My NYA Dream Team

[Advantage 2,891]

After seeing a more modern take on the New York Americans dream team earlier this week from @TheFlash, I decided to explore it further than what the Portals All-Time Statistics tell us. I spent a significant amount of my time in the VHL on the New York Americans with players like Ryan Sullivan, Brick Wahl, Benjamin Dupont, Atticus von Braxton IV and Ryan Sullivan Jr all spending time on the team.  I also was the GM for a significant amount of time (14 seasons) which saw us win 2 Continental Cups and create a dynasty that has been matched by few.

 

With that being said, I wanted to construct my dream team by doing more than just picking the best players to ever play for NY.  I considered the impact the players made for the team which of course means that length of time on the team does matter.  Although, there are still a few players who despite playing only for a couple of seasons in New York, were incredibly impactful while playing there.

 

The Team
Jukka Hakkinen - Tom Slaughter - Edwin Reencarnacion
Diana Maxwell - Unassisted - Odin Tordahl
Tukka Reikkinen - Grimm Jonsson - Xin Xie Xiao
Brandon Azevedo - Essian Ravenwing - Brandon Best

 

Conner Low - Daniel Braxton
Bobby Digital - Joseph McWolf
Lance Flowers - David Night

 

Brick Wahl
Benjamin Glover

 

FORWARDS

1st Line: Jukka Hakkinen - Tom Slaughter - Edwin Reencarnacion
My first line sees the dynasty's main pivot, one of the teams best two way players ever and the player who basically holds almost every offensive record on the team.  All three of these players are represented in the VHL Hall of Fame and have all had their number retired in the past.  Hakkinen is the all-time leading scorer in team history with 775 points in 576 games and was a 4x All-Star despite playing on a number of weaker teams.  Slaughter was the teams top center on their dynasty team of the thirties and forties, and with 607 points in 6 seasons, he was an elite threat at all times in the blue, red and white. Finally, Edwin Reencarnacion in over seven seasons, was a dynamite two way threat who led the league in goals twice, points once, was MVP once, Playoff MVP once, Most Outstanding Player once and also was Top Two-Way forward once.  He basically did what Xin Xie Xiao did but with the award cabinet.

@James @sterling @Tagger

 

2nd Line: Diana Maxwell - Unassisted - Odin Tordahl
Another trio of VHL Hall of Fame talents, these three make up the second line on this dream team of New York Americans.  Diana Maxwell only played five of his eight seasons on New York, tallying up 229 goals, 266 assists and 495 points in 360 games.  He led the league in goals and points twice during this time, while also being voted Playoff MVP in one of his two Continental Cup wins with the Americans.  Unassisted only spent four years on the team but was arguably the leagues best player during this run.  He would record 485 points in 288 games on New York, while also winning two Continental Cups, MVP, MOP and Playoff MVP during this time.  Finally, Odin Tordahl was the ace of New York for four seasons after being traded from the Davos Dynamo.  Recording 485 points and 827 hits in 288 games, Odin Tordahl had one of the best four season stretches in league history.  Tordahl led the league in points three times, goals two times and assists once.  He was named MVP once, Player MVP once and was also Top Leader once too.

@scoop @STZ @BOOM™

 

3rd Line: Tukka Reikkinen - Grimm Jonsson - Xin Xie Xiao
This is the third straight line with a trio of Hall of Famers, with this one representing three different eras in VHL History.  Reikkinen played on the curse team that eventually finally ended it in Season 32.  Jonsson played in the unrecorded era of the teams history which was quite tumultuous at times.  Finally, Xiao played on the Advantage era team that was a consistent threat.  Tukka was voted MVP, Players MVP, Top Two-Way Forward and Playoff MVP while also leading the league in goals and assists during his time on the Americans.  While his time in Vasteras built his legacy, the success he found in New York completed it.  Grimm Jonsson was considered the second coming of Scotty Campbell to some but due to most of his major achievements happening post-New York, he only finds himself on the third line.  Nevertheless, he was a stalwart and an amazing leader for the team for quite some time.  Finally, Xin Xie Xiao was unable to win MVP or any award like that while on New York, but he was able to take home a Top Two Way Forward award while finishing his time in New York with the second most goals in team history and winning two Continental Cups along the way.

@.sniffuM @sterling @tfong

 

4th Line: Brandon Azevedo - Essian Ravenwing - Brandon Best
This is the first line without a trio of HOFers, and in fact has none.  Azevedo had 419 points in 360 games but it was his Playoff MVP in their Continental Cup win and his top Two-Way Forward that get him on this list for me. After all, how can you not include someone who is considered the savior of the Short Bus Era. Essian Ravenwing was in tight with Connor Evans for me, but I ultimately went with Essian here.  Ravenwing played five seasons in New York and was a top talent for four of them, resulting in over 400 points, two Continental Cups and two Most Sportsmanlike Trophies.  Finally, Brandon Best was a last second add and was close in contention with Jorma Ruutu.  Best had 441 points in 348 games and was a three time All Star back in the first decade of the league.

@Brandon @der meister @Brandon

 

DEFENDERS

1st Pair: Conner Low - Daniel Braxton
Two of the greatest defensemen in league history.  Low played seven seasons on the Americans, winning five Top Defender Awards and leading the league in assists three times to go along with two Continental Cups.  Braxton unfortunately would never win a Continental Cup, but he was a four-time Top Defender winner and was named Most Outstanding Player on two occasions.  While there is an argument for a few other defenders, these guys played for a combined fourteen seasons in New York and are two of the best to ever hit the ice.

@Smarch @Jericho

 

2nd Pair: Bobby Digital - Joseph McWolf
Bobby Digital was a bit of a legend, partially for his lack of goal-scoring prowess and also because he was an absolute stud defender while playing for the New York Americans.  While he won't go toe-to-toe with the likes of Ryan Sullivan or Matt Bentley for his career, he was one of the teams stalwarts for seven seasons and saw him lead the league in assists once and record 39 points, 98 hits and 61 blocked shots in back-to-back cup wins for the team.  McWolf is a more recent retiree but was one of the teams biggest faces of the franchise, before eventually moving on to teams like Riga and Malmo.  He would play five total seasons for the team, winning one Top Defender Trophy and being one of the best well-rounded players during his time on the Americans.

@gorlab @McWolf

 

3rd Pair: Lance Flowers - David Night
This is one of the weirdest combinations on the team with a still active player and the teams first superstar teaming up.  Lance Flowers has been the face of the team for the past decade, playing six seasons on the team before recently becoming a member of the DC Dragons.  Flowers has twice been named the leagues Top Defensive Defenseman and has still recorded 340 points over the six seasons.  Night, on the other hand, was inducted into the VHL Hall of Fame in Season 17 and was a member of the teams previous location in Hamilton, going all the way back to Season 1.  He was named the leagues Top Defender in Season 2, beating the likes of Sterling Labatte for the award that would later be named after him.  Finishing his time with 366 points in 360 games, Night would make the All Star Team four times while playing for New York.

@CowboyinAmerica @Knight

 

GOALTENDERS

Goaltenders: Brick Wahl - Benjamin Glover
While deciding who should be the starter is a bit difficult, there is no doubting the two goalies that should feature here.  I give Wahl the starting job because while his regular season statistics are not as impressive as Glover, Wahl was the backbone behind two Continental Cup wins that saw him win Playoff MVP twice and garner him the reputation as one of the best Playoff goaltenders of all time.  Glover, on the other hand, was tremendous in the regular season winning Top Goaltender twice, League MVP once and was an All Star in all eight seasons he played.  Unfortunately, he received a bit of a negative reputation for his playoff performances that saw the Americans lose in the finals for four consecutive seasons.  His overall resume though is undeniable and he made the Hall of Fame for a reason.

@Advantage @scoop

 

Honorable Mentions: Connor Evans
He was certainly considered over Ravenwing, as the leagues best 2nd line center had a tremendous career with New York.  Evans would play four seasons for the Americans and record 419 points in 288 games on one of the leagues top dynasties ever.

@Tyler

 

Honorable Mentions: Tom Lincoln
I know Lincoln best for his time on Quebec and perhaps that's what keeps him off my actual team.  However, I can't deny the impact he had in his three seasons on the Americans.  Lincoln would record 342 points in 216 games while winning two Continental Cups in the three season run.

@Kesler

 

Honorable Mentions: Sergei Komarov
Komarov was another forward I considered for this list.  Komarov spent five seasons on the Americans, recording 400 points and 1326 hits in 360 games.  He didn't take home any individual hardware and was able to only get a Victory Cup from a team perspective, but his statistical achievements speak for themselves.

@Gooningitup

 

Honorable Mentions: Jorma Ruutu
With around 500 points and 1200 hits for the Americans, there is a pretty good argument that Ruutu should be on the team.  Unfortunately, I couldn't find a place for him with the right wing position being a bit stacked, but did heavily consider him over Best.

@jRuutu

 

Honorable Mentions: Ryan Sullivan

One of the greatest defenders of all-time and widely considered one of the two best alongside Conner Low (and perhaps Smitty now as well).  He has an argument to be on this with him winning Top Defender twice and leading in assists once while on the Americans, but is ultimately left off since he only played two seasons on New York and was unable to bring home a Continental Cup in that time.

@Advantage

 

Honorable Mentions: Matt Bentley
Matt Bentley, unlike Sullivan, was able to take a Continental Cup home in his brief run with New York.  However, like Sullivan he would win two Top Defender Trophies and is ultimately left off the team for only playing a couple of seasons on the team, while the others on this team spent at least five seasons impacting the squad.

@Victor

 

Honorable Mentions: Japinder Singh
Like the two above, Singh is another Hall of Fame defender that spent a brief part of his career on the Americans.  Singh played just 216 games on New York but recorded 279 points, 556 hits and 643 blocked shots during his time there.

@8Ovechkin8

 

Honorable Mentions: Casey Jones
The final skater featured here is Casey Jones for his five years on New York.  Jones recorded 370 points and 732 blocked shots over the 360 games he played on the team.  Jones was able to win Top Defender once and Top Leader twice during this run.

@der meister

 

Honorable Mentions: A Red Guy
I debated putting Trikamaki on this list, but ultimately ill stick with A Red Guy here.  ARG played all six seasons of his career on the Americans, winning 191 games and finishing his career with a .918 save percentage.  He would win one MVP trophy, one Top Goalie Trophy and one Most Improved Trophy during his career with New York.

@.sniffuM
 

Edited October 12, 2020 by Advantage

[.sniffuM 1,741]

So many Hall-of-Famers

[Advantage 2,891]

5 minutes ago, .sniffuM said:

So many Hall-of-Famers

15 with 4 HMs in the HOF too.  Then a couple others who may make it still.  Not bad.

[gorlab 4,321]

now THIS is a dream team.

[McWolf 3,115]

lab - McW pairing, I can get behind it

[BOOM 8,745]

What a fucking team. 

[TheFlash 317]

Damn. Well done!!

[STZ 5,359]

Yeah, this is legit.. Right down to the line combos. ADV big brain

[.sniffuM 1,741]

[Advantage 2,891]

2/4

Edited October 19, 2020 by Advantage