Renomitsu

@Anthony Suzuki, this is a snake-style draft so you get two picks this go 'round (your 'turns' for selection start with 1 pick, then 2 picks, then 2 picks, then 1 pick). Timer will continue for your second pick. Please note that Esso2264 is the member that goes after you, not me.

It's been >12 hrs (and I have to work for the next 12), so I'm going to pick: F - Chad Magnum @Esso2264 is on the clock. @SweatyBeaver you are free to make up your pick at any point.

smh imagine forgetting Cinnamon Block is a girl

It has been >12 hours since the last pick. @Da_Berr you are on the clock. @Syzygy feel free to make up your pick whenever you are available.

No need to apologize! I just wanted to make sure we're not lagging behind as a group. D - Erik Killinger @SweatyBeaver, you're on the clock!

It's been 12 (actually 14) hours since the thread was posted. @Esso2264 you are free to pick. @Anthony Suzuki you can make up your first pick at any point.

Reserving this post to keep track of teams so fishy doesn't have to constantly update the post. Sorry about the re-ping! 1. @Anthony Suzuki F - Kris Rice F F D - Condor Adrienne D G - Jimmy Spyro 2. @Esso2264 F - Mikko Lahtinen F - Andrew Su F - Rhynex Entertainment D - Guy Sasakamoose D - Roque Davis G 3. @Renomitsu (Group Manager) F - Chad Magnum F - Jim Bob F - Timothy Brown D - Erik Killinger D - Latrell Mitchell G - Stone Wolski 4. @SweatyBeaver F - Patrik Tallinder F - Gregg Stallion F - Guy Lesieur D - Odin Omdahl D - Latrell Mitchell G - Jacques Lafontaine 5. @Syzygy F - Kefka Palazzo F - Uhtred F - Groovy Dood D - Hugh Jass D - Cinnamon Block G - Raymond Bernard 6. @Da_Berr F - Benny Graves F - Kyl Oferson F - Jacob Tonn D - Jeff Downey D - Spencer Elsby G - Ajay Krishna

Warsaw, Poland – Aloe Dear sent a playful message to longtime friend and VHL Champion Venus Thightrap: “Watch out for us!” It’s not surprising that the two Danes have stayed in relatively close contact through the offseason – especially since they both participated (on opposing teams) in the Victory Pro-AM, and had ample opportunity to lay out hits, dekes, and shots at one another. And while the Vancouver Wolves unexpectedly ran their way through the playoffs this season, the Warsaw Predators were left in the dust, missing the playoffs entirely. “At this point it’s really unwise to count us out over here in Poland,” Aloe commented in a recent presser, “and I fully expect the management even over in Vancouver to be worried about us in the regular season. They’d better watch out for us!” Aloe looks to improve on what was a mediocre rookie season, with scarcely 50 points. Some attributed her struggle to adjusting to the league, while others supposed the difficulty stemmed from having to play on Warsaw’s first line. Regardless, it’ll be interesting to see how Dear’s game progresses through the next couple of seasons – and how it compares to Thightrap’s.

1. How's your off-season going so far? Get up to anything exciting? I unfortunately didn't get to play in the same off-season tournament team as Venus, but I am doing quite well under @fishy's guidance!! Go Steel... things? 2. Which addition to the team are you pumped for? Uh, can I say all of them? My boys @AW13 and @Jeffie43 are both great additions, and I have some sim league history with them! Even though people generally don't know who Jonessee is, I think he'll be able to turn our team around and continue to progress us towards playoff readiness going forward. 3. One of the topics in VHL lately, especially with GM Muff has been pierogies. Have you had them and are you a fan? I haven't eaten any of our GM's pierogies personally, but I am a fan in general of course! They're basically non-Asian dumplings, and who doesn't like dumplings? 4. Dakota Lamb had huge success last season and for that got an invite to the all-star game as well as rookie of the year, what should we do to celebrate? Hmm... well, provided the pandemic, I think the best thing we can do is not give him COVID and honor him by making ourselves a playoff contender in the next couple of seasons! 5. There's been tons of moves especially in the EU this off-season, how do you think Warsaw fairs against the competition next year? No question, I think we're able to compete much more effectively this season than we did last season. We've brought a number of really active members aboard, and I fully expect us to finish with more wins than last season by a good margin. 6. Are you gonna get one of PS5 or Xbox Series X at release? I dunno.. I've heard people are pretty rabid for them. I think I'll get robbed if I buy one, so I don't think so.

I'm sorry that you've had to go through what's likely a really stressful event that involves your family and your own safety, but am glad that it resolved in a way where you get some closure and a little extra peace. I don't know how I'd react in that same scenario, and frankly you handled it more bravely than I probably would have. The last several months have been absolutely grueling for me, to be completely transparent. There has been a lot of uncertainty in so many aspects of life for everyone with the pandemic and recent political changes that it's hard to be at peace and without anxiety at this point. There was a three- or four-month period during the pandemic where a lot of medical education wasn't sure if it was appropriate to have medical students on service or not, and sudden demand for healthcare providers as some were exposed to the virus forced those states not even in the truest COVID hotspots look for alternatives for providers, and that included my institution. I've been exposed - though thankfully never tested positive - several times, and there are times that I can't sleep at night because of what I've seen in my ICU shifts. It's also frustrating to be a fourth-year student in medical school, because our schedules have been disrupted and our clinical exposure limited until August of this year, but we're still held to the highest possible standard by residency programs that we can't interview properly for. I don't know what my residency program will truly look like because I don't get to see their facilities or speak with their attendings or residents in-person. Sure, it's expensive to run around the country and see what programs are like - but I'm going to spend the next three years of my life there and I don't know if the program that I match to on will even be one that I like. But while we're panicking about interviews and if any program will want us as much as we want to match to them, juggling clinical duties and teaching in the middle of a pandemic, we're supposed to keep it all together and be good mentors to the students below us that don't necessarily have the same clinical exposure, experience, or coping mechanisms we've developed. Imposter syndrome in medical education - much like in law, engineering, business, and a hundred other fields - is pervasive. In so many ways I feel like I'm a blind man leading the blind, balancing so carefully my limited experience compared to attendings with my relatively large volume of experience compared to those earlier in their training. We're supposed to eventually become leaders in our communities starting next July, but right now I'm not even sure I'm comfortable in my own skin. I've recently lost a grandparent to COVID & its complications, and have also spent nearly as much time supporting my peers and underclassmen as I spend in the hospital. I can't even realistically return home because my current state of residence and where my parents live are both hotspots, I'm obviously in a situation where my exposure risk is extremely high, and my parents are nearing the age where they're considered high-risk (to say nothing of my remaining grandparent); these precautions will continue to be the case through Thanksgiving and likely Christmas. So there. I'm obviously a bit disorganized, but I also frequently take a step back and realize there are others with so many more demanding and immediate problems than those in my little isolated med student world. I have food on my table, am applying to the programs and specialty of my dreams, and have a ton of opportunities laid ahead of me that I can look forward to during and after the pandemic. I'm also actually rather thankful for sim leagues, as they function as an escape where I can spend a few hours outside of the real world and focus on building a story - even if I have to do so hastily - without worrying about my own problems or those of others. They give concrete goals and achievements and a degree of certainty in a time where most else has been frustratingly ethereal, and I think I need something like that in my life as it stands.

1. We were able to play very well in the Lottery Tournament, winning the whole thing. What can we do to carry that momentum into the new season? Hmm, it's hard to say. Obviously we're not a last place team, and we'll generally only get better with time. I don't think it's fair to give us momentum going into next regular season when we really played teams that we should be beating, you know? 2. Bigger surprise champion: Vancouver in the VHL or Miami in the VHLM? Vancouver. They're a really young team, and while they do have some quality players, few really expected them to do damage in the playoffs. Same with Seattle getting kicked out early, I guess. 4. We were able to bring in Jeffrenomitsu The Third from Riga yesterday to bolster our ranks. Got anything to say to the new guy? Welcome @Jeffie43!!! I'm glad you're here 5. If any current NHL team were to join the VHL as the next North American Conference expansion team, which team would you want to see and why? Vegas Golden Knights. It makes for a very interesting story, and they've a history of doing well in their early seasons! I'd like to see them navigate the randomness of STHS though. 6. Riga now owns what feels like half of the Season 75 draft. What do you make of the deals they have been able to make to acquire such an albatross of draft capital? I think some of them were rather lopsided in favor of Riga, especially with respect to the Prague trade. Hopefully the VHL Entry Draft continues to produce quality players so they can make use of those current and future picks. 7. What is the longest distance you ever ran without stopping? Um... probably about 8 miles? That was a while back - I'm pretty sure the best I can do now is maybe a couple of miles, if that.

Here! Willing to be a group manager as needed

1. Already feels like we haven't played hockey in forever, what are you doing to satisfy your craving for more hockey? I've gotten some tickets for the VHL Finals from a contact on the inside (@BladeMaiden ?) so I'll be headed to see the ultimate series... in person!! (assuming there's no COVID in the VHL world lol) 2. Are you watching this year's VHL playoffs? If so, who are you cheering for? See above! You bet I've got my girl Venus going all the way. 3. We're planning a team paintball tournament, you are a captain, who is your first pick for your team? Probably the new guy, Mitchell! We've gotta get him involved, and making him my first pick is a great way to do it! Plus he's got a mean shot. 4. Now that you can relax on training a bit for off-season, what are your go to cheat foods? Cheat foods? Cheat foods!? My body is a temple. No cheat foods for me, I get my enjoyment out of making the most of life in other ways! 5. We'll soon have a ton of players join us from the draft, what are your ideas for some hazing? Aw, I'd never. That was always more Venus's thing, but she always does it in a prankster-y friendly way. 6. How did you do with VHFL this year? Are you going to have to study harder for next season? I thought I would be first when I saw my point total... but my group was stacked and I got third! ?

Aloe Dear LW Warsaw Predators

1. The season ends in just a couple days, are you happy with your performance this year? Overall, no. I won't be satisfied with our performance until we start winning again, and that'll take time. Even then, we can't get complacent: we need to ensure we're constantly improving, and ensure we're treating every loss as a learning experience. And, guess what -- that means we'll be learning every week as long as we're in this league. 2. With us not owning our 1st round pick, do you still plan to give it your all in the 1st overall tournament? Yeah, why not? At the end of the day I need to justify the chance Warsaw took on me, as well as my paycheck. What's there to lose? 3. Have you been playing the new NHL 21 game? If so, what are your thoughts? Hmm... I do not think there are many of us in Denmark that play this "En Aych Ell." I am not familiar, though I think Venus has tried to loop me in to playing it sometimes. 4. Would you be interested in being a guest on a podcast? Sure. That's not a lot different than answering these press conference questions, so I do not see the harm in it. Plus, hopefully it lets me give more than the canned answers I'd normally give in a post-game presser. 5. Do you have any goals that you specifically want to reach individually next season? The playoffs! That's not an individual goal, but it's what I want out of Season 75. 6. I asked last week, but now that the season is nearly done, cup winner? Riga. I love a good underdog story, and Tate deserves a good ride into the sunset kind of story.

1. Since the trade last week that brought in Latrell Mitchell and Willie Dredge the Preds have gone 6-8-1. Do you feel the team has improved with that trade? I think it's hard to say. The landscape of the league is always shifting, and it's possible that we could have had a couple of games vs. backup goalies in this stretch. We'll need more time to see if it was actually a net positive (although I think it was). 2. Speaking of trades, today is trade deadline! Do you feel that Warsaw will be involved in the market or keep quiet and why? (If it is passed the deadline why or why not were they active?) Generally keep quiet. We're not in any hurry to win championships, and I suspect we're okay with the relatively young core we've worked to build. 3. Are there any trades that you think will or have happened that will or have shocked you? Nah, I don't think so. The playoff teams are fairly delineated and I don't know if, among the many of them, there's anyone who doesn't think they have a chance. 4. With rosters being set after today going into the playoffs, who do you think will win the cup? I dunno. Moscow? Seems like they're doing alright. But it's a complete crapshoot in the playoffs to be honest. 5. How many more seasons before you think Warsaw is contending for a playoff spot and maybe being the team to add pieces at trade deadline? Probably three seasons. We're an extremely young team and many of us are from the same draft class, so we'll become progressively and uniformly better rather than having some regressing players and some with multiple years left in their "prime." 6. With off-season just 20 games away, what are your plans for off-season? Taking it easy and relaxing for a while probably. I'll probably meet up with Venus too!

Reno’s Dream Team: Pulling From A List Of My Former GMs W1a Julius Freeman @rjfryman – C1 Rylan Peace @Peace – W1b Elias Dahlberg @Nykonax D1 Ryan Sullivan @Advantage – D2 Alex Letang @Spartan G Kallis Kriketers @hedgehog337 The first thing you might notice is the variety of old and new heads in the league: while the likes of Nykonax, RJ, and Spartan have been around for two years or less, there’s a contingent of this team – namely Advantage and hedgehog – that feature very prominently in league history. We’ll start from the defense on up, but the criterion for this list is clear: you must have managed one or more of my players in some way, shape, or form to make this list. It narrows the list considerably, but hey, that makes it really easy for me, right? The goalie for this squad shouldn’t be any surprise: it’s Riga’s long-time elite netminder Kallis Kriketers (hedgehog337). Apollo Hackett played with Kriketers for four seasons of his career and put part of a championship-level defense together for multiple seasons. He’s a four-time Clegane, three-time Shaw, and one-time Slobo and Campbell winner, and perhaps one of Apollo’s greatest career regrets was never getting Kriketers back to the cup. But Hedge has been sleeping in his Riga office as long as most current players in the league can remember, and there’s little dispute that he’s able to put together a perennial playoff contender no matter how bleak the chances are. As far as I’m concerned, in spite of his one title Kriketers is one of the all-time greats at goalie and has set a standard for netminders in this era. Admittedly not everyone here has been my GM since I returned to sim leagues: in fact, Advantage and I go way back in sim leagues. Like, ten years or more in sim leagues. He was around when I first made my foray into the VHL in Season 16 with my defenseman Hiro Renomitsu, and even before that when we played in a long-defunct sim league in Madden Madness. He’s the one remnant of sim leagues that I can remember from the early days (well, except for maybe Bushito, but he goes further back in sim leagues than I’ve lived as far as I’m concerned) as the GM of the Thunder Bay Titans. We competed for CB of the Year every single season along with Taylor Green, and I can’t imagine a better guy to have by my side on a dream team. I may have never played with Advantage in the VHL so long as I’ve been active, but he and I have known each other for way too long not to include on this list. Plus, he's managed my player at some point in the distant, distant past - that still counts! The second defenseman here is a relatively recent hire in Spartan – who’s really only been at sim leagues for a handful of months but has managed a clear impact on both the VHL and EFL thus far with his podcast The Spartan & Fishy Show, a VHLM GM position, and an EFL minors (ECFA) athletic directorship in spite of his relative newness. Though he’s just two seasons into his VHL career proper (as he did spend two full seasons in the M), he’s proven a rock-solid consistent earner and an increasingly high-impact player on a Moscow team that few expected to dominate the league in the fashion they have thus far. He’s not afraid of crossing over between the two leagues and has proven a top commodity in both: while Letang was drafted at 11th overall in the S72 VHL Draft, an envious position for a first-generation player, he was drafted at No. 1 in two consecutive EFL Drafts with his wide receiver and linebacker. While I’ve only been his player for a fraction of a VHLM season, my interactions with him go back to when he first started with sim leagues. Wouldn’t you want him on your Dream Team? Our first forward is now-retired winger Julius Freeman, who’s managed by none other than rjfryman. A defining member of the VHL Scouting Combine for lord-knows-how-many-seasons, Fryman has only been a part of the VHL for a couple of years (joining back in mid-2018). Most current members can’t imagine the pre- and post-draft TPE rankings or recruitment without him, and he set the pace of the S66 class with his earning on Freeman. Indeed, were it not for Beaviss, Freeman would have been a clear #1 for the Season 66 Class with a massive 1,741 TPE at the end of his career. He’s as decorated as nearly any forward in VHL history comes, with three Brooks trophies, two victory cups, a championship, and a Scott Boulet Trophy on top of it all for good measure. RJ was Aloe Dear’s VHLM GM for a full season, which technically puts him just a smidge over Spartan in terms of longevity. Shoring up the defensive pair could have been Peace – who has a fantastic defenseman in Erik Killinger in the thick of his career currently. But I’d argue that he’s perhaps better known for his eponymous centerman Rylan Peace, who himself managed a Founder’s Cup and Victory Cup but could never grab a hold of the ever-elusive championship in his six short seasons. Though his owner considers him a disappointment, Rylan Peace was a centerpiece of his franchises and perpetually lifted Davos and Toronto to higher heights than they’d otherwise be able to. And how could I not include Nykonax in the mix? He seems to follow me wherever I go: at this stage, he’s been my VHL AGM and teammate (twice!), EFL GM, ECFA teammate, SMJHL GM, and ISFL/DSFL teammate. He’s inescapable. I don’t understand how we always end up on the same team in some way, shape, or form. And while his deadpan style of humor may not be everyone’s cup of tea, he’s certainly been influential in my sim league career since returning a year and a half ago. I’ve earned VHL, EFL, and DSFL championships with him, and we’ve won awards as part of a massively successful team together in the ECFA. He probably makes more fun of my status as a deeply-indebted med student than anyone else and seems to know his way around managing a team (even if I meme him for it on a regular basis). Dahlberg earns criticism for having just one over-the-top season (a 105 point affair across S65 that earned him a Funk Trophy), but there’s little doubt in my mind his player would gel well with the high-earning fanatics in Freeman and Peace. (~1,100 words, for Theme Week)

(jk I listened and know I'm there as an alternate, but I have to go off of what's listed and really I just wanted to make the meme) @Spartan @fishy and heck @IamMOOSE

1. Coming off the biggest trade in team history, how do you think this team will gel with the addition of Latrell Mitchell and WIllie Dredge? Hard to say. There's always something to be said about team chemistry. I hope that Alex Bridges's function of puck sponge is no longer needed with a little more overall support across the team, but that's yet to be seen with most of our team still in development. 2. If we were to shore up a position through another deal leading up to the trade deadline, which position would it be and why? Center. We have a disproportionate number of forwards and could really use another center with some faceoff ability. Unfortunately I think it'll be a little tough to find a player with the requisite earning ability (since they're wingers with faceoff basically) unless we pick one up in the next draft. 3. Former Predator Arthur Dayne has scored 3 goals in his last 2 games for the Calgary Wranglers, and Alex Bridges chipped in 9 hits for them against Helsinki as well. Are you surprised to see your former teammates have success elsewhere? Nope. I'm glad they're having success and we had to carefully weigh our options when trading away Dayne/Bridges. They're both good players but may have not fit the timeline of the team as well. 4. Although our first round pick will be tied up in Muffbeav, we will still have a high second-round pick on our hands. What position do you expect us to target with that? As said above, center. Defenseman will be covered as we'll have a slightly older defensive core and a relatively high earner in Muffbeav. 5. If Every Kiss Begins With Kay™, then why don't we call it krench kissing? Uh, have you seen Kranch™ dressing? I'm not kissing anyone with that. 6. If a hot dog is a sandwich, and a tomato is a fruit, is ketchup a smoothie? Does it matter if you're not going to drink it as one? Wait, don't tell me you've drank ketchup straight-up. Please.

Warsaw, Poland – After a relatively rough start to the season – including a stretch of what seemed like a dozen losses consecutively – Warsaw Predators management came in with the understanding that the team needed a fresh injection of energy. They moved the team’s fantasy and defensive star Alex Bridges and the veteran center Arthur Dayne in a blockbuster trade that, in the end, saw a total of three picks and four players move. New to Warsaw are veteran forward Willie Dredge – who’s closing in on the twilight of his career – and an up-and-coming two-way defenseman in Latrell Mitchell. It was an interesting move that, in many analysts’ circles, was viewed as a relative victory for the Polish team – who will retain a high-quality young player and a first rounder (albeit a bit lower than their own) in exchange for a mid-career player in Alex Bridges. He’s contributed beautifully for the Predators thus far, including an S73 campaign involving 194 total shots blocked in a relatively difficult season for Warsaw – and the team will certainly miss his defensive effort going forward, even with the quality they’ve brought in. Who do you think won this trade, now that we’re just a handful of hours past the time it was made public? Does the youth Warsaw brought in counterbalance the exchange of first round picks? Will Bridges continue to be a fantasy beast?

1. Now that we’ve gotten a good amount of games under our belt, how do you feel you’re settling in with the team (or your VHLM team)? It's been an interesting experience. I haven't been as impactful as I was hoping to be on day one, but we're a young team and I think we'll look interesting going into the future. 2. 8 of our 17 regulation losses have been by 1 goal. Where can we improve to start turning those close losses into wins? Starts and ends with possession, and I think that is best represented by defense. I can slap a puck into goal from our ice but have a hard time stopping opposing forwards and offensive defensemen, so I think I can always improve in that regard. 3. How has the adjustment to the VHL been for your player? Weird. Before this season it'd been a while since I took the ice without Venus, and so it's harder to try and establish chemistry with someone new. 4. Dakota Lamb and Victor Grachev are neck-and-neck for the top rookie point-scorers at 39 and 37 points respectively. Who’s your money on to lead rookies in points in the end? Dakota Lamb, duh. I think the RotY conversation may be a little closer but I've got the utmost confidence in our Dakota!! 5. We have the best power play% in the league, but the 4th worst penalty kill%. How would you rate our performance on special teams this season so far? C. We're performing at the level I expect us to, maybe even a little higher on power plays. Killing penalties is always tough no matter how old or young you are, and for more competitive teams is probably more a reflection of your team composition. With a super young team like us I'm surprised we're not even lower. 6. Do any sports betting lately? If Venus were to help me out I'd consider spending a fixed amount of money in some small bets but I haven't tried betting here in the States. It's very prominent in this country!

1. With a few games under your belt, how do you think you player is doing? Pretty badly. I'm like... -17 on the season so far, which is probably not a great reflection on me. 2. Unfortunately we haven't had much luck on the ice, what do you think we need to do to get out of our slump? Experience. There's not a lot more to it than that. We need some time to develop because we're an incredibly young squad. This season is going to be tough because we don't have as many VHL games under our belts. 3. What do you think about the selections for our C and As? Two of them are fine... but Aloe Dear!? What? She sounds like a scrub to me. 4. EU teams are looking like powerhouses this season. Is this the year they surpass the NA conference in terms of strength? It always goes back and forth. We can say EU will surpass NA, but it'll change in a handful of seasons again after that. (Hackett's career featured an EU that was generally stronger than NA, for example) 5. Who will win the Stanley Cup in the NHL? Dallas or Tampa Bay? Uh, I don't know any NHL teams or players really... but I think Tampa Bay maybe? I hear they're decent. 6. With fall halfway done, what is your favourite activity to do in the fall season? Whuh, Fall is halfway done!? I thought it just barely started. I haven't even gotten a chance to order the famous American Pumpkin Spiced Latte with Venus @BladeMaiden yet!!

1. With the draft finished, who do you think had the best draft and why? Us, of course! We drafted a ton of players that I know and love to play with, so I think we'll start to come on strong in a couple of seasons. 2. How do you think our draft went? As above! I'm optimistic that we made a number of good choices, especially provided each of them do affiliate earning. 3. Muff the madman actually did it and gave everyone huge bonuses in their contract. What do you spend your first paycheck on? I spent it on a home gym and buying some items from Denmark. I know Venus is in the league but it is very sad to not have many Scandinavian friends here. I did not bring the smelly food because, well, I think that can wait until I am a bit further entrenched in the team I have been selected to. 4. Without much veteran support on the team who do you think should be our A's and C next season? Hmm, probably our players that have been on the team. I think Dakota Lamb and Alex Bridges are natural choices. The last slot is up to how the rookies vote I think. 5. What are your expectations for next season as a team? Look better at the end than we do at the beginning. None of us have regressed yet, so we have a lot of love left to give! 6. Are you excited for the piergoie stream that muff is forced to do? Pierogies!? I'm ready. I love pierogies, they are one of my favorite foreign foods. I've even made a few for Christian, Bella, and Venus while on the Houston Bulls.

G - Jean Pierre Camus @Mrpenguin30