jack

I'm quitting the VHL now. I am shaking. People say boubabi was bad. You are a monster. I hope you fall in a ditch and fracture your collarbone. 

Will try and get my R2 CnC video made and posted tonight but tomorrow/wednesday is much more likely.

Thanks to the WJC Commissioners (@Banackock, @DilIsPickle, @fonziGG) for giving me the opportunity to jump back in the GMing game here. This will actually be my first time GMing in the WJC, though I have been a commish 2 or 3 years, and I GMed the WC Europe squad (to a pretty disappointing finish, let's be honest).
 
Team Europe has been great in the past couple tournaments, getting medals in 3 straight tournaments from S63 to S65, climaxing with a Gold medal in S65. They did miss the podium last season, but I'm looking forward to bringing glory back with a formidable squad. The league grew a lot these past few seasons and it showed in the screening process for assembling this roster. Some great players had to be left out, but here's hoping they can make it to the mercs squad and not miss on this fun event (looking at you @Motzaburger). For the others, there's always next season.
 
Anyway, here are the players that will proudly wear the blue and gold jerseys and try to bring back gold from the S67 edition of the World Junior Championship. I do believe we have enough fire power to get it done.
 
Forwards
C Pascal Batz @efiug  ??
C Frans Eller @Ace  ??
LW Sigard Gunnar @Big Mac  ??
LW Anthony Hawk @ahawk2191  ??
C Maximilian Kirbsson @Kirby ??
LW Teemu Lehtinen Jr @Sixersfan549 ??
RW Lucas Nygren @Advantage ??
C Thorny Underyew @jack ??
LW Henrik Zoiderberg @HenrikZoiderberg ??
 
Defensemen
D Lance Flowers @CowboyinAmerica  ??
D Pierre Persson @Dominus89 ??
D Wolf Stansson Jr @Cornholio  ??
D Luciano Valentino @Kekzkrieg  ??
 
Goaltenders
G Kolur Bjoernsson @jblock3 ??
G Clayton Park @leafssteen  ??
 
Let's get it, boys!

I designed a home, road, and alternate jerseys for the Lynx. Let me know what you think!

Results:
 
3 uncapped TPE:
@Elmebeck
@JeffD
@Kekzkrieg
@Dominus89
 
2 Uncapped TPE:
 
@TukTukTheGreat
@elrune1988
@berocka
@jack
@Dalton Wilcox
@Green
@Datools
@Ace
 

Signing with Ottawa was a big decision for me.  I knew I wouldn’t get a lot of playing time.  I knew they already had a starting goalie.  I had no idea how this league worked.  I also knew I liked the GM.  Ottawa had finished runners up so I was going to be in a good situation.  There wasn’t a lot of pressure.  If I didn’t get to play a lot, fine.  I could take it slow.  That’s not exactly how it turned out.

     There’s talk of me being drafted.   I’ve only played 10 games.  I mean, I know I am top 10 in save percentage and GAA but 10 games?  I’ve barely played enough to get a nick on my stick and I’m rumored to go pro? I really planned on being a backup this year, starting in the minors next season then going to the big time. This is certainly a weird league.
Ottawa is killing it though.  We’re a machine right now.  We lose the odd one every now and then but it seems like we went from hanging around 3rd place to being a buzz saw threatening 1st.  Everybody is contributing.  Our defense has stood up great, our goaltending is spectacular.  I’ve got no animosity for Raymond, he’s a great guy, and if we both succeed the team succeeds. This team has no role players.  Everyone can do everything.  Beau Bennet has turned things around on D.  Aamon has been rock solid all year despite everyone getting accolades.  Finnegan has been on a mission since getting traded.  This is one crazy ride in a crazy league and I love every second, especially getting to sit back and watch it blossom from the pine. 
 
 

v1

This Week in Lynx Hockey


    This week I am going to go a different route.  It has been a really busy week for Ottawa and myself.  The team is rolling.  Ottawa is one point behind Philadelphia for first overall in the VHLM.  Thorny Underyew is coming off a huge 6 point outing against Mexico City.  The Lynx even has other general managers crying for mercy.  We are sorry, it’s not our intent to crush your soul, the team is just clicking.  There are lots of games to recap and I could spend all day telling you what happened, but those scores and stats are available for everyone.  This media spot will dive a little deeper into the team instead of just the stats, to show you how the Lynx got to where they are.  It will give you a little insight of what I think as Samuel Ross, the player and Samuel Ross the reporter.
 
   Lynx hockey is about succeeding on the ice and off of it.  Everyone practices hard, gets their tpe and plays well.  There is no secret to our success.  Or is there?  The Ottawa locker room is drama free, which is amazing considering how many characters there are.  GM AcydBurn sets the morale.  He is great at dealing with young players, knows who to draft and is always available to answer questions.  He is always quik to praise the team in wins and uses losses as learning experiences.  A lot of the development of his players is based on his expertise.  Such is the case with Micheal Rassmussen.  Rassmussen went from being a defensive specialist as a forward to being a 6’8” offensive terror in a matter of a few games.  He credits Acyd with helping him with training and to focus on certain strategies and attributes.  Acyd also let’s his players have a say in decisions.  Everyone was kind of shocked when rookie Thorny Underyew became team captain.  Now, the team is playing great and Underyew looks like a first round pick. Speaking of Rassmussen, he is by far the most improved player of the week.  Vaulting into the top 6 of the team in points.  I know it doesn’t sound much, but Ottawa has some of the top scorers in the league.  There are no plans to change that either.  We apologize, that’s just the way it is.  Rassmussen has shown a great amount of touches on his passes this week and has worked hard to use his huge frame to shield the puck and find open players.

  
 
 
    
The forward corps for Ottawa is playing some unstoppable hockey.  I’ve already mentioned Undeyew’s six point game.  Zeno also recently had a 5 assist game.  His goal scoring has dipped recently, which isn’t a problem because his assists have skyrocketed.  He leads the league in points with 67, 8 more than Brandon LeBlanc of Philadelphia.  Anthony Hawk has improved his two way game, even though I thought it was impossible.  He still leads the VHLM in hits by a wide margin, he is also top 5 in points and plus/minus.  Thorny also positioned himself in the top 10 in points and plus/minus.
    
    Next week I will cover the defense and goaltending.  As you can see, the team’s success is not dependent on a few players.  As a reporter it is a joy covering the team.  As a player, despite not playing very much, I still feel like I am being a part of the success.  I don’t think a rookie could end up on a better team.
 
Thanks to acoutsicKazoo for the Lynx logo!
This article is 591 words and I'm claiming 6 tpe for the week of 8-4.

A Very Early S68 VHL Mock Draft
 
As we reach the two-thirds mark of the VHL season and descend upon the Trade Deadline, this would normally be the time where I write that the pack has separated into haves and have nots. But this season, that isn’t really the case. The last team in the lottery (Riga) is just six points behind the third team overall (Calgary). Last place in the league (New York) is just nine points behind a playoff spot. Really, anything can happen.
 
So that means that projecting a draft order right now – not even taking into account the flat lottery odds – is a fool’s errand. Luckily for you, I’m a fool.
 
Here’s an early look at the way the draft could potentially fall, with the caveat that even a 10% success rate on these picks is purely coincidental. There’s a lot that goes into draft picks, including personal friendships and alliances. I’m ignoring all of that – this mock largely bases itself on TPE and team fit. If you think your player is listed too low, then it is absolutely because I dislike you personally, and not because I’m just throwing darts at a board.
 
Now, let’s get down to business. A big thank you to @rjfryman as well, whose rankings were invaluable for putting this together.
 
 1. New York Americans – D Condor Adrienne @Green
There’s only a 25% chance that the team with the worst record actually ends up with the first overall pick, but if that’s the case for New York, then this pick would seem to be a slam dunk. Adrienne has run away with the most TPE in this class, and looks to be engaged that his agency perhaps hasn’t been since all the way back with O’Malley. New York, meanwhile, has loads of talented, young forwards but not as much on the blue line. It’s a perfect match.
 
 2. Malmo Nighthawks – D Lance Flowers @CowboyinAmerica
Malmo already has talent pretty much across the board, including at forward (led by rookies Lucas Nygren and Phil Marleau), defense (Rusty Shackleford and Jerry Garcia) and goalie (Michael Johnson). They can afford to go best player available at this spot, and by pure TPE, it would seem to be Flowers. Alongside fellow upcoming rookie – and former Halifax linemate – Hugh Chan, Flowers would be a stabilizing force on the second line for years to come. Four active, young defenseman is a luxury not many other VHL teams have.
 
 3. HC Davos Dynamo – C Thorny Underyew @jack
Davos has a glut of young defensive talent with Werbenjagermanjensen, Paddywagon and LeGrande, but while their forward core is slowly growing with recent additions like Martin and Scoringsonn, there’s room for more top-shelf talent. Underyew, Eller and Lehtinen should all be names that are in consideration here, but one thing that Davos’ recent picks have in common is that they’re pure playmakers – not a single checking point among them. Out of the three potential draftees, Underyew’s play is the most physical, which adds a different element to the Dynamo squad.
 
 4. HC Davos Dynamo (via Riga Reign) – G A Red Guy @.sniffuM
Finn Davison has been the goalie of the future for Davos for a while, but slowly but surely, that’s evolved into the goalie of the present. By the time the draft occurs, Davison will be entering the back half of his career. And given that the Dynamo’s timeline seems to coincide with more of a rebuild – Crimson and Davis aren’t getting any younger – it makes sense to grab a goalie of the future for the next time the team’s in contention. Guy is the best goalie available and has rocketed up draft charts; it wouldn’t surprise me if that continues over the coming weeks.
 
 5. Seattle Bears – C Frans Eller @Ace
Last draft was all about stopping the puck for the Bears, with defenseman Hogan and Jenton and goalie Funk all selected in the first 11 picks, alongside GM player Stark. The Bears did pick up Burn at #7 and had three second round forwards, alongside its S66 forward class, but it makes sense to me to pick up more top flight offensive scoring talent. Eller is exactly that, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him slot into the team’s second line sometime during his rookie year.
 
 6. Vancouver Wolves – D Jeff Downey @JeffD
It’s getting close to pure rebuild time for the Wolves, and outside of goalie (where they may have gotten a steal in Eagles), they could use an injection of youth in just about every position. Downey has shot up draft rankings since he declared, and given that Vancouver only has one current defenseman younger than S65 and over 200 TPE, it’s clear to see that he’d be a defensive cornerstone for years to come. Lehtinen and Gunnar would also be reasonable picks here if they decided to go offense instead.
 
 7. Helsinki Titans – LW Teemu Lehtinen Jr. @Sixersfan549
Helsinki’s an interesting one to project for me. The Titans only have one pick in the first three rounds, and given their recent success, the inclination may be to trade this pick for one last go in Thompson’s final season. But if they do keep the pick, they have a few young players, mostly S66, that would form a nice future core. Adding Lehtinen would allow Helsinki the best of both worlds – keeping a cornerstone for the future and a potential rebuild, while adding a high TPE player that can contribute depth right away for another run.
 
 8. Calgary Wranglers – LW Sigard Gunnar @Big Mac
We’re getting very close to rebuild time in Calgary, and I bet the team’s management knows it. As a result, this pick could easily be on the block for a future first or as part of a rebuild package. But if it’s kept, the goal should be for a standout player that will still be around as part of a contending squad three or four seasons down the road. Gunnar is exactly that type of player – a pure scorer that can help get through the lean times – and also represents the best value on the board. The forward market takes a bit of a dip from here.
 
 9. Moscow Menace – G Raymond Bernard @Mr_Hatter
For the Menace, their time is now – with so many players on the roster, it’s not only win or bust, but the salary cap situation is going to start to look very sticky when those S66 rookie contracts run out in a year. That’s why a future piece like Bernard makes sense to me: In the short term, he replaces the elder Sterling as the team’s second goalie, a must-have when every game is crucial. But if everything goes right, he also could be a challenge to incumbent Owen May in the long-term, given that Bernard has racked up a higher TPE rate as of late.
 
 10. New York Americans (via Toronto Legion) – D Luciano Valentino @Kekzkrieg
As noted above, it makes sense for New York to be particularly defense-heavy in this draft. There’s a potential for it to be too defense-heavy – in this scenario, they’re adding not only Adrienne but GM player Keven Foreskin. Still, Valentino is easily the best talent currently available on the board, and he’s shot up the draft rankings in recent weeks. He’s a great value with the final selection in the first round, and in the actual draft, I wouldn’t be surprised if he actually ends up a bit higher.
 
 11. New York Americans – LW Micha Sage @AcousticKazoo
 12. HC Davos Dynamo (via Malmo Nighthawks) – D Wolf Stansson Jr. @Cornholio
 13. New York Americans (via HC Davos Dynamo) – RW Ryo Yamazuki II @Donno100
 14. Riga Reign – G Fang Flashback @uphillmoss
 15. Moscow Menace (via Seattle Bears) – LW Justin Rushmore @street
 16. Vancouver Wolves – RW Bud Knight @Dilly Dilly
 17. New York Americans (via Helsinki Titans) – D Aamon Grim @aCrypticPancake
 18. Calgary Wranglers – RW Case Martell @Shaka
 19. Vancouver Wolves (via Moscow Menace) – D Ricky Johnson @Midnite
 20. New York Americans (via Toronto Legion) – G Samuel Ross @Brrbisbrr
 

@Esso2264

Fire like always!

@oilmandan

https://i.imgur.com/w5G8ABU.png

Finnegan MacBurn continues to perform better than his season average when facing his former team. Earning a First ? with some beastly dominance right from puck drop.

Good win guys!