List of VHF Awards
For the category, see here.
The Valorian Hockey Federation (VHF) presents a number of awards and honors to recognize teams' and individuals' achievments. Every year, typically sometime in early August, the VHF holds its Awards Ceremony to formally present all awards from the preceding season. In addition to VHF-sanctioned awards, there are a number of unofficial honors awarded to teams.
VHF-sanctioned awards
Team Achievements
League Championship
Main Article: Valorian Hockey League
The league championship is awarded anually to the winners of the VHL Finals Series, the title series of the VHL Playoffs.
It was most recently won by the Boston Spirits, who claimed their 17th title in 2023.
Dan Earle Trophy
Main Article: Earle Trophy
The Dan Earle Trophy, often referred to simply as the Earle or Earle Trophy, is presented annually to the team with the most points at the end of the regular season. It is named after former VHL commissioner Dan Earle.
Two teams, the Connecticut Bandits and the Acadia Rage, have won the Earle Trophy (in 1999 and 2002, respectively), yet never won the league championship.
It was most recently won by the Boston Spirits, who claimed their 24th trophy in 2023.
Coupe Balbuzard
Main Article: Coupe Balbuzard
The Coupe Balbuzard is a single-elimination tournament held annually, typically from June to July. Opponents are selected through random draws, and matches are always played at the arena of the lower-ranked team.
It was most recently won by the Newfoundland Sailors, who won their 9th title in 2023.
Double
Main Article: Double (VHF award)
The Double is awarded to a team that wins both the league championship and the Coupe Balbuzard in the same season.
It was most recently achieved by the Newfoundland Sailors, who completed the feat with their victory in the 2016 Coupe Balbuzard.
Star
Main Article: Star (VHF award)
The star is the most prestigious official or unofficial award in Valorian ice hockey. One is awarded at the end of each decade to the best performing team throughout the past ten years by a vote of ice hockey experts and VHF journalists. The star is adorned above and becomes part of a team's crest, and may permanently adorn a team's jersey.
Four stars have been awarded, representing the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s. The Boston Spirits and the Newfoundland Sailors each sport two: the Spirits earned theirs for their performances in the 1980s and 2000s, and the Sailors for their showings in the 1990s and 2010s.
Due to its prestige, rarity, and more subjective awarding method than other honors, the star has at times been a controversial award. The 1990s and 2000s awards both saw contention in the awarding process.
It was most recently won by the Newfoundland Sailors, who earned their second star at the 2019 End-of-the-Decade Ceremony.
Individual Achievements
Golden Puck
Main Article: Golden Puck
The Golden Puck is awarded to "the VHL player with the greatest impact on the preceding season." The Mainers' Carlos Ortega is the most recent recipient, winning the award for the second time in 2023.
Top Scorer
The Top Scorer award is given to the player who scored the most goals throughout the preceding season. In the case of a tie, assists are used to determine the award winner. If assists are also equal, then the award may be presented to multiple players, although this has never happened in VHF history. The Mainers' Carlos Ortega is the most recent recipient, winning the award for the _ time in 2023.
Goalie of the Year
The Goalie of the Year is awarded to the goalie who performed the best throughout the preceding season.
Boston Spirits goalie Daniel Durbin is the most recent winner, winning the award for the _ time in 2023.
Unofficial awards
Team Awards
50+ Season
A 50+ Season is an unofficial recognition given to teams that manage to earn 50 or more points throughout a regular season. Because of the amount of matches teams play, and amount of points a team can earn during one (30 matches per season, with 2 points earned for every win, meaning 60 points for a perfect season), hitting the 50 point threshold has always been considered a very difficult feat.
It was most recently accomplishment by the Boston Spirits in 2022, their 4th achievement.
Mock Awards
x1.9
The x1.9 is an unofficial mock-award recognizing teams who win the league title, but then lose the Coupe Balbuzard finals match—in short, failing to win the Double in the final match.
The Wooden Spoon
Main Article: Wooden Spoon
The Wooden Spoon is an unofficial yearly mock-award given to the team that finishes last in the league standings. Since 1978, nine teams have been awarded the wooden spoon. Hartford Hockey holds the record for most wooden spoons, with 21, including the most recent in 2023.
Four teams have won both the wooden spoon and the league title: Halifax Hockey Club (Champions in 2019; wooden spoons in 1997 and 1998), the Mainers (Champions in 2022; wooden spoon in 1988), the Providence Doves (Champions in 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2012; wooden spoon in 1989), and EH Bas-Canada (Champions in 1987, wooden spoon in 2010).
The Providence Doves are the only team to have both a Double and a wooden spoon.