Breaking the Curse: The Story of the S26 Iron Eagles

[CowboyinAmerica 2,840]

 The S26 Iron Eagles: The Championship Story 

 

 

In recent years, a number of teams have gotten the label “cursed.” Whether it’s HC Davos Dynamo that has won one title since S39, or a Seattle team with one since S42, or Calgary with one since S43, there are plenty of ongoing VHL draughts that franchises would like to break. However, looking at the annals of VHL history for the most “cursed” franchise, it’s tough to beat (both by length and by reputation) the Vasteras Iron Eagles.

 

Call it the “Curse of Scotty” if you’d like. If you’ve looked at the VHL record books, you’ve noticed the name Scotty Campbell, and his absurd point tallies in the first eight seasons of the VHL. What you may not recognize is that he helped with the first ever Continental Cup as well, taking the Vasteras Iron Eagles all the way. Vasteras, named for a similar Swedish-league team, was a polarizing team from the beginning, but with Campbell leading the way, they seemingly could do no wrong.

 

Until they did. Year two, Campbell put up similar numbers—but Vasteras fell in the finals to the Calgary Wranglers. Year three, same deal for Campbell, but this time Vasteras couldn’t even make it out of the conference finals. Then, Campbell would leave for the first of three other teams throughout his career (Seattle), where he would two straight titles. Vasteras, meanwhile, didn’t replace him. You can guess how this turned out.

 

Vasteras made the playoffs in Season 4, but not the finals. Then, they only reached the playoffs in 2 of the next 7 seasons, exiting in the first round each time. They wouldn’t make the finals again until Season 18, but there ran into an upstart Calgary Wranglers team once again. Year after year, the Iron Eagles would run into some sort of trouble—the Sabres of the VHL, if you will, never even really in contention in most years, despite some top-flight players. That Season 18 loss would be their only finals appearance in 24 seasons.

 

Season 26 wasn’t supposed to be the year that it all broke through, frankly. The finals streak was weighing on them, and despite having the second-best record in Season 25, they ran into a goaltender (Daisuke Kanou) on Davos that the Playoff MVP would literally be named for years later. How are you supposed to beat that?

 

The next season, they had a plan of attack. It started with defense. Longtime Iron Eagle (and captain) RJ Stafford paired with (Hall of Famer) James Bencharski, acquired from Toronto in Season 25, to give Vasteras potentially the best first line defensive pairing in the league. The offense couldn’t match the firepower of Helsinki that had three of the top five goal scorers, but newly acquired center Phil Gerrard finished top ten in goals, with Kevyn Hesje and second-year (HOFer) Tukka Reikkinen each contributing 70+ points. And, most crucially, goalie Andreas Bjorkman led the league in GAA and finished third in save percentage, despite not finishing in the top three in either category. The combination led to a surprising best record in the league, with 120 points.

 

Still, it doesn’t mean anything if you can’t do it in the playoffs, and in the first round, Vasteras ran into that same high-powered Helsinki offense. But this is where Bjorkman truly shined. First game, a 6-2 drubbing. Then after a Game 2 loss, three straight stellar performances allowing four goals combined, including a 2-0 shutout in Game 4 that seemed inconceivable at the time. For only the second time since Season 2, the Iron Eagles were returning to the finals.

 

There, they faced a team that had some droughts of its own: the New York Americans. New York also only had one championship to date (Season 14), and behind future Hall of Famers defensemen Adam Schultz and Daniel Braxton and goalie Benjamin Glover, were poised to pick up their second. But again, it was Bjorkman that took control: the first game ended 1-0 Vasteras, and the second a 2-0 victory. Following a 5-2 Game 3 Vasteras victory, the series was in the cards—the Americans valiantly fought for a Game 4 victory, but the Iron Eagles put it away with a 3-2 victory. Gerrard and Bencharski were the first two stars, and Gerrard won Playoff MVP with a hard earned 15 points. After so long, and for a short while, the curse was lifted.

 

The “Fuck Vasteras” meme due to the franchise’s futility and its relation to the Swedish League squad later led to the franchise being moved to Stockholm around Season 40, then contracted all together at the end of Season 57. The Iron Eagles/Vikings would not win another title before that occurred, despite the best efforts of numerous GMs. With that in mind, it’s truly remarkable to look back at the one year where it all came together, and the franchise was much more than a meme.

 

I’m on the record as wishing Vasteras would come back, partially because I think the older history of the VHL is something that sets it apart from all other leagues, but also partially because of the franchise’s futility. There’s something to be said for pushing through adversity, for being able to not only overcome the other teams, but years of fate to accomplish something great. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the sports championships that have captured the public’s eye in modern times have been the Cubs, the Red Sox, the Cavaliers – teams that have waited so long and fans that have seen tortured seasons before breaking through. The Maple Leafs will be up there one day as well, despite being (similar to Vasteras) widely polarizing.

 

Plus, the VHL doesn’t have any team today that would truly be considered a villain, and frankly, I would argue that there are few franchises today that have a distinct personality the way that Vasteras once commanded. There may be droughts today, but I don’t think there a breakthroughs in the way that the Season 26 Vasteras Iron Eagles once enjoyed. And for that reason, among many others, they will be remembered as one of the most unique champions in VHL history.

Edited October 15, 2019 by CowboyinAmerica

[CowboyinAmerica 2,840]

1000+ words, for the weeks ending 10/20 and 10/27.

[Matt_O 896]

5 hours ago, CowboyinAmerica said:

Plus, the VHL doesn’t have any team today that would truly be considered a villain,

I think a lot of people dislike Calgary at the moment

[Gustav 6,322]

6 hours ago, CowboyinAmerica said:

the Sabres of the VHL

As a Sabres fan, this is a good deal more correct than I'm willing to admit.