Matt_O

It seems that every time I look Sundqvist is doing the opposite of what I think he is doing. I go and check the stats thinking he will be really good as I have made him exactly how I planned attribute wise and he will be spending 6 mins in the box a game and have a +/- of -3 or something whilst the team is dominating. Then go in expecting the worst and he will be on 0 PIMS and have the highest points of the team and second-best shot blocks. Then I wonder what is actually needed to make a good player and realise I have no clue.
 
As the GM and AGM of the Hounds I would constantly get asked on how to build your player, I always usually gave the response of, “it’s your player you need to build them how you want.” But if they insisted, I would give standard advice of DF first then PH, SK and SC or PA depending on what you want to do. But I guess I was just copying advice that was previously given to me by other people. I think we have sort of found some sort of Meta and people stick to it. I wonder how much different this site would be if no one could give advice and we could not see other people’s builds what would happen then. How different would the games be? Everyone would get drafted on their point totals alone and not on their builds. Would make for an interesting league.

VSN has finished the hiring process! 

Thanks to everyone who applied and showed interest in becoming a member of VSN family but our open positions are limited. I hope everyone who didn't make it will try again next time! 

That said, we are proud to announce that we are hiring:

For GFX position: @Pengu
For 3 main writer positions: @diamond_ace, @Matt_O, @Hylands33
At the newly formed VSN Scouting division: @Spence King

Congratulations! 

I posted this in the wrong section

Ill apply. I was with VSN for almost an entire year before leaving because I was going to go inactive. I want to take a spot again as a writer, and obviously I would like the history stuff but I really don’t care what I write, I would be open to anything if you re-hire me.

So I've been thinking, you know how I always joked with Gritty and Beaviss about having Gritty make an early retirement? What if now that I am on Vancouver again I do the opposite and just refuse to retire. If I don't hit the retirement button and don't create a new player, will anyone notice if I just keep going with Gritty another season? I would be like the opposite of Da Trifecta, in never retiring my player instead of always retiring him after only like 3 seasons. I could be starting a new trend in the VHL, and instead of going with Project Player 2 I might just go with Project Never Retire. Let me know in the comments if you are with me, as it is finally time someone fights the power around here! 
 
On a side note, if any of you haven't seen the video of Gritty throwing ping pong balls into cups, it is adorable and go check it out. 

The VHL provides more challenges than the VHLM, and General Zod knows this. He hasn't played hockey in a while, as the Aces were sent home in round two. The most action he has gotten since then is the Top Prospects game, where he had an astounding one point in three games, and keep in mind this was played in a version of STHS where both teams regularly score double digit goals, sometimes 20 or more. On the bright side, Zod beat up VHLM leading scorer Richard Pennison, if that is his name. Unfortunately he got beat up by Zyrok12 in the same game. Zod's performance in the Top Prospects game wasn't too encouraging, but he expects his physicality and defensive style of play will translate well in the VHL. It's not like he can't make plays either, as he had 65 assists in the VHLM last year. Zod is hoping for a good rookie year with Calgary, and hopes to compete for a championship.
 
160ish words

Was hoping you would reapply! With the changes, we would both be able to  write history articles too!

Ill apply. I was with VSN for almost an entire year before leaving because I was going to go inactive. I want to take a spot again as a writer, and obviously I would like the history stuff but I really don’t care what I write, I would be open to anything if you re-hire me.

1. I hope it is a warm welcome, although I wouldn't be surprised if my teammates were too afraid to haze the General.
 
2. It's excellent, a great team won't go far without a great goalie behind them.
 
3. I'm not sure, but we will be better. Maybe somewhere between 45-48 wins would be good.
 
4. The goals for might stay around the same, but probably improve a little, and our defense is definitely improved from our draft selections. We won't be allowing more than 200 goals this year.
 
5. If we made it to the Conference Finals I would still consider it a success because we are a young that will only get better. But our goal is to win the cup.
 
6. Good ol' USA. I play some games on PC, some on xbox. I'm 15 (fun fact: Me and hulk hogan share the same birthday but he is 10 hours older sadly), and my favorite food is probably some kind of steak, maybe a porterhouse steak. 

lol this is so funny to me gustav was just like lol fuck D im LW now fuck D im LW now. classic gustav manueavaer really makes you remember the olden days of gustav. well you only remember if there the you were there when the olden days of gustav happening. lol fuck D im LW now. thats gustav for you. yep.

As some of you may know, I recently decided to cancel my draft profiles series. I wanted to give a bit of an update on why I did so, and what you can plan to see in the future from me. Let’s start with the former.
 
There’s a few factors in my decision to stop making the draft profiles series. Firstly, and I mentioned this in the series’ final article, I’ve been doing the same articles for over half a year. I felt moving on from it would give me more time to release some more creative, original content.
 
Another reason is that for three seasons, I kept improving the draft profiles series to make the best articles I could possibly make, and ended up with a product I’m very proud of. However, with adding more and more new information to the series, it meant spending way more time on them each week than I originally did. It got to the point where it took quite a few hours throughout every week to prepare for them. That can get repetitive. While I never got to the point where I disliked making them, I did start to enjoy it less by the end of this season. And given everything this series has done for me, I never wanted to see it become a chore for me, since that would result in a worse product overall.
 
So, what did the draft profiles series do for me?
 
Before I started the draft profiles series, I was a pretty new member, and I made graphics and articles specifically on my player. This was fun, but it got boring after awhile. I had recently made an article talking about other players for the first time, where I talked about Mississauga’s S69 draft class. From there, I took an interest in the VHL draft, and decided to start my first ever series, the S70 Draft Profiles. It immediately got more attention than anything I had made prior, and it was really cool seeing the players I wrote about leaving comments on my article. After I posted that article, I felt like I had a purpose in the VHL, and it wasn’t just to improve my player.
 
I could go on about everything that happened in between, but I’ll save you the time. We’ll skip to the end of my second season doing it, when I was surprised to see a message from none other than the legendary @FrostBeard. He invited me to help with VSN’s S71 Mock Draft, and I happily accepted his offer. The VSN crew was low on available writers, but knew about my series, and thought I would be a good fit for the article. Fast forward a bit, and a job opening for VSN arises. I apply, and get the job. If I hadn’t had that prior experience with VSN, there’s a solid chance I wouldn’t have been hired. My time with VSN so far has been amazing, and it all came from that little idea I had back in November.
 
Once again, I’d like to thank everyone who showed any support to it over its lifespan. We truly had a great run, but now it’s time to look ahead. What can you expect from me in the near future?
 
The Stars Of Tomorrow: This is a series I’ve already started, but is currently on pause, because I don’t have any players to cover. I look at future VHL players who have yet to be created, and some basic details about them. Most notably is Micah Adrienne, who is now one of the top prospects for S73. If you know the name, position and type of build your next player will have, feel free to PM me. I can cover them in one of my articles.
Tallinder’s Draft Interviews: I did mention that I will have some upcoming draft content, just a different style. I plan to interview some of the draft’s top prospects, so hopefully that works out.
Analysis of drafts I’ve previously covered: I’m thinking of doing this, and also something like a “Who is the best “X” overall pick of the S70’s so far?” sorta thing.
Whatever else comes to mind: Other ideas will surely come to me over time, so watch out for those, I guess.
 
Well, that’s it. Thanks for reading this chunk of writing, and hopefully I can follow up the Draft Profiles series with some interesting content!
 

Welcome to the S72 VHL Recruitment Mock Draft!
 
In this mock draft I will be, to the best of my abilities, predicting the selections of the S72 VHL Entry Draft. Without further ado, lets get into the mock draft:
 
Round #1
 
#1. HC Davos Dynamo
 
C - SS Hornet- @McWolf - 377 TPE -
 
Davos is coming into the draft hot, with both first and second overall picks. Davos, a team who has struggled for countless seasons, seems to have an opportunity to turn things around in this draft. After a very succesful showing by Davos' second overall selection in last seasons draft, Roque Davis, Davos needs to keep it going by selecting two more players to help lead their team into the future. With the first of these picks, I see SS Hornet being taken. Hornet, a 6'2" 210 lb. monster, would be an excellent choice for Davos' future #1 centre. After a strong showing in both his S70 and S71 season's in the VHLM, one can say Hornet is practically VHL ready. He is on pace to hit the VHL with around 400 TPE, so his scoring defence, and skating will be a huge factor in helping set him apart from his fellow draftees.
 
#2. HC Davos Dynamo
 
LW - Robin Winter - @Sonnet - 325 TPE -
 
Robin Winter, a 6' 1" 200 lb. winger who finished off an exceptional season with the Minnesota Storm, is who I see being Davos' second selection. Two big, fast, and talented forwards are just what Davos needs to build it's team for the future. Winter is a do-it-all kind of player, with excellent abilities in skating, puck handling, passing, scoring, defence, and some great strength. I expect Winter to compliment Hornet very well playing on his wing. Both of these players, along with Roq.Sue Davis selected last season, will be a force to be reckoned with.
 
#3. Calgary Wranglers
 
D - Latrell Mitchell - @dasboot - 305 TPE -
 
With Brady Stropko Jr retiring after this season and Charlie Paddywagon the season after, Calgary is going to need someone to help keep their d core alive along with Edwin The Encarnacion.  After a great showing for the Minnesota Storm last season, Latrell Mitchell would be the best bet to give Calgary a young face to partner up with Encarnacion. Calgary has a strong core for their future, including names like Encarnacion, Lafontaine, Kris Rice, Sigard Gunnar, and Mikko Lahtinen. Bringing in Mitchell, a player with strong defence, scoring, passing, puck handling, and skating stats, is a very smart move for Calgary with two of their top defenceman eyeing retirement.
 
#4. Vancouver Wolves
 
RW - Jungkok - @tfong - 249 TPE -
 
With Vancouver's star players in Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Julius Freeman heading into retirement after the next two season, the Wolves need to begin planning for the future. A large peice of that, is winger Joe Proto who was selected 8th overall by Vancouver just last season. I believe Jungkok will be Vancouver's selection at #4 overall to assist Joe Proto in giving their forward core a fresh and future focused revamp. Jungkok put up some great numbers last season playing for the San Diego Marlins, where he put up 102 poits, 278 hits, and 53 shot blocks.
 
#5. Seattle Bears
 
D - Randy Marsh - @oilmandan - 278 TPE -
 
After a cup-winning performance by Seattle this past season, Seattle looks to bolster their squad for future, so that they can success longterm. This makes Randy Marsh a great prospect for Seattle, as it will allow Seattle to cycle out Berocka Sundqvist and Hulk Hogan, their top two defencemen. Although they have 3 more seasons a piece left in their careers, it's never a bad idea to plan for the future. Randy is a hard-hitting and fast moving defenceman, who has the ability to laser a puck.
 
#6. Calgary Wranglers
 
D - General Zod - @Matt_O - 276 TPE -
 
Calgary is back on the clock with their second pick in the first round, this time at 6th. The Kryptonian can be an excellent fit along with Latrell Mitchell, as stated above, and a great addition to Calgary's defensive core. Dru-Zod, other than his exceptional defensive ability, was able to use his his skating, puck handling, strength, and passing to put up 74 points for Las Vegas last season.
 
#7. Vancouver Wolves
 
C - Andrew Su - @Da_Berr - 247 TPE -
 
If Vancouver wants to build their forward core for the future, they are going to need more than wingers like Joe Proto and Jungkok. They are going to need a centre like Andrew Su. Su put up a nearly 100 point pefromance for the cup-winning Ottawa Lynx this past season. His scoring, defense, puck handling, and skating abilities make him a great asset for any team. He would make a great addition to Vancouver's offense.
 
#8. Malmo Nighthawks
 
D - Alex Letang - @Spartan - 215 TPE -
 
Maml makes their first appearance on the board here with pick 7. Malmo's defense, in it's current state, is lackluster. With only one standout defenseman in Condor Adrienne, the Nighthawks are in need of another impact player for their blueline. Alex Letang, fits that role to a tee. Letang is a 6'0" 180 lb. defenseman with great skating, puck handling, scoring, and defense. Although he put up only 56 points in a season which saw 5 defenseman surpass the 100 point mark, Letang has great potential to be a start for the Malmo Nighthawks, which is exactly what they need.
 
#9. HC Davos Dynamo
 
RW - Gino DiGiannantonio - @pennypenny  - 305 TPE -
 
Davos comes back with their final pick of the first round, by taking Gino DiGiannantonio. Gino will help round out Davos' future forward core along with the likes of Robin Winter and SS Hornet. Gino has arguably the best shot in this draft class, which is seen in his 58 goals last season with the Yukon Rush. Gino helped push Yukon into the finals, where the ultimately lost against the Ottawa Lynx.
 
#10. Helsinki Titans
 
LW - Valtteri Vaakanainen - @Jubo07 - 341 TPE -
 
With the loss of Julian Borwinn, Alexander Pepper, and Kronos Bailey to retirement, it's time for a few new faces to lead Helsinki to their future. Valtteri Vaakanainen is set to help the Titans begin their next era along with the likes of Jim Bob and Hiroshi Okada. Valtteri is right up there with Gino in terms of having a lethal shot, posses great puck handling skills, solid defensive abilities, and top tier speed. He is a top 3 talent in this draft class and will be the face of Helsinki's franchise.
 
#11. Moscow Menace
 
C - Lucas Brandt - @twists - 212 TPE -
 
With stars Jet Jaguar and Mat Tocco looking at retirement in just two seasons, Moscow needs to bring in some prospects who can replace them in due time. Lucas Brandt, can be a major part in that. The 6'0" 180 lb. centre for the Halifax 21st last season put up a respectable 87 points in his 72 games. He put his body on the line for  106 shots blocked and threw up 76 hits. He has great defensive ability, great shooting, puck handling, and skating.
 
#12. Seattle Bears
 
D - Spencer Elsby - @Spence King - 208 TPE -
 
Spencer Elsby would be a great future linemate with Randy Marsh, who I also predicted to go to Seattle. Spencer, along with his great defensive ability, has respectable passing, skating, and puck handling abilities. For a player as tall as him, at 6'3", he is a mere 160 lbs. This makes him a practical twig on skates, but if he works hard enoug at improving his skill he can overcome his size.
 
Round #2
 
#13. Vancouver Wolves
 
D - DeFenz Mann - @Mike - 200 TPE -
 
Hey would you look at that, Vancouver is back on the clock (you'll be seeing alot of that in this second round). I see DeFenz Mann coming at 13th overall for Vancouver, purely because of his excellent two way ability. His defensive, skating, scoring, and puck handling skills are up to par with many others in this draft class. Mann is a big boy, coming it in at 6'3" and 200 lbs., and I can see him being plenty useful on Vancouver's blueline.
 
#14. Helsinki Titans
 
RW - Timothy Brown - @a_Ferk - 191 TPE -
 
Don't judge Timothy Brown just based off his size. At only 5'11" and 165lbs., Timothy through up 144 hits for Saskatoon last seson. Along with his good scoring, defense, skating, and puck handling, this little guy isn't afraid to throw his body up against his opponents.
 
#15. Vancouver Wolves
 
RW - Gregg Stallion - @SweatyBeaver - 173 TPE -
 
Well this kid is an absolute... Stallion. Although he missed 4 games last season, he put up an outstanding performance for the struggling Houston Bulls last season. His 95 points, 107 hits, and 43 shot blocks are incredible for a player coming it at just 6'0" 180lb.
 
 
#16. D.C. Dragons
 
RW - Chris Hylands - @Hylands33 - 197 TPE -
 
Although he only managed to put up 34 points last season, Hylands is one of the top ranked players for the next VHLM season. He prides himself in his scoring and defensive ability, with his passing and skating not that far off aswell. He continues the trend of little guys who arent afraid to put up hits, as he had 103 of them with his 6'0" 175lb. frame.
 
#17. Helsinki Titans
 
RW - Michael Mac - @LastOneUp - 171 TPE -
 
Here comes Michael Mac, a player with great abilities in both passing and scoring. His defense, puck handling, and skating are also some of his biggest strengths. His 61 point performance for Mississauga last season was far more than what was expected from this newcomer, and has shown he has the ability to go above and beyond for his team taking 56 shot blocks and giving 94 hits last season.
 
#18. Riga Reign
 
D - Viktor Alexei Kamenov - @BigTittySmitty - 168 TPE -
 
Kamenov will be a great pick here for Riga in my opinion. He's a big guy coming it at 6'8" 210lbs., and his more than willing to sacrifice his body for his team, as seen in his 152 shots blocked. His big frame allows him to be feared by the opposing team, and should be because hes not afraid to hit. This is seen in his 163 hits last season for the Mexico City Kings.
 
#19. HC Davos Dynamo
 
G - Zamboni Driver - @Tape-to-Tape  - 179 TPE -
 
Zamboni Driver will be the first goalie selected in the S72 VHL Entry draft, and I expect it to be Davos with pick #19. He had a good showing last season for San Diego in both the regular season and the playoffs. Davos could use a goalie to either backup Joakim Bruden or take the starter mantle for himself, and I believe that would be Zamboni Driver.
 
#20. Malmo Nighthawks
 
LW - Joe Exotic - @Joe Exotic - 164 TPE -
 
Joe Exotic struggled last season with Philadelphia, only managing to put up 17 points in his shortened 64 game season. He has made strides for improvement, and it remains to be seen how he will produce with one more season in the VHLM. Assuming his production picks up, this could be an excellent pick by Malmo, here late in the second round.
 
#21. Vancouver Wolves
 
D - Liam Flaten - @flatl99 - 158 TPE -
 
Liam Flaten put up a respectable 31 points as a defenseman last season for Philadelphia, and still has a shot to prove himself in the VHLM in this upcoming season. By playing his cards right and giving it his all next season, he could make himself a spot on the Vancouver Wolves roster the season after that, as I believe it will be Vancouver who takes the 6'2" 210lb. defenseman at #21.
 
#22. Vancouver Wolves
 
C - Jay Jones - @TTtheT - 142 TPE -
 
Jay Jones is a sniper who played for the Saskatoon Wild last season putting up 42 points and 110 hits. He has a big frame coming it at 6'3" and 210lbs. With the right development he could definately crack the Vancouver roster after one more VHLM development season. His prized asset would be his great shot, which will be a deadly force next season in the minors.
 
#23. Moscow Menace
 
LW - Joseph Gainer - @joeg - 146 TPE -
 
A player with with good scoring, defense, passing, and puck handling is who Joseph Gainer is in a nutshell. Although he is 6'0" and 210 lbs., Gainer isn't really the type to put up alot of hits or blocked shots. He makes up for this though in his offensive ability, putting up 33 points in 56 games for Mississauga last season.
 
#24. Seattle Bears
 
D - Riley Knight Gee - @KnightRiley  - 133 TPE -
 
To close out the second round the S72 VHL Entry Draft, I expect the Seattle Bears to select Riley Knight Gee. Knight Gee put up an outstanding 63 points, 127 hits, 193 shots blocked in 68 games played. Going off stats alone, he is already better than some of the players selected above him in the second round. He has equally worked on his passing, scoring, defense, and skating, which make him a threat on ice both offensively and defensively.
 
 
And that concludes the S72 Recruitment Team VHL Mock Draft. If you disagree with my choices, feel free to comment below what you would change and why. With that being said, good luck to both the players and teams involved in the S72 VHL Entry Draft, which will be happening TOMORROW @ 3PM EDT
 

Player Card Template
Name: General Zod
Team: Las Vegas Aces
Player Number:17
Render Choice: Cal Clutterbuck (use a picture when he has a mustache)
Are you S72?: Yes
 
Signature Template
Name: General Zod
Team: Las Vegas Aces
Player Number:17
Render Choice: Cal Clutterbuck (use a picture when he has a mustache)
Are you S72?: Yes

General Zod is one of the top prospects of the S72 draft that will happen this saturday. Zod is very excited to see where he will land, but has some complaints about the process.
 
"Nothing is wrong with the draft process, but it could be better. It's two days before the draft and I've only received one message from a GM? I was hoping for a bit more, but perhaps its more of a VHLM thing to do. Also, I was hoping for more draft hype from VSN and such. I know that sometimes VSN does a huge mock draft though, so that's not really an issue because I know that takes some time. But I expected some more hype to be honest, I haven't seen much about the S72 draft class in general.. I was hoping for some more excitement. I give @Patrik Tallinder credits for his articles on the S72 draft class though, they were very good. I wish there was more stuff like that. If you looked through the forums you would barely even know a draft with some high profile recreates was coming up, but maybe this is always how it is and I'm just disappointed because now I'm the one getting drafted. So who knows. Maybe there's nothing wrong and I'm just an old man yelling at a cloud."
 
General Zod get's serious with the media for the first time in his young career. Are his complaints valid? Maybe he just isn't looking hard enough for the articles
 
 

I have an idea for Angela but I'm too afraid to say it

Extra, extra! Vancouver bench warmer David O'Quinn has been traded for a bag of pucks! After promising to turn him into a 'star', the team made him wear a tiny little star on his head while being the official bench warmer! For the whole season, that poor [this line has been censored courtesy of our editors, thank us later]! We were going to tell you, 'The masses were asking 'what's next for the Canadian bench warmer?', but honestly, no one cares! The Canadian blueliner has been nothing but a wide-spread disappointment, picking up only 4 darn stinking points in the playoffs this year! What a shame, he seemed to have so much potential. At least, that's what my editor tells me. What, you think I watch this garbage sport? Grown men throwing hissy fits at eachother?! I'll have you know I frequent r/ihatesports ball, good sir or madam! and I am proud of it!
 
(all satire, dont hurt me)

I am big sad. I remember joining Malmo with @Matt_O and @GustavMattias as the leaders in the Lr.
 
gl in Davos bb

Sorry 2 of my cups are plugging my ear, maybe ill stick the 3rd one in your mouth to shut you up.

"Well, we went back to finals, which is amazing. 2 Years in a row, I feel very special to be apart of the community here in Moscow. Drafting me back in S68, I know everyone had their doubts about me, but I think I've proved quite a few people wrong, and have finally worked my way up to the 1st and starting line. I'm excited to enter the prime of my career, and see how shit turns out. In terms of the finals, we went down in 5 games. Which really sucks, but hey, going to back to back finals is a great accomplishment, and I feel like Moscow is entering that dynasty phase. Obviously, I still have a lot to work on, but I'm finally getting to that franchise cornerstone point. So it's going to be great these next 3 or so seasons, however long I play, I want to be here with Moscow. The high point of these finals was fucking up @Dilthough, not gonna lie about that. I'm for sure lording that over his head forever, either way, it's been real this season, so Moscow boys, let's run it back, and try and win 2/3 years!"

Don´t vote for Hogan. He is a talentless hack who should walk to the stage only when awards for players who should not get one are handed out!
 
Vote for Hogan is a vote against democracy, vote for Hogan and you are attacking Brett Slobodzian!

Hello, 3-1 finals deficit, my old friend. It's been a while. Well, if we've run into a hot goalie in the finals, I only know one way to stop him. @OrbitingDeath knows all about it and @Doomsday has offered his voodoo experience like the good ol' days... 
 
 
I'm sorry @Rayzor_7, but the sacrifices have had to be made. The pain should be temporary, but the damage to the soul might be permanent. It's a cut-throat business.
 

Hello, and welcome to another edition of Under 250: The VHLM Report. In these series, we will be taking a look at the trends and topics from the past week in the VHLM. What twists and turns will our minor league hold? Stay tuned to find out!
 
Also, make sure to check out the wide variety of content here at VSN. There are in-depth weekly updates and an award tracker for the VHL, a great podcast, and daily WJC coverage when it starts up, among other informative articles. Check out our latest instalments here:
 | VSN Radio | VHL Weekly | VHL Award Tracker | Deep Rewind | 
 
First Round Review
 
This first round of the Season 71 VHLM playoffs was a return to exciting playoff hockey, complete with upsets and Game Sevens; a far cry from last year’s round of sweeps in which the higher-ranked team swept their matchup (though we still had one of those just for good measure. Without further ado, let’s jump into the first series between the first ranked Ottawa Lynx and the lowest-seeded team, the Halifax 21st. 
 
Ottawa Lynx (1) vs. Halifax 21st (8)
 
I mentioned earlier that there still was one sweep these playoffs, and to no surprise, you are looking at it. Ottawa is a lean, mean, fighting machine, and are remarkably consistent, having scored four goals in every game this series. However, despite losing each game, the 21st put up a remarkable fight, scoring at least two goals in each game. The true MVP of this series, however, was Halifax’s stellar goalie, Hex Valentine. Despite having been swept, he still remains the top goalie in the playoffs by SV% with a .933. Considering Ottawa put over 50 shots on goal in each game, including a staggering 83 shots in Game Three of the series, that four goals per game stands as a monument of bittersweet success to the netminder. 
 
I just want to reiterate that. 83 shots in a playoff game and Valentine saved 79 of them. Truly fantastic stuff, especially considering two of those goals came on the powerplay. For Ottawa, the series was a relative breeze; Valentine’s Game Three heroism was the only time a Halifax player found themselves on the three stars of the game, and continued success from the regular season scoring champ Richard Penisson and partner in crime Adam Syreck, who both scored eight points over the four games, found them closing out the series with ease. 
 
Yukon Rush (2) vs. Saskatoon Wild (7)
 
Our next series was a fair bit closer, at least in the grand context. Ironically, the margins of victory were, for the most part, much wider apart. Really it was a tale of home-ice advantage. The Yukon Rush dominated each of their home games, while the Saskatoon Wild held firm on home ice through Games Three and Four, though eventually succumbed in a Game Six overtime loss.
 
Kicking off their playoff run strong, the Rush beat the Wild 7-2 in Game One. They started off shakey, however, with the Wild taking a quick lead thanks to Kazimir Komarov, and extended it further off a shorthanded goal halfway through the period. But then it all fell apart for the Wild. The Rush, similar to their namesake, found the net four times in just two minutes, including two goals from centre Vin Calia, who then completed their hat trick in the second period. Add in two assists for good measure, and you have a well earned first star of the game. What is perhaps most impressive from this game, however, is Nicolas Fomba’s 57 saves on 59 shots. With such stellar work, the Rush were able to win by such a high margin despite being outshot 59 to 37.  Game Two was a similar story; once again the Wild took the lead, but this time the Rush waited until the third period to begin their assault. In fact, after only putting nine shots on net over the first two periods, they took 18 shots in the third period alone, finding the back of the net three times for a 5-2 victory. 
 
Games Three and Four found our series tied up, as the Wild took to their home ice with gusto. Game Three had an inspired first period that saw the Wild leading 3-1 by the intermission, and they saw this lead out, despite the best efforts of Yukon’s Mickey Dickson, whose two goals kept the Rush in contention before falling 3-4.  In Game Four, despite trailing at the second intermission, the Wild were able to take the game, scoring three in the third period. Third-line forward Jay Jones proved the unlikely hero, scoring the game-tying goal twice to keep the Wild in it, even providing the secondary assist to close the game out with the final goal. Alas, that would be the final game the Wild would win. 
 
Going back to home ice, the Rush struck gold once more with a 7-3 victory in Game 5. Once again, the third period proved decisive, as the Rush went from an even 3-3 scoreline to scoring a quick and easy four goals, including a single period hat trick from the aforementioned Dickson. The final match of the series proved the most exciting, as the Rush would take the game in an overtime thriller. Saskatoon led throughout the game, but with less than four minutes remaining, Vin Calia tied it up. In the overtime period, a tripping call proved fatal for the Wild’s Gary Neal. Despite his fantastic play throughout the regular season and in the playoffs (he led the team in goals for both), this cost them the series, as Yukon’s Jack John capitalized, scoring the series-winning power-play goal to send the Rush on to the second round. 
 
Minnesota Storm (3) vs. San Diego Marlins (6)
 
Enter the San Diego Marlins. This playoff’s first upset, the sixth-seeded Marlins defeated the third-placed Minnesota Storm in six games. This series had it all, from close, overtime games, to huge blowouts. Let’s see how it all went down. 
 
Game One of the series set the tone for the rest, as the two teams traded goals, keeping the matchup as close as possible. The Marlins were always on the front foot and never trailed, despite being outshot 39 to 31. Eventually, after a goalless third period, San Diego’s Jungkok struck swiftly in the overtime period to give the Marlins the quick 1-0 lead in the series. They would never trail. Game Two was another close affair, but this time the Storm prevailed, thanks to some great goaltending from Woody McPine and a pair of goals in the third from Minnesota’s Robin Winter. Winter tied the game up early with a short-handed goal and finished it off later with a power-play goal. The Marlin’s Ike Bennet did his best, scoring both of his team’s goals, but it wasn’t enough as the Storm tied up the series. 
 
Game Three of the series was a real shootout, with the teams scoring a combined 11 goals. Impressively, San Diego’s Kosmo Kramerev managed a +5 with three assists, earning the second star. The first star went to Alex Bridges of the Marlins, as his two goals and one assist led the team along with the third star Marshall James Frostbeard, as the Marlins took the game 7-4. Next up was Game Four, another Marlins victory. They shot up to a quick lead in the first period and held that throughout. Throughout the series as a whole, Minnesota’s McPine suffered greatly from streaky performances, and unfortunately for the Storm, this was one of those times. Luckily, Bennet Dahl came in to stabilize, but the damage was done, and they were not able to come back. 
 
Game Five saw a glimmer of hope emerge for the Storm, as they completely dominated, outshooting the Marlins by 43 to 16, winning the game by a score of 6-2. Everything was coming up for the Storm in this game. Their power play was lethal, finding the net as often as not, and the trio of Latrell Mitchell, Jack Feriancek, and Danny DeYeeto was instrumental in this victory, with each of the first two scoring once and assisting twice, while DeYeeto scored twice himself. Unfortunately, it was a little too late, and the 3-1 curse wouldn’t be a reality this series. 
 
Our Game 6 was a tense affair, scoreless after the first period. The Marlins got out ahead early in the second period, scoring twice in the first five minutes, and widening that gap early on in the third to three goals. What happened next was nothing short of miraculous for the Storm, as they scored four goals unanswered, with each of Aleelee Kiak and Jack Feriancek scoring twice. In fact, identical goals from Feriancek as he was assisted by Valtteri Vaakanainen and Squirrely dan both times. It wasn’t the full comeback they needed, however, as San Diego’s JaredN was able to tie it up with his second goal of the game, in really thrilling fashion with just 40 seconds left on the clock, not 20 seconds after Minnesota’s go-ahead goal. In front of home fans, and with the momentum turned, the Marlins struck first in overtime. Ike Bennet ended the game in favour of the underdogs; a fantastic ending to a fantastic series. 
 
Philadelphia Reapers (4) vs. Las Vegas Aces (5)
 
With our first full seven-game series of the first round, the Las Vegas Aces became the second team to upset their opponent, in this case, the Philadelphia Reapers. A really exciting series with more than one lead change, we truly saw an intense 4/5 seed matchup here. 
 
The Reapers took Game One in somewhat surprising fashion. Despite being outshot 31-22, their balanced scoring (no one scored more than a single goal) was enough to see them on top despite the Aces’ Vladimir Shaposhnikov scoring twice and assisting once. This, in addition to a somewhat poor performance from Vegas goaltender Nils Friedriksen, who let in five goals on 22 shots. Luckily for the Aces, he stabilized in time for Game Two, only letting in two goals in 16 shots as the Aces took the win by a score of 4-2. The Aces star centre SS Hornet took a deserved first star after his two-goal, two-assist performance, having a hand in each of their four goals. Philadelphia’s Damien Wolfe earned the third star, continuing his good performances from the first game in which he earned the first star. In fact, Wolfe would go on to lead the Reapers in scoring throughout the whole series, with three goals and seven assists. 
 
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. In-Game Three the Reapers came back to win the closest game of the series, stealing one out of Vegas. Their goaltender Isak Sjostrom made 25 saves on 27 shots, and more team play from the Reapers saw six people grab a single point apiece, with no one reaching more than one point. Despite a late push from the Aces with Justin Graves scoring to bring it within one with five minutes left, they were unable to tie it up, and the Reapers took the lead of the series once more. 
 
Game Four had some superstar play come out of the Aces, as the trio of Joe Proto, Randy Marsh, and General Zod combined for 12 points. Proto scored twice and assisted three times for the first star, Marsh had a hat trick that included the game-winner (his second), while Zod set his teammates up four times earning as many assists. The series was now tied at two wins apiece. 
 
Coming into the final best of three, each team knew it was now or never. The Aces took initiative, and thanks to a fantastic individual performance from goalie Friedriksen with an SV% of .966, took Game Five by a score of 4-1. The outcome was never in question, and the Reaper’s only goal came more as a consolation, being the last one scored. 
 
Game Six was do or die for the Reapers, and they showed up. In part thanks to continued streaky play from the Vegas goaltender (11 saves on 17 shots) they took the game by a score of 6-4. Bob Helminen and Xavier leFlamant scored twice each  (the only two multi-goal performances in the whole series for the Reapers), with Helminen assisting an additional two times. The first period was hot and heavy with scoring as the Reapers found the back of the net four times, and the Aces were never quite able to get up to speed. Liam Flaten had an impressive four-assist game for the Reapers as well, earning the second star for the young defenseman. 
 
Finally, it was time for Game Seven. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the closest game we could have had. Vegas jumped ahead early with three goals in the first period to Philadelphia’s one. Extending their lead with two more goals in the second put the game out of reach for the Reapers, as Vladimir Shaposhnikov led his team to the second round with two goals and two assists. The final score was 7-3 in favour of the Aces, and with that, our first round was over. 
 
Second Round Review
 
Ottawa Lynx (1) vs. San Diego Marlins (6)
 
The second round kicked off with the Marlins taking on the Lynx, looking for their second upset of the playoffs. Unfortunately for the Marlins, it was not to be. The games they won were nail biters, and their losses were, well, significant. Game One kicked off the series strong, with a total of 12 goals being scored. Ottawa struck four times in the first period alone and didn’t let up all game. San Diego responded well offensively, but they weren’t able to match the pure output from the Lynx. 
 
In Game Two the Marlins clawed back into the series, with an overtime winner from Jungkok to take the game. Nikita Kulikovich was a star performer, blocking five shots, laying down 4 big hits, capping it off with an assist on Marlin’s first goal of the game. Perhaps the best performer was Marlin’s goalie Zamboni Driver, who deserved more than the third star after a 42 save performance. The final score was 3-2 in favour of San Diego. 
 
The next game was, in a word, brutal. There is a reason we say that Ottawa has an unstoppable offence, and this game is evidence. An 8-1 victory, putting the Lynx once again ahead in the series. Joakim Bruden of the Lynx managed a  .964 SV% on 28 shots this game and wasn’t even one of the three stars if that tells you how lopsided it was. The standout player for the Lynx was certainly Big Chungus, as his hat trick was complemented by another two assists. Somehow though, despite this beat down, the Marlins weren’t going to lay down and die. 
 
Game Four rolled around, and the Marlins were determined to stay with it. Two goals from Ike Bennet including the eventual game-winner in the third period led them to a 3-4 victory. A close match, in which Marlin’s strong penalty kill was very important, as they shut out the Lynx on all 6 of their power plays. 
 
However, as had been the case all series, the needle had moved and it was time for an Ottawa showcase. The Lynx wouldn’t disappoint, as they again scored big, finding the back of the net seven times to the Marlin’s three. A strong first period put the game more or less out of the reach as they led 4-1 at the first intermission. Particularly impressive was Iangenere Risteneen; his hat trick included the game-winner (his second goal). 
 
The final match was upon us, though of course at the time the Marlins still had hope. That hope was short-lived. Despite a close first period where each team scored twice, the second period saw the Lynx take the lead 4-3. The Marlins were still in it, but they needed to score just one more goal, and that wasn’t something they could do. The Lynx put the game out of reach with two goals in the third, and they secured their trip to the finals for the second year in a row. Let’s see if they can take it this time around!
 
Yukon Rush (2) vs. Las Vegas Aces (5)
 
Other than Ottawa’s initial sweep of the 21st, this was the most one-sided of any series, at least by the final score. That being said, despite the series score of 4-1, the games were actually much closer than one would initially think for the most part. It certainly didn’t start that way, however, as the Yukon Rush dropped the Las Vegas Aces by a score of 5-1 in Game One. Joe Proto scored the Aces’ consolation goal as some balanced scoring from the Rush was more than enough to take the game, and an early series lead. 
 
Game Two was a much closer affair, though it still went the Rush’s way. Gino DiGiannatonio opened the scoring for the Rush, and the Rush led 2-1 after the first period. A goalless second and a pair of offsetting powerplay goals early in the third period was all that followed. The Aces struggled to find offensive presence in this game, only registering 16 shots on goal, with nine of those coming in the first period. 
 
Game Three saw the Rush edge even closer to the sweep. Scoring four unanswered goals in the first period started them off strong, and DiGiannatonio’s eventual hat trick capped off the night for the Rush. The Aces scored twice in the second but were unable to complete the comeback, falling by a final score of 5-2. 
 
Game Four was perhaps the most entertaining for a neutral fan (or an Aces fan). Facing elimination by sweep, the Aces had to win to keep their hopes alive. It didn’t start well, as they were held scoreless through two periods, trailing by two at the second intermission. Somehow GM Joe Proto (not to be confused with player Joe Proto) managed to whip his team up in a frenzy because the next period was something else. The Aces managed to score five different times to win the match, even trading a couple of goals to the Rush in the process. The first half of the period was a blitz as the teams scored 6 goals in the first eight and a half minutes. With only a few minutes to go and the prospect of long overtime awaiting them, Randy Marsh put the game to bed, keeping their cup dreams alive; for one more game. 
 
Game Five wasn’t the dream victory they had in Game Four.  Despite Joe Proto opening up the scoring for the underdogs in the first period, a strong second period from Yukon set the tone for the rest of the game. At 16:05 in the second period, Vin Calia hit the game-winning shot that put the Yukon Rush into the finals for the S71 Founders Cup, where they will meet the Ottawa Lynx. 

Finals Preview
 
The finals are shaping up to be an intense matchup. The top two seeded teams managed to avoid the fate of their friends in Minnesota and Philadelphia as they saw their way to the Founders Cup Finals. We caught up briefly with the management of Yukon to see what their thoughts were on the playoffs thus far, and what their expectations were for the finals coming up.
 
“I feel Yukon has had a fantastic playoff run so far. We came into the playoffs winning and we just carried that through the first two rounds. I know my team can continue to do that vs Ottawa. I know Ottawa is a skilled team and they will come at us hard but if my guys work hard and stay mentally well we will have a chance to take these guys down. Let’s do it Yukon!”
-- Jeffrey Tonn, Yukon GM
 
Their AGM joined in, adding:

“I was confident that our team would be able to make it to the finals. So being here isn’t too big of a shock. The players worked hard all season long to get better and it’s finally paying off for them.
What I expect from Ottawa is a great amount of offensive pressure. They have some really good top-end talent but I think we have better depth. It’s going to be a tough series but we have to believe that we can get the job done.”
-- Kris Rice, Yukon AGM
 
Finally, we spoke to Dixon B. Tweenerlegs, GM of the Lynx, to see what he had to say:
 
“I'm super happy with how the team has performed so far. They're really playing at a high level right now, and I hope they continue to do so. I really hope they don't start resting on their laurels, because Yukon is a great team, and we really can't afford to sleep on them. Yukon absolutely earned their spot in the finals, so I expect a competitive series.”
 
Time will tell how the finals will go, but one thing is for sure: this has been a fantastic playoff!
 
That’s all for this edition of Under 250: The VHLM Review. Thank you all for reading, and stay tuned next week for the inside scoop on all that’s going on in the league. Until next time!
 
GMs:  @Proto, @Berocka, @DoktorFunk, @Dil, @Rayzor_7, @Motzaburger,
@MexicanCow123, @McWolf, @DMaximus, @iRockstar, @Sonnet, @Ricer13
 
Players Mentioned:  @DrHexDex, @bluesfan55, @Spade18, @Gooningitup, @VinCal, @efiug, @Brewins15, @ashton112, @LittleRiDog, @GoadenGoalie35, @tfong, @HearnNation67, @Sonnet, @Caboose30, @Mongoose87, @Alex Bridges, @FrostBeard, @Nothing but goals, @dasboot, @Jackie4967, @Cran, @Grant, @Jubo07, @jacobaa19, @jared, @ng1291, @Biggreen10, @McWolf, @Laflamme, @Austin2997, @JDGraves, @Proto, @oilmandan, @Matt_O, @Bob Helminen, @BarzalGoat, @flatl99, @Lockdown Defense, @Tape-to-Tape, @PadStack, @Ferda, @Maasa, @pennypenny
 
VSN Writer Mr_Hatter
 

VHLM EXPANSION 
 
It's no secret that the VHLM has had an awkward format for a number of seasons now, with 11 teams being in the league for the past 6 seasons. Well, the league has decided that it's finally time to round that number off and add #12. I could keep writing things to extend the length of this paragraph, or I could tell you the name of the team...I'm sure you would rather the name, so without further ado, the VHLM's newest franchise:
 
 
With 12 teams, there are of course some rules that need to be addressed, as changes include the introduction of Divisions, and a schedule that will follow that of the VHL. There will also be a new playoff format that will be introduced. Oh, and there won't be an expansion draft, either.
 
The changes are as follows:
 
Division
Theusch Division (701) -> HFX, PHI, MIA Glasser Division (DA) -> MIN, OTT, MIS Corcoran Division (Corco) -> SSK, LVA, YUK Kendrick Division (Kendrick) -> MEX, HOU, SDM  
Each of these members for whom the divisions are named after, have made a large impact on both the VHLM, as players, GMs and/or commissioner, as well as the VHL as a whole, and are wholly deserving of the honour!
 
Playoff Format
Each Division winner will be guaranteed a home playoff spot, while the next 4 teams in the playoffs will be decided by Wild Card format. Each playoff round will be determined by a best of seven series.
 
Expansion Draft
What? No Expansion Draft? No, rather than having an expansion draft, the Marauders will be receiving a compensation pick at the end of each round, which will be the 13th draft slot.
 
S72 Dispersal Draft
The Marauders will draft from the 10th slot in each round of the Season 72 VHLM Dispersal Draft.
 
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Welcome and good luck to the Miami Marauders!