A deep(ish) look into the VIKING!

[Peace 1,562]

SOMEWHERE ON EARTH -- So, it's that time of the week when players are beginning to anticipate the Sponsorship Shield Tournament. Media outlets are breaking down their favorite brands, CEO's are pushing for more sales to take advantage of the hype, endorsers are beginning to appear in comedic or heartfelt TV advertisements and radio broadcasts. Some pose for video game covers, while others promote sport drinks - the players of VIKING display their slick beards and shiny hockey sticks, buffed and comfortable padding through their jerseys.

Today, we're taking a deeper look into the brand we call VIKING, covering any player earning seven hundred fifty thousand or more.

VIKING... some, perhaps, call it the worst brand - but they're jealous they don't get a cutting edge beard oil that brings the Nordic heritage out of a potato. 

Here are the VIKING top ten players based on their payroll position: 

Atop the VIKINGS mix of VHL veterans and VHLM super stars lays Beau Louth (LW), securely making three million dollars just to smile at a camera even though his head is out of frame due to his six foot eight size. The Quebec City Meute left winger has put in a solid effort in the VHL this season, scoring twenty seven goals and twenty to assists for forty nine points; the large frames, though surprisingly underweight forward has eighty six goals, seventy three assists for one hundred fifty nine points in two hundred one VHL games. VIKING signed Louth to a three million contract for three seasons, and he comfortably takes the top left wing position on the VIKINGs depth chart. 

Earning two million a season for three seasons is Vyacheslav Smirnov (C), an intimidating British - wait, no, Smirnov is actually Russian. The faux vodka, Smirnoff, is British - the more you knoe, eh? Apologies about that one, folks. Anywho, Smirnov is easily - statistically - better than Beau Louth, thus making the Russian super-star a steal for VIKING despite earning two million dollars a season. The Russian center plays for the Seattle Bears - and in fifty six games this season - has put up an impressive twenty three goals and thirty nine assists for sixty two points. More impressive, however, is the Russians plus/minus! Throughout two seasons in the VHL, Smirnov has recorded eighty six goals, one hundred twenty five assists for two hundred eleven points in just one hundred twenty eight games. That's right, he's nearly an assist per game player, and could be a two points per game player by the time his career ends. Future hall of fame inductee? 

Third on the payroll for VIKING is another Quebec City Muete left wing, and a statistical rival for mister money up top. Marvin Harding (LW), also out of frame for nearly every sponsorship photo taken thanks to his bulky frame and height, earns one point two five million a season for the next three seasons. Harding has made significant improvements over this season after - we'd assume anyway - a disappointing rookie year. This year he's recorded twenty six goals and thirty assists for fifty six points in fifty seven games. Over the course of his VHL career, Harding has earned ninety five points through one hundred twenty nine games. Thirty six goals and fifty nine points are attributed to his name. 

It seems only fitting to have a shifting order between Quebec City and the Seattle Bears for the top four players on the VIKING roster. Our first defender, Robert Malenko (D), cements his position on the VIKINGs payroll earning one point two five million over three seasons of VHL hockey. The Bears defense-men has been a huge asset for his team, helping them improve over last year in less games; the Bears are likely happy to have him on the roster. In fifty six games this season Malenko has put up sixteen goals and fifty assists for an impressive sixty six points. Malenko has always been a point per game defender, and during his career, he has earned one hundred forty points in one hundred twenty eight career games. 

The cycle is broken, but our top five VIKING earners are still selected from the same two teams. Our first goaltender on this list, Roger Sterling (G), is among the best in the VHL. The man between the pipes earns one point two five million for three seasons. Roger Stirling hasn't always had a good record on a struggling Bear team, but this season he is arguable the top goaltender. Posting an impressive thirty seven wins, eight losses and four overtime defeats, the goaltender has statistically improved in each category as the Bears compete with more skill in the VHL. Roger has earned a save percentage of point nine two six, and a goals against average of two point zero five - both career highs. 

Ko Kane (D) is VIKINGS veteran VHL defender; the defensively oriented veteran has entered the final year of VHL eligibility and will retire at the end of the season, thus he earns one point two five million for this season only. Ko Kane is a two-way defender really, and although his offensive production is respectable, his true purpose is to find an opposing jersey and hit it. He also blocks shots, like a lot of them. Ko Kane has over a thousand shots blocked and hits over his seven and a half season career. This year, Kane has recorded seventeen goals - a career high - and earned thirty four assists for fifty one points in fifty seven games. If he continues this pace, Kane will leave the VHL with a career year. He's thrown two hundred one hits and blocked one hundred twenty six shots so far this season, and come up clutch with six game winning goals from the blue line. 

Vayday Odinsson (RW) is the first VHL rookie to be featured on the VIKINGs payroll, earning one million over three seasons. Odinsson is a better VHL player than he was a VHLM player, but perhaps the magic of the Titans ability to create offense has contributed to his amazing rookie season. Odinsson has recorded thirty one goals, forty assists for a startling seventy one points in just fifty seven games. Despite the offensive production, Odinsson is a negative twenty one with the weaker Helsinki team, but that's to be expected. He's only going to improve, and he's the first right wing featured on the VIKINGS lineup. 

 

Ah, Rylan Peace (RW), a VHLM star who's been out shined - so far, anyway, although the VHLM scoring race is well underway. Rylan Peace is the VIKINGs second right wing featured, earning seven hundred fifty thousand for three seasons. Rylan was selected twelfth overall by the Riga Reign in the season sixty three entry draft, and has put up a respectable season with the VHLM's Wild. In fifty eight games, Peace has recorded thirty eight goals and assists for a combined total of seventy six points. 

Our second VHL rookie featured on the VIKING payroll at seven hundred and fifty thousand (for three seasons) is Shawn Glade (D), an offensive defender who earned over a hundred points in his final VHLM season with Halifax. Glade is currently playing for the Riga Reign, and over fifty seven career VHL games, the rookie defender has recorded eleven goals, thirty five assists for an impressive forty six points despite his relatively small sample size of the 'big league'. Glade is plus thirty five and has more shots blocked than ever before. 

Dylan Nguyen (D) is another Riga Reign prospect, and you can expect a recurring pattern from here-on in. Dylan Nguyen, like Glade, currently plays for the Riga Reign and earns seven hundred fifty thousand for three seasons. Nguyen isn't as offensive as Glade, however he makes up for it in his defensive abilities. He hits more consistently, blocks shots more consistently and is generally a more disciplined defender. Nguyen has earned three goals in his rookie campaign while contributing twenty four assists for twenty seven points in his fifty seven career games. 

 
 

 

 

 

[Banackock 8,154]

VIKING

[Peace 1,562]

Second claim for this (1000+ words). 

[DollarAndADream 3,357]

Review:

A scary team put together, that's for sure. This was a fun little tournament to watch and be in.

I wouldn't want to face these guys on a team together in the VHL!