An early look at the S63 Rookies [1/2]

[Quik 4,113]

Posting this now because it is "time-sensitive," as a 1/3 mark piece but will claim for weeks ending: Nov 11 / 18 / 25, Dec 02.

>2600 words

 

A look at the S63 Rookie Class: The deepest ever?

 

This past off-season, the VHL saw possibly its deepest draft since S2, when the league was still a fledgling sim league, looking to establish itself as what it is now, one of the best sim leagues out there right now. Coupled with another fairly deep draft in S62, that saw many players return to their VHLM clubs after their draft, the S63 VHL Rookie class is one of the deepest its ever seen, with a whopping 21 rookies having skated in the VHL thus far! As we approach the 1/3 mark (with all teams, barring New York and Seattle [22], having played 23 games to this point) we are here to take a look at some of the names making waves in this early portion of the schedule. 

 

Before taking a look at the top individual seasons by rookies so far this season, let's take a look at the grand scheme of rookies in the VHL, and the impacts they are making on their own teams:

 

Calgary Wranglers  

D - Baxter, Lando - 0G 11A 11P +3 31HIT 32SB @Elhandon

C - Revchenko, Oleksiy - 5G 7A 12P +6 9HIT 4SB @AndrewWarren13

D - Saint, Cayden - 2G 9A 11P +28 13HIT 37SB @Symmetrik

LW - von Moltke, Karl - 5G 7A 12P +5 23HIT 8SB @alecbama

 

With the Calgary Wranglers looking to defend their S62 Continental Cup victory, they went into the off-season looking to bolster their depth in anticipation of a stronger field of competition. Following a bit of a hangover to start the season, the Wranglers have gone 9-1-0 in their last 10 games to claim the top spot in the league, as of this morning's standings. Much of that is thanks to possessing one of the most dynamic duos in the league, in Jasper Canmore and defender Mats Johnsson, but the depth added in these rookies has helped to create a much deeper roster than the Alberta squad featured last season. With a decent start, each of the 4 young men playing at, or near, 0.5PPG, the quartet, coincidentally taken in 4-consecutive picks in the S62 2nd Round, looks to continue improving, and will be heavily relied upon come playoff time, where their experience during this regular season will prepare them for what should be a dog-fight to the finish!

 

HC Davos Dynamo  

None

 

The Dynamo are in the first season of another rebuild; the previous rebuild was lead successfully by GM Tyler Owens, culminating in a S61 Continental Cup victory. This season, they are the lone team without any rookies on their roster. Currently, in a transition period, with a top 3 pick all but guaranteed, and some very solid prospects in their pipeline, their S64 roster should feature a heavy dose of rookies leading the charge, on their route back to contention.

 

Helsinki Titans  

LW - Borwinn, Julian - 12G 11A 23P -4 23HIT 25SB @Jubo07

D - Crosby, Sidney - 4G 19A 23P -15 107HIT 98SB @SidTheKid87

RW - Odinsson, Vaydar - 15G 15A 30P -14 20HIT 47SB @BOOM™

G - Pepper, Alexander - 10-9-4 .914SV% 3.46GAA 0SO @Sonnet

 

After a season that saw the Titans win only 9 games, in S62, and earn only 25 points, this season's version has already bested their win total from a season ago, with 10, and are 1 point back of their point total, with 24. While some of the older players are playing a large part in that, the rookies have come to play, for the Titans, as they look to prepare for a future where the Continental Cup shall hopefully return to the land of Finns. The skaters have all played at a Point-per-Game pace, with Odinsson tied for the team lead in goals, and point, with 15 and 30, respectively. In the nets, Pepper has put up a respectable .914 SV%; unfortunately, with a team as raw in skill as the Titans, their defensive play, as a group, has been lacking, and the young netminder has faced upwards of 40 shots a night, which has resulted in a GAA of nearly 3.5. Despite the defensive issues, big things are happening in Helsinki, and the Titans will be a team on the rise, as soon as S64!

 

New York Americans  

RW - King, Roctrion - 6G 10A 16P -20 22HIT 19SB @Romaris

D - McWolf, Joseph - 3G 13A 16P -23 88HIT 76SB @McWolf

C - Shawinganen, Scott - 7G 7A 14P -23 23HIT 11SB @Cornflakers

RW - Wilinsky, Dan - 8G 7A 15P -22 40HIT 10SB @oilmandan

 

Another team in the midst of a rebuild, the New York Americans roster features an even heavier focus on rookies than that of the Helsinki Titans. With just one veteran skater (defender Mathieu Bourdon), and sophomore goaltender Ismond Kingfisher, the remainder of the Americans roster is a list of rookies, getting their first taste of VHL action! Given their lack of support, the Americans first-year players are doing well enough on the offensive end, scoring, for the most part, at about a .75 PPG pace. However, they face a similar issue as Helsinki, in their lack of defensive discipline, as they have forced Kingfisher to face over 47 shots per game, something that will desperately need to be shored up as they look to make their way up the standings in seasons moving forward.

 

Quebec Meute  

LW - Gonzalez, Jose - 0G 2A 2P +9 0HIT 1SB @Jose Gonzalez

 

Sometimes, the numbers game goes against you. In Quebec, where the Meute are looking to avenge their 7-game defeat at the hands of the Calgary Wranglers in the Continental Cup Final, there are 6 forwards above young Jose Gonzalez on the team's depth chart. Exacerbated by the fact the young winger has only shown up for 9 practice hours since the season has begun, Gonzalez has produced less than many in Quebec City were hoping for out of the 1st Round Draft pick. The young forward still has plenty of time to turn things around, being a true rookie - playing in the VHL straight out of his draft, but things will have to change in a hurry, lest he become buried behind other young players, looking to make a name for themselves in his stead.

 

Riga Reign  

LW - Crimson, Ryuu - 5G 3A 8P +8 29HIT 2SB @SlapshotDragon

D - Glade, Shawn - 4G 13A 17P +21 31HIT 42SB @ShawnGlade

D - Kastelic, Ryan - 4G 9A 13P -9 28HIT 37SB @Enorama

G - Kriketers, Kallis - 15-5-2 .913SV% 2.33GAA 3SO @hedgehog337

D - Nano, Paulo - 1G 4A 5P +4 20HIT 8SB @leafsman

D - Nguyen, Dylan - 1G 12A 13P -8 26HIT 30SB @Dtayl

 

The Reign are an interesting thought experiment this season, with the largest roster in the league, and the most rookies being iced! Known as a franchise that can usually squeeze every last drop of offensive potential out of its players (just ask one Dragon McDragon about his S62 season), things are going a bit differently in the Latvian capital this season. Of course, they are still being lead by their top players, as Edwin Preencarnacion, Podrick Cast, and newly acquired Joseph Bassolino do their thing, but they have a newfound depth that shows no signs of letting up, as they also have a pair of top prospects currently dominating the VHLM. What that depth has shown, so far, is that there is only 1 puck and so much ice time available to spread around, so players can only net so many points when they are sharing with others. It has lead to a strong Riga squad, as the Reign currently sit in a tie for first place, with Calgary, but has put a dampener on their rookies ability to truly shine as leaders. Goalie Kallis Kriketers has been a shining star in net, with 3 shutouts already, but the first-year skaters have had mixed results thus far, showing less offense than most around the league expected. The Riga Rookies will grow to have fine careers, but the trade-off of beginning their journeys on such a stacked roster could end up costing them individual success in the early goings of their forays in the VHL.

 

Seattle Bears  

D - Thunderfist, Mountain - 0G 1A 1P +10 65HIT 25SB @AdamEss

 

Another team that is looking to punch through to another Continental Cup victory this season is the Seattle Bears. With a more condensed roster than the Reign, they still manage to pack a punch, leading the league in offense with 83 goals scored in 22 games. Again, we see a similar result of there only being 1 puck, as Thunderfist is 4th among D on the Bears depth chart, and has only managed a single assist thus far. However, the rough and tumble defender is not known for his offense, and has done admirably as a punishing shut-down defender, helping the Bears keep opponents to a league-low 48 Goals Against, thus far.

 

Toronto Legion  

D - Tzuyu - 4G 12A 16P +5 2HIT 27SB @tfong

 

The final team on our list is the Toronto Legion, and they are the third straight interesting case to look at! A team many thought to be in the early stages of a rebuild, in the off-season new GM Devise shocked the league by acquiring a host of veteran players, and so far, it has paid off. Sitting 1 point out of the league lead, the Legion are comfortably in a playoff position, looking to accomplish their goal of staying out of the Draft Lottery, while strengthening their pick, acquired from Helsinki, by keeping the Titans as a bottom 3 team. Unfortunately, for Tzuyu, this has lead to a bit of a stifling of the young defender's offense, as she sits 5th in team scoring, 11 points behind defensive team-leader Adam Warlock, who has scored 27 points thus far. Still, the Taiwanese pop-star has done an impressive job, scoring at a solid clip (if not what she expected when she hit the VHL), and has been positionally sound when on the ice.

 

Leading RotY Candidates

Forward - Vaydar Odinsson (HEL)

15G 15A 30P -14 20HIT 47SB

 

In the most recent batch of games, Odinsson has found himself in the top 10 in league-wide scoring! Taken with the 11th Overall pick in the S63 Draft, it was not a given that he would even play this season in the VHL, as he had the ability to hold off and return to the VHLM for one more season. Instead, he has found fast chemistry with veteran Ivan Morozov, as the pair share identical stat lines of 15/15/30 to lead the Titans, and are both on pace for over 45 goals and 90 points, respectively. As a scoring option who has shown no signs of slowing down, in the early going, there is no evidence to suggest that Odinsson will not continue his lead among the rookie scorers, as he currently sits 7 points ahead of teammates Julian Borwinn and Sidney Crosby, both tied for 2nd in rookie scoring!

 

Forward Runner-Up - Julian Borwinn (HEL)

12G 11A 23P -4 23HIT 25SB

 

The 3rd Overall pick in the S63 Draft, after Helsinki moved down one slot to obtain the 10th Overall pick in a trade with New York, Borwinn has been a fixture on the Titans' top line from the start, alongside 2nd year forwards Dan Montgomery and Konstantin Mulligan. While he sits 7 points back of teammate Odinsson, Borwinn is the only other forward to play at a Point-per-Game pace thus far in the season, and all signs point to him only getting stronger as he gains experience, and his chemistry with his linemates grows.

 

Defense - Sidney Crosby (HEL)

4G 19A 23P -15 107HIT 98SB

 

With the Titans handing the keys to their young players, while insulating them with a couple of veteran players, it is no shock that their rookies are shining this season. Crosby, the lone defender on the Titans roster, is no exception, as he plays at a Point-per-Game pace while being a physical beast on the ice. No other rookie defender is within 5 points of Crosby, and he leads the entire VHL in Shots Blocked with 98, 22 more than 2nd place Joseph McWolf, and 37 more than 3rd place Alvaro Jokinen. Indeed, if it wasn't for the -15 rating, Crosby would be a surefire bet to win the Jack Wylde award as the league's top defensive defenceman; as it stands, he is more in the conversation than the stand-out leader.

 

Defense Runner-Up - Shawn Glade (RIG)

4G 13A 17P +21 31HIT 42SB

 

When the season started, there was another rookie defenseman who most thought would be the star this season, as expectations were abound on Ryan Kastelic - the highly rated 1st Overall pick. However, as he has been adapting to life in Latvia, it's been Shawn Glade taking the reigns as Riga's top defender. With fantastic play on both sides of the puck, a case could possibly be made that he's rivaled Crosby's season thus far, given the difference in team depth and quality. The young defender appears to be a future star, and the 11th Overall pick looks to become, perhaps, a good omen for future prospects!

 

Goaltender - Kallis Kriketers (RIG)

15-5-2 .913SV% 2.33GAA 3SO

 

While sitting 2nd in rookie goalie Save Percentage, Kriketers is tops among the two rookie goalies in Wins, GAA and Shutouts, sitting 2nd (tied), 2nd (tied), and 1st (tied), respectively, league-wide in those categories. If the young Latvian netminder can continue this pace, playing for a team looking to potentially win both the Victory Cup and Continental Cup, it would not be a far cry to see him in the conversation as not only the Stolzschweiger Trophy winner, but also the Aiden Shaw Trophy as the league's top goalie!

 

Goaltender Runner-Up - Alexander Pepper (HEL)

10-9-4 .914SV% 3.46GAA 0SO

 

A victim of circumstance, if you were to swap Pepper and Kriketers, it is very likely the American would be the one leading the Stolzschweiger race, and being in the conversation for the Shaw. Unfortunately for him, he is a part of the rebuilding Titans, and while he has played admirably, it is unlikely he will have a shot at either award this season. The good news for the Nevada product, however, is that the Titans have a young group that is continuing to get better every day, and by this time next season, things will likely be much different in Finland. While the accolades may not come this season, look for him to bully his way into the conversation very shortly!

 

Conclusion

 

The VHL has had years where it's struggled to have enough rookies to nominate for the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy, as recently as S58, there was only 7 rookies who qualified for the award, with only one player hitting the 50 point plateau (Aksel McKnight scored 50 points that season). That season was followed by a S59 rookie class whose top scoring players tied with 42 points (David Kiaskov and Kriztoff Mueller). The fact that, not only is the league spoiled for choice on who could end up claiming this season's Stolzy, with 3 equally great choices at the moment, it has enough rookies to fill out an entire VHL roster, and then some, is an extremely positive note for the league going forward, and would not be possible if not for the efforts of the league's recruitment crew, run by @Beaviss, @Spade18, and @Tagger, with all their fantastic effort put in to making this league stronger than ever! As previously mentioned, there are currently 21 rookies in the VHL, and all look to feature as stars in the league in the not-too-distant future! If this is not the deepest rookie class the league has seen in years, it certainly serves as a fantastic launching point for its future, and where the league is heading!

[Quik 4,113]

4 minutes ago, Sonnet said:

 

TFW the goalie rookie of the year is more of a team award than an individual award

 

lol, it's unfortunate, but it's tough to separate, especially for goalies. You face about 35% more shots per game, so your counting stats won't look as good on paper. Don't worry though, that'll change soon enough, and you'll be getting your Shaw trophies!

[Quik 4,113]

Other possible title for this Article: Why the league doesn't need Player 2! 

[Beaviss 4,957]

21 minutes ago, Quik said:

Other possible title for this Article: Why the league doesn't need Player 2! 

 

Imagine if there was 5 more rookies on the list  

[Quik 4,113]

4 minutes ago, Beaviss said:

 

Imagine if there was 5 more rookies on the list  

 

Imagine they belonged to Bush, CIA, Banacock, you and me  Wouldn't be so fun for the first gens, would it?

[Beaviss 4,957]

5 minutes ago, Quik said:

 

Imagine they belonged to Bush, CIA, Banacock, you and me  Wouldn't be so fun for the first gens, would it?

 

It might my players suck generally

[monkeywrench15 220]

my titans buddies are doing big things!

[diamond_ace 3,112]

On ‎11‎/‎1‎/‎2018 at 3:06 PM, Quik said:

 

Imagine they belonged to Bush, CIA, Banacock, you and me  Wouldn't be so fun for the first gens, would it?

Imagine if they belonged to me, Devise, Edgar, umm whoever else has had at least one guy who has massively underperformed compared to TPE...

[Quik 4,113]

1 hour ago, diamond_ace said:

Imagine if they belonged to me, Devise, Edgar, umm whoever else has had at least one guy who has massively underperformed compared to TPE...

Even if they were, it’d still be intimidating for new members. Plus, who knows when it ends up being the one that works out?

[diamond_ace 3,112]

1 minute ago, Quik said:

Even if they were, it’d still be intimidating for new members. Plus, who knows when it ends up being the one that works out?

Oh I know, they see a bunch of TPE and an established guy and the sim performance also doesn't matter on that end of it

[Quik 4,113]

2 minutes ago, diamond_ace said:

Oh I know, they see a bunch of TPE and an established guy and the sim performance also doesn't matter on that end of it

Exactly. Even if we are in need of new members (we’re not desperate, but new members are always a good thing), why risk alienating the actual new members by allowing existing ones to take their place? What good is it if we’re turning off potential members, and riding out the status quo, as guys begin to go inactive and thin out the membership?

[BOOM 8,745]

It's all downhill from here baby... 

[DollarAndADream 3,356]

Review:

What a great draft class it was! A ton of great players who will be superstars in the league for a long time.

Awesome time to be in the VHL.

[SlapshotWrangler 864]

On 11/1/2018 at 12:17 PM, Quik said:

The Riga Rookies will grow to have fine careers, but the trade-off of beginning their journeys on such a stacked roster could end up costing them individual success in the early goings of their forays in the VHL.

 

After this statement:

Ryuu wins the Kanou and gets a hat trick.

Ryan Kastelic (in S63) gets 72 points and is 5th in Rookie Scoring (and he's a defenseman!)

We win the cup.