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Smarch

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Smarch

Smarch 3,091

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D – Matt Bentley

Birthplace: Canterbury, England, UK

Height: 6'3" 

Weight: 200lbs

Jersey Number: 2

Drafted: S35 DAV (Via GM Rule)

Username: Victor

 

Heading into the Season Thirty-Five VHL Entry Draft, not many who followed the VHL were excited with the draft class that was assembled. In an extremely top heavy class with a lot of high risk high reward type players, one of the best players to come out of the draft didn’t even here his named called by a VHL General Manger from the podium. Defenseman Matt Bentley headed to the the HC Davos Dynamo via the leagues’ General Manager rules, jumping into the VHL action right out of the draft, which turned out to be a very smart hockey decision.

 


Career Awards:

S36 European Conference All-Star
S36 Terence Fong Trophy - European Conference Champions (DAV)
S36 Continental Cup - Playoff Champions (DAV)
S37 European Conference All-Star
S37 Victory Cup - Regular Season Champions (DAV)
S37 Terence Fong Trophy - European Conference Champions (DAV)
S38 European Conference All-Star
S38 Terence Fong Trophy - European Conference Champions (DAV)
S38 Continental Cup - Playoff Champions (DAV)
S39 European Conference All-Star
S39 Terence Fong Trophy - European Conference Champions (DAV)
S40 North American Conference All-Star
S41 Sterling Labatte Trophy
S41 Victory Cup - Regular Season Champions (NYA)
S41 Devon Marlow-Marta Trophy – North American Conference Champions (NYA)
S41 Continental Cup - Playoff Champions (NYA)
S41 North American Conference All-Star
S42 Sterling Labatte Trophy
S42 North American Conference All-Star

 

 

Season 35 Statistics:

Regular Season:

S35(DAV)  72GP |  7G - 31A -  38P |  +5 | 101SHT | 1GWG |  78PIM | 143HIT | 117SB

Playoffs:

S35(DAV) 5GP | 1G -  2A -  3P |  0 |  5SHT | 0GWG |  6PIM | 15HIT |  6SB

 

A season after being named the successor to David Knight, General Manager Victor Alfredsson knew the hockey gods were smiling down on him heading into Season Thirty-Five. After finishing last in the league in points with twenty-one in Season Thirty-Four, the Dynamo were looking to head back to the top of the European Conference with a solid off-season. Outside of brining in franchise net minder Lennox Moher with the First Overall draft pick, the team also brought in Bentley to anchor the blue-line. Bentley was a blue-chip prospect when he entered the league, but because of the circumstances and other players brought in at the same time as him to the team, he seemed to fly under the radar. Bentley didn’t blow the roof off the arena during his rookie campaign in the VHL but stabilized the blue-line for the Dynamo, while also helping the Dynamo return to the playoffs after a one year hiatus.  Although the Dynamo had a very quick playoff appearance in Bentley’s first season, things were on an upward trend from this point forward for both Bentley and the Dynamo organization.

 

Season 36 Statistics:

Regular Season:

S36(DAV) 72GP |  9G - 49A -  58P | +46 | 110SHT | 2GWG | 112PIM | 190HIT | 104SB

Playoffs:

S36(DAV) 13GP | 1G -  6A -  7P | +3 | 19SHT | 0GWG | 14PIM | 32HIT | 19SB

 

With a less than stellar European Conference heading into Season Thirty-Six, the Dynamo saw a huge opportunity with the stellar core they built in Moher, Bentley, and Sergey Brovalenko. This Dynamo team was built to run over their opponents with their offensive prowess, but without Bentley stepping up huge and captaining the back-end of what could be described as a hog posh of defenseman on the Dynamo blue-line. Bentley built upon his respectable rookie stats, putting up twenty more points than his rookie campaign, most of which were in the assist category. Bentley helped lead the Dynamo to a first place finish in the European Conference, where the team would sit and await their opponent in the VHL Conference Finals. Bentley and the Dynamo would welcome the Helsinki Titans in the Conference Finals, who they bested in six games. Bentley played well from the back-end for the team during those six games, putting up one goal and three assists. Bentley would help lead the team into the Continental Cup against the Toronto Legion, where the Bentley and Dynamo dynasty would begin.  With the team facing elimination at the hands of the Legion in game five, Bentley changed the fortune of the Dynamo by being in the right place at the right time. After the Dynamo lost a late game face-off in their zone Chico Salmon was hit by Mario Linguini, and that’s where Bentley jumped on the loose puck and started skating up ice. Bentley eventually found Gallo in the neutral zone, who after some tick-tack-toe with Brovalenko, found the back of the net. Thanks to the quick thinking and long reach of Bentley the goal that put them ahead in game five, also lead to the team being able to come back from a 3-1 series deficit to take home the Continental Cup. Although Bentley didn’t light the world on fire during the playoffs, it was the great hockey sense play like the one in game five that showed what was still to come from the young defenseman.

 

Season 37 Statistics:

Regular Season:

S37(DAV) 72GP | 10G - 52A -  62P | +25 | 148SHT | 5GWG | 155PIM | 200HIT |  90SB

Playoffs:

S37(DAV) 11GP | 1G -  5A -  6P | -4 | 29SHT | 0GWG | 45PIM | 40HIT | 15SB

 

A year removed from winning his first Continental Cup in Davos, bigger things were expected from Bentley and the rest of the Dynamo roster heading into Season Thirty-Seven. The Dynamo got off to a torrid start, losing only nine times in their first forty games. Bentley was also shot out of a cannon to begin the season, putting up seven of his ten goals in the first sixty-eight games of the season. Although Bentley and the Dynamo didn’t quite keep up that record setting pace the rest of the season, they did play well enough down the stretch to bring home Victory Cup for the league’s best regular season record. Bentley once again improved his numbers from the previous two seasons, increasing his point and hit total from Season Thirty-Six. Bentley hit the sixty point plateau for the first time in his career, putting up sixty-two points in sixty-two games; Bentley also hit the 200 hit milestone for the first time in his VHL career. Bentley and the Dynamo again awaited an opponent in the Conference Finals for the second straight year, this time the Riga Reign would be their opponent. Although the Dynamo had oodles of trouble with the Reign they would eventually move on to the Continental Cup. Bentley played like his usual self in a VHL Conference Finals, putting up 1 goal and three assists. Bentley and the team would move onto a re-match of last season’s finals against the Toronto Legion. Toronto came into the finals with a bitter taste in their mouths over their collapse last season, and it showed in the way they handled the finals. Bentley and the Dynamo were no match for the Legion and they were swept in four games. Bentley put up two more assists over the course of the four games against the Legion to bring his playoff total to five, to go along with the one goal he netted in the Conference Finals. After three years in the VHL Matt Bentley had found himself in the finals twice already, but that was just the beginning of his great career.

Season 38 Statistics:

Regular Season:

S38(DAV) 72GP | 30G - 70A - 100P | +40 | 251SHT | 9GWG | 157PIM | 208HIT | 115SB

Playoffs:

S38(DAV)  11GP | 4G - 10A - 14P | +3 | 35SHT | 0GWG | 40PIM | 48HIT | 38SB

 

The Dynamo rebuild was well over by the time Season Thirty-Eight rolled around. After two straight 100 points regular seasons, as well as two straight VHL finals appearances, the Dynamo were looking to put another title on their mantles. After three years of learning and playing behind some extremely talent veteran players, Bentley was ready to move out from the shadows into the VHL limelight.  The Dynamo again finished in first place in the European Conference for the third straight year, which was starting to become the norm each season. The biggest story out of Davos had to be the play of Bentley and the fact he hit the century mark in points for the first time in his VHL career. After putting up a career high in points last season with sixty-two, not a soul in the VHL was expecting the offensive output that Bentley had in his fourth VHL season. Bentley put up an amazing thirty goals and seventy assists to reach that 100 points mark, but his plus minus of plus forty might have been the more impressive stat on the season. The Dynamo would again head into the playoffs with a first round bye, and again they would face-off against the Riga Reign in the Conference Finals. With an impressive 100 point campaign under his belt, Bentley was apparently far from satisfied when the puck dropped for the VHL playoffs. In the five games against the Reign Bentley put up three goals along with 4 assists to help lead the way. After game five finished against the Reign, Bentley and the Dynamo switched their focus to their finals foes, the Toronto Legion. After facing the Legion in the finals the past two seasons, the two teams were very familiar with one another. Bentley had another great playoff series for the Dynamo, putting up 1 goal and six assists to help lead the Dynamo to anther Continental Cup. Although Bentley had an amazing induvial season, he was overlooked come awards time and was FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY at what was his best chance to date for his first Sterling Labatte Trophy.

 

Season 39 Statistics:

Regular Season:

S39(DAV) 72GP | 15G - 66A -  81P | +36 | 238SHT | 3GWG | 163PIM | 187HIT | 101SB

Playoffs:

S39(DAV) 12GP | 3G -  8A - 11P | +3 | 36SHT | 1GWG | 75PIM | 33HIT | 18SB

  

 

After another successful campaign in Davos, the fans around town were starting to expect a championship or bust under the current regime. With the teams behind them starting to find their legs a bit in terms of prospect capital, the Dynamo no longer had the run of the European Conference like they once did. Although they were challenged by the Vasteras Iron Eagles for the top spot in Europe, Davos came out with the best regular season record in the European Conference for the fourth straight season. Bentley and the boys in purple were starting to cement themselves as a true VHL dynasty at this point. Bentley has another great season offensively and defensively for the Dynamo even though he regressed slightly in points from the previous season. The biggest hit in the stats category was goals, where Bentley put up fifteen, which was half his total from Season Thirty-Eight. In total Bentley put up eighty-one points, which was second amongst VHL defenseman. Bentley and the Dynamo were once again off to the Conference Finals with a bye to face against the familiar conference finals foes, the Riga Reign. The Reign took the Dynamo to the brink of elimination, but fell just short as Davos came out on top in game seven. Bentley had an interesting playoff series against the Reign to say the least, as during the seven games Bentley accumulated 4 points, 2 fights, and an ejection. Something about playing the Reign in the playoffs seemed to bring out the best in Bentley and the Dynamo. The next step was another appearance in the Continental Cup finals for the Dynamo, this time against the up incoming New York Americans. Bentley threw everything he had into the series against New York, but after seven grueling games against the Reign last round, Bentley and the Dynamo seemed to run out of steam. New York bested Davos in five games, ending the amazing Dynamo run over the past four VHL seasons.

Although we wouldn’t know it at the time, game five in Madison Square Gardens would be the last time Bentley would wear a Davos sweater.

 

Season 40 Statistics:

Regular Season:

S40(QUE) 72GP | 13G - 75A -  88P | +31 | 261SHT | 1GWG | 167PIM | 236HIT | 144SB

Playoffs:

S40(QUE)  7GP | 2G -  2A -  4P | -2 | 25SHT | 1GWG | 10PIM | 23HIT | 12SB

 

Looking to shake things up, as the feeling from management was the best years for the current roster was behind them, Bentley along with Felix Zamora and Naomi Young were sent to the North American Conference’s Quebec Meute. After five seasons in Davos, Bentley knew his time was up with the only VHL club he had called home. After appearing in four finals during his five VHL seasons, Quebec sought out Bentley for his play on the ice, as well as his presence and veteran leadership off the ice. Quebec was ready to challenge New York for the top spot in North America, so Bentley was looked upon to lead the ship and that’s what he did for the Meute. Bentley put up great numbers again, with thirteen goals and seventy-five assists. Those numbers put Bentley in first place for assists on the team and second overall in points, just behind Naomi Young. For the first time in a while Bentley headed to the playoffs, but this time his first stop wasn’t the Conference Finals but the Quarter Finals. Quebec would square off against the Calgary Wranglers in Bentleys first ever VHL playoff game for the Meute, but things didn’t go the way everyone in Quebec expected.  Calgary ran into a veteran goalie nearing the end of his VHL days in Martin Brookside. The series went seven games and despite the Meute peppering Brookside with shots all series long, but the heartbreak for Bentley and the team came when Brookside shutout the Meute in game seven despite the Meute throwing forty-two shots at Brookside. Bentley struggled somewhat for the first time in the playoffs, and unfortunately for the ultimate competitor he would never have the chance to make it up for the fans in Quebec. 

 

Season 41 Statistics:

Regular Season:

S41(NYA) 72GP | 21G - 81A - 102P | +62 | 196SHT | 2GWG | 154PIM | 223HIT | 105SB

Playoffs:

S41(NYA)  12GP | 2G - 17A - 19P | +4 | 32SHT | 0GWG | 19PIM | 40HIT | 14SB


 

A season after being shipped off to help start a rebuild, Bentley found himself in a similar situation in the off-season heading into Season Forty-One. Quebec shipped off the talented defenseman to conference rivals the New York Americans. Bentley was headed to a team that was one of his main competitions over the past few seasons, but he was excited to start a new chapter and hopefully add to his trophy case in New York. Two seasons removed from his last 100 points campaign, Bentley was back to that familiar number in his first season in New York, as he took no time at all to dominate the blue-line for his new club. Bentley put up twenty-one goals and eighty-one assists for 102 points, but most importantly Bentley was finally recognize for his stellar play by the league. Before Bentley could receive his first Labatte trophy from the league, he was poised to help lead the New York Americans to their second Continental Cup in three years. Bentley and the Americans quickly disposed of the Meute in five games before heading to the finals to take on the Riga Reign. This is where Bentley took off like a mad man, putting up twelve assists in the seven games against the Reign, including two in the deciding game seven. Bentley had cemented himself as a VHL legend during the Americans twelve game championship run, putting up nineteen points overall. To say Bentley had a great first season in New York would be considered an understatement, but with one more year of eligible play left in the VHL Bentley hoped it wouldn’t be his last dance in the finals.

 

Season 42 Statistics:

Regular Season:

S42(NYA) 72GP | 25G - 83A - 108P | +44 | 258SHT | 6GWG | 164PIM | 214HIT | 106SB

Playoffs:

S41(NYA)  12GP | 4G - 10A - 14P | -1 | 46SHT | 2GWG | 26PIM | 44HIT | 26SB

 

After what seemed like ages for opposing players and management, Bentley was embarking on his final season in the VHL in Season Forty-Two. After a successful past seven years in the VHL, many were wondering if or what Bentley might have in store for his final season, and he didn’t disappoint those who were following his season. For the third time in his career, not only did Bentley hit the century mark in points, he also put up a career high 108 in his last VHL season. Bentley finished fourth on the Americans in points with his twenty-five goals and eighty-three assists, while also taking home his second consecutive Labatte trophy. With on last kick at the can for a few members of the Americans, the team headed into the playoffs to square off against the Toronto Legion. Bentley wasn’t ready to hang them up yet and he came to play during the five game series against the Legion, putting up ten points to lead the way.  With the Legion in the re-view mirror, the focus for Bentley and the Americans switched to the Meute. The series was a back and forth series between the two clubs, but in game seven to decide a North American Conference representative for the Continental Cup, the Americans and Bentley just couldn’t find their game. With that loss in game seven in the Colisee Pepsi in Quebec, the Matt Bentley era in the VHL had come to a close.

 

Career Totals:
 Regular Season:

576GP | 130G - 501A - 637P | +289 | 1563SHT | 29GWG | 1150PIM | 1601HIT | 852SB

 

Playoffs:

83GP | 18G - 60A - 78P | +6 | 227SHT | 4GWG | 235PIM | 275HIT | 148SB

 

As we look back on the career that was Matt Bentley, you’ll notice that he quietly established himself as one of the best passers to grace a VHL ice surface. His 501 assists puts him seventh overall for defenseman and twelve overall for skaters in the VHL, a pretty amazing feat considering the high level of offense that the VHL usually experiences each season. Each any every season since he joined the Dynamo back in Season Thirty-Five, Bentley gently went about his craft putting in the word necessary to become the best, with or without the leagues recognition. After eight great seasons with three different VHL clubs, Bentleys’ name will now forever be in the same conversation with the greats that came before him

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evrydayimbyfuglien

evrydayimbyfuglien 600

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8 minutes ago, Ghost Reaper said:

It was amazing playing with Matt Bentley and the HoF was a no brainer. It was a shame to see his career end on a loss. So much was accomplished in a career that most people can only dream of.

That's a review?

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Da Trifecta

Da Trifecta 1,896

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1 minute ago, evrydayimbyfuglien said:

I didn't even know you were a reviewer tbh

 

See the purple "Point Task Staff" right under my name? It's been there for awhile. I have been a reserve grader and D&D knew once my second player came, I will be taking on more grading.

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evrydayimbyfuglien

evrydayimbyfuglien 600

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1 minute ago, Ghost Reaper said:

 

See the purple "Point Task Staff" right under my name? It's been there for awhile. I have been a reserve grader and D&D knew once my second player came, I will be taking on more grading.

I guess everyone has their own review style.  I'm gonna be honest, I started reviewing but realize how long the article was and stopped. 

 

On 8/16/2016 at 1:32 PM, Smarch said:

one of the best players to come out of the draft didn’t even here his named called by a VHL General Manger from the podium.

Only read the first paragraph so the only issue I saw was this.  Should be "hear" but I think you knew that.

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