Renomitsu

As some of you know, I'm one of the newer members of the Board of Governors - my position was announced on August 15th, 2019, so I've been on for just under six months at this time. The BoG forum started sometime in late 2013, which was before my account was made - and so naturally I have some access to the threads from the original Board members. But when I was selected, there had been some degree of uncertainty with my selection: I had been back for just six months, I'd gone inactive with Saul Hackett stuck at 180ish TPE back in the mid-S40s. All I had to my name were some decent media spots and the shadow of a two-time championship defenseman in Hiro Renomitsu some fifty seasons ago. I'll admit that the first time I heard rumblings of my name to replace users in the BoG, I was a little skeptical and surprised I was in consideration. I've never held a job other than reviewer/league writer in any sim league, partly out of respect for the generally high-quality experience on the site I'd had as an above-average activity member without responsibility, and partly because I didn't think I was good enough. I haven't been a GM before, and you can reasonably argue that my activity has been spotty at best. The Board of Governors forum is an interesting place. It'd always been shrouded in mystery for me, partially because I had never been on the board, and I didn't know what they did. And the decision to unban Boubabi was the specter haunting the raging league discussion subforum at the time, which meant I'd be joining a power structure that supposedly was to help make that decision. That meant, of course, that the first significant decision for the site after I became a member of the board was one I didn't agree with. I mean, I seriously disagreed. But as one of the neophytes in the group, I began to understand further some of the power dynamic between the BoG and admins, and while I still feel as though I don't understand it completely, I've come to understand that you won't make everyone happy unless the decision is a foregone conclusion to begin with. That is, the BoG is a collection of members that genuinely do have varying viewpoints. There are times I'm incredibly frustrated with our decisions and vehemently disagree with them; there are others where I'm part of a hotly-debated majority but I fall on the winning side, and that's just how things are. I want users on this site to understand that not every member of the BoG agrees with every decision. That's why it's the board of governors as opposed to a singular authoritarian entity (Gustav does make a great Grand Poobah, but that's not quite how the Board works). And when we make a controversial decision, we do take your feedback into account - seriously. Understand that with certain decisions (the trivia one, for example), I'm on the side that hotly disagrees with a given decision, and I'm thankful to be a 'good guy'. But there still plenty of instances where I'm a member that disagrees with an overall well-received decision. We shouldn't forget that board members are still human, and while a collective intelligence of select invested members is often smarter than its parts, it's still not always right. In essence, I'm still a learner. I've never 'governed' a member base this large for much of anything (I've led teams of a few dozen at most for work): I can only ask for your patience and understanding, and hope that you (as a collective) will continue to be as vocal and proactive about issues you're passionate about with both the administrators and BoG-only members. I promise we're willing to lend a listening ear if you're willing to offer us your voice. Thanks for reading. I'm looking forward to advocating for you in the future.

1. We're still treading water at 4th, but our shots per game have actually gone up. Where do you think we'll land at the end of the season? 2. Some teams like Seattle needed to sell off some of their players at the end of the season. Does the league need a cap increase, more parity, neither, or both? 3. Which player(s) are you saddest about retiring this season? 4. Who's your best friend not on the Reign? 5. Are/were you a multi-sport athlete? Where else do you spend your sim league time? 6. Who's a user that you don't know well, but would like to get to know better? 7. What's your opinion on this whole "bunping" business? 8. When boss says he is sleeping, do you think he's genuinely sleeping? What do you think is happening?

ABOVE: Sim trying to give everyone in Latvia palpitations AGAIN

Claim 4 of 4, week ending 02/09/2020

That shot differential is disgusting. I'm so sorry Finn.

Congrats Bek! Hope your little one is healthy and you and the wife are doing well.

S h o o t t h e p u c k

Davos, Switzerland - A change in leadership has certainly made a big impression on Davos -- both the players and their opponents. Though they're presently last in the standings, the Swiss team has matched nearly half of their goal total from last season just a quarter of the way through S70. In post-game interviews, however, the impression isn't just from a change in goal scoring, or defense, or netminding, or anything of the sort. "I get a weird energy from all those purple jerseys, and it wigs me out," said veteran Riga defenseman Apollo Hackett, "honestly, I don't know what to say about it. It's a weird, almost demonic energy, really. They turn the lights out to the rafters for portions of the game and you just see these glowy red eyes looking out at you from the stands." Normally steadfast players have heard a thing or two; even high-quality stars like Borwinn have been rumored to be shaken in the arena splashed with the colors of royalty. "Reminds me of my days in the M way back when," one anonymous VHL player endorsed, "we'd go down to Halifax and these... angry looking boats would just be staring at us. Maybe it was just some funny hologram technology from projectors around the arena, I don't know. "This is scary as shit." Certainly, nothing as amorphous as a 'funny feeling' will be investigated as a legitimate complaint, as some other professional sports stadiums and arenas are known to pipe in or manipulate sound to intimidate opposing players, and league officials endorse having an excellent environment around their rinks. Davos GM @GustavMattias was unavailable to comment on any 'funny business' surrounding his franchise.

Woof. Where'd our scoring go?

Unfamiliar Faces: A Who's Who of (Technical) First Gens Outside of defense, scouting first generation players have always been a passion of mine. I could highlight storied users' recreated players for S71, but I think it's far more interesting to look at some of the best talent our new bloods (or those returning from long hiatuses) have to offer. This time, I've enlisted @JeffD to help me sift through and evaluate the handful of players we're going to feature here. No more beating around the Bushito - let's get to it. Thomas Landry II @Doomsday, LW San Diego Marlins Thomas Landry II comes from a family of athletes that have a history in the Victory Hockey League. He is the son of the original Thomas Landry who played a pivotal role in bringing multiple championships to HC Davos Dynamo as the captain of the team and it clearly shows in the younger Landry’s playstyle. Landry II, much like his father, plays a power forward style game and while he is a very proficient scorer when the puck is on his stick he is not afraid to use his size to his advantage when in the corners. His 6’3” 218 pound frame allows him to bully smaller forwards off of the puck on the back check and allows him to compete with even the biggest defenders when in the offensive zone. Landry II also brings the intangibles his father brought to the table and is often cited by teammates and coaches as an excellent leader both on and off the ice. So far in his short VHLM career Thomas Landry II has played for both the Halifax 21st on a first year contract as well as the San Diego Marlins who picked him ninth overall in the S70 VHLM draft. Through his first 21 games as a member of the Marlins Landry II has put up an impressive 32 points and is the clear runaway leader in hits for the entire league with 115. While he still had a long way to go to match the accolades his father accrued in his career there is no doubt in anyone’s mind he is off to a great start. ABOVE: A fan mock-up of VHLM keeper Joakim Bruden in national team pads. Joakim Bruden @PadStack, G Ottawa Lynx Bruden is an absolute monster in between the pipes for the Ottawa Lynx of the VHLM. He stands at an enormous 6’8” and weighs 250 pounds making him the largest goalie to ever grace the league. Hailing from a small town in the East of Sweden, Bruden grew up playing hockey with his three older brothers, and that is how he became the hardened goaltender he is today. Not only is he enormous but he has the lateral agility and quickness that make him an effective goalie for the Ottawa Lynx. Starting as a backup last season when the Lynx signed him to a first year contract he impressed the management team in Ottawa enough that they decided to use their 10th overall selection in the S70 VHLM draft to select him. He came into the Lynx system as a very raw talent but through training with their coaching staff he has developed into a great talent. Through the first 22 games of the season he has led the Lynx to a 22-2-0 record while posting a .886 save percentage and a 2.56 goals against average. Jeff Blaze @NyQuil, RW Houston Bulls Third on our list is Tennessee native Jeff Blaze, who occupies the second-line right winger spot for the Houston Bulls. A multi-sport athlete, Blaze could have easily missed out on pursuing hockey as a career, as he played baseball at the age of twelve. But he immediately fell in love with hockey a few years later, playing his first game at about fourteen or fifteen and winning the state championship with his midget team. Known now as an overall raw prospect, Blaze makes his money on the offensive ice. He has a nose for loose pucks, and primarily puts his finesse from ice skating to use before launching precise passes or neatly aimed slapshots. Just a handful of years since he started playing hockey, Blaze has made his presence known in the minors extremely quickly. Under one year ago, he played for the Omaha Lancers of the USHL. His stint didn’t last for long, however, as he was almost immediately recruited by several D1 NCAA teams – and then turned those away for an immediate shot at the VHLM. Blaze doesn’t necessarily perfectly fit the paradigm of the VHL right now. There’s an extreme emphasis on high-quality defensive positioning and developing passing/shooting at around the same pace as changing possession. Regardless, Blaze has nearly averaged a point per game in spite of being a second liner: with 6 goals and 18 total points to his name with a +6, he’s shown a clearly positive impact on the ice and is an important reason why the Bulls are currently third in the minors. Bennet Dahl @Nothing but goals, G Yukon Rush As a netminder, you’re always split a hundred different ways. You travel the least distance on the ice, but your technical skill and reaction time must be second-to-none. Deflecting pucks is one thing – any old defender can do that – but skillfully controlling rebounds to avoid consecutive shots is a key skill for goalies. Dahl, a hybrid-style goalie from the farthest reaches of North Korea, was suddenly brought on to the scene just a few weeks ago; in a couple of his first pressers, he’d asked if it was possible for prospects to go undrafted. But he’s not just a new name for the league in general: Dahl was raised in an orphanage and has never known his parents – he was truly on his own for the first several years of his life. It’s unclear why, but Dahl never really developed as a skater, and had to start at goalie for his backyard team when his team’s goalie tragically passed from a rare illness. He’s flourished in spite of using Walmart brand pads and gear, and eats hot Cheetos to avoid having bowel movements mid-game. As a hybrid, he’s a well-rounded goalie, and will only get better with time. he’s rather average at everything, but some may argue that’s because he needs time to adjust to the demands of the VHLM and an international style of hockey rather than that which he saw in North Korea. He’s facing a massive 34 shots a game so far but has managed a ~85% save rate. His goals against looks ugly (5.08) as with all rookies, but it’ll improve in time. Gavin Harris @BigIrish, D Mississauga Hounds The first defender on this list, American defenseman Gavin Harris is one of the most recent additions to the VHLM. A prototypical defenseman, Harris’s skills are diverse but focus primarily on controlling possession and moving the puck up to the offensive ice. He’s been stretched considerably in his team’s many games, as he’s one of just two defenders currently rostered for the team. He’s levied over two hits and a blocked shot per game, but will need some reinforcements with new creates, as no defenseman is truly fit enough to play a full 60 minutes on the ice. One aspect scouts have been thoroughly impressed with is Harris’s checking technique. Few defensemen in the minor leagues have the guts to lay out opposing forwards as brutally as the Hounds defender – and indeed, some say he’s the best hitter on the team. It’s earned him some time in the penalty box, but few have an identity so distinct as Harris. Provided his recent rate of improvement – many VHL GMs have sent their own scouts to see the young American work on his passes and wall-to-wall movement – some suggest he may be a player with significant potential on a team that’s recouping losses after their championship berth last season. Regardless, he’ll be a name to watch, as players with growth this rapid either tend to flame out quickly or go on to make unexpectedly good pros. Big Chungus @Ferda and Rich Dickbutt McFudderdudder @Weretarantula, LW & D Ottawa Lynx Why did we list these two together? Well, they’re both Lynx players, both updated for the first time on January 12th, both Swiss, and are among the most peculiar duo of players in the minors right now. An absolute unit, Big Chungus is one of the most intimidating defenders in the league at 6’8” and 250 lbs. Both he and McFudderdudder are Swiss – a country not well-known for producing high quality players save Toronto’s Owen May – and is a sniper in the most critical sense of the term. He’s an excellent shot, but can’t skate much better than even the youngest of minor leaguers; with 6 goals to his name and a +13 so far, however, he’s clearly putting his shooting skills to good use. On the other end of the spectrum we have McFudderdudder, one of the league’s most diminutive defenders ever seen at 5’5” and 140 lbs. Much like Chungus, this young defender has invested most of his time into scoring and overall has shown incredible finesse on the ice. He sits at a massive +25 (good for seventh in the league) just twenty-two games into the season, and has 23 shots blocked to boot. Though not necessarily the only reason, these two are important factors in Ottawa’s 20-2-0 record to start 2020 – almost as if it had been planned from the beginning! They have a +61 goal differential and show no signs of slowing down, especially with these two Swiss skaters on the ice. ~1,610 words. Two claims for @Renomitsu, another one for @JeffD!

Claim 3 of 4, week ending 2/02/2020

1. Welcome back to the podium! We heard there was a HUGE party with some Vice players last night - who else was there? 2. What was your kids'/midget league team name? 3. We recently saw some construction across the street from your practice facility. What is the franchise building over there? 4. Someone just leaked a recording of a couple of your teammates. One can sing super well and the other... not so much. Who's who? 5. Lots of players have a pre-game ritual. What's yours? 6. What's your ritual if your number is called during a shootout? 7. What's one hobby/topic/subreddit, etc. you follow that people might be surprised by? 8. You know, I recently went to Wuhan, China and... excuse me... [reporter sneezes all over you]. What were you saying again?

Gimme those APPLES

Helsinki 3-2

85 Prague Phantoms @ Helsinki Titans 86 Calgary Wranglers @ HC Davos Dynamo 87 Riga Reign @ New York Americans 88 Malmo Nighthawks @ D.C. Dragons

Riga, Latvia - Another season, another concerning start for Riga. The Reign have a perfectly-even 5-5-0 record at the moment, which for many fans might not be concerning ten games into the season. But for Riga, who have made a strong playoff push several prior seasons in a row, the hecklers are out in full force. "Davos? They don't even have a real GM. I heard he's a Satanist, or he called Halifax Satanists, or something. How'd we lost to them anyways?" one fan posted. Another sought out individual players to criticize: "lul more like apollo HACK am i right what a pointless washed up goon. i could do his job AND jerry garcia's @GustavMattias at the same time come on" While the fans expect a consistently elite winning rate week-in and week-out, the Reign players don't take their wins for granted. After all, the league is constantly evolving, and the European Conference is typically a very tight race. "Yeah, happens every season. Just need some time to figure out line chemistries and strategies -- shake the rust off, right?" said Apollo Hackett, who's now in his fifth season with the Reign, "I'm not too concerned about it. Bottom teams will sit at the top at some point in most seasons, and top teams will do the opposite. We just have to make sure the standings don't stay that way. "Beyond that, we're working with a new goalie and a few new guys up front. I'm glad to be working with Codrick [Past, now a center] from time to time - always good to see a fellow S66 classmate."

RIG G ED

6 goals? Must've been the bot goa-- β-RIG G (RIG), 17 saves from 20 shots - (0.850), 34:32 minutes Finn Davison (RIG), 15 saves from 18 shots - (0.833), L, 3-2-0, 25:28 minutes

Heh-hey, I'm getting this done early on Saturday instead of 3 minutes before the end of the updating week! 1. We're off to a pretty rough start. Why are we 9th in the standings? 2. In your opinion, who's the biggest practical jokester in the league? 3. If you(r player) could have been born in any other country, where would your first pick have been? 4. What countries have the most attractive people? 5. New year (for 3 weeks now lmao), new you. What's your new year's resolution(s)? 6. I saw the boss working out the other day. Who do you think he's trying to impress? 7. A reporter recently told me that 4 different fans fainted when Patrik Tallinder made his pro debut. How is this man so handsome? 8. Of the past four or five drafts, which bust would you love to see make a comeback?

Woof.

S70 Donation - $20 (previous claim linked above) Already Claimed 5 Uncapped TPE Doubles Week for 1/19/2020 $1,000,000 Player Store Claiming This Week Doubles Week for 1/26/2020

F - Hunter Hearst Helmsley F - Dan Wilinsky F - Phil Marleau D - Joseph McWolf D - Cinnamon Block G - Finn Davison we done ? ?

Spooky But you won't get us that easily @GustavMattias!

F - Hunter Hearst Helmsley F - Dan Wilinsky F - D - Joseph McWolf D - Cinnamon Block G - Finn Davison @Kendrick

@Bushito Post is now 12.5 hrs old, SDCore missed 2nd selection and is DQ'd F - Hunter Hearst Helmsley F - Dan Wilinsky F - D - D - G - Finn Davison @Frank