StamkosFan

Review: I think that this was a good biography that did well with not making him into a Mary Sue. I liked that he had a weakness and some struggles in the game! I would've liked to see a bit more about his life outside of hockey though, such as his schooling and his brother. I think the idea of his father campaigning for the independence movement in Catalonia is an interesting storyline and would've liked to see it explored a bit more.

Quoting so I can claim

An overhead view of team delegations attending last year's VHL draft. The VHL entry draft is set for Tuesday of this week, and right winger Pat Svoboda is making a last minute push to climb the draft board. His training has been described as "frenzied" and "manic" by some who witnessed his nonstop workout routine, but that's the kind of dedication that many VHL scouts want to hear about. The Swede had an excellent rookie campaign in the VHLM after coming over to Canada for marital reasons, and he is VHL-bound after surpassing TPE limits for VHLM eligibility. Reportedly, Oslo had contacted Svoboda about taking him first in the VHLM entry draft, but he lowered his head and dug in his heels; he didn't want to spend another year in the minors. And now, sitting at 215 TPE with more incoming, he is one of the top prospects in his draft class according to live rankings. Whispers based on online chat room public conversations suggest that Svoboda is buddying up with Quebec since his wife is Canadian; he even flashed his rudimentary French knowledge in the hopes of impressing, drawing groans from the Americans. However, the 6'5'' sniper forward insists that he is willing to play for any team. "My goal is to increase my draft stock as much as possible over these last few hours, and to go as high as possible in the draft. Don't get me wrong, I would love to play for Quebec if they pick me, but I've also talked to other teams like Davos and Helsinki. My family is more open to moving to Scandinavia now than a few months ago, so Helsinki would definitely be nice, to be closer to home. I visited Finland a few times as a kid so I know what a beautiful country it is and how friendly its inhabitants are," said Pat Svoboda. "And there's still time for teams that haven't reached out to take notice of me, and I'm open to playing for them if they draft me. I've heard, for instance, that New York has interest in me, but I haven't heard from them. So we'll see what happens; I'm cool with wherever I land on draft day." Since the last live draft rankings update, Svoboda has soared 25 TPE up the chart, and is looking to add more to his total. If he completes all his weekly tasks, that'll add an additional 19 TPE, and that's before the holiday bonus is factored in. Svoboda phrases it as "being unwilling to settle for mediocrity"; he intends to apply the TPE to the STHS god mode attributes; skating, defense, and scoring. He has the potential to immediately make a splash in the VHL and to electrify a line with his scoring touch. GMs can never get enough of those game-breaking players, and to have a player with his skills and the advantage in size? It is no wonder he is drawing media attention, and it would be unsurprising if a team was willing to take a chance on the Swede early.

1. Who do you consider to be an NHL comparable for your player? 2. What are you looking for in a team? (Good locker room, playing time, championships) 3. What makes you stand out from other prospects? 4. What would you consider to be your player's weakness(es)? 5. What are your hopes for your career?

1. What was the highlight of your VHLM career? 2. How do you feel about Ottawa's miraculous playoff run? 3. What are the things you're most focused on improving as you go pro? 4. What are you looking for in a VHL locker room/team? 5. Who were your favorite linemates in Ottawa?

Transaction ID: 2101-0995-4997-8829 $20 Doubles Week (claiming for 12/9-12/16) Doubles Week (claiming for 12/17-12/23) 5 Uncapped TPE (claiming for 12/9-12/16) $1 Mil @Reives

Review: All biographies tend to give players struggles to endure to humanize them, but few have suffered as brutally as Abdul; what a tragic upbringing. Pakistan is definitely a unique birth place, and rather than being the noble team captain type, this guy has some anger issues, which definitely diverges from the pack. I laughed out loud when I read the part about banking a shot off a referee's helmet; while realism is lacking here, it was an entertaining read nonetheless.

Review: This was a pretty hockey-focused biography, but I think it was well done, and you did an excellent job of tying family to the sporting side. You also covered schooling briefly, which is one of the most important parts of the early life. I think having his uncle run the field hockey team was a great way to get him involved in the sport, and also to present some challenges to add intrigue to the storyline. With his uncle shunning him for his decision, that was a pretty bold move, and I think it definitely shows that those he was raised by did not approve of him doing what he thinks is best. All in all, a great bio with solid command of language.

Review: One thing I found lacking in this biography was that there was no formatting or pictures. Also, I think the vast majority of the biography was focused on hockey; this doesn't really explain much about his early life. Even the sad news about his dad, which could've been a major fixture of this storyline, was just like a side note, an asterisk that was tossed in. I would've liked to have seen some notes about his schooling, family life, siblings, relationships, etc.

Review: You definitely went above and beyond instead of just trying to hit the 1000 word requirement! It was a good idea to give the background of his father and to focus on parentage. I think it was cool to hear about his junior hockey background as well and to tie that into the VHL. Overall, I think it was a solid biography, and the story of the mine accident really functioned well into everything.

CHILDHOOD Civilians glide around an ice skating rink in Stockholm, Sweden. Think of Stockholm, Sweden, and perhaps you recall that it is the capital of Sweden, or conjure up the concept of Stockholm Syndrome. Perhaps you have been one of the tourists that flock to view the sights, shuttled around the islands on boats and ferries. For Pat Svoboda, it was simply home. He was born in Stockholm, Sweden on December 2nd, 1993 to two intelligent parents; his father was a well-respected doctor. As a surgeon, he had gifted hands and coped well under stressful situations, and became one of Sweden's most renowned heart specialists. His mother was a high school biology teacher; unlike in the United States, she had to earn a Bachelor's degree in education to receive a Swedish teaching certificate. He was the first-born in his family, and his father hoped that he would follow his footsteps and enter a profession in the healthcare field. But Svoboda's heart was set against that from the first time he laced up skates and set foot on a rink, at the age of only 4; he wanted to eat, sleep, and breathe hockey. The family had followed the SHL (Swedish Hockey League, then known as the Elitserien) casually, and his parents obliged his request to play, thinking that hockey could be a fun recreational activity, but never considering it as a possible career. They chastised him throughout elementary school for paying little attention in school, but his focus was on practicing hockey. After the birth of his brother, Lars Svoboda, in 2004, the pressure to keep up his studies fell away, and Pat ended up not having passing grades in math in his last year of compulsory schooling, Year 9. Therefore, he was ineligible for high school, but this was a relief to him. Upper secondary school was optional, and he had no interest in furthering his education. To this day, he still is haunted by the feeling that he is a disappointment to his family for pursuing a career in hockey. His brother, Lars Svoboda, plans to study to be a neurosurgeon, and Svoboda has said in interviews that he feels that Lars is the pride of his family. While he was never been disowned, he rarely hears from them beyond the cursory invitations back home for holidays and birthday wishes. SHL CAREER Pat Svoboda carries the puck into the neutral zone in the J18 Allsvenskan at age 16. Pat Svoboda was determined to head to the Swedish professional hockey leagues against the wishes of his parents, but it would not be easy. When he was very young, he had played the center position, but he had moved to play right wing at age 12 and never looked back, so the faceoffs skill that could have been valuable to teams was long gone. And Pat Svoboda possessed a massive frame, towering over others in his age cohort, and he was still growing. Juniors coaches would likely be happy to give him a chance based on pure size, knowing that he could push through inexperienced juniors defenders. But to climb the ladder, he would need more than just size, and with a quick glance, top-level scouts would notice his size and see immediate skating concerns. Svoboda would be fighting an uphill battle to prove them wrong, and the logistics of their concerns were actually quite practically. He spent hours every day, practicing his skating and pushing his acceleration to the limits. Svoboda signed with Leksands IF J18 in the J18 Allsvenskan at age 16, and his top-level shot was already there, overwhelming the competition. He scored 23 goals in 28 games, so at age 17, he got the call to play in the SuperElit, a J20 league, with Leksands IF's J20 team. Again, Svoboda elevated his game to match the competition, dazzling his coaches and earning 48 points in 31 games. Leksands IF made the bold decision to bring him up to the SHL at age 18 for a cup of tea, and he scored a hat trick in his first game. He put up impressive numbers for a youngster, with 14 goals in 23 games, and never got sent back down. Svoboda blossomed as the face of the franchises, its star player, and one of the most elite goal scorers in Sweden. By age 20, he was leading the SHL in goals, and he repeated that feat for three consecutive years. For some reason, NHL teams never came knocking, but that didn't assuage concerns that the powerful winger would leave his home country. Many feared that since the SHL appeared too easy for him, he would elope to Russia and take his chances in the KHL. But while they were right to predict that he would leave Sweden, they were wrong about which country. Joining the VHL Pat Svoboda takes a penalty shot for the Ottawa Lynx, and is denied by the goaltender. In spite of not hearing from a single NHL team, Pat Svoboda was motivated by outside factors to head to North America. He visited Ontario on vacation, simply looking to sightsee, and instead crossed paths with a woman named Heather, who he would date for a few months and eventually marry. He knew that she would not want to leave her home in Canada, so he looked for opportunities to play hockey nearby, and was contacted by VHL officials. He signed with the Ottawa Lynx in order to keep his wife as close to her hometown as possible; since she was in her comfort zone, he was happy too. The two enjoyed a quiet wedding in Toronto with a few of their close friends and family members, and then purchased an apartment in Ottawa, just twenty minutes away from the Lynx's rink. Svoboda discovered just a few weeks ago that he and his wife are expecting their first child, a girl, and is looking forward to starting a family. His life recently has been consumed with prep work for the baby; in between games, he has been working on renovation projects, which he intends to finish over the offseason. Even if the VHL draft draws him to a new city far away from their current home, he knows that he can flip the house and sell it for a profit. He is a family man first and foremost, and wants to be a responsible parent; his top priority is to provide financial security for his wife and daughter.

I love SHL, anyone who joins should definitely say StamkosFan was their recruiter

Pat Svoboda carries the puck along the boards against Saskatoon in the VHLM finals. The VHLM draft date, while it has yet to be announced, is expected to be scheduled for some time next week. Now is the time when team scouts have been scouring the minors for future stars and making their draft boards; quite a few could be sighted in the stands in the VHLM finals, scribbling furiously at their clipboards at every play. Pat Svoboda has been rocketing up draft boards after crossing the pond midway through the season and becoming a prolific scorer for the Ottawa Lynx, finishing the year on the top line in the playoffs in spite of minimal experience. So what makes him different from the talented competition in his draft class? One thing is that Svoboda, a Swede, has experience in leagues against men already from playing in his home country. He is not as young as many prospects, having taken the time to hone his craft overseas, and at 25, his frame has fully filled out and his game is much less reckless. He thinks the game at a high level, with almost all scouts walking away remarking that he has incredible hockey IQ. Also, as he grew in stature, he grew into a player that is taller than the average skater, so he doesn't shy away from incoming hits, he has long reach, and he can sometimes force his way through shorter defenders. His 6'5'' height is more than VHL size, and it doesn't seem to hinder him in the ways that some worry about; his acceleration is smooth and effortless. He is an above average skater, which is more than you can say about most players his size. Also, snipers tend to be the most valuable players in the league nowadays, and Svoboda, a volume shooter and lauded goal scorer, has a wicked wrist shot and a monstrous slap shot in his arsenal. He is the type of player that can score goals at any level thanks to the power and accuracy behind his shot. He doesn't try to make pretty plays or waste an open shooting lane by looking for a pass. He gets the job done and he generates as many shot opportunities as possible; the only stat that matters to him is putting pucks in the back of the net. He scored at over a point per game pace in the VHLM, so that bodes well for his conversion rate in the pros. He has a lot more attributes that give merit to his game, and few noticeable weaknesses; he could become a fixture on any lineup he is brought into. With a prestigious agent backing him, he seems like a safe bet to pan out as well. He has the makings of a franchise player, and the three guys he mentions molding his game after, Patrik Laine, Nikita Kucherov, and Alexander Ovechkin, are pretty darn good. One must only assume scouts are taking note of Svoboda's promising qualities, and it would be surprising to see him fall on draft day.

3

Ottawa Lynx right winger Pat Svoboda spoke up after a disappointing series loss to the Saskatoon Wild in just four games. ”Of course we wanted to win, but really, I don’t see it as a failure. No one, and I mean no one, thought we could make it this far. We beat two really good teams, and we were the finalists. We played our best, we never gave up, and I think we made our fans proud. As a wild card, we played like a top team and we went really far, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of. We beat all the expectations and we showed a lot of heart. What a great group of guys we had; it was an absolute honor to play with all of them and to be a part of the Lynx organization. Maybe our luck just ran out. Saskatoon earned the win in the series and played really well all season, so my heartfelt congratulations go to them and their city. I hope the players are very proud of their achievement and enjoyed holding the Cup. Ottawa will come back stronger and with more experience next season. As for me, I’m probably heading up to the VHL. When I win a Cup, I want it to be in the big show. That’s what I came to North America for.”

1. We had a influx of new members recently thanks to a big Reddit recruitment drive. (If you are not new to the site) Are you scared about the new competition stealing your thunder? I’m not a bit worried, I’ve established myself and I have an extremely high pedigree in other leagues. Always happy to see new additions to league and us moving in the direction of growth! 2. Do you have any idea for the Recruitment Team regarding new avenues to recruit new members? I think recruiting from SHL more would be a good step since obviously it’s the biggest sim league. I think a lot of guys are interested in being in multiple leagues and that’s the one that started me on all of them. 3. Were you surprised that the Saskatoon Wild disposed of the Ottawa Lynx so easily in the VHLM Founder's Cup Finals? I was surprised we lost so badly. We did really well against Las Vegas and Yukon, so I thought we could compete against anyone. I definitely didn’t foresee a sweep. 4. Do you think the Calgary Wranglers have what it takes to complete the comeback over the Riga Reign in the VHL Continental Cup Finals? Honestly, I have no idea about the VHL, I’ve been following VHLM. In STHS, anything can happen, so if Calgary can find the right line combos the series can tilt in their favor. 5. Any VHL team you'd prefer to be selected by in the next VHL Entry Draft? I’m cool with going wherever; I want to be drafted as high as possible. I like having pedigree, but I will say I really like Canadian teams in most leagues. 6. What are your objectives for next season? I want to hit 200 TPE to go up to the VHL, and to score double digit goals for my new team. I want to be drafted highly too and get a respectable contract. I want to go to a team where I will have ample opportunity and be important to their plans.

Part I - Pick em' (Pick the correct winners of all three games for 2 TPE) Game 5 - Ottawa Lynx @ Saskatoon Wild Game 6 - Saskatoon Wild @ Ottawa Lynx Game 7 - Ottawa Lynx @ Saskatoon Wild - No Game Part II - Predict the Score (Predict the correct score and winner of this game for 3 TPE) Game 5 - Ottawa Lynx @ Saskatoon Wild - 3-2 Ottawa Lynx Part III - Player Predictions (Predict the correct player for each category, 1 TPE for each correct answer) Series leader in points: Mark Gebauer Series leader in goals: Mark Gebauer Series leader in assists: Burnt Toast

Part I - Pick em' (Pick the correct winners of all three games for 2 TPE) Game 5 - Calgary Wranglers @ Riga Reign Game 6 - Riga Reign @ Calgary Wranglers No Game Game 7 - Calgary Wranglers @ Riga Reign No Game Part II - Predict the Score (Predict the correct score and winner of this game for 3 TPE) Game 5 - Calgary Wranglers @ Riga Reign Riga 3-2 Part III - Player Predictions (Predict the correct player for each category, 1 TPE for each correct answer) Series leader in points: Jack Shephard Series leader in goals: Jack Shephard Series leader in assists: Jack Shephard

Done

The Ottawa Lynx have started out yet another series trailing by two; while they've been down this path before with the Yukon Rush, it's no comfort to lose Game 1 4-2 and Game 2 3-0. The good news for the Lynx is the shots have been fairly close; the bad news is Elias Dahlberg and Pat Svoboda have been completely quiet. Ottawa needs their stars to perform if they're going to win, and stepping foot on the ice just isn't enough. They're so close to the championship, but to have a shot at a come from behind series win against Saskatoon, they definitely need to win Game 3. A 3-0 deficit in a series is practically insurmountable. "I have took 7 shots in Game 1, so you can't say I'm not trying to score. That means almost a third of our 23 shots for the entire game, were me. Brick Wahl has just been on fire and been stopping every angle I throw at him. So I passed a bit more in Game 2, took only 2 shots, tried to confuse him; we got shut out, you see how well that worked out. We have to go back to the drawing board, maybe we just need our strategy to be all out attack. We may be down, but we're not out yet," said Pat Svoboda.

Pat Svoboda celebrates as he scores what will be the game-winning power play goal against Yukon in Game 7 of the Semi-Finals. Heading into the VHLM Finals, the unlikeliest of contenders has emerged. Disregarded by many, the Ottawa Lynx have overcome their underdog status to win two series and face the Saskatoon Wild in the championship series. As the lowest qualifier in the standings, few, even within the Ottawa fanbase, believed that the Lynx had a chance, but they took the best-of-three wild card series against the Las Vegas Aces in two close games. However, according to the doubters, Las Vegas was on a completely different tier than the Yukon Rush. In the latest questionnaire for the VHLM press conference, players were asked if Ottawa had a chance, and the majority answered with a confident no. And for the first two games, it appeared that this consensus was correct. Ottawa was shut out in Games 1 and 2, so the outlook was bleak. The Lynx played with fury in Game 3, knowing they couldn't fall behind to face elimination this early, mustering up 30 shots and edging the rush 3-2. And then they won Game 4 1-0, but this victory raised concerns and did not provide much reassurance. The Lynx put up a measly 6 shots, which was laughable to commentators and fans alike; they were fortunate netminder Finn Davidson had a clutch shutout performance, slamming the door on 19 shots. So it was not a big surprise when Yukon reestablished their lead in the series with a 2-0 shutout win in Game 5; all of their wins were decisive, allowing no goals against. Facing elimination, Ottawa knew they would have to fight for every loose puck and every chance. They clawed their way back from a 2-1 deficit in the third period, and then Gritty's first goal of the playoffs won the match in Overtime. Against all odds, everything would come down to Game 7; they were 1 win away from advancement. With everything hinging on this game's result, tensions were high as the puck dropped. It was evident that the Lynx were going for an upset as they earned a 2-0 lead in the first two periods of the game, but Yukon refused to go down easily. They tied the game with two third period goals in a span of less than 3 minutes. With time winding down and 3 minutes left on the clock, it looked like this would be a repeat of Game 6 and would come down to overtime. But Swedish right wing Pat Svoboda, a midseason acquisition for Ottawa, had other ideas as the Lynx were on a man advantage. Rocky LaGarza unleashed a blast, which was stopped, but the puck ended up lose. With impossible speed for such a burly figure, he scrambled to grab the puck and whipped it on net before Rush netminder Rhett Stoffiday had time to reset his positioning. The puck whizzed past his right pad faster than he could stretch out his leg to stop it, and Svoboda celebrated exuberantly. The Lynx killed out the remaining minutes, and just like that, the buzzer sounded. The Ottawa Lynx were the unlikely victors of a captivating series and would move on to the VHLM finals. Now, they will have the opportunity to win it all against the Saskatoon Wild. If there is one thing for viewers to have learned from their first two series, it should be not to count them out.

WE ARE THE ONES! WE ARE THE WARRIORS, WE ARE THE ONES WHO FIGHT FOR OUR RIGHT

1. This season's achievement tracker was just released by Banackock. What 2 stats are you going to claim TPE for? I am claiming for goals and points, because they are my highest two stats and the things that I am most proficient for. Also, I did the calculations to be sure that there was nothing that would pay more, and there was, unfortunately, no way for me to get more than the minimum 10 TPE. 2. The first round of the playoffs saw Ottawa beat Las Vegas 2-0. They are now going against Yukon. Do they have a chance? Yes, absolutely! You can't count us out because of the regular season, we just had a rocky start; we have a great crew and we can pull out a major upset. 3. Who wins the other semi-final, Saskatoon or Halifax? I think we all agree it'll be very close, but my money is on Halifax. I think they'll pull through at the end and move on to the next round.

1. Trump and Trudeau have been summoned to fight to the death. Who wins and what's their weapon of choice? Please make me laugh. Trump would win by pressing the big red button, assuming he could figure out basic geography by asking his generals. "Which one is Canada?" "The big piece of land above America, Mr. President." Obviously Trudeau has more intellect, but Trump has more nukes, so Trump wins. 3. What is your favourite sport? Who is your favourite team? Hockey is my favorite sport, I've been watching it since I was about 5 and I see a lot of Bolts games. Even when they're away or I'm unable to attend, I stream their games on my laptop. Obviously, my favorite team is the Tampa Bay Lightning, who I follow in almost a cult-like fashion. 5. If you could invent something right now, what would your beautiful inventions be? I'm the type of person that's super clumsy, and if your laptop is open when you drop it, it shatters whether or not you have a case around it. We need a laptop version of the Otterbox/Lifeproof case that go around the actual laptop and protect the screen the way we safeguard our phones.

Pat Svoboda Right Wing Goals Points