^th in the league. 158 points, leading the league. Guy is just a monster out there, and while he has been able to play with guys like Jeff Hamilton and Sean Blacker, believe me when I say this guy is not relying on others for scoring. Guy has a whopping 571 shots, compared to the next highest guy with 396. Guy has a higher shooting percentage than anyone on the team, more hits, a better +/- than everyone except Blacker, 20 powerplay goals, tons of minutes in every single situation. This is a future leader of the VHL, and whichever team grabs him is going to be incredibly lucky.

Some may say it is unfair to talk about one player in this segment. However, is there any reason we shouldn’t? The VHLM itself has been discussed with great detail the last few weeks, and not much has changed. However Parechkin has continued to go nuts on the rest of the league, and there has been very little discussed in this segment. That time is now. The VHL should take notice, because the Parechkin era is now, and it is not going away any time soon.

What we Learned:

Bern Royals: Ryan Price has started to come out as a personable guy, most likely with the understanding he needs to step it up with the playoffs right around the corner. Oslo is no joke, and if they beat them the Red Wolves will be an even tougher challenge.

Brampton Blades: There has been word that the Blades are going to be shuffling their lines a bit despite how well they have been doing. Perhaps they are concerned their style of play as it stands is not going to win them the championship? Bold strategy, Cotton.

Bratislava Watchmen: Kasey Morgan definitely doesn’t mince words when it comes to his team. “It’s not easy playing for a team with a dead locker room.” Damn, son. I can only imagine the field day the media is having with that kind of comment.

Moscow Red Wolves: Jory Rose knows the kind of battle his team has been having with the Royals. “We know we have to go through them to get to the Founder’s Cup.” Damn straight. With the recent brawling that has gone on between the two teams, it could be an instant classic series.

Oslo Storm: Шеслей Бабій has quite the name. Also has quite the personality. We checked out his blog, and he has a picture of his player holding up Parechkin in his arms, looking to break his back off his knee. Well, wishing won’t stop him, but I give you credit for dreaming.

Ottawa Lynx: This may be the quietest team to ever get into the playoffs. And I don’t mean in terms of media recognition. I mean literally in terms of how much you get out of that locker room. There hasn’t been any movement for over a month, now. Could you imagine if that team won it all?

Saskatoon Wild: Joel Jarvi hasn’t been on the team all that much, but he is almost at a point per game. That is actually impressive despite not participating in training camp or getting into the system for 50 or so games. Could be a good player soon.

Yukon Rush: Good job for Lars Siktanc to be leading the way offensively for the Rush. I mean, it’s 52 points, and he is -10, but hey. Got to get little victories when you can, especially when the team is a dumpster fire.

Edited October 19, 2015 by Christmas

Christmas · October 28, 2015

What We Learned: Brampton Making Waves

We have discussed in previous articles about problems with the VHLM. Namely the lack of parity that can be found there. This year has seen that evidenced by the bottom-feeder teams and those third place teams that have seen their seasons end early and quickly. This is something we continue to see year after year, which is quite unfortunate for a developmental league. However, Brampton has chosen not to follow the status quo and provide us with some top-notch quality hockey. How have they done that? By going up against the Wild of Saskatoon and saying, “hey, we are going to the finals now.” This is despite finishing with a sub .500 record and really not giving us much hope they could do anything during the regular season. They had an incredible 7 game series in which they actually miraculously came back from down 3-0 to win the series. That simply does not happen, especially when it is an underdog like Brampton.

Look at the final two games of the series. Game six saw Brampton came out and take a 3-1 lead against the Wild and play incredibly well for the first 30 minutes. They let their lead slip, and Saskatoon unloaded on them in the first overtime period. Yet somehow, they managed to finish the game in double overtime and force a game 7. Game 7 was a monster offensive game, seeing the teams score 4 goals each in the first 60 minutes, Saskatoon again having to come from behind and tie the game in the third period. Brampton again held on and finished the game and series early in the first overtime, and are now a threat to win the Founders Cup. That is incredible hockey, and for those of you (us, really) who thought they were done after 3-0, time to eat your crow and give credit where it is due.

The only question is will this run be quickly snuffed out by the Red Wolves? They were the best team in the league, tore through their conference, and are now sniffing blood knowing their biggest competition is out of the playoffs. Saskatoon is clearly not the same type of team as Moscow, but it is possible Brampton learned a few things from their series against the Wild. Time will tell, and we are looking forward to it.

What we Learned:

Bern Royals: They finished Oslo in a pretty good series as expected, but did not come to play when they had the favorite Moscow Red Wolves to contend with. A sweep? Damn. Not so entertaining.

Brampton Blades: Those players are high off a big series against Saskatoon, but they have to get their heads on quick if they want to even compete in the finals. They are playing a much better team.

Bratislava Watchmen: Dead locker room is going to need some life injected into it for this upcoming dispersal draft. Big negative goal differential and this lull in anything going on for them has to kill the people who are active on the team.

Moscow Red Wolves: Moscow is taking care of business, right now. Sweeping the Royals and benefit from the Wild choking a 3-0 series lead, this could be in the bag.

Oslo Storm: Oslo tied their might in this one, but unfortunately could not force a game 7 against Bern. Hopefully they will have it in them next season.

Ottawa Lynx: As expected Ottawa did not go anywhere after somehow making the playoffs with a -119 goal differential and a .326 winning percentage. Dead team, dead room, dead everything.

Saskatoon Wild: Gotta imagine the coach is going to be in hot water after that choke-job. A 3-0 lead and four chances to take care of the series for good. Two of them in overtime. That is a historical choke that will not soon be forgotten.

Yukon Rush: Negative 212 goal differential. Just let that sink in. Yukon has some big problems and I don’t know if a single draft is going to fix it.

Edited October 28, 2015 by Christmas

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