Sova

alexander pepper @hedgehog337

Robert Malenko @Nykonax

1) Yes Moscow is the place I wanted to be 2)I hoped to end up in Moscow 3) Hockey?! Practice make perfect 4) Next time Saskatoon will get you 5) I want to be a scoring threat 6) The rulebook has helped a lot

"As a child, i have often been to this city and it became one of my favourite places to visit. The hockey culture is great and I really enjoy the environment in which you can play here. Some of the best talent hails from this city or at least this country and there are many great coaches that are able to assist you in developing your game. All of this combines into an all around great hockey experience and then if you take a look at the city and the things you can do here it is just great to be a player here. Of course, we have more travel time than most other teams but that is something we will be able to deal with in some way or another and to be honest I don't get good sleep on game nights anyway so it doesn't make so big of a difference for me. What is a bigger deal is the gorgeous nature and city we have around us and the people that are just a bit different. I feel really at home here and already made a lot of great friends. My teammates are great and I already feel at home here and I am looking forward to our first season."

After his first year in the Pros Mark Gebauer has not yet been able to entirely prove his worth to the league but it seems like he is looking to change that in the near future. Mark has always been improving his game and working hard and the fruits of that are starting to show but first we need to take a look into his past season to say what the future holds for this young player especially considering he just transferred all the ways around the globe from Calgary to Moscow. Mark has seemed more than happy to be back in one of his favourite cities and has started to look like a franchise player for the Moscow Menace. Mark was the first player to be officially announced to be part of the expansion teams roster and has been one of the faces of the organization ever since. To decide if the young player will become what he promises to might be one day we need to take a look at his past and understand what kind of player he is. The last season was a complicated one for Mark Gebauer he struggled immensely to get points on the board and wasn't even in the top 50 Points ranking until around the World Cup Juniors but this is where everything seemed to turn around for the youngster. He was leading the tournament in Goals scored and also had a decent number of assists until being taken over in the playoffs, still, this was one of the best Ice hockey Mark Gebauer had ever played and so hopes were high when he returned to Calgary to play for his team. With the fans on his side and him in the spotlight, he started to perform way better and quickly rose to become the third best scorer on the Calgary Squad. This is considerably more impressive considering how many points he would have if he had his post WCJ form for the whole season. The contrast in his skill in the VHL and the WJC are jarring while only averaging 0.58 points per twenty minutes against other VHL team mark has a whopping 1.17 points against players in his age group in the world cup. In the WJC he has even been able to score a hattrick while the most extraordinary thing he achieved in the VHL is winning his one and only fight so far. But there is also a stark difference in this play in the VHL before and after this tournament you can just notice by watching him play. Mark has developed his positioning and is in position to score a lot more often which leads to more efficient shots and therefore more goals. It seems like Mark has finally found his game and is ready to compete at the highest level and we can only wish him the best of luck for his time in Moscow and we will see if he ends up being the true face of a new team.

In

Worst Team: Mercs Bronze Medal: Scandinavia Silver Medal: World Gold Medal: Canada

Footage of Mark on his way to Moscow has surfaced @Nykonax @Victor @BOOM™

How did you become a member of the Wranglers? Were you drafted, or did you join us through a trade? Is this your First season in Calgary or you a long-time member? Drafted If you are a long-time member of the wranglers, do we have any cool pre or post-game rituals? If you are new what traditions or rituals would you like us to start in the locker room? I dont believe in rituals Do You think Calgary will make the playoffs this season, looking more forward into mid-season season where do you’ll see your player? What type of roll will you be playing? Well i know we wont Do you think you’ll be traded this season? Why or why not? I dont think so since i am a prospect Player you are most excited to be on the Wranglers with and why? Brick Wahl since he is form my class Time to get a little personal. What did you all do in your off season? Practice Are you a leader on the ice? How would you describe your attitude or personality on ice in comparison to your locker room and home persona? I score and play thats all I do

"There are many great prospects that I have noticed over the past season as I still follow the league in my free time and as it might impact me directly i have an interest in it. Nathan seems to be dominating the league in all important aspects and therefore I think that he would be a great fit for almost any team. Calgary doesn't need goal scorers as much as other teams and therefore he might not be a great fit for us in particular but that is not because of his lacking talent. Bolt Vandehuge seems to be a fantastic defensive prospect that will be a great player as soon as he hits the majors as there is somewhat of a lack of defenseman in the VHL. I would be more than happy to be playing alongside any of the players coming out os Saskatoon as I know they have gone through a great team that teaches them all the needed essentials. I think in the future many great players will come out of this team and any player looking for a VHLM team should head there if he has the opportunity"

Mark Gebauers offseason has so far been enjoying his offseason by using the by Calgary provided practice facilities. Mark has been seen trying to work on multiple aspects on his game and this is something that proves is a great work ethic that has gotten him so far. We have interviewed Mark and asked him about his thoughts on the league and his team and whatever else he had to say. "Mark your season has come to an early end what is your opinion on not being part of the playoffs?" "Well it doesn't feel good for sure but what can you do besides going back and trying to become a better player and a better team which is a long process but a process that is worth it. I think this might take a couple of seasons but at some point, we will be able to make the playoffs we have a great core and a great team but well you never know." "You just mentioned your team what do you think about Calgary?" "I think we are a great team that has a bright future but we will have to patient but I rather win as soon as possible of course but what can you do? We have a great goalie that is developing quickly and we have some great veterans." "Is there a player that you would like to see on your team and if yes why?" "That is a hard question there are many great players in this league but in the end i would have to go with Elias Dahlberg since we have often been compared in the past and i would enjoy developing with him and in the best way also playing on a line with him and I think we would make a great duo in the near future but I doubt something like this is going to happen any time soon but maybe one day." "Do you have any advice for this year's draftees?" "As a new player myself, I can just tell them to enjoy their time in the league and be humble as there are many players that are way better than you and you should be aware of that. You will not be as good as in the VHLM but you will improve way quicker as you will be around great player that can teach you a lot and as a last piece of advice, play for Calgary and Saskatoon." "One last question what do you want to work on the most?" "Quite contradictory I will work on my defence since it has helped me imrpove my scoring by a mile and therefore i think it might be more important to me thant i thought in the beginning." "Thanks for your time and the advice that will for sure help many young players even though they might need to consider your bias, good luck in the coming season and with your offseason practice"

Part I - Pick em' (Pick the correct winners of all three games for 2 TPE) Game 4 - Las Vegas Aces @ Halifax 21st Game 5 - Halifax 21st @ Las Vegas Aces Game 6 - Las Vegas Aces @ Halifax 21st Part II - Predict the Score (Predict the correct score and winner of this game for 3 TPE) Game 5 - Halifax 21st @ Las Vegas Aces Vegas 2-1 Part III - Player Predictions (Predict the correct player for each category, 1 TPE for each correct answer) Series leader in points: Vanderhuge Series leader in goals: Diljodh Series leader in assists: Vanderhuge

No game or series over can be a viable answer Part I - Pick em' (Pick the correct winners of all three games for 2 TPE) Game 3 - Helsinki Titans @ Toronto Legion Game 4 - Helsinki Titans @ Toronto Legion Game 5 - Toronto Legion @ Helsinki Titans Part II - Predict the Score (Predict the correct score and winner of this game for 3 TPE) Game 5 - Toronto Legion @ Helsinki Titans - Toronto 4-3 Part III - Player Predictions (Predict the correct player for each category, 1 TPE for each correct answer) Series leader in points: Arroyo Series leader in goals: Ironside Series leader in assists: Tzuyu

How do you feel about not making the playoffs? Bad of course but next season is another chance Do you have any plans with your team mates for the off season? Practice Best Wranglers inside joke. Dahlberg if that is considered an inside joke Do you think your GM will protect you or are you destined to Menace the league with Victor? I have no idea to be honest havent looked into it 3 things that are not equipment that are in your hockey bag. Headphones, ID and beer Worse thing I would find in your car if I looked. You could notice I don't have a car.

"Well its disappointing for sure and I was kinda hoping to be participating but in the end it is my fault that I am not there now and I will use the free time I have to work on my game so that I can take my team to the Playoffs in the next season but as I already said it is also somewhat out of my control. I hope that our team improves around me as i noticed some of them slacking of and skipping practices which is a team environment I don't like. I am there working hard and they are out partying but I guess to everyone their own I just hope we can have some more success next season. I don't know yet where my journey will take me, of course, I would like to go to Moscow and live there but I am also really happy in Calgary but time will show us how things develop and depending on that I make my decisions right now its all about improving my game. I hope to be a better player at the start of next season and I think I will be able to do that and I just want to make the people proud that believe in me."

Today we will do a small recap on Mark Gebauer seasons and see how the rookie did. First of all, if you take a look at where his team, the Calgary Wranglers, ended the season you might quickly judge it as a disappointing season and you would not be entirely incorrect with that judgement. At the beginning of the season Mark was struggling a lot and was bearly able to score any points for his team, he wasn't even in the top 50 skaters for a long time. As the season continued to develop Mark started to become an integral part in the offence of the Wranglers and worked his way up to the 3rd most important scorer on the team. This is even more impressive considering how much ground he had to cover because of his slow start and if he is able to keep this up he might be a vital player next season. People that followed the Junior World Cup saw mark leading team Europe all the way to the finals where they lost a close game against Canada. All these factors seem to indicate that he has truly improved as a player during the last season and will now be a lot better than what he was just a couple of months ago and if that development continues he might become an outstanding player that might be able to be a star on a roster at some point. This is all quite speculative as Mark is still young and we can't be sure if he continues to develop or if he is going to hit a plateau sooner rather than later but this will only be certain with time. Any GMs that are looking to acquire a scoring center should be looking into the possibility of getting Mark since it is somewhat of a gamble considering that there is a chance he'll just stop improving but that might allow them to trade him for less valuable assets and therefore get a great deal if his team decides they want to trade him. We asked Mark about this issue and he stated that he has no allegiances to any VHL team and just wants to play as much as possible and at some point win a cup but besides that, the Rookie made no comments about which team he favours or if he would like to be traded or not. It seems to be a good time for GMs to reach out but also he might also stay in Calgary and he would be more than happy doing so. One peculiar thing Mark mentioned is that he said if he had to choose a team he would like to play for Moscow since this is a city he feels at home in and the GM @Victor seems to be great at his job. Mark also quickly added he would not want to cause damage to Calgary and therefore will not demand any trades neither now nor in the future unless unforeseen circumstances arise and force him to do so.

if he did he would have looked at the roster he would have seen you have no good players neither protected or unprotected is that what you are saying? (besides Dahlberg)

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve read on the VHL or seen this week? Passing doesnt help with assists PH is king (stats analysis) What’s the most useless talent you have? I can juggle, read Cyrillic, eat the spiciest food, solve magic cubes in under 20 seconds.... there is a lot Reason you were last sent to the penalty box, or would be if you don’t have penalty minutes. Bwoah... hooking I think? Your most over used emoji and why you use it so much? Like because i cant reach the other stuff on my phone What players have the best personalities goalies, forwards or defensemen? Explain your reasoning. Dahlberg, because he brings some spice into the league What’s something you really resent paying for? Entertainment

Where is dahlberg didn't you read my article?

The real all starts are at the world cup juniors

Well someone in the stands is gonna get a silver medal

"Well I mean most of us saw it coming to some extent in my eyes expansions always somewhat dilute the league and make the overall skill level drop if you look at some teams most of their roster could still be playing in the minors and would even be tearing it up there but after all the choice isn't mine. I personally slugged away in the minors for longer than some others here considering I was already playing in Europe and it didn't hurt me and some of my friends from other sports are spending 4 years playing in college which most of us skip completely and they are not even getting paid during that time so I think we have it pretty good as is and now with the new teams contracts are gonna go up and the demand for talent too which I am uncertain of if the minors can provide it but all in all I am happy about what is happening well just see how it goes and if the level of play drops that's only good for me so I have no reason to complain. As to locations we are expanding too I am really happy about having a Russian team and one of the young players I am coaching in my free time Rasmus Stalin hails from there and if he makes it already expressed interest in playing for his home team but we will see. "

Disclaimer: This is a joke so please don't take it seriously Today I will present to you my 100% correct expansion draft prediction first I will name the best player at all the positions and then we will dive into who should draft whom and what each GMs priorities should be. This is gonna have a different format from most mock drafts but my way of doing it is definitely far superior. The best goaltender to draft: As a new expansion team you should be looking to secure your goal by putting a decent player in front of your net. The role of the goalie is essential since if you get scored on a lot you'll lose and losing is bad. Many might argue that this should be Alexander Pepper since he has the second highest GAA and SV% while having more wins and performing better in Shootouts then Stopko but anyone that truly knows the league (and since he is probably going to be protected by his team since their GM also doesn't have an idea of who the true best goalie of the season is) should be more than certain that the actual best available goalie of this is league is no other than the Davos forward Elias Dahlberg @Nykonax He has blocked an incredible 23 shots this season and he did that by putting his own body on the line what a team player he is. Moving onto the next category best defender to draft: Well this category isn't even close I mean the league has almost no defensive talent and isn't stacked at this position at all I mean there are only as my pick for this would call them "Randoms" these are benders like Malenko who has a measly 94 points in 60 games or Maxim Kovalchuck who has a plus minus of +43 which is something my player would only laugh about. Well with all this build up its time to announce my nominee for this category. Elias Dahlberg, yes this is a true all-around defensive talent not only will he be playing at the goalie position and making saves left and right he will also be replacing both of your defenders at the same time (just imagine how much salary that saves you) with an incredible plus minus of -12 (which is only the fault of his teammates) Dahlberg will surely be an Hall of fame defender within the first 15 games you let him start. We move onto the question which forward should they draft and as you might have already guessed its no other than (drum roll please).......... Elias Dahlberg, yes you are correct both expansion teams should be looking to complete their rosters by adding 3 Dahlberg forwards to their roster which would mean Elias gets to play entirely by himself this would truly allow him to flourish as he would no longer be weight down by other players that only keep him from having the puck all in all if one of the teams manages to follow my advice I would rate their line up a solid 5/5 on the Dahlberg scale and also this would open up entirely new possibilities in terms of strategies. All in all, I advise both new GMs to try and invest most of their allocated money in cloning research to make this dream team come true and anyone that disagrees with this doesn't know how hockey works.

1) The World Junior Championship is finally underway; who do you think wins it all and why? Europe because we have Dahlberg (I think at least haven't seen him show up on the score sheet so far) @Nykonax 2) With VHLM playoffs right around the corner, where do you see your team ending up when its all said and done? Saskatoon will sadly probably not be going to deep.  3) How do you feel about your own personal performance thus far? Do you need to step it up, or stay consistent with what you have? I need to step it up 4) What team do you think will be the biggest surprise in the last portion of this season? Maybe someone suddenly retiring would be wild 5) Where do you see yourself at this point next season? What do you hope to have accomplished by then? Scored at least 100 points 6) What do you like most about the VHL? What keeps you around? I like ice hockey so i guess that is what is keeping me here besides the great people