The Beat

[STZ 5,288]

The Beat
WRITTEN BY COWBOYINAMERICA
 
This article series is a written version of the HBO special named 24/7. Every season The Beat reporter will cover a different franchise. The Beat has already covered Riga Reign and the Toronto Legion. Generally they have a quick update on the team, and then features an interview sit-down with a roster member of that team.

Edited October 6, 2015 by Molholt

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161

 

Gearing Up

 

Well, the off-season is here and general managers around the league have been very busy re-shaping and re-tooling their teams. The man who calls the shots in Helsinki, Mitch Higgins has been working around the clock to ensure that his club has all the pieces in place to ensure that the Titans maintain one of the most competitive rosters in the VHL. The Helsinki Titans are the defending Continental Cup Champions, and if they are to defend that title successfully, work needs to be done behind the scenes to shape that championship caliber team.

Helsinki had to deal with losing a top-line winger (Nic Riopel), one of their top defensemen (Dmitry Baurzhan), and a depth forward (Felix Leiter) to retirement as the off-season begun. Those would be tough losses for any team, and so the search begun for the Titans to fill those holes. The VHL Entry Draft rolled around, with the Titans holding two first-round selections (second and tenth overall) in their pocket. Helsinki decided to go after a forward with their first selection, picking up Naomi Young from the Minot Gladiators, a playmaking center who should slot in nicely on the second line. With the last selection in the first round, a defenseman from the Minot Gladiators was selected in the form of Tyler Owens. Owens is defensively sound but still needs to spend another season in the VHLM to develop his game.

Another route to improve your team is through the trade market, and Mitch Higgins is no stranger to utilizing this market to make his team better. This off-season has been no different as Higgins made a couple of deals to upgrade the blue line in Helsinki. First, Till Lindemann was dealt to Vasteras with conditional third and fourth-round selection in Season 37 in exchange for defenseman, Brandon Merritt and a Season 37 second-round selection. The Titans made a splash with the next deal, bringing in Ryan Sullivan, a multiple-time Labatte Trophy winner, and a third-round selection in Season 36 in exchange for a first-round selection in Season 36 and and a second-round selection in Season 37.

To ice a successful team, you also need to retain your core group together. Helsinki assured themselves of this when Mitch Higgins and Brody Hodgson came to an agreement on a new contract. This will ensure that Hodgson will remain a Titan for his entire career where he has flourished. Helsinki will not be likely to pursue any big names in the free agent market, but that is another route to improve your team which can prove to be very successful. The defending champs look to be in good shape for another run with Tordahl jumping up to join Osborne and Zhumbayev on the top line, while Young comes in to join Hodgson and Wilson on the second line. The new-look defense will feature "The Terminator" and "The Destroyer" on the top pairing (Sullivan and Weber), while Brandon Merritt will complete the defenseive corps. It should be another exciting year of hockey in Helsinki!
 

Interview with Mitch Higgins:

 

What do you think the chances of the Titans repeating?

I think we have the same chance as the previous three seasons to be honest with you. It seems like the European conference will be a little weaker this season so we should make the playoffs again and that is all you really need to do in order to have a legitimate shot at a Continental Cup. Once you make the playoffs anything can happen and I feel that our roster is still young enough to be updating throughout the season to be at it's peak by playoffs.

The Titans lost one of their top defensemen as well as a top line winger, and a depth forward to retirement, how do you fill these voids?

Losing Baurzhan, Riopel and Leiter to retirement is a tough thing to overcome and I had to make a tough decision to trade away Till Lindemann as well. We brought in Naomi Young through the draft to fill out the forward position and then Sullivan and Merritt to complete our defensive core with Weber. I think we have about the same defensive strength as last season and have upgraded our forwards and goalies.

The draft for Helsinki looks like it was a successful one. What will Naomi Young and Tyler Owens bring to the table for the Titans?

Naomi Young will be filling in perfecting on the second line for us as a winger to start the season and hopefully transitioning to center. With Hodgson retiring at the end of Season 35 it is a perfect time for us to add a player like Young. Young should have a good impact on our roster and won't be asked to play a first line role, which will benefit her. Tyler Owens will be in the VHLM this season and we hope he continues to develop to join our roster in S36.

The acquisition of Ryan Sullivan should pay huge dividends. What does he bring to the Titans?

I think the three Labatte trophies can speak for themselves. He is one of the best defensemen in the VHL and we will really help our defense core by playing with Willie Weber and teaching him. Defense is sometimes underrated, but this season I really like our depth with a proven guy like Sullivan.

Brody Hodgson would have been a huge loss. How relieved are you to have him re-signed?

I never really thought about him leaving because he has been a Titan since day one. I had talked to him at the start of the season and he wanted to finish his career here in Helsinki and be one of the top Titans career wise ever. We are fortunate to have had a player like Hodgson play here for so long and we definitely don't take him for granted so I'm happy he's back.

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162

 

Championship Hangover?

 

VHL's 35th season has begun and there have been some surprises thus far. Early into the season, the defending Continental Cup Champions, the Helsinki Titans have faced some struggles. After 13 games, the defending champs sport a record of 8 wins, 4 regulation losses, and a shootout loss. This record has Helsinki sitting in first place in the European Conference. You might think that the Titans are off to a good start, but they have already lost a third of the regulation losses that they had all of last season and a fifth of the extra time losses that they had. Helsinki has fell victim to the surprising HC Davos Dynamo on two occasions as well as falling to the Vasteras Iron Iron Eagles. These are losses that they can not afford to be giving up.

Helsinki lost three of their first four contests in defeats to Vasteras and Davos by scores of 3-2, while dropping a 5-3 decision to Quebec City. Their lone win in that stretch came against the Cologne Express in a 2-1 win. The Titans only managed nine goals for and allowed eleven against, while out-shooting their opponents by a margin of 31 shots (138-107). They were getting their chances, but just could not capitalize on them as often as they needed to.

The next stretch of six games was much more kind to the Titans who posted wins over Davos twice, on 3-2 and 4-0 wins, while defeating Calgary by a score of 4-3, Vasteras by a score of 4-0, and Seattle by a score of 3-1. Toronto was the only team to put a loss in the books for Helsinki during that time, defeating the Titans by a score of 4-0. 18 goals were scored by Helsinki in those six games, while their opponents could only muster ten goals. Shots favoured the Titans by a margin of 38 shots (176-138). Helsinki stepped it up and buried the chances that they earned. That was the difference in a horrible start and a respectable one.

The last three games that the Titans played, ended with them losing to Davos once more by a 2-1 score, while defeating Cologne 3-1 and Calgary 2-1 in overtime. Helsinki outscored their opponents by a score of 6-4 and out-shot them 92-59 in this small sample size. It was a decent stretch for the team, but they need to take advantage a bit more if they have any chance of winning back to back championships. The team is still building chemistry with new guys like Young and Sullivan joining the fold, while Lindemann and Riopel departed. Anatoli Zhumbayev and Ryan Sullivan lead the team in points with 15 each and that ranks them at number 17 in the league. Ethan Osborne and Brody Hodgson are not far behind with 13 and 10 points respectively. As the season progresses, I am sure that the team will gel and grow as a group and you will see a team similar to the group that won the championship in Season 34.



Interview with Ethan Osborne:

 

After winning the championship last season, the Titans have gotten off to a slow start. What can you attribute to this?

We lost a lot of our key players to retirement/trade in the off-season. Veteran guys like Riopel and Lindemann were really key to our team chemistry. We are relying heavily on new young players to step up and fill those shoes, and it wont be a quick transition. The season is still young, and we are confident that our play will pick up over time.

What has been the biggest disappointment for Helsinki thus far in the early season?

Obviously you'd like to get off to a better start - however I think its a bit premature to be throwing around the term "disappointed". We are still in first in the European Conference, and we've seen some really good games played by our younger players.

Who has been the biggest surprise for the team so far?

 Odin Tordahl has been a nice surprise so far. Riopel was such a fantastic power forward last season, and it looks like Odin has the potential to one day fill that role for the Titans. He's come up huge a number of different games, and has been such a key piece for the Titans since coming over from Toronto.

What has to be done for the Titans to get back to the success that they had last season?

 Patience. We have the talent, we have the experience, we just need to get some chemistry going. We've learned the hard way that it's what you do in playoffs that matter. We know we can replicate our success from last year.

Can the Titans compete for the Continental Cup with the current roster?

Our current roster is just as good, if not better than last season. We lost Riopel and Lindemann, but we also added one of the best young center prospects in Naomi Young, and arguably the best defenseman to ever play in the VHL in Ryan Sullivan. Not only that but we have younger guys like Weber, Zhumbayev, and Tordahl who are ready to take on a bigger role with the team. There is no doubt that this team can win the Continental Cup again.

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173

 

Dynamite Dynamo

 

First of all, I would like to inform you that there has been a format change to how "The Beat" will be written. To make things more interesting, rather than following one team all season long, I will be following a different team each and every week. This format will keep readers from all fan bases more interested and informed on their team of choice all season long rather than just readers from one fan base each season. This week I will be covering HC Davos Dynamo.

 

Davos certainly have shot out of the gate this season, winning fourteen of twenty games and picking up 29 of a possible 40 points, good for first in the European Conference and a share of top spot in the entire league. Hopes have not been as high as they are now for the Dynamo since they won the Continental Cup back in Season 31. Seasons 32 and 33 distinguished that they were not a cup contender, finishing with 81 and 83 points respectively and qualifying for the playoffs in only one of those seasons. Davos decided to rebuild and Season 34 was a dark one for the Dynamo, finishing with a league-low 21 points. They came back to life in Season 35, qualifying for the playoffs and finishing with 82 points but were not ready to compete yet.

 

This season has been very kind to the Swiss club and expectations are sky high right now. Four Dynamo players (Jones: 2nd, Brovalenko: 4th, Tordahl: 5th, Gallo: 10th) are in the top ten in league scoring, although Lennox Moher has struggled a bit. Moher sits last among current starting goalies in save percentage (.902%), seventh in goals against average (2.58), and ninth in shots faced (482). He always seems to find a way to win which is a positive, shown by his twelve wins, second best in the league. Davos' losses have been close games with all being decided by two goals or less with the exception of a 6-2 loss at the hands of Vasteras.

 

The Dynamo currently sit three points up on the Helsinki Titans, a team who have been the class of the European Conference over the past few seasons, If Davos are to break Helsinki's streak of European Conference titles, they will need to bring their A game each and every night. Davos have proven that they are for real thus far, and barring a meltdown at some point in the season, Davos looks to be in good shape. They should be one of the favourites to bring the cup home but will need to stay consistent to do so. Time will tell if they can add more hardware to the already storied franchise.

 

Interview with Thomas Landry:

 

The Dynamo are off to a hot start. What can be attributed to that success?

 

Everyone on the team is prepared and focused in a way I haven't seen before in my VHL career. Even when I was in New York and played with Hall of Fame level guys like Alexander Chershenko, Ryan Sullivan and Alexander Labatte, I didn't see such energy like I do now. Everyone believes in ourselves, our line-mates and each other and we go out every night knowing that we can win on any given night.

 

The team is young and inexperienced compared to some of the other cup contenders around the league. How much of a factor will that play come playoff time?

 

It's absolutely going to play a factor. The big thing for us will be to just keep working hard on improving and being as good as we can be. The playoffs are just another game, if we can treat them like that, take the ice and take care of business like we have been, then I have complete faith in the boys to overcome their lack of playoff experience.

 

Many critics around the league do not think that Davos has what it takes to advance to the Continental Cup Finals. What needs to be achieved to prove them wrong?

 

To be honest, I feel like the Dynamo have shown that we certainly can reach the Finals. We've gone toe-to-toe with the Meute and we're currently ahead in the season series with the defending champs. Right now we're in a three-way tie for first place in the VHL. This team has what it takes.

 

There have been rumours in the past that Sergei Brovalenko is not that great of a locker room presence. What are your thoughts on this after being him teammate for about a quarter of a season?

 

It's all hogwash. He makes an easy scapegoat with how brash he can be at times, but Sergey has been a very positive presence in his locker room and I love having him here. I can certainly see some people not getting along with him, but the guy fits like a glove here in Davos. I really hope he stays here until he decides to hang up the skates.

 

What has been the biggest surprise (positive or negative) in Davos thus far this season?

 

The biggest surprise to me was easily Davey Jones coming to Davos in a trade. I never saw this coming at all and I was completely floored by it. I played with Davey back when I was in the VHLM with the Bratislava Watchmen and he has been my best bud ever since. When he was drafted to Cologne and Joey Kendrick didn't want to trade for me a season ago, I didn't think I'd get the chance to do so again. But then out of nowhere he was traded to Davos and I was on Cloud Nine for pretty much the entire day. I was beyond excited that I would get to play with him again and both of us have flourished playing together again.

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174

 

Legion Marching

 

I hope everybody enjoyed my article last week on the HC Davos Dynamo after a lengthy absence on part over the last several weeks. It feels good to be getting back into the swing of things here and I hope to continue this trend. This week I will be evaluating the season thus far for the Toronto Legion.

 

Toronto has gotten off to amazing start this season, sitting at the top of the North American Conference standings after 34 games played. In past seasons, defense has been a problem for the Legion. That has not been the case this season, as they have the lowest goals against (60) in the entire league. Their offensive output has not been as impressive, scoring the fifth most goals in the league (101). In terms of special teams success, the powerplay has struggled to find the back of the net for the Legion at under 16% (sixth in the league), while the penalty-killers has been outstanding, killing off nearly 90% of powerplay chances against and the top group in the league.

 

Toronto does not have anyone who stands out on the leaderboards in terms of offensive numbers, but as I eluded to earlier, they are winning games by playing solid defense. I know it's the oldest clique in the book, but this type of play wins championships. The offense provided by the Toronto club is coming by way of "scoring by committee". The rookie of the year from two season ago, Niklas Lindberg leads the way with 17 goals and 22 assists for a total of 39 points and is followed closely by veteran, Jakub Kjellberg who has 38 points. Nikita Lebedev sits in third in points by a defenseman with 37. Lebedev and Sound are two of top-ten shot blockers in the league while Evgeny Namestnikov sits tenth in body checks. To nobody's surprise, Remy LeBeau has put up beastly numbers between the pipes once again, leading the save percentage, goals against average, and shutouts. He is right up there in most other categories as well.

 

Many experts around the league picked the Quebec City Meute to represent the North American Conference in the Continental Cup Finals prior to the season starting. Toronto used this as motivation and have came through ten-fold, proving the critics wrong thus far. With just over half the season to be played, it will be interesting to see if the Legion can keep the pace up or if the defending champs will cover the spread and leapfrog Toronto for the top spot. As we know, anything can happen in the playoffs and that is another story entirely that we will not discuss at this point in time.

 

Interview with Niklas Lindberg:

 

You won the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy as rookie of the year two seasons ago and now are leading your team in points this season. How do those two accomplishments feel?

 

I was extremely happy to win the Christian Stolzschweiger trophy. I wasn’t the favorite to win this trophy at the beginning of the S34. I was facing great’s players in S34 for this trophy like: Williem Janssen, Doug Clifford, Jarkko Olsen, Sebastian Ball Jr., Thomas Landry, etc. Some of them were my former teammates with the Watchmen therefore that have been a nice feeling to win against them. In my draft class, I was only a mid-second rounder so there weren’t many expectations for Lindberg.   Nonetheless, I’m not the type of guy who seeks for the individual trophy.  I want to be knows has a winner and this is by winning the continental cup. This season, I’m doing great. I’ve become more of a defensive forward this year but with so many talented players on my side, it’s easy to put some points. I’ve been enjoying my season so far and I hope this continues.

 

Pretty much everybody wrote the Legion off in favour of the Meute prior to the season starting. Are there smiles all around the Toronto locker room now that you are proving them wrong?

 

I think we try to stay humble with this. We are quite happy with our recent results. We came up big against some huge team and this payoff at the moment. But, I think that we can’t celebrate something right now because this is a long season and only the playoff matters.  Meute is a really solid team and we hope we may have a match up in the playoff this season. One day, Daniel Brière has said: “Being first is hard, but staying first is harder.” That’s mainly what I think.

 

The Toronto defense has been amazing this season, unlike in seasons past. How does it feel to know that if you make a mistake and turn the puck over that your defense will be there to bail you out?

 

In the locker room, we see our tactics as the “St-Louis Blues” tactic. We all want to be defensively aware and it pays off this season. We aren’t the type of team who let many shots in a game. We based our game on turnovers and it’s so important to manage this aspect of the game. I’ve always thought that a defensive forward can great way much chance in a game and that’s why I produce this year. Having a defensive forwards and offensive defenseman’s is the perfect combination with a winning team. So that’s why we can easily relate to the St-Louis Blues.

 

Remy LeBeau has been a beast in net once more. What are the chances of him winning a second Aidan ShawTrophy as the top goaltender?

 

Green recently achieved the 1000 TPE mark. He’s the symbol for consistency and having him in the league is a big plus (Like the Swiss flag). He’s leading the league in save percentage and second in goal against average. If the team is going well, that’s because we have a solid goaltender and he’s the best in the league without a doubt.  Winning a second Aidan Shaw trophy would be huge for him a guess but I think he will enjoy a bit more a continental cup. Hope we can make a late push this year and I hope Remy LeBeau can bring us to the second level.

Edited January 21, 2014 by snipealldaylong

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175

Iron Eagles Improving

Welcome back to "The Beat" for another week of exciting action in the Victory Hockey League world. In the past two weeks, I have covered the HC Davos Dynamo and the Toronto Legion. This week, I travel to central Sweden to the small city of Vasteras to cover the Iron Eagles. Season 36 for Vasteras has been an interesting one thus far so this should be an exciting edition of The Beat.

Prior to the start of Season 36, most people wrote the Vasteras Iron Eagles off at having a chance to make the playoffs, myself included. Now that the season is about 60 percent finished, Vasteras have proved all of the naysayers wrong by holding down the number three spot in the European Conference standings. The Iron Eagles hold a 15 point lead over the Cologne Express, a team that was expected to make the playoffs this season, at the very least. Cologne has not lived up to those expectations and without Vasteras or Helsinki having a huge breakdown, I don't see the standings in Europe changing as to who gets in and who misses.

Vasteras has posted a record of 25 wins, 14 regulation losses, and 4 overtime or shootout losses, for a point total of 54, just five points back of the second place Helsinki Titans. Their goal differential is about middle of the pack, at a plus 17 (109 goals for, 92 goals against), which is fairly good for the position they are in the standings. Vasteras does not score all that many goals but they are also very stingy on giving up goals against (7th in goals for, 4th in goals against). The powerplay for the Iron Eagles is not great, clicking at under 15 percent while the penalty kill is average, killing off nearly 84 percent of chances against. They are one of the least penalized teams in the league with one of the highest hit totals, proof that they are a very disciplined team.

Keiji Toriyama has put up a point per game since coming over from the New York Americans and currently sits fourth in league scoring with 63 points. Zach Cuff has also provided some nice offense for the Iron Eagles squad, notching 49 points in 43 games, and Willem Janssen with 47 points in the identical number of games. On defense, Mattis Trumbauer has provided offense from the back end, putting up 40 points in his 43 games. Till Lindemann has put his body in harm's way, sacrificing himself to help the team win, blocking 108 shots while Blake Knight has done the same with 95 shot blocks. Lindemann is also among leaders in body checks with 204. Eggly Bagelface has been outstanding in net, posting a 93 percent save percentage while allowing just over two goals per game and facing many more shots than the netminders above him on the leaderboards. He has also posted six shutouts and is a big reason for the success in Vasteras. The Iron Eagles have been playing a very good team game this season and it is showing results on the ice. Without question, they have vastly improved over the last few seasons.

Interview with Willem Janssen:

The Iron Eagles have surprised many teams this season. What do you think has attributed to this success?

We've been working very hard at improving. A lot of people seemed to be counting us out in the offseason and this just made us more determined to be successful. We were able to make some good moves to solidify our roster, and I know that going into this season, we knew we had to make the transition from a young, rebuilding team to a playoff team. That transition has been made and I think it says a lot about who we are as a team.

It is looking very likely that Vasteras and Helsinki will match up in the first round of the playoffs. What do you think of your chances in this possible playoff series?

It's a tough matchup, no doubt. They've been a tough team to play in the regular season and they've got a lot of great players. They've got some amazing forwards in Osborne, Zhumbayev, and Young, a great defenseman in Weber, and one of the league's best goalies in Tukio. Of course, right now we have to make sure that we make the playoffs first, but if that were to happen, I'm sure a lot of guys would be really excited to take the challenge.

The Iron Eagles defense is one of the best in the league. What has to happen for that to continue?

Well, we really just have to keep doing what we're doing, as cliched as it is. We've got not only a great balance between defensive and offensive defenseman, but a lot of depth. For the future, the continued development of young guys like Kravinen and Jackson is crucial to continue our team's defensive strength and once they join the team, I'm sure we can be even better.

The powerplay is not clicking for some reason. Is that cause for concern or will it work itself out?

That's an issue we've been trying to focus on this season, and I think adding a guy like Toriyama to the team is part of the solution. He's one of the league's top scorers, and based on how he's played with us so far I think our powerplay should be improved in no time.

Edited January 27, 2014 by snipealldaylong

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176

 

Bad News Bears

 

This week "The Beat" will be covering the Seattle Bears. After a fun time in Sweden last week, I caught a long flight back to North America. I landed in Seattle, Washington just in time to catch a cab to the ShoWare Center, the venue where the Bears were playing a home game that night. Seattle is a very young team and it has been an up and down Season 36 for them. They still have a good shot at punching their ticket into the Continental Cup Playoffs and it will be a very exciting finish to the season for Bears fans everywhere.

 

Season 36 was supposed to be a season for Seattle where they made the jump from a rebuilding club to a playoff club. It has yet to be determined if that will be the case, but they have proved that they are a playoff contender at the very least. The Bears should have been a lock for the third and final playoff spot in the North American Conference with the Calgary Wranglers and New York Americans both in rebuild mode. That has not been the case thus far this season with the Americans surprising a lot of people and holding down that final playoff spot. A recent turnaround for the Bears have launched them to within a single point of New York (who hold a game in hand). With less than twenty games remaining on the regular season schedule, it should be a fight right to the end for that final spot.

 

Seattle's record sits at 23 wins, 28 regulation losses, and 4 overtime or shootout losses, totaling 50 points for the club after 55 games played. The goal differential for the Bears is on the verge of become positive, sitting at a minus seven as we speak (143 goals for, 150 goals against). They rank 7th in the league with those 143 goals for, as well as 7th in the goals against department with the 150 that they have allowed. The powerplay unit has been fairly good, sitting at 5th in the league, scoring on about sixteen and a half percent of chances. The penalty kill unit is whole different story and has been awful, sitting at 8th in the league at just over an 82 percent success rate. The Bears are right around the league average in hits per game (18.47) and faceoff percentage (51.72%) but have been one of the most undisciplined teams in the league (10.73 PIM per game), and that could be cause for concern.

 

Up front, Sebastian Ball Jr. has been the Bears best and most consistent point producer, without a doubt. He has posted 38 goals and 32 assists for 70 points and sits at 9th in league scoring. After that, the offense drops off significantly from the forward position with Mikey Blade putting up 49 points, Giygas putting up 48 points, and Yumalatopinto putting up 31 points. OIn defense, the Bears have two players with 50+ points in the form of Karsten Olsen (54) and Jack Sound (50). Sound has also been a beast in taking the body, throwing 240 body checks while Olsen has thrown 182 of his own. James Lefevre leads the team in shot blocks with 95 while Gregory Glass has 88, and Karsten Olsen has 85. In goal, Steven Smyl has not been great, posting a save percentage of just over 90% and allowing 2.60 goals per game. He has one of the lowest shot totals in the league (1362) and has only three shutouts to his name. Expect a big push from the Bears during this final stretch of games to vault themselves into the playoffs. If Smyl can amp up his game a bit, I see no reason why Seattle cannot be a playoff team this season.

 

Interview with Steven Smyl:

 

Personally, you cannot be happy with your statistics thus far this season. What do you need to do to help your team win more games?

You're definitely right. I was expecting a lot better going into this season. I have been working hard every week on the ice trying to get better and something just doesn't seem to be clicking, that or the players just know me too well already. I've had just about the same total practice hours as Bagelface, but he (in my opinion) is the goalie of the season. Something obviously isn't right with what I'm focusing on, but as long as I keep giving it my best, we'll get there. I'm not going to let this discourage me.

The race for the final playoff spot in the North American Conference is a tight one. What do the Bears need to do to ensure that they are the team that claims that final spot?

We know that the race is getting pretty serious. We have been neck-and-neck with the Americans all season. When you look at the rest of the schedule though, things are looking pretty nice in our favour. We don't have the strongest opponents coming up so as long as we show up and give it our all, I can easily see us making the playoffs while sending a message to the rest of the NA Conference.

The Bears penalty kill unit has been well below average this season. Is that expected with such a young team or can it be remedied?

We're still adjusting to the competition level in this league, and with the penalties we have been drawing, well it's not too shocking. We have had some games where we are taking up to six penalties a game. Discipline is definitely something we're going to need to work on to compete with the rest of the league, and I think that comes with experience in the VHL. Give it a bit of time and I'm sure the problem will be gone.

Sebastian Ball Jr. has shone brightly for Seattle this season. Where would the team be without him?

Ball has been one of the hottest skaters all season for us, and without him I don't think we would be where we are. He's one of the more experienced guys compared to guys like Blade and I, so his leadership in the locker room is definitely something that keeps the morale up. He never lets loses keep him down and is often starting plays up on the ice. He has been great for us all season and deserves every bit of recognition he's getting.

Edited February 4, 2014 by snipealldaylong

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177

 

Helsinki Taking A Step Back

 

The Beat heads back to Europe this week, following a stop in Seattle last week. The Helsinki Titans have owned the European Conference for the past three seasons prior to this one. That has not been the case this season with a new contender emerging in the form of the HC Davos Dynamo. Helsinki has been knocked off their throne atop the European Conference and will have to settle for second place with the Dynamo clinching the conference title and sitting 16 points up on the Titans. The likely opponent for Helsinki in the opening round of the Continental Cup Playoffs will be the Cologne Express, barring a meltdown from them. Cologne sits 8 points up on the Vasteras Iron Eagles for the final playoff spot with five games remaining on the schedule for Vasteras.

 

The season series between the Helsinki Titans and Cologne Express has been a tight one and should prove to be a great opening round playoff series. In 8 games played this season, the Titans have a record of 5 wins, 3 regulation losses, and a shootout loss versus the Express. Two of Helsinki's wins came via overtime and the Titans outscored the Express by three goals (21 to 18). Helsinki has owned the faceoff circle against the Express with a 57 percent success rate, but special teams have belonged to the Express. Cologne's penalty kill unit has killed off 90 percent of the powerplays against them and have scored on about 23 and a half percent of the powerplays given to them by the Titans. In the physical aspect of the game, the Express have outhit the Titans by about 50 body checks (153 to 104) but have been a lot less disciplined, taking about 80 more minutes in penalties (132 to 53). This undisciplined play could come back to bite them in the playoffs but it should prove to be a series for the ages and bring the rivalry between the two clubs to the forefront.

 

On the front end, Ethan Osborne and Anatoli Zhumbayev have taken the league by storm and dominating other teams night in, and night out, combining for an astounding 245 points. Osborne leads the VHL in goals (62), points (128), shots on goal (592), plus/minus (+46), game-tying goals (6), and hat-tricks (5). He also sits fourth in assists (66) and powerplay goals (13), second in faceoff percentage (65.14%), and third in game-winning goals (11). Zhumbayev leads the league in assists (74), plus/minus (+46), and shorthanded goals (2). He sits third in point scoring (117) and shots (525), fifth in goals (43), tenth in hits (254) and sixth in game-winning goals (8). After Osborne and Zhumbayev, production drops off significantly with Naomi Young notching 60 points, Al Wilson with 47, Jeevan Samuelsson with 29, and Walter Mitty with 23. On the blue line, Willie Weber has lead the way with 20 goals and 56 assists for a total of 76 points (4th among defensemen), 162 minutes in penalties, 188 body checks, and 113 shots blocked. He may not be Sterling Labatte Trophy material quite yet but he's getting there. After Weber, there is a big drop-off in point production again with Brandon Merritt netting 27 points, Tyler Owens with 9, and Michael Haan with 4. In goal, Tuomas Tukio has posted a record of 37 wins, 20 regulation losses, and 4 overtime/shootout losses. He has posted a 92 percent save percentage and a 2.30 goals against average with 4 shutouts. Tukio probably will not have the numbers to win an Aidan Shaw Trophy but has notched himself another solid campaign.

 

Interview with Anatoli Zhumbayev:

 

You have had a breakout season. How does it feel to among league leaders in a lot of categories?

 

We have not had as much success as a team as we would have liked and that is my first priority. Having individual success is great and all but if we cannot find a way to win games in the playoffs, it will be all for naught. Playing on a line with OZ always helps your cause in the form of personal numbers. It feels great to be getting some recognition around the league and hopefully I can keep putting these kinds of numbers up for the remainder of my career, winning some Continental Cups along the way.

 

 

With your play this season, you should be nominated for the Scott Boulet Trophy as top two-way forward. What do you think of your chances of taking the award home?

 

If I am nominated for the award, it would be a great honour just to be nominated. I have no clue how I stack up against other possible nominees for the award so I don't know what my chances look like. If the awards committee deems me to be the best player at both ends of the ice, I would be ecstatic to take home the award and be in the same company with past winners such as Volodymyr Rybak and David Smalling who won it in four consecutive seasons. I don't worry about those kinds of things, I focus on playing my game to the best of my abilities.

 

The playoffs are around the corner and it looks like the Titans will match up against the Cologne Express. What will your approach be going into this series?

 

As a team, we need to get better at being more consistent and break out of this little slump we have been in lately. We are an experienced team with quite a few veterans who know what it takes to win in the playoffs. The leaders on this club will shed blood, sweat, and tears to get the job done no matter what the sacrifice is. Cologne is not as experienced as our guys and hopefully that will take a toll on them during the series to allow us to gain the upper hand. I can't wait for the puck to drop in the opening game, the fans will be in for one hell of a back and forth battle in that series.

 

Ethan Osborne has had a great season. Is he the clear-cut winner to take home the Scotty Campbell Trophy as league MVP?

 

Yes. Without a doubt. OZ has dominated the league in almost every factor of the game possible. He plays the game with his heart on his sleeve and is the best teammate I have ever had the pleasure of playing alongside. He makes everybody around him better and is the best player in the league right now. Ethan should be a shoe-in for the hall of fame when he hangs the skates up and just had his best season in his career. He is now the Titans all-time leader in points and if he does not win the award, it will be a damn shame.

Edited February 9, 2014 by snipealldaylong

[snipealldaylong 4]

178

 

Americans Overhaul Thriving

 

After our stop in the capital city of Finland last week, The Beat will be back in North America this week. New York City is where i will be spending the week, covering the New York Americans. "The Big Apple" is home to one of the most storied sports arenas in the world, Madison Square Garden and it is only fitting that one of the most storied franchises in the VHL, the New York Americans play their home game in that venue. The Americans are in the middle of a rebuild and taking a look back at their season, you have to say it was a successful one for them. New York sat in the third and final playoff spot in the North American Conference for much of the season until they were knocked out by the surging Seattle Bears during the final days of the regular season. The Bears beat the Americans out by just five points for that final playoff spot and it has to be comforting for the New York management to see their club competing for a playoff spot this early in the rebuild.

 

Like any good young team, the New York Americans' offense was the best part of their game in Season 36, They ranked 5th in goals scored (221) and held the best powerplay percentage in the VHL (21.57%). The ranked 2nd in both shots fired on net per game (37.67 average), and body checks per game (20.10 average). On the flip side, their defensive numbers were one of the worst in the league, ranking 8th in goals allowed (243), and penalty killing percentage (82.17%). The New York Americans collected the 4th most penalty minutes in the league (745), while allowing the 3rd most shots on their own net (36.99 average). The face-off dot was also not a strong point for New York, ranking 9th in winning faceoffs (40.96%).

 

Rookie of the year and top defenseman candidate, Connor Low had a hell of a year on the blue line for the Americans, potting 19 goals and 64 assists for 83 points and ranking him 17th in league point scoring. He added a plus 11 rating, 188 penalty minutes, 288 body checks, and 178 shot blocks. Simon Tremblay was the top scoring forward for the Americans, finishing with 82 points (45 goals, 37 assists). He added a plus 8 rating with 35 penalty minutes, 77 hits, and 59 blocked shots. Rookie, Xin Xie Xiao also notched himself a admirable year, piling up 72 points in 72 games, 151 penalty minutes, a plus 12 rating, 366 hits, and 30 shot blocks. In goal, Brick Wahl was not so fortunate, facing the 3rd most shots (2200) and has to be brilliant on most nights for the Americans to have a chance to win. His 91% save percentage, ranked him 7th in the league while his over 3 goals allowed per game, ranked him 8th. He finished with a record of 25 wins, 30 losses in regulation time, and 5 overtime or shootout losses. He notched just 2 shutouts in 60 games played and finished in a tie for last in that category.

 

The rebuild in New York appears to be well ahead of schedule and with 3 of the first 4 first round selections in the upcoming Season 37 VHL Entry Draft, they are poised to improve significantly. Some moves via the trade market or attracting top tier free agents to come to New York could make the franchise even more ahead of schedule. Season 37 should be a good one for the Americans, and the young guns should make an appearance in the post season for the first time in 3 seasons. I anticipate the Americans to be back in as Continental Cup contenders very soon.

 

Interview with Brick Wahl:

 

You had a very tough season individually, playing in front of a very young defense. How do you shake that off and improve your game for next season?

 

I was fine.  Most goalies don't have seasons like that as rookies so I think I played quite well.  Nothing to shake off for me.  I am just looking to keep improving through consistent training and practice.

 

The rebuild in New York looks like it is ahead of schedule. Does that have you excited to be a part of the New York franchise?

 

Yeah, we are all very excited about the future of this team.  We already have a lot of talent on the roster and with three lottery picks in the upcoming draft, this team is about to become a whole lot more talented.  As this squad continues to grow, I feel a lot of people will be surprised with just how good we can be.

 

The Americans will need to get better at playing without the puck before the become contenders. Is that something that management will discuss with the on-ice talent during the off-season and into training camp?

 

I think the Americans need to get better at everything before we become contenders.  We aren't perfect offensively or defensively so everything needs to be worked on.  Adding some more talent through the draft and through trades will only help that as we continue to tweak our team system.

 

It was a very exciting playoff race in North America down the stretch. It must have been heartbreaking for the young Americans to be eliminated as the season was coming to a halt. How do you use that as a learning experience for Season 37?

 

We know that we are adding at least three young franchise players to our team, so to come that close already means with a little more help that we are already a playoff team.  I think after this off-season, we can definitely vault past other teams.  As long as we stay consistent through training and practice, we will get to where we need to be in no time.

Edited February 16, 2014 by snipealldaylong

[snipealldaylong 4]

179

 

Express Derailed

 

I spent last week in New York City, covering the Americans hockey club and I had a blast while there. This time around, I am spending the week in a city with an abundance of history in Northwestern Germany, the city of Cologne. I will checking out the Cologne Cathedral for sure and testing some of the brew that is made in the city at the breweries. Enough about what I will be doing in my spare time, I am here to cover the Cologne Express hockey club. Season 36 was a weird one for the franchise who were expected to make a step forward this season, and unfortunately for them, that was not the case. For a considerable amount of the season, they were on the wrong side of the playoff cut line so they decided to sell some players at the trade deadline. Following that decision, the Express turned up their game and that resilient play earned them a spot into the playoffs and a meeting with the Helsinki Titans, a rival of Cologne.

 

Cologne's five on five play in Season 36 was average at best and probably would be best described as a bit below average. They finished the season, scoring 200 goals (6th), while allowing 176 goals against (T-5th). The special teams for the Express were not much better either, and I would not call them special. Their powerplay scored 44 times on 297 advantages for a 14.81% success rate (7th) and the penalty kill unit killed off 269 of 322 powerplays against, a penalty kill that was efficient 83.54% of the time. The team fired nearly 32 shots on goal each night (6th), and allowed just 28.5 against (5th), yet another average or below average statistic. Their face-off success was another element of the game that they were average at during the season, winning 52.28% of the draws (5th), Taking the body was the best part of Cologne's play, as they were able to deliver an average of 19.5 hits per night (3rd), although they were the second least disciplined team in the league, spending an average of 11.15 minutes in the penalty box each night.

 

The Express had a bright spot from a player at each position (forward, defense, goaltender) on the team. Up front, Kameron Taylor once again led the team on offense, finishing with 123 points (60 goals, 63 assists) and challenged for the goal scoring title. He finished 5 goals back on Helsinki Titans captain, Ethan Osborne who scored 65 on the season. On the blue line, Malcom Spud had a breakout season, scoring 17 goals and 72 assists (89 points) and he challenged for the assists title, finishing 4 back of Titans winger, Anatoli Zhumbayev who tallied 76 for the season. Spud also compiled 198 body checks and 129 shot blocks on the season. In goal, Evgeni Chekhov kept his team in games more often than not, stopping nearly 92 percent of the 1841 shots that were fired his way during the season. The Russian netminder allowed under 2.5 goals per game and posted 10 shutouts but the team in front of his was just not deep enough, permitting him to win oly 29 games on the season.

 

At the trade deadline, Cody Inko was dealt to Vasteras with a 3rd round pick for Jaden Button and a 1st rounder, followed up by Reggie Dunlop packing his bags and heading to Toronto with a 2nd round pick in exchange for Jamie Shetler, a 1st round pick and a pair of 2nd rounders. The club also made a few minor deals and it looked as though they were giving up on the season and getting ready to enter a rebuild. Things are not always what they seem though, as the Express went on a run and beat Vasteras out for the last playoff spot by just 3 points. Cologne's playoff appearance did not last long though, Helsinki disposing of them in 4 straight game for the sweep. The series was a lot closer than it looks, the only blowout coming in game 3 on a 7-1 Titans win. Game 2 was decided by 2 goals and games 1 and 4 were decided by a single goal, including a double overtime thriller in game 4. They put up a good fight but it just wasn`t good enough against the stronger Titans club and now Cologne will look forward to next season and beyond.

 

Interview with Evgeni Chekhov:

 

It was a very weird for Cologne. A team who played much better after dealing away some of their best players. How can this be explained?

 

ts hard to explain really. There is no logical reason we should have played better. I think it just comes down to chemistry. Something wasn't working for us with the pieces we had but after the trades things just began to mesh for us.

You had a very good season in the net for the Express. Are you satisfied with your play or what could have you done better?

 

I'm honestly not satisfied with my play, I personally wouldn't call it a good season. This was the season most people, including myself, expected me to push in as a top three goalie in the league. I personally don't think that happened. Some may say it comes down to the team around me but personally I think I just didn't perform my best. I guess I just wish I could have been more consistent. To go from shutting teams out to letting in 4 goals the next game just won't work.

It looks as though Cologne is headed for a rebuild. What does this mean for Evgeni Chekhov?

 

ts really hard to say what it means for me. In theory it means I could be traded like many of my former teammates. With the current market for goalies being basically limited to Quebec though it might be unlikely that I go anywhere right now. I'm just planning on rolling with the punches and seeing what management thinks is best.


It must have been tough to be swept in the opening round of the playoffs but most of the games were kept close. Are you satisfied with the team's effort in the series?

 

Surprisingly enough I am. Halfway through the season no one had even given us a chance at making the playoffs; doing so became our goal. Everything else was just a bonus as far as we were concerned. It was tough to go out in 4 games but we were outplayed and Helsinki deserved their wins. I'm still proud of our guys for even getting to that point.

Edited February 23, 2014 by snipealldaylong

[snipealldaylong 4]

180

 

Meute Cup Hunt Stalled

 

Last week in Germany, covering the Cologne Express was a fun time and I had the chance to obtain some new experiences. This week should be more of the same, as I visit the beautiful, pristine Quebec City in central Quebec. It is one of the oldest cities in Canada and a sports crazed city who used to be home for the Quebec Nordiques of the National Hockey League. I travel to Quebec City to cover the Meute hockey club of the Victory Hockey League. The Meute won the Season 35 Continental Cup, knocking down the Helsinki Titans a peg or two on the way. In Season 36, Quebec City was expected to be a favourite to win the championship again and to represent the North American Conference in the finals, at the very least. The off-season is here, the Continental Cup has been awarded, and as we all know, that is not how things shook down during the playoffs. The regular season was a two horse race in North American between Toronto and Quebec City, fighting all season long to obtain the top spot and a first round bye during the playoffs. It was tight right down to the wire and Toronto eventually prevailed by a single point.

 

Quebec City's offense was one of the best in the league, scoring 248 goals in the regular season and ranking them 2nd in the league behind Davos (who scored 264 goals). The defense for played solid for the Meute as well, allowing just 137 goals and ranking them 2nd in the league, behind Toronto's 130 goals against. The special teams in Quebec City were fairly good, finishing in the top half of the league in both powerplay and penalty killing numbers. The Meute powerplay scored on 65 of 343 chances, a 18.95% success rate (3rd) while the penalty kill unit killed 213 of 252 powerplay chances against, a 84.52% success rate (4th). They threw around 37 shots on net per game (4th) while allowing under 26 against per night (2nd). They also played a well-disciplined game, taking a tad over 8 minutes in penalties a night (2nd) and were a good faceoff team, winning about 57 1/2 percent of their draws (2nd). Quebec City, however, was not tough enough to play against, throwing only a bit over 16 hits per game (9th).

 

Wesley Kellinger, Doug Clifford and Yuri Grigorenko lead the Meute offensively up front, scoring 99, 93 and 88 points respectively, Kellinger and Clifford also very active in throwing body checks with close to 250 each. On defense, Alex and Niklas Valiq lead the team with 95 and 71 points respectively and 202 hits for Alex while Niklas wasn't as physical, finishing with just 93 body checks. They finished with a 119 shots blocked each and were one of the best defensive pairings in the VHL. Alex has a chance to take home the Sterling Labatte Trophy as top defenseman in the league. In goal, Skylar Rift had a great final season, finishing 2nd in both save percentage and goals against average, behind Remy LeBeau in both categories with a 92.9 save percentage and 1.85 goals against average. Rift notched 13 shutouts and 48 wins, the most in the league. He faced only 1675 shots but the Aidan Shaw Trophy should be between LeBeau and Rift.

 

With the retirement of Skylar Rift, Quebec City was in need of a starting goaltender to stay afloat as a competing team in the North American Conference. Earlier today, Pavel Koradek went out and acquired Tuomas Tukio from the rebuilding Helsinki Titans, a netminder that has been solid throughout his career during the regular season but has never been a great playoff performer, although he does have a Continental Cup. If Tukio can overcome that hurdle, the Quebec City Meute will once again be one of the favourites to win it all in Season 37.

 

Interview with Alexander Valiq:

 

Quebec City was expected to make it to the Continental Cup Finals in Season 36. How disappointing were the playoffs for the team?

It was definitely upsetting for everyone in the locker room not being able to go further. After losing the conference we could tell it wasn't going to be an easy playoff route, but making it to the conference finals is still an accomplishment in itself.

You came withing a point of notching 100 from the back end and played very physical and defensively sound. Are youi satisfied with that individual performance?

Yeah, I think it was an overall successful season individual season. I didn't eclipse 100 like I wanted to, but my numbers were fairly good considering the fact that it was a low scoring season all around for defensemen.

The Meute acquired a new starting goalie in Tuomas Tukio, do expect any more moves to come before the start of the season?

I wouldn't rule anything out. We still have a few guys to get extensions to but after that we'll just be filling in the nooks and crannies where we can. As far as the other teams go, there's probably a few things being finalized right now.

The North American Conference is shaping up to be very competitive in Season 37. How tough will it be for a team to make the playoffs?

It's nice to see a bigger number of teams looking to compete all at the same time. I'd say its a fair assumption Toronto will be one of those teams making it through, after that it's a pretty fair race between Seattle, Quebec, and NY for the other two remaining spots.

Edited March 2, 2014 by snipealldaylong

[snipealldaylong 4]

181

 

Riga Rebuild Rolling

 

Visiting Quebec City last week was a fun and new experience for myself and this week, I will find myself in Riga, the capital city of Latvia. Latvia has not been a hockey hotbed to say the least in the past but recently, it has become more popular. More and more Latvians are being drafted into the NHL and the Olympic team finished in the top 8 at the 2014 winter Olympics. The Victory Hockey League is home to a professional hockey team in Riga named the Reign who have won just 3 championships in franchise history (S10, S16, S33). The club is in the middle of a rebuild at the moment and are on track to build a great team. They may have finished last in the European Conference during Season 36 but they were in no way the worst team in the league. The Reign are full of young players and prospects (including S37 1st overall pick, Slaeter Fjorsstrom) and will grow as a team with each passing season. They finished Season 36 with a record of 17-53-2, scoring 153 goals for and allowing 257 against in the process. The European Conference got much weaker this off-season, thus giving Riga a much better chance at making their first playoff appearance in 3 seasons.

 

Riga's offense ranked 9th in the league, ahead of the last place Wranglers who scored only 88 goals while their defense was also ranked 9th, Calgary only allowing more goals against with 357. The special teams in Riga again finish ranked at 9th in both powerplay (13.51%) and penalty-killing (80.22%) percentages as well as shots against per game (39.13). The club was ranked 8th in shots taken per game (27.29) and faceoff percentage (43.90%) at the end of Season 36, while they delivered the 7th most body checks per game (17.78) and took the 5th least penalties in minutes per game (9.63). The Gow brothers lead the Reign on offense, combining for 141 points (Robert with 74, Robin with 67) while Brennan McQueen was a monster, delivering a league-leading 371 body checks and chipping in 63 points. Dan Tremblay put 47 points and 312 body checks from the back-end, blocking a league-leading 274 shots along the way. In goal, Mike Szatkowski Jr. faced a heavy workload with 2515 shots against (2nd in the league) and put up a 90.9% save percentage with a 3.62 goals against average and a shutout.

 

The Reign will be a much better club this upcoming season with the aforementioned Slaeter Fjorsstrom joining the club alongside Mikey Blade, Matteo Gallo and Phil Villeneuve as newcomers to the Reign with the possibility of Konstantin Azhishchenkov joining the team late in the season or in the playoffs, should Riga earn their spot for a chance to win the Continental Cup. The rebuild appears to be right on track for Mike Szatkowski and the Riga management and I fully expect them to be in the playoffs at the end of 72 regular season games.

 

Interview with Robert Gow III:

 

What will the acquisition of Matteo Gallo bring to the Reign team?

 

Gallo should be a solid depth player if he stays inactive; hopefully the trade may spark Quik's interest in the league again. Assuming Quik does not become active, Gallo is built really well to produce as a goal scoring depth player on Riga with 95 scoring. In theory, it seems as though he would best produce with someone like Robin Gow who is a pass first player in order to best use Gallo's abilities.

 

With the blow-up of the Helsinki Titans team, that should open the gates for either Riga or Vasteras to make the playoffs in Season 37. What are your thoughts on the Reign's chances in making their first playoff appearance since Season 34?

 

I think this team has a great chance to make the playoffs due mainly to what should be a greatly improved defense on paper. Last season, we didn't really have any impact defensemen. This is where #1 overall pick Slaeter Fjorssom will help a lot as he has the potential to be a star #1 defenseman. Also helping out on defense this year will be Phil Villeneuve, as he was devolving with the Watchmen last year and also has the potential to be a star defenseman. Lastly, our defense should improve immensely this year due to the development of our goalie, Mike Longlastname. This year, Mike will have much more tpe and also will hopefully not receive the awful luck he had with the sim last year. 

 

Offensively, Riga scored a good amount last year, and our offense will be even better this year due to player development from last year and trades for Mikey Blade and Gallo.

 

Riga brought in two more exceptional talents via the Season 37 VHL Entry Draft. What impact will Slaeter Fjorsstrom and Konstantin Azhishchenkov have for the team now and in the future?

 

Slaeter Fjorsstrom should provide this team with something every cup contender needs; a star number one defenseman. He is already the best defenseman on the team this year, and as he improves could become one of the best in the league. Fjorsstrom and Villenvue have the potential to be a top defensive pairing in the league, and hopefully they can help bring us a cup.

 

KJA adds to our already strong forward core as he projects to be our #2 center. He could probably project to be a #1 center on most teams, but Robin Gow has an extra year of tpe production and will likely remain the number one center. I'm also excited to have KJA on Riga because we often have some interesting chat conversations (I have someone else to make fun of Mike with).

 

Slaeter Fjorsstrom will have a lot of pressure on him to win the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy. Does he have what it takes to bring it home for Riga?

 

Fjorsstrom definitely has what it takes to win the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy as I think he will be a top defenseman his whole career. He has the talent to win it for sure, and if the sim is fair to him he should win it.

Edited March 9, 2014 by snipealldaylong

[snipealldaylong 4]

182

 

Wranglers Wreeling

 

I am in Calgary, Alberta this week to cover the VHL's Calgary Wranglers. Calgary is home to the Calgary Stampede, the Calgary Tower, the Devonian Gardens as well as countless other attractions, even hosting the Winter Olympics in 1988. Calgary is a sports-crazed city with many profession teams such as the Calgary Flames (NHL), Calgary Stampeders (CFL), Calgary Roughnecks (NLL) and of course, the Calgary Wranglers. The city has hosted numerous sporting events such as the Grey Cup (1975, 1993, 2000, 2009), the Labatt's/Nokia/Tim Horton's Brier (1980, 1997, 2003, 2009), the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships (2012), and the Stanley Cup Finals (1986, 1989, 2004). The Calgary Wranglers have a rich history of their own, winning the Continental Cup on 7 occasions and making 10 appearances in the finals. They also have 6 Victory Cups (the team with the best regular season record) and many individual award winners. Calgary is currently rebuilding the Wranglers and have not made the playoffs since Season 35, following a game 7 overtime loss in the Season 34 finals to the Helsinki Titans.

 

Season 37 is about one-eighth of the way into the season and the Wranglers sit last in the North American Conference with a 2-6-1 record, a place they have been familiar with last season. Calgary finished last season with just 6 wins and are on pace to finish 16 in Season 37, a big improvement. The offense has not been bad, currently ranked 6th, scoring 21 goals on the season while the defense has allowed the second most goals against with 32. The Wranglers powerplay unit has been lights-out, scoring 8 goals on 32 chances (21.05%) and ranking them 3rd in the VHL while the penalty-kill unit has been awful, allowing 12 goals on 63 chances (80.95%) and ranking them 8th. The Calgary offense has averaged 31.22 shots per game (6th) and the defense has allowed an average of 47.78 shots against per game (9th), a typical blueprint of a young team. They have taken the body a lot with 22.67 body checks per game (1st) but have played undisciplined, taking 19.44 penalty minutes per game (10th) and have been god-awful in the face-off dot, winning just 35.50% of face-offs taken (10th).

 

Henrik Larsson has lead the way on offense with 15 points (8 goals, 7 assists) with 20 body checks, a blocked shot and a +6 plus/minus rating. Damien Sandow, Michael Haan and Lars Lessio have given their best on the back end but have struggled to keep the young Wranglers competitive in the tough North American Conference. The trio have combined for 18 points, 70 body checks, 66 shot blocks and a +2 rating. In goal, Martin Brookside has been a very busy man, turning away 399 of 431 shots and sporting a 92.8% save percentage with a 3.41 goals against average. He has been able to post a shutout with 3 assists and should steal many games for Calgary this season. The Wranglers have promising prospects, Travis Boychuk and Jack Ryan waiting in the wings while holding two 1st round selections and three 2nd rounders in the next pair of drafts. The future looks bright for Calgary.

 

Interview with Jason Glasser:

 

After having a successful team in Calgary for so long, it must be tough for the Wranglers to be going through a rebuild. How do you keep yourself from straying off of the path of rebuilding the club the right way?

 

There is no straying off the path. I've done rebuilds before, both here and in other leagues. All I really need to do is just do the same thing as I did back in S27 when I took over the GM position. Jardy had just stepped down after a run of competing, we were going into a rebuild, and I had to manage it. That one was a little easier as I had Cal G to trade, but I'm not worried about this one either. If anything, the only thing I expect to be different is the length of the run. I didn't make some moves the last time because I wanted to honor what my players wanted, and had I made the moves when I should have, we might not be in this position. That and Henchoz retiring early and having to kind of scrap things together, that made all the difference the first time, this time if I stick to the plan once I get there it should be better. Honestly, rebuilds are the easy part, just pick, pick, and pick some more. Staying competitive for a longer time is the hard part.

 

Calgary is on pace for a much better season than they had in Season 36. Does the management have any goals that they expect the team to meet in year 2 of the rebuild?

 

Not really. I mean we're on a better pace because we've played Helsinki twice. We'll probably do better this year than last, but mostly just because there's another team down here that's worse and we get to beat up on them every so often. We're still far from the other teams and I expect to be for a while still.

 

Travis Boychuk and Jack Ryan are a couple of promising prospects that currently play in the VHLM. When do you expect them to make their VHL debuts?

 

Boychuk should be up as soon as next season. He's a premier prospect and as such, I don't expect him to be eligible for the VHLM beyond this season. If we were a team fighting for a playoff spot, I'd consider calling him up at the deadline, but as we're not, there will be no need for that. Ryan, on the other hand, has had a slower development. He's discussed an increase in development once the summer arrives, but as for now, I'd plan on him being down an additional season. Who knows though, he may surprise people.

 

How long do you expect the rebuild to last before the Wranglers become competitive again?

 

I want to make the playoffs in S39. We probably won't be a real cup contender, more like Cologne last year, but Quebec should be done by then, and who knows where Toronto and Seattle will be. I don't fully expect to contend until LeBeau retires, though. By that point, Smyl should be on the dwindling end of his career, and it'll really be us and New York in the NA. It's never ideal to be a season or two behind a conference competitor, but that's not something that can really be timed for, either.

Edited March 16, 2014 by snipealldaylong

[snipealldaylong 4]

183

 

Titans Fall From Grace

 

Well that was a fun week in Calgary and this week I travel across the world to Helsinki, the largest city in Finland and a city that has a lot to do from museums, to music and arts, theaters and the reason why I am here, sports. Most people in Finland enjoy football (known as soccer in North America) or hockey and there are many teams to choose as your favourite from these sports in the city of Helsinki such as Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi (HJK) in football and IFK Helsingfors (HIFK) or Jokerit in hockey. Helsinki hosted the 1952 Summer Olympics as well as standing alone as the only city to host the World Championships in Athletics on two occasions (1983, 2005). The Helsinki Marathon is an annual event held in the city since 1980 and the European Figure Skating Championships were hosted by Helsinki in 2009. The Titans are Helsinki's representative in the Victory Hockey League and have a rich history, winning five Continental Cups (S6, S15, S22, S27, S34) and ten finals appearances (S3, S5, S6, S14, S15, S22, S23, S27, S34, S35). The Titans have numerous players who have won individual awards as well as many players in the VHL hall of fame.

 

Helsinki decided to rebuild during the Season 36 off-season, blowing the team up in exchange for high draft picks, trading Ethan Osborne and Willie Weber to Seattle, Anatoli Zhumbayev to Toronto, Tuomas Tukio to Quebec City, and Naomi Young to Davos. Needless to say, the Titans are not the powerhouse of the European Conference that they once were, posting a record of 1-21-2 in the first 24 games of Season 37. The offense has been god-awful and is ranked dead  last in the league, scoring just 38 goals while the defense has allowed 110 against and again, ranked last in the VHL. The Titans have taken the least shots in the league (23.08 per game) while giving up the second most (45.17 per game) and are one of the worst face-off teams, winning just 33.74% of their draws (9th). The powerplay unit has not been all that bad, ranking 9th and succeeding 10.26% of the time, meanwhile the penalty-kill is ranked 9th with a 78.90% success rate. Helsinki is about middle-of-the-pack in penalty minutes taken per game with 10.04 (6th) and rank 8th in hits delivered per game (16.42).

 

Teemu Lehtinen, Roberto Martucci and Tyler Owens lead the team statistically, Lehtinen and Martucci posting 24 points each and Owens with 18. Lehtinen an Martucci sport decent plus/minus ratings at -6 and -5 respectively while Lehtinen and Owens have used their bodies effectively, throwing 58 and 59 body checks respectively. Tyler Owens leads the league in shot blocks with 98 and in goal, HEL G has been decent for what has been thrown at him, posting a 90% save percentage and 4.47 goals against average, facing the most shots in the league at 1084. General Manager, Vincent Wong has a tough road ahead in re-building the Titans but future superstars in Kimmo Salo and Jake Wylde, alongside Dexter Morgan (who should be a solid VHL'er) is a good start. Wong also holds 8 first round and 4 second round selections in the next two entry drafts which should get the re-build off to a great start. The Titans are in a low spot right now but if they tough it out, the future is definitely going to be bright for the young club.

 

Interview with Vincent Wong:

 

How has the transition from VHLM GM to VHL GM been thus far?

 

It's been great. It's a huge change in philosophy. In the VHLM you're main objective is to get players into the VHL, so in a sense it is very simple and basic although challenging. In the VHL level, there is just way more that you need to take into consideration. You can treat assets in a long term sense, which is the one huge benefit. Other than that I'm just starting to get my feet wet.

 

How weird is it to see the Titans at the bottom of the standings instead of at the top where they have been for the past several seasons?

 

It is just the way things go. When every player on your team is traded, you have to expect to be on the bottom. It obviously sucks to see us lose, especially when you see other teams run up the score and shamelessly gloat about it - but we've seen all the great teams from the top hit the bottom, that's just the way it goes. Trust me when I say that we are going to do whatever it takes to be back on top as soon as possible.

 

Helsinki has just started to re-build and will have a tough few years ahead of them. How do you keep yourself from straying off the path?

 

I inherited an almost fool-proof rebuild plan, as Higgins left me ten first round picks. Obviously it would be easy to try and continue to stay competitive had I started with all the players, however with all these picks it's pretty easy just to build a team through the draft. I don't plan on keeping all ten, as I'm open to moving some of the picks for young established players. So far we have some pretty solid pieces in place, and knowing that those prospects will turn into great players makes it easy to stay on the proper path.

 

The future looks bright in Helsinki if you are able to draft some high-ends prospects and if your current prospects pan out. How excited are you for that?

 

I'm extremely excited for it. I can't wait to get the opportunity to play with a new group of players and build the franchise back up as a group. We have some great prospects in the next draft, and I can't wait to see who ends up in Helsinki! I just want the fans to know we have a plan in place and we hope that it doesn't take too long to get back into the competitive form.

Edited March 24, 2014 by snipealldaylong

[snipealldaylong 4]

184

 

Bears Clawing Their Way In

 

I am in Seattle, Washington this week, a city that provides a ton of fan support for their hometown sports teams. Seattle is home to a prfessional football team (Seattle Seahawks), a professional baseball team (Seattle Mariners), a professional Soccer team (Seattle Sounders FC) and a professional basketball team (Seattle Storm). They also house another soccer team (Seattle Reign FC), a junior hockey team (Seattle Thunderbirds) and the reason I am in Seattle this week, their professional hockey team, the Seattle Bears. The Bears have had plenty of success, winning the Continental Cup five times (S4, S5, S12, S17, S28) and making eight finals appearances (S4, S5, S11, S12, S15, S17, S28, S30). Seattle has also won the Victory Cup five times (S4, S5, S6, S27, S28) and have numerous individual award winners and VHL hall of famers.

 

Seattle had a tough go of it last season, but eventually made it into the playoffs for the first time since Season 31. To attempt to eliminate their early season struggles that they faced during Season 36, the Bears went out and made some off-season trades. The first deal they made was sending Mikey Blade and GIYGAS to Riga in return for Damon Tyrael. Next, they made a big move, acquiring Ethan Osborne and Willie Weber from Helsinki in exchange for Gregory Glass, a S38 first-round selection, a S39 first-round selection and a S39 second round-selection. The trades were expected to assist the Bears in becoming serious Continental Cup contenders but they started Season 37 once again and have had to play catch-up just to contend for a playoff spot. Seattle currently hold down the fourth spot in the North American Conference with a 20-14-3 record and 43 points, tied with the third-place New York Americans. Offense is not how Seattle wins games, ranking 7th both shots for and goals for per game (32.24 and 2.25 respectively). The Bears defense has not been great, but it has not been terrible either, ranking 5th in shots against per game and 6th in goals against per game (27.27 and 2.24 respectively). Special teams have been amazing in Seattle this season, ranking third in both powerplay (19.14%) and penalty-killing (86.21%) percentages, while bearing down and winning 54.57% of their faceoffs (ranked fourth). They have been very physical, delivering 18.83 body checks per game (ranked second) and taking 11.30 penalties in minutes per game (ranked seventh).

 

Ethan Osborne has found some chemistry with his new team, now leading the Bears in goals (22) and points (42) with Zack Sound leading in assists (27) and tied with Osborne in points (42). James Lefevre has been a physical force, delivering 116 body checks and blocking 80 shots, while putting 24 points on the board. Sebastian Ball Jr, Karsten Olsen, Damon Tyrael and Willie Weber have not put up great numbers to date this season, but there is still time for them to turn it around. In goal, Steven Smyl has been solid, posting a 92% save percentage with a 2.23 goals against average and two shutouts, facing 896 shots in the process. The Bears have been on a roll lately, winning eight in a row and if they can keep finding ways to win, there is no doubt that they will be a playoff team this season.

 

Interview with Willie Weber:

 

A tough start to the season for the Bears. How do you put that behind you and focus on the present and future?

 

Yeah. It has been a tough start for us but we just need to keep our minds set on the task at hand. If we concentrate on what we are trying to accomplish here, I have confidence that we will be able to get the job done. We just have to take it one game at a time and not get too high when winning or too low when losing. I know those are some of the oldest cliques out there, but it is the truth here.

 

Individually, you have started slow this season as well. What can you attribute to this?

 

Yeah. I expected more out of myself this season to be honest. I guess joining a new team and trying to find chemistry could be blamed for that but I do not make excuses. It's all on me. I need to be better and that's no secret. Going forward, I will do my best to get back to the level that I was at last season, or even better. Training hard physically and mentally will help me accomplish that.

 

You've been a Bear for over half a season now. How has your time in Seattle been so far?

 

It's been great. The boys have been really supportive in the locker room. There are some really great leaders on this team and it makes the transition much easier when you play in that kind of environment. When a teammate like Oz comes with you in a deal, that makes it much easier as well. We all get along great and if we continue to gel as a team, I like our chances at making the playoffs and beyond.

 

Speaking of the playoffs, should Seattle make it in, how do you like your team's chances?

 

Well, last season, with a similar roster, the Bears nearly upset the North American champs. This season, we have many of the same players who have developed more as well as adding some more developed pieces. As long as we keep coming together as a unit and developing into better players, I expect us to put up a good showing. Anything can happen in the playoffs so we need to bring our A game on any given night.

[snipealldaylong 4]

185

 

Dynamo Dominance

 

Davos, Switzerland is the venue on the agenda for me this week, a city of over eleven thousand people and 109 square miles and situated in the southeastern portion of Switzerland. Davos may not be very large in population but there many surrounding cities that also provide fan support for sporting events in Davos. The city is primarily known for skiing with the Swiss Alps in close proximity and was also a pioneer in speed skating, many international events being held in Davos. There are six main ski areas which stretch over 200 miles and two ice hockey teams, HC Davos of the Swiss National League A and HC Davos Dynamo of the Victory Hockey League. The Dynamo have won the Continental Cup seven times (S11, S13, S20, S24, S25, S31, S36) and have made twelve finals appearances (S11, S13, S19, S20, S21, S24, S25, S28, S29, S30, S31, S36) as well as numerous VHL hall of famers and individual award winners in their history.

 

Davos brought in up and coming center, Naomi Young from the rebuilding Helsinki Titans in exchange for a pair of first rounders and a second rounder in the off-season, as well as veteran defenseman, Nikita Lebedev from the Toronto Legion for a depth defenseman and a bunch of draft picks. They then dealt Matteo Gallo to Riga for a second round pick and Odin Tordahl (who was leaving via free agency) to the New York Americans for a first round pick. The defending champions have not slowed down, posting a record of 35-10-4 and leading the league after 49 games played and are a big threat to repeat. Davos is an offensive team who take advantage of their opportunities, leading the league in goals for per game while ranking third in shots for per game (3.41 and 36.51 respectively). The Dynamo defense in nearly as good as their offense, ranking first in shots against per game (23.29) and third in goals against per game (2.18). Special teams for the Dynamo have been nearly unstoppable as well, ranking first in penalty-killing (89.32%) and second in powerplay success (21.72%) and have been the best faceoff team by far, winning 62.62% of their draws. Davos is one of the least physical teams, throwing just 16.06 body checks per game but still rank fifth in penalty minutes per game at 10.55.

 

Leading the way for Davos is Sergey Brovalenko, who in his final season, is on pace for career-highs in many categories and should be a favourite to win the Scotty Campbell Trophy with 72 points on the season. Thomas Landry has put 65 points on the board while Naomi Young and Davey Jones have put up 56 and 54 points respectively. Patrolling the blueline, Shane Baker has put 45 points on the scoresheet with 55 body checks and 73 shots blocked. Matt Bentley has been a monster, making 133 body checks, blocking 65 shots and scoring 41 points while Nikita Lebedev has put up 40 points with 43 body checks and 56 shot blocks. In goal, Lennox Moher has not had to be all that sharp but has done what it takes to get the job done, posting a 91% save percentage with just over two goals allowed per game and five shutouts. He hasn't faced all that many shots but is still among league leaders in wins with 27. Davos has dominated the European Conference once again and I fully expect to see them in the finals and wouldn't be surprised to see them winning back-to-back championships.

 

Interview with Matt Bentley:

 

What will be the biggest challenge presented to the Dynamo on their quest to repeat as champions?

 

Complacency without a doubt. On our day I am confident we can defeat any team in the league but we can't afford to get lazy, complacent or overconfident. Last season we really pushed ourselves when we went down 3-1 to Toronto but I don't think that would go unpunished again. This doesn't just apply to the finals as well, we've been struggling against Vasteras in recent weeks and we need to address that if we meet them, or any other unfavoured team, in the playoffs.

Sergey Brovalenko has broken out in a huge way this season. Is he the hands-down favourite to win the Scotty Campbell Trophy at this point?

 

I would love Brovy to get some recognition at the end of his career and if he leads the league in points I can see him winning the Campbell. However, the only trophy I think is his to lose is the Virkkunen, what with him having no penalty minutes to date. There are many deserving candidates for the Campbell this season, Tordahl, Low, Tukio, Bagelface, to name but a few, it's very close right now. I do have to take a MVP on the team with some caution since a stand-out performer on a team effort casts a shadow on that team effort. Brovy's in with a chance but he, like all of us, puts Davos first, which may cost him individually in the end.

Your club looks solid from top to bottom. Is there anything that you can identify that could be improved?

 

We really go full on offensively and that comes at the expense of solid defence. The stats look good for all skaters but as a unit, we could be doing more to help out Moher at the back, or he will look like the scapegoat which is totally unfair. Lots of people will look at his save percentage and say he's underachieving but the problem is there's constant lapses of concentration and they cost us. The shots against totals might be low but the quality of those shots is high. It's something to address so better teams don't exploit it. On the whole though, I'm very pleased with the team's play this season.

The Dynamo look to be the favourites from the European Conference while the North American Conference is a crap shoot. Who do you like to represent North America in the Continental Cup Finals?

 

Every opponent offers something different. Toronto will seek revenge, Quebec has experience poring out of itself, Seattle will have a point to prove since they're hoping to just scrape into the playoffs, and New York is really similar to us last season in the sense that you don't know what to expect and that might be the most dangerous. I can't say any team would be an easier match for Davos, we've dropped points to everyone of note it seems. I've got a hunch that whichever one of Seattle and New York makes it in will go absolutely rampant and knock out the two favourites and maybe even us, if of course we don't meet a sizzling force of our own in Europe. But it's unpredictable and to be honest with you, that's great.

Edited April 6, 2014 by snipealldaylong

[Kyle 667]

Grimm, first of all I’d like to thank you for sitting down and taking the time to do this interview with us here at the mag. How have things gone in your life outside of the sport of hockey? We all know how good you were on the ice, but what is your life like off of it?

 

GJ: Life is going pretty well. I've moved back to Iceland to open up a hockey school and scouting organization. My children are just starting to reach the teenage years so perhaps we'll see another Jonsson lace up the skates in the VHL one day. I'm just relaxing and taking it easy now, the physical wear and tear of a 15 year pro hockey career takes its toll.

Many legends from the past are often very stubborn in the sense that they feel their generation had the best players and best teams, etc. In your opinion, what do you feel was the best generation of players to come through the VHL? What about the best team?

 

GJ: I think the current generation is one of the best, but that's an unfair question, each generation has their own impact on the league. The early years also don't get enough credit just because it was the beginning of the league doesn't mean the talent was worse. I personally think the best team was the Season 1 Calgary Wranglers 69-3.

In regards to talking about different generations of players, do you have a particular favorite player or two from this generation? Not including Tom Slaughter for obvious reasons.

 

GJ: I really admire Conner Low, he's an elite talent and currently locked in to have what should be an elite career in the VHL. Another kid I really liked was that Osborne from Helsinki, seemed like a good player and a good kid all around.

You are still very much involved in the New York Americans’ affairs, how do you feel about this organization both at this very moment and also going forward? Do you think this could be potentially the best generation of players that New York has ever had?

 

GJ: That team they had in the S20-30 era was so good and yet they failed to win big. If this generation can win a cup or maybe two in the next five seasons I think they will go down as the best generation of all time. Tordahl is an elite player, Hall of Fame bound, as is Low. I would be surprised if Slaughter and XXX didn't get in after it is all said and done. We'll see.

You are considered one of the greatest all-time players in the history of the VHL, where do you believe that you are ranked in the list of the best players to play in the VHL? Top 5? Top 10? #1?

 

GJ: I don't really know. There have been a lot of great players. I'd say in the top 50 all-time if I had to guess.

In my personal opinion, you are the man who turned the Americans from the “Short Bus” into the very respectable franchise it is today. How did you make your impact so strong on the franchise and do you believe any single player could do what you did for the Americans franchise again?

 

GJ: Not a single player for the franchise now, no, because they have who I believe is the top General Manager in the VHL running their team. I think the role of a good GM is really understated in this league. Maybe you could find another guy for a franchise like Vasteras. It's all about place and time. It's a simple formula for success, just show people you've got a goal and a plan to execute that and success will follow. I believe any team can be successful with good leadership.

Thank you for your time, Grimm.

 

GJ: You're welcome, it was my pleasure.

 

 

Grimm Jonsson despite labeling himself as a “Top 50 all-time” sums up exactly the type of player he was during his playing career. Grimm was humble and not one to dish out credit to himself as a superstar for the New York Americans. But unfortunately for him, those who saw him play with their own eyes truly can testify just how good he was on the ice. Grimm in my personal opinion is a top 5 player in VHL history, and the statistics prove that. But beyond the statistics, he managed to completely change the fortunes of a franchise around. After being run into the ground by Robbie Zimmers, drafting Grimm to the New York Americans saw the franchise rise from mediocrity and become one of the most consistently competitive teams in the VHL since he was taken in Season 10.

 

Jonsson was represented by VHL legend and agent extraordinaire, Sterling Labatte and was actually the first player to sign under Labatte’s agency. Under Labatte’s teachings of the ins and outs of the VHL, Grimm became a star and the face of the Americans franchise. Despite having many superstar players over the years in New York, many still considered Grimm Jonsson as the player who embodies the franchise the most to this day. After moving to Seattle, Grimm’s career would skyrocket and would see him win 2 scoring titles in a row (Season 15 and Season 16). Grimm was showing the Seattle Bears’ fans just why he was considered the big things for the New York Americans.

 

Grimm would finish his career with 2 Continental Cups on his resume, one in New York and one in his final season with the Bears. He was a crucial piece to both of these runs (arguments could be made that he was the main piece) and truly cemented himself as a legend long before his career was finished. Jonsson as was truly the definition of a hockey player’s hockey player. He led his team on and off the ice, consistently displayed work ethic beyond that of his competition, and delivered when it mattered the most. It’s players like Grimm that live on forever in the lore of the organizations they suit up for. Grimm Jonsson is Mark Messier for the New York Rangers, and Seattle fans adore him to this day as well. It was an honor to interview him.

[CowboyinAmerica 2,731]

I'll update S45 stats later in the week. Also, if this is too long, let me know and I'll edit.

 

----------

 

Off Into the Sundberg-set

 

The Beat is a weekly article series giving a focused look on one VHL franchise. This week, and for the rest of the season, this space will focus on HC Davos Dynamo – the team’s run for the playoffs, how the past has shaped its present, and what it will look like into the future.

 

As a general rule, free agency giveth, and free agency taketh away. However, general rules seem not to apply on the FIFA-harboring, World War II-ignoring, chocolate-and-skiing-obsessed tax haven that is Switzerland. In Davos, the Dynamo have always seemed to sign more free agents than they have let go. You saw it in the last generation of Dynamo stars with Odin Tordahl, and this time, the stolen player was current second-line center Devin Sundberg.

 

At the time of his signing in Davos, Sundberg was actually joining a team that didn’t immediately have high expectations. The Dynamo had the league’s second-worst record at 16-54-2 in Season 41, and despite adding the top two picks in the draft with Bismarck Koenig and Callum Sinclair, there was no indication that they would immediately turn it around. The team he left, meanwhile, was a burgeoning Toronto juggernaut that looked poised for big things (until it was blown up two seasons later without a Finals apprearance, that is.)

 

However, in four seasons, Sundberg has turned into the heart and soul of the team, only behind Vladamir Komarov as the longest-tenured Dynamo player. With Sundberg announcing his retirement at the end of his seventh season in the league, it’s worthwhile to analyze his four seasons in Davos, in which he had plenty of personal success, but the team success has been heretofore lacking.

 

Season 42

Regular Season Stats: 36 G, 33 A, 69 P, -17 +/-, 82 HIT, 50.0% FO%, 6 1^st Stars

Dynamo Finish: 31-32-9, 4^th European Conference

 

The obvious rebuilding year for the Dynamo turned out to be not so obvious, as the Dynamo ended only five points out of the final European playoff spot. Much of that success can be attributed to Sundberg. The center fit in with the team right away, leading Davos with 36 goals, 69 points and a 10 percent shot percentage, and finishing second in first stars behind old Bears buddy Gifford Shock. The not-so-great, however, reveals some issues with his overall play: His -17 +/- was the worst figure among all Dynamo non-computer players. With an up-and-down season similar to his team at large, the best would be yet to come for Sundberg.

 

Season 43

Regular Season Stats: 34 G, 45 A, 79 P, 22 +/-, 100 HIT, 56.5% FO%, 7 1^st Stars

Playoff Stats: 6 GP, 2 G, 2 A, 4 P, -7 +/-, 1 HIT, 56.1% FO, 0 1^st Stars

Dynamo Finish: 44-21-7, First Rd. Loss in Playoffs

 

Another season, another year finishing atop Davos in both goals and points for Sundberg. This time, though, he was a better-rounded player. His plus-minus surpassed that of his end-of-season linemates Shock and Don Draper, and his seven first stars led the team. Perhaps Sundberg’s best improvement, though, came in the faceoff circle, as his 56.5 percent faceoff rate was good for tenth overall in the league. However, in his first playoff series in his career (he never made it in three seasons with Toronto), he couldn’t get it done. For the team’s regular season scoring leader, four points in six games was simply not enough, and Davos fell in six games to the Express. Despite the personal strong play, falling meekly out of the playoffs made this season a bit of a failure for Sundberg.

 

Season 44

Regular Season Stats: 34 G, 37 A, 71 P, 10 +/-, 53 HIT, 56.0% FO%, 5 1^st Stars

Playoff Stats: 7 GP, 1 G, 3 A, 4 P, -6 +/-, 5 HIT, 46.8% FO, 0 1^st Stars

Dynamo Finish: 47-20-5, First Rd. Loss in Playoffs

 

In Season 44, Davos added the thunder – the addition of Oskars Harumpf before the season and James Faraday at the trade deadline relegated the previous season’s top scorer to the second line. This change, along with the emergence of Kurtis Hunter and Freedom McJustice, was clearly reflected in his stats, and may have in fact been the impetus for his current retirement. With just 71 points, Sundberg fell to fifth on the team (although only five behind second-place Harumpf), and his plus-minus and hits also saw a big hit. This wouldn’t mean much, though, if he stepped up in the playoffs… but again, Sundberg came up short. With just one goal in seven games, and a dramatically dropping face off percentage this year, Sundberg’s struggles reflected that of the rest of his team; only Harumpf managed a point per game in the seven-game defeat to the Vikings.

 

Season 45

Regular Season Stats: 40 G, 46 A, 86 P, 20 +/-, 7 HIT, 58.9% FO%, 5 1^st Stars

Dynamo Finish: ???

 

As improbable as it may be in his seventh season, this is actually Sundberg’s best individual year with Davos. His 40 goals are already a career high with about a dozen games still left to play, and his 86 points are right there as well for an astounding sixth in the league. Unlike most older players, Sundberg has actually hit less this season, perhaps strangely, but he has made up for that with a face off percentage that sits seventh in the league. As the elder statesman on a line that includes rookies Maxime Perron and Simon Valmount, it is clear that Sundberg has finally hit his stride. However…

 

Davos Totals (4 seasons)

Regular Season Stats: 144 G, 161 A, 305 P, 35 +/-, 242 HIT, 23 1^st Stars

Playoff Stats: 13 GP, 3 G, 5 A, 8 P, -13 +/-, 6 HIT, 0 1^st Stars

 

… the playoffs await. Ultimately, that’s where I believe Sundberg’s legacy will be forged. With only two playoff appearances in six seasons thus far, and with those playoff appearances being less than satisfactory, can Sundberg overcome his current reputation as someone who fades under the bright lights? Or will the strength of the European Conference cause him to peter out again? Or, perhaps the worst case scenario, will he miss the playoffs for the fifth time in his seven season career? Anything is in play for Sundberg, but for him to remembered positively alongside Gregreg agency players such as Markus Strauss, Felix Peters, and even Greg Harbinson, a conference finals appearance may be a must.

Edited October 9, 2015 by CowboyinAmerica

[eaglesfan036 4,585]

why didn't you pick calgary

[CowboyinAmerica 2,731]

why didn't you pick calgary

 

Molholt actually originally told me to, but I didn't want to focus on my own team like that.

[Molholt 2,183]

Great first entry! 

 

Yes, I presented Calgary as an option (since this is a shortened timespan I figured it would be the only opportunity to cover his own team, and they are trying to repeat) but I respect Cowboy's decision to shy away from his own team regardless. Plus, Davos is a great choice and is in the packed Euro Conference this season!

[eaglesfan036 4,585]

The point it to have blatant homerism doe

[CowboyinAmerica 2,731]

Perfecting a New Plan

 

The Beat is a weekly article series giving a focused look on one VHL franchise. This week, and for the rest of the season, this space will focus on HC Davos Dynamo – the team’s run for the playoffs, how the past has shaped its present, and what it will look like into the future.

 

HC Davos Dynamo is a team of dichotomies. The team was expected to be fighting for a championship, but it might not even make the playoffs. The Dynamo have been knocked out in the first round each of the past two years, but with the team’s combination of depth and experience, it might even be a favorite should it make the playoffs. Faraday and Richardson outpace everyone else in TPE; Sundberg and McJustice are the team’s leading scorers.

 

And then there’s this – starting on Day 101 with a 4-0 loss to the Riga Reign, the Dynamo lost seven straight games against five different teams (including Quebec City). At the time of the final loss, Davos was out of the playoffs, having been passed by Cologne. Since that time, though, we’ve seen a new team, as the Dynamo have won six straight as of this writing, and have the chance to take more with games against the Express and Legion upcoming.

 

Which Davos is the real Davos, and what do the recent streaks say about the Dynamo’s playoff chances? We decided to take a close look at three games that may be indicative of the team’s chances come playoff time.

 

Day 109 – Titans 4, Dynamo 0

 

During the losing streak, the Titans destroyed the Dynamo 8-2. Of course, that game was a major setback, but those types of blowouts will happen every once in a while. For me, however, the game that would worry me more as a Dynamo fan is the 4-0 loss that happened at the very end of the losing streak. One of the major issues for the Dynamo so far this season has been first line scoring; having Faraday and Harumpf – two-thirds of the team’s top line, mind you – with 47 goals combined is not a good look, regardless of what McJustice does. If McJustice and/or Sundberg don’t go off in a game, there might not necessarily be enough scoring to back them up. That’s precisely what happened in this game: Sundberg got just one shot against the tough Titans defense, McJustice got two, and the rest of the team couldn’t find a way to back them up. If the Dynamo are to take down the Titans in a hypothetical European Conference finals, those ancillary players will need to step up their game.

 

Day 114 – Dynamo 2, Reign 0

 

On the flip side of that coin, though, is the way I think the Dynamo could win it all: surprisingly strong goaltending. Given his TPE, I’m still of the opinion that Callum Sinclair is a breakout star waiting to happen; his current .909 save percentage doesn’t do him justice. These are the types of games that give me that hope. With the tough Dynamo defense holding the Reign to just 24 shots, the offense was able to do just enough to eke out a two goal victory. The goals all came from the second line, which is not particularly a surprise so far this season. However, the fact that one of the goals came from the power play does intrigue me. At just 596 penalty minutes on the season, the Dynamo have fewer total penalty minutes allowed than either Riga (686) or Helsinki (697). That’s great if Davos can score as they did here; it’s not if the team maintains its third-worst 13% PP rate into the playoffs.

 

Day 105 – Wranglers 3, Dynamo 2

 

Strangely enough though, I think the game that points most towards the Dynamo’s projected gameplan in the playoffs may be a game that they lost. The Dynamo don’t really have the firepower to keep up with the high-flying Titans or the slightly-lower-flying Reign (assuming those are the other two playoff teams). Instead, the Dynamo will be looking to keep the game close, keep penalty minutes and easy opposing scoring opportunities low, and eke out some goals from the top scorers. That’s exactly what Davos did here – the Dynamo were down just one goal and had a shot advantage entering the third period, only had six penalty minutes and yielded no power play goals, and Sundberg and McJustice had one goal a piece. Ultimately, the Dynamo couldn’t pull it off – an 11 to 5 shot differential in the third period will do that – but I think the Dynamo will win more of these types of games than they lose. All they have to do now is actually get to the playoffs to apply the strategy.

[CowboyinAmerica 2,731]

Dynamic Dynamo Awards Time

The Beat is a weekly article series giving a focused look on one VHL franchise. This week, and for the rest of the season, this space will focus on HC Davos Dynamo – the team’s run for the playoffs, how the past has shaped its present, and what it will look like into the future.

 

In the end, HC Davos Dynamo finished with 93 points, good for third in the European Conference, fifth in the VHL, and a full 12 points over the Cologne Express for the final playoff spot in the conference. Ultimately, the late season surge made what looked like a very interesting playoff race much more boring.

By the time this magazine edition hits shelves, we may very well know whether the Dynamo are moving on to face the Titans, or whether Riga reigned supreme in the teams’ first round matchup. However, before we move forward, I feel it’s helpful to look back. How did Davos get here, and who are the players that are worth a closer look entering the playoffs? It’s our Davos Dynamo year-end awards.

 

MVP – Freedom McJustice

It may be Devin Sundberg who led the team in points, but for my money, Freedom McJustice is the more valuable player to the team for his work on the front line. Entering the season, we thought we knew what we could expect from Sundberg; he ultimately outplayed those expectations, but the extra goals and assists always felt more like extra gravy rather than the meat and potatoes the team was built upon. McJustice, however, always needed to shoulder an extra load, especially after Harumpf and Faraday started to show signs of aging this season.

For me, two numbers stand out when talking about McJustice. The first is 40 – his team-leading plus-minus statistic. While plus-minus isn’t everything the major disparity of the first line’s plus-minus (+39 for Faraday, +31 for Harumpf) with that of the second line (Valmount only managed +8) shows how heavily the team relied on shutting down opposing top lines. The second number is 11.88 – McJustice’s shot percentage, which registered ninth in the entire VHL. Shot percentages, though, tend to fluctuate more than other statistics from year-to-year. It may not be a sustainable figure come the tougher defenses and goalies of the playoffs, which could mean trouble for the Davos offense.

 

Goalie of the Year – DAV G

OK, so maybe the backup goalie that played eight games against weak competition doesn’t actually deserve top goalie honors on the team. But the fact that the computer backup equaled the incumbent starter in save percentage (.911) and tallied an inordinately better goals against average (1.38 to Sinclair’s 2.44) doesn’t exactly bode well for the team’s playoff hopes. Entering his fourth season, this was expected to be a breakout year for Sinclair, but the stats didn’t exactly bear fruit. That save percentage tied him for sixth in the league (with SEA G!), and the GAA placed him in fifth. Only in shutouts, where his seven was one behind the league lead, did Sinclair excel.

It’s reasonable to say that Davos may have contended for the best record in the league if, say, Sinclair played somewhere closer to Clegane instead. It’s also reasonable to say that Sinclair is now on the hot seat entering the playoffs. If Davos doesn’t reach the finals this season, and Sinclair continues to underachieve entering the back half of his career, it may be a good time for Davos to press the reset button and ship him out (New York? Riga?) prior to a season where the team has three first round picks.

 

Defenseman Under 1000 TPE of the Year – N/A

As somebody who previously voted Mason Richardson as the most overrated player in the VHL, it does warm the heart to see him actually perform up to his high TPE total this season. He may be trailing Light and Karlsson in the Labatte Trophy rankings, sure, but 79 points is nothing to scoff at. It’s good that the Dynamo had Richardson, though, because the rest of the defensive corps was somewhere between awful and atrocious. Vladamir Komarov, the victim of some minor attribute regression before the season, played like he was shoved off a cliff: 5 goals, 14 assists, and 151 penalty minutes for the 450+ TPE player on the same line as Sundberg. The computer defensemen, meanwhile, predictably added no goals and four assists between them.

And then there’s Demko. The trade deadline acquisition from Quebec, and the only acquisition of any kind for Davos during the season, Demko was supposed to pair with Richardson to make a fearsome duo. Unfortunately, similar to Demko’s play with Jake Wylde in Quebec, the results haven’t borne fruit. While Demko entered Davos with 23 goals and 35 assists in 50 games, sitting near the top of the rankings for defensemen, his stats in a Dynamo uniform have been ugly: 5 goals and 11 assists in 22 games, with an unfathomable -5 plus/minus. And it’s not like he’s making up for it as an enforcer either; he had just 10 hits in those 22 games. Demko’s play may be crucial in the playoffs when Davos needs that extra piece to put them over the top, but so far, he has not shown it.

Edited October 21, 2015 by CowboyinAmerica

[CowboyinAmerica 2,731]

Diagnosis of a Collapse

The Beat is a weekly article series giving a focused look on one VHL franchise. This week, and for the rest of the season, this space will focus on HC Davos Dynamo – the team’s run for the playoffs, how the past has shaped its present, and what it will look like into the future.

 

Coming off a sweep of the Riga Reign in round one, HC Davos Dynamo were flying high. Although the Titans had won the European Conference regular season crown, there was every reason to believe that the Dynamo would have what it takes to defeat the young guns of Clegane, Koponen and others en route to the VHL finals. An overtime winner from Maxime Perron in Game 1 advanced that thought even further, that finally, the team’s rebuild would be over.

And then it all came crashing down.

Three goals in four games later, the Dynamo are now doing the exact same thing as me: Sitting at home, watching Calgary and Helsinki in the finals. How exactly did we get here? To analyze the Dynamo’s collapse, you’re going to have to start with these three important keys.

1. No one man should have…

During the regular season, the Meute had the best power play in the league at 22.2 percent; the Titans sat near the middle (fourth) at 19.1 percent. Meanwhile, the Dynamo were similarly fourth in penalty kill, stopping the opposing team from scoring 83.6 percent of the time. Coming into the series, there was no reason to believe this would change, even with the higher intensity of the playoffs. But of course, that was before the Titans scored at least one power play goal in every single game of the series and went 6 for 19 (31.6 percent) on the power play in Games 2 through 5.

In particular, the Dynamo seemed to have trouble with the Titans’ top power play line, but it wasn’t O’Malley that was wrecking them. Brady Stropko, who led the team with 10 power play goals during the regular season, may not have been surprising with his two power play goals; however, Phil Hamilton, who finished the regular season with just six goals total, definitely may have surprised with a power play goal in each of Game 4 and 5. As a result, the fault not only lies with the Dynamo’s top defense line of penalty killers, but also the forwards Faraday and Harumpf as well who could not seem to stop Hamilton at the blue line.

2. Missing: Devin Sundberg

A couple of weeks ago in this magazine space, I speculated on Devin Sundberg’s ultimate legacy. In that article, I asked, “With only two playoff appearances in six seasons thus far, and with those playoff appearances being less than satisfactory, can Sundberg overcome his current reputation as someone who fades under the bright lights?” Well, about that. Sundberg made the conference finals for the first time in his career, but after experiencing a Renaissance of a regular season with a career-high 46 goals and 98 total points, he was next to non-existent this entire playoff run.

In nine total games, Sundberg got nine points. That’s a little below average… until you factor in that only one of those points was a goal, and even that goal came in a 3-1 win in Game 2 against Riga. Against the Titans, Sundberg had 26 shots, and exactly zero of them found the back of the net. He had two assists in the series — I suppose not bad considering the team only had seven goals as a whole — and that was the extent of his offensive production. I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to say that if Mason Richardson wasn’t on this team, the Dynamo might not have had any offense whatsoever.

3. Check. Please!

It can be argued that hits aren’t necessarily a good thing—the top defensemen in hits are often the ones going against players with the puck in their own offensive zone. However, on a team-wide basis, having more hits seems to positively correlate with a winning record. The top six teams in hits per game during the regular season also happen to be the same six teams that made the playoffs, and the teams in second and third are the ones that ultimately made the finals (Quebec City finished first in the category). During the playoffs, meanwhile, five teams entering the finals sat between 19.5 and 18.25 hits per game, with the one exception…

… being the Dynamo, all the way down at a meager 15.67 hits per game. The Dynamo were outhit every single game in the Helsinki series, including by a rough 21-10 margin in a close Game 3 that the Titans won 1-0. Granted, Richardson comes from Cologne, a team notorious for drilling into its players the value of discipline. However, there is no documented proof that having a high discipline actually translates to winning more games, and regardless, Helsinki’s O’Malley and Klose come from the very same system. Ultimately, player builds might have cost them here, as multiple players with high ice time (such as McJustice, Sundberg and even a defenseman in Demko) have not worked on checking at all in practice. 

 

Edited October 27, 2015 by CowboyinAmerica