Arce

1. Fresco’s beer podcast for sure.
2. I think Moscow. They’ve had one of the best GM’s I’ve seen in the league, and it is time for that to reflect into the trophy sheet.
3. Myself.
 
1. Do you have any holiday traditions if you celebrate?
2. What is your favorite winter activity?
3. If you could take a spontaneous trip right no where would you go?

GG @Arce you gave us more of a scare than I thought you would 

1. Could this be Helsinki’s year?
2. The Philadelphia Flyers were supposed to be horrible, there they are in 2nd in the Metro currently.
3. That’s a tough question but gotta go with mini tacos.
 
1. Where have you always wanted to go on vacation?
2. Would you rather be in a cold, snowy climate or humid, hot climate?
3. What is the most fun type of player to build in the VHL?

Houston Bulls defenseman Vanellope von Schweetz is apart of a team as von Schweetz has referred to as a “well oiled machine.” In her words. “The team has so much talent but it’s been a back and forth battle. One day we look like the top dawg in the league. The next we look like a borderline playoff team. Same goes for myself I’ll either light the scoreboard up or have a quiet night. There appears to be no in between. However I have nothing but faith in our squad. I know we will pull it together when it matters the most. von Schweetz concluded after Houston’s double header on Sunday. It is clear Houston is no doubt a top tier titan in the VHLM, but there have been some inconsistencies in their performances at times. Is this something they can clear up before the playoff run?

Houston Bulls defenseman Vanellope von Schweetz is apart of a team as von Schweetz has referred to as a “well oiled machine.” In her words. “The team has so much talent but it’s been a back and forth battle. One day we look like the top dawg in the league. The next we look like a borderline playoff team. Same goes for myself I’ll either light the scoreboard up or have a quiet night. There appears to be no in between. However I have nothing but faith in our squad. I know we will pull it together when it matters the most. von Schweetz concluded after Houston’s double header on Sunday. It is clear Houston is no doubt a top tier titan in the VHLM, but there have been some inconsistencies in their performances at times. Is this something they can clear up before the playoff run?

I missed these media spots so, great read sir!

I missed these media spots so, great read sir!

I've always been fascinated by the nationalities of the VHL, both at a member level, but also in the countries that members have chosen for their players. There has been a dominance of Canada and the US as expected but also a lot of other traditional and non-traditional hockey markets, which has meant a very eclectic list of entries into the Hall of Fame, and also a very balanced World Cup which has recently become a particularly underappreciated tournament. I'm moving away from the most unusual locations for the purpose of this article but you can see the nationality of every single Hall of Famer in the linked thread below. In the meantime, here is an attempt to create all-time rosters (3 forwards, 3 defencemen, and 3 goaltenders) for the most popular nations in VHL history.
 
https://vhlforum.com/topic/63841-hof-players-builders/
Note: Blue = Hall of Famer. Italics = out of position (i.e. centers used as wingers)
 
Canada
Matt Thompson - Unassisted - Brett Slobodzian
Jardy Bunclewirth - Ethan Osborne - Zach Parechkin
Tom Lincoln - Andrew Su - Josh Vestiquan

Sterling Labatte - Daniel Braxton
Black Velvet - Aurelien Moreau
Elijah Incognito - Lincoln Tate

Aidan Shaw
Benoit Devereux
Rhett DeGrath
 
Canada's obviously #1 in this discussion. 46 Canadians have been inducted into the Hall of Fame to date, by far the most of any country, and nearly enough for 3 rosters exclusively made out of Hall of Famers. Strength in depth was never going to be an issue here but what I do find interesting is that Canada has almost not produced any player considered the best beyond dispute. Yes there's the award namesakes – Slobodzian, Labatte, Shaw – and for a time they would have been considered the pinnacle of their position, but all have been moved down the ranking with the passage of time. It's also curious that there's not really been an all-time great coming out of Canada since Matt Thompson retired in S68, evidenced by the fact only Su, Moreau, and Tate would be considered “modern” players and all three are a bit buried on the depth chart. Make no mistake, Canada would almost certainly win a hypothetical all-time tournament but it's nice that there is quite a bit of individual brilliance sprinkled across the other nations.
 
@Beketov @STZ @JardyB10 @DollarAndADream @Da_Berr @v.2  @sterling @Frank @Tate
 
USA
Gabriel McAllister - Thomas O'Malley - Diana Maxwell
Jarvis Baldwin - Mike Szatkowski - Cam Fowler
John Locke - Kevin Brooks - Brannan Anthony

Conner Low - Ryan Sullivan
Hard Markinson - Jake Wylde
Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen - Brian Payne

Apollo Skye
Xavier Booberry
Benjamin Glover
 
The US might have only half of Canada's Hall of Famers but it's arguably got more bang for its buck. O'Malley and McAllister are two of the 3-4 names in VHL history who can challenge Scotty Campbell as the league's GOAT. Conner Low and Ryan Sullivan – that's basically your #1 and #2 in the all-time defencemen ranking. Any of the 3 lines could realistically be the first and rolling out the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th all-time top scorers as your 3 centers puts the recent Pittsburgh Penguins dynasty to shame. Defence has been historically a weak spot (behind Low and Sullivan) but Markinson and Smitty have bridged the gap as the best of their generations, and likely S91 inductee Brian Payne is building on an impressive recent legacy. Whisper but America could well knock Canada off its perch in a one-off playoff.
 
@CowboyinAmerica @OrbitingDeath  @scoop @Will @Smarch @Advantage @Fire Fletcher @Velevra 
 
UK
Chris Hylands - Leeroy Jenkins - David Smalling
Brennan McQueen - Phil Rafter - Phil Gerrard
Dougie Daniels - Podrick Cast - Uhtred

David Walcott - Matt Bentley
Jeff Hamilton - Phil Hamilton
David Henman - Joseph McWolf

Hans Wingate
Adrian McCreath
Finn Davison
 
The streak of HOF-only rosters ends at 2. But the UK put up a very strong effort and is only 2 forwards and a goalie away from matching Canada and the US. Also, the UK as #3 in a hockey setting? The VHL's English speaking background has definitely had its impact here as has the influence of a handful of Builders. The Knight brothers account for 6 of the players on the team (hint: it's anyone named Phil or David) and as a UK resident I have also assisted with Cast and Bentley. Is it enough to challenge the top two? Probably not, despite a sprinkling of real VHL royalty in Jenskins, Smalling, and Rafter. Goaltending depth is where the team falls down (this will start to be a recurring theme from here), with McCreath widely considered one of the weaker goalies in the Hall, and Wingate's famous playoff heroics might not be enough to rescue the UK here.
 
@hylands @Knight @Phil @leafsman @McWolf
 
Switzerland
Scott Boulet - Scotty Campbell - Matt Bailey
Branden Snelheid - Daniel Janser - Leander Kaelin
Rudolph Schmeckeldorf - Jasper Davis - Tomas Ziegler

Tomas Jenskovic - Alexander Sauve
Petr Shirokov - Lars Intranquilo
Mike Kloepfer - David Tavau

Sandro Clegane
Matthew Pogge
Marius Henchoz
 
Probably the most unbalanced team of them all. Switzerland was a VHL superstar hotspot in its early days (see Campbell, Boulet, Jenskovic) and then after S20 or so stopped producing notable talent with any regularity at all. “Recent” Hall of Famers Clegane and Janser retired some 40 seasons apart. Tellingly, Jasper Davis makes the cut despite being in his third season at the time of writing. Tavau, Kloepfer, and Ziegler in the meantime might be the worst players on any of the teams being profiled although satisfyingly have a Davos connection as either cup-winners with the Swiss team (Kloepfer, Ziegler) or Dynamo lifers (Tavau). In a 6v6 tournament, Switzerland would be up there with the best of them. Even the second line can hold its own but it all falls apart after that and the production line doesn't seem to be getting any better.
 
@Quik @Daniel Janser @Corco @Josh @diamond_ace @Ahma
 
Sweden
Mathias Chouinard - Anton Brekker - Theo Axelsson
Miles Larsson - Niklas Lindberg - Lasse Milo
Ola Vikingstad - Sebastian Ironside - Scotty Sundin

Alexander Valiq - Mats Johnsson
Battre Sandstrom - Bo Johansson
Robin Galante Nilsson - Patrick Bergqvist

Torstein Ironside
Papa Emeritus
Oskar Lindbergh
 
Probably the team most expected to be third in the list, Sweden likely does occupy that spot based on quantity, but has not really provided the VHL's absolute cream of the crop over the years. The thing that does stick out here is the overall balance – take out Brekker and Valiq and there's not really much separating the Hall of Famers from the 3rd liners. Most of the players on the roster have been or currently are on the HOF ballot. In particular this is relevant in net where Emeritus and Lindbergh are still awaiting the call and could change the complexion of this Swedish team if they do get inducted. Overall, however, the verdict would have to be solid but unspectacular which definitely fits the stereotype.
 
@solas @boubabi @Dil @fromtheinside @Acydburn @Shindigs @RomanesEuntDomus @Doomsday
 
Finland
Tukka Reikkinen - Mikka Virkkunen - Jukka Hakkinen
Saku Kotkakoivu - Aleksi Koponen - Joel Jarvi
Valtteri Vaakanainen - Mikko Lahtinen - Karsten Olsen

Fabio Jokinen - Voittu Jannula
Kasper Kankkunen - Spencer Elsby
Kerkko Hyvärinen - Ville Sixten / Velociraptor Greg

Tuomas Tukio
Vase Trikamaki
Fuukka Rask
 
Sweden's neighbours and eternal rivals are hot on their tail and one thing stands out from the off – they love a center. 8 of the 9 forwards are centers by trade and fittingly the only winger, Karsten Olsen, was a defenceman to begin with. This means great depth in the middle (not quite US level but very possible second place) but less so elsewhere. This is particularly obvious on defence where Jokinen flies the flag alone in the Hall of Fame and the depth guys blend so much that I couldn't even pick one between Sixten of 30s Toronto fame and current Prague dinosaur Greg. But the contrast is clear in goal as well – Tukio is one of the greatest ever in contention with Shaw, Wingate, and the Cleganes yet somehow my first-gen who retired in S16 with 634 TPE is still the second-best Finland has managed to produce. Like Switzerland, we are top-heavy here and will struggle on the line changes.
 
@.sniffuM @Jubo @jRuutu @Spence King @samx @Higgins @Jubis
 
Denmark
Aloe Dear - Lars Berger - Max Molholt
Jerome Reinhart (GR) - Aksel Thomassen - Zach Arce
Tomas Sogaard - Venus Thightrap - Niels Skovgaard / Tyler Reinhart (GR)

Zeedayno Chara (GR) - Frans Spelman
Asher Reinhart (GR) - Reylynn Reinhart (GR)
Joe Madison (GR) - Sven Eightnine

Grekkark Gyrfalcon (GR)
Jakob Kjeldsen
Tobias Reinhart (GR)
 
The Danes have really put all their eggs in one basket. Six Hall of Famers is actually quite good going for a country that's not necessarily a hockey hotbed but each one has been a forward. Offense as a strategy is a pretty good one in the VHL and Dear, Berger, and Molholt is one of the higher-scoring first lines out there, but we shouldn't cut Denmark too much slack. They've been bailed out significantly by the VHL's Greenland and interlinked Reinhart epidemic and will soon need to worry about whether a stand-alone Denmark team could beat a stand-alone Greenland one. For now though, this is a well-balanced combined team which would hold its own in a Nordic tournament.
 
@Renomitsu @Molholt @MexicanCow123 @Arce @Brandon @BladeMaiden @Zetterberg @Ricer13 @BarzalGoat @Spaz @Sharkstrong
 
Germany
Tyson Kohler - Markus Strauss - Christian Stolzschweiger
Ignatius Feltersnatch - Felix Peters - Shawn Muller
Marek Schultz - Lukas Muller - Wolfgang Strauss / Christoph Klose

Jochen Walser - Joey Kendrick
Erik Summers - Torsten Schwarz
Cole Hagstrom / Jaeger Stryker - World B. Free / Klaus Muller

Dominik Stryker
Greg Harbinson
Mathieu VanCoughnett
 
Germany is definitely closer to the Swiss end of the range in that a lot of its strength comes from its past rather than more recent seasons. The majority of the roster had retired or at least debuted by S30 and talent has only trickled in since. There are two old names who continue to hold up well in modern discourse in Stolzschweiger and Walser and a strong trio of centers, while the 3 split decisions on the third line show that there is more than decent depth to call upon. Goaltending is definitely a weakness however, with one of the great first overall busts in VanCoughnett propping up two names more famous for their GM roles than their exploits on the ice.
 
@Kendrick @gregreg @TheLastOlympian07 @der meister @Erik Summers @stevo @Zero
 
Russia
Alexander Beketov - Daric Radmonovic - Pavel Koradek
Evgeni Fyodorov - Sergey Preobrazhensky - Nikolai Lebedev
Bogdan Trunov - Igor Molotov - Yuri Grigorenko

Maxim Kovalchuk - Aleksei Federov
Radislav Mjers - Vladimir Boomchenko
Siyan Yasilievich / Vladimir Pavlov - Victor Grachev

Alexander Labatte
Maxim Desny
Rara Rasputin
 
Finally we close off this piece with the Russian team which is quite similar to the Swedes in 1) being quite balanced with no real standout superstar and 2) being pleasingly stereotypical. Russia's famous in the hockey world for producing individually brilliant players with good attacking instincts and little in the way of a two-way game – it is both their strength and often their downfall. The all-time VHL Russian team is no exception with pretty much everyone on the team focused on scoring (other than the goalies of course) and doing so well enough to be in the Hall of Fame or at least the Hall of Very Good. Everyone on the roster except Desny is also a cup winner which is quite impressive so if nothing else, team Russia would be entertaining.
 
@Bulduray_1 @qripll @Dom @Banackock @InstantRockstar @BOOM @badcolethetitan @KaleebtheMighty
 
After Russia the disparity grows, with no other country really providing a consistent stream of high quality VHL players. Ukraine is the only other nation with more than 2 Hall of Famers, with 4, and features prominently on the best of the rest roster I've put together below just for fun. Of course there are not many traditional hockey markets not covered above (and indeed the UK and Denmark are probably less traditional than others). The Czech and Slovak presence has also been low in the VHL with just 1 Hall of Famer between them, while Latvia actually does quite well with 2 but as expected doesn't really have the depth. Apart from that, lots of VHL members opted to bring in talent from eclectic destinations, from Asia to Australia, from South Africa to the Caribbean. It's provided a good deal of flavour to the overall list but does mean there are still gaps to fill on the more traditional teams which should be the main takeaway from this.... don't make Canadians and Americans.
 
Everyone else
Volodymyr Rybak (UKR) - Franchise Cornerstone (MON) - Odin Tordahl (NOR)
Lord Karnage (SOM) - Alexander Chershenko (UKR) - Duncan Idaho (SMR)
Pietro Maximoff (ROM) - Grimm Jonsson (ISL) - J.D. Stomwall (NZL) *Ronan Lavelle (IRL) could have a claim here

Japinder Singh (IND) - Condor Adrienne (VAT)
James Bencharski (UKR) - Patrice Reynaud (FRA)
Tui Sova (FIJ) - Roque Davis (POR)

Greg Clegane (IRL)
Daisuke Kanou (JPN)
Alex Gegeny (NAM)
 
@Baozi

Recruitment has always been one of the most important jobs in the VHL. It is one of the most important jobs in any simming league. If a league cannot keep a steady flow of fresh members, it puts the league in a period of inactivity. It puts more pressure on the current members to stay consistent, as they are literally the only ones holding the league’s legs up at that point in time. A league can survive a period where the well is dry, we have seen it in the VHL during a few different era. It’s scary, it brings the fear that the end is near and the league is on the verge of collapsing. That is where recruitment is critical. Having a good recruitment team who can get creative can pull a league out of the weeds.
 
Even a good recruitment team can struggle, they’re going down every avenue and pulling all the tricks but the well is still dry. I’ve personally experienced this. During my time in the VHL, I’ve held many jobs. Recruitment was one of them during my early days in the VHL. We definitely took advantage of the YouTube boom, which is still a very relevant form of recruiting today. I also recruited a good chunk of my real life friends while we were in high school. I at one point got 10 members in just from home, all active for at least a brief stent. I was ironically recruited from my best friend, so it was a chain. Going on YouTube and posting the link on “Proboards” main forum was a big method of members joining at one point. This was called the “teen bloom” where during the teen years of the VHL (S15-S20) we started driving in new members using this method. I was in the YouTube video making game for a while. Had the elite tools such as Microsoft Movie Maker to get the job done. Throughout my VHL tenure I’ve been lucky enough to come across some awesome graphic creators in the league. They were never shy to share their skills for the sake of recruitment.
 
It is pretty cool to see advertising on websites such as YouTube and social media such as Facebook is still relevant to today’s recruitment. Also you have Twitter and Instagram to throw into the mix and can use hashtags to help draw attention. It seems Reddit may be the biggest tool to add to the gauntlet. Reddit is so popular and used by so many. Also the VHL sister pipeline with leagues such as the SBA draw huge benefits with the affiliate TPE links available. I am sure there are plenty of forums to openly advertise our link to. What I am curious is to what other tools or resources the modern recruitment team uses that have not been used in the past. I imagine they’ve had to get quite creative. The league could be trending towards another period of limbo if we enter another “ice age” where we see a freeze of new members. 

I will be writing part 2 of this lovely saga from my computer, which is a breathe of fresh air. Typing from my phone and mostly from my poor memory let me down last weekend. Last week I gave an honorary medal to myself, and talked about some old heads who are still here. Who will our big 3 be this week? Could it be the mighty Turiasaurians Rex, or could it be Robbie Zimmers? Not this time!
 
[S19] Phil Gerard - C @Phil
 

 
Phil Gerard was drafted 3rd overall in the S19 draft by the Seattle Bears. The Liverpool native played his first two VHL seasons with the Bears in S20, and S21 after a dominating 78 goal, 174 point season in the VHLM with Saskatoon. Following that, Gerard posted up a very impressive 85 point rookie season with the Bears and helping them make a short lived playoff push. Gerard went onto improve new career highs in S21 for the Bears with 88 points, and a new career high of 40 goals on the season. Seattle made it deeper in the playoffs as they advanced out of the first round, but saw elimination again in the next round. After two steady 80+ point seasons, Gerard was traded during Seattle's off-season fire sale to the Toronto Legion who had just eliminated them the season before. In S22, Gerard again hit 40 goals and finished with a steady 85 points. Gerard and the Legion made the Continental Cup finals but were upset by the underdog Helsinki Titans squad. Would you believe me if I told you Gerard had 85 points AGAIN in S23? Well whether you believe me or not it is a fact. Unfortunately for Gerard and the Legion, they were bounced in the first round of the S23 playoffs. Entering S24, a fire seemed to be lit under Phil Gerard's ass. He posted up a monstrous 122 points, which included 49 goals and 143 hits. All career highs by far for Gerard. The Legion made it to the finals yet again, only to fall one game short and lost to the Davos. In Gerard's final season with Toronto he put up his old consistent 40 goals, and 83 points as this was the final gasp for this Toronto core, who had gotten swept away in round 1. In his final season, Gerard joined the Vasteras Iron Eagles, who were looking for their first cup in 24 seasons. Gerard broke out with his first 50 goal season with 58 goals, and a new career high 125 points. He also showed up with 15 points in 10 games played in the playoffs and helped the Iron Eagles end their cup drought. Gerard finally was going out as a champion, and solidified his HOF status. Gerard would finish with 293 goals, 380 assists and 673 points in 504 games played. Also with a very impressive career faceoff percentage of 62%.
 
Where is Phil now? Oh he is still around. He had just retired Phil the Rock Johnson, and we now have a new Phil on the horizon! Phil Strasmore, who is an upcoming S85 draftee. Strasmore was drafted 4th overall by the San Diego Marlins. With their season reeling, the Marlins decided to sell house. Strasmore was delt to the Houston Bulls to help booster their playoff push against the menacing Las Vegas Aces. Stramore has 78 points in 72 games plahyed in the S84 season and the Bulls fate is still in progress. Where will this Phil rank in the ranks of the Phil's? We will soon find out!
 
[S20] Adam Schultz - D @Frank

 

 
Adam Schultz is a name that I very much remember personally. Why is that you may ask? I drafted him 5th overall in the S20 draft as GM of the Madrid Thunder, and it was one of the last things I did before handing the reigns over and disappearing for a decade. Turns out this was the first season the VHLM ran without being affiliated with a VHL team.  This allowed Scultz to be drafted and play for the Oslo Storm instead of being assigned directly to the Vasteras IK J20. Schultz had an absolute dominating VHLM season, posting up 200 points, 145 of which were assists. He also piled on 257 hits and a +74 rating. Despite this, the Storm were outclassed in the first round of the playoffs by the dominate Bern Royals. Turns out my S20 draftee wouldn't ever get a crack with the Thunder as he was dealt to the Helsinki Titans for the 4th overall pick in the next draft. Schultz put up a respectable season with 47 points as a defenseman, and blocked 118 shots. He was also a goon, racking up 140 penalty minutes. Being Frank, Schultz was able to improve in S22 with 69 points (nice), and hit the 20 goal club. This is where the article hits crossroads, as Schultz and the Titans defeated Phil Gerard's Titans in an upset in the Continental Cup finals. Now a VHL Champion, Schultz looked to elevate his game to the next level. In S23 Schultz joined the HC Davos Dynamo and hit the 97 point mark, 61 of those being assists. Schultz showed his VHLM dominance with his superior passing skills and ability to put the puck in the net. In S24 Schultz posted up 84 points during the regular season. He also posted up 10 points in 11 games as he captured his second Continental Cup with the HC Davos Dynamo, defeating the Legion in a defensive battle. In S25, and S26 Schultz had elevated his game to such a high level and never looked back. In S25 Schultz posted up a career high 110 points, 77 of which were assists and joined the 30 goal club yet again. To add even more delight, Schultz was able to capture his third championship with the Dynamo, with no doubt about his HOF status now. How could Schultz solidify his career even more? Oh why not post up a career season in S26 with a new team? Schultz joined the New York Americans, and posted up a dominate 121 points. This time 59 of those points were goals! It seemed all Schultz rockets from the point found the back of the net in S26. Schultz was poised to capture his fourth Continental Cup but was intercepted of that glory by his former organization, the Vasteras Iron Eagles. However, 3 cups and 528 points in 432 games is a career to be proud of, and made Schultz easily HOF bound.

Where is Frank now? Still around! GMing his former Quebec City organization, who is now the Vancouver Wolves. Frank currently has an upcoming S85 draftee, center John Jameson. Jameson found himself apart of his former managed San Diego Marlins. Jameson however became apart of their firesale due to the season being lost, and was traded to the Philadelphia Reapers. After the trade, Jameson took off. He posted up 66 points in 43 games with the Reapers. Overall, Jameson posted up 97 points on the season, 45 of which were goals. What does the future hold for this Irishman? We will find out in the S85 draft.
 
[S9] Benoit Devereux - G
 

 
Benoit Devereux is one of the best goaltenders in VHL history. I will scream this from the top of the rooftops until my final day. I had the pleasure of Deveruex being my goaltender with my first player, Zach Arce and was apart of the Dynamo dynasty with him. Devereux was automatically assigned to Avangard/Davos due to the GM rule that was instated at the time where the GM's player automatically joins that team. Devereux would play the S9 season for the HC Davos's (Avangard at the time) VHLM affiliate, the Toledo Scorpions. Devereux posted up a dominate 65-6-0 record with a .915 save percentage and 1.64 GAA, and 9 shutouts. This helped pave the way for the Scorpions to easily win the Founder's Cup Championship, the first piece of hardware for Devereux. In the final season of the Avangard Havoc, and Devereux's rookie year he led the Havoc to the playoffs with a young team. He posted up a 32-23-6 record with a .936 save percentage and 2.83 GAA. Which is all very impressive considering the shots on goal the Havoc took per game. Devereux became the first, and is still the only rookie goaltender to win the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy (Rookie of the Year). In S11 the Havoc rebranded as the HC Davos Dynamo officially. In the Dynamo's first season under GM Scotty Campbell, Devereux thrived yet again. He posted up a 51-7-6 record with a .940 save percentage, 1.95 GAA and 6 shutouts. He was the main reason the Dynamo were able to capture their first Continental Cup as Davos, and was awarded the Howe Trophy as playoff MVP to reflect that achievement. In S12, Deveruex missed the playoffs for the first time in his professional career, a feat Devereux took personally. He posted up a 39-23-6 record with a .931 save percentage and a 2.59 GAA. The save percentage was there, but the GAA is disappointing for someone of Devereux's character. S13 Devereux and the Dynamo would bounce back. Devereux posted up a 55-8-3 record with a .932 save percentage, a 2.07 GAA and 6 shutouts as he once again won the Tretiak Trophy, and won his second Continental Cup. Those two awards seemed to be yin and yang for Benoit Devereux. In S14 the Dynamo were still a built contender, but after a series of moves to re-tool, they were not the same dominating force they were. Still, a 43-19-12 record, .921 save percentage, 2.42 GAA and 6 shutouts was enough for Devereux to win his third Tretiak Trophy. This would unfortunately be the last time Devereux made the playoffs, and last memorable season. In his final two seasons, Devereux was apart of a massive rebuilding Davos squad his statistics suffered because of it and he was hit by depreciation to add insult to injury. Still, there is no doubt about Devereux's HOF status. With a career 261-159-30 record, .927 save percentage, 2.60 GAA and 27 shutouts there was no denying his entry to the Hall of Fame.
 
Where is Defosse/Cowboy now? It seems he is long gone. I have not heard, or seen anything from Defosse since his early days in Davos. Even when he went IA with Devereux, his goaltender still shined. There seems to be no signs Defosse will ever return, he has moved on along in life, and we wish him the best. Still, could he return? I did after 10 years, anything is possible!
 
Word Count: 1783
For Weeks: 8/14, 8/21/ 8/28

Player Information
Username: Dunzapp
Player Name: Jake Dunzapp
Recruited From: SisterLeague
Age: 21
Position: G
Height: 75 in.
Weight: 210 lbs.
Birthplace: Germany

Player Page
@VHLM GM

The San Diego Marlins place a claim on IA goaltender Vincenzo Pagano temporarily until an active goaltender is found.

Jack Reilly Trophy - Top GM
 
Nominees:
 @Arce
 @Tetricide
 @vincentlg2007
 
Winner:
 

Honored to be in the captains circle! Great choices, excited to be apart of this squad!

Honored to be in the captains circle! Great choices, excited to be apart of this squad!

Honored to be in the captains circle! Great choices, excited to be apart of this squad!

Houston Bulls Announce Team Captains and AGM 
After what was a grueling S90, the Houston Bulls look forward to being a competitor once again. The Houston Bulls have historically been an incredible VHLM Franchise which has been managed greatly, and has produced some amazing talent. We commend those former Bulls alumni who contributed to making this minors franchise so rich in success and hockey culture. The current management team is fueled by this expectation to continue the legacy. Moving forward we look to be a perrenial competitor which pumped out VHL talent. Last season was a rebuilding year, one in which Houston hasn't had to endure in a very long time. However we build from our S90 roster as we welcome back starting goalie Pipo Papa @npuBeT, Luna Everdeen @Dee and Keegan Vos @DDZ_44 who was added in the most recent VHLM Draft. Through that draft we also welcome to the team Guntis Gavilros @Girts and DB IV @wcats!
 
Now last season we did not name captains, and we had a vacant AGM role for the entire season. I'm excited to announce that today we will be naming two assistant captains, a captain, and an addition to the management team. Without further ado, here are the new additions to the HOUSTON BULLS LEADERSHIP GROUP!
 

 
Our first Assistant Captain is the player we selected with our 2nd Overall pick, Vanellope Von Schweetz @Arce! The Houston Bulls were without a defenseman all year long last year. This year we have one of the strongest defensive core, and it is lead by Schweetz. This is a longtime member and leader in the community. We are very lucky to have this player enter the Houston Bulls system, and we are confident that they will be an integral part of this roster and an ambassador for the franchise as they graduate from the VHLM. 
 

 
Our second Assistant Captain is a returning player, who was drafted in the 4th Round in S90. We welcome Isaac Mclflopper @sportexperts show as an S91 Assistant Captain! He showed great leadership and positivity throughout the year with Houston last season. Despite us having a pretty miserable season record, Mclflopper continued to grind all season long and has proven to be a very promising VHL prospect as he was drafted 19th Overall by the Helsinki Titans!
 

 
The next Captain in Houston Bulls history, we are excited to announce is Kimi Raikkonen @mattyIceman! Matty was a waiver pickup last season, but showed great passion for this organization. He was the biggest voice in the locker room, and lead by example as he grinded from a mid season create into a top prospect in a less than a month. We are excited to have Matty back, and we are excited to see how his player does with a full season as a Bull.
 

 
Now, the next announcement is our new AGM. This has been in the works for about a week. We are excited to announce @VattghernCZ as the newest Houston Bulls AGM. This is a member who I think has a lot of untapped potential and could truly be a fantastic future GM. He was the Royals GM in the off-seasons JST Tournament. We are excited to get another voice in the locker room and I'm personally excited to work alongside him as he prepared for a full VHLM GM position in the future.
 
 
We are very exscited for the S91 Season. GO BULLS GO.
 

Great read as always, Animal! It's been a blast being apart of this team.

S90 VHL Playoffs: Matchup Preview
 Toronto Legion (1) vs. Vancouver Wolves (4) 
 
As a reward for beating the Seattle Bears in the North American Wild Card round, the Vancouver Wolves will play the North American No. 1 seed, the Toronto Legion. The teams played each other five times this season with Vancouver barely coming out on top with a 3-2 record. More on that later.
 
This playoff rivalry with a rich history started in S41 when the Wolves were closer to Toronto and playing in Quebec City. The Quebec City Meute and Toronto Legion met six times in the playoffs from S41-S64 with four of those meetings coming in the Conference Final. Toronto won four of those series, three of them on their way to winning the Continental Cup. In fact, the Legion were the Meute’s final playoff opponent ever as Toronto beat Quebec in the S64 best-of-three Wild Card round 2 games to none on route to the first of consecutive Cups. The history once the Meute moved to Vancouver took a bit of a 180 as Vancouver has won all four previous meetings in the playoffs from S67-S81, with three of those series wins being steps along the path to the Wolves winning the Continental Cup. But with their last meeting having taken place nine seasons ago, let’s see what advantages might be in Toronto’s favor in S90 as recent history is not.
 
S90 Team Leaders
Goals
43 – Mac Atlas  
@v.2
41 – Wann Kerr  
@VattghernCZ
 
Assists
64 – Pierre Emile Bouchard 
@Gaikoku-hito
60 – Siyan Yasilievich 
@badcolethetitan
 
Points
95 – Ronan Lavelle 
@Arce
89 – Wann Kerr 
@VattghernCZ
 
 
Season Series
Vancouver won the season series 3-2 but all three of their wins were by one goal and two were in the shootout. Toronto scored 13 goals against the Wolves in their two victories and the Legion’s power play feasted on the Wolves’ penalty kill all series scoring 8 goals on 26 chances. Toronto was the only team (Los Angeles Stars was the other) to score 6 or more goals twice against the Wolves so we know they can score in bunches. Also, Vancouver won’t have the benefit of the shootout in the playoffs. As for goaltending, both Joel Castle @animal74 and Brandt Fuhr @Tate were both busy but could have been better. Neither goalie faced less than 31 shots in any game in the series and while Castle’s numbers (3.10 GAA, 0.918 SV%) were slightly better than Fuhr’s (3.87, 0.902), the Wolves’ veteran netminder won the series 3-2. Anyway you look at it, it was a fairly close series.
 
Series Leaders
Goals
6 – Mac Atlas 
@v.2
5 – Wann Kerr 
@VattghernCZ
 
Assists
8 – Siyan Yasilievich 
@badcolethetitan
7 – Pierre Emile Bouchard 
@Gaikoku-hito
 
Points
11 – Siyan Yasilievich 
@badcolethetitan
8 – FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY Analfist 
@STZ
 
Storylines
 
Experience vs Inexperience
There is a lot of playoff experience between these two teams! Seven players in this series have played in 50 or more playoff games and there is a combined 17 Cup Final appearances accounted for. Two of the four active Kanou Trophy (Playoff MVP) winners are in this series (Ronan Lavelle @Arce, S85, and Brandt Fuhr @Tate, S86 co-winner – the others are Jesse Teno, S88, and Jake Thunder, S89, in the Davos/London series) and there are members from four of the last six Championship teams.
 
The Toronto Legion added some playoff experience during the off-season as they had none of their own to speak of due to lounging in the bottom of the league from S85-S89. In addition to acquiring Jimmy MacElroy @Xflexz from Vancouver the season before, the Legion have four players with a total of 218 playoff games played, five Cup Final appearances, and three Cup rings. Interestingly, defenseman Siyan Yasilievich @badcolethetitan leads all players in this series with 74 career playoff games.
 
Vancouver on the other hand, with two finals appearances in the last four seasons, including winning the S86 Continental Cup, have 375 combined games of playoff experience (before their S90 Wild Card series with Seattle) led by 192 games among five of their forward group. The Wolves have 12 Cup Final series and five Cup rings among them.  While the larger number of games fittingly translates into a larger number of playoff points than Toronto in total, the current Wolves have scored a combined 87* playoff goals – only two more than the Legion’s 85.
 
Nowhere is the experience discrepancy more evident than in net. Fuhr has 61* playoff games on his resume while this will be Castle’s first taste of the post-season.
 

Vancouver's Wann Kerr and Toronto's Jimmy MacElroy watch a shot in front of Joel Castle. 
 
Familiar Faces
As is to be expected in the small world of the VHL, there will be a lot of old teammates facing each other on both sides of the puck. Most significantly is Toronto defenseman Jimmy MacElroy @Xflexz who came over a couple of seasons ago from Vancouver and will be facing his old mates, with a few still remaining from the S86 Continental Cup winning team. Toronto’s Jimi Jaks @kelvi and Vancouver’s Oreo McFleury @JB123 were key contributors in the Olso Storm’s third consecutive run to the S87 Renaissance Cup but ultimately lost to Cologne in seven games. Some old VHLM teammates will also get reacquainted: Toronto’s Bobby Bob @Baby Boomer and Vancouver’s Liv Slater @Subject056 (S87 Houston Bulls), Toronto’s Joel Castle @animal74 and Vancouver’s Wann Kerr @VattghernCZ (S85 Prime Minister’s Trophy winning and Founder’s Cup finalist Las Vegas Aces), and Toronto’s Tomas Sogaard @Brandon and Vancouver’s Brandt Fuhr @Tate (S82 Mexico City Kings).
 
Offense vs Defense
They say defense wins championships but a good offense helps as well and this series has two of the league's top teams in both categories. Thought to be an offensive juggernaut at the beginning of the season, the Legion instead won more often than not with a stingy defense and ended up with the second-lowest goals against in the league (174, 2.42 GAA). The Wolves on the other hand did sport the league’s third-best offense to the tune of 240 goals for (3.33 per game). Neither team were bad on the other end either though as Vancouver had the 7th best defense (190 GA, 2.64) and Toronto scored at the 6th-best clip in the league (229 GF, 3.18). Both teams ended the season with five players scoring 27 or more goals. As noted earlier, Toronto won the special teams battle in their season series by a wide margin which is surprising as Vancouver’s power play thorough out the season was a hair better, scoring one more man advantage goal than Toronto for a slightly better percentage. Toronto has the slight advantage on the penalty kill as they were ranked 8th in the VHL and Vancouver was 10th. Regardless, both teams will want to stay out of the box as much as possible. And, of course, you can’t talk defense without talking goalies. Castle had better numbers during the regular season although he and Fuhr posted the same number of wins (38) and Fuhr had six shutouts to Castle’s four.
 
This will be a fascinating series to watch as games could end up being barnburners or nail-biters and there probably will be a few of each. Will the upstart Legion be able to get to Fuhr early and make the Wolves pay on the power play or will the Wolves’ experience and championship pedigree shine through and shut down the Legion’s deep forward group? We’ll know after seven games (or less)!
 
*All stats until S89, not including the S90 Wild Card series versus the Seattle Bears

I'm sorry this is a little late but let's pretend this was posted days ago.
 
The Season 90 (S90)was a blast. In the North American Conference, Toronto Legion led the way. They finished the season with 103 points and are looking strong. Players like Ronan Lavelle, Mac Atlas, and Tomas Sogaard were on fire and are expected to bring their A-game in the playoffs.
 
D.C. Dragons weren’t far behind. They secured the second spot and are gearing up for a tough playoff season. Jason, Vincent Laroche-Gagnier, and Ryuji Sakamoto from the Dragons are in great form, and a lot is expected from them in the coming games.
 
Over in the European Conference, HC Davos Dynamo stood out. They racked up 106 points and topped the charts. With players like Skor McFleury and Jake Thunder in their lineup, they’re looking solid for the playoffs.
 
 
First Round Matchups:
D.C. Dragons vs. Los Angeles Stars
The season series between the Dragons and Stars was tight, with the Dragons taking the first three games and the Stars snagging the last two. A lot depends on players like Jason from the Dragons and Todd Cooke from the Stars. Cooke had an outstanding season and was involved in over half of the Stars’ goals this season. This series is expected to be close.
Prediction: Los Angeles in 6
 
Toronto Legion vs. Vancouver
This is the series to watch! Vancouver won three out of the five games against Toronto during the season. Both teams have strong offensive players, but Toronto might have a slight edge in this series.
Prediction: Toronto in 6
 
Prague vs. Riga
Prague looks strong against Riga. Though the teams split their season series, Prague has been consistently strong. With players like Matt Murdock holding the fort, Prague is expected to give a tough time to Riga.
Prediction: Prague in 4
 
Davos vs. London
Davos dominated London during the season, winning all six games. With players like Jesse Teno and Lachlan Summers, this series might be a showcase of top-notch goaltending. Davos, with its strong defense, is looking likely to take this one.
Prediction: Davos in 6
 
Final Thoughts
The playoffs are looking exciting with these matchups. Every team has its stars who are expected to shine, and it would be interesting to see who comes out on top. With the playoffs around the corner, fans are gearing up for some thrilling hockey action. May the best team win!
 
 
_________________________
 
Toronto Legion Regular Season Team Scoring
 
The Toronto Legion had a standout Season 90 in the VHL Regular Season, boasting robust numbers from its top players. The team was led by Left Wing Ronan Lavelle, who played in all 72 games, scoring 40 goals and providing 55 assists, totaling a significant 95 points. Lavelle was also crucial in other aspects of the game, with a +26 in the plus/minus column, contributing defensively as well. Lavelle's physical style of play was evident with 205 hits, and he also scored six game-winning goals.
 
Centre Mac Atlas was another key contributor to Toronto's offensive prowess. In 72 games, Atlas netted 43 goals and added 41 assists, accumulating 84 points. His sharpshooting skills were displayed with a shooting percentage of 10.12%, and he played a crucial role in the team's success with a +35 rating in the plus/minus column and eight game-winning goals.
 
Jimi Jaks, another center for the Legion, had a fruitful season as well. He scored 29 goals and provided a whopping 50 assists, tallying 79 points in total. With a +32 in plus/minus and eight game-winners, Jaks was instrumental in Toronto’s strong season.
 
On the defensive side, Siyan Yasilievich not only contributed to keeping the opponents at bay but was also significant offensively. Playing in 72 games, Yasilievich scored 18 goals and had 60 assists, totaling 78 points. With 174 shots blocked, he was a defensive stalwart for the Legion.
 
Left Wing Tomas Sogaard also had a noteworthy season, with 36 goals and 38 assists, making his total points 74. With a shooting percentage of 8.33%, Sogaard was reliable in front of the goal.
 
Toronto's defense was bolstered by the likes of Bobby Bob and Jimmy MacElroy, who contributed significantly to both ends of the ice. Bob had a season total of 66 points, while MacElroy contributed 50 points, and both were crucial in the Legion's defensive plays.
 
Goalie Joel Castle had a sterling season with a save percentage of .927 and a goals-against average of 2.29 over 64 games. Castle won 38 games, losing only 14, with 12 going into overtime. Backup goalie Evan Bihler also put up impressive numbers in his 9 appearances, maintaining a .935 save percentage and securing seven wins with a 1.63 goals-against average.
 
Overall, the Toronto Legion’s players showed up and performed at their best in Season 90, creating a balance of strong offense and tight defense, setting the stage for a potentially deep run in the playoffs.

Player Information
Username: Arce
Player Name: Vanellope von Schweetz
Recruited From: Returning
Age: 18
Position: D
Height: 65 in.
Weight: 150 lbs.
Birthplace: Greenland

Player Page
@VHLM GM

I'm totally invested in this new player. 
 
I didn't recognise his name in the boxscores.. 

So I’ve covered this data quite a bit in other VHL.coms, but I’ve never really fully put it out there as to the complete results of my look into the topic, so today I’m going to change that up by adding in the complete results of my research thus far.
 
So we’re going to be looking at two different comparisons, the first will focus on how many players from each draft class surpassed 400 TPE versus how many got stuck between 200-400 TPE, then the second will ask the same questions but solely for first gens. I’ve covered this stuff in other articles looking at the topic but for those who haven’t seen, here is the reasoning behind the sample sizes:
 
-          The Season 63 Draft Class is considered the starting point as this was the first season we put in a dedicated recruitment drive, pursuing both Youtube and Reddit as advertising avenues.
-          The Season 78 Draft Class is considered the end point for being affected by the VHLE since the players from that draft class would have the window from creation until their draft plus two full seasons prior to the E’s implementation to surpass 400 TPE, which is a reasonable expectation whereas there was a good chance for Season 79 players, particularly those selected later in the draft, to have been playing in the VHLE in Season 80.  
-          For similar reasoning, the cut-off point is Season 88 as the Season 89 class is not yet at a point where comparing 200-400 TPE players to those over 400 TPE is a fair comparison as there are players like Otis Boudreaux Jr for example who earn a high amount of capped TPE per week but have yet to surpass 400 TPE.
-          My definition of a first-gen is in it’s purest form, a player belonging to a member who has never previously created a player in the VHL.
 
So let’s cover the first comparison, looking at comparing players who exceeded 400 TPE with those stuck between 200-400 TPE from each of the draft classes between Season 63 and Season 78, draft classes that reasonably would not be affected by the VHLE.
 

 
As you can see, prior to the VHLE, we always had over half of our players who surpassed 200 TPE go on to surpass 400 TPE. However, there is a notable drop-off towards the end of the period, with the Season 75-78 classes hovering around 56-59% of players over 200 TPE making it past 400 TPE whereas the vast majority of the classes before that had surpassed 60%. Part of this could be put down to the massive recruitment of Season 75 having an impact on proceedings. A more cramped league maybe led to less opportunities for game time for players who maybe weren’t elite earners, thus leading to more people losing interest?  
 
Now let’s compare this with the same comparison, but for the classes that will have been affected by the VHLE, Seasons 79 through to Season 88.
 

 
As evidenced, there is a lot more consistency in the percentage of players that make it past 400 TPE, with all of the first eight classes surpassing 69% for graduating over 400 TPE, a mark that only six of the sixteen classes hit between Season 63 and Season 78. It’s worth noting on top of this that Season 86 through to Season 88 all have scope to improve their scores, as each have significant amounts of actives between 200-400 TPE that could still graduate over 400 TPE (Season 86 has 6, Season 87 has 5, Season 88 has 9).
 
Now let’s go back to the Season 63-Season 78 draft classes, but instead look solely at the first-gen performance.
 

 
As you can see, the percentages as a whole go quite a way down when we only consider first-gens. It’s especially noticeable towards the latter end where Season 77 and Season 78 are the worst years for First Gens over 200 TPE graduating over 400 TPE, but there are still particularly good seasons, Season 73 in particular being the lone example of the percentage of First Gens over 200 TPE surpassing 400 TPE being greater than the classes overall performance.
 
Now let’s look at the same question for Season 79-Season 88.
 

 
While there are good examples in this class, such as the Season 84 class having the highest First-Gen 400 TPE conversion percentage of any class along with Seasons 81 and 82 having good scores for drafts with more First Gens than usual, there are also some rough examples. For example, unless some players come back from inactivity, Season 87 will have the worst results of any of the classes as, even if the two active players between 200-400 TPE in that class surpass 400 TPE, the class will still be the worst performing class of all the seasons I’ve collected.
 
Another element of note though is that the number of First-Gens for each class is also way down in comparison to the classes that would be affected by the VHLE. Between Season 63-Season 78, only five of the sixteen classes had below 20 First Gens surpassing 200 TPE. However, in the ten draft classes between Season 79 and Season 88, six of them have below 20 First Gens surpassing 200 TPE.
 
So one thing that would be natural to ask based on this data is “Does the VHLE help or hurt with regards to player progression?”. One of the answers to that is that it would be misleading to say it is hurting progression as, if anything, the numbers as a whole of players who surpass 200 TPE graduating past 400 TPE are better following the implementation of the VHLE. I think though it would also be fair to say that the VHLE may not specifically be helping in that the VHL seemed to struggle with progression during the periods where the league was at it’s fullest, so would other ways of handling the issue of limited playing time, like a VHL expansion for example, have had just as much of an effect on progression as the VHLE has had? That remains unclear.
 
1000 Words plus, claiming for 2 weeks.

Hello hello,
 
After putting up an application for the SSK GM job yesterday, Gus and I have made the decision to hire @Berocka! Berocka has experience as a former M GM and has been on our radar for a few seasons now, but waited for the right time to make a return to the VHLM. We're excited to bring back a strong GM to continue to better the VHLM and the Saskatoon organization!
 
Please congratulate Berocka!
 
- @VHLM Commissioner

Player Information
Username: Arce
Player Name: Vanellope von Schweetz
Recruited From: Returning
Age: 18
Position: D
Height: 65 in.
Weight: 150 lbs.
Birthplace: Greenland

Player Page
@VHLM GM