bluesfan55

1. After one long offseason, season 65 has finally started. What do you think of your team's performance in these first couple of sims? Pretty well. 3-2 is a solid record (we’ve only played Houston though), so I’ll take it. 2. How is the ambiance in your locker room after these sims? Pretty good. We’re happy with our performances so far. 3. Which team do you like playing against more than others? Houston. They’re the only team we’ve played. 4. Season has just started, so the VHL Entry Draft might be hard to predict right now, but in what round do you think you'll be taken? I’m going to go bold and say first round. No one here really knows me, but I hope that my TPE production has turned a few heads. 5. Besides hockey, obviously, what other sports do you like to play casually or watch? Football, tennis, skiing, all the winter sports. Oh, and handball. Iceland excels at handball. 6. What's your game day routine? What do you eat before games? Some good Icelandic seafood. It’s nutritious and filling.

D - Robert Malenko F - The Charm @TMI

Riga Helsinki Toronto Seattle

Seattle 2-1

Arnor Sigurdsson - Yukon Rush - Mikael Granlund

1) The draft is over, the signings have settled down, and the VHLM is just about ready to get things started. Who do you think is the favorite, going into this season? Yukon. We drafted well and look to be in the hunt. 2) With teams filling up this quickly, further expansion of the VHLM might be a potential talking point. Where would you put another minors team? St. Louis. The city’s a hockey town. Look at players in the NHL like the Tkachuks. 3) The offseason's ending- what's your player's plan to get back in shape for game 1? Football. Not American football. Footy. 4) Do you/your player have any preseason superstitions to help boost their performance? No. 5) Now that you've had time to get used to your team, who's been your favorite teammate thus far? Valeri Morozov @Dangles13. He’s funny and pretty welcoming to everyone. 6) If the commissioners/GMs could do one thing to make your VHLM experience more fun, what would it be? Start discords for the teams and draft classes so everyone gets to know each other better.

A Look at Yukon’s Draft (Rounds 1-4) Pick #1: Hunter Hearst Helmsley The consensus #1 pick of the draft, Hunter Hearst Helmsley is a beast. The American center leads his class with 205 TPE. Helmsley is a lethal scores (80 scoring) with great skating and defense (both at 70), not to mention that he is a very talented puck handler (75). However, Helmsley doesn’t use his big frame (6’3”, 250 pounds) well, with 40s for both strength and checking. HHH should be Yukon’s star man this season as the team looks to bounce back from their last place finish. Pick #8: Anthony Matthews The only S65 player that Yukon picked in this draft was Canadian center Anthony Matthews. He’s currently second on the team in TPE with 191. Matthews isn’t a scorer like Helmsley. He’s more of a well-rounded player. Matthews has 70s in skating, strength, puck handling, faceoffs, defense, and passing, meaning that he can do it all. However, like HHH, Matthews isn’t a very good checker, which might limit his ability around the boards. Pick #11: Valeri Morozov The first of Yukon’s 3 third round picks was Russian left winger Valeri Morozov, currently weighing in at 120 TPE. Morozov is a 6’6” beast, but isn’t very strong (40 strength). However, he makes up for that with his scoring touch (70), pure skating (70), and lockdown defense (70). Morozov is also a decent checker (60). He looks to be a first-line winger for Yukon this season. Pick #14: Richard Hejtsel Watch this space. Latvian defenseman Richard Hejtsel could be a big coup for the Rush. Hejtsel with 113 TPE, is a prototypical 2 way defenseman, judging by his 75 defense and 70 passing. Hejtsel is also a decent scorer (55), checker (50), and skater (50), but struggles with puck handling (43) and strength (45). Pick #15: Titus Stone The second defenseman (and last third round pick) that Yukon picked in the draft was American Titus Stone, who currently has 90 TPE. Stone is more of a defensive defenseman that Hejtsel. Even though both of them have 75 defense, Stone only has 60 passing. Stone is also a better checker (60 compared to Hejtsel’s 50). However, Stone lacks the scoring that Hejtsel has. As such, he’s more of a project. Pick #19: Arnor Sigurdsson Yukon only had one fourth round pick, and they utilized it well, selecting Icelandic right winger Arnor Sigurdsson, who has 116 TPE (good for 4th on the team). Sigurdsson is the epitome of a modern-day power forward. The 6’4” Icelander has 60 strength and 60 checking, meaning he likes to throw his weight around. Sigurdsson also has 70 scoring, so he knows how to put the puck in the net. He’s been working on his skating and passing, and has solid leadership (all three attributes are at 50), but has bad discipline (45), defense (45), and passing (40). In closing, Yukon had a great first 4 rounds of the draft. All 6 picks are over 85 TPE, with 5 over 100 at the moment. This draft could turn Yukon into a contender, if not the favorite, for the title next season. All eyes will be on these 6 players to see how they produce throughout the season. 541 words

ok i pick Jasper Canmore

hi luke it me

yeet me in dad

1) The VHLM draft is over! Are you happy with where you ended up? If you're graduating from the VHLM this season, how do you think your previous team did? I guess. I’m happy that I get to play with Dangles but I wasn’t expecting Yukon to pick me so it came as a surprise. 2) If you were VHLM drafted or signed, are you happy with where you ended up? If you're going to be VHL drafted, where do you hope to end up? To go with the first question, I was surprised to go to Yukon. 3) Now that we're done playing hockey for a little while, what is your player going to do to enjoy the offseason? Head back home and play some footy. 4) The Las Vegas Aces took the Founder's Cup this year, is there any message you'd like to pass along to the team (or your teammates, if you won)? I’d like to say congratulations to them. They had a great season, both in the regular and during the playoffs. 5) What's your #1 goal to hit this offseason, before heading into your next one? Get to at least 125 TPE. 6) What, or who, has been the most helpful resource in getting you familiar with the site/the league in general? Probably @BladeMaiden. She’s helped both me, cainer, and trells adjust to the site and get used to it.

when my update is approved for the media I just posted, I'll be at 100. +10 to Sigurdsson

It was draft day for the VHLM, and Arnor Sigurdsson was home. Not at his rented apartment in Ottawa, but home in Iceland home. His friends and family were hosting a draft day party, and Arnor was excited. "Boy, I can't wait to see where I go!" he said to his friends. Philadelphia was high on his list. He liked their GM, Brick Wahl, and was excited at the prospect of playing in such a historic city. He wanted to return to Ottawa as well. He liked the management team there, and enjoyed his time both playing and living in the city. Finally, Halifax was another team Arnor was excited at the prospect of playing for. He'd had talks with their GM, Joseph McWolf, and liked him, but he wasn't sure that Halifax would be able to pick him. After that, he hadn't been in contact with any other team. He wasn't expecting to go to them, but wasn't ruling them out either. So, the draft started. Yukon picked HHH first. "Of course he's going number one. Man's a beast.". The night kept dragging. Yukon had picks at 13 and 14. "If any team's gonna pick me before the third round, now's the time.". The picks? Richard Hejtsel and Titus Stone. Two players with lower TPE than him. "WHAT? I'm better than them? How did they go before me?". Arnor was fuming. He wasn't trying to be cocky in that saying he was better, but TPE numbers don't lie. Sigurdsson was higher by at least 1 TPE than both of them. If that didn't make him angry, Halifax's next pick did. They chose Rhye Tyr. "RHYE TYR??? When both Voly [Dimitry Volosenkov] and myself are on the board? You've got to be kidding me!". He wasn't fully angry over the fact that Tyr was picked over him. He was angry because he thought Halifax were going to pick him. Volosenkov went next to Halifax, and then Shawnomir Jagr was picked by Saskatoon. He watched with intent. "With the 19th pick in the S65 VHLM Dispersal Draft, the Yukon Rush select Arnor Sigurdsson, Right Wing, Iceland." The party went bananas. Andre Sigurdsson popped the champange. Arnor and his girlfriend started snogging with the same intensity as a bear hunting for salmon. Ingi Ragnarsson said, "Hey, you know Yukon is basically Iceland but less populated and more depressed?" (That's a bad and insulting joke if I've ever heard one). Arnor then thought to himself, "Wait, they picked me? I never talked to them, and they finished bottom. Oh well, guess I gotta call the landlord and tell him I'm moving out.". The shock Arnor felt was an understatement. He was used to winning, both in Europe and during his brief time in the VHLM. To go to a rebuilder that hadn't even talked to him was a massive shocked. "Well, time to make a name for myself and lead them to a playoff spot." he said. Inside, he'd never felt so unsure in his life.

Worst Team: Mercs Bronze Medal: Scandinavia Silver Medal: World Gold Medal: Canada

hello i am bloos go yukon i guess

nicky is that you

dammit blade why'd you have to tag everyone

Let’s go back..... The year is 2001. Icelandic soccer star Sigurd Bjarnason, a three-time Icelandic Player of the Year, who, regarded with Eidur Gudjohnsen, among others, is one of Iceland’s best athletes of all time. Bjarnason, a spry 29, was on holiday. He’d suffered a fairly serious leg injury while playing for his club, Borussia Monchengladbach, against Bundesliga rivals Hansa Rostock on February 21. Rostock centerback Jan Kohfeldt had come in with a lunging tackle, breaking his leg. It was tough for him. His fellow Scandinavian, Meinhardt Larsen, was left alone without his best friend. So, Bjarnason flew back to Iceland, where his pregnant wife was waiting. Three days later, at 1:23 pm on February 24, Sigurd’s wife Ingrid gave birth to a boy at a hospital in Reykjavik, Iceland. They named him Arnor Thor Sigurdsson. Arnor was fortunate enough to live with his father and mother in Germany for a few years during his dad’s playing career in Monchengladbach. It was there that he met and became instant friends with Meinhardt Larsen’s first son, who was born in 2002. His name? Jákup Larsen. Most of you may know Jákup today as a second line right winger for the Windy City Cyclones of the NSHL, where he’s been a solid producer for the team after being drafted 53rd overall in the inaugural NSHL Draft. But back then, in 2003, Arnor was 2 and Jákup was 1. The two would spend their time together playing with toys like LEGO Duplos and watching their fathers play for Die Föhlen. The next year, Sigurd retired. He’d suffered another injury, but had achieved his two biggest accomplishments: leading Iceland to their first World Cup (they made it to Korea-Japan 2002, beating Belgium in a playoff and making it to the Round of 16, where Brazil beat them 2-0) and winning the Bundesliga (he’d done it in 2004, his last season). Arnor, now 3, could speak full sentences in both Icelandic and German, and was also learning English, a skill that would serve him well in the future (unbeknownst to him). He succeeded in school and was regarded as a bright student. Moving back to Iceland was hard for Arnor. Even though he could speak the language, he was leaving behind his friend Jákup, who was moving to the Faroe Islands. His family settled in Reykjavik, where Arnor would make 3 great friends: Brandur Neilsson, Andre Sigurdsson, and Ingi Ragnarsson. The four were unseparable. They played soccer together for Valur Reykjavik’s youth teams. Brandur was quiet but loved to play video games. Andre was tall and had brown hair like Arnor, so they were commonly confused for each other. Ingi, the son of an Ecuadorian father, was one of the funniest people Arnor had ever met. By 2012, the four were not only succeeding in school, but on the pitch as well. Arnor and Andre formed a potent attacking force. Brandur was a fast and strong right midfielder, and Ragnarsson played behind him at right back. But this team was notable for one reason: there were girls on the team. Valùr had become known across Europe for being a progressive team, signing Iceland women’s national team star Harpa Þorsteinsdottir from Stjarnan to play for the men’s team, and their youth teams were no different. With Sigurd Bjarnason, Arnor’s father, as coach, Valùr’s youth team signed two girls. One of them, Þórdis Cyrelsdottir, would strike up a quick and strong friendship with Arnor. This proved to be a turning point in Arnor’s life. He’d started to feel uninterested while playing football. Even though his tall frame at the age of 10 (Sigurdsson was a massive 5’10”) helped with his physical play and his normal style of play (Arnor was a physical center forward who was a good header of the ball), Sigurdsson had started to feel that his father was expecting more out of him then he could give. People saw Arnor as the next big Icelandic superstar purely based on the fact that his father was the best Icelandic footballer in history. And he was tired of it. Around that time, he’d been getting into hockey. His mom had bought him his first pair of skates for his 9th birthday, and besides FIFA, he’d spent a lot of time playing NHL video games as well. This came to a head in 2014. Arnor asked his mom to secretly sign him up for a youth hockey team based in Reykjavik, which she agreed to. Sigurdsson had had enough with football, which had been his first love. He kept playing it, but slowly was losing interest in the game. And his friends noticed this. After practice on one June day, Andre asked Arnor what had been going on. Arnor had to spill the beans. “Andre, I’ve been losing interest in football. I took up hockey last year, and it’s been one of the best experiences of my life. I really enjoy playing hockey. It feels liberating not to have the weight of a whole nation’s expectations on your shoulders.” Now let it be known, Arnor loves Iceland. The people there are very friendly and close-knit. But they’re maniacal for football. You’ve seen them at Euro 2016. They love the sport and if cut open would probably bleed the colors of their teams. Arnor had taken a step away from it to one of the lesser sports in the nation. And he’d been impressing for a local youth team. Sigurdsson, now 6’1” at the age of 14, was known as a scorer who was very imposing physically due to his large frame and strength. His consistent performances week in and week out were consistently viewed by his mother, who was proud of her son. Arnor began skipping football practices at Valur to play hockey. His now girlfriend, Þórdis, had noticed that one day Arnor didn’t show up to practice. He was always at practice, so this was news to her. One day at school (where Arnor was now learning Swedish, another language that he’d use later), she asked him why he’d missed practice. Like with Arnor a month before, he told her everything. And she was fine with it. Everyone was (on the team, anyways). But one day, after missing practice again, his father noticed. Arnor had just snuck home from a practice with his hockey team when his father opened the door for him. “Son, you’ve been missing practice a lot recently. Why have you been playing hockey behind my back?” Arnor took a deep breath and replied. “Dad, I’ve been disillusioned with footy for a while now. The entire nation is expecting me to be the next you. Iceland’s great hope, they call me. Well, I feel like I’m being held to expectations that are too high. When I go out there and play, I don’t feel the same enjoyment that I used to when I played as a younger kid. Hockey is the only sport I can play under anonymity. Where I can play without feeling a whole nation expecting me to turn out into the next Icelandic footy wonderkid. I know you’re disappointed, but big teams have been interested in me. In fact, the man who drove me here is a coach for Skelleftea of the Swedish Hockey League. It’s one of the best in Europe, and they’re willing to sign me. They’ll pay for my lodging with their youth teams. I can develop my skills in a country known for producing hockey talent. And maybe, one day, I’ll make it to one of the big leagues in North America.” Now, Arnor had been dreaming of playing in the VHL for a very long time. His hero was Grimm Jonsson, a VHL Hall of Famer who’d helped expose the hockey underground in Iceland. And Arnor was a beneficiary of that. Skelleftea happened to be in Iceland looking for the next Grimm Jonsson, and they felt that Arnor was that man. His father grudgingly agreed. His last day at school was a sad one. He told everyone about his choice. His girlfriend had decided to move with him. A local team near Skelleftea that played in the Dallsvenskan had signed her. They’d be living together in a house paid for by Arnor’s team. At the beginning, Arnor felt homesick. Iceland was greener and smaller than Sweden was. Even though he knew the language, Arnor’s play slipped. His scoring dropped and he started playing recklessly, racking up minor penalty after minor penalty. One day, club legend Joakim Lindstrom, who played for the first team, came to visit the youth team. He saw Arnor struggling and pulled him aside. “Kid, I know you have talent,” Lindstrom said. “Just keep working hard and you’ll go places. You’re here because we see something in you. This club is more than just a club. It’s a family. We’re all here to support you, even when you struggle.” Sigurdsson perked up, and had a strong practice. That strong practice translated to a strong season, and after that strong season, Skelleftea called him up to the first team. Sigurdsson had learned how to play the puck better, how to stick handle, and how to control his temper. Now, he was in the big time. And he fit in seamlessly. As a 16 year old in one of the best leagues in the world, a young Arnor Sigurdsson scored in his first game, against Vaxjo (one of the best teams in the league). This was a team that had produced NHLers like Viktor Arvidsson and Adam Larsson. Sigurdsson was determined to play well and earn the eye of scouts. And that he did. After a 40 point season, Sigurdsson was named the best young player in the NSHL. His 10 playoff points led Skelleftea to the SHL championship, knocking off HV71 in the final. And this attracted VHLM scouts, who’d been showing up regularly to Skelleftea games. After the championship game, a scout for the Ottawa Lynx came up to him. “Arnor, I’m a scout for a VHLM team. We want to sign you for the rest of the season. You can prove yourself in the minors before you’re drafted. I know it’s been your dream to play in the VHL. Now’s the time.” Arnor happily accepted, and told the head coach about his decision. “We wish you the best, Arnor. You’ve matured so much since you came here. You’ll always be a part of the Skelleftea family. He told his girlfriend, and they bought an apartment in Ottawa. After working for years, his dream came true. Arnor Sigurdsson was going to play in North America.

1) The finals are on, Vegas vs Halifax. Who's your pick and why? Halifax. They’ve looked consistently better. 2) The VHL and VHLM draft are coming up this offseason. If you're getting drafted to the VHL this year, where do you hope you go? If you've already been drafted, what are you most looking forward to in the VHL? I am not getting drafted into the VHL. I am getting drafted into the VHLM, and I don’t care where I go. 3) With the offseason upon us, what's your player's favorite postseason activity? Playing soccer to work on cardio. 4) Looking back at this last season, what's one thing you're going to miss about the VHLM once you've moved up? I’m not moving up lol 5) Coaches always push for their players to "leave it all out on the ice." Do you feel like your player followed that mantra this season, or is there more to them that we have yet to see? Yes. I didn’t score a point, but 19 hits in 15 games shows that I’ve been playing hard. 6) Excluding the drafts and offseason tournament, what would you like to see the VHL host in the offseason in order to make it a little more fun? Nothing really. It’s cool as is.

+4

Toronto Helsinki Helsinki 2-1 Helsinki Points: Ironside Goals: Louth Assists: Arroyo

1) Finally, playoff time is here! Make your claim right here, who's going to take it all? ottawa lol 2) If you made it to the playoffs, what are you going to need to do in order to take home the cup? If you missed the playoffs, what are you going to do to come back stronger for next time? I just need to produce more. I haven’t scored a point yet so getting at least one should help. 3) If you could, would you stay another year in the VHLM? Why or why not? yes. I’m S66 so I’m required to. 4) The playoffs are where stars are born. Which player do you think will rise up to the task and pave the way for their team? Carles Puigdemont 5) Are you or your team following any playoff superstitions this season? I won’t wash my lucky socks because they’re lucky 6) The Achievement Tracker notice went live not too long ago, and claims will be open until the playoffs end. Are you happy with how much TPE your player will be awarded? I can’t claim any as I’m S66 so I guess I’m unhappy

disregard, forgot S66 players can’t claim

+4