Tagger 2,722 Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 (edited) Many VHL fans have already started an "Anyone But Encarnacion" campaign While most of the focus from now to the end of the season will be on the battle for the playoff spots, there’s another battle occurring between the two worst teams in the league revolving around their most experienced players. Edwin Encarnacion of the Calgary Wranglers and Brennan McQueen of the Riga Reign are both close to finishing out their VHL careers with this being their final season in the league, however the lack of success for their respective teams hasn’t stopped them from competing for their own personal success. While McQueen is doing everything that he can to put up a competitive push for the Boulet Trophy that looks like it’s headed to Bruno Wolf for the second consecutive season, Encarnacion is just trying to get as high as he can in the all-time rankings for hits, shots blocked and penalty minutes. While Encarnacion’s hopes of becoming the VHL’s all-time leader in penalty minutes are over, he still has a shot of becoming the all-time leader in shot blocks as he is currently 57 shot blocks off the all-time leader Markus Lidstrom with 16 games to play. While his form to this point of the season would suggest that Encarnacion will fall short of this record as well, it is worth pointing out that the vast majority of their remaining games are against teams who are currently in playoff positions in the standings, so Encarnacion will be hoping that they can conjure up plenty of shooting opportunities for him. Obviously the VHL fans are hoping for a McQueen victory However, it is Encarnacion’s battle for all-time hits recognition that is perhaps the most intriguing. Heading into the season, Encarnacion was eighth in all-time hits and was in fact first in all-time hits for a player who had only played as a defenseman, but how high Encarnacion was going to be able to climb in the rankings was going to be dictated by how well he performed in comparison to the only active player ahead of him in the rankings, Brennan McQueen. Prior to the start of the season Brennan McQueen had a 57 hit advantage over Encarnacion, a lead that even Encarnacion believed was insurmountable at the start of the season considering McQueen’s ability. The statistics for this season show that neither man was willing to be defeated in this category, as they both currently rank in first and second place for hits this season. As it stands, it is Encarnacion who currently has a 63 hit lead over McQueen, which gives Encarnacion a small six hit advantage in the all-time rankings, but he has also played one more game than McQueen to this point of the season, so that lead could quickly be erased. This is a race that could ultimately go right down to the wire, something that will make for exciting viewing especially considering that McQueen’s last home game of his career will come against Encarnacion’s Wranglers team, with Riga being Encarnacion’s first home before he was traded for McQueen in his rookie season. Regardless of who wins the battle, it cannot be argued that both of these players are two of the most dominant physical presences that the league has ever seen. McQueen will ultimately retire as arguably the greatest hitter to play the game (as he’s put up these exceptional hitting numbers in only a seven season span) while Encarnacion will enter the last games of his career knowing that he has put up more hits in the stats column than any other defenseman to play in the VHL. Edited March 24, 2015 by YEAH! Phil, eaglesfan036 and DollarAndADream 3 Link to comment https://vhlforum.com/topic/18567-claimedwho-will-finish-third-in-all-time-hits-final-66/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
CowboyinAmerica 2,889 Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 My third place spot lasted a whole two seasons. Link to comment https://vhlforum.com/topic/18567-claimedwho-will-finish-third-in-all-time-hits-final-66/#findComment-196302 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tagger 2,722 Posted March 24, 2015 Author Share Posted March 24, 2015 My third place spot lasted a whole two seasons. Hey, fifth place is pretty good too! Link to comment https://vhlforum.com/topic/18567-claimedwho-will-finish-third-in-all-time-hits-final-66/#findComment-196307 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ball 453 Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 Tyler Cote IMHO Link to comment https://vhlforum.com/topic/18567-claimedwho-will-finish-third-in-all-time-hits-final-66/#findComment-196546 Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglesfan036 4,603 Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 gonna be sad to see edwin leave Tagger 1 Link to comment https://vhlforum.com/topic/18567-claimedwho-will-finish-third-in-all-time-hits-final-66/#findComment-196609 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kesler 1,514 Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 I kind of wish I played my first season in the VHL so I would have had a shot at getting high in the all time list. Link to comment https://vhlforum.com/topic/18567-claimedwho-will-finish-third-in-all-time-hits-final-66/#findComment-196795 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DollarAndADream 3,356 Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 (edited) Content: 3/3 - I haven't really been paying attention to this race at all, but I will now that you mention it. It will definitely be interesting to follow. Good article.Grammar: 2/2 - I didn't find a thing.Appearance: 1/1 - Good. Overall: 6/6 Edited March 25, 2015 by DollarAndADream Link to comment https://vhlforum.com/topic/18567-claimedwho-will-finish-third-in-all-time-hits-final-66/#findComment-196882 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil 5,119 Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 Atta boy. Link to comment https://vhlforum.com/topic/18567-claimedwho-will-finish-third-in-all-time-hits-final-66/#findComment-196994 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie 438 Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 I kind of wish I played my first season in the VHL so I would have had a shot at getting high in the all time list. Didn't play my first season in the VHL. Link to comment https://vhlforum.com/topic/18567-claimedwho-will-finish-third-in-all-time-hits-final-66/#findComment-197000 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Victor 10,943 Posted March 29, 2015 Admin Share Posted March 29, 2015 I kind of wish I played my first season in the VHL so I would have had a shot at getting high in the all time list.You did play your first season in the VHL - you just sucked. Link to comment https://vhlforum.com/topic/18567-claimedwho-will-finish-third-in-all-time-hits-final-66/#findComment-197774 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kendrick 4,741 Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Claimed Link to comment https://vhlforum.com/topic/18567-claimedwho-will-finish-third-in-all-time-hits-final-66/#findComment-197973 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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