Hall of Fame Article - Rayz Funk - Class of S75

[fromtheinside 1,290]

Rayz Funk - Class of S75

 

Postion: G

Birthplace: Canada

Height: 6'0

Weight: 165 lbs

Drafted: S66 VHLM Dispersal Draft 3rd Overall (MIS)  |  S67 VHL Entry Draft 2nd Overall (SEA)

Username: @Rayzor_7

 

 

 

Netminder Rayz Funk will always be synonymous with the Seattle Bears Dynasty in the late 60's and early 70's seasons. He is the figurative peanut butter to the Bears' jelly. The yin to their yang. The Sonny to their Cher. Quite simply, the Bears dynasty would cease to exist if not for their brilliant goaltender performing at peak levels when it mattered most. If you don't believe me, just check Mr. Funk's trophy case where you will find a mind-boggling 4 Playoff MVP Trophies. one for each of his team's Continental Cup wins. That's right, every Cup the Bears won during their amazing run, Funk was the MVP of their playoff run. Rayz buy himself a private lake for all those Kanous he's piled up! But in all seriousness, Rayz has forever etched himself into the annals of VHL history and will be remembered as one of the most clutch goaltenders of all time. Time after time, when Seattle needed a big performance from their keeper, Rayz came through in spades. Few players can match the resume and accolades that Funk has earned in his VHL career, and he undeniably worthy of entering our league's prestigious Hall of Fame in this years Class of S75.

 

Career Awards

S67 Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy (Rookie of the Year)

S68 Daisuke Kanou Trophy (Playoffs MVP)

S68 Continental Cup (SEA)

S69 Daisuke Kanou Trophy (Playoffs MVP)

S69 Continental Cup (SEA)

S71 Daisuke Kanou Trophy (Playoff MVP)

S71 Continental Cup (SEA)

S73 Daisuke Kanou Trophy (Playoff MVP)

S73 Victory Cup (Best Regular Season Record- SEA)

S73 Continental Cup (SEA)

 

S66 (VHLM- Mississauga Hounds)

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Regular Season
GP 72 | 41-26-5 | 2.76 GAA | .888 SV% | 4 SO | 198 GA | 1765 SA | 4309 MP

Playoffs

GP 5 | 1-3-1 | 3.96 GAA | .875 SV% | 0 SO | 21 GA | 168 SA | 318 MP

 

Rayz Funk burst on the VHL scene when when he was drafted 3rd overall by the Mississauga Hounds in the Season 66 VHLM Dispersal draft. The Hounds were looking for a goalie to solidify themselves as a contender in S66 and Funk slipped right into the starting role from the onset. Funk established a high level of success in his sole season in the minors, posting a 41-26-5 record, with a respectable 2.76 GAA with 4 shutouts to boot. He quickly gained the trust of his coaches and teammates and the Hounds were poised to make a decent playoff run, but unfortunately for Funk they ran into the Ottawa Lynx in the 1st round and were stonewalled. Following a 5 game defeat, Rayz shifted his focus to the S67 VHL Entry Draft.

 

S67 (VHL- Seattle Bears)

 

Regular Season

GP 65 | 28-29-8 | 3.08 GAA | .913 SV% | 2 SO | 202 GA | 2315 SA | 3932 MP

 

Following his stint with the Hounds, Rayz was highly touted as one of the best young prospects in the S67 VHL Entry Draft. After the Rign Reign took fellow S75 HoF Balloter Lincoln Tate 1st overall, the Seattle Bears stepped up to the podium and selected Canadian netminder Rayz Funk with the 2nd overall pick. Seattle went on to take Hulk Hogan and Acyd Burn with their other two first rounders. With this the Bears had formed their young core that they would hoped would eventually carry them to the promised land! But , dynasties aren't built overnight and there were surely going to be some growing pains. The Bears proved to be a capable team and competed hard all season. Despite missing the playoffs, Rayz  posted a 28-29-8 record with a 3.08 GAA and a .913 save percentage. Funk's efforts netted him his first piece of hardware, the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy which is awarded to that season's top rookie. In a draft class filled to the brim with elite talent, Rayz was already proving to be the creme de la creme amongst his peers and was poised to keep improving.

 

S68 (VHL- Seattle Bears)

 

Regular Season

GP 64 | 38-22-4 | 2.42 GAA | .921 SV% | 8 SO | 155 GA | 1957 SA | 38.38 MP

 

Playoffs

GP 14 | 12-1-1 | 3.08 GAA | .935 SV% | 3 SO | 26 GA | 400 SA | 870 MP

 

Coming off his rookie season, Funk had gotten just a small taste of playoff  hockey and he was determined to get his club back to the postseason again. Rayz enjoyed a 38 win season that included 8 shutouts. While his sophomore numbers were most impressive, his true goal was still left untouched. Seattle went on to dismantle everyone in the playoffs this season and this was largely thanks to Funk's rock solid performances in net. Over the course of 14 games he went 12-1-1 with a 1.79 GAA, 3 shutouts and a .935 save percentage. They made quick work of Toronto, Calgary and finally, Malmo in the finals, and went on to capture the S68 Continental Cup. Little did anyone know that this would mark the start of a dynasty in Seattle. Rayz was awarded his first Kanou (Playoff MVP) for his Herculean efforts on their cup run. But with this only being his second season, Seattle was only getting started...

 

S69 (VHL- Seattle Bears)

 

Regular Season

GP 64 | 39-22-4 | 2.25 GAA | .923 SV% | 8 SO | 146 GA | 1896 SA | 3897 MP

 

Playoffs

GP 19 | 12-5-2 | 2.19 GAA | .924 SV% | 1 SO | 47 GA | 615 SA | 1286 MP

 

For many players, the overwhelming joy of capturing a Continental Cup can come along with a nasty case of Cup hangover. Or some players lose their drive after accomplishing the ultimate goal. But Rayz Funk was not most players. In Season 69, Seattle came back fiercer and hungrier than ever. Funk saw incremental improvement across the board in all his goaltending statistics and matched his shutout total of 8 from Season 68. The route to the playoffs was an easy one, but in contract to their Cup run in S68, this playoff run was much more of a grueling battle. In the first round the Bears were pushed to the absolute brink of elimination by the New York Americans. The series went the distance and in Game 7, Seattle needed overtime to keep their cup hopes alive. In the semi-finals it was an all-pacific matchup as the Bears clashed with the Vancouver Wolves. This series was close throughout, but Game 6 saw Seattle edge Vancouver 2-1 to eliminate them. Rayz earned first star that game. The last team in Seattle's way between them and another title was the European juggernaut Riga Reign. In another series that went 6 games, Funk showed his poise as he and his teammates staved off a near four-goal comeback from Riga and managed to go back-to-back! And not only was it a second consecutive Continental Cup, but it was also another Kanou for Funk for his steady and reliable playoff performance!

 

S70 (VHL- Seattle Bears)

 

Regular Season

GP 67 | 34-24-7 | 2.42 GAA | .916 SV% | 3 SO | 159 GA | 1891 SA | 3946 MP

 

Playoffs

GP 19 | 11-6-3 | 2.40 GAA | .926 SV% | 0 SO | 27 GA | 615 SA | 673 MP

 

 

Rayz Funk was entering his fourth season as a pro and he had already amassed more success then most players would achieve over the course of multiple life times. Off the heals of going back-to back, Funk and the Bears had a shot at history. There had only ever been one team to successfully pull off a "three-peat" (Toronto Reign S48-S50). The Bears were on the precipice  of absolutely VHL immortality, and it's even crazier to think they had been doing this with their core not even in their prime yet. Regular season was business as usual, and while Funk's numbers had stagnated slightly, he was still among the best tenders in the league. The playoffs opened up with a rematch from the previous playoffs, as they faced off against the Wolves. The Bears would only need 5 games to take care of Vancouver this time around and things were seemingly off to a great start. The semis saw the Bears take on the young and hungry Calgary Wranglers. It was a back and forth affair, but alas, all good things must come to an end. Funk and the Bears fell in 6 games to the Wranglers and the dream of the three-peat was dead. While he was certainly disappointed at the time, Funk would use this experience as a learning tool. For those who thought Funk had peaked in S69, they were sorely mistaken.

 

S71 (VHL- Seattle Bears)

 

Regular Season

GP 68 | 40-21-6 | 2.36 GAA | .918 SV% | 5 SO | 159 GA | 1938 SA | 4039 MP

 

Playoffs

GP 17 | 12-3-2 | 1.67 GAA | .937 SV% | 2 SO | 30 GA | 474 SA | 1074 MP

 

After a two year party came to a crashing halt, it was time for Funk to re-focus. When you are that good for that long, some say winning becomes second nature and maybe people start to take it for granted. The loss to the Wranglers in the semi-finals was a stark reminder that if you aren't constantly improving and focusing on your goal, you will get left in the dust. The Bears came back in Season 71 ready for redemption. The S71 season ended up being Funk's largest workload as he logged over 4000 minutes played in 68 starts! He posted his first ever 40 win season and had 5 shutouts to boot. What came next was probably what most pundits considered Funk's best stretch of pro hockey. The S71 playoffs saw Funk elevate his game to brand new heights. In 17 games he upheld a sparkling .937 save percentage and a miniscule 1.67 GAA. With the memories of last year's playoff defeat fresh in his mind, he stayed dialed in the entire run.  That's not to say the run was a breeze. Round 1 saw the Bears take out the DC Dragons in a 7 game thriller in which they escaped by the skin of their teeth.  Next up was a familiar foe in the Vancouver Wolves. And like the Bears had done on multiple other occasions, they dealt with Vancouver handedly in 5 games.  This set the stage for an intriguing matchup in the finals. It was the defending champion Moscow Menace who were going for a back-to-back title run of their own  that were standing in the way of the Bears. Shockingly, it only took the Bears 5 games to dispatch of the defending champions to reclaim their spot atop the VHL throne! And of course, it wouldn't be a Bears cup victory without a Kanoe for Funk to boot! 

 

S72 (VHL- Seattle Bears)

 

Regular Season

GP 65 | 41-19-3 | 2.63 GAA | .912 SV% | 1 SO | 169 GA | 1920 SA | 3861 MP

 

Playoffs

GP 5 | 1-3-1 | 3.56 GAA | .902 SV% | 0 SO | 16 GA | 163 SA | 269 MP

 

The Bears had re-asserted their dominance over the VHL and were riding a high wave once again going into Season 72.By this point, regular season was just business as usual. That being said, Rayz hit the 40-win plateau for his second straight season. When the postseason rolled around it was another matchup with the New York Americans. Apparently the Americans remembered their Game 7 loss from the S69 playoffs, because they came out and played like a team possessed, and the Bears quite simply had no answer for them. In Game 5 the game was deadlocked at 2-2 and the game would need overtime. And of all people to deliver the dagger, it was none other than ex-Bear Acyd Burn who scored the series-clincher for the Americans! This no doubt would sting for quite some time for not just Rayz, but all of the Seattle Bears. Was this the last dance for this tremendous group of players? 

 

S73 (VHL- Seattle Bears)

 

Regular Season

GP 64 | 41-15-4 | 2.48 GAA | .921 SV% | 6 SO | 152 GA | 1933 SA | 3681 MP

 

Playoffs

GP 19 | 12-5-2 | 2.04 GAA | .936 SV% | 1 SO | 43 GA | 676 SA | 1265 MP

 

By this point of his career, Funk knew his chances of seriously competing for another Continental Cup were dwindling.  Rayz exercised his player option to return for S73, but he knew his chances of being back in Seattle after this season were slim to none thanks to a tough cap crunch and young up-and-comers ready to grow into full time players. After facing adversity and disappointment in last season's first-round playoff exit, Rayz and the Bears knew S73 was put up or shut up time. Regular season saw Funk post a career-high 41 wins. The team was cruising once again and they even went on to win the Victory Cup this season for best regular season record.  In the opening round the Bears faced off against the DC Dragons. After going up 3-1 in the series, DC stormed back took Game 5. Game 6 would need double overtime but the Bears pulled out the narrow 3-2 win. Rayz came up huge this game making clutch save after clutch save. Next up was Calgary in the semis. This series was an all out war. The Wranglers took a commanding 3-1 series lead. Game 5 is widely considered an all-time classic in VHL lore. In triple-OT with their playoff lives on the line, the Bears saved off elimination. This game is easily one of Funk's most memorable wins of his career and he earned the first star after turning away 46 of 48 shots. After another OT thriller that went the Bears way in Game 6, the comeback was finally complete when the Bears took down the Wranglers in Game 7 5-3. Riding the high of their massive comeback, the Bears would go up against Helsinki in the finals.  It was yet another hard fought series where the Bears would have to fight tooth and nail for every victory. The Bears went into Game 6 up 3-2 in the series. In yet another game that would need an extra frame, Seattle scored  the cup clincher less than six minutes into the frame. With that, it was undeniable the Bears were officially a dynasty! 4 Continental Cups in 6 seasons. Following the win, Rayz would go on to win a record-breaking fourth Kanou! With his contract officially up in Seattle, he had some decisions to make going into his final season as a pro.

 

S74 (VHL- HC Davos)

 

Regular Season

GP 64 | 33-27-4 | 2.86 GAA | .917 SV% | 3 SO | 183 GA | 2196 SA | 3836 MP

 

After finishing his contract in Seattle on the highest of highs, Rayz had to make a call. Would he retire as a Bear or would he persue one year of free agency with a new club before hanging up the goalie pads after Season 74. After careful deliberation, he came to the realization that a return to Seattle was next to impossible. With that in mind, Funk decided to take a trip to Europe and sign with HC Davos. Davos was a fringe playoff team, but with the services of Funk, they could very well be put over the edge and considered a contender. The regular season was a mixed bag. Rayz posted a respectable 33-27-4 record with a 2.86 GAA and a save percentage of .917. When the season dwindled down and the games were all in the books, sadly HC Davos was edged out of playoff contention. In fact they lost the last playoff spot from a tiebreaker of all things. Unquestionably, this was a tough way for Funk to end his career, but he obviously had no regrets after accomplishing so much over the course of his illustrious career.

 

 

After the news broke of Funk's induction broke, we reached out to Mr. Funk to ask him a few questions to reflect on his career. Here is what Rayz had to say...

 

Can you take a moment and reflect on your career as a whole. How was your time in Seattle, who were some of your favourite teammates over the years?

 

Rayz: Man, what to even address in a question like this. I never enjoyed the most success in the regular season despite often being near the top in save percentage but the team would always pull us through and we even managed our only Victory Cup in S73. Now obviously no one cares about how that went though when your legacy is all about how you perform in the playoffs. With 7 appearances on the Best Goaltending performances in a series list it’s quite obvious that I thrived when the pressure was on. Being drafted to Seattle was most definitely the best thing that could’ve happened in my career. Being joined by guys like Scott Greene, Hulk Hogan, Ambrose Stark and Berocka Sundqvist was a dream come true. The locker room was always a blast and the guys were always looking for ways to improve and get better. I have to mention our GM, the guy was always on us but always on our side ready to defend us and fight for us!

 

If you choose a particular moment that stands out as the most memorable throughout your entire career, what would it be?

 

Rayz: In S73 I knew prior to the playoffs that it would be my last season in a Seattle Bears uniform. I knew I had to make it count as there was a good chance it was my last shot at a cup. DC takes us to six, not great but it's a win. But we drop two in OT to Calgary and then split games 3 and 4. We are all stunned as we head back to Seattle for game five. We know it’s do or die. Randy Marsh wins it for us in triple OT and suddenly we had life and energy. Aleelee Kiak wins Game 6 in OT and we know we have them going back to Seattle. We take Game 7 and we know we have momentum when Helsinki rolls into town. Game 6 rolls around and who else other than Scott Greene nets the winner for us in overtime to win us our fourth Continental Cup! But it doesn’t end there. At the S73 awards show I was given the honour of winning the Daisuke Kanou trophy for Playoff MVP for a record 4th time, passing the great Kanou himself for most all time. That will be a memory that sticks with me for a long time alongside my Hall of Fame induction.

 

You decided to sign with HC Davos in your final season. What made you decide to switch teams for your last year and in hindsight, do you wish you would have spent your entire career in Seattle as a Bear?

 

Rayz: It was a tough one for me as I really would’ve liked to retire in Seattle as the Captain but it just wasn’t in the cards. Seattle had a young goalie coming up and a very tight cap crunch that caused a couple of us drafted in S67 to be fatalities to it. I opted out to free agency after a discussion with the GM. As for why Davos, they were one of two decent options really but their GM told me he was willing to make a push if I came on board. It’s sad that we couldn’t crack the playoffs, we missed on the Regulation+Overtime Wins tiebreaker for 5th when we would’ve been 4th in NA.

Edited January 17, 2021 by fromtheinside

[Victor 10,940]

Good write-up, thanks, although in the future could you please format the stats like I think you did last season (or HHH's article by RedSus this week) - just because those tables don't transfer to the portal very well.

[Jubis 1,348]

Great career @Rayzor_7.   Crushed my dreams a time or two 

[fromtheinside 1,290]

9 hours ago, Victor said:

Good write-up, thanks, although in the future could you please format the stats like I think you did last season (or HHH's article by RedSus this week) - just because those tables don't transfer to the portal very well.

 

for sure! sorry about that Vic!