MexicanCow123

Well it's going to be hard to replace Krice. He was probably the best AGM ever. To be honest he basically did my job.100% deserved. I'm going to go cry now.

Jacob Tonn has been released by the San Diego Marlins.

GGs Las Vegas!

Yukon boys making me proud!

Thanks Quik! Love you!

2. We not only can be better but we will be better.
3. Focus on skating.
6. Of course! The locker room is great, we have a good team, and it's fun to be here.
7. Not really, y'all are great as is.
8. I'd be for an expansion.
9. Thanks for being with us! You were a great leader and a big part of our team. Calgary will miss you.

Hello, and welcome to another edition of Under 250: The VHLM Report. In these series, we will be taking a look at the trends and topics from the past week in the VHLM. What twists and turns will our minor league hold? Stay tuned to find out!
 
Also, make sure to check out the wide variety of content here at VSN. There are in-depth weekly updates and an award tracker for the VHL, a great podcast, and daily WJC coverage when it starts up, among other informative articles. Check out our latest installments here:
 | VSN Radio | VHL Weekly | Future Watch | The Talent Behind the Trophies | 
 
 
The Review
 
Hello all, and welcome to the regular season recap for the VHLM Season 71! Playoffs have already started and are in full swing, but for now, we will look mostly at the regular season review (with some small playoff mentions). For now, let’s take a look at how the final 100 games went, from Games 298 to 398. First things first, as always, the final standings. 
 


Finishing the season off in style, the Ottawa Lynx maintained their first position, ensuring favourable playoff matchups and home ice. Following them is the Yukon Rush in second place, who almost fell to the third-place Minnesota Storm, ending up just barely taking the lead by a single point. The Storm went on a strong 16 game winning streak, only to fall short in their final game of the season, in which the Rush took them out by a score of 5-3 (Game 393). Rounding out the top four we have the Philadelphia Reapers, whose 105 points keeps them in the upper echelon of teams. 

The next batch of playoff teams is kicked off with the Las Vegas Aces, who are to match up against the Reapers in the first round. Tied with the Aces, but losing out on tie-breakers is the San Diego Marlins who will go against the Storm. Next up, the Saskatoon Wild, whose 73 points earn them a ticket against Yukon. Finally, barely sneaking into the playoffs, just two points ahead of 9th place, we have Halifax 21st, who are rewarded for their tenacity by a trip to the number one seeded Ottawa. 
 
Just missing out of the playoffs is the Houston Bulls, who are followed by the Mississauga Hounds and the Mexico City Kings in 10th and 11th places, respectively. All in all, there was a surprising amount of movement around the league since our last look. With their strong performance, the Storm jumped the Reapers for 3rd position. Additionally, the Marlins and the Aces flipped with the Aces getting the final nod on tiebreakers as previously mentioned. Finally, the Bulls were able to wrangle together enough good performances to make it up to 9th position, flipping with the Hounds, but it was not enough to displace Halifax from that final playoff spot. 
 
Let’s look now at the ELO charts and see how our first round matchups might play out. 
 


Unsurprisingly the Lynx maintain a strong ELO gap on their first-round matchup of Halifax by almost 600 points (which was matched by a 4-0 sweep at the time of writing). Yukon has dropped off somewhat but still hold roughly a 260 point lead on Saskatoon. That series is currently tied up 2-2 and is looking to be a real treat. 
 
Next up we have the Storm versus the Marlins. This one is really interesting considering how the series is currently going. Despite the Marlins drop off in form at the end of the season and the Storm’s huge ELO advances (almost equaling the Rush), the Marlins currently lead the Storm 3-1 and are on the verge of breaking through to the second round. Our final first-round matchup is the closest one of them all in with only 60 or so ELO points separating the two teams. The Reapers stagnated towards the end of the season, but the Aces steadily rose, almost closing the gap in quality despite sitting 19 points off in the standings. The series is tied right now 2-2 and is a good one to watch for the neutral fans. 
 
The Statistics
 
For this final regular-season review of Under 250, we will list out a few of the statistical leaders from the regular season. Make sure to stay tuned once playoff coverage is complete, as some of these names will be in contention for the prestigious VHLM Awards, which will be covered by yours truly and the rest of the VSN crew. Without further ado, here are some of the statistical leaders, taken straight from the individual leaders tab of the portal, as of the end of the season by category and by position. 
 
Leading in a whole bunch of categories is Richard Penisson of the Ottawa Lynx, whose strong performances consistently throughout the season have him with the most goals (77), assists (122), and points (199) out of any player in the league. He may be just shy of the 200 point mark but is good enough to be the number one scorer of all players, not just centres. He also has the most shots (547), power-play goals (22), tied for most hat tricks (6), point-scoring streak (49!!!!), and has participated in four total fights; he really is the complete player. 
 
Hank McKill of the Halifax 21st might be a somewhat surprising name to some, but his shooting percentage of 20% on 75 shots places him as the league’s best; which is impressive considering his 2259 minutes played puts him at the top of all VHLM players this season. He also leads the league in penalty minutes with 198, making him the ultimate goon. 
 
On the left-wing, our best performer was Ottawa’s Adam Syreck, whose 62 goals and 119 assists ranked him first in his position by points. In fact, Ottawa’s gifted winger core held the top three left-wing scorers with Big Chungus and Iangenere Risteneen following their teammate. Syreck also led the lead in points per 20 minutes, scoring at a hyper-efficient 1.99 clip. 
 
Coming on the right-wing, Minnesota’s Aleelee Kiak took the title of best scorer in his position, with 120 points on a 59-61 goal to assist split. Kiak also led the league in hat tricks along with Saskatoon’s Gary Neal and the aforementioned Penisson. 
 
Out of defensemen, Yukon’s Alex Armstrong scored the most, leading Nikita Kulikovich by just a single point. Joined on the list by fellow Yukon defenseman Zyrok12, the Rush had the best scoring defensive core in the league. 
 
Joe Proto of the Las Vegas Aces leads the league in game-winning goals with 13, proving vital to his team’s success, having netted them a lot of extra points there. 
 
From the faceoff circle, Jack Feriancek of the Minnesota Storm won an impressive 63.38% of his 1715 faceoffs taken, roughly 2.5% higher than Philadelphia's Jack Russell. 
 
Rounding out our look at skater statistics, Riley Knight Gee of Houston showcased some defensive know-how with 193 shots blocked, while Bo Burrows of Yukon taught us all to fear the blindside hit, along with San Diego’s Jungkok, and Saskatoon’s Bobby Wyman, each ending the season with 278 hits. 
 
Out of all goalies,  Yukon’s Nicolas Fomba was the only starter to hold a .900 SV% or higher, which he toed the line at .900. From the Ottawa Lynx, Joakim Bruden was able to take the best GAA, however, with his 2.61 beating out Fomba’s 2.72. Considering Bruden was just .001 % back off of Fomba’s save percentage, it will be interesting to see which goalie takes the award at the end of the season. 
 
Aleksander Aleksandrov of Mississauga was the iceman this season, and saved .778% of all penalty shots taken, but equally impressive was the real iceman’s .750%, Zamboni Driver. Despite saving less by percent, he faced over double, at 20 rather than 9. Impressive!
 
Finally, an honourable mention to John Poremba of Houston whose 2535 shots against was the most against any goalie in the VHLM this season. Our hats off to you good sir. 
 

That’s all for this edition of Under 250: The VHLM Review. Thank you all for reading, and stay tuned next week for the inside scoop on all that’s going on in the league. Until next time!
 
GMs:  @Proto, @Berocka, @DoktorFunk, @Dil, @Rayzor_7, @Motzaburger,
@MexicanCow123, @McWolf, @DMaximus, @iRockstar, @Sonnet
 
Players Mentioned: @bluesfan55, @Alex88Shaw, @Spade18, @Ferda, @Maasa, @Grant, @LittleRiDog, @dylanjj37, @Lockdown Defense, @Zyrok, @Proto, @Jackie4967, @quanack, @KnightRiley, @Walter Fizz, @tfong, @Lefty_S, @efiug, @PadStack, @aleks, @Tape-to-Tape, @CrlineDijohn14
 
VSN Writer Mr_Hatter
 

Sorry completely forgot about this if i'm going to be honest. Here they are! 
 
Hardest Shot: Ray Sheilds
Shooting Stars: Alex Armstrong
Fastest Skater: Zyrok 
Accuracy Shooting: Gino 
Save Streak: Nicholas Fomba 

Shawn Glade lll has accepted Minnesota's offer.

Yo Shawn! If you want you can play on the 3rd line in Yukon! We are going for the cup! 

1. How do you feel about the recent signing of Viperxhawks19? Are you sad that Fever stepped down?
Im hopeful for Viper. I never met Fever so im not sad. So far Viper has been a fanstiac AGM and im glad i got to spend my waiver season with him.
 
2. Do you feel that we can make it far in the playoffs this year?
I think we might have a chance 1st round but them if im going to be honest i think were done. The VHLM have some stacked team this year.
 
3. With the season closing up, do you feel you have performed up to standards?
Sense this is my 1st goalie i wasn't really sure what to expect. I definitely did not do great in the 17 games i played. But i don't feel like i was horrible. All in all i did meh.
 
4. It has been rumored that @Viperxhawks19 abuses @Alex Bridges, do you feel it's true?
I know they bully each other. Im thinking its the other way around though. Im pretty sure its Alex abusing Viper.
 
5. Are you happy with the team this season?
I only got to play for a month as a waiver signing, but ya i have really enjoyed San Diego and it will forever be my home.
 
6. Do you have a pre-game meal that we should know about so we can notify the chefs at our arena to make for you?
Make me nice rare steak please. I need that juice just POURINGIGNIGINGNIGNIGNI out.

Seattle's prospects are basically just the Yukon Rush's current team

@Zyrok Do it

Thank you to everyone who has applied and thrown in their opinions so far. We have had some very good discussion today and as you guys who applied always make it, we have a tough final decision to make. Best of luck. ANNOUNCEMENT coming soon.
 

oooo can i ever. Krice does more work than me and Krice = GOD. That's all i need to say. Bye.

oooo can i ever. Krice does more work than me and Krice = GOD. That's all i need to say. Bye.

Dats dope @Ricer13 Use it!!!

Never met David but from what everyone is saying he was a super fun and hilarious member. Really wish I could have gotten to know him. Rest in peace David. You will be missed.

Happy to see this posted. Thank you @gorlab. I was starting to think it wouldn’t happen! 
 
David and I go pretty far back to some early SHL days. I can’t even remember the seasons but very early SHL all the way throughout his time there and here. It was Gorlab, Brandon, Kit, Dyl OG, 701 and myself doing our every night, late night chats on KiK getting all silly on our marijuana and all that stuff, or private talks and interactions throughout the leagues and shit. I was very much similar in the way that as we got older, the talks weren’t as frequent due to life but if he ever rolled on or I spotted him we’d always throw one another a message. He was very honest and always spoke what he felt was real and he was a very loyal and good person to have in your corner. I think we went to battle for one another on a few occasions. If we had a disagreement, it was never anything we couldn’t squash out.
 
One story I guess I have, and I’m unsure it’s really a story but it’s something, is that Davis and I supported one another on a different level too and goes along with exactly what Gorlab said. It had to of been 7-8 years ago now (Give or take) and it was a time in my and his lives where we were partying but also being young and figuring shit out. I had some tough spots as most young adolescents do growing up/learning and while I had great support in my real life, I had great support from some in the league and David/I played a good role in supporting one another, giving advice and just being there to chat when things got a little tough for one another. I’ve worked my ass off to be where I am now in a good position and all that jazz but one can’t look back while reflecting on his life/time in the leagues and not be thankful for his presence for myself in these leagues. My hard work was the reason I am here, but his support, friendship and everything of course is a piece to that puzzle. 
 
It was very sad to hear the passing of someone I’ve known in these leagues for what felt like forever. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t tear up when looking at his page, knowing he had passed, but seeing that shit eating fucking grin he always had on his fucking face. Shame he dipped off the league and people didn’t get to experience how caring and great of a person he could be.
 
David, you were too young, buddy. Smoke a chubby up there for me. 

Player Information
Username: MexicanCow123
Player Name: Jacob Tonn
Recruited From: Other (Recreate)
Age: 22
Position: G
Height: 65 in.
Weight: 140 lbs.
Birthplace: Canada

Player Page
@VHLM GM

I'm going through wall of text withdrawal! Good thing I've got the media spot subforum to get me out of the degenerate world of graphics for the first time in a bit...
 
Today, I'll be doing something a tiny bit different--I've written a S66 redraft in the past as sort of a long-winded excuse to talk about myself for 50 words or so, and now I'm here to hit the general VHL public with a S65 redraft...but in the VHLM, of course, because, again, I do love my long-winded excuses to talk about myself for 50 seasons or so. Now, the VHLM is a bit different--this isn't just about who's active now, it's about who would have been a good fit for the teams then, in the VHLM, when sticking around for three seasons as a slow earner is a possibility and those who were active enough to get to the then-200-TPE cap were as good as any other whore out on the market.
 
So, let's get into it! Prepare for some weird picks and weird explanations.
 
 
ROUND 1
 
 #1: Yukon Rush 
Hunter Hearst Helmsley
@Beaviss | C | S66 | TPE: 181
Actual Pick: Hunter Hearst Helmsley
 
Little-known fact: before HHH was a bust in the VHL, he was quite good in the minors. Coming into the draft 19 TPE under the cap, this whore to end all whores was the league's best player and undoubtedly the #1 choice in the draft. With a good amount of distance between himself and the next Yukon player on the points leaderboard (Anthony Matthews at #8), it's safe to say that Helmsley carried the Rush to their status as a decent team with the hope of competing in S65, putting up 125 points along with a nearly assist-per-game pace.
 
#2: Minnesota Storm (from Saskatoon) 
Orion Slade
@BluObieZ | C | S65 | TPE: 167
Actual Pick: Denver Wolfe
 
Now, one might argue that Robbie being Robbie is the reason why Slade wasn't picked at #2 (though he did end up going to Minnesota two picks later). HHH's VHLM career, while fantastic, did quite a bit to eclipse that of Slade, and is likely the reason why Slade's time with Minnesota in S65 wasn't more well-remembered. Get this: Orion Slade finished the season with 121 points, only four fewer than HHH, had a significantly higher shooting percentage than HHH (15.68% vs. 11.73%--imagine having a choice between a goalie at .883 and a goalie at .843), and did all that while being on the ice significantly less than HHH, putting up 1.49 points per 20 minutes versus HHH's 1.21. The argument could even be made that Robbie should have been the #1 overall choice, but I am not blind to the fact that Slade put up the numbers he did with the VHLM's best team (the effects of which we'll see more later on), while HHH did not, and that Beav's member status and whore earning still make him a safe #1 in this article.
 
#3: Minnesota Storm 
Denver Wolfe
@InstantRockstar | D | S65 | TPE: 163
Actual Pick: Shane Mars
 
Wolfe is a forward today, but in the minors he was a defenseman, and a pretty good one at that. Back in S65, his identity as Rockstar wasn't even public knowledge--then, he went by "Goonie" and was AGM of the Yukon Rush. Minnesota had originally picked him up at second overall in this draft, and I guess it doesn't really matter whether he's second or third as both were Storm picks. Anyway, I digress--Wolfe was a monster of an offensive defenseman in the VHLM. Third on the points list for the entire league, with 116, he was the only defenseman to break 100 points, proving himself worthy of his draft position and only relegated to third on this list because of the sheer greatness of Robbie Zimmers.
 
#4: Yukon Rush (from Ottawa) 
Shane Mars
@Spade18 | LW | S66 | TPE: 144
Actual Pick: Justin Cole
 
We're at pick #4 here, and this name should look familiar to anyone who's had a good look at recent VHL history. One of the biggest draft busts ever, the highly-touted Mars was right near the top of the S66 draft pool, and great things were expected of him--Moscow GM @Victor traded out of the #1 overall spot but would have selected Mars there had he kept the pick, and his agent, @Spade18, famously said this a few days before the VHL dispersal draft:
Before Mars disappeared into obscurity, though, he found quite a bit of VHLM success with Minnesota, finishing fourth on the points list with 110 and coming just one short of HHH's lead in goals. Though Yukon went for the draft's top goalie with this pick, it would have perhaps made more sense to go for more firepower up front, and they do just that here by going for Mars.
 
 #5: Minnesota Storm (from Halifax) 
Maximilian Kirbsson
@Kirby | C | S66 | TPE: 107
Actual Pick: Orion Slade
 
One of the top first-gen players of S66, Kirbsson got off to a great start and was looking like a lock for a top-5 VHL draft position, but shortly after hitting the VHLM cap, disappeared and hasn't been heard from since. In the minors, though, he was the first draft selection made by Houston, and proved himself worth a reach up the TPE list by racking up 108 points, shooting above 15% even as a playmaker. A perfect choice for an already-loaded Storm team, Kirbsson would have provided valuable build diversity and yet another capped-out player in time for the playoffs to hit.
 
 #6: Houston Bulls (from Las Vegas) 
Kari Jurri
@hockeyis66 | LW | S66 | TPE: 120
Actual Pick: Maximilian Kirbsson
 
Here we are, at the first pick of the draft not made by Minnesota or Yukon. Houston came out of the first round very well-prepared for their first season, with Jurri being picked at eighth overall after Kirbsson at 6. Jurri and Kirbsson were very much alike--both were hot prospects who played for Houston and ended up disappearing after hitting the VHLM cap. Jurri put up great VHLM numbers with the Bulls, with 102 points, and at one point early on held onto a league lead in goals for a while. Here, he finds himself with the same team, albeit a couple spots higher.
 
 #7: Philadelphia Reapers 
Anthony Matthews
@Anthony Matthews | C | S65 | TPE: 163
Actual Pick: Elasmobranch Fish
 
The S65 Dispersal Draft was a source of controversy for the Reapers, as their selection at #7, Elasmobranch Fish, proceeded to move up to Calgary and leave Philadelphia effectively with no selection in the first round. Any selection here would have been a better one than Fish, and improvement is certainly reached with the selection of Matthews, a S65 waiver signing and S64 cup winner in Vegas. Matthews, with Yukon, ended up with 101 points, and his playmaker build guided him to a pace of over an assist per game, fourth in the league and second among forwards in assists. Had the Reapers gone Matthews (or Jurri!) here, would their historic tanking season have happened? One can only guess.
 
 #8: Houston Bulls 
Shawnomir Jagr
@TheLastOlympian07 | RW | S66 | TPE: 92
Actual Pick: Kari Jurri
 
Though Jagr started with a significant amount of TPE less than Matthews, he ended up finishing the season with one more point, a surprisingly good 102 in Saskatoon. TLO, as a little-known fact, was actually the first AGM of Houston, being hired and very soon after leaving prior to the start of the season. A selection at 8, then, is perfectly natural in terms of both team devotion and on-ice production--it also represents our first major discrepancy between mock selections and actual selections, as Jagr fell to the beginning of the third round.
 
 
ROUND 2
 
 
 #9: Yukon Rush 
Rhye Tyr
@Plate | D | S66 | TPE: 85
Actual Pick: Anthony Matthews
 
Tyr was a player shrouded in mystery during his time in the VHLM. Initially drafted 16th overall by Halifax, he got out to a great start earning-wise and quickly dropped off after reaching 150 TPE or so. He then returned to activity for a short amount of time later on in the season, working his way up to an AGM position in Saskatoon for a brief period before disappearing once again--but not after going over the cap, so as to prevent VHLM teams from using him as a high-TPE inactive. It will forever be puzzling why he didn't just retire (or, should I say, "Rhye Tyr"), but none of that takes away from his spectacular statline in S65: 75 points and, at 111, not too far off of the lead in shot blocks.
 
 #10: Minnesota Storm (from Saskatoon) 
Mikko Aaltonen
@GRZ | RW | S66 | TPE: 94
Actual Pick: Aron Nielsen
 
Aaltonen managed to work his way up to the fourth overall selection in the S66 VHL Entry Draft, and though he didn't live up to expectations in Riga, has risen to the occasion in DC, returning to a healthy level of activity and putting up the points. In the minors, he was picked up in the late second round by Philadelphia, putting up 90 points on his way to becoming one of the top first-gens of the season. Minnesota is happy to pick him up at 10th overall--after all, who would turn down a player who's quickly on his way to the cap?
 
 #11: Yukon Rush (from Minnesota)
Valeri Morozov
@Dangles13 | LW | S66 | TPE: 111
Actual Pick: Valeri Morozov
 
We've finally reached the second pick of this mock that actually matched up with the real draft, and what do you know, it's another Yukon one! Morozov went inactive after a while, and he's a relatively unknown name in the league these days, even though his agent has been active around the VHL in times of the past. S65, with Yukon, was a great experience for Morozov, though--putting up 85 points and breaking the 200-hit mark, along with an already-decent TPE level at the time of the draft, was more than enough reason to bring him in here.
 
 #12: Houston Bulls (from Ottawa) 
Aron Nielsen
@solas | D | S66 | TPE: 97
Actual Pick: Fylo Gibbles
 
Though the recently-returned Nielsen didn't live up to VHL expectations, he managed to put together a decent VHLM statline. With 66 points and decent numbers in the defensive categories (118 hits/87 SB), he was generally regarded as the top defenseman of the S66 draft class prior to his sim league hiatus. Enough reflecting on what could have been, though--in the end, Nielsen put up a good season that was overshadowed by Wolfe's great one. Had he been on a different team, like Houston, it's possible that he'd have done better, and even if that isn't the case, the Bulls would be happy to have him here at 12--especially since Fylo Gibbles, the selection which was actually made here, went inactive at 136 TPE.
 
 #13: Yukon Rush (from Halifax) 
Dmitri Volosenkov
@SirRupertBarnes | LW | S66 | TPE: 97
Actual Pick: Richard Hejtsel
 
Volosenkov belongs in the same boat as Kirbsson and Jurri, though he did come along a bit later. Originally drafted at #17 overall by Halifax, he rose up the scouting leaderboards and found himself above 300 TPE at the time of the VHL draft, going 5th overall to Moscow (I think, anyway. Too lazy to check). He put up 77 points for the 21st back in S65, and flashed his two-way ability with over 200 hits. A solid all-around player, Yukon would have done well to select him 13th, as his solid play would have factored well into their cup chances and competition with the Storm.
 
 #14: Yukon Rush (from Las Vegas) 
Arnor Sigurdsson
@bluesfan55 | RW | S66 | TPE: 91
Actual Pick: Titus Stone
 
Sigurdsson was one of the most promising prospects of the S66 class, but dropped off and eventually fell victim to bluesfan deciding upon a fresh start. For the millionth time, though, I have to remind myself that we're talking about the VHLM and not the VHL, and Sigurdsson, originally a third-round, 19th overall selection by (guess who!) Yukon, certainly rose to the occasion in S65. With 77 points, and over 150 hits, he was able to prove his worthiness to a deep Rush roster, and with that information at hand, he's put here at 14 to add to an already scary group.
 
 #15: Philadelphia Reapers 
Milan Griffin
@Sogarn | LW | S66 | TPE: 82
Actual Pick: Mikko Aaltonen
 
Let's face it: Philly didn't stand much of a chance at success in S65. Though their tanking that season was historic and yielded great results (including a cup in S66), drafting and playing to win wasn't at the top of the priority list for the Reapers. So, here, they opt for Griffin, who only put up 48 points with Houston in S65, but stayed down the next two seasons, putting up 75 points in S66 and 77 in S67 while piling up the hits--he ran away with the two-way forward title in S66 after recording a whopping 352. Making this pick gives Philly a player who will be solid and productive for two seasons to come, perfectly aligning with their run of success.
 
#16: Halifax 21st (from Houston) 
Hunter Wagner
@Inf1d3l | LW | S66 | TPE: 53
Actual Pick: Rhye Tyr
 
If there's one thing Halifax took pride in before the Dil era, it was making the playoffs every season without fail. You're in the second round, you can go for a player who will stay down, so why not do that? Wagner was good in S65 and S66, putting up 75 and 91 points, respectively. In S67, he proceeded to put up 66 points as well, staying down for all three seasons of his VHLM career. He's a perfect match here for a team looking to succeed in the moment and in the future.
 
 
ROUND 3
 
 
 #17: Halifax 21st (from Yukon) 
Brian Strong
@Wheaties | RW | S65 | TPE: 81
Actual Pick: Dmitri Volosenkov
 
This pick goes along the same lines as the last one--Halifax wants to achieve present and future success, they go with Strong. This mainly-EFL agent has recently started making a difference in Helsinki when it comes to earning, under the newly-implemented auto-12 affiliation bonus, but before that he was a bit of a slower earner in the minors. Nonetheless, S65 and S66 were both very effective VHLM seasons for him, as he put up 64 and 74 points, respectively.
 
 #18: Saskatoon Wild 
Nethila Dissanayake
@nethi99 | RW | S66 | TPE: 72
Actual Pick: Shawnomir Jagr
 
Oh, look, it's another team finally making an appearance! We haven't seen Vegas or Ottawa yet, but that's fine. Fun fact about this pick: I've written enough about the S66 draft class that I've gotten to the point where I can correctly spell "Nethila Dissanayake" without looking. Maybe that's sad, but whatever--we're here to talk about a noted Saskatoon loyalist and a smart pick for the Wild, both here and in the draft itself. Dissanayake fell to the end of the fourth round, actually, but the same slower earn rate that resulted in a fairly low draft position turned out to be advantageous for Saskatoon here--he played two seasons in the minors, running up 74 points in S65 and following it up with a total of 51 in S66.
 
 #19: Yukon Rush (from Minnesota) 
Owen May
@FacebookFighter | G | S66 | TPE: 58
Actual Pick: Arnor Sigurdsson
 
Let the goalie picking begin! Yukon went through a slip-up in the actual S65 draft, when at 4th overall they picked top goalie Justin Cole, who proceeded to be called up by Moscow to lead the Menace through their abysmal first season. Drafted by Moscow in S66, oddly enough, was May, former goalie-of-the-future for the S70 champs and, since disappearing, "that 400-TPE goalie who's been passed around as everyone's backup." This is a VHLM draft both strong and weak on goaltending, depending on how you look at it--many have solid earning records in the VHLM, but none entered the draft with high TPE. May was the best of the bunch in S65, reaching the cap before anyone else. Here he goes to Yukon, setting him up for what would likely be a better season than he had, in reality, with Houston.
 
 #20: Saskatoon Wild (from Ottawa) 
Callum MacElroy
@GlowyGoat | RW | S65 | TPE: 32
Actual Pick: Raphael Nazarians
 
Coming all the way in from a selection at #56 overall, MacElroy may deserve an even higher spot on this list. Everyone's favorite drunk Scotsman wasn't expected to amount to much in S65, but ended up going active, putting up 56 points in S65 and going on to be the VHLM's MVP with Mississauga in S66 with 107. A selection here is perfect for Saskatoon, who weren't in much of a position to win the cup in S65 but would have appreciated MacElroy's presence in both seasons.
 
 #21: Houston Bulls (from Halifax) 
Jerry Garcia
@Ya Boi | D | S66 | TPE: 38
Actual Pick: Milan Griffin
 
Yes, I do believe that this is the right move. There are other players on the board who would have stayed down an extra season and been more valuable then, but Houston wants to win NOW. With the selection of Victor Kozlov in the expansion draft, the Bulls end up one defenseman short of a complete line of skaters, and that is fulfilled here by the selection of Jerry at 21. While my point output wasn't too hot, with 33, I ended up with 238 hits and 110 shots blocked--only Halifax's Basaraba Moose did better in both categories--and was capped out by the time playoffs rolled around. While @Sonnet may be stupid enough to say no to that, I've taken the liberty of assuming he isn't.
 
 #22: Las Vegas Aces
Blake Gaudette
@Gaudette | LW | S66 | TPE: 55
Actual Pick: David Harrison
 
Here's another pick for the future. The Aces were fairly out of it in S65, so why not go for a future piece, someone who would be around and producing in S66? Gaudette only put up 31 points with Halifax in S65, but saw a drastic increase in points in S66, hitting 105 and finishing second in MVP voting to Callum MacElroy. In the later 3rd round here, Vegas picks up someone who's worth at least a 1st-rounder in the following season.
 
 #23: Philadelphia Reapers 
Wendy Kandee Cain
@SlashACM | G | S66 | TPE: 58
Actual Pick: Brian Strong
 
Cain would eventually be selected by the Reapers later on in the draft, but her pick at 23 works here, and just as well. One of the league's top goaltenders, she got off to a hot start and was soon traded off to Minnesota, where she finished off the season with a cup win. After that point, she stayed down in the minors for another season in Minnesota, playing 60 games in S66 with decent results before retiring. Whether this pick here is made with the goal of moving Cain out for future picks or of keeping her around for the S67 cup run, it's a good one.
 
 #24: Houston Bulls 
Clayton Park
@leafssteen | G | S66 | TPE: 30
Actual Pick: Owen May
 
We've gotten to the point in the draft where Houston ended up picking a goalie, and it's no different in this mock. Park, now just under 300 TPE and an inactive VHL backup, entered the S65 draft as an unproven rookie with nothing yet earned, but soon proved to be one of the better earners in the VHLM for a while, and a star in the crease for Yukon. The only position that the Bulls don't have at this point in the draft is goaltender, and that's a need that we see fulfilled here.
 
 
ROUND 4
 
 
 #25: Las Vegas Aces (from Yukon) 
Charlie Paddywagon
@DMaximus | D | S66 | TPE: 30
Actual Pick: Luke Derion
 
A selection of Paddywagon at this point doesn't really fit the "pick players for the future" narrative of this article, but letting him fall much farther than this would be a crime. For about half the season, Paddywagon, a S66 player who started right before the draft (created the same day as Garcia, in fact), was the top first-gen defenseman in terms of TPE. His VHLM build was hyper-defensive, with defense up to 90, and that was reflected with his second-in-the-league mark of 119 shots blocked. Putting up 39 points, he beat Jerry in that regard as well, but was rated lower due to a significant disadvantage in hits. Here, the Aces don't get someone who they can use in the future, but they do get someone who they're able to move out for picks--and Paddywagon's earning would certainly lead to him being worth a good pick or two later on.
 
 #26: Houston Bulls (from Saskatoon) 
Walter Clements
@cpetrella | C | S66 | TPE: 45
Actual Pick: Blake Laughton
 
Clements spent the whole of S65 with Philadelphia, and though he managed only 43 points, it's very possible that he would be able to be used to greater effect on a team with a better support system. That brings us over to Houston, where three solid forwards already form the backbone of a solid team. Though this isn't taken to be a large consideration for Houston in this mock, it also doesn't hurt that he stayed down an extra season, putting up 80 points in S66.
 
 #27: Ottawa Lynx (from Minnesota) 
Pekka Pouta
@Snussu | G | S65 | TPE: 53
Actual Pick: Hunter Wagner
 
Pouta, in the actual draft, fell down to the 51st overall selection, but did, in fact, go to Ottawa. Here, the Lynx pick up a goalie and active locker room guy who will be a solid anchor in net in S65 and down an extra season to lead the team's deep playoff run in S66. Ottawa didn't stand much of a chance in S65 (though Jack Lynch carried them to having one for a while), and this pick nets them a goalie for the future.
 
 #28: Minnesota Storm (from Ottawa) 
Matteo
@tunedtorock | LW | S65 | TPE: 130
Actual Pick: Matteo
 
This first-name-only forward fell to the fourth round due to a bit of a drop-off in activity prior to the draft, but managed to pick it up somewhat during the season, hitting the cap and working his way up to 281 TPE before ultimately disappearing for good. We've got picks at this point that could be made with the goal of future success in mind, but Matteo's 51 points in S65 are simply the best out of everyone at this point, and that is why he's put on the Storm roster here as well as in the actual draft.
 
 #29: Halifax 21st 
Nacho
@Nacci25 | C | S66 | TPE: 30
Actual Pick: Blake Gaudette
 
Coincidentally, this mock sees two one-name players going back-to-back. Nacho was also picked by Halifax, though he fell to 45th overall. One of the steals of the draft, he also looked for a short time to be one of the steals of the VHL draft in S66, though he went inactive shortly after. As far as current and future success goes, he could provide, putting up 45 points in S65 and 75 points in S66 and representing a strong core piece for Halifax's future.
 
 #30: Minnesota Storm (from Las Vegas) 
Jordan Tonn
@MexicanCow123 | LW | S66 | TPE: 44
Actual Pick: Andreas Sundell
 
One might be surprised to find Yukon's current GM, pretty-darn-active MexicanCow, down here at 30 on the redraft list, but he didn't have a huge impact in S65, and even though he put up 71 points in S66, the other "future production" picks we've seen up to this point have done a bit better. He goes to Minnesota here because he's able to provide some solid forward depth, something that the Storm could still use despite their wealth of picks at the top. Putting up 40 points in S65, he might have contributed to a greater extent with the Storm, but even if he hadn't, his status as a high-TPE player in S66 would allow him to be traded for a solid pick or two in the team's rebuild.
 
 #31: Philadelphia Reapers 
Blake Laughton
@Grape | LW | S66 | TPE: 30
Actual Pick: Walter Clements
 
If there was ever a "future investment" pick in the VHLM, this would be the one. Putting up thirteen--yes, you read that right, thirteen--points in all of S65 between Houston and Ottawa, Laughton flipped the switch in S66 and proceeded to dump 80 points on the league. Philly doesn't mind his statline in S65 at all here, as they know they've got a solid piece for S67 on hand. In a testament to the depth of this draft class, too, Laughton (a former Bulls teammate of mine!) is still active after being drafted 47th overall, currently playing for Helsinki.
 
#32: Saskatoon Wild (from Houston) 
Fylo Gibbles
@SpartanGibbles | D | S65 | TPE: 136
Actual Pick: Nethila Dissanayake
 
Originally drafted with 136 TPE, this SHLer-by-trade was active on the forums for about a day or so after the draft with Houston...and then inactive. One of the first victims to the curse of inactivity of the season, he never earned a single point after being picked in the second round. That does mean, though, that he managed to stay down in the minors for three seasons, and with Saskatoon owning his rights, they've got a piece for the future. Obviously, a VHLM GM must prioritize actives over Inactives, but here the Wild pick up someone that can be used for solid depth when the team is good and for a defender of decent quality when one is needed.
 
 
That's it for this one, we've got a few more players after this who could have been mentioned, but none are active and it's not worth doing an entire round 5 if nobody is going to care about it.
 
4,459 words, see you in 4 weeks.

Did Poptart get tired of losing ? Sorry and love you Poptart you will be missed

1. The Wranglers have gone 9-5-0 this week and 16-8-0 on the season. That's good enough for 1st place. How do you remain in 1st? 
We just need to keep playing our game. As a team we have really produced in the last few games. We continue that and we'll win and we'll remain 1st. Simple as that.
 
2. Edwin The Encarnacion has 4 goals on the season. 3 of those are game winners. How is Edwin  so clutch?
Hes always been great. He keeps with the game, hes focused and determined to get that game winner. 
 
3. Should Sigard Gunnar actually play 60 mins a game or is he out to lunch ? 
This guy needs to calm the f train down. The only guys who should be playing 60 mins a game is Jordan Tonn. He's actually godly and it's embarrassing that Gunnar thinks he deserves 60 minutes.
 
4. What Mario Kart character would you select to play with ?
I would for sure go with a classic Mario or Luigi. They are just them. Thats why.
 
5. Will the 2019-2020 NHL season return in any form? 
I think that in 4 or 5 months the playoffs could start. They would do something like best of 3 then best of 7 for the finals and if they go into the next regular season it will just be shortened a bit.
 
6. Your powerplay has suddenly improved to 21% this week. What was the reason ? 
We have really been working hard on our PP and i think it finally paid off. Were playing well as a unit and that is contributing a lot.
 
7. Using only a GIF, what does it feel like to be on your current winning streak ? 

Hello, and welcome to another edition of Under 250: The VHLM Report. In these series, we will be taking a look at the trends and topics from the past week in the VHLM. What twists and turns will our minor league hold? Stay tuned to find out!
 
Also, make sure to check out the wide variety of content here at VSN. There are in-depth weekly updates and an award tracker for the VHL, a great podcast, and daily WJC coverage when it starts up, among other informative articles. Check out our latest installments here:
 | VSN Radio | VHL Weekly | VHL Award Tracker | Deep Rewind | 
 
The Review
 
Another quarter of the season has gone by and we are at the halfway point of Season 71! The standings have shaken out a bit, with one team settling into the lead and a pack trailing. In this edition, we will take a look at games 60-198. Without further ado, let's hop into the standings! 
 

 
Standing alone at the top, the Ottawa Lynx have increased their lead from four points to eight, at a 30-4-1 record for a total of 61 points. Following up in second place is the Yukon Rush with 53 points, who have made a significant jump in the standings from fifth place the last time we polled. Trailing the Rush by one point we have two teams tied for third place; the Philadelphia Reapers stand together with the Minnesota Storm at 52 points apiece. With that being said, the Reapers do hold a game in hand, and are poised to grab second place. 
 
After the initial clump of teams currently vying for the second place, we drop another eight points to fifth-placed Las Vegas Aces. The Aces have had a somewhat disappointing run of form considering their activity in this season’s draft, having dropped from their position in second place the last time we polled. Trailing them is the San Diego Marlins with 42 points, marking the last of the teams with a positive goal differential.  In seventh place is the Saskatoon Wild, the team that has lost the most ground since our last report. Previously they were in third place, but have dropped significantly. This is an interesting fact considering last time around their performance was middling at best by our ELO charts, and this does seem like a regression to the mean. 
 
Taking the eighth and final playoff spot is Halifax 21st with 27 points, who are looking like they will get the misfortune of going up against the number one seed come playoff time. In ninth place, the Mississauga Hounds are on the bubble of the playoffs with 23 points. The Houston Bulls come next; their goals for is higher than the Hounds but their defence is an issue, having conceded 205 goals over 36 games played. Finally, we have the Mexico City Kings just a point behind in last place. 
 
Now let’s take a look at the ELO charts to see if we can paint a clearer picture: 
 

 
The Lynx have maintained their lead in ELO, but haven’t gained much on the Rush and Reapers, somewhat surprising given their increase in lead in the standings. The Rush have maintained their good form since the jump around Game 11, and are about neck and neck with the Reapers at this point. The major loser in ELO changes since last time is the Aces, which is consistent with their decline in the standings. Minnesota has experienced a recent surge to fourth in the ELO charts, matched by their fourth position. The Marlins have maintained consistent results, while the Wild’s drop off in standing is matched with their slight decline in ELO. Other than this, the bottom four teams of the standings are in the same order in ELO, though since the last time we polled Mexico and Houston have switched, as well as Halifax rebounding off their early season form to level off above the Mississauga Hounds. 
 
Looking over the last 26 games or so played for each team, we can see that although Ottawa has in fact increased their lead over second place, that mostly comes from both Saskatoon and Las Vegas dropping off so heavily. The Lynx have taken 41 points from their last 24 matches, while the Storm have taken 40 out of 26, the Rush 40 out of 25, and the Reapers 39 out of 26; relatively similar, albeit with a game or two fewer played. 
 
The Highlights
 
Despite those generally similar records (albeit with a slight lead over the past 25 games or so), the Ottawa Lynx really are continuing their run of good form with strong offensive showings from their top guys. Richard Penisson continues his fantastic rate of scoring, with 69 points over 24 games played, bridging the gap slightly on teammate Adam Syreck whose 66 points puts him in second over the same span of games, but still leads the league overall by a single point.  
 
For the Houston Bulls, Roadkill Steve has been a prolific scorer, with 28 goals, leading the league over this span of games (though he does have an extra game played compared to the Ottawa crew). In terms of defensemen, Zyrok12 has stepped up his game for the Yukon Rush, earning 47 points over 25 games, 43 of them coming as assists. For the San Diego Marlins, both Alex Bridges and Jungkok have been on a scoring tear, with a combined 96 points between the two of them. Another great performer over his last 26 games is Philadelphia’s right-winger Bud Knight whose 48 points ranks sixth between games 60-198. 
 
A special mention goes out to Andrew Su of the Mississauga Hounds. Despite his place on a Hounds team that is struggling to reach the playoffs, his 54 points total puts him at 21st overall in the points leaderboard. Additionally, in that same vein, Riley Walker and Gregg Stallion of the Houston Bulls have done their best to keep the Bulls alive, combining for 70 points over their last 25 games. 
 
From the goalies perspective, Isak Sjostrom has been really on top of his game for the Reapers. In overall SV% he comes in just under Ottawa’s Joakim Bruden, but over the last 26 games, his top of the league .912% and three shutouts prove his worth to this Reapers squad. With him playing the way he has been, they are looking like a dangerous team to face come playoffs. With a couple of tough losses in their last few games, including a 2-1 upset against the Kings, their record is maybe a little shakier than you might expect, but that just makes a dark horse performance all the more likely. 
 
That’s all for this edition of Under 250: The VHLM Review. Thank you all for reading, and stay tuned next week for the inside scoop on all that’s going on in the league. Until next time!
 
GMs:  @Poptart, @Berocka, @Acydburn, @Dil, @Rayzor_7, @Motzaburger,
@MexicanCow123, @McWolf, @DMaximus, @iRockstar, @Sonnet
 
Players Mentioned: @bluesfan55, @Spade18, @PadStack, @stevo, @GlowyGoat, @SweatyBeaver,
@Zyrok, @Alex Bridges, @tfong, @Dilly Dilly, @Da_Berr, @Austin2997
 
VSN Writer Mr_Hatter
 

Ricer is his AGM and Devise said it was okay.