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Hello @Members I won't lie, some of you are probably thrilled to be reading this, but for me it's bitter sweet. 15 seasons and over 3 real life years ago we officially announced the VHLE, the league's third official league. It was a culmination of a lot of behind the scenes work to make what ultimately was necessary at that time and I was proud to get such a large project off the ground. For many reasons it’s great that it’s no longer 2021, the world isn’t locked down anymore for instance; but one cannot deny those lockdowns brought us a lot of members and now league recruitment has returned to what we would call normal levels vs. the insanity that I think most members became accustomed to. Realistically with that comes the fact that the league is simply not overfilled to the point where a third league is necessary any longer. For that reason, as of S96, we will be removing the VHLE. I can't find any quotes from me on the matter like I would have wanted but I have been saying for years that the VHLE is actually easier to remove than simply expanding the VHLM and then contracting teams later, I stand by that and it is more or less how we are going to handle this. The VHLM for the time being will remain at 10 teams, though we are open to future expansion if needed, and the players from the VHLE will be moved up or down accordingly based on their TPE levels. The VHLM's hard cap will increase to 400 TPE, the VHL's soft cap will remain at 300 TPE. So essentially the same as the VHLE for call ups, if you are over 300 TPE at the cutoff you can play up or down, if you are over 400 TPE you're in the VHL. Exactly how players will be moved down is still up for debate a bit amongst the @VHLM Commissioner team but in all likelihood players will simply revert back to the team that previously owned their rights in most cases and go to a waiver system in a few select ones. If that doesn't prove remotely balanced there could be a draft, again we'll know more details soon. The VHL isn't particularly affected since players who would have been going up still are so no major change on that front. The @VHLM GM and @VHLE GM groups have been notified about this in advance so they already knew as of a few days ago. For the VHLM side nothing much is changing but unfortunately the VHLE crew are all more or less out of a job, luckily we expect a lot of openings this off season so hopefully they can all find new homes. Either way we appreciate all that they did for the VHLE, even if its time was relatively short in the grand scheme of things. Additionally we appreciate @Enorama for his work as VHLE commish, the RGB teams (RIP that acronym) can be thankless jobs and he did it well to the very end. Other minor things of note that this does affect: the "Hello Europe" career task will officially be retired as of now. We may replace it in the future if we feel like another one is needed but thematically nothing really fits and the @BOG feels as if the career tasks don't necessarily need an additional one in that slot. Career length also did go up with the VHLE but we have no plans as of right now to bring it back down. With the expected time to get to the VHL staying the same it seems equally fair that the career length is staying the same; in most cases people will simply spend that extra season in the VHLM instead of jumping around. I do want to make it clear that, at least personally, I do not believe the VHLE was a failure, simply a mark of it's time. Time's change and the league must evolve. if the time comes that it makes more sense Vasteras may yet ride again but as of now the numbers simply aren't supported. I look forward to moving things back to how they traditionally worked and seeing where that takes us as we approach season 100. Of note, and I promise this wall of text is almost done, we don't expect this to cause off-season delays but it's not impossible so please bear with us if things run a little longer than usual. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask, I expect there will be some as this is a lot of information. - @Commissioner

Happy New Years @Members! As we move toward another week in the life of the VHL we wanted to announce a bit of a shake up in how moderation has been handed. Obviously there have always been highs and lows with it and this past year was no exception but we saw a bit of drama near the end (as I'm sure many of you are aware) and the @Commissioner team decided to wanted to investigate things a bit and make a few changes to how things are handled. The start of that is that @frescoelmo has been let go from his position as head moderator. He is remaining on the mod team and we have nothing against him, we just feel like his talents have not aligned well with the goals of the moderation team that we are striving for. @samx has accepted the head position in his place. No other staffing changes to the mod team will take place at this time. Outside of staffing though Sam has written up some new policies to hopefully keep everything running smoothly, both for the mods and the members. Her main goals and objectives are as follows: Better documentation: Improved documentation policies so that we can better track on going issues. This will allow us to make better judgement calls when it comes to handing out punishments. Earlier intervention: Implementation of policies that make it so we intervene earlier during ongoing issues. That way we can hopefully help prevent the issue causing a larger, more dramatic scene. "Toe the liners": Implementation of new policy regarding actions of people who "toe the line" of what is allowed in the league and what isn't in order to allow for earlier intervention of these individuals before larger action feels necessary. Communication: Improved policy of how communication should happen between people who report issues, the people reported, and other parties that may be affected by a punishment (such as M commissioners). A common complaint is lack of communication. With new policy we aim to make sure that the people who need to be "in the know" about what is going on with a situation are properly informed. This also includes making sure that people who submit a form as a complaint know that we have seen it and are working on establishing what needs to follow. (If they did not submit anonymously). This also includes better communication between mods. There has been confusion at times between mods as to why certain actions were taken and we end up on different pages. The new policies aim to make sure that mods are all on the same page and have the proper information about why certain actions were taken. Correcting Bad Habits: Making sure we are following old policies correctly. Many policies have not changed however we got away from following policies and taking shortcuts. The aim is to be more on top of making sure we are following these new policies as well as being better about continuing old policies that were already in place. This includes better documentation of former infractions and punishments so people are not labelled as "repeat offenders" (for example) without evidence. The mods all have a more comprehensive version of these goals but those are the main outline. I feel like the last one makes an excellent point that there isn't a lot outwardly changing in the expectations the mods have of the community but more so a focus on making sure old policies are held up and followed, they were implemented for a reason. In general this shouldn't have a huge effect on most members but we wanted to make sure we were clear about what was going on so everyone could be on the same page. I appreciate you reading this far, feel free to take 2 uncapped for your troubles if you managed to read this far but don't mention it anywhere; I want to see if people have actually read everything without just searching for those 3 letters we love so much. @Commissioner @Moderator

HOF/HOVG/HOG - An Analyzation of Active Players' HOF Chances Season 94 Edition (S86-88 Players) Those that have known me long enough will know that I love talking about the history of the league, especially with true connoisseurs like @Victor. I have been fortunate enough to be able to vote on things like the Hall of Fame for the majority of my time in the league, but sometimes I also like to look ahead and see who has a good shot at making it one day or who will probably fall short of the ballot but still has a career worth recognizing as very impressive. @Gustav has done some looking into the Hall of Very Good in the past and I really wanted to use this article to look at current players that are either just about to retire or are soon going to be retired, in order to not only find out who will probably be inducted one day (or at least make the ballot) but also shine some light on those that have snuck by and had a great career regardless. With that, I decided to embark on a fairly ambitious idea where I would essentially analyze the career of several VHL players and look at their statistics, statistical finishes, awards and even shine a light on those that might still have some to really pad their resumes. Here are the guidelines and some key information on how I have approached this article: There are 31 players (26 skaters and 5 goalies) that have been represented in this article. Statistics/Finishes for Season 94 are as of the morning of June 25 (ultimately I had to decide an end point as this article was going to take me enough time to write, therefore that is the point at which I collected all the data and started writing) Only Season 86-88 Draftees were eligible. I felt like there was still too much time left for Season 89 and newer players to really judge their placement. However, I do intend on doing this every season, so next year would see some S89’s present in this. When it comes to goaltenders, I deemed one eligible for Save Percentage and GAA statistical category finishes, when they played 60% of their teams games (IE: Fuukka Rask is not eligible with his S94 season for those categories since he has played roughly 54% of Seattle's games at the time of writing this) I have broken down the players into the following tiers: First Ballot HOF (No-brainer picks that will easily make it on their first try in) Probable HOF (Players that will definitely make the ballot and I do expect will get in after potentially waiting on the ballot for a little bit) The Future (Players that I can’t say are for sure HOF if they retired right now, but I do think with the remaining seasons left in their career, that they can make it) Hall of Very Good (Self-explanatory, these are players that may make the ballot one day but I would be surprised if they were to ever get inducted) Hall of Good (Really good careers that I wanted to shine light on, but are going to be more known as players that were really impactful for their respectful teams rather than someone that stands out as all that close to a HOFer) And with that, please enjoy the article and let's celebrate some of the best talent this league has to offer! I also just want to make it clear that this simply my opinions and I hope not to offend anyone as that is not the intention. And I do intend on going through this every year and include the next set of available players, while also updating others that I featured in the previous ones, to see which ones I have gotten right or wrong thus far. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FIRST BALLOT HOF G - Lachlan Summers (: S87-94) @kirbithan RS: 272-135-35, .932 SV%, 2.46 GAA, 32 SO PO: 26-17-6, .923 SV%, 2.87 GAA, 1 SO Statistical Finishes Wins - 1st (S90), 2nd (S89), 2nd (S91), 3rd (S88), 3rd (S94), 5th (S93) GAA - 1st (S90), 1st (S94), 2nd (S88), 3rd (S89), 3rd (S91) Save% - 1st (S88), 1st (S90), 1st (S93), 1st (S94), 3rd (S91) SO - 1st (S90), 1st (S94), 3rd (S88), 3rd (S91), 4th (S93) Accomplishments Continental Cup (League Champion) - S89 Victory Cup (Best Regular Season Record) - S90, S91 Scotty Campbell Trophy (League MVP) - S93 Brett Slobodzian Trophy (Most Outstanding Player) - S90 Aidan Shaw Trophy (Top Goalie) - S90, S93 Greg Clegane Trophy (Best GAA) - S90 Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy (Top Rookie) - S88 All-VHL First Team - S90, S93 All-VHL Second Team - S88 All-VHL Rookie Team - S88 40 Win Seasons - S89, S90, S91, S93 .930+ SV% Seasons - S88, S90, S91, S93, S94 Sub 2.30 GAA Seasons - S88, S90, S91 Lachlan Summers is one of two absolute first ballot Hall of Fame players that will be featured in this article (or at least that is my point of view). Summers, who will be retiring at the end of this season, was drafted 12th overall in Season 86 by the Davos Dynamo, before being traded to Warsaw. As a member of Davos, Summers would go on to win his only Continental Cup thus far in Season 89, was named Most Outstanding Player in Season 90 and finished his time there with the second best Save Percentage in Davos history (only behind Hall of Famer, Benoit Devereux). In a goaltending era marked with a lot of similar goaltending resumes (you will see what I mean over the course of this article), Summers truly is an absolute standout. Including his monstrous lead this season, Summers will likely finish his career with four 1st place finishes in Save Percentage, which marks his incredible volume of quality he has churned out during his eight seasons in the Victory Hockey League. He is currently having his best season yet and will likely sweep awards season when it comes to the major awards that he is eligible for. The term “generational” is one that gets thrown around too much in sports, but Summers absolutely fits that bill and will be the easiest first ballot Hall of Fame player in quite some time. --- D - Skor McFleury (: S87-94) @Alex RS: 559 GP, 155 G, 456 A, 611 P, +147, 1357 HIT, 1240 SB PO: 54 GP, 15 G, 36 A, 51 P, -1, 147 HIT, 160 SB Statistical Finishes Assists - 2nd (S93), 4th (S90), 5th(S91), 8th (S89) Points - 6th (S90) DMan Points - 1st (S90), 1st (S91), 2nd (S93), 2nd (S94), 5th (S89), 6th (S92) DMan Goals - 1st (S94), 3rd (S90), 3rd (S91), 5th (S93), 6th (S89) Hits - 9th (S93) SB - 4th (S93), 10th (S89) Accomplishments Continental Cup (League Champion) - S89 Victory Cup (Best Regular Season Record) - S90 Sterling Labatte Trophy (Top Defenseman) - S93 Alexander Valiq Trophy (Top Offensive Defenseman) - S90, S93 Jake Wylde Trophy (Top Defensive Defenseman) - S93 All-VHL First Team - S90, S91, S93 All-VHL Rookie Team - S87 100+ Point Seasons - S93 80+ Point Seasons - S89, S90, S91, S93 20+ Goal Seasons - S89, S90, S91, S93, S94 60+ Assist Seasons - S89, S90, S91, S93 200+ Hits Seasons - S90, S91, S93 150+ SB Seasons - S89, S90, S93 Skor McFleury is another player I really don’t see having any issues getting into the VHL Hall of Fame. If he were to retire now, he would still be an absolute lock but with another season (plus his current strong one that he is in the middle of) McFleury looks to only be padding that eventual Hall of Fame resume. The well-travelled defender was drafted 2nd Overall by Riga in Season 87 and has played for Riga, Davos, Malmo, Calgary and Prague. Despite a decent but unspectacular offensive start to his career, McFleury started to explode in Season 89 and hasn’t stopped since, reaching the 70 point plateau every season since, despite being a physical presence and one of the better shot blockers in the Victory Hockey League. He has been named the Best Defenseman in the VHL (Labatte) once, the Best Offensive Defenseman (Valiq) twice and the Best Defensive Defenseman (Wylde) once. He has also been voted onto the All-VHL First Team on three separate occasions, and looks poised to potentially find himself there again. While his playoff resume is less than spectacular, Skor has still managed to win a Continental Cup and continues to be a tremendous threat in all three zones regardless of the stakes. Assuming that Skor McFleury manages to hit the 700 point plateau (only needs 89 points in 89 games) he would join only Japinder Singh (inducted in HOF in S28) as VHL defensemen to record 700 points, 1000 hits and 1000 blocked shots. While he will have had an extra season to do it, McFleury has more than proven that he will be a bonafide first ballot Hall of Fame player. --- PROBABLE HALL OF FAME C - The Frenchman (: S86-94) @OrbitingDeath RS: 631 GP, 312 G, 454 A, 766 P, +88, 379 HIT, 49 GW PO: 61 GP, 33 G, 47 A, 80 P, +16, 27 HIT, 7 GW Statistical Finishes Goals - 4th (S88) Assists - 2nd (S92), 8th (S89), 9th (S93) Points - 1st (S92), 6th (S89), 7th (S93), 9th (S88), Faceoff% - 3rd (S92), 6th (S89), 6th (S90), 6th (S93), 6th (S94), 10th (S91) Accomplishments Continental Cup (League Champion) - S92 Mike Szatkowski Trophy (VHL Leader in Points) - S92 All-VHL First Team - S92 All-VHL Second Team - S89 100+ Point Seasons - S89, S92, S93 40+ Goal Seasons - S88, S91, S93 60+ Assist Seasons - S89, S92, S93 The Frenchman doesn’t find himself on my First Ballot HOF list but I do think he is going to be someone that will certainly find his way inducted (and quickly) given the incredibly consistent career he has had. The French center was drafted 1st Overall back in Season 86 by the Riga Reign, and played parts of six seasons with the club. He spent the rest of his time with Davos and was recently traded to Vancouver to play out the rest of his final season. The Frenchman, like Skor McFleury, has benefitted from playing nine seasons in the VHL, and while he will likely fall short of the 800 point plateau, anyone that is even in the conversation to hit that number usually doesn’t stay on the ballot for too long (especially in the current era of the VHL). The Frenchman has been a point-per-game player in every season except for his rookie campaign (where he still recorded a pretty impressive 51 points in 72 games) and has hit the 100 point plateau on three separate occasions. The center has proven to be a good scorer but a truly elite playmaker and has been one of the best in the faceoff zone for almost the entirety of his long career. Perhaps more importantly, Frenchman has been a playoff standout, elevating his offensive production on more than one occasion, being a PPG or better in his last five playoff campaigns. His peak was absolutely two seasons ago where he not only won the Mike Szatkowski Trophy for the Most Points in the VHL (108), but he also tallied a remarkable 13 goals and 27 points in 17 playoff games on route to his only Continental Cup at this point. --- C - Wann Kerr (: S87-94) @VattghernCZ RS: 559 GP, 293 G, 354 A, 647 P, +143, 1348 HIT, 47 GW PO: 91 GP, 39 G, 62 A, 101 P, +27, 212 HIT, 10 GW Statistical Finishes Goals - 1st (S93), 7th (S94) Assists - 6th (S93) Points - 1st (S93), 10th (S90), 10th (S94) Hits - 9th (S94) GW - 3rd (S93), 4th (S91) Faceoff% - 5th (S93), 9th (S90), 9th (S91), 10th (S94) Accomplishments Victory Cup (Best Regular Season Record) - S87 Brett Slobodzian Trophy (Most Outstanding Player) - S93 Mike Szatkowski Trophy (VHL Leader in Points) - S93 Kevin Brooks Trophy (VHL Leader in Goals) - S93 All-VHL First Team - S93 100+ Point Seasons - S93 90+ Point Seasons - S91, S93, S94 50+ Goal Seasons - S93 40+ Goal Seasons - S90, S91, S93, S94 60+ Assist Seasons - S93 Wann Kerr is ultimately someone I think could fall just short of the Hall of Fame. The Czech-born center was drafted 9th overall by Vancouver in Season 86 and split his career between the Wolves and London, after he was traded prior to the Season 91 season. His current resume is mainly based off of last season where he dominated the league, leading in goals and points, while also taking home the Brett Slobodzian Trophy for Most Outstanding Player. The rest of his argument will depend on how he finishes his last season here, as he currently sits 7th in Goals (four back of 3rd) and 10th in Points (six back of 5th) while also still being in the top ten for hits. The other major contributor to his HOF resume is his three playoff campaigns with 23+ points and his 100+ playoff points really showcase someone you can absolutely rely on even when the quality gets ramped up. Now by no means do I think Kerr absolutely won’t make the Hall of Fame, but I do wonder if he finds himself just sitting on the ballot for quite some time (maybe gets in on a weaker season), as a good two-way forward that hit the 80 point mark six different times. His biggest issue may end up being his inability to take that next step to elite status, until his second last season. With that being said, two elite seasons and a bunch of very good years to go along with a decent award cabinet and good playoff results….may just actually be enough. Time will tell though. --- C - Daryl Dixon (: S87-94) @Ricer13 RS: 556 GP, 279 G, 361 A, 640 P, +77, 1731 HIT, 45 GW PO: 60 GP, 39 G, 43 A, 82 P, +16, 153 HIT, 6 GW Statistical Finishes Goals - 3rd (S92), 4th (S94) Assists - 9th (S91) Points - 3rd (S92), 7th (S94) Hits - 4th (S89), 6th (S93) GW - 1st (S93), 3rd (S94) Faceoff% - 2nd (S93), 3rd (S91), 4th (S90), 5th (S94), 7th (S92) Awards Continental Cup (League Champion) - S93 All-VHL Second Team - S92 100+ Point Seasons - S92, S93 90+ Point Seasons - S91, S92, S93, S94 50+ Goal Seasons - S92 40+ Goal Seasons - S92, S93, S94 60+ Assist Seasons - S91, S93 300+ Hits Seasons - S89 200+ Hits Seasons - S87, S88, S89, S90, S93 Dixon, like Leonard Triller, really could go either way for me. I actually enjoy them as a comparable because I honestly think they have a lot of similarities but a few notable differences. Dixon was drafted by Helsinki 3rd overall in the Season 86 draft, and proceeded to play parts of seven seasons with the Titans, and now finds himself on Seattle looking to win back-to-back Continental Cups. Dixon is on a bit of a nice run right now currently sitting 4th in goals and 7th in points, which considering he is an old vet, is pretty damn impressive. In all honesty, if not for the fact that it took him almost five seasons to become elite as an offensive producer and not just a solid two-way presence, he probably would be a no-brainer. He really has done a ton of work over the last few seasons to put himself in. Opposing Triller and his playmaking ability, Dixon has shown to be an elite goal scorer and an absolute force on the ice, with over 1700 hits over the course of his career. Additionally, he has been a top-10 faceoff man in the VHL in five of his eight season career. With that being said, like Triller, Dixon has been an excellent playoff performer. His biggest contesting points? His award cabinet is pretty much bare and probably won’t grow outside of potentially an All-VHL Team selection and maybe if he can rattle off a great playoff run, he could add a very illustrious Playoff MVP. Is that super likely? Probably not. So while he has showed up in the playoffs with a tremendous 82 points in 60 games to go along with 153 hits, I do think he could spend a few seasons on the ballot before getting in on a slightly weaker year. That being said, he does remind me a bit of a former Warsaw Predators legend in Zach Kisslinger II, who finished his career with 290 goals, 730 points and 1766 hits. Despite his incredible statistics, a more barren awards cabinet and complete resume has left him on the ballot and he doesn't necessarily look close to getting in. This could very well be the fate of someone like Dixon as well, unless he really cleans up some awards at the end of this season, but I am banking on the possibility that he may just sneak in. --- THE FUTURE D - Mark Calaway (: S89-94) @Beketov RS: 414 GP, 130 G, 297 A, 427 P, +68, 966 HIT, 926 SB PO: 42 GP, 10 G, 30 A, 40 P, +7, 113 HIT, 87 SB Statistical Finishes Assists - 6th (S92) DMan Points - 1st (S92), 7th (S93), 7th (S94), 9th (S91) DMan Goals - 1st (S93), 2nd (S92), 6th (S90), 6th (S94) Accomplishments Continental Cup (League Champion) - S92 All-VHL First Team - S92 All-VHL Second Team - S93 All-VHL Rookie Team - S89 80+ Point Seasons - S92, S93 30+ Goal Seasons - S92, S93 20+ Goal Seasons - S90, S92, S93 60+ Assist Seasons - S92 150+ SB Seasons - S89, S90, S91, S92 Here is the first name I have listed with the mindset that he still has a few more seasons to really pad his resume. Mark Calaway is in his sixth of eight seasons after being drafted by the DC Dragons 1st overall back in Season 88. He has primarily been known as an elite shooting defender that has been known as both a consistent physical presence while being a consistently solid shot blocker for the entirety of his career. Calaway is on pace to find himself in the Top-10 for Defensemen in points for a fourth consecutive time. Additionally, this goes for the Top-10 for Defensemen in goals as well. He has finished twice in the All-VHL voting Calaway and had an incredible Season 92 Continental Cup run as a member of the DC Dragons. The American defender tallied 7 goals and 21 points in 17 games during that playoff campaign, while also adding 51 hits and 28 blocked shots over that stretch. It was his impact as the big gun on the PP that really propelled that team through a lot of games, finishing with 6 PP goals during that run. With a couple of really good seasons, Calaway could really rack up the hardware while likely finishing close-to-around 600 points while easily dwarfing 1000 hits and blocked shots. That would make him an absolute guarantee to make it. He also could just remain a good producer and all-around player and end up probably being a tougher call, but I like his chances with how strong he has been after the last five seasons of his career . --- C - Jimi Jaks (: S88-94) @ke1vi RS: 487 GP, 245 G, 300 A, 545 P, +125, 922 HIT, 42 GW PO: 48 GP, 22 G, 36 A, 58 P, +28, 105 HIT, 3 GW Statistical Finishes Goals - 1st (S94), 10th (S92) Points - 2nd (S94) GW - 4th (S94) Faceoff% - 4th (S93) Accomplishments Continental Cup (League Champion) - S91 All-VHL Rookie Team - S88 100+ Point Seasons - S93 90+ Point Seasons - S93, S94 40+ Goal Seasons - S93, S94 200+ Hits Seasons - S92 Up until last season, Jimi Jaks wasn’t on anyone’s radar to make it to the VHL Hall of Fame. The third overall pick in the Season 87 draft had a career high of 83 points at that point, and while he had started to develop into a more consistent physical presence in Season 92, he was looking like a solid contributor but not one that could carry offenses, at that point. However, after finishing in the Top-10 in goals and topping 40 goals and 100 points for the first time as a VHL player, Jimi Jaks all of a sudden had the start that he would need over his last three seasons in order to take a shot at it. This year though? It may be the biggest boon to his career resume imaginable. As of writing this, Jimi finds himself 1st in the VHL in goals and 2nd in Points, and with a really good finish may be able to find himself bringing in multiple pieces of hardware this season and really start to build a potential HOF calibre resume. If he can finish his career with a bang, Jaks could very well become a bonafide Hall of Fame player after a solid, yet unspectacular first five seasons in the league. Regardless if he makes it or not, he has been an excellent talent for the Legion over the last nearly 7 seasons of his career and one that contributed tremendously to their Season 91 Continental Cup with 25 points and 32 hits over that fifteen game stretch. As of now, he sits 7th all-time for Toronto in points and looks poised to pass Max Molholt and Peyton Nydroj before this season even ends, while he also could find himself in 5th for goals before season’s end. If Jaks plays in Toronto next season, there is a very good chance he becomes the Legion’s All-Time Goals and Points leaders and that alone impresses me enough to think he has a decent chance of potentially making the Hall of Fame. --- D - Jacob Stone (: S88-94) @scoop RS: 487 GP, 123 G, 311 A, 434 P, +86, 1002 HIT, 1058 SB PO: 14 GP, 5 G, 8 A, 13 P, -4, 48 HIT, 36 SB Statistical Finishes Assists - 3rd (S92) DMan Points - 4th (S92), 4th (S93), 5th (S94), 8th (S91) DMan Goals - 1st (S94), 3rd (S93), 4th (S92), 6th (S91) SB - 6th (S88), 10th (S91) Accomplishments Victory Cup (Best Regular Season Record) - S92, S93 Jake Wylde Trophy (Top Defensive Defenseman) - S92 All-VHL First Team - S93 All-VHL Second Team - S92 All-VHL Rookie Team - S88 80+ Point Seasons - S92, S93 20+ Goal Seasons - S92, S93, S94 60+ Assist Seasons - S92, S93 200+ Hits Seasons - S92, S93 150+ SB Seasons - S88, S89, S91, S92, S93 Jakob Stone is a bit of a weird case honestly, as the first three seasons of his career saw the defender record just 34 goals and 131 points over the 216 games, while adding 268 hits and 467 blocked shots. Defensively a very strong player but not one that had showcased a lot of offensive potential or someone that was committed to using the most of their 6”6 222 lb frame. However, over the next few seasons, Stone has stayed a stalwart but one with tremendous puck skills and a big booming shot that has found the American defender in the Top-6 in Goals for a Defenseman on four occasions. Over the last four years, Stone has recorded 89 goals and 303 points in 271 games, while tallying a very impressive 734 hits and 591 blocked shots over this strong run that has seen him win the Jake Wylde Trophy and be named on both the All-VHL First Team and All-VHL Second Team. The American defender was drafted 5th overall by the Malmo Nighthawks in Season 88, and with two seasons left and still being a member of the Nighthawks, Stone has been an incredible pick to anchor the backend for the Swedish club. With that being said, his playoff success, or lack thereof, is one of my biggest concerns if he ends up being someone that sticks on the ballot for a bit. His uninspiring 13 points in 14 games and no playoff series wins will need to improve for him to definitively make it, in my honest opinion. With that being said, he could dominate over the next couple seasons and join a club of not many defenders who have made the Hall of Fame without any contention whatsoever where he could really pad his hardware resume. Or he could become Lincoln Tate that could get in after his first few seasons in the league resulted in him having just 508 points over the course of his career (lowest by any HOF player that played more than three seasons). It’s a tough call and he may end up not making it, but without two seasons left, I think there is a pretty good chance that Jacob Stone could vault himself into the Hall of Fame. --- C - Mac Atlas (: S87-94) @v.2 RS: 559 GP, 289 G, 283 A, 572 P, +35, 1224 HIT, 52 GW PO: 48 GP, 28 G, 31 A, 59 P, +19, 122 HIT, 6 GW Statistical Finishes Goals - 3rd (S94), 7th (S90), 7th (S91), 7th (S93) Points - 5th (S94) GW - 4th (S91), 4th (S93) Faceoff% - 3rd (S94) Accomplishments Continental Cup (League Champion) - S91 90+ Point Seasons - S93, S94 40+ Goal Seasons - S90, S91, S93, S94 200+ Hits Seasons - S92 The 1st overall pick in Season 87, by the Toronto Legion, is in the midst of his best season yet. Mac Atlas is in his eighth of nine potential seasons, and has tallied up 42 goals and 90 points in 55 games thus far, putting him on pace for what would be a career-high 55 goals and 118 points while still having a decent chance of topping the 200 hits total for only the second time in his career. Atlas should find himself being in the Top-7 in goals for the fourth time in his career and has also been a great playoff performer, especially in their Season 91 Continental Cup run, where the American center finished with 11 goals and 29 points in the fifteen-game run. I do think Atlas had a decent chance of making the Hall of Fame, but it would require a few things in my opinion. One, I do think he has to make a serious run or even make it, to both 350 goals and 700 points. I also think he needs to bring in at least a little bit of hardware, with him at least looking like a lock to be named to one of the two All-VHL Teams. If Atlas can’t win at least one major individual award, he will probably never make it past a ballot inclusion, but if he at least hits the two aforementioned statistical plateaus, you never know what could happen. --- D - Bobby Bob (: S89-94) @Baby Boomer RS: 415 GP, 71 G, 329 A, 400 P, +78, 598 HIT, 759 SB PO: 48 GP, 9 G, 30 A, 39 P, +17, 62 HIT, 95 SB Statistical Finishes Assists - 1st (S94), 4th (S93) DMan Points - 1st (S94), 6th (S92), 7th (S93), 10th (S91) Accomplishments Continental Cup (League Champion) - S91 80+ Point Seasons - S93, S94 70+ Assist Seasons - S93, S94 Bobby Bob has definitely entered his prime, after recording 72 assists and 85 points last season, and currently sitting first in the VHL with 65 assists in 55 games. The Canadian defenseman has displayed strong skating and both brilliant puckhandling and tremendous playmaking, while still showing off a decent shot and being a very capable player in his own end. I do think he has a decent chance at winning some hardware shortly, especially with the season he is currently having, but with him peaking and still being in the middle of what will likely be his fourth time in the Top-10 for Points by a Defenseman, I think he could have some incredible growth over the next two seasons. To me, Bob seems like a prime candidate to go from the Hall of Very Good to the Hall of Fame, and the Legion are enjoying watching their third overall pick from the Season 88 draft, ascend into one of the game’s best defensemen. I do think there is a chance though, that Bobby Bob ends up being this era’s Bo Johansson, who was a playmaking monster throughout the 80’s, but seems likely to spend up to perhaps five or more seasons on the ballot. --- D - Liv Slater (: S89-94) @Subject056 RS: 414 GP, 105 G, 250 A, 355 P, -47, 973 HIT, 985 SB PO: 11 GP, 1 G, 3 A, 4 P, -4, 8 HIT, 19 SB Statistical Finishes DMan Points - 3rd (S92), 4th (S93) DMan Goals - 1st (S92), 2nd (S93), 6th (S94) SB - 2nd (S92), 3rd (S91) Accomplishments Sterling Labatte Trophy (Top Defenseman) - S92 Alexander Valiq Trophy (Top Offensive Defenseman) - S92 Jake Wylde Trophy (Top Defensive Defenseman) - S92 All-VHL First Team - S92) 80+ Point Seasons - S92, S93 30+ Goal Seasons - S92 20+ Goal Seasons - S92, S93 200+ Hits Seasons - S91, S92 200+ SB Seasons - S91, S92 150+ SB Seasons - S89, S91, S92 Liv Slater is a player that, like Kardashian, has a very high peak but has lacked the consistent elite play that typically guides players into the Hall of Fame. With that being said, there is still a lot of time for Slater to propel himself to Hall of Fame status. The petite Canadian defender was drafted 7th overall in Season 88 and has made a name for himself with his great shot and tremendous skating ability to go along with nearly unmatched puckhandling ability. Defensively he is very good, but he does lack strength and is a decent but not incredible playmaker, which does hamper him at times. While he is in the middle of his worst season since Season 91, Slater is coming off back-to-back 87 point campaigns that saw him record 64 goals over that two year stretch. If he can rebound and return to his previous offensive form and continue to build on his strong hits and shot-blocking statistics, I could see him definitely at least make the ballot and would have a chance of making it, especially if he can add onto his impressive award list he created in Season 92. Time will tell, but I am not completely counting him out just yet. --- G - Merome Dilson (: S89-94) @MexicanCow123 RS: 355 GP, 167-148-38, .925 SV%, 2.59 GAA, 17 SO PO: 17 GP, 6-9-2, .918 SV%, 2.96 GAA, 2 SO Statistical Finishes Wins - 2nd (S94), 3rd (S92) GAA - 3rd (S94), 4th (S92), 5th (S91) Save% - 1st (S92), 3rd (S90), 3rd (S94) SO - 1st (S92) Accomplishments Scotty Campbell Trophy (S92) Aidan Shaw Trophy (S92) All-VHL First Team (S92) All-VHL Rookie Team (S89) 40+ Win Seasons - S92 .930+ SV% Seasons - S92 Sub 2.30 GAA Seasons - S92 Merome Dilson is maybe the most interesting case of the four goaltenders who isn’t Summers, because unlike the other three, there are still seasons left where he can build his resume. Dilson still has two seasons left and currently sits with a solid 167-148-38 record and an impressive .925 Save Percentage. He is on track to find himself in the top three in save percentage for the third time after this season, and when you pair that with some of the major hardware he has already won, Dilson has the beginnings of a really excellent career. After winning the Scotty Campbell Trophy (League MVP) and the Aidan Shaw Trophy (Top Goalie), Dilson had an underwhelming Season 93 for the Wranglers, in what was probably the worst season of his career. After being traded to London and switching teams for the first time, the 10th overall pick in Season 88 has bounced back in a huge way this year. Currently sitting second in Wins, third in GAA and third in Save Percentage, Dilson has a chance to make the All-VHL Second Team this year, but even if he isn’t able to snatch that away from someone else, with Summers, Castle, Sparks and Rask all retiring after this season, Merome may be the goaltender to watch out for over the next couple seasons. It would also be encouraging to see some playoff success as well, with Dilson having never won a playoff series and sitting with a losing record and just a .918 Save Percentage in the playoffs. While he is Hall of Very Good for now, a couple more elite years may just buy him an induction, especially with the League MVP and Top Goalie awards already in his award case. --- C - Jasper Davis (: S89-94) @Josh RS: 415 GP, 193 G, 257 A, 450 P, +26, 428 HIT, 26 GW PO: 27 GP, 12 G, 8 A, 20 P, -2, 28 HIT, 2 GW Statistical Finishes Assists - 6th (S91) Points - 5th (S91) GW - 8th (S94) Faceoff% - 4th (S94) Accomplishments Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy (Top Rookie) - S89 All-VHL Rookie Team - S89 100+ Point Seasons - S91 90+ Point Seasons - S91, S93 40+ Goal Seasons - S93 60+ Assist Seasons - S91 Jasper Davis was a phenom that was drafted 4th overall by the New York Americans in Season 88, and then won the MVP of the VHLE in his only season there before winning the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy in Season 89 for the Top Rookie of the VHL. However, the Swiss born center declined in his sophomore season, dropping down 9 points off of last his rookie season. The incredibly strong 6”5 frame that has patrolled center ice for six seasons, has had incredible seasons since that sophomore year. In Season 91, Jasper Davis scored 39 goals and had 105 points, finishing 5th in the VHL in Points and 6th in Assists. He has also developed into one of the best faceoff men in the league this season while being just outside the top ten in goals and points. Davis will probably need to be elite for the rest of his career to make the HOF, but I definitely don’t think it’s impossible if he can add some hardware in one of these next couple seasons. For now, I think it’s more likely he finds a spot in the Hall of Very Good, but you never know. --- HALL OF VERY GOOD RW - Leonard Triller (: S88-94) @Triller RS: 487 GP, 202 G, 388 A, 590 P, +112, 809 HIT, 31 GW PO: 86 GP, 48 G, 53 A, 101 P, +16, 154 HIT, 7 GW Statistical Finishes Assists - 1st (S91), 4th (S94), 6th (S92) Points - 6th (S94), 7th (S91), 7th (S93) GW - 7th (S93) Accomplishments Continental Cup (League Champion) - S88 Alexander Beketov Trophy (VHL Leader in Assists) - S91 All-VHL Rookie Team - S88 100+ Point Seasons - S91, S93 40+ Goal Seasons - S93 70+ Assist Seasons - S91 60+ Assist Seasons - S91, S92, S93 Leonard Triller is someone I originally had as someone I thought would definitely get in, but have slowly realized it could honestly go either way. The Canadian forward was selected 11th overall in Season 86 by London and has spent his entire career with the squad. Triller has had a terrific career and looks likely to hit the 600 point plateau while still being a decently physical presence over the years. Primarily a playmaker, Triller has finished in the Top-6 in Assists on three different occasions and has found himself Top-7 in Points three different times as well. His peak is his stretch from Season 91 to the current season where he has been a 100+ point player twice (likely three times after the end of this season) and another where he hit 97 points. Ultimately, while there are other players on this list who I think may not make it despite probably having more points, the fact that Triller will likely be a 600 point player in just 7 seasons is actually pretty impressive. Additionally, and one of the biggest reasons I think he could find his way in would be his playoff success that has seen him be a double digit point producer in five of his six playoff runs (his only goose egg was a literal one in four games in S89). His overall playoff production puts him in the Top-25 for All-Time playoff producers, which given we are in Season 94…that is really impressive. The biggest issues for him will be his award cabinet (which could grow after this year but still no All-VHL Team finishes) and perhaps his statistical finishes, but there is something to say for elite consistency and as someone who has come up in a lot of clutch moments, I do think he could get in after sitting for a while on the ballot, but I am afraid I think he may be a bit of a victim of not really getting enough in the award cabinet to topple other names that will eventually find their way on it. It's kind of crazy to say given how incredible his career has been, but he may be the very definition of Hall of Very Good. --- LW - Vincent Laroche-Gagnier (: S87-94) @vincentlg2007 RS: 559 GP, 267 G, 315 A, 582 P, +127, 843 HIT, 47 GW PO: 74 GP, 24 G, 29 A, 53 P, +19, 117 HIT, 4 GW Statistical Finishes Goals - 3rd (S90), 3rd (S93), 7th (S89) Assists - 8th (S92) Points - 4th (S90), 5th (S93), 8th (S92) GW - 2nd (S89) Accomplishments Continental Cup (League Champion) - S87, S92 All-VHL Second Team - S90, S93 100+ Point Seasons - S90, S93 90+ Point Seasons - S90, S92, S93 50+ Goal Seasons - S93 40+ Goal Seasons - S89, S90, S93 200+ Hits Seasons - S92, S93 Vincent Laroche-Gagnier in his last season but is still flirting with a point per game, which would give VLG his six consecutive seasons hitting that mark. He has been in the top three in goals twice and top five in points twice, and still sits as a good goal scorer in this league, peaking at 55 goals last season and hitting the 40 goal mark three times and the 30 goal mark five times. Being drafted 15th overall in Season 86, Laroche-Gagnier has been a great steal by the Wranglers. He would spend three seasons there before being traded to the DC Dragons, where the talented defender has played four seasons before being traded prior to Season 94 to the London United. He might have a chance to make the ballot for a little bit due to the two placements on the All-VHL Second Team, but VLG likely will carve a little spot on the shelf to being in the Hall of Very Good. --- C - Randy Bobandy (: S87-94) @AJW RS: 559 GP, 199 G, 373 A, 572 P, +54, 891 HIT, 37 GW PO: 56 GP, 10 G, 33 A, 43 P, -8, 73 HIT, 2 GW Statistical Finishes Assists - 4th (S89), 8th (S94) GW - 9th (S94) Faceoff% - 1st (S93), 2nd (S92), 5th (S91), 7th (S89), 7th (S94), 8th (S90) Accomplishments All-VHL Rookie Team - S87 90+ Point Seasons - S89 80+ Point Seasons - S89, S90, S92 70+ Assist Seasons - S89 200+ Hits Seasons - S89 Randy Bobandy is in the midst of one of the best seasons of his career, after being traded to the Malmo Nighthawks prior Season 94. This would be the third team for Bobandy after being drafted 4th overall in Season 87 by Seattle and later being traded to the Calgary Wranglers. He won’t probably make the Hall of Fame, despite being a very solid point producer for quite some time and also being one of the best faceoff men over the course of his career. I think he definitely fits the Hall of Very Good spot for me, as despite the fact that he hasn’t won any individual hardware, he looked poised to hit the 80 point mark for the third time of his career and has also hit the 30 goal mark three different times during his career as well. He also still has another season left that could see the center hit the 650 point plateau, so while I think he will not been inducted, his career still has some pretty legendary moments with some incredible play that will definitely be remembered by the fans of the teams he has played for. --- G - Ash Sparks (: S87-94) @DarkSpyro RS: 380 GP, 226-115-35, .925 SV%, 2.43 GAA, 31 SO PO: 14 GP, 3-6-5, .916 SV%, 2.97 GAA, 0 SO Statistical Finishes Wins - 1st (S92), 1st (S93), 1st (S94) GAA - 1st (S93), 1st (S94), 2nd (S92), 5th (S89) Save% - 2nd (S94), 3rd (S89), 5th (S92) SO - 1st (S89), 1st (S94), 2nd (S93), 3rd (S92) Accomplishments Victory Cup (Best Regular Season Record) - S92, S93 Greg Clegane Trophy (Lowest GAA) - S93 40+ Win Seasons - S92, S93 .930+ SV% Seasons - S89, S92, S94 Sub 2.30 GAA Seasons - S92, S94 Ash Sparks has truly been a very divisive player over the last few seasons, especially in regards to his status as one of the better goaltenders in the league. Some aren’t ready to have that conversation and point to his playoff performances (which definitely have not been stellar) and his overall work ethic compared to some of the league’s elite workhorses. With that being said, Malmo would not be a two-time Victory Cup winner without his elite play, and if things stay the same, we might be adding another one to his trophy case. Ultimately, I think there is a decent argument that Sparks is the second best goalie out of the Summers era, with four top-3 finishes in shutouts, potentially three first place finishes in wins, four top-5 finishes in GAA and three top-5 finishes in Save Percentage. He may very well be in the middle of the best season of his career after spending most of it with Malmo after being drafted by Seattle 6th overall in Season 86. While he will not ever win an Aidan Shaw Trophy or anything like that, there is a very real chance he ends up being a two-time Greg Clegane Trophy Winner and there are many in Malmo that are hopeful he can add some playoff hardware to that in what is his last season. I think he’s destined to stay Hall of Very Good, but with him just a few wins shy of the all-time record for Malmo, I do think a retired jersey is inevitable for the Canadian netminder. --- G - Joel Castle (: S87-94) @animal74 RS: 488 GP, 244-197-44, .923 SV%, 2.61 GAA, 28 SO PO: 48 GP, 27-20-1, .927 SV%, 2.49 GAA, 2 SO Statistical Finishes Wins - 2nd (S93), 3rd (S94), 4th (S91), 5th (S90) GAA - 2nd (S90), 2nd (S91), 4th (S89), 4th (S94) Save% - 1st (S91), 4th (S89), 4th (S90) SO - 1st (S92), 4th (S87), 5th (S94) Accomplishments Continental Cup (League Champion) - S91 Daisuke Kanou Trophy (Playoff MVP) - S91 All-VHL Second Team - S91 40+ Win Seasons - S91, S93 .930+ SV% Seasons - S89, S91 Sub 2.30 GAA Seasons - S90, S91 Castle was drafted 13th overall in Season 86 by the Toronto Legion and has played all eight seasons with the club. He has had an excellent career and spent almost six seasons as one of the better goaltenders in the league, including two seasons that saw the netminder finish with above a .930 save percentage. He currently sits third all-time in Wins for Toronto while still being top-10 in both Save Percentage and GAA (among goalies with 100+ games). He definitely isn’t going to be a Hall of Fame goalie but he’s very reminiscent of some great netminders in the past (Holik, Clarence, etc.) that fell just short in eras with legendary goalies running their generation. He’s been a bit up-and-down as a playoff performer, albeit with no weak performances, but the Season 91 run carrying the Legion to the Continental Cup is the biggest mark on what is a great career. The goalie finished with a 12-3-0 record with a 2.02 GAA and .939 Save Percentage, on route to the Legion winning the Continental Cup. A legend in Legion fans’ heart and one that will be remembered in Toronto forever for sure. --- G: Fuukka Rask (: S87-94) @Jubis RS: 461 GP, 214-187-42, .923 SV%, 2.76 GAA, 27 SO PO: 60 GP, 34-22-4, .927 SV%, 2.57 GAA, 3 SO Statistical Finishes Wins - 4th (S92) GAA - 3rd (S92), 5th (S93) Save% - 1st (S92), 3rd (S93) SO - 3rd (S91), 3rd (S92), 5th (S94) Accomplishments Continental Cup (League Champion) - S93 All-VHL Second Team - S92 .930+ SV% Seasons - S92 Sub 2.30 GAA Seasons - S92 Fuukka, along with pretty much every goalie that isn’t Lachlan Summers from this era, will probably find himself in the Hall of Very Good when his career is over. With a really impressive .923 Save Percentage, including five consecutive seasons at that number or higher, Rask has really found himself a niche as being a reliable number one netminder in the league. Even in Season 94, where Rask is splitting goalie duties, he is having easily the best year of his career, and frankly it’s a shame that I can’t include his statistical finishes this year, because he would find himself on there a couple more times. His .938 SV% is only second in the league behind Lachlan Summers, but because I am only including players on the Save%/GAA lists if they have played in sixty percent of their teams games, I did not include them. Nevertheless, Rask’s great achievement is his All-VHL Second Team finish, his Continental Cup win in Season 93 and of course his ridiculous performance in Season 91 with Helsinki. While I don’t think he has the consistent elite results or the hardware required (Summers is definitely partially to blame), I do think his career has been impressive and one to remember for sure. --- D - Kronchy Kardashian (: S88-94) @Garsh RS: 486 GP, 113 G, 287 A, 400 P, +45, 873 HIT, 988 SB PO: 53 GP, 6 G, 26 A, 32 P, +0, 116 HIT, 130 SB Statistical Finishes DMan Points - 6th (S91), 9th (S92) DMan Goals - 1st (S91) Accomplishments Alexander Valiq Trophy (Top Offensive Defenseman) - S91 All-VHL Second Team - S91 All-VHL Rookie Team - S88 70+ Point Seasons - S91 30+ Goal Seasons - S91 150+ SB Seasons - S88, S91, S93 Kronchy Kardashian has a pretty high peak but I do think his lack of consistently solid but not incredible production will keep him in the Hall of Very Good and not the Hall of Fame. His main claim to fame is his Season 91 run with the Helsinki Titans that saw the American tiny defenseman record a ridiculous 31 goals and 76 points, which was good enough for Kardashian to lead in goals, win the Valiq Trophy (Best Offensive Defenseman) and be named to the All-VHL Second Team. However, outside of that year, Kardashian has not broken into even the 20 goal territory and hasn’t ventured back into the 70 point level again. His unimpressive playoff runs unfortunately don’t help his case either, as the 7th overall pick in Season 87 has only recorded 6 goals and 32 points in 53 playoff games. Nevertheless, with Kardashian currently sitting right at a point-per-game and one season left, I do think he is poised to potentially finish above the 500 mark while likely hitting the 1000 Hits and Shot Blocks club. Which for someone the size of Kardashian, and with the tough start he had to his VHL career, that is not too shabby at all. --- LW - Francesco Mancini (: S89-94) @GioSivo RS: 414 GP, 171 G, 202 A, 373 P, +15, 444 HIT, 32 GW PO: 27 GP, 8 G, 14 A, 22 P, -1, 25 HIT, 1 GW Statistical Finishes Goals - 6th (S91) Points - 8th (S91) GW - 2nd (S94), 10th (S93) Accomplishments Dustin Funk Trophy (Most Improved Player) - S91 100+ Point Seasons - S91 40+ Goal Seasons - S91 30+ Goal Seasons - S91, S92, S94 Mancini was the 8th overall pick in Season 88 for the New York Americans, and spent five years on the team prior to joining Chicago this past off-season. I slot in Mancini as someone who will likely end up in the Hall of Very Good, as outside of his first two seasons in the league, he has been outstanding. In his last four seasons, he currently sits at 141 goals and 315 points over that 288 game stretch, which is pretty dang impressive overall. He is currently on pace for a career-high 103 points, so if he can keep that up and have another couple great seasons, he will definitely be a higher end candidate in the Hall of Very Good. The biggest knocks on him right now, for me, are playoff success and lack of hardware. While the Dustin Funk Trophy isn’t nothing, a Most Improved Player award doesn’t necessarily hold the weight of some of the others out there. So that’s one major thing he needs to make the Hall of Fame one day, and very well is probably the biggest deciding factor between the two tiers. His playoff performance hasn’t been too bad as most of his numbers there are influenced by his rookie Season 89 campaign and he had a pretty solid nine game run last season. That being said, some playoff success as one of the teams leading contributors is what may vault him up to future induction status as well. For now, I think he is a likely candidate to be in the Hall of Very Good, and there is nothing wrong with that at all. --- LW - Owen Lazaro (: S89-94) @traphag RS: 414 GP, 170 G, 214 A, 384 P, +6, 1173 HIT, 24 GW PO: 41 GP, 17 G, 25 A, 42 P, -1, 136 HIT, 2 GW Statistical Finishes Goals - 5th (S93) Hits - 6th (S93), 8th (S91) Accomplishments 90+ Point Seasons - S93 50+ Goal Seasons - S93 30+ Goal Seasons - S91, S93, S94 200+ Hits Seasons - S90, S91, S92, S93 Owen Lazaro was drafted by Helsinki 9th overall in Season 88, and while it took him three seasons to hit the PPG mark, the Spanish winger has really started to breakout after a 50 goal and 99 point campaign last season. The big well-rounded forward currently is on pace for 39 goals and 99 points this season, and with two more years left, has some time left to continue his elite play. While I am still not at the point of saying that Lazaro is on track to becoming a Hall of Fame player, I don’t think it’s impossible to see him continue to dominate and make it, but there is still a lot of work left to do for Lazaro. There is still an outside chance that Owen will hit the 600 point mark and he should end up north of 1500 hits as well, so if he is able to add a couple pieces of hardware to his resume, he has a chance to make it still. --- D - David Jokinen (: S87-94) @Ahma RS: 559 GP, 99 G, 289 A, 388 P, 602 HIT, 1320 SB PO: 63 GP, 13 G, 26 A, 39 P, +5, 43 HIT, 143 SB Statistical Finishes Assists - 2nd (S93) DMan Points - 1st (S93), 8th (S92) DMan Goals - 3rd (S93), 5th (S92), 9th (S94) SB - 2nd (S93), 3rd (S92), 4th (S94) Accomplishments Continental Cup (League Champion) - S89 Victory Cup (Best Regular Season Record) - S90, S91 All-VHL Second Team - S93 100+ Point Seasons - S93 20+ Goal Seasons - S92, S93 70+ Assist Seasons - S93 200+ Hits Seasons - S92 200+ SB Seasons - S92, S93 150+ SB Seasons - S87, S90, S92, S93, S94 This defender that is part of the famous Ahma Agency that has only picks Finnish players and allows them to only play for Davos, manages to make this list mainly due to last season. The 10th overall pick scored 25 goals and finished with 103 points to go along with 251 blocked shots, being named to the All-VHL Second Team and being a finalist on multiple VHL Awards. He has had a consistently good career, but has really peeked from Season 91 on that saw him record 56 points to now being a 100+ point defender, which does vault him to HOVG status. He hasn’t quite had the start he had last year offensively, but he still managing to be pace for his second best offensive season, while also being physical and one of the best shotblockers the VHL has. --- HALL OF GOOD D - Moritz Stauffer (: S88-94) @GoodLeftUndone RS: 488 GP, 73 G, 292 A, 365 P, +102, 702 HIT, 876 SB PO: 40 GP, 3 G, 20 A, 23 P, -16, 41 HIT, 84 SB Statistical Finishes DMan Points - 7th (S94) DMan Goals - 8th (S91) SB - 10th (S94) Accomplishments Continental Cup (League Champion) - S90 Victory Cup (Best Regular Season Record) - S88 60+ Point Seasons - S92, S94 50+ Point Seasons - S90, S91, S92, S93, S94 50+ Assist Seasons - S92, S94 150+ SB Seasons - S92 Moritz Stauffer is a teammate with the very-defensive Jens Lekman, and while there are a lot of similarities in their games, I do think Stauffer has really started to develop a consistent offensive touch to his game while still maintaining his physical and defensive reputation. The 6th overall pick in Season 88 was drafted by Malmo before being traded to Prague, where he would spend the majority of his career playing. Right before the Season 93 off-season, Stauffer was moved to Calgary in a deal to help bolster a top notch defensive group that the Wranglers already possessed. The German defender has hit 55 points in five of his seven seasons so far, and looks poised to hit the 1000-1000 club with still two seasons left in the league after this one. Stauffer has combined good skating and puck handling with a good shot and strong defensive play, being seen as more of an all-around utility defender rather than one that stands out in any specific way. All in all, I do think he will find himself in the Hall of Consistently Good, because I am not sure he will be able to have that elite 90-100 point season that would probably be needed to be considered any higher, but he has been the definition of being consistently good. There is an outside chance that Stauffer can hit the 500 point mark, and if he does that, maybe I can reevaluate where I slot him. --- D - Jens Lekman (: S87-94) @Bobcat RS: 560 GP, 73 G, 300 A, 373 P, +169, 1083 HIT, 1029 SB PO: 51 GP, 5 G, 18 A, 23 P, -11, 102 HIT, 93 SB Statistical Finishes DMan Points - 10th (S94) Accomplishments Victory Cup (Best Regular Season Record) - S87 60+ Point Seasons - S91 50+ Point Seasons - S90, S91, S92, S94 50+ Assist Seasons - S91 200+ Hits Seasons - S91 Jens Lekman is on track to have the best offensive season of his career, all while still being the physical shutdown defender we have known for years. Drafted 17th overall in Season 86 by the Vancouver Wolves, he would eventually find himself on the LA Stars for four seasons before ending up back in Vancouver, before being traded to Calgary so that he could finish his career with the Wranglers. Currently sitting with 373 points but already being a member of the 1000-1000 club, Lekman has shown to be a reliable defensive presence for the majority of his career. Lekman probably classifies more into the Hall of Consistently Good category as he has been a steady physical and defensive presence while hitting the 50+ point plateau four times. He’s landed some nasty big hits over the years and played tremendously in front of his goalie for all eight seasons in his career, so while he may not be remembered for ridiculous offensive accomplishments, he has had a lasting impact on every team he has played for. --- LW - Sadie St-Louis (: S87-94) @sadie RS: 557 GP, 234 G, 268 A, 502 P, +105, 1061 HIT, 40 GW PO: 53 GP, 22 G, 23 A, 45 P, -13, 77 HIT, 5 GW Statistical Finishes Goals - 10th (S90) GW - 4th (S93) Accomplishments Continental Cup (League Champion) - S93 All-VHL Rookie Team - S87 80+ Point Seasons - S90 70+ Point Seasons - S89, S90 40+ Goal Seasons - S90 30+ Goal Seasons - S89, S90, S92, S93 200+ Hits Seasons - S94 While I don’t think Sadie St-Louis is ever going to find herself on the ballot for the VHL Hall of Fame, I do think she has had herself a great career and one that will definitely be remembered by the fans of each team she has played for. The 4th overall pick in Season 86 by the Riga Reign, St-Louis has showcased a well-rounded game, being a great defensive player and fairly physical, while showing off a good-enough scoring touch that the Canadian winger showed when she had four 30+ goal seasons during her VHL career. Congratulations are in order for her as well with her reaching the 500 point marker this season and the 1000 hits total as well. Ultimately, St-Louis never really hit that elite consistency needed to make the HOF, but I do think she will be a very good addition to the Hall of Consistently Good. --- D - Reese McFleury (: S89-94) @Spaz RS: 415 GP, 80 G, 257 A, 337 P, +92, 359 HIT, 742 SB PO: 14 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 6 P, -9, 9 HIT, 23 SB Statistical Finishes Assists - 8th (S92) DMan Points - 5th (S92) DMan Goals - 9th (S92) Accomplishments Victory Cup (Best Regular Season Record) - S92, S93 All-VHL Rookie Team - S89 70+ Point Seasons - S92, S93 50+ Point Seasons - S91, S92, S93, S94 50+ Assist Seasons - S92, S93 150+ SB Seasons - S89 Reese McFleury is in the midst of a third straight season that sees the American defender at the point per game mark, while being a very important part of a Malmo defense that has been part of two straight Victory Cup winning teams. He has finished once in the top-10 in assists and has been a very good shot block artist as a lockdown defender for quite some time. With still one more season left after this one, there is a chance that Reese McFleury could hit the 450 point game mark while also being a solid defender for the majority of his career. What would really boost his reputation all-time would be contributing in a major way to some playoff success, which Malmo has had none of for the last little while (as you can see by his 6 points in 14 games). The Nighthawks are top notch once again and have added some real veteran talent to their squad this year, so perhaps this will be the year for Sweden’s team. He truly does fall into the Hall of Consistently Good category when it comes to this list, but the Nighthawks have to like having a career player like him after taking McFleury 8th overall in the Season 87 Draft. --- RW - Yaroslav Trunov (: S87-94) @qripll RS: 559 GP, 227 G, 233 A, 460 P, +37, 1210 HIT, 42 GW PO: 21 GP, 8 G, 4 A, 12 P, +1, 35 HIT, 3 GW Statistical Finishes Goals - 5th (S92) Points - 9th (S92) GW - 4th (S94), 6th (S91) Accomplishments 90+ Point Seasons - S92 80+ Point Seasons - S92, S93 40+ Goal Seasons - S92, S93 30+ Goal Seasons - S91, S92, S93 200+ Hits Seasons - S92, S93 Yaroslav Trunov will join a couple aforementioned players in the Hall of Consistently Good category. Trunov has been a bit unfortunate by his statistics taking a big hit from his first two seasons in the VHL, that saw the Russian record 29 goals and 62 points in 144 games. Even after having a solid Season 89 for Malmo, Trunov dropped down from 62 points to 39. Once Season 91 happened though, Trunov became a whole different player in what was a coming age moment for him. Recording over a point-per-game over the next three seasons, Yaroslav would explore for 2 40+ goal seasons and a 30 goal season while hitting as high as 94 points. Additionally, he became one of the more physical forwards in the league and expanded his game from being the one-dimensional winger that the league saw over the first couple of seasons. Perhaps most importantly for Trunov, is that he has been known as a clutch player for quite some time, with 45 game winning goals in his career, including three big ones in the playoffs. While he won’t reach the Hall of Fame, I do think he has had a really solid career that saw him top out as an elite scorer that was one of the more physical wingers in the entire league. --- LW/D - Left Alone (: S87-94) @okochastar RS: 558 GP, 189 G, 295 A, 484 P, +12, 203 HIT (S94 as D) PO: 36 GP, 7 G, 17 A, 24 P, +1, 7 HIT, 1 GW Statistical Finishes Points - 9th (S92) Accomplishments Victory Cup (Best Regular Season Record) - S89 90+ Point Seasons - S91, S92 30+ Goal Seasons - S91, S92, S93 50+ Assist Seasons - S91, S92 Left Alone was a player that did barely make this list and definitely falls under the Hall of Good column, but given that he is in his last season, it was worth celebrating the winger turned defenseman’s eight season career. The big 6”6 Czech was drafted by Seattle 8th overall in the Season 86 draft, but was traded early to Moscow, where he would spend most of his career, including his entire prime. He is currently having a solid season in his one and only year as a defender, but it will be his Season 90-93 run that he will truly be remembered by. Alone tallied 135 goals and 320 points over those 288 games, and while he was not a very physical presence, he still remained very disciplined over the course of his career, staying on the ice and being someone that the team could truly rely on. While he will never be enshrined into the Hall of Fame, Left Alone has garnered a great reputation and has been a great member of every team he has played for. --- RW - Lucas Grey (: S88-94) @emidas RS: 488 GP, 191 G, 233 A, 424 P, +9, 697 HIT, 29 GW PO: 42 GP, 16 G, 25 A, 41 P, +12, 67 HIT, 4 GW Statistical Finishes GW - 4th (S93) Accomplishments Continental Cup (League Champion) - S92 80+ Point Seasons - S93 70+ Point Seasons - S90, S91, S92, S93 30+ Goal Seasons - S90, S91, S92, S93 Another Hall of Good candidate, Lucas Grey has carved out a successful VHL career with 191 goals and 424 points over 488 games. He has also been a near point per game player in the VHL, elevating his game when he needs to the most. He honestly fits the definition of someone who has been consistently good. After a tough first two seasons that saw the American forward only tally 60 points in 144 games, he has been a 70+ point player in what will likely be five straight seasons to end his career. He will likely also hit the 30 goal plateau for the fifth season of his career, as scoring is what the veteran winger is most known for. What might be the most remarkable thing about Grey’s career, is that he has had all this success after being drafted 55th overall in Season 86. A monumental steal for the DC Dragons who were then rewarded with unbridled loyalty by the big man who has played all seven seasons of his career with the squad. --- RW - Oreo McFleury (: S88-94) @JB123 RS: 487 GP, 184 G, 231 A, 415 P, +84, 300 HIT, 36 GW PO: 68 GP, 22 G, 33 A, 55 P, +6, 20 HIT, 8 GW Statistical Finishes GW - 2nd (S90) Accomplishments Continental Cup (League Champion) - S93 90+ Point Seasons - S93 40+ Goal Seasons - S93 30+ Goal Seasons - S92, S93 50+ Assist Seasons - S93 Oreo McFleury is another player that will find in the Hall of Consistently good category, with potentially hitting the 60 point mark for the fourth (practically fifth with 59 points in Season 89). McFleury saw his peak last season, where he would hit the 40 point and 90 point plateaus for the first and potentially only time of their career. I say potentially cause you never know what can happen with one season left, but the 5th overall pick in the Season 87 has still had a good enough career that he could hit the 500 point mark, which is certainly nothing to sneeze at, and represents a consistently good VHL player over eight seasons. His true shining achievement is probably his 7 goals and 20 points in 19 playoff games during Seattle’s Season 93 run. Finishing with 3 game winning goals, McFleury really stepped up and helped will his team to another Continental Cup win for the franchise. *** With everything including all statistics, accomplishments and writeups -> 10,735 Words *** Claiming Week 1 of 4

Today, I come to the podium with a heavy heart but a clear vision. It has been a long number of seasons standing at the helm of the Malmo Nighthawks. Over the past year, I’ve worked hard in multiple aspects of my life; I’ve published my own book and have thrown myself into a writing career that is slowly taking off, I’ve gotten a promotion at work, and I’m working on being a better parent for my growing children. With all of that in mind, however, my schedule has become very crowded. After many days spent reflecting once our playoff run ended this past season, I have decided that the time has come for me to step aside and allow the team to move forward under new leadership. When I first began as a GM for Malmo, there were a lot of unknowns. The team needed a new direction. The first seasons were a bit chaotic (with one surprising run to the conference finals) but after a short rebuild we powered our way forward to a multiple Victory Cup winning team across many seasons. While we did not win any championships, I could not have asked for a better team or players to GM. You all made the job that much more enjoyable. To others around the league and other GMs, thank you for your support and for the trade talks/deals. This league would not have been nearly as fun for my GM tenure had it not been for the crazy pitches from @Banackock and @Alex along with the many productive chats from so many other GMs. There are so many names to mention that I cannot possibly list out thanks for each person individually. Know that I do remember each interaction and appreciate every single person on the team and who I've worked with in this league. Even though I’m stepping down, I believe in Malmo. I do not do this out of spite or knowing that our team lost, but purely out of a limit of time I can muster to keep the team going at the level it deserves. There were many franchise defining players that I got to GM, and I hold my head high knowing so many of my players set franchise records or will have their numbers retired one day. This is not a complete goodbye. I will still be around with my players and to chat with people in the league. Maybe one day I will return to the realm of GMing. For now, however, the Nighthawks deserve a change in leadership that can bring a new spark into the locker room. I will always cheer for the Malmo Nighthawks. As I have stated in the past…we never forget a member of the flock. I will never forget my tenure with Malmo. I know my time will be remembered, and hopefully for all my players and those I GMed it was a good time. Fly hard and fly fast Nighthawks. It is now my time to root for you from the sidelines. Thank you all.

In case you were wondering, the title (according to Google Translate) means goodbye in Finnish. The reason being is I will be stepping down as gm of the Helsinki Titans at the end of the season. In recent months my life has gotten increasingly more hectic and vhl has slowly taken a backseat. I will stay around as a mod and recruitment as I know I can help with both these areas when I have the time and all people in charge of those areas are aware of my on-and-off nature with it. With gming I do not feel as though I have the time to put into it consistently and make the team as well as I would like to. I am also going to use this post as a little bit of life update and it will give context into this decision: I have recently started the professional phase of my 6-year physical therapy program. This means the workload and amount of time spent in classes have heavily increased. As stressful and scary as this has been at times, it has also been tremendously fulfilling to finally start developing skills for my future career. I have learned a ton in a short amount of time and am excited to see how the next 3 years pan out. I also got a promotion at work this past spring which has added extra responsibilities as well as more hours at the job. Again, very exciting and has been wonderful but it takes a lot of time. In less happy news, for those who haven't heard I have been pretty sick for the last 7 months, and while it is still a work in progress, figuring out what is going on each day brings its own struggles. The process is currently at a halt as I wait to hear from neurosurgery and find out if brain surgery may be the next step to helping me. Although terrifying it is the first time I have had a lead on what may be causing my multitude of symptoms. If anyone is curious I will gladly talk to people more about what has been going on but it has been a rough few months. People here who I consistently talk to have seen the ups and downs and have watched this progress into a far more pressing matter. What started as what I thought was appendicitis has now turned into maybe brain surgery??? Which is crazy to think about as a 21 year old. But alas, we roll with the punches life gives us. With that being said, I chose to step down now when the team is in a decent spot to develop and where I feel I have left the future GM in a place where they can make the team thrive. Although I am sad I never got to bring a cup home to Helsinki, I would rather hand it off to someone now than become known as the "IA GM". I am aware that I have reached my limits and this was something that had to give. I am so happy about the time I got to spend in Helsinki and a special thank you to the players who came through while I was there. A very extra special shoutout to @Triller for being my AGM through this all and literally being the best scout to ever exist. Your work and dedication did not go unnoticed or unappreciated So for now Hyvästi Helsnki.

Hey everyone! I know you all have read a lot of words from me in the last little bit, but I’ll ask you to read just a little bit more here. When I cam to consciousness in S82 with my second player Landon Wolanin, I was immediately sucked into the world of GMing. @Frank taught me everything I needed to know and then I just kept grabbing onto more and more. I honed my skills in the JST and the WJC. I took over from Frank in the VHLM with my beloved San Diego. I had the honour of coaching in the World Cup. And when my friends (and family) called, I answered. @Dil was stepping down from London, and many of the users that I had come to know, love and respect asked for me specifically to come take them to the next level. And so we did! We won a championship right out of the gate, something that had always been a dream of mine, and a very strange way to start a career. We turned the identity of the London United around, from a perennial wildcard to a championship contender. We got good, and then very mediocre. We learned a lot, and we got better, and better, and better. We went to back to back finals, losing in 7 both times. But both times we came back stronger. We hung 2 (and a half) more jersey retirements in the rafters, and not just for fun. I would have been stupid not to honour their achievements. We’ve had great players, and particularly people come through our roster. I want to specifically thank @Dom, @badcolethetitan, @MubbleFubbles, and @MexicanCow123 for placing their bets on me. For some it paid off in full, and for others I wish I knew what I know now, because I would have done better this time. I want to thank @Triller, @JCarson, @aimkin, @Sjin, @VattghernCZ, and @Uncommon for being my rocks through many seasons now, for being leaders on and off the ice, and for always hyping me up. And lastly I want to thank @Ricer13, who I am actively nominating as my preferred candidate as the next London United GM. I learned much of what I know about VHL GMing from him, and always hoped to do it as well as he does. Hopefully now I can be sure that what remains of my team will be in good hands going forward into a new era of United hockey. With that I will be stepping down as United GM at the conclusion of the S94 Playoffs. I have done everything I wanted to, I have seen through the players that I came to see through, and it is now time for a fresh set of eyes. But don’t worry I’m not going anywhere! I want to get back to being more involved in the BOG, make forum content, enjoy my current player, and get moving on the next chapter of my real life. I want to get involved with the new members again, work on bettering the Pre-VHL experience from start to finish. Thank you all for being a part of the past few seasons, and best of luck for the remainder of S94! @Acydburn@Beketov@Josh

@kirbithan With the conclusion of the S94 season, we saw the last of the S86 draftees retire. It was a special draft class that deserves some more spotlight on it, so why not explore their journeys and achievements? It still feels like I am very new to the VHL on a large scale (which of course, I am), and in other ways it feels like it has been a really long time. S86 was my first VHL draft and a really fun time in the league, so let's go back! In this article, I will go through the draft and take a look back at their careers, and see how it ended up for these players. 202 S86 players were created. 184 of them ended up with more than 30 TPE. Only 64 of them made it to the 100 mark. 43 made it to 200. 34 eclipsed 400. And 15 players ended their careers with over 1000. TPE Rankings will be among S86 players. Team/Career Statistics will include playoffs. All Time Team Leaders will be taken from the team's portal page (regular season) and will only be as accurate as that leaderboard is. Pick grades are never a slight on the player or the team, just a representation of the value they got out of the pick. 1. (RIG) C - The Frenchman @OrbitingDeath Career TPE: 2041 (1st) TPE at draft: 409 (1st) Riga Reign (S86-S90, S94) - 454GP, 207G, 302A, 509P D.C. Dragons (S91-S93) - 254GP, 147G, 213A, 360P Vancouver Wolves (S94) - 13GP, 5G, 7A, 12P Career Statistics: 721GP, 359G, 522A, 881P, 408HIT, 408SB, 1.22 P/GP S84 Founders Cup (LVA) S92 Continental Cup (DCD) S92 Mike Szatkowski Trophy S92 All-VHL First Team S89 All-VHL Second Team 12th in Riga Reign All Time Scoring 13th in D.C. Dragons All Time Scoring The Frenchman was a pretty safe first overall pick all things considered- they come from a user in OrbitingDeath who has 5 Hall of Fame players to their name. With a clear max-earning example set right from the beginning, it was clear The Frenchman would have a good shot at being the same kind of high calibre player. Being such a high earner, their time in the VHLM was very short, playing only 20 regular season and 15 playoff games for the Founders Cup-winning Las Vegas Aces in S84. They elected to move up to the VHLE the following year, actually a season before their VHL and VHLE drafts. Having enjoyed a promising 49 point season as part of the 98-point Bratislava Watchmen, they entered their drafts poised to move up to the VHL immediately. The Frenchman quickly blossomed for Riga, playing 5 years for them and eventually notching 85 and 100 point seasons. They never saw playoff success, falling short of the postseason in S86 and losing in the first round in each of the following 4 years. In the S91 offseason, The Frenchman was traded first to Calgary, and then to D.C., where they would see the most productive years of their career. In 3 seasons with D.C. they posted their 1st, 2nd, and 4th highest point totals, their 3 highest shot totals, and led the league in scoring in S92 to win the Szatkowski Trophy. The Dragons made the playoffs in all three seasons, winning the Continental Cup on an S92 run where The Frenchman contributed 27 points in 17 games. Although their last season (split between Vancouver and Riga) was quieter, Riga still fought to the conference finals, losing in 7 games to the eventual champions, the Moscow Menace. While we didn't get the storybook ending we would have liked with Riga bringing their old draftees back together, it was a respectable final season. A home run pick for Riga, and a probable eventual 6th HOFer for OrbitingDeath. Pick Grade: A+ Quite simply the most productive player in the draft- no two ways about it. They also ended up spending six seasons with Riga, and they got their worth out of this pick. 2. (SEA) RW - Yaroslav Bogatyrev @Bojovnik Career TPE: 1450 (8th) TPE at draft: 396 (2nd) Seattle Bears (S86-S90) - 408GP, 156G, 199A, 355P Malmö Nighthawks (S91-93) - 230GP, 105G, 135A, 240P Career Statistics: 638GP, 261G, 334A, 595P, 1501HIT, 270SB S92, S93 Victory Cup (MAL) Bogatyrev was Bojovnik's player, a user who as a first-gen was able to eclipse that 1000 TPE mark with Jan Hlozek (1114 TPE, to be specific). Funnily enough, the sole VHL awards they won were back-to-back Victory Cups for both players. Yaroslav Bogatyrev was an absolute force on the ice, racking up 1500 hits over a long career. They were never quite on that triple-digit level of production we see with the very best of the best, but season after season they showed their value with consistently great performances. Bogatyrev's time in the VHLM was short, playing only 21 games for the Houston Bulls before making the jump to the VHLE where they put up 59 points in Cologne, a truly great season for someone yet to be drafted. The Cologne Express would lose in the Renaissance Cup final in 6 games, robbing Yaroslav of their only chance at VHLE hardware. Once up in the VHL, it took a couple seasons to really find their stride, posting initial 31 and 44 point seasons, but S88 was the start of truly impressive form. Yaroslav went on to put up 70+ points in 5 consecutive seasons (and in four of them grabbing at least 80), and was an extremely valuable member of the teams they played for. An incredible 46 goals in S90 was second only to Jason's 55. Seattle ought to be very happy with this pick at the end of the day, grabbing a loyal player who stayed with them for 5 seasons. Although Malmö was a formidable team in those early S90s, it was Seattle who eventually snagged a cup, unfortunately without Bogatyrev there to share it. All in all, a career to be proud of. Pick Grade: B A good result from this pick, Bogatyrev stayed with Seattle for most of their career but there were more productive players available in hindsight. 3. (HSK) C - Daryl Dixon @Ricer13 Career TPE: 1869 (3rd) TPE at draft: 370 (3rd) Helsinki Titans (S87-S93) - 524GP, 257G, 330A, 587P Seattle Bears (S93-S94) - 121GP, 82G, 92A, 174P Career Statistics: 645GP, 339G, 422A, 761P, 1947HIT, 343 SB S93 Continental Cup (SEA) S92 All-VHL Second Team 8th in Helsinki Titans All Time Scoring Ricer has a history of incredible players- looking back at the 2 before Dixon we have Reylynn Reinhart (1594 TPE) and Kris Rice (1378 TPE), both tremendous players above a point/game in the VHL. It's easy to see why Helsinki was drawn to Dixon, especially with the two aforementioned players having stayed for a while with the teams that drafted them. Dixon came as a package deal with Rick Grimes, and after London drafted Grimes, they were subsequently traded here as well. Long before that, however, Dixon started as a Houston Bull in the VHLM, playing just 19 S84 games. But the league wasn't ready for what hit them in S85: a monstrous 54 goal, 123 point season for the Miami Marauders. No doubt this helped their draft stock greatly, and they were rewarded with going 3rd in the VHL Entry Draft, and 2nd in the VHLE Draft. Dixon was able to put up 71 points in 72 games with Bratislava in S86, a great showing considering how big the leap is in player calibre from the VHLM to the VHLE. The following offseason, they got the call up from Helsinki and went to work. Dixon started with a very respectable 42 points in S87, and only improved from there, as only one year later they put up 77. S91 saw the first time Dixon would hit 90 points, and in each of the following 3 seasons would pass the 100 point mark. Daryl's best season point total was 111 in their final season. What a way to go out! They showed fierce loyalty to Helsinki, resigning with the Titans despite failing to reach the playoffs in any of their first 3 seasons. They got there in each of the next 3, but Helsinki ended up seeing their window close with no Continental Cup, just a finals appearance. Dixon was traded to Seattle near the S93 deadline when it became clear that the Titans were not going to challenge for a playoff spot, and helped bolster their roster at the right time; the Bears would go on to win the S93 Continental Cup and Dixon would finally get theirs as well. This pick worked out wonderfully- Helsinki had it great with such an elite player staying with them for 7 seasons. Pick Grade: A+ Gave almost all of the career to Helsinki and became a legend here- nice of them to send Dixon off to a cup. 4. (RIG) LW - Sadie St-Louis @sadie Career TPE: 1163 (13th) TPE at draft: 292 (7th) Riga Reign (S87-S90, S94) - 383GP, 162G, 190A, 352P Calgary Wranglers (S91-S92) - 155GP, 65G, 62A, 127P Seattle Bears (S93) - 89GP, 37G, 44A, 81P HC Davos Dynamo (S94) - 10GP, 5G, 5A, 10P Career Statistics: 639GP, 269G, 301A, 570P, 1251HIT, 310SB S93 Continental Cup (SEA) S86 VHL All-Rookie Team 33rd in Riga Reign All Time Scoring We've finally hit our first first-gen on this list- me! Sadie St-Louis was an interesting player throughout her career, and one that never quite reached her full potential as a player. For a first-gen player, 1100+ TPE is more than respectable, but St-Louis is quite the "what could have been" case. Sadie put up 20 points in her initial 13 games at the end of S84 with the San Diego Marlins. Come the dispersal draft, she was sent to a strong Ottawa Lynx team that came first in their conference. And strangely enough, left winger St-Louis played more than a third of the season on defense due to a lack of defensemen, but still managed a great 85-point showing. These early numbers propelled her all the way to 4th in the VHL draft, and 5th in the VHLE draft; she would spend the next season with the Stockholm Vikings where she would enjoy the best offensive season of her VHL career, putting up 47 goals and 95 points. In her first season (S87) in the VHL with the Riga Reign, she kept up the good work, finishing 1st in rookie points scoring with 59 but ultimately losing out on the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy to fantastic goalie Matt Murdock. The next year saw St-Louis fall into a bit of a sophomore slump, posting what would be a career low in goals on a still fairly strong Riga team. She came back stronger however, putting up 77 points in S89 and 87 in S90. On this individual high note, her stint with Riga would come to an end, but as far as team success went, nothing beyond 4 first-round losses had been achieved. This is where it all started falling apart for St-Louis, regressing spectacularly in her 1st season with Calgary, grabbing only 48 points. She was able to score 68 in S92, but it was a far cry from what she could have been capable of. S93 saw some redemption, as St-Louis was traded to the Seattle Bears, who eventually managed to win the Continental Cup, breaking Sadie's streak of six consecutive VHL first-round losses. Finally with a cup in her trophy cabinet, St-Louis went into S94 with HC Davos Dynamo, but quickly was traded to Riga along with other members of their old core for one last chance to win it. They fell short in the conference finals, but it was a feel-good end to a roller-coaster of a career. Pick Grade: B Did end up playing 5 seasons here, but just not as productive (like Bogatyrev) as she could have been, especially without the couple seasons IA. 5. (LDN) D - Rex Wolffe Gregor @oilmandan Career TPE: 1082 (15th) TPE at draft: 242 (T-11th) London United (S87) - 72GP, 9G, 18A, 27P Malmö Nighthawks (S88) - 72GP, 20G, 47A, 67P Seattle Bears (S89-S91, S94) - 310GP, 67G, 197A, 264P Warsaw Predators (S92-S93) - 147GP, 44G, 99A, 143P Career Statistics: 601GP, 140G, 361A, 501P, 915HIT, 1260SB S85 Founder's Cup (PHI) Rex Wolffe Gregor wasn't one of those players that you'd consistently see at the top of the stats leaderboards (though they were top 10 in defenseman scoring in S91 and S93), and ended with no VHL hardware, but ended up being an incredibly underrated piece of everywhere they played, blocking shots incredibly well as well as being a staple on the power play. Gregor started in the VHLM in S95, a little later than many on this list, but that didn't stop them from putting up 50 points in their 72 regular season games and 17 in 18 playoff games for the eventual champions the Philadelphia Reapers. They pulled off one of the greatest comebacks I've ever seen, coming back from a 3-0 series deficit in the first round against the conference-winning Ottawa Lynx. They were then drafted 7th in the VHLE to Bratislava and managed to get 40 points in that lone VHLE season. Unfortunately, it ended in the first round for the Watchmen but Gregor's eyes were already turned forward to the VHL. After a rookie year on a somewhat weak London team, Gregor was traded to Malmö, where they put up fantastic numbers; they went from 27 to 67 points and from 94 to 263 shots, the opposite of a sophomore slump. Despite the outstanding performance, the Nighthawks failed to get to the playoffs and Rex Wolffe Gregor was traded again, this time to the Seattle Bears, where they would spend 3 successful seasons. The most successful season was S91, which would turn out to yield a career high in points (79) and goals (27). Seattle did manage playoffs in those first two years, but unfortunately could not progress past the first round in spite of a combined 9 points in 10 games from Gregor. After being traded to Warsaw, they spent two seasons with the Predators before signing back in Seattle for one last season. Seattle had managed to win a cup in their absence but unfortunately could not get it done in S94. Pick Grade: C+ I feel can't rate the pick too highly as Gregor only spent a season here, but they were traded for Igor Molotov and London did end up winning the Continental Cup that very same year, so good job London! 6. (SEA) G - Ash Sparks @DarkSpyro Career TPE: 1386 (10th) TPE at draft: 287 (8th) Seattle Bears (S87-S88) - 18GP, 9W, .901SV%, 2.96GAA Malmö Nighthawks (S89-S94) - 398GP, 230W, .926 SV%, 2.44GAA Career Statistics: 416GP, 239W, .925SV%, 2.44GAA S92, S93 Victory Cup (MAL) S93 Greg Clegane Trophy 2nd in Malmö Nighthawks All Time GP 1st in Malmö Nighthawks All Time Wins 3rd in Malmö Nighthawks All Time SV% (min. 50 GP) 1st in Malmö Nighthawks All Time GAA (min. 50 GP) Seattle continues its incredible draft (4 picks in the first half of the first round is INSANE- good job, Bana) with Ash Sparks. DarkSpyro's first goalie (and first player) really illustrates why they were the logical pick for Seattle here. Jimmy Spyro was a very successful player, ending up with over 1100 TPE as a first-gen, and notably spending his whole career with one team. Although that's not how it shook out, with Seattle trading Sparks for Rex Wolffe Gregor, Sparks stayed very loyal to Malmö and was a face of the franchise for the rest of their career. They started out with 12 S84 games in Houston, where they were able to maintain a .900 SV%. S85 saw a big improvement with the Halifax 21st, bringing that SV% up to .914 with a 2.58 GAA. Halifax unfortunately fell in the first round of the playoffs, but Sparks had already made their impression on the scouts. Their VHLE season was incredible, putting up a .929 for Geneva and it was a sign of the similar quality they would show throughout their career. Playing only 18 games across their 2 seasons with Seattle, Ash was traded to Malmö, where they would spend the rest of their career. The Nighthawks would see the playoffs 4 times, winning the Victory Cup for best record twice. They unfortunately never managed to get past the first round, however. Sparks never had a season below a .920 save percentage with them and was consistently among the best goalies out there. They were rewarded with the Clegane Trophy for lowest GAA in S93 and will be remembered in Malmö for a long time to come. Out of the four goalies in the first round, Sparks had the second best stats (below of course Lachlan Summers)- just lacked that Continental Cup which would have put a very nice bow on a great career. Pick Grade: C- Not saying anything about the player- Sparks was incredible, but using this pick on someone who only played 18 games for the team and not getting a goalie of similar utility in the trade return puts this low. 7. (SEA) D - Elias Lampi @Pifferfish Career TPE: 895 (17th) TPE at draft: 216 (15th) Seattle Bears (S87-S89) - 257GP, 44G, 96A, 140P Los Angeles Stars (S90-S92) - 247GP, 50G, 179A, 229P Career Statistics: 504GP, 94G, 275P, 369P, 861HIT, 956SB S86 Ryan Sullivan Trophy S91 Jake Wylde Trophy S91 Sterling Labatte Trophy S91 All-VHL First Team 20th in Los Angeles Stars All Time Scoring Lampi is a player we totally could have seen more from, retiring in unfortunate fashion in what was the prime of a great career up to that point. Having won more individual awards than any of the 6 other players mentioned here thus far, Lampi was clearly an incredible player and I wonder if we'd have seen more brilliance from them if they had gone as far as they could. Starting their career with the VHLM's Halifax 21st, Lampi put up 23 points in 43 games. After leaving for Philadelphia in the Dispersal Draft, Elias proceeded to put up truly incredible numbers, especially for a defenseman. 110 points in 72 games (32G, 78A) is amazing, and Lampi finished 6th in overall scoring, running away with the defenseman scoring title and leading the league in power play goals. Having been drafted to the Seattle Bears in the offseason prior, Lampi proceeded to skip the VHLE and go straight up to the VHL. They notched seasons of 27 and 35 points in the VHL with the Bears before finally breaking out for 61 the year after that. Seattle never managed to go all the way with Lampi, trading them to the Los Angeles Stars where Elias immediately put up a career high in points with 73, resigned with L.A. and proceeded to have a career season. 82 points was good enough to snag the Labatte trophy for best overall defenseman and the Sullivan for best defensive defenseman. In this, the penultimate season of their career, they cemented themselves as a player who won't be forgotten easily. But after a ruthless Phil Kessel-style ankle chop by Mac Atlas in LA's last S91 playoff game, Lampi was never the same. After a much lower point total of 52 in S92, and playing through tough injuries, Elias called it a career. Pick Grade: C+ They got a good half of Lampi's career, but failed to get anything big in return for them when they were traded away- Lampi's best years came after the trade. 8. (SEA) D - Left Alone @okochastar Career TPE: 1396 (9th) TPE at draft: 235 (12th) Seattle Bears (S87) - 88GP, 6G, 12A, 18P Moscow Menace (S88-S92) - 380GP, 148G, 197A, 345P Vancouver Wolves (S93-S94) - 153GP, 49G, 88A, 137P Career Statistics: 621GP, 203G, 323A, 526P, 220HIT, 373SB S89 Victory Cup (MOS) 14th in Moscow Menace All Time Scoring Left Alone is a bit of an underrated player in this draft class, I think. Coming from user okochastar, who hasn't failed to take a player over 1000 TPE, this shouldn't be a surprise. But the fact that they aren't super active on the forum and do most of their earning from affiliates kind of puts them under the radar. Left Alone signed with the Marlins prior to S85 and instantly went to work, just falling short of a point per game with 71 in 72. After going 3rd in the VHLE draft to Rome, they showed they could play at that higher level effectively, but had an understandable dip in production with just 45 points. Both San Diego and Rome made the playoffs with Alone, but neither could finish the job. The next year saw Alone make the jump to the VHL for the S87 season, but with only 14 points in 72 games, would end up disappointed in their rookie year. Somewhat buried on a deep Seattle team, they still managed to get to the conference finals, but fell to the Wranglers in six games. They'd be traded to Moscow that offseason, the team they'd spend the majority of their career on and immortalize Left Alone in Menace history. The first two seasons weren't amazing production-wise, but marked a big improvement nonetheless, with 43 and 49 point seasons, with Moscow winning the Victory Cup for best regular-season record in S89. In the next 3 seasons, Left Alone would explode, first hitting 71 points (a 22 point increase) in S90, and then putting an amazing 93 and 94 points on the board in S91 and S92 respectively, career highs as well as a career high 38 goals in both season. After that amazing S92, Alone left the Menace via trade to Vancouver, having never won a playoff series with Moscow (made playoffs in S88, S89, and S92). With Vancouver came slight regression, although Alone still showed up with important 71 and 61 point seasons. Vancouver did manage to make the playoffs in S94, but fell in the second round. Alone had a career to be proud of, but from the Bears perspective I think there is probably a bit of regret that they only spent one year with them. Pick Grade: C- Again, we have a player leaving Seattle sooner than expected- trading Alone for a first but then flipping it for Clueless Wallob who I feel didn't spend enough time with the team to make it worth it. 9. (VAN) C - Wann Kerr @VattghernCZ Career TPE: 1737 (6th) TPE at draft: 247 (10th) Vancouver Wolves (S87-S90) - 331GP, 132G, 166A, 298P London United (S91-S94) - 340GP, 212G, 267A, 479P Career Statistics: 671GP, 344G, 433A, 777P, 1655HIT, 259SB S87 Victory Cup (VAN) S93 Kevin Brooks Trophy S93 Mike Szatkowski Trophy S93 Brett Slobodzian Trophy S93 All-VHL First Team 24th in Vancouver Wolves All Time Scoring 7th in London United All Time Scoring Vattghern ended up with a truly terrific player at the end of the day, and one that truly showed they were capable of being the best of the best. Creating at the very end of the S84 season, Kerr had no points in 3 games with the Lynx. When S85 rolled around, Kerr finally got themselves on the scoresheet, and found a taste for it, managing to score 41 goals and 56 assists for 97 points. They didn't stop there, as they lit up the VHLE as well with 84 points. Coming into the VHL season, Wann was poised for big things. They started off with a decent 44 point rookie season, but inexplicably regressed the following year in a spell of some real bad puck luck (Kerr scored three less goals despite putting up 84 more shots than the previous season), and finished with just 43 points after that sophomore slump. Apparently, this lit a fire under 'em, because Kerr put their foot on the gas and never looked back. They had a massive improvement in S89, doubling their points for a total of 83, and the season after that getting to 89. This is where Wann's Vancouver journey ended, however, being traded to the London United that offseason, where they would spend the rest of their career. The Wolves made the playoffs in all four years Kerr was with them, but could never finish the job. The closest run they had was an agonizing loss to HC Davos Dynamo in 6 games in the Continental Cup Finals, in a playoff where Kerr dazzled the fans with 23 points in 16 games and certainly would have had a strong case for the Kanou had they ended up winning. With the United, Kerr went on to impress us with spectacular offensive performances time and time again. They put up 96 and 80 points in their first two seasons there, then broke through to another level in S93, scoring 58 goals and 127 points and grabbing the trophies for goals leader, points leader, and most outstanding player. The next season, which would be their last, saw very little regression, and Kerr was still able to shock the world with a 110 point season. Again, London made the playoffs in all 4 years Wann spent there. And again, the deep runs would end in heartbreak. London reached two Continental Cup finals, in two consecutive years, but lost in SEVEN GAMES BOTH TIMES. Simon, have you no soul? It's really only one thing that's missing from this terrific career- a Continental Cup. Pick Grade: B+ Vancouver got their value out of picking Kerr and should be glad to have had half their career; they ended up with great production there and will be remembered. 10. (LDN) C - Rick Grimes @tinafrombobsburgers Career TPE: 983 (16th) TPE at draft: 309 (6th) Helsinki Titans (S87-S92) - 473GP, 98G, 204A, 302P Career Statistics: 473GP, 98G, 204A, 302P, 208HIT, 70SB 45th in Helsinki Titans All Time Scoring This ended up being a really interesting pick from London, as it was known before the draft that Daryl Dixon and Rick Grimes had demanded to play together. London worked out a deal with Helsinki, taking Grimes one pick before theirs and forcing their hand, trading London the 11th pick and a future 2nd and 3rd for Grimes. Rick started things off in the VHLM with Houston with 6 points in 16 games before bursting onto the scene for real in S85 with an amazing 116 points for the Miami Marauders. They were drafted into the VHLE with the first overall pick and with Bratislava, put up an almost point-per-game season with 65 points in 72 games. Then Grimes began their VHL career in S87, the entirety of which would be spent with the Helsinki Titans. Rick's rookie year saw them pot only 12 goals and 37 points, and it was thought that they'd progress, but the next two seasons saw 33 and 37 points, and it wasn't looking good. Thankfully, we saw a big leap in production in S90, up to 60 points before posting a career high of 25 goals and 63 points in S91. After one more season (54 points), Grimes called it a career. For the first 3 years, Helsinki couldn't find a way to make the playoffs, the tail end of a pretty dark time for the team. In S90-S92, they looked completely different, and showed they were contenders for the Cup. They never quite got there, reaching the finals in S91, but were defeated by the Toronto Legion in six games- Grimes contributed an impressive 11 points during the playoff run. Grimes wasn't plagued by bad or inconsistent earning, ending very close to the 1000 TPE mark, nor were they the victim of a bad build. Perhaps Simon simply decided to take his rage out on this player, because I think they deserved more than they ended up getting in their career, both individually and team-wise. Pick Grade: A For London, this pick was awesome- they knew they had Helsinki hostage here so they took more picks to trade down a spot- easy decision and no downside. 11. (LDN) RW - Leonard Triller @Triller Career TPE: 1987 (2nd) TPE at draft: (16th) London United (S88-S94) - 594GP, 261G, 461A, 722P Career Statistics: 594GP, 261G, 461A, 722P, 972HIT, 247SB S86 Founder's Cup (SDM) S87 Aldwin Craig Trophy S88 Continental Cup (LDN) S91 Alexander Beketov Trophy S94 All-VHL Second Team S88 All-VHL Rookie Team 2nd in London United All Time Scoring This was originally Helsinki's pick, but they had traded it for Grimes. London went on to make what would be one of the surefire best picks of the draft in first-gen Leonard Triller. The only reason they weren't drafted earlier is because they joined early in the S85 season and had less time to earn than those who joined soon after the S84 trade deadline, for example. Regardless, the commitment to creating great content for the forum was clear from day one. Leonard Triller also produced well from day one, never really having a true 'down' season. They had 52 points in 55 VHLM games in S85, and unlike many of the top players in the draft class, stayed down for S86, where they would record 63 points with the San Diego Marlins en route to a Founder's Cup. Triller's VHLE season saw further improvement, putting up 89 points for Geneva and took home the Aldwin Craig Trophy for best two-way forward as well. In S88, a long career spent entirely with London began. It started off in a pretty great way, with the United securing the Continental Cup. Triller contributed 47 points during the regular season and 17 points in 23 games in the playoffs on the way to the cup. Although Triller wouldn't win another Continental Cup, individually things only got better. S89 saw them increase their point total to 65 and essentially double their goals, and in S90 Leonard put up 35 goals and 82 points. This incredible improvement continued and the final 4 seasons of their career were offensively incredible. Seasons of 103, 97, 108, and 114 points in S91-S94 cemented their legacy as one of the best United ever to wear the jersey- loyal enough to play a whole career there as well. The United managed to make the playoffs in every single year from S88 to S94 and only failed to pass the first round twice. Although more cups could have come out of this window (London lost the final in game 7 in S92 and S93), they ought to be proud of how strong a team they were. It was a great pick at 11 for London. Pick Grade: A+ Triller was a top-class player and spent their whole career with London, helping grab them a cup. Already having Teno, London couldn't have made a better pick here. 12. (DAV) G - Lachlan Summers @kirbithan Career TPE: 1829 (4th) TPE at draft: 307 (6th) HC Davos Dynamo (S87-S92) - 376GP, 227W, .929SV%, 2.51GAA Warsaw Predators (S93-S94) - 136GP, 79W, .934SV%, 2.60GAA Career Statistics: 512GP, 306W, .930SV%, 2.54GAA S88 Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy S89 Continental Cup (DAV) S90 Greg Clegane Trophy S90, S93, S94 Aidan Shaw Trophy S90, S91 Victory Cup (DAV) S90 Brett Slobodzian Trophy S93, S94 Scotty Campbell Trophy S90, S93, S94 All-VHL First Team S88 All-VHL Second Team S88 All-VHL Rookie Team 6th in HC Davos Dynamo All Time Wins 2nd in HC Davos Dynamo All Time SV% 8th in HC Davos Dynamo All Time GAA 3rd in Warsaw Predators All Time Wins 1st in Warsaw Predators All Time SV% 1st in Warsaw Predators All Time GAA Lachlan Summers being a first-gen is mindblowing. Kirby from the very beginning showed the initiative to earn as much as possible, for as long as possible, and it resulted in the best goalie in recent memory whose name 14 VHL teams don't want to even hear. Summers’ story started in San Diego with the influx of waiver claims that came in for them after the S84 trade deadline- he played 8 games, won 2, and lost 5. Not the most auspicious start, but S85 looked a lot better. Lachlan managed 34 wins that season on the San Diego Marlins, showing the world what he could do. After moving up to the VHLE in S86, Summers fought valiantly to keep the Vikings in the playoff race, but couldn't get more than 27 wins in the end. Summers' VHL career was set to begin, but he was sat behind Xavier Booberry for a year, learning from one of the best in the player with the 4th-most all-time TPE. Summers only played the conventional backup 8 games, winning 7 and maintaining a .938 save percentage. In S88 Davos unleashed him on the league and never looked back- Lachlan registered win tallies of 39, 43, and 49 in his first three seasons, with save percentages of .932, .925, and .938. That S88 year got Lachlan the Stolzschweiger Trophy and earned him places on the All-VHL Second and Rookie teams immediately. S89 saw Davos rewarded for their seasons of good moves with a Continental Cup victory, and adding an important tick to the Hall of Fame checklist for Summers. S91 and S92 were also spent with Davos, and those years could not have been more different. Davos went from contender to bottom-feeder, with Lachlan's save percentage plummeting from .933 to .922, which is still extremely good. Lachlan was traded to Warsaw prior to S93, putting up a 40 win season once more. Warsaw did their best to assemble a team around him for one last go round in S94, but they failed to progress past the first round in both years. Lachlan ended his career with unreal numbers and more awards than could fit in one trophy cabinet, and should be on his way to the Hall of Fame quick. What a pick from Davos, grabbing the best goalie in recent memory. Pick Grade: A+ The numbers speaks for themselves, as does the Continental Cup- Summers is the best goalie in recent memory and a HoF candidate. Most would argue Davos got the best player in the draft at 12. 13. (TOR) G - Joel Castle @animal74 Career TPE: 1760 (5th) TPE at draft: 319 (5th) Toronto Legion (S87-S94) - 567GP, 293W, .924SV%, 2.58GAA Career Statistics: 567GP, 293W, .925 SV%, 2.58GAA S84 Founder's Cup (LVA) S91 Continental Cup (TOR) S91 Daisuke Kanou Trophy S94 Victory Cup (TOR) S91 All-VHL Second Team 2nd in Toronto Legion All Time Wins 6th in Toronto Legion All Time SV% 10th in Toronto Legion All Time GAA The calibre of goalies that came out of this draft class is honestly amazing. I think they are overshadowed by the recognition of Summers a bit, and it's a little unfortunate for them individually that Sparks, Summers, Castle, and Rask were all playing at the same time- as it likely made it hard to compete for individual awards. Toronto made an awesome pick here though, in a goalie who is now considered one of the best of all time for the franchise. Castle spent all 8 seasons of their career here, and put in consistently great performances year after year while playing almost every game. Joel began everything in the VHLM with Las Vegas, winning 6 of the 7 games he played with them in S94, which would conclude in a Founder's Cup. The following season, Castle was truly able to take over the starting job for the Aces, playing 59 regular season games (41W, .911%, 2.34) and Las Vegas made another deep playoff run, but eventually fell short. Castle in the VHLE improved their play dramatically, posting a .937SV% despite playing with a last-place Geneva Rush team. Toronto started Joel from the very beginning of their VHL career, and they played very well right from the beginning, with a .915% in S87 and .922% in S88. Unfortunately, the quality up front the Legion lacked kept Castle below the 20-win plateau. We saw a slight improvement in S89, up to 23 wins, until the team finally broke out of the basement and into the status of perennial playoff team in S90, where Castle would record 38 wins and an impressive 2.29 goals against average. S91 would be the defining season of Joel's career, as well as this era of Toronto, as they would go on to win the championship and shake off a longtime curse for the city, as the last hockey championship in Toronto came in S67 for the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs. The last Legion Continental Cup had come in S65. Castle had by far the best regular season of their career, with a career high in SV% (.938) and GAA (2.06) while playing the highest volume of games in their career at 65. They won 10 of their 15 playoff games and had a .928 postseason SV%, which was good enough to grab the Kanou Trophy for playoff MVP. The last 3 seasons of their career were still on an elite level, although their SV% hovered around a more human .920% rather than the .930% they'd been flirting with for most of their career. Toronto would go on to make one last run for the Cup in S94, but would fall to the Moscow Menace in the Continental Cup Final. This pick could not have turned out better for Toronto, and it's a reasonably rare thing to see a star player like this spend every season with the team that drafted them. Animal74's last player was also super high-calibre in Druss Deathwalker, who coincidentally also played out their whole career with Malmö, the team that drafted them. Animal should be proud of this career, and I'm glad it was rewarded with a championship and the playoff MVP. Pick Grade: A+ Toronto should be overjoyed with how this turned out: a top of the line goalie 100% loyal to the Legion and never leaving the team, getting a Cup as well. 14. (HSK) G - Fuukka Rask @Jubis Career TPE: 1465 (7th) TPE at draft: 350 (4th) Helsinki Titans (S87-S93) - 445GP, 195W, .922SV%, 2.80GAA Seattle Bears (S93-S94) - 99GP, 67W, .928SV%, 2.43GAA Career Statistics: 544GP, 262W, S93 Continental Cup (SEA) S93 Greg Clegane Trophy S92, S94 All-VHL Second Team 7th in Helsinki Titans All Time Wins 11th in Helsinki Titans All Time SV% 1st in Seattle Bears All Time SV% 6th in Seattle Bears All Time GAA Rounding out this fantastic goalie class is Fuukka Rask- picked last of the four but certainly not on a lower level than the other three. Rask was drafted onto a Helsinki team that never really reached that top contender status, but managed to get them a cup near the end when they traded them to Seattle at the S93 deadline. Rask went 6-0 in their introductory season to the VHLM with the Philadelphia Reapers, and the following season helped lead the Ottawa Lynx to 1st place in the Eastern Conference with 36 wins and a .912SV%. Sadly, the Lynx would end up blowing a 3-0 lead in the first round to the Philadelphia team Fuukka had played on the season prior and the Reapers would impress everyone by becoming Founder's Cup champions. Rask's VHLE season saw them traded from Istanbul to Bratislava midway through, and although the Watchmen were unable to bypass the first round of the playoffs, Rask had a .940SV% in 37 regular season games, proving they were ready to take the next step. Thus began a bit of a painful three years for Helsinki fans, missing the playoffs in S87, S88, and S89 despite their prospects coming up and performing well. After finishing with 75 points in S88 and barely missing the playoffs, everyone took a step back and the Titans ended up last leaguewide in S89 with only 50 points. Rask, ever consistent, had seasons of .911%, .916%, and .915% respectively. In S90, Helsinki managed playoffs but lost in the wildcard round in a series where Rask would manage to save only 88% of shots. This must have inspired the improvement that followed, because Rask was a force to reckon with in all of the next four years, never posting a season SV% below .925. Fuukka's best season in Helsinki was S92, grabbing 38 wins and finishing with a .935% and 2.27 GAA. They were traded in S93, a season where it was clear Helsinki was not going to make the playoffs, and the Seattle Bears ended up winning the Continental Cup that year. Rask stayed with Seattle for the final year and ended up with the best SV% of their career with a .936%, going out with a bang. Pick Grade: A+ No better goalies were left on the board and Helsinki got someone who devoted most of their career there- Rask is now a legend in Helsinki. 15. (CGY) LW - Vincent Laroche-Gagnier @vincentlg2007 Career TPE: 1282 (11th) TPE at draft: 189 (18th) Calgary Wranglers (S87-S89) - 248GP, 81G, 86A, 167P D.C. Dragons (S90-S93) - 330GP, 192G, 230G, 422P London United (S94) - 76GP, 27G, 37A, 64P Career Statistics: 654GP, 299G, 353A, 652P, 991HIT, 264SB S86 Founder's Cup (SDM) S87 Continental Cup (CGY) S92 Continental Cup (DCD) S90, S93 All-VHL Second Team 8th in D.C. Dragons All Time Scoring Vincent Laroche-Gagnier is an interesting player, wildly skilled and numbers that went all over the place. They ended with over a point-per-game in the regular season but just under if we include playoffs, and clearly was an amazing offensive performer. Vincent is also another first-gen who had some wild success coming out of this draft class. VLG was a diehard San Diego Marlin, starting their career off with 9 points in 13 games on S84 SDM. S85 saw these numbers balloon as Vincent threatened the 100-point plateau with 43 goals and 94 points. S86 was a well deserved reward for San Diego, and they took home the cup with the help of Laroche-Gagnier who had 14 playoff points. Having earned enough to skip playing in the VHLE, VLG started their VHL career with the Calgary Wranglers. Vincent showed a ton of improvement while there, first scoring 30 points, then 43, then taking a massive leap to 80. After being traded to the D.C. Dragons, VLG really began to run wild, hitting 100 points for the first time in S90 with 45 goals. The following year they put up 78, and S92 ended up being the year it all came together for the Dragons. They took home the Continental Cup and VLG had 18 points in the playoffs in 17 games. They had recorded 95 in the regular season. By far their most outstanding season, S93 saw Laroche-Gagnier pot 55 goals and score 109 points, earning them a spot on the All-VHL Second Team, just as it had in S90, the other season VLG had 100. In their last season, Vincent headed to London but could only muster 61 regular season points as the team lost in the first round. VLG ended up one of the most productive D.C. Dragons of all time, and will be remembered by their fanbase fondly both for what they did on and off the ice. Pick Grade: B While Calgary didn't get Vincent's best years, they got a great asset for 3 seasons and a better player than you'd expect to get at 15. 16. (DAV) RW - John Richards @John Cimarno Career TPE: 449 (30th) TPE at draft: 242 (T-11th) HC Davos Dynamo (S91-S92) - 150GP, 21G, 35A, 56P London United (S93) - 88GP, 5G, 6A, 11P Los Angeles Stars (S94) - 72GP, 26G, 31A, 57P Career Statistics: 310GP, 52G, 72A, 124P, 512HIT, 134SB S89 Aldwin Craig Trophy S90 Renaissance Cup (COL) S91 Victory Cup (DAV) John Richards is a really late first round pick, and it's not fair to expect everyone to pan out, but John is one of those players where you wonder if they could have changed the game further for Davos. The team got their cup, so they should be happy, but had John kept earning without the long spells of inactivity that plagued their career, who knows if that Davos team might have looked different. Richards still ended up having a respectable VHL career, still getting four seasons and being an asset to their team. We have YET ANOTHER S84 MARLIN in Richards, who earned 12 points in 13 games on that team. John would head to the Ottawa Lynx for S85, and was promptly named the team captain for a season where they would go on to have 86 points. Richards had a significant VHLE career. spending five seasons there and winning a Renaissance Cup with Cologne in S90 and an Aldwin Craig Trophy for best two-way forward in S89 while playing for Bratislava, having scored 85 points alongside 173 hits. John spent the other part of his career in Stockholm, never managing to win a round with them but surely an integral part of the locker room. As far as the VHL went, Richards would finally debut in S91 with Davos with only 13 points on the season, but things were looking up after an encouraging 42-point S92. Richards played for London in S93, but was completely buried in the deep lineup and would only notch 11 points as the roller-coaster of a career continued. John's final season with L.A. was something to be proud of though, being a bright spot in a pretty down season with VHL career highs in goals (26) and points (57). John was notably also a Victory Cup winner in S91 with Davos. Pick Grade: D+ Davos rolled the dice with this first gen and was unfortunate in only getting 2 seasons out of an aging Richards. Other draftees with notable VHL careers: 17. (VAN) D - Jens Lekman @Bobcat Career TPE: 824 (18th) TPE at draft: 224 (14th) Vancouver Wolves (S87-S88, S93) - 182GP, 16G, 55A, 71P Los Angeles Stars (S89-S92) - 323GP, 42G, 181A, 222P Calgary Wranglers (S93-S94) - 122GP, 23G, 79A, 102P Career Statistics: 627GP, 81G, 329A, 410P, 1218HIT, 1174SB S87 Victory Cup (VAN) 18th in Los Angeles Stars All Time Scoring 18. (CGY) RW - Adam Rage @MrMom Career TPE: 758 (19th) TPE at draft: 198 (17th) HC Davos Dynamo (S87) - 88GP, 13G, 16A, 29P London United (S88-S89) - 167GP, 35G, 39A, 74P Los Angeles Stars (S90-S92) - 247GP, 63G, 104A, 167P Calgary Wranglers (S93-S94) - 144GP, 40G, 41A, 81P Career Statistics: 650GP, 151G, 200A, 351P, 555HIT, 276SB S84 Founder's Cup (LVA) S86 Founder's Cup (SDM) S88 Continental Cup (LDN) 28th in Los Angeles Stars All Time Scoring 23. (LDN) RW - Thor Odinson @GoalPlays Career TPE: 458 (29th) TPE at draft: 156 (T-26th) London United (S90-S91) - 165GP, 23G, 20A, 43P Seattle Bears (S92) - 72GP, 18G, 19A, 37P Vancouver Wolves (S93) - 50GP, 6G, 10A, 16P Calgary Wranglers (S93) - 22GP, 3G, 2A, 5P Warsaw Predators (S94) - 76GP, 4G, 1A, 5P Career Statistics: 385GP, 54G, 52A, 106P, 358HIT, 99SB S89 Renaissance Cup (COL) 25. (MAL) C - Sjin @Sjin Career TPE: 1170 (12th) TPE at draft: 155 (28th) London United (S91-S94) - 340GP, 154G, 203A, 357P Career Statistics: 340GP, 154G, 203A, 357P, 730HIT, 153SB S86, S89 Founder's Cup (SDM) S90 Renaissance Cup (COL) 11th in London United All Time Scoring 30. (WAR) RW - Ben Dover @Zylen Career TPE: 593 (22nd) TPE at draft: 120 (T-46th) Vancouver Wolves (S91-S92) - 144GP, 60G, 66A, 126P London United (S93-S94) - 162GP, 37G, 65A, 102P Career Statistics: 306GP, 97G, 131A, 228P, 282HIT, 193SB S86 Founder's Cup (SDM) S89 Renaissance Cup (COL) 31. (MAL) G - Justin Lion @Emperor_Fun Career TPE: 473 (25th) TPE at draft: 124 (44th) Malmö Nighthawks (S90-91) - 28GP, 11W, .930SV%, 2.34GAA Vancouver Wolves (S91) - 39GP, 9W, .913SV%, 3.88GAA Seattle Bears (S92-S93) - 57GP, 13W, .917SV%, 3.89 GAA Helsinki Titans (S93-S94) - 97GP, 30W, .908SV%, 3.78GAA Career Statistics: 221GP, 63W, .914SV%, 3.63GAA S86 Skylar Rift Trophy S86 Benoit Devereux Trophy S87, S89 Renaissance Cup (COL) S88 Orion D H Chiester IX Trophy 19th in Seattle Bears All Time SV% 34. (TOR) RW - Timothy Swearingen @Timmy30 Career TPE: 462 (27th) TPE at draft: 116 (50th) Warsaw Predators (S90) - 72GP, 9G, 8A, 17P Vancouver Wolves (S91) - 72GP, 11G, 17A, 28P Seattle Bears (S92) - 72GP, 18G, 25A, 43P Los Angeles Stars (S93-S94) - 144GP, 50G, 61A, 111P Career Statistics: 360GP, 88G, 111A, 199P, 523HIT, 149SB 40. (LAS) G - Matthew McCagg @Jack kidd Career TPE: 624 (21st) TPE at draft: 141 (35th) Los Angeles Stars (S90-S94) - 150GP, 28W, .914SV%, 4.06GAA Career Statistics: 150GP, 28W, .914SV%, 4.06GAA S87 Founder's Cup (OTT) S87 Skylar Rift Trophy S87 Benoit Devereux Trophy 4th in Los Angeles Stars All Time Wins 44. (LAS) RW - Keon Jeannot @Lucas anton Career TPE: 740 (20th) TPE at draft: 137 (36th) New York Americans (S90-S94) - 378GP, 126G, 164A, 290P Career Statistics: 378GP, 126G, 164A, 290P, 509HIT, 145SB S85 Founder's Cup (PHI) S89 Renaissance Cup (COL) 40th in New York Americans All Time Scoring 46. (TOR) D - Sigma Freud @CODENAMEJIMMY Career TPE: 448 (31st) TPE at draft: 145 (33rd) Vancouver Wolves (S90) - 83GP, 4G, 19A, 23P Chicago Phoenix (S91-S92) - 148GP, 23G, 66A, 89P Seattle Bears (S93-S94) - 175GP, 8G, 49A, 57P Career Statistics: 406GP, 35G, 134A, 169P, 363HIT, 659SB S87, S89 Renaissance Cup (COL) S89 Florida Man Trophy S89 Jake Thunder Trophy S93 Continental Cup (SEA) 55. (DCD) RW - Lucas Grey @emidas Career TPE: 1149 (14th) TPE at draft: 55 (62nd) D.C. Dragons (S88-S94) - 546GP, 215G, 268A, 483P Career Statistics: 546GP, 215G, 268A, 483P, 795HIT, 297SB S86 Founder's Cup (SDM) S92 Continental Cup (DCD) 6th in D.C. Dragons All Time Scoring Many of these users already have new players on their way to more strong careers, and some are just now making a fresh start. Others are taking a break, but I am excited to see how it goes for everyone next time around. Congratulations to all the players who were able to make it to the VHL!

When I started my VHL journey, I was in awe of those players at the top of the league with over 1000 TPE. Crossing that milestone is the culmination of the last 10 months-- to the day-- of diligently stacking away points, even 1 TPE at a time. And while life has thrown all kinds of craziness at me these past 10 months, I've enjoyed every minute I've spent working at this sim hockey thing-- slowly, but surely, building up my player and getting to know the great people of this community. So thanks to everyone who has encouraged me and helped me along to this point, and everyone who has made the first 1000 TPE of my VHL journey such an amazing experience! I owe a special thanks to my first GM @AJW for not quitting on me when I didn't join the discord at the first time of asking. I honestly may not have stuck with VHL if it wasn't for his persistence and encouragement in those first few days after I created my player. AJ played a huge role in making my first VHL experience a positive one and that's really stuck with me ever since. And there's so many others who I've gotten to know and chatted with. There really are some amazing people in this community who are willing to take the time to get to know you and help you along, and it's been well worth my free time to spend it with all of you! So thank you!

@ace_five_ After an exciting S94 where the Moscow Menace snagged their first Continental Cup win since S70, maybe it’s time to look at the other teams who are hoping to break their curses too. Today we’ll look at the teams who have gone the longest without a Continental Cup, and check out who got them there! New York Americans: 42 seasons Last win: S53 Regarded as the most cursed team in the VHL (and rightly so), we have to go back to the S50s to find their last championship, a time when most active players were not yet born. The Americans are still one of the league’s most storied teams and the franchise has indeed existed since S1 (as the Hamilton Canucks until S7). Despite the recent drought, the team has seen superstars come and go, and both players and GMs have taken home many individual awards; they just haven’t been able to get it done. NYA’s S53 championship season was a memorable one, with many players having massive standout performances in the regular season. Here are the most notable: C - Joel Jarvi 72GP, 62G, 100A, 162P Only one player has since had more points in a season (Podrick Cast @Victor in S62) and Aurelien Moreau @Frank (S81) remains the only player to put up triple digit assists since. Joel was traded from Cologne to New York for the final sixteen games + playoffs and won the Szatkowski, Slobodzian, and Beketov trophies in what ended up being the final season of their career. RW - Diana Maxwell (HoF) @scoop 72GP, 64G, 73A, 137P Maxwell finished third in points and goals in their best career season, and won the Kanou for the Americans as well. Diana would go on to win both the Brooks and Szatkowski trophies in S54 and S55 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in S58. C - Unassisted (HoF) 72GP, 56G, 79A, 135P Unassisted finished 5th in league scoring, 6th in goals, and 2nd in assists. They didn’t win any individual awards in S53 but took home the Campbell, Slobodzian, and Kanou in the previous season where the Americans also won the Cup. They entered the Hall of Fame in S56. Awards: New York Americans: Continental Cup, Victory Cup, Devon Marlow-Marta Trophy Joel Jarvi: MIke Szatkowski Trophy, Alexander Beketov Trophy, Brett Slobodzian Trophy Diana Maxwell: Daisuke Kanou Trophy Tom Lincoln: Mikka Virkkunen Trophy The Americans would take down the Stockholm Vikings in a tense seven-game series but come out on top, with Diana Maxwell earning 24 playoff points. New York has only made it back to the Continental Cup finals once since that S53 win, and lost in 7 games to the S60 Helsinki Titans. They weren’t able to fight their way into the playoffs in S95, but with players like Callum Gary Yannick Janser @Daniel Janser and Jebediah Big Ol Doinks in Amish, and an incredible GM in @STZ, they are bound to give the curse a run for its money soon. Helsinki Titans: 29 seasons Last win: S66 Helsinki may have waited this long for a Continental Cup, but it’s certainly not because they’ve lacked cup-caliber teams. Helsinki have lost in 5 straight Continental Cup finals since their last win in S66: S67 - Vancouver wins 4-2 S73 - Seattle wins 4-2 S74 - Vancouver wins 4-2 S77 - Seattle wins 4-1 S91 - Toronto wins 4-2 It’s unfortunate that they haven’t gotten the job done yet, and I would have loved to see them do it in the early S90s, but we are now 3 seasons removed from their last playoff appearance. Can Helsinki do it the next time their window opens, even with a new GM coming in? Helsinki saw a meteoric rise from S65 to S66, finishing 4th in the league with 68 points one year and then seeing that number skyrocket to 113 in the next one. They won the Victory Cup, and quite honestly, basically anything and everything you can win, including probably the lottery and the Super Bowl. The Titans brought home THIRTEEN awards, which I will list at the bottom and not here. Here were their best performances: LW - Julian Borwinn (HoF) @Jubo 72GP, 51G, 63A, 114P Borwinn had far and away the most successful season of their career here, outdoing their second best season by 18 points. Clearly, all the awards voters were very excited about this, given the 5 individual trophies they ended up adding to their cabinet along with the team awards. Borwinn had the most points and tied for the most goals with his teammate Thompson, and would win another MVP in S70 en route to the Hall of Fame. LW - Matt Thompson (HoF) @Beketov 72GP, 51G, 50A, 101P Matt Thompson was instrumental for the Titans, finishing 1st in goals, 3rd in points, and 7th in hits, adding a needed physical aspect to their line which was enormously important for playoff success. Thompson also led the Titans in playoff scoring with 16 points in 9 games and would end their career with 13 individual awards. G - Alexander Pepper 65GP, 49W, 13L, 2OTL, .921SV%, 2.45GAA Pepper spent their whole career with Helsinki, and got a deserved Continental Cup for it. Their performance in the playoffs with an 8-1 record and a .931 SV% meant they rightfully were awarded the Kanou in addition to the Shaw. S66 was their sole Cup win but the devotion to the Titans means they are remembered as one of the franchise’s most legendary players. Awards: Helsinki Titans: Continental Cup, Victory Cup, Terence Fong Trophy Julian Borwinn: Brett Slobodzian Trophy, Scotty Campbell Trophy, Mike Szatkowski Trophy, Dustin Funk Trophy, Kevin Brooks Trophy (tie) Matt Thompson: Scott Boulet Trophy, Kevin Brooks Trophy (tie) Alexander Pepper: Aidan Shaw Trophy, Daisuke Kanou Trophy Dan Montgomery: Alexander Valiq Trophy Matt Bailey: David Knight Trophy Helsinki, having finished first in the league, earned a first-round bye while Davos delivered a 4-0 beatdown of a series to the Riga Reign to advance from the wildcard round. Helsinki had little trouble dispatching them, as the series ended in five games. The Titans would sweep the heavy underdog Vancouver Wolves to take the title with very little pushback from everyone else. Helsinki failed again to make the playoffs this year (6th in EU Conference), but have very promising prospects like Ahsoka Tano @Aimee coming up to fight their way back into contention with players such as Maple Dogwood @dogwoodmaple and Mikko Borisyuk @PacifistKit17. Riga Reign: 23 seasons 0 seasons! Last win: S72 S95 I’d already written this by the time it had happened, but the Riga Reign are your S95 Continental Cup Champions! But in recent years, before finally getting it done, they always seemed like an exciting team coming into the playoffs, but generally flopped once they made it there. Early postseason defeats have seemed demoralizing but this year, the Latvian club finally took their chance to break out of the drought and fought extremely well in the playoffs so far with star players like Skor McFleury @Alex and Axle Gunner @Steve. But before the recent celebrations, we have to go back all the way to S72, where Riga finished third in league overall standings, just as they did this past year. Calgary and Seattle had 105 and 97 points respectively, as compared to Riga’s 86. Having a record not that far over .500, not many were banking on Riga to win it all, as their highest scorer was actually a defenseman. Let’s take a look at their key players: D - Lincoln Tate (HoF) @Tate 72GP, 16G, 70A, 86P Tate was the star of the show in Riga, and led the team by 12 points, a decently wide margin. One might think they would have won awards for this, but S72 had a whopping 4 defensemen in the top 8 point scorers, with future Hall of Famer Condor Adrienne @OrbitingDeath being the only player to break the century mark that season. Lincoln did record the most assists jointly with Berocka Sundqvist @Berocka and would finish 8th in overall scoring. They enjoyed a successful postseason with Riga, nabbing 17 points in 13 games. Tate would go on to win the Labatte Trophy in S73, and the Wylde in S74 (they won both in S71). C - Codrick Past @Kylrad 72GP, 34G, 34A, 68P Past finished 3rd in Reign scoring, and although 68 points may not seem the most impressive mark when compared to the sky-high totals we often see today, Past was an instrumental part of the championship squad, dishing out 103 hits and blocking 26 shots as well. Past finished 1st in Reign goals, and 11th leaguewide; they recorded 16 playoff points in this penultimate season of their career. G - Greg Eagles @Greg_Di 63GP, 35W, .914SV%, 2.67 GAA Although these regular season stats weren’t especially amazing by any means (Greg finished 6th in SV% and 5th in GAA among goalies who played 50+ games) the playoffs is where we saw the true clutch factor Eagles had. They showed incredible performance after incredible performance, finishing the playoffs 12-1 with a .936 SV% and 2.03 GAA. Eagles turned it up to another level that postseason, and will always be remembered in Riga for it. It was an easy decision to award Eagles the Kanou afterwards. Awards: Riga Reign: Continental Cup, Terence Fong Trophy Lincoln Tate: Alexander Beketov Trophy Greg Eagles: Daisuke Kanou Trophy Riga under the leadership of Eagles, and against the odds, absolutely stomped everyone they came across. They swept HC Davos Dynamo in the first round and took no more time to deal with Moscow. They came up against an extremely skillful Calgary team in the final, but given the Wranglers had barely escaped from 2 seven game series on the way there, fatigue certainly played a role and Riga took advantage. Points to Calgary for winning one against Eagles though! Los Angeles Stars: 23 seasons Last win: N/A Los Angeles is a newer team than all the prior ones, having only come into existence after Riga won the S72 Cup, but regardless they’ve never seen a win in franchise history, so they get to be on this list. Many Los Angeles fans thought it was finally their year in S90, but they were completely throttled by Prague 4-0 in the finals. Regardless, it’s the best run we’ve got so let’s take a look at what got them there. Los Angeles wasn’t even favored to win their first-round matchup, having finished 3rd in the NA conference and 5th leaguewide with 99 points. But their star players came through and brought them pretty far. They ended the regular season 4th in goals for and with the 5th lowest goals against, showing their consistently good play on both sides of the puck. C - Todd Cooke @KRZY 72GP, 41G, 77A, 118P Cooke is a player that Stars fans will count themselves lucky to have watched, and was incredibly loyal to the team, playing every season with Los Angeles. In S90, those fans were treated to a 118 point season, a season that propelled them to a Scotty Campbell Trophy win. Cooke finished with the most points in the league as well as sharing the trophy for most assists with Ryuji Sakamoto. In addition to these, Todd would win the Brooks trophy for most goals in the S92 season, the final of their career. When it was all said and done, they had put up the 2nd most goals, assists, and points in Stars franchise history. C - Napoleon Dynamite @thadthrasher 72GP, 40G, 49A, 89P Somewhat overshadowed next to fellow centerman Cooke, Dynamite was fantastic to watch as well. In addition to their 89 points (good for 10th leaguewide), Dynamite threw 183 hits and blocked 42 shots, something you don’t see as often from these star players. Dynamite put up 18 points in the playoffs (9 goals and 9 assists) in 15 games, and set the bar for physicality throughout, inspiring the Stars to the finals. G - Art Vandelay @Gustav 65GP, 45W, .925SV%, 2.37 GAA Vandelay was the face of the franchise for most of his career, and similarly to Cooke, spent it all with Los Angeles. In S90, they managed to set their career high in wins with 45 and were it not for surefire Hall of Famer Lachlan Summers @kirbithan, they would likely have had a shot at earning themselves some individual hardware. Vandelay shined in the playoffs as well with 8 wins, a .927 SV%, and a 2.38 GAA through 15 games but ended up running into the wall that was the red-hot Matt Murdock @Acydburn that season. Awards: Los Angeles Stars: Devon Marlow-Marta Trophy Todd Cooke: Mike Szatkowski Trophy, Alexander Beketov Trophy, Scotty Campbell Trophy LA shocked everyone at the beginning of the playoffs with a clean sweep of the Dragons, but the Toronto Legion proved a little tougher to dispatch. The Stars needed seven games to take care of them while Prague only took 5 to beat Davos and exhausted from the fight against the Legion, Los Angeles were taken down, blowing a 3rd period Game 4 lead and losing to an electric Perry Laperriere @KaleebtheMighty overtime cup winner. And while we're at it, let's see who the teams that have gone the longest without a points leader are. Mike Szatkowski Trophy Seattle Bears: 14 seasons (S81) Justin Lose @youloser1337 72G, 70A, 142P Lose also took home the Scotty Campbell, Kevin Brooks, and Brett Slobodzian Trophies and had an unprecedented 72 goal season. Vancouver Wolves: 15 seasons (S80) Jivere Zolnek @Sixersfan594 46G, 87A, 133P Zolnek won the Alexander Beketov Trophy en route to Continental and Victory Cup wins with the unstoppable Vancouver Wolves. Malmö Nighthawks: 16 seasons (S79) Gunnar Odinsson @BOOM 57G, 76A, 133P Odinsson wound up winning much more than just the Szatkowski, including the Slobodzian, Kanou, and Funk in a season where Malmö was able to win it all. Helsinki Titans: 26 seasons (S69) Julian Borwinn @Jubo 42G, 51A, 93P This was the penultimate season of Borwinn's illustrious career and the 8th of 9 individual awards he would win, before receiving an invitation to the HOF after retirement. New York Americans: 40 seasons (S55) Diana Maxwell @scoop 55G, 61A, 116P This was Diana's final year with the Americans, and would go out having won 2 Szatkowskis, 2 Brooks' and a Kanou. Of course, Maxwell would eventually be inducted into the Hall of Fame just as Borwinn was. Congratulations to Riga on finally escaping from shame and good luck to the other three trying to win their championship! New York holds the 6th and 7th picks this year, Helsinki moved all the way up to 2nd, and Moscow holds LA’s 5th pick. Everyone get ready for another exciting year, and maybe we’ll see a 3rd consecutive drought ended in S96!

Apply. Would prefer to stay in Miami but will ultimately take any job .

So my main takeaway so far is that people are more willing to accept that I stole money from the league than to accept that Gus had a relationship with a woman.

First off, let me start this off by being upfront and honest, I am going to post this in all of the sim leagues that I am a part of. I hope that doesn’t break any rules. Please let me know if that is the case. It is not my intention to do that, but sometimes, well…you can read along and we can go from there. I want to thank the people who run sim leagues. I want to thank my teammates and the friends I have made in the leagues. I want to thank everyone involved in keeping these leagues running without pay and sometimes, having to deal with disgruntled and unhappy people. I know that sometimes it is a thankless job…and I want to make it clear, THANK YOU!! Thank you for the countless hours that you have given to the league’s success. Thank you for doing everything you can to make these leagues a great experience. Thank you for giving us a place to escape from real life and just sit back and enjoy some fake sports. I don’t want to go into too much detail, so I will give you the quick-hit summary, of why I am wanting to say this. I want to provide the people who make all of this happen see how much it matters to us, the players. Over the last 3 months I have had some pretty tough challenges in my life. Some of them added unusual levels of stress in my life, while others caused outright fear….and some others were a mix of a multitude of feelings and emotions…some good….and some bad. Unexpectedly I lost my job after my position at the company I was working out eliminated my position. This was completely out of the blue….joining a virtual meeting to do a supposed “check-in” and it being over in 5 minutes after hearing that dreaded news. I knew I was going to be eligible for unemployment, but it was no where near what I had been getting paid. Ironically, this ended up being a blessing in disguise because I was able to find a job with a company that, at times, I don’t even believe is real. I was offered the new job 4 weeks to the day that I had lost my old one. But the ensuing 4 weeks were filled with anxious moments as I got rejection email after rejection email. During this 4 weeks I had a knee operation that was supposed to be pretty routine. But, as is normal in my life, nothing was routine. I had complications and ended up with a severe infection that required me to be admitted to the hospital over a long weekend to have antibiotics pumped into my system. As I will still recovering from that my wife and I took my Dad on a already-planned vacation where walking without being able to walk was in itself something interesting. I returned home and felt like life was finally going to get back to normal when my life, and the lives of my friends and neighbors here in western North Carolina were turned upside down by Hurricane Helene. What was supposed to be some wind and heavy rain ended up being a deluge of, not inches, but feet, of rain that destroyed homes, roads, infrastructure, places of employment, and sadly, even took lives. I wasn’t sure when or how life was going to return to normal after that. But the response was overwhelming as people, organizations and government agencies rushed in to provide aid and support. So what does all of this have to do with sim leagues? Throughout all of this turmoil and chaos I had one refuge…there was one place I could escape to, even if it was for only a minute or two. I was able to pop into a sim league, maybe not all I am a part of, but as many as I could. I told them I was alive. I told them that life was crazy, but I would be back. I was able to look at how the team was doing, how the league tables looked. I was able to think about something besides the never ending chaos that was whirling around me. Life is slowly coming back to normal. My participation in the sim leagues is slowly increasing back to its pre-chaos levels. My teammates are still there, my leagues are still there….my life away from “life” is still there. So Thank You for providing this refuge and doing what you do. Now, lets play some fake sports!!

Ode to a Hedgehog It's been one season since the retirement of the 2nd-longest serving GM in VHL history – one Benjamin Zeptenbergs, aka hedgehog, of the Riga Reign. It was a relatively quiet, anti-climactic exit as a 41-season tenure, nearly half of Riga's franchise history, came to an end. I think we could all see that Hedge was past his prime but given it was also, at least for now, the end of his VHL tenure, it's a bit of a shame there was no grand conclusion or even celebration of one of the greatest GM runs this league has seen. Yes he has his Builder article and many ex-players who speak highly of their time in Riga, but without cultivating a die-hard following and being quite reserved and never one to pump his own tires, Hedge has gone into the sunset without much fanfare at all. I'm here today to correct this wrong – the best achievements deserve recognition and Hedge's run as Riga Reign GM was exactly that. Here's an ode to a hedgehog. The Lightning Quick Start I actually missed the first few seasons of Hedge's GM career through inactivity but was pleased with what I saw when I came back. As a Riga native myself, the Reign have always held a special place in my heart ever since I was shocked to see them contesting the S9 Continental Cup finals on my first site to the VHL website in 2009. Although Riga went through several well-respected GMs over the years, from founder Dustin Funk to the controversial and outspoken but undeniably successful Mike Szatkowski, there was some poetic seeing one of our small but noticeable Latvian diaspora taking charge of the league's Latvian franchise. I don't know if Hedge applied for any non-Riga GM jobs but I like to think he wouldn't have and part of the reason for his longevity was that natural connection with his country's capital city. Benjamin Zeptenbergs as a player had only come into the league as part of the S42 draft so he was only about 10 seasons in and on his second player when he took over from Steve Smeall in S53. Smeall had ended a decade of mediocrity with a cup in S51 and a finals appearance in S52 but drained Riga's resources in the process meaning there was a tough rebuilding task on his successor's hands. It seemed a tall order for a relative novice in the VHL – Zeptenbergs was definitely a success story as a player, having a solid career as a (back then) late selection at 14th overall, making it to the first two championships of Toronto's threepeat, but was not well-known as a person. A four-season stint in the VHLM with Bratislava was certainly a promising start, as Hedge led the Watchmen to their last Founder's Cup before their contraction, but probably got the Riga job through a combination of making up for that franchise's death, the lack of serious GM candidates at the time, and being one of about three promising members to join between S40 and S60. In other words, here's an emptied-out team in a sinking ship of a league, good luck. But Hedge quashed any fears of drowning in the job. Statistically, the first eight seasons of his tenure were undoubtedly his most successful. The Reign were back in the playoffs by S54, took a brief break, and then won three straight Victory Cups from S56 to S58, adding a Continental Cup in both the latter two seasons. The lack of high-end or high-volume draft picks didn't matter – the cup-winning teams featured only two players drafted by Riga. Instead, Hedge wheeled and dealed his way to picking up his own player, Fredinamijs Krigars (and also his other own player, Guntis Petenis, although that one retired before the winning started), goalie Markus King, Krigars' famous linemate John Locke, and other stalwarts like Essian Ravenwing, Phil Shankly, and Lukas Muller. Krigars, Locke, King, and Muller all ended up in the Hall of Fame. The league couldn't handle the Reign. Hedge didn't necessarily steal the assets he acquired, paying fair market value, but he was aggressive in the market at a time when you were better off going for guaranteed talent rather than hoping for patience through the shallow drafts. The just rewards came in the form of championships and two Top GM trophies – remarkably he would only win one more in his career – and the rookie became one of the game's veterans right as the VHL was entering its new golden age. Record-Breaker As someone who GMed in the “old” VHL – i.e. the era which Hedge's debut in the 50s falls into – and the modern VHL, my main takeaways are as follows. It's a bit easier now in that you don't need to nail every draft pick because, especially in deep drafts, there are plenty of opportunities to make up for mistakes. There are new challenges though, firstly in the fact there is double the amount of competition (although that wasn't yet the case in S60) and also in having to keep track of more people – your own players, other teams, and of course draftees and prospects. Most old school GMs who have tested the GM waters in this new age have coped well enough with the modern pressures, but there are very few I have seen as adept at it as prime Hedge was. In Season 61, Hedge drafted my comeback player, Podrick Cast, to Riga. It was actually my first and to date only time with the Reign, but what a time it was to experience a master at work first hand. Whilst Cast himself had a record-breaking sophomore season, it was made all the more enjoyable by a boisterous locker room constantly overflowing with players ready to contend for the cup and ready-made prospects to keep the winning run going. Lots of the names Hedge scouted in the drafts have come and gone but some of the gems he unearthed include the likes of Ryuu Crimson, Shawn Glade, Rylan Peace, and Dan Baillie. Add in a sprinkling of star power – Cast, Hedge's own super goalie Kallis Kriketers, first-gen TPE machine Ryan Kastelic, Edwin Preencarnacion – and it was another S56-S58 team in the making. The absolute success wasn't quite as forthcoming as the first time around but there was an early championship to quell fears of unrealised potential in Season 63, and then what would become a record-setting (and still-standing) 13-season playoff streak from S62 to S74. By constantly shifting out older players, bringing through lower-ranked prospects, and sticking to a reliable core with a sprinkling of veteran talent (but not selling the farm to acquire it), Hedge continuously kept Riga among the cup favourites and made more and more history with each passing season. Lincoln Tate, Apollo Hackett, Guy Sasakamoose, and Patrik Tallinder were some of the homegrown players to come through while the Reign were competing on the fly, complemented by acquisitions like Rauno Palo, Joseph McWolf, Phil Marleau, and Greg Eagles. The only real regret in this time period was the relatively poor returns in the playoffs – after S63 there was just one more championship in S72, with a finals loss in S69 in between. This often led to exasperation on Hedge's behalf at the sim but he kept going and retooling on the fly with every player in equal measure important and expendable depending on the team's needs. It's a run which newer members might link to successful recent eras in Seattle, Moscow, and Vancouver where the GM has almost been the bigger star than the team. But Hedge did it first and his playoff streak still reigns supreme – with four Continental Cups to his name in 20 seasons, he could have easily retired in S74 already confirmed as one of the all-time greats. Season 75 Sometimes history provides very obvious turning points to those studying it. The point at which war was inevitable, the moment the revolution was inevitable, the year the empire started to crumble. For Hedge and Riga, it's clear now that the beginning of the end was in Season 75 but it looked anything but at the time. If anything, this was to be his crowning glory, the icing on the cake, the final feather in his cap. Just as his long-time rival in Seattle had created a dynasty with four cups in six seasons, thus more or less making the two equals in terms of both tenure and achievements, Hedge looked like he was about to drop his greatest hit. Not unlike the Seattle/Vancouver/Moscow trio I mentioned above, Riga had just hit a perfect opportunity to briefly stop retooling and instead hit reset and come back even stronger. Hedge sold his best players to stack up on the hottest currency on the market – S75 draft picks. Within days the Reign held five first-round picks and four second-round picks in the deepest draft in VHL history. So what happened? A bit of bad luck of course – after sneaking into the playoffs in S76, Riga missed out by a point in S77, two goals in S78, and five points in S80. Their two forays into the playoffs in the seven seasons after S75 were short and unsuccessful. Despite drafting a goalie in S75 (his own player, Sirkants Klamasteris), Hedge traded himself away to Toronto after a season, thus ensuring the Reign didn't have a franchise goalie in this time period. But the core was still there to do better. Not all the draft picks were hits, but enough TPE to do better was earned by the likes of Justin Lose, Linus Zetterstrom, Cabe McJake, Matt Thunder, and Jan Hlozek to perform better. Something didn't click for this Riga squad and to their credit (or foolishness) they weren't one of the meta-exploiting teams of the era which almost certainly worked against them. It was a setback and despite cobbling together a contender again in S82-S84, Hedge was visibly drained and for the first time, genuinely running out of steam. The End There was no last hurrah which a tenure like this truly deserved. Despite another straight five playoff appearances from S87 to S91, with the likes of The Frenchman, Skor McFleury and future D.C. playoff hero Henry Tucker Jr, Riga's last conference final appearances under Hedge came in S82 and S83. That was the furthest the Reign advanced in the playoffs in the nearly 20 seasons from the 13-season playoff streak ending in S74 to Hedge stepping down at the end of S93. In S81, Hedge drafted a first-gen Alexandre Leduc 13th overall, the man who would end up replacing him in S94, the injection of new blood and energy immediately driving Riga to their best playoff performance in decades, with hope of more to come. Hedge definitely knew when it was time to go and perhaps regretted not doing it sooner but despite fortune turning away from him, his methods and approach remained as strong as ever. As late as S87 he was nominated for and won his last Top GM award. He continued to steadfastly back new talent in the league, and understood how to build an engaging and competitive team, and when to pull the plug and go for a rebuild. It was a quiet exit from the stage for one of the most reserved people to take on one of the league's most underappreciated roles. Never to bang his own drum, so I'm here to bang it for him. Benjamin Zeptenbergs was one of the greatest GMs the VHL has ever seen, for 20 seasons backed it with some of the best results we have witnessed, and for another 20 made sure even more members experienced a well-run franchise. See you soon @hedgehog337 Tagging everyone mentioned in the article so you can all come in and pay your respects too @Kendrick @Will @solas @der meister @Phil @ShawnGlade @SlapshotWrangler @MubbleFubbles @Peace @wcats @Enorama @Renomitsu @Tate @Cxsquared @Patrik Tallinder @jRuutu @McWolf @Greg_Di @youloser1337 @Ledge @Red @Matt thunder @Bojovnik @OrbitingDeath @Alex @NSG @Lemorse7 and of course @Banackock

I created these inspired by @Enorama's banners and switched a few things around for those that want maybe something taller or wider. VHL VHLE VHLM Enjoy!

PRELUDE: Hello everyone! After several months away from the forum for much-needed life adjustments, I have finally returned to the forum! Very nice to see many new and old names still around, and I hope I get to meet all the new names here soon. NOW...THE ACTUAL ARTICLE Now the premier developmental league of the forum, the VHLM has gotten a lot more competitive, making it tougher for lower TPE to stand out like they once did at a 200 TPE cap. With many graduations to the VHL, @Spartan knows that the league is bound to shake up following the conclusion of the playoffs, stating, "...teams in contention always have more players they'll lose to graduation or call-ups. It's sort of natural for a developmental league. The teams sitting in the mid-low playoff range this season will likely be the ones to make a bigger jump next season." As stated in the title, I will be ranking the depth of each team's position (F, D, G, Potential [meaning team's future potential with picks and lower TPE players]) and give my input as to what each team needs to focus on heading into the upcoming offseason. I'll start from the bottom of the standings to the top. DISCLAIMER: THE GRADES BEING GIVEN ARE FOR THE ROSTERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE OFFSEASON, NOT THE CURRENT ROSTERS Miami Marauders (10-56-6, 26 PTS) - First Selection: R1, Pick 1 Forwards: F | Defense: F | Goalies: F | Potential: A+ GM: @Ricer13 OVERVIEW: Miami had a rough season, finishing at the bottom of the standings for S98. They'll be looking to fill in some major holes, and this draft certainly has the potential to help Miami build for the future. When asked about thought processes about the upcoming draft, GM (@Ricer13) stated, "The upcoming draft is a big one. Miami's focus will be on trying to accumulate as many picks as possible to build out the team for long-term sustainability." Offensively, they're looking to find three replacements for all 3 Cs, as they will be lost to the Dispersion Draft/Retirement. On the defensive side of things, Miami will be losing D Chase Breeze (@C-Breeze) to the S99 Dispersal Draft, which will be a major blow to their D core. Most of their D have been slacking/not active as of recently, or at a very low TPE number, so Miami must pick up some D depth to build for the future. In net, G special ed (@special ed) will also be entering the Dispersal Draft, which puts Miami without a #1 option for the upcoming season. While ed's stats were nothing pretty, the Mauraders are banking on a G to fall to them in the draft or to have one join them via waivers. DRAFT SUGGESTION: 1st Overall - C John Cowgill (@FlyingWV) (195 TPE) Ricer has stated that "Miami will look to dangle this pick and move down in the draft. The goal is to acquire more depth picks in the draft. We aren't in a place to be selecting a top-end player as we won't be a contender next season." However, we like to have fun and assume that if, for some reason, Miami is unable to trade down with a team, then we say they would stick with #1 in this draft. If so, this should realistically be a no-brainer for Ricer. As mentioned before, Miami will be losing its 3 Cs after the season is over. Picking up C talent at the draft is going to be crucial for Miami's future, and Cowgill's progression has continued to skyrocket. Not to mention, with Cowgill just under 200 TPE, this would possibly mean that the C can stick around longer compared to Florida Man II (214 TPE) and Igor Sokolov (245 TPE). Cowgill has also performed well with Mexico City, putting up respectable numbers on the 2nd line. With first-line minutes, it's possible we could see a breakout from Cowgill and a dominance for seasons to come. TO RECAP: Ricer knows that Miami is in a full rebuild coming into the offseason. When asked about the amount of talent the Mauraders are losing, the hopeful GM reiterated, "The plan hasn't changed. We know waivers will be coming and going, and our focus will be on locking in our roster through the draft and speeding up the rebuild." Ricer certainly has a lot to think about come offseason time, and only time will tell if Miami can squeak into the postseason with luck from Simon. San Diego Marlins (21-47-4, 46 PTS) - First Selection: R1, Pick 2 Forward: C | Defense: B | Goalie: D+ | Potential: A+ GM: @Mysterious_Fish OVERVIEW: San Diego missed the playoffs by 9 points this season and is looking to broaden their depth tremendously. In my opinion, their Defensive core is solid, while their Forward core is mainly young and lower TPE, but has some experience sprinkled in. The only reason I gave Goalie a lower grade was due to a lower TPE compared to several other goalies in the league. Since (@Will3) is currently running Welfare + Practice claims, the position won't be developing into a top-tier goalie anytime soon (trust me, I'm not taking any shots, I was also like that at one point). DRAFT SUGGESTION: 2nd Overall - LW Florida Man II (@Florida Man) (214 TPE) The Marlins are looking to build on their forward depth, and I believe that Florida Man II is a key player that SD should be targeting. The Halifax LW (59GP 2-8-10) may not have the most lucrative stat line in the draft, but is capable of becoming a bloomer given a bigger role on a new team. Not to mention, Man II is consistently building up TPE points, suggesting he could reach well over 300 by the time next season concludes. Considering SDM holds both #2 overall and OTT's 1st (#3 overall), the Marlins have the chance to build strong depth up front or back in net if they wish to do so. 3rd Overall (from OTT) - RW Igor Sokolov (@Kisslinger) (245 TPE) Picking up F talent at the draft is going to be crucial for San Diego's future, and Sokolov, on paper, might be the franchise talent the Marlins can build around. Sokolov, last playing for Halifax (72GP 11-13-24), has been extremely active as of recently and tends to complete a lot of tasks to garner a LOT of TPE. A good forward core is what San Diego needs to be able to clinch a playoff berth, and I believe Sokolov would be the beginning of building something strong for the Marlins. TO RECAP: San Diego could easily become a playoff contender with a MAJOR shakeup bound to happen in the M this year, as top-seeded teams are losing several key players to graduation to the VHL. With the 2nd & 3rd overall pick, picking Man II, in my opinion, will give SDM a rather competitive team, giving them a shot to compete in the playoffs. It will be entertaining to see how SDM plays their cards and competes in S99. Ottawa Lynx (25-42-5, 55 PTS) - First Selection: R2, Pick 11 Forward: C+ | Defense: C | Goalie: C- | Potential: B GM: @Grape OVERVIEW: Ottawa just snuck into the playoffs after comfortably making it in during S98, thanks in part to RW Kyle Evans (@Kyle Evans), who put up great numbers for the 8th seed (72GP 38-71-109), as well as LW Owen Two (@do3bo1) (72GP 31-52-83). When asked about the potential departure of Evans, Grape acknowledges that the offseason will look to fill Evans' shoes once he leaves the club. The GM stated, "Right now, I'm looking at our draft and the players we are retaining to replace that offensive production, which I feel quite confident about." D Elisa McMuffin (@Ente2997) held down the blue line with impressive numbers (72GP 11-51-62), and G Komi Kamal (@dustywilson22) struggled a bit in between the pipes, as the Lynx couldn't find themselves in the middle of the pack and got bounced early by Houston in the 1st round of the playoffs. OTT does not have its first-round pick, as it was sent to San Diego, which Grape says was for a reason. The GM mentioned, "I made the trade right away, knowing that it'll be a high pick, and I still stand by it. I've done my best to load up on later-round picks to assist in making up for this." DRAFT SUGGESTION: 7th Overall (Trade w/ LVA) - D Ayumu Kasuga (@Grape) (149 TPE) Yes, you read that right. I think Ottawa's OWN GM will trade up with LVA to select himself. Here's why: Ottawa's main focus is going to have to be on their defense once Kasuga leaves for the Dispersion Draft. Having said that, if I were in the shoes of Grape, I would move the S100 OTT 2nd and S99 HOU 3rd to obtain the 7th overall pick, held by LVA. That way, Las Vegas obtains a 3rd round pick in this upcoming draft to draft a lower, but also productive, player on defense (they still have the 4th overall pick anyway). This, meanwhile, gives Ottawa the chance to retain Kasuga's services for several seasons down the road. Most of the players for the Lynx have not received TPE points in recent weeks, so it's important to have a player that you know is going to stick around, hence the pick for the GM's player. TO RECAP: Ottawa is continuing to look to compete in the playoffs down the road, but San Diego is not far behind. Miami is going to take a bit longer, but there is no warning as of now. If Ottawa can play their cards right, in picking up key F and D, this team will have no problem continuing to stay playoff contenders (it would also be funny to see Grape take his player lol). Las Vegas Aces (28-34-10, 66 PTS) - First Selection: R1, Pick 4 Forward: B | Defense: D | Goalie: B- | Potential: A+ GM: @sadie OVERVIEW: Las Vegas sat comfortably in the 7th seed when the regular season ended, and as of this writing, has made its playoff series with Philadelphia (the #2 seed!) very interesting. A very notable player on the blue line is easily D Mathias Gunnarsson (@ThatCanadian), putting up solid numbers in his last season with the Aces (72GP 16-43-58). That's the main issue, however, is that Gunnarsson will be leaving the team once the playoffs have concluded. Aces' GM Sadie agreed that Gunnarsson has been a major help for the team, but that the Aces are ready to move into the future. The optimistic GM stated, "Gunnarsson has been HUGE for us, and his departure will make a difference, but the team as a whole is going to have to look very different...S99 will of course be the most important draft in my time GMing." DRAFT SUGGESTION: 4th Overall - Chase Breeze (@C-Breeze) (180 TPE) In a no-brainer, must-need selection by the Aces, they take Chase Breeze, a very productive D with the Miami Marauders (38GP 9-19-28). This pick gives the Aces a solid D choice who has been very active in the forums and Discord. Not to mention that Breeze has developed very well for a first-gen. As mentioned previously, a hypothetical trade would see LVA send their 7th overall pick to OTT for HOU's 3rd in this draft and OTT's 2nd in next season's draft. This gives LVA the chance to pick in the 3rd round on top of their 2nd pick, with chances to select more D to solidify the core. A good draft and FA period could see LVA compete for a championship next year if Sadie plays it smart. Another player to target would be previously mentioned D Ayumu Kasuga, as having two solid, constantly developing D would prove extremely beneficial to the Aces in the long run, as they would both most likely stay for 2+ seasons. Sadie mentioned that Defense is going to be the focus of the offseason, claiming, "We're planning to build the foundation with S99 and be the favorite in S100." TO RECAP: Las Vegas has a lot of chances to make noise in the offseason and emerge as the easy winners. The 4th and 7th (if retained) overall picks could be a game-changer and bring much-needed talent to an already respectable Aces squad. If I were on another team, I would be cautious around the Aces going forward. Saskatoon Wild (34-33-5, 73 PTS) - First Selection: R1, Pick 5 Forward: C | Defense: C | Goalie: C- | Potential: B GM: @Dadam30 OVERVIEW: As of this writing, Saskatoon had been swept by Halifax in the 1st round and is now looking ahead to the offseason with RW CJ Daniels (@xNJDevilsFanx) (72GP 52-58-110) moving on from the team to HC Davos (VHL). This is going to raise a lot of concern for the Wild, who are looking to continue their rhythm next year and make the playoffs again. Their core roster will mostly return, besides Daniels and other late-season pickups. The Wild might have a lot of work to do in the offseason, but they hold a plethora of draft picks to help keep their roster afloat. GM Dadam30 will have their work cut out for them. DRAFT SUGGESTION: 5th Overall - C Patrick Finnegan (@JB123) (158 TPE) Saskatoon is gonna need a LOT of help up front to keep up with the rest of the league, and by selecting Finnegan with the 5th overall pick, will solidify their C position for several seasons. For playing in Miami this year, Finnegan (72GP 21-24-45) produced well and should be a solid piece for Saskatoon should they take him here. Another option could be to move down from 5th to grab more late-round picks in this draft, seeing how deep it is. TO RECAP: Losing a big piece is going to be tough, but I think Saskatoon has enough to persuade FAs and select well. The only reason I graded their potential low is due to the uncertainty of their offseason and the team going forward, but if they have a great draft and FA period, then I could easily see Saskatoon finishing higher than 6th next season. Finnegan's season with Miami this season shouldn't be taken heavily, as Miami struggled this season, but if the Wild were to take him, they should be able to keep up with the rest of the teams and make the playoffs. Mississauga Hounds (38-26-8, 84 PTS) - First Selection: R1, Pick 6 Forward: C+ | Defense: C+ | Goalie: F | Potential: B- GM: @ace_five_ OVERVIEW: After being eliminated in the 1st round at the hands of the Mexico City Kings, a lot of questions are going to be asked about the Hounds. Mississauga had a roster consisting of 3 400 TPE players, and 1 nearing 400, all of which produced a high point total over the season. Not to mention, their starting goaltender, G Yor Bjorven (@Rin), suddenly retired from the team. This makes the offseason very important going forward for them, as they look to continue to be playoff contenders. GM Ace acknowledged this, stating, "They will be missed greatly. Some of these players were part of the cup-winning team back in S96, so it says a lot...these are big shoes to fill." DRAFT SUGGESTION: 6th Overall - C Finn Mertzer (@Steve) (154 TPE) Mississauga currently holds 2 1st round picks, which Ace has high value for, claiming, "I don't think it's too necessary to move up a few spots in such a deep draft. I think the whole first round, and into the second, will be a hit. Anyone will be ready to help the team immediately." Suggesting this, Mississauga will have a strong chance to pick up very talented players, with possibly several seasons to be with the team. C Finn Mertzer (18GP 4-8-12) is a solid option to head up their new-look forward core. 10th Overall - G Brandon Hope (@McLovin) (125 TPE) Coming off a 3 game trial with Las Vegas, Hope can shine as a future star goalie. I have Halifax taking G Diego Adam with the 8th overall pick, so Mississauga should look to pickup the next best option, which in my opinion, is Hope. TO RECAP: Mississauga needs to make some major noise in the offseason to ensure a return to the playoffs. Their potential is solid due to their two high picks, but hangs in the balance of their FA signings due to their minimal draft capital. The GMs for the team know they have their work cut out for them in the upcoming FA/Draft period. Mexico City Kings (44-20-8, 96 PTS) - First Selection: R3, Pick 21 Forward: B+ | Defense: C | Goalie: C | Potential: C GM: @VattghernCZ OVERVIEW: Mexico City's roster has been stacked, consisting of a strong forward core and arguably the #1 defensive core, with a capped goalie to boot. One of the league's top defenders, D Ronan Amnon (@Breeze837) has put on a show from the blue line (72GP 21-53-74), and not to mention their goalie has had an amazing season (53GP 33-14-6, 0.927%, 1.51) to help the Kings become serious playoff contenders. However, once their season concludes, they will have some serious work to do to replace the firepower they will lose to the VHL. DRAFT SUGGESTION: 21st Overall - D Natalia Nano (@leafsman) (98 TPE) MEX will be losing 3 (possibly 4) D at the end of the season, so this position is going to become crucial down the road for the Kings to fill. Nano was stuck on a STACKED Houston team and was picked up late in the season, only playing 18 games in the regular season (2-1-3). With a bigger role and the possibility to play for a few seasons, Nano could easily emerge from their shell and become a big producer down the road for the Kings. TO RECAP: Mexico City has a lot of talent to boot, and should help carry them on a deep playoff run, but once their big producers leave, they'll have to start thinking about the future. With few picks of value in this year's draft, they may have to look to the FA market and pick up some help. I expect Mexico City to regress, but still make the playoffs somewhere in the 5-7 seed range. I give their future potential a C, as it's unsure how the Kings are going to rebound off their D core leaving. Halifax 21st (47-18-7, 101 PTS) - First Selection: R1, Pick 8 Forward: B- | Defense: B+ | Goalie: C | Potential: B+ GM: @rory OVERVIEW: Halifax just barely eclipsed the 100-point mark to cap off a great season under GM Rory. LW Hater Tottingham (@Trunkxolotl) finished in the Top-10 in points this season (72GP 33-47-80), and as of this article, the 21st swept Saskatoon in the first round. Their team consists of solid depth, both on the offensive and defensive side, and features a capped goalie in G Chad Powers (@Big_Dyl), helping solidify their positioning. DRAFT SUGGESTION: 8th Overall - G Diego Adam ( @Dadam30) (147 TPE) Halifax's big concern is going to be picking up a solid G to make up for losing G Chad Powers and now-inactive G Kim Chi. Picking G Diego Adam would make a lot of sense here. While he struggled with Saskatoon this past season, he may need a resurgence with a new team to emerge as the top option in the draft, and Halifax provides enough depth to help him grow. TO RECAP: Halifax had a very productive season, one that sees them more than likely making a deep playoff run, and potentially as a dark horse to win the championship this year. Once the offseason begins, I expect Halifax to move to the top of the standings and finish with an even better record with the depth they have and a hypothetical new addition of G Diego Adam. Losing LW Tottingham to the VHL is going to be a scratch to the lineup, but it shouldn't hurt the 21st too much. Philadelphia Reapers (54-13-5, 113 PTS) - First Selection: R1, Pick 9 Forward: C | Defense: B | Goalie: B | Potential: B GM: @mattyIceman OVERVIEW: Winning the Eastern Conference is no easy task, especially with the talent of some of the teams in the conference (-Miami), but Philly made the most of their season, clinching the conference title and the #2 seed in the Founder's Cup Playoffs. Boasting 4 (!!!) players in the Top 10 in points and G Louis Burley (@EndoNate) locking it down between the pipes for most of the season, the Reapers had no problem becoming a problem on teams' schedules this season. DRAFT SUGGESTION: 9th Overall - C Bash McMurray ( @Bushito) (148 TPE) Philly is going to be losing several Fs to the VHL soon and will need to address their depth up front. Selecting McMurray 9th will solidify the middle of the lineup, especially boasting an impressive stat line on conference rival Miami (18GP 4-7-11). Expect McMurray's production to slightly decrease with more depth surrounding them, but with development over the next few seasons, it should continue to be a productive piece for the Reapers to continue to hunt a championship. TO RECAP: Philly is a Founder's Cup contender at the moment and has a legitimate shot at taking the crown once it's all said and done. They'll lose some F depth after the playoffs, but I don't doubt their ability to rebuild with a hypothetical pick of McMurray. However, it is uncertain what kind of attention they can get from the FA pool, so their potential remains at a solid B for now. Houston Bulls (59-8-5, 123 PTS) - First Selection: R2, Pick 16 Forward: D | Defense: D+ | Goalie: F | Potential: C GM: @SMYLS4 OVERVIEW: The "Cream of the Crop", the Bulls finished with a 10-point cushion ahead of Philadelphia to win the Prime Minister's Cup for most points in the regular season. Led by a star-studded team of ~6 capped players and a capped G in G Bartholomew Lorequavius (@jaypc8237), Houston breezed through their opponents. GM SMYLS4 explained the plan for the Bulls this year, featuring an all-in push. "The plan for S98 was to go all-in and do whatever we could to win," stated SMYLS4, "Although I'm still not 100% sure how many players we will have returning next season, we will be missing many positional needs." I asked SMYLS4 what he thinks about the possibility of Houston winning the Founder's Cup in his first year at the helm. The GM smiled, stating, "This team is full of talent no matter where you look. I am very happy with how we performed in the 1st round, and have high expectations for the following rounds. With it being my first season, I was happy to inherit a good Houston team. I knew we would have a good chunk of players moving up to the VHL after the season, so I decided to go all-in and put us in the best position to win it all. I know it would mean a lot to the team to win it all, as they put in a lot of effort. For myself, winning a Cup in your first season is basically the best possible outcome you could ask for. Houston deserves another Cup." DRAFT SUGGESTION: 16th Overall - LW Oppai Bumu ( @BOOM) (132 TPE) With this all-in push, Houston runs the risk of rebuilding next season. SMYLS4 admitted this, with most of the roster for the Bulls about to be depleted. The GM states, "Having only 3 FA claims doesn't give us a ton of room to work with, but it could be possible. We will desperately need a goalie this draft or have to acquire one via trade." If I'm the GM, I would be looking to build up front and take a different approach to the upcoming draft. I believe at #16, Houston should look to take a risk with LW Oppai Bumu. Not having played in the VHLM yet, Bumu has a high ceiling and should develop quickly. Bumu has the chance to thrive in an environment like Houston's and should be a near half-PPG pick this season, considering future roster woes. Houston in the 3rd round should look to select their backup G from this year, G Michael Szatkowski III (@Mike), who performed well (understandably with a great team in front of him). Szatkowski has developed nicely, and while not the most lucrative pick, should be able to provide long-term stability at the position for Houston down the road. TO RECAP: Houston's roster will take a massive hit once the playoffs conclude. SMYLS4 understands this and seems committed to making the rebuild in hopes of becoming more competitive by the beginning of the season in S100. I give their potential for the offseason a C, considering the lack of draft capital and likely rough FA period lying ahead of them. FINAL THOUGHTS: Whew! Writing 2 days' worth of content is wild, but I had fun doing so. I am excited (as a potential VHLM draft pick myself) to see what the offseason holds and how much the league shakes up in S99! In Simon We Trust. ~4240 words (OH MY LORD)

CIA’s Long, Probably Wrong S98 Mock Draft Yes, I know it’s been a long wait. But finally, we’re part of the season that everybody truly enjoys: Arguing about the wild card round and if fourth seeds have an unfair advantage! Oh, and the draft. That too. Indeed, the draft is one of my favorite times of the season because it’s a fount of positivity. Every player is going to be the savior of the franchise (until they go inactive half a season later), and every team has a grand plan for the future that will surely turn out well (until they have to enter another rebuild because a player asks out). It’s the season that rewards backseat driving that is completely devoid of facts, which is awesome for me because that’s what I’m based on. Taken as a whole, this draft should be interesting to me for a few reasons. One is obviously the glut of blues and simmers at the top, because those auto-12s are nice to have. But perhaps even more than that, I’m really interested in the position disparity. Perhaps owed to an emerging mid-TPE goalie meta, we have exactly 1 (one) goalie currently with a first round grade. But lost in the shuffle is that we also have fewer active defensive players than normal, with only three above 150 TPE as of this writing. The result is a lot of forwards early and often, which isn’t a bad thing. But the issue comes with multiple teams - Warsaw, Prague, Helsinki, New York, D.C. - holding multiple first round picks. The natural inclination is to diversify and not just take multiple forwards. With the positional breakdown, though, I’m not sure they’ll get the chance without reaching. So with all of that said, here’s my attempt at a mock draft that I’m sure some trade will blow to smithereens in two days anyway. The TPE totals here are accurate as of Sunday afternoon. And as always, if you don’t like where I’ve placed you in the draft, it’s because I have personally singled you out as a bad person who will be a locker room cancer. You’ve been warned. 1. Prague Phantoms (from Los Angeles): RW Cardinal Copia, San Diego Marlins - 301 TPE @Beketov At a glance, I can see how this would be considered a slam dunk pick. It’s Beketov - if he’s going inactive, the VHL probably has some bigger problems than this pick. And from the Prague standpoint, there is only one forward currently on the roster (Luc Moreau, graduating from Miami) who’s still in the first half of their career. If you want to build your forward corps to go along with your star-studded defense, this is a good way to go. But with that said: Remember what I said about there only being one fully active goalie? Ondrej Vencko has been hit or miss during their time in Prague, and a S93 player doesn’t fit with the current Prague timeline besides. I wouldn’t be at all shocked to see Toby Bob here, then Prague go with a forward at pick 7. 2. Warsaw Predators: G Toby Bob, Saskatoon Wild - 314 TPE @Baby Boomer Easiest pick in the draft in my opinion - Warsaw’s taking whoever’s left of Bob and Copia. If I had to bet, the only player currently on Warsaw’s roster that might still be there in three seasons’ time is Slava Kovalenko. The cupboard is bare, and they have four first round picks this season to help fill it. That’s why, even if they somehow had their choice of Bob and Copia, I think Bob would be the pick anyway. Get the goalie that can be the centerpiece of the rebuild, start to fill out the roster around them with the rest of your firsts, and take it from there with presumably another season at or near the bottom of the league. 3. London United: D Peter Venkman, Mississauga Hounds - 284 TPE @Josh You may not know it from last year’s standings, but I think London is sneakily close to making a big step forward. Last season’s first round duo of Cash Carti and Pelayo Bolivar are set to debut this season, adding to sophomore players D Alagsantere Groenvold, G Chazz Michael Michaels, and RW Drosmis Sarkanis to form the backbone of a real up and coming team. I think they’ve drafted real well. I could see an argument for any of Venkman, Ginky or Augustin Martinez here, but I’m going Venkman for two reasons. First is the fact that of their young players, Groenvold is the only defensive player, and you can set Venkman and not have to super worry about the spine of the defense for a while. Second, while London’s young players are growing nicely, it’s also a group without many league jobs or auto 12s. Having Josh on board provides a semblance of stability that is nice to have as a rebuilding team. 4. Helsinki Titans: C Ginky, Ottawa Lynx - 273 TPE @MexicanCow123 I’m so intrigued by Helsinki’s prospect list. There are a lot of players somewhere between 300-400 TPA, and a few of those - LW Elf Shoes, D Alex LeBlanc, G Draw Mac - are set to debut next season. Added particularly to last season’s third overall pick in D Hugh Neutron (who’s going for a nine season career), does that mean Helsinki’s ready to make a push? I could see it. With that in mind, similarly to what I said for London, certainty is what they’re looking for. Out of all of those prospects, only S95 clicker Danny Ross actually plays center. Getting Ginky on the roster would allow a base to put all of those forwards around, particularly with the cavalry coming in the form of multiple firsts and seconds both this season and next. 5. D.C. Dragons: RW Augustin Martinez, Mexico City Kings - 274 TPE @SleepyPlayz Going into the draft, I think Martinez is the single player I’m most interested to see where they fall in the draft. Different position, but just in terms of rise up draft boards for a first gen and hitting the ground running in collecting TPE, I see a lot of parallels to Lucy Leitner’s rise in the S93 Draft. That saw Leitner end up with the third overall pick in Riga, a pick the Reign would absolutely make again in a heartbeat. Similarly, I wouldn’t be totally shocked if even a London falls in love with Martinez’s potential and they go top 3. On the flip side, I’m also in the SBA where Martinez’s agency is very active, and they admittedly know a lot less about hockey than they do basketball. Could that cause a slide, similar to other SBA agencies who start out hot but the VHL is not their first love? Especially with more known quantities (particularly Zak Trokker) still on the board? For D.C., who would love high-level forward talent to pair with Brandon Petan Jr and Youre Not Fucking Retiring, it’s worth the risk. 6. New York Americans (from Chicago): D Tina Hughes, Miami Marauders - 237 TPE @tinafrombobsburgers This is where I get cute. The next two players on the board by raw TPE are two wingers in Zak Trokker and Alex Bridges IV. However, New York owns picks 6 and 8. Pick 7 is owned by Prague, and in this scenario, they’ve already selected a forward in Copia and may want to diversify even with a strong defensive corps. And New York is staring down S91 Callum Gary Yannick Janser being their only defensive player above 500 TPE. So unless they really love Trokker or Bridges, I see them opting for the positional fit above all else. Hughes’ agency did retire their last player early, but their ability to earn TPE has never been in doubt. With a seasoned GM like STZ at the helm, I think it’s a solid gamble to encourage them to stick around New York for shoot for a reload instead of a rebuild. 7. Prague Phantoms: LW Zak Trokker, San Diego Marlins - 254 TPE @Peace I’m curious what the general consensus is going to be around Trokker when the draft rolls around. It’s an agency that has created Hall of Fame players in the past, knows the VHL, and has a high upside when engaged. But that engagement wasn’t fully there during Kyle Peace’s career, and now nearly ten seasons after Peace retired, Trokker’s been collecting a lot of welfare-plus. I could see an argument where Trokker falls further than some neutral observers might expect. But all things being equal, I think Prague would be a good place for Trokker to land. There’s something to be said about having a consistent welfare-plus player, and especially after snagging Copia, Prague is looking for forward depth, not necessarily a star. This seems like a right fit of player and system to me. 8. New York Americans: RW Alex Bridges IV, Houston Bulls - 251 TPE @Oatex In some ways, Bridges IV is the anti-Trotter. The Oatex agency has had some fits and starts in the past, and while Bridges I and III have been the agency’s most successful players, both topped out in the 500-ish TPE range. But with that said, very casual observation has Bridges the Fourth more engaged than any of their progenitors, with constant activity, writing in various forms, and being able to fit in to a fairly strong Houston team. Especially for a New York squad that is looking for talent that’s ready sooner rather than later, I think this is would be a good landing spot. Dark horse: New York has been known to take big draft swings (see: Wayne Gretzky), and I’ll be very curious if first gen Ryan Mantzz can impress enough in pre-draft interviews to rise up to here. 9. HC Davos Dynamo: C Sidney Sheppard, Miami Marauders - 222 TPE @GoodLeftUndone I also see Davos as a potential landing spot for Mantzz if the team wants to take a swing. But if you look at Davos’ recent non-Ahma draft history, it tends to be a bit more conservative than you might think. There are a lot of players like David Pastanap and Alphonse Desjardins who not only have history with the franchise, but can be counted on as consistent earners, even if they’re not the high ceiling type of earners to be pushing 2000 TPE. That’s Sheppard to a T. You’re probably not prying GLU’s full attention away from the SBA any time soon, but at the same time, I don’t see the SBA auto-12s disappearing either as long as you can keep them engaged similar to Prague’s success with Moritz Stauffer. For a forward group that’s aging quicker than you might think (S91 Sunset Moth + three S93 forwards), a little youth could go a long way. 10. Warsaw Predators (from Calgary): RW Ryan Mantzz, Miami Marauders - 199 TPE @Rkhockey9 As I’ve noted a few times, I wouldn’t be totally shocked to see Mantzz go even as high as number 6 or 7 if a team likes what they find in interviews. But especially given the way the draft board shakes out, Warsaw’s two picks at 10 and 11 are Mantzz’s absolute floor. I think it’d be a good landing spot for Mantzz as well - on a rebuilding team, Mantzz would have some time to learn the ropes and play without pressure. And on the Warsaw side, a high-upside first gen is exactly the type of swing you want to make in hopes you get a future star. Good match for both sides here. 11. Warsaw Predators (from Vancouver): D Bazooka Joe, Philadelphia Reapers - 195 TPE @ScottyP Maybe it’s gotten a bit lost, but Rip Wheeler, the ScottyP agency’s only previous player, had a damn fine career. Ended up above 1000 TPE, won titles in both the VHL (S96 Vancouver) and VHLE, and topped 70 points in four straight seasons as a defensive player. So why did they fall to number 11 here? It’s partially a function of being a welfare-plus player, but also partially a function of some teams ahead (Prague, Davos) needing forwards much more than defense. Warsaw certainly won’t argue though, with this mock giving them one each of forward, defense and goalie to really kick start the rebuild. 12. D.C. Dragons (from Malmo): LW Jakub Kovar, Philadelphia Reapers - 155 TPE @MichkovSzn If you want a potential late riser that not many see coming yet, check out the Philadelphia Reapers’ Jakub Kovar. They started their career with some clicking, but the past month has shown very strong growth, separating themselves from a number of other first gens in the 100-ish TPE cluster. I think D.C.’s 12th and 13th picks may be the ceiling for how high Kovar might go in this draft, but for a D.C. team biding their time until the bottom falls out on the current North American contenders, they can afford the wait to take a swing. If the draft were to fall this way, Martinez and Kovar as a pair of first gen wingers could be a dangerous duo for D.C. to add. 13. D.C. Dragons (from Toronto): LW Lorenzo Mancini, Las Vegas Aces - 157 TPE @GioSivo Similar vibes to what I said about Bazooka Joe - GioSivo’s first player in Francesco Mancini had a damn good career! Topped 1100 TPE playing for New York and Chicago, had two seasons above 100 points, and even won a Most Improved Trophy in S91 while playing for the Americans. So why would Mancini fall to pick 13? It’s largely due to the late creation, where Mancini’s only had four weeks to earn, and one of those weeks was a miss for both PTs and Welfare. But there’s certainly upside here. And even if I’m skeptical that D.C. would want to go forward with all three of their firsts, sometimes you go where the value is. 14. Moscow Menace: LW MacGregor Walcott, Mississauga Hounds - 168 TPE @Spade18 This is where I say that you young bucks don’t know - a former Americans GM, Spade has had some real VHL success and won awards and championships. It’s just that most of those occurred in the 60s. Still, Tullemore Dew was somewhat of a return to form, where despite being a late second round pick, they put up a solid eight season career and topped 70 points on three separate occasions. Moscow tends to swing for high ceiling players, and while I’m not banking on it, you can talk yourself into a similar profile to Moscow’s own David Rashford - a previous high-earning player who returns to form on a winning Moscow team. 15. Helsinki Titans (from Riga): D Remain Six Meters Back From Me, Mississauga Hounds - 149 TPE @Gaming Ringleader I’m writing this before Games 3 and 4 of the Finals have been simmed, so if it looks like Riga’s going to win, yell at me later. That said: I don’t think there’s a better marriage of location and player than sending a player literally named Remain Six Meters Back From Me to Scandinavia. In all seriousness, Legacy Gaming had a solid career with six of their seven seasons in Chicago, and while there are a few recent earning stumbles, I wouldn’t be surprised with both similar earning and consistency here. Helsinki gets another defenseman for their absurd prospect pool. 16. Warsaw Predators (from Seattle): D Darko Alexander Malkovich SR, Halifax 21st - 132 TPE @AColdCanadian Warsaw has made out like bandits so far in this mock with one each of forward, defense and goalie, so they could really go any direction with their last first. And to me, best player available is Malkovich Sr. But to be honest, I have some questions: The agency’s last player was Darko Alexander Malkovich, period. So were they junior? Or is “SR” just part of the name and doesn’t actually mean Senior? So many questions, so little time.

Hello all! Short and sweet today! Thank you @jacobcarson877 for your time as Houston GM, you've been a great returnee to the VHLM GM role and it was a pleasure to have you back in the M to offer your wisdom and experience to new players. We'll miss you in the M, but wish you the very best in all your future endeavors both in the VHL and outside of it! With that, we're excited to bring in some fresh blood to the M in a person who's been extremely active and engaged in all aspects of the VHL and the VHLM. Please congratulate the new GM of the Houston Bulls - @SMYLS4! His podcasts and VSN work have propelled him to the forefront of our hiring discussions, along with his general involvement and awareness of the going-ons around the league. We're looking forward to working with our newest GM in the M! - @VHLM Commissioner

Thank you for the opportunity. I look forward to getting started and hopefully doing some good work in Houston.

I am proud to announce that effectively immediately, @frescoelmo is the new Head Mod for the VHL. I am confident in his ability to lead the team and continue to in making the VHL a safe inclusive space for people to be in. Thank you to all those that worked with me now and in the past, your contributions have ever continued to help this community and I look forward to the future. Thank you all for listening

Alrighty! Many have already been aware of this message coming, however, it is time it is fully open. At the end of the S95, I am stepping down as GM of D.C. Dragons and also stepping away from managing teams. S95 will be my 25th Season (With some gaps in between) of being a General Manager of some level in our great community. I couldn't be more thankful to everyone who was and is a person who I have had contact with as a GM. You all are amazing and have made these 25 seasons absolutely amazing. To give a bit of a perspective, as a GM, I have been with few different teams: S66 I took up a role as a VHLM GM for Houston Bulls S71 I took up the job of VHL GM for Malmo Nighthawks S80 I became a VHLE GM for Bratislava Watchmen S88 I returned to VHL to GM for D.C. Dragons Throughout those times I have had unbelievable support from players and also have had great experiences with awesome GMs. Houston, Malmo and Bratislava will always make me think of @OrbitingDeath, @Elmebeck, @Erik Summers, @Edustava, @leandrofg, @Shindigs @Zetterberg, @samx, @hylands and of course many many more. Those individuals made my time in those leagues exciting, full with hope and energy. You all deserve massive praise. Though my time with Dragons will be special as it is my last as a GM. So, I would want to say a massive thanks to people who were awesome, supported the team and my vision and helped us achieve what we all wanted! @OrbitingDeath - This is the second time I have mentioned you but I feel that your criticism against moves and decisions I made was intrumental in making me a better GM. Thank you. @emidas - Loyalty is incredibly important and you were the one I and the team could always count on. @fishy - Even though we didn't manage to achieve the Cup together, you helped the team be what it needed to be and without you many things would not have been possible. @dustywilson22 - I probably would have already stepped down if not for you and your positive and optimistic outlook towards future. You will remain as one of my proudest draft picks ever. @Beketov - Bringing you a cup after a long time was special and even though we couldn't extend out Cup window, you are a true class act and I am not sure a manager can ask for a better member to have on the team. @vincentlg2007 - You are an incredible individual and you were the player that jumpstarted our competitive window. Thank you for your dedication to D.C. Dragons! @Keegan Gamble - A player with strong backbone throughout the push and a player that was always ready to slot in for the team no matter what their role was. A true team player. @diamond_ace - What an amazing individual you are, from my VHLM Commissioner to the player that I can always rely on! @der meister - Making your build work was an incredibly amazing time for me and I will remember those lengthy conversations with you as long as I am around! To my fellow GMs - you all are amazing and do tremendous work and I hope to see many grea things from all of you in the future! With a bit of History here, I would want to say a massive thanks to 2 individuals specifically. Ones that I feel have been incredibly important for this journey and the fact that it even started. @BladeMaiden - even though many things have happened, without your push to apply and try, I would not have done this for 25 seasons. And @Banackock - your help, drive and excellence at everything you do was a strong and still remains a massive motivator from VSN to being a GM. Thank you both. To my current players, I know that the league will find a brilliant replacement and a person who can take this team once again towards a Continental Cup! That is it!

May 24, 2024 - Houston, Texas The drumming of a downpour drowns out the faint pulse of the radio as I pull to a stop at a darkened 4-way. A flash of lightning floods the night with a flicker of white light before the darkness falls again. The rain-battered road glistens and gleams in the glow of headlights as I creep forward and clear the intersection. One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three-- a clap of thunder interrupts the count like a drunk percussionist pounding a timpani. A clumsy decrescendo into a gurgle-grumble and the rain carries the tune like an out of time drum line playing the world's longest snare roll. I reach over to the console and turn up the radio just as the chorus kicks in, a syncopated beat and a vocal melody cutting through the cacaphony... ♫ Until the light... ♫ It's been four days now without power after a severe storm blew through Houston, knocking over trees and power lines and plunging nearly a million people into the modern misery that is candlelight and cold showers-- unless, of course, you're among those with the means and foresight to have a generator on hand. I was not. If I'm being honest, there is something quaint about writing by candlelight and I've actually rather enjoyed burning the midnight oil, scribbling sooth under the glow of a dancing flame. See, we can romanticize this... situation, though there's nothing romantic about a freezing cold shower, let me assure you. Crawling up my street now, I signal and turn right into my driveway, the blacked out porch to the left of the driveway is decidedly less inviting than the usual yellow glow that illuminates the front stoop. Cutting the engine, I wait in my car for a moment, letting skydiving water droplets berate the roof, hood, and windscreen, hoping for a moment of respite. A bolt of lightning flashes in the rearview followed closely by a crack and rumble from the heavens. This isn't ending anytime soon. Taking the keys out of the ignition, the car's interior lights come on and I unplug my phone-- 89%. Opening the door, it's a scramble through rain and up the front steps. Fumbling with the keys, I unlock the door and step over the threshold, instinctively reaching for the lightswitch. Right... ──•~❉᯽❉~•── Spending the past season following the Vasteras Iron Eagles in the VHLE, I watched Lucy Leitner play her second full season of pro level hockey. I've been following Leitner's hockey career, actually, since before she joined the Houston Bulls in Season 92. Back when she was with her junior team, the Black Diamond Blades, Lucy was an exceptional skater and one of the top prospects in her age category. With terrific edges and blinding speed, she'd leave opposing forecheckers grasping at air as she'd wheel the puck up ice, often creating opportunities for her team off the rush. That was in junior. At the VHLM level, Leitner continued to show flashes of speed and promise and managed a cool 76 points in 72 games with her hometown Houston Bulls. While her skating was less of a dominant attribute at the M level, the VHLE proved to be an even greater challenge for Leitner as the slight defender would at times look out of her depth. Still managing a respectable 61 points in 72 games, the eye test wasn't always kind to her. Speaking with scouts around the league, there were concerns that Leitner might continue to struggle with her smaller frame at 5'8". Furthermore, there was some suggestion that her once dominant attribute-- skating-- might begin to look more average with the jump up to the VHL in S94. While most scouts agreed that Leitner had the tools and determination to become a successful VHL player, there seemed to be greater skepticism about her ceiling and what heights she might reach. After a disappointing playoff loss with Vasteras, Lucy made her way back to Houston for the offseason where I was able to catch up with her once again. And while we've had this rendezvous now for the past two offseasons, there was something different meeting her this time around. Maybe it was the fact that the power was out and we met by the faint splash of candlelight, or maybe it was the anticipation of her first VHL game-- all the nerves, excitement, and dread that comes with such a milestone. ──•~❉᯽❉~•── "Thanks for meeting me, Lucy, how are you?" "Of course, I am doing good!" "I hope you don't mind the candles!" "No, haha, it's totally fine! Kind of a unique way to do an interview to be honest." "So when did you get back to Houston?" "Um, I got back I think 4 days-- no, sorry 5 days ago. I stayed in Vasteras for a week or so after the season ended just to pack and say goodbye to teammates and friends." "Not to dwell on this too much, but I'm sure it was a tough way to end the season-- losing in the finals against Oslo in 5 games." "Yep, that was definitely not the way we had imagined it going. I mean, there's obviously some disappointment to lose in 5 games, you know, like you feel like you maybe didn't leave it all on the ice. But at the same time Oslo had a great team, they had our number all season long and they deserve full credit. We were kinda close and it would've been amazing to have finished the season with a win, but I guess it wasn't meant to be." "Well, Vasteras was one of the best all season, so congratulations on such a successful campaign, even if you didn't necessarily get the final result you were hoping for." "Thanks, I appreciate it." "I wanted to ask you about your personal performance this past season. How do you think it went, considering it was your first season abroad and with the increase in competition?" "I think, personally, it was okay. I mean, my first goal is always helping the team, doing whatever I can to help secure wins, but everyone wants to show well on the scoresheet too. I feel like I started slow to be honest and kinda hit a tough point in the middle of the season where nothing was working for me, like I think I was shooing under 4% or something silly like that. So, like, those stretches are tough for sure, but you kinda just keep your head down and keep working and eventually you work your way out of it. I think I did that a bit by the end, but yeah, definitely some room for improvement still." "Some people have had concerns about your size being an issue as you make your way up into the higher leagues, do you think that was a challenge for you in the VHLE? And do you change anything about your game to accomodate that as you move up to the VHL?" "I mean, I don't really feel like it was an issue. Like, sure, there's guys who are absolute monsters out there, but my game has always been about creating space for myself using my skating so I didn't find, you know, size to be much of a factor. Obviously, as the skill level goes up, size can definitely be an advantage but it's not like I can change my size really so I'm just working at getting faster and stronger and trying to adapt my game so that I can be effective against any level of competition." "To be fair, I think we observed you adapting as the last season went on-- like you alluded to earlier, you were looking more comfortable by the end of your season in the E. This season you'll be playing for Riga in the VHL's European Conference. What do you think will be the biggest challenge? And what are you most excited for?" "I think the speed of the VHL game is going to be the biggest challenge. I've kinda always taken pride in my skating ability and playing the game fast, but I know that the VHL is the top level and everyone there is a serious player. I can't really just rely on old habits and skills because that won't be enough to compete at this level. I think that speed will definitely be the hardest challenge of moving up, you know, just getting used to that and improving the way I play to keep up at that level. What I'm excited for? I mean, everything, all of it! I can't wait to play my first game, you know, score my first goal-- first point. It's somthing you dream about and it's kinda surreal that it's happening, so yeah, I'm just super happy to have the opportunity." "Do you have any personal expectations for your rookie season? Any personal goals or milestones? And what do you think of the team in Riga?" "I've chatted with a few of the players there and they've all been so welcoming and they're a great group. I also know Lemorse @Lemorse7 a bit from my time in the VHLM so I'm glad to see he got the GM job and I'm sure he'll be working hard to improve this team every day! My goals though, um, I mean, I expect alot of myself on the ice, but I also don't necessarily have any expectations for points or any statistical milestones. I guess my main goal is to be an effective player for the team. I know already that there will be tons of opportunity for ice time, so my main goal is to make the most of that and to be a positive player for the team, not a liability." "Do you think about possibly winning the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy for the top rookie? Is that something that crosses your mind?" "I mean it'd be a huge honor for sure, but it's definitely not something I think about. It's one of those things, you know, if it happens then it happens, but I'm not playing to win personal hardware. Like I said, if I can be a positive player for Riga in my rookie season, then I'll be happy with that. Besides, I think Antonia Bucatini @CowboyinAmerica is going to be tough to beat in the rookie scoring race this season." "There have been some rumors around Riga acquiring Skor McFleury @Alex from Davos and maybe some other players to bolster the team for a run at the playoffs. What do you think about potentially adding a player like that and the GM pushing for a playoff berth this season?" "I'm all for it! Anything that makes this team better and gives us a better shot at playoffs it awesome! We've got a great core group of players I think, but if you can bring in Skor McFleury, who was literally the best defender in the league last season, that's huge for the team. I mean, personally, I'd be excited to play alongside a player like that, you know, just to watch how they play the game and learn from a real pro." "Have you made it out to Riga yet?" "No, actually, I'm here in Houston for a few more days and then I'm heading straight there for training camp. From the pictures I've seen, it seems like a beautiful city with a lot of history so I'll definitely be doing some exploring. I've also heard alot of great things from teammates too so it's going to be exciting to finally get there and settle in." "Alright, a few more quick questions-- don't think too hard about these ones, just give me the first answer that comes to mind." "Okay." "How many points will you score this season?" "Oh, gosh... 35." "How many games does it take you to score your first VHL goal?" "Wow, um, 3 maybe." "How many goals will you score this season?" "9-- that's my lucky number." "Does Riga make the playoffs this season?" "Yes." "If you could play for any other VHL team, which would be your first choice?" "Besides Riga? Probably Malmo, I've always loved their aesthetic and I'd love to play in Sweden again. "What is the best team in the VHL right now, in your opinion?" "Moscow. They've got a fantastic team and some great prospects coming up like Benjamin Abenduct @Schnee." "You're exploring a new city looking for a place to get drinks, who's the first former or current teammate you call?" "Ondrej Vencko @Mutti-- that's a no brainer." "You can have the career of any current VHL player, who would you choose?" "Liv Slater @Subject056, one of my favorites and a great defender." "Which VHL player are you most excited to play against?" "I think Logan Ninefingers @Scurvy. He was a great rookie last season and we were teammates on the WJC team in S92. It should be a fun matchup!" "Which player on Riga are you most excited to play with?" "Really? You're going to make me choose! Gosh, maybe Kimi Raikkonen @mattyIceman since he's a player with a lot of high end skill and ice in his veins." "Okay, favorite song right now?" "That's a mean question... right now... My Delirium by Ladyhawke." "Interesting choice. Alright, final question: the last time we spoke you said you envisioned yourself lifting the Continental Cup with Riga in 5 seasons. That's 4 seasons away now, has that vision changed? "I feel like the timeline isn't all that important. I'm going to Riga to win and that's always going to be the goal-- this season, next season, 4 seasons from now. I want to help bring a Cup to Riga and be able to fulfill that dream, but the first step is that first game so for now I'm focussed on that." "Love it, Lucy, thanks so much for taking the time to do this and best of luck with your first season in the VHL. I know I can't wait to see how it goes!" "Of course, anytime! And thanks!" ──•~❉᯽❉~•── Riga, Latvia (above) My phone battery is running low again after transcribing the interview in my notes app-- 9%. The black screen of my laptop glares at me from across the room, lifeless. Days ago I had vampirized its battery to charge my phone-- the laptop had died so that the phone might live, and yet here I am again with a phone on the verge of giving in to the consuming black. The candle flickering on the coffee table is also in its dying stages, the flame shrinking and rounding into a tiny bead of light, floating above a puddle of wax. Lifting myself up off the couch, I stumble blindly through the dark living room, making my way back to the front door where I throw on my jacket and step into my shoes. Peering through the window on the door I see the rain still coming down, but not much more than a light sprinkle. Unlocking the deadbolt, car keys in hand, I duck out into the rain again, this time running out to my car. Key in the ignition, I start the engine and plug in my phone. Something like relief washes over me as I feel the familiar buzz indicating that the phone is charging. I lean back in the car seat now, the air conditioning blowing gently across my face, a reprieve from the suffocating humidity. In the rearview I see a cloud ignite with a flash of white lightning. The thunder is too far off to hear as I click on the radio... ♫ Paradise on my right, hell on my left, the angel of death right behind me... ♫ ──•~❉᯽❉~•── Lauren Lambert for VHL.com 06/04/24 - 2600+ words Notes: In 13 games, Lucy Leitner has started her VHL career strong with 12 points, scoring her first VHL goal against the Moscow Menace in her 6th game. Riga has gone on to acquire Skor McFleury and Oreo McFleury @JB123, as well as bringing back former members of the Reign, Sadie St-Louis @sadie and The Frenchman @OrbitingDeath . As part of those deals, new-- and busy!-- Riga GM Lemorse also brought another top prospect in Annie Oaks @Noodle Enjoyer while parting ways with Pierre-Marc Bouchard @Gaikoku-hito and Martin Kemp @leafsman. Riga looks poised to make some noise during the regular season and potentially into the postseason if this team can come together quickly.

Let’s be honest. While we all love to see elite puckhandlers methodically slicing through the opposing defense in full flight, tape-to-tape passes with millimeter (that’s 127/5000“, you’re welcome, my overseas fellas!) precision, or blue line missiles sending the goaltender’s water bottle flying, what makes our hearts pump faster and lifts our asses from the seats are hits and fights. Or is it just me and fellow cavemen? A hard hit, leading to a turnover and a counterattack the other way, can change the momentum of a whole game. But an ill-timed hit can be one of the most frustrating things to see—you go out of your way to chase a hit, but it opens a lane for another opponent to pick the loose puck at speed and leave you behind. Here in the VHL, we consider hits an important part of voting for our defensive awards—the Boulet for forwards and the Wylde for defenders. But we can only see the raw hits total. And as I’ve said, I don’t think every hit is a good play. Only those that lead to a turnover are. Last season—or was it two seasons ago?—I wrote a 2-piece media spot about the season’s goaltending. This offseason, I’m going to look into hits a bit deeper. For this purpose, with my basic knowledge and a huge help from my friend Copilot, I’ve put together a simple Python script. The script goes through all 576 game logs and searches for the phrase „is hit by (player name) and loses puck. Free puck retrieved by “and determine whether it was an effective hit or an ineffective hit, depending on what player got to the puck first. I’ll explain more in each of the following chapters, and I’ll provide the code as a file, and maybe I’ll copy it in this article as well in case I need to inflate the word count to 2k. This took hours of my life; no way I’m not milking it for as long as I can. In case you run the script and look for a Dragons player, only input „d“ as the team name. For the other teams, it’s enough to only put in the last word. I will be looking at top 6 hitting defensemen and top 10 hitting forwards. I wanted to only do 9 forwards, but there’s a 2-way tie for the 9th spot. No, the 6D and 9F wasn’t because it looks like a nice amount, but because it’s 3 defensive pairings and 3 forward lines. Total hits Just as a reminder, this is how the top 6 defensemen and top 10 forwards rank by total hits listed in the stats. Defensemen 1. Tommy Sleeves 411 hits 2. Callum Gary Yannick Janser 256 hits 3. Billy Joel 245 hits 4. Obuz Schneider Canet du Bocage 236 hits 5. Darko Alexander Malkovich 231 hits 6. YaBoi Oven 222 hits Forwards 1. Savaisk Tzesar 340 hits 2. Toby Kadachi 322 hits 3. Severus Targaryen 290 hits 4. Axle Gunner 275 hits 5. Jebediah Big Ol Doinks in Amish 262 hits 6. Legacy Gaming 260 hits 7. Grimgor Ironhide 259 hits 8. Nico Belique 255 hits T-9. Konstyantyn Shevchenko 235 hits T-9. Maple Dogwood 235 hits Successful hits (SH) For a hit to even have a chance to lead to a turnover, it has to separate the puck carrier from the puck. Our players fight this by sufficiently increasing Strength and Puck Handling. I’ve already said my Python script looks for the phrase „is hit by (player name) and loses puck. Free puck retrieved by“, so, by default, it looks for successful hits. This is how the selected players rank in successful hits. I’m interested to see if the ranking remains the same. Defensemen 1. Tommy Sleeves 274 SH (66.67% of hits) T-2. Callum Gary Yannick Janser 180 SH (70.31% of hits) T-2. Obuz Schneider Canet du Bocage 180 SH (76.27% of hits) 4. Billy Joel 178 SH (72.65% of hits) 5. YaBoi Oven 162 SH (72.97% of hits) 6. Darko Alexander Malkovich 159 SH (68.83% of hits) I don’t think it’s surprising that Tommy Sleeves is in the lead with 274 successful hits. With 155 total hits more that the second place, he has to be in the lead, even though the efficiency of his hits is the lowest of the group. A player who really impressed me here was Obuz Schneider Canet du Bocage, who was able to tie Callum Gary Yannick Janser in successful hits, despite recording 20 fewer total hits. Forwards 1. Savaisk Tzesar 168 SH (49.41% of hits) 2. Toby Kadachi 159 SH (49.38% of hits) 3. Severus Targaryen 153 SH (52.76% of hits) 4. Legacy Gaming 146 SH (56.15% of hits) 5. Grimgor Ironhide 142 SH (54.83% of hits) 6. Axle Gunner 139 SH (50.55% of hits) 7. Nico Belique 136 SH (53.33% of hits) 8. Konstyantyn Shevchenko 127 SH (54.04% of hits) T-9. Jebediah Big Ol Doinks in Amish 125 SH (47.71% of hits) T-9. Maple Dogwood 125 SH (53.19% of hits) Compared to their blue line counterparts, these forwards were not as efficient at making their hits count. I wonder if there’s a big difference in CK between the selected defensemen and the selected forwards? Maple and Jebediah are in the similar position Callum and Obuz are among defenders – the same amount of successful hits, despite the difference between their total hit amount vas almost 30. One of these puts their whole body in the hits, while the other one only does love taps, I guess. I think that’s a thing needed to take into consideration when deciding a trophy heavily influenced by physicality. Also thumbs up to Legacy Gaming for being the most efficient hitter of the group. Effective hits (EH) Now for the more interesting part. In real life hockey, the result of a hit depends on the hitter’s decision an awareness much more than in the VHL, where the puck retrieval is more of a result of the players’ stats – both of your teammates, and your opponent. For a successful hit to be considered an effective hit for this experiment, it has to be either the hitter, or their teammate to pick up the loose puck. After entering the player’s name my Python script is looking for, I enter their team as well. The script reads the rest of the sentence following the phrase it looks for, until the following full stop, and it compares the end of the sentence with the team name I’ve entered. If it matches, it’s a „good“ hit. Example: I enter player name Tommy Sleeves and team name Helsinki Titans. The script finds the phrase „is hit by Tommy Sleeves and loses puck. Free Puck retrieved by“, followed by „Maple Dogwood for Helsinki Titans“. The end of the sentence matches the team name, so the script counts it as a good hit. Defensemen 1. Tommy Sleeves 77 EH (28.10% of SH) 2. Obuz Schneider Canet du Bocage 67 EH (37.22% of SH) 3. Callum Gary Yannick Janser 56 EH (31.11% of SH) 4. YaBoi Oven 50 EH (30.86% of SH) T-5. Billy Joel 45 EH (25.28% of SH) T-5. Darko Alexander Malkovich 45 EH (28.30% of SH) Once again, no surprise Tommy Sleeves is in the lead. And once again, I’m impressed by Obuz Schneider Canet du Bocage. Only 10 fewer good hits than Tommy Sleeves, with 175 fewer total hits is just insane. Obuz looks like the most efficient hitter of the bunch. Forwards 1. Savaisk Tzesar 101 EH (60.12% of SH) 2. Toby Kadachi 99 EH (62.26% of SH) 3. Axle Gunner 89 EH (64.03% of SH) 4. Grimgor Ironhide 85 EH (59.86% of SH) 5. Jebediah Big Ol Doinks in Amish 83 EH (66.40% of SH) 6. Severus Targaryen 82 EH (53.59% of SH) 7. Legacy Gaming 81 EH (55.48% of SH) 8. Nico Belique 73 EH (53.68% of SH) 9. Konstyantyn Shevchenko 72 EH (56.69% of SH) 10. Maple Dogwood 71 EH (56.80% of SH) An interesting comparison between the defenders and the forwards – in case of a forward separating an opposing puck carrier from the puck, the rate at which the hitter’s team gains puck possession is much higher than in defensemen’ case. I wonder if that’s because Simon thinks forwards’ hits happen in the offensive zone, where there are 3 forwards vs 2 opposing defenders, and defensemen’ hits happen in the defensive zone, where there are 2 defenders vs 3 opposing forwards? Anyway, while I took a jab at Jebediah in the previous part, it came back to bite me in the ass with Jebediah timing their hits extremely well, so kudos. Ineffective hits (IH) Going for a hit is not always the best idea. Sometimes it can put your team in a worse position than just pressuring the puck carrier and limiting their passing options. In real life hockey, that is. If the end of the sentence my script doesn’t match the player’s name, it’s a „bad hit“. Of course this is not only in the hands of the hitter, having a good team around is paramount. But that’s just the nature of team sports. It’s always hard to isolate individual impact. In this experiment, a successful hit is always either an effective hit, or an ineffective hit. So, logically, the sum of percentages of good hits and bad hits equals 100%. Example: I enter player name Billy Joel and team name London United. The script finds the phrase „is hit by Billy Joel and loses puck. Free Puck retrieved by“, followed by „Nico Belique for Los Angeles Stars“. The end of the sentence doesn’t match the team name, so the script counts it as a „bad hit“. I’m ranking the players from the fewest bad hits to the most ineffective hits. Defensemen 1. YaBoi Oven 112 IH (69.14% of SH) 2. Obuz Schneider Canet du Bocage 113 IH (62.78% of SH) 3. Darko Alexander Malkovich 114 IH (71.70% of SH) 4. Callum Gary Yannick Janser 124 IH (68.89% of SH) 5. Billy Joel 133 IH (74.72% of SH) 6. Tommy Sleeves 197 IH (71.90% of SH) Again, no surprise that Tommy Sleeves recorded the most bad hits. The fewest bad hits go to YaBoi Oven, who recorded the fewest total hits, it makes sense as well. But once again, I’m impressed by Obuz. Forwards 1. Jebediah Big Ol Doinks in Amish 42 IH (33.60% of SH) 2. Axle Gunner 50 IH (35.97% of SH) 3. Maple Dogwood 54 IH (43.20% of SH) 4. Konstyantyn Shevchenko 55 IH (43.31% of SH) 5. Grimgor Ironhide 57 IH (40.14% of SH) 6. Toby Kadachi 60 IH (37.74% of SH) 7. Nico Belique 63 IH (46.32% of SH) 8. Legacy Gaming 65 IH (44.52% of SH) 9. Savaisk Tzesar 67 IH (39.88% of SH) 10. Severus Targaryen 71 IH (46.41% of SH) The difference between the defender and the forwards – see the previous part, just reversed. And okay, I’m officially apologizing to Jebediah for the jab earlier, they apparently rather not go for a hit, than going for a needless one, good job. Effective hits to ineffective hits ratio So how good were the selected players with their hit selection? In the end, I think the amount of successful hits and the ratio between „good“ hits and „bad“ hits are what looking for the best hitter boils down to. This one is pretty straightforward, no explanation needed here. Defensemen 1. Obuz Schneider Canet du Bocage 0.59 EH/IH T-2. Callum Gary Yannick Janser 0.45 EH/IH T-2. YaBoi Oven 0.45 EH/IH T-4. Darko Alexander Malkovich 0.39 EH/IH T-4. Tommy Sleeves 0.39 EH/IH 6. Billy Joel 0.34 EH/IH Looking back at the previous chapters, there is absolutely no surprise Obuz Schneider Canet du Bocage leads the way. Forwards 1. Jebediah Big Ol Doinks in Amish 1.98 EH/IH 2. Axle Gunner 1.78 EH/IH 3. Toby Kadachi 1.65 EH/IH 4. Savaisk Tzesar 1.51 EH/IH 5. Grimgor Ironhide 1.49 EH/IH T-6. Konstyantyn Shevchenko :dcd: 1.31 EH/IH T-6. Maple Dogwood :hel: 1.31 EH/IH 8. Legacy Gaming :chi: 1.25 EH/IH 9. Nico Belique :la: 1.16 EH/IH 10. Severus Targaryen :rig: 1.15 EH/IH I’m too tired already to type anything here. Conclusion Hits will always be a part of decision to award the defensive awards. But as I’ve said before, not all hits are equal, and it is always a good idea to look into the context. I think I’ve given you my insight into it. So what’s left for me to do is to name the in my opinion best hitters, all things considered. Defensemen: While Tommy Sleeves was undoubtedly a menace, the fact the team around him was...not the greatest really drove the results of his physicality down. When it comes to the results player’s hitting game brought, my top player would be Callum Gary Yannick Janser, close to a tie with Obuz Schneider Canet du Bocage. Forwards: In this case, I think the pure hits total leader Savaisk Tzesar takes my vote. While I have to give huge shoutouts to Jebediah Big Ol Doinks in Amish and to Axle Gunner, I don’t think I can argue for any of them over Savaisk. Word count: 2k+ Mentions: @Grape @Daniel Janser @Doomsday @AColdCanadian @dasboot @The goat of hockey @hylands @Steve @ROOKIE745 @comrade cat @FrostBeard @der meister @dogwoodmaple @Gaming Ringleader @Syzygy @Banackock newfile.py

Bit of a quick turnaround on this one given we were a bit late putting the job posting up. Anyway, the league would like to once again thank @hedgehog337 for a very extended stint as GM of the Riga Reign but all reigns…. Sorry I couldn’t resist… must come to an end eventually. After consideration of all the great candidates that applied the @Commissioner team has decided it’s time for @Lemorse7 to take his place among the VHL GM ranks as the new GM of Riga. Congratulations Lemorse and long may you reign. Yeah I’m not sorry for that one.

Awesome graphic by @ace_five_!! The trade deadline is this Thursday, and it's a great time to take a look around the league and see where everybody's at for this season! Today we're going to take a look at the standings, examine how the teams got to where they are, take a look at their cap picture, go over the rosters to find areas to improve, and see any moves already made this season. We'll go over everything by Conference standings. Contract information for players is based on full season value. Prospects from before S95 were not included in the list. Stats are up to date for Monday, January 20. Here we go! North American Conference Vancouver Wolves 1st Place 34-8-4 72 Points Holders of the best goal differential in the NA Conference at +68 (170 GF, 102 GA), the Wolves have been scorching hot heading into the deadline, winning 8 in a row. Star defender Bollos de Trueno @Thunder and forward Logan Ninefingers @Scurvy have been the statistical standouts thus far for Vancouver. The Wolves have three expiring contracts on their roster in forward Eno Velvson @Nykonax (S90, $2.5m), along with defenders Einar Mathiesen @xsjack (S95, $1.5m) and Scrungle Bungle @Novanod (S91, $1.5m). Comfortably at the top of the Conference, it seems unlikely that Vancouver will be dumping any expiring contracts unless a player goes out the door to upgrade. The Wolves currently have $0.5m in cap space, so any upgrade will have to be on the smaller side on deadline day to maximize the space. It will be a draft pick needed to upgrade as Vancouver does not have any prospects in the pipeline to parlay into a new player. The Wolves hold DC’s 3rd round pick in S98, along with their own 4th. In the S99 Draft, Vancouver has Prague’s 1st round pick and their own 4th. The biggest need on the roster for Vancouver currently would be an upgrade to their depth forwards and defenders as they are very strong at the top of the roster offensively, defensively, and in net. Vancouver has not made a trade in-season in S97 after multiple moves in the off-season. Calgary Wranglers 2nd Place 29-9-8 66 Points The Wranglers currently look like the strongest challenger to Vancouver, sitting 6 points back in second place. Another very strong goal differential at +52 (168 GF, 116 GA), Calgary has fared well on both sides of the puck in the first 2/3 of the season. The strength of the Wranglers this season has definitely been their scoring up front, as they are bordering on six different forwards being at a point per game (currently five, Keegan Gamble @Keegan Gamble is 2 points away from ppg status). Calgary has five roster players with deals that are set to expire after this season: forwards Nikita Yolishev @Joel Main (S94, $1.5m) and Raimo Tuominen @SlapshotWrangler (S90, $5.5m), defenders Carson Tripp @Cartripp14 (S93, $2.5m) and Wladyslaw Mintus @mintusaurus (S93, $1.5m), and goaltender David Slezak @ShawnGlade (S91, $2.0m). Another strong contender, they’re unlikely to move out their expiring deals for anything other than an upgrade to the roster. That upgrade will be difficult to make, as the Wranglers have maxed out their cap space and would need to get creative to add. Calgary does have picks and prospects that could be moved out, holding three picks in the S98 Draft (VAN 3rd, CGY 3rd, CGY 4th) and four picks in the S99 Draft (their own pick in all four rounds). Defensive prospects Carl Erhardt @Elite Steel (S95, 299 TPE) and Jack Jack @Uncommon (S97, 232 TPE), along with forward prospect Joseph Poole @Itz_Viperz (S97, 227 TPE) could be used to facilitate an upgrade as well. The likeliest place that Calgary would look to upgrade would be on the blueline as the group has performed solidly but lacks a true number one. Calgary has not made a trade in-season yet this year. Seattle Bears 3rd Place 30-16-1 61 Points The Seattle Bears find themselves in between the top teams in the Conference and the teams that are battling each other for the wild card spots. A good week or two could push them into the top group in the conference, while a bad week or two could slide them down into the messy middle. The Bears, much like their place in the standings, hold a solid goal differential at +29 (153 GF, 124 GA) that is above mid-pack thanks to a balanced scoring approach from their forwards and defenders. Seattle has two expiring contracts heading into the deadline with forward Eric White Jr. @Mysterious_Fish (S90, $6.0m) and defender Rin Kagamine @Rin (S91, $2.0m). Seattle has some fascinating options with $3.95m in cap space and could afford to move out bodies to shuffle the roster or strictly add to improve before the deadline. They’re shorter on picks with a CHI 3rd in S98 and a DCD 3rd in S99, but do have a few prospects that could net a good return if they look to upgrade. RW CJ Daniels @xNJDevilsFanx (S97, 304 TPE) along with goaltenders Vladimir Trunov @qripll (S96, 459 TPE) and Chad Powers @Big_Dyl (S97, 357 TPE) are solid future pieces that could be counted on to come up soon, whether it’s with Seattle or somewhere else as part of a trade. Seattle’s biggest need heading into the deadline certainly looks to be on the blueline where they are thin behind the top two defenders. Seattle has already made a trade in-season this year, as they traded Marek Nowaczyk @Chillybro to DC, along with Seattle’s S99 1st and Davos’ S99 4th for Theo Allard @InstantRockstar and DC’s S99 3rd. Toronto Legion 4th Place 27-17-2 56 Points Toronto is currently at the front of the middle group in the NA Conference, although that spot in the group seems to be changing hands on a daily basis right now. They have climbed from 6th to 4th in the last few weeks but are far from clear of falling right back out of a playoff spot. A theme with the three teams fighting for two spots, the Legion have a decent goal differential at +16 (143 GF, 127 GA) that is largely driven by their balanced offensive contributions (the only team in the league with a full roster over 20 points each). Toronto does not have any expiring contracts for players heading to free agency this off-season (three forwards retiring), and heads into the deadline with $1.5m in cap space. The Legion are also shorter on picks to deal as they hold their 2nd and 3rd round picks in S99. Toronto also has forward prospects to trade in Inker Belle @WildfireMicro (S95, 422 TPE), Ethan Ashcroft @EthanSea611 (S97, 191 TPE), and ALTO RED @alto_red (S97, 169 TPE) should they choose to use the remaining cap space to upgrade the roster. The biggest need for Toronto to add is more mid-level scoring as the forward group is thinner behind the top two scorers as it currently stands. The Legion have not made a trade in-season this year after the blockbuster deal in the off-season with DC to acquire Konstyantyn Shevchenko @der meister and DB IV @wcats. Chicago Phoenix 5th Place 25-15-5 55 Points Chicago currently holds the final wild card spot in the NA Conference by a point, and are right in the mix to move upwards into a more solid playoff situation. The Phoenix have a decent goal differential as well at +13 (148 GF, 135 GA), which has been built on a foundation of solid goaltending and balanced scoring. Chicago is in a fascinating spot heading into the deadline and they have a whopping ten expiring contracts this off-season with players potentially headed to free agency. Five of the forwards in Ivan Ivanov @KmaddFPS (S91, $2.0m), Joshua Schwarzer @Velevra(S91, $5.5m), Spanish Moon Moth @Renomitsu (S91, $5.0m), Toby Kadachi @ROOKIE745 (S91, $4.5m), and Vanuza Kolesinska @chikn (S93, $2.5m) are expiring, as well as defenders Boris Bone-Breaker @RileyL (S95, $1.5m), Karol Lamb @dlamb (S92, $3.0m), Lionel Collberg @Masu Chan (S91, $3.5m), and YaBoi Oven @Doomsday (S90, $6.0m). The final player with an expiring contract is also likely the most important one, as goaltender Ryan Artyomov @Enorama (S90, $5.0m) is set to expire after this season. Chicago has $2.5m in space at the deadline, which gives them the flexibility to go in multiple directions. The Phoenix haven’t traded out many draft picks, holding their own S98 2nd and 4th round picks, along with all of their picks in S99 and the VAN 3rd in that draft as well. A handful of prospects in their development pipeline could give Chicago additional assets to move if they choose, primarily in net. Forward Avery Acres @Bravebulldogs (S97, 159 TPE) and defender Feka Ohi Kau @Hacob (S96, 320 TPE) compliment a trio of goaltenders: Dr. Victor von Doom @Garsh (S97, 360 TPE), RicerFourteen @Bombshuka (S96, 167 TPE), and Dustin Wolf @ElementStyx9 (S95, 108 TPE). Chicago’s biggest need heading into the deadline is at the top end of the roster, as the forward group lacks the top TPE leader that the other teams in the conference have. The Phoenix have not made an in-season trade yet this season. New York Americans 6th Place 26-17-2 54 Points The Americans are the third of the three teams that are currently fighting for two wild card spots, but are right there and have the benefit of a softer schedule remaining. New York has a decent +16 goal differential (136 GF, 120 GA), relying on the continued solid goaltending from the man of a thousand W’s @rory and good offensive contribution from their top forwards. The Americans have two forwards on expiring contracts that are potentially headed to free agency in Maxim Anisimov @McLovin (S90, $5.0m) and Wayne Gretzky @MubbleFubbles (S92, $5.0m). They hold $0.5m in cap space, enough to move out a body and add a player heading into the stretch run of the season. They also have the draft and prospect capital to do so, and are one of the more interesting teams to see what they do. New York holds their own 1st and 4th round picks in the S98 draft, and all four of their own picks in the S99 draft, plus the S98 CHI 1st to potentially use as trade bait for a bigger upgrade. The prospect pool is heavy on forwards that could move as well, with centres Big Macken Fries @YetiTaz (S97, 158 TPE), Jackson Jeannot @Lucas anton (S96, 284 TPE), and Jay Sikes @JaySmacksss (S96, 210 TPE), along with wingers Alex Versti @VOID Stiles (S97, 174 TPE) and Kirill Tyutyayev @ColeMrtz (S96, 113 TPE). Goaltender Pepe Silvia @STZ (S97, 306) rounds out the group of prospects who could be used as trade bait. New York’s biggest need is likely bringing up the floor for the forward group as they are thinner towards the bottom of the group than other teams. The Americans made a trade with DC over the weekend to acquire defender Joe Block @jblock3, adding a fourth defender to their lineup for the first time this season. D.C. Dragons 7th Place 16-25-6 38 Points 17 points back of a playoff spot in the tough NA Conference, DC is likely the first team in the conference whose focus looks more to the future than the present. With a -37 goal differential (115 GF, 152 GA), DC sits well back of the playoff picture, largely due to the fact that they have been clearing bodies out for future assets between the past off-season and this season itself. With the deals made, the Dragons don’t have any players headed to free agency this off-season, but do have two players who are set to retire. If DC decides to send any more bodies out the door, it will be for more future assets to add to their impressive group of draft picks (three S98 1sts, four S99 1sts) and prospects. They’ve already graduated two players from the S96 draft class in Brandon Petan Jr. @sadie (653 TPE) and You’re Not Fucking Retiring @twists (568 TPE), and will add to that group next season with Albin Aldgard @animal74 (S97, 393 TPE) knocking on the door. DC has sent multiple players around the league this season, with Ben Laas @dustywilson22 going to Riga, Theo Allard going to Seattle, and Joe Block going to New York. Los Angeles Stars 8th Place 8-32-4 20 Points It’s been a rough stretch in Los Angeles, with a large part of the setbacks due to some unexpected retirements and inactive players. The Stars have an un-nice -69 goal (79 GF, 148 GA) differential this season, and have had a tough schedule with the hyper competitive NA Conference. Los Angeles has one expiring contract after this season in Nico Belique @Syzygy (S91, 448 TPE), and could look to move other players for more future assets. Heading into the deadline, the Stars have their own 2nd and 4th round picks in the S98 Draft, as well as their 1st, 2nd, and 4th round picks in S99. The outstanding S97 draft class that Los Angeles had is about to pay off, and they’re set to add multiple players to the lineup next season from that group-- on the blueline, Bubbles LaFleur @AJW (401 TPE) and Mikko Tuomala @flyersfan345 (383 TPE), as well as in net with Ricky LaFleur @DarkSpyro (404 TPE). The Stars haven’t made an in-season trade this year yet. European Conference Malmo Nighthawks 1st Place 36-9-1 73 Points The top of the EU Conference currently belongs to Malmo, and it does so because the Nighthawks have been scorching hot, winning 13 straight games. The win streak has led Malmo to a nice VHL best +69 goal differential (163 GF, 94 GA), boasting the lowest goals against in the league along with the fourth most goals for. The Nighthawks scoring has been very balanced, nearing seven players with 50 or more points (Phillip Rave @tcookie is 1 away). Combining that with the solid goaltending from Lovstrom @Pifferfish has been a recipe for success in Malmo. The Nighthawks approach the deadline with zero players heading to free agency next season (three retiring forwards), and they have only $0.5m in cap space. There is still a bit of cap room for an upgrade should Malmo choose to do so, but it would require trading either of their forward prospects in Ty Duke @TheDuke (S94, 374 TPE) or Xhekajs Middletoe @Xhekajsleftankle (S96, 309 TPE) as they do not currently hold any draft picks. Much like other top contenders, Malmo’s biggest need is more about adding depth at the bottom of the forward or defense units than it is at the top. Malmo has not made an in-season trade this year after a couple of bigger deals in the off-season (including adding GM/Player Lucy Leitner @LucyXpher from Riga). Moscow Menace 2nd Place 33-8-5 71 Points Just two points back of the lead in the conference, Moscow held that lead for a long while to start the season until Malmo’s recent win streak. The Menace will look to re-take that lead as soon as possible, and they do so coming in with a very strong goal differential at +61 (174 GF, 113 GA). With three players in the top five in league scoring, it’s easy to see what the strength of the roster is. Moscow has just one player approaching free agency this upcoming off-season on an expiring deal, and it is forward Tommy Shelby @Will (S94, $2.5m). The Menace hold just $0.3m in cap space with the coming deadline so their wiggle room to make a deal is slim, but not nonexistent. Moscow holds all four of their draft picks in the upcoming S98 draft, along with their own 1st, 2nd, and 4th in the S99 draft. Combining that with a bevy of prospects, comprised of forwards Dart-For-Moderator @fonziGG (S97, 146 TPE), Ozzy Batty @Ozzy Batty (S95, 290 TPE), Seto Kaiba @Arce (S95, 100 TPE), and Spallsy McDavid @Lochlan Chisholm (S97, 224 TPE), along with defenders Cysteine @Bea (S96, 211 TPE), Elisa McMuffin @Ente2997 (S97, 176 TPE), Hank Smith @Jett88 (S97, 162 TPE), and Kazuma Satou @Spartan (S97, 421 TPE). Should Moscow decide to use their remaining cap space to upgrade somewhere, they’ll definitely have the ammunition to do so. Moscow’s biggest need is theoretically in net, where they’re running one of the lowest TPE starters in the league in Deadpanda @Alex. They have proven that to not be an issue for them in recent seasons, and will likely not look to make any changes there this year either. Moscow could then turn to upgrade a depth piece if they choose, but they also feel pretty set. The Menace added Montgomery Burns @LastOneUp on the blueline from Warsaw. HC Davos Dynamo 3rd Place 32-9-6 70 Points The final team in the talented trio at the top of the EU Conference, Davos has quietly (a little too quietly, at least in terms of attention given to it) been on an 11 game win streak allowing them to keep pace with Malmo at the top of the conference. The Dynamo are breathing right down the neck of the teams in front of them, but are a small step behind the top two teams in terms of goal differential at +44 (161 GF, 117 GA). Davos’ high-flying offense is led by the two-headed monster at the top of the roster in Antonia Bucatini @CowboyinAmerica and Grimgor Ironhide @FrostBeard, and is a large reason why they are where they are in the standings. Davos has a trio of players set to enter free agency on expiring contracts in Grimgor Ironhide (S91, $6.0m), Sunset Moth @McWolf (S91, $2.5m), and Mina @Baozi (S91, $5.5m). The Dynamo enter the deadline with $1.0m in cap space and primarily have draft pick assets to improve the roster should they choose to do so. The S98 Draft sees Davos holding their own 1st, 2nd, and 4th round picks, along with the LA 3rd. In the following S99 Draft, Davos has their 1st and 2nd rounders, along with 3rd round picks from Helsinki, Los Angeles, and Seattle (as well as the SEA 4th). In terms of prospects, the Dynamo have forward Cody Cobberson @Hendrix Cobberson (S95, 176 TPE) as well as goaltender Brian S @Bigb33 (S97, 206 TPE). Davos’ biggest need entering the deadline is also depth as they could use the remaining cap space to raise the floor on the roster, especially up front. Davos has not made an in-season trade this year. Riga Reign 4th Place 29-15-3 61 Points The Riga Reign are caught in the middle in the EU Conference. They’ve started to lag behind the top teams thanks to the extended win streaks by two teams ahead of them, but they’re also comfortably ahead of anybody behind them that they could afford to do quite a bit of tinkering with the roster, lines, and strategies heading into the stretch run of this season. With a solid +25 (142 GF, 117 GA) goal differential this season, Riga has easily proven themselves as a capable team in the EU. Their task will be to put together a hot streak similar to the other contenders in the conference and make up ground to get back in the mix. The leader of that push will undoubtedly be perennial MVP candidate Axle Gunner @Steve, who once again leads the Reign in points. Riga sees five players entering free agency this upcoming off-season, made up of forwards Kimi Raikkonen @mattyIceman (S92, $5.5m), Severus Targaryen @Banackock (S90, $5.5m), and Tim Robinson @Tim Robinson (S95, $2.0m), along with defender Ray Stanton @horoscope (S93, $1.5m), and goaltender Red Panda @Lemorse7 (S91, $5.0m). The Reign come into the deadline with $3.025m in cap space and could afford to add a pretty significant piece to the roster if they choose to in an effort to push for the top of the division. Riga only hold their own 3rd round pick in the S98 draft, but they hold their full complement of four picks in S99, plus Davos’ 3rd. They also have prospects Laimdots Sarkanis @Anomalijs (S95, 156 TPE) and Zaps Cat @scudmuffin19 (S95, 309 TPE) that they could move to entice a team to send a player their way. Riga’s biggest focus at the deadline must certainly be improving the forward group, as they have already addressed the blueline with the Ben Laas trade from DC earlier this season. Prague Phantoms 5th Place 15-26-6 36 Points Prague finds themselves heading into the deadline comfortably in the second wild card spot in the EU, twelve points up on the first non-playoff team. Coming into this season, that was likely not part of the plan for the Phantoms, but the strength of their top two defenders has given some them solid play on the blueline and given them a shot at some craziness in the postseason. Prague has a -60 goal differential (99 GF, 159 GA) on the season, which is the best of the rest after the top four teams in the conference. They have two expiring contracts set to become free agents after this season, forward Bruise Banner @ctots (S90, $1.5m), and defender/GM player Erik Thorvaldsson @Tetricide (S94, $4.5m). With $21.5m in cap space heading into the deadline, Prague could be in a position to take on some money if one of the cap strapped teams needs to move a contract out to acquire another player. The Phantoms could also trade for a player with some term that is able to grow for them, given that they have their own 1st, 2nd, and 4th in the upcoming S98 draft, also holding Los Angeles’ 1st in that one. Prague currently has their own 2nd, 3rd, and 4th rounders in S99, plus a Vancouver 2nd. The biggest needs to address for Prague are up front and in net. They have future pillars on the back end already, but could use more forwards and a goalie. The Phantoms have not made a trade in-season this year. London United 6th Place 11-32-2 24 Points London heads into the deadline likely hoping to move out a body or two for more future assets. Having lost six in a row now, their chance of getting the second wild card and hoping for a miracle is pretty slim. The United have a -60 goal differential (101 GF, 161 GA) on the season, and the standouts on the roster have been harder to find. Alexandros Mograine @sliceruser leads the team in goals and points up front, and Alagsantere Groenvold @VattghernCZ looks like a solid future piece on the blueline. London has three upcoming free agents with expiring contracts in Jacob Smith Jr. @jacobaa19 (S91, $2.0m), Steve French @Seabass (S93, $5.5m), and Annie Oaks @Noodle Enjoyer (S93, $2.5m) that they could look to get an asset or two for. London could use more draft picks as well as prospects to add to their pipeline for the future to go along with forwards Cash Carti @v.2 (S97, 427 TPE) and Pelayo Bolivar @SMYLS4 (S97, 390 TPE), goaltender Chazz Michael Michaels @Xflexz (S96, 526 TPE) and the aforementioned Groenvold (S96, 644 TPE). The United have not made a trade in-season yet this year. Helsinki Titans 7th Place 10-34-1 21 Points Helsinki enters the stretch run of the season likely looking to add to their considerable cache of future assets, whether they are draft picks or prospects. The Titans will be firmly in the mix for the first overall pick in this upcoming draft, and could help their chances of winning the lottery by trading away anybody not in their long-term plans to weaken the roster for the stretch run of this season. Helsinki has a -65 goal differential (98 GF, 163 GA) in the top heavy EU Conference and has three forwards with expiring contracts heading to free agency this off-season. Maple Dogwood @dogwoodmaple (S94, $2.5m), Matthew Highmore @NineIQ v2 (S92, $1.5m), and UghSike @UghSike (S93, $2.0m) are all currently UFA’s at the end of the season as Helsinki continues to trend towards their younger players, and any of them could be traded to add a future asset. On the current roster, defender Hugh Neutron @Corco (S97, 494 TPE) has started the run of Titans draft picks making their debuts in the VHL and that will likely continue over the next few seasons. Helsinki hasn’t made an in-season trade yet this year. Warsaw Predators 8th Place 6-36-3 15 Points It’s been a rough season in Warsaw, but also one that has more of an eye on the future than on the present. The Predators have a goal differential of -102 (82 GF, 184 GA) and are now on a 10 game losing streak. Warsaw has already seen one S96 draft pick make their debut this season in defender Slava Kovalenko @OblivionWalker, and will look to see more previously drafted players make the jump as well. The Predators only have one expiring contract after this season in defender Kodie Curran @Battlepopcorn (S90, $2.0m), so they’ll likely have to move a player with term if they want to add any more draft picks to their already impressive haul. Warsaw stands to have four picks in the first round this upcoming draft (WAR, SEA, VAN, CGY), as well as three 2nds to attempt to rapidly add to their prospect group. The Predators have already made two trades this season, sending Baby Moo Moo @Elvis and Rin Kagamine to Seattle, as well as sending Montgomery Burns to Moscow. Thank you for reading my breakdown, enjoy the stretch run of the season! Thanks for the graphic, Ace!

A slightly delayed Happy New Years to all @Members! Thank you all for your generous donations over this holiday season. As a league we've collectively raised $2270 (with ~$800 donated to the league and $1470 coming from external donations to your chosen charities). This means that for the total for the 2024 Holiday Charity drive is $3270! Note: I convert all external donations made it other currencies to CAD to calculate these sums. Some housekeeping math and receipts: You are likely wondering where the uncapped is at so I'll get to that as well, normally I'd tell you to refer to the first post in this thread to get a handle of the prizes for each milestone butttttttt we're making some slight changes this year. We (for some reason) had always decided to include the league match in the milestone calculation over the past however many years and we're going to remove that. Every milestone will be nudged down to make it fair as future drives likely won't have the same match. We also had to come up with additional milestone rewards which have now been added: Unfortunately we didn't make the last stretch goal (rip @samx) but the items we all DO get are: 12 Uncapped TPE PT Doubles Week @Nathan_8's NHL 25 event @Banackock's wholesome holiday movie Jackass (Bana edition) coming Dec 2025 @Beketov likely attempting to mate @Acydburn and I in a Zoo Tycoon 2 Ultimate stream @Josh reading a small selection of his son's favorite bedtime stories on stream Please claim your TPE and Doubles before or on the week ending Jan 19/2025. Things will be scheduled over the coming weeks likely to spread out the joy, we'll try to make sure everything is added to the forum calendar and the Discord events a good amount beforehand so everyone can partake. Awesome job everyone and we should all be proud that as a community we can come together and do our part in helping those in need. From the Blues: we hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and wish you all the best in the new year!

We’ve known for a little bit that Toronto was going to need a new GM going into S97 after @Moon decided that his tenure of the franchise was at an end; what we didn’t know or expect was quite how much support was going to be behind one specific member. Now obviously we could ignore that support but boy the riots don’t seem worth it and I feel pretty darn confident the team shall be in good hands with its new GM at the helm so let’s officially welcome that new GM: @dstevensonjr Malmo is a bit of a different story, not because we think their pick for GM is a bad one or anything, just because it came as a bit more of a surprise when @KaleebtheMighty decided to step away. The timeline may have been a bit tighter but the candidate, we feel, is no less of a perfect choice. So, with that said, I’m sorry you never brought a cup to Halifax @LucyXpher but we’re dragging you up to the big league! No spoiler tags as we would normally have in here because they don’t work right on mobile but still, congrats to our to new GM’s and sorry to the @VHLM Commissioner team that now needs another GM this off season.

@mmrs617 Sunday was a night of applause and celebration as the fans of all 10 teams welcomed their newest players at the S96 VHLM Draft. Many of these players had an early first look in the league, joining a team on waivers and showing us what they could do. The only chance we’ve had so far to watch the rest is the Junior Showcase Tournament, packed with scouts from both VHL leagues and one of the premier places to prove they deserve a spot on these teams. This was a large draft class by M standards; 65 picks were made in total, with a whole lot of first-gens in the mix. With the VHLE folding at the conclusion of S95 and many of its players returning to the M (either via opting in to their old teams or being drafted), rosters will be the largest they’ve been in a long time. The cap of 400 TPE also puts a different spin on this draft for general managers and how they factor in earning and activity. Going alphabetically, I’ll provide thoughts on each draft choice for a team as well as explaining any moves the team made this offseason. Halifax 21st S95: 33-34-5, 71 pts (7th) Jay Sikes (9th) @JaySmacksss Cysteine (10th) @Bea Petr Novak (14th) @LastGoon007 Chad Powers (16th) @Big_Dyl John Babydeer (21st) @Bobo Pelayo Bolivar (24th) @SMYLS4 Devin Johnson (34th) @Homealonetwo Michael Lee Jr (44th) @blueredlover Jack Kidd (54th) @Jack kidd John Giblin (64th) @Gibby28 Looking back, many believe that Halifax won the draft, but how did they get to that point? Turns out they had a pretty busy offseason, with GM @LucyXpher making seven (that’s right, SEVEN) trades after the rollover to S96. I hope 21st management is getting some well-deserved sleep. Halifax trades away: Victory Hockey League (185 TPE) Michael Schmicael (78 TPE) S96 MIS 1st (Albin Aldgard) S97 HFX 1st S97 MIS 2nd S97 HFX 5th S97 HFX 6th Halifax receives: Xhekajs middletoe S96 PHI 1st (Jay Sikes) S96 HFX 2nd (Petr Novak) S96 MIA 2nd (Chad Powers) S96 SDM 3rd (John Babydeer) S96 HFX 4th (Devin Johnson) S97 SDM 3rd Halifax trades for and then trades away: S96 MIA 1st (Luc Moreau) S96 HFX 1st (Ricky LaFleur) S96 SDM 2nd (Hugh Neutron) S96 LVA 3rd (ALTO RED) S96 SDM 4th (Louis Burley) They essentially built half their draft class, and a very promising one, with these trades, often flipping picks they’d just traded for and have managed to grab some of the most exciting players in the draft while only losing out on 1 S96 pick. The 21st got down to business with back to back picks in the first round; their first selection was Jay Sikes (124 TPE) at pick 9, by far the second best center in the draft by TPE and a consistent first-gen earner. Sikes put up an impressive 61 points in 68 games in their rookie VHLM season with Mississauga, and was recently drafted 25th overall by New York in the VHL Entry Draft. Halifax currently has six rostered options at center, but Sikes should blossom into a top 6 forward for them as the season progresses, especially given the hard work they’ve put into their faceoff skills. Halifax opted to take first-gen defenseman Cysteine (108 TPE) at 10, the first of four defensemen they would acquire this offseason. Cysteine put up 42 points in 72 games for a struggling Ottawa group last season and their proficiency on the power play and puck handling made them a very attractive choice here at 10. 17 points in 30 Junior Showcase Tournament games are also an encouraging sign. They’ll likely slot in nicely on the second pair for Halifax this season. Petr Novak (90 TPE) was Halifax’s choice at 14th overall, another defenseman who projects to partner with Cysteine this year. Novak played no VHLM games last year, but has looked strong thus far with the Royals in the JST, and is currently playing in the finals. Novak is known for their physical, defensive style of play and will add a much needed presence on a relatively inexperienced team.. They have been a consistent welfare earner along with the occasional press conference The 21st opted to add a 3rd goaltender at 16, as their other two are projected to move up to the VHL relatively soon. Chad Powers (74 TPE) ensures Halifax will not lack goaltending as their team starts to develop and their window opens. They continue to build a young, potential-filled team as Powers is also a first gen, and in a small sample size has nearly max earned. They have helped the JST’s Royals to 4 wins so far and will play their first games in the VHLM this year, though it remains to be seen how time will be split among the trio of 21st goalies. In the third round, Halifax further shores up their forward core with the additions of John Babydeer (74 TPE) at 21st and first-gen Pelayo Bolivar (73 TPE) at 24th. Both players have been active and high earners who will join the large group of 21st forwards vying for ice time. Right winger Babydeer brings a balanced game, and a decent physical presence as well, while center Bolivar is already developing into a playmaker. Halifax’s empire of active users continues to grow with first-gen left wing Devin Johnson’s (60 TPE) selection at 34th overall. Johnson, joining part way through the JST, has already gotten their name on the scoresheet with an accurate shot and willingness to let it rip from wherever. Michael Lee Jr (54 TPE) goes at 44th, a player who has completed press conferences but should click the welfare button to give themselves an added boost. In just 7 JST playoff games, Lee (a center) has 2 assists and is already a confident passer and faceoff taker. As we enter the 6th round, picks become hopes to find a diamond in the rough. 54th overall pick Jack Kidd (105 TPE) looks good in terms of TPE number, but this marks the third straight week they have not updated, the sole source of TPE being one week of trivia. If Halifax can coax this user back, they will be a great asset as evidenced by their 10 points in 30 JST games this year. John Giblin (30 TPE) went 64th, and as of now, has yet to earn or apply any points of TPE. They neglected to participate in the JST this year, so nobody really knows what to expect of them should they elect to play for the 21st this year. Halifax has hit it out of the park with this draft overall- so many talented players and exciting personalities make it hard not to believe in them going forward. The 21st should be an extremely strong team a couple seasons from now and management has made sure of it by shoring up all positions with high-skill, lower-risk players. Houston Bulls S95: 34-32-6, 74 pts (6th) Cash Carti (5th) @v.2 Raoul Cyr (29th) @Tyler Invader Zimothy Timothy (36th) @Emperor_Fun Bj Blazkowiczzzz (39th) @moody_blues94 Meatloaf Kowalski (45th) @Waffles Dart-For-Moderator (46th) @fonziGG Atamos Eckhart (55th) @Secretary of Defence Ethan Boddez (65th) @Flabebseth Given that the Bulls had just hired their new GM @jacobcarson877 at the conclusion of the S95 playoffs, it makes sense Houston was a bit less active than Halifax, but they did make one swap with the Reapers, gaining both a player and pick in return. Houston trades away: S96 HOU 2nd (Jacob Seed) Houston receives: Feka Ohi Kau (158 TPE) S96 PHI 4th (Bj Blazkowiczzzz) Houston did pretty well here, getting Kau who adds to their already extremely deep, full roster, and a player that went in the first round of the VHL draft. @jacobcarson877 is gearing up to contend with this team and make sure they stay contenders for a long time. Houston made only one early pick in this draft, and they decided to use it on right winger Cash Carti (146 TPE) at 5th overall. Carti, just the second forward to be selected, had expressed a desire to play for the Bulls prior to the draft and Houston was happy to grant that wish. v.2 produces tremendous players time after time and the future success of Carti is basically a foregone conclusion. Already boasting a menacing shot, Cash will look to light up the league, likely growing into a larger role as the season progresses. Raoul Cyr (95 TPE) was the next Bulls pick at 29th and, being a more newly created player, is a bit of a wild card. Cyr is a first-gen and has claimed welfare in both weeks they’ve been here, but this could easily change for the better or the worse. Regardless, Cyr projects as a speedy right winger, focused largely on the offensive side of the game. We’ll see if they can work their way up the Bulls’ depth chart. C Invader Zimothy Timothy (109 TPE) has a promising scoring build but has not updated since the week of September 6th, rendering them currently inactive. Emperor_Fun had a successful career with Justin Lion last time around though, so don’t count them out! They posted 14 points in 30 games in the JST and 14 points in 32 games with the Las Vegas Aces at the conclusion of S95. It’s a pick with some potential high upside at 36 for Houston. Bj Blazkowiczzzz (112 TPE) was the choice at 39th overall, and we’re in a similar situation to the last player here. They’re officially inactive at this point, but the hope is that Houston is able to bring them back to form. Blazkowiczzzz put up 18 points in 22 games with the Reapers last season en route to a Founders Cup win, already giving them valuable playoff experience. The right winger’s biggest strengths are their speed and defensive stick, and should they stay active, will be a valuable part of Houston’s bottom six. In the 5th round, at 45 and 46, Houston gambles again on two players who have yet to apply or earn any TPE. These are d-man Meatloaf Kowalski (48 TPE) and left wing Dart-For-Moderator (42 TPE) but the good news is at least we’ve seen Dart play in the JST, where they have managed 1 goal and 1 assist. Valuable additions for the future should Jacob bring them back, and in the 5th round these are the type of picks teams have to make. Left winger Atamos Eckhart (80 TPE) and defenseman Ethan Boddez (42 TPE) round out Houston’s draft. Eckhart, while having shown signs of activity in August, is now 7 weeks removed from having shown activity and has yet to apply TPE, while Boddez is another player yet to earn or apply their TPE. Hopefully they are rejuvenated by being drafted to the Bulls and come back in full force. Houston was able to grab some incredible centers in the VHLE redispersal draft and sensibly focused on shoring up their defense and wing play in this draft. Zaps Cat @scudmuffin19 is currently their only rostered goalie, so next time around they’ll probably be looking for a successor should Cat be on track to graduate. Encouragingly, Houston’s team is currently almost completely full with 12 forwards and 6 defensemen. Bulls fans must no doubt be happy with how the start to Jacob’s tenure is going so far. Las Vegas Aces S95: 50-15-7, 107 pts (1st) Founder’s Cup Finalists Albin Aldgard (8th) @animal74 Brian S (20th) @Bigb33 Ethan Ashcroft (28th) @EthanSea611 James Pearson (50th) @Jayrad28 Timmy stutzle (60th) @Xx1_stxtzle_8xX Las Vegas also wasn’t one of the busiest teams on the trade market this season, with GM @sadie being hired at the start of the offseason, but the Aces were involved in two trades- one being on draft day. Las Vegas trades away: S96 SDM 2nd (Hugh Neutron) S96 SDM 4th (Louis Burley) S96 LVA 4th (Quinn Godin) S97 LVA 2nd Las Vegas receives: S96 MIS 1st (Albin Aldgard) S96 MIS 3rd (Ethan Ashcroft) Vegas ends up getting Aldgard, who is poised to eventually be their #1 defenseman as well as trading up on draft day to select Ethan Ashcroft, likely banking on a slightly weaker draft class next season to lessen the sting of losing a 2nd. Two interesting trades that benefit the team in the short term, but who knows what the Aces will look like a little further down the road? Vegas began their draft with the 8th overall pick they traded for and selected Albin Aldgard (151). The Swedish defenseman was the 3rd defenseman off the board and put up 8 points in 16 games with Mississauga last season. Aldgard had an incredible JST showing, scoring 28 points in 30 games and placing 4th overall in that category. They’re an adept skater and know how mix offense into their game. Animal is an active earner and consistently churn out top-tier players; we shouldn’t expect any different here. At pick 20, the Aces selected their goaltender of the future, Brian S (90 TPE). Although they already have the formidable Deadpanda in nets, this year will be their last in the VHLM and Brian was a natural pick to replace them. BigB has a history of quality players and consistent earning and although we haven’t had the opportunity to see them play yet, fans can’t wait. Las Vegas must really have had their eye on Ethan Ashcroft (56 TPE), trading up to 28th to select them. Having proven to be an excellent locker room presence in the JST, where Ashcroft put up 4 points in 27 games, they certainly stood out on many GMs’ draft boards. A skilled skater and faceoff taker, Ashcroft will look to broaden their game this season, and likely with a sizable role as Vegas may soon lose more forwards to inactivity. With their penultimate selection (50th overall), Vegas chose James Pearson (50 TPE), coming from a user with a storied 10-player history. There was risk of inactivity at the time of selection but they have since returned to earning. Pearson scored 3 points for the JST Royals in 30 games and used their impressive speed and skill on the puck to help them into the finals. Pearson will also potentially see a top-6 role and will have the opportunity to improve this season. Timmy stutzle (48 TPE) was Vegas’ last pick at 60th overall and has neither earned nor applied any of their TPE yet. We hope to see them active soon, but it remains up to Sadie to get them back. Stutzle has scored 2 points in 24 games with the JST’s Royals and it remains to be seen whether they will opt to play for the Aces this season. Vegas had a small draft class compared to a lot of teams, but they went after the players they targeted and succeeded. It remains to be seen how Vegas will change throughout the season with such a small team as of now, but they have many high-tier players who they’ll want to win now with. Mexico City Kings S95: 44-23-5, 93 pts (4th) Doc Hudson (7th) @ThunderCloud Old Man On Skates (17th) @Jason 2.0 Alex Versti (27th) @VOID Stiles Arochimaru Shahar (37th) @Zurgzz Nick Abbott (47th) @preds Axel Vora (57th) @Alex Beattie Mexico City did nothing dramatic here- they kept all 6 of their picks and made no other trades or moves during the offseason leading up to the draft either. As an already strong team, I doubt they felt like they needed to give up anything for better draft capital, the plan just seems to be to build on their strong S95 season. GM @JCarson of Mexico City did not trade away or receive any picks or players. The Kings began their draft by selecting Doc Hudson (134 TPE) 7th overall, a first-gen RW who had a great start last year with 62 points in 72 games split between Mississauga and Philly. The Kings certainly have no shortage of wingers, but grabbing a consistent, promising earner like Hudson can't hurt. They have incredible skating ability and can always be counted on to chip in at both ends of the ice. Hudson had nine points in 30 JST games and projects as a top 6 forward for the Kings. Old Man On Skates (112 TPE) is the return of Jason, a very successful member in the past but back from a long break from the league. Already showing potential max earning, Man On Skates hasn’t played in any VHLM or tournament games yet but has shown considerable scoring ability in training camp. Picked up at 17th overall by Mexico City, the left winger should also immediately slot into the top 6 for the team. Mexico’s 27th overall pick was used on Alex Versti (66 TPE), a first-gen left wing who put up 3 points in 30 JST games this offseason. Versti has earned TPE each week, but would benefit from clicking the welfare button more and especially training camp this week. Offensively, they’re well-rounded with their greatest strength being their skating ability. Versti will be competing with other youngsters for ice time and will certainly be an asset as the Kings look to have another successful season. At 37th overall… guess the position. That’s right! Mexico City takes another winger, this time RW Arochimaru Shahar (60 TPE). Shahar had started their VHLM career in Mexico last year, and the Kings must have liked what they saw because they’re going right back to Mexico City. Shahar brings a great blend of speed and puck handling and amassed 5 points in 30 games in the JST. It will be interesting to see how this build progresses. Nick Abbott (48 TPE) was selected at 47th overall; it’s yet another winger but also was arguably the best pick available at the time. Abbott’s skill set is not specialized in any one area yet, and they could benefit from clicking more buttons than just practice facility. They will have time to grow around skilled Kings teammates and could be a steal for being picked this late if they keep up the activity. Abbott managed 7 points in 30 JST games and was useful when utilized on the man advantage. The Kings’ last pick was Axel Vora (50 TPE), who hasn’t updated in the past two weeks but if they stay active, the right winger’s proficiency in passing will help the team out a lot. We have yet to see Vora play at this level but they’ll be given the same opportunity to fight for a spot as all the other wingers on the team. Mexico City had a good draft, with no large reaches or surprises. The only questions are why they didn’t elect to draft a center, given they now have 8 wingers and 1 center, but it will work out for them, I’m sure. They are poised to have a great season with an amazing defense and two great goalies and their forwards are going to develop well. Miami Marauders S95: 39-23-10, 88 pts (5th) Luc Moreau (6th) @minman Grog Strongjaw (25th) @Grog Strongjaw RicerFourteen (26th) @Bombshuka LANDO (56th) @Lando10 Coming off a competitive season where many of their young talents began to bloom such as Kasper Saarinen @Gage2 and Narnia Shaw @Dabnad, the Marauders will be searching for more of the same this year, and belief is strong that they can contend for a cup. Miami and GM @Ricer13 clearly had their eyes on getting a high-TPE player, and they made it happen. Trading for Philly’s first and flipping it to move up three more spots got them Luc Moreau. Miami trades away: Einar Mathiesen S96 MIA 2nd (Chad Powers) S96 HFX 4th (Devin Johnson) Miami receives: S96 MIA 1st (Luc Moreau) S97 PHI 2nd Miami trades for and then trades away: S96 PHI 1st (Jay Sikes) Mathiesen @xsjack will fill a much needed role as the Reapers look to go back-to-back this season, and it leaves Miami with only 3 defensemen. Moreau’s upside definitely seems to be worth it, however. Luc Moreau (163 TPE), the 6th overall pick, returns to the Marauders after a great start to their career with them last season with 45 points in 50 games. Luc also put up 23 points in 30 JST games this summer. Coming from a first gen user who has shown they know how to earn, and earn well, this should develop into a great pick for Miami. RW Moreau will likely start in the team’s top 6 and become even more comfortable utilizing their elite vision and skating in this league. They’ll be a key player for Miami to get going if they want to have the best chance to contend for the Founder’s Cup. Grog Strongjaw (66 TPE) was the first of Miami’s third round back-to-back picks and as a first-gen user has been encouragingly active and engaged in the JST. As a player, Strongjaw is defense-first and will put their body on the line wihout hesitation. Strongjaw will take on more important roles as some Marauders approach the 400 TPE mark. RicerFourteen (126 TPE) was the 5th goalie off the board this draft and has taken on a big workload early in the VHLM as a first generation player. They played 50 regular season games for the Reapers last year and managed to maintain a .901 SV% while also posting 6 shutouts. Their .933 SV% and 5 wins in 6 JST games played also showed their ability to turn it up when it matters. They are a consistent welfare earner and will back up Draw Mac @okochastar for the time being while they develop. LANDO (77 TPE) is mainly a defensive defenseman but has some skill in all areas. The first-gen has yet to participate in either the VHLM or the JST but should they decide to play they would give Miami a much appreciated 4th defenseman. It’s up to the Marauders to see if they can be brought back, though. Miami did well with the extremely limited number of picks they possessed. They might look back and wish they’d acquired a more active defenseman but they did a good job of getting good users for the locker room. Look out for them being a real threat this year. Mississauga Hounds S95: 46-20-6, 98 pts (3rd) Shot Blocker (18th) @McGriddy10 Hank Smith (23rd) @Jett88 Sack Jparrow (48th) @JYD Freddie Anderson (58th) @ConnorA After a blistering start to S95, Mississauga ended up finishing 3rd in the regular season. The Hounds will be hunting for that Founder’s Cup this year. GM @ace_five_ made only one trade, that being on draft day. Mississauga trades away: S96 PHI 2nd (Ron World Peace Jr) S98 MIS 1st Mississauga receives: Bartholomew Lorequavius S98 SDM 3rd Trading for Lorequavius @jaypc8237 gives them a true star goalie forming a great tandem with Wazinski and with defensemen like Slava Kovalenko @OblivionWalker and Kurt Bachmann @Blutch in front of them Mississauga will be formidable. Mississauga was one of 3 teams without a first rounder, and they started their draft by selecting Shot Blocker (125 TPE) at 18th overall. They will be a formidable physical presence on the Hounds blue line and their statistics only underline this. Shot Blocker put up 38 points in 50 games with San Diego in S95 along with an incredible 198 hits, and earned 7 points in 30 JST games. The Hounds are also getting a great user out of this. Hank Smith (62 TPE) is another defenseman, an important pick to help the Hounds start the season with four defensemen. Smith is a strong defensive d-man and will help balance their blue line between defense and offense. Their strength and defensive stick was a great asset to the JST’s Warriors and they put up 10 points in 30 games there. Smith has been a consistent welfare earner as well and should see steady improvement if that continues. At 48th overall, Mississauga went with a forward in left winger Sack Jparrow (50 TPE). Jparrow does a bit of everything, and is a bit of a sharpshooter. They haven’t updated since the week they joined (W/E 9/29) but should they stay active could slide into the spot Yolishev @Joel Main will vacate after this season. We haven’t gotten a chance to see Jparrow in a game yet, and hopefully will see an encouraging start this week. Freddie Anderson (44 TPE) is the Hounds 6th round, 58th overall pick. They have yet to apply any TPE, and yet to earn any besides one practice facility claim, but have impressed in the JST with 9 points in 30 games. It would be a definite positive for the future if they were to return to activity for Mississauga. After this draft, Mississauga is looking like one of the teams to beat. They have a slew of quality forwards, have completed their two defensive lines, and solidified a great duo of goalies. It will be interesting to see if their offense stays as high-octane as it was last year. Ottawa Lynx S95: 22-41-9, 53 pts (8th) Joel Jakobs (2nd) @Plate Taavetti Jokinen (3rd) @Ahma Hugh Neutron (11th) @Corco Dr Victor von Doom (13th) @Garsh Vladimir Trunov (33rd) @qripll Quinn Godin (40th) @Qu1nn Roman Skeptic (41st) @skeptic Jason Arnott (42nd) @Jason Arnott Hawk Tua (43rd) @Shadowpac16 Tumbleweed Johnson (53rd) @stupidtyler Mitchell Mercurio (63rd) @Pastrnak88 Ottawa barely snuck into the playoffs last year with a less than ideal roster size, but this draft has completely changed the trajectory of the team, and they are another team that has a great argument for winner of the draft. GM @Grape found themselves with 3 first rounders at the beginning of the offseason, and sent one to Halifax. The only other trade they made was with the Aces on draft day. Ottawa trades away: S96 HFX 1st (Ricky LaFleur) S96 SDM 3rd (John Babydeer) S96 MIS 3rd (Ethan Ashcroft) Ottawa receives: S96 SDM 2nd (Hugh Neutron) S96 LVA 4th (Quinn Godin) S97 MIS 2nd S97 LVA 2nd Even with the building of this 11 player draft class, Ottawa has managed to keep all of their picks for S96 and even added a couple more second rounders via trade. They’re set up well. Ottawa starts the draft incredibly strongly with the second and third selections, the first of which is center Joel Jakobs (227 TPE). Jakobs hit the ground running at the start of S95, and kept it up to the tune of 95 points in 72 games- good for the fifth most in league scoring and a truly impressive number for a player in their first year. Joel also led the league in playoff scoring with 24 points in 14 games, winning the cup with the Reapers. Jakobs’ playmaking ability is top-level and they skate extremely well too. They’ll be a vital part of Ottawa’s top 6 and will assuredly continue to grow, as Plate has max earned in essentially every week of this career. Most recently, Jakobs has torn apart the JST with 29 points in 30 games for the Rush. The Lynx grab another high-tier defenseman in Taavetti Jokinen (163 TPE) to man the blue line with River Harrington @kirbithan and Masa Akimoto @Hokikeijot at 3rd overall. Ahma is a great and proven earner who will definitely be pushing hard to get back to the VHL and Davos, a team that the name Ahma has become irreversibly attached to. Jokinen has incredible defensive skill, and can outskate and outmuscle nearly anyone in 50/50 battles. Jokinen had 9 points in 20 games with Las Vegas in S95 and had 24 in 30 for the JST’s Royals. Hugh Neutron (176 TPE) was the pick at 11 for the Lynx and rounds out the 4 man defensive group for the Lynx going into the season. Neutron entered the draft as the 3rd highest TPE player, so for Ottawa to get them at 11 is quite a good deal. Hugh is known for their vision on the ice and defensive positioning, and it translated into 21 points in 18 games with Halifax last season. They had 16 points in 30 JST games and only more success appears to lie in their future with Ottawa. Corco has also max earned every week since their return, and landing the job as Trivia Head suggests that will continue. Dr Victor von Doom (149 TPE) was the first of the tandem of goalies Ottawa would draft in preparation for S96. Von Doom played for Ottawa last season for 18 games, so it was a simple choice to bring them back at 13th overall. With a weak team in front of them, they snagged 3 wins and maintained an .893 SV%. Shockingly, they were not selected to play in the Junior Showcase Tournament, but the Lynx are confident in von Doom’s abilities. Garsh is always a great earner and consistently produces great players, so there’s no reason to assume von Doom will be different. Surprise, surprise! Ottawa with another goalie pick in Vladimir Trunov (221 TPE) which was quite unexpected after they took von Doom earlier. But then again, nobody suspected that the consensus #1 goalie in the draft would fall to THIRTY-THIRD! Qripll is a consistent earner and now even a VHL GM (and both their previous players have eclipsed 1300 TPE) so it’s a little mystifying to see them fall so far. They had the second most TPE in the class on draft day and have the stats to back it up. In 20 games with Halifax, they had 6 wins and a .917 SV% and in the JST, they showed up with 16 wins and a .935 SV% in 30 games, proving their ability to handle a large workload as well. Trunov is likely going to be seen as the steal of the draft, given just how far they fell. The Lynx somehow found themselves with 4 consecutive picks starting at 40, after acquiring Las Vegas’ 4th rounder. The first of these was used on Quinn Godin (58 TPE), a speedy playmaking right wing who has not played VHLM games yet, but did grab 3 points in 30 JST games. They’ve earned TPE in 3 out of 4 weeks and should start in the Lynx bottom 6. Ottawa then turned their sights towards Roman Skeptic (52 TPE) at 41, a bit of a wild card given that they have yet to play an official game. The center seems to favor the pass and will slot in nicely behind Brandon Petan Jr @sadie and Joel Jakobs @Plate. The last time they earned was last week, and as another first gen is a gamble that could really pay off. The nice thing about four straight picks is that you don’t really need to choose between the players you want, you can just take ‘em all. At 42, Ottawa took Jason Arnott (50 TPE), a center notable for their shot and strength. They’ll be competing with Skeptic for that third center spot, and like Skeptic have yet to play professional games. Arnott has not earned since their week of creation but if they return it would be a sure asset to the Lynx who will see multiple forwards graduate after this season. Hawk Tua (42 TPE) was the last of this pick flurry by the Lynx, another center who focuses on their shot and speed. Tua has begun a surprise hockey career when many thought they would be focusing on their popular podcast instead. Tua has earned nothing more than their base TPE and should they choose to stay with hockey, will bring a lot of much needed attention to the sport. Tumbleweed Johnson (46 TPE), a sniper left wing, goes 53rd overall. Ottawa seems to just be filling out their forward group at this point, hoping for some diamonds in the rough. Johnson last updated the week of 9/29 and if they return, they will begin on the bottom six. Mitchell Mercurio (42 TPE) was Ottawa’s final pick at 63, and to this point has neither earned nor applied any TPE. They also did not visit the forum after they joined so it’s unlikely they return but never impossible. Ottawa seems to be set up beautifully for the upcoming season and is one of the Cup favorites heading in, with 4 great defensemen, 2 top goalies, and a large selection of forwards to mix and match as they please. It’s crucial that that they find that success this year, as they will likely lose many key players in S97. Philadelphia Reapers S95: 49-20-3, 101 pts (2nd) Founder’s Cup Champions Jacob Seed (15th) @oilmandan ALTO RED (30th) @alto_red Louis Burley (31st) @EndoNate Silas LeFriend II (35th) @yevty Greg Alderman (49th) @GamblingDie Sawyer Vermeulen (59th) @Sawyer Coming off the high of a Founder’s Cup win, Philadelphia is under virtually no pressure right now. But that won’t stop GM @mattyIceman from assembling another loaded roster, and they started with three trades, all on October 6th. Philadelphia trades away: Feka Ohi Kau S96 PHI 1st (Jay Sikes) S96 PHI 4th (Bj Blazkowiczzzz S97 PHI 2nd Philadelphia receives: Einar Mathiesen S96 HOU 2nd (Jacob Seed) S96 LVA 3rd (ALTO RED) S96 SDM 4th (Louis Burley) Philadelphia trades for and then trades away: S96 MIA 2nd (Chad Powers) Mathiesen likely immediately slots in as a top pair defenseman for the Reapers as they load up for another Cup run, but Philly still manages to acquire young players to develop. It’ll be interesting to see what their outlook is after these two top defensemen graduate. With that Houston 2nd they traded for, Philly takes right winger Jacob Seed (113 TPE) at 15th overall. This user is another very consistent earner, having had 4 previous players who all had significant VHL careers. They earn a lot of affiliate TPE as well. The 6’6” Seed is at their best when they’re shooting the puck; they possess a wicked fast and accurate wrister as well as the skating ability to put themselves in those goalscoring situations, which helped them earn 14 points in 30 JST games. I can see Seed becoming a staple in the top 6 by the end of the year, but they’ll have to earn it. Left winger ALTO RED (52 TPE) goes 30th as the first of the consecutive picks the Reapers traded for, and prides themselves on their speed and sportsmanship- however, they did not participate in the JST so we’ll have to make our conclusions once the season begins. First-gen RED has earned TPE in every week they’ve been here and this week seem to have figured out welfare! In a deep Reapers lineup, they’ll have to climb their way up the ranks but will be a good contributor no matter where they play. With pick #31, Philadelphia invests in their future in nets with goaltender Louis Burley (60 TPE). They’ve claimed practice facility and welfare every week and are an extremely agile netminder. They’ll be backing up Onyekachukwu Chidieber Oluwaseun, and the first time we’ll see them in action will be this season due to not playing the JST. It’s the hope that Burley will develop with perfect timing behind Oluwaseun and eventually will take their spot. Philly pick up Silas LeFriend II (75 TPE) with the 35th overall pick, no doubt hoping they can be vital next year as their top defensemen leave, in addition to helping cup hopes in the present. LeFriend has size, but is super quick on the ice and uses their excellent hockey IQ to set up teammates. They have yet to play a league or tournament game this season and should start on the 3rd pairing for the Reapers. With the Reapers final two picks they select right wingers Greg Alderman (58 TPE) and Sawyer Vermeulen (50 TPE). Alderman brings a pass-first offensive approach while Vermeulen is more defensively minded. Neither of these players have claimed TPE past their first week, but just one of them panning out could give the Reapers three full forward lines. Similar to the others, neither has set foot on VHLM or JST ice yet in their careers. This year, Philly has attempted mainly to secure a potential goaltender for the future, but also prepped for the weakening of their defense. The rest of their picks were wingers, and they don’t need everyone to be a hit due to their already strong lineup. The Reapers should be contending again this year, and could certainly see the Cup heading back their way, especially if they make some deadline acquisitions. San Diego Marlins S95: 22-46-4, 48 pts (10th) Bubbles LaFleur (1st) @AJW Ricky LaFleur (4th) @DarkSpyro Ron World Peace Jr (19th) @stevo BIG MOOSE (38th) @BIG MOOSE Jonny Elgar Jr (51st) @Jonny Alexander Reyes (61st) @areyes2718 San Diego was second only to Halifax in how busy they were this offseason, and it makes sense because they certainly needed some help after last season. Here’s what was moved in the 5 trades GM @Mysterious_Fish made: San Diego trades away: Xhekajs middletoe Bartholomew Lorequavius S96 MIA 1st (Luc Moreau) S96 HFX 2nd (Petr Novak) S96 LVA 3rd (ALTO RED) S97 SDM 3rd S98 SDM 3rd San Diego receives: Michael Schmicael Victory Hockey League S96 HFX 1st (Ricky LaFleur) S96 PHI 2nd (Ron World Peace Jr) S97 HFX 1st S97 HFX 5th S97 HFX 6th S98 MIS 1st The Marlins did wonders for their defense with these trades, but there are still big questions on offense. And can Ricky LaFleur fill the shoes of Bartholomew Lorequavius? Regardless, San Diego is in a much better situation than before, but will need to really capitalize on next year’s draft as well. San Diego keeps their first overall pick, and with it selects right winger Bubbles LaFleur (157 TPE), one half of the inseparable LaFleur duo. Bubbles should instantly step into a top 4 role and will likely take the step to top pair sooner rather than later. AJ is an amazing earner and one need only look at the last two players to see what we can expect this time around. LaFleur is a coach’s dream, never hesitating to use their elite speed and strength to help out on defense. They put up 7 points in 14 games with Halifax last season and 21 points in 30 games with the JST’s Rush. Here comes the other one! With 4th overall, San Diego officially secures the goalie they are banking on to be the future- Ricky LaFleur (155 TPE). If anyone knows how to build a goalie, DarkSpyro does, as this is now their 3rd goalie in 4 players. They earn excellently, and left 21st fans hungry for more last year, playing only 4 games but turning 2 of them into wins with a .911 SV%. In the JST, they played 15 games for the Steel and had 5 wins with a .922 SV%. San Diego is really banking on LaFleur, as they shipped out Lorequavius only minutes later to Mississauga. And here’s the player they traded that former #1 overall pick for: Ron World Peace Jr (70 TPE). Peace seems to be completely defense first, and helped anchor the blue line of Mississauga for 14 games last year, scoring 2 points. They also had 3 points in 30 JST games and have earned TPE in every week so far (and sometimes more than just welfare too!). Peace will likely start on the third pairing for the Marlins but as the franchise rebuilds will be an big piece of what they do. BIG MOOSE (54 TPE) is their second forward pick of the draft, and should fill in on the second line this year. For a player who has yet to play a game, this will be interesting, but their well-rounded game should render them prepared for whatever is thrown at them. First-gen player MOOSE has not earned anything past the base TPE but has been active in terms of discord and interviews, so the Marlins might have found some real potential at 38. RW Jonny Elgar Jr (62 TPE) and first-gen LW Alexander Reyes (48 TPE) were San Diego’s last two picks of the draft. Neither have earned or applied any TPE past their base yet, but Elgar has had a previous player who had success and a long VHL career. San Diego ought to be encouraged by the addition of some exciting players, and the knowledge that things are looking better than last year. They’ll need to make some more moves to get to that top tier, but their double firsts in both of the next two drafts are sure to help with that. Saskatoon Wild S95: 21-44-7, 49 pts (9th) Brigitta Sandstrom (12th) @Acydburn Gottfried Schloss (22nd) @acp Reid Quinn (32nd) @rquinn Ralo Surrel (52nd) @KalKenobi83 Jeffery The Elite Edger (62nd) @Ultimate Edger Saskatoon made no trades this offseason, and are in a little bit of a rough spot right now. They’re getting back on track, but simple lack of players may be punishing if waivers aren’t plentiful enough. GM @Dadam30 of Saskatoon did not trade away or receive any picks or players. Saskatoon’s first rounder was owned by the Lynx this year, so their first selection was Brigitta Sandstrom (148 TPE) at 12th overall. Sandstrom already projects to be one of the most exciting players on the team and will take on the role of #1 defenseman considering they had zero coming into the draft. Sandstrom towers over the opposition at 6’8” and has almost unrealistic speed and puck handling considering that. They turned heads immediately in their 13 games with Miami last year, in which they scored 13 points. Sandstrom also put up a whopping 27 points in 30 JST games. The earning is of course going to be exemplary, given that Acydburn is a commissioner and even if they didn’t have that job pay, all previous players have been exemplary. Saskatoon’s second pick is Gottfried Schloss (74 TPE) at #22. Schloss, a defensive defenseman through and through, will be an excellent complement to Sandstrom on the blue line. Schloss will also be getting power play time as a result of being one of the two defensemen rostered, and their development will be fun to watch. They had 6 points in 5 games with Halifax last season and had 7 in 30 JST games. It’s not acp’s first time around the block either, and they are earning well mainly via affiliate. This Wild duo will be fun to watch! First-gen Reid Quinn (52 TPE) is the Wild’s choice at 32nd overall. Given their current forward dilemma, Saskatoon is really hoping Quinn will pan out for them, and their strength across a variety of offensive abilities is very encouraging. They haven’t played in the JST or the M yet, but did claim TPE outside of the week they created. The minutes are there for the taking on the Wild, and hopefully the first-gen steps up. Saskatoon ends the draft with 52nd overall Ralo Surrel (42 TPE) and 62nd overall Jeffery The Elite Edger (72 TPE), and neither player earned TPE outside of the week of creation. Edger has not updated since W/E 08/11 but did put up 25 points in 44 VHLM games last season. Surrel there is more hope for, since they created more recently in W/E 09/22, and they have 1 point in 30 JST games played. It’s up to the GM to see whether or not they can bring them back. Saskatoon may only have 4 active forwards soon, and will be hoping for an influx of new arrivals. Until then, a lot of responsiblity rests on these new draftees, and in particular goaltender Austin Goulet III @Tuchy. The Wild have many draft picks next year and should be able to jumpstart their rebuild with multiple first rounders. While the present may not be the brightest, the future holds hope with stars like Drosmis Sarkanis @Mr Bohannan and Sandstrom leading them. Thanks for reading! It was quite the chaotic S96 offseason, with a metric ton of new VHL users to draft. Good luck to all of the draftees, their teammates, and their GMs this year as the VHLM adjusts to a very different format!

So that's the end... for now. My first ever VHL player is done. I went all the way to the end with him and it feels good to have my first one play out as he has. The end however feels unceremonious, like putting out a candle during a bonfire, hardly subtracting from the overall glow. Oddly, I am a bit sad it is done. After two seasons in the M, a season in the E and seven awesome seasons in the VHL with London, my player ends his career with 1983 TPE and 1585 TPA. I created Leonard Triller about a month before I became a father. I don't quite remember why I decided to join at that specific time, but I know I wanted a place other than work to be creative and I love hockey so it seemed like a perfect fit. When I joined the league I didn't start by max earning. I missed the last 2 TPE for a whole season as I was too busy learning the forum and trying to figure out how the portal and index worked. Trivia didn't seem enjoyable without context and I didn't want to review other members' work before I had enough of my own to show and be available for the same scrutiny. Eventually, I realized that the reviewing wasn't very in-depth and that the trivia still wasn't enjoyable even with context so the max earning began! I continued the max earning trend until the end and am very happy to have stuck with it. After 56 weeks of my players career I have created roughly 40 graphics, not including .coms. I've done 3D animated, 2D animated, and traditional 2D graphics. I've created team hype videos, draft graphics for the VHLM, a VHL AD for social media and even created a fake custom stick company and put out a showcase catalogue with working QR codes that take you to 3D renders of each custom stick. I have also created and continue to update 3D versions of all three championship trophies for the winning teams to celebrate with. Sometimes it was hard to come up with ideas and I had to drop the 3D stuff near the end due to time constraints but I managed to figure out a path to the end. I am proud of what I have created over this career and am already planning ahead for the next. Just need to update that portfolio! So far in my time here I've met some great people that I will likely be seeking out to play with, or for, when I recreate and I've also come across some people that I will likely be avoiding. No one has been terrible but I've learned who I'd get along with the best and hopefully I can share a locker room with those people. Still a lot of people I've not had the pleasure to chat with but hopefully that changes! I will continue to be active in the league by providing championship teams with trophy updates, continuing to send recruitment the league standing videos and keeping up with my duties as the AGM in Helsinki for as long as Sam wants to GM the team. I don’t know when I will create again but I will for sure have a new player in the league as it hits its 100th season. The main reason I am not recreating right away is because within the next week, I will once again become a father to a new, little human. @Subject056 has powered through and I am very proud of her! We got this! I would @ a bunch of people for commenting or reacting on what I have created during my time as well as all the people I have enjoyed the LR with and anyone else I have interacted with or worked with but you all know who you are and I am still around anyways so hit me up whenever about whatever and in my sleep deprived state I will chat you back! I am cooking up my next player and am excited to start the new career off with a bang whenever that may be! THANK YOU VHL!

So I've been the Trivia Head since it came to the portal in S82, I've now put out the S95 question pool which completes my 14th round (13th season) of being in the position, much credit goes to @Victor for making my job both easy and hard on some days and also being responsible for the phrase "There's a sheet for that." With that I decided to see after these 14 rounds of questions who has contributed the most and also thank each and every member for their contribution to helping me each season. Here's the totals: (This is only through the official google form so if you submitted elsewhere you were not counted on this list) @animal74 25 @leandrofg 20 @Gaikoku-hito 20 @MubbleFubbles 13 @jacobcarson877 14 @ShindigsRIP 10 @Alex 10 @Ricer13 9 @Hogan 8 @rory 6 @Rhynex Entertainment 7 @Triller 6 @Pifferfish 5 @Grape 5 @Berocka 4 @KaleebtheMighty 4 @Sjin 4 @Zetterberg 4 @UghSike 4 @Enorama 4 @twists 3 @Advantage 3 @Mysterious_Fish 3 @v.2 3 @Schnee 3 @Gustav 2 @zepheter 2 @OrbitingDeath 2 @Arce 2 @AJW 2 @Ledge (enjoy the red ig lol) 2 @JCarson 2 @Mongoose87 2 @vincentlg2007 2 @dstevensonjr 2 @Zetterberg 2 @Nyx 2 @LucyXpher 2 @Royski 2 @Moon 1 @Otaznik 1 @Greg_Di 1 @izaak 1 @xNJDevilsFanx 1 @scoop 1 @der meister 2 @Ahma 1 @Keegan Gamble 1 @Doomsday 1 @McLovin 1 @Garsh 1 @npuBeT 2 @Smarch 1 @Pifferfish 1 There's a few blank spots since some people can't spell their name the same every time they submit ( @jacobcarson877x3). I'm also sure there's a few duplicate tags in there but heck you only get pinged once so who cares. My last little justification, if you're looking at this and have a high amount submitted but are thinking, "wait a second, I haven't gotten X amount of uncapped." That's just because I only use 2 per user a season unless I absolutely have to use more since I want to give you guys the best bang for your submission because otherwise if I use 3 then you only get credit for 2 and you just lose out on 1 tpe. Last little shoutout to the unsung heros who submit questions when I run short just through dm's @samx ,@Spartan , and possibly more but I can't remember off the top of my head. Thank you guys for everything you do to help keep trivia running and please keep submitting!

Hi everyone, I am just here to say that after 13 seasons in the organization of the Rome Gladiators and 12 as the GM, I believe it is time for me to call it a day. I met a lot of great persons along the way and I lived some pretty cool adventure. First, I would like to thank @InstantRockstar for giving me my first managing job in S82, when he hired me as his AGM. I would also like to thank all the GMs I had trade talks with and all the comissioners of the VHLE who helped me when I had questions. But don't cry, I am not going away, I will continue to be active with my player. I am also not quitting GMing for ever. Indeed, I will continue to apply for a job as a GM in the VHL as long as I don't get one lol and I will also apply to get a job in the VHLM in the meantime. Thanks again for this incredible experience and see you in an other occasion! Baby Boomer Rome's Ex-GM

Would you look at that, a timely hiring.. go figure. Alright so the real reason why I'm posting. The @Commissioner team (within 72 hours) would like to announce the new GM of the Calgary Wranglers. We had some qualified candidates who applied for the position and I wish we had more GM's to announce but, alas we don't. (If someone says expansion, No, Just No) This member needs no introduction, you all know him, some of you love him, Is the new GM of the Wranglers. Let's all congratulate them on the great things they're going to do.

Hi VHL, Hope you’re all doing amazing! Please head on over and check out our YouTube Advertisement that just hit with the amazing Thrash HKY. Make sure to show them some love from the VHL and be ready to welcome/help all the newcomers (hopefully). Advertisement is at 3:12.

@SMYLS4 It's time for the S97 VHLM Awards! I'm MichkovSzn and I will be your host for the S97 VHLM Awards tonight, with lots of help from @Pifferfish writing. Many people have contributed to the VHLM this season either through GMing or being a player, but tonight is about recognizing those who were the very best throughout the whole of S97. Without any further ado, let's get into those awards shall we?

I am applying

If you are one of the sane people who haven't been around forever in the VHL you might not know that ever since the beginning there has always been a holiday celebration. Usually just some TPE, maybe a scavenger hunt, but that was about it. I mean everyone loves TPE but still. That changed though a few years ago when @Banackock suggested we do some good for the whole and hold a charity drive; it has been a staple of the VHL experience ever since and the celebration around it has only grown as well. As you can see above, this year our league charity of choice will be a split between the Canadian and American Cancer Societies who will receive our charity donations. This is, of course, just our league-supported option. As always, you are free to donate your funds to any registered charity anywhere in the world and count it towards the auction and our total numbers; all we ask is a screenshot proving the donation (though please remember to redact any personal information). 100% of the money raised by the league will be donated to the two charities with a full even 50/50 split, and the VHL will not take any cut. On top of that the league has decided to once again match up to $1000 when the final donation is put in. That means if you all donate $2500 total we'll put the donation up to $3500!n) In addition to the Donation Drive, we will also kick off our Charity Auction and 12 Days of Christmas. How will it all work? Essentially the same as past years, but here are the exact details for each portion of our holiday season for 2024: Charity Drive: December 12th - 24th Starting tomorrow members can begin donating. Whether you do so through the league, by donating HERE, privately to the ACS / CCS, or any charitable foundation of your choosing (receipt proof required for donations made outside the league), it will all count towards the overall contribution from the league. From that overall contribution, the league will match donations up to $1000 CAD, and add that to the donation made through the league. Please post all confirmations of donation, including Paypals through the league, auction wins, and private donations to THIS THREAD. Any donation of $5 CAD, or more, will result in an automatic personal reward of 2 Uncapped TPE + a Full Free Week (12 Capped TPE), as well as an entry to each of the first 3 tiers of the 12 Days of Christmas Raffle. Like past years as well we will be accepting blood donations in the charity drive. Blood is in high demand all year round, but especially at this time. Give the gift of life to someone. If you schedule and follow through with an appointment to donate blood that will count the same as a $5 donation and have the same rewards outlined above and below. For proof just post a photo from during your donation, it doesn’t need to include your face if you don’t want it to, a shot of the machine or your arm or whatever is fine, we’ll take your word for it. As this is the season of giving, members may also donate on behalf of one other user. Holiday Charity Auction: December 13th-20th @Acydburn will be posting the auction items soon but for now the full rules from last year are available here, they are unlikely to change but we will update everything if they do. Go buy something fun offered up by our community members. Auction wins will count as personal donations for the purpose of individual rewards. As always there are some amazing auction items that we're looking forward to this year so it should be fun. 12 Days of Christmas: December 13th - 24th This years 12 Days of Christmas will be similar to the last two years, where there will be a daily thread to claim “tickets” into our final raffle, which will be drawn on a live stream likely in the new year. As always the raffle will contain 4 tiers of prizes, with each day contributing to your entry into each tier, as follows: Dec. 13 - 15: Post in the corresponding thread each day for an entry into the Tier 1 raffle (1 ticket gained per day) Dec. 16 - 18: Post in the corresponding thread each day for an entry into the Tier 2 raffle (1 ticket gained per day) Dec. 19 - 21: Post in the corresponding thread each day for an entry into the Tier 3 raffle (1 ticket gained per day) Dec. 22 - 24: Post in the corresponding thread each day for an entry into the Tier 4 raffle (1 ticket gained per day) Number of Winners per tier: Tier 1: 10 Winners Tier 2: 5 Winners Tier 3: 3 Winners Tier 4: 1 Winner As with all our previous raffles if someone is drawn twice they will be considered as having won the higher tier item and the lower tier will be re-drawn. Users may also claim any tier underneath what they have won if they would rather have that item. No rewards can be exchanged for cash but we will ship worldwide, even if sometimes those shipping costs hurt. Obviously we do try to make this a bit easier on ourselves when we can but we'll make it work. Rewards and Donation Milestones As previously mentioned, there will be personal rewards to those who participate in the charity drive / holiday auction, as well as stretch goals to hit which will result in rewards for the community as a whole! $500 Community Donations: 2 Uncapped TPE for Everyone $1000 Community Donations: 4 Uncapped TPE for Everyone $2000 Community Donations: PT Doubles Week for Everyone $2500 Community Donations: 6 Uncapped TPE for Everyone yet. $3500 Community Donations: 8 Uncapped TPE for Everyone + @Beketov will once again stream Zoo Tycoon 2 Ultimate and name animals after VHL members. **It is likely that other community bonuses will be added but I need to check through the things offered to confirm them before I mention it, so for now just me** **Disclaimer: Rewards may only be applied to players created on, or before, December 25th, 2024** Let's do this @Members!

@ace_five_ Welcome everyone, We are here for the first season of the VHLM without the VHLE in over 15 seasons. So, this season is going to be really special and different of the other ones. I did the season preview of the VHLE for a couple of seasons and I think I can easily say that this season preview is one of the most difficult one to do. Indeed, the teams are pretty much all similar, so it is really possible that you may disagree with me. #1 Ottawa Lynx With the VHLE now dead, the Ottawa got really lucky and River Harrington @kirbithan and Brandon Petan Jr @sadie, their 2nd and 4th pick overall respectively in the S95 VHLM draft, are back with the team for a 3rd season. In addition of Harrington and Petan Jr, Ottawa can count on two veterans in Ocean Codoller @FreshOceanCod and Masa Akimoto @Hokikeijot to solidify their offensive and defensive core. In the net, the Lynx can count on two really young goalies in Vadlimir Trunov @qripll and Dr Victor von Doom @Garsh who will continue to grow and help the team as the season go. #2 Philadelphia Reapers Just like the Ottawa Lynx, the Philapelphia Reapers got the chance to keep key players, like Youre Not Fucking Retiring @twists and Bret Weier @Quanack, because of the end of the VHLE. Players like Taylor Swift @lilchrist and Wefernardo Mackingikus @vincentlg2007 are going to be really important to make the froward core stronger. In defense, Einar Mathiesen @xsjack and Cody Toland @ctoland102 are without a doubt going to be the quarterbacks of this defense. Onyekachukwu Chidieber Oluwaseun @TenIQ is going to be the veteran presence in front of the net. #3 Mississauga Hounds The Mississauga Hounds are one of the teams with the fewest number of players in their roster. Indeed, with only six forwards and four defensemen, the Hounds don't have a lot of depth player, but at least they can count on solid players. Indeed, Nikita Yolishev @Joel Main and Filip Zinek @FiZi are going to be leaders of the team offensively and Slava Kovalenko @OblivionWalker and Kurt Bachmann @Blutch will lead the team defensively. Bartholomew Lorequavius @jaypc8237 is going to be the man of trust for the Mississauga Hounds to keep the net. #4 Mexico City Kings The Mexico City Kings are probably the strangest team of the VHLM. Indeed, on paper the Kings have the worst offense ofin the league, but also the best defense and one of the best goalies in the league in Chazz Micheal Micheals @Xflexz. The defense of Mexico is led by two of the best defensemen of the league, Alagsantere Groenvold @VattghernCZ and Wadyslaw Mintus @mintusaurus. The only problem of Mexico City I see, is their lack of super stars on the 1st forward line. Indeed, the Kings offense is filled with depth and 2nd line forwards, but if the team can improve their attack, they will be unstoppable. #5 Las Vegas Aces When you look at the Las Vegas roster, it is completely the opposite of the Mexico City Kings. Indeed, the Las Vegas Aces have one of the best offenses and one of the worst defenses, but they slso have one of the best goalies, if not THE best in Deadpanda @Alex. The offense of Las Vegas is led by the veteran Marek Nowaczyk @Chillybro and Kevin OConnor @Luke033. For the defense, it is struggling, but it is also really young and I see the rising stars Albin Aldgard @animal74 and Manuel Ceson @dylanjj37 becoming better as the season goes. #6 Miami Marauders The Miami Marauders are on paper the team with the best depth forwards and this is what is going to help them this season. In addition, the forward core can count on veterans to lead them like Elf shoes @ELF_SH0ES and Anthony Simmons II @Starchychaff. The goaltender Draw Mac @okochastar will have to be really good this season if they want to keep the team in the playoffs race as the defense is very young and will need some support. Narnia Shaw @Dabnad and Dog Jagr @koty_k are both promising players and will continue to improve during the season. #7 Houston Bulls The Houston Bulls are pretty much in the middle of the league at each positions. Indeed, they don't really have any super star, but they can count on some good depth at each position. On offense, Robin Sierra @ethanjaeda and David Vanhousen @David VanHousen will be the leaders of the team and on defense, Scrungle Bungle @Novanod will have to step up as the quarterback of this unit. The situation in front of the net is probably what will cause problems to the Houston Bulls. However, I can still see this team causing some shockwaves this season. #8 San Diego Marlins The next three teams are teams that I don't really see making the playoffs or having a long run in it and that will be in a rebuilding stage this year. In my opinion, San Diego is the only one of the three that I can see causing some surprises. Indeed, they can count on veterans like Jean-Pierre Devote @eagle_3450 and Nicholas Sunderbruch Jr @NickSunderbruch on offense and Blaze Thunderstrike @eaglesfan036 on defense. In the net, they have a really good goalie in Ricky LaFleur @DarkSpyro that will continue to develop and be really good sooner rather than later. #9 Halifax 21st The biggest weakness of the Halifax 21st is definitively going to be their depth players on offense and defense. Indeed, the 21st can still count on some super stars, but the team is only carried by two or three players. Halifax can count on one of the best goalies of the league in Jon Webber Jr @Webberj and I would not be surprised if he steals a couple of games all by himself this season. Boris Bone-Breaker @RileyL will also have to be really good defensively and offensively if they want to have a chance to win some games this season. #10 Saskatoon Wild The season will be long in Saskatoon and I don't see them winning a lot of games in the regular season. However, the team is really young and can count on some rising stars like Brigitta Sandstrom @Acydburn and CJ Daniels @xNJDevilsFanx who will help them in the upcoming seasons. If Saskatoon wants to win some games this season, Drosmis Sarkanis @Mr Bohannan will have to play on top of his head all season long. That’s all for me, thanks everyone for reading, I wish you all a good regular season and see you in another VSN article!

I have energy, I have no need to write anything for TPE, and I can’t be bothered to do any of the VHL-related things that I actually should write about, so here’s a brain teaser my brain gave my brain to figure out today. If I were to outfit 10 VHLM teams with a GM and AGM from my sentient time on this site, who would I pick? This is thinking only about when these members were at their peak, it only includes people who were GMs or REALLY active AGMs. I also thought about picking from each specific franchise, but a few franchises have really lucked out on managers compared to others in my time, and I don’t want to leave too many people out. Oh, and also I’m going to pair them. Sometimes it’ll be people who actually worked together, and sometimes it’ll be people from the same franchise, era, or simply people I think would have or could be great together. -- @Shindigs- @MubbleFubbles This real duo was probably the closest thing we got to a VHL Moneyball, excluding the @fonziGG/@Nykonax MetaBall (huge oversimplification, but I’m trying to be brief!). These 2 saw STHS and the VHLM as a science, and pumped out a ridiculous amount of incredible, 2-way, sim-dominating players, most of which went on to play huge key depth roles for many perennial contenders. Mubbles moved out of the GM position just as I was gaining VHL consciousness, but having talked quite a bit with Mubbles since, and having spent some time in Vegas during that transition, I can say this was an immaculately run ship, and a duo that not many could compete with. -- @Lemorse7 - @Pifferfish These two have been such a core part of the modern day Reapers, and traded the team back and forth for nearly 10 seasons. It was always a 2 pilot team, and matching lemorse’s raw charisma and sim league connections with Pifferfish’s eye for the sim, and unending friends list, these 2 always had a wave of waivers coming in to fill key positions for them, and found a way to counter just about any strategy another team could come up with. They were regular Cup contenders and almost always had an array of award winners. -- @DMaximus - @diamond_ace This is my Best people here but socially distanced duo, and some blasts to my past to say the least. DMaximus was one of my first GMs, right after a quick stop in Spartan’s Vegas. I don’t remember much of it, but it must have been pretty great, considering how far I’ve come since (even if it took a couple years!). He got me to become a Reapers HOF goaltender, and won us a Cup in the process. D_A on the other hand was the VHLM Commissioner that I remember interacting with the most when I first came to consciousness. There was a different air about the VHLM, and boy was it a fun time. Today’s VHLM is better, safer, and probably more effective at it’s goal of retaining players and teaching them to be good VHLers, but it was that era that inspired me to pick up GMing for myself and try my hand at outplaying the other GMs and getting myself and my players to outwork the other teams for victory. These 2 really formed who I am now as a member, and so, not to toot my own horn too much, they must have done a pretty good job. -- @AJW - @Triller This duo taught me everything I know about the power of branding and rainbow flavoured unicorns. Houston was, and really still is, THE place to go. AJ is a ball of charisma, and an incredible mentor. There’s probably an army of people here who would metaphorically die for this man. And he learned the hardest lesson of them all, that winning games and graduating players are not always synonymous, and still came to every season ready to give his all. And the person who facilitated the branding, and well pretty much the entire VHL’s recruitment branding, was and still is, even if he’s semi-retired, Triller. Pairing the elite, professional grade graphics of Triller with the could-be cult leader of AJ made for an all-time duo. -- @LucyXpher - @samx In some ways Lucy and Sam remind me of AJ and Triller. Sam always built a team of people who loved to be there, who were fun, and passionate, and just loved to chat. I could always rely on Sam in the draft to do what it took to bring her players back, and to be fair all of them wanted to go back. Lucy kind of appeared out of nowhere (my favourite kind of members!) and has turned the Halifax image around. They don’t play to be a middling team, and they will outwork you. They are professional, and they take pride in their work. Lucy could have copped out ages ago and poured out unformatted, unedited, rambling drivel like many of us (me too!) tend to do on a weekly basis. We don’t grade, and while that has a huge amount of advantages, it has led to a lower standard of content. But Lucy doesn’t care, and she puts in the work to do things right. Lucy, while a party in her own right I’m sure, is the business in the front, and Sam has always been, while business-savvy in HER own right, the party in the back. They’ve got it all folks! -- @Ricer13 - @ace_five_ Ricer as I’ve sure you’ve heard from me about a million times, has to be one of the greatest GMs to have done it. I have never known so much about my teammates before he managed my player. We talked constantly in Calgary, and that’s exactly the sort of energy that has won Ricer many diamonds in the rough during his latest, and I’d imagine, previous, VHLM GM stints. He knows when to be cutthroat, and knows when to curry favour. ace_five_ is a standout on this list, as a real young gun compared to some of the others. The placement here with Ricer has a lot to do with synergy, and I think the two of them would have, and perhaps could be an elite duo. Ricer always did his best work with a young gun protégé at his side. In fact he did such good work, that many of those protégés didn’t last the season, or where gone the next season, because they got scooped up for other jobs so fast. Ricer has always been able to get the real life out of his players, but ace_five_ is the master of weaving story out of the real life experience. He’s always making fun narratives to post for us on the forum, and uses a variety of media to get it done. This could be the most fun locker room one could be a part of. -- @Frank - @jacobcarson877 Woo shameless plug! Frank pulled me into VH consciousness in S82, and I really haven’t looked back. When he gave me the AGM gig, he never tied me down, or tried to pen me in any direction. He let me take on any project I wanted, and I took on a lot of them, and I loved it! We created huge elaborate draft strategies, which was the only way we survived other GMs like Cole and Shindigs, and Frank was the master of brute forcing every trade we needed. We put together some real superteams, learned so much together, and both went on to have some pretty incredible VHL GM careers. Frank is still in his element, building core after core of players who are ecstatic to play for him just like we did back in the day. Any time you can get 2 great GMs running the same team, each having pretty well the exact opposite set of skills, you’re in for a great one. -- @badcolethetitan - @JCarson The first 2 names on this list were Shindigs and Cole. They were so crucial for me learning everything I did about GMing, were the perfect competition for me every season, and real benchmarks for me when it came to being a better member. Cole turned Mexico into some form of favourite/underdog anomaly, who was always ready to be the best team, or stop dead in their tracks at any second. And timed right, that’s a recipe for some heartbreaking. Cole also got ridiculous earning out of his players, and the team was always bursting at the seams for TPA by the end of the season. JCarson, a few seasons down the line, brings a lot of perspective and maturity to the VHLM. Much like many of the greats from my time and before, he is always pushing the limits, always drilling down to the root of why. Him and Cole both have that experimental nature, and both love to experiment and see what happens. And week in and week out, they’re both ready to make sure everything is in order, and everyone has been accounted for. They both love the mentoring side of VHLM GMing, and they both love winning games. They would be a force to reckon with for sure. -- @Spartan - @dlamb This is the first of my almost-old-boys club entries, and 2 GMs that had a very similar VHL GMing style, and while I wasn’t around much for the time when DLamb was my GM, and I don’t remember much of when Spartan was my VHLM GM, I can imagine what this duo would be like. They’re both fearless, and they both know exactly what their next step is, and what they need to do to win. The only times when these 2 have doubt, is when a bad stroke of luck, or like 7, gets in the way of a perfectly logical answer. Neither have ever been afraid to step just outside the norm, but both knew that letting someone else take the risk of experimenting first let you learn all their lessons without having to experience the growing pains yourself. They both value highly the power of the people behind the players, and know that a few perfect apples defines the bunch. There’s a reason these two pumped out HOF, and award winning players. And in the VHLM it’s not much different. Getting some leaders on your team, forging strong personal connections with them, and letting every iteration improve your circle of allies, means every new person walking through the door has more and more people to engage with, and less and less reasons to leave. By having the best of the best, the ones who exemplify everything it means to be a VHL member at your side, and showing everyone firsthand what they do to accomplish that, makes it so much easier to sit back, and focus on the day to day fiddling that makes up the most of the “GMing” in a traditional sports sense. This team would be an eternal contender, as the pile of picks just keeps replenishing itself. -- @Alex - @Masu Chan And our final duo, and somehow also a contender for the best one, is Alex and Masu Chan. Alex and Masu are both very similar in energy, and they both approach their management through the lens of relationships. They know that trust given is trust given back, and neither have every been afraid to take a chance on a person, knowing full well that they’re going to get a great players back out of it. They’ve taken many a swing at promising first-gens, over the sometimes more likely recreate, and you know what, it doesn’t always pan out. But this would work, because Alex knows how to pivot unlike really any other GM out there ignoring Bana. When Alex flips the switch, there’s a new team in front of him. But usually he has a set of players that are versatile enough to switch tactics without issue, and that’s where Masu Chan comes in. He always kept up with whatever was happening, and was always ready to roll out whatever measure he needed to get the ship back on course. He got waivers up and running in a heartbeat, and they felt at home within hours. They often had a shiny new sig, sometimes coming out as a draft was going on, and never left any of his players out. With a revolving door of players, an ever-dynamic landscape and always a volatile group of new creates to be working with, these two could handle anything the VHLM would throw at them, and with the competition above, that could be a lot! -- Anyways, that’s a bit of a blast to the past, a reminiscing of great times, and a recognition of some of the great attributes that our best and brightest GMs have shown. There’s a lot of lessons to be learned from these great folks and many others, that well have often times been lost as the revolving door of COVID members depart, and the magnitude of active membership declines to a far more reasonable number. Every season is a new game in the VHLM, and it takes the best among us (sus?) to do the job. I hope our existing GMs and prospective GMs are up for the task, and may we find some more GM candidates lurking around our site soon!

1. Calgary Wranglers - Spider Panda - G - 347 TPE S94 Stats: San Diego / Miami (VHLM) – 28 GP, 19–6-2, 0.904 SV%, 2.21 GAA, 2 SO It seemed to be a perfect confluence of team need and top prospect available, with the Calgary Wranglers holding the #1 and #2 picks in desperate need of goaltending and Roger Eagles being the draft’s top-ranked prospect. The Wranglers did indeed take a goaltender, but they went a different direction, taking Spider Panda instead. In hindsight, it does make a lot of sense to see Panda go off the board here, given the previous ties between team and player agency – ultimately, you can’t go wrong with either of the two top goalie prospects. Panda is a very technically sound netminder who split last season in the VHLM between San Diego and Miami after being part of a late-season three-way trade and posted some good but not great numbers. The pedigree here is outstanding, and Panda is as close to a can’t miss prospect as there is. Calgary has their goalie of the future. 2. Calgary Wranglers (from Prague) - Phil Sakic - LW - 358 TPE S94 Stats: Miami (VHLM) – 72 GP, 48 G, 47 A, 95 PTS, +33, 54 PIM, 362 S, 123 HIT Another prospect with excellent VHL pedigree, Sakic projects as a franchise player who can do it all offensively - especially score goals. Sakic’s a great shooter who finished fourth in the VHLM last season with 48 goals and was a teammate of #1 pick Panda for most of the season, as well. His hands are high-end and he’s difficult to knock off the puck while his shot is the stuff of goalies’ nightmares. The Wranglers’ forward lineup will be tough to crack in S95 but Sakic is likely to force his way into the plans for S96 and will be an excellent player to build around going forward. 3. Los Angeles Stars - Roger Eagles - G - 452 TPE S94 Stats: Rome (VHLE) – 60 GP, 32-20-7, 0.932 SV%, 2.50 GAA, 2 SO The Stars had to have been thrilled to have Eagles on the board at #3, a goaltender who was good enough to take on a starting role in the VHLE before even being drafted to the VHL, and good enough to post some pretty solid numbers, too – like an 0.932 SV% and 32 wins. Eagles is VHL ready, he will almost certainly step straight into the league and contend for Rookie of the Year straight out of the gate. His rebound control and reaction time are already VHL-calibre, he’ll just need to work on his movement and aggressiveness playing the angles, which should certainly come as the season progresses. 4. DC Dragons - Konstyantyn Shevchenko - RW - 381 TPE S94 Stats: Mississauga (VHLM) – 72 GP, 50 G, 57 A, 107 PTS, +49, 397 S, 142 HIT Shevchenko is the most advanced forward in the draft at this stage of his career. He’s a true power forward, sporting a 6-foot-7, 214 pound frame and a lethal shot, strong two-way game, and physical edge. For a just-drafted player, Shevchenko’s strength on the puck is uncanny. One thing he will need to work on in a big way at the next level is his skating, but he’s just so talented and nearly pro-ready – it’s not hard to envision Shevchenko as a first line VHLer in the very near future. The Dragons are clearly in a rebuild, so the opportunity will come to Shevchenko right away, and we’d expect to see him start the season on the Dragons roster. 5. Helsinki Titans - Ahsoka Tano - D - 362 TPE S94 Stats: San Diego/Houston (VHLM): 72 GP, 30 G, 62 A, 92 PTS, +17, 201 S, 36 PIM, 111 HIT, 107 SB An offensively-inclined but still well-rounded defender who clearly stands apart from the others in this draft class, Helsinki needed a blueline prospect of this calibre in a big way. Tano is a smooth, fast skater with quick hands, setting the foundation for a truly elite puck-moving game, and is responsible enough defensively despite the 111 hits and 107 blocked shots maybe not completely bearing that out. Their biggest weakness is strength, something that perhaps adding some bulk to their 6-foot-3, 165 pound frame could help alleviate. Tano is not far from playing on a VHL blueline if it doesn’t happen this season, and projects as a surefire top pairing defender in the future. 6. HC Davos Dynamo - David Pastanap - RW - 324 TPE S94 Stats: Houston (VHLM): 72 GP, 39 G, 46 A, 85 PTS, +47, 398 shots, 56 PIM, 116 HIT A strong young core of forwards in Davos gets stronger with the addition of David Pastanap, a pure sniper with a bit of a power game in the way he protects the puck and drives the net (although he isn’t very physical). At this point in the draft the players are a little further away from being VHL ready, but Pastanap should move up to the big squad for S96 and seems like a pretty safe bet to grow into a first line calibre forward at the next level. 7. Los Angeles Stars (from New York) - Samsayz I-Smell - D - 329 TPE S94 Stats: Mexico City (VHLM): 72 GP, 14 G, 72 A, 86 PTS, +27, 233 S, 78 PIM, 131 HIT, 151 SB The draft’s second-best defenseman goes here to the Stars, who need one only slightly less than they did the goalie they nabbed at #3. I-Smell actually plays a remarkably similar game to Tano, both being very good skaters who ooze creativity with the puck. I-Smell ranked 3rd in the VHLM with 72 assists and 3rd in defensemen scoring behind Tano and Donald Carlson with 86 points. Their defensive game stands out as well, and with 131 hits and 151 blocked shots, that translated a little better than Tano’s in game action as well. I-Smell is a very welcome addition to a team whose only surefire defender younger than the S89 draft class right now is Erik Thorvaldsson. 8. HC Davos Dynamo (from Warsaw) - Alphonse Desjardins - D - 277 TPE S94 Stats: Ottawa/Saskatoon (VHLM): 72 GP, 15 G, 51 A, 66 PTS, +15, 150 S, 76 PIM, 183 HIT, 102 SB Davos did need a defender a little more than a forward out of this draft, and while they couldn’t pass on Pastanap at #6, they get their defenseman here in the 6-foot-4, 215 pound French-born Desjardins. While I-Smell and Tano play similar games, Desjardins brings quite a bit of contrast to those two – he’s much more physical and his offensive game is backed more by a heavy shot than speed and creativity. He’s able to use that shot both as a weapon to rip pucks past opposing netminders but also to generate opportunities for teammates, as evidenced by posting 51 assists. Has a little bit of work to do on his positioning, and potentially a slightly longer path to the VHL than the first seven drafted prospects, but Desjardins should be a big contributor at the VHL level one day. 9. DC Dragons (from Vancouver) - Einar Mathiesen - D - 276 TPE S94 Stats: Miami / Las Vegas (VHLM): 72 GP, 18 G, 55 A, 73 PTS, +40, 163 S, 52 PIM, 129 HIT, 104 SB We have a bit of a run on defensemen going here as the DC Dragons snag Einar Mathiesen with the second of their three first round picks. Mathiesen may not quite have the upside of the previous picks but he’s extremely detail-oriented with a responsible defensive game. There were flashes of offense at the VHLM level, too, with 73 points in 72 games last season, though it’s a little uncertain how well those abilities will translate to the VHL at Mathiesen’s current stage. The Dragons have a few future-VHL calibre defense prospects, but Mathiesen jumps straight to the top of that group. 10. Chicago Phoenix - Boris Bone-Breaker - D - 251 TPE S94 Stats: Halifax (VHLM): 72 GP, 14 G, 57 A, 71 PTS, +45, 157 S, 89 PIM, 213 HIT, 90 SB One look at the name Boris Bone-Breaker is all the scouting report you need on this guy. Bone-Breaker is a 6-foot-6, 238 pound behemoth on the back end who loves nothing more than inciting chaos and violence on the ice. Bone-Breaker surprisingly put up 71 points in 72 games last year. That’s largely because he played for a stacked Halifax team, because his offensive game tools are underdeveloped, but you’re not drafting him for that. This is a shut-down defenseman with a mean streak, a player who will intimidate opponents but usually does so smartly and without being caught out of position. 11. Riga Reign (from Malmo) - Tim Robinson - LW - 319 TPE S94 Stats: Miami (VHLM): 72 GP, 39 G, 58 A, 97 PTS, +44, 497 S, 53 PIM, 125 HIT Tim Robinson was the best prospect left (on paper) by far at this point in the draft and it’s a very nice bit of business for the Riga Reign to turn the 11th overall pick into a player with the talent and pedigree of Robinson. He put up big numbers for Miami last season with 97 points and a +44 rating, firing a whopping 497 shots on goal and driving play for the Marauders all season long. Robinson doesn’t have any particular standout strengths or weaknesses, he just does everything well, and it doesn’t hurt that he comes from the agency that once represented Mo Probert, who had a pretty strong VHL career himself. 12. London United - Drosmis Sarkanis - RW - 212 TPE S94 Stats: Saskatoon (VHLM): 24 GP, 6 G, 9 A, 15 PTS, +4, 98 S, 12 PIM, 25 HIT A late entry into the S95 draft class, Sarkanis was picked up late in the season by the Saskatoon Wild and made an impression out of the gate. He finished with 15 points in 24 games and flashed strong skating ability and offensive talent. VHL teams will want to see the defensive game improve and he’s likely at least a couple of seasons away from the VHL, but with Robinson off the board, it’s largely just talented project players left and Sarkanis has a chance to be the best of the bunch. 13. DC Dragons (from Riga) - David VanHousen - RW - 155 TPE S94 Stats: Houston (VHLM): 72 GP, 13 G, 31 A, 44 PTS, +32, 158 S, 65 PIM, 104 HIT With their third of three picks, DC selected David VanHousen, an intriguing but definitely long-range project pick. VanHousen has a well-rounded game but needs to evolve some VHL level skills to further his career. He had a promising start to his career with a 44-point season in Houston and has been consistent in showing improvement throughout the season. Another VHLM season to continue his development is in order and that will probably need to be followed up by a season or two in the VHLE, but if continues his steady progress, he could be a VHLer. 14. Helsinki Titans (from Seattle) - Bret Weier - LW - 196 TPE S94 Stats: Halifax (VHLM): 70 GP, 11 G, 12 A, 23 PTS, +45, 76 S, 40 PIM, 82 HIT Weier stands out for his steady progress and his ability to make some scouts take notice despite being somewhat buried on a stacked Halifax team in the VHLM this season. Despite only posting 23 points in 70 games, Weier was a +45 on the season and has a shot that’s already deceptive and accurate. He’s sure to receive a bigger role this season which will reveal a lot about his ultimate upside, but this feels like a solid gamble to take for the Titans. 15. Toronto Legion - Inker Belle - RW - 177 TPE S94 Stats: San Diego (VHLM): 72 GP, 33 G, 39 A, 72 PTS, +16, 260 S, 28 PIM, 126 HIT The Inkling-turned-hockey player has some flashy numbers – 72 points in 72 VHLM games this season – and is a surprisingly good skater with high-end vision. There are definitely some question marks here too, though, not the least of which is her 5-foot-5, 150-pound frame. Belle also can be a little bit easy to defend in the offensive zone as she doesn’t possess much of a shot. While she hasn’t necessarily been afraid to try to take shots, you’d like to see them be a little more threatening. Though she has a long way to go to reach the VHL, there is plenty of skill here, and you could definitely envision a VHL career if she continues to develop. 16. Moscow Menace - Ozzy Batty - C - 204 TPE S94 Stats: Mississauga (VHLM): 72 GP, 43 G, 71 A, 114 PTS, +35, 380 S, 67 PIM, 133 HIT Batty came out of the gate on fire and put up massive numbers in the VHLM, finishing 3rd in league scoring with 114 points. Obviously, that showcases an elite offensive game but the rest of the package still needs to come around with Batty, who is lacking defensively and only a VHLM-average level skater. Those will be areas to improve on as Batty continues to progress. A player with this level of skill and progress throughout the season could easily have gone higher in this draft – it’s a potentially great pick from Moscow here, who already have a bit of an embarrassment of riches and are also coming off a Continental Cup win. --- 2260 words or so. Claiming for the next 4 weeks. Players mentioned: @Ozzy Batty @WildfireMicro @Quanack @David VanHousen @Mr Bohannan @Tim Robinson @RileyL @xsjack @Anthique @CaptainSB @Jubis @Aimee @der meister @Greg_Di @Phil @Ricer13

@ace_five_ Welcome everyone, Two weeks ago, took place the S94 World Cup of Hockey in Istanbul, Türkiye and six teams battled to win the gold medal and by the same token enter history. The teams were Team Canada, Team USA, Team Western Europe, Team Eastern Europe, Team Nordic and Team World. In this article, we are going to look at each team's strengths and weaknesses and after, we are going to look at the playoffs of the tournament. However, before we start, I would like to thank and congratulate the two World Cup commissioners, @leandrofg and @rory, without whomst this tournament would not be possible! TEAM PREVIEW Team Canada Offense rank: 1st (1175 TPE) Defense rank: 2nd (953 TPE) Goalie rank: 2nd (1041 TPE) On paper, not a lot of teams were going to be able to compete against Team Canada during this World Cup. Indeed, Canada had by far the best offense of the tournament led by Leonard Triller @Triller and Harry Callahan @dstevensonjr. The net was also safe as Merome Dilson @MexicanCow123 and Joel Castle @animal74 separated the task of protecting the cage of Team Canada. The only "weakness" Canada has, if you absolutely wanted to name one, is their defense, but they still have the second best in the tournament. Team USA Offense rank: 3rd (1052 TPE) Defense rank: 1st (1102 TPE) Goalie rank: 4th (786.5 TPE) Once again, Team USA looks really solid on paper and the gold medal was the only good answer for the Americans. The United States also had a really good offensive core with players like Daryl Dixon @Ricer13, Jimi Jaks @ke1vi and Mac Atlas @v.2 . The American team can also count on the best defense of the tournament with Mark Calaway @Beketov, Jacob Stone @scoop and Skor McFleury @Alex. The only thing that I can see bringing the team down a little bit is the goaltenders, but the defense is making up for it. Team World Offense rank: 2nd (1058 TPE) Defense rank: 4th (896 TPE) Goalie rank: 1st (1135 TPE) Just like Canada and USA, Team World had only one ambition and it was to win the gold medal and nothing else. World's goalie tandem, Lachlan Summers @kirbithan and WWWWWWWWWWWW WWWWWWWWWWW @rory, is by far the best in the tournament and they will be tough to score against. They were going to be helped by the forwards Axle Gunner @Steve and Thor Reingaard @N0HBDY who were going to take care of scoring goals. The defense might the only soft point this team has. Team Western Europe Offense rank: 4th (1031 TPE) Defense rank: 3rd (900 TPE) Goalie rank: 6th (559 TPE) Even tough Team Western Europe seems to be a little less good on paper, than Team Canada, Team USA and Team World, they could really cause a surprise and be finish the tournament with a medal. The team strengths are really their forwards and their defensemen with players like, Callum Gary Yannick Janser @Daniel Janser, Sjin @Sjin and The Frenchman @OrbitingDeath . On the other hand, their big weakness is clearly in the net. Team Eastern Europe Offense rank: 6th (892 TPE) Defense rank: 5th (876 TPE) Goalie rank: 3rd (813.5 TPE) Just a little bit under Team Western Europe, we have Team Eastern Europe who could also cause some surprises in the competition. Indeed, Eastern Europe, can count on Wann Kerr @VattghernCZ and Maximim Anisimov @McLovin to lead the team offensively. They also have a pretty good and young goalie tandem lead by Ryan Artyomov @Enorama and Guntis Gavilrovs @Girts on the back end playing the point. What is going to hurt Team Eastern Europe is their lack of depth forward and defensemen. Team Nordic Offense rank: 5th (928 TPE) Defense rank: 6th (729 TPE) Goalie rank: 5th (668.5 TPE) Finally, we have Team Nordic, who in my opinion, started the tournament with the worst team on paper, because of their depth just like Eastern Europe. However, it would be really foolish to count them as defeated before the competition. Indeed, players like FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY Analfist @STZ, Jarmo Ruutu @jRuutu and Raimo Tuominen @SlapshotWrangler can really change a game by themselves if they want. In this tournament, Team Nordic's weaker point is going to be their defense. PLAYOFF RECAP Quarter-finals #1 Team World #3 vs Team Eastern Europe #6 Team World finished 3rd of the round robin tournament and faced Team Eastern Europe in the quarter-finals who finished 6th. Team World won the game 5-3 to gain their place in the semi-final. Yaroslav Trunov @qripll scored a hat-trick and the only three goals of his team in the losing cause. For Team World, Axle Gunner (1g, 2a), Mina @Baozi (1g, 2a) and Severus Targaryen @Banackock (3a) all had a 3-point nights to help their team get the win. Quarter-finals #2 Team Western Europe #4 vs Team Canada #5 The second quarter-final saw Team Western Europe, who finished 4th in the standings, play against Team Canada who had a really disappointing round robin tournament and only finished 5th. However, Team Canada won the game 1-0 and advanced to the semi-final. The big hero of this quarter-final is Merome Dilson. Indeed, Dilson stopped the 27 shots he faced in the game to complete the shutout. The only scorer of the game is Harry Callahan. Semi-finals #1 Team USA #1 vs Team Canada #5 Team USA finished 1st in the standings, so this means that they were facing Team Canada in the semi-final. The game finished 4-3 in second overtime for Team USA. Skor McFleury (1g, 1a), Kronchy Kardashian @Garsh (2a) and Daryl Dixon (1g, 1a) all finished the game with two points. Dixon also scored the overtime game winning goal at 0:40 of the second overtime to give USA their ticket for the gold medal final. With this loss, Team Canada went to the bronze medal game. Semi-finals #2 Team Nordic #2 vs Team World #3 After finishing second in the round robin tournament, Team Nordic faced Team World in the second semi-final. Team World surprised Team Nordic by winning the game 4-1. Lachlan Summers stole the game for Team World by saving 49 of the 50 shots he faced and maintaining a 0.980% save percentage. Three players of team World had a 2-point game, Mina (2a), Severus Targaryen (1g, 1a) and Thor Reingaard (1g, 1a). Bronze Medal Game Team Nordic #2 vs Team Canada #5 For the Bronze medal game, Team Nordic faced Team Canada in a really tight game, but it is Team Nordic who came out of the game with a 4-3 win to bring the bronze medal home. In the game for Team Nordic, Jarkko Laakkonen @Xdjk93 (2a), Jarmo Ruutu (1g, 1a), Kimi Raikkonen @mattyIceman (1g, 1a) and Tord Yvel @Trazan (2a) all had a game of 2 points. Congratulations to Team Nordic for winning the Bronze Medal. Gold Medal Game Team USA #1 vs Team World #3 Finally, Team USA and Team World were the two teams facing each other in the most important game of the tournament, the S94 World Cup of Hockey Gold Medal Game. Team World ended up winning 3-2 in overtime to win the Gold. In the victory, Severus Targaryen (1g, 1a) scored 2 points, including the game winning goal at 12:46 of the first overtime period. To finish, I would like to congratulate Team World for their Gold Medal and Team USA for their Silver Medal. That’s all for me, thanks everyone for reading, I wish you all a good season and I will see you in another VSN article!

CIA’s Long, Undoubtedly Wrong S95 VHL Mock Draft It’s that time of year again! Yes, sure, the finals where we see if Moscow can finally break through or if Toronto gives me a bunch of prediction points. But even more than that for 14 other teams: We’re almost to another year of the VHL Draft! Whenever I write this intro, I always explain that I’m going to be wrong and you shouldn’t take what I have for gospel. This year, that’s especially true for one main reason: The lottery hasn’t happened yet because Moscow doesn’t have a lottery pick this time because it’s going to happen after the playoffs. As a result, not only are the picks wrong, but the order is going to be wrong as well. Naturally, Davos has received the first pick each of the past two seasons, so if past performance is a predictor of future success, they’re going to once again for this season. But without knowing that for sure, I’m keeping the lottery odds as they are right now. I’m also putting Moscow’s first as the final pick, because I want to provide even more locker room material because it’s fun. Undoubtedly there will be even more trades in the lead-up to the draft as well, perhaps even some already agreed upon, but that won’t be reflected here. As always, if you’re a draftee going lower than you think you should (or in one particular case, because I didn’t agree with your desire to go last overall), it’s because I hate you personally. With all of those caveats out of the way, let’s get into some picks! TPE totals are accurate as of me writing this on Wednesday, July 17. 1. Calgary Wranglers (from Prague): G Roger Eagles, Rome Gladiators, @Greg_Di - 378 TPE Certainly, there are some platitudes I could write about how Prague wishes it could have this pick, and they’d be true. But in the first conveying to Calgary, it turns what would have been a straightforward selection into a more interesting one. By pure TPE, Eagles is far and away the top prospect on the board. But Calgary made an early season run this past year with S91 goalie David Slezak in goal, and in doing so reenergized Slezak to at least earn 5 points a week. And while S91 is certainly a bit older than the S95 Eagles, he’s also young for this roster - the only two projected starters next season that are younger are forward Miner VHLer and defenseman Carson Tripp. So would Calgary go need with a Shevchenko, Sakic or Teno over Eagles? I say no, because top goalies are so rare - but I don’t think it’s an open and shut case, either. 2. Los Angeles Stars: G Spider Panda, San Diego Marlins, @Ricer13 - 280 TPE This one, however, I think is a bit more open and shut. Last season, in L.A.’s first true draft post-tanking, the team invested heavily in both forwards (Phantom, Pombo, Lose) and defense (Thorvaldsson). But particularly with the impending retirement of Matthew McCagg, no goalie in the prospect pool above 150 TPE, and not owning their own S96 first, I’d think that L.A. will be looking to go for one of the top two goalies at all costs. Even if they don’t get Eagles, Panda has star potential of their own and would be a worthy #1 overall pick in some drafts. I think the more interesting thing for L.A. is what they’d do if they fell in the lottery and couldn’t get either Eagles or Panda, and my guess is either Teno or even trading the pick to bring in a more veteran goalie. 3. D.C. Dragons: LW Phil Sakic, Miami Marauders, @Phil - 305 TPE The Dragons have the third pick over Helsinki by “winning” the tiebreaker (which of course means having fewer regulation wins), and their reward is their choice of all the non-goalies on the board. And that’s good particularly for D.C., where S93 goalie Herald Benson is looking like a steal but they have no other rotation players younger than S92. It’s always good to start a rebuild with a star forward, and the choice between Konstyantyn Shevchenko and Phil Sakic could be truly interesting. Both have similar TPE counts, are long-time members of the VHL, are quieter on the boards but put in the work, and even have similar scoring-centric builds. I’m giving it to Phil not based on too terribly much, but I don’t think you could go wrong either way. 4. Helsinki Titans: D Ahsoka Tano, Houston Bulls, @aimkin - 296 TPE Sitting in the four slot means that the Titans could really be sweating this one out. Because while the Dragons could really go any number of ways, I’d guess Helsinki is really focused in on one area: defense. The Titans have four rotation forwards S91 or younger (assuming Dassler re-signs, which you never know) and an S94 goalie ready to come up in THE MIGHTY ICE WIZARD, but outside of Donald Carlson who may be spending a year or two in the VHLE, there aren’t any long-term defensemen around. Tano has been vocal that they are busy and won’t be achieving full practice time, but even so, the success of former goalie Jesse Tano is persuasive. I’ll say the Titans take the plunge with Tano regardless to be the core defensive player of the future. 5. HC Davos Dynamo: RW Konstyantyn Shevchenko, Mississauga Hounds, @der meister - 315 TPE After three seasons of a deep rebuild, the Dynamo have re-stocked the cupboards and are ready to make a leap. Now in the building are a number of young prospects across the board, including three S94 draftees in Felicia Hardy, Johnny Tsunami and Matteo Stefano, all of whom could be up in the VHL next season. So it makes sense to me for Davos to go best player available, and luckily there’s a great one on the board in Shevchenko. While Davos does currently have a glut of forwards and Shevchenko might seemingly be fighting for a second line slot with a prospect like Steve French, I think if you’re Davos, you take the top-earning talent and let the rest shake out later. I could also see Samsayz I-Smell as an option if they wanted to go defense, but… well, let’s talk about that. 6. Calgary Wranglers: D Samsayz I-Smell, Mexico City Kings, @CaptainSB - 281 TPE I’m fully aware that I-Smell desperately wants to go last in the draft. I respect it honestly, as someone who is in full support of subverting narratives and trying something a bit different. Some teams may provide I-Smell that wish, and I think it would take a gutsy team to select them earlier. But when you have Calgary sitting there with a second lottery pick, a new star goalie already selected in this mock, and a desperate need for young talent - I could certainly see them taking the swing here. And I think it’d be a good swing, because I-Smell would be ready to come up right as regression really begins to wallop a ninth-season Stauffer, and they could be on first line defense for Calgary as soon as S96. 7. New York Americans: RW David Pastanap, Houston Bulls, @Jubis - 271 TPE I’m not really in the business of predicting trades, but this is one that I could certainly see moving. New York is ready and desperate to win now - and with both Tommy Shelby and Chris Reynolds Jr. ready to graduate from the VHLE, they could conceivably already have the same full roster for the next couple of seasons. But excepting that, if New York keeps the pick, I think the best available forward makes a lot of sense. Pastanap will be a bit of a slow build due to welfare, but Jubis is a VHL veteran who will be around for the long-haul and can grow into a solid supplementary forward for the franchise. 8. HC Davos Dynamo (from Warsaw): D Alphonse Desjardins, Saskatoon Wild, @Anthique - 222 TPE With their second first round pick, I see the Dynamo going the opposite direction of whatever they did the first time. If they land someone like Tano at #5, I think they’d want to go forward here, likely Tim Robinson. But in the case of going forward in this mock draft, then I think defense makes a whole lot of sense to potentially pair alongside Felicia Hardy in the future. Although Mathiesen is the top player by TPE here, I think a little bit of history will go a long way - the only other player from the agency, Alfred Champagne, spent their first six seasons in Davos and won a title with the franchise. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Davos bring home the newly crowned VHLM champion defenseman here. 9. D.C. Dragons (from Vancouver): D Einar Mathiesen, Miami Marauders, @xsjack - 237 TPE It’s a similar story here to what I said about Davos just a pick ago: Depending on whether they go forward or defense at #3, I’d expect the inverse here. As a result, the pick is a fairly straightforward one with Mathiesen. Although the agency has had three prior players and hasn’t had much success since Jack Lynch, Mathiesen’s training regimen so far has inspired confidence that they could be the best of the bunch. And it’d be a welcome pick for D.C., who desperately needs young talent in front of Benson and has a long rebuild ahead to help Mathiesen grow into a top-flight player. 10. Chicago Phoenix: LW Tim Robinson, Miami Marauders, @Tim Robinson - 265 TPE The playoffs didn’t end the way Chicago wanted, falling to Seattle in Game 7 of the quarterfinals. But the upside is the chance to bring in who honestly I think would be the steal of the draft in Tim Robinson. The agency’s only other player was an underrated Mo Probert, who reached 1314 TPE with stints in both Malmo and Helsinki. With Probert’s solid play and a workmanlike training regimen so far, I could see Robinson going as high as 6. But with Chicago seeing the growth of former 5th overall pick UghSike start to stagnate, they certainly wouldn’t argue a forward with star potential still here at 10th overall. 11. Riga Reign (from Malmo): D Boris Bone-Breaker, Halifax 21st, @RileyL - 228 TPE It was doubly positive for the Reign to knock out Malmo in the quarterfinals, because not only did Riga advance, but they helped out the first round pick they own! The reward is a true defensive defenseman that wants to rattle some cages: Boris Bone-Breaker. While Bone-Breaker has trained primarily defense so far, they did have some solid playmaking with Halifax this season in a way that could potentially translate to the next level. With Skor McFleury staring down retirement and Ray Stanton’s growth stalled, a talented young defenseman like Bone-Breaker would be very welcomed in Riga’s system. 12. London United: RW Drosmis Sarkanis, Saskatoon Wild, @Mr Bohannan - 178 TPE The new GM for the United is going to have some tough decisions to make - namely, whether to try and fight for one more season after mass retirements in the forward corps, or to start the rebuild. If it’s the latter, this is an important pick to nail. Sarkanis is a recent entrant to the draft, having only played 24 games for the Wild in the regular season, but already they’ve set themselves apart as a consistent presence on the practice pitch. While it may take two seasons for Sarkanis to be VHL-ready, that timeline would be just fine for a London franchise that may have some lean years ahead. 13. HC Davos Dynamo (from Riga): D Ronan Amnon, Mexico City Kings, @Breeze837 - 152 TPE The Dynamo would be in an interesting spot with this pick, their third of the first round. So with a little bit of wiggle room following two picks at the top half of the round, why not swing for the fences? Only the second first gen player selected thus far, Amnon is been a bit inconsistent in earner - some weeks with full practice, other weeks only collecting the Practice Facility paycheck. Even investing in weekly welfare would help Amnon become a potential steal almost immediately, and putting them in a strong locker room structure like Davos could help unearth a future pearl. 14. Helsinki Titans (from Seattle): C Ozzy Batty, Mississauga Hounds, @Ozzy Batty - 181 TPE Ozzy Batty’s agency has been a first round pick before, with Otis Boudreaux Jr. going ninth overall to Los Angeles in S89. But from there, it was a lot of hopping around - four teams in four seasons in the VHL, none of which were his draft team in L.A., before ultimately retiring from Calgary at the end of this past season. Will Batty prove to be more consistent? He’s showing signs so far, with an astounding 114 points for the Hounds this past season. If the Titans were to provide a more stable home than Boudreaux Jr. ever had, Batty could turn out to be a steal. 15. Toronto Legion: G Bartholomew Lorequavius, San Diego Marlins, @jaypc8237 - 162 TPE The Legion would seemingly have one more season of contention before a rebuild, but they have a major problem: star goalie Joel Castle is about to retire. Behind him, S91 goalie Toddly Boddly was the backup this season, but he’s not a long-term solution. And the Legion don’t have a single goalie in the prospect pool. That just shows how dangerous the long-term outlook is in goal for Toronto, but Lorequavius could help solve some of those woes. A late entrant to the draft, only getting 25 games in San Diego, Lorequavius has already established a consistent practicing pattern with a few weeks of max practice hours. While he wouldn’t be an immediate solution to Castle, Lorequavius could provide a way to hand off the Legion to a new era when the rebuild comes up soon. 16. Moscow Menace: RW Inker Belle, San Diego Marlins, @WildfireMicro - 150 TPE I remember when I was in the S80 draft with Booberry, I was very engaged in the other draftees and who would turn out to be good. And at the time, I would have told anybody that I’d bet Armani Calamari, from then-first gen WildfireMicro, would be the steal of the draft. It kind of turned out: five seasons and four playoff runs of solid, if unspectacular, production with Toronto before stalling out. But after that were a couple of false starts in three-season forward Logan Foley and S93 forward Loona Buckzo, who never even got drafted. Will Belle reverse the trend? I think the raw talent is absolutely there, and in a successful organization like Moscow, I think they’d be able to get the most out of Belle’s potential.

In cooperation with Tribal Gaming, the VHL Virtual Bookie is providing a chance for all VHLers to win some favorable wagers, by wagering on the predictions for the season 94 awards. This is completely separate from the prediction on the portal and the only one getting TPE from this media spot is the Virtual Bookie, so you still need to place your predictions in order for a chance for TPE. But, this is a great opportunity to pick up some virtual riches from a very generous VHL Virtual Bookie. A word of advice though; the Virtual Bookie does not have much success with actual predictions on the portal, so if you want to win some TPE on the prediction portal, consider choosing the opposite than what the Virtual Bookie has picked out for you to wager on. There is no limit to your wagers, just reply and all wagers will be processed. Remember, the minimum wager is 100. Just think, you could be the Virtual MoneyMaker!! Good luck. Continental Cup - VHL Cup Winner Moscow Menace - (+24000) Wager 100 to win 24000. Moscow is a consistent playoff threat and is due to come out on top. With a fierce lineup this season, GM @Spartan is looking to come out on top and give the Menace the trophy. Seattle Bears - (+33000) Wager 100 to win 33000. The season 93 Continental Cup Champion is destined to repeat by some, but others have put Seattle behind Moscow, but still this could be a valuable wager considering Seattle’s depth and the interesting trades by GM @Banackock. Vancouver Wolves - (+48000) Wager 100 to win 48000. GM @Frank, has placed Vancouver in serious contention for the Continental Cup and with these odds, it could be the pick of the league. Adding The Frenchman, @OrbitingDeath , to the offense, and Mark Calaway @Beketov to the defense are likely to be the catalysts to set the Wolves up for a successful season. Both Frenchman and Calaway are likely to be taking home other awards as well. Add Logan Ninefingers @Scurvy, and Riley Martin @Smarch in the mix and it bolsters the award opportunity. Victory Cup - The Best Regular Season Record This trophy has the oddsmakers in a whirlwind as there are so many teams who could take this trophy home but in the end it was a look at the schedule and the conference that locked in the odds for the makers. London United (+18000) wager 100 to win 18000. With Leonard Triller, @Triller, and Wann Kerr, @VattghernCZ, scoring goals and Merome Dilson, @MexicanCow123, in goal, London is likely to have many winning streaks, putting them as the favorite. Seattle Bears (+25000) wager 100 to win 25000. Face it, Seattle is stacked again this season. Seattle’s schedule is a little tougher than London’s which gave them the added payout. If Daryl Dixon, @Ricer13 and Severus Targaryen, @Banackock mentor newly acquired Eric White Jr, @Mysterious_Fish, Seattle may be a lock for this trophy. Moscow Menace (+48000) wager 100 to win 48000. Normally Moscow has more success as the underdog, but in season 94, Moscow finds a roster full of studs able to compete. Jarmo Ruutu @jRuutu, and Axle Gunner, @Steve, are going to be leading Moscow’s offense. Be on the lookout for George Richmond, @badcolethetitan, as he’s in his second season in the VHL, and is likely to put up trophy winning numbers. Devon Marlow-Marta Trophy - North American Conference Champion Seattle Bears - (+12000) wager 100 to win 12000. Seattle is looking good this season. The oddsmakers aren’t willing to risk too much. Vancouver Wolves - (+22000) wager 100 to win 22000. There’s a whole lot of talent on this team to think they don’t have a good chance of leading the conference. Toronto Legion - (+36000) wager 100 to win 36000. The oddsmakers are putting Toronto on the list given the unbelievable forwards in GM @Moon lineup. Terence Fong Trophy - European Conference Champion London United - (+17000) wager 100 to win 17000. Sticking with the Victory Cup odds, it appears that London is a shoe in for the Terence Fong Trophy and the oddsmakers aren’t willing to offer higher odds. Moscow Menace - (+21000) wager 100 to win 21000. This is a good bet if London starts out slow, because Moscow is going to be a consistent threat. Warsaw Predators - (+59000) wager 100 to win 59000. Here’s a long shot and a good bet for those who like to take risks. The oddsmakers are giving Warsaw a shot because of forwards like Maxim Anisimov, @McLovin, and Thor Reingaard, @N0HBDY, but most of all because of goalie Lachlan Summers, @kirbithan. Scotty Campbell Trophy - Most Valuable Player during regular season Leonard Triller @Triller - (+33000) wager 100 to win 33000. Leonard Triller has been consistent in the past 3 seasons and its not likely for this to change. With a high wager, the bettor is sure to get a large payout. Severus Targaryen @Banackock - (+45000) wager 100 to win 45000. Severus Targaryen is another high scorer and contributor to his team. The oddsmakers are giving bettors a teaser with this wager. Riley Martin @Smarch - (+90000) wager 100 to win 90000. This may be too soon to put Riley Martin under this much pressure, but with the recent addition of The Frenchman and Mark Calaway, Martin is sure to reach an unprecedented level and therefore the oddsmakers were willing to risk the high payout. Brett Slobodzian Trophy - Most Outstanding Player voted for by the players Wann Kerr @VattghernCZ - (+25000) wager 100 to win 25000. Coming off a career season 93, it is likely that season 94 will be even better for Kerr. The Frenchman @OrbitingDeath - (+37000) wager 100 to win 37000. Going to Vancouver with such a high pedigree, The Frenchman is looking to lead the Wolves to a successful season. Axle Gunner @Steve - (+62000) wager 100 to win 62000. This is the Brett Slobodzian long shot, although the odds are more favorable than Logan Ninefingers, its still reaching and is a good bet for the risk takers. Daisuke Kanou Trophy - Most Valuable Player in the Playoffs Olober Syko @Spartan - (+45000) wager 100 to win 45000. There’s a good possibility for Moscow to win the championship and in doing so they will need a stellar performance from the all-star Olober Syko. Just have to keep Spartan out of traffic, not because of his driving, but other idiot drivers! Fuukka Rask @Jubis - (+58000) wager 100 to win 58000. The oddsmakers are keen on goalies winning this trophy in the playoffs, and nothing has changed with this pick. If Seattle wins it all, it will be Rask’s major contribution. Liv Slater @Subject056 (+82000) wager 100 to win 82000. Here’s another long shot that could lure only the riskier bettors, but given Slater’s outstanding history in the playoffs, it could make someone very rich. Mike Szatkowski Trophy - Points leader in regular season Wann Kerr @VattghernCZ - (+12000) wager 100 to win 12000. In season 93, Kerr crushed the points and there is nothing the oddsmakers see that will change this. The only reason the odds are what they are is because the new pool of challengers could fool us all. Leonard Triller @Triller - (+42000) wager 100 to win 42000. The oddsmakers see this as a value bet considering if Wann Kerr isn’t putting up the points as in season 93, then Leonard Triller will be, not to mention the combination of the two just adds to this favorable bet. The Frenchman @OrbitingDeath - (+49000) wager 100 to win 49000. This may seem like a long shot to some, but the oddsmakers weren’t willing to offer more due to The Frenchman’s exceptional talent and going to a new team with a scoring punch, it makes this bet more attractive. And because The Frenchman spends little time in the penalty box, its a given he’ll spend more time scoring. **Bonus Wager Offer** Tribal Gaming has authorized a bonus wager offer. Wager on this if you believe there will be a tie for points leader. It doesn’t matter who the players are. Two way tie - (+240000) wager 100 to win 240000. If you have 100 to spare, this is a no brainer bet. Three way tie - (+800000) wager 100 to win 800000. Now this wager is only for those who can afford losing. Kevin Brooks Trophy - Goals Leader at the end of the season Owen Lazaro @traphag - (+48000) wager 100 to win 48000. The oddsmakers are throwing a bone to the bettors with Owen Lazaro. When you look at Lazaro’s goal scoring history and you add the new teammates, there is only one outcome. Owen Lazaro’s goals go off the chart! Wann Kerr @VattghernCZ - (+55000) wager 100 to win 55000. Here’s another opportunity to cash in. There is no doubt Wann Kerr will put up some numbers to repeat. The oddsmakers see Kerr as a dish master this season and making fewer goals in exchange for more assists. This future hall of famer is going to make people rich. Mac Atlas @v.2 - (+87000) wager 100 to win 87000. This long shot is alluring to the risk takers and could be a good pay out. The oddsmakers like Atlas’ shots on goal numbers and is anticipating that Mac Atlas could put the puck in the net a lot more this season. Alexander Beketov Trophy - Assist Leader at the end of the regular season David Jokinen @Ahma - (+42000) wager 100 to win 42000. David Jokinen has been a true team player his entire career, and continues to provide laser passes to goal scorers, thus the oddsmakers have determined Jokinen to be the favorite for this trophy now that John Jameson @frank retired. Bobby Bob @Baby Boomer - (+62000) wager 100 to win 62000. Bobby Bob is another team player who prefers to let others score and there’s some scoring talent on Toronto that make this wager ripe for easy winnings. Logan Ninefingers @Scurvy - (+91000) wager 100 to win 91000. Only the most knowledgeable bettors will wager on this long shot, and the oddsmakers know that. They are willing to put up the lucrative odds due to the additions of serious goal scorers to Ninefingers line, which gives Logan the opportunity to show off his team play. If you’re looking to win some TPE, this is a good pick in the predictions also. Sterling Labatte Trophy - Top Overall Defenseman in the VHL Skor McFleury @Alex - (+58000) wager 100 to win 58000. Skor McFleury has been eyeing this trophy for a couple seasons, and now that he’s on a new team, there’s a good chance for him to succeed. Already famous for his assists, McFleury likes to put his body at risk and block shots. The oddsmakers are enticing bettors with such a high payout for this pick. Mark Calaway @Beketov - (+61000) wager 100 to win 61000. The oddsmakers aren’t willing to bump the odds much higher than McFleury’s in order to attract more bettors to Mark Calaway. Calaway is also on a new team and is a complete player. Given the strengths of Mark Calaway, its obvious that this could be a promising bet. This is another prediction pick that could give you TPE. David Jokinen @Ahma - (+65000) wager 100 to win 65000. Jokinen, like Calaway and McFleury, is a top defenseman and the oddsmakers are keeping things real without offering a long shot in this category. There is just too much talent in Jokinen that gives some allure to this bet for some easy winnings. The oddsmakers really like David Jokinen and with only two seasons remaining, they hope this future hall of famer breaks records. Alexander Valiq Trophy - Top Offensive Defenseman Bobby Bob @Baby Boomer - (+50000) wager 100 to win 50000. The oddsmakers like this pick because Bobby Bob puts up impressive numbers offensively and is a major contributor to the team. Given a solid season 93 performance, there’s a good chance Bobby Bob jumps all over the scoring in season 94. Skor McFleury @Alex - (+56000) wager 100 to win 56000. Skor McFleury has yet to let up and the oddsmakers would be remiss in putting McFleury in the running. With a stacked list of all stars, this pick, like Bobby Bob, can only guarantee a good opportunity to score TPE as well. Liv Slater @Subject056 - (+61000) wager 100 to win 61000. This pick is another hot defenseman, and given the added strength to the Wolves lineup, the oddsmakers could have easily listed Slater as the favorite. Given the three choices to win some bets, any of the three could fatten the wallet. As far as TPE goes, there are still several more potential defenders who could win the award. Jake Wylde Trophy - Top Defensive Defenseman David Jokinen @Ahma - (+32000) wager 100 to win 32000. This wager is a guaranteed win. David Jokinen has every bit of talent to hold onto this trophy and the only thing preventing him from getting this is if another defender breaks out with a record season. Told Yvel @Trazan - (+62000) wager 100 to win 62000. Told Yvel is coming off a decent season and the oddsmakers have some inside knowledge that this is a break out season for Yvel. They have made the wager attractive enough to bring in plenty of action and are not afraid of saying “I told you so” when Yvel wins the trophy. Tommy Sleeves @dasboot - (+87000) wager 100 to win 87000. If there is a long shot that makes the oddsmakers worry about multiple payouts this is the one. Tommy Sleeves is a monster and has spent the past crushing opponents. This season could be the “record” season to bump Jokinen right out of the running. You risky bettors, dont be afraid to go big with this bet. Aidan Shaw Trophy - Top Goalie in the VHL Olober Syko @Spartan - (+48000) wager 100 to win 48000. In order for Moscow to win it all, which they most likely will, Olober Syko is going to have a hall of famer season. This goalie is talented, competitive, and like his Moscow GM, very crafty. The oddsmakers debated over pushing the odds a little lower to be safer, but in the end decided to give bettors a huge opportunity to load up. Fuukka Rask @Jubis - (+60000) wager 100 to win 60000. Fuukka Rask is another legend in the VHL. This wager is a clear enticement for bettors to pick up some easy winnings. Rask has had a stellar career and there is nothing stopping him from another trophy. Dalkr Vidalssen @KaleebtheMighty - (+95000) wager 100 to win 95000. The numbers are not wrong here. The oddsmakers see this goalie as a long shot and have given the riskier bettors an opportunity to cash in. Vidalssen is now surrounded by an incredible defense and top goal scorers; this is sure to give him a boost to go above and beyond for the team. Take advantage of the oddsmakers’ generousity on this wager. Greg Clegane Trophy - Lowest Goals Against Average in the VHL Merome Dilson @MexicanCow123 - (+52000) wager 100 to win 52000. The new VHL Simon T adjustments are not having a big impact on Dilson, and this goalie is capable of keeping the puck out of the net. Some might not like the odds on this wager, but there’s a reason for such a low number, its the confidence the oddsmakers have in the selection. Lachlan Summers @kirbithan - (+55000) wager 100 to win 55000. You dont get odds like this by not being a star goalie, and there is no doubt that Summers is a star. The oddsmakers aren’t willing to consider what surrounds Summers as a factor in the odds, because time and time again, Summers has proven he can handle his own. Olober Syko @Spartan - (+67000) wager 100 to win 67000. This is another big teaser for the big bettors. Olober Syko is going into the season in peak shape and will keep the puck out of the net. The only thing keeping Syko from having lower odds is that opponents just don’t bother shooting at him much because he saves the puck with ease. This teaser bet is also a good pick in the prediction for TPE. Christian Stolzshweiger Trophy - Top Rookie in the VHL Antonia Bucatini @CowboyinAmerica - (+45000) wager 100 to win 45000. This trophy is so unpredictable which increases the odds, but Bucatini has prepared for this and is the favorite by many. Consider this wager an easy bump in your wallet and don’t be afraid to increase your wager. In addition, this is likely the favorite for the TPE in predictions. Wayne Gretzky @MubbleFubbles - (+68000) wager 100 to win 68000. If there is a good pick to challenge Bucatini for this trophy, its Gretzky. Coming out of the VHLE with awards, there is no doubt Gretzky is in the running. If his new teammates take him in and show him the way, Gretzky could be the one to take the trophy from Bucatini. The oddsmakers have bumped up the odds on Gretzky to even the score. Lucy Leitner @LucyXpher - (+84000) wager 100 to win 84000. The oddsmakers looked to the VHLM and the VHLE to come up with this selection. There is promise in this rookie and the oddsmakers see a high value wager for Leitner to surprise Wayne Gretzky and Antonia Bucatini to win this award. For those who aren’t afraid of being risky, wager more than the minimum. It only benefits the winners. **Bonus Wager Offer - Once again Tribal Gaming has thrown out a teaser for the more experienced bettors, and here it is. Only the riskiest will take this challenge. Maverick Goncalves @leandrofg - (+99000) wager 100 to win 99000. This is a true long shot who can overcome the odds and make the riskiest bettors richer. Goncalves has nothing to prove and is expected to come into the league to learn, but because he has nothing to prove, it only means he is going to show the world their is a reason he is one of the best. If you want to become rich, wager more than the minimum on this one. Scott Boulet Trophy - Top Two-Way Forward in the VHL Harry Callahan @dstevensonjr - (+62000) wager 100 to win 62000. The oddsmakers put Callahan the favorite for this award because he’s not afraid to get physical. Callahan, like his namesake, looks opponents straight in the eyes and challenges them to out muscle him. If you’re looking for some easy winnings, go big on this bet. Owen Lazaro @traphag - (+69000) wager 100 to win 69000. Here is another tough guy who can contribute to his team. The oddsmakers have taken into account Lazaro’s new teammates and factor in that Lazaro is going to have a record breaking season. Sit back and watch this monster stack up the numbers. Logan Ninefingers @Scurvy - (+84000) wager 100 to win 84000. Its not because I’m Ninefingers IRL friend, but yeah, that’s probably the reason the oddsmakers have bumped him into this category. Ninefingers has a history of battling and being a blue collar hockey player. And with Rip Wheeler joining his team, Ninefingers won’t be distracted on getting the opportunity to smash his face. This is a high value wager. David Knight Trophy - Top General Manager London United @jacobcarson877 - (+75000) wagerj 100 to win 75000. The oddsmakers are struggling with this trophy, therefore have raised the stakes to promote action. Nevertheless this GM is steady and puts lineups in that compete day in/day out. Given the high odds, this is an encouraging wager if you want to become rich. Vancouver Wolves @Frank - (+81000) wager 100 to win 81000. The offseason moves by Frank have given the oddsmakers some awe and thus the placement into the running. Perhaps the last minute acquisition of Rip Wheeler could have adjusted the odds one way or another, nevertheless a high bet on this one will put your kids through college. Moscow Menace @Spartan - (+83000) wager 100 to win 83000. A number of GM’s could be selected in all three of these selections, but it was the remarkable trades giving Moscow the first two picks of the season 94 entry draft that gave Spartan the edge. Given the amount to win, this is another easy pick for making you rich. Dustin Funk Trophy - Most Improved Player Behrens Minion @UnknownMinion - (+55000) wager 100 to win 55000. The oddsmakers are taking a chance with this selection because they like what Minion has done as a rookie. Minion is a hitter and is bound to increase scoring stats to go with the aggressiveness. Look for Behrens Minion to triple his stats across the board in season 94. Catia Goncalves @cLoWn - (+67000) wager 100 to win 67000. This could be the spoiler for the Dustin Funk Trophy. Goncalves is a hitter like Minion, and has improved every season. The oddsmakers see this as a risky bet. Adi Dassler @BOOM - (+85000) wager 100 to win 85000. The oddsmakers are always thrown off with Boom’s signature graphic, and have decided to give Adi Dassler some credit where credit is due. Dassler may not be the physical player like Minion and Goncalves, but Dassler can put up points. Like Minion, the oddsmakers expect Dassler to triple the points in season 94. 3490 words

VHL Top Stories Bears Barreling Up Seattle has made a push to the top of the standings this week, gaining 5 spots. They are now within 4 points of the Calgary Wranglers. The Bears had the best goal differential this week, scoring 49 while only giving up 30 in their last 12 games. This push was lead by Daryl Dixon @Ricer13, Eric White Jr. @Mysterious_Fish, and Severus Targaryen @Banackock, who scored a combined 63 points. Lopsided Streaks Seven teams were able to win at least 7 games over the last 11-13. This creates an interesting, dynamically changing standings. We are still early in the season, and this type of shuffling reinforces that every team in the league has a chance. mmrs617's VHL Stars of the Week Owen Lazaros @traphag (VAN) - LW - Lazaros lead the league in assists and points this week with 17A and 23P. They jumped up 74 spots in the overall player rankings to join the top 20 WWWWWWWWWWWW WWWWWWWWWWWW @rory (NYA) - G - They went 9-3-0 this week and were able to push their GAA under three. Tommy Sleeves @dasboot (HSK) - D - Defensive defenseman Sleeves was a +6 over their last 12 while adding a whopping 75 hits and 33 blocked shots. VHLE Top Stories The Storm Continues Oslo continues to struggle through 22 games. They've almost matched their total losses from last season (20). The Storm are the only team so far that is not seen some amount of success. If they want to stay in playoff contention, they are going to have to make some changes. Battling at Both Ends of the Track The Cologne Express have an impressive goal differential to start the season. They are leading the league with a difference of 20 goals more than any other team. Rookies Maverick Goncalves @leandrofg and Soju @Frank have dominated so far, leading to the early success. mmrs617's VHLE Stars of the Week Steve French @Seabass (BRA) - RW - French has made quite the splash since being traded to Bratislava on June 3rd. He scored 19 points in 12 games, 18 more than his first 10 games with Rome. Pierre Marc Bouchard @Gaikoku-hito (BRA) - C - Bouchard lead the league with 24 points over the last 12 games, 5 more than any other player. He was able to rise to first in the league in points and goals over that time. Andrew Skilton @ace_five_ (BRA) - D - Skilton rounds out an all-Bratislava star showing. This week, he achieved top ten in 6 categories: assists, points, penalty minutes, hits, shots blocked, and minutes played. VHLM Top Stories Stone Wall at the Pier There must be something in the water in Halifax, as goaltender Jon Webber III @Webberj has been on another level. The 21st earned points in every game this week and have only allowed 34 goals all season. Webber III has a 1.54GAA in his 18 appearances, significantly less than any other starting goalie. The House Doesn't Always Win The Las Vegas Aces are struggling this season, to put things mildly. Although they received their first win this week, it's hard to see the bright side. The Aces have given up 113 goals so far, 17 more than any other team. GM @McLovin has a massive hill to climb, but he definitely has the know-how and determination to prepare for future years. mmrs617's VHLM Stars of the Week Robin Sierra @ethanjaeda (HFX) - C - Sierra was able to top his performance last week, leading the league in goals (16) and points (31). They are on pace for 147 points this season. Ozzy Batty @Ozzy Batty (MIS) - C - Batty saw 25 points this week with 6 on the power play. Batty has show great leadership on a rising Mississauga team. Dorji Khan @Oddpurplefly (HFX) - LW - Khan lead the league in +/- over the last 12 games, showcasing their two-way capabilities. Halifax will be a tough team to beat if Khan continues in this way.

This seems to be something that I am looking at every season now and the big reason is due to the fact that I have always struggled with Rookies when it comes to predictions so what better way to help myself but also help the community by taking an open look at the rookies every season. Last season Vancouver Wolves iced the most rookies with seven and hoped that they would make a huge play-off push but, in the end, fell a bit flat missing the play-offs; ended up trading two of the seven rookies this off season bring in a more veteran line-up. This season HC Davos Dynamo will be the rookie hot spot with four rookies entering their line up but two make the list that I am about to share so let take a look at Rookies entering the new season…. 1. (S93) C - Antonia Bucatini Let`s call this woman what everyone already knows about her as she is clearly an Italian mare as she enters the season more built like a second year forward with 644TPE. Antonia Bucatini @CowboyinAmerica will be a threat to score for HC Davos and will be looking to crack the 40-goal mark for the first time in her young career. I was a bit concerned with Davos only strength around this rookie forward but with Grimgor Ironhide @FrostBeard(S92 Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy) and veteran Sadie St-Louis @sadie beside her likely on the first line. She should be one of the front runners for the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy this season. 2. (S93) LW - Gianfranco Del Rocco If Bucatini is a mare than Gianfranco Del Rocco @Victor is clearly the Italian stallion. If he was joining any other team, I would have him right at the near the top of the list for rookies that might win the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy, but joining the veteran and defending Champions means he will likely see limited touches on the second unit. Doesn`t mean he won`t score his usually thirty plus goals as he has done the past two season in the VHLE and the VHLM but it might be a bit tougher. Add in the fact that Seattle is also lacking a bit of star power on the back-end could see the Bears struggle to move the puck to the offensive minded forwards. Del Rocco and the Bears will be interesting to watch this season. 3. (S92) C - Wayne Gretzky The much-broken Wayne Gretzky @MubbleFubbles finally makes his debut with the New York Americans. The forty – forty man should be in a very similar situation as Del Rocco as New York is looking to be a top team in the North American conference this season so Gretzky will likely find time on the second unit behind Jasper Davis @Josh. He should still be able to produce but maybe not at his former pace in the VHLE and VHLM. A lot of this will also be determined by who New York finds as the sixth forward and the chemistry that he might find with his line mates. 4. (S93) D - Lucy Leitner Lucy Leitner @LucyXpher will need to find the devil within if she is going to have a say in the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy at the end of the season due to the fact that she is likely going to be paired with future HOF Skor McFleury @Alex; will I have no doubt that these two will find good chemistry, I suspect that McFleury will be the one racking up the points; if either of them do. Not to mention Riga offense might struggle this season with their forward ranking being towards the bottom of the league. I hope that Leitner proves me wrong and can get back to the point per game pace she had in the VHLM with the Bulls. 5. (S90) LW - Jussi Jokinenegg Jussi Jokinenegg @HearnNation67 will try to find his inner Jari Kurri but missing his very own Wayne Gretzky likely means this pass first Finnish player might struggle to find points on the rebuild Prague team. If he can find some chemistry with veteran LeBen Aky @Ben_Reformed than both players might have a career season but with another pass first forward likely on the same line I am concerned about who will finish for the Finnish player!! 6. (S93) RW - Annie Oaks Another rookie making their debut for the Vancouver Wolves is Annie Oaks @Noodle Enjoyer as she is the eighth in the past two seasons but she is joining a much different looking team compared to when the other joined. Vancouver has loaded up on veteran players to aid the chances of making the play-off this season and this might see Oaks playing down the roster a bit depending on line combinations but she should have an opportunity to put up huge points regardless of where she lines up in the Vancouver line-up but she struggled in the VHLE last season with the Express so I would expect a bit of the same this season. 7. (S93) D - Gul Dukat One man`s villain is another man`s hero and Toronto Legion will hope that this is a case when it comes to Gul Dukat @MSouthworth as the defensive minded Cardassian; not to be mixed up with the kardashian. Don`t expect Dukat to put up significant numbers to be consider for the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy but should be a welcome member of the Legion beside Bobby Bob @Baby Boomer or Walter Fitzroy Jr. @Moon. Watch for Dukat name in a few season in discussion around the Jake Wylde Trophy if he can add a bit more physical side to his game. 8. (S93) D - Benjamin Abenduct Moscow Menace will hope that Benjamin Abenduct @Schnee doesn`t abdicate his defensive responsibilities in chasing the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy as another defense first defender makes the list. Surprisingly Abenduct has had success in the VHLM and the VHLE with at least a point per game player; could he be the surprise player that we almost always see come out of nowhere to have their name at least mentioned in the ROY conversation? Abenduct should have plenty of chances this season to put up points playing along side either Obuz Schneider Canet du Bocage @Grape or Leif Reingaard @Zetterberg on what should be a contending team this season. 9. (S93) LW - Forum Content The second of the four rookies from Davos Dynamo and last mentioned in this article is a player that should generate a ton of content in Forum Content @frescoelmo. While I expect Content to struggle this season as they head up what is likely the second line in Davos this season; if they find chemistry with other members of the team, they might just surprise a few as they look to regain the form that they had in the VHLM when they paced themselves to 105pts season. While 100pts might be out of reach; a 50pts season would be more than impressive and generate even more interest in Forum Content. 10. (S93) LW – UghSike Chicago Phoenix will hope that this offensive player won`t sike you out!! Ugh! I cannot believe that I used that!! If UghSike @UghSike can find chemistry with veteran Francesco Mancini @GioSivo or raising star Joshua Schwarzer @Velevra than I expect this player might be in the conversation for Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy by season end, not to mention maybe even pushing Chicago higher up the standing and into play-offs. He is my long shot for the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy and will be worth really watching as the season progresses. So that is a look at the ten of the nineteen rookies that will make their debuts in hopefully a few days when the VHL season starts so did this help you with your predictions and who do you think will win the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy? Either way comment below and let me know what you think of this season rookie class….

My submission this week is in the form of a website: https://vhl-card-template.sqnnet.dev/ Incoming context text to go along with my graphic that might count for a PT all on it's own, LOL At any rate-- I've been in talks with a few people regarding hockey cards, which has been a really nice development overall. We have a crazy talented pool of graphic makers here, so much so that it kinda puts me to shame. One of the greatest problems we'd face when it comes to making a large-scale card collecting or pack opening platform is the sheer amount of time required up front in order to generate the cards. Jersey swaps, text swaps, team logo and potentially color swaps, etc etc would all need to be performed in order to give each player their own card, which would require a lot of man hours. So, being a (now formerly, as I move into DevOps) professional full stack developer, I figured I'd try to create a little something unique for my graphic submission this week. Rather than just putting forth a graphic, I've created a little proof of concept website that allows anyone with an image of their own to create a card in my recreated Fleer template within seconds. As an example, I went ahead and put my most recent graphic of @Spade18's player, MacGregor Walcott, into the site: Admittedly, I should have used an image that would have fit better within the aspect ratio of the card, but I don't want to re-do an entire jersey swap for the time being. I also do notice a little artifact on the right side of the card, looks like a possible issue with the library I'm using for the "Save As PNG" button, because the card doesn't appear that way in the image preview. That can easily be cropped out, though, for easy use in signatures. When the stakes are a bit higher than just making a quick proof of concept, I'll investigate that and see if I can't clean it up a little bit. The resolution for the card is deliberately locked because you motherfuckers insist on throwing 1920x1080 wallpapers in your fucking FORUM SIGNATURE WHICH TAKES UP 15X THE SPACE YOUR POST DOE-- ahem, I digress. This, though, serves as a kind of soft test for what could be accomplished somewhere down the line. It's a little bit of spit, duct tape, and chip clips behind the scenes to keep the output looking pretty, and I'm sure complexity would be far greater when working on more detailed templates, but I feel like it's a great start toward adding some QoL/worldbuilding features to the VHL if we ever care for them. In my mind, that could potentially include: Allowing people to upload an image or image URL, and displaying a (possibly unique per season) card just like this on their player page These could also be collected or snapshotted to show a "collection" of cards from a season Generating cards for some kind of pack opener/card collection minigame Providing new users a quick and easy "first graphic" that helps bring them into the world of the VHL Not to mention, the possibilities for expansion: Applying an animation to said cards to flip them over, revealing stats and maybe a short, customizable biography Creating special variants of cards to commemorate career milestones, highlights, award wins, etc Encouraging members to upload their own templates or designs, driving engagement and rewarding those with something that will impact the entire site This is just me coming up with things from the top of my head, though. Feel free to play around with this and let me know what you think!

Hi everyone, as the offseason is coming to an end, let’s take a look back at each teams offseason, recap all the moves, and signings, and look at how each team will enter the next season! North American Conference Calgary Wranglers Acquired: Yaboi Oven @Doomsday Boris Bone-Breaker @RileyL Jean-Pierre Devote @eagle_3450 S98 2nd (x2 – 21, 24) S100 3rd Moved Out: Leif Reingaard Carson Tripp S100 1st S100 2nd Free Agency: None Draft: 21 – C. Barbre @The Wreckening 24 – V. Martinez @bigdolla Grade: B Calgary had just a very tidy offseason, 1 huge trade gives them both a top defensemen for the short term, and a top young player, only concern would be replacing Oven next season, but for now it was a very well done and simple offseason for the Wranglers. Chicago Phoenix Acquired: Jacob Smith Jr @jacobaa19 S99 2nd S99 3rd S100 1st (2x) S100 2nd (3x) Moved Out: Karol Lamb Vanuza Kolesinka Spanish Moon Moth Lionel Collberg YaBoi Oven Jean-Pierre Devote Boris Bone Breaker S99 4th S100 3rd Free Agency: Eno Velvson @Nykonax Draft: 22 – J. Harle @James Harle Grade: A Chicago had a very good selling offseason and probably one of the best in the league when you consider that they really didn’t have much to sell. The focus on the S100 draft is a great place to start and build for the next generation. D.C. Dragons Acquired: Yaroslav Trunov @qripll Leif Reingaard @Zetterberg Dan Jr @Danzo S98 1st (3) Moved Out: S98 1st (2x – 12, 13) S98 2nd (2x – 21, 24) S99 1st S99 2nd S100 4th Free Agency: Nikita Yolishev @Joel Main Draft: 3 – T. Bob @Baby Boomer 5 – A. Martinez @SleepyPlayz Grade: B- D.C. deserves a round of applause for their draft trade where they just fleeced London for 3rd overall! However, they have set up a very difficult goaltending situation moving forward with 2 young prospects and their current starter (Benson) signed for 3 more seasons creating a long-term issue. Los Angeles Stars Acquired: Bret Weier @Quanack S98 2nd (23) S99 2nd Moved Out: Hater Tottingham Free Agency: None Draft: 20 – Pick forfeited due to violation of spirit of competition rules 23 – F. Moneygang @Max77 Grade: F Moved out a solid prospect for an older one with a considerably lower ceiling, did gain 2 draft picks but those likely won’t materialize into much given the limited depth of upcoming drafts. While the roster does have young players coming up, larger pieces could have been moved to help move the rebuild along and speed things up. New York Americans Acquired: Guntis Gavilrovs @Girts UghSike @UghSike Moved Out: Wayne Gretzky S99 3rd S100 4th Free Agency: None Draft: 6 – R. Mantzz @Rkhockey9 8 – T. Hughes @tinafrombobsburgers Grade: A+ New York did very well this offseason and may have just done everything right, they gain a much needed 2nd elite defensemen, and arguably won the draft. Very clean work for the Americans and they go into the season as a favourite in the North American Conference as a result. Seattle Bears Acquired: Slava Kovalenko @OblivionWalker Bric Sheithaus @Oldhead91 S99 1st S99 2nd Moved Out: Vladimir Trunov Theo Allard S98 3rd S99 2nd S100 1st S100 2nd S100 4th Free Agency: None Draft: None Grade: B Seattle’s recent plan of trading picks for established prospects continues to work well for the defending champs. The Trunov/Allard trade likely could have gone better for Seattle (given further Trunov trades), but at the end of they day a very good offseason from DA BEARZ! Toronto Legion Acquired: Spanish Moon Moth @Renomitsu S100 3rd Moved Out: Wayne Shotzky S99 2nd S99 3rd Free Agency: Raimo Tuominen @SlapshotLegion Toby Kadachi @ROOKIE745 Draft: None Grade: B+ Toronto had a very good offseason, while the roster did get older, they managed to extend their window another season without sacrificing their impending rebuild which looks like it will start off with the S100 draft. It is also worth mentioning that the Legion did very well in free agency to land the top 2 available players. Vancouver Wolves Acquired: Wayne Gretzky @MubbleFubbles Lionel Collberg @Masu Chan Dog Jagr @koty_k S99 2nd S100 1st Moved Out: Guntis Gavilrovs Matteo Stefano S98 3rd S100 2nd Free Agency: None Draft: None Grade: C There’s a place called cap hell, and Vancouver is there. Going into the season with a very limited roster seems to be both a good and bad thing for the Wolves and their success is likely dependant on their ability to use their remaining cap space to improve the roster later in the season. European Conference HC Davos Dynamo Acquired: S98 1st (4) S99 3rd S99 4th S100 4th Moved Out: Grimgor Ironhide UghSike Armas Jortikka Borat S98 2nd (25) S99 2nd S99 3rd S99 4th S100 4th Free Agency: None Draft: 4 – Gingy @MexicanCow123 9 – S. Sheppard @GoodLeftUndone Grade: A+ @Pifferfish aided with grading for Davos (I’m bias). Davos’s offseason was a very easy one as they had some great cap management with the Ironhide trade, and with that the draft went as well as it could have as they landed 2 of the top 5 players in terms of TPE. Helsinki Titans Acquired: Karol Lamb @dlamb Vanuza Kolesinska @chikn Martin Kemp @leafsman Grimgor Ironhide @FrostBeard Philip Rave @tcookie Jorgen Lovstrom @Pifferfish Conference Prince-de-Galles @UnkemptCL4PTP Wayne Shotzky @Kenamatic S98 2nd (25) S98 3rd S98 4th S99 2nd S99 3rd S99 4th S100 3rd S100 4th Moved Out: Piston Maicupp Austin Goulet III Bric Sheithaus Maple Dogwood Matthew Highmore Elf Shoes Kurt Bachman S98 1st (4) S99 1st (2x) S99 2nd (2x) S100 1st S100 2nd Free Agency: None Draft: 16 – D. A. Malkovich Sr @AColdCanadian 19 – whiteknight @shaun1979 25 – K. Chi @AW13 28 – X. Dumont @Xavier Dumont 29 – C. Rowsonet @Coleman23224 32 – K. Fugel @STLblues77 Grade: D+ Helsinki had a weird offseason, they bought while the existing roster was nowhere ready to compete, and as a result their window is suddenly really short. While most trades on the surface didn’t go well, they did manage to hit the Lovstrom trade straight out of the park! London United Acquired: S98 1st (13) S99 1st S99 4th Moved Out: S98 1st (3) Jacob Smith Jr Free Agency: None Draft: 13 – L. Mancini @GioSivo 19 – N. Sansoe Jr @Tipskid97 31 – J. Stilevbeks @jpach52 Grade: D London was doing really well by just doing nothing this offseason, letting the young players grow, and just being patient. However, they left a lot of people scratching their heads as they moved the 3rd overall pick in a strong early part of the draft for a clicker/welfare+ prospect and a future 1st round pick from a playoff hopeful team. IF that pick ends up in the lottery and wins it’s a huge win, but if it doesn’t it will be very difficult to look at this trade as a win. Malmo Nighthawks Acquired: Kurt Bachman @Blutch Hater Tottingham @Trunkxolotl Elf Shoes @ELF_SH0ES Matthew Highmore @NineIQ v2 Austin Goulet III @Tuchy Piston Maicupp @MandyManiac Armas Jortikka @Kavadar S98 1st (2x – 1, 12) S98 4th S99 1st (2x) S99 2nd (2x) S99 3rd (2x) S99 4th S100 4th Moved Out: Lucy Leitner Martin Kemp Bret Weier Phillip Rave Jorgen Lovstrom Conference Prince-de-Galles Vlad Von Carstein S98 2nd (23) S98 4th S99 2nd S99 3rd S99 4th S100 3rd Free Agency: Robin Sierra @ethanjaeda Draft: 1 – C. Copia @Beketov 12 – B. Joe @ScottyP Grade: B+ Malmo got a lot for Leitner, more than anyone would have expected, which really set the offseason off with a bang. Outside of that trade they did acquire probably around 2 prospects with a decent long-term outlook, but other than that starting out a rebuild building around the S98 and S99 draft classes could be very tough, when the depth of the classes is rather limited. Getting Copia is a huge win, however, Lucy will be put to the test as they try and build around them. Moscow Menace Acquired: S99 2nd Moved Out: Tommy Shelby Free Agency: Carson Tripp @Cartripp14 Draft: 14 – M. Walcott @Spade18 30 – H. Elsetronningen @Albifon Grade: B+ Moscow did borderline, essentially nothing, extended key pieces, and did a overall very good job of managing the cap in a season where it could be their last before a minor re-tool. Overall, a very good offseason, just not much to talk about for the Menace. Prague Phantoms Acquired: Lucy Leitner @LucyXpher Matteo Stefano @mmrs617 S98 3rd Moved Out: Dog Jagr S98 1st (1) S98 2nd (23) S98 4th S99 2nd (2x) S99 3rd S99 4th S100 1st Free Agency: Filip Zinek @FiZi Draft: 7 – A. Bridges IV @Oatex Grade: D If Helsinki buying was confusing, Prague buying is perplexing. Trading 1st overall was a weird one, and while they did get a good top end player, they have 2 players who will be better in 2 seasons. Patience would have paid off huge for Prague, however, they did do a couple things really well, and as a result they are still trending in the right direction, but will likely have a similar season to S98. Riga Reign Acquired: Maple Dogwood @dogwoodmaple Vlad Von Carstein @Dom Tommy Shelby @Will Theo Allard @InstantRockstar S99 2nd S100 4th (2x) Moved Out: Dan Jr S99 1st S99 2nd S100 3rd Free Agency: None Draft: None Grade: B It’s tough to quantify Riga’s offseason as they were very limited in what they could do. With that being said they did do a good job to stay competitive for one last season before hitting the reset button after S98. Warsaw Predators Acquired: S99 2nd S100 1st S100 2nd Moved Out: Slava Kovalenko Free Agency: None Draft: 2 – P. Venkman @Josh 10 – Z. Trokker @Peace 11 – J. Kovar @MichkovSzn 15 – R. S. M. B. F. Me @Gaming Ringleader 17 – K. El @Viper 26 – D. Novak @tworivers 27 – D. Pasta @Agito Grade: C+ The Kovalenko trade for Warsaw essentially just pushes their timeline a few more seasons down the line, however they did do very well in the draft, and should be looking to pick up a top goaltending prospect in the near future or the next draft to round out their future core. Season preview coming tomorrow! 1600+ words

An actual prediction of the S98 VHL Standings and more NA Conference 1) New York Americans (6-4-1) Star players: George Richmond, Callum Gary Yannick Janser, Guntis Gavilrovs, WWWWWW 2) Toronto Legion (6-4-2) Star players: Andrew Skilton, Raimo Tuominen, Konstyantyn Shevchenko 3) Calgary Wranglers (5-4-2) Star players: Adi Dassler, YaBoi Oven, Spider Panda 4) Seattle Bears (5-4-1) Star players: Eric White Jr, Forum Content, Lazlo Holmes, Giorgiy Costanov 5) D.C. Dragons (6-4-2) Star players: Brandon Petan Jr, Leif Reingaard -- 6) Los Angeles Stars (6-3-2) Star players: Wally Lose, Roger Eagles 7) Vancouver Wolves (4-3-1) Star players: Entire roster essentially #8 Chicago Phoenix (5-0-2) Star players: Joshua Schwarzer, Ryan Artyomov (had to use #8 over the 8 ) as it becomes an emoji) Description: Oh man, we've got a spicy NA this time around. At the top I feel like it's fair to say that for the regular season, the New York Americans and Toronto Legion should be the best. They've got complete rosters on paper and they're most likely going to create some separation between themselves and the rest of the teams. This is a prediction for the regular season and not playoffs, so keep that in mind. Calgary and Seattle I feel like should probably make it in as well, as although they don't have complete rosters, they're almost full and will be able to add at the deadline most likely. The 5th spot is the most interesting, because you've got a team like DC or LA who has almost, or has, a complete roster, while Vancouver is running a very heavy TPE lineup but will have holes everywhere. Vancouver is putting all their eggs into one basket, hoping their top lane can basically carry them every game and the bots don't get scored on much. At last we have Chicago and it shouldn't even be close, they don't have a defenseman and should basically get ran over every game. Chances to make playoffs: NYA: >99% TOR: >99% CGY: 75% SEA: 70% DC: 50% LA: 30% VAN: 20% CHI: <0.1% EU Conference 1) HC Davos Dynamo (6-4-2) Star players: Antonia Bucatini, Gianfranco Del Rocco, Felicia Hardy, Mina 2) Moscow Menace (6-3-2) Star players: Jarmo Ruutu, Maverick Goncalves, Obuz Schneider Canet du Bocage, Jillian Woods 3) Helsinki Titans (6-5-2) Star players: Grimgor Ironhide, Phillip Rave, Jorgen Lovstrom 4) Riga Reign (6-4-2) Star players: Kimi Raikkonen, Axle Gunner, Severus Targaryen, Red Panda 5) Prague Phantoms (6-4-2) Star players: Erik Thorvaldsson, Matteo Stefano, Lucy Leitner -- 6) London United (7-3-2) Star players: Alagsantere Groenvold 7) Malmo Nighthawks (6-2-1) Star players: None #8 Warsaw Predators (3-1-2) Star players: None Description: It's good to see this time around a lot of EU teams actually buying and trying to make playoffs. Last season, Prague was able to slip into the playoffs with 48 points and it seemed that was the trigger to get a ton of teams to start competing. At the top, I feel like Davos and Moscow have a bit of a gap on the other teams in terms of raw firepower and roster building. They should be towards the top, kind of like NA where they should be a playoff team almost 100%. As for the next couple teams, I think there's a very good argument for Helsinki, Riga, and Prague to all get into third place and avoid the wild card game. All these teams are fairly close in skill and it's just going to come down to the sim at the end of the day, but I think they should all make the playoffs. Up next, we have London who is really the only team that could end up potentially knocking a team out of the playoffs, but with no real star player and a younger roster, I think they'll have to wait another season before getting in. Then you have Malmo and Warsaw who are at the bottom and not really looking to compete, instead competing for first overall. Warsaw by far has the worst roster in the league and will most likely have the best chance to secure the puck. Chances to make playoffs: DAV: >99% MOS: 95% HSK: 90% RIGA: 90% PRG: 85% LDN: 10% MAL: <1% WAR: <0.1% League Tier-List: S-Tier (Contenders): New York Americans, Toronto Legion, HC Davos Dynamo, Moscow Menace A-Tier (Playoff team): Seattle Bears, Calgary Wranglers, Helsinki Titans, Riga Reign, Prague Phantoms B-Tier (Playoff hopefuls): Vancouver Wolves (someone save this team) C-Tier (Mid): London United, Los Angeles Stars, DC Dragons D-Tier (Not good currently): Malmo Nighthawks F-Tier (Tanking and not trying to win): Warsaw Predators, Chicago Phoenix Top 5 Skaters: 1) Maverick Goncalves Short Description: In my eyes, Goncalves is the best player in the league. He is coming into his fourth season and already looks to be a HOF player for the Moscow Menace. As long as he continues to produce around what he has been doing, he should be the best player in the league. I think there's a couple players that could maybe play better than him due to the team they're on, but hands down Goncalves is the best. 2) Logan Ninefingers Short Description: Ninefingers will have his hands full this season, but because of the players he's playing with, I could honestly see him not being a top five player at the end of the season. He's going to be with players who are equal to his skill or slightly worse, meaning a lot of his points will be drained away and he won't have a crazy season. He should still be 100+ points, but I don't think he'll crack much over 100. 3) Antonia Bucatini Short Description: Bucatini is coming off a 100 point season and should be one of the main driving forces with Del Rocco on this team. They're going to play off each other and there isn't too many cooks in the kitchen, I could see Bucatini winning some awards, or Del Rocco. They're both exceptional players and 100+ points should easily be within Bucatini's reach. 4) Gianfranco Del Rocco Short Description: You could flip flop Bucatini and Rocco if you want, because they're going to be one of the best duos in the league. They're extremely talented and honestly, like Bucatini, a 100+ point season should be expected. This duo should be able to carry Davos far and if they don't, you're gonna be scratching your head asking some questions. 5) Jillian Woods Short Description: The first defenseman on this list, however, justified for sure. Jillian Woods is going to do a lot of heavy lifting for the Moscow D core, as they've only got three defenseman currently. Regardless, Woods has some great forwards and I could easily see Woods in the 90-100 point mark, maybe even dropping 100+. I don't think it's unrealistic to say so and that should be their goal. Top 3 Goalies: 1) Jorgen Lovstrom Short Description: I think it's no doubt that Lovstrom currently is the best goalie in the league, especially since his performance last season. He's going to have to put up crazy numbers this season as his D core is weaker, but Helsinki is relying on their goaltending to be able to shore up the weaknesses on defense. 2) WWWWWW Short Description: WWWWWW has a very high chance at bringing home some hardware this season, with a very good D core with Janser and Gavilrovs. The only issue is that he might not see them too much, as they're going to take a fair amount of penalties. Regardless, WWWWWW already is one of the best goalies in the league and this season he's got all the tools to win it all. 3) Soju Short Description: Soju will have his hands full and this guy might put up some absolute insane numbers. I mean, he's got a decent forward core, but he essentially is doomed on defense and will have to put up numbers we've never seen before to make the post-season. I think if he does this, he will be a lock for GOTY. Team with biggest "Boom" factor: D.C. Dragons: The Dragons have quietly built themselves a full roster, which not many teams have been able to do. Are they stacked with talent, no, but they've got players to be able to play up and down the lineup as needed. NA currently has a lot of teams without full rosters and DC could find themselves in a wildcard spot if the sim goes their way. Who knows, after that they could end up buying and making some noise in the playoffs if team's are willing to sell for cheap. Team with biggest "Bust" factor: Vancouver Wolves: This team literally could be the story of the off-season. I mean, they've got a bunch of star players but are strapped with cash and are forced to run an incomplete roster. Either this team slides into playoffs and it is kind of expected, or they miss and they're essentially screwed. They need to sell off a top player somewhere so they can fill out the rest of their roster, but who knows. Maybe they wait till TDL to make that move and are hoping to stay in the race until then. 1500+ words

Hello! This is going to be all over the place FYI I am going to give a bit of a run down my history in the league and then get into the news... I joined the VHL back in S80. This was a really rough time in my life as some family stuff issues were happening and I needed an escape and I stumbled across the league from a Thrash94 video. I signed up, created a player and signed with the Minnesota Storm which was run by @Laine and AGM @youloser1337. Justin (Youloser) was an amazing help and taught me a ton about the whole league. Going to jump forward to the Junior Showcase Tournament. This was I believe the first JST ever and @youloser1337 had the honor of running the Royals? I think it was the Royals... and he had asked me to be the AGM which I was super excited for so I accepted, I actually think I was camping at this time. I vividly remember joining VC and @frescoelmobeing in there.... just a random memory. ANYWAY.... We had run the Royals through that tournament and then Justin ended up getting a GM job in Mexico City and He had asked me to AGM for him over there which I was certainly willing to do.. About halfway through that season I ended up getting a GM job for the Houston Bulls which I think only lasted 2 seasons then I essentially handed the team off to my AGM at the time @Arce. I then AGM'd for Arce for a decent bit I think? I then ended up scooping up another team in S85 the Ottawa Lynx and that job didn't last long. In S86 I applied for the Warsaw Predators General Manager position. The position was filled and found out they hired @N0HBDY.... Not long later I was offered the General Manager position in Toronto which I was happy to accept! I knew I had some big shoes to fill but with some encouragement I knew I could do it which I think I did. In my 10 seasons in Toronto I had achieved: 1x Continental Cup, 1x Victory Cup and 3x Devon Marlow-Marta Trophy. I would like to thank @animal74@v.2 @dstevensonjr for everything they have done these last few seasons! You guys have been so incredible to work alongside, we built some of the greatest teams in Toronto History in my opinion. I'm really not sure how you guys put up with me for so long.... I would also like to thank all of my friends for everything the last 16 seasons, you know who you are. I will be around the VHL still just maybe not as much. Also guess I should thank @Acydburn@Beketov & @Josh for running this league for however long.... get a life.. With all that being said I am officially announcing that I am I endorse @dstevensonjras my replacement . Thank you everyone. -Moon

The Calgary Wranglers are one of the most storied franchises in the VHL. One of the original eight, the Albertan team found success early on and used its status to win ten Continental Cups to this day. Having a jersey retired with this franchise and being inducted into the team's Hall of Fame is a feat worthy of celebration. Today's induction is particularly special, not just because it honors a career marked by exceptional talent and leadership but also because it recognizes a legacy that has long deserved this moment in the spotlight. This induction is more than just a formality. It's recognition of the dedication, special moments, and influence that extends beyond any simulation. The individual player we honor today has exemplified excellence and embodied the values and passion that define the Calgary Wranglers. As we look back on the storied career of this remarkable person, we celebrate their accomplishments and the indelible mark they've left on the team. Our all-time regular-season leader in hits, shots blocked, and tied for all-time regular-season games played with Sterling Labatte. Please join me in retiring the number 92 and welcoming Phil Strasmore, @Phil, to the Calgary Wranglers Hall of Fame.

MY S94 VHL AWARD BALLOT FULL DISCLAIMER: I wrote most of this prior to awards being announced but had not finished it in time prior to them being revealed. So keep that in mind while reading. It’s that time of the year again…and frankly one of my favourites….AWARD SEASON!! Listen, for some it’s probably not as exciting but I love the debate, controversy and most importantly, the joy that comes from the lucky recipients. As I did last season, I wanted to provide my award ballot for those selected for the S94 VHL Awards, as voted on by the Board of Governors. This year, I decided to include the All-VHL Teams as well as the All-Rookie Team, just to add a little bit more transparency into my thinking. Without further ado, let's take a look at my S94 VHL Award Ballot, starting with the Most Improved Player. --- Dustin Funk Trophy (Most Improved Player) - Raimo Tuominen @SlapshotWrangler S93 Statistics: 72 GP, 30 G, 35 A, 65 P, +7, 93 PIM, 100 Hits, 4 GW S94 Statistics: 72 GP, 56 G, 64 A, 120 P, +38, 41 PIM, 149 Hits, 13 GW Let’s start off with an award that always seems fitted with a bit of controversy. Whether it is the person chosen, what the award stands for or even getting all the right candidates, this award has had a ton of incredible winners including eventual Hall of Fame talents like Tarik Saeijs @frescoelmo, Ryan Sullivan and Matt Thompson @Beketov…and many more. Some candidates I wanted to shine a light on before getting to my pick to win the Funk Trophy include Eric White Jr. @Mysterious_Fish, of the Seattle Bears, who stepped it up this season increasing his point total from 80 to 109. He went from being a solid accessory forward to a top line, to someone that finished 5th in assists and 10th in points in the entire VHL. I had to look at Darko Alexander Malkovich @AColdCanadian as well, with his drastic improvement from Season 93 on Chicago to Season 94 on Los Angeles. The defender went from 5 goals and 18 points to 12 goals and 65 points, and while his plus/minus took a hit, Malkovich improved his physicality and was fifth in the VHL in blocked shots. His team definitely wasn’t of the same quality, but Malkovich still was a driving force for the Stars. Finally, Merome Dilson @MexicanCow123 had a much improved Season 94 after being traded by the Wranglers to the London United. While the goalie improved significantly, jumping eleven points in SV% and sporting a .40 better GAA than his previous campaign, I just couldn’t justify voting for him when he has had far better seasons (MVP and Top Goalie in S92). For me, that’s not in the spirit of the award which to me is to recognize someone that didn’t just improve, but also made significant strides in finding themselves as a player. This year, I felt the choice was fairly easy for me, as it deserved to go to someone who truly improved across the board. Raimo Tuominen, of the Calgary Wranglers, rode a hot wave that the team had, and kept it going throughout the entire season, despite what was a colder finish for the Albertan squad. Tuominen would almost double his goal total to finish second in the league, while also being number three in total points and improving his physicality while drastically reducing the number of penalties he took. Most importantly, he became a clutch player that finished the season in fourth in game-winning-goals with 13. Tuominen made up one half of one of the most feared 1-2 punches in the VHL, alongside winger Catia Goncalves @cLoWn. They went back-to-back in Season 90 and are both coming off seasons that will find each of them in this media spot as an awards recipient (spoiler for later). --- David Knight Trophy (Top GM) - Jacob Carson @jacobcarson877 S94 Statistics: 51-15-6, 108 P, +84 DIFF, 1st in EU This is probably one of my least favourite awards to vote on, and I have really never made that a secret. One that I have won six times when I GM’d back for the New York Americans and the Stockholm Vikings, but also is miraed in a ton of controversy itself and is one of the only awards that seems to get consistent award cases made by the candidates for themselves (hi @Banackock). This year I really didn’t have a great idea of who I wanted to vote for. Even in the Board of Governors, it seemed a lot of us shared that opinion, with there not really being a main candidate (multiple people even had originally put forward their opinion of @Spartan - who ended up not even being on the final ballot, likely due to the underperformance of his team this season (remember this is sadly a regular season trophy, so while the Continental Cup is a great indication of the team’s strength, it ultimately wasn’t part of the decision). @Lemorse7 (RIG), @Frank (VAN) and @badcolethetitan (CHI) all were part of the conversation, but ultimately I went in a different direction for the David Knight Trophy. Jacob Carson, of the London United, were my eventual decision. He helped propel the United to the best record in the European Conference, at 51-15-6 for a EU best 108 points. While they finished just short of the Victory Cup, Carson used multiple trades and acquisitions in order to avoid a rebuild and giving them another shot this season, all while adding an elite goaltender in Merome Dilson @MexicanCow123 that made substantial improvements over the previous season. The best part is he did this without sacrificing too much in the long run, leaving the United in a positive situation going forward. --- Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy (Top Rookie) - Antonia Bucatini @CowboyinAmerica S94 Statistics: 72 GP, 31 G, 62 A, 93 P, +8, 52 PIM, 111 Hits, 4 GW This award has always hit a bit close to home for me, as it was the first award I really ever won in this league. Michael Angelo, my first active player, went on to win the award in a high-scoring Season 20 that saw the defenseman break the record (IT STILL STANDS BTW) for the most assists by a rookie with 98! This award is usually a great indication of the elite future the league has to offer, and while Angelo ultimately was just a solid defenseman for the entirety of his career, many that have won it after were much more the Hall of Fame talents you may have expected. I honestly thought this may have been one of the easier awards to vote for. David Slezak @ShawnGlade had a really strong season for the Wranglers and helped propel them during their early success. While he ultimately fell back to worth, the netminder finished with solid numbers with a 35-25-4 record and a .917 SV%. Tom Dufour @Cookie of the Dragons also was mentioned as one of the leading candidates, after the winger hit the 30 goal and 70 point marks, despite the fact that his team was absolutely pitiful for much of the season, and were often hemmed into their own end (case in point with Dufour’s 91 blocked shots this season). While these two had great seasons and showcased that they have bright futures, they really had no chance with the much-hyped Antonia Bucatini taking the ice this season. Bucatini would record 31 goals and 93 points over the 72 game season, which would be the highest since Season 82. Bucatini, who was drafted first overall in the Season 93 Dispersal Draft, played for a Dynamo team that finished near the bottom of the league and had a -64 goal differential throughout the season. Despite that though, Bucatini finished a +8, contributed a solid 111 hits and finished the season nearly 52% on draws, which is honestly solid for a rookie. Antonia had eight more points than any other player on the team, and was one of just two that hit the seventy point mark. Which is why I do believe Bucatini will be a unanimous vote and certainly got mine. --- Scott Boulet Trophy (Top Two-Way Forward) - Catia Goncalves @cLoWn S94 Statistics: 72 GP, 50 G, 67 A, 117 P, +37, 60 PIM, 202 Hits, 5 GW An award that has often previewed the league’s best all-around players, typically rewarded to those who not only produce offensively, but play sound defensive hockey through their physicality. Some of the biggest legends in VHL history are plastered all over this award’s history, from Scott Boulet himself winning it four times in the first six seasons, to Duncan Idaho, who was the first player to win the award five consecutive times. This was the award I actually struggled with the most ultimately. And to be honest, that isn’t usually the case. I really considered two players here, but will give big shoutouts to Mac Atlas @v.2 and Wann Kerr @VattghernCZ, who both were discussed in the award talk (with Kerr actually getting some support). Ultimately though, both players fell short of two others that seemed to gain the most support. Jimi Jaks @ke1vi absolutely deserves this award if he ends up winning it. While 209 hits is a bit pedestrian compared to some of the totals we used to see from the award winners, he actually has the same amount as Atlas and more than Goncalves, who was the other candidate. More importantly, Jaks was the most terrifying offensive player in the VHL this season, with a blistering 62 goals and 131 points to go along with his 209 hits. He did record 100 PIM and admittedly that was a factor for me with my decision. I have changed my opinion on this award a bit over the seasons. I used to really not take PIM under much consideration, but have since made it a far more important focus for me. Ultimately, I feel like if you are in the box, you aren’t contributing to the team in the moments they need strong defensive play the most. So while I do value hits and offensive player for the Boulet Trophy, I do think a player’s discipline should be considered too. And that’s why my vote ultimately went to Catia Goncalves. The Wranglers forward had the second most points on the ballot list, with 50 goals and 117 points over the 72 game campaign. While that did fall short to Jaks offensively, and they did technically have 202 hits versus Jaks’ 209….my thing was that Catia Goncalves did all this and was that physical, all while only having 60 penalty minutes. To me, that was pretty astonishing and I wasn’t the only one that felt that way. Even still, I went back-and-forth and had both players selected at separate teams. I actually have a feeling Jaks will win this due to his ridiculous offensive season, I ended up siding with spreading the wealth a bit and going to the equally physical and very disciplined forward that still managed to finish seventh in goals, eighth in assists and fourth in points over the course of Season 94. --- Jake Wylde Trophy (Top Defensive Defenseman) - Jack Jeckler @Uncommon S94 Statistics: 72 GP, 20 G, 49 A, 69 P, +16, 128 PIM, 213 Hits, 200 SB An award named after the Hall of Fame legend created by one of my favourite people in this league (shoutout to @STZ). This award has won by some legends but has often also gone to those who have maintained their reputation of being very underrated in the grand landscape of the league. Just look at someone like Phil Strasmore @Phil, who was essentially the epitome of this award throughout his VHL career, and ultimately won it in Season 88, only recently retiring after he played his final season for the Wranglers in Season 93. Strasmore had only 477 points over his 648 game career, but also finished with over 2000 hits, almost 1300 blocked shots, and finished as a plus player for the majority of his career, while still heing a five-time 60+ point player. He wasn’t someone that really ever got Labatte consideration, but was someone who exemplified incredible work ethic and a willingness to battle in every situation. This season had a number of players who fit the above criteria to an absolute tee, including multiple write-in mentions. It is safe to say that this was not an easy one to vote for either, and I was ultimately swayed by some of the discussion. David Jokinen @Ahma received a lot of the discussion, and may honestly win it given what I read, after finishing the season with 17 goals and 67 points, while being a plus player on a bad team, and also racing 206 hits and 218 blocked shots. Honestly, I wouldn’t even argue it if he won, as he was a positive player on a bad team (just like Bucatini @CowboyinAmerica) and managed to still hit the illustrious 200-200 mark while finishing just short of a PPG. Fradin McGryer @Fradin99, of the Riga Reign, was also mentioned after he finished the season with 77 points, 268 hits and 136 blocked shots. I think his lower blocked shot totals may hurt him with how voters evaluate this award, but he had an amazing season regardless. There would be four other names mentioned who weren’t even on the original ballot, so there was definitely a ton of competition for an award that has been a difficult one to vote on in the past. With that being said, I didn’t struggle with this one too much as the discussion progressed. For those that do not know, being on a bad team in the VHL usually results in your team having high blocked shot totals. Look at Tom Dufour @Cookie, who was nominated for the Christian Stolzschweiger after having a really great season on one of the worst teams in the VHL. Due to how bad the Dragons were, Dufour ended up having 91 blocked shots, which is a number typically only reserved for forwards who play on really underperforming teams. That’s why it is very impressive, almost to an insane degree, that Jack Jeckler hit the 200 blocked shot mark, and also finished with an illustrious 20 goals and 69 points while reaching that 200-200 measuring stick. The fact he did this while being on one of the best teams in the league, is a great example of what a true top defensive stud is. That’s why Jack Jeckler has my vote for the Jake Wylde Trophy. --- Alexander Valiq Trophy (Top Offensive Defenseman) - Skor McFleury @Alex S94 Statistics: 72 GP, 35 G, 63 A, 98 P, +6, 102 PIM, 180 Hits, 144 SB, 7 GW The Alexander Valiq Trophy was named after a player who made the Hall of Fame despite not winning a single individual award. Valiq @Koradek was unfortunate to have played in an era of two of the league’s best defenders of all-time. Ryan Sullivan won the Labatte Trophy twice during Valiq’s career, being an elite offensive juggernaut that also racked up the hits and blocked shots at an incredible level. However, the harder hit to Valiq’s chances of winning the award was Conner Low @Smarch, who is my vote for the best defenseman in league history. Low, who played five seasons as a defender before transitioning to forward for his last two seasons, won the Labatte Trophy five different times, and ran supreme when Valiq was in the prime of his career. With that being said, Valiq deserved far better in his career when it comes to votes and awards, after he hit fifty goals twice as a defenseman over his eight seasons in the league. Valiq finished with 300 goals scored and honestly, if the league at the time wasn’t so focused on players that stat-padded in points, hits and blocked shots, maybe Valiq’s greatness would have truly been recognized. Looking back, we fell short on our end. I really think this is a clear two-horse race between Bobby Bob @Baby Boomer and Skor McFleury. Bob finished with the most points by a defenseman in the VHL, with 92 of his 111 points being assists, a league best this season. I really do think Bob has a good chance of winning this award, as long as enough people think his point advantage outweighs the fact that 82.9% of Bob’s points were from setting up his teammates. With that being said, the league has taken far more consideration into goals by a defender since the days of Valiq, and I tend to agree with them. That is why I have Skor McFleury as my recipient of this award. McFleury did finish with just 98 points, compared to Bob’s 111. With that being said, McFleury scored 35 goals and ultimately finished with 35.7% of his points coming off him filling the back of the net. He did this while also being a more physical presence and someone that consistently been one of the league’s best shot blockers. This would be the third time that McFleury has won the Valiq Trophy, and while I definitely don’t think it’s a guarantee he will win, I do ultimately think he deserves it. --- Sterling Labatte Trophy (Top Defenseman) - Skor McFleury @Alex S94 Statistics: 72 GP, 35 G, 63 A, 98 P, +6, 102 PIM, 180 Hits, 144 SB, 7 GW At one time, this was probably one of the most hyped awards every single season. You had flamboyant defenders like Daniel Braxton @Jericho chasing records while filling up his cupboard with the award and eventually one of the league’s best players ever, Conner Low, making an absolute mockery of it all. This is probably my favourite award to vote on every single season, and while it isn’t always all that competitive, I have always been a bit of a sucker for an elite defenseman. Callum Gary Tannick Janser @Daniel Janser will likely fall short of winning the award, but was mentioned on the ballot, finishing his season with 14 goals, 88 points and 240 hits to go along with his 143 blocked shots. Bobby Bob @Baby Boomer definitely has a bit of a case here with his 111 points being absolutely tremendous, while still being fairly physical and great in his own zone, on a very stacked offensive team. That being said, that also may be his downfall, with some wondering if he is being helped along a bit by his elite offensive forwards like Mac Atlas, Diego Machado and Jimi Jaks, who more than did their part for the league’s Victory Cup winners and Continental Cup finalists. I went with Skor McFleury again here, and if I am right, it would be the second Sterling Labatte Trophy win of his career, and another cherry on top of what is already a shut and locked Hall of Fame case. McFleury ultimately did it all this season, scoring 35 goals, recording 98 points, being a very physical presence with 180 hits and getting in front of a lot of pucks with 144 blocked shots. He even scored seven game-winning-goals, which for a defender is actually pretty impressive. While it may not be quite as illustrious as his phenomenal Season 93 campaign, I do think that Skor is a favourite to win his second consecutive Sterling Labatte Trophy. --- Aidan Shaw Trophy (Top Goalie) - Lachlan Summers @kirbithan S94 Statistics: 64 GP, 38-20-6, 2.45 GAA, .934 SV%, 5 SO An award that has been won by absolute titans like Aidan Shaw, Alexander Labatte @sterling, Hans Wingate @CowboyinAmerica and most recently, Lachlan Summers who is absolutely filling the shoes of some of the elite netminders that have come before him. Summers has won the award twice already in his career, and figures to be a favourite once again this year, after taking it in Season 90 and 93. Merome Dilson @MexicanCow123, Fuuka Rask @Jubis and Ash Sparks @DarkSpyro were all mentioned in discussion. Rask was celebrated for his ridiculous .936 SV% and 2.29 GAA, but ultimately doesn’t seem to be getting too much consideration due to his 42 games played, which is 22 less than each of the other three goalies on the ballot had. Ash Sparks once again surprised some doubters and turned back the clock one more time, winning 43 games of the Nighthawks, while finishing with a .927 SV% and 2.31 GAA, narrowly losing out on winning the Greg Clegane Trophy (Best GAA) for a second consecutive season. Merome Dilson finished a little bit better than Sparks from a save percentage POV, while also winning a league-high 45 goals and finishing with an impressive 2.38 GAA himself. With that all being said, I had to give Summers his third win and a fitting end to the career of the VHL’s best goaltenders in league history. An absolute bonafide Hall of Fame player already, Summers has already scored five individual awards over the course of his career, including League MVP in Season 93 and Top Goalie in both Season 90 and 93. And once again he figures to be a potential favourite in multiple awards discussions, including this one. Summers finished with a league-best .934 SV% among all goaltenders that played a full 64 game season. He also had a 38-20-6 record and finished with a 2.45 GAA, despite facing almost 38 shots per game over the course of the year. --- Brett Slobodzian Trophy (Most Outstanding Player) - Jimi Jaks @ke1vi S94 Statistics: 72 GP, 62 G, 69 A, 131 P, +55, 100 PIM, 209 Hits, 15 GW The Brett Slobodzian Trophy is rewarded to the player that essentially has the most ridiculous statistical season in the league. That's how I essentially see it at least. The most incredible offensive seasons in the league are what is celebrated here, and more importantly it is the only award that is voted on by the public, and for that reason, I do think there is a certain significance labelled to this one. I'm sad to say that I have never had the honour of winning this one, but it is probably the one I want to win the most because it is truly special to be recognized by your peers on that level. This one is a public vote so I won't go too into this, outside of acknowleding that Lachlan Summers @kirbithan, Diego Machado @Dadam30 and others that have been mentioned throughout this ballot rundown were listed on the poll. To me this was also always going to just be a two-horse race, with Lachlan Summers and Jimi Jaks ultimately being the most outstanding goaltender and skater in the VHL this season. Some may give some love to someone like McFleury @Alex, but Jaks was just on another level from every skater in the league this season, including his teammate Machado. While I do think Jaks may be in tough to win League MVP (but more on that later..) I do think he is the absolutely deserved winner for Most Outstanding Player. Jaks finished the season with the most points with 131, the most goals with 62 and the sixth most assists with 69. He also hit the 200+ hit mark on top of that and was one of the clutchest players in the league, sporting a league best 15 game-winning-goals to show it. These are straight up video game numbers and it shows with the last player to hit 60 goals being Paul Atreides @Mr_Hatter in Season 83. While the Legion had a lot of elite players running their offense, none had the impact that Jaks did on their teams success, and it’s debatable whether anyone else in the league did either. --- Scotty Campbell Trophy (Most Valuable Player) - Lachlan Summers @kirbithan S94 Statistics: 64 GP, 38-20-6, 2.45 GAA, .934 SV%, 5 SO Ultimately, the Scotty Campbell Trophy is the ultimate one that rewards the greatest the league has to offer. The winners of this award aren’t always the ones with the most prolific statistics, but are rather the individuals who were the most valuable to their teams success. The incredible Scotty Campbell, Thomas O’Malley @OrbitingDeath and Franchise Cornerstone @boubabi are just three of the most prolific players to dominate this award over the course of their careers, with three wins by each of them. The notion that this award isn’t just won by the statistically prolific players is actually an important one when it comes to my vote. Francesco Mancini @GioSivo, Ash Sparks @DarkSpyro, Daryl Dixon @Ricer13 and Skor McFleury @Alex are all names of players that did come up during discussion (along with several others). Jimi Jaks seemed like the one that was getting discussed about a bit, and it’s hard to argue with that given the already mentioned 62 goals, 131 points and 202 hits this past season. That being said, Jaks was on a team with Diego Machado @Dadam30, Mac Atlas @v.2 and Bobby Bob @Baby Boomer, who all hit the 110+ point mark. While he was the most valuable player on their team, I don’t think he meant quite the same to his team as the person I picked. And therefore, I ultimately went with another back-to-back win for Lachlan Summers. Lachlan had the league’s best goaltending performance over the course of the 72 game season, and helped the team considerably in 38 of the team’s 41 wins this past season. The Predators only had three players who hit the point-per-game mark, and just two players over eighty points. His team allowed 38 shots per game against them, and despite that they finished with 41 wins and just one point out of third place in the European Conference. They allowed just two goals more than the Seattle Bears, who allowed the least in the entire league, showcasing just how elite Summers was. As for the offense? The Predators scored 207 goals over the season, which was good enough for 11th in the entire league. --- ALL-VHL FIRST TEAM F - JIMI JAKS @ke1vi F - DIEGO MACHADO @Dadam30 F - CATIA GONCALVES @cLoWn D - SKOR MCFLEURY @Alex D - BOBBY BOB @Baby Boomer G - LACHLAN SUMMERS @kirbithan ALL-VHL SECOND TEAM F - RAIMO TUOMINEN @SlapshotWrangler F - MAC ATLAS @v.2 F - WANN KERR @VattghernCZ D - JACOB STONE @scoop D - CALLUM JANSER @Daniel Janser G - MEROME DILSON @MexicanCow123 ALL-VHL ROOKIE TEAM F - ANTONIO BUCATINI @CowboyinAmerica F - TOM DUFOUR @Cookie F - PHANTOM OF THE VHL @Hogan D - LUCY LEITNER @LucyXpher D - GUL DUKAT @MSouthworth G - DAVID SLEZAK @ShawnGlade --- Around 4500 Words. Hope everyone enjoys even if we don't agree on everything. See you next award season! Claimed Week 1 of 4

With the VHL draft coming up tomorrow (Friday), I wanted to get this out before that so it still makes sense. Last season I did one of these for the VHLM, and with my player now participating in the VHL draft, figured I would do one this season too. I sent a list of questions to each of the VHL GMs to see what their thoughts are for the upcoming draft and the season ahead. Last season I listed out what each of the GMs said, but because there were some GMs that wanted to stay anonymous this time, I’m going to paraphrase a bit and try and keep it a little more vague while trying to give as much insight as I can. What are your goals for the upcoming draft, and the season beyond? Okay, it’s going to be a little harder to make this vague but I’m going to do my best. Calgary Wranglers - Calgary only has one pick in the first three rounds before having three in the fourth. This is going to be a little tougher for them to get a specific player they’re looking for since the chances of them still being available are slim, but there are chances to make some moves if they’re eyeing someone in particular. They have a solid core but if they're going to continue to improve they will have to find some diamonds who can help in the future. Luckily this draft is pretty deep so they may find just that. Chicago Phoenix - The Phoenix are in a similar position as the Wranglers going into the draft, except for the fact that they have more established players for S94. They too only have thirds and fourths in draft capital but with a stronger core, may not need to do as much to make an impact this season. They look to be offloading picks wherever they can for guaranteed players since they are starting to contend and maybe prefer players who can help the cause immediately. This could work for a couple of seasons, but eventually, players will be retiring and Chicago could see a long rebuild following a push. D.C. Dragons - This is an interesting one. The Dragons have been able to compete in the latest seasons, but they have some work ahead of them if they want to continue their winning ways. With only seven players currently signed with the team, plus their goalie of the future, and a shallow prospect pool, it’s going to be a long road ahead of them. GM @FrostBeard has put together a championship team in the past though, so don’t count out D.C. just yet. HC Davos Dynamo - @Alex has been putting in the work this offseason. Davos moved down the draft board but in the process was able to pick up tons of top young talent that can help the team immediately. The Dynamo still have two first-round picks and an early second that they can use to fill out their back end and build for the future at the same time. It may still be a battle to make the playoffs this season, but it’s not completely out of the question for this team. Helsinki Titans - Talk about a team that’s gone all in on the S94 draft. Helsinki currently owns 14 total picks, 21% of the 64 available. This bodes well for the rebuilding out of Finland. The plan here is to continue building up the prospect pool so there are plenty of chances to bring in players who want to be on the Titans and who also earn well enough to make the team contenders. It’s still going to be some time before Helsinki makes a considerable push for a championship, but they have a solid plan for the future as it currently stands. London United - With their perennial all-star goalie now retired and on the bench for London, they were looking for a goalie for the foreseeable future and @jacobcarson877 found that in a trade with Calgary to acquire Merome Dilson @MexicanCow123. They now only have a single draft pick, in the fourth round, and are looking at bolstering the current roster for the time being before the rebuild seasons inevitably come for them. Los Angeles Stars - The Stars look rough. It’s rebuild time for them after making a hard push for a championship in S92 and coming up short. They have put themselves in a great position for the future, securing four first-rounders and three seconds in tomorrow’s draft. This should set them up nicely in a few seasons but leading up to that I wouldn’t expect too many wins. After losing the first overall pick due to a little bit of rule skirting, LA has opted to rely on the depth of the draft class to supply them with the talent they need. This will be an interesting team to watch come S96 if they can hit on their picks. Malmo Nighthawks - On paper, the Nighthawks look pretty good. While they don’t have any superstars, overall they have a well-balanced group. Pair that with six draft picks and Malmo shouldn’t be easing off the gas any time soon. @KaleebtheMighty was quoted saying “We pride ourselves in making selections that bring a good presence into our locker room”, and the goal is to continue bringing in players that fit that mould. It seems that Malmo feels that with the players being so tight-knit in the locker room, it will translate to on-ice success as well. Moscow Menace - How do you compete with the ruthless trading of @Spartan ? Somehow Moscow has pulled off acquiring the top two picks in tomorrow’s draft without completely blowing up the team. The Menace will be just that, menaces, this upcoming season and beyond. I’ll get more into this further down, but with (presumably) the additions of the top two earners and veteran VHLers, this Moscow team has a lot to be hopeful about going forward. New York Americans - It’s been quite some time since the Americans won a Continental Cup, but the team continues to look good. Holding onto the 9th overall pick, New York should be able to pick up a relatively low-risk pick that can help them once they develop. While they have been relatively quiet this offseason, trades-wise, there has still been a goal to continue improving not just the current team, but the teams that will follow and continue competing. Prague Phantoms - Truthfully, there isn’t a lot to go off of here. Prague is in “full rebuild mode” and will be for a while. The team does have six picks heading into the draft so they should be able to pick up some reliable prospects to add to their pool as they rebuild. This one is going to be a lot of work but it seems GM @Tetricide is all in and ready to build the team of the future. Riga Reign - Brand new GM @Lemorse7 has inherited a team that is ready for the future. Add in the third pick in the draft and they should continue to build on that. The addition of star defenceman Skor McFleury (whether they got scammed or not) really helps out this young team as they attempt to improve on last season’s record. Pair that with a franchise goalie and a defensive battalion that is on the rise and the Reign will be ready to compete soon. Seattle Bears - The Continental Cup Champions don’t have a single pick in tomorrow’s draft. Using the capital that they currently have to compete again next season is the plan, as this team looks very similar to their championship one. With Nathan Ecker making the jump to the VHL in S94, Seattle looks to repeat in the same way they won this season – with a complete team from front to back. Toronto Legion - Toronto looks like a respectable team going into the S94 draft. They have three picks, including a first and a second-rounder, and a team that looks strong to back it up. With the draft being as deep as it is, the Legion should be able to make picks that can help them sooner rather than later. With an ageing team, however, the window for Toronto is narrow so they might need to look at adding some prospects to the pool soon. Vancouver Wolves - This team has a good mix of rising stars and veteran presences that could compete for a championship in S94. Tack on a 4th and 5th overall selection in the draft and you have a recipe for success for seasons to come. This Wolves team has been built up to be contenders for a long time and they should do just that. If they can add a few more prospects in upcoming seasons they will put themselves in an even better spot and possibly become the team to beat in the VHL. Warsaw Predators - The Predators are relying on top talent being available in the second round to set them up for the future. Although they haven’t had much success recently in their second-round picks, this draft class looks promising to break that streak. In the meantime, Warsaw has a team that should be able to make a decent push in the playoffs, and they are relatively young up front as well. Don’t sleep on this Predators team just yet. Who do you think will be the #1 pick and why? Last season when I asked this question to the VHLM GMs, almost everyone had a different opinion on who would be chosen first and why. This time around is much different. There seems to be a unanimous top two and because of the trades this week, we don’t need to debate who will get who. At this point, it is basically a lock that Moscow will end up with both Maverick Goncalves @leandrofg and Jillian Woods @jacobcarson877. Who Spartan decides will be the honourary number one pick is yet to be seen though. That being said, I did get some buzz around Felicia Hardy @JCarson, and Pierre Marc Bouchard @Gaikoku-hito so don’t count them out just yet. With the top 12 earners being seasoned VHL veterans (my player, Andrew Skilton, being 13 *wink wink*), it’s hard to get a bust in the first round this draft. There could still be some trades being worked out so keep your eyes out for that. This draft is looking pretty deep, with 19 players sitting at 200+ TPE and another 9 over 150. How confident are you that you're going to get the players you want? Again, with the deep draft, there is a lot to be hopeful about. Most of the GMs that I spoke to said they are confident they’re going to end up with the player they are hoping for. At the very least, there is so much talent that even if they don’t get the specific player they were looking at, there will almost certainly be someone comparable as a backup. Teams are still looking to score a diamond in the rough in the later portions of the draft, and are preparing accordingly to find those. What is your favourite part of the offseason? The offseason can be both stressful and relaxing in the VHL. When asked, GMs tend to look at taking a little time off before putting their noses to the grindstone and making things happen. Since there isn’t much time to take a break, it can become a bit stressful with all the trade offers and scouting that tends to happen, but some GMs relish in that pressure. The draft can be a really exciting time for the players, and I think the GMs feed off of that energy and apply it accordingly. Lastly, the offseason tournaments are a great way to take a bit of a step back and watch the rest of the VHL have a little bit of extra-curricular fun. Well, there it is. Thank you to all the GMs who participated and helped inform my longest article to date. I’m really looking forward to how the draft pans out and will be watching along with every selection. To the draftees – good luck and have fun! (2039 Words) Claiming for the Weeks of: May 19 May 26 June 2 June 9