Riga Reign: A Brief History (S1-S19) [1/2]

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The Riga Reign were not always plying their trade in Latvia, in fact they started their journey in Sweden as the Stockholm Thunder. That lasted 1 or 2 seasons before rebranding to the Stockholm Rams. It was about Season 8 or so I want to say is that the Rams packed up and moved to Latvia to become the Reign. Since then, we have come to know and love Riga for the cheaters that they are as the classic Rigaed will always be chanted when the Reign do good.

 

Continental Cups

Season 10 Championship Roster
C - Layken Heidt (C)
C - Andrei Dubnikov
LW - Ace Lightning (A)
LW - Zak Rawlyk
LW - Brandon Rush
RW - Tomas Ziegler
RW - Terence Fong
D - Torsten Schwarz (A)
D - Blake Beukeboom
D - Kyle McLeod
D - Vladimir Kliment
D - Jaeger Stryker
G - Marek Van Urho

Season 16 Championship Roster
LW - Zlatan Zanetti
RW - Harvey Singh
RW - Jesse Jussal
RW - Max Kroenenburg
RW - Mason Dixon (A)
RW - Jamie Nathanson
D - Kaiser Straf (C)
D - Jeff McCarthy (A)
D - Austin Hickey
D - Lukas Gagnon
D - Andrew Able
G - Jonas Markstrom

The Season 10 roster had a few top end players like Layken Heidt and Torsten Schwarz as well as Terence Fong. The Season 16 Championship roster stands out because they did not have a real center on the roster. The best player on the roster was Max Kroenenburg followed by Harvey Singh, Zlatan Zanetti and Jesse Jussal. This was a team that was just that a hard working team with no real superstar but a bunch of moving parts that worked well together to win.

 

Regular Season/Playoff Record

Unfortunately, there are no records which are available to break down the teams for the first 19 Seasons in the VHL for any of the teams which is a crying shame.

 

Awards

Victory Cup (Best Regular Season Record) - 2 Times

S12 - 54 W | 13 L | 5 OTL | 113 P

S16 - 53 W | 15 L | 4 OTL | 110 P

 

The Reign won the Victory Cup twice in their history and averaged 53.5 wins while doing it. These wins came after the move from Stockholm in Season 12 and Season 16

 

Devon Marlow-Marta Trophy (North American Champions) - 7 times

S4, S8, S9, S10, S12, S16, S17

 

There is a mistake in the Portal as it has the Stockholm Vikings making it to the finals in Season 4 when it was in fact the Stockholm Rams who turned out to be the Riga Reign. Vasteras IK turned into Madrid Thunder then turned back into Vasteras IK before turning into the Stockholm Vikings before they were disbanded. Anyway, the Reign Franchise has been to the finals a total of 7 times in the first 19 season including back to back to back in S8, S9 and S10 before a trip in the middle (S12) and back to back once more in S16 and S17.

 

Scotty Campbell Trophy (MVP) - 0 Times

N/A

 

The Scotty Campbell Trophy has never called Riga home during the first 19 Seasons of VHL Existence.

 

Brett Slobodzian Trophy (Most Outstanding Player, as voted on by the members) - 1 Time

S16 - Jonas Markstrom - 16 Votes

 

Jonas Markstrom, the Riga goalie, took home the Brett Slobodzian Trophy in Season 16 with 16 votes.

 

Daisuke Kanou Trophy (Playoff MVP) - 2 Times

S10 - Marek Van Urho - 8 W | 2 L | 1 OTL | 1.47 G.A.A | .954 SV%

S16 - Kaiser Straf - 6 G | 11 A | 17 P | +4

 

The Kanou Trophy found it's way to Latvia twice in the franchise history in S10 and S16. Van Urho had a wonderful playoff with a .954 SV% while in S16 Straf led the way in points with 17 in 8 or less games.

 

Mike Szatkowski Trophy (Top Point Scorer) - 0 Times

N/A

 

The Reign have never had a player lead the league in scoring from Seasons 1 to 19.

 

 Kevin Brooks Trophy (Top Goal Scorer) - 1 Time

S10 - Layken Heidt - 66 Goals

 

Layken Heidt is the Reign's only Brooks Trophy winner in S10 with 66 goals.

 

Alexander Beketov Trophy (Top Assists) - 1 Time

S9 - Ace Lightning - 74 Assists

 

Ace Lightning has taken home the only Beketov Trophy in the first 19 seasons for the Reign with 74 assists in S9.

 

Sterling Labatte Trophy (Top Defenseman) - 0 Times

N/A

 

The Riga Reign have never had a Labatte winner from S1 to S19.

 

Aidan Shaw Trophy (Top Goaltender) - 2 Times

S12 - Marek Van Urho - 50 W | 10 L | 4 OTL | 2.20 G.A.A | .913 SV% | 7 SO

S16 - Jonas Markstrom - 46 W | 10 L | 4 OTL | 2.23 G.A.A | .923 SV% | 4 SO

 

Marek Van Urho won the Shaw in S12 with a 50 win season and a .913 SV%. Markstrom won in S16 with 46 win season and a .923 SV%.

 

Scott Boulet Trophy (Best Defensive Forward) - 1 Time

S12 - Vladimir Kliment - 38 G | 61 A | 99 P | +47 | 266 H | 27 SB

 

Vlad from S1 to S19 is the only winner of the Boulet Trophy with his 99 point season with a +47 and 266 hits.

 

Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy (Top Rookie) - 0 Times

S4 - Alec Miller - 40 G | 52 A | 92 P | +25

 

In Season 4, Alec Miller won the only Stolzy in franchise history with his 40 goal, 92 point performance.

 

David Knight Trophy (Top GM) - 3 Times

S8 - Dustin Funk

S10 - Dustin Funk

S16 - Vladimir Kliment

 

Dustin Funk won the Knight Trophy twice in 3 seasons in S8 to S10 and then Vladdy Kliment won in S16.

 

Grimm Jonsson Trophy (Top Leader) - 4 Times

S3 Chris Julien

S8 - Layken Heidt

S12 - Layken Heidt

S19 - Olivier Scarlett

 

The Grimm Jonsson was home to Riga 3 times as Heidt would win it twice followed by Scarlett in S19. Chris Julien won the Trophy as a member of the Stockholm Rams in S3.

 

Mikka Virkkunen Trophy (Most Sportsmanlike Player) - 0 Times

N/A

 

Never in Riga history (S1-S19) has a player won the Top Pussy Trophy.

 

Trophy Total: 26

 

The Riga Reign have won 26 trophies from Season 1 to 19 including 2 Continental Cup's and a pretty amazing 7 Terence Fong Trophies.

 

Calgary Wranglers

HC Davos Dynamo

Helsinki Titans

New York Americans

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Review: Really well written article with lots of interesting information! The pictures & research you did really helped make it a outstanding article! Well done !