The Top 75 VHL Players (S75): #50-26

[animal74 1,606]

 

Welcome to the second segment of VSN’s Special Presentation, the Top 75 VHL Players for S75 (#50-26)! If you missed the first segment of the players ranked #75-51, you can view it here. You will find many more familiar names as we approach the Top 25 but perhaps some have been forgotten through the fog of time. We at VSN hope you enjoy looking back at some of the stars that helped make the VHL what it is today - a thriving league 75-seasons young! 

 

Once again, I’d like to acknowledge the tireless contributions by the following people:

 

Panelists:
@Advantage - S17-Present. BOG, Correspondent for Board of Governors, VSN Contributor
@animal74 - S5-S12, S67-Present. VSN History writer
@Doomsday - S32-S45, S69-Present. VSN History Writer, Saskatoon Wild GM, BOG
@Patrik Tallinder - S68-Present. Calgary AGM, VSN Contributor
@tcookie - S74-Present. VSN writer
@Victor - S10-Present. Moscow GM, Financier, Keeper of Trivia and HOF

 

Writers:
@Advantage, @animal74, @Doomsday, @fromtheinside, @McWolf, @PatrikLaine, @tcookie

 

Graphics:
@Zetterberg

 

Editors:
@Mr_Hatter, @animal74

 

Without further ado, we pick up again at #50:
 

HC Davos Dynamo defenseman Tomas Jenskovic comes in at #31

 

#50 - Rhett DeGrath, G, S52-S59, (STO, DAV, NYA) @STZ
GP 494 | W 302 | L 153 | OTL 37 | SV% 0.925 | GAA 2.03 | SO 86
Cup: None

 

Despite his quick rise to prominence, Rhett DeGrath holds an unfortunate distinction as one of the best VHL goalies to never win a Continental Cup. After being selected second overall by the rebuilding Stockholm Vikings, DeGrath needed just three seasons to cement himself as elite, breaking out with a 58-4-2 record, a .933 save percentage, 1.33 GAA and 16 shutouts in Season 54, earning him an Aidan Shaw Trophy. He repeated the feat in Season 55, with an absurd .941 save percentage and 1.25 GAA, also earning him the Scotty Campbell and Brett Slobodzian Trophies. Playoff success, however, continued to elude him throughout his career, including stops in Davos and New York. In Season 59, DeGrath's last, a 45-13-3 record, .930 save percentage and 1.89 GAA propelled New York to the playoffs, along with the Greg Clegane Trophy for the lowest GAA and a third Aidan Shaw Trophy as top goaltender in the VHL. But despite a .932 save percentage, DeGrath and the Americans were ousted in their first series. Although he never achieved post-season success, Rhett DeGrath's greatness is undeniable, and he checks in at #50 on our list.

@Doomsday

 

 

#49 - Apollo Skye, G, S51-S58, (DAV, QUE) @Velevra
GP 517 | W 275 | L 192 | OTL 48 | SV% 0.927 | GAA 2.14 | SO 83
Cup: S56 Quebec

 

This netminder from small town Bellingham, Washington  burst onto the scene in Season 51 after being taken by HC Davos first overall in the VHL Entry Draft. He immediately began proving his worth, capturing the Christian Stolzschweiger trophy in his inaugural campaign. Despite his strong play, he was shipped off to the Quebec Meute for the start of Season 53 and that’s when Skye’s career really took off. In his first year with the Meute he captured his first Scotty Campbell trophy as the league’s MVP, largely thanks to his incredible 11 shutouts he had that season. Despite gaining no accolades in Season 54, Skye put up one of the most amazing seasons our league has ever seen, boasting a 52-8-4 record, with a 1.50 GAA, a .933 save percentage and a mind boggling 17 shutouts. The 17 shutouts is still good for 6th most in a season to this very day. It wouldn’t be until two seasons later in Season 56 when Skye finally captured his first and only Continental Cup. His dominance continued into the next season when he captured his 2nd league MVP and also took home an Aiden Shaw. Apollo Skye will go down as one of the league’s all-time elite goalies, proving that the Skye really was the limit!

@fromtheinside

 

 

#48 - Norris Stopko, G, S57-S64, (STO, CGY, TOR) @Bushito
GP 512 | W 269 | L 207 | OTL 32 | SV% 0.922 | GAA 2.41 | SO 49
Cups: S62 Calgary, S64 Toronto

 

Coming in at number 48 on our list is another legendary goaltender. Norris Stopko wore a few jerseys throughout his career, but he will be remembered by most as one of the best netminders the Calgary Wranglers would ever have, and that’s impressive considering who has been through that organization! Stopko broke into the league in Season 57 with the forgettable and lowly Stockholm Vikings. After the Vikings merged the next season with Calgary, Stopko’s VHL career finally started coming together nicely. Like the Wranglers, Stopko was a work in progress, but year after year you could see an undeniable sense of improvement from the young goalie. Season 61 was the year Stopko really broke out, and went from a good player to a great player. His sterling 49-14-1 record helped carry Calgary into the playoffs where they made a deep playoff run but came up just short. In the offseason Stopko collected a ton of hardware including trophies for Most Improved (Funk), Lowest GAA (Clegane), Top Goalie (Shaw), and Most Outstanding Player (Slobodzian). The bitter taste of Game 7 defeat in Season 61 stuck with him though and when Season 62 rolled around, he came hungry and ready to take the Wranglers the distance. The regular season saw him go 55-6-3 with a 1.83 GAA and a .928 save percentage, with 9 shutouts. Stopko was a man possessed and eventually the Wranglers would topple Quebec in an epic 7 game Finals. The following season almost saw Stopko go back to back, but his team came up just short; however, he did claim the Daisuke Kanou Trophy as the Playoffs MVP. Then Calgary decided to rebuild and shipped Alberta’s favourite son to Toronto for what would be his final season where Stopko showed he was only getting better with age. After qualifying for the playoffs, Stopko put up a postseason record of 10-2-0 with a rock solid .940 save percentage, a 2.51 GAA and one shutout, leading the Legion to a Continental Cup victory. His iconic performance in his last playoff run earned him a second Kanou trophy to add to his impressive trophy case. After grinding his way up through the ranks of the VHL, Norris Stopko showed hard work pays off and can take you to unprecedented new heights!

@fromtheinside

 

 

#47 - Xin Xie Xiao, LW, S36-S43, (NYA, COL) @tfong
GP 576 | G 360 | A 426 | PT 786 | +335 | HIT 2366 | GWG 71 
Cups: S39, S41 New York

 

Xin Xie Xiao may be the most under-the-radar player to ever become a Hall of Fame player. However, after eight seasons of being one of the league's best two-way players, it was a question of "when" he would become a Hall of Fame player, rather than "if". XXX was one of the main cogs on the New York dynasty team that won two Continental Cups in four seasons and won the Victory Cup a record four times over that span. What is interesting about XXX is that he mainly played on the second line, which was a tactic used by their management team to spread out an offense that also had the likes of Tom Slaughter and Odin Tordahl up front and Conner Low on the backend (all names you will find on this list). However, despite playing on that second line, XXX went on to win two Scott Boulet Trophies (awarded to the best two-way player). Finishing his career with 360 Goals, 786 Points and 2366 Hits, he was the major well-rounded talent that surrounded their more disciplined players (Tom Slaughter and Connor Evans) so well. The final cap on his career came after a trade that sent him from New York to Cologne. This gave Xin Xie Xiao the opportunity to play on the first line with one of the greatest players in VHL History in Thomas O'Malley.  XXX would not disappoint as he would go on to have a career high in points with 124 to go along with 50 goals and 292 hits, good enough for his second career Boulet Trophy.  While he never got the fanfare that some of the other New York Americans did, Xin Xie Xiao proved to be arguably the best second-line player in league history and also a bona-fide Top-75 player.

@Advantage

 

Tom Slaughter (#46) and Xin Xie Xiao (#47) won the S39 Cup with New York

 

#46 Tom Slaughter, F, S37-S44, (NYA, STO) @sterling
 576GP | 322G - 516A - 838P | +396 | SHT 3386 | GWG 54
Cup: S39 New York

 

After immediately debuting into the VHLM and winning 2 Founder’s Cups right from the get go, Tom Slaughter gained a reputation as a winner. The New York Americans saw Tom as a highly touted prospect and jumped at the chance of getting him when he slipped to  third overall in the S37 VHL Entry Draft. Slaughter hit the ground running in his rookie season showed to fans and management alike that his hype was real. His 76 point season and a very tidy +43 was good enough to earn him the Slotzschwinger for Top Rookie, but unfortunately the Americans fell just one point short from playoff contention that season. The next handful of seasons saw the Americans step out of rebuild mode and into the role of league powerhouse and this was largely thanks to a core of players led by Tom Slaughter. This stretch of winning saw Slaughter capture 4 straight All-Star nods and culminated in Season 39 when the Americans went the distance and finally captured themselves the Continental Cup. To go with his consistently high scoring year in and year out, Slaughter also showed off his hockey IQ by nabbing two back to back Most Sportsmanlike Trophies in Seasons 39 and 40 thanks to his efficient play and ability to stay out of the penalty box. The final two years of his career, Slaughter would be shipped off to Stockholm to play for the Vikings. While the Vikings didn’t capture any titles, Slaughter’s production didn’t dip at all as he posted back to back seasons with over 100 points (122 and 109 respectively), the first of which was good enough to give Tom his first and only Scotty Campbell trophy for League MVP in Season 43. While his trophy case may not be as stacked as others, Tom Slaughter will go down to be one of the best ever for not just being elite, but being consistently elite year after year.

@fromtheinside

 

 

#45 - Anton Brekker, C, S18-S25, (SEA, DAV) @DGFX.
GP 576 | G 349 | A 474 | PT 823 | +170 | HIT 1229 | GWG 55 
Cups: S20, S24, S25 Davos

 

The young phenom out of Sweden had huge expectations piled on him when he broke into the VHL in S18. In fact, he was dubbed the “Swedish Gretzky” by many. A lofty label to be sure - but Anton Brekker used it as motivation and dazzled the fans of Davos and the league for many years with one of the most consistently excellent and winning careers of the early VHL. After a solid rookie season with Seattle, Brekker was moved to Davos sparking one of the most successful eras in Dynamo history in which they would capture three Victory Cups (Best Record), play in five Continental Cup Finals and win three Cups in a span of seven seasons. Along with the legendary puck stopper Daisuke Kanou, Brekker was instrumental in the Dynamo’s success as he posted six consecutive 100-point seasons, earned the league MVP in S22 and served as captain for his last two seasons winning back-to-back Continental Cups. While much attention was rightfully shone on Kanou, Brekker, nonetheless, was equally as clutch in the playoffs. Although he was fifth in team playoff scoring on their S20 Cup run, he scored both Game 7 game-winning goals and led the team with three game-winners. When they lost in Game 7 in the first round to Helsinki 6-2 in S22, he scored both of Davos’s goals giving him four Game 7 goals. He would share the team lead for goals and game-winning goals in S24 and lead the team in points in S25. In fact, he is still tied for 6th all-time for playoff game-winning goals with 11. The Swedish Gretzky also won the Founder’s Cup with the S17 Ottawa Ice Dogs, captured three World Cup Gold medals with Team Sweden and would score 40+ goals seven of his eight VHL seasons. In essence, all Anton Brekker did was win and in spite of his lack of personal accolades, that’s how he would have wanted it.

@animal74

 

 

#44 Phil Hamilton, D, S45-S52, (HSK, COL, TOR) @Phil
GP 576 | G 156 | A 487 | P 643 | +353 | PIM 1028 | HIT 1674
Cups: S45, S46 Helsinki

 

There are a ton of high level defensemen in the VHL, but guys like Phil Hamilton only come around every once in a while, and quite simply Phil was built differently. Drafted by Helsinki first overall in the Season 45 VHL Entry Draft, Hamilton hit the ground running. The British Bruiser wasted no time laying waste to his opponents and he proved to be essential to Helsinki capturing back to back Continental Cups in Season 45 and 46. Phil proved to be everything you could want in a defensemen. His offensive numbers were respectable, but he also sacrificed his body game in and game out, leading his team in hits and blocked shots also. If you needed further proof of his excellence, Phil captured the now-defunct Grimm Jonsson Trophy (Top Leader) an unfathomable 6 out of 7 seasons in a row from Season 45 to Season 51. Phil also was named Top Defenseman in Season 47 and 49. Halfway through his career, Phil was traded to Cologne. While the Express never won any titles, Phil still thrived and even achieved his best offensive production in Season 51 posting 21 goals and 91 assists for a massive 112 points! Phil wrapped up his illustrious career in Season 52 with the Toronto Legion before retiring. Hamilton will go down in history as one of the league’s most complete defenseman and additionally one of it’s greatest leaders on and off the ice.

@fromtheinside

 

 

#43 - Tarik Saeijs, C, S19-S25 (RIG, HSK, TOR) @frescoelmo
GP 504 | G 349 | A 411 | PT 760 | +226 | HIT 712 | SH 3012 | FO 60.9%
Cups: None

 

Tarik Saeijs came into the league with a little less fanfare than most players you’ll find in the Hall of Fame - in fact he fell to the 2nd round in his first VHLM dispersal draft and was a late 1st round pick in the S18 VHL Entry Draft. It wouldn’t be long, however, before he made sure everyone knew his name. After an 82-point rookie season, Saeijs exploded for a 71-goal, 157-point sophomore campaign in Riga and captured Lemieux, Malone, and Slobodzian Trophies for his efforts, and he’d get his name on the Lemieux and Slobodzian Trophies again one more time before his career was done. Saeijs’ bread and butter was ability to put the puck in the net with a lethal shot; he loved to shoot, he loved to score, and he is one of few players with a 70-goal season to his credit (and he also has a 68-goal season later on). Saeijs is the VHL’s all-time leading scorer among players who didn’t play a full 8 seasons in the league. The only black mark on the career of the transcendent sniper is that he was unable to capture a Continental Cup, making the best go of it with Helsinki in S23 in a run where the Titans lost a seven-game series to Calgary in the finals.

@tcookie

 

 

#42 - Lord Karnage, LW/D, S42-S56, (STO, NYA) @boubabi
GP 576 | G 359 | A 448 | PT 807 | +278 | HT 2632 | SHT 3462 | GWG 77
Cup: None

 

Although he began his career as a Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy-winning defenseman, Lord Karnage instead blazed a path as one of, if not, the best power forwards the VHL has ever seen. From Season 44 to 47, there simply was no better two-way forward than Karnage, becoming just the second player to win four straight Scott Boulet Trophies, a feat that has not been replicated since. Despite the physical presence of his game, Karnage was an equally lethal and consistent offensive threat whenever he was on the ice. In six of his eight seasons, he scored 99 or more points, the exceptions being his rookie season as a defenseman and his final season in Season 49. Karnage also never scored less than 32 goals, which he did as a defenseman. However, despite being a pivotal piece of the Stockholm Vikings in the 40s, Karnage never got to lift the Continental Cup in spite of the success the team had. But in an era that boasted legends such as Thomas O'Malley and Bismarck Koenig, Lord Karnage didn't just succeed, he was right up there with the elite players of the VHL and takes his place among the top fifty best VHL players at #42.

@Doomsday

 

#41 - Jarvis Baldwin, LW, S26-S33, (SEA, VAS, CAL) @CoachReilly
GP 574 | G 397 | A 457 | PT 854 | +408 | HT 1446 | SHT 3521 | GWG 67
Cup: S28 Seattle

 

Jarvis Baldwin will never jump out as someone who won the most awards or has the greatest numbers of any two-way player in league history, but he still was a consistently special talent that made his impact on the league in a number of ways. To start, Baldwin kicked off his career by becoming a member of the Seattle Six who shocked the fabric of the VHL by winning a Continental Cup in S28, despite the horrible depth that the team had. The team was made up of six above-average to elite players who would come together against teams that had two full lines and pairings. Ultimately, Baldwin's first season was good but not spectacular.  However, from season two on Baldwin had at least 40 goals and 90 points, including two 60 goal seasons and three 110 point seasons.  Baldwin proved to be more than just a scorer too with three seasons where the two-way forward had at least 280 hits.  Baldwin's last season in the VHL is the reason he finds his way so high on this list though. Baldwin would join Calgary for his swan song and absolutely obliterate the VHL with 68 goals and 138 points on his way to a Scotty Campbell Trophy (League MVP), Brett Slobodzian Trophy (Most Outstanding Player), Mike Szatkowski Trophy (Most Points) and the Kevin Brooks Trophy (Most Goals). These would be Baldwin's only individual awards in his career, but with one of the best seasons in VHL history under his belt, his legacy became that much greater as one of the VHL's brightest elite stars from the late twenties and early thirties. 

@Advantage

 

#40 - Scott Boulet, LW, S1-S6, (CAL) @djscooter
GP 432 | G 349 | A 388 | PT 737 | +401 | HIT 772 | SHT 3059 | GWG 55
Cups: S2, S3 Calgary

 

As one of the VHL's premiere players during the first seasons, Scott Boulet's name is known by virtually all members of the league. Renowned for his defensive play, the Delvecchio Trophy was renamed to the Scott Boulet Trophy, awarded to the best two-way forward in the VHL, a feat Boulet himself accomplished in four of his six seasons. Although his hit totals pale in comparison to modern physical forwards, his offensive numbers frequently put today's best to shame. As a key piece to the dominant Calgary Wranglers with Brett Slobodzian, winning back-to-back Continental Cups in Seasons Two and Three, Boulet was always a dominant force, regardless of what role was needed from him. He never finished a season with less than 100 points, additionally never scoring less than 53 goals. Had he played a full eight seasons, there's no telling what kind of career numbers he would have put up, especially considering that Boulet's last season was his best. With 65 goals and 74 assists for 139 points, along with 134 hits and 50 blocked shots, Boulet not only won his fourth Delvecchio Trophy, but the Gretzky (now the Scotty Campbell) Trophy as the VHL MVP. Simply put, Scott Boulet is a VHL legend, and rounds out the Top 40 on our list.

@Doomsday

 

#39 Black Velvet, D/C, S48-S55, (TOR, CGY, HSK) @Higgins
GP 576 | G 196 | A 505 | P 701 | +477 | HIT 1379 | GWG 47 
Cups: S48, S49, S50, Toronto, S54, S55 Helsinki

 

Black Velvet’s draft changed the fortunes of the Toronto Legion in one night. The blue and white had been rather consistently inept for quite some time before winning the draft lottery in S48. The Legion would really hit the jackpot with this pick as Black Velvet would become the new franchise defenseman for the team and one that changed the fortunes of the team instantly. Velvet would make an immediate impact joining other young players like Max Molholt and Francis York Morgan and setting the Legion on the right path.  In fact, the Legion would win the Continental Cup that year...and then again the next year...and then the year after that too. After just three seasons in the VHL, Black Velvet was already a three-time Continental Cup champion. Velvet wasn't just a bystander either, recording 33 points, 69 hits and 65 blocked shots over those 40 games including a Playoff MVP performance in S50. In a bit of a shocking move, Velvet would go to Calgary for his next couple of seasons and then finish his career with three in Helsinki.  Over those five seasons, Velvet would win two more Continental Cups (in S54 and S55), two Sterling Labatte Trophies (Top Defenseman) and even led the league in assists back in S51. He had the kind of career we all wish to have with more Continental Cups than a lot of members have, and some incredible offensive numbers that booked him a spot in the VHL Hall of Fame.

@Advantage

 

 

#38 - Jochen Walser, D, S5-S11, (VAS, TOR, DAV) @marshall_222
GP 503 | G 192 | A 425 | PT 617 | +241 | PIM 1626 | SB 1170 | HIT 736 
Cups: S9 Toronto, S11 Davos

 

Jochen Walser was considered a star as soon as he entered the VHL and his shine steadily grew brighter throughout his seven-year career. The big German was selected 1st overall in the S5 Draft by Vasteras and did not disappoint scoring almost a point-per-game in his rookie season with 70 points and finished third in the league in blocked shots. This promising performance earned him the Rookie of the Year honors (Bossy Trophy then). His sophomore season overall saw a dip in production and a trade to Toronto although he did lead the league in hits. The next two seasons saw Walser emerge as one of the top blueliners in the league with seasons of 80 and 81 points, and his first two trips to the playoffs and two selections to the All-Star team. During the next three seasons, Walser cemented himself as one of the premier defensemen in VHL history - still to this day. He would score totals of 99, 122, and 109 points including an astounding 106 goals! His 46 goals in S10 stood as the VHL record for a defenseman until S31 and is still tied with another player on this list (Alexander Valiq) for the third-highest single-season goal total by a defenseman; not to mention his 122 points remains one of the top-10 highest point totals ever by a defenseman. The accolades would follow as they should. In S9, Walser led Toronto in playoff scoring en route to the first ever Cup for the Legion franchise and of his career. His all-around brilliance in the playoffs that year earned him the second Howe Trophy (Playoff MVP) to be awarded to a defenseman and to this day is one of only eight defensemen in league history to win the award. He also became the first defenseman in the league to win three consecutive Orr Trophies (Best Defenseman) and also won a S9 Messier Trophy (Best Leader) and S10 World Cup Silver Medal with Team Germany. With such a packed trophy case and eye-popping stats, it’s no wonder Jochen Walser is ranked as one of the best players in the VHL’s storied history.

@animal74

 

Calgary's Scott Boulet (#40) and Vasteras' Jochen Walser (#38)

 

#37 Alexander Valiq, D, S30-S37 (RIG, QUE) @Koradek
GP 576 | G 300 | A 398 | PT 698 | +146 | SH 3113 | HT 965 | GWG 44
Cup: S35 Quebec

 

Valiq was an extremely unique player for a couple of reasons: one, he was a whopping 6-foot-11 and 230 pounds; two, he was a legitimate goal scorer from the blueline, incredibly reaching 300 career goals (no other full-time defenseman in VHL history has scored more than 220). Valiq was a very good all-around blueliner, but it’s that goal scoring side that will be his VHL legacy. He scored 59 goals in S31 and 56 in S32 - numbers that are absolutely absurd for a defenseman and will likely never be reached again - and also had one other 40-goal season. He has two 100-point seasons and five total PPG seasons to his credit. Though he played in an era with very stiff competition and doesn’t have a lot of individual hardware to his credit, he may have one better - since his retirement, the league has created an award in his name, giving out the Valiq Trophy to the best offensive defenseman in the league. Valiq is arguably the best offensive defenseman and unquestionably the best goal scoring defenseman in the history of the VHL, and he lands at #37 on our list.

@tcookie

 

 

#36 - Alexander Labatte, G, S28-S35 (TOR, RIG, NYA, CGY) @sterling
GP 515 | W 335 | L 130 | OTL 50 | SV% 0.924 | GAA 2.03 | SO 69
Cup: S29 Toronto

 

Alexander Labatte made a quick transition from S28 2nd overall pick to elite starting goaltender, stepping into the league on a rebuilding team and still managing to pick up 27 wins and 9 shutouts with an 0.921 SV%. That earned him the Stolzschweiger Trophy and set the stage for a consistent, incredible VHL career. He backstopped the Toronto Legion to a Continental Cup in S29 and would go on to become the first goalie to win back-to-back-to-back Aidan Shaw Trophies since Shaw himself did it. 42 seasons later and to this date, Labatte and Shaw are still the only two who’ve accomplished the feat. Even though you might not guess it from the fact that he only won one title, Labatte was an imposing presence between the pipes in the postseason, too: he finished his career with a 37-24-8 playoff record and 0.924 SV%. In four unsuccessful trips to the Continental Cup finals, Labatte posted a 0.927 SV% or better in three of them and twice saw his team get agonizingly close to championship glory before dropping a Game 7.

@tcookie

 

 

#35 - David Smalling, LW, S27-S34, (DAV, NYA) @Knight
GP 576 | G 353 | A 404 | PT 757 | +328 | HT 2692 | SHT 3505 | GWG 50
Cup: S31 Davos

 

As one of the most physical players, let alone forwards, to ever grace the VHL, HC Davos Dynamo legend David Smalling making this list is hardly a surprise. Wasting no time in asserting himself as a rookie with 423 hits, shattering the single season record for hits held by Leeroy Jenkins, along with 85 points and the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy, Smalling immediately became one of the most-feared players in the league. His second season brought him the first of a VHL record five Scott Boulet Trophy wins, a record that still stands today. Season 31, however, saw David Smalling transcended greatness with a 113 point, 333 hit season, with his physical play leading Davos to a Continental Cup victory. For his efforts, he won his second Scott Boulet Trophy, along with the Grimm Jonsson Trophy in recognition of his leadership. Smalling would win the Scott Boulet Trophy each of his final four seasons, along with finishing above 100 points and 300 hits in each season except for his last with the New York Americans, when he had 95. David Smalling was an elite talent who can lay claim to being one of the best players in its history as a top two-way forward, a top leader on and off the ice, and the worst nightmare of many players of his era.

@Doomsday

 

 

#34 - Podrick Cast, C, S61-S68 (RIG, MOS) @Victor
GP 576 | G 379 | A 467 | PT 846 | +289 | HT 487 | SB 222
Cup: S63 Riga

 

Cast’s career may have often been overshadowed by fellow S61 draft prospect Matt Thompson, but he was a phenomenal player in his own right. Cast was a wizard with the puck and possessed amazing hockey IQ and after a 97-point rookie season, he put up one of the highest scoring seasons in the history of the VHL when he had 79 goals and 95 assists for a total of 174 points in S72, winning him his first Scotty Campbell Trophy. While that season was an anomaly in terms of league-wide scoring, Cast remained a steady 100-point player throughout his career, hitting that benchmark 3 times in the next five years, and he became a 2-time MVP when he won another Campbell Trophy in S64.Cast didn’t possess any physicality to his game and he struggled during the playoffs at times (he only finished with 8 career playoff goals and 32 points in 35 games), which may hold his legacy back a little, but he was certainly one of the best offensive players in the league’s history, and for the entirety of his 8-season career he was one of the league’s elite scorers. He found himself out of the league’s top-10 in scoring only twice in his career, and even then, finished 11th and 19th in league scoring during those seasons.

@tcookie

 

Riga Reign teammates Kallis Kriketers (#33) and Podrick Cast (#34)

 

 

#33 - Kallis Kriketers, G, S63-S70 (RIG, DCD) @hedgehog337
GP 528 | W 324 | L 133 | OTL 37 | SV% 0.920 | GAA 2.23 | SO 65
Cup: S63 Riga

 

Kallis Kriketers had the type of career that almost seems scripted, a perfect story - the Latvian-born netminder finding his way onto his hometown team and backstopping them out of a rebuild - to a Continental Cup in S63 and also to the beginning of a record-setting VHL playoff streak that only ended in S75. Kriketers jumped into the league at a perfect time as the Reign were building a roster that was ready to contend, and he was just the piece they needed. His legacy is that of one of eight three-time Aidan Shaw Trophy winners in league history, the only four-time Clegane Trophy winner, and three All-VHL First Team selections. He was a proven winner - only twice in an eight-year career did he lose more than 20 games in regulation, while he had four 40-win seasons and two more that fell just short at 39. In a time where goalies had mostly stopped putting up 0.930 SV% seasons, Kriketers authored one of the all-time great seasons by a VHL keeper in S69 when he went 45-17-2 with an 0.931 SV%, 1.66 GAA, and 11 shutouts. He was one of those goalies who could carry a heavy workload and who you knew was going to give you a chance to win every single time, even if his team wasn’t playing their A-game.

@tcookie

 

#32 - Volodymyr Rybak, LW, S28-S35 (CGY) @Rybak_49
GP 576 | G 398 | A 443 | PT 841 | +369 | HT 1075 | SB 292 | SH 3821
Cup: S30 Calgary

 

One of the rare elite-level players who spend their entire career with one franchise, Rybak was a dazzling offensive presence, a talented sniper who also opened up plenty of ice for his teammates and put up some truly incredible numbers once he got over some early-career jitters. In a 66-goal, 147-point breakout season in S31, Rybak captured Campbell, Szatkowski, and Brooks Trophies. That season was a turning point for Rybak, after which he put up an incredible 283 goals and 661 points, with a run of five-straight seasons of 50+ goals and 120+ points, over the final five seasons of his career. That almost unheard-of offensive production earned him five straight top-4 finishes in the league’s scoring races, including three top-2 finishes. He wound up just shy of the 400-goal club (which today still only has 7 members) and is currently the 8th-leading scorer of all-time. And while Rybak only managed to capture the VHL’s ultimate prize once in his career, his playoff performance is impressive too: he managed to hit the century mark with 100 career playoff points.

@tcookie

 

#31 - Tomas Jenskovic, D, S10-S15, (AVN/DAV) @scotty
GP 432 | G 132 | A 383 | PT 515 | +255 | SB 949 | HIT 835 
Cups: S11, S13 Davos

 

Avangard selected the Swiss rearguard with the 1st overall pick in S10 thinking they had selected their defenseman of the future. While that notion wasn’t necessarily incorrect, the player and franchise’s short road together reached the highest of peaks but was sandwiched by flux. An underwhelming rookie campaign coupled with a move to Davos in the off-season and the acquisition of HOFer Jochen Walser rocketed the renamed Dynamo to new heights and helped propel Jenskovic into stardom. S11 would see Walser and Jenskovic - the past and the future - lead Davos to the league’s best record and the franchise’s second Continental Cup. Jenskovic scored 84 points that season and earned the first of five consecutive European Conference All-Star selections. He saw his play improve even more in S12 in spite of Walser’s retirement and the team missing the playoffs, winning both the Mikita Trophy (Most Assists) and Labatte Trophy (Best Defenseman). After improving with 106 points in the S13 regular season, Jenskovic would again win the Labatte Trophy and help the Dynamo survive two seven-game series to win their second Continental Cup in three years with the Swiss maestro garnering MVP honors and the Howe Trophy for his 19 points and stellar defensive play. And then as if to prove there was nothing he couldn’t do, in S14 he led the league in assists for a second time and also in points with 112 (the only defenseman to lead the league in points until Condor Adrienne in S72)! In addition to the Mikita and Lemieux Trophies, he also was voted as the league’s MVP by the league (Campbell Trophy) and his peers (Slobodzian Trophy) and joined his mentor Walser as the only thrice-consecutive winners of the Labatte Trophy. Unfortunately, his banner season did not result in a third Cup and with Davos in flux again, S15 would be Jeskovic’s last and most disappointing, scoring a paltry 71 points and missing the playoffs. His previous historic seasons though, were more than enough to cement his place as one of the best players the league has ever seen.

@animal74

 

 

#30 - Mikka Virkkunen, LW, S14-21 (CGY, RIG) @Matt
GP 576 | G 382 | A 499 | PT 881 | +247 | SH 3575 | GWG 49
Cups: S18, S19 Calgary

 

Mikka Virkkunen is a name that most current members sadly probably are not familiar with. Virkkunen was one of the best offensive players in league history, and if not for some of the competition he went against, he would probably go down as a top 20 player of all-time. Why do I say that? Well, Virkkunen was such a special talent that he was fifth all-time in goals, assists and points at the time of his retirement. Virkkunen would go on to help the Calgary Wranglers win back-to-back Continental Cups in S18 and S19. While he may not have been the MVP in either of those runs, his consistent elite offensive play saw him record ten goals and twenty-four points over those two campaigns. The steady presence the team could rely on, Virkkunen will be a celebrated name until the end of time in Calgary, Alberta. He was a seven-time All-star, a three-time winner of the Ron Francis Trophy (for most sportsmanlike) and a one-time winner of the Scotty Campbell Trophy (League MVP), Brett Slobodzian Trophy (Most Outstanding), Mario Lemieux Trophy (Most Points) and Joe Malone Trophy (Most Goals). His impact on the league would be felt for years to come as a VHL Hall of Fame player and also having the Ron Francis Trophy renamed to honour his legacy. He remains 10th all-time in points (881) and 13th with 89 power play goals. Now, Virkkunen will join seventy-four others in the honour of being some of the greatest to play on VHL ice.

@Advantage

 

 

#29 - Zach Parechkin, LW, S46-S53 (TOR, SEA) @DollarAndADream
GP 576 | G 378 | A 409 | PT 787 | +334 | HT 2769 | SH 3766 | GWG 82
Cups: S48, S49, S50 Toronto

 

One of the very best two-way forwards the VHL has ever seen, Parechkin was a gritty leader and talented scorer with a knack for showing up in the clutch. He did not necessarily reach the incredible heights offensively of some others on this list, though he did have two 100+ point campaigns including 131 in S51 and never had a season with less than 79 points, so he certainly knew his way around the offensive zone. Parechkin complimented that with a nasty physical element to his game that saw him average 346 hits/season (he had 350+ hits in each of his last five years) and elite two-way play that saw him take home a pair of Boulet Trophies. He scored a remarkable 82 game-winning goals (third all-time) in eight seasons and added another 11 in the playoffs. He was the kind of player who was built for the playoffs, and it was apparent when the Toronto Legion became the first team to win 3 Continental Cups in a row, with Parechkin a centrepiece for it all, even taking home the Kanou Trophy as Playoff MVP in S49.

@tcookie

 

#28 Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen, D, S65-S72, (DAV, MOS, CGY) @flyersfan1453
GP 576 | G 119 | A 414 | P 533 | +153 | HIT 1471 | PIM 1021 | SB 1032 
Cup: S70 Moscow

 

Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen is a mouthful to say the least. However, it is safe to say that he let his play do all of the talking. Smitty was the leading figure in the era of elite defenders that now includes Condor Adrienne, Joseph McWolf, Lincoln Tate and Hulk Hogan. A big defenseman with a booming shot and stalwart defensive play, Smitty would be a solid and consistent defenseman for his first four seasons. However, in the next four, he was one of the greatest defenseman in VHL history. This four year period included three Sterling Labatte Trophies (Top Defenseman), two Alexander Valiq Trophies (Best Offensive Defenseman), one Jake Wylde Trophy (Top Defensive Defenseman), one Brett Slobodzian Trophy (Most Outstanding) and one Alexander Beketov Trophy (Most Assists). It is simply one of the greatest four year runs by a defenseman in VHL History. He even had a Continental Cup winning playoff run in S70 that saw him post 21 points, 34 hits and 18 blocked shots on route to the championship. While compared to many defenders of the earlier era, it may appear that Smitty is far inferior. However, this new reality is just the incredible depth of our new league showing its ugly head on these talented players statistics. Smitty will live on as the greatest defenseman of his generation, before finally passing it off to Condor Adrienne.

@Advantage

 

#27 - Lars Berger, C, S17-S24, (CGY, TOR, VAS) @Victor
GP 576 | G 396 | A 486 | PT 882 | +385 | HIT 1818 | PIM 1004 | GWG 68 
Cups: S18, S19 Calgary, S21 Toronto

 

So how does the VHL’s 9th all-time leading scorer end up 27th on such a prestigious list? One train of thought is that the Copenhagen native was indeed one of the most productive forwards in history, yet he was never “the best” during his era. While he never won any scoring titles or MVPs, he was never far off all throughout his eight-year career. For example, he is one of only 16 players to have scored 70 goals in a season but he was one of three players to accomplish the feat in S20. His one scoring-related award was the Mikita Trophy for leading the league in assists in S22. You could say Lars Berger spent the first part of his career winning Continental Cups (three in four years) and the latter part winning hardware. But he always racked up points no matter who he played for. In fact, Berger posted no less than 92 points in each season scoring 100 or more points six times and 47 or more goals six times. Regardless of his point totals, all Berger seemed to do was win - a lot. He made it to five straight Continental Cup Finals and won three Cups (and scored a Game 7 series-winning goal in S22). He played in five World Cups winning a medal in each - three of them gold - and scored the gold-winning goal in two of them. A six-time North American All-Star, he is considered one the best two-way forwards ever. He always played a physical game but also led the league in face-off percentage five consecutive seasons. For his efforts, he was the first player to outright win three straight Boulet Trophies (Bailey and Stormwall were a co-winner each once when they won three straight). As a testament to his two-way play,at the time, Berger ended his career top five in VHL history in goals and points and third in hits.

@animal74

 

#26 - Christian Stolzschweiger, RW, S1-8, (SEA, TOR, HAM, STO, AVG) @avalanchefan21
GP 574 | G 449 | A 463 | PT 912 | +240 | HT 469 | SB 236
Cup: S7 Avangard

 

The large German winger was one of the most explosive offensive players in the history of the VHL. He could use his size and strength to take the puck away with ease and either pass or shoot to put the puck in your net. It didn't take long for Stolzschweiger to get recognition, making the North American All-Star team in just his first season. In S2, he would win MVP and Top Rookie along with being named to the North American All-Star team again (eventually having the Top Rookie award named after him for this). In spite making the all-star team for the first six seasons of his career, his early career was marked with playoff failure. His kryptonite seemed to be the Calgary Wranglers, who eliminated him in each of his first three seasons. During his second last season with the Avangard Havoc, he led the team to a Continental Cup Championship, putting up 20 points in 10 games and finally getting over the hump. His offensive prowess was unlike anything the VHL has ever seen, as he scored over 30 goals and 70 points in every season of his career. The only seasons in which Stolzschweiger did not score over 40 goals were his first and last seasons. He had five 60+ goal seasons and ended up scoring 72 goals in 72 games with the Toronto Legion during S2. Stolzschweiger ranks 2nd on the all-time goals list, with only Scotty Campbell in front of him.

@PatrikLaine

 

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for the Top 75 VHL Players (S75): 25-1!

Edited May 5, 2022 by animal74
Brekker won three WC gold not four, Saeijs played 504 games not 576

[BOOM 8,408]

These are amazing and a real credit to all involved in putting it together. It's a trip down memory lane reading these and seeing what has been achieved by some absolute quality members. 

 

Thank you. 

[Victor 10,534]

Berger

[BOOM 8,408]

15 minutes ago, Victor said:

Berger

 

Poor Podrick being ignored. 

[Beketov 8,642]

Cast at 34, now we get to really see how much better Thompson was.

[DollarAndADream 3,356]

Just another fun fact for Parechkin, he still holds the #1 spot for most hits in a career.

[Beketov 8,642]

6 minutes ago, DollarAndADream said:

Just another fun fact for Parechkin, he still holds the #1 spot for most hits in a career.

You have no idea how much I want to make a player that can break that but he’d be such a detriment to teams now. Somehow Parechkin got a ton while also being good.

[Victor 10,534]

19 minutes ago, Beketov said:

Cast at 34, now we get to really see how much better Thompson was.

I mean I already know, I ranked them.

 

22 minutes ago, BOOM said:

 

Poor Podrick being ignored. 

The spoiled child, thought he could live off one measly 174-point season (he did tbf).

[DollarAndADream 3,356]

2 minutes ago, Beketov said:

You have no idea how much I want to make a player that can break that but he’d be such a detriment to teams now. Somehow Parechkin got a ton while also being good.

 

I think the best way to beat it is to just not really aim for it. I never really had it as a goal, I just updated my player to like a Ovechkin-esque build and kept him at 99's in those main attributes for as long as I could.

 

In the same light, I've done that with most of my players, but my guys like Sebastian Ironside, Leph Twinger, etc haven't come close. Although now that I say that...I just looked up the list and both those guys are also top 30.

[hedgehog337 3,480]

Apparently, complaining about players performance is gonna propel him into the top tier list. Here's a strategy for ya.

[Beketov 8,642]

16 minutes ago, DollarAndADream said:

 

I think the best way to beat it is to just not really aim for it. I never really had it as a goal, I just updated my player to like a Ovechkin-esque build and kept him at 99's in those main attributes for as long as I could.

 

In the same light, I've done that with most of my players, but my guys like Sebastian Ironside, Leph Twinger, etc haven't come close. Although now that I say that...I just looked up the list and both those guys are also top 30.

That’s basically what I did for Thompson and Lahtinen but going any heavier on checking just means way too many PIM’s and you can’t be hitting in the box.

 

21 minutes ago, Victor said:

I mean I already know, I ranked them.

You know but I don’t. I could go look up spoilers but I haven’t.

[Garsh 1,083]

Boub placed higher than Rhett DeGrath, we can call off any public executions for the day.

[frescoelmo 1,218]

5 hours ago, animal74 said:

Saeijs is the VHL’s all-time leading scorer among players who didn’t play a full 8 seasons in the league.

 

flex

[Hogan 1,331]

I only recognize 2 of these squids they cant be that good

[Advantage 2,769]

3 hours ago, frescoelmo said:

 

flex

Yet played 576 games (8 seasons worth) according to this list and HOF article.

 

His HOF article needs serious fixing.  They have his GP way way wrong (same with the stats on this list).

Edited January 24, 2021 by Advantage

[animal74 1,606]

@AdvantageYeah a lot of HOF article are mistake-prone. I've brought some up to @Victor already.

[frescoelmo 1,218]

20 hours ago, Advantage said:

Yet played 576 games (8 seasons worth) according to this list and HOF article.

 

His HOF article needs serious fixing.  They have his GP way way wrong (same with the stats on this list).

 

still flex

[boubabi 4,725]

On 1/24/2021 at 8:30 AM, hedgehog337 said:

Apparently, complaining about players performance is gonna propel him into the top tier list. Here's a strategy for ya.

Cornerstone should have been unanimous 

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

Happy to be on this list! Smitty was better than all of my other players combined.

[Advantage 2,769]

3 hours ago, flyersfan1453 said:

Happy to be on this list! Smitty was better than all of my other players combined.

He was really hard to place.  Some had him top 15....others down near 50-60.  

 

Been really hard to get a read on the new generation with how good some of the dmen have done.

[hedgehog337 3,480]

4 hours ago, boubabi said:

Cornerstone should have been unanimous 

 

...complaining about your own player's performance. forgot to add.

[mattyIceman 1,037]

I'll get on this list someday

[Molholt 2,183]

Congrats to Black Velvet and Zach Parechkin. What a crew that was. Ron World Peace must be in the Top 25  

[Advantage 2,769]

2 hours ago, Molholt said:

Congrats to Black Velvet and Zach Parechkin. What a crew that was. Ron World Peace must be in the Top 25  

Definitely #1.  Just barely over Scotty.

[Molholt 2,183]

11 hours ago, Advantage said:

Definitely #1.  Just barely over Scotty.

Scotty should be thrown out of these things regardless I'm fine if World Peace takes his place lol