jack

stepping up big in the finals!

good series halifax! close all the way through

good series halifax! close all the way through

Cast your mind back to S30, if you can, some point in early 2013. Or if you can't, just imagine the hype of the first ever VHL expansion as the league grew from eight teams to ten for the first time in 5 years and 30 seasons. It is still debatable whether the VHL was ready for that expansion, but what's certain is the VHLM did not, however it was still another five seasons or so before some genius commissioner (☺️) forced the two leagues to run separate sims. Until then, any changes that happened in the VHL had to be replicated in the minor league.
 
The VHL has gone through much upheaval since then – contraction, reexpansion, and everything in between. However, that's nothing compared to what's happened in the VHLM. Now entirely contained within North America and with the most teams it's ever had (eleven), the often neglected minor league is nothing like what it was on the first sim of S31, as I found out while trying to piece together a few bits of VHLM history the past week. So I thought I'd have a look at the fate of those 10 “original” post-expansion VHLM franchises and see where they are now, countless relocations, contractions, and expansions later.
 
Minot Gladiators

Who? Well, yes, this North Dakota city of 47,000 including its perhaps most passionate supporter (@701, wherever he may be now) was once a VHLM franchise, and in fact a staple of the VHLM for many veterans of the league. Almost a staple, that is, given the Gladiators had just been taken on a brief foray to Syracuse in a highly controversial move in S26 – S31 was in fact the team's first season back in Minot.
 
There was a bit of a romantic connection with the Gladiators for many members as they used to be quite successful and were affiliated with the Calgary Wranglers – in many ways the model franchise of early days VHL. However, Minot's third and final Founder's Cup was won in S19, before the VHL-VHLM affiliation model was abolished. Their last finals appearance came just before they came back to Minot, in S30. In truth, once the first wave of contraction hit in S42, as everyone realised the VHLM didn't need 10 teams, the Gladiators were the easy option to cull.
 
Ottawa Ice Dogs

Behold, the only franchise to have stayed in the VHLM for its entire 66-season-and-counting history. The Ice Dogs were not immune to to one name change which occurred not long after our Year Zero, in S33, as the VHLM's teams went through a significant rebrand and the one logo left lying around was of a cat, therefore the Ice Dogs had to become the Lynx.
 
Apart from that though, this is about as stable as you can get in the VHLM. Ottawa has been a mainstay in the league and has been rewarded with a league-leading 12 Founder's Cups – four ahead of its nearest challengers. It's generally a franchise known for smart and consistent management, the team of current VHLM commissioner Jason Glasser on two occasions, and former commissioners Jim Gow (for most of the 30s) and Jardy Bunclewirth (S46 to S54) on others. The Ice Dogs/Lynx have been to 20 finals (again, the most in the VHLM), 13 of those since becoming the Lynx and 7 of the last 11. A model franchise in every aspect, it's a far cry from some of the other entries here.
 
Saskatoon Wild

For most of their history as Seattle's affiliate, the Wild (aka the Fresno Bulls aka the Buffalo Jr. Bears) were a bit of a shambles but then in S16 they moved to Saskatoon and in S17 obtained the godsend that is Jack Reilly as GM. His name now adorns the league's top executive trophy, but he actually stepped down two seasons before expansion. However, the reputation built up by the Wild up to that point seemed to carry them through to continued existence until today.
 
In fact, that's nothing especially noteworthy about Saskatoon since S31 – not as a city or as a VHLM franchise. The Wild have won 5 of their 8 championships since then, have generally seen stable management (having to introduce an interim GM during their most recent cup in S63 notwithstanding), and just have never been bad enough to contract or unpopular enough to relocate. Saskatoon simply exists now as a link to the past, and although its history is a bit less rich than Ottawa's, it is now the second-longest lasting location in the VHLM (and longest without a name change).
 
Brampton Blades

Somewhat disappointingly, I have no idea when the Brampton Battalion became the Blades and there is almost certainly no way of finding out now. They were certainly the Blades by the time expansion rolled around and would have been fairly confident of surviving to the present day, but as more and more franchises bit the dust, it looks like Brampton was one of difficult decisions which needed to be killed off in the last wave of contraction (S53).
 
It's a bit of a shame, as although Brampton's best days came before S31, it was still a staple of the league much like Ottawa. Even late on in the franchise's life, the Blades went on a run of 13 playoff appearances in 14 seasons, started by one GM Terence Fong back in S38. This streak ended just before Brampton was wiped off the face of the VHLM but also before the playoffs become all inclusive, so a fine achievement nonetheless.
 
Yukon Rush

Yukon 2 gud was the battle cry of the Rush as they entered the league in S31 as the expansion team to match Quebec in the VHLM, and boy did they rush into the league. Yukon won a Founder's Cup in their very first season of existence and made four more finals (winning three) by S38. It was a blistering pace and one they couldn't maintain, although winning just one championship since then (in S59) does make me question how the Rush survived the multiple contractions which have taken place in that time.
 
Yukon is actually the only VHLM team I've managed (in S49 and S50), when I made it my goal to employ solely first-gen players, something that was much harder to do in those dark times for the league than it is today. Looking at the list of the franchise's GMs, it seems that the Rush have generally been in safe hands which perhaps has been their saving grace – a stable, reliable franchise which does its job of promoting prospects into the VHL.
 
Bern Royals

Ah Bern. Once Davos' affiliate, perfectly matched to be both in Switzerland and with a purple logo, who could have predicted they'd end up in Las Vegas? That's what happened though, as Robbie Zimmers was let in for just two seasons and that's all it took to push through a relocation in S54 (and also, to be fair, a Founder's Cup in the very first season in Nevada).
 
No one really cared much for the Royals and they have been more successful as the Aces and won more frequently back in their days in Spain as the Toledo Scorpions. However, the move from Europe to North America was probably the final nail in the intercontinental VHLM after 52 seasons (ignoring the 10 further seasons in Oslo), which is a shame. As a final tidbit on the franchise, the Royals/Aces went on a 21-season playoff streak thanks to every VHLM team qualifying for the playoffs from S53 to S61, which only ended last season.
 
Kolari Panthers

As great as the concept of a EU/NA VHLM is, teams like the Panthers did little to keep that idea alive. Starting off as Helsinki's affiliate in tiny Jonkoping, Sweden, in S11 the team moved across the border to Finland, in an even smaller location – Kolari, 3,819 people at the start of 2019. Originally, the Kolari franchise was known as the Wolves, before becoming the Panthers in S17 for reasons unknown. That was the situation going into S31, which the Panthers actually entered as defending champions, having won their second cup in their ninth final (actually the second highest amount at the time).
 
It all quickly went downhill from there. Kolari did relocate to a more recognisable location in Turku (Finland's third largest city) in S34, but the Outlaws made just one finals appearance before being a reasonably easy team to contract alongside Minot in S42.
 
Oslo Storm

The last bastion of European hockey in the VHLM was one of the least expected, certainly when you consider that not too long before expansion, the Oslo-based team was legitimately called the Screaming Seamen. It was certainly a slap to the face of the highly successful Gothenburg Eagles, who went on a then unheard of eight-season playoff streak and still were relocated to Oslo anyway.
 
By S31, things had cooled down and the Storm were a reasonably average member of the VHLM. Despite a quick start in post-expansion VHLM with a Founder's Cup in S32, Oslo didn't actually win another until S57 and while that is not the be-all-end-all in the minors, it's still quite peculiar that the Storm were the last European franchise standing in the league. Of course, that also didn't last as with the first of the recent rounds of expansion in S65, Oslo saw its team move to Minnesota, leaving Ottawa and Saskatoon as the runaway leaders in terms of longevity.
 
Vasteras IK J20

Lost in the the years of “Fuck Vasteras” campaigning is the fact that Vasteras' original VHL GM Lucas Tannahill also put his VHLM affiliate in the same city. The VHLM Vasteras didn't find much more success than the VHL version, winning its first championship in S11, then having the first 16 draft picks in the S26 Dispersal Draft (no, really) and still managing to choke away a Founder's Cup. The J20 did manage to win their second cup the following year in S27.
 
Other than splitting up the VHL and VHLM sims, one of my main targets as commissioner in the 30s was to destroy Vasteras once and for all. It took until S41 to move the Iron Eagles to Stockholm, but the VHLM team was relocated in S36, becoming the Moscow Red Wolves. It was an odd name with a logo that looked more like a friendly dog, but the team did win a cup in S45. However, when the VHLM went down from 8 teams to 7 in S52, Moscow was another fairly easy choice to cull. At VHL level, we now have both a Moscow team and a Wolves team in Vancouver as of S65 – if they turn out better than the post-Vasteras Moscow remains to be seen. Vasteras, however, is almost certainly gone for good.
 
Bratislava Watchmen

Finally, the other expansion team alongside Yukon. Alongside Brampton, this was the last VHLM franchise to fall (other than Oslo's relocation) and to me the most heartbreaking. In just 23 seasons, the Bratislava Watchmen made 7 finals appearances and won all of them, a superb record for an expansion team. What's more, they had some of the most stable management the VHLM has seen, including 3 long-term GMs who immediately graduated to the VHL after their time in Bratislava – Vince Wong to Helsinki, Blake Campbell to Seattle, and Benjamin Zeptenbergs to Riga. The latter two of course are still managing their respective VHL teams.
 
The Watchmen always felt like one of the success stories of the VHLM, a model franchise like Ottawa and not the trainwreck which was quite a lot of the other teams. Although there was a clear move away from Europe just before Bratislava was contracted in S54, with Moscow going just a few seasons earlier and Bern moving to Vegas, choosing to keep the Storm over the Watchmen was, for me, a questionable move. But what's done is done and now there are five fresh VHLM franchises (and Halifax) which might hope to follow Bratislava's trajectory (prior to contraction).

This has been my most memorable season I’ve ever had in the league. Great job @Acydburn for putting the team together and also thanks to @HulkHogan for helping out and being a good dude in the LR.
 
And the season isn’t over yet!

Ottawa season 67 review
 
This was my first season as Ottawa’s GM, I just wanted to tank all of the players on the team for a great season. We pulled off something that a lot of people doubted we could do when the season started, having a .500 team. We accomplished this goal and then some, ending the season as the number 1 seed on the season. This wouldn’t have been possibly without the help of:
Aamon Grim @aCrypticPancake
Anthony Amberback @Oost
Anthony Hawk @ahawk2191
Beau Bennett @Datools
Cameron Eastwood @CammyM
Cody Parkey @SaltyTalty
Finnegan MacBurn @DizzyWithLogic
Hiroshi Okada @enigmatic
Hunter Wagner @Inf1d3l
Jacob Scott @jscott
John Perdue @johnnyhockey42
Micha Sage @AcousticKazoo
Micheal Rasmussen @Connor mcdavid
Symere Myles @InciteHysteria
Thorny Underyew @jack
Titus LaClass @Termancy
Wonona Levantoes @oramuda
Zeno Miniti @Zeno
Raymond Bernard @Mr_Hatter
Samuel Ross @Brrbisbrr
 
 
We ended up with
4 Players in the top 10 for points
5 Players in the top 10 for Assists
3 in the top 5 for goals
1 goalie in the top 5 (36 starts or more)
 
This was clearly a team effort and we couldn’t have done it without everyone. With that said I wanted to highlight some of the individual efforts of the team.
 
Top goal scorer/Most Shots:
Thorny Underyew had the most goals on the team with 58 goals in 72 games played. This is a nice accomplishment since he was placed on the second line for the season. He really helped the team out with secondary scoring. Thorny also managed the most shots for the team with 462 the most in the league. The closest one to 462 was 428 set by his teammate Zeno Miniti.
 
 
Most Assists/Points/+/-
This accomplishment goes to Zeno Miniti, he centered the top line and amassed a massive 134 points on the season. The closest to him in points was Thorny with 119. Zeno also had the highest +/- on the team (probably had something to do with the 134 points).
 
Most PIM/HIT
 
The player with the most PIM’s and Hits is no other than Anthony Hawk, he managed 94 PIMS and 398 hits on the season. The closest player this Hawk’s hits was Kenji Hachimura with 259 hits on the season. He kept other players on their toes and was a big contributor to the team.
 
Most Shots Blocked
 
The most shots blocked was defenseman Beau Bennett, he managed 66 shots blocked on the season. That is no to take away from our other defensemen Aamon Grim (64), Finnegan MacBurn (63), Jacob Scott (55). All of the defenseman were very close in SB.
 
We were lucky enough to have two goalies on the Lynx this season Raymond Bernard and Samuel Ross. Both goalies did spectacular this season with a combined record of 61-9-2. What I found the most interesting is that the both ended the year with 2 assists each. Both ended up with a save percentage above .880 and under a 2.2 GAA. Combined they even managed 7 shut outs, 156 goals against on 1421 shots and 4 assists.
 
A player that I wanted to highlight from the Lynx that needs no introduction is Michael Rasmussen. Many of the veterans of the VHL know Michael from a few seasons and I just wanted to highlight that he should win most improved. This season Rasmussen had 20 Goals 46 Assists for 76 Points on the season. When we compare this to his stats from last season of 5 goals and 1 assist for 6 points or season 65 where he had 1 lonely assist.  This is a 1166.67% increase from the previous season.
 
Once again, I wanted to thank everyone on the team even if you didn’t get a call out you were a huge contributor and we couldn’t have been as successful this season without you. Here’s to the playoffs and hoping we can bring home the cup!
 
 

Review: Really slick! Nice jersey change, nice composition, good detail. Keep up the good work.

Well, that was fast.
 
The VHLM playoffs started on Tuesday, which was highlighted by four dominating performances. The longest a series went was five games. Lets take a look at each series, starting with the first seed Ottawa Lynx beating the Las Vegas Aces
 
Ottawa Lynx vs Las Vegas Aces
Ottawa wins 4-1
 
As the GM of Las Vegas, I had some hope heading into the series. The Aces had been playing well heading into the postseason, despite trading most of the good players at the trade deadline. The stunning game one win for Vegas acted as the wake up call for Ottawa, who demolished them in four straight games to win the series. Vegas even winning a single game in this series is enough for them to be happy about. Goaltender Solomon Crawford struggled through the series (with exception to game one), and Vegas simply could not keep up with the high powered Lynx.  Nine players on the Lynx finished with five or more points in the series, including three players with over 10 points in this series. 
 
Philadelphia Reapers vs San Diego Marlins 
Philadelphia wins 4-0
 
The Marlins had no draft picks heading into this season, and still put together a solid squad that kept this series competitive. While you can look at the series and say "How was it competitive, they got swept?" Well, just take a look at the scores of each game. Every game was within two goals, and considering the Marlins were taking on an unfairly stacked Reapers Squad, that is a good thing to take out of this. Brock Louth and Fang Flashback stole the show, as Louth finished with eight points, and Flashback had an incredible .931 save percentage and a 1.75 GAA. 
 
 Minnesota Storm vs Houston Bulls 
Minnesota wins 4-0
 
Well, count me as surprised. The Bulls have arguably the best defense core in the VHLM, with Charles Drumm, Banko Mulleto, Jeff Downey, Frederick Elmebeck, and Khalabib Stiopic. In this series, that clearly wasn't the issue. While they allowed 13 goals through the series, they only scored two goals in the four games. How is that even possible. Storm netminder Virgil Ligriv had a 0.68 GAA and a .972 save percentage. A season that had promise for the Bulls ended in bitter disappointment. Defenseman Kefka Palazzo and Hugh Chan were the top performers for Minnesota, with seven points each. The series between them and the Reapers will be a great one.
 
 Yukon Rush vs Halifax 21st 
Halifax wins 4-1
 
Yukon came into the series as the favorite to win, but their offense fell apart against the 21st. A dependable offense, with star talents like Frans Eller and Brendan Plunkett, failed to produce anything in this series, only scoring six goals in five games. The Halifax beat the Rush off of their all around attack, as all but four players scored at least a point, and nine players had at least three points. Yukon goaltender A Red Guy didn't face many shots, but didn't save many either. He only had to face an average of 18 shots per game, but still had a 2.67 GAA, considerably worse than Throvald Gunnarsson, the Halifax netminder. It was a rough series for Yukon, who headed into the playoffs as possible contenders. 
 
 
With the first round complete, we can look towards the semi finals. We have the Storm facing the Reapers, which is easily the best series so far. We also have the Lynx taking on the 21st, which should be interesting. The Ottawa offense is on fire, so we will see if Halifax can contain them. 
 
Predictions:
 
Storm vs Reapers: Storm in 7
Lynx vs 21st: Lynx in 5
 
 
 

@enigmatic you have brought honour to your family.

@enigmatic you have brought honour to your family.

Even if his team, the Ottawa Lynx, steamrolls the Las Vegas Aces night after night, Hiroshi Okada can't get a damn point.
 
Every day, his family in Japan looks at the results of the games and is forced to take vacation days because the dishonour is too great. His grandfather was even evicted from his retirement home. This didn't seem to be much of a problem, though, since Hiroshi's parents decided to ban him from the family house until he gits gud.
 
"Loom vacant. Fathel move back in. No Hiloshi. Not my son untir he bettel. Shourd stay in Canada untir he gets point", his father told VHL.com when we contacted him for a comment because we love tabloid journalism.
 
Okada himself understands the urgency of the situation but refuses to meet journalists in this time of crisis. With the VHLM draft fast approaching, he fears that this lack of productivity will ruin his draft stock. After one beer in the most popular bars of Ottawa, Okada would claim loudly that he was a lock for first overall and although that was a stupid assumption from the start, now it seems more certain than ever that he will need to wait for a couple of minutes, if not hours, before he hears his name on draft night.

Joined: July/August 2007
Positions Held: Grader/Updater, Moderator, General Manager of Bern, VHLM Commissioner x4, Yukon Rush GM, Halifax Founder , GM of Davos , VHL commissioner, VHL Lottery Manager 
 
This should be one of the easiest HOF articles I've written and likely my last (barring some oldie gets into the Hall of Fame in future seasons). I'm not entirely sure how active Smarch AKA Connor Low (not to mention a bunch of other notable players) is on the boards anymore, but what I can attest to is that he stands as one of the least heralded and most important members in the history of the league. If you go through the list of his players and accomplishments, you'll see that he's been on a lot of teams with me. The reason for that is that we're good real life friends, having known each other since high school. The other amazing thing is that we've both been involved in the VHL almost since we left high school. Indeed the VHL is older now than The LastOlympian was when he first joined. Almost no one else around these parts has been here as consistently in those 12 years than Smarch and he didn't get elected as a builder until recently.
 
In the early days of the VHL, Smarch was mostly known as a strong journeyman. He had a handful of worthwhile players that were generally active, but not spectacular. I often times convinced the GM of my team to pick him up via the draft or through free agency because I knew he was a dependable member. The likes of his first few players (Tommy Brown, Barron Von Jonsson, Max Weinstein) were steady, but not spectacular. He was well regarded in the early days as a dependable grader for many years and later on an updater in the olden days when updating was a very labour intensive task. His other notable accomplishment was in our long-lasting PTI podcast that spanned for a few years in the early days of the league. Smarch always would come and go, taking breaks sometimes during seasons in the careers of his players or taking a hiatus between players. Sometimes he'd make a player (Robin Big Snake lol) and flame out. He was never truly an elite member until Connor Low emerged.
 
If you want more information on the highlight reel career of Connor Low you can find it listed under the players section of the Hall of Fame. He truly was one of (and arguably the greatest) defensemen of all-time. During much of Connor Low's career, Smarch was a VHLM Commissioner - a role he played many times and over many seasons. He was one of the most consistent commissioners ever and he was held in high regard in this role. He parlayed this into stints as General Manager with Bern, Yukon and Halifax, as well as being a successful General Manager of Davos in the VHL. I'd argue Smarch is most well known though for his time as one of the VHLM Commissioners - an often unforgiving and challenging role in those days of the VHL It was a role he had to share with another member (and in his case several different other members) adding to the complicated nature of the position. Smarch was eventually promoted to a full-fledged VHL Commissioner around the time I left the VHL. He also became one of the shortest lived commissioners despite being one of the most productive ever.
 
A short Hall of Fame builder article can't encapsulate over 12 real life years of VHL lore. The unfortunate truth is a lot of Smarch's accomplishments have been forgotten as the league has evolved. At times he's been one of the most active members in the league, and at other times he's disappeared for seasons at a time. As you can see though, the breadth of his positions held in the VHL, and the success of his individual players tells us that he's been an integral part of the league since it's inception. I was always fortunate (for the most part) to share a lot of memories in the VHL with Smarch as our players almost always followed similar career timelines. I can say that he was also always one of the best teammates and hardest workers around the boards. One such example is when he offered to switch positions with Connor Low - a move that somewhat tarnished the player's legacy in terms of stats, but that's the kind of guy Smarch is. He's a good teammate and a large part of the fabric of what has made the VHL so successful for so many years.
 
So here's to you Smarch and your lousy weather! And finally,  I would be remiss if I didn't personally thank you for your tireless and dedicated work for the league over the years.
 

This week in Lynx hockey 
 

Welcome back to another installment of this week in Lynx hockey.  The final week of the regular season was a successful one for Ottawa as they leaped over Philadelphia and took first place in a wild week.  This sets Ottawa up with a date with Las Vegas in the first round.  As of this writing, Ottawa is up 3-1 on Las Vegas.  More on that later.  The Lynx were well represented at the top of the regular season statistical leader board.  They have the top 3 overall scorers as well as a leader in assists, plus minus, shots and hits.  The stats are there for every one to see so I will skip to what we all came to hear about…Playoff Predictions!!!

Ottawa vs. Las Vegas

This series seems almost already over as of this writing.  Ottawa is up 3-1 after winning 3 straight.  I wouldn’t count anyone out because it is the playoffs, but Las Vegas has not looked impressive at all against Ottawa.  Even in their win, the Aces were out shot by a wide margin.  Sub par play by goalie Samuel Ross was the culprit.  Ross eventually recovered and beat Vegas in game 3.  So far in this series Anthony Amberback has been the teams biggest  threat.  He has 2 first stars and his defense has kept shots low.  Maybe he’s an early playoff MVP.  Who knows?  Thorny Underyew is playing lights out again, scoring 10 points in the 4 games.  I wonder if this will spring him into the number one spot in the VHL draft?
Halifax vs. Yukon
 
This matchup pitted 2 of the hottest teams against each other.  Yukon had a great last month as it took down some of the elite of the vhlm and making a case for them to be considered elite as well.  They had the VHL’s best defense and arguably the top goalie in the league.  This has not seemed to help them much as they are down to Halifax 3-1.

Minnesota and Philadelphia have already ended their series.  Houston put up a good fight against Minnesota as game 4 ended in a 1-0 shutout.  This pits both teams against each other next round.  I’m going to assume Halifax and Ottawa win their series for my predictions.  So here goes..

                                                                                                                                                                    Minnesota vs. Philadelphia
 
Philadelphia has kind of cooled off the last month, allowing Ottawa to take the top spot from them.  So far it hasn’t hurt them in the playoffs, but it might here.  Minnesota isn’t quite unbeatable anymore, but they have some great weapons and I think they might actually take down Philadelphia in this matchup.  It’s a classic offense vs. defense battle as both teams have great defenders but I give Philly the edge here.  For Minnesota, the opposite seems true to me.  Berocka Sundqvist has been consistently great scoring goals for the Storm.  I think he will be a key this series.  It wouldn’t surprise me if Minnesota pulled it off but it will take 6 or 7 games.  This might be the most difficult series to speculate on.
               
Ottawa vs. Halifax
 
Isn’t it funny how things seem to work out?  For a good chunk of the season Halifax had Ottawa’s number.  Ottawa took down Minnesota for their first loss, then got beaten by Halifax the next game.  Ottawa seemed to have cracked the code on Halifax as it went on a 2nd half tear.  Halifax also had a GM change, did that contribute to Halifax losing it’s magic?  Maybe we will find out in this series.  I’m not quite so sure this series will go as long as Minnesota versus Philly.  I’m going to take Ottawa in 5.  Ottawa’s defense has caught up to it’s blistering offense.  The Lynx goaltending has worked very hard as a unit and now both goalies could have starting spots for teams.  With 3 hundred point scorers Ottawa’s offense will put the 21st away.
 
This brings us to Minnesota versus Ottawa.  This series should be great.  Maybe even one that gets the VHLM a little more respect.  Could it be one of the best of all time?  I think so.  It features plenty of star power, lots of two way defensive play, and lots of talented forwards. Will Sundqvist get enough offensive help to overcome Ottawa’s offensive barrage?  Will Virgil Ligriv out duel Raymond Bernard?  Will Finnegan MacBurn’s physical play continue through these playoffs?  I don’t think so.  I’m going to call Ottawa in 7.  Thorny, Zeno and Anthony Hawk will be the difference makers for Ottawa.  Hawk’s physical play will be too much to handle and Bernard will be his steady, calm and cool self.  I can’t think of a better series to end season 67.  

thanks for the kind words
 

Unique goalscorers, really spreading the points around.

S67 VHLM MVP Candidates
 
With the end of the regular season upon us, while the playoffs are underway, it's time to have a look at some of the most valuable players of the season in the VHLM. Who significantly impacted the season? Read on and find out; below we have listed 1 forward, 1 defenseman and 1 goaltender to highlight for their on-ice prowesses.
 
Forward: Thorny Underyew 
Though not predicted as first overall in the central scouting reports, there is little doubt Underyew was the most impactful forward of the season. At his second season in his career, the English center can expect to be awarded for the most goals of the season with 58 notches to his name. He also ranks 2nd overall in points, 1st in shots taken and tied 4th in plus/minus and powerplay goals. Another interesting way in which the young forward broke out from his peers is in game-winning goals, being first with a total 14, and hat tricks, with an impressive total 6 hat tricks this season.
 
Defenseman: Kefka Palazzo 
At his second full season in the VHLM, the Japanese defenseman refined his offensive game with a marked difference, elevating his amount of points from 22 in S66 to a stunning 99 in S67, ranking 5th overall in points among all players and proving a veritable menace to other teams' special lines with 1st overall in powerplay goals. If things keep going his way, the aspiring defenseman should be looking to join the Seattle Bears' regular lineup at the start of next season.
 
Goaltender: A Red Guy 
The 50 year-old masked man can be proud of his first season despite the remarkable performances of some of his peers. Guy still netted 2nd in wins this season with a total of 47, with almost half of his lost being dragged to overtime (specifically 10 OTL). He also holds the best goals against average of the league (1.83) and 3rd best save percentage (0.899) despite having received a large amount of shots (8th most shots against) this year. Other interesting fact, the goaltender ties 1st in shutouts with a blistering 11 games without a goal against him.

1. The race for 3rd in the S68 is heating up. What do you think gives you an edge over the others in your draft class?
2. There are two expansion franchises that will participate in this season's draft. Would you prefer to join an establish club, or to grow with one of the new teams?
3. Have there been any teams contacting you leading into the draft? Is there anything specific that attracts you to certain teams over others?
4. What has been most surprising so far for you in S67 in the VHLM?
5. Houston has had an interesting season, being the "worst" of the good teams (large gap of wins between Houston and San Diego). What do you think of Houston's chances heading into the playoffs?
6. It seems certain that Downey will make the jump to the VHL for S68. What was your favourite part of your VHLM career?
7. The US wasn't able to bring home a medal at this year's WJC. Is there anything you would have changed in hindsight?
8. What was it like to be involved in the management process so early in your career?
9. If you could pick one thing to change about the VHL, what would it be?
10. What's your favourite pre-game meal?
 
@JeffD

I'm not sure I really have an edge over the other guys around me. I know defense is in high demand around the league right now but the two guys that are far and away the best prospects are also defensemen so that could hurt my value.
 
 
Personally I think starting out with an expansion franchise would be an awesome experience and one I would love to go through.
 
 
I have had three or four teams reach out to me. Nothing specifically attracts me to any particular team but a team taking interest and reaching out to me is a definite positive.
 
 
Probably the whole getting traded thing. I came into the year expecting to play the whole year for the Mississauga Hounds but that changed prior to the deadline. I didn't mind the trade as it has given me a chance to compete, but it was definitely unexpected.
 
 
I believe once the playoffs start that anything can happen. While there is a clear gap above us in the standings we have been playing well lately and I think we can surprise some people.
 
 
Oh that is a hard one. I'd actually have to say going through the draft process was great for me. I came in with high expectations and was humbled when I fell to the fourth round. I have used that as motivation to have what many are calling a very good season.
 
 
That was a pretty big disappointment to be honest. I am not sure if I would really changed much as I feel the team selected was the best that we could have brought to the tournament but it was a learning experience in strategy and tactics which I will use in the future.
 
 
It was great. Although the tournament didn't end the way we wanted it was an amazing experience and I am hoping it leads to a possible job in the future.
 
 
That's a good question. I'd have to say trying to get a system in place that leads to some more build diversity would be nice.
 
 
Some sort of pasta is always a good pre-game meal. Maybe a nice penne with a vodka sauce and chicken breast.

voted

Holy crap guys.  I’m hyped, like super seriously hyped.  I’ve come a long way from the country.  We made the playoffs.  Really we outclassed everyone.  There are lots of good teams in this league, but in the regular season we were the best.  We were number 1.  This team is just amazing.  But it’s playoff time.  I never ever thought I would make it this far.  I figured I couldn’t hack it or wouldn’t like being a backup, but wow.  What a season, what a team.  I love these guys.  Everyone gives 100%  I know I’m rambling, but I’m stoked.    I’ve also spent some time talking to a few general managers.  Of course I’ve been talking to Acyd, but our locker room has become a lot more serious.  We still support each other, but the guys are working so hard in practice that we have cut out a lot of small talks and jokes.  It’s all business and focus.  There’s talk of me getting drafted.  Hopefully I will be playing pro hockey.  All of my hard work is coming to fruition.  If we win a championship on top of that?  That makes for one heck of an offseason.  GO LYNX!!!!!!