This Week in VHL

[Brolaski 9]

With the VHL playoffs coming to an end, many names have shown why they are on top while others have shown why they should be. Let’s take a look back at these games and see what’s been happening across the league.

(These stats were taken from Games: 20, 21, 22, 24, 27, 29, and 31 of the S63 Playoffs.)

Three Stars of the Week:

✯ – Norris Stopko (CGY) – Sporting a .934 Save percentage with 225 shots saved out of 241 over the span of six games, Stopko is unstoppable. This six-season veteran is the main reason why the Calgary Wranglers even got to the finals in the first place. Not much more can be said of this Canadian giant. He’s proven time and time again that he deserves a spot in the VHL Hall of Fame, and I think no one is going to object when his name is thrown into the ballot. As retirement for this gifted goaltender looms overhead and with a young defensive core proving to be their downfall, will we see the Wranglers to give their star player some extra support in the upcoming draft, or look for a new heir to the throne?

✯✯ – Ryuu Crimson (RIG) – Behind every great goal scorer there’s a better playmaker, and that’s exactly what Ryuu Crimson is to Riga’s Edwin Preencarnacion. What a steal this kid has been for Riga, dropping all the way to the start of the second round of the S62 VHL Entry Draft. Registering 5 assists with 1 goal for a Plus/Minus of +2 in only 4 games, Ryuu is here to stay. This winger has it all; The dekes, the shot, and even the body, there isn’t much to improve on for this up and comer. One minor problem is the penalty minutes. Sitting five minutes in the box gave Mister Crimson the fourth most penalty minutes on his team in those four games. Adding 6 more penalty minutes to the rest of his playoff games gives Ryuu a total of 11 Penalty minutes in the playoff, good for third on the Riga Reign. Considering the upside of this kid, though, I feel that five penalty minutes in four games is worth 6 points.

✯✯✯ – Ryan Kastelic – It was a tough choice between Jeff Gow, Evan Lawson, and Ryan Kastelic, but in the end, I feel that Kastelic rose above the competition. Sporting 1 goal and a total of 5 points in four games, Ryan Kastelic finished the week with a +/- of 0. The Reign most likely wouldn’t have gotten to the finals if it wasn’t for players like Kastelic. With this young talent’s prolific offense, most would forget that Kastelic’s first job is that of a defender. A top penalty-killer, Kastelic blocked five shots in his four games. With a great defensive core led by Ryan Kastelic, expect the Reign to focus on offense in the upcoming draft.

 

Notable Mentions:

Jeff Gow – Posting up 3 goals and a total of 4 points in 4 games isn’t an easy task, but you wouldn’t think that when watching Gow. Posting a week-leading 27 shots on goal in just four games, this sniper makes sure the puck gets on net. With leaders like Gow and Shepard coming to the end of their career, the Riga Reign will have some offensive shoes that they will need to fill.

 

Luc-Pierre Lespineau-Lebrunette – A big name in the Meute community, Lespineau-Lebrunette let his team down in their last game against the Riga Reign. Spending 8 minutes in the sin bin is not something Quebec would like to see one of their star defenders doing. As disciplined teams like the Reign push for cup contention, brawler teams like the Meute are falling further and further down the standings. With rumors swirling of a possible trade, the question stands; Will the Quebec City Meute stick to their guns, or jump on a new wave of VHL hockey?

 

Jasper Canmore – Registering 3 points in his 6 games, Canmore is a steady point-scorer. The major problem with his play is his discipline. It might just be the “Finals Jitters” getting ahold of him but registering 22 Penalty Minutes in Calgary’s last 2 games is abysmal. With so much riding on the Wrangler’s star center, you need to stay calm and lead your team from the ice, not the box. Many fingers will be pointed at the 6’8 center when asked about the outcomes of the Calgary’s last two losses, but it’s up to the General Manager, Bushito, to decide the outcome. With Jasper’s lucrative $5,500,000 contract coming to an end this season, many will question whether the grinder deserves another big contract. With big names like Keaton Louth, Mats Johnsson, and Norris Stopko becoming an unrestricted free agent next year, the Calgary will be looking to dump some salary. Is Canmore the answer?

 

Notable Team Stats:

Team	GP	PP	PP%	PK	PK%
Calgary Wranglers	6	2/21	9.5%	20/25	80%
Riga Reign	4	6/18	33.3%	11/12	91.7%
Seattle Bears	3	1/12	8.3%	10/11	90.9%
Quebec City Meute	1	0/2	0%	3/5	60%

 

Ups and Downs:

Calgary Wranglers – Anyone would be proud of getting to the semi-finals and the Wranglers are no exception. With a solid tender between the sticks, and a veteran offensive core, the Calgary Wranglers have the building blocks to create a dynasty. With 5 contracts coming to a close, though, the Wranglers have some decisions to make. Norris Stopko, the uncontested Goalie of the Year, is going to be looking for a final one-year contract before retiring, so expect the Wranglers to pay a steep price for his services. With their top defensemen looking to retire next year as well, Calgary will have to look for some star blueliners in the upcoming entry draft.

 

Riga Reign – I expect to see the Reign making a push for the cup for years to come. The Reign have one of the best lineups the VHL have seen in the past couple of seasons, with a great defensive core to back up a fast and powerful offense. The largest problem for them is the upcoming retirement of two key players in Riga’s lineup. With Jeff Gow and Jack Shephard leaving next year, the Reign will have to give some of their prospects a trial by fire. Look to see many new faces coming into the picture after the draft as the Riga Reign look stocked, with one first rounder pick, one second, two thirds, and three fourth round picks.

 

Seattle Bears – Getting knocked out of the playoffs in the quarters likely wasn’t the bears hopes, with a solid offense and a veteran defense. It seems that the Seattle Bears went for a playoff push this year, and it didn’t pan out for them. With a second and fourth round draft pick next year, and only one prospect in their farm team, the Seattle Bears will probably look to the free agent pool to fill up their organization. A retiring Gabriel McAllister will free up more of the $7.75 million cap space the Seattle Bears have. With big names like Keaton Louth and Joseph Bassolino entering free agency, we can look for big payouts from the Bears.

 

Quebec City Meute – A team with most contracts locked down, the Quebec City Meute seem to be in decent shape for the upcoming years. The retirement of Sergei Komarov will most likely see that the Meute bring up some young blood (Look for Jorgon Weyed and Theodore Gauthier to be making debuts next season). $4.75 million in cap space could see the Meute make a push for a big-name defender, one to compliment the brash nature of Luc Pierre Lespineau Lebrunette. The Meute will need to practice discipline and penalty-killing to stay in cup contention. With a penalty kill percentage of 60% in their last game, expect some more intensive training during camp.

 

Closing Statements: 

This final week of VHL Playoff Hockey proved that the league is moving in the right direction. A fast-paced offensive game is where the league is moving, with shots in a game reaching as high as 50 to 60 shots by a single side in a single game. The talent this league is providing is top tier as well, as players are stating to come straight out of the minors to play in the big league. You have to wonder, with the recent influx of talent, if the league will begin expansion talks again. I know the fans would love to see some more teams coming into the league, but with a global audience the location has to be right. With many Oriental players finding their way to the VHL, could we expect to see an Asian team surface? There are so many opportunities and directions that the commissioner can take this league, and I feel that whichever way they decide to take it, the fans will back him up.  The Victory Hockey League has shown that they are here, and they are here to stay.

 

1500 words, using for PT weeks: Dec 10-16, Dec 17-23, Dec 24-30

 

[McWolf 3,116]

Rookie's first PT is a triple one. Keep it up, bud!

[diamond_ace 3,112]

The irony of getting knocked out of third spot by a guy I GMed last season  @Enorama

[Brolaski 9]

Week 17-23

[SlapshotWrangler 864]

Great article man! Loved it! Thanks for the kind words and advice! (Seemed really professional btw so keep it up )

[Brolaski 9]

Week 24-30

Using holiday bonus (double TPE)

Edited December 24, 2018 by Brolaski