A Youth Movement

[CowboyinAmerica 2,840]

 

 

Positional strength seems to ebb and flow within the VHL. About 10 seasons ago, it was all about the goalies, with names like Hans Wingate, the Cleganes, Ariel Weinstein, and Jakub Holik leading a shot-saving revolution. Then, it was the era of strong top lines, especially with Riga and Helsinki leading the way with record-breaking totals from veteran forwards.

 

Now, it's still the age of forwards - but it's not veterans leading the way. Take a look at the top of the scoring charts, and you'll find names like Podrick Cast, Vyacheslav Smirnov, Edwin Preencarnacion and Matt Thompson - all rookies and sophomores that are making a name for themselves much earlier than expected. Especially with a dearth of talent still around from the S55 and S56 draft classes, and those you might expect like Gabriel McAllister and Niko Bogdanovic starting out slow, it's time for the young guys to shine.

 

"I wouldn't be surprised if you see four or five guys from that S61 draft class be Hall of Fame caliber, and the S62 and 63 draft classes are just as good," McAllister told reporters after a recent game. "I think we're entering a golden age of VHL talent here. I couldn't be more excited to see where the future leads these guys, and I'm just happy I'm finishing my career before they really overtake me."

[Tyler 882]

It is always interesting for me to try and understand how to evulate a second season like @Victor because obviously on a better team he'd have less points but should it matter for HOF stuff? If he finishes this year on 160 points and next year with 140 then never hits these highs again is he still a HOFer? I feel as if being on the BOG or whoever decides VHL hall of famers is a really difficult job.

 

since Victor is the historian has there ever been a player who's played for all shit teams and had great stats because of it?

Edited August 23, 2018 by Tyler

[Beketov 8,939]

42 minutes ago, CowboyinAmerica said:

Jakub Holik

Maybe if I get him in the hall people will finally learn how to spell his name.

[Victor 10,829]

I genuinely thought McAllister and Stopko were about to run away with an insane trophy cabinet to end their careers. Obviously early days in the season, but it probably says something about the small difference in talent beyond 500 TPE.

 

@Tagger and I brought it up in discord yesterday and I'm almost tempted to do the best ever first 2 seasons of a career. Maybe if this pace keeps up I'll be motivated to do it.

 

2 minutes ago, Beketov said:

Maybe if I get him in the hall people will finally learn how to spell his name.

Brace yourself for my post in this season's HOF discussion.

 

20 minutes ago, Tyler said:

obviously on a better team he'd have less points but should it matter for HOF stuff?

this is almost certainly true, but it's also rare for a shit team to lead to consistently high point totals. It's currently some combination of STHS trying to figure out what to do with a very top-heavy roster in Riga and goalie dearth across the league. It's timing and luck, but then I'd argue every HOFer has benefited from that in some way or another. Indeed, given most HOFers fall between 900 and 800 TPE, how good we view a career might very well be defined by an extra 50 points in rookie and sophomore seasons.

 

23 minutes ago, Tyler said:

If he finishes this year on 160 points and next year with 140 then never hits these highs again is he still a HOFer?

I'd like to hope that isn't likely haha. And I mean it depends on what the lows would be obviously. Is 100-160-140-80-80-80-80-80 a HOF career? Probably not. But replace those 80s with 90s and 100s and probably yes. Of course, there's also generational comparison. If 130 is common for a few seasons, then 160 is a whole lot less impressive.

 

TBH I'm not really saying anything of substance here. Primarily because I can't bring myself to seriously consider the prospect of this being the peak of my career.

 

25 minutes ago, Tyler said:

I feel as if being on the BOG or whoever decides VHL hall of famers is a really difficult job.

It would be if the hypothetical situations you mention ever came to pass. But as long as they don't it's not hugely difficult to separate HOF from not HOF. I think most debate is in what order people get inducted rather than if they ever will.

[Tyler 882]

9 minutes ago, Victor said:

I genuinely thought McAllister and Stopko were about to run away with an insane trophy cabinet to end their careers. Obviously early days in the season, but it probably says something about the small difference in talent beyond 500 TPE.

 

@Tagger and I brought it up in discord yesterday and I'm almost tempted to do the best ever first 2 seasons of a career. Maybe if this pace keeps up I'll be motivated to do it.

 

Brace yourself for my post in this season's HOF discussion.

 

this is almost certainly true, but it's also rare for a shit team to lead to consistently high point totals. It's currently some combination of STHS trying to figure out what to do with a very top-heavy roster in Riga and goalie dearth across the league. It's timing and luck, but then I'd argue every HOFer has benefited from that in some way or another. Indeed, given most HOFers fall between 900 and 800 TPE, how good we view a career might very well be defined by an extra 50 points in rookie and sophomore seasons.



 

I'd like to hope that isn't likely haha. And I mean it depends on what the lows would be obviously. Is 100-160-140-80-80-80-80-80 a HOF career? Probably not. But replace those 80s with 90s and 100s and probably yes. Of course, there's also generational comparison. If 130 is common for a few seasons, then 160 is a whole lot less impressive.

 

TBH I'm not really saying anything of substance here. Primarily because I can't bring myself to seriously consider the prospect of this being the peak of my career.

  

It would be if the hypothetical situations you mention ever came to pass. But as long as they don't it's not hugely difficult to separate HOF from not HOF. I think most debate is in what order people get inducted rather than if they ever will.

 

My next player I am going to try it only sign for the worst teams

[CowboyinAmerica 2,840]

40 minutes ago, Beketov said:

Maybe if I get him in the hall people will finally learn how to spell his name.

 

I was rushing doing something before going away for the weekend, my bad. I included him at least!

[CowboyinAmerica 2,840]

22 minutes ago, Tyler said:

 

My next player I am going to try it only sign for the worst teams

 

I've given serious thought to creating a defenseman and just going for as many SBs as humanly possible.

[Beketov 8,939]

9 minutes ago, CowboyinAmerica said:

 

I've given serious thought to creating a defenseman and just going for as many SBs as humanly possible.

So max defence and play on shitty teams?

[CowboyinAmerica 2,840]

2 minutes ago, Beketov said:

So max defence and play on shitty teams?

 

Exactly

[eaglesfan036 4,593]

46 minutes ago, Beketov said:

So max defence and play on shitty teams?

I think a similar concept would be fun but with checking instead

[Victor 10,829]

You guys had 2nd players to fuck around with and ya blew it. This is why we can't have nice things.

[Tagger 2,722]

I feel like the last few posts just described the career of Edwin Encarnacion. You guys are late to the party!

[Beaviss 4,956]

All the old timers have come out to play in this thread.

[Victor 10,829]

19 minutes ago, Beaviss said:

All the old timers have come out to play in this thread.

You'll be one of us soon enough, don't you worry.

[BOOM 8,649]

Speak up and talk slowly. You whippersnappers and your hippity hop boom boom music.