One last shout out to ex-Riga players.

[hedgehog337 3,483]

 

 

Last week, I was covering our S75 season and gave a shoutouts to every Riga draftee. Now let's talk a bit more about players who were a part of Riga last season, but will either start this season in a different team or just going to remain unclaimed. Not including players who retired following last season.

 

LW - Shush Nyko (S71-75) @SDCore

 

Somewhat an end of an era. He was the only player remaining from the championhip winning S72 team. I remember back in the S69 I was contemplating between Spyro and SD and after some discussions with Nyko we decided to choose the latter. He turned into a solid second line forward at his prime, including a 51 point season in S73. He was also a decent at updating. Unfortunately his activity declined between S72 and S73 as he took a commish job in SHL and he's also in PBE I believe. As the result of this, he suffered a harsh decline in S74, but was kept for one last ride in S75. 41 points is actually a fine stat considering that Riga wasn't even a contender team. Anyways, the lotto tournament was the last time when we saw this player in action. I'm very sure that nobody will claim him from the FA pool. Goodbye Shush, you were a nice player for us and you can have that S72 championship.

 

RW - Jeff Odinson (S75-75) @GoldGear88

 

For his two seasons he was a Vanouver's prospect. When he was already imagining himself in the Wolves jersey it came apprent that this team has no roster space for him at all. Luckily for him, the solution came even before he stepped on the big leagues ice. He was a part of a pretty big deal between Riga and Vancouver and since we were not contending he found himself being as one of prime power forwards for our team. He didn't score lots of points, but he did what he was supposed to do best. 246 hits, 6 or 7 fights. He was somewhat a rookie version of Phil Marleau which is not necessarily bad. The member behind this player was also updating a steady pace and even was popping in our discord at times. It was sad to realize that we simply won't have a roster space for him this season, but it looks like LA is ready to give him an opportunity to continue his career. If this is the case, we wish him very best in the Stars.

 

C - Alek Andreshnikov (S75-75) @PuckPushers

 

Like Odinson, he found himself in a position where he was just not needed for his original team. He was even ready to retire his player (because he couldn't play in VHLM anymore), but I managed to keep him in this league by signing a contract and putting him a 1C position. I'd like to say that he was a good player for us. He spent the most minutes on ice of all VHL players and he repayed us with 59 points. Nice rookie season for a player who perhaps wasn't even supposed to wear any VHL team's uniform at all. He had another similarity with Odinson - we had no roster space for him in this season so we had to let him go. Ironically, DC decided that they need some forward depth and brought him back where he started from. I'm glad I could get him at least two season of the big league action.

 

LW - Michael Hall (S75-75) @Hops

 

Player who was moved around more than former three players combined. At first he was Davos' prospect, but was moved to Moscow in same season as the part of Victor's retooling plan. He was a bit inconsistent at updating so when the time came he found himself unneeded for Moscow. I guess you know what happened next. After signing him for one season I put him at the third line. I thought he was still going to get decent minutes, but STHS decided that 5-6 minutes per game will be enough for him. What a shame. In lotto tourney he was moved into the second line to see what he actually can do. It resulted in 3 goals in 10 games which was...an ok result I guess. Our team was just cruising through the lotto tournament without any ambitions and it seems like it affeted Hall at all. At the end of the season he was let go because...you know the drill. Looks like he will remain as FA although his build has some minor potential (90 scoring). Here's to hope he could find a place in any VHL team.

 

RW - Gino DiGiannantonio (S75-75) @pennypenny

 

At the S72 draft he was considered as the promising draftee. Penny was an active discord user although with some problems with his attitude. Anyways, it was going pretty well for him and Vanouver...until he was banned again and this time it was indefinitely. Pretty much immediately after that his TPE earning pace drastically slowed down and shortly after he went inactive. I assume the his rough mental state made him to leave this league and as of this moment he remains inactive. As for him being part of our team - he was claimed by us from inactive free agency. At that moment we didn't even have full two lines so that claim made sense. And then I brought another forward, another forward, another forward etc. It resulted in Gino not even receiving max minutes despite being one of the highest TPE forwards in our team. Anyways, he did fine with scoring 35 points. As you would imagine already he was let go from our team due to obvious reasons and as of this moment he remains unclaimed. Well, I guess RIP Gino's career. Wondering if Penny will ever considre to come back to VHL.

 

LW - Joe Kelly (S75-75) @emidas

 

I had some big hits in the S75 draft, but also some of them never panned out the way I wanted. Case in point: Joe Kelly. He was picked 12th OV after I realized I missed a chance on Scotty Kaberle. I was hoping that this time Emidas will give VHL a chance and make a good forward. Well, RIP. Shortly after the season started he stopped earning any TPE which worried me a lot. He still had that privelege of an auto-12 so there was still a hope, but by the end of the season I realized that he won't have any chances in Riga as he would just be buried by way more younger S74/75 talents coming up from minors. There was some positives from Kelly as well. His second half of the season was pretty swell and he ended up with 51 points although he started off very meh. I believe he had like 3 points in 20 games or something. Anyways, there was no chance that he would have any roster spot in Riga and I managed to trade him to DC. I believe they were hoping that he would come back and become a decent depth forward, but the news is that Emidas is done with VHL altogether and may retire his player at some point. What a shame.

 

 

So here it is, 6 players who were a part of Riga Reign last season who never found a place in the first gen filled S76 team. Some of them like Odinson, Andreshnikov and Kelly found new teams to play for and I'm happy to see that. Shush Nyko is just too old and regressed to spend his farewell season anywhere. Whereas Hall and Gino appeared to be the victim of ever growing league. I imagine they would actually be an decent depth piece for a contending team in S50's. But we're in S70's now so it doesn't matter anymore.

 

For reaching 1500 words I need to make more shoutouts so I'll mention players who decided to spend their last career season in our team:

 

D - Andrej Petrovic @Tyler

D - Jacob Perry @Liberty_Cabbage

LW - Ben McGirr @cartoes

 

I'm glad that Liberty found another spark in him to make a recreate. Perry's last season was really nice and he actually ended up as one of the best VHL defensemans. Sure, it's easier to get stats in a non contender, but how many times we do see some regressed lower TPE players ending up with good numbers? I'm also glad I could provide Prague's second line legend McGirr a roster spot for his last season instead of rotting in FA till his career is over. And it was nice to see Tyler in Riga again. Maybe someday he will recreate again, but for now Riga will remain as his last team.

 

Well, this was the article about ex-Riga players. Congratulations on their careers or good luck in the new team!

 

That's it and I'm out.

 

11/01 - 17/01

18/01 - 24/01

25/01 - 31/01

[Liberty_Cabbage 81]

Forever happy I ended up signing here for my last season with perry!

[diamond_ace 3,112]

Super happy you could provide a spot for @Liberty_Cabbage and @cartoes given the cap trouble I was in last season. Great guys, big pieces of Prague lore, just didn't manage to fit them in financially (sac'd my own player as well to make it work, so unfortunately it really was just cap). Good to see them wind down their careers with Riga

[hedgehog337 3,483]

third week claim

[Gooningitup 1,290]

I mean does anyone really care about Riga jokes aside. Things like this are why youve been a solid and good GM for a very long time. 

Could use some pictures but overall solid

 

8/10