Dangles13

Toronto Legion Moscow Menace Vancouver Wolves Seattle Bears

The draft is coming up fast and my training is not what it once was. In the early part of the season, I was hungry and determined to climb up draft boards but the season has taken a toll on me. My body is worn down and I don't have the time to dedicate to better myself as much as I would like. My agent has told me that I have slipped down the draft rankings a little and I have to dig deep if I want to keep on pace with my peers. I really want to focus on helping the Rush to a playoff spot but I also have to do what is best for me and I don't know what that is. Do I head into the gym and burn myself to a nub or do I put everything on the ice and hope a team appreciates my effort. I don't really care what team I play for but I do want to be drafted at an appropriate spot for my talent. I feel that I am a first round talent and I will destroy the VHL when I make it up there. Any team that passes on me will regret it when I lift the cup multiple times.

I'm the perpetual bust

Wow, this my 3rd bust here.

EFL Affiliation

1. In the latter half of the season now and, while Halifax and Minnesota are quite a few points ahead, there is just 4 points separating 3rd and 7th, which of those five teams (Aces, Bulls, Lynx, Rush, Wild) do you think will finish highest at the end of the season? I would have to take the Houston Bulls as my choice to finish in 3rd this season. The successful expansion franchise has the best goal differential and is 7-3 in their last ten games. I think that these two signs are an indication of their talent. 2. Since the last set of questions were asked, the World Juniors Rosters have been selected. What do you think about your nationalities chances at winning the tournament? I think we have a good young group that will take some time to develop into an international powerhouse. We might surprise a few teams this tournament but I don't think we have a real shot at winning the whole thing. 3a. (If you made your World Juniors roster) Who would you consider the best player on your team? 3b. (If you didn't make your World Juniors roster) Were you surprised not to make it onto your team's roster or was it expected? Our captain, Evgeni Komarov is easily our best player. The guy plays like he is a ten-year veteran and his leadership is off the charts. Kooms is a guy that I can approach at any time and he always makes time for me. 4. Hunter Hearst Helmsley is currently leading the league in points and goals, do you think there's anyone who can stop him from leading in either come the end of the season? Not a chance, this guy wakes up and pisses excellence. I get to play this guy every game and he never runs out of ways to embarrass the other teams and set up his teammates. 5. Give a shout-out to one member of your team who has helped you out and why (maybe a member's player has helped your player perform well in the sim, a member who helped you with PT's, etc.) Our rookie goalie, Clayton Park has really helped to make Yukon a fun place to be. @leafssteen is always chatting and keeping the boys loose while continuously working on his game. Park is going to be a long time stud in the league. 6. Recommend either a video game or a movie for other members to play/watch and why you'd recommend it. One of my favourite movies is Pandorum, a psychological thriller mixed with a horror movie. It takes place in space and does a neat job of explaining the effects isolation can have on the human mind while also throwing in monsters for fun.

Something that I've only seen on the EFL that I can recall is that they offer career point tasks. And what these are is there a point to ask related to a certain point in your career they have them for, your first college experience, your experience being drafted, and your first time testing free agency; various things that would happen in a person's career naturally and I think these are a neat way to tell your story and I know the VHL offers a rookie profile but I'd like to see that expanded. I think these would be a neat way for people to kind of put themselves in their players shoes, or skates if you will, so they can experience their career from standpoint that's not just looking at numbers in the index. I also realize that we don't have college system here but we can swap that out for juniors and I think you know hockey has its own Sport and has its own milestones in things like your first fight, your first goal, and even your first playoff game he's at all exciting events and I think it'd be fun to write about them.

USA

Calgary Wranglers @ Riga Reign 217 Helsinki Titans @ Toronto Legion 218 HC Davos Dynamo @ Moscow Menace 219 New York Americans @ Seattle Bears

TOR: 3-2

EFL Affiliation

Dynamo 2-0

170 New York Americans @ Calgary Wranglers 171 Moscow Menace @ Seattle Bears 172 Riga Reign @ Vancouver Wolves 173 HC Davos Dynamo @ Helsinki Titans

Better than who?

At this point in the season, I never imagined that we would be sitting outside of a playoff spot but here we are. We are tied with the expansion team from Houston with 29 points but they have a game in hand, I'm pissed. We are a better team than them and we need to play better in order to get our playoff spot back. We are only five points out of the last place in the league and that is unacceptable; I fully expected us to be a top team and the loss of Cole seems to have hurt us deeply. On a personal level, I could objectively be happy with how my boxcars look but that's not how I am wired; winning is the only goal and all the stats don't matter to me. I knew that the Rush had a tough season last time around but I felt really happy with our draft and thought we were poised for a step forward. I haven't been filling the net as much as I would like to be so that is what I have to work on for the rest of the season. A few more goals for the boys might get us some more wins, especially when I'm getting passes from the best player in the league. Some of our teammates need to get some lucky breaks as well. John Frostbeard has a criminally low 3.23 shooting percentage and that is so unsustainable that I can't wait to watch this guy bury the biscuit every game and a half down the stretch. Two other guys, Huynh and Dreissche are two guys who are shooting under 6% and I can't see that lasting. My hope is that we bust out of slumps and start surprising teams down the second half of the season. Maybe a trade or two can get things rolling in our favour. Playing with HHH is an absolute treat. This guy is absolutely sick on the ice and I find myself watching him do things when I should be playing and going to the net. The way he can manipulate his body to get around players is phenomenal and I can only hope to keep playing with him for the rest of the year. The guy has 28 tucks in 30 games to go with his 30 apples, the most shots in the league and the 2nd best faceoff percent; he's the best player in the league by a country mile. I don't know what will happen for the rest of the season but all I know is that I need playoff hockey at the end of this season or else I'll be crestfallen. Even with the draft looming in the far distance I would not be satisfied; my draft stock isn't near the top of the draft class and I don't know if I have the juice to get it higher. Some will attribute my success to riding the coattails of Helmsley and it is hard to deny it.

Not having a laptop was bad for the ole draft stock. Thank you for doing this, it's wonderful.

1. We are at about the third season mark. What teams are most likely going to face off in the next Founder's Cup final? I feel that we have a sneaky good squad in Yukon and come playoffs we will surprise teams on our way to dismantling Halifax in the finals. 2. What is one trade you'd like your trade to do at this moment? I think we have a few trades in the works as we speak, bringing in some scoring and leadership that will be valuable in the playoffs. 3. The 3rd World Junior Championship Commissioner was just hired (congrats Frostbeard), meaning the S65 WJC is about to start. Do you think you have what it takes to represent your nation? I am the best player from Russia so I had better be there. We will win if the coach takes Valeri Morozov on his team. 4. Who are your early favourites to win some awards in the VHLM? MVP, best two-way forward, best defenseman, best goalie? Denver Wolfe is running roughshod all over the defensive scoring and is tied for 2nd in rookie scoring and is easily the best defender. Best goalie has to be Chase who is dominating the leaderboards. 5. What's one song that you listen to before stepping on the ice, that will inevitably pump you up and get you ready for action? So hard to choose just one song but I listen to anything by Volbeat to get the blood pumping. Love to rage to some heavier riffs. 6. Describe your VHLM team's General Manager and/or Assistant to the General Manager in 3 words. Laid-back, fun, pinecone

+4

Davos 2-1

VAN NYA SEA RIG

66 HC Davos Dynamo @ Moscow Menace 67 Toronto Legion @ Vancouver Wolves 68 Calgary Wranglers @ New York Americans 69 Moscow Menace @ Riga Reign

Toronto 3-2

Render: Alex Killorn Team: Yukon Rush Player Name: Valeri Morozov

1) Since it's not been too long since you've joined the league, what are thoughts on the league so far as a whole? I love the league. It is wide open and allows me to hone my talents in an environment that is not overwhelming and allows for mistakes. 2) Are there any areas in the league that you would like to see a change/improvement? I would not mind seeing a way to increase organic rivalries and getting teams to have that friendly banter on point. 3) The VHLM Newsletter launched earlier this week, did you read it and was it helpful to you? I love this thing and I look forward to reading it each and every week. The trivia team does an A++ job of helping pigeons like me clean up the TPE. 4) What are your aims this season in the VHLM? Win and win often. I love racking up Ws and putting up numbers, get myself a couple of tucks and dish out some big hits. 5) With the teams starting to take shape, who do you consider to be the favourite for the VHLM Founders Cup? The Yukon Rush are built to win and even though we lost a stud in the pipes in Cole, I think our offence is gonna run teams over. 6a) Is there any player on your VHL team that you're particularly looking forward to playing with when you make the VHL? (For players who were also in the VHL Draft) Not overly, I feel that my play style compliments any player in the league and that should help me gel anywhere.

"Kid, get in here" a man seated in a swivel chair shouts from his dark office. Being the eager rookie I am, I rushed into the room with a big smile plastered on my face. "Sir?" I say aloud while wondering what I did wrong. I have been showing up to practices on time and I think I've been doing the drills well, maybe missing a few queues here and there. My mind, as usual, is doing it's best to submarine my confidence like some sort of super villain with a shitty accent. Coach leans back in his worn-out chair with a torn mesh back and looks me in the eye, "Morzy, I'd like to talk about what we expect from you this season and go over some of the things we need to see from you. You are one of our big bodies and as such, we need you to go to the dirty areas and get pucks for Helmer or whoever else you end up playing with. Any goals you chip in are welcome but we really want you to lean on guys and wear their D down." I think to myself, "why did he call a meeting for this?" He could have easily just pulled me aside after practice this morning and told me this; again, my mind starts to think of interesting ways in which this could be bad news. "No problem, coach. I will play big and make life easy on our boys and hell for the other boys". I expect to be dismissed and I put my hands on the armrests of the chair to lift myself out of the chair when coach leans forward. "Valeri, there is a reason I wanted to do this privately; I want you to protect Helmer and Matthews this season. Nobody and I mean nobody, gets to touch them without repercussions. If someone is bugging them then I want you to bury them until they stop coming. Try not to take any penalties or get suspended but do what you need to do to keep those two playing top notch hockey for us". With that said, the coach eased back into his chair and put out his hand, indicating that I was to leave. I stood up and looked him in the eye and said, "I understand" and then turned and walked out of the office. I had to think about what this meant, I have never been a fighter but I've had my share of shoving matches as a big man. A Rolodex started spinning in my mind as I wondered who I could reach out to so I could learn to fight. I might have to join a boxing gym or something to learn how to defend myself, punching really hard won't be enough to get the job done. I guess I will have to try to check guys into next week until I get better. I pull out my phone and start googling gyms near my apartment and settle myself into my new role.