The Talents Behind the Trophies: the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy

[Doomsday 4,130]

Credit to @Motzaburger for this dope title graphic!

 

Hello and welcome to Season Two of The Talents Behind the Trophies. In this series, we delve deep into the history of the Victory Hockey League to learn more about the players that the various awards of the VHL and VHLM are named after. Many times, people covet a trophy, yet they don't know the story behind the player the award is named for. Personally, I feel that the stories of these players should be told. You see, these awards were initially named after NHL players, eventually taking the name of VHL players who personified the spirit of that award. Naturally, these are some of the best to ever grace the league, and The Talents Behind the Trophies will ensure their stories are known. 

 

We'll begin with a trophy that is very well-known and hotly contested virtually annually: the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy, awarded to the top rookie of the VHL. Originally called the Bossy Trophy after the legendary NHL sniper, it would be renamed in Season 11 after the first player to win the award, Christian Stolzschweiger. Not only was he the first player to win the award, but for many years, the journeyman right wing was the golden standard for rookies of the VHL. With a ridiculous 72 goals and 68 assists for 140 points, Stolzschweiger remained the top rookie point scorer for decades. In fact, his record was only very recently eclipsed in Season 62 by Vyacheslav Smirnov of the Seattle Bears, who scored an insane 149 points. 

 

The Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy is awarded annually to the top rookie of the VHL.

 

As the VHL enters what many consider to be a "dead puck era," the impressive point totals from rookies has naturally dropped off. Indeed, Season 70's winner, Helsinki Titans defenseman Erik Summers, won the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy with 39 points. However, that is not the lowest point total to win the award, with defenseman Colton Rayne of the New York Americans holding that distinction. Fortunately for prospects everywhere, rookie scoring appears to once again be on the rise. Season 71 rookies Kristopher McDagg and Thomas Landry II have both scored 10 points in their first 12 games, with several others close behind. Calgary's phenom netminder, Jacques Lafontaine, is also making a strong case for the award, with 8 wins and a .922 save percentage. There is certainly a strong crop vying for the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy this season.

 

While Christian Stolzschweiger's name is known by virtue of the trophy that bears his name, along with his dynamic rookie season, little seems to be known about the VHL Hall of Famer otherwise. For starters, despite being best-known for his rookie season in Season 2, his story actually begins before that. Stolzschweiger was selected with the 4th overall pick of the Season 1 Supplementary Draft by the Seattle Everblades, playing a full season with them. In those 72 games, he scored 36 goals and tallied 35 assists for a total of 71 points, falling just short of averaging a point per game. The North American Conference All-Star also added 5 points in the playoffs, despite Seattle being swept by the legendary Season 1 Calgary Wranglers, featuring Hall of Famers Brett Slobodzian, Scott Boulet and Sterling Labatte. As a supplementary player, Stolzschweiger was draft-eligible for the Season 2 VHL Entry Draft, being selected first overall by the Toronto Legion.

 

Christian Stolzschweiger's legendary Season 2 would win him more than just Rookie of the Year honours. 

 

Stolzschweiger's "rookie" season, as well-documented by this article multiple times, was nothing short of legendary. Averaging a goal a game with 72 and assisting on 68 others, Stolzschweiger's 140 points not only led all rookies, it led the entire VHL, outside of the legendary Scotty Campbell. Along with a second straight All-Star selection and the Bossy Trophy as the top rookie, Stolzschweiger also won the Gretzky Trophy as the VHL MVP. However, the Calgary Wranglers again defeated the Legion in the playoffs, despite 14 points from Stolzschweiger in the seven-game series. Season 3 ultimately brought more of the same, as, despite another dominant season with 135 points, Toronto again ran into Calgary in the playoffs and were unceremoniously swept. It also wound up being the end of Stolzschweiger's time with Toronto, as he would be traded to the Hamilton Canucks following the end of the season.

 

With Hamilton looking to reach the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, the Canucks looked to Stolzschweiger to deliver and his dominance continued. The change of scenery having no ill effects, he scored 63 goals and added 62 assists for 125 points, another strong season. A match-up with Stolzschweiger's old Seattle team, since re-branded the Bears, ended in more post-season heartbreak. Despite scoring 11 points, the Bears defeated the Canucks in six games en route to their first Continental Cup victory. After being traded again following the season, Stolzschweiger found himself on the Stockholm Rams, his third team in three years. His dominant play continued, recording 127 more points with 65 goals. However, the one other thing that remained a constant was failure in the playoffs. The Rams were swept by future Hall of Famer Matt Defosse and the Helsinki Titans, as another great year by Stolzschweiger ended in bitter disappointment. 

 

Hall of Famer Matt Defosse, one of Helsinki's first greats, as well as a post-season nemesis of Stolzschweiger.

 

Another season began with another new home for Christian Stolzschweiger, this time with the Avangard Havoc. Looking to finish a rebuild, Stolzschweiger helped pave the way to the playoffs with 46 goals and 66 assists, for 112 points. Avangard reached the playoffs, but Stolzschweiger was thwarted yet again by the Helsinki Titans, who, bolstered by the mid-season acquisition of Scotty Campbell,  defeated the Havoc in six games and went on to win the Continental Cup. For the first time since Season 3, however, Stolzschweiger did not end up on another team, remaining on an Avangard team that, with the likes of Brad Janssen, Alec Miller, McLovin, Sexy McSexington and, of course, Christian Stolzschweiger, quickly emerged as a favourite for the Cup. He responded with another big season, racking up 65 goals and 60 assists for 125 points as the Havoc finished with the best record in the league. Any post-season doubts were quickly silenced with a convincing sweep of the Vasteras Eagles, and Christian Stolzschweiger was finally going to play in the Continental Cup Finals. The Calgary Wranglers, who had ended several seasons for him in heartbreak, once again stood in his way. But behind Stolzschweiger's 20 points in 10 games, the Avangard Havoc would not be denied, defeating Calgary in six games to win the Continental Cup. On top of finally lifting the Continental Cup, Stolzschweiger also won the Howe Trophy as the MVP of the Playoffs. 

 

Sterling Labatte and the Calgary Wranglers were thorns in Stolzschweiger's side early in his career, but could not deny him a Cup in Season 7.

 

Avangard's success, however, proved to be short-lived. Many of the players who were instrumental to their championship season were now gone, but Stolzschweiger remained for his third season with the club. It would also be his last, as Stolzschweiger announced his retirement at the beginning of the season. Despite the rough outlook of Avangard's upcoming season, Stolzschweiger stuck with the Havoc, recording 34 goals and 43 assists for 77 points in his final season. With Avangard missing the playoffs, the season finale against the Toronto Legion, the team that drafted him in Season 2, was his final VHL game. Although the Legion defeated the Havoc 5-2, Stolzschweiger finished his career with a multi-point game, recording a goal and an assist. As he left the ice for the final time, he received a roaring ovation from a grateful Toronto crowd, sending the legend off with the respect brought about by his greatness. 

 

In Season 9, Stolzschweiger's career was fully cemented as one of the VHL's greats as he was inducted into the VHL Hall of Fame, along with the great Scotty Campbell. One of the game's original greats, Stolzschweiger's fame continues to this day. Two seasons after being immortalized in the Hall of Fame, the Bossy Trophy was renamed to the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy, which has been coveted by rookie players ever since. Although his rookie record has since been broken, it is difficult to argue that VHL rookies do not continue to chase the success he experienced in his rookie season. Perhaps, just maybe, with this article, the story of Christian Stolzschweiger can be remembered as more than just a dominant rookie season and a name on a trophy. 

 

Best of luck to all the rookies of Season 71 as they look to start their careers by intertwining their careers with Stolzschweiger's by winning the trophy that bears his name!

 

Players Mentioned: avalanchfan21, @Banackock, @Erik Summers, @Spade18, @Viperxhawks19, @Doomsday, @SlapshotDragon, rybak_49, djscooter, @sterling, @scotty, @Cowboy, Brad Janssen, Gibouleau

[Victor 10,940]

I just love the name tbh. Proper sniper name.

[Speed 126]

You weren't kidding when you said you are a writer and not a graphic guy. Awesome.

[Jubis 1,348]

LAFONTAINE