Grape

Interjecting every 5 minutes or so in my league game "(insert team here) is doing okay I think"

Freest PT of my life

I love looking back at pre-season rankings after a while because no matter who does them they always don't look great. There is always one team that way overperforms.

I've been wondering what my recreate should be. Thank you for the inspiration for my center, named Team Player, coming in a few seasons.

A good portion of the STHS attributes cannot actually be maxed. Even if you max out the stats, most of the attributes end up capping out short of a 99.9, which is by design. I don’t think you are supposed to exceed 100 in any attribute; however, there are a few exceptions, with one being exceptionally high. Out of all the attributes, there are three that exceed 100, whereas every other attribute caps out at either 93.46 or 99.4 (with a singular exception being Penalty Shot, which caps out at 87.52). The lowest of the over 100 attributes is passing, which caps out at 101.38. Not a useless attribute by any means, and having that type of super passing would definitely be beneficial to any team. The 2nd attribute is strength, capping out at 111.28. I’m not necessarily sure how useful strength is, but if you want to develop into a literal wall of adamantium, it surely is possible. Now, the highest attribute you can get, capping out at a ludicrous 140.98, arguably one of the most important attributes in STHS, leadership. That’s right: for the low low cost of 450 TPE, you can become the ultimate leader of men. In all honesty, it’s a bit odd that something that’s been deemed as useless like leadership exceeds something more important, like scoring for example, by almost 50 points. I guess some rebalancing of the attributes should be on the docket…

A good portion of the STHS attributes cannot actually be maxed. Even if you max out the stats, most of the attributes end up capping out short of a 99.9, which is by design. I don’t think you are supposed to exceed 100 in any attribute; however, there are a few exceptions, with one being exceptionally high. Out of all the attributes, there are three that exceed 100, whereas every other attribute caps out at either 93.46 or 99.4 (with a singular exception being Penalty Shot, which caps out at 87.52). The lowest of the over 100 attributes is passing, which caps out at 101.38. Not a useless attribute by any means, and having that type of super passing would definitely be beneficial to any team. The 2nd attribute is strength, capping out at 111.28. I’m not necessarily sure how useful strength is, but if you want to develop into a literal wall of adamantium, it surely is possible. Now, the highest attribute you can get, capping out at a ludicrous 140.98, arguably one of the most important attributes in STHS, leadership. That’s right: for the low low cost of 450 TPE, you can become the ultimate leader of men. In all honesty, it’s a bit odd that something that’s been deemed as useless like leadership exceeds something more important, like scoring for example, by almost 50 points. I guess some rebalancing of the attributes should be on the docket…

A good portion of the STHS attributes cannot actually be maxed. Even if you max out the stats, most of the attributes end up capping out short of a 99.9, which is by design. I don’t think you are supposed to exceed 100 in any attribute; however, there are a few exceptions, with one being exceptionally high. Out of all the attributes, there are three that exceed 100, whereas every other attribute caps out at either 93.46 or 99.4 (with a singular exception being Penalty Shot, which caps out at 87.52). The lowest of the over 100 attributes is passing, which caps out at 101.38. Not a useless attribute by any means, and having that type of super passing would definitely be beneficial to any team. The 2nd attribute is strength, capping out at 111.28. I’m not necessarily sure how useful strength is, but if you want to develop into a literal wall of adamantium, it surely is possible. Now, the highest attribute you can get, capping out at a ludicrous 140.98, arguably one of the most important attributes in STHS, leadership. That’s right: for the low low cost of 450 TPE, you can become the ultimate leader of men. In all honesty, it’s a bit odd that something that’s been deemed as useless like leadership exceeds something more important, like scoring for example, by almost 50 points. I guess some rebalancing of the attributes should be on the docket…

Here we are at the midseason mark. Teams have gone through a few rounds of inactive shedding and waiver pickups and the rosters have solidified somewhat. Not a lot of trades going on, which is a bit sad, but there hopefully should be some movement this week, it being trade deadline week, which should serve as some excitement for the next few days. But for now, let’s see where teams slot in, statistically speaking.

10. Saskatoon Wild (-2) [Standings Position: 10th]

- Forward Ranking: 8th (Avg TPA: 90.67) -> 9th (Avg TPA: 86.25)
- Defensemen Ranking: 10th (Avg TPA: 57) -> 9th (Avg TPA: 39)
- Goaltender Ranking: T-1st (200 TPA) -> 10th (No Goalie)
 
The wheels have completely fallen off of Saskatoon, as they are in freefall at this time. What I said about their team in the preseason stands true: while goaltending is a major factor for success, you still actually need a team around them. They never put a team together to surround their tender, and now have traded them away for picks. Looking at this team, they basically threw away their first round pick, taking a nearly max goalie instead of players that could play around them, and now they have to restart. The only positive for this team is the season’s already halfway done, so they’re closer to the end at least.
 
9. Las Vegas Aces (+1) [Standings Position: 8th]

- Forward Ranking: 10th (Avg TPA: 59.2) -> 10th (Avg TPA: 92.5)
- Defensemen Ranking: 8th (Avg TPA: 79) -> 10th (Avg TPA: 78)
- Goaltender Ranking: T-10th (No Goalie) -> 8th (Avg TPA: 100)
 
It was already understood that this would be an unsuccessful season for Las Vegas, and that has held true. They were, and are, destined to sit near the bottom of the league for the entirety of the season. At the very least, they’ve seen some respectable growth in their players and, so long as their players remain active, should have a more competitive group next season. As of now, however, they’ll be limping to the finish line.
 
8. Philadelphia Reapers (+1) [Standings Position: 9th]

- Forward Ranking: 3rd (Avg TPA: 155.5) -> 4th (Avg TPA: 143.57)
- Defensemen Ranking: 6th (Avg TPA: 80.5) -> 6th (Avg TPA: 124)
- Goaltender Ranking: T-10th (No Goalie) -> 9th (Avg TPA: 90)
 
Philadelphia has been struggling throughout this season and for good reason. They had a rather poor draft (no fault to the GM, as they were put into a poor situation) and just could not put together a competitive team. They’ve had a lot of turnover player wise so lines have been in a relative constant flux and they’ve suffered because of it. Not too much to say about this team really, as they’ll be relegated to the bottom half of the league for the rest of the season.
 
7. Mexico City Kings (-4) [Standings Position: 1st]

- Forward Ranking: 4th (Avg TPA: 141.8) -> 7th (Avg TPA: 128.44)
- Defensemen Ranking: 7th (Avg TPA: 70) -> 5th (Avg TPA: 126.5)
- Goaltender Ranking: T-4th (137 TPA) -> 5th (Avg TPA: 137)
 
This team continues to defy any statistical logic and remains one of the top teams in the league. I really cannot explain why or how they’re so good with any logic, as it seems it’s practically luck based. I’m not saying that I ever thought that they’d be a terrible team, but there are clearly better teams that are doing worse than them. I kind of just gave up trying to understand this team after they went on a 16 win streak to start off the season. They’ve cooled down a bit after that, and this team has the potential to fall off, hence why they’re ranked so low statistically, but I guess I’ll believe it when I see it. Big possibility that they’ll be exposed come the playoffs.
 
6. Miami Marauders (no change) [Standings Position: 4th]

- Forward Ranking: 6th (Avg TPA: 134) -> 6th (Avg TPA: 134.57)
- Defensemen Ranking: 9th (Avg TPA: 75.33) -> 8th (Avg TPA: 117.5)
- Goaltender Ranking: T-1st (200 TPA) -> T-1st (Avg TPA: 200)
 
To be completely honest, this team has gone under the radar for me throughout this season. They haven’t really made any moves, or done anything in general, that would draw notice to them. Simply put, this is a middle of the pack team playing and acting like a middle of the pack team., and I expect them to stay a middle of the pack team.
 
5. Halifax 21st (+2) [Standings Position: 7th]

- Forward Ranking: 9th (Avg TPA: 96.4) -> 8th (Avg TPA: 110.33)
- Defensemen Ranking: 4th (Avg TPA: 133.33) -> 4th (Avg TPA: 149.33)
- Goaltender Ranking: 7th (52 TPA) -> T-1st (Avg TPA: 200)
 
This team was in pretty bad shape for a good portion of the first half of the season. The best part of this team is their defense, whereas their forwards leave a bit to be desired. This team would be significantly lower if it wasn’t for the move to bring in Saskatoon’s goaltender. After that, while things haven’t necessarily been on the full upswing, they have gotten better and continue to slowly but surely trend upwards. If they want to truly compete, however, they’ll need to improve their forward core.
 
4. Mississauga Hounds (no change) [Standings Position: 3rd]

- Forward Ranking: 1st (Avg TPA: 150.8) -> 1st (Avg TPA: 179.67)
- Defensemen Ranking: 5th (Avg TPA: 92.5) -> 7th (Avg TPA: 100)
- Goaltender Ranking: 6th (96 TPA) -> 7th (Avg TPA: 124)
 
This is a team that will only go as far as their offense takes them. They know how to score goals and are able to do so with great efficiency. Where they struggle, however, is on the defensive side. Their goaltending and defense is a step behind top competing teams but they compensate for that with a high-octane offense. So long as the forwards keep scoring, this team should be fine. It’s when that goal-scoring dries up, that there will be a problem.
 
3. San Diego Marlins (+2) [Standings Position: 6th]

- Forward Ranking: 7th (Avg TPA: 124) -> 5th (Avg TPA: 140.78)
- Defensemen Ranking: 1st (Avg TPA: 151.8) -> 2nd (Avg TPA: 158.4)
- Goaltender Ranking: 8th (43 TPA) -> 6th (Avg TPA: 126)
 
This team has been subtly good this season, with a large quantity of players to assist in their pursuit for a repeat. They’ve had some of the more reliable growth and for that they’ve remained with one of the more full rosters, which makes it pretty hard to match up against them. This team looks like one that will continue to get better and rise in the standings. They’ve had a bit of a slow start, but with goaltending starting to take shape, they should be more competitive in the second half of the season
 
2. Houston Bulls (-1) [Standings Position: 5th]

- Forward Ranking: 2nd (Avg TPA: 143.17) -> 2nd (Avg TPA: 160.38)
- Defensemen Ranking: 2nd (Avg TPA: 161) -> 3rd (Avg TPA: 153)
- Goaltender Ranking: T-4th (137 TPA) -> 4th (Avg TPA: 143)
 
Houston sports a very strong roster and looks primed to be a top team for the second half of the season. They don’t necessarily have any glaring weaknesses, at least any that need to be addressed immediately. Growth will fill in the gaps and allow this team to maintain success
 
1. Ottawa Lynx (+1) [Standings Position: 2nd]

- Forward Ranking: 5th (Avg TPA: 142.6) -> 3rd (Avg TPA: 150.17)
- Defensemen Ranking: 3rd (Avg TPA: 134.67) -> 1st (Avg TPA: 197)
- Goaltender Ranking: T-1st (200 TPA) -> T-1st (Avg TPA: 200)
 
Ottawa continues to push forward this season in an attempt to solidify themselves as the top team in the league. An interesting thing to note about this team is that they are not winning through a strong offensive game, but through steady defense instead. While their GF is below average (not uncommon for many of us), their GA is top of the league, being the only one left in the double digits. So long as the goaltending and defense stay staunch, this team should have the capabilities to remain a top contender.
 
Discussion
There are really few clear cut teams positionally speaking, with Saskatoon and Vegas the only ones I can 100% say belong where I put them. There’s a really strange mix in regards to forwards, defensemen, and goaltenders within and between all the teams that makes it extremely difficult to accurately place them. Teams with top forward groups have below average defense groups and vice versa, which, on one hand, has made the parity in the league very high, but on the other, ranking these teams a significant challenge. Looking at the standings, the league is separated into 3 groups:
- The top competitors, consisting of Mexico City, Ottawa, Mississauga, and Miami
- The middling teams, consisting of Houston, San Diego, and Halifax
- The bottom feeders, consisting of Las Vegas, Philadelphia. And Saskatoon
But statistically, these teams are all jumbled around somewhat. Based on how it looks, this is shaping up to be a very interesting second half of the season, in which teams should become more solidified in their position. With nobody really creating a gap between themselves and the other teams (in terms of actually being a top team. Saskatoon is doing a great job “running away” with the 1st overall pick) I can see teams fighting for positioning all the way till the last game of the season. 
 
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The secret to the creation of a good rivalry is its spontaneity. Pre-planned “rivalries” will almost always fall flat, lacking that bite that naturally formed rivalries create. Think about during the NHL expansion to Seattle, where the media was really trying to push a Seattle-Vancouver rivalry before Seattle even drafted their team. Now, there really isn’t much talk between those teams. Proximity is not a reason to create a rivalry. The best rivalries are the ones formed by accident.
 
The Trades
 
Let’s go way back to the far-away time of Season 86. Upon taking the helm for the Ottawa Lynx, I was trying to use the hand dealt to me to craft a championship caliber team. The squad was chugging along, and we were snuggled up near the top of the league. Of course, smooth sailing doesn’t last forever, and Don Aven (@Novanod) one of the top players on the team, requested a trade to San Diego due to an existing relationship with the team’s GM. My hand was forced and a trade transpired, resulting in a respectable return for a top player.

A swap of 1sts (Las Vegas ended up turning into the #1 overall) and an exchange of two lower TPE players for a maxed player. Yes the team got weaker, but things were still on course. However, there was a bit of an issue now. While it’s always nice to bring in more bodies, there was a significant need on defense. Teams strive for a balance of 6 forwards and 4 defensemen, and now, with a forward to spare, I looked to bolster the blue line, and I found a partner in Miami.

A max defenseman coming into Ottawa, while two picks and a player to Miami. Now, these trades aren’t inherently that interesting, I mean, teams trade around players all the time. The uniqueness of these trades, however, come from two things. Firstly, there’s a common player involved in both trades. Keita Kourou (@woog) had quite the journey, going from San Diego, all the way up North and East to Ottawa, then back down South and East to Miami. A bit of a pain, sure, but that’s not the worst of it. The second factor that plays into this, is the amount of time between these trades. The first trade was posted on November 24th. The second was posted on November 26th. Poor Keita went through three teams in the span of two days. The worst part about it is that they didn’t even join the Ottawa LR until AFTER they were traded to Miami. Obviously, Keita was not too big of a fan of this transaction.
 
The Rivalry
 
Keita Kourou has not made it easy to forget about this, as they’ve made a handful of articles and mentions of Ottawa (along with San Diego) in pressers discussing their disdain for how all of this transpired, and has spoken out about how driven they are to see Ottawa fail, while wanting to play a part in that. As for their individual performance, they’ve strived in Miami, sitting at roughly a 1.6ppg pace this season, and helping Miami sit a 4th in the league as of now. Ottawa, on the other hand, has stayed in form, battling it out with Mexico City for 1st place. With Keita sitting at 200 TPA and guaranteed to graduate at the end of this season, they have one last chance to make Ottawa pay in the playoffs, assuming Miami matches up with them in the first place.

I wonder if @badcolethetitanis able to make a lineup that works with more than 1 defenseman 😆

Bogatyrev simply just doesn't want to take the spotlight away from his teammates. What a true team player!

For those who haven’t been paying attention to the VHLM, Mexico City went on a ludicrous 16-0 start to the season. They’ve slowed down slightly, now sitting at 20-4-0, with Mississauga a point behind them, with a record of 18-3-3. We’ve all seen superteams in the VHLM before, so what makes these two teams different from those juggernauts in the past? Well, that’s a pretty simple question to answer. Mexico City and Mississauga are not superteams, Mexico City especially.
 
The Forwards
One could make the case that, at least on the forwards side of things, Mississauga does constitute as a superteam, being statistically the highest rated in the league; but for Mexico City, they’re nowhere near the top.

As it can be seen, Mexico City is 6th in the league in terms of forward strength, below average statistically, yet they lead the league in goals for. Perhaps the answer lies with the defensive groups?
 
The Defensemen
The saying goes “The best offense is a good defense”, and the best way to have a good defense is to have good defensemen. Let’s see how Mexico City’s and Mississauga’s defense groups stack up with the rest of the league.

Look at that: Mississauga and Mexico City both have below average defense groups, being 6th and 7th respectively. Alright, so the answer for Mississauga at least is that they’re simply going all offense, no defense, and winning games like that, right? Well, not necessarily. Mississauga is actually 2nd in goals against, with 66, only behind Ottawa. And guess who’s 3rd. That’s right, it’s Mexico City, sitting with 68 goals against. So what’s the answer? Why are these two teams, Mexico City especially, doing so well compared to the other teams? Well, let’s take a bit of a deeper dive.

The Lineups
I think it would be best to visualize the lineup through the lens of TPA. Let’s observe Mexico City’s lineup in their most recent game:

66 - 200 - 200
200 - 104 - 85
200 - 200 - 84
200 - 72 - 85
 
And on defense:

140 - 0
0 - 0
140 - 0
0 - 0
 
Alright, so their forward lines are organized in a way to have a balanced approach, which keeps all lines scoring, but what about on defense? They’re running 3 bots, yet have a top 3 goals against? Well, while those defensive bots get plenty of ice time, this team is still able to play sound defense and put up a lot of goals in the process. Let’s take a look at Mississauga’s lineup now:
 
192 - 125 - 199
195 - 155 - 195
192 - 125 - 199
195 - 155 - 195

And defensively:

200 - 0
200 - 0
200 - 0
200 - 0
 
So, again, forward lines take a bit of a more balanced approach (although with most players way up there in TPA, stacking the top line and being balanced would look nearly the same). On defense though, only 1 bot is getting a good chunk of ice time, opposed to 3. We can try to find reason by looking at the strategies of both teams. Mexico City runs a 0-1-4 (0 physical, 1 defense, 4 offense), while Mississauga runs the 0-2-3. Mexico City’s strategy prioritizes offense to make up for their weakness on the blue line, whereas Mississauga goes a more balanced approach, making them lean more on their one defenseman and bot pair. So, both teams go with different strategies, yet have somewhat similar team composition, so why are these teams succeeding?

Simon
The simplest answer is, Simon does what Simon wants. The reality of the league is that practically nobody, not even the GMs that claim that they do, know how STHS works. If lines that should be working aren’t working, you throw logic out the window and put everything in a blender, and huzzah, your team is suddenly playing super well. Last season in the VHLM, I saw defensemen as highly valuable. Teams who had top tier defenses, even when paired with lackluster forward groups, were way more dominant than the inverse. This season, it seems that defensemen aren’t necessarily a significant need, and that balanced forward lines are the way to win, for now. While we may never know the perfect strategy for STHS, I can safely say that it will be different every single season.

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Has 3 goals and 7 assist in 16 games for 10 points

I will say, way back to when I first joined nearly 4 years ago, nobody ever told me how to do point tasks. I was moreorless just a welfare player and the GMs I had just kind of accepted that that was how it would always be. Eventually I found out how to actually do point tasks and here I am now. While it is true that some GMs fall short on educating new and returning members alike in regards to claiming, it isn't super difficult to figure out how to do them. The forum is laid out somewhat decently enough to find where they are and there's guides pinned on all of them.

get out of here! 🥸

With the draft being complete and free agency kicking off, it is time once again for my usual preseason rankings. This season was particularly difficult due to each team being extremely mixed and jumbled up in terms of balance. Teams with a good forward core may be lacking in defense, or goaltending, and that goes in every such way as well; however, I tried my damndest to assemble at least a competent ranking. I do apologize to anyone who actually likes reading these (probably only like 5 people max, but hats off to you guys), as I was unable to push out the end of season rankings, despite having it like half-done for multiple weeks. I’ll do my best not to miss out on that again, as I am a fan of that extra 2 TPE. Please note that these rankings are done with all inactives removed from each team. Also let it be known that players on the edge of inactivity were still included, as this is done as if the season was starting today, and I should not predict whether or not a player goes inactive.
 
10. Las Vegas Aces

Forward Ranking: 10th (Avg TPA: 59.2)
Defensemen Ranking: 8th (Avg TPA: 79)
Goaltender Ranking: T-10th (No Goalie)
 
Finishing last in the previous season, this team lines up in last place coming into this season as well. I will say, they had a very solid draft. The picks made were moreoreless setting up the team for next season, not this one, as they went with mostly some lower TPE players that should be playing in the M for a couple seasons. Overall, expect this team to be at the bottom of the league for a good bit, prioritizing player growth over being competitive.
 
9. Philadelphia Reapers

Forward Ranking: 3rd (Avg TPA: 155.5)
Defensemen Ranking: 6th (Avg TPA: 80.5)
Goaltender Ranking: T-10th (No Goalie)
 
The Reapers did not have a very good draft, which is understandable, since they lacked a good amount of early picks in a relatively weak draft. The main thing that is going to hurt them is the lack of a goalie. This is a problem Vegas faced last season, where, despite having an okay squad, the lack of a “real” goaltender basically killed their season. Unless that problem is resolved, they are going to struggle throughout this season.
 
8. Saskatoon Wild

Forward Ranking: 8th (Avg TPA: 90.67)
Defensemen Ranking: 10th (Avg TPA: 57)
Goaltender Ranking: T-1st (200 TPA)
 
While goaltending is a major factor in a team’s success, you still actually, y’know, need a team. Even with the team sporting a max TPA goaltender, they only have 2 active forwards on the roster (since I’ve last checked), hurting them massively. The defensemen they have rostered also are not very high TPEwise. Unless some attributions are made, this team is going to struggle due to bots eating up ice-time over players.
 
7. Halifax 21st

Forward Ranking: 9th (Avg TPA: 96.4)
Defensemen Ranking: 4th (Avg TPA: 133.33)
Goaltender Ranking: 7th (52 TPA)
 
Halifax is a bit of a mixed bag. Their defense looks pretty solid, picking up a couple high end defensemen in the draft, but their forward core and goaltending could definitely use some work. While they should get a bit better as the season progresses, I don’t feel that their forwards or goaltender will get to a competitive enough level, and this team is likely to be a seller, maximizing draft picks to make them a more legitimate contender in season 88.
 
6. Miami Marauders

Forward Ranking: 6th (Avg TPA: 134)
Defensemen Ranking: 9th (Avg TPA: 75.33)
Goaltender Ranking: T-1st (200 TPA)
 
An okay draft has given this team the pieces to be an okay squad going into the season. Their early season struggles due to lower TPA defensemen and forwards should be buoyed somewhat by their max TPA goaltender. If all goes right, they should jump above a couple teams; however, that is heavily reliant on their players staying active and continuing to claim. Are they a legitimate contender right now? Definitely not. Will they be later in the season? Still, probably not. But, nonetheless, they’ll likely be better.
 
5. San Diego Marlins

Forward Ranking: 7th (Avg TPA: 124)
Defensemen Ranking: 1st (Avg TPA: 151.8)
Goaltender Ranking: 8th (43 TPA)
 
First off, congrats to San Diego for their championship run. They put together a great squad, ranking 1st in both forwards and defensemen last season, and now come into this season, noticeably weaker, but should still be competitive. They’re coming into this season with an already very strong defensive group and their forwards, while low TPE, are plentiful and should get better over the course of the season. The biggest concern of this team is their goaltender. While I would have removed them due to being an inactive, the GM is confident that they can get Fonzi to actually have an active player for once. I guess we'll just have to wait and see
 
4. Mississauga Hounds

Forward Ranking: 1st (Avg TPA: 150.8)
Defensemen Ranking: 5th (Avg TPA: 92.5)
Goaltender Ranking: 6th (96 TPA)
 
Mississauga is coming into the start of the season with the top ranked forward core in the league, with practically all their forwards being in the mid to high 100 TPA area. Their weakness comes in on the defensive side. The team is only rostering a single defenseman, which is going to lead to some struggles, especially with a lower end goaltender stopping the pucks. Perhaps a trade between this team and Halifax may occur sometime during the season to bring in a defenseman to boot out the bot from the roster, but that’s just speculation. While they should be an okay team at the start, they will be in trouble if they don’t make some additions on the blueline.
 
3. Mexico City Kings

Forward Ranking: 4th (Avg TPA: 141.8)
Defensemen Ranking: 7th (Avg TPA: 70)
Goaltender Ranking: T-4th (137 TPA)
 
Mexico City is actually a team that I’m predicting will drop down the rankings as the season progresses. They did go out and acquire a good defenseman and some complementary pieces for the forward core during the draft; however, it is likely that their goaltender does go inactive (still included in the rankings because, hey, maybe they’ll change their mind). If they are forced to downgrade on their goaltender and not make any additions to help out their singular defenseman, this team is gonna struggle to keep pucks out of the net. Goals for likely won’t be a problem, but goals against probably will be.
 
2. Ottawa Lynx

Forward Ranking: 5th (Avg TPA: 142.6)
Defensemen Ranking: 3rd (Avg TPA: 134.67)
Goaltender Ranking: T-1st (200 TPA)
 
This team is gearing up to make another push after coming up short in the finals against San Diego. Both the forward and defenseman groups are alright, but will likely need a bit of help if they want to make a major push. They’ll likely get a lot of help from their goaltender, and a little bit of growth from their team should keep them at least in the conversation. This team should be solid throughout the season. 
 
1. Houston Bulls

Forward Ranking: 2nd (Avg TPA: 143.17)
Defensemen Ranking: 2nd (Avg TPA: 161)
Goaltender Ranking: T-4th (137 TPA)
 
This team is looking like it will be an absolute unit this season. All players above 100 TPA with most well into 100. So long as growth continues, they should turn out to be the best team this season. Of course, that’s always the big question for the M: Are players going to stay active? There’s always a few that fizzle out, even high TPA ones, but I’m getting into the realm of speculation, which contributes nothing. All in all, this is the team to beat coming into this season.
 
Conclusion
And there you have it, my objectively correct preseason rankings. It feels weird since I could see any team outside of Vegas and Houston fitting in literally anywhere else. Every team is so jumbled up, missing like one or two pieces, or are just banking for some growth. It was really confusing placing them all into places that felt right, and even then, some teams I’m kinda questioning on where I placed them. I actually moved a few around as I was writing this because I took a look at some teams and was like “nah that team should be better” or “the numbers don’t really capture the whole picture.” This is probably the first time since being in the VHL that I can say I have no idea how this season will turn out. I guess a somewhat weak draft class will do that to ya. There’s a ton of lower TPA guys in the league right now, most of which are purely welfare or welfare+ players, which should mean that, on top of new recruits and recreates for the S88 draft, next season should be much more competitive; but, that’s not the focus right now. Let’s get ready and excited for season 87!

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Finally seeing Houston good again is an amazing feeling

That's a pretty mid career total though

With the draft being complete and free agency kicking off, it is time once again for my usual preseason rankings. This season was particularly difficult due to each team being extremely mixed and jumbled up in terms of balance. Teams with a good forward core may be lacking in defense, or goaltending, and that goes in every such way as well; however, I tried my damndest to assemble at least a competent ranking. I do apologize to anyone who actually likes reading these (probably only like 5 people max, but hats off to you guys), as I was unable to push out the end of season rankings, despite having it like half-done for multiple weeks. I’ll do my best not to miss out on that again, as I am a fan of that extra 2 TPE. Please note that these rankings are done with all inactives removed from each team. Also let it be known that players on the edge of inactivity were still included, as this is done as if the season was starting today, and I should not predict whether or not a player goes inactive.
 
10. Las Vegas Aces

Forward Ranking: 10th (Avg TPA: 59.2)
Defensemen Ranking: 8th (Avg TPA: 79)
Goaltender Ranking: T-10th (No Goalie)
 
Finishing last in the previous season, this team lines up in last place coming into this season as well. I will say, they had a very solid draft. The picks made were moreoreless setting up the team for next season, not this one, as they went with mostly some lower TPE players that should be playing in the M for a couple seasons. Overall, expect this team to be at the bottom of the league for a good bit, prioritizing player growth over being competitive.
 
9. Philadelphia Reapers

Forward Ranking: 3rd (Avg TPA: 155.5)
Defensemen Ranking: 6th (Avg TPA: 80.5)
Goaltender Ranking: T-10th (No Goalie)
 
The Reapers did not have a very good draft, which is understandable, since they lacked a good amount of early picks in a relatively weak draft. The main thing that is going to hurt them is the lack of a goalie. This is a problem Vegas faced last season, where, despite having an okay squad, the lack of a “real” goaltender basically killed their season. Unless that problem is resolved, they are going to struggle throughout this season.
 
8. Saskatoon Wild

Forward Ranking: 8th (Avg TPA: 90.67)
Defensemen Ranking: 10th (Avg TPA: 57)
Goaltender Ranking: T-1st (200 TPA)
 
While goaltending is a major factor in a team’s success, you still actually, y’know, need a team. Even with the team sporting a max TPA goaltender, they only have 2 active forwards on the roster (since I’ve last checked), hurting them massively. The defensemen they have rostered also are not very high TPEwise. Unless some attributions are made, this team is going to struggle due to bots eating up ice-time over players.
 
7. Halifax 21st

Forward Ranking: 9th (Avg TPA: 96.4)
Defensemen Ranking: 4th (Avg TPA: 133.33)
Goaltender Ranking: 7th (52 TPA)
 
Halifax is a bit of a mixed bag. Their defense looks pretty solid, picking up a couple high end defensemen in the draft, but their forward core and goaltending could definitely use some work. While they should get a bit better as the season progresses, I don’t feel that their forwards or goaltender will get to a competitive enough level, and this team is likely to be a seller, maximizing draft picks to make them a more legitimate contender in season 88.
 
6. Miami Marauders

Forward Ranking: 6th (Avg TPA: 134)
Defensemen Ranking: 9th (Avg TPA: 75.33)
Goaltender Ranking: T-1st (200 TPA)
 
An okay draft has given this team the pieces to be an okay squad going into the season. Their early season struggles due to lower TPA defensemen and forwards should be buoyed somewhat by their max TPA goaltender. If all goes right, they should jump above a couple teams; however, that is heavily reliant on their players staying active and continuing to claim. Are they a legitimate contender right now? Definitely not. Will they be later in the season? Still, probably not. But, nonetheless, they’ll likely be better.
 
5. San Diego Marlins

Forward Ranking: 7th (Avg TPA: 124)
Defensemen Ranking: 1st (Avg TPA: 151.8)
Goaltender Ranking: 8th (43 TPA)
 
First off, congrats to San Diego for their championship run. They put together a great squad, ranking 1st in both forwards and defensemen last season, and now come into this season, noticeably weaker, but should still be competitive. They’re coming into this season with an already very strong defensive group and their forwards, while low TPE, are plentiful and should get better over the course of the season. The biggest concern of this team is their goaltender. While I would have removed them due to being an inactive, the GM is confident that they can get Fonzi to actually have an active player for once. I guess we'll just have to wait and see
 
4. Mississauga Hounds

Forward Ranking: 1st (Avg TPA: 150.8)
Defensemen Ranking: 5th (Avg TPA: 92.5)
Goaltender Ranking: 6th (96 TPA)
 
Mississauga is coming into the start of the season with the top ranked forward core in the league, with practically all their forwards being in the mid to high 100 TPA area. Their weakness comes in on the defensive side. The team is only rostering a single defenseman, which is going to lead to some struggles, especially with a lower end goaltender stopping the pucks. Perhaps a trade between this team and Halifax may occur sometime during the season to bring in a defenseman to boot out the bot from the roster, but that’s just speculation. While they should be an okay team at the start, they will be in trouble if they don’t make some additions on the blueline.
 
3. Mexico City Kings

Forward Ranking: 4th (Avg TPA: 141.8)
Defensemen Ranking: 7th (Avg TPA: 70)
Goaltender Ranking: T-4th (137 TPA)
 
Mexico City is actually a team that I’m predicting will drop down the rankings as the season progresses. They did go out and acquire a good defenseman and some complementary pieces for the forward core during the draft; however, it is likely that their goaltender does go inactive (still included in the rankings because, hey, maybe they’ll change their mind). If they are forced to downgrade on their goaltender and not make any additions to help out their singular defenseman, this team is gonna struggle to keep pucks out of the net. Goals for likely won’t be a problem, but goals against probably will be.
 
2. Ottawa Lynx

Forward Ranking: 5th (Avg TPA: 142.6)
Defensemen Ranking: 3rd (Avg TPA: 134.67)
Goaltender Ranking: T-1st (200 TPA)
 
This team is gearing up to make another push after coming up short in the finals against San Diego. Both the forward and defenseman groups are alright, but will likely need a bit of help if they want to make a major push. They’ll likely get a lot of help from their goaltender, and a little bit of growth from their team should keep them at least in the conversation. This team should be solid throughout the season. 
 
1. Houston Bulls

Forward Ranking: 2nd (Avg TPA: 143.17)
Defensemen Ranking: 2nd (Avg TPA: 161)
Goaltender Ranking: T-4th (137 TPA)
 
This team is looking like it will be an absolute unit this season. All players above 100 TPA with most well into 100. So long as growth continues, they should turn out to be the best team this season. Of course, that’s always the big question for the M: Are players going to stay active? There’s always a few that fizzle out, even high TPA ones, but I’m getting into the realm of speculation, which contributes nothing. All in all, this is the team to beat coming into this season.
 
Conclusion
And there you have it, my objectively correct preseason rankings. It feels weird since I could see any team outside of Vegas and Houston fitting in literally anywhere else. Every team is so jumbled up, missing like one or two pieces, or are just banking for some growth. It was really confusing placing them all into places that felt right, and even then, some teams I’m kinda questioning on where I placed them. I actually moved a few around as I was writing this because I took a look at some teams and was like “nah that team should be better” or “the numbers don’t really capture the whole picture.” This is probably the first time since being in the VHL that I can say I have no idea how this season will turn out. I guess a somewhat weak draft class will do that to ya. There’s a ton of lower TPA guys in the league right now, most of which are purely welfare or welfare+ players, which should mean that, on top of new recruits and recreates for the S88 draft, next season should be much more competitive; but, that’s not the focus right now. Let’s get ready and excited for season 87!

(1523 words)

With the draft being complete and free agency kicking off, it is time once again for my usual preseason rankings. This season was particularly difficult due to each team being extremely mixed and jumbled up in terms of balance. Teams with a good forward core may be lacking in defense, or goaltending, and that goes in every such way as well; however, I tried my damndest to assemble at least a competent ranking. I do apologize to anyone who actually likes reading these (probably only like 5 people max, but hats off to you guys), as I was unable to push out the end of season rankings, despite having it like half-done for multiple weeks. I’ll do my best not to miss out on that again, as I am a fan of that extra 2 TPE. Please note that these rankings are done with all inactives removed from each team. Also let it be known that players on the edge of inactivity were still included, as this is done as if the season was starting today, and I should not predict whether or not a player goes inactive.
 
10. Las Vegas Aces

Forward Ranking: 10th (Avg TPA: 59.2)
Defensemen Ranking: 8th (Avg TPA: 79)
Goaltender Ranking: T-10th (No Goalie)
 
Finishing last in the previous season, this team lines up in last place coming into this season as well. I will say, they had a very solid draft. The picks made were moreoreless setting up the team for next season, not this one, as they went with mostly some lower TPE players that should be playing in the M for a couple seasons. Overall, expect this team to be at the bottom of the league for a good bit, prioritizing player growth over being competitive.
 
9. Philadelphia Reapers

Forward Ranking: 3rd (Avg TPA: 155.5)
Defensemen Ranking: 6th (Avg TPA: 80.5)
Goaltender Ranking: T-10th (No Goalie)
 
The Reapers did not have a very good draft, which is understandable, since they lacked a good amount of early picks in a relatively weak draft. The main thing that is going to hurt them is the lack of a goalie. This is a problem Vegas faced last season, where, despite having an okay squad, the lack of a “real” goaltender basically killed their season. Unless that problem is resolved, they are going to struggle throughout this season.
 
8. Saskatoon Wild

Forward Ranking: 8th (Avg TPA: 90.67)
Defensemen Ranking: 10th (Avg TPA: 57)
Goaltender Ranking: T-1st (200 TPA)
 
While goaltending is a major factor in a team’s success, you still actually, y’know, need a team. Even with the team sporting a max TPA goaltender, they only have 2 active forwards on the roster (since I’ve last checked), hurting them massively. The defensemen they have rostered also are not very high TPEwise. Unless some attributions are made, this team is going to struggle due to bots eating up ice-time over players.
 
7. Halifax 21st

Forward Ranking: 9th (Avg TPA: 96.4)
Defensemen Ranking: 4th (Avg TPA: 133.33)
Goaltender Ranking: 7th (52 TPA)
 
Halifax is a bit of a mixed bag. Their defense looks pretty solid, picking up a couple high end defensemen in the draft, but their forward core and goaltending could definitely use some work. While they should get a bit better as the season progresses, I don’t feel that their forwards or goaltender will get to a competitive enough level, and this team is likely to be a seller, maximizing draft picks to make them a more legitimate contender in season 88.
 
6. Miami Marauders

Forward Ranking: 6th (Avg TPA: 134)
Defensemen Ranking: 9th (Avg TPA: 75.33)
Goaltender Ranking: T-1st (200 TPA)
 
An okay draft has given this team the pieces to be an okay squad going into the season. Their early season struggles due to lower TPA defensemen and forwards should be buoyed somewhat by their max TPA goaltender. If all goes right, they should jump above a couple teams; however, that is heavily reliant on their players staying active and continuing to claim. Are they a legitimate contender right now? Definitely not. Will they be later in the season? Still, probably not. But, nonetheless, they’ll likely be better.
 
5. San Diego Marlins

Forward Ranking: 7th (Avg TPA: 124)
Defensemen Ranking: 1st (Avg TPA: 151.8)
Goaltender Ranking: 8th (43 TPA)
 
First off, congrats to San Diego for their championship run. They put together a great squad, ranking 1st in both forwards and defensemen last season, and now come into this season, noticeably weaker, but should still be competitive. They’re coming into this season with an already very strong defensive group and their forwards, while low TPE, are plentiful and should get better over the course of the season. The biggest concern of this team is their goaltender. While I would have removed them due to being an inactive, the GM is confident that they can get Fonzi to actually have an active player for once. I guess we'll just have to wait and see
 
4. Mississauga Hounds

Forward Ranking: 1st (Avg TPA: 150.8)
Defensemen Ranking: 5th (Avg TPA: 92.5)
Goaltender Ranking: 6th (96 TPA)
 
Mississauga is coming into the start of the season with the top ranked forward core in the league, with practically all their forwards being in the mid to high 100 TPA area. Their weakness comes in on the defensive side. The team is only rostering a single defenseman, which is going to lead to some struggles, especially with a lower end goaltender stopping the pucks. Perhaps a trade between this team and Halifax may occur sometime during the season to bring in a defenseman to boot out the bot from the roster, but that’s just speculation. While they should be an okay team at the start, they will be in trouble if they don’t make some additions on the blueline.
 
3. Mexico City Kings

Forward Ranking: 4th (Avg TPA: 141.8)
Defensemen Ranking: 7th (Avg TPA: 70)
Goaltender Ranking: T-4th (137 TPA)
 
Mexico City is actually a team that I’m predicting will drop down the rankings as the season progresses. They did go out and acquire a good defenseman and some complementary pieces for the forward core during the draft; however, it is likely that their goaltender does go inactive (still included in the rankings because, hey, maybe they’ll change their mind). If they are forced to downgrade on their goaltender and not make any additions to help out their singular defenseman, this team is gonna struggle to keep pucks out of the net. Goals for likely won’t be a problem, but goals against probably will be.
 
2. Ottawa Lynx

Forward Ranking: 5th (Avg TPA: 142.6)
Defensemen Ranking: 3rd (Avg TPA: 134.67)
Goaltender Ranking: T-1st (200 TPA)
 
This team is gearing up to make another push after coming up short in the finals against San Diego. Both the forward and defenseman groups are alright, but will likely need a bit of help if they want to make a major push. They’ll likely get a lot of help from their goaltender, and a little bit of growth from their team should keep them at least in the conversation. This team should be solid throughout the season. 
 
1. Houston Bulls

Forward Ranking: 2nd (Avg TPA: 143.17)
Defensemen Ranking: 2nd (Avg TPA: 161)
Goaltender Ranking: T-4th (137 TPA)
 
This team is looking like it will be an absolute unit this season. All players above 100 TPA with most well into 100. So long as growth continues, they should turn out to be the best team this season. Of course, that’s always the big question for the M: Are players going to stay active? There’s always a few that fizzle out, even high TPA ones, but I’m getting into the realm of speculation, which contributes nothing. All in all, this is the team to beat coming into this season.
 
Conclusion
And there you have it, my objectively correct preseason rankings. It feels weird since I could see any team outside of Vegas and Houston fitting in literally anywhere else. Every team is so jumbled up, missing like one or two pieces, or are just banking for some growth. It was really confusing placing them all into places that felt right, and even then, some teams I’m kinda questioning on where I placed them. I actually moved a few around as I was writing this because I took a look at some teams and was like “nah that team should be better” or “the numbers don’t really capture the whole picture.” This is probably the first time since being in the VHL that I can say I have no idea how this season will turn out. I guess a somewhat weak draft class will do that to ya. There’s a ton of lower TPA guys in the league right now, most of which are purely welfare or welfare+ players, which should mean that, on top of new recruits and recreates for the S88 draft, next season should be much more competitive; but, that’s not the focus right now. Let’s get ready and excited for season 87!

(1523 words)

Hoping to move up the list as the season moves along!

Had to take a bet on a few players being able to grow into top players, but we should have a nice top-6 forward group at least by the end of the season.

Tough draft for goaltending (again) and having moved on from the 1st overall pick in order to secure the cup run we had, it does mean I'll have to blackmail @fonziGG to update so we can keep up with the pack!

Overall looks like it's gonna be a great VHLM season though I'm quite excited to see how it all plays out!