Expansion Team Strategies

[Enorama 1,981]

With Jason Glasser @diamond_ace (if you're still going to use the same GM name) and Eno Rama (myself) being named GMs of two upcoming VHL Expansion teams, I figured I would examine the possibilities of the approach they could take to team-building. With Moscow and Malmo both having been added to the league in the past few years, looking at them could tell us about the paths these two new GMs could take.

 

The Moscow Menace

Moscow entered the league for the start of the 65th season. Their expansion draft was heavily focused on building for the future and the VHL wasn't quite the full three-line league that it is now. As a result, they started their franchise absolutely abysmally on the scoreboard and in the standings. Finishing the season 24 points behind the second-to-last-place team (who only had 49) and with a -177 goal differential, meaning their GF:GA ratio was under 1:2, something that has been achieved only once in the course of over 100 NHL seasons, by the notoriously awful 1974-75 Washington Capitals. 

 

However, as we stand after the trade deadline of S67, Moscow sits comfortably in third place, as a part of the pack that trails well behind the Toronto Legion. This just goes to show that although they lost the battle of S65, they might yet win the war by bringing home a Continental Cup before their counterparts in Malmo.

 

The Malmo Nighthawks

Malmo almost went the exact opposite direction with their expansion draft and inaugural season. Joining the league a year later than the Menace, in S66, Malmo came roaring out of the gates to take first place overall in the league after the first couple weeks of games. I emphasized the word almost, because they didn't finish so hot. They ended up falling to second-to-last ahead of only the Menace, but their goal differential ended at a respectable -36. Although they weren't great across the entire season, they were at least only slightly below average.

 

 

 

What does this tell us about the S68 expansion?

1. No matter how you plan it out, don't expect to be a contender in your first season. Playing the slow game may end up being the best way to go about things.

2. It's possible to be really really bad. For the fans' sake, maybe try to avoid that. If you're going to lose, at least make sure you're scoring some goals along the way.

 

Now, because these two teams expanded within the past three seasons, we really can't say which of their strategies will pay off in the long run. 

 

Another interesting tidbit is that I am actually the only one of the four S65-S68 expansion GMs to still be on their first gen player and the only one who has never held a VHL GM position before. I'm excited to get started and will begin contacting S68 entry draftees sometime this week about the draft.

 

Another article will follow with some comments on the other candidates for the GM positions.

[diamond_ace 3,106]

I'm using the same GM name. My players are my players, but the GM is me.

[NotAVHLM-GM 1,858]

I always thought everyone used their own name , guess i was wrong

[Matt_O 896]

3 minutes ago, Green said:

I always thought everyone used their own name , guess i was wrong

@Nykonax used Nyko Nax as his GM. I don't think Nax is his actual last name though

[NotAVHLM-GM 1,858]

Okay, meant vhl ones actually, never paid to much attention to the minor ones. Mostly judging from the people i knew the names of like DA, Adv and Devise

[Nykonax 1,550]

1 hour ago, Matt_O said:

@Nykonax used Nyko Nax as his GM. I don't think Nax is his actual last name though

Nyko isn't my first name either lmao

[Enorama 1,981]

1 hour ago, Matt_O said:

@Nykonax used Nyko Nax as his GM. I don't think Nax is his actual last name though

 

I'm using the same technique but my name is definitely not Eno nor Rama either lmao

 

I think almost everyone at least knows my first name by now.

[Victor 10,580]

4 hours ago, Green said:

Okay, meant vhl ones actually, never paid to much attention to the minor ones. Mostly judging from the people i knew the names of like DA, Adv and Devise

I don’t use my real last name, it’s just an ode to my old username.

 

Think it’s a mix, I always asked the incoming GM what they wanted, generally former player seems to be popular.