11 Eleven

Two points for Bjorn!

First career assist! Assistingsonn

Scoringsonn gotta shoot his shot

We’ll get there!

SBA +6

Bjorn has had mixed reviews so far in his short VHLM career: Philadelphia has had a tough road as a young, unproven squad and wins have been few and far between for them. Personally, Scoringsonn has had an up and down start to his season: he scored his first goal while the team lost, yet committed three penalties in a team win. "Obviously it is frustrating as a young guy coming to a new city, a new country, and trying to fit into a different system. The coaches and players in the locker-room have been amazing for me so far as I'm getting used to the new routine. I'm sure my play will improve as I get more accustomed to the system in Philly, while also better understanding my teammates and how they like to play the game." On the S67 draft: "That is so far away, I'm just trying to do my best right here, right now. If working hard and learning from the coaches while a Reaper pay dividends later on in my career, then of course I'm happy. I think that is a natural by-product of working hard. I'm determined to be an all-time great, and that is a long, long road. First of all I have to produce right here in the VHLM."

1. Yep! (Visited Iceland a few years ago and absolutely loved it, wanted to pay my respects). 2. I know people were excited to see I was from Iceland, and I want Iceland to be an elite Hockey nation. 3. It doesn't surprise me that the most superior Hockey nation has produced HoFers 4. I am loving it here in Philadelphia, the lockerroom is incredible. 5. Scoringsonn is scoring, sonn. He has always been a shoot first type player. 6. Yup! I want him to be a first-gen great type of player. Hopefully I can make that happen.

First goal for Scoringsonn!

Bjorn out here giving away penalties left and right

Bjorn biding his time! Good to see him in the file.

S65 Player: Bjorn Scoringsonn Transaction ID: 8J5213536J385613F Reward: Doubles Week (Wk. Ending April 7) Doubles Week (Wk. Ending April 14) 5 Uncapped TPE $1M Player Store Cash (@Josh.; currently on Philadelphia)

Player Name: Bjorn Scoringsonn VHL/VHLM Team: Philadelphia Reapers Cash you have: $1.5 Million Purchase Name: "The First Generation" Cost of Purchase: $500,000 Cash Left: $1 Million

Toronto New York Vancouver Seattle

Van 4-2

Bjorn Scoringsson was born in Reykjavik, Iceland to loving parents, both of whom played hockey professionally for the Icelandic League. From the moment he could walk and run, his parents had a stick in his hands and skates on his feet. It was this love of the game from his parents that had Bjorn hooked on hockey from as early as he could remembered. His earliest memories were of the back pond when it froze over, skating around with his two older brothers and parents, simply loving the game in its most pure form. The backyard pond where Bjorn learned to skate and play. His brothers were four and six years his senior, so of course when Bjorn's parents weren't watching or weren't around, he was beat up on (as most brothers do), and this allowed Bjorn to be toughened up a fair bit from a young age. He had to learn to play above his own age, that included skating faster and playing harder, just to keep up with his brothers. Bjorn loved playing the game with his brothers most of all, they were hard on him but they taught him so much, perhaps not from a technical standpoint, but more the intrinsic physicality and mentality needed to succeed playing the game. His parents loved him dearly, and as the youngest child he perhaps got away with more than he should have. They drummed it into him from an early age that school was the number one priority, and hockey was a distant second. This angered Bjorn to no end as a stubborn child, as he wanted nothing more than to ditch school altogether and just spend the day on the ice with his friends. In fact, he had many detentions and disciplinary actions taken against him for doing just that. One instance had him suspended for a week for skipping school for two straight days just so he could watch his older brothers train with a local junior Icelandic national squad. It was clear from an early age that Bjorn was hockey mad, a thing he had in common with many children his own age. As he grew up, his grades struggled severely, until it reached a point where his parents locked his skates and stick away until his grades improved. It was a tough lesson to swallow, but his love for the game was so entrenched in him as a person that he would do anything to be on the ice again. This included getting a tutor hired for him, as school never was (and never would be) something that came naturally to him. As the years passed and Bjorn entered high school, he had finally managed to strike a healthy balance between school and hockey. While he was never a straight A student by any means, he was diligent enough in his studies to maintain a B average, something his parents were proud of him for. They understood he was never meant to be a scholar, as his one true love was out on the ice with a puck at his feet and a stick in his hands. His talent and standing in the game had improved to a point where he was actually invited to trial with the Iceland Youth Team, playing with people four and five years his senior -- including his older brother Gunnar. Captain Bjorn: Bjorn Scoringsonn captains the 4th placed Icelandic Youth Team Bjorn began to progress through the Icelandic Hockey ranks, eventually going on to captain the Youth team in his senior year of high school. The team placed 4th in the European Championships, lead by Bjorn and his championship leading 8 goal tally in a 6 game competition, something that caught the eye of many scouts across the world. This was something difficult for Bjorn to stomach: as his two older brothers, who he thought the world of, never received the attention and praise he had received. They were playing their hearts out in the Icelandic League, having to work on the docks shipping containers just to earn enough of a living, while Bjorn was getting scholarship opportunities and sponsorship offers to boot. The toughest decision of Bjorn's life came on an early April morning, when he got the phone call from the Philadelphia Reapers, a VHLM team, offering him a contract to play for them. He was overcome by joy, and then sadness, at the prospect of leaving his parents and brothers for the first time in his life. As a semi-professional team, they didn't have the money or means to have Bjorn and his family come over, which left Bjorn with the toughest decision: to leave his family, friends and country for North America. It was a strange land he had never been to, but where he would be required to live for multiple seasons, to earn a living there. Philly Bound: Bjorn received a culture shock, coming from Reykjavik to the big lights of Philadelphia Upon arriving in Philadelphia, Bjorn was overcome with home-sickness. The hustle and bustle of such a huge city was overwhelming for a kid from Reykjavik. He was only just 18 at the time, and missed his parents and brothers dearly. The timezone difference made it difficult to even schedule time enough to face-time, let alone talk. His family was always asleep after tough practices, where Bjorn was getting exploited day in, and day out. It wasn't like Iceland anymore: everybody here played for their national team, and most of them were star players. It was the first time in Bjorn's life he actively questioned whether or not he could make it to the VHL: the idea of flying back to Iceland and playing in the local league with his brothers became more and more appealing. Yet he stuck it out on the advice of his parents and brothers, their words ringing true. It was his destiny to play in the VHL, and with their support, he wanted to make it work. If he made it to the VHL, he would tell himself, he could afford to fly his family over to wherever he ended up, and have them around him for support for good. It was a few seasons of pain, for a much longer period of joy. Bjorn now finds himself about to debut for Philadelphia, with his eyes set on a bigger prize. He wants to be a VHL legend, not just for himself, but for his family and the Scoringsonn name.

Scoringsonn celebrates after scoring a breakaway goal, leaving the goalie looking stupid on the ice. Scoringsonn is a 6'1, 190 pound right wing from Reykjavik, Iceland. He comes from a long family line of strong hockey players, and looks to be the first from his family to make the gigantic leap to North America and the professional ranks of the VHL. Below we have listed three strengths and three weaknesses for the largely unknown player, to help scouts gauge him as a prospect. Strengths: Natural, gifted scorer: Scoringsonn has a relentless eye for the puck, and has incredible handling when he has the puck at his skates. His ability to find the back of the net is renowned in his native Iceland, as he was always seen on the frozen pond in winter shooting puck after puck at a handmade goal, made out of old fishing nets and garbage bins for stands. The dedication to improving his shot has paid off tremendously, with Bjorn having an unrivalled ability to shoot both with power and precision. His long arms allow him to generate unparalleled power on his back swing, providing his shot with some next level torque. Strong skater: Coming from a hockey family, Bjorn was skating as soon as he could run. He loved spending time on the ice with his older brothers, and having to try and keep up with people older than himself meant he had to learn quickly. His size and strength helped develop him into an even better skater, physically he is gifted on the ice, and having a lot of experience skating in his youth helped add to his ability to skate at a professional level. Relentless: Scoringsonn is relentless on the ice, and will always give 110% when in the game. This helps him win the 50/50 plays more often than not. His strong work ethic and determination means he is a terrier when he plays. Weaknesses: Passing: As a natural goal scorer, Bjorn has never really been much of a distributor with the puck. He generally is on the receiving end of great passes and looks to maximise his talent in that area. It is something he is looking to improve as he works towards potentially making it in the VHL. Gives away penalties: As mentioned earlier, he is a super aggressive and determined player. This can be a detriment, as sometimes he takes it too far and does *whatever* he can to win 50/50 players, including sometimes illegal. He has given away many penalties in the juniors, and this was a major knock on him by is coaches. Any time he is off the ice unnecessarily is a major detriment to his team, and Bjorn as to work on not bending the rules for a simple minimal gain. Defending: Scoringsson is an offensive player mainly, and his defensive abilities (including checking) leaves a lot to be desired. He struggles to check his opposition, and has trouble reading passes for intercepts. This means he can be a liability if he gets targeted, however as he is up front, it isn't a glaring weakness. Still, it is something he struggles with, and something that definitely needs to be improved moving forward for the young Icelandic winger.

Close one, Houston got lucky

Just wait until Scoringsonn joins the tank!

Tank season! I will gladly contribute to the cause

Looking forward to joining the boys!

USA

Let’s get it!

Yup !

1. What is the biggest difference going from the VHL into a World Cup setting? 2. Best thing about playing in Toronto? 3. If there was one area of your game you could improve on, what would it be? 4. Did you play any other positions before becoming a winger growing up? 5. Best way to unwind after a tough loss?

1. I've heard you have affiliations with Icelandic wonderchild Bjorn Scoringsson - are you looking forward to this rivalry? 2. Any advice for a player following in your footsteps? 3. Hardest thing about adapting to your new team? 4. Do you have any career goals? 5. Do defenseman not get the credit they deserve?