johnnyhockey42

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

2) The Wild narrowly missed making the playoffs this season, with results being decided by the very last day of games. What happened?
 
It seemed like a classic case of puck luck. If we played  the way we did the second half of the season in the first half, I think the Wild would be in a much different spot.
 
3a) (If you're drafted by the Wild already) Who's one player not currently on your team you'd like to see drafted by Saskatoon?
 
Andrei Mikhailov looks like a promising prospect, he'd be a great addition to the team.
 
4) Which one of our forwards is most likely to have success in the majors? What about our defensemen?
 
Nethila is going to do great things, he'll have no troubles as a forward in the VHL. Shackleford is an awesome D-man too, I'm looking forward to see him continue his career past the VHLM.
 
6) Suppose you're a GM of Malmo or one of the new VHLM teams. Who do you plan to build your team around? Any thoughts about who to take from current VHL/VHLM teams?
 
I think when you're a team starting out, the important thing is to know that there aren't any expectations for you to win. I would use that to my advantage and gain that 'underdog' kind of momentum and build my team around players who are young and hungry.
 
7) Since moving to Saskatoon, what have you done to make your house/apartment feel like home?
 
I got myself a good setup for my record player. I like to lay back and listen to some tunes when I'm not at the rink.
 
9) We found a Hello Kitty keychain on the locker room floor. Who does it belong to, and how can you tell?
 
That's gotta be Peace's. He is a stern manager, but I always knew he had a soft side to him (haha!).

2) The Wild narrowly missed making the playoffs this season, with results being decided by the very last day of games. What happened?
 
It seemed like a classic case of puck luck. If we played  the way we did the second half of the season in the first half, I think the Wild would be in a much different spot.
 
3a) (If you're drafted by the Wild already) Who's one player not currently on your team you'd like to see drafted by Saskatoon?
 
Andrei Mikhailov looks like a promising prospect, he'd be a great addition to the team.
 
4) Which one of our forwards is most likely to have success in the majors? What about our defensemen?
 
Nethila is going to do great things, he'll have no troubles as a forward in the VHL. Shackleford is an awesome D-man too, I'm looking forward to see him continue his career past the VHLM.
 
6) Suppose you're a GM of Malmo or one of the new VHLM teams. Who do you plan to build your team around? Any thoughts about who to take from current VHL/VHLM teams?
 
I think when you're a team starting out, the important thing is to know that there aren't any expectations for you to win. I would use that to my advantage and gain that 'underdog' kind of momentum and build my team around players who are young and hungry.
 
7) Since moving to Saskatoon, what have you done to make your house/apartment feel like home?
 
I got myself a good setup for my record player. I like to lay back and listen to some tunes when I'm not at the rink.
 
9) We found a Hello Kitty keychain on the locker room floor. Who does it belong to, and how can you tell?
 
That's gotta be Peace's. He is a stern manager, but I always knew he had a soft side to him (haha!).

so so so cool!!! thank you @Bushito

David Harrison: Life leading up to the VHL

David Harrison
 
David Harrison is a play making centerman looking to make a splash in the VHL. As of this writing, he is trying to make a name for himself in the VHLM, however; this is only the first step on his journey to becoming a champion. His career has only just begun but now we will see what brought him on his current path. We will go back to the beginning.
 
Early Life
David was born in south Florida of the United States, far away from any VHL market. His family’s economic standing could be described as middle-middle-class. His father was the head chef at a local family owned restaurant with dreams of owning his own restaurant someday. Dad’s second passion was for sports. David and his dad would watch nearly every game of every local team together. While his father loved football, David had a growing love for hockey watching the New York Americans. Unfortunately for David, New York was far far away, so attending a game seemed like an impossibility. That would change soon, more on that later. In addition to spectating, David also enjoyed getting in the game as well. There weren't many options for ice hockey in his area, instead he would practice with a stick and ball in the street. He played in various youth leagues playing Baseball, Football, and Soccer, but it wasn’t enough. His dad always pushed him to be the best he could be. And he wanted to be the best. David became known in his youth league circles for being an extremely hard worker. He was considered one of the best young players in almost every sport he played. Even with this success and high hopes from his peers, coaches, and parents, he still had a yearning for hockey. David was an athlete, he needed to sate his desire to play on the ice with a stick in his hand and skates on his feet. He would finally get his chance when his dad came home one day and told the family they were moving to New York.

Change of Scenery
David’s father got an offer from a wealthy patron one day to come work for him at his restaurant up in New York. With this came a massive pay raise and a new city to call home. David didn’t take it well at first. Going from a place where any temperature under 50 degrees Fahrenheit would be considered apocalyptic, to a place that regularly went below and beyond can be quite shocking. David was around 13 at this time. For his first birthday in New York his parents surprised him with tickets for the next Americans home game. David was so ecstatic he nearly broke into tears. That game changed his life. The atmosphere of the arena gave him a greater feeling than he could ever imagined. He went from loving and appreciating the game, to wanting to live it. To be able to breath in that atmosphere from the ice would become his new goal in life. His first greatest wish had been fulfilled , and now a larger desire took its place. After much begging he finally got an opportunity get started on his new dream. For Christmas that year he received the most magnificent gift of all: a new pair of skates, a stick, and a puck. David trained his ass off every day at the local rink. In a few months he would be in high school, and he knew he had to tryout for the team. He was behind though. David hadn’t started playing hockey from the womb like most VHL stars. Really starting to play and practice many years after most of the kids he would be competing against. So he just put his nose to the grindstone and drilled himself for hours a day for several days at a time. Even when he failed to make the team in his first year, he was not deterred. After showing everyone how dominant he could be in the youth league, he was ready for tougher competition. He pushed himself even harder. He would not be denied his dreams. He finally made the team in his sophomore year.
 
Learning to Fly
In high school, he learned how be a team player and how to not be selfish with the puck. David found he had a knack for setting up his teammates, recording the most assists on his team during his first season, which ended sooner than he would have liked. He really broke out during his junior year when he started figuring out how to beat goalies more consistently, scoring goals left and right. David became a point scoring machine. He absolutely dominated the season in points and lead his team to the state championships where he suffered a season ending injury when he was smashed into the boards a little harder than he was used to. His team’s upstate rivals finally put a stop to their run. David wasn’t finished. He refused to take no for an answer. After he recovered he went back to the rink to train. He had gained a lot of respect from his coach and teammates. He was named captain in his senior year, and he was more determined than ever. Again he blew past the competition. This time he would not be denied as he carried his team to the state championship once again, and it was his time to be on top. His championship winning goal locked him in as a legend at his school.
 

Harrison deking before scoring the Championship winning goal

 
Decisions, Decisions
After high school, David had a major decision to make: accept one of the many hockey scholarships to some of the best schools around, or accept one of the few VHLM offers that he was given. David just couldn’t refuse a chance to achieve his biggest dream in life. In the end a chance at the VHL was greater than any other offer on the table so he took it. Just after his 18th birthday he accepted a VHLM offer and began starting right away. He has a promising life and career ahead of him. Only time will team if the hockey gods will smile upon him.
 

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??

I'm re-naming and cleaning this topic up as a suggestion / complaint instead of an index. Just doesn't make sense to have all that in an index topic. So if you want to continue the conversation you can do so in here.

I think it's great that you added some romance to the mix of Julius' road to the VHL.  The fact that he learned hockey from his love interest just goes to show how much emotion he has invested in the sport of hockey!  It seemed like a long time coming for him to eventually learn the sport so it was good to see the dream finally come true for him.  I especially liked mentioning his unpredictable home life with his family constantly moving for work, that must have been tough but that will help with the tolls of travel as a hockey player.  Amber seems like a great girl and an even better coach, I love that relationship between her and Julius!

I love the fact that John saved up his own money for his skates, it adds a desire that only someone younger than 5 really shows, especially considering money is such a foreign concept. Really enjoy the character building that doesn't solely revolve around hockey. I like the small windows into John's heart and true love for his team/teammates when he was worried about how they would react to his graduation early. John seems like a really well-rounded hockey player/person who I believe would be a great teammate on any team lucky enough to get him.
 

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.

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.

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!

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.

@johnnyhockey42 when you finish a review post, tag @DollarAndADream at the bottom, as you wont be approved without his blessing 

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

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.