MD9

Nice 0.944 save percentage OLOPM.

TITUS STONE: SURPRISING START
Saskatoon // VHL.com
 
Not many people had much in the way of expectations for young defenseman Titus Stone, joining the VHL as late as he did. But in his short tenure with the Saskatoon Wild, he has already proven himself to be a surprising force for the team. In 18 games, Stone has managed 7 goals and 4 assists to provide some unexpected offensive help for a Wild team that has largely struggled this season. He has also added with some expected, physical play by recording 53 hits at the same time, and has also tallied 26 shots blocked. While this is far from a star performance, the Wild have to be happy with this performance given it came, seemingly, out of nowhere. This start isn't without its problems however, as Stone's primary role as a defender is to help prevent the opposing team from scoring to begin with.
 
In that respect, Stone has been a complete and utter failure. At an awful -16 in those 18 games, it wouldn't be a stretch to say that he's been a bit of a defensive liability. That, or the team itself simply isn't playing good enough defense for one player to make much of a difference. Either way, it's an unenviable situation statline for a player who was almost entirely marketed on his defensive play. That being said, he is still adjusting to the league, and given his surprising efficiency as a shooter from the blueline, the Wild are almost certainly going to be willing to watch and wait. For a player this young, time is the surest path to fixing whatever problems he may otherwise be showcasing.

Hello! 

I am the GM of the Saskatoon Wild, we're looking to add a defender to our roster and can offer you top line minutes. 

We're not overly competitive, but we're battling for the final playoff position so hope isn't lost! 

Good luck with your career! 

Welcome,
 
I'm Yukon's GM. We can offer top pairing minutes if you're interested!

TITUS STONE LOOKS TO JOIN VHLM
Denver Post || Colorado, USA
 

 
Earlier today, young defenceman Titus Stone announced his intention to join the VHLM for the remainder of the season. Although it is uncertain at this point whether this will render him eligible for the upcoming draft or not, Stone will seek to make an immediate impact for whichever team he joins. He has stated that he expects to announce his decision later tonight depending upon how many teams offer him a position. When asked what sort of team he would preference joining, he offered a vague statement:
 
"It's hard to say at this point. You look at where the teams are and think, you know, maybe it would be nice joining a team that's already winning. But then at the same time, if you do go that route, maybe people look at your role and say, 'hey, that guy wasn't really needed, he's just a hanger-on'. So I guess I'm willing to join any team. I'd rather be able to help make a difference than just be a guy there to fill in some minutes, but I'm going to be realistic. I know I'm not at the level of some of the longer-tenured guys. We'll see what happens, I guess."
 
Though there is no word yet on which teams, if any, have an interest in Stone, his penchant for solid defensive play may garner him offers from teams looking for help on the penalty kill, or simply that need defensive help. At the same time, his game has yet to be rounded out, and so teams may also opt to pass on him in favour of more dynamic, two-way or offensive defenders.

Mats Johnsson @Quik
S59: $2,500,000
S60: $2,500,000 (Player Option)
 
Jake Scheel @MD9
S59: $2,000,000 
S60: $2,000,000 
S61: $2,000,000 
 
Evan R Lawson @diamond_ace
S59: $3,000,000 
S60: $3,000,000 
S61: $3,000,000 
 
Batman @Batman
S59: $3,000,000 
S60: $3,000,000 
S61: $3,000,000 
 
Elfon Ashelf @cosbornballboy
S59: $3,000,000 
S60: $3,000,000 
S61: $3,000,000 

VHL Contracts - $33,000,000
Xander Finn @Jericho
S59: $2,250,000
 
Motherfucker Sharpe @JardyB10
S59: $3,250,000
S60: $3,000,000
 
Jasper Canmore @Bushito
S59: $4,000,000
S60: $2,000,000
 
Norris Stopko @Bushito
S59: $5,000,000
 
Michael Kinkaid @Symmetrik
S59: $5,000,000
S60: $2,000,000
 
Jake Scheel @MD9
S59: $2,000,000 
S60: $2,000,000 
S61: $2,000,000 
 
Boner @Corco
S59: $2,000,000 (Inactive)
 
Luigi De Rossi @KitRas
S59: $3,500,000 
S60: $2,000,000 
S61: $2,000,000 
 
Ivan Morozov @solas 
S59: $5,000,000
S60: $3,000,000
 
 
Not Against Cap
Evan R Lawson @diamond_ace
S59: $3,000,000 
S60: $3,000,000 
S61: $3,000,000 
 
Yandall Beast @Harry F'n Hans
S59: $3,000,000
S60: $3,000,000
 
Josh Stronk @Beerfridge
S59: $1,500,000 (Inactive)
 
Matthew Clyne @haffiedq
S59: $1,500,000 (Inactive)
 
Longrod Von Danglecoch @Kmarko
S59: $1,500,000 (Inactive)
 
Vincent Oakhart @Boomcheck
S59: $1,500,000 (Inactive)
 
Emil Martinov @daBenchwarmer
S59: $1,500,000 (Inactive)
 
Nino Gisler @djlista
S59: $1,500,000 (Inactive)
 
Batman @Batman
S59: $3,000,000 
S60: $3,000,000 
S61: $3,000,000 
 
Elfon Ashelf @cosbornballboy
S59: $3,000,000 
S60: $3,000,000 
S61: $3,000,000 

And a wild Jake Sheel sighting, welcome back to us brother.

Stick around! It's fun to accomplish something after a long time of growing with one team.

Yes stay with Calgary, we are getting close to competing with a likely playoff appearance coming next season.

Jake Scheel Considers Future
 

Scheel looking on during a tough game.
 
With Jake Scheel making headlines with his apparent renewed determination to progress as a player (well, maybe 'headlines' is putting it a bit strong), there has been some speculation as to where he could be bound. As it stands, Scheel has played the last season in his one-year contract with the Calgary Wranglers, making him a pending free agent. Though it seems likely that Scheel will resign with the team, as he has shown no signs of being ready to leave in the past, nothing is for certain right now. Reporters caught up with Scheel after an optional practice session and questioned him over his future in Calgary. Scheel had this to say:
 
"I have to be honest, it's not something I've put all that much thought into. My focus this season was playing my game, trying to help us make the playoffs... obviously, that didn't happen. There's a big gap between playoff teams and eliminated teams, it's a little concerning. But -- yeah, I don't know. I have no reason to leave Calgary, but I'm not going to rush headlong into a lengthy extension without considering my options. They've treated me well here and I've put up some points... not as many as I thought I would back when I was breaking into the league, but some."
 
This season, Scheel was second in scoring on the Calgary Wranglers with 24 goals, and fourth in overall points with 45. He's far from a star by VHL terms, and it's apparent that even if he did make it to free agency as he's hinting that he wouldn't be able to break the bank with his likely asking price. It may be that Calgary really is the perfect destination for him if he is prepared to press forward with his career and dedicate himself to improving his game: they've shown they were willing to factor him into the offense even when he stagnated as a player, and perhaps that indicates his role might be able to increase should his play warrant it.
 
Fans in Calgary have to hope that if he does choose to stay with the team, this recent burst in development continues. It's one thing to have a player to put up points from the fourth line, it's another to have a real, quality player. This season, Scheel played behind Jasper Canmore who officially centered on all three lines, but often switched out when he ran out of gas. This meant Scheel played around 25 minutes -- in most leagues, that would be an awe-inspiring number for a center, but in the VHL less so, as players routinely clock in anywhere from 25 to 30 regardless of position. This is, needless to say, a rather unique league -- and the story of Jake Scheel's career seems to be the same no matter how you look at it. "That would be a really good statistic... if this were another league."
 
For now, the playoffs are in full swing and we have a lot more hockey to watch before anyone's going to be seriously thinking about free agency -- especially the free agency prospects of a player who, truth be told, has mostly been written off as a bust (and for good reason!), but this is one developing story that might be interesting to follow. Eventually.

We in Calgary still love Scheel, he's still putting points up for the franchise.

+2 Welfare (Jan 22-Jan 28)
+1 VHL.com (Jan 22-Jan 28)
+6 Media Spot (Jan 29-Feb 4)
 
255 + 9 = 264 
 
Defense 91 1/5 + 9 = 93

What Happened to Jake Scheel?
VHL.com // J.S. Augusta
 

 
Jake Scheel was never the most well-known name in the league, but he did make a stir in his draft year. Regarded by some as one of the better 'first-generation' players available, his draft stock dipped near the end of the year due to his level of progression -- which was solid, but still not up to the part of some of the other players available. Ultimately selected fifth overall by the Calgary Wranglers, Scheel quickly dedicated himself to his new team and there was some hope in Calgary that he might emerge as a young star for the then-struggling franchise.
 
Clearly, that didn't happen.
 
Tallying just 167 points in 216 games, an average number for a VHL player, Scheel has entirely failed to live up to some of the scouts predictions. He has played an acceptable two-way game, recording an even +/- this season which appears fairly solid considering the team's play overall, but his offensive game has been largely lacking. 
 
So, what happened? It seems that Scheel's promise was undermined by a growing disinterest in training, perhaps distracted by the luxuries that offering a young player millions of dollars to play hockey can bring. But recently, there's been some evidence he might be able to mount a rudimentary turnaround. He'll never be the star he once seemed to be destined to be, but with recent strides in training camp, he might just be able turn himself into a significant enough role-player to make his mark on the league after all.

What Happened to Jake Scheel?
VHL.com // J.S. Augusta
 

 
Jake Scheel was never the most well-known name in the league, but he did make a stir in his draft year. Regarded by some as one of the better 'first-generation' players available, his draft stock dipped near the end of the year due to his level of progression -- which was solid, but still not up to the part of some of the other players available. Ultimately selected fifth overall by the Calgary Wranglers, Scheel quickly dedicated himself to his new team and there was some hope in Calgary that he might emerge as a young star for the then-struggling franchise.
 
Clearly, that didn't happen.
 
Tallying just 167 points in 216 games, an average number for a VHL player, Scheel has entirely failed to live up to some of the scouts predictions. He has played an acceptable two-way game, recording an even +/- this season which appears fairly solid considering the team's play overall, but his offensive game has been largely lacking. 
 
So, what happened? It seems that Scheel's promise was undermined by a growing disinterest in training, perhaps distracted by the luxuries that offering a young player millions of dollars to play hockey can bring. But recently, there's been some evidence he might be able to mount a rudimentary turnaround. He'll never be the star he once seemed to be destined to be, but with recent strides in training camp, he might just be able turn himself into a significant enough role-player to make his mark on the league after all.

What Happened to Jake Scheel?
VHL.com // J.S. Augusta
 

 
Jake Scheel was never the most well-known name in the league, but he did make a stir in his draft year. Regarded by some as one of the better 'first-generation' players available, his draft stock dipped near the end of the year due to his level of progression -- which was solid, but still not up to the part of some of the other players available. Ultimately selected fifth overall by the Calgary Wranglers, Scheel quickly dedicated himself to his new team and there was some hope in Calgary that he might emerge as a young star for the then-struggling franchise.
 
Clearly, that didn't happen.
 
Tallying just 167 points in 216 games, an average number for a VHL player, Scheel has entirely failed to live up to some of the scouts predictions. He has played an acceptable two-way game, recording an even +/- this season which appears fairly solid considering the team's play overall, but his offensive game has been largely lacking. 
 
So, what happened? It seems that Scheel's promise was undermined by a growing disinterest in training, perhaps distracted by the luxuries that offering a young player millions of dollars to play hockey can bring. But recently, there's been some evidence he might be able to mount a rudimentary turnaround. He'll never be the star he once seemed to be destined to be, but with recent strides in training camp, he might just be able turn himself into a significant enough role-player to make his mark on the league after all.

I can definitely understand not wanting to commit to time sensitive stuff with school coming up. I'm not travelling abroad, but I am travelling cross country and am kind of in the same boat where the next few months are looking very sketchy time-wise.

Welp, trying to do graphics never pans out very well for me, but I'm going to try to stick to it and really learn to do it. GIMP is a mysterious creature and using it is like going through a maze, but I tried to do a fun little signature since I'm joining Calgary. @eaglesfan036
 

Dammit @MD9

Welp, trying to do graphics never pans out very well for me, but I'm going to try to stick to it and really learn to do it. GIMP is a mysterious creature and using it is like going through a maze, but I tried to do a fun little signature since I'm joining Calgary. @eaglesfan036
 

Welp, trying to do graphics never pans out very well for me, but I'm going to try to stick to it and really learn to do it. GIMP is a mysterious creature and using it is like going through a maze, but I tried to do a fun little signature since I'm joining Calgary. @eaglesfan036
 

Player's Tribune: Farewell Saskatoon
Written by Jake Scheel
 

 
The Saskatoon Wild may have been my home for my two-season VHLM career, but not everyone took my joining the team particularly well. When I walked in the locker room, I was met with open arms and everyone was polite right off the bat. But my decision to choose Saskatoon over the Las Vegas Aces, who at that time were undefeated, was met with some confusion -- and perhaps even a little laughter. A couple people assumed I was mistaken in choosing the team I did, but the opposite was true. I wanted to join a team that wasn't already 'finished', one where I would be able to make an impact and enjoy my time in the league -- where if I won, it would really feel like I earned it.
 
It took one more season than I initially hoped, but in the end, I'm leaving Saskatoon having achieved just that. I was truthfully only a very small part of the team that won the championship. Thanks to some very good management, the team ended up being very well balanced. Powerful without being outright stacked. I think that the Wild's victory this season was perhaps positive for more than just our team for that reason -- although one of the stronger teams in the league won, it wasn't the consensus pick that seemed to stack the cards in its favour. Of course, there's nothing wrong with trying to build a winning team, and going to great lengths to do it -- but for the sake of league parity, the first place team not winning the championship can only be viewed as a good thing.
 
Of course, the honour goes to the Las Vegas Aces for that, as they were the ones that defeated the team that had effectively became the Aces 2.0. It's a little ironic, but it's true. And playing against the Aces in the finals only offered a shot at revenge after we lost to them last season.
 
The point of this article though isn't just to retread this season or last season -- plenty of articles about the Wild, the Aces, and the Storm have, and will cover similar topics, as the fallout of the playoffs is a story that has, and will continue to dominate the VHLM until the off-season gets into full swing. Rather, this is more or less all just a preface to my saying farewell to the Wild, and to thank them for having me on their team for however brief it was. I was happy to join them to begin with, and I was even happier when they made the move to bring me back after I was entered into the draft as a mid-season signing. 
 
I'm glad I got a chance to play alongside a great group of guys and girls, and that we were able to make good on the promise we showed this season and sealed the deal, to end the season on the highest note possible. At this point, a lot of our careers are going to be splitting off into every which direction, but I hope to be able to play against and alongside my now former teammates with the Wild for many seasons to come. Some of you, like McAllister, Ron, and Do, are probably going to be bigger stars than me -- but maybe one day I'll manage to find my way onto one of your guys lines so you can make me look good by scoring off my passes all over again. And maybe we can win again, you know -- that's always nice too.
 
 

Good luck this year guys!