Brandon

EARLY DAYS Rocco Serrano’s story starts in Boston, Massachusetts, where he spent his childhood inside his family’s pizza shop. His parents, Giovanni and Rosa, worked long hours to keep the shop running, while little Rocco was right there with them, learning how to make pizzas, answer calls, and help with deliveries. While most kids his age were outside running around and playing video games, Rocco was learning the value of true hard work. But he didn't care, because he was around family. Truly, hockey was always in the back of Rocco's mind. Growing up in Boston, a city with a rich hockey history, Rocco couldn’t help but be drawn to the game. He started skating at a young age and was soon playing in local youth leagues. Hockey was his true passion, and as the rink slowly became his second home.... his love for the game would only grow stronger. By the time Rocco entered high school at St. Sebastian’s, he was playing on the varsity hockey team, but balancing hockey with the responsibilities at the family pizza shop became even harder. He was no longer just a player; he was a key contributor to the team, and the stakes were getting higher. But back at the shop, his parents were depending on him more than ever. Countless nights were spent finishing practice and heading straight to the shop for a few more hours of work. “There were days I felt completely drained. I had school, practice, and then work. But this was my destiny.” Rocco said. Despite all the attention he was getting from scouts, Rocco never lost sight of what was important. His family’s pizza shop was always a priority, and he made sure to help out after practice. “It wasn’t always easy, but I wanted to be there for my parents,” Rocco says. “They put so much into the shop, and I wanted to help out whenever I could.” COLLEGE When it came time to decide on college, Rocco decided to stick close to home to help around the shop. Luckily for him, one of the best hockey programs in the country was across the street. With Boston College was just a short drive away from home, and it was the perfect place for him to continue his hockey career. After joining the Eagles hockey program, was where his true talent started to shine through. Between early morning practices, games, schoolwork, and the pizza shop, Rocco was constantly busy. At that point, it was apart of his life. Although it meant giving up some social opportunities and experiences in the process, he didn't regret a thing. While at Boston College, Rocco found his role as a reliable forward. He's never been the flashiest player, but from day one he made sure to focus on the little things. Winning puck battles along the boards, blocking shots, backchecking with consistency, and playing a gritty style. It wasn’t always about scoring goals. For Rocco, it was about contributing to the team in any way he could. After graduating from Boston College, Rocco knew it was time to take the next step in his hockey career, to the VHLM. “It was a hard decision but I knew it was time to go. After so many years helping out at the shop. I had to make this move, for me and for my family.” Rocco mentioned. VHLM While flying high and using his size advantage in the college game, joining the Reapers has come with some adjustments. A raw talent, that needs refinement, but with time it can be visualized. For now, he will be playing in a shutdown role and trying to lay a strong foundation on the 3rd line leading into the playoff push. The Founders Cup chase is more than just about hockey for Rocco, it's proving himself that he deserves to be here to himself, to the kid working in a family pizza shop dreaming of playing professional hockey. It's about joining a high flying team, and enjoying the experience. All of the existing players are what got the Reapers to where it is today, now it's up to everyone to finish the work. "There are higher hopes for the VHL. But for now, my focus is on what's right in front of me. Week by week, day by day." Rocco said in a closing interview statement. FUTURE But deep down, Rocco knows that his ultimate dream lies ahead. As a kid growing up watching Tomas Sogaard, the star Left Wing for the Moscow Menace and Toronto Legion, he always imagined what it would be like to step onto the ice in the VHL. The VHL is the pinnacle of professional hockey, that's where the best are, and that's where the best want to be. When Rocco described his dreams of playing hockey, it was never the VHLM, it was always the VHL.

1. Counter Strike & League of Legends. Both of those games have been in and out of my life for the past ~15 years. 2. 91 3. Probably dark blue / yellow. But more blue. Think Buffalo home jersey but a darker blue kinda like this ------ 1. If you could go anywhere in the world for 1 week right at this very moment, where would you go? 2. What has been your favorite storyline from this season in the VHL or VHLM? 3. What is your favorite sports team, and why?

When Rocco Serrano made the jump to the VHLM and joined the Philadelphia Reapers, his biggest concern was whether he’d disrupt the chemistry of a hot team. The last thing he wanted was to come in and bring down a squad that had been firing on all cylinders. Well, six games into his career, and it’s safe to say that fear hasn’t materialized. In fact, Serrano’s new team is still in fact thriving. As the S98 season heads into its final stretch, with only six games left, Philadelphia sits comfortably atop the Eastern Conference. Over the past six games, the Reapers have gone 4-2, only falling to Houston and Las Vegas. Philadelphia is holding strong, and Serrano is fitting in nicely with the squad. In his first six games in the VHLM, Serrano has already made his presence felt. Serrano has tallied three points, with 18 shots on goal, and has posted a +1 rating. While those numbers may seem modest on the surface, they speak to a player who’s already adapting well to the speed and style of the league. With flashes of talent that made him a standout prospect, it will be important to find his consistency quick as the Reapers head into the playoffs.

Rocco Serrano Left Wing | Boston, USA | 6’3” | 205 lbs Pros Defense: Rocco Serrano's greatest strength is his defensive positioning. When he is on the ice, you know he isn't losing his man, or making a bad neutral zone giveaway. He’s the type of player you can rely on when the game is on the line and you need someone to step up and shut down the opposition. As a young skater, defense is usually the last thing that prospects understand, so it's quite refreshing to see the reverse. Rocco's ability to read the play and stay one step ahead of the attackers makes him a real asset. It's one of Rocco's goals to be a #1 man on the PK. Puck Handling: Rocco’s hands are smooth, and while he's not flashy, his stickhandling is smart. He’s not out there trying to make highlight-reel moves every shift, but he’s got a real ability to protect the puck in tight spaces and transition quickly up the ice. Due to his unique mix of size, puck handling, and speed, Rocco moves through traffic with ease. As a big bodied winger, this sets him amongst the strongest wingers in the class. Skating / Engine: Rocco's skating is solid. With long, smooth, and strong strides, he can pick up serious speed in the transition game. Due to his poise, and ability to chase down the puck. More importantly, Rocco has the kind of motor that doesn’t quit. Whether it’s hustling back on the backcheck or getting low to win puck battles, he plays with a relentless energy that makes him a pain for opposing players. Weakness Passing: While Rocco can move the puck well enough to get out of tight spots and transition strongly up the ice, his passing is still a work in progress. Rocco struggles to make the best first pass out of the neutral zone, and often tries to make a backdoor play when their is no need to. Sometimes this results in a bit of a one-and-done mentality in the offensive end, where he gets it out of danger but doesn't always link up well with the forwards. As his confidence grows and he starts to trust his teammates more, this will likely improve. Shooting: As far as the offensive side goes, Rocco isn’t someone you expect to light the lamp regularly. He's got an extremely hard shot, but lacks the accuracy to put be a 50 goal scorer in the league currently. He's got a uniquely hard slapshot, but his body type serves him better down low. It will depend how the powerplay coach wants to utilize Rocco, but there is potential for him to be a real threat with time. Consistency: Like many young players, Rocco can be inconsistent at times. While his defensive game is pretty steady, he’ll have moments where he looks a little out of sync offensively, whether it’s misjudging a passing opportunity or trying to do too much with the puck. This is to be expected for someone still adjusting to higher levels of play, but it’s something he’ll need to clean up as he gains more experience.

Transaction ID: 41L25891EH211291N Doubles Week - claiming 4/13 5 Uncapped - claiming 4/13 $1M player store cash - claiming 4/13

Only 24 hours ago, Rocco Serrano was working at his family’s pizza shop, spinning pizza dough and spreading out pepperoni slices while playing hockey for Boston College. It wasn't until the Philadelphia Reapers came knocking on his doorstep to take the step up from the college level and leap into the VHLM. A strong, on-the-puck winger with defensive acumen, the Reapers will be gaining a young yet well-positioned asset on the third line to finish their exceptionally strong season. Heading into the playoffs, the extra body will hopefully round out their penalty kill and provide valuable depth to the team. While Serrano excelled in college as a goal scorer, his true talent lies in his defense. He's not the kind of player who waits for the game to come to him—he takes charge on both ends of the ice. With the Reapers’ offensive firepower already clicking, his focus will be on making sure he isn’t a liability. There’s no room for mistakes when you’re trying to make a run for a championship, and Serrano is stepping into a role that demands reliability and consistency. His defensive game is what will make him stand out, as he looks to add depth to the penalty kill and provide crucial support in the defensive zone. The transition from Boston College to the VHLM is a huge leap, but Serrano is no stranger to challenges. Growing up in the shadow of the family pizza shop, he learned the value of hard work and perseverance early on. Whether it was working long shifts or perfecting his game on the ice, Serrano knows what it takes to earn his spot. And now, he’s earned the chance to prove himself with the Reapers as they make their push toward the playoffs.

1. Great entrance into the team, I'm jumping onto a rocket ship. The legend of Alto Red being #2 in scoring right now is wild. I'd love to know his curve and workout routine 2. Our 2 young defenders Mia Miller and Rolf Jakob MacWallace. They already look extremely polished for their age on the backend 3. Don't touch a thing, slot me and Mater into line 3 and keep our best players playing great. I think we can win the cup, our depth will be upgrading fast come playoff time. 4. Kyle Evans, #1 in the league. Having him with Alto Red, I bet they would be 1.3x points 5. I'll have to say 1 VHL cup only because that is so hard to get, lots of players don't get one. Although 3 in a row would be one of the most exciting times that it would be hard to pass that up at the same time 6. Toby Bob, he's held it down the whole time. Legend in net, the goalie you want come playoffs!

Thanks everyone, glad to be back! Been pretty busy, but this place always feels like home

Player Information Username: Brandon Player Name: Rocco Serrano Recruited From: Returning Age: 21 Position: LW Height: 75 in. Weight: 205 lbs. Birthplace: United States of America Player Page @VHLM GM

Great breakdown and rankings! Sogaard snuck the continental cup on his resume somehow, last second

TORONTO WE FREAKING DID IT!!! Y'all are a bunch of legends GG to Helsinki, who knows what would have happened if it went to game 7, that was insanely close If that isn't a fitting end to Sogaard's career then I'll be damned. Can't dream of a better ending

I'd like to bring everyone's attention to game 269 and the disgustingly savage performance by WAR G2 against Toronto... Simon is out for blood

come back i already miss u

@jacobcarson877 too fast

Wanted to throw a suggestion out there that I've been thinking of for a while... Including VHL career stats on the VHL Entry Draft page as a tab. I've included a few screenshots of what it would look like, essentially just a tab called Career Stats, where if you click it, the data would look like the existing League Overall tab, but it would only include the players from that seasons draft class. Users can sort by games played, goals, points, +/-, hits, etc. Example of Potential New Draft Page: VHL Career Stats Page (replace players below with draft class and career stats): ^ numbers would all be way higher I feel like it would be a really neat addition, given the data is already displayed around the site in various aspects, probably wouldn't take a ton of development effort (developer's most hated words). I'd imagine we'd see some really interesting and insightful Media Spots pop up because of it, going back and really digging into some unique career statistics that stick out in certain draft classes (like who is the most clutch player, or top sniper with shooting %), or just reviewing a draft class in general, either while the class is still active, or after retirement. The idea spawned from the fact that I'm always checking hockeydb draft classes to see which players performed the best years later. This page could also be further expanded to Career Playoff Stats, although I feel like Regular Season stats are more foundational to everyone. Opinions?

Such a decorated career thus far, only fitting he goes into the HoF after multiple dominant seasons. It's been pretty special to have been along for the ride the last few seasons as Lavelle tears it up. This last one will be bittersweet, but it's pretty fitting Lavelle + Sogaard traversed it together. I'm excited for it, big things are coming your way!

Bittersweet leaving Moscow, such an amazing time. Although super excited for the next 2 seasons as a Legion! NA is gettin' spicy

Tomas Sogaard - OV

OH SNAP HE'S BACK. Never forget

same

thank god the old invisionfree forum is gone for me

1. To me it's a tossup between Lavelle, Voss, and Wallob. All 3 could easily be correct answers. Truthfully, I'm going to have to go with Wallob, just due to the fact I feel that the goaltending from Wallob was absolutely obscene, and I think he had the largest effect on our place in the standings. He stole the show in some games (as did the others to be fair). 2. I don't believe it. Mine and Arce's first cup was won alongside a victory cup, I believe in miracles. 3. one word, UNREAL!!! I think he will come home with an abundance of awards after this season's performance. The trade with Prague is looking great. 4. Great question, I think just overall team chemistry. Sometimes it meshes, sometimes it doesn't. That it factor from a team that seems to just be a machine, it's hard to describe, but you know it when you are apart of it. 5. Oh yeah I'd love to see New York in the finals that would be fantastic *hint hint*. For EU, I don't have a preference, I think all of the teams are strong, but I think we have an exceptional team. 6. Loba OnlyFans