VHL S69 Award Tracker, 1st Edition

[McWolf 3,116]

 

VHL Award Tracker

Preview of the S69 VHL Award Races

 

As teams have all played 14 games and we're just finishing the first fifth of the season, the races for year-end awards are starting to take shape. In this article, the first of possibly three in this series, we are going to go over most awards, review the current leaders and predict the eventual winners. Whenever you try to predict something like that so early, you are bound to make mistakes, but that's about half the fun with these type of articles, isn't it?

 

Mike Szatkowski Trophy

 

Mikko Aaltonen is building up on his breakout in Season 68, as he's currently the league's scoring leader with 23 points, 4 more than his closest rivals for the award at the moment, Randoms and Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen (19 points). Aaltonen benefits from playing on a weak D.C. Dragons roster with two playmaking rookie centres in George Washington and Benny Graves, all of which gives him the opportunities he'll need all season long to keep his lead over his opponents. Other players that could realistically fight for the Szatkowski come season end include Julian Borwinn (18 points), Hunter Hearst Helmsley (18 points) and Elias Dahlberg (18 points), though, at this point in time, it's anyone's game.

 

Kevin Brooks Trophy

 

Just like it was the case with the Szatkowski, D.C. Dragons forward Mikko Aaltonen is leading the way for the Brooks, as he is almost at a goal per game pace, scoring 13 in 14. Would the season end today, the runner-up would be Michael Gary Scott, who already exceeded his career-high in goals with 10. His Wolves teammate Hunter Hearst Helmsley (9 goals), Jet Jaguar (8 goals), Tyler Barabash Jr (8 goals), Elias Dahlberg (8 goals) and Julian Borwinn (6 goals) are all expected to chip in too and give Aaltonen a run for his money.

 

Alexander Beketov Trophy

 

As we enter the second fifth of the season, the three players with the most assists in the whole league are defensemen. Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen, Luciano Valentino and Guillaume Fontenette are outpacing all players with respectively 14, 13 and 13 assists. It's hard to believe they'll keep the pace of almost an assist per game and finish as the top 3, but one of them could very well do it and put their name on the Beketov Trophy. However, if a forward was to pass the three of them, I'd say Randoms (13 assists), Joel Ylonen (11 assists), Ryan Kastelic (11 assists) and Kronos Bailey (8 assists) are the most likely to achieve it and take home the award.

 

Alexander Valiq Trophy

 

The Valiq Trophy is absolutely Season 68 winner Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen's to lose. The newly acquired Moscow Menace blueliner is pacing all defensemen with 5 goals and 19 points. After a breakout season after which he was named the Valiq and Labatte trophies winner, Smitty looks like he's not going to slow down anytime soon. His closest competitor at this point of the season is Luciano Valentino (17 points), a sophomore defenseman looking like he just broke out into a star quarterback role for the Dragons. Other notable offensive defensemen who could claim the award themselves are Diljodh Starload (14 points), Apollo Hackett (13 points) and Charlie Paddywagon (13 points).

 

Jake Wylde Trophy

 

The Wylde Trophy is a hard one to predict because of how situational shot-blocking is. Defensemen on struggling teams will have the opportunity to get more, but as the season goes on, teams will go on hot and cold streaks, modifying their blueliners shot-blocking potential. That being said, if the season was to end today, rookie Cinnamon Block (42 H, 30 SB), Joseph McWolf (50 H, 27 SB) and Rusty Shackleford (38 H, 26 SB), the only three players to appear in both positional top 10 for shots blocked and hits, could find their name be on the ballots along with those of heavy-hitter Leph Twinger (61 H, 21 SB) and current shots blocked leader Jerry Garcia (26 H, 36 SB).

 

Sterling Labatte Trophy

 

Just like with the Valiq Trophy before, the defending Labatte Trophy winner might be the early favourite to repeat. Unsurprisingly, it's the same man in both cases: Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen of the Moscow Menace. He's the points leader among blueliners with 19, while still demonstrating his strong defensive presence with 46 hits and 22 shots blocked. Season 68 Jake Wylde runner-ups Apollo Hackett (13 PTS, 36 H, 27 SB) and Jerry Garcia (12 PTS, 26 H, 35 SB) are probably the two closest competitors for the award, though it doesn't appear to be particularly close as we're closing on the first fifth of the season.

 

Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy

 

As a pair of D.C. Dragons centres, George Washington and Benny Graves, lead this rookie class in points with 10 and 9, it's actually a defenseman from the other most recent expansion team, the Prague Phantoms, that looks like the early favourite for the Stolzschweiger Trophy. Cinnamon Block's defensive stats (42 H, 30 SB) appear to put him on the shortlist of favourites for the Wylde, but he also added 8 points in 14 games, easily making him the most valuable rookie at this point in the season. He'll have to continue his strong two-way play if he wants to keep up with the Dragons centres, as well as with Jerry Wang (9 points), Ryo Yamazuki III (7 points) and Soren Jensen (5 points).

 

Dustin Funk Trophy

 

This year's race for the Funk Trophy is a close one. It features two forwards with similar stat lines, both this season and last season. On one side, you got Michael Gary Scott; he scored 10 goals and 18 points so far, which puts him on a pace for 51 goals and 93 points, a major increase from his 7 goals and 37 points last season. On the other side, you got Aston Martin; he already got 9 goals and 17 points, a pace that would have him finish the season with 46 goals and 87 points, a great step up from his 13 goals and 34 points from last season. Guillaume Fontenette could also make a run for it, as he's keeping a point per game pace and could finish the season with over 150 shots blocked when he could only score 25 points and block 108 shots last season. Finally, goaltenders Greg Eagles (.928 SV%, 2.45 GAA up from .902 SV%, 2.84 GAA) and Pekka Poutta (.922 SV%, 2.10 GAA up from .906 SV%, 3.33 GAA) also appear to be having breakout seasons of their own. 

 

Scott Boulet Trophy

 

If the season was to finish today, Helsinki Titans winger Julian Borwinn would undoubtedly win his second straight Scott Boulet Trophy. In a tight-knit group of four forwards all within a point of each other, Borwinn distances himself as he's the only one with more than 60 hits. He sits at 18 points and 62 hits. The three other forwards in the group are Hunter Hearst Helmsley (18 PTS, 56 H), Randoms (19 PTS, 54 H) and Elias Dahlberg (18 PTS, 53 H). They are all great power forwards and are all expected to keep it up until the very end.

 

Greg Clegane Trophy

 

14 games in, Riga Reign netminder Kallis Kriketers leads all VHL goalies with an average of 1.53 goals against per game. The sample size is fairly small and that number might not be sustainable over the course of a full season, but the team in front of Kriketers is strong, so it wouldn't be too surprising to see his name on the Clegane Trophy, even if his average dips a bit. Other netminders that could seize the award with a strong finish to their season are JB Rift (2.03 GAA), Brick Wahl (2.06 GAA) and Pekka Poutta (2.10 GAA).

 

Aidan Shaw Trophy

 

If Kallis Kriketers' goals-against average looks unsustainable, it's absolutely nothing compared to his save percentage. Only one goaltender had a better save percentage than Kriketers' .944 over the course of a full season, though it might be because of small sample size, as the Reign goalie has only started 6 of the team's 14 games. Put these two stats together, along with the fact that Riga is good enough defensively to help its goaltender maintain good numbers and you got yourself an Aidan Shaw favourite. He'll have to keep it up, however, if he wants to keep runner-ups JB Rift (10 W, .930 SV%, 2.03 GAA), Brick Wahl (7 W, .928 SV%, 2.06 GAA) and Greg Eagles (5 W, .928 SV%, 2.45 GAA) at bay.

 

Scotty Campbell Trophy

 

At this point in the season, I'd say the early MVP is man who's the favourite to win the most awards. Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen could come home from the awards show with the Alexander Beketov Trophy, the Alexander Valiq Trophy, the Sterling Labatte Trophy and the Scotty Campbell Trophy. I'm not even sure if a defenseman was ever named MVP (help me, historians), but if he keeps his pace and ends the season with 30 goals and 100 points as a defenseman, while no forward score more than 110, he could be the first. On the other hand, if Mikko Aaltonen doesn't stop scoring, he could be the 23rd player ever to score 70 goals in a season and only the 5th one in the last three decades. That feat alone could be enough to be named the MVP. However, if neither players keep it up, Kallis Kriketers (4 W, .944 SV%, 1.53 GAA), Julian Borwinn (18 PTS, 62 H) and Hunter Hearst Helmsley (18 PTS, 56 H) could be the ones to come up and steal the MVP title.

 

Obviously, we're so early in the season that I'd be very surprised if even half of these predictions end up being right. Unfortunately, there was a new sim while I was finishing the article so the stats are already outdated, but I guess it's bound to happen with daily sims. Anyway, good luck everyone with the rest of your season. There's still a lot of hockey to play, and pretty much everything is still up in the air. Dream big!

 

Players mentioned: @GRZ @hedgehog337 @flyersfan1453 @Enorama @STZ @Jubo07 @Beaviss @Nykonax @Motzaburger @gorlab @Bushito @Kekzkrieg @okochastar @Esso2264 @Quik @DilIsPickle @Renomitsu @DMaximus @omgitshim @McWolf @K1NG LINUS @DollarAndADream @GustavMattias @ColeMrtz @Donno100 @Velevra @Sullvino @Greg_Di @Snussu @Devise @BladeMaiden 

 

VSN Writer McWolf

Edited November 21, 2019 by McWolf

[Victor 11,015]

1 hour ago, McWolf said:

a defenseman was ever named MVP (help me, historians)

Jenskovic, Bergqvist, and Petenis, yes. Also Braxton 2 Slobos when they were MVP.

 

But yes, pretty rare. And surprisingly far from a guarantee of a HOF spot.

[McWolf 3,116]

6 minutes ago, Victor said:

Jenskovic, Bergqvist, and Petenis, yes. Also Braxton 2 Slobos when they were MVP.

 

But yes, pretty rare. And surprisingly far from a guarantee of a HOF spot.

I knew I could count on you, Vic.

 

How many of these 4 made the Hall? I'm guessing Braxton did

[Victor 11,015]

2 minutes ago, McWolf said:

I knew I could count on you, Vic.

 

How many of these 4 made the Hall? I'm guessing Braxton did

Braxton and Jenskovic yeah.

[McWolf 3,116]

11 minutes ago, Victor said:

Braxton and Jenskovic yeah.

Were the other 2 flukes? Like one crazy season and that's it

[Victor 11,015]

Just now, McWolf said:

Were the other 2 flukes? Like one crazy season and that's it

@hedgehog337 can tell you more about Petenis but I think he was more of a goon at the start of his career (maybe).

 

Bergqvist was definitely a fringe one, on the ballot for a long time if memory serves. But his big season was the one where he set the record for assists (still stands) so yeah that kinda works against him.

 

Also my first ever draft pick, god damn I miss @Squinty

[hedgehog337 3,483]

13 minutes ago, Victor said:

@hedgehog337 can tell you more about Petenis but I think he was more of a goon at the start of his career (maybe).

 

he was. then the free TPE reroll and bright S54-55 period. tbf he was a solid D for his last two seasons as well.

[cody73 87]

Wait.... how am I not in Valiq trophy consideration? I'm tied with Valentino for 2nd in points amongst defencemen, people. I've been key to Calgary's success. 

[Aye my name jeff 121]

do this for vhlm ffs