snake3001

We've been starting to play pretty well these past few games

9 shots on goal? Good game boys

I haven't been as active as I would've liked since the draft. This I plan on changing very soon

A good team. We played well

Tough season for Bern

The one game I actually show up....

I come back from vacation to find that a .800 save percentage is apparently a decent game for me

The one game I can honestly say I played well

What's this? A second game I can be halfway proud of my performance? Wow.

Thanks man. Just got back from a trip so just saw this. They both look great

Claim 2

makes sense. Especially considering I don't have either yet

No I haven't heard anything about that. Would be more than willing to fill it out

Don't know if this was meant for me but what survey?

Now, before I start this I just wanted to say that I don't really know if this earns me TPE or not but honestly that's not the reason I'm writing this. I didn't really know where else to put something like this and this seemed like the only reasonable place. If it earns me TPE, great, if not, that's fine too. I just wanted to give my take on the VHL from someone who joined a few days ago, hasn't really done much but look around and hasn't even seen a single game take place because it's the off-season. Anyway, enough with the disclaimer, let's jump right in. The VHL an outsiders perspective by: snake3001 Considering the recruitment drive currently taking place, I'm writing this to give more of an in depth look at what someone who just clicked on the site for the first time might think. I'll give my pros and cons of not just the league but of first impressions I got when entering the league as well as what has since convinced me that I will probably become a long term member of this site . First Impressions This is the one point where it's a little hard for me to come at this from a purely unbiased point. I had been looking for a good hockey simulator league where I didn't have to wait months to join for awhile. My first impressions of this site, however, were a little mixed I'll admit. I was very excited to find a site like this and was pleasantly surprised that the 'create a player' heading I clicked led me not only to a forum where I could create a player, but also to many links that would help me get involved in, what I could already tell, was a very complex site. I watched the video but didn't really enjoy it or find it too overly helpful. It was a bit long and drawn out and I found it easier reading the articles that were posted for new recruits but I suppose it might be helpful to more of a visual learner though it was a little outdated. The articles that people had written were extremely helpful however. Though they didn't answer all my questions, and actually ended up giving me new ones, they were engaging and made me want to find the answers to those questions I had. It was late at night though, so I browsed a bit but could tell that there was a lot going on that I would need to really focus to get (mainly the TPE system) so I went to bed. Second, Third, Fourth....Impressions When I started really reading the new player articles I was a little frustrated that some of the links were bad and took me nowhere but it was fairly easy to find what I needed to. The thing that helped me the most was How to get Started Long Version which was very clearly laid out and helped me to understand what the league was all about. My next problem was the TPE system. How to get Started Long Version helped me kind of understand what I could do week by week and some of the early 'graded' uncapped TPE I could earn but that's where it started getting tough. Some of the articles I looked at were graded and unclaimed while others were claimed but not graded and others were neither or both. I admit that I'm still a little confused on that front but this is where one of my favourite things about the site comes into play. The tightly knit community is always great to see but they everyone has seemed very helpful and open. Obviously the articles I read said to ask the GMs or commissioners and they would be more than happy to help but I assumed this was just kind of the customary things that everyone says. But even some of the high end people on this site have been very helpful to my many questions which is always great to see and be apart of. Overall So far I think I will much enjoy being a art of this site. I think there are some getting started articles that could use some updating as well as the video could be updated and the TPE system should be broken down more so as to not scare off new members by its complexity. Also, the TPE uncapped and graded article system is very confusing to me and could use some clarification. Though, some extra bonuses that I wasn't expecting were the addition of All-star teams, a minor league, some international play, a hall of fame. All these things are what are going to get people to start. The community gets them to stay.

Title kind of says it all. Who's your favourite prospect on you favourite team or even just in general. For me it has to be Ben Hutton from the Canucks. He was a 5th round draft pick in 2012 and, as a 22 year old, is playing big time minutes for the Canucks and smiling all the way. He just always looks like he's having a blast and always just has a big smile on his face. He may not be our 'top prospect' or whatever but he'll be a pretty good 2nd paring defense kind of guy and he just oozes happiness and seems like just a good ol' boy who's just loving playing hockey.

Does Worboy Have What it Takes? Today we're going to be looking at one of the rookies trying to take the VHLM by storm. Goaltender Jacob Worboy is an 18 year old player coming from a small town in the GTA. He weighs in at about 200 lbs but one of the main concerns has been whether he has the size to make it at the next level, he stands at only 6 ft which, though it may not hurt his game, certainly isn't helping it. He is an interesting prospect for any team that already has an established goaltender but is looking to take a flier on someone with not much experience and hopefully turn him into a star. Is the Risk Worth the Reward? Hockey is a game of passion, especially for a goalkeeper who often stands alone, so a competitve drive and love for the game can almost always be seem like a positive; however a line has to be drawn. You look at Worboy and can see him often times letting his emotions get the better of him out there on the ice for a multitude of different reasons. He isn't afraid of letting his teammates, his opponents or even the refs know when he disagrees with what they're doing out on the ice and this can often lead to penalties and distractions for his team. He needs to learn to channel that energy and emotion into his game and just focus on making the next stop. Teams would be taking a big risk playing him in a game against a rival where his emotions could cost the team but he still has the capacity for big games and has a high potential if he's willing to take the next step to get there . Interesting Style of Play One of his big strength's is recovery after a rebound. Saves that look like desperation are made nightly and are actually anything but as he stretches and dives all over the crease. But there's a negative that come with this one positive. The third shot has a better chance of going in but any third rebound the blame usually is placed directly on the defense's shoulders for not clearing the puck in time. Worboy is much more confident with high shots than low, as he tends to stay deep in the crease to see the shot rather than coming out to cut off the angles, sometimes overly so, and while his big upper body allows for this, low corner shots tend to be a pretty big weakness overall. To succeed in the VHL and even the VHLM he must also work on rebound control. Sometimes he makes a nice second save that shouldn't have been necessary because of a weak rebound that bounces right back into traffic. Ready to be a Leader Already? Every young goalie just learning how to be vocal on the ice is given different metaphors. An extra pair of eyes, a general in the defensive zone. This is the one thing where Worboy really thrives. He knows where every other opposing player is and is telling his defensemen exactly where to be. He's telling the defender where the attackers coming from, where he should put the puck. He's congratulating kids when they make a good play, telling them what to do differently when they don't. Though it may not be hard to see by his body language when he's mad at his team, all he says is what to do better next time. He's an extra assistant coach already at such a young stage in his career. Expectations A guaranteed future backup and a potential future starter if he puts in the work. The next few years could define his career and could make a team that decides to take a chance on him with a late pick. Expect him to work on and fight to get his emotions in check as he develops into a leader for whichever team drafts him. "Saves that look like desperation...are actually anything but.."

I got you bud. I'll rake in the TPE for you

confirmed

Not 100%. What's your username on 2BC?

I'll keep that in mind. But be warned, if I use the Rangers I'm going to run up the score

seriously? no that wasn't me. what are the odds?

trust me. after that deadline i'm scared to even mention the canucks