SlapshotWrangler

1. Feels good to see we were able make it click through the ups and downs. I love to see that despite roster changes and some initial rockiness, we were able to find our groove and pull it together. 2. I believe so and I believe we need to. This is a great chance for us to push forward with an excellent group of players. 3. As of now, one win. I want to see two wins if possible but claiming that WC spot is most important. 4. Depends on the team and how they got to Wild Card. For our squad, I think we fought and earned a chance to get a Wild Card position rather than just ending up there by chance. 5. My team (Flames) were eliminated so I'm gunning for the Winnipeg Jets. I want Sean Monahan to win a cup. 6. BRING BACK THE ROVER POSITION! Now the "rover" position has less meaning as all skaters enter the offensive zone but I think it'd be cool to just have a role where they can really do whatever they want and get creative. I could imagine a defensive style rover or even just having a really crafty offensive styled rover.

CALGARY - The season is nearing a close and Wranglers center Raimo Tuominen is far from satisfied with his regular season. However, one thing that he was able to get off his back was finally cracking the 20 goal milestone in his third season of the VHL. That was a major concern for Raimo whose offensive numbers have been weak to start his career. With only 8 goals his first season and 17 in his second, he has been far from being the center he feels he should be. “I mean, I was drafted at such a high position and I’m supposed to be a big piece of this team moving forward. Unless the mentality of the higher ups changes, that seems like the plan going forward.” Raimo said after his second season. “I need to at the very least be a solid 20 goal scorer by the end of the regular season. Of course, my focus is always on the championship but I need to progress in the regular season before I even think about the playoffs.” He finally hit the 20 goal plateau earlier this season. He even got his first career hat trick. When he finally hit the 20 goal mark, he simply smiled. “Good to see I was able to actually pull it off. As much of a relief it is, I can’t afford to relax now.” The forward ended up hitting the 30 goal mark a few games ago. “Great. I’m glad I hit the mark. Now time to score goals when it matters the most.”

Rome's C1 is a punk. Also, glad to see Raimo somehow held up his own.

CALGARY - I have no insider knowledge or info about the league. This is purely from my own imagination. Would it not be amazing if we had an Edmonton VHL team? The battle of Alberta is something I have had the privilege of experiencing in real life and I think it would be a wonderful thing if we could bring that fiery passion to the VHL. Think about it, I cannot name a true rivalry between any two VHL teams. We need something as generational, as iconic, as brilliantly confrontational as the Battle of Alberta in the NHL. So, why not give Edmonton a team? The Oilers, as much as I hate to say it as a Flames fan, have a die-hard fan base that loves hockey. If Calgary can have the Hitmen, Flames, Wranglers, and Wranglers (AHL) in one city, why not give Edmonton a shot to support a VHL team? Imagine the dramatics, the flair, the storylines, imagine it all! Give Edmonton a VHL team. I say this not out of the kindness of my heart but out of a desire to have a true black and blue rivalry that brings people to their feet and causes the entire VHL to be shaken by the sheer magnitude of it.

1) I haven't watched any full games but I've seen highlights and my goodness am I glad Women's Hockey is back in the spotlight. It's really fun to watch and cool to see how competitive and skilled the hockey is. I enjoyed the CWHL when the Inferno were in town so I'm happy to see we finally have a competitive women's league again. 2) Helsinki.... what a haul they got for Fuukka Rask and also getting a first from Moscow. Obv not saying that they won the Rask trade, it is well known how smart of a GM Bana is so I trust he really trusts in the return. But good on Helsinki for building for the future. 3) It has fewer holes but one just happen to be bigger now. Though I will definitely throw that question around to my buddies to see how fast we can get a debate going. 1. What would you say is the biggest VHL rivalry between two teams? If you don't believe there is one, which two teams do you think will most likely form a rivalry? 2. What flex does your player use for their stick and why do they use that specific flex? 3. Your player decides to prank a teammate. Which teammate are you pranking and how will you prank them?

CALGARY - It has definitely not been the most favorable season for the Calgary Wranglers. Currently sitting at fourth last (as of writing this), Calgary is on the outside looking in, hoping to make a big push toward the playoffs. Frustration was definitely in the air after losing two straight and nothing seems to be bouncing the right way. The score may be close and on some occasions very lopsided against them. Regardless, it leads to 0 points added to the standings and a very sour Raimo Tuominen. “It really sucks. This year we got new pieces and worked hard to make this season our bounce back season just for it to fall flat. Hope is definitely not lost; I mean, we have half of the season. But it definitely isn’t the start we wanted.” Raimo is especially disappointed at the lack of consistency that he has had, which was something he made a point of improving at the beginning of the season. “I am still very streaky and I am trying everything I can to fix that. It just isn’t working and it’s on me to find a way to build that consistency.”

Calgary Wranglers My favourite NA team of all time, the Calgary Wranglers. I have many fond memories with Jacques Lafontaine and hope to make a lot more with Raimo Tuominen. The Wranglers have always been a personal favourite of mine. I loved the old logo and I love the new one. Our colour scheme is tried and true; nothing hits just as much as red, white and black. Red is a mainstay for any pro Calgary team. White and black just look great complimenting the aggressive red. So we’re keeping the team colours! Okay, onto the rebrand part. One of my gripes with the Wranglers name is that it is so cool. It is such a cool name. Wrangler is just such a cool team name AND it is a homage to the Calgary Wranglers that used to play in the WHL. It is such a fantastic concept. So much so… the Calgary Flames AHL Affiliate decided to take the name in 2022-23 when moving to Calgary from Stockton. Yes, the two Wranglers are very distinct in team colours logo and all that. But man, it is so weird being a Calgary Flames fan and having to double-check which Wranglers team I am conversing about. Like I catch myself talking about the AHL team to my friends and being like “Am I speaking about a fictional VHL team?”. Now that my rationale for changing the historic Wranglers name has been explaining… may I present you, the VHL’s very own… Calgary Cowboys! That’s right, we are taking a trip back in time. The Wranglers played in the Corral in the WHL. I still have my banner from the Corral series when the Hitmen played there for a few games. The other two teams that played in the Corral (aside from the NHL Flames) were the Centennials, who preceded the Wranglers as Calgary’s major junior team. But the name Centennials doesn't make sense to anyone outside of Canada. Only reason they were named that was because Canada turned 100 in their inaugural season. We need something more Calgary-related. So… Cowboys! The Cowboys logo goes hard and a VHL makeover could definitely create an electric Cowboys logo for all to enjoy. The Cowboys were the WHA team that played in the Corral before Calgary got their NHL team. I think this would be a perfect idea for people in Calgary to break out the cowboy hats and cheer their favourite VHL team on. Imagine what a hat trick will look like! In fact, a rebrand would be perfect for the new arena being built in Calgary. Imagine the Calgary Wranglers now named the Calgary Cowboys coming out in style, cowboy boots and hats in the crowd, and a fresh new design to mark a new era of Calgary hockey. It is perfect. And like the Wranglers name the VHL team currently hosts, it pays homage to the history of hockey in the city. I will not be mad if the Calgary Wranglers remain as the Calgary Wranglers. In fact, I’ll be super happy if that’s the case. But if they ever have to rebrand… Calgary Cowboys would be the best option.

1. The Wranglers have decided to all host a dinner on top of the Saddledome roof. It was quite the experience. Oh, and naturally, Lafontaine was there too. 2. Definitely would be have to be the Calgary Food Bank. Food is such an important thing for people to have and I think it would definitely be a worthy cause. 3. Randy Bobandy, Josh Turner's Your Man, and he absolutely kills it somehow. Who could've known? He's got killer pipes. 4. Raimo decided to help the City of Calgary demolish Marlborough Mall. 5. Would definitely have to be an octopus, having 8 arms seems to be really cool. Plus I'd be one of those ones that could camoflauge. Being able to camoflauge seems awesome. 6. I was working on a computer science assignment from 2-7. On a Sunday. That's post-sec life I guess.

This is one of my more brutal graphics that I've kept locked up in my Google Drive (for good reason) for the past year and a half. Now your eyes get to witness its glory. Enjoy.

CALGARY - Raimo Tuominen has never been one to fight much. Especially not in the VHL. As one of the younger players (who is entering his middle seasons in the VHL), he has learned to keep his head down and work hard. Dropping the gloves is only done when necessary. And it proved to be necessary against the Wolves. Larry Abass Jr and Raimo Tuominen ended up having a tilt in a game where the Wranglers faced off against the Wolves. The veteran and the young kid had a very spirited brawl and fought to essentially a draw before Raimo got an unsportsmanlike penalty and then got ejected. After the game, Raimo had a few comments. “We just had to fight and we both dropped the gloves. Felt a bit intimidating fighting against an established vet like Larry. No hard feelings. I just hope that we don’t end up starting it up again.” Well, that won’t be an issue for Raimo as it turns out, the Wranglers would trade for Larry soon after. Like really soon after. You could count the days on one hand. Raimo would be meeting the winger in the locker room. “Our general manager announced after practice that he had made a trade. We figured out who we were getting back and I laughed so hard. I thought he was kidding. Nope. Jens Lekman and Larry Abass Jr himself.” Raimo Tuominen recalls with a slight grin. “Best part was when I saw him at practice when he finally got to Calgary and he ended up being one of the coolest guys I’ve ever met. To think just days before that we were swinging at each other and now he’s one of my biggest mentors alongside Randy. Go figure.”

Yeah, found it interesting that your mask has a fake human face side to disorient that. The amount of times Raimo has tried to take a shot on you but then lose all sense of what's happening once he saw that there seemed to be no red panda face behind the mask is uncountable. (In all reality, I should've accounted for this possibility.)

1. My least favourite food would probably have to be raisins. Don't know why, I just never really liked them. 2. I was inspired to join this league from a youtube video (forgot who the youtuber was lol) and I was intrigued by the idea of creating players and being involved in a sim league. 3. It would definitely have to be hip hop. I'm not too knowledgeable about the genre but I just know it gets me feeling pumped. 1. What superstitions does your player have and when did they start? 2. If you had to compare your player to any NHL player (present or past), who would you compare them to? 3. Now, a question not related to your player; what is your personal morning routine?

CALGARY - “It feels so good to have them on the wings again. It was a pleasant surprise to see them acquire Catia Goncalves prior to last season and prior to this season they acquire Kyle Toms. I was convinced that I’d have to wait long in my career until the possibility of them becoming Wranglers opened up. Glad I didn’t have to wait as long as I thought.” Raimo was all smiles at practice as the newly formed “first line” got their first laps together. They caught up with Kyle Toms, who had come over from Prague. These three can’t seem to escape each other and Raimo couldn’t be gladder. “Catia was also a Houston Bull but only the season before I came in. Kyle and I played together on the Bulls for a season. Kyle was always a great teammate and an excellent goal scorer. Then after the season, I heard that I was going to be drafted by Oslo. And then to my surprise, Kyle also ended up being there. I met Catia at the JST and the WJC and we seemed to click there. Then poof! Catia was also in Oslo. I was eventually traded to Rome and had a slightly rough time there but we were a deep team.” Fate would catch up with them once more. “I was very very shocked at the Catia acquisition considering she was just with Riga. Kyle was also a sneaky good pick up. I hope we can recreate the chemistry we showed in Oslo. What surprised me the most is that I never talked to the GM about acquiring them but… the GM still chose on his own to get them. It is almost magical.”

1. I had a good off-season. It was good to see how Raimo could stack up in both the World Championships and Pro-Am... Raimo was definitely more consistent in the Pro-Am ^^; 2. I am feeling cautiously optimistic. I believe that we have a great core and that we can come back with a vengeance. Lots of changes and I am excited to see how this goes. 3. Felt good. Cool to get Stauff, Rage, Toms, and others in the off-season and now we can come out and see what we can do with these new lines! Great to see Toms back together with Raimo. 4. Very excited. The Wranglers are building up a great future to go along with the present. Good to see that we can still build up futures while pushing to compete. 5. 20 goals in the regular season or more. If not 20 goals, then at least a 70+ point season. Raimo needs to break out eventually, he's no longer a rookie. 6. Probably a good old BLT. Can't beat it and I don't think I'd ever get tired of it.

CALGARY - The Wranglers are back in action. It’s been a few games in and Raimo has been waiting for the season to start. Now, Raimo is trying to have his breakout season. After two seasons, it’s about time that the first round pick shows that he can be a player in the success of the team. “Last season, I started off a bit hot but then I tapered off way too quickly. I was non-existent in the playoffs. I need to find consistency. That is what is most important for me right now. I need to find a way to consistently contribute. And I mean offensively. I mean, my goal is to have a great 200 foot game. That includes the offensive zone. Defensively, I’ve been alright. Consistency is a buzzword that we like to throw around and all that… but it’s up to me to come up with habits and ways to actually build that up.” Raimo points to fellow centerman and his mentor Randy Bobandy. “Bringing it to every game in every way possible like Randy. That’s the kind of game I want to play. I learn more and more from him and now it’s about time I show him that I’ve grown. It’s about time I apply it.”

NEW YORK - In New York, there is no shortage of outstanding goaltenders. Throughout New York City hockey history, there have been some excellent goaltenders from Mike Ritchter to Henrik Lundqvist. Even as we speak, there are amazing goaltenders tending the pipes here in the Big Apple. Former LA Kings star goalie Jonathan Quick is backing up the excellent Igor Shesterkin. And in the VHL, there is the wonderful WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW whose beautiful name gave me a headache when I was trying to count how many Ws there were. However, we often forget about the Georgiev of the teams, the good goaltenders that backed up these amazing stars. Introducing one of the best goaltenders in the history of the VHL, B-NYA G1. B-NYA G1 has always been like Louis Domingue. Very solid and always up when the team needed a goalie to step up but never actually a starter. In fact, he’s very often the third goaltender. B-NYA G1 doesn’t put up stunning numbers. But when called upon, he gives his very best and a solid performance. It is always hard learning about bot players as their stats are not kept and recorded officially. However, you can always find them in the VHFL Top Goalies and Top Skaters archive. Looking at the archive, we see that in S91, B-NYA G1 had another solid season and led bot goalies with 9 wins. Digging more into the archive, we see that in his limited starts he almost met the .920 save percentage threshold. And continuing to look in the archive, we can see that there is even a B-NYA G2 who had basically no playing time and only had 4 shots against. ***The quotes by the bots have been translated for your convenience. “To be honest, I don’t even know why I signed with this team. I guess I just needed the big league contract. I play for a USHL team when I’m not on the bench. Which is very often. I also serve as the emergency goaltender but I don’t think we’ve ever had a situation where we needed to do that.” said B-NYA G2. Being one of the best bot goaltenders in the league has netted B-NYA G1 little to no recognition. For the past while though, he has been quite active as New York puts a lot of trust into WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW. As of writing this, they do not currently have another goaltender on their active roster. ***B-NYA G1 sat down with us to share his thoughts. “My role is a backup so I don’t need to be spectacular. I have been in the league many years and I have backed up many stunning goalies. I know I’m not meant to be a starter in this league. I have embraced my role fully and I don’t have anything to complain about. I just want people to know that I care about this team and I will never leave it.” Originally drafted from the Tri-City Americans in the WHL, B-NYA G1 was a goalie prospect many years ago that was destined for stardom. And a star he was, winning the award for best goaltender in the AHL. Eventually, he took the VHL path and signed with the New York Americans. For many seasons after, he has been under contract to them. “If I ever retire, I want to retire as an American. It just feels right.”

CALGARY - Raimo Tuominen has been splitting his offseason time between playing in the World Cup of Hockey and playing in the VHL’s Pro-Am league. He is still feeling the lingering pain of an early exit after such a good season in the VHL. Now entering his third season, he has a goal in mind. “I want to be part of a deep playoff run. And for that to happen, I need to be better.” Raimo Tuominen has been accepting all chances he has gotten to play hockey. The Pro-Am and the World Cup of Hockey are the first events that come to mind, however, he has also been spotted joining (AHL) Calgary Wranglers practices, University of Calgary practices, and may even suit up for the Wranglers for the upcoming AHL playoffs while the off-season is going. He wants to be in shape. He wants to be better. So he will pursue every chance he gets. There does bring up the discussion of whether or not he will tire himself out. As for that, Raimo seems to be very confident in his endurance. “I don’t think that will be an issue. Besides, I want to stay game ready and up to speed throughout the entirety of the offseason. I had my time to enjoy my break last offseason but I’m really not satisfied with how I did in my second VHL season.” “Even if I were tired, I would not stop. I do not want to.”

1. Unfortunately, I think he is. However, I hope one day that Spartan goes at it one more time. What a storyline that will be if he ever picks the job back up and WINS. He's due for one right about now I'd say. 2. @ROOKIE745 . There are many more like AJ, Ricer, Bana, and loads more but the rivalry days with our goalies as well as the teammate days were some of the best times I had. Love this dude, hope that Kadachi and Tuominen could maybe go at a rivalry some day haha! 3. Depends. I'm usually just very thankful for whichever team is willing to take me. Actually, I don't think I've ever been a Free Agent. If I have, I resigned with the team that currently had me. But I had the choice, I'd definitely go for number 1. If my player was in their final seasons, then I'd go number two but number one is always a fun time. 1. If your player had to switch sports, which sport would they pursue a career as a professional athlete in? 2. What kind of goal do you find more satisfying? A well placed shot, a dirty dangle, or an incredibly smooth passing play? 3. Which player does your player look forward to playing against the most? If not one player, then name a team!

WHEREVER THE VHL WORLD CUP OF HOCKEY IS TAKING PLACE - One of the most awaited events of the offseason is the VHL World Cup of Hockey. Each team has released their rosters. Being selected to join the team was Raimo Tuominen, who will be participating in his first World Cup. Never one to shy away from an opportunity to get the skates wet during the offseason (he’s participating in the Pro-Am as well), Raimo is excited to get on the ice. “I cannot wait to represent my country. Yes, we are representing a whole region but the way I see it I still feel like a Lion representing Finland. I am looking forward to going against other countries and fighting along with my fellow teammates to bring the gold medal home. It also serves as a way for me to stay in shape during the offseason and hopefully improve my game tremendously by the next season. We’ll see if I’m slotted in as either a winger or a center but either way, it is a huge honour to get selected so I do not mind which one I play. I can’t wait to throw on this jersey and wear it with pride… and I do hope that we get to wear our country flags on our shoulders. I think that would be an excellent addition to our jerseys.”

TORONTO - After the festivities of the NHL All Star Game and recovering from the sheer damage those no-name brand nameplates did to my psyche, I walked around the city to take in the atmosphere. Seeing the best players from all of the NHL’s teams (save the Calgary Flames), I couldn’t help but notice the vibrance and extra warmth the city seemed to have. The players, even if some did cancel planned vacations, looked relaxed and enjoyed themselves. Some creative and top-tier hockey was displayed. Now, the VHL has its own All-Star game. It was all the same things; maybe even better! Seeing the game's biggest stars from all over the WORLD gather in one game (they don’t have a skills competition like the NHL and they choose only two teams… very pro bowl-esque) to display how awesome they are. It is always a super fun event and a way for players to let loose and show off some creativity. However, some of the most underrated staples of a team have never had a chance to participate in one of these, which is quite interesting. Bot players have been around in this league for years and continue to step up their game. It still feels like they are heavily disrespected by the entire league from management and fans to award selection committees. Heck, their stats aren’t even kept and their player pages are non-existent. However, they are the longest tenured players of their team, having played since the team’s inception. We had an interview with one of these bot players, long-time defensemen for the Seattle Bears, B-SEA D4, the best bot player in S91 in terms of VHFL points. B-SEA D4 had 0 goals and 2 assists but that made sense as he has always been more of a defensive defensemen. 134 hits was the count for him that season and with a somewhat tidy -17, he was a standout defender among bot players. Here is what he had to say about a bot All-Star game. “49,20,74,68,69,6E,6B,20,61,6E,20,61,6C,6C,20,73,74,61,72,20,67,61,6D,65,20,77,6F,75,6C,64,20,62,65,20,61,77,65,73,6F,6D,65,2E,20,42,65,65,70,20,62,65,65,70,2C,20,62,6F,6F,70,20,62,6F,6F,70,2E” *translated to hexadecimal code for interest of space Another Seattle Bears bot defensemen, B-SEA D10 heard the conversation and we also got some words from him. He was also a pretty nifty bot player for Seattle Bears with his 2 goals and 2 assists securing his spot as one of the top offensive bot d-men. A tidy +5 to boot. “49 27 76 65 20 62 65 65 6E 20 6F 6E 20 74 68 69 73 20 74 65 61 6D 20 66 6F 72 20 6D 61 6E 79 20 73 65 61 73 6F 6E 73 2E 20 49 20 61 6D 20 65 61 73 69 6C 79 20 6F 6E 65 20 6F 66 20 74 68 65 20 6C 6F 6E 67 65 73 74 20 74 65 6E 75 72 65 64 20 68 65 72 65 2E 20 42 75 74 20 74 68 65 79 20 73 74 69 6C 6C 20 64 6F 6E 27 74 20 67 69 76 65 20 6D 65 20 74 68 65 20 43 2E 20 53 6F 20 70 6C 65 61 73 65 20 61 74 20 6C 65 61 73 74 20 67 69 76 65 20 6D 65 20 74 68 69 73 20 62 6F 74 20 61 6C 6C 20 73 74 61 72 20 67 61 6D 65 2E” The influence of these bot players continues to be overlooked and I will not stand for it. I demand that the VHL create a bot all-star game. Many of these players are leaders, even if they don’t make the lineup every night. “B-CGY G1 taught me everything I know. He was our third-string goalie when I was backing up and our third-string goalie when I was starting. However, he was always very vocal about what I needed to improve. I think it’s about time we show these guys the recognition they deserve. I think we need to get over our pretenses and realize that these bot players CAN rise up to the occasion and that they DO.” said former Wranglers goalie Jacques Lafontaine. VHL, it’s your move.

1. I am working on a computer science group project so there's that. I'm also trying to go out and play more floor hockey as well; I've never played competitive hockey so I want to actually get somewhat good at the sport I am a fan of. 2. Raimo is gonna splurge his money on materials so that he can build his own sauna outside. 3. Pizzas are nice but I'm pizza'd out considering I was having a whole bunch here at campus so BBQ burgers!!!! 1) Your player is playing for their national team but their jersey number has already been taken! What jersey number is your player taking instead? 2) What does your player prefer? A lower flex stick or a higher flex stick? 3) Your player buys a new ride! Which car does your player buy?