Trazan

Sportbladet in Sweden ran an article about Tord Yvel and interviewed his Agent Efraim Barkbit.
I translated it for the fans of New York Americans who wonders if they should buy a Yvel-jersey or not.
Enjoy!
 
How are the Contract talks going between New York Americans and Tord Yvel going?
We have had a little chat with Tord Yvels Agent; Efraim Barkbit.
 
Hello Eftraim Barkbit, How are you doing?
 Hey, Nice to hear from you.
I’m doing great although these are hectic times with some of my clients here and over in Europe hitting the offseason, 
 
I can imagine that.
Today i would like to ask you some questions about Tord Yvel’s status and future as an American.
Sure, Shoot and will answer what i can.
 
Let's just go hard right away:
Have there been any firm offers on the table?
You know I can't go into details but I can tell you that my client has yet to be presented with a dotted line. 
 
Have the Club any interest in retaining Tord? Have there been any talks about an extension?
Yes, The decision makers in New York reached out and we have an ongoing discussion on what the next contract should look like.
My client is very happy with how The Americans have handled this.
 
So there should be a contract signed soon?
All i can say is that my Client Tord has loved his time in New York and would like to retire as and American.
But as you know, When offseason is upon us this turns into a business and both parties need to be on the same page.
For now i would say that we are close and we are working on a detail or two but i am confident we will get this done.
 
 
~299 words

I'm pretty new around here and doesn't really know what has happened here in the past, But @thadthrasher and @McWolf are great

Sportbladet in Sweden ran an article about Tord Yvel and interviewed his Agent Efraim Barkbit.
I translated it for the fans of New York Americans who wonders if they should buy a Yvel-jersey or not.
Enjoy!
 
How are the Contract talks going between New York Americans and Tord Yvel going?
We have had a little chat with Tord Yvels Agent; Efraim Barkbit.
 
Hello Eftraim Barkbit, How are you doing?
 Hey, Nice to hear from you.
I’m doing great although these are hectic times with some of my clients here and over in Europe hitting the offseason, 
 
I can imagine that.
Today i would like to ask you some questions about Tord Yvel’s status and future as an American.
Sure, Shoot and will answer what i can.
 
Let's just go hard right away:
Have there been any firm offers on the table?
You know I can't go into details but I can tell you that my client has yet to be presented with a dotted line. 
 
Have the Club any interest in retaining Tord? Have there been any talks about an extension?
Yes, The decision makers in New York reached out and we have an ongoing discussion on what the next contract should look like.
My client is very happy with how The Americans have handled this.
 
So there should be a contract signed soon?
All i can say is that my Client Tord has loved his time in New York and would like to retire as and American.
But as you know, When offseason is upon us this turns into a business and both parties need to be on the same page.
For now i would say that we are close and we are working on a detail or two but i am confident we will get this done.
 
 
~299 words

“Possibly Analfisted but Defenitly FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY-Champ of ‘88”
 
 
Voices on obscure hockey-forums and in basements around the world have been raised..
Was anyone in the s88 draft FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY? Has anybody been slighted by 10+ teams!? Insulted worse than insults involving Pigeons and/or Frenchmen
let's take a look at the prospects and compare who has risen to glory, to put GM’s to shame, To shine light on possibly the the snub of a lifetime! 
Ps I will simply look at TPE… 
 
This article is started 15/9 and the TPE and stats may differ between the players with a day or two updates,
At first we will go through the prospects in draft order and see what we first notice.
 
1
M.Callaway
779
2
S.Analfist
830
3
B..Bob
794
4
J.Davis
747
5
J.Stone
930
6
M.Stauffer
689
7
L.Slater
693
8
F.Mancini
671
9
O.Lazaro
605
10
M.Dilson
740
11
G.Mckeggegger
569
12
L.Gaming
493
13
N.Andersson
585
14
R.wheeler
546
15
D.turtle
425
16
M.Rice
480
17
M.Bigmac
246
18
A.Deluca
294
19
A.Tsujimoto
151
20
T.Yvel
502
21
E.s.Dudzinska
354
22
O.Gauthier
349
23
S.Romanov
154
24
F.Lewkowicz
148
25
J.williams
486
26
D.C.Lll
223
27
T.Dew
363
28
D.Mcilrath
263
29
B.Bjornabjorkson
400
30
J.Baraslov
203
31
D.A.Malkovich
277
32
B.Marchand
308
 

 
I must say that I'm very impressed with the GM’s around the league.
I expect there to be far more “busts” or wasted picks, commendations to The GM's in this legeue. 
As we can see M.Callaway is very very very far from a bust, But just looking at TPE he might not be the number one pick in a redraft.
Medal for the highest TPE in the draft so far goes to 5th pick J.stone.
The difference between them is 151 TPE, a big gap. 4 GM’s passed on him so maybe the potential was well hidden.
Might one say he was FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY? DA DA DA! 
I don’t think so to be honest
he was picked a few spots too low but nothing major and maybe one or two GM’s should feel some regret but it’s not like they walked away with nothing
All players in the top are very good players in their own right. 
Both Players and GM's should feel proud of their accomplishments 
 
Lets re-rank them based on TPE: 
 
Top Ten!
 
Drafted:
Name:
Total TPE
Ranked after TPE
5
J.Stone
930
1
2
S.Analfist
830
2
3
B..Bob
794
3
1
M.Callaway
779
4
4
J.Davis
747
5
10
M.Dilson
740
6
7
L.Slater
693
7
6
M.Stauffer
689
8
8
F.Mancini
671
9
9
O.Lazaro
605
10
 
I wouldn’t say there are any real snubbs in the top 10.
All players originally selected in the first ten spots still go within the top ten
Although in a slightly different order
And no one outside this first group has yet made it to 600 TPE.
J.stone rose 4 spots which won’t even put him top3 on the list.
 
Picks 11-20
 
Drafted:
Name:
Total TPE
Ranked after TPE
13
N.Andersson
585
11
11
G.Mckeggegger
569
12
14
R.wheeler
546
13
20
T.Yvel
502
14
12
L.Gaming
493
15
25
J.williams
486
16
END
OF
FIRST
ROUND
16
M.Rice
480
17
15
D.turtle
425
18
29
B.Bjornabjorkson
400
19
27
T.Dew
363
20
 
Here we start to see some real movement. Jumping 6 spots from 20 to 14 is me: Tord Yvel.
Not a whole lot but some Gm’s might need to rethink their drafting.
Or not, most would say that this far into the draft  it’s mostly luck.
In this group we have two of the biggest snubbs though
J. Williams who climbed 9 spots, From 25 to 16
real solid pick with a chance to make some real damage in the VHL
Something you don’t see left on the board as late as 25 in many drafts. 
Top climber B.Bjornabjorkson has picked up enough TPE to be ranked 10(!) spots ahead of his original draft-spot
from 29 to 19.
Something I was very surprised to see when the draft was concluded
I thought for sure he would be picked way higher than at 29.
I strongly  feel that there is a story here.
Maybe he wouldn’t play for some teams and had been outspoken about it?
Maybe he yelled at some GM’s dogs at the park?
Maybe he cut some scouts of at the highway?
Did he spit in someone's beer?
Was he caught curling into a little ball and calling himself an orange?
Maybe, Maybe not?
I certainly don’t know but it’s clear that he was drafted too late.
 
21-32
Drafted:
Name:
Total TPE
Ranked after TPE
21
E.s.Dudzinska
354
21
22
O.Gauthier
349
22
32
B.Marchand
308
23
18
A.Deluca
294
24
31
D.A.Malkovich
277
25
28
D.Mcilrath
263
26
17
M.Bigmac
246
27
26
D.C.Lll
223
28
30
J.Baraslov
203
29
23
S.Romanov
154
30
19
A.Tsujimoto
151
31
24
F.Lewkowicz
148
32
 
In this group there really only is one climber
B.Marchand who climbed 9 spots.
But this far down I don't think the GM’s are really that troubled.
I mean 308 TPE is definitely nothing to sneeze at and it’s a good job getting there.
But does it scream Franchise changing?
Not really
Although i really want to stress that it’s a marathon and not a sprint.
Maybe one of these guys will go on to the hall of fame, You never know!
and Role players are the meat on any team worthy of the Cup.
Anyway, B.Marchand takes 3rd place on our most FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY list and will be interesting to follow and see if he can climb some more on this list.
He could end up as the steal of the draft in a few seasons. 

 
So after some ramblings and reviewing the time has come to present the top three FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY players of the s88 and to crown a FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY-Champ.
 
 
In third place…………..
 
 
Second place belongs tooooo…………..
 
 
And now for the first place on the FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY List forever 
(Or at least until someone else take a look at this further down the line)
 
 “Possibly Analfisted but Defenitly FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY-Champ of ‘88” 
 
;
In FIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRRRSSSSSSSST PLACE VHL’S OWN WITH THE IMPOSSIBLE NAME
ALL THE WAY FROM DEEPEST SWEDEN

 
 
 
~1240 words
will use for week endings
24/9
1/10 
(edited cus wrong week endings)

Oh, going 0-18 would absolutely suck donkeyballs. Gonna hope for 5 wins and a comeback next year
 

“Possibly Analfisted but Defenitly FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY-Champ of ‘88”
 
 
Voices on obscure hockey-forums and in basements around the world have been raised..
Was anyone in the s88 draft FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY? Has anybody been slighted by 10+ teams!? Insulted worse than insults involving Pigeons and/or Frenchmen
let's take a look at the prospects and compare who has risen to glory, to put GM’s to shame, To shine light on possibly the the snub of a lifetime! 
Ps I will simply look at TPE… 
 
This article is started 15/9 and the TPE and stats may differ between the players with a day or two updates,
At first we will go through the prospects in draft order and see what we first notice.
 
1
M.Callaway
779
2
S.Analfist
830
3
B..Bob
794
4
J.Davis
747
5
J.Stone
930
6
M.Stauffer
689
7
L.Slater
693
8
F.Mancini
671
9
O.Lazaro
605
10
M.Dilson
740
11
G.Mckeggegger
569
12
L.Gaming
493
13
N.Andersson
585
14
R.wheeler
546
15
D.turtle
425
16
M.Rice
480
17
M.Bigmac
246
18
A.Deluca
294
19
A.Tsujimoto
151
20
T.Yvel
502
21
E.s.Dudzinska
354
22
O.Gauthier
349
23
S.Romanov
154
24
F.Lewkowicz
148
25
J.williams
486
26
D.C.Lll
223
27
T.Dew
363
28
D.Mcilrath
263
29
B.Bjornabjorkson
400
30
J.Baraslov
203
31
D.A.Malkovich
277
32
B.Marchand
308
 

 
I must say that I'm very impressed with the GM’s around the league.
I expect there to be far more “busts” or wasted picks, commendations to The GM's in this legeue. 
As we can see M.Callaway is very very very far from a bust, But just looking at TPE he might not be the number one pick in a redraft.
Medal for the highest TPE in the draft so far goes to 5th pick J.stone.
The difference between them is 151 TPE, a big gap. 4 GM’s passed on him so maybe the potential was well hidden.
Might one say he was FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY? DA DA DA! 
I don’t think so to be honest
he was picked a few spots too low but nothing major and maybe one or two GM’s should feel some regret but it’s not like they walked away with nothing
All players in the top are very good players in their own right. 
Both Players and GM's should feel proud of their accomplishments 
 
Lets re-rank them based on TPE: 
 
Top Ten!
 
Drafted:
Name:
Total TPE
Ranked after TPE
5
J.Stone
930
1
2
S.Analfist
830
2
3
B..Bob
794
3
1
M.Callaway
779
4
4
J.Davis
747
5
10
M.Dilson
740
6
7
L.Slater
693
7
6
M.Stauffer
689
8
8
F.Mancini
671
9
9
O.Lazaro
605
10
 
I wouldn’t say there are any real snubbs in the top 10.
All players originally selected in the first ten spots still go within the top ten
Although in a slightly different order
And no one outside this first group has yet made it to 600 TPE.
J.stone rose 4 spots which won’t even put him top3 on the list.
 
Picks 11-20
 
Drafted:
Name:
Total TPE
Ranked after TPE
13
N.Andersson
585
11
11
G.Mckeggegger
569
12
14
R.wheeler
546
13
20
T.Yvel
502
14
12
L.Gaming
493
15
25
J.williams
486
16
END
OF
FIRST
ROUND
16
M.Rice
480
17
15
D.turtle
425
18
29
B.Bjornabjorkson
400
19
27
T.Dew
363
20
 
Here we start to see some real movement. Jumping 6 spots from 20 to 14 is me: Tord Yvel.
Not a whole lot but some Gm’s might need to rethink their drafting.
Or not, most would say that this far into the draft  it’s mostly luck.
In this group we have two of the biggest snubbs though
J. Williams who climbed 9 spots, From 25 to 16
real solid pick with a chance to make some real damage in the VHL
Something you don’t see left on the board as late as 25 in many drafts. 
Top climber B.Bjornabjorkson has picked up enough TPE to be ranked 10(!) spots ahead of his original draft-spot
from 29 to 19.
Something I was very surprised to see when the draft was concluded
I thought for sure he would be picked way higher than at 29.
I strongly  feel that there is a story here.
Maybe he wouldn’t play for some teams and had been outspoken about it?
Maybe he yelled at some GM’s dogs at the park?
Maybe he cut some scouts of at the highway?
Did he spit in someone's beer?
Was he caught curling into a little ball and calling himself an orange?
Maybe, Maybe not?
I certainly don’t know but it’s clear that he was drafted too late.
 
21-32
Drafted:
Name:
Total TPE
Ranked after TPE
21
E.s.Dudzinska
354
21
22
O.Gauthier
349
22
32
B.Marchand
308
23
18
A.Deluca
294
24
31
D.A.Malkovich
277
25
28
D.Mcilrath
263
26
17
M.Bigmac
246
27
26
D.C.Lll
223
28
30
J.Baraslov
203
29
23
S.Romanov
154
30
19
A.Tsujimoto
151
31
24
F.Lewkowicz
148
32
 
In this group there really only is one climber
B.Marchand who climbed 9 spots.
But this far down I don't think the GM’s are really that troubled.
I mean 308 TPE is definitely nothing to sneeze at and it’s a good job getting there.
But does it scream Franchise changing?
Not really
Although i really want to stress that it’s a marathon and not a sprint.
Maybe one of these guys will go on to the hall of fame, You never know!
and Role players are the meat on any team worthy of the Cup.
Anyway, B.Marchand takes 3rd place on our most FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY list and will be interesting to follow and see if he can climb some more on this list.
He could end up as the steal of the draft in a few seasons. 

 
So after some ramblings and reviewing the time has come to present the top three FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY players of the s88 and to crown a FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY-Champ.
 
 
In third place…………..
 
 
Second place belongs tooooo…………..
 
 
And now for the first place on the FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY List forever 
(Or at least until someone else take a look at this further down the line)
 
 “Possibly Analfisted but Defenitly FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY-Champ of ‘88” 
 
;
In FIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRRRSSSSSSSST PLACE VHL’S OWN WITH THE IMPOSSIBLE NAME
ALL THE WAY FROM DEEPEST SWEDEN

 
 
 
~1240 words
will use for week endings
24/9
1/10 
(edited cus wrong week endings)

In the sports lexicon, usually one would be considered FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY when a lesser-worthy candidate receives some sort of award or recognition ahead of them. It's generally used in an individual context. But in a more macro point of view, can an entire team be FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY? What if a brilliant plan and incredibly talented group of players simply never managed to put things together well enough to get rewarded? In the late S70s, a team was assembled that, by all means, could have done much more. Should have done much more. But, whether it was something just not quite done right by the players themselves, by their management, or perhaps just divine intervention from Simon himself, one potential dynasty turned into an abject failure.
 
The S75 VHL Entry Draft was, by far, the deepest pool of incoming players that the VHL had ever seen. It would ultimately go on for 7 rounds, seeing 112 players selected. Matthew A Sovick Jr. was selected 106th overall and would go on to become the lowest-selected player to ever play VHL games, playing 42 games as a backup for Riga. On draft day, Sovick had earned 120 TPE (four other 7th rounders had also eclipsed the 100 TPE mark). VHL drafts since have tended to have three or four rounds, with 100 TPE players usually being long gone by the final round.
 
In the midst of an impressive playoff streak, the Riga Reign, headed by Hall of Fame GM Benjamin Zeptenbergs, opted to blow up his team and take advantage of the stacked draft class to set his team up for what should have became a fresh six or seven year window to compete for Continental Cups. The Reign ended up with five first rounders, four second rounders, and 19 total picks.
 
The Reign came out of the S75 draft with an embarrassment of riches in the prospect pool. They selected Miami Marauders teammates Cabe McJake and Addison McLaren with the 7th and 8th overall picks, added Dolant Fertitta, Joe Kelly, and Sirkants Klamasteris with their remaining first rounders. While Fertitta and Kelly eventually flamed out, McJake, McLaren, and Klamasteris easily had franchise-player-level talent. In the second round, the Reign unearthed Justin Lose, Linus Zetterstrom, and Artair McCloud - three players who would go on to score a combined 1450 VHL points in 1440 VHL games. Third rounder Isau DaMoose enjoyed a long, successful, point-per-game VHL career of his own. Within the first 38 picks of one single entry draft, Riga had assembled enough high-end talent to fill almost three-quarters of a VHL roster with quality players.
 

A theoretically pretty good haul for the first 38 picks of one single draft, right?
 
The still-rebuilding Reign went 29-38-5 in S75, prior to most of those draft picks even making their VHL debuts. As we entered S76, Riga's top prospects were called up en masse, creating a talented young roster that figured to contend for a playoff spot, even if they were probably not ready to seriously contend. The Reign were a consensus future powerhouse, and the future was about to begin. Expectations were high both in and out of the locker room. When the puck dropped on S76, the HC Davos Dynamo blew Riga out of the water by an 8-3 final score. Then, more losses: 4-3 to Moscow, 7-1 to Seattle, 5-4 to Helsinki ... they continued to pile up. It was an 0-7-1 start to what was supposed to be a promising season. Eventually, things began to stabilize slightly and the Reign put together a strong enough finish to sneak into the final playoff spot in the European Conference with a 32-34-6 record. They would go on to win one playoff game, unceremoniously dumped by Prague as they were outscored 14-7 in the series.
 
But it was early. This was a team of guys with six more years left in their careers - there would be no reason to give up on them now. And with another year of experience behind them, this squad was getting to a point where they could - should - be able to hang with the VHL's best. As if watching cruel reruns of S76, the Reign jumped out of the gates to a record of ... 2-10-1 through 13 games?? After crawling back into the playoff picture by mid-season, the Reign endured a 2-9-2 stretch that sent them back to the bottom of the standings. A traded deadline acquisition of Ray Sheilds brought a little bit of hope, a little bit of success, but the Reign would finish one point out of the playoffs at 29-35-8.
 
Nevertheless, optimism continued. These guys were young. They were far too talented to be this bad for this long - they had to be! It defied logic. S78 began with the same high hopes... this was the year. The puck dropped on S78 and... a familiar, horrible, painful song began to play. Seven games into the season, the Reign were 0-5-2. After fighting back to win 7 of their next 11 games, they embarked on a 2-7-2 stretch that left them 9-15-5... near the bottom of the EU once again. The cracks in Riga's foundation had grown too far to be mended, and Addison McLaren found himself sent off to Toronto shortly afterwards. Eventually, Klamasteris was also moved. The Reign, for no logical reason, missed the playoffs once again. How could we ever have gotten here?
 
The stars of the S79 Riga Reign roster were McJake, DaMoose, McCloud, and Lose up front, with Zetterstrom on the back end. Jolly Greene Giant gave them a #1 defenseman - another S75 pick, acquired in the trade for McLaren. Matt thunder and Jan Hlozek rounded out the big names. It was, once again, a team that was plenty good enough to compete on paper. But the dark cloud hanging over this team was becoming impossible to ignore. In S79, the script played in reverse. Riga won 11 of their first 14 games. They finally made the playoffs, finishing third in the EU at 37-30-5. Instead of digging themselves a hole and being unable to climb out of it, it was a sense of doom cast by a 5-8-2 finish that hung over their playoff hopes. The Reign were outscored 23-14 by Warsaw in a five-game first round series.
 
The Riga Reign team built in the S75 was cursed. It was the only explanation fans could come up with as they started S80 well, then watched their beloved team fall into a 4-13-1 spiral that took them out of the playoff race. The S80 Reign actually won 12 of their last 16 games, but it wasn't enough to overcome the immediately-preceeding 9-game losing skid and they missed the playoffs by 5 points. For all the talent assembled, they could never get out of their own way. Their inconsistency was unparalleled, inevitably falling into 15, 20 game slumps on a yearly basis where they played like the worst team in the league. The S81 Reign, unsurprisingly, missed the playoffs. In his first season in Seattle, Justin Lose would score 72 goals and 142 points in one of the single best seasons in recent VHL history.
 
And then came S82, the final season in the careers of all S75 draftees. By now, the Reign had pretty much cleansed themselves of their cursed S75 class - only DaMoose and Zetterstrom remained. And with the curse mostly exorcised, this is what we got:
 
S82 standings & playoffs


 
S83 standings & playoffs

 
The collection of players and talent assembled in the S75 draft by Riga will go down, on paper, as one of the biggest hauls any team has ever pulled off. And yet, what it took for Riga to return to their place among the league powerhouses... was for them to go away.
 
This team, this core ... they were simply cursed by destiny to be FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY.
 
---
 
My apologies to anyone who was involved in these dark days along with me. I'm sure you didn't want to relive them. It completely boggles my mind that we didn't achieve any success at all.
1300ish words

For this weeks Around the League in 500 words I want to talk about Rip Wheeler’s dumb ass and an amazing LA Stars club ripping through the league. 
 
RIP WHEELER
So….my friend, Calgary forward Rip Wheeler @ScottyPScott, the brunt of many of my criticisms has started this season much better than last.  Now last year, despite being on a line with Hall of Famer Daniel Janser, he managed 6 whole points all season…..6!.  Now, I spent all last season calling him exactly what he was playing like…. a shit sack. 
 
Now this season, Calgary is without some of the amazing talent they had, and Rip has been asked to step it up a bit.  He has answered the bell…somewhat.  He still doesn’t understand how to shoot the puck but has come out banging.  In 22 games he has amassed 102 hits, good for a tie for #1 overall with AK97 Wit a Hoodie.  Pretty good turn around in one stat department.  BUT…let’s look at his other contributions or lack thereof.  
 
Goals: 6  Assists 4 10 Points.  Grade:  Not good
+/-  - 1                                         Grade: Ok
PIM: 24    -                                  Grade: OK – not hurting the team despite hitting. 
SB: 4   (yes 4).                            Grade: WTF- don’t be scared
PPG:  0                                        Grade: Can’t fault Rip for this.  Calgary is smart to keep him off PP
Shots: 46                                    Grade: Better- roughly two shots a game but has almost equaled                                                                            all of last year’s shots (49)
 
Overall I like the fact Rip is doing better even though I am still going to trash him so I can get my TPE for media spots and so will @Thunder.  He finally hit 500 so I got 10 TPE to add to Payne so thank you Rip.  I am still disappointed when I see Welfare added to his updates because I work with his lazy ass and know he has plenty of time to write something.  But hopefully him leading some categories lights a fire under him. 
 
LA ON FIRE:
At 22 games into the season the LA Stars are singing. There currently 16-5-1 with a league leading 78 goals and tied for league best with only 53 games allowed. This shows me that they are freaking deadly at both ends of the ice. 
 
OFFENSE: 
There is a lot to like about this team’s offensive firepower.  Todd Cooke @KRZYhas been lights out.  The #27 pick in the S84 draft is making teams that passed him up cry as he tears through the league’s best defenders.  With 17G 25A 42PTS Cooke is off to an easy 100 + point season.  Cooke just sees the ice so well and his passing game is on point with the best in the league.  Also, up front is Napoleon Dynamite @thadthrasher and Svatopluk Puk @Otaznik who are already double digit in goals and assists.  
 
DEFENSE:
So. I am always partial to defenders and there is a lot to like on this LA club.  Tied for first for defensive scorers Elias Lampi @Pifferfish with 30 points.  He also likes to sacrifice for his club with 52 blocked shots.  Also on D is one of my favorite defenders and often overlooked as one of the leagues best, Callum Murray @Berocka.  At 607 225 this smooth skating dman can hurt you at both ends of the ice.  23 goals last year, Murray can score in bunches and still cover his own end. It’s a no wonder they have only allowed 53 goals with these two patrolling the back end.
 
Goalie:
The #1 overall pick in S84, Art Vandelay is an absolute brick wall.  16-5-1 with .0926 SV% and 3 shutouts, AV @Gustav is up to about any challenge should his defense allow a forward through their already tough wall.  It’s a no brainer why this club is doing so well to start and clubs will have to hit the drawing board in an effort to get pucks by this group.  
 
Kudos to @InstantRockstar for building a great team.  However, I hope it all falls apart when you play Vancouver!   LOL

Fun read, Keep up the good work

NEW YORK AMERICANS CAPTAINS
 
The New York Americans players and staff members held a vote during the offseason to determine who would be the three players representing them as captains and alternates on and off the ice. Here are the lucky players that were selected by this jury of their peers.
 
Alternate Captain — Jasper Davis @Josh
Jasper Davis has impressed his teammates with his all-around offensive abilities. He looks forward to build from his Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy winning season as he leads our young group on the ice.
 
Alternate Captain — Zyn Westwood @Sullvino
Zyn Westwood had yet to even stand on the ice with their teammates, and they still felt like they deserved to wear the « A » on their jersey. We're all excited to them in action for their rookie season.
 
Captain — Francisco Mancini @GioSivo
Francisco Mancini will represent the team as its 41st captain. The sophomore player has recently signed a three-season extension that will keep him in NYC until S93. We're all hyped to see the culture shift as we enter this new era with our self-proclaimed mob boss at the helm.

NEW YORK AMERICANS OFFSEASON PRESS CONFERENCE 
 
1. The Americans surprised the Bears in the first round of the playoffs. Did you expect the team to pull the upset?
I must say i had my eyes more on  the E so i had a very loose understanding of how the season went in the big leagues but no i thought it was too steep of a mountain to climb, but super cool that you guys did it
 
2. The VHL draft is right around the corner, who do you think goes 1st overall?
I have no clue whos even eligible, let me take a look.....
Well, i think its pretty obvius Yaboi Oven is going first
 
 
3. Is there a particular prospect you would like the Americans to select in this draft?
looking at what we have in the pipeline i think we maybe need D-prospects but it looks pretty thin around 13 (going of  tpe only)
i would probably go King Kisslinger or Jarmo Ruutu 
 
4. What are you working on during the offseason?
Passing and puckhandling.
 
5. @frescoelmo has recently stepped down from his role as NYA AGM. Say something nice about him.
Don't really know him but Elmo is a cool name
 
6. Thad decided to hire McWolf to replace Fresco. How do you think we should haze him?
Get him drunk and have him record a podcast setting up the lines and do a mock draft for us :')
 

T’was season 89 and Tord Yvel had been traded from Geneva Rusch to Istanbul Red Wolves.
A season that shall be remembered for more than personal reasons.
With istanbul being erased from the league, we the players and the management team put a lot of pressure on ourselves to go out with a bang.
Sadly we just fell short of that as i will go into more detail further into this Tord Yvel s89 Rambling-Wrap up. 
 


 
I would like to start with a big Thank You to all of the Management Team and my teammates.
Without you guys there would be no Tord Yvel.
 
So for Tord’s S89, It went well. Far above my expectations to be honest. I wasn't expecting Yvel to score a lot. Maybe 0,4-0,5 points a game.
But he surpasses that by a wide margin by scoring at a 1,16 PPG rate for a total of 84 points. Most of them Assists.
Tord even led the VHLE in assists for a good portion of season 89, Ending up sharing the second place for most assists with D-star in the making Cameron Elsby, both at 67 apples
outdone only by Hannibal Barca who had 75.
If someone had told me before the season that Tord would be sharing 2nd place with Cameron Elsby i would have laughed, ROFLMAO'D even.
 
Add a measly 17 goals to Tord’s season and it may not sound fantastic, But for a D-man who hasn’t spent more than 5 TPE total in shots i think it’s alright.
 Tord isn't built to shoot, And thankfully Tord didn’t shoot much, 162 shots total with a 10,5 Sh%.
If i have to guess Yvel will hover around 8-10% through his career, Maybe even a bit lower.
 That doesn’t bother me much.
Although I will confess that i got kinda hooked counting points this season and checking the score sheets that's not the primary thing that I want Tord to bring to the table. 
Instead I want a Defense focused defenseman that can make good outlet passes to spring the other 4 players on man-advantage-runs
 
  and now onto where the S89 took an unfortunate turn for Yvel (and The Redwolves)
a part we'll call
"he didn’t really show up when it mattered, The sad sad playoffs"
 
Going 4-4 must be pretty unusual, But that’s exactly what the Istanbul Red Wolves did.
 
After giving Rome Gladiators a goose egg(0) Me and my red-jersey mates thought we had a good to great chance at winning the King's Cup.(*1)
 Unfortunately we ran into superteam Cologne Express and they gave us Zero, Noll. Nada.
The truth is that they we're superior to us in pretty much every aspect of the game and I applaud them for that.
They even succeeded in solving the riddle that was our goalie Evan Bihler who made us defensemen look better than we had any right to look.
 
(*1 It was somewhere around here we learned that The RedWolves would cease to exist after these playoffs.
You could really tell by the comment’s from both current and former members of Istanbul that the franchise would be sorely missed.
Many greats have called it their home and have fond memories of their time there.
I believe Masu Chan was on the cusp of a King’s Cup squad and I'm sad that Me and we couldn’t bring it home.
I'll tell you I had a great time playing under Masu and hope he gets a shot to GM a VHL team some day(If that's what he wants). 
 
In the playoffs Tord underperformed deluxe. 0-6-6 total points, and horrible defense.
In the future I hope to rectify the rumor that Tord Yvel doesn’t perform in the playoffs, but for now that reputation is well earned. 

 
Anyway, the show must go on. and soon enough we’ll be gearing up for S90
and i for one cant wait!
.
I can’t say anything for certain but there has been some rumblings about Tord Yvel graduating to the big league and joining the New York Americans
in their hunt to become a perennial playoff-team after having a pretty long drought finally broken in the season of ‘89.
 
 
Thank you all who made s'89 special
 I will always be
proud to have worn the Red!

 
 
 
 
~720 words

Welcome to the S89 VHLE playoffs preview!
 

@leandrofg
 
Playoffs time people!! Once again, we had a really competitive regular season in the VHLE and each team that made the playoffs have a good chance of winning the Renaissance Cup. Today I will make my predictions for the S89 VHLE’s playoffs, but like I said all the teams can win the Cup, so anything is possible. P.S. the article was made before Rome won the series...
 
Wildcard series
 
(4) vs (5)
 
Regular season series: Rome = 5-3-2
Best offense: Rome
Best defense: Oslo
Best goalie: Oslo
 
We are starting with the Wildcard series opposing the Oslo Storm to the Rome Gladiators. These teams have a big history in the playoffs as they faced each other two times in the last three finals of the Renaissance Cup and each time Oslo won the series. Just like their matchups in the regular season showed, the series is going to be really close. In the regular season, the Gladiators won the series 5-3-2, but on paper the Storm is supposed to be a little bit better team. This is why I give Oslo the advantage in this series.
 
Prediction: Oslo in 3 games
 
Semi-Final
 
(1) vs (4)
 
Regular season series: Istanbul = 6-4-0
Best offense: Istanbul
Best defense: Istanbul
Best goalie: Istanbul
 
The Istanbul Red Wolves finished in the top 4 of the league, for the first time since S84 they really have the team to go all the way. On paper Oslo and Istanbul are pretty similar, a really good goalie, a good defense and forwards that can score, but when you look at the season that each team had, Istanbul’s offense, defense and goalie had a better season in almost each category. It should be an easy win for Istanbul, but the playoffs are a completely different season, so Oslo could cause a surprise just like they did in the previous season. However, I still give the advantage to Istanbul.
 
Prediction: Istanbul in 6 games
Semi-Final
 
(2) vs (3)
 
Regular season series: Cologne = 6-2-2
Best offense: Tie
Best defense: Cologne
Best goalie: Cologne
 
This series is without a doubt going to be close and can easily go either way if you only look at the standings. However, in the ten games they played against each other, Geneva only won two games in regulation and two more in shootout. Plus, if you look at each team’s rosters, you can clearly see that Cologne has an advantage. However, Geneva did not end the season 2nd in the standings with a bad team, so the series is going to be a long one. Indeed, I believe that this series is going to see a seventh game and Cologne is going to win this really important game and series.
 
Prediction: Cologne in 7 games
Renaissance Cup Final
 
(1) vs (3)
 
Regular season series: Cologne = 5-3-2
Best offense: Istanbul
Best defense: Cologne
Best goalie: Istanbul
 
Just like all the other ones, I can not say without a doubt who is going to win this ultimate series, but if I look at each team’s roster and at each team’s season, I can have a pretty good idea. Indeed, Istanbul had a much better offense compared to Cologne in the regular season and since Istanbul also has the best goalie, they clearly have an advantage there. If Cologne wants to win this final series, their defense will have to play their best hockey of the season and be everywhere on the ice. However, I still think that at the end of the season Istanbul is going to be the team that will drink with the Renaissance Cup.
 
Prediction: Istanbul in 6 games
 
Thanks everyone for reading, it was my first VSN article and I hope you liked it. If you also have some predictions for the VHLE’s playoffs, you can write them in the comments.

Hello Geneva(!?)

 
It was almost time to go, I went up from my bed and checked the passport and tickets one more time like it suddenly wouldn’t be there in the suitcase. Passport,Check. Ticket, Check.
I should arrive in Geneva in time to explore the town and facilities  a bit before training camp starts. I don’t want to come in on the last day and feel like a lost little puppy. 
I kept thinking about Geneva and what it would be like. That night I slept like a baby.
 
And in the morning I got the call that turned it upside down, I had gotten traded.
I didn’t know what to think. Istanbul? That’s in turkey right? Oh, Sweden and Turkey don't have the best of relations right now.
Will I be welcomed by the fans or do they see my nationality and boo me right off the bat?
I got nervous right away. 
 

A conversation with the GM of the Red Wolves put some of my worries to rest and they had already bought me a ticket and planned to set me up in an apartment near the arena.
Talking to Masu Chan( @Masu Chan) i felt that they really had a good plan for me and was going to take care of me the person and not just the hockey player.
The frown turned upside down so to say, I began feeling excited again. Istanbul… yeah i think I can make it my home.
 
The season went better than I could ever dream of.
Red Wolves stood at the top of the VHLE with 9 points down to 2nd place. More than a point per game for me and even led some of the individual categories for stretches of the season. I can only say that this was a huge success.
Many thanks goes to the people of this fine organization who put me in a place where I was able to succeed, Both on the ice and off the ice. For most of the season I've been on a first pairing with monster D-man Ben Laas. It goes without saying that he did contribute to our teams and my personal success in so many ways that I can't even count them. 
 
Anyways, here we are.
Favorites going into the playoffs.
A position I'm not used to and don’t particularly like. I’ve always been an underdog and I like to hit from below.
But it’s a new experience and I will take on the challenge the only way I know how to: with a smile on my face.
Not to sound too sure of myself or my team(After all I am Swedish and the Jantelag is strong in this one) I expect us to take home the cup.
Anything below finals must be seen as a huge failure on our part.
With this powerhouse of a  team Masu Chan has assembled, anyone who faces us can’t go into the series feeling good about their chances. 
For myself,  I must be at least a point per game player for us to succeed, Although offense isn’t my primary skill set, that is the bottomline of what I expect of myself.
And more important and something that I didn't really show in the regular season is my physical game and defensive pedigree.
When the games get faster,heavier and tighter in the playoffs, hitting and blocking shots becomes so much more important.
We got Bihler behind us and he is an amazing goalie with a brilliant career ahead of him but we can’t have him saving our asses game after game.
To summarize: I need to up my defensive game while keeping up my offense.
I think we will make it and i can’t see anyone else lifting the cup than us.
We’re just that good.
 
In the future I don't know what will happen.
I’m drafted by the Americans in the VHL and I haven’t yet talked to their GM about next season.
let’s just say I wouldn’t be sad about another year in the Red wolves jersey and I,My agent and the two teams will make a decision after the season
For now I just want to focus on the playoffs.
 
 
Thank all of you for making this one of the greatest season of my career
 
 
 
(i was trying out AI to generate a logo for VHLE but i couldn't quite get it right so its thrown in here as a bonus)
.
 
~720 words

Hello Geneva(!?)

 
It was almost time to go, I went up from my bed and checked the passport and tickets one more time like it suddenly wouldn’t be there in the suitcase. Passport,Check. Ticket, Check.
I should arrive in Geneva in time to explore the town and facilities  a bit before training camp starts. I don’t want to come in on the last day and feel like a lost little puppy. 
I kept thinking about Geneva and what it would be like. That night I slept like a baby.
 
And in the morning I got the call that turned it upside down, I had gotten traded.
I didn’t know what to think. Istanbul? That’s in turkey right? Oh, Sweden and Turkey don't have the best of relations right now.
Will I be welcomed by the fans or do they see my nationality and boo me right off the bat?
I got nervous right away. 
 

A conversation with the GM of the Red Wolves put some of my worries to rest and they had already bought me a ticket and planned to set me up in an apartment near the arena.
Talking to Masu Chan( @Masu Chan) i felt that they really had a good plan for me and was going to take care of me the person and not just the hockey player.
The frown turned upside down so to say, I began feeling excited again. Istanbul… yeah i think I can make it my home.
 
The season went better than I could ever dream of.
Red Wolves stood at the top of the VHLE with 9 points down to 2nd place. More than a point per game for me and even led some of the individual categories for stretches of the season. I can only say that this was a huge success.
Many thanks goes to the people of this fine organization who put me in a place where I was able to succeed, Both on the ice and off the ice. For most of the season I've been on a first pairing with monster D-man Ben Laas. It goes without saying that he did contribute to our teams and my personal success in so many ways that I can't even count them. 
 
Anyways, here we are.
Favorites going into the playoffs.
A position I'm not used to and don’t particularly like. I’ve always been an underdog and I like to hit from below.
But it’s a new experience and I will take on the challenge the only way I know how to: with a smile on my face.
Not to sound too sure of myself or my team(After all I am Swedish and the Jantelag is strong in this one) I expect us to take home the cup.
Anything below finals must be seen as a huge failure on our part.
With this powerhouse of a  team Masu Chan has assembled, anyone who faces us can’t go into the series feeling good about their chances. 
For myself,  I must be at least a point per game player for us to succeed, Although offense isn’t my primary skill set, that is the bottomline of what I expect of myself.
And more important and something that I didn't really show in the regular season is my physical game and defensive pedigree.
When the games get faster,heavier and tighter in the playoffs, hitting and blocking shots becomes so much more important.
We got Bihler behind us and he is an amazing goalie with a brilliant career ahead of him but we can’t have him saving our asses game after game.
To summarize: I need to up my defensive game while keeping up my offense.
I think we will make it and i can’t see anyone else lifting the cup than us.
We’re just that good.
 
In the future I don't know what will happen.
I’m drafted by the Americans in the VHL and I haven’t yet talked to their GM about next season.
let’s just say I wouldn’t be sad about another year in the Red wolves jersey and I,My agent and the two teams will make a decision after the season
For now I just want to focus on the playoffs.
 
 
Thank all of you for making this one of the greatest season of my career
 
 
 
(i was trying out AI to generate a logo for VHLE but i couldn't quite get it right so its thrown in here as a bonus)
.
 
~720 words

As the VHLE season passes the midway point, the standings have become a true reflection of the fierce competition and unpredictable nature of the game. Teams have battled fiercely, showcasing their skills and determination on the virtual ice. Let's take a closer look at the current standings and the storylines that have emerged.
 
At the top of the leaderboard, the Istanbul Red Wolves have established themselves as the team to beat. With an impressive record of 46 wins, 17 losses, and 1 overtime loss, they have accumulated 93 points, securing the coveted first place. Their strong play, combined with a remarkable goal differential of +76, has solidified their position as a dominant force in the league.
 
Right on their heels, the Geneva Rush are hot on the pursuit. With 88 points and a record of 42 wins, 19 losses, and 4 overtime losses, they are a formidable contender. Their offensive prowess has been on full display, as they have netted an impressive 241 goals so far this season.
 
The Cologne Express, with 87 points, are nipping at the heels of the Rush. With 40 wins, 18 losses, and 7 overtime losses, they have proven to be a resilient team. Their balanced play and ability to grind out close games have propelled them into the upper echelons of the standings.
 
The Oslo Storm, not far behind, boast 86 points and a record of 41 wins, 20 losses, and 4 overtime losses. Their solid performances have kept them in contention, and their +51 goal differential showcases their ability to both score and defend effectively.
 
Meanwhile, the Rome Gladiators and the Bratislava Watchmen are locked in a battle for the fifth spot. With 80 and 62 points respectively, they have fought hard to remain in the playoff picture. Every point matters as they strive to secure their positions in the postseason.
 
Down the standings, the Vasteras Iron Eagles and the Stockholm Vikings face a challenging season. Despite their best efforts, they have struggled to gain momentum, but their determination remains strong.
 
As the season progresses, the standings are likely to see further shifts and surprises. With every game being a battle for points, the race for playoff positions intensifies. Teams will continue to give their all, aiming to secure a coveted spot in the postseason and ultimately compete for the VHLE championship.
 
The excitement in the VHLE is palpable, as the competition reaches new heights and fans eagerly anticipate the battles that lie ahead. Only time will tell how the standings will evolve, but one thing is certain - the race for glory in the VHLE is far from over.
 
 

1. The team was on a 3 game losing streak and is in a pretty big slump, how will we snap out of it heading into the post season?
The same way that kept us winning: Good teamplay and when that falls through Evans will 100% save us
 
2. After a few losses to Cologne are you nervous at all to potentially match up against them later in the playoffs?
Yeah they've been having it out for us for a while and i think theres better matchups for us. But to be the best you gotta beat the best so bring em on
3. We've been seeing standout performances from several individuals all season, guys like Lattimer, Legacy, and Bihler having sensational seasons, what can we do as a team to continue enabling these guys but also ensure contribution from everyone else?
It's all teamwork. We gotta keep having fun as a group and the guys will top each individual category.
 
4. What is your favorite part about the game? Hits? Points? Winning?
It used to be and still is hits/sb/assists as a two way defender with a strong outletpass, But i'm starting to get hooked on the more offensive side of things :')
 
7. What is your favorite current TV Show or movie? Mine is The Bear ... if you don't watch tv then your favorite book, streamer, news network  ?
We are currently catching up on the swedish version of Survivor and i get so invested it's scary. I love gossip and this is the show for me.

TOP OF THE LEAGUE EDITION
Hell yeah baby!
 
1. We are on an 8 game winstreak right now, can we keep this unbeaten run going?
Apparently not, But i think we have something special here and will keep our place at the top of the standings :)
2. The team is pretty comfortably at the top of the standings, what do we need to do to carry this form into the end of the season?
Keep getting our TPE, don't get satisfied. if i have to say something a smidge more offence wouldn't hurt but i don't think it's a problem.
3. Evan Bihler has solidified himself as the best goalie in the league right now, and he just recorded two crucial shutouts in back to back games. How impressed have you been by his performance?
Very impressed, he carries us on his shoulders and that is no small task. 
4. We just faced two of the top 4 teams in a row and won both of our games, now knowing that we are capable of getting points off everyone, does this add pressure and expectations to the end result of the season?
I think we will go in to the playoffs as major favorites and if we get beat in the first round it would be extremely disappointing so i do think it adds some pressure. But at the end of the day its a game and we're here to have fun
6. Do you go grocery shopping often? Do you make a list or wing it?
I'm trying to get better at looking for offers and trying to buy a lot when it's cheap but most of the time i just wing it. 
8. Who is your favorite athlete of all time? Why?
 The Sedins, Humble down to earth and they had something special that i don't ever will be replicated.

Is this picture of @Victor? I think that is exactly from the time when he was Victator....

TOP OF THE LEAGUE EDITION
Hell yeah baby!
 
1. We are on an 8 game winstreak right now, can we keep this unbeaten run going?
Apparently not, But i think we have something special here and will keep our place at the top of the standings :)
2. The team is pretty comfortably at the top of the standings, what do we need to do to carry this form into the end of the season?
Keep getting our TPE, don't get satisfied. if i have to say something a smidge more offence wouldn't hurt but i don't think it's a problem.
3. Evan Bihler has solidified himself as the best goalie in the league right now, and he just recorded two crucial shutouts in back to back games. How impressed have you been by his performance?
Very impressed, he carries us on his shoulders and that is no small task. 
4. We just faced two of the top 4 teams in a row and won both of our games, now knowing that we are capable of getting points off everyone, does this add pressure and expectations to the end result of the season?
I think we will go in to the playoffs as major favorites and if we get beat in the first round it would be extremely disappointing so i do think it adds some pressure. But at the end of the day its a game and we're here to have fun
6. Do you go grocery shopping often? Do you make a list or wing it?
I'm trying to get better at looking for offers and trying to buy a lot when it's cheap but most of the time i just wing it. 
8. Who is your favorite athlete of all time? Why?
 The Sedins, Humble down to earth and they had something special that i don't ever will be replicated.