VSN Presents: The S75 VHLM Awards Show

[fromtheinside 1,290]

 

 

Another year of VHLM hockey is in the books, and tonight we celebrate the teams and players that were able to really take themselves to the next level in Season 75. For many this special night will be one final sendoff before you head to your respective training camps next week and officially become VHL pros. 

 

This past season saw two teams jump off the page at you right from the start of the season and surely enough when it came down to the finals for the Founder's Cup, it was the Philadelphia Reapers clashing with the Mexico City Kings. The top team in the west versus the top team in the east. It was a hard fought series and neither team deserved to lose, but when it was all said and done and the dust settled it was the Philadelphia Reapers who emerged victorious, winning the best of 7 series in Game 6 and capturing the Founder's Cup! The team was a powerhouse from top to bottom, so congrats to @DMaximus and this team on capturing the league's most coveted title!

 

Before we get into the voted on awards, we are going to hand out the hardware for the accolades we've already known about!

 

 Championship - Founder’s Cup: Philadelphia Reapers 

2nd Founder's Cup (Previously won in S66)

 

 Best Regular Season Record - Prime Minister’s Cup: Mexico City Kings 

54-13-5 / 113 Pts

 

  Leading Points - Ethan Osborne Trophy: Florent Vericel 

@dart
43 G, 71 A / 114 Pts

 

 Leading Goals - Alexander Chershenko Trophy: Dolant Fertitta. 

@Dolant
56 Goals / 110 Pts

 

 Leading Assists - Vladimir Boomchenko Trophy: Scotty Kaberle 

@fromtheinside
76 Assists / 103 Pts

 

Congrats to all the teams and players who took home some hardware in the statistical category awards! Your seasons were all nothing short of tremendous and it was a ton of fun watching these players and teams dominate the league in such convincing fashion. Now, without further ado, let's get into what you're all here for... the vote-in awards!

 

First up will be the Ryan Sullivan Trophy which is awarded to the Top Defenseman in the VHLM

[fromtheinside 1,290]

Top Defenseman Award "Ryan Sullivan Trophy"

 

The Ryan Sullivan Trophy goes to the league’s top defenseman.  There’s a ton of criteria that can go into picking the winner of this trophy. A good defenseman can not only defend in his own zone, but also provide for his team offensively when needed also. This year’s recipient did just that. While being a rock solid defender all season, his elite vision and playmaking ability really came to the forefront this season as helped his club go on a franchise-record 13 game win streak! 

 

 

First our runner up, and coincidentally the teammate of the winner is none other than the new hired AGM of SDM, Cowboy Prout! Cowboy was taken first overall in the Season 75 Dispersal Draft and did not disappoint this season! He led his team in blocks and hits and even managed 91 points on the year! He made up half of the league’s best 1-2 punch on the blueline this season. Cowboy will be moving onto play for the New York Americans next season, all the best @Prout!

 

Now for the winner of the Ryan Sullivan Trophy… he was the teammate of the aforementioned runner-up, and he is none other than Scotty Kaberle. Kaberle’s intense development really helped boost him to new heights with San Diego this past season. The Marlins traded up to get him and although they couldn’t knock off the Reapers, IR definitely had to be happy with his return. Kaberle will be off to join the Toronto Legion next season with a very promising young club. They will definitely be worth keeping an eye on in the future!

Congratulations @fromtheinside

 

 

Next up - Top Goaltender - Benoit Devereux Trophy!

[BOOM 8,759]

[fromtheinside 1,290]

Top Goaltender Award "Benoit Devereux Trophy"

 

When you build a team you usually build from the net out. A team is usually only as good as its starting goaltender. The Benoit Devereux trophy goes to the top netminder in the VHLM each season and this year, while there were a handful of great goalies, it was truly a three horse race the entire season.  

 

 

Our runner up is Michael Olson from the San Diego Marlins! He was the goto man for the Marlins this season and played admirably throughout the season. On nights where the San Diego defenders weren’t sharp, Olson was there to slam the door on opponents. He led all goaltenders with 51 wins and also posted 3 shutouts along the way. @MSO94  will be off to the Motherland next season where he will serve as a backup to Jacob Tonn in Moscow and perhaps have a shot at a Continental Cup in S76!

 

 

 

The winner of the Benoit Devereaux trophy in convincing fashion is none other than Markus Emerson Jr, goalkeeper for the Mexico City Kings! He posted a 47-12-5 record with a 2.49 GAA and a .902 save percentage with 5 shoutouts. Above all else, Emerson Jr was the biggest difference maker among all the goalies considered for this award. His ability to steal games when the Kings need him to was a huge part of what sets him apart from the field. Next season Emerson Jr will be off to Van City to start his pro career with the Wolves! 

Congratulations @Xflexz

 

 

 

Next up - Top Two Way Forward - Matt Bentz Trophy!

[fromtheinside 1,290]

Top Two-Way Forward Award "Matt Bentz Trophy"

 

While all the glory will go towards the Fertittas and Vericels of the world for their offensive dominance, a solid two-way forward often goes overlooked and underappreciated. While elite scorers can definitely leave their mark on a team, so can a solid forward who takes pride in excelling in their defensive game too.  It is often said the best offense is a good defense, and the Matt Bentz Trophy is awarded to the player that best exemplifies just that. This was a close vote so let’s take a look at our runner-up first.  

 

 

Theodore James St. Louis certainly had a year to remember. He hit the century mark for points, coming in at 101 (47G,54A) and despite playing on a Halifax team that was mediocre at best on most nights, he still managed to post a +31 rating which is nothing short of incredible. He also wasn’t afraid to sacrifice the body, making 195 hits and even blocking 25 shots. @Nick Kirkpatrick is just under the TPE cap to go pro, so it is unknown at this time if he will stay in Halifax for S76 or graduate to Prague. Either way, he is a lethal 2-way forward that will be an asset wherever he ends up!

 

 

Now for our winner… coming off back to back Founder’s Cup wins, the Matt Bentz Trophy goes to Addison McLaren of the Philadelphia Reapers. McLaren was undoubtedly the full package this season. He contributed 93 points (42G, 51A) and finished a +34 by the end of the regular season. While flexing his offensive flair, he also was a nightmare for the opposition, laying down 265 hits (5th in the league) and accumulated 128 PIMS (4th in the league). There’s no doubt McLaren was in touch with his inner goon throughout the course of the season!  McLaren and the rest of the army of S75 first-gens will be off to Riga Reign training camp next week. McLaren will definitely be an exciting young player to watch next season and could make a push for Rookie of the Year in Season 76. 

Congratulations @tcookie

 

 

 

Next up - Regular Season  MVP - Mitch Higgins Trophy!

[fromtheinside 1,290]

Regular Season MVP Award "Mitch Higgins Trophy"

 

The Mitch Higgins Trophy is awarded to the most valuable player throughout the course of the VHLM regular season. There are a few factors that can determine what MVP means, but I feel the best way to determine the trophy is to ask yourself “What would this player’s team be like if the player wasn’t around for this season”? And I feel both the winner and the runner up perfectly exemplify just how essential they were to their respective teams in Season 75.

 

 

Our runner up led the league in points this season and was truly what drove the offense for the Saskatoon Wild this season. Of course, I’m speaking of none other than Florent Vericel. With Florent’s 114 points this season, he was involved in a whopping 42.22% of Saskatoons offense this season. Unfortunately Vericel decided to call it quits after the Wild’s playoff exit this season so we will never get to see his offensive skill set get put to use in the pros. Best of luck @dart!

 

 

Although it is hard to follow up a performance like Vericels, the winner of the Mitch Higgins Trophy goes to Dolant Fertitta of the Halifax 21st! The season 75 VHL goal leader had his hand in 45.83% of his team’s offense this season which is just under half of the total offense! Fertitta was simply on another level all season and he single-handedly willed his team into the 8th seed of the playoffs. There is no doubt in my mind that Halifax would’ve been on the outside looking in if not for the gargantuan effort from this man. Like McLaren, Fertitta will be off to Riga next season to join the Draft Class of S75 Superteam! 

Congrats @Dolant

 

 

Up Next - Playoff MVP - Skylar Rift Trophy!

[fromtheinside 1,290]

Playoff MVP Award "Skylar Rift Trophy"

 

The Skylar Rift Trophy is awarded to the VHLM Playoffs MVP. The award goes to someone who exemplifies an outstanding effort in the postseason, someone who elevates their game to another level to help their team. There were some great choices for this one, but one person clearly stood out amongst the pack.

 

 

Our runner up really proved his worth after coming over to the Philadelphia Reapers in the first big pre- trade deadline deal in Season 75. Gustav Hjalmarsson managed terrific production in the postseason, potting 6 goals and 10 assists for 16 points in 15 games. Those are terrific numbers for a defenseman. @McLovin will be taking his talents to Helsinki as he looks to start his pro career the same way he ended his minor league one! Best of luck!

 

 

And now the Playoff MVP…. in a landslide this one went to Jacob Carson, goalkeeper for the Philadelphia Reapers! In 15 games the netminder posted a 12-1-2 record en route to his first Founder’s Cup Trophy. He was rock solid but what impressed me the most was how he elevated his game come playoffs. If you look back and compare his numbers to the regular season you will see Carson improved his save percentage from an .897% to a .921%. His GAA went from 2.71 in the regular season to 2.40 in the playoffs. And to boot he managed 2 shutouts in the postseason, an all around terrific effort. @jacobcarson877 will be headed to Warsaw next season to serve as backup under another fantastic goalie, Ajay Krishna. Best of luck Jacob!

 

 

 

Lastly - Top Executive  - Jack Reilly Trophy!

[thadthrasher 1,692]

7 minutes ago, fromtheinside said:

Congratulations @fromtheinside

[fromtheinside 1,290]

Top Executive Award "Jack Reilly Trophy"

 

Any VHLM team that has an ounce of playoff aspirations will have to start off by having a fantastic Dispersal Draft. The Reapers were certainly no exception to this as they put on a masterclass on how to draft efficiently and effectively. Sure, they were loaded up with a lot of picks, but they never missed on any of those picks. Drafting main core players like Jolly Greene Giant, Robert Bouchard, Addison McLaren, Tom Eagles, and others really put Philadelphia in a position to win right from the jump. Then when it came time to add a missing piece come the trade deadline, Philly management beat everyone to the punch by acquiring defensemen Gustav Hjalmarsson. Having the insight to be the first team to pull the trigger on a deal really shows the prowess of the Reapers’ management staff.

 

Before announcing the winner, the runner-up for this year’s award goes to @InstantRockstar. This was a tight vote and IR narrowly missed out on winning one last award in the VHLM before riding off into the sunset for greener pastures. We would like to take this opportunity to wish IR all the best in his future endeavors in the league, and thank him for all his contributions to the San Diego Marlins over the past 10 seasons! Thanks IR!

 

 

Now, to announce our winner. It is none other than the GM of the Philadelphia Reapers @DMaximus! Congratulations on an amazing season and becoming the Executive of the Year for Season 75!

[fromtheinside 1,290]

That wraps up this season’s VHLM Awards. It was a great year, congratulations to all of our winners and runner-ups! This was truly an incredible season full of stacked talent across the board. Season 75 will go down as one of the deepest seasons ever in the M, and we hope we can have more seasons like this in the future! Thanks to our commissioners @diamond_ace  and @Acydburn overseeing the league and keeping things functional! Also a big thank you to the VHLM GMs who voted for all the awards. 

 

I have been your Host for the night, fromtheinside, VSN Writer for all things VHLM and more! Thank you for coming out and good luck to everyone in Season 76!!

Edited January 14, 2021 by fromtheinside

[thadthrasher 1,692]

@fromtheinside well done dude! 

[BOOM 8,759]

Congratulations on the best award @fromtheinside

[Hex Universe 253]

Great work!

[fromtheinside 1,290]

Just now, BOOM said:

Congratulations on the best award @fromtheinside

I did it for you dad!

[BOOM 8,759]

2 minutes ago, fromtheinside said:

I did it for you dad!

 

[Garsh 1,192]

32 minutes ago, fromtheinside said:

Congratulations @fromtheinside

 

[Zetterberg 863]

45 minutes ago, fromtheinside said:

Top Defenseman Award "Ryan Sullivan Trophy"

 

The Ryan Sullivan Trophy goes to the league’s top defenseman.  There’s a ton of criteria that can go into picking the winner of this trophy. A good defenseman can not only defend in his own zone, but also provide for his team offensively when needed also. This year’s recipient did just that. While being a rock solid defender all season, his elite vision and playmaking ability really came to the forefront this season as helped his club go on a franchise-record 13 game win streak! 

 

 

First our runner up, and coincidentally the teammate of the winner is none other than the new hired AGM of SDM, Cowboy Prout! Cowboy was taken first overall in the Season 75 Dispersal Draft and did not disappoint this season! He led his team in blocks and hits and even managed 91 points on the year! He made up half of the league’s best 1-2 punch on the blueline this season. Cowboy will be moving onto play for the New York Americans next season, all the best @Prout!

 

Now for the winner of the Ryan Sullivan Trophy… he was the teammate of the aforementioned runner-up, and he is none other than Scotty Kaberle. Kaberle’s intense development really helped boost him to new heights with San Diego this past season. The Marlins traded up to get him and although they couldn’t knock off the Reapers, IR definitely had to be happy with his return. Kaberle will be off to join the Toronto Legion next season with a very promising young club. They will definitely be worth keeping an eye on in the future!

Congratulations @fromtheinside

 

 

Next up - Top Goaltender - Benoit Devereux Trophy!

[Ricer13 2,796]

Amazing job @fromtheinside

 

congrats to all the winners!!!!

 

@tcookiecontinues to win hardware. Congrats buddy

[mattyIceman 1,214]

Sweet!  Congrats to all the winners! Hope to see you in the big leagues!

[Doomsday 4,130]

VHLM

 

IT'S LIT  

[DMaximus 1,046]

3 hours ago, fromtheinside said:

Now, to announce our winner. It is none other than the GM of the Philadelphia Reapers @DMaximus! Congratulations on an amazing season and becoming the Executive of the Year for Season 75!

 

Thank you to everyone who voted for me. This award and the success of the Reapers would not have been possible without the assistance of my AGMs, @Spence King and @dariusmarimotoman , the OG Reaper herself @BladeMaiden, and of course the amazing players who made this team so special.  To my man @InstantRockstar, you will always be remembered as an all time great VHLM GM, regardless of this award. Thank you all!

[InstantRockstar 1,243]

6 minutes ago, DMaximus said:

 

Thank you to everyone who voted for me. This award and the success of the Reapers would not have been possible without the assistance of my AGMs, @Spence King and @dariusmarimotoman , the OG Reaper herself @BladeMaiden, and of course the amazing players who made this team so special.  To my man @InstantRockstar, you will always be remembered as an all time great VHLM GM, regardless of this award. Thank you all!

well deserved man, voted for ya for a reason, hell of a season, well deserved 'ship. Congrats

[Mr_Hatter 1,608]

I've done these awards for I think 5 seasons in a row now, maybe more, and so its weird sitting on the sidelines. But that just goes to show change can be a good thing; fantastic work my friend @fromtheinside. 

 

Congratulations to all the winners! Well deserved, and I wish you the best of luck in your careers moving forward!

[a_Ferk 766]

On 1/14/2021 at 5:22 PM, Zetterberg said:

I was going to post that if someone didn't beat me to it 

[MSO94 70]

Wow !!  Not a bad way to end my Minor league career.

 

Good luck to all my San Diego teammates who will continue to honor the team and history