Wroclaw Times - Vancouver wins, but what's next?

[Greg_Di 939]

 

 

As a fan of Vancouver you are still probably thinking of all the things that went right in the very entertaining and unforgettable Game 6 win of the VHL Finals. The Vancouver Wolves for the first time clinched the VHL trophy and are the VHL Champions in the 67^th season. The city of Vancouver broke out in celebrations and are hoping the team can go for another cup run in the upcoming season.

 

But as members of the Wolves celebrated and then cleaned out their lockers today, leaving too are the remaining traces of a hard fought season and postseason.

 

With that closure of winning comes a turn of focus towards the future. The team finally got their hands on VHL’s Holy Grail this season, but what do their chances moving forward look like? Can Vancouver repeat or has their window finally shut?

 

Well, if you ask their fans they’ll tell you the club’s chances of winning it all are still pretty good for Season 68. Many fans are still wearing rose coloured glasses and maybe nursing hangover from the victory and will of course believe that the Wolves can do this all over again next season.

 

History, on the other hand, doesn’t really side with Vancouver. It is rare to see teams win back to back VHL Cups let alone making the finals 3 years in a row (something Vancouver will need to do next year if they want to defend the cup) This speaks to just how grueling the playoffs can be and the lasting effects that come with it.

 

The depth of the roster will take a major hit entering the next season. With Beau Louth retiring and Shawn Glade being traded this creates a big defensive and offense hole to fill. Combined Louth and Glade earned 168 points in the regular season and 46 points in the playoffs. This will be hard to replace and the Wolves may not have anyone on the roster as of right now to make up for those lost points. Will Micheal Gary Scott, Shawnomir Jagr or Brock Louth be able to make up the slack? We do not know and if Vancouver plan on making another run, these 3 will need to do what they can to fill in the gaps. It is not yet known if the Wolves will try to compete next season or go all in for a rebuild.

 

Lastly, one has to worry about age starting to set in soon as well. It’s not like players such as Rauno Palo and Ismond Kingfisher are way past their prime, but they’re no longer budding talents and might be on their final 1-2 seasons in the VHL. If signs of aging occur, which would not be completely shocking after a draining postseason, there’s no question that could hinder the Wolves next season on their quest to a repeat. If these players start showing their age early in the season will the Wolves think about trading them for assets or will the Wolves keep them for their experience?

 

All things considered, the road back to the Final will not be easy for Vancouver. History, player movement, and player age will all be working against the club in the 68^th season.

 

However, navigating through the VHL’s regular season and playoffs is hardly ever a walk in the park. It will be up to the Wolves to demonstrate just how strong their resolve is when the league opens back up later in the year for another entertaining season.

Edited September 3, 2019 by Greg_Di