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The two sides of Alko look pristine! The Wizards keep the class, while the Barbarians get a new coat of paint. Love that!
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I've been traveling and touring for months so I haven't had much time to work on the league but I'm back with the next installment. In answer to the last question, I was planning to do every team in alphabetical order but I may hold the expansion franchises until last, so I guess we'll find out! Meanwhile, enjoy!
Bancana Kings
About the Team: The Kings were formed in 1975 as part of the rival UHA as its marquee team in the untapped market of Bancana. The Kings were very successful in the UHA, drafting Pete Lentini and winning multiple UHA championships. As the key franchise in the 1980 THL-UHA merger deal, the Kings have remained relevant, winning the Marcotte Cup in 1986. As a franchise in the star-studded city of Bancana, the Kings have also been driven by their stars, namely future Hall of Famer Pete Lentini, and have enjoyed a sustained period of contention. The Kings play in the Rankin Division.
Ownership and Management: The Kings were founded by Frank Matney for the UHA in 1975. After the merger, Matney was essentially forced out by the THL and sold his shares in 1981 to local businessman Bob Vernon. Vernon, 74, is the quiet force behind the star power of the franchise, preferring to stay out of the media and focus on crafting a profitable business product. The Kings hired Buck Zigler in 1980 to GM the team. Head coach Kirk Oliver, 49, has been at the helm since 1983, along with assistant coach Glen Stewart. It's a well-respected staff, having seen quite a bit of success in the league, topped off with the championship in '86. Oliver was named Best Coach in 1990.
City and Arena: The Kings play at the Goldlight Ice Dome, typically called the Ice Dome, or sometimes The Goldie, in Goldlight Square of West Ban which was built in 1972. It underwent renovation in 1990. It's not the largest or best facility but the game day atmosphere is among the best in the league. Bancana is the second-largest city and metropolitan area in Torland. It is a large city with comparisons to Los Angeles for its numerous film and media companies, large shipping ports, and sprawling metro area. Crosstown rivals the Abrieden Bucks are also in the area.
(Previous Identity: 1985-1991 Bancana Kings)
Team Brand and Identity: The Kings made a big-time splash by completely reworking their uniforms and color scheme. The new black and gold scheme, a scheme little used in the league, is a nod to the city roots of gold mining and the modern glitz and glam of the Golden Hills and Tamwood, often called Tollywood, in Bancana. The crowned B logo returns, this time in primary white and outlined in black and gold with the inset K in black. The away version is reversed inside but retains the gold outer stroke. The new uniform features angled double striping with double outlines and a tapered yoke. The black home jersey with white striping was immediately dubbed the “Mummy” jersey by fans who either loved or hated it. A new number system joins the look, with bold soft-serifed numbers in double outlines for the jersey numbers with single-color TV numbers and NOBs. Both sets feature a gold collar and black pants.
Roster Breakdown
Top Three Players
Pete Lentini, 34, center
Manu Harmaajarvi, 27, goalie
Gil Van Nuland, 34, defenseman
Forwards: The Big Lentil is one of the best players in the league, if not league history. Any team with Pete Lentini as captain is still an instant contender and the former MVP is still elite at 34 years old. An elite top line also features Ricky Hussmann, 28, who is a steady pro and borderline All-Star. Recent signing Calvin Strozewski is a scrappy veteran winger with big time scoring highlights. The Bulgarian-born Aron Sokolov centers the second line between a pair of lunch pail wingers in the young Shawn Ward and veteran Rob Ennis, who is also known to be a fearsome hitter. The third line is decidedly old with the aging legs of Sten Zaal and Karolis Kazlauskas, both 37, trying to keep up with the especially speedy winger Josh O'Rourke. The fourth line is all youth, energy, and speed with Bruce Smith being the elder statesman at 23, alongside the recently promoted Alex Bridges and rookie George Stawski.
Defensemen: The blue line features plenty of veteran experience, especially with the criminally underrated Gil Van Nuland, a former All-Star, now 34 years old but still with lots left in the tank. His top pairing partner in Lemuel Schmitz also fits the underrated bill, even at 25. A second pair with 30-year-olds in Jeremy Hessa and Filip Korcz might be one of the best second pairs in the league, with a special blend of scoring, passing, and tenacity. Journeyman vet Dan Kettereich and German youngster Ivan Boesch form a deep third pair.
Goaltenders: Manu Harmaajarvi is the best goalie in the league and it's not close. The Finnish netminder is already a 3x Best Goalie and is still just 27 years old. He has two years left on a 9-year deal he signed in '86 and could be looking at a record-breaking contract before his 30th birthday. The league hasn't seen a goalie of his caliber since the days of Ferdy Haight and is at the top of his game. Backing him up is a new addition in the presence of veteran goalie Geoff Thatchkin, who is 35 but still a capable player. Thatchkin is a 5x All-Star and former Finals MVP when he won the Cup with the Rockets so he brings tons of playoff experience. The pipeline isn't deep but the top prospect is Sean Dowhower, 28, who has had spot-starting experience.
Three Key Storylines:
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Chasonne Heralds
About the Team: The Heralds are one of the remaining original teams, joining the THL in 1960 under the leadership of Claud Elam and have been one of the most successful teams in the league despite a downturn in recent years. Chasonne has won a league-high six Marcotte Cups, including a three-peat in the early 80's. The team has featured many superstars and future Hall of Famers over the years, and has typically fostered a star-studded environment. The Heralds and the Elam family have been a staple of the league. The team plays in the Elam Division, which was named after Claud when it was added in 1972.
Ownership and Management: The team is owned by Jack Elam, who inherited it in 1973 from his father Claud, who retired from business life due to health problems. Jack, 65, has been a much more vocal and involved owner than his father, who was typically focused on more artistic pursuits. Jack is well-respected, having seen stable growth and a handful of championships during his tenure. He was also instrumental in helping Chasonne win the bid for the 1992 Winter Olympics.
The Heralds have a newer staff that is still finding footing. Longtime former Blazers staffer Ulysess Weddle, 70, is the GM, though some aren't sure for how long based on age and him being out of hockey for a year with health problems before Jack hired him. With the venerable Kip Weller now coaching in Yubay, Jack hired Owen Zimmerman, previously of the Lecayne/Dosa City organization to helm the bench. Zimmerman has been on some really bad teams and some think he's never had a fair shot so the hope of him showing his potential is high. Veteran AC, and Forstana native, Kris Fitts completes the bench in Chasonne.
City and Arena: The Heralds have called the Song City Forum home since their inception. It's an aging barn long past its expiration date but the place has charm and magic along with the six championship banners hanging from its rafters. Attempts have been made at renovations and upgrades over the years but ownership knows it's only a matter of time before a new arena is needed. The city of Chasonne is a special one in Torland, known for its arts and music culture. Heralds fans are known to be loyal and dedicated, even when the team is struggling.
Previous Set: 1979 Chasonne Heralds
Team Brand and Identity: A brand new logo joins the artboard for Chasonne for the first time in their history, having seen only various iterations of their original logo despite many color scheme changes. The new logo is a C with inset stripes meant to evoke sheet music behind a singular gold trumpet and heraldic flag with an inset H hanging off of it. The overall shape of a vague lowercase “e” is meant to homage the Elam family. A brand new number system also arrives with funky shapes of sliced edges meant to evoke medieval printing styles. A simplified version of their 1979 striping is applied to the set in the new color scheme of royal, gold, white, and navy in classic sleeve and hem stripes. Both sets have gold collars, while the road jersey includes a flat royal shoulder yoke.
Roster Breakdown
Top Three Players
Fredric Perrault, 20, center
John McHenry, 29, winger
Jeff Seybolt, 18, goalie
Forwards: The forward unit has potential and a lot of holes. Young Freddy Perreault, who the Heralds made a splash trade to acquire with the 2nd-overall pick last season, is still adapting to the speed and ferocity of the THL. Some are wondering if he has the makeup and temperament to be a star in the league, especially for a storied team like Chasonne. But he's still very young at 20 and has a pair of veteran wingers to help make life easier in John McHenry and the tough Ronnie Curtis. McHenry made a splash as a rookie and championships in his first two seasons before finally finding his footing on the top line as a lethal scorer, while Curtis spent most of his career slogging through the minors. Simon Fowler, 24, is an excellent young centerman, prompting a move of alt captain Eli Macklin, 26, from center to left wing to suit. Rob Carpenter, 20, is a rising winger. The talent drops off considerably after the second line, with disgraced former #1 pick Jeremi Jogoda and a couple of young minor-leaguers in Huber and Welker forming a third line. Career 4th-liner Todd Ravelli, who also has two rings, leads a weak bottom line with Clarkson and Waters.
Defensemen: The d-corps is a mix of serviceable vets and young guys who have yet to figure out the pro game. Max Neilsen is 30 and Napoleon Dollar is 31, both solid players with three championship rings but don't move the needle much. 21-year-old Davis Brubaker was a great story as rookie of the year in '89 but doesn't project past a solid second-pairing guy. Meanwhile aging team captain John Schmoldt is on his last leg at 35 and has plans to retire soon. A third pair of a couple of rookies with low floors and high ceilings in Rick Gilmore and Sam Arrison could be good or really bad.
Goaltenders: The big addition of the fifth-overall pick in Jeff Seybolt injects immediate hope into the unit for the Heralds. Seybolt is a great athlete and mechanically sound with a penchant for big moments even as a youngster. The Heralds will ask a lot from the rookie early in his career, logging some heavy minutes and a lion's share of starts. Journeyman Eddie Montague, 32, was acquired via trade with Sina to be Seybolt's backup. Montague last started a THL game in 1985. Veteran Jerry Danforth, 34, is also still in the system along with Ervin De Sell who has stalled out in development.
Three Key Storylines:
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whoa, that's new! definitely a bold new look for chasonne, and while I really like the horn/flag part of the logo, the logo feels kind of empty to me. maybe it's the thin lines on the C that don't feel as bold as the rest of the logo. I do like the jerseys though; the striping feels new but still classic, and the numbers are really nice.
just as an aside btw - it looks like your roster graphic still has outlines on the nobs. thought I should point it out
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Did not expect that Heralds rebrand, it looks super solid and I love the homage to the family name!
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Chasonne looks great! Love the new update!
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Appreciate the feedback y'all! Up next we've got the DC Snappers.
Dosa City Snappers
About the Team: The Snappers began as the second iteration of the Saints in Lecayne in 1976 under Donovan Marroquin, now the THL Vice President. By 1987 the Saints were struggling with bankruptcy so Marroquin sold the team to Ed Harvey who relocated the team to Dosa City and renamed them the Snappers. They had instant success, making the playoffs which allowed some breathing room to settle into their new home and retool the roster for contention. The Snappers play in the Hatch Division.
Ownership and Management: Owned by DC-area businessman Ed Harvey, the Snappers take a hands-off approach to ownership and management. Harvey is well-respected as an influential figure in Dosa City and bringing hockey to the area. He is seen as one of the rising owners in the league and the value figure of the Snappers bears as witness.
The team is managed by Mac Russo, now in his second year, after having been longtime GM in Chasonne. Russo is tasked with building around star players like Tennfjord, especially after his experience with the Heralds in handling Gian Guiliano where they won three Cups. Blaine Burchette is also in his second year with the team, having been the bench boss of the Falcons for many years. Assisting is Tom Cunningham, the only holdover, having been hired in '87.
City and Arena: The Snappers call the Docktown Dome their home ice, which is a magnificent facility in the heart of Dosa City. It is considered one of the nicest facilities in professional hockey, definitely a new crown jewel of the THL and part of Harvey's plan for making DC a hockey destination. Dosa City is one of the most unique cities in Torland, featuring vibrant multicultural communities and a brash personality. The 5th-largest city in the country, DC boasts a strong economy and plenty of artistic flair.
Team Brand and Identity: The Snappers carry over over the majority of their classic look since they began in Dosa City. Some of the striping has been bolded and simplified and the number set takes on a bolder style while continuing the traditional look of ghost yokes and hem stripes on the sleeves and jerseys. The DC turtle logo returns as a staple of the team identity.
Roster Breakdown
Top Three Players
Jonah Urban, 32, goalie
David Tennfjord, 23, center
Fred Duckett, 32, defenseman
Forwards: The Snappers are headlined by young All-Star David Tennfjord at center. Tennfjord is a do-everything forward capable of taking over games while also being defensively sound and likely future captain. DC doesn't have the depth of other top teams but they're strong down the middle and their top-six is extremely solid with wingers Zimmerlee and Cambo on the top line. JMP leads the second line and and is an underrated center, especially with Buddy Cates and Isak Forsberg alongside. Respected veteran Kenji Ozaki, one of the first Japanese players in the THL, is a strong team leader and lines with the versatile Kroma and Hightower. A gritty if underpowered fourth line headed by grizzled vet Jon Berenstein keeps opposing teams in check.
Defensemen: A pair of heady veterans in longtime Snapper Steven Orban and recent addition Fred Duckett are strong in the d-zone and play with a high IQ. Rising young defenseman Chase Stephenson helps drive the offensive play with defensive stalwart Buster Irizzary. On the third line, talented rookie Anthony Ronto is paired with aging team captain Chuck Cisarik.
Goaltenders: The strength of the Snappers is in their netminding corps, headlined by All-Star Jonah Urban, 32, whom DC traded for in '91. Their tandem starter is longtime Saint/Snapper Thurman Justus, 30, who is an underrated All-Star caliber talent in his own right. Urban and Justus form one of the best tandems in hockey. Veteran Sal Kidd is a career minor-leaguer, but has done well in spot call-up duty when needed.
Three Key Storylines:
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And we soldier on with Fort Bevin!
Fort Bevin Rockets
About the Team: The Rockets joined the league as part of the four-team 1972 expansion, which added two new teams to the state of Galapetra. Founded by Len Neville, the Rockets took a few seasons to find their footing and found success behind Pat Ossola and Kevin Korycki in the late 70's, finally breaking through with a Marcotte Cup in 1979. The team had an up and down decade in the 80's until Ossola's retirement after the '89 season, which initiated a rebuild that is still in progress. The Rockets have been a steady team financially with excellent fan support. They play in the Willard Division.
Ownership and Management: The Rockets are owned by local businessman John Harrington, who purchased the team from Len Neville in 1988. Neville, originally from Namverg, Galapetra but a longtime Fort Bevin resident wanted to make sure the next owner was a mainstay in the community to ensure the team wouldn't get moved. Harrington has multiple successful businesses in the area and has been a supporter of the team since they joined the league.
Harrington had a fresh slate after the '91 season when longtime coach Harry Nance retired along with GM Willburn Montague and decided to hire a whole new staff. Harrington chose Gabe Palmer, 49, previously an athletic director at Bevin University to be GM. Palmer and Harrington hired Ken Delaney, former longtime coach of the Herons, to helm the bench. Delaney won a Cup with Trowburgh in '82. In a splash move, the team added former Rockets legend Pat Ossola to the staff as an assistant coach. The future Hall of Fame defenseman is considered one of the next big names to coach.
City and Arena: The Rockets play at Lone Prairie Arena, commonly referred to as the LPA, in Fort Bevin. The LPA is large but isn't known to be particularly glamorous. Funded by Len Neville and completed in 1972 for his expansion team, the LPA has undergone several renovations to patch leaks and maintain structural stability, often to little effect. There has been movement since Harrington's purchase to partner with the city and Bevin University to build a new shared arena with better facilities. The city of Fort Bevin is an industrial and shipping epicenter for Torland and a military stronghold.
Previous Set: 1983 Fort Bevin Rockets
Team Brand and Identity: A brand new look signals a new era in Fort Bevin as the team shook up their traditional style in favor of an ultra modern set. The new look continues a red primary while bringing back yellow into the color palette with the classic navy blue. The new brand leans heavily into Fort Bevin's transportation and missile defense history with unique tall angled numbers and letters, meant to mimic the styling of the top train company locally, which is also run by the Torland Army, and even going a step further with inset gradients. Intricate swooped striping with hems are added on the jerseys, sleeves, and socks to give a feeling of motion and movement. A brand new logo brings the city initials of FTB to the set, with the continued theme of inset lower yellow gradients. Both sets are paired with navy pants and collars.
Roster Breakdown
Top Three Players
Fletcher Phelan, 32, right wing
Harlan Demers, 22, center
Kory Damron, 20, left wing
Forwards: The veteran winger Fletcher Phelan is Fort Bevin's best player. He's a natural scorer from the right wing and a tough defender in the middle zone. He's got two young studs on the top line in center Harlan Demers and young winger Kory Damron, who look like future stars. The team is really high on rookie winger Tim Barga who already looks solid on the second line but the team is very thin down the middle with vet Al Murzin playing out of position and Andre Owens a career journeyman between the minors, never having a set position. Arthur Delassus is a team favorite but he's 34 and barely holding on to the fourth line pivot. Elsewhere, Darren Lambert is a tough guy who most teams wouldn't want to provoke but the team really lacks any depth positionally or in skill set outside of the top line.
Defensemen: The blue line is a serviceable unit, if not exciting. Fletcher Armenta is a veteran defender along with Gregory Pollard, both steady but not able to move the puck as much as a top pair should. Ward Dunne is a standout defender, considered one of the most technically sound guys in the league. Templeton is an late-blooming prospect after spending a significant amount of time in the minors, while Paulson and Latkovic are veteran guys with solid play but little upside.
Goaltenders: The net situation is a tale of two cities with the aging veteran Brian Mahaffey, 38, who was ousted in Portarra after winning three Cups there and only the Rockets were really interested in his services at his age. Meanwhile, Chris Murphy is 21 and still green behind the ears but could be the goalie of the future if he continues to develop. In the pipeline, the team is high on rookie Nate Thomley but he will need time to grow and develop.
Three Key Storylines:
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The Snappers and Rockets look great! Dosa City remains strong with a classy set and I love the new lettering used by Ft. Bevin. I think my only criticism would be that the blue-to-yellow gradient on the Rockets' road set isn't quite as fluid and pleasing as the white-to-yellow on the reds. Still a great set and one that I could see the Rockets donning as popular throwbacks in the 2010s.
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QCS wrote:
The Snappers and Rockets look great! Dosa City remains strong with a classy set and I love the new lettering used by Ft. Bevin. I think my only criticism would be that the blue-to-yellow gradient on the Rockets' road set isn't quite as fluid and pleasing as the white-to-yellow on the reds. Still a great set and one that I could see the Rockets donning as popular throwbacks in the 2010s.
Thank you! I definitely agree on the Rockets road set not being as fluid but I loved the home set so much so you're right on, we're definitely going to see it as a throwback later.