johnnyhockey42

The Humble Origins of a Great Name: John Perdue Position: Left Wing Born: Buffalo, New York Age: 20 Years Old Height: 6’0” Weight: 175 lbs Shoots: Left On the Pond Born during the harsh winter of Buffalo, New York, John Perdue became acquainted with the ice quicker than most kids. This created a relationship to the sport of hockey for John. One of the first things John saved up for was a pair of decent hockey skates so that he could play at the local pond with the other kids. By the time he was 5, he was skating every weekend at the Lackawanna pond just outside of Buffalo with a group of kids that he considered to be his ‘team.’ John always cared more about being a team player than being a solo star. John and his pond hockey team started practicing plays, train each other, and focused more on the practical aspect of the game. This benefitted John as he took the sport of hockey seriously at such an early age. At age 8, Perdue, a self-taught athlete, decided to look into junior hockey leagues he could possibly be a part of to begin properly learning the sport, which made his parents realize that hockey was more than just a hobby to John. Rink Life It was his career in junior hockey leagues where John got the nickname of “Johnny Hockey.” His coach immediately noticed John’s passion for the game during his first season with the Buffalo Junior Blades. He taught John not only how to play a conscious left-wing role in all contexts, but he also advised him how to be a prevalent leader in the locker room. Back in his time, his coach was a Defenseman for the Toronto Legion, which intrigued John greatly. It was Perdue’s idea to bring the team to a Legion game as a team bonding trip, where that would be his first exposure to the VHL. When John saw Evan Lawson take to the ice, he knew what kind of player he wanted to be. He was blown away by the sheer athleticism and exciting atmosphere of the game, he knew he had to be a part of this league. Some way, somehow. On Stage John began to also show interest in music at age 10 - the drums, more specifically. John felt like he needed other interests to separate himself from the pressures of school and hockey, so he took on the drums and began teaching himself songs that he had downloaded on his MP3 player. His father was an avid guitarist and was very encouraging of his drumming because he knew talent when he saw it. “If John was not looking to be a VHL player, he’d be a drummer,” said his father. “I am so proud of him and what he’s accomplished in both aspects, hockey and music.” John, a natural team player, wanted to find a band to play for during his offseason downtime. With his musical influences drawing from alternative rock, he formed the punk rock band “Previous Love” with friends from school, where they tour together around North America every summer when John isn’t playing hockey. Teenage Years John continued moving up age divisions within the Junior Blades organization throughout middle school and high school. Perdue’s middle school and high school were relatively large, where he hung around with his teammates and other kids that were hockey fanatics. John was a conscientious worker when it came to school, he knew hockey scouts would look at his grades so he always took it seriously and made it apparent to his teachers that he had big plans after he graduated. Every Friday, it was tradition for students that played for the Junior Blades to wear hockey jerseys to show team spirit - sometimes they had to wear team jerseys to show they had a game that night, otherwise they could wear any jersey they wanted. John saw those Fridays as opportunities to wear his Toronto Legion jersey and support his favorite player, none other than Evan Lawson. John faced a difficult decision during his freshman year of high school by his hockey coach, parents and school principal. They both advised he worked towards early graduation in order to begin his hockey career as soon as possible. John thought it would be a good idea, but socially he was worried that his teammates would be upset with him. Much to his disbelief, they showed nothing but support for him. They agreed that he had something special and he shouldn’t waste any time working towards what will eventually be his career. So, John began taking night classes and attended summer school in order to graduate two years early at the age of 16. This meant that he began taking offers from prospects and considering possible teams to play for at a developmental level. His mom advised him to consider more than just North American teams, as she was encouraging him to play somewhere abroad for some experience with other cultures. His mom was so happy to see that he had an opportunity to see the world with his career, and she wanted only the best for him. John understood that his mother knew best, so he decided to take a convincing offer from the Hamburg Ice Freezers, which was a team in the DEL, an elite league from Germany, where he had the benefits of housing and a full-ride scholarship to attend the joint-university with the hockey club. It was difficult to leave his family and friends behind, but he knew it was the best choice for him to become a VHL’er. Life as a Freezer Perdue began playing as a defensive left winger for the Hamburg Ice Freezers and immediately found his place with the teams. There was a bit of a language barrier, but after a few nights out on the town, John began to become very accustomed to the culture of Germany and formed some amazing bonds with his squad. He spent three years with the organization and accrued seventy nine goals, ninety seven assists, (one hundred seventy six total points) and a career plus/minus of +Sixty. He was even able to receive a Bachelor’s Degree in Sport Psychology from the joint-university! These numbers were nothing for John to scoff at, as they were right on track with his progress from the Junior Blades. The Ice Freezers made two playoff appearances while Perdue was on the team, but were never able to advance past the quarterfinals. However, John never measured his success by counting his trophies. He benefited greatly from his experiences in the league and he couldn’t have been more thankful for his time in the Hamburg organization. As his third and final season with the Ice Freezers came to a close, Perdue began to seriously consider offers from VHLM teams around the league. He was so excited about the possibility to come back to North America and he wanted to make sure he made the right impressions with the right teams before the VHLM Dispersal Draft. A Wild Draft In a Germany airport, John was on his laptop ready to book any flight back to North America to join whichever team drafted him at the 65th VHLM Dispersal Draft. Eventually, John was selected 37th overall by the Saskatoon Wild, a team that can guarantee him a bright future and healthy development into a player for the VHL. He called his family, friends, band, teammates, and hockey coach to tell them the news and they all said the same thing: “We knew you would make it!” John hopped on the first train to Saskatoon and by the next morning, he joined his new teammates for an open skate and was already acting as a morale boost in the locker room with his positive outlook and attitude. With the 65th season approaching, John is preparing with his team to take over this league and go up against anyone standing in their way.

1) The draft is over, the signings have settled down, and the VHLM is just about ready to get things started. Who do you think is the favorite, going into this season? Looking forward to see how Philadelphia does for their first season! 2) With teams filling up this quickly, further expansion of the VHLM might be a potential talking point. Where would you put another minors team? A northeastern market like Buffalo or Boston would be sweet. Those places are thriving sports cities. 3) The offseason's ending- what's your player's plan to get back in shape for game 1? Yoga and sleep (namaste)! 4) Do you/your player have any preseason superstitions to help boost their performance? Always wear my socks inside out for the warm up skates. 5) Now that you've had time to get used to your team, who's been your favorite teammate thus far? We've all been pretty chummy, I couldn't pick one. Saskatoon has some really good chemistry. 6) If the commissioners/GMs could do one thing to make your VHLM experience more fun, what would it be? I'm having a great time, no complaints from me!

Selected 37th overall, John Perdue is to begin his career as a part of the Saskatoon Wild. Take a look at Perdue's stats and strengths as the 65th VHLM season approaches: Name John Ryan Perdue Born November Eighteenth, Nineteen Ninety Eight Height Six Feet Weight One Hundred Seventy Five Pounds Hometown Buffalo, NY, USA Perdue entered the DEL (Germany's elite hockey league) at age 16 and began playing as a defensive winger for the Hamburg Ice Freezers, a now defunct team. He spent three years with the organization and accrued seventy nine goals, ninety seven assists, (one hundred seventy six total points) and a career plus/minus of +Sixty. The Ice Freezers made two playoff appearances while Perdue was on the team, but were never able to advance past the quarterfinals. In John's own words, here's a quick introduction to the kind of player he is: Pros about John Perdue Skating With my defensive training, My lateral movement and sprints are some of the best in the league. Period. I have plenty of time to improve, I am far from my peak performance. Puck handling Puck protection was a key skill I worked on during my time in Germany, and 85% of my goals were from the hash marks. It takes some serious dangling to get scoring chances in the slot the way that I do. Passing My teammates will always have a chance to touch the puck when I'm on the ice with them. There's a reason I have ninety seven assists, and that's due to my passing skills. Whether I'm at the blue line or I am taking the puck from the crease, I'll be able to hit my open teammate's stick. Cons Strength I can hardly do a pull up, it's pretty embarrassing. I don't rely on my body as often as other defensive forwards because I have the forecheck and puck handling skills that can make up for it. However, I know that in a league like the VHL players need to be ready to use their body so I'm going to have to start working on my overall strength if I ever want to make a name of myself. Faceoffs I can take a puck from a player rushing in the neutral zone, but for some reason, I can't seem to nail the faceoff zone. That is going to take some practice, but luckily The Wild has a solid center core where that isn't my first priority as a winger. Shooting As I mentioned in my puck handling attribute, my goals normally come from right in front of the net. It's tough for me to hit the net from the blue line or any sort of angle other than the slot, let alone get enough power to shoot a one timer correctly. My natural talent of puck carrying has helped me score, but I can't rely on that anymore now that I'm on the Wild. Perdue is a promising prospect in this league with his defensively conscious attitude for the sport. With the potential to be a key component in both the scoring or defensive departments for the Saskatoon Wild, it is up to John to prove everyone that he was a fifth round steal in the VHLM.

I am IN!

Player name: John Perdue VHLM Team: Saskatoon Wild Cash you have: $1.5 Million Purchase Name: First Generation Cost of Purchase: $500,000 Cash Left: $1 Million

I would've loved to play on the Wild with you this season! Ah well, good luck on the Bulls! Way to get creative with your Kirbsson's story. I especially liked the background of his modest life in Sweden. Your story was easy to follow, all of your content was engaging, and the humble beginnings will make for a great origin story when you eventually make it to the VHL! Two thumbs up??

You have an awesome style with these graphics! I dig the grit with the Diss graphic, and the crisp signatures are awesome as well. Good choice on the black and white with the blood splatter haha. Really cool stuff!

I like how you made the logo a "crest" kind of style. It's respectfully traditional and the colors work very well with each other, the amount of Halifax heritage in the logo is impressive too. Glad you're happy to be on the team, best of luck this season!

I'm excited to see what Moscow can do this season. This is a sick graphic, it has that old school propaganda look to it and I hope you keep up this same style for your future Moscow graphics.

I dig the graphic. Sleek. Simple. Fresh. Both signatures are great, personally I like your Team Canada for the sake that it pops out better! Nice work.

There is so much good happening here. I love the shading effort, the sabretooth that feeds on hockey pucks... it's perfect. You prove that you don't need to be a graphic wizard to make a good graphic on this site. I love the style man, keep it up!

Nice list, Matt_O. My list would be similar in the sense that I gravitate away from the more simple logos. I like the intimidation from logos such as the Bears, but also the sleek design of the Toronto Legion is awesome. I'd be interested to what you think of the VHLM logos as well!

1) The VHLM draft is over! Are you happy with where you ended up? If you're graduating from the VHLM this season, how do you think your previous team did? I am absolutely happy with where I ended up! It's great to b a part of the Saskatoon Wild, we're a team that has major potential to become a prevalent contender for the Founder's Cup. 2) If you were VHLM drafted or signed, are you happy with where you ended up? If you're going to be VHL drafted, where do you hope to end up? The Wild seems like a great fit for me. It's a bit far from home, but I am used to the cold weather! Looking forward to getting to know the team. 3) Now that we're done playing hockey for a little while, what is your player going to do to enjoy the offseason? Johnny will be working hard on catching up with his TPE as he is trying to earn a starting position on the Wild roster for S65. When he isn't training, he'll be building up morale with his team. 4) The Las Vegas Aces took the Founder's Cup this year, is there any message you'd like to pass along to the team (or your teammates, if you won)? Congrats, Aces! Don't get too comfortable though, we're coming for ya. With your goaltending situation up in the air, I wish you guys luck... 5) What's your #1 goal to hit this offseason, before heading into your next one? I'm hoping to learn all I possibly can as a fresh player in the VHLM organization. 6) What, or who, has been the most helpful resource in getting you familiar with the site/the league in general? Hmm, toss up between @BladeMaiden and @Sonnet. Blade messaged right as I joined and linked me tutorials and told me everything I needed to know prior to the draft last night, and Sonnet's stream of the draft was also fun to watch and it helped me grasp the game much better. - Johnny P

1) Since it's not been too long since you've joined the league, what are thoughts on the league so far as a whole? I was skeptical at first, but I am really enjoying it so far! Seems like a great community and it feels awesome to be drafted by the Saskatoon Wild. 2) Are there any areas in the league that you would like to see a change/improvement? It might be my inexperience, but the site is pretty tough to navigate at first. Once I figured out where everything was I was fine, but the forum's UI was intimidating. 3) The VHLM Newsletter launched earlier this week, did you read it and was it helpful to you? I love the newsletter! Sonnet's updates were a huge help, the tips from the more experienced players in the league are showing me how to be a great player. 4) What are your aims this season in the VHLM? While I'm working on my own ratings, I also intend to be a team player. Saskatoon got a lot of depth during this offseason so it's really exciting to be on this team. 5) With the teams starting to take shape, who do you consider to be the favourite for the VHLM Founders Cup? I've been hyping up the expansion teams, but everyone has a fair shot with how this offseason has been going. 6) What do you think of your current VHLM team? The Wild seem like a great group of players, we're all in high spirits and we're an eager team that's ready to win.

Howdy Partner. Welcome to the 65th season of the VHLM. It's a new frontier in the minor leagues with two brand new expansion teams and an exciting, unpredictable dispersal draft behind us. Some teams are rebuilding, some are trying to stay on top of the scoring sheet. There were some great steals and jumps in the draft that are up in the air and may make or break a team, so the rest of this offseason should be interesting. I don't think the big moves are over just yet - from what it seemed, some GM's may still have some tricks up their sleeves. Expansion teams, I'm talking to you. The Houston Bulls had not been on my radar until last night's draft, but the smart moves and enthusiasm coming from its GM makes me believe that they will be a team that cannot be messed with this season. However, while the Bulls picked up future stars Maximilian Kirbsson and Kari Jurri, the Philadelphia Reapers were able to acquire Elasmobranch Fish, an insanely talented prospect. These players are high-value VHLMers that can be the face of a franchise. Other teams may have some very interesting offers for these prospects, so keep your eyes and ears open, boys. - John Perdue

Happy to be selected! Let's go Wild!

There is a great deal of excitement going on in the VHLM at the moment with talks of the expansion draft happening in a mere couple of hours. Not one, but two new teams will tear up the ice this upcoming season alongside Yukon Rush, Ottawa Lynx, Halifax 21st, Las Vegas Acres, Oslo Storm, and the Saskatoon Wild. Hailing from two hockey-rich parts of North America, here is a brief introduction on one of these future organizations. Philadelphia Reapers GM: @BladeMaiden As a new member of the VHL community and upon observing the preexisting teams, I was very surprised to not see a team already representing this city. Sports are a centerpiece in Philly’s culture, and they always have been so it is good to see the city of brotherly love being represented in the 65th season of Victory Hockey League Minors. Top Expansion Steals for the Reapers Franchise Expansion teams should never be underestimated. While there is a lot of ground to be made up when beginning a new franchise, there is also a great deal of motivation, momentum, and passion behind the players and owners of the organization, effectively covering the ground to be made up and doing so quickly. The Reapers have the chance to do something special with the amount of talent exploding in this league, but the organization should definitely not rely on only goal-scorers. Here is a quick look into a handful of VHLM players that may not be regarded as elite players, but their depth in their current teams proves their potential to become franchise staples in Philadelphia. Dave John O'Quinn Team: Saskatoon Wild Defenseman 6 feet, 3 inches, 207 pounds, 33 years old Origin: Canada Saskatoon had a tough last season, and that means O’Quinn will definitely be looking for a winning team to lift up his spirits. With his older age and impressive stats in such a short time with the Wild, he has the potential to develop in Philadelphia to become a “Leader of the Reapers.” 2. Joe Nixon Team: FA Goalie 6 feet, 3 inches, 150 pounds, 19 years old Origin: United States of America Vegas had a great goaltending situation last season, it’d be impossible to protect both of their stars Joe Nixon and Kevin Weekes. Both tenders are free agents this offseason and they are bound to be picked up for some big contracts. Philly needs some long term security in front of the net, and Nixon would fill that role perfectly before his eventual draft selection to join the VHL. 3. Dimitri Volosenkov Team: Ottawa Lynx Left Wing 6 feet, 0 inches, 190 pounds, 21 years old Origin: Russia The Ottawa may have to let go of this promising Russian prospect with their current contract situation. If this is the case, then Philadelphia should not be apprehensive about making this pick. Though he doesn’t have a lot of games under his belt, he is a great skater and shows promise in his shooting ability, and he has the physical strength to back up his offensive abilities. These players should definitely be on the radar for the Reapers if they aren’t already. There’s a great deal to be excited about in this increasingly popular league, and as a new player, I’ll be interested in the activity from the Reapers. More on the second expansion team, the Houston Bulls, after the expansion draft.

I heard about you guys from u/Spade18 on /r/Sabres!

Player Information Username: johnnyhockey42 Player Name: John Perdue Recruited From: Reddit Age: 20 Position: LW Height: 72 in. Weight: 175 lbs. Birthplace: United States of America Player Page @VHLM GM