Noddan Wins Willie O'Ree Award

At the 2024 RHL Awards Ceremony last Wednesday, GM Noddan received the Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award for his contributions to the RHL community. The award was a complete surprise to Noddan, who rumors suggest debated attending the ceremony at all after his Senators players were left off the ballot. As the ceremony did not allocate time for speeches, Noddan delivered his posthumous award acceptance speech below:

"Thank you everyone! It is a tremendous honour to accept the Willie O'Ree award. Thanks especially to the council: Bill, Blix, Rbk, BRR, and ODeezy for their tireless work running this year-round operation. Your acknowledgment means a lot to me. I'd also like to thank the other 26 GMs that make up the league, whose trade posts, banter, and memes keep me engaged and excited about the league. Finally, an extra special shoutout to my family and my partner, who let me indulge in my delusion of role playing as an NHL general manager even when you can't fathom what could be so interesting about building YET ANOTHER spreadsheet.

Three years ago, I took on the GM role for the Ottawa Senators on a whim without many expectations. It had been many years since I ran an STHS club, but I had fond memories from my NHA days that I hoped to revive. Perhaps the wisdom of hindsight could fuel even more success with the Senators. Admittedly, Ottawa still has a ways to go before most pundits would call them a true contender, but I have faith in our team and in our process that more success will come now and in the future.

Congratulations to the Colorado Avalanche on their dominant season and on their Stanley Cup victory. And shoutout to the Philadelphia Flyers who took a game off the champs and won the Eastern Conference as the 16th seed. To our fans in Ottawa and around the world: our moment is coming. 

Thank you all for the terrific season!"

With that, Noddan gave one last wave and departed in a hurry. A busy offseason surely awaits the not quite so green GM in the nation's capital. Notably, a starting goalie and NHL caliber defenseman remain a huge need. Ottawa also holds 6 late draft picks this year, and it's unclear whether the team intends to use them all or to package the assets into more immediate help. The speech made it clear that Noddan expect Ottawa to be a contender again next year, assuring the fans that last year's second round run was not merely a fluke.