BOG Update: Let's Look at Potential Hall of Famers!

[Advantage 2,899]

BOG UPDATE: LET'S LOOK AT POTENTIAL HALL OF FAMERS!

 

While normally I am doing my Board of Governors Updates on a bi-weekly basis, this week I will be putting a little spin on my VSN contribution.  Currently in the Board of Governors we are actively discussing who should be inducted in the Season 75 Hall of Fame.  While I will not talk about who we are leaning to in discussion, I thought I'd put a shine on the different candidates on the ballot this year in order to give everyone a bit of a sneak peek into the process.  Without further ado, here is the ballot with each player's resume:

 

C - Wesley Kellinger, S33-S40

RS: 576 GP, 275 G, 453 A, 728 P, +306, 532 PIM, 1,138 HIT, 221 SB, 56 GW
PO: 67 GP, 27 G, 37 A, 64 P, +18, 70 PIM, 151 HIT, 39 SB, 7 GW

 

Award Cabinet

S40 Scotty Campbell Trophy (Most Valuable)
Two Continental Cups (S35, S39)

 

Points - 2nd, 2nd, 7th, 10th
Goals - 5th, 6th
Assists - 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 9th
Hits - 9th
Faceoff% - 3rd, 5th, 5th, 6th, 6th, 8th

 

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 G - Mike Szatkowski Jr., S36-S43

RS: 519 GP, 298 W, 187 L, 34 OTL, 2.25 GAA, .920 SV%, 68 SO
PO: 77 GP, 41 W, 28 L, 8 OTL, 2.26 GAA, .919 SV%, 6 SO
 

Award Cabinet

S41 Scotty Campbell Trophy (Most Valuable)
S41 Aidan Shaw Trophy (Top Goalie)
One Continental Cup (S40)

 

Wins - 2nd, 2nd, 3rd, 3rd
GAA - 1st, 2nd, 2nd, 3rd
Save% - 1st, 2nd, 2nd
Shutouts - 1st, 1st, 2nd, 2nd, 2nd, 3rd

 

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RW/C - Tyson Kohler, S48-S55

RS: 576 GP, 368 G, 383 A, 751 P, +386, 185 PIM, 558 HIT, 130 SB, 79 GW
PO: 59 GP, 29 G, 36 A, 65 P, +10, 14 PIM, 48 HIT, 23 SB, 3 GW

 

Award Cabinet

S51 Dustin Funk Trophy (Most Improved)

 

Points - 3rd, 4th, 9th, 9th
Goals - 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th
Assists - 10th

 

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G - Jakab Holik, S48-S55 

RS: 500 GP, 292 W, 178 L, 30 OTL, 2.00 GAA, .922 SV%, 88 SO 
PO: 35 GP, 15 W, 16 L, 4 OTL, 2.59 GAA, .908 SV%, 3 SO

 

Award Cabinet

S53 Aidan Shaw Trophy (Top Goalie)

 

Wins - 1st, 1st, 3rd
GAA - 1st, 2nd, 3rd
Save% - 2nd, 3rd, 3rd, 3rd
Shutouts - 1st, 2nd, 2nd, 2nd

 

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C - Hunter Hearst Helmsley, S66-S73 

RS: 576 GP, 265 G, 362 A, 627 P, +96, 747 PIM, 1,567 HIT, 234 SB, 45 GW
PO: 56 GP, 18 G, 24 A, 42 P, +3, 84 PIM, 147 HIT, 30 SB, 4 GW

 

Award Cabinet

S71 Mike Szatkowski Trophy (Most Points)
S71 Scott Boulet Trophy (Top Two-Way Forward)
3x All-VHL First Team (S69, S71, S73)
1x All-VHL Second Team (S70)

 

Goals - 2nd, 4th
Assists - 4th, 7th, 8th, 9th
Points - 1st, 2nd, 2nd, 6th
Hits - 2nd, 4th, 5th
Faceoff % - 1st, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th

 

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G - Rayz Funk, S67-S74 

RS: 522 GP, 294 W, 179 L, 40 OTL, 2.56 GAA, .917 SV%, 36 SO
PO: 85 GP, 55 W, 20 L, 10 OTL, 2.09 GAA, .930 SV%, 7 SO
 

Award Cabinet

S67 Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy (Top Rookie)
S68 Daisuke Kanou Trophy (Playoff MVP)
S69 Daisuke Kanou Trophy (Playoff MVP)
S71 Daisuke Kanou Trophy (Playoff MVP)
S73 Daisuke Kanou Trophy (Playoff MVP)
1x All-VHL Second Team (S68)
Four Continental Cups (S68, S69, S71, S73)

 

Wins - 1st, 2nd, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th
GAA - 2nd, 4th, 4th, 4th, 4th
Save% - 2nd, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 5th, 5th
Shutouts - 2nd, 2nd, 2nd, 4th

 

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D - Lincoln Tate, S67-S74

RS: 576 GP, 98 G, 410 A, 508 P, +125, 860 PIM, 1,314 HIT, 940 SB, 15 GW
PO: 91 GP, 19 G, 59 A, 78 P, +16, 137 PIM, 208 HIT, 158 SB, 4 GW

 

Award Cabinet

S71 Sterling Labatte Trophy (Top Defenceman)
S71 Jake Wylde Trophy (Top Defensive Defenceman)
S72 Alexander Beketov Trophy (Most Assists)
S73 Sterling Labatte Trophy (Top Defenceman)
S73 Alexander Beketov Trophy (Most Assists)
S74 Jake Wylde Trophy (Top Defensive Defenceman)
3x All-VHL First Team (S71, S72, S73)
1x All-VHL Second Team (S74)
One Continental Cup (S72)

 

Assists - 1st, 1st, 4th, 6th
Points as Dman - 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th
Hits - 9th
Shot Blocks - 4th, 5th

 

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D - Hulk Hogan, S67-S74 

RS: 576 GP, 105 G, 444 A, 549 P, +84, 1,025 PIM, 1,212 HIT, 984 SB, 22 GW
PO: 90 GP, 9 G, 64 A, 73 P, +12, 149 PIM, 170 HIT, 155 SB, 2 GW

 

Award Cabinet

S71 Alexander Beketov Trophy (Most Assists)

Continental Cups (S68, S69, S71, S73)

 

Assists - 1st, 4th, 5th, 5th, 6th, 7th
Points as Dman - 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th
Shot Blocks - 6th, 9th

 

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Starting with the old timers, Wesley Kellinger, Mike Szatkowski Jr., Tyson Kohler and Jakab Holik still find themselves on the ballot.  All four of these names have been in conversations in the past for potential removal with both Kellinger and Szatkowski Jr finding their way back onto the ballot in recent seasons.  Ultimately, all these resumes have flaws but let's go over each one of them.

 

Wesley Kellinger was a bright young star who had the unfortunate honor of following in Daniel Braxton's footsteps as part of the Jericho Agency.  Fortunately, Kellinger would prove to be an excellent talent and was a key cog in multiple Continental Cup runs.  His shining moment was in Season 40 where he would go on to be crowned Most Valuable Player.  While certainly not the strongest MVP win in VHL history, it has kept Kellinger very much in the running and with the recent further analysis into individual statistical finishes, his case has strengthened due to his points, assists and faceoff finishes, showing he was more than just a one-season star.  However, with a limited award cabinet and a good but perhaps not unspectacular career compared to the other elite players from this era, I don't expect him to ever get inducted unless he gets lucky on a down year.

 

Another MVP winner to not be inducted at this point is Mike Szatkowski Jr.  Mike was the rival goalie to Brick Wahl (HOF) during their illustrious careers.  While his playoff escapades don't match up to what Wahl did (Two Playoff MVPs) his regular season record was arguably better than the Hall of Fame netminder.  With a Top Goalie Trophy to go with his MVP, Szatkowski Jr. has a few big accolades that tip the scale his way.  Unfortunately though, Mike will likely struggle to get in as he wasn't spectacular enough to make up for a Trophy Cabinet that while has a few gems, is made up of awards for just one season of his career.

 

Tyson Kohler is essentially the goal scoring version of Wesley Kellinger but without the MVP.  He tallied 368 goals and was top five in goals on three different occasions while being top ten five times.  While his award cabinet is bare, his offensive accomplishments in the regular season, mixed with a pretty strong playoff record, make him a potential candidate.  The obstacle he will face is his award cabinet as next to a Most Improved Trophy, he literally has nothing to show for it.  The statistical analysis has really benefited Kohler but it will be up to the voters to see if it will help him get in on a down year, just like the situation with Kellinger.

 

Finally, Jakab Holik has the resume and the statistical finishes to get in.  His award cabinet isn't extensive but he does have a Top Goalie to show for it.  He has been widely considered the best goalie to not be in the Hall of Fame for quite some time, and once Funk gets in he will likely regain that title.  The argument against Holik has always been based on two huge flaws.  One, his playoff resume is miniscule, and what we have is pretty mediocre.  Unlike some guys like Wahl and Funk, he was never able to carry his team to any kind of real success.  The other issue is his era was full of great goaltenders which does inflate his numbers a little bit.  Though, I would point out that his statistical finishes are still pretty strong despite the era.  With that being said though, if Holik were to be inducted that would be the fourth goalie to find his way in, and I know for some that just isn't right.

 

As for the modern candidates, I think there are likely more bright spots in this group and I really do feel they could all make the VHL Hall of Fame.  In fact, if I were a betting man, within three seasons I would say that they will all be inducted.  

 

Starting with Hunter Hearst Helmsley, it shows how difficult it can be to compare eras.  HHH has 627 points while Kohler and Kellinger easily crossed the 700 plateau.  Does that make them better offensive players? Not necessarily.  This is a great indication of the difference in the two eras, with the current era being far lower scoring due to far more competition and parity in the league.  The impressive thing is despite having far more competition and more players, HHH actually has very comparable individual statistical finishes to Kellinger and Kohler.  He also has a strong award cabinet and while there are more awards available now (Ie: VHL First Team) I do think HHH should be the easiest lock this year after narrowly missing out last season. He doesn't really have a flaw in his resume and I think this year he will get his call.

 

Rayz Funk may be the most interesting candidate of them all.  On the surface, he is possibly the greatest Playoff Goaltender in VHL history.  Statistically though, he would probably be the worst goalie in the Hall of Fame from a regular season point of view.  While playoffs is obviously very valued, I know it has made a few people wonder if he is first ballot worthy and it may be a fair argument.  I do think his individual finishes help the cause a bit and paint the picture that he could probably have been voted a top two goalie in the league a couple of times, and not just once.  I do understand the confusion, but im not sure you can keep out a 4x Playoff MVP for very long.  Don't be surprised to see him next to HHH this season (but I could be wrong!).

 

Lincoln Tate reminds me a lot of Condor Adrienne as someone who sorta had two careers.  One where he was sorts average and just solid and not at all Hall of Fame worthy.  Another, where he was arguably the best two way defender in the league.  Tate was named the Top Defenseman twice, Best Defensive Defender twice and despite his defensive reputation, still led the league in assists on two occasions.  He found himself in the top five for points for a defender three times and in the top ten five times.  Tate will certainly get in one year despite his point totals looking rather pedestrian compared to most HOF defensemen.  With that being said, when looking at his numbers for his era and his very crowded award cabinet, I think Tate has an argument this year and likely gets in either this year or next.

 

Finally, the one that I never thought I'd even be considering.  Hulk Hogan never was a Top Defenseman, Top Offensive Defenseman or Top Defensive.  He never won a Playoff MVP or led defenders in scoring.  But unlike Tate and even someone like Condor Adrienne, Hulk Hogan was a consistently great defenseman.  Hogan finished in the top ten for assists six times even leading the league once.  He was in the top seven for dman scoring six times as well!  Offensively, he looks a step ahead of someone like Tate and he may just be the Japinder Singh of his era (look him up if you are curious).  The tough part for Hogan will be the lack of awards but I think hes a definite lock on either the second or third ballot as he frankly compares far too well to people who most consider guaranteed Hall of Fame talents.

 

Candidates Mentioned: @Jericho @Mike @Kendrick @Beketov @Beaviss @Rayzor_7 @Tate @TXC

Edited December 7, 2020 by Advantage

[Victor 11,009]

Why you including only top 3 finishes for Mike but top 5 for Holik and Funk (I think top 3 is more reflective got a goalies fwiw)

[Advantage 2,899]

6 hours ago, Victor said:

Why you including only top 3 finishes for Mike but top 5 for Holik and Funk (I think top 3 is more reflective got a goalies fwiw)

Eh tbh I just took what we did before.  I think top 3 for holik makes more sense anyway given 4th or 5th in a league with 8-10 teams isn't that impressive.

 

I typed this on my phone so I didn't really wanna play around too much.

Edited December 7, 2020 by Advantage

[Advantage 2,899]

Claiming 2nd week worth