SlapshotLegion

I arrived at the house of Apollo Skye. For those who don't know, Apollo Skye is one of the best goaltenders in the history of the Victory Hockey League. He is 4th on the all-time shutout leaders list and has won 4 individual awards and 1 cup. I knocked on his door. After a few minutes, he opened the door and invited me inside. We talked for a bit, just hanging out. Apollo went back to school after his esteemed career, getting a business degree and starting a non-profit organization called "The Skye Project", which tries to provide clean water to developing nations. After talking, we had dinner and I went to sleep. I always seem to arrive at night. I woke up at 4 in the morning, but Skye wasn't awake, so I just made myself some coffee. Skye woke up at 6 and made us a breakfast of toast, bacon, and eggs. Who knew a former goalie would be so good at cooking? Then at 7:30, we went to the gym and worked out. I noticed, almost every single former star I visited seemed to work out everyday. He then went for a meeting at his job and is currently a Business Analyst. At noon, he came back and we had lunch, which he also cooked. Then we went to one of "The Skye Project" charity events at one, which was a charity golf classic. We came back at 5 and we relaxed. Then, at 6, we went to a pickup hockey game and had a fun game. At 8 we came back and watched the NHL Playoffs. We kept watching until it was 10, then we went to sleep. I began my interview. "What part of your career are you most proud of?" I asked him. "That's a tough one, but I would have to say my two MVP awards. There are so many great players in the VHL and you only get to play 8 seasons. Only 1 player a season gets the MVP and to be awarded it twice is quite the honor." He replied. To win one MVP is impressive enough, to win two is really impressive. I then asked him, "Now, on the flip side, any part of your career you regret?" He thought about it for a while and then answered my question. "Probably my rookie season. I came into the VHL overconfident after a great season in the VHLM. I wasn't ready for the big leagues. I had to refine my style and learn to control my rebounds better. I wish I could have started off on a better note. I also regret my last season, even though my individual numbers were good, we only put up 15 wins. I feel like I still had the skill to put up another MVP like season but it just wasn't in the cards." His first and last seasons. Not much of a surprise considering those are usually 2 hard seasons to go through. I asked him my final question. "What do you think was a key part to your success in the VHL?" "I think my work ethic and consistency were big contributors to my success. Every week I was training to get better. I didn't let the ups and downs of my career get to me and kept pushing to become the best I could be." I thanked him for his time and he brought me to the airport so I could go back to Davos. We said our goodbyes and I went on the plane.

"I just wanna say as much as I love Stephen A., I have never talked to him, but if I did, his take on my reaction was correct. I was befuddled."

1. What kind of player would you describe yourself as? 2. What's your favourite chirp? 3. If you weren't a hockey player, what would you be? 4. What's your jersey number and why? 5. What is your biggest pet peeve?

2) Rylan, as I have had experience with him and as he is a close friend and a great player. But, if you mean "new" new, then it has to be Dragomir. Always admired him and I'm excited to be able to play with a veteran like him. 3) I don't just believe, I know we will. 4) I got a message from Riga's GM at the time, Hedgehog. He told me I was traded.

1. What's your jersey number and why? 2. Favourite NHL Team? 3. What are your goals in the VHL? 4. Would you rather play with wet gear or no cup? 5. What city would you want to give a VHL/VHLM to?

4. My favourite thing about the VHL is the community. It's great and fun! 5. If I could, I would add more TPE opportunities. 1. Although we aren't at the top of the league, it's still has been a fun and a good season.

A: (Oyorra) Arroyo Age doesn't seem to be a problem when it comes to Arroyo, who is currently in his 7th season in the Victory Hockey League. While he might not be as noticeable as he was last season, the left winger has still been a star, getting 25 goals and 19 assists for 44 points in 40 games. Despite he might not be topping the lists like he did last year, there's no doubt that he is one of the best players in the league and is the best "A" player. B: (Julian) Borwinn This was a hard letter to do, due to the scarcity of B names in the VHL, but it's no question that Borwinn is a great player. While he might not be talked about as much as the other players, he is still a star and is doing great. The Helsinki winger has 26 goals and 31 assists for a total of 57 points in 57 games. The former top rookie and 3rd overall pick has been doing great in the VHL and is one of Helsinki's most reliable players and one of the VHL's best players. C : (Ryuu) Crimson Before you shout "bias", I have to say I discussed this with some other writers. Crimson was great in Riga, where he won the cup and became the first rookie to win Playoff MVP, and he is doing well in Davos, scoring 20 goals and having 21 assists in 41 games. The winger has been making a name for himself in the past couple of years and is a great player overall. He is a great goal scorer and has proven himself to be a star. The trade has given an opportunity to prove that he is a great player.  Honourable Mention: Johnny Havenk Carison I'm not going to do Honourable Mentions for all of them, only for ones where I feel like it's close. Carison might not have as much stuff on his résumé as Crimson, but he has proven himself his season. When Carison is in between the pipes, you can trust him to be reliable and spectacular. So far, Carison has a record of 20-19-1, 2.86 GAA, and 0.916 Save Percentage in 40 games. Carison is on fire this season and has proven himself to be a great goalie for the Nighthawks. D: (Veran) Dragomir Dragomir was an offensive force last season and is still showing his offensive prowess this season, so far scoring 19 goals, 17 assists, making a total of 36 points. The veteran winger has been one of the best forwards for the Dynamo and one of the best players in the league. This superstar is one of the most exciting players to watch and Dragomir is probably the best player in Davos. Honourable Mention: Elias Dahlberg Dragomir has a teammate who was kind of close when it comes to the best active D player. Dahlberg is a great young solid forward for Davos with 17 goals, 20 assists, making 37 points. He may not be as good as Dragomir but Dahlberg is a great player too. 

you're** fired

1. It's great! I get to reunite with Peace, Glade is coming over, and it's a great opportunity for me to have a new start. 2. Don't really have an opinion because it already happened, but would've been nice if we got Shawnomir. 3. Yes because I feel like every team has their plans and not much will include trading.

1. What are your goals this season? 2. What's your jersey number and what's the story behind it? 3. If you could give any city a VHL team, what city would you give one to. 4. What is your go-to shootout move? 5. If you weren't a hockey player, what job would you have? 6. Bauer or CCM?

Trade 1: receives: Shawn Glade Ryuu Crimson receives: Cayden Saint Connor McDavid S66 HSK 1st S66 SEA 1st This was one, if not the, biggest trade of the offseason. Defenseman Shawn Glade and left winger Ryuu Crimson were traded to the Dynamo for Cayden Saint, Connor McDavid (who was traded to Moscow afterward) and two first-round picks. Both the Dynamo and the Reign benefitted from this trade. Davos has made big and bold moves this season, also acquiring Veran Dragomir in a trade with Seattle, building up for a good team, but Riga has been looking to the future, getting young players and two first-round draft picks. Both teams reached their goals, so this was a fair trade. When it comes to who won this trade, it’s hard to decide as we can’t tell what the future may hold. Sure, we know Davos is getting a huge boost in offense, but we don’t know what Riga’s future may hold. Maybe they’ll draft the next Gretzky or maybe the next Daigle. So, despite me saying this a lot in these reviews, Davos wins when it comes to short-term, and Riga wins long-term. Trade 2: receives Veran Dragomir receives: S67 SEA 1st S68 DAV 2nd I lightly touched on this trade earlier in this article. Davos making more massive moves, acquiring left winger Veran Dragomir for a 1st round pick in S67 and a 2nd round pick in S68. Davos sure has been looking for this season to be the season they win it all, getting offensive powerhouses, but again, they sacrifice future prospects for it. Seattle has recieved good draft picks, like Riga, looking to the future in this trade. Veran was amazing last season, getting 55 goals and 120 points, but you have to think about how he will soon retire. He really only has 2 seasons left before he’s gone from the VHL. Seattle has gotten pretty high draft picks, but again, they are well into the future and it’s hard to tell whether this was worth it. For the second time today, both teams win their trade.

1. Tips for aspiring younger goaltenders? 2. What are you looking forward to when it comes to your career in the VHL? 3. What is your favourite colour? 4. Would you rather have 1 confirmed championship or 2 finals appearences? 5. Favourite gear brand?

3. Even though I'm a Dynamo now, I still have to go with the Reign's logo. 4. Not many thoughts on that. Good luck to the new teams. 5. Other than that they're new competition, I don't have any other thoughts. Good luck to Malmo.

@Beaviss like it?

Ah. The Louth brothers. Both are very good players, but one has especially stuck out. The Louth I'm talking about is Beau Louth. There is a Japanese saying that goes, "The nail that sticks out gets hammered down". This nail is yet to be hammered down. Beau was great in the Regular Season, 4th in the league point-wise with 106 of them, as well as 3rd in the League for goals with an outstanding 53 goals. Despite those numbers, there is still one thing Beau has never done. Beau has never won a cup. His brother has been the better Louth in terms of championships, with.....one wth the Calgary Wranglers. Beau still has the opportunity though, and in my opinion, deserves the Cup more than anybody in this league. Anyways, I was able to meet him after a game in the Regular Season, well actually, the last game in the Regular Season, which was a 3-2 win over the Helsinki Titans. He was pretty calm when I talked to him. Time for the questions!  "What do you think shaped you most as a player?" I asked as usual.  "Learning that the best side of my player is offence. I was aiming at being a two way player with an offensive upside but I'm more effective being a scorer. " He replied quickly. Learning who you are as a player is definitely a key part of being successful, for example, as a player, I wanted to be a big hitter, but I learned that I was better at scoring goals. Enough about me, back to Beau. I turned to him after writing down his response. "What is your mindset during games?" "Pot as many goals as I can for the team. I like to pass but I'm definitely a shoot first player. I'm constantly trying to get into the open areas and create chances for my team. We didn't play so hot this year but hopefully we can lock down the defensive side of the game this next season." This is usually a tough question but I was surprised by how fast he responded. By the way, yes, these are the exact same questions in the same order from last time. I asked my last question. "Why do you wear 19?" He smiled and answered, "I wear 19 after my idol Joe Sakic I'd like to model my game after his. An amazing two way player and effective defensive forward when he needs to be. I definitely model my shot after the legend. It's a shame he retired before I got a chance to play with him."  Ah yes, Joe Sakic, arguably the best player to ever wear 19. I wrote down his responses in his notes. We talked hockey for a bit, and then Beau had to leave. He left for practice and I left to fly back to Riga.

On April 22, left winger Ryuu Crimson and defenseman Shawn Glade were traded to Davos for Cayden Saint, Connor McDavid, and two draft picks. Everyone anticipated Hedgehog to make a big move like usual, but maybe not as big as this. Regardless, we hope Ryuu looks good in purple next year. We interviewed him about this event. "Thank you to all the fans in Riga, my teammates, Hedgehog, and the organization for the wonderful time here. It was a fun ride and I will always remember Riga. I had some fun seasons here and I will always cherish my time here." Ryuu is no stranger to being traded despite being a star player. In the VHLM, Ryuu was the leading scorer for the Saskatoon Wild. Then, in a move that shocked Saskatoon, Ryuu was traded to the (at the time) new expansion team, the Halifax 21st. Crimson had a good season with Halifax, making it to the championship finals before losing to the Ottawa Lynx. "Yes, I remember that trade vividly. Even if it's been a long time since then, I will never forget that trade. I remember how excited but anxious I felt about going to a new team. I was traded for a First Round pick, that if I remember correctly turned out to be my (now three-time) teammate, Rylan Peace. Rylan and Ryuu have been down similar paths, and with this acquisition by the Dynamo, they will be reunited for the 2nd time in their careers. Time to talk about their relationship. When Rylan first broke into the VHLM, he signed with the 21st during their playoff run, where he and Crimson played together for a while. Then Ryuu went to the big leagues while Rylan stayed for his last year in the Minors. It looked like the end of their time together, until the Reign drafted Rylan and slotted him alongside Ryuu with center Pajari on the second line. Again, Rylan was traded, and the two were separated. Both Ryuu and Rylan had career seasons, Rylan being one of the biggest stars in the Victory Hockey League. Fate seems driven to keep them apart but they've found themselves together once again.

This is an awesome sig! I love it!

Was that James Neal mention a shot at my Flames fandom or Ryuu wearing 18? ?

6. Probably Hedgehog and Tagger, they both helped me and gave me advice throughout my time here. 1. Been fun. It was a great season and I'm enjoying these career highs. 2. Wasn't really what I expected. I need to step up more.

@omgitshim thoughts?

Oyorra Arroyo has a most peculiar name, but his name is known around the VHL. This season he has been a superstar, just like always. Surpassing the 100 point mark for a third season and getting past the 60 goal mark, he has been scoring like crazy. He leads the league in goals with 62 of them, with second place behind by 7 goals, and he leads the league in points with 125. He has been exceptional this year, even winning the cup with the Legion, is a front-runner for league ?MVP? , and is with no doubt, the best player this year. I was lucky enough to be able to interview this star after their game in Toronto aganst the Helsinki Titans where the Legion won 3-1 (and yes, Oyorra scored, as expected). He had just finished the game and was in the locker room. I was able to ask 3 questions before getting completely swarmed by the other reporters. I asked him, "What do you think shaped you most as a player?" His response was, "I was always a big shooter when I first entered the game, but joining a talented Calgary team as a true rookie really helped me see what it took to win and develop as an all-around player and team mate. " Well, I think he's MORE than just an all-around player teammate. He's the best player in the LEAGUE right now! I noticed more reporters were showing up so I decided to ask the next question. "What is your mindset during games?" Mindset is a very important factor in hockey I find, so I was curious to see what he thought and what he thinks throughout games. "I'm always thinking about 'win the next'. Don't dwell on mistakes, just focus on the task at hand. Miss a shot? Take another. Lose the puck? Get back on D and win it back again. There's no time to think about what ifs, there's only do." Hm. Maybe I should think like that. A bunch of reporters started coming in. I knew I had to ask a question and fast. "Uhhhh, what's your jersey number and why did you choose it?" Despite the fact that the other reporters were slowly surrounding me and I was drowning in the sea of reporters, he calmly answered, "17 because it's my lucky number and was the age where I got my first shot at a professional level." "17, nice." I thought to myself before drowning in the ocean of reporters. There were about 30 of them, all cramping up in a group just to ask Oyorra questions. After a few minutes of being lost in the sea of reporters, I finally escaped. I dusted myself off and started walking down the hall, but then I heard a stampede coming my way. I have never seen more people try to fit through a small hallway in my life.

A few things: 1. We don't have a minimum of words in VSN, we just make sure it has reasonable length and content. We have to submit all of our articles to an editor and he was fine with this. 2. This is a series, and at the time of writing this, I hadn't made a Young Guns article for this team. Even if there aren't many players I could make content about, I will still write an article even if it's short. 3. Speaking of content, I didn't have enough. Young Guns are first-year and second-year players. You had 4 of those. Despite that little rant, I see your point, this is small and wouldn't even be worthy to be a MS. I apologize for the length and will try to input this feedback into my later articles. Thank you for your feedback. ?