hockeyis66

“We have 16 games left in the season and a 8 point lead over the second place team, so baring any collapse, we should earn that #1 seed in our conference. The playoffs are not going to be easy in our conference and all 3 of those teams have played us well. Having that #1 seed and potentially getting a game 7 at home is huge. Being the #1 seed though, we shouldn’t have to go to a game 7 and need to take care of business before that to avoid any upsets. Our fans have been crazy at home all season long and make it tough for opponents to play there and I would expect the playoffs to be no different.” “It has been a decent week for myself scoring wise for a change as I had a hat trick and a couple of other solid games here recently. Its time to up my game and get ready for the playoffs as we are able to roll 4 solid lines out against the other teams and make it difficult for them to shut down just one line. That scoring depth will be huge come playoff time and I hope to provide the solid two way game that the Rush will need to make it out of the conference and into the VHLM finals.”

1 -- its should be good to roll 4 lines against teams in the playoffs unless the other team is double shifting their top players, then it might present a problem 2 -- i just check in whenever, so i just go about my daily business of work, etc 3 -- if its a tie then both GMs should get a free pass or should it go to the next tiebreaker which is who scored the most goals and then the losing GM has to sing? 4 -- speed -- skating is there but just cause you can skate well doesnt mean you are a fast skater per se; or maybe acceleration to get to the puck faster than other players 5 -- people watch 6 -- i dont mind sitting in the airport and relaxing for an hour or two before a flight and you can also bet on which planes are going to land first with the person sitting next to you

With the VHL now adding a 3rd league which will strictly be in Europe, which cities would I choose to be the original 6 of the VHLE? The cities cannot be the same ones that are currently in the VHL, but I am ok putting different cities in the same country between the two leagues. I would also like to have a mix of current countries as well as sprinkling in new countries so that the league can continue to grow and reach different populations of the world with the idea of adding more new countries than existing. My first two cities would be the Nordic duo of Oslo, Norway and Stockholm, Sweden. They would create an instant rivalry in the league and add one new country in Norway while strengthening the VHL in Sweden to go along with the VHL’s Malmo club. Oslo is already known for winter sports such as skiing and biathlon and the city already has an ice hockey arena in place. Even though Norway is not a power house on the international hockey level, adding a team here would go a long way to developing the sport in the country. Stockholm is the capital of Sweden and ice hockey is one of the most popular sports in the city. They have hosted Olympic and Nordic Games throughout its history and is just a no-brainer choice to have a VHLE team. For my next two cities, we will travel to the main land of Europe and add Berlin, Germany and Paris, France. Berlin is the capital and biggest city of Germany and like Stockholm, have hosted major international sporting events throughout its history. Berlin does have a team in the German Pro hockey league but adding a high profile team to the VHLE will only continue to grow the sport in Germany and make use of an arena already in place. Paris is another capital city and is just such a major influence on the world’s sporting stage – hosting Olympics, World Cups, French Open and the last stage of the Tour de France – that adding a VHLE hockey team here seems like a natural fit and help to push France onto the world hockey stage as well. The last two cities I will choose are also in new countries as well – Vienna, Austria and Budapest, Hungary. Vienna is also a capital city and although it is more of a soccer city, this would be a great place to continue to grow the game of hockey in Europe. Vienna has hosted Ice Hockey championships in the past and would give a great winter sport for the city to cheer during the soccer off season. Vienna is very close to Budapest, surprise another capital city, that the two would more a natural rivalry as well too. Like the other cities, Budapest has hosted many international and European championships in its history and not only can the city host a hockey team, it would be a great chance for the VHLE to expand into a non-traditional hockey country to expand the sport in Europe. The VHLE should be very successful and the question on everyone’s mind would be expansion and where to go after these 6 cities. Italy is the next logical choice and putting a team in Rome with its long international sports history and starting to add a more southern European city would only aid in the growth of the sport. I would go east next and add Bucharest in Romania as my 8th city to expand the VHLE to its most eastern city on the map. This would also allow for two 4 team divisions: VHLE North Oslo, Stockholm, Berlin and Paris VHLE South Vienna, Budapest, Rome and Bucharest Then looking to another two to four cities to get to a 12 team league -- Dublin, Madrid, Kiev, St. Petersburg, Copenhagen, Amsterdam to name a few

“We just went 1 and 1 against Houston in the last sim and it’s a little concerning since they currently sit in the 4th spot in the Western Conference and would be a potential first round matchup for us in the playoffs. The Bulls have played us well all season long and have presented tough games against us all season long. We will have to elevate our game against them in the playoffs because I am sure they will bringing their very best against us.” “We have a lot of games left against the other two playoff bound teams in our conference in San Diego and Saskatoon. We have played two games against both teams so far this season and have gone 4-0 against them but with Houston right on their tails in the standings, all 3 teams will be fighting for that second seed and home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs too.” “As for Lemieux, its been an up and down season so far and one that has been disappointing on a personal level. Was hoping for more goals and points for sure but am glad the team is doing well and that’s the most important thing. I am going to continue to work hard during practice and games and have the Rush bring home the most points and wins possible this season.”

1 -- Houston has played us tough so far this season so a first round matchup against them would be a little scary -- Halifax and Minnesota from the other side of the bracket will be tough 2 -- great season so far and definitely in the MVP discussion for sure 3 -- Jake Guentzel 4 -- not a fan of the lottery especially when decent teams get the chance to move up into the top 3 but i guess it makes for good TV ratings 5 -- outside of a car/house, probably season tickets to the Pens 6 -- I am a classic rock fan so going back to the 60s/70s is about as far as i go music wise

“It has been a great start to the season especially when you can say the team has won 21 out of 26 games so far. However, there are a ton of games left to play this season and we know the season is a marathon and not a sprint. We have to keep getting points in each game we play so we not only can get that number one seed in our conference but also get it in case we have a chance to make it to the championship round and get 4 out of those 7 games at home. We do have the offense to carry us to the championship, but we do need to tighten up a bit defensively and help out our goalie a little bit more around the net.” “I am happy to have 39 points in 26 games although I thought I would be a bit higher than that. My shooting percentage is around 11.4% so I am getting closer to my goal of being in the 12-15% range. I am playing against the top competition in the VMHL so I have to bring my top level game every time like scoring the game winning goal in our game against the Storm with less than a minute left in the game.”

1 -- it has been fun to be a part of it and i think its a great way to award individuals on their performance each game 2 -- any song taylor swift 3 -- its been a little disappointing, thought i would be averaging more points a game 4-- i like the idea and hopefully there is a german, russian, finland, sweden, norway teams in the league 5 -- i would say 2/3 depending on whether or not my wife or I want to cook etc 6 -- agree, i can warm stuff year around as well as cold things like popcicles, etc year around too

YUKON RUSH SEAON 78 PREVIEW After missing the playoffs in S77, the Yukon Rush lost some players but gained some via the draft and free agency so far this season as they look to not only make it back to the playoffs, but also be one of the top teams in the league and vie for the VHLM Championship. Goaltending – Papa Emeritus – The 4th overall draft pick in the recent VHLM draft has not disappointed at all so far this season with a 10-0-2 record, .902 save percentage and a 2.47 GAA. He also has one shutout on the season. He is a tall goalie that takes up a lot of the net and doesn’t give shooters a lot of room to work with. His reaction time, hand speed and rebound control are already one of the best in the league and if the Rush are having an off game, they will at least know their goalie will be keeping them in it. Defense – Powers, Kiak, Sylvester, Jokinen and Beach – The defense will be going 5 deep this season and is an improvement over the 2/3 players there last season. Powers will be the stud on the blue line but has a ton help from Kiak and Sylvester who can both defend and both the puck in the net while Beach and Jokinen are rounding out into defensemen that can also play at both ends of the ice while also being able to pass, handle the puck and throw the body around a bit as well. Powers is already one of the top scoring defensemen in the league and through 12 games currently leads the Rush in points with 19 and tied with Kiak for the team lead in assists with 14. This group of defensemen should make the Rush one of the top power play teams in the league since they can fire away from the blue line and one of the penalty killing units since they defend and move the puck well. Forwards – This is a diverse group led by the two way play capabilities of Zakrevsky, Lemieux and T. Reinhart. They are the top 3 scoring forwards on the team so far this season as Zakrevsky and Lemieux lead the team in goals with 9 and Reinhart is tied for second on the team in points with 18. The trio has combined for 25 goals and 28 assists in 12 games. However, the forwards are more than just these 3 players as Lorgo and J. Reinhart are both averaging a point a game so far this season. Apollo, Numminen, Clouet, Elingr, Appleweed, Grisby and Mortas round out the forward group and provide some significant depth on the team making it hard for the opposition to focus on trying to stop just one line or two. Outlook – There is no question that the Rush are a playoff team and is it finals or bust for this team to make it a successful season? There are a lot of solid teams this season and the fight for the top is going to be quite a battle and not making it to the finals will probably be a disappointment for this club. The goaltending will only continue to get better as the season goes on. The depth on defense this season is a huge step up from where the team was last season and the offense can roll line after line at the opposition. Win or lose, this season is going to be fun for the Rush.

“It has been a great start to the season for the Rush so far with 22 points in just 12 games and having the top spot in the conference so far. We are able to roll multiple lines each game, our defense has been outstanding and the goaltending has been top notch. “ “Powers is leading the team in points with 19 and tied for the team lead in assists with Kiak at 14 each. Lemieux and Zakrevsky each have 9 goals to the lead the team. We have 8 players that are currently averaging at least a point a game which shows the depth that we have right now. Emeritus has over a 90% save percentage and a goals against of just 2.47 with a shutout.” “As for my game, I am happy with 18 points so far in 12 games with 9 goals and 9 assists, +11, 2 game winning goals and a power play goal. I am getting my shots on goal no question about it with 87 on the season but to only have 9 goals on that many shots is a tad bit disappointing though. Its definitely not going to stop me from shooting though and I would like to get that shooting percentage up around 12-15% by the end of the season.”

1 -- it has been an amazing start to the season and has definitely gone the way i expected for sure and to be honest, probably exceeded. 2 -- i would say at least 6,7 of those 8 will keep that pace. we are spreading the scoring around and i dont see that changing much. if you want to stop the first line, go ahead, line 2 steps it up, etc 3 -- Philly is Philly thats about all ya can say 4 -- Pittsburgh is 2-2 right now and does their usual thing of playing a couple of solid games and then laying an egg 5 -- Kyllä, tykkään rentoutua saunassa ja nähdä kaikki joukkuetoverini käärittyinä pyyhkeisiin 6 -- used to be peanut butter, but since my son has nut allergies, cant do either anymore

D - Matty Socks

F - Robin Winter @Jbeezy76

F - SS Hornet

G- Grekkark Gyrfalcon @Jbeezy76

D - Erik Killinger

F - Groovy Dood @Jbeezy76

The S78 VHL draft was held recently and 3 Yukon Rush players were drafted in the first 18 picks of the draft – Wingers Alex Johnston and Jaromir Lemieux and Defenseman Nathan Powers. With the 8th overall pick, the Calgary Wranglers selected Alex Johnston. Johnston will step right in and become one of the Wranglers top prospects with his unique blend of size and skill. As a free agent with the Rush last season, he had 24 goals, 26 assists for 50 points in 52 games. He is very solid in his own end and has no trouble finding the back of the net. He isn’t afraid to mix it up physically and can dish out some hits in open ice or along the boards. Johnston will be drafted to the VHLM this season and I would suspect this will be his final season in the minors before he gets called up to the Wranglers. With the very next pick and 9th overall, the Prague Phantoms selected defenseman Nathan Powers. Powers is already not only one of their best prospects already but also their best defensive prospect as well. Powers is very strong in his own end and can block shots and take the body. He doesn’t let opposing players own the front of the next in front of the goalie and moves them out with his strength without causing a lot of penalties. He can also bring his game at the other end of the ice and isn’t afraid to let a slapper go just inside of the blue line or find an open teammate for a one timer. He had 9 goals and 53 assists last season for 62 points. He had 202 hits, 112 shot blocks and 6 power play goals. With the second pick in the second round which was 18th overall, the Moscow Menace picked winger Jaromir Lemieux. Lemieux will also become one of the Menace’s top prospects with 3rd overall pick The Seabasstard already joining the big club this season. Lemieux will bring a solid two way game in which he will play a 200 foot game and play on both the power play and penalty killing units. He is also a solid skater who can also pass and handle the puck well. He had 64 points last season with 16 goals and 48 assists while having 4 power play goals and a short handed goal on the season. Lemieux will definitely play one more season with the Rush and could make the jump to the Menace next season. Lemieux had this to say on the draft, “I had good conversations with the Menace management before hand and knew there was a good chance that I would drafted by them since they had multiple picks in the second round. I am going to continue to work hard this season for the Rush and give the Menace a good look at what I can do as well as to show the teams that passed on me what they missed out on. I think I can hopefully contend for a spot for the Menace next season and am happy to get the call during the draft from the Menace.”

Transaction ID: 20628083825938158 5 uncapped tpe -- using w/e 5-16 doubles week -- using w/e 5-16 free week -- using w/e 5-23

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“I am excited for the draft and to see where I go and to which team. The interviews are coming in fast and furious and have had a lot of good conversations with GMs, but I really have no idea where I am going to get drafted to and in what spot. I am just having a small group of close family and friends over at the house to watch the draft and while I don’t expect to go in the first round, the nerves will probably start to kick in around the halfway point of the second round if I haven’t been selected by then.” “I fully expect to play this season and next in the VHLM and then get called up to the team that drafts me probably in season 80. Depending on the team, I will probably jump on the third line and hope to chip in offensively in my first season without being a defensive liability.” “The goal of any player is to win a championship and that’s what I hope to strive for in my VHL career. I am not concerned about personal awards or accolades but being the best player that I can to help the team win in the end.”

1 -- depth and defense are probably the two biggest ones right now 2 -- golden pick axe 3 -- probably not 4 -- this is a tough one, but i think the later on i would be in my career and the team goals dont match mine, then going to FA and a contender would win out 5 -- NHL94 6 -- Disagree (although if i do go to see a movie and second or third time, i will usually go alone)

1 -- wish it was the other way around and it will be next season thats for sure 2 -- crying Michael Jordan 3 -- i am too old for that stuff anymore 4 -- scoring 5 -- anything with pasta since you can do so much with meats. veggies, etc 6 -- agree unless cupcakes fall under cakes then cupcakes over it all

The Miami Marauders won the VHLM championship by defeating Mississauga 4 games to 0 in the finals. Miami put together a 12 and 3 record in the playoffs including winning 9 games in a row after San Diego took them to a 7th game in the first round. It was a back and forth first round series with San Diego as Miami took an 3 games to 2 lead but the Marlins staved off elimation in game 6 with a 4-2 win to send the series back to Miami for Game 7. The teams would trade the first 6 goals of the game but the Marauders would get the game winner late in the second period and held off all 15 San Diego shots in the third period for the win. In the second round, Miami face Las Vegas who won their first round series 4 games to 1. 3 of the 4 games against the Aces were one goal victories for the Marauders with game 2 being the only blowout of the series by the score of 5 to 1. Games 3 and 4 went to overtime, but the Aces could not break through in either game and Miami won the series 4 games to 0. VHLM FINALS -- MIAMI MARAUDERS VS MISSISSAUGA HOUNDS The finals showcased the best team in the league in the Hounds and the third best team in the Marauders. The Hounds won 7 of the 8 games against Miami including one in overtime and one in a shootout. Game 1 was a back and forth affair with the Hounds taking a 3-2 lead just having the halfway point of the game but two late second period goals by the Marauders including one with just 30 seconds left in the period gave Miami a 4-3 lead. The Marauders added one more in the third period on the power play and outshot the Hounds 37 to 21 in the game en route to winning game 1 by the score of 5 to 3. Game 2 did not have the scoring that game 1 had, but with nearly 70 shots in the game, 39 for the Hounds and 30 for Miami, there was a lot of action up and down the ice. The Hounds scored the only goal of the first period but in a 90 second span of the second period, Miami scored the final two goals of the game to win game 2 by a score of 2 to 1 and take a 2 games to 0 lead as the series headed to Miami for games 3 and 4. The Hounds struck early in game 3 with a power play goal but Miami would soon answer with one goal and then take a 2-1 lead later in the first period. The Marauders would score the only goal of the second period on the power play but the Hounds would answer that about halfway through the third period with their own power play goal. However, the Hounds could not get another goal the rest of the way and Miami won the game 3 to 2 and took a 3 games to 0 lead. The two teams did not disappoint the fans in game 4 as they exchanged goals in the first period and Miami was on the only team to score in the second and took a 2-1 lead into the final period. The Hounds would tie the game with just over 3 minutes left in the game on the power play and looked to take the game to overtime. However, Miami got its own power play chance and Alexander the Great scored the championship winning goal to give Miami the 3 to 2 win and the series sweep over the Hounds.

“It has been tough watching the playoffs at home cause you want to be out there playing and competing for a championship, but what I can do right now is prepare myself for the upcoming season. I am training hard both on the ice and in the gym to improve my game and give the Rush all I can next season so we can make the playoffs and hopefully make a run for a VHLM championship.” “I want to make sure I am working hard this off season in preparation for the draft to show the VHL clubs that I want to make it at the next level. I am not worried about what team that I go to and fully expect to go somewhere between the mid second round to early third round. I would also think I would have at least two more seasons in the VHLM before getting called up to the big leagues.” “I am excited to see who the Rush draft as part of the VHLM entry draft to supplement the players that will be here again this season as well as any free agents along the way. I have the full confidence in our GMs that they are going to do their homework and have the best players here in the program.”

With the season now over, its time to start to prepare for the draft and next season with a solid off season workout and eating regimen. Lucky for me as I return home to Denmark, my dad is a chef and my brother is a fitness expert who can both help me eat right and stay in shape for the next season. “I am looking forward to the draft and it doesn’t matter who I get drafted by or where I am picked. I am going to continue to work hard and do the best I can out on the ice in hopes of having a solid career.” From an eating perspective, my mornings will start out with a solid and healthy breakfast of eggs, fruit and some sort of protein like sausage, bacon or ham. The eggs wouldn’t have to be the same each day either and can be a mix of scrambled, sunny side up or fried throughout the week. For my drink, it would be a couple of glasses of juice or milk. Lunch is where I would sprinkle in some greens with a salad and a protein of choice like shrimp, chicken or beef and have a different type of salad each day to keep it from going stale. Buffalo chicken salad, grilled shrimp with different seasoning and thinly sliced steak salads are all my favorites. Again here drink wise, water is going to be the choice. Dinner is going to have a different protein than what I would have had for lunch and here is where I would add in a little starch like a baked potato and then a green vegie with it like broccoli, green beans or zucchini. The idea throughout all 3 meals of the day is to avoid putting more sugar into my body as possible while making sure I get enough calories and protein to support my workouts. Onto my workouts now. Basically Monday – Friday, I do a workout in the morning, afternoon and evening. Mornings consists strictly a couple of hours of skating and skating drills with and without the puck to help build up muscle in my legs and stamina. A lot of the skating is speed work, skating backwards and using my edges. The afternoon sessions are also on the ice and I do a majority of the time shooting the puck and stick handling drills. Especially this off season, I am putting more emphasis on this part of my game since my shooting percentage was less than 10% on the season. I will shoot from all over the ice, take one timers and work on deflections in front the net too. I have also started working on board and corner drills as well too in order to get the puck off of opposing players. Lastly, in the evenings is when I hit the gym and lift weights. Mondays and Wednesdays I will focus on my upper body and Tuesdays and Thursdays are core and leg days. Then on Fridays, I will hit all areas but just do a little less of each to get all areas in. I do not any lifting on the weekends and on Saturday, I will only do a little bit of light skating and shooting while taking Sunday off from everything. This way, I can give both my body and mind the day off and just do some stretching and yoga.