With so many new teams in the league since '79, I figured it might be a good time to do a special graphic to show the Starting Six for each team and a little about them. I think sweaters and numbers are a special thing in sports that we as fans associate with our favorite players and teams so I wanted to show them off a little bit. It was a lot of work and I'll probably only do this once or twice a decade but I really like how it turned out. Teams are organized alphabetically and show the starting lines for each team as of the new season 1984 and a brief outlook.



Abrieden Bucks: The starters are a strong young group but Suvak (23) and Rundstrom (22) are out for the year dealing with the injuries from the infamous bus crash. That puts a lot of pressure on Tegler (28) and veteran Earnest Schultz (30). Depth is a little long in the tooth with Freddy Hoffmeyer and Pete Wyman both over 30. But the net is strong with Wuopio (21) and the defensive core is growing with Kopecky (22) and some veterans in Kaminsky and Lloyd Singleton (32) but depth is very thin on the blue line. Backup goalie Freddy Fernando is getting up in years and on a decline.

Alko Wizards: The starters are veterans but it's a slow team overall. Truong, Careno and Guerin can play but they don't offer much room for growth outside of #1 pick Jeremi Jogoda. Old vet Robert Bertucci brings experience but is on the decline. The net is filled with journeymen in Fred Teal and Tony Simms, both capable but average goalies. The Wizards are hopeful on young defenseman Howie Shaw, but he's very green behind the ears. They have some capable players in Chris Waterman and Chris Mallak but not stars to build around.

Bancana Kings: Pete Lentini (25) is one of the premier talents in the league. The Sallee brothers (Cameron, 26; Bobby Jr, 29) round out a potent top line. Ricky Hussmann (20) and Josh O'Rourke (22) are on a young but improving second line. Deep depth is very thin with some borderline Indy League players. The net is a real plus with the experienced Randy Wiseman (27) and a rising talent in Manu Harmaajarvi (19). The blue line features a capable pairing in Hessa and Korcz both 22 and some tough guys in Dino Reichert and Blaine Walsh.

Chasonne Heralds: Gian Guiliano is just 23 and already has three rings under his belt, leading a talented line with Ledoux and Staal, both still under 30. Depth is experienced if not flashy, with John McHenry and Eli Macklin both young growing players. The blue line is a standout with the high-scoring Albertelli (23) and the bruising veteran Schmoldt (28). A pair of underrated players in Steven Orban (26) and Napoleon Dollar (24) provide deep depth. The net is in flux as Lawrence Hymore is a steep decline at 34 but has tons of experience while Jerry Danforth just graduated from 8 years in Indy League.

Fort Bevin Rockets: This is a veteran group with lots of experience, led by Flood (31) and perennial All-Star Pat Ossola (30). Geoff Thatchkin is a premier goalie at 26 and Kenny Ratliff (28) is among the best backups. Koeneman and Delassus are both quality players while depth is headlined by the aging Kevin Korycki and F Evan Starling. Ossola's understudies in Armenta (21) and D Gregory Pollard (22) have real potential while 35-year-old D Elton Savell is at the end of his career.

Guilden Barbarians: "Large" Arlie Lozano (23) is the star of the show both in play and personality in the net. Backup Lou Branson is an aging vet. The top line with Jurski and Laduca are rounding into form while veteran combo forward Joe Bonder brings the experience. Theo Sauer, Buddy Stroud, and Alvin Yaquinto are a nice mixture of youth and talent in forward depth. The blue line is very deep with Van Nuland and Haraldsen (25 and 21) with Xavier Lucero (23) and some veterans in Bill Penkavo and Erik Patriksson.

Kavalos Electrics: This talented squad is led by the stellar play of Darren Cain (29) on a blue line with young guys in Meade and Gary Holck and quality vets like Frank Lambrou. The top line with Stendahl (22), Ciraulo (26) and young 19-year-old Lemieux is among the league's best. A deep roster with Jed Poe (28), Robert Pontello (29) and Kevin Ranew (26) are experienced and fast. The veteran goalie Tim Sagendorf is the rare free agent addition who can still play top level at 32. Backup Gregg Steinecke is a talented goalie himself who could start for most teams.

Kirkenport Captains: This squad is rebuilding behind youngsters like Martikainen and Di Figlia. A few of the old guard are still around in F Joey Brannon and D Will Suppan who round out the veteran depth. Starter D Rod Lacy is 32 but can still play while D Brian Mierzwinkski is 35 and nearing the end. The Captains are high on defenseman Nick Keltgen. Forward Sam Toivonin is talented but still hasn't found his mark at 30 while goalie Joseph Blunt is just rounding into form at 24. The backup goalies are mostly Indy League guys. 

Kirlow Kodiaks: This is a talented group, if an unsuccessful one. O'Reilly and Mahaffey are nearing 30 and bring the only veteran experience. A forward unit with Lodwig, Lomax, and Patsko are talented and in their prime but haven't meshed yet. Depth is young with Andy Bauldauff and Zack Haughney. 18-year-old Seppa looks like he can be a force on the blue line and Kenny Charry and Roy Obenhaus are capable players themselves. Mahaffey's backup Bruce Kugler is as green as can be but Mel Seymour regressed and got sent back down to Indy League.



Kurohara Killers: This is a young, deep group that hasn't put it all together yet. Alex Kirkland is a premier talent at 21 with Stan Johansen being the veteran team captain at 32. A bunch of talented young guys in St. Pierre, Carmen Ledesma, Kirky "KDJ" Dorris-Johns and 19-year-old Hans Rohr are fast and eager. Tony Champagne is 27 and leads a young defensive group with Paterakis and Owen Nabholz. In the net, rookie goalie Austin Ellis holds the reins with former undrafted Tom Caruso backing him up.

Lecayne Saints: Big FA addition of former MVP Pekka Jokinen (27) joins Kovak (26) and Ozaki (24) and some talented young guys in Chris Cambo and Randy Kroma. Depth is thin and either too old or too green. Thurman Justus (22) holds down the net duties with vet Jack MacCready as backup. The blue line hosts some talented and capable players in Irizzary and Cisarik, both under 25. Veteran team captain Scott Khanum, 32, leads the defensive depth.

Narva Neptunes: The big names are holding on to a final bit of playing time as Ernie Bukowski (35) leads backup duty while Kris Kotulak (37) leads the third line. Gallenbeck is 32 but leads some promising talent on the blue line with McKenna and Vinny Sitto both 26. Starting goalie Ken Perler (21) is young and inexperienced. The top forward line features some talented players rounding into form with Rod Longo (25) and Jeremy Lohmeyer (20). Luke Wisniewski and Fausett are both 28 and very capable players. Depth is short but experienced.

Port Alrene Anchors: This is a young team still looking for an identity. Dennis Vanderbloem is just 20 and still hasn't realized his potential in the net. Backup duties belong to Bo Broadway (29) who hasn't progressed. Two teenagers, Gorka and Hamilton are green but speedy. Roger Hornick is just 21 and a team leader. Gustafson and Mackey are both under 25 and rising talents. Depth across the board is a bit old with Alex Graff, Mike Mandelkow and aging team captain D Stef Kuipers.

Portarra Pioneers: Thomas Nelissen (29) is one of the premier scoring defensemen in the league. Veteran Jerry Razzo (30) spurs a top line with Nadeau (23) and the talented scorer Walker (27). A mix of vets and youngsters round out the depth with Jake Makarski (29) and Ryan Fitzroy (19). In the net, Casselman has improved while the backups are mostly Indy Leaguers. The blue depth with Connellson (23) Josh Beckes (29) and Victor Noyola (20) provide a spark.

Portarra Whales: Parrino and Caparros are joined by Bronkowski which could already form the top line in the league. F Red Czehanksi (27) is the oldest vet on the roster, with Ray Mixon and Danny Dawkins providing forward depth. Priestley (24) is quickly becoming top-tier and leads a blue line with Royce (25) and youngster Herb Hass. The net is growing with Zeke Brand (22) and Eddie Montague (24).

Prestonburg Blazers: Defenseman Jan Mikulec (24) is one of the league's best and most underrated, along with rising forward Eric Jorgensen (22). Redden is the squad veteran at 31. Zoppa (20), Eddie Rockwell (25) and Mac Strong (26) headline a talented young group of forwards. Chris Daniau is a talented veteran in the net at 29 with Art McClelland (26) backing him up. The two Freds, Karrick (19) and Duckett (25) are both quality defenders while Odis McMurray brings veteran experience.

Quebel Crusaders: One of the Three Swedes, F Joel Ecklund (22) is an exciting young scoring forward and leads fellow youngsters Rutkin and Luksik. Veterans like Billy Stamper and Tim Hedges headline the depth. The net is average with Semkos (31) and Dom Galloway (27). 19-year-old Viktor Nurmi already leads the blue line with Vandergert (23) and vet Robert Sudbrock (33).

Sina Serpents: Kedzierski and Voronin are both talented and promising teenagers. A quality backup in Albert Beltrano steadies the net while Voronin adjusts. Vets Bogdanov and Oreskovich bring experience to a young group of depth players. Despite zero depth on the blue line, the top pairings with McClellan (29) and Schlattman (28) and Boris Bergo (32) and Wally Burden (28) are tough and capable.



Trowburgh Herons: Age is catching up to them but the roster still has plenty of star power with Mozzy Turk (29), Ryba (27) and Ranko (32). A deep lineup with Calvin Strozewski (24) and Kenny Stokes (26) lead a powerful scoring group. 33-year-old Brendan Ruske is still top level in the net with a quickly rising Jonah Urban (23) right behind him. Zoric (28) and Ziggy (22) lead a talented blue line with Chad Landis (22) and young Silas Sparkman. 

Vensessor Swans: Veteran forwards Capezzio (35) and Haake (30) lead the squad. Forsberg (22), Buddy Cates (19) are rising young talents with quality players like Lawrence Weeks and Bernie Maddox providing depth. Star goalie Andre Kabanni has cemented himself as one of the league's best and vet Karl Carstens backs him up. Some young talent on the blue is exciting for the future with Sherwood just 21 and Armstead and Adam Yates quickly developing.

Yubay Falcons: Geno Pasternak is 41 and still playing on a second line with 34-year-old Vince Van Swedden. The primary scorers though are Kazlauskas (28) and Fryer (23) with the veteran Holt. Young forwards Louie Brisenio and Val Redman are developing. 32-year-old vet Scott Kemper is in the net and the capable Larry Lietzow backs him up. Ryan Devlin (30) leads a growing blue line with Malcom Jackson (24) and Joseph Van Deen (26).

Yubay Glaciers: The big stars have left town but the veteran team captain Sam McKesson leads the team from the blue line. Youngster Ljungborg is already lighting it up and a mix of vets with Petro Yaroslav and Cory Ladner round out the defensive corps. Elvis Pepper and Robby Harmon are developing in the net and showing promise. The forward group is now led by 23-year-old Jarrett Falk with Pomeroy (24) and Joiner (28) both quality players. Ferdinand Hendrix (34) is a fan favorite and career Glacier but doesn't have much left in the tank. Some young guys like Bobby Tripp and Steven Jessup have a lot of room to grow.


Hope you enjoyed that recap!

- How's your team looking and doing?
- Who's your favorite player in the league?
- Which player's sweater would you wear proudly in real life?

C&C always appreciated!

dvdbubba27 wrote:

I feel like these next few seasons are gonna be pretty rough here in Kirkenport, but at least we still have Biggo. Also, you made a mistake with Quebel's lineup (all the names below the jerseys belong to Kirk Boys). I don't really have a favourite player (there are several that I like), but IRL I'd probably just wear a throwback (mid-to-late 70s) Biggo (Kirkenport) jersey.

Good catch, updated.

They'll be rough but they already have some nice young pieces in place for the future. Biggo is a good choice. Very underrated player and beloved on the Isle of Kirk. Here's a '77 Captains sweater with #24 D "Biggo" Brian Mierzwinkski:

Ask and ye shall receive!

     It's been a while since I've actually been able to give a lot of attention to this series, and it feels like the Torland I knew so well has evolved past the very in depth knowledge that I've had. Luckily, I know all the cities very well and that should help catch me up when it comes to the league's progression. I'll try my best to do a light overview of the past few years, mostly looking at things that stand out big to me, an original Midnight Mile lad and child of the isle.

1981
     Unfortunately, I haven't had a word since page 62 and haven't been completely involved other than looking at graphics since a few pages before that. I'll start with Chasonne's special uniform from 1981 because it caught my attention. As a Kirk Boy I usually try to keep the Heralds name out of my mouth, but something about this look both right and wrong at the same time. They really please the eyes, but the lack of yellow throughout is a bit jarring. 

    Next would be Narva's new ownership and the overhaul that came with it. As a Narva traditionalist I must ask, "what have they done to my boys"? The logo and meaning behind it are fun, but I can't call it an upgrade or a sidestep. The minimal change to uniform still keeps them one of my favorites, though.

    The 1981 season was a spark of joy followed by a bitter end. A majority of my teams made the playoff cut, but then were ripped to pieces in the postseason. Kirk was the most embarrassing, and that was followed by the torture of watching Narva and Fort Bevin against each other. It was all topped off with a vicious sweep of the Pioneers by the Heralds. With that, I was more than happy to leave this season in the past. On to the next!

1982
     Gerry McKnight retiring is the highlight of the 82 offseason. He was a fan favorite and his 1971 run was inspiring. I am more than happy knowing that his legacy will live on in the rafters. Also, I saw Wally Burden in trades! That's one that throws me back.

     You say it best with, "Old fans hated it immediately and called for the old simple design to return". To be fair, there is actually a lot of good coming from the Kirkenport change of 82. The logo is still a favorite of mine, and the new sleeve striping does look pretty clean. If the team dropped that odd colored sleeve I think it would be a keeper.

     Kirlow's change had to be controversial knowing that the fans are likely the most dedicated to their franchise in the league. I think both blue/red work fantastic with brown, but I think they could have gone with a color not used as much in the league. Only thing that bothers me is the blue eye on the logo. It kind of looks like a tear rolling down the cheek of a Kodiak in agony, not willing to accept the change... I realize this was fixed on the next page, but there is no going back now!

     Man, those Killers always look pretty darn good. I think pulling back on the amount of colors really helped this brand claim an identity. Dropping the circle with a teal color has really benefitted the whale, making it shine as the star on the chest. The home jerseys are fantastic, earning an A in my book, while the away jerseys look a tad unbalanced with the amount of yellow. I really wish they used more black, but that is personal preference. Either way, it is an upgrade.

    1982 season was some torture. Out go the Captains and Pioneers, leaving the Rockets and Neptunes as some juggernauts to cheer for. The most impressive change would have to be the Bucks. I can't believe that gimmick team finally pulled through. Postseason is forgettable, considering both of my teams got shelled in round one by the pancakes and horn blowers. Oh and look at that, Heralds with another win. Charming.


1983
     Alko has a great color combo, and their logo is a perfect example of mixing traditional and modern. The nod to the city and the Wiz, himself, 
are more than enough to put this team on my radar. The one thing I'd change would be facing the arm stripes diagonally upwards instead of down so that they would look like "A"s on the arm.

     Sina, on the other hand, is just not my cup of tea. I like the the name and the idea of the logo, but the weird half circles on the body make the block "S" look even more clunky. The jerseys are actually class and I love the green breezers, but the snake just doesn't sit right with me.

     Unfortunately, as sweaters start to hit the rafters, it becomes more apparent that Kirk is hitting a darker time. Despite this truth, I must celebrate the career of Rikhard. His play reminds me of the old school "Kirk Boy" brand of hockey that made me love the team. He will be missed.

    Also, look at that! Fred Teal is still kicking.

     Fort Bevin's change looks cleaner, but the lack of yellow will definitely throw them down my list. Trowburgh's special uniforms are definitely special. I think all of it is lovely for the eyes, but I question the use of solid yellow pants.

     Pioneers and Rockets are flying high this season, while the Captains try to find their sea legs and Narva did their best impersonation of their logo by looking somewhat hungover. My favorite occurrence has to be the success of the Bancana Sallees! I feel like a proud dad. I disowned the brothers when I saw they played the Pioneers early, but maybe I shouldn't have considering the Pioneers got zapped in the quarterfinals. The best takeaway would be the Rockets pancaking the Bucks, but they would graciously bow out when confronted by some birds.

1984
    Finally, I can address the whale in the room. To be fair, this identity far surpasses their original, but does the club have no integrity or respect for history? They threw it out completely and lit it on fire! Despite the heavy inspiration for the logo that I wish was strayed away from just a little more, I think this is a top 5 look in the league. I could do without the roundel because the whale would look stellar as the main focus of the jersey if it were a little bigger. The addition of red was not necessary, but I think it really ties the uniform together nicely. I personally like the gray, but this look would pop with white.

     Yubay knocks it out of the park with their new logo. It is a major upgrade over their awkward, teen phase, forward facing logo, and I think this one will stay if it had some tweaks. My only gripe is that the "Y" makes the logo way more busy than it should be. Yes, I know the "Y" is iconic, but that doesn't mean it couldn't be iconic by itself on the shoulder. As for the uniforms, I swear the designer had the "cha cha slide" playing in their head while they created these, hearing a faint and echoing, "Now it's time to get funky!" in the back of their head as they worked. I love them for the time! Color balance is done very well and I can't say anything is a miss. The arm band flaring out at the end is a little odd, and I think it would elevate the look if they were completely straight, but that is a small small critique on an awesome overhaul.

Lastly...
How dare you ask how my team is doing, Steel. 
I'd be crazy not to claim Jonathan "Ferdinand" Walker as my favorite. He is a Vorackberg hero.
If I had a collection like I do now, which is many jerseys with no names and a couple with names, I'd have a closet full. First would probably be a '75 Rikhard throwback and that would be followed by a modern Walker jersey, as well as a home and away from Bancana, both having one of the Sallee brothers on it. If we had no name on the back, I'd probably have a Trowburgh black alt, a Rockets home from a year ago, a Neptunes home from a year before the logo overhaul and maybe even an Anchors home.... also a Heralds jersey of any kind just so I could put it on a punching bag and let out some steam every time they have success, which happens often. 

Thanks for the fun, Steel! and remember

 

I like the adjustment to the new uniforms, I think it looks cleaner now. 

As for how I think were doing, I think we've a good job with the rebuild, and by seeing the ownership change up the uniforms, I would hope they think so too, its a new era of Whales hockey!
Memorable players for me are probably Parrino, and Blunt, Parrino just because he's on the team now and Blunt because I remember him doing well as our goalie in the first championships. I'll be excited to see how Bronko does, I hope he'll be memorable in the future.