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Mayuu · 08-25-2023, 05:38 PM

The bounce back and how long it takes. Part 2

Last time we went through Detroit and Maine and now we set sights on some other teams!

First on the list is Vancouver who finished dead last in the 54th season. Noteworthy this season was that they were almost 20 points behind Maine who had 40 points. Impressive stuff.
The season after Vancouver finished 8th and was within reach of finishing mid-table, which is pretty impressive as they more than doubled their point total from the previous season's disaster.
Here's something even more impressive. They took home the regular season title and number 1 seed just 2 seasons after their bottom finish. That's from dead last and then some to finishing first in record speed. Just two seasons, compare that to the other teams we saw in the last Deep Dive and this is a very stark contrast. Does Vancouver have a formula?
They managed to finish at the top of the league two more times before falling to the bottom again in the 64th season. Not a quick fall from grace at all. But they stayed at the bottom the following season as well before bouncing back. They still are waiting to get back to the top and seem to have a good shot this season as they are only 1 point behind Maine.

Next on the list is Nevada Battleborn which during the 55th season finished last. They of course was a new team together with Quebec City. So this is a new case for this Deep Dive. How long does a new team take to get going?
The following season they finished 5th which is respectable, the season after 8th. This might sound good but compare that to Quebec and it pales a bit in comparison. Quebec managed to snag a victoria just 3 seasons after forming.
Nevada found itself last again in the 59th season which follows a pattern we've seen before.
Season 66th is not only a cool number but also a special season in the Nevadan's history book as they snatched their first regular season league title. They waited a long time and what a season, They had 9 more points the the 2nd place in Colorado.
Nevada has stayed competitive since that season and has only had one finish below the middle mark. They have been a top 4 team most of recent seasons and have really found their stride with making the most of their roster.

So what conclusions can we draw from this Deep Dive?
Most teams take a while to bounce back from a bottom finish, even Vancouver who had a super fast recovery with 2 seasons., They eventually also fell to the long period of waiting for that number 1 seed.
The SMJHL seems to be very cyclical and teams usually have a number of good seasons in a row before falling to mediocrity. This makes sense with how the league is set up with its draft. No team seems to dominate year in a year out which is why this system works.

RETIRED

*Scrufdaddy* · 08-26-2023, 11:34 AM

Approved, +5 TPE @Mayuu

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