Building up the Bears: How Seattle will be a favourite to defend their title this year.

[Laine 1,361]

The Seattle Bears have been a force in the VHL over the past few seasons, winning the Continental Cup 3 out of the last 4 seasons. This team, a creation of @Banackock's roster management is a perfect example how efficiently drafting, signing contracts and making smart roster moves can give you flexibility for years to come. We will be taking a look at the roster moves and homegrown talent to see how Seattle went from just another playoff contender to a dynasty.

 

Let's start with the drafting. The Bears were very smart with their drafting, so let us take a look back through who the Bears picked before their Continental Cup victories.

 

S67 DRAFT

 

2nd Overall: Rayz Funk, G

@Rayzor_7

 

At 2nd overall, the Bears get their franchise goalie. This is a smart pick considering that they have 2 more first round picks in this draft (5th and 7th overall) but picking your franchise goalie gives your team a lot of stability if you can put a good blue line in front of him. So far with the Bears, his playoff stats are off the charts, averaging a .930 SV% and 2.00 GAA when it is crunch time in the spring. Safe to say this pick paid off for Seattle.

 

5th Overall: Hulk Hogan, D

@Hulk Hogan

 

Another good pick here, getting a highly touted defensive prospect to go along with your franchise goalie. With a big frame for blocking and battling in the corner, Seattle scores a two-way defensive prospect with this pick.

 

7th Overall: Acyd Burn, RW

@Acydburn

 

This was a good pick. Even though he isn't with the Bears anymore, Burn almost recorded a point per game in 4 seasons with the Bears and helped them win their first 2 Continental Cups.

 

13th Overall: Scott Greene, C

@DoktorFunk

 

Solid Two-Way Center who can both play lockdown on the power play or score on you. He has been a steady playoff performer for the Bears, recording 55 points in 61 playoff games with Seattle so far.

 

17th Overall: Berocka Sundqvist, D

@Berocka

 

Solid second round pick. Sundqvist has been a defensive force while having solid points offensively. In 36 games so far in S73, Sundqvist has 42 points which are solid numbers for a defenseman. He was a part of all 3 of Seattle's Cup Winning Teams.

 

The S67 Draft brought this team together, and they have other players from that draft on their team that they did not pick such as LW Guy LeGrande (14th Overall) who have been steady contributors. They also have young guns on their team in the likes of Randy Marsh (@oilmandan) on defense and Uhtred (@leafsman), Ray Sheilds (@Zetterberg) and Ola Vikingstad (@Dil) on offense. However, the biggest piece to the success of the Bears lately has been their contracts. Their contracts are so flexible and they have most of their roster on flexible, long term contracts. @Banackock has done a great job getting contracts that fit the needs of his players financially but also keep the team a contender year after year.

 

Final Thoughts:

 

The Bears are still a force this year. So far through 36 games in S73, The Bears sit at 24-10-2 record which is good for 50 points and 1st in the VHL. This team is definition of what smart front office, drafting and roster management choices can do for a team down the stretch. You know though, I wouldn't be surprised if the Seattle Bears win a few more Continental Cups before their window is closed.

 

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[Banackock 8,160]

Awesome write up @PatrikLaine. Always love me some Bears articles! The group we have in Seattle, past and present have been an excellent piece to the puzzle and we wouldn’t have had and be having the success without them. 
 

Thanks for the awesome words about the boys! Keep up the awesome work dude! 

Edited June 7, 2020 by Banackock

[DoktorFunk 810]

Great article. I've been super lucky to be on this team. Your kind words flatter us and I hope we still have a lot more to prove here! DA BEARS

[Laine 1,361]

7 minutes ago, DoktorFunk said:

Great article. I've been super lucky to be on this team. Your kind words flatter us and I hope we still have a lot more to prove here! DA BEARS

Have you guys come up with the Continental Cup Shuffle yet?

[Victor 11,043]

One big draft has made many a dynasty, although it still requires the right decisions made to not waste it away.

[DoktorFunk 810]

3 hours ago, PatrikLaine said:

Have you guys come up with the Continental Cup Shuffle yet?

Havent had much time to party considering we have to start playing again almost immediately

[Jubis 1,351]

Seattle may be " a"  favourite but not "the" favourite