Doomsday 4,034 Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Revisiting the Season 33 Bratislava Watchmen BRATISLAVA - With a perfect 8-0 start, championship visions are immediately thought of for the Bratislava Watchmen of the VHLM. Led by Vincenzo Valentini's 19 points and the supurb goaltending of Martin Brookside, the Watchmen are a powerful force to be reckoned with. But in the greater scheme of things, many of these young men seem destined to future success in the Victory Hockey League. What better time to look back at the Season 33 Bratislava Watchmen, winners of the Founder's Cup? Niklas Lindberg Niklas Lindberg's tantalizing story began in Season 32, when he was the taken in the 3rd Round of the Dispersal Draft by Bratislava. He had all of a single TPE back then, just one more than the likes of infamous inactives Dwayne Chocolate and Ugot Change. However, Lindberg blossomed into a quality player for the Watchmen. The Toronto Legion took notice and drafted him in the 2nd Round, 12th overall, but he would spend one more season in Bratislava, being among the Watchmen's most consistent scorers along the way to the Founder's Cup and winning not only the Esposito Trophy, but the Season 33 Watchman of the Year Award. After winning the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy with 72 points in Season 34, he posted over 100 points in Season 35 and is tied for the lead in points on Toronto with 13 in just eight games played. Niklas Lindberg could very well go on to become one of the all-time greats in Toronto's history. Doug Clifford In Season 33, Doug Clifford's story began when he was selected with the third overall pick and proceeded to make the most of his one year with the Watchmen, racking up a preposterous amount of points and TPE on his way to being selected with the first overall pick in the Season 34 Draft by the Quebec City Meute. Clifford has not been quite the star many perceived, but he has been a powerful presence on the resurgent Meute, scoring 92 points last season on the way to a Continental Cup victory. He has nine points in eight games for Quebec City so far this season. Eggly Bagelface The net-minder for the Watchmen's championship run was selected first overall by Bratislava in the Season 33 Dispersal Draft, a feat he was unable to repeat due to being placed onto Vasteras due to some weird reason. Having a top goaltender like Bagelface was a major factor in the Watchmen's success, but the VHL has not been as kind to him. The only rookie goalie in Season 34, Bagelface's first year was difficult and the fact that he's stuck in Vasteras have made times tough on the young goalie. With a save percentage nearing .930 and four wins with a shutout, Season 36 may very well be the breakout year he has been patiently waiting for. Willem Janssen Also selected in the Season 33 Dispersal Draft, Willem Janssen went one pick after Doug Clifford in the fourth overall spot. Janssen would combine with Lindberg and Clifford to form the dangerous first line in Bratislava, resulting in many long nights for VHL goalies. Janssen was drafted in Season 34 by the Vasteras Iron Eagles with the second overall pick and has since suffered from a mysterious condition known only as "being on Vasteras." However, the Iron Eagles have finally shown signs of life this season and Janssen has been at the forefront of the pack, tied for third on the team with six points. Thomas Landry The Bratislava career of Thomas Landry began when he was selected with the seventh overall pick of the Season 33 Dispersal Draft. An afterthought to many teams due to spotty activity, he blossomed with the Watchmen, becoming a pleasant surprise on the second line. He was drafted the same year by the New York Americans with the 16th overall pick, spending one season with them before being traded to the HC Davos Dynamo. He served as the captain for the United States' gold medal team in Season 34, a role he now holds with Davos. Landry currently has tallied seven points this season and is just one hit behind the VHL lead with 41. Davey Jones Taken with the 13th overall pick in the Season 33 VHLM Dispersal Draft, many wondered what sort of impact the 0 TPE center would have. After a successful first season on Davos' second line that kicked off his career with a championship win, the young center exploded. Selected by the Cologne Express with the fourth overall selection in Season 34, Jones spent one more season in the VHLM before winning the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy in Season 35 after racking up 86 points. Traded to the HC Davos Dynamo before Season 36, he is tied for his new team in points with 13 points after eight games. Chris Bourque Unlike the other Watchmen so far, Chris Bourque never made it to the VHL. Despite being a force to be reckoned with in the minors, including winning the Oates Trophy. Drafted 11th overall in the Season 31 Dispersal Draft by Brampton, Bourque made his way to the Watchmen through a trade and gave Bratislava a defensive boost that proved invaluable. After hoisting the Founder's Cup, Bourque hung up his skates for the last time, leaving the league to eventually become a peddler of syrup. Mario Corvia The Watchman who never left his post, Corvia remains a member of Bratislava to this very day. Selected in the first round of the Season 33 Dispersal Draft, Corvia was an integral part of the team's second line with Thomas Landry and Davey Jones. However, he never made the leap from minor league superstar to a professional player... not that the Watchmen have really suffered for it, based on monster seasons he's had. Nick Becker A waiver pickup, Becker made the team to help address the team's only weakness in defensive depth. He stopped coming to practice after logging eight TPE, but still coasted along with the team to the Founder's Cup. He lives on through the Oslo Storm, playing under the guidance of former Bratislava member Thomas Landry. Haggard Slobban In Season 30, Saskatoon drafted a young defenseman by the name of Haggard Slobban. In some way, shape or form, he wound up in Bratislava. There he has remained, waiting... for another championship. Now... three seasons later... does he have that opportunity once again? Vincent Wong I was too afraid to image search this. The crazed genius behind it all, Vincent Wong has the opportunity to build to his legacy in Bratislava with another Founder's Cup Championship. Not bad for an expansion team, perhaps Cologne could take some pointers. Jethro Novacek is a writer for the MSFL Times, waxers of nostalgia extraordinaire. He enjoys infiltrating locations with Solid Snake, giving toxic gummy bears to orphans and making newspapers disappear. STZ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Da Trifecta 1,896 Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Wrong photo sir Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AwfulHomesick 148 Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 (edited) eventually become a peddler of syrup I lost it there. Edited January 7, 2014 by AwfulHomesick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corco 1,124 Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 This is a good article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STZ 5,280 Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Love this team. Great to see so many guys make the S33 Founder's Cup not be the peak of their career. Keep it up, fellas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Victor 10,534 Posted January 7, 2014 Admin Share Posted January 7, 2014 dat second line Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doomsday 4,034 Posted January 12, 2014 Author Share Posted January 12, 2014 Regardless of whether or not this gets a grade by the time updaters do their work, I am claiming this as a six. I refuse to let the fact that other graders did not do their jobs keep me from being able to claim my work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seth 92 Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Regardless of whether or not this gets a grade by the time updaters do their work, I am claiming this as a six. I refuse to let the fact that other graders did not do their jobs keep me from being able to claim my work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Da Trifecta 1,896 Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Content: 3/3 It was a very good read. Going down memory lane was awesome and it's great we are teammates again. Grammar: 2/2 I didn't see anything that stood out to me Appearance: 1/1 Despite giving me an ugly photo Final: 6/6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 Claimed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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