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It's been a wonderful season for the Moscow Menace as they push for the cup in only their third year of existence. While the team has been surging, one of the men who has hid in the shadows has been their back up goaltender. May was excused from team practices two weeks ago. May has been not seen and has missed a few games as late. An emergency call up has been sitting on the bench. There's been a hush over the Moscow locker room as everyone seems uncomfortable to share any information. May returned to practice and it appeared that he was in a somber mood. The atmosphere was thick surrounding the young goaltender. A beat reporter following the team was also puzzled by the atmosphere. "It was strange. The problem was definitely surrounding May. When he wasn't in the locker room there was an air of easy goingness. And there definitely was some uneasiness towards May. It wan't as if May was causing the bad vibes but his teammates were definitely guarded towards approaching him. May who on the ice is usually chirping at teammates and making sure to joke around at all times has been almost emotionally nonexistent." May finally sat down with reporters this week. He was immediately flooded with questions about his absences and overall mood swings. At first May seemed very reluctant to answer. Often shrugging off questions and becoming increasingly annoyed. At points it looked like May was ready to burst into tears and eventually he hit a boiling point. " I just feel like you've been left out of the loop for a long time and won't stop hounding me until I give you the answers. A family member of mine has been basically been given borrowed time. There are somethings that are more important than hockey. She's been an integral part of my life and the fact that she has little time left on this earth has left me heart broken. That's why you haven't seen me on the ice as frequently. It's something I couldn't keep inside and sorry you have to hear it. It's been a really troubling time and I've needed the support of my family and teammates. What you see and what happens beyond the scenes is absolutely night and day." Humanity is frail. I might be writing this now wishing I had more time. I know this is a really stupid place to put my thoughts but it's the only platform no one knows me. I needed to type this out. I want to be able to come back to this article and smile a little. I don't need sympathy or pity but just someone to validate what I feel. Losing someone hurts more than I can possibly describe. You never know who you're going to lose in a blink of an eye. Hold your loved ones close tonight. You may be too young to understand or thing such things are trivial. There are somethings in this world I wish would never leave, family is one of them. Sorry for my word vomit.

It may have been a shock when Owen May found out that the Moscow management traded for Roger Sterling. Sterling a veteran goaltender who spent his last few seasons in Seattle was traded to Vancouver last year in their improbable run to the cup final. Again he finds himself on a surging team looking for a cup run. A tough but serviceable season has been hidden behind a surging office. Sterling has been the starting goaltender and will prove vital if Moscow seeks the cup. Providing support for Sterling is the sophomore goaltender Owen May. A reduced role has seen May find some success after a rough freshman campaign. On the ice it looks as if May has had a burden released from his shoulders. He jumped from a sub .900 to almost .920 this season. The shot stopper has been playing in a third of the games and has been showing that it was the right choice by the Moscow management. "There's been a lot of emotions lately and not having to shoulder this heavy workload has made me feel at ease. I feel comfortable in my own skin which is something I couldn't have said last year." Look for him to be the wildcard in the playoffs if he gets a chance to start.

HI. I kinda exist? maybe? 1. Who would you say is the biggest surprise in the VHL this year? (Player or Team) 2. Whats your favorite post game meal? 3. As the season is in it's final leg. What do you think makes this Moscow team so special? 4. Toronto is the favorite as they have been the most dominant force in the VHL this season. Do you think they're within reach or will it be up to next year's Menace team to compete? 5. What's the biggest hot take you've heard this season? 6. Do you think the standings are set or will we see movement between the top 6 this season?

4

The Menace have been the butt of a few jokes since its creation two seasons ago. Last season they struggled to find consistency but showed promise. A few bold moves by the Moscow GM told the world that Moscow is here to win. The country of Russia has taken a sigh of relief as they feel that the hockey superpower now has proper representation in the national league. However, fans are restless with the lack of results so far. Despite being only two and a quarter seasons old, the pressure to perform in Moscow is extreme. Public government officials have made statements voicing their displeasure with lack of playoffs. However, it appears Moscow is ready to turn it around What's happened so far: Moscow came off a rough start but was by no means blown away from competition. Moscow won just two games in the first seven contests. Moscow was also only able to get to overtime once in that period. Then the Menace went on a tear where they won all but two games in their next fourteen. It is way too early for anything to be certain but it looks like Moscow is on their way to being a competitive team. They currently sit in second place and nine points above the cutoff line. What's been troubling is a problem that has plagued Moscow since its creation. It's lack of defense. Last year their defense failed them as did there young goalie tandem. Those issues have bared their ugly heads once more. While the problem is there it certainly is better than last year. Right now they've allowed the average amount of goals in the league. However the goal tending and defense have looked in their comfort zone during the current win streak. It has to be said that what Moscow has gained notoriety for, is there high octane offense which refuses to be shut down. Where to go from here: Moscow is in a weird place. Is it too early to jump on the hype wagon or should they sell the future to win now? Answer? Yes. No matter the choice it'll be hard to argue that they're doing the wrong thing. Defense is still a big need. Whether that means looking for a defensive forward or a strong defensive defenseman, the area of need is clear. While it may be unlikely, possibly moving their young goaltender and some other pieces for a top goaltender may be an idea, while not optimal. It may become difficult for the Moscow GM to decide a course of action but this reporter believes that an aggressive approach is a good approach. The core is set right now, we'll open this discussion once more at the deadline to see how the current team can compete for it's first ever playoff birth. It could also be possible that Moscow could find itself fighting for a cup at the season's end. Patience will be key for spectators and team officials. Lets see if it will pan out

It's not uncommon for players to slump coming into their second year. The now commonplace routine of game day allows a mind to become complacent. It was no different for Owen May, young goaltender for the Moscow Menace. "When I first came into the league, I was so afraid of being sent back down that I over worked myself. I was tightening a noose around my neck just trying to survive in the league. Once the season was over that noose loosened a little. Once it's loosened you feel a sigh of relief. It's intoxicating to have that relief. Next thing you notice you find it more difficult to put in that extra work. Eventually you get in a routine of putting that hard work in again. But you definitely need to make sure that noose doesn't come back." May has gotten the benefit of the another goaltender splitting time to take away the heavy workload. He looks poised to improve upon last year

claiming 7/21

YOU.ALREADY.KNOW 1. Holy crap Boys, nice turn around! Who do you think has been the biggest reason we find ourselves in 2nd place? 2. With the deadline on the horizon, would you rather sell the future for now or keep the current core? 3. Right now the playoff race consists of Toronto, Moscow, Helsinki, Calgary, Riga, and Davos. Who do you think will be the first to fall from playoff contention? 4. The Menace want to make a new motto for their playoff race. Incompetent Front Office members have asked the players to make one for them 5. What will be your drink of choice if Moscow clinches a playoff spot? 6. Are you on the team discord? If so whats something I could do to promote more usage? If you aren't, why?

I'm applying. Ive helped Moscow's locker room and have a glowing personality

Hello all. 1. WOOF, a rough start for the team as we sit mid table. Is this start what we'll expect out of the Menace? 2. Compared to last year at this time what is the hype level at? Is it better or worse? 3. Moscow wants to design a 3rd jersey and wants to know what you would make the third jersey if given a chance? 4. It's a tight race to begin the season, except for 1st place. Who do you see as the strongest Challenger to overthrow 1st? 5. What's the biggest improvement from last season? 6. If you got the opportunity to change one thing in the VHL, what would you change?

56 Helsinki Titans 57 Toronto Legion 58 Moscow Menace 59 New York Americans

claiming for 7/14

Hello! I'm Back! You know what to do. 1. The New Season is upon us what is your personal goal for this season? 2. Moscow looks primed to be playoff contenders. Are you willing to put down money on Moscow? 3. Is there a team you look forward to beating this season? 4. Early year prediction. Who wins the MVP for Moscow? 5. If there was a player in the NHL/VHL you model your play style after who is it? 6. What has been your greatest experience in the VHL/VHLM so far?

Hey so as I move to a brand new home this week I've really been struggling to keep up with weekly requirements of the VHL, so moving forward I think it would be interesting for a few things to arise in the VHL. First, my thought is to have a weekly task moved to bi-weekly. Double the TPE earned while giving people an extra week to write articles. I think this reduces the workload of the VHL. Let's be honest, most of us on here are in school or have full time jobs. For me it's been hard to put up articles when I have a crap ton of other paper work to do. I think this also gives newer players a more forgiving requirement to jump into the league. Second, Is there a way for teams to select who they play in the playoffs? Also can we make it so conferences are dissolved in the playoffs? So Helsinki could have picked the lowest NA team if they so chose and the possibility of a Malmo, Moscow Cup Final is possible.

Training camp has come as we sit on the doorstep of another VHL season. This time of the year can be overwhelming for the youth. Rookies have to adapt to the speed of the pros but are given some leeway due to their young age. Sometimes the sophomore and junior years are more stressful for players. The leeway to make mistakes gets shorter and fans begin to lose patience with their young stars. May is no different. The young goaltender is feeling the heat in Moscow. The second round pick had a shaky beginning to the season and the team brought in another goaltender. He'll be under much scrutiny with the upcoming season. Will May find a way to be the goalie of the future or will he be a bust and get run out of town? It's up to May if he continues to put in the work or not. May is not one to toot his own horn but he hasn't shied away from the mic this season. A fellow reporter was attempting to get under May's skin. The young goaltender attempted to keep his composure but found himself getting angrier with each question. The reporter asked if it was worth moving to Moscow with his future in the air. Eventually, an outburst ensured. "I just can't believe that my future is anyway up in the air. You come in here thinking you're smart. I've spent this past week trying to move my fiance to this country and it's bad enough I gotta do that while trying to earn my spot on this team. I've worked harder than most players and deserve to be given a fair chance. I apologize to everybody who has to sit here and listen to me rant but for once I just can't handle this guy. The reporter was then asked to leave and was escorted outside the team locker room. I was able to question May about what season he thought was harder. "I know we haven't even started this season yet but I'm definitely feeling the pressure to perform. With the team building for a cup run I don't want to bring this team down with sloppy play. I think I didn't show the level of play needed to be considered a quality goaltender." May's season wasn't the best rookie season but was nowhere near the worst. When asked why he's so hard on himself May seemed puzzled. "I think every great athlete needs to be hard on themselves. We're in an industry where the ones who don't commit themselves entirely to the game are belittled and ran out of town. Sure I could take the positives and run with it but I'm not that kind of guy. I need to keep addressing my weaknesses in hopes of becoming someone better. I may come off as a negative guy and some people might think I'm a negative voice in the locker room but that's how I honestly work and I love all my teammates.