K1NG LINUS

So I was thinking about what to write and I felt I should give a shout out to my awesome team who have been so thrilled to be members of the Malmo Nighthawks.  How am I going to do this? Well, I will write an article on every member of my team and talk a bit about the player and the member themselves. 
 
So far it has been a fantastic experience being a General Manager for the Malmo Nighthawks and I couldn’t ask for a better team supporting me.  We have come a long way in such a short little time and I’m thrilled to see where we end up in the end.  Now, let me introduce you to my team:
 
D - Basaraba Moose – The first team captain we ever had and a solid two-way defender that came to Malmo in a trade shortly after the Expansion Draft.  Moose, who definitely fits the bill as a defender that can play in any situation, has had a solid impact on the green and black thus far during his career.  Moose has recorded 73 points in 117 career VHL games (the first two seasons of his VHL career) and he has also recorded 183 hits and 266 blocked shots over that time.  More importantly, Moose was one of our most enthusiastic members when first joining the team, and while he has become far busier and sadly not around as much, he will always hold a special place in the heart of Malmo’s fans.
 
LW - Blake Gaudette – Blake was not one of my Expansion picks but he has been a member of our franchise since the Inaugural season.  Just like Moose, Gaudette came over in a trade from another European team in the Davos Dynamo.  Gaudette had some controversial moments over on that team but has rounded out nicely for Malmo as both a member and player.  With over 300 TPE as a S66 player, Gaudette looks to be a figure for the future with the Nighthawks and given that he is one of the more active members in our discord, he has been an important piece for us.  With 38 points in 45 games, Gaudette is having an excellent year and should figure into the Rookie of the Year voting.
 
RW – Brian Strong – Wheaties is a member I have been familiar with since the Elite Football League, as he was my GM for a number of seasons there.  He was selected by me in the Expansion Draft as the player that we took from the Wranglers, and has quietly become a solid young player for our team.  With 300 TPE as a Season 65, Strong won’t blow you away but with a well-rounded power forward build, he will be an excellent accessory piece going forward.  Additionally, he has always been a loyal member and someone that is an excellent teammate through and through.  So far in his rookie season, Strong has recorded 11 points in 45 games playing third line minutes for the Nighthawks.
 
RW – Jack Lynch – Our selection in the Expansion Draft from the Davos Dynamo, Jack Lynch has quickly developed into one of the leaders of our team.  With almost 500 TPE as a Season 65 player, Lynch has found a place as one of the best players on our VHL team.  Starting out as a more defensive player, Lynch has developed quickly into a well-rounded talent that is a consistent offensive threat.  After a 63 point rookie season, Lynch is coming close to a point per game total in his sophomore season.  With 106 points in 117 career games with Malmo, Jack Lynch is only getting better and will be a long-time fixture for the team into the future as a potential top line player.
 
D – Jerry Garcia – One of the star young talents on our team, Jerry Garcia was our first Dispersal Draft selection in Season 66.  As a stingy defensive defenseman with a talent for separating others from the puck, Garcia is improving his offense during his sophomore season.  After a 31 point rookie campaign, that saw the defender record 119 hits and 145 blocked shots, Garcia has improved to be a 23 point player in 45 games, while recording 88 hits and 107 blocked shots.  He seems destined to likely pass his rookie numbers and if he keeps it up, he could find himself in the discussion for some hardware soon enough.
 
RW – Matthew Materazo – As our best offensive player, Materazo has come some way from being the Americans cast out come Expansion Draft.  After a 33 point and 58 point campaign in his first two seasons, Materazo has had an incredible breakout year with 51 points in 45 games as the leading scorer of the Malmo Nighthawks.  Matt, like Jerry, has grown into being one of our biggest leaders on our team.  At one point he was the Assistant GM and has been one of our letter holders since he came onto the team in Season 66.  Ultimately, I feel strongly in Materazo’s career and he seems to only be getting better.  He recently signed an extension all the way through Season 70, and I couldn’t be happier to be committing long-term to Materazo.
 
C - Mikka Pajari – Devise has our veteran player and while Pajari is probably not the star I expected him to become when I traded for him prior to Season 66, it is hard to argue with the presence he has become on what is generally a very young Nighthawks squad.  Since joining the Nighthawks, Pajari has recorded a respectable 92 points in 117 games and has been a consistent physical threat with 493 hits over that span.  While it’s unlikely that he continues to become a top line center, Pajari does project to be a solid veteran player as he enters his last couple seasons on what will be a much improved team going forward.
 
D – Morpheus Destructious – MORPHEUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS……..listen…..this man was the 57th overall pick in the Season 66 draft……..how crazy is that?!!! He was an excellent steal as a pure defensive defender who throws massive body checks and entertains with his infectious personality.  Destructious has played a fairly solid role on the team as a second pairing defender, recording 8 points in 45 games with 144 hits and 90 blocked shots.  The question will become, can he take his game to the next level and ever evolve further than what he has become? I’m confident that if he keeps updating, he will achieve those goals.
 
C – Phil Marleau – Our third overall pick in S67 has continued his growth into a top center and he will likely continue that development going forward.  With 32 points and 218 hits in 45 games, Marleau has had a good rookie season and should be a fixture in the Rookie of the Year voting at the end of the season.  Phil has always been a tremendous member and nothing has changed now that he is a member of the Malmo Nighthawks.  He projects as our future top line center and it wouldn’t surprise me if he takes that role on next season. 
 
D – Rusty Shackleford – Mr. Shackleford was my second round pick back in Season 66 and despite deciding to stay down for a second VHLM season, he has become one of our best players as the partner of Jerry Garcia on our top pairing.  Shackleford’s offense has been developing, but he still projects best as a great skater who plays stingy defense and throws his weight around, not unlike Garcia.  With a solid rookie campaign a little over half way complete, Shackleford sees himself with 29 points, 105 hits and 99 blocked shots in 45 games, which puts him on a solid place overall.  On top of that, the member is consistently active and he is someone that I trust with some of my decisions when I am contemplating a move.  Shackleford is someone I want to lock up long-term and I am thrilled to have him on the team now and going forward.
 
C – Teagan Glover – Teagan Glover was our top forward last year, recording 71 points in 72 games during his rookie season.  He was the Riga pick during the Expansion Draft and has blossomed into a solid forward.  Unfortunately due to the minute restraints of having three lines, Glover has only recorded 18 points in 45 games.  With that being said, the team has made it clear they want to improve his minutes and give him a better shot going forward, one that he deserves and has proven to do a lot with in the past.  The member itself is quiet generally but consistent and has embraced being a part of the Malmo Nighthawks thus far in his career.
 
C – Trevor Van Lagen – One of our third round picks in Season 67 was an absolute steal and that player is Trevor Van Lagen.  Taking on a role as mainly a penalty killer and third liner, Van Lagen has put up respectable numbers despite these difficult time restraints.  Recording 17 points in 45 games, Van Lagen’s consistent improvement will result in more minutes going forward and a certainly increased role, especially with the likes of Pajari getting older and closer to retirement.
 
G – Michael Johnson – As for our top goaltender, Michael Johnson is the guy we are counting on to be our franchise goaltender going forward.  It hasn’t been the easiest year for Johnson, who has been stuck playing behind a younger team, but he has still had some pretty incredible moments on route to a 18-22-5 record, .907 save percentage and 3.46 GAA.  While it remains unclear if he can hang with the top goaltender in his class, Rayz Funk, Johnson has embraced being a Nighthawk unlike his competitor ever would have, and has been very outspoken about his love for the franchise.  I couldn’t be more proud to have this guy as a member of our team and I expect some great things going forward from him.

Now that we are a little past halfway through the season we can see some development and make selections now for some awards. I have decided to only do the ones that are voted on as anyone can look at the leaders for the trophies such as the Kevin Brooks Trophy or the Mike Szatkowski Trophy. Each award will have three possible choices (with some exceptions). All selections are based on stats now and "winners" are based on current statistics and a bit of prediction.
 
 
 
MVP - Scotty Campbell Trophy: 
Randoms @hedgehog337
Podrick Cast @Victor
Veran Dragomir @Velevra
 
Here you have three very strong players all of whom have their own case for MVP. Podrick Cast is the league-leading points man and has a 9.58 SHT%, Randoms isn't far behind but also holds a hundred and fifty hits and seven game-winning goals. Dragomir is the stop gap between the two, having 98 hits and 54 points. To pick one of the three, Randoms seems to be carrying Moscow and also has a strong physical presence.
 
 

Top Defenseman - Sterling Labatte Trophy: 
 Tzuyu @tfong
 Robert Malenko @pennypenny
Dan Montgomery @BarzalGoat
 
Tzuyu sits tied for second in points by defenseman and is the best in the league in shots blocked when it comes to competitive teams. Montgomery sits a bit farther back in points but makes up for it with his 146 hits and 78 shots blocked. Malenko is the leading defensive scorer with the best plus-minus of the three at 12 and 81 shots blocked. My pick right now would be Malenko.
 
 
 
Top Offensive Defenseman - Alexander Valiq Trophy: 
Joseph McWolf @McWolf
Tzuyu @tfong
Robert Malenko @pennypenny
 
Really not a big spread in this one, the three players are separated by just three goals. Despite having the lowest points total I'm going to give this one to Malenko. Due to his more impressive shooting percentage and only 3 of his 12 goals coming from the power play. Compared to 6 and 7 for Tzuyu and McWolf respectively.
 
 
 
Top Defensive Defenseman - Jake Wylde Trophy: 
Piotr Jerwa @majesiu
Ryan Sullivan Jr @Advantage
Rusty Shackleford @K1NG LINUS
 
Yet again no one makes themselves distinct. Shackleford sits in 3rd for shots blocked and has dished out 101 hits while collecting 65 penalty minutes. Jerwa sits 4th in shots blocked, and has 140 hits but 96 penalty minutes. Lastly Sullivan Jr has 60 shots blocked, 161 hits and 69 penalty minutes but is the only one with a positive +/- rating at +6. This earns Sullivan Jr my nod.
 
 

Top Goalie - Aidan Shaw Trophy: 
Alexander Pepper @Sonnet
JB Rift @Devise
Brick Wahl @BladeMaiden
 
This is one of the categories that could change the most as the season progresses. All three goalies SV% are within .002 of each other and their GAA within .13. Right now I got to hand it to Rift. While Devise has put a strong team in front of him, his seven less losses than Pepper and little separation statistically gets him my vote.
 
 
 
Top Two-Way Forward - Scott Boulet Trophy: 
Maxim Kovalchuk @Banackock
Veran Dragomir @Velevra
Phil Marleau @Phil
 
Kovalchuk gets here more on a technicality than his actual play so far. Having just switched over his stats look very defensive but strong on the offense as well. If you could hold these stats he would be quite impressive. Dragomir is back, a league leading point scorer and also dishing out 98 hits while being +10. However, Marleau's league leading 205 hits as a rookie and still putting up 16 goals and 15 assists is very strong. Yes he is on a struggling Malmo but he gets my vote anyways.
 
 
 
Top Rookie - Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy:
Rusty Shackleford @K1NG LINUS
Rayz Funk @Rayzor_7
Blake Gaudette @Gaudette
 
This is a category that could be up for some heavy debate. You have one player from each position standing out. Shackleford is a strong shot blocker and a checker who has managed 29 points. Gaudette is purely offence but has managed 13 goals and 37 points and a decent 7.22 SHT%. Funk is the goalie keeping the Bears alive, recording a good .914 while having the second most shots against. The unbiased Council made a decision (I was not involved) and declared Funk the winner 2 votes to 1. Go whine about personal bias anyways now.
 
 
 
Most Improved - Dustin Funk Trophy: 
Joel Ylonen @Esso2264
Matthew Materazo @Matt_O
Elasmobranch Fish @Sharkstrong
 
This category seems like a bit of a no-brainer to me. Fish and Materazzi have both made big improvements to their offensive skill (both nearly matching their last seasons point totals), Ylonen has done the same but has also gone from 7 hits to 100 while adding just 14 extra pims so far. Ylonen gets the vote as he has improved his two way skill and his points totals.
 
 
 
Executive of the Year - David Knight Trophy: 
@Devise
@Banackock
@Victor
 
The executive of the year could go many different ways depending on how the committee sees it. Toronto jumping from around .500 to first in the league may be enough to bring it to Devise. But Moscow also jumped from .361 to first in the EU. Seattle is a bit like the other two but their jump is fuelled by rookies. This award will likely be decided by who can make it the deepest in the playoffs and I will not be making a selection here.
 
 
 
ALL VHL TEAMS
 
FIRST VHL TEAM
F - Podrick Cast @Victor
F - Veran Dragomir @Velevra
F - Randoms @hedgehog337
D - Tzuyu @tfong
D - Robert Malenko @pennypenny
G - JB Rift @Devise
 
SECOND VHL TEAM
F - Beau Louth @Beaviss
F - Matt Thompson @Beketov
F - Dan Wilinsky @oilmandan
D - Joseph McWolf @McWolf
D - Paolo Nano @leafsman
G - Alexander Pepper @Sonnet
 
ROOKIE TEAM
F - Blake Gaudette @Gaudette
F - Phil Marleau @Phil
F - Scott Greene @DoktorFunk
D - Rusty Shackleford @K1NG LINUS
D -  Hulk Hogan @HulkHogan
G - Rayz Funk @Rayzor_7
 
That's all folks! Hope you enjoyed the midseason preview, I expect that the landscape will change a lot in the back half of the season but it'll be interesting to see what stays the same. Now let the arguing in the thread begin as to who was FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY and who was overrated

ECN's "VHL Now!" 6th Edition
"Malmo, Louth and the Clutch?"
 
We hope you are ready for another ECN’s “VHL Now!” as we are here again to bring you interesting facts about VHL this season, it’s player achievements and what makes certain teams interesting.
 
Let’s firstly look at one of the worst teams in VHL this season, our last expansion team – Malmo Nighthawks. Nighthawks have been struggling offensively even though their roster is filled with amazing young and upcoming talent that might need a season or two to mature into a ready playoff squad. There is one thing though, that they don’t require – more physicality. Interesting to see, but 1st and 2nd place holders in most hits this season both play for Malmo. Both Phil Marleau and Mikka Pajari have been truly outstanding and have shown their physical strength every game. P.Marleau has been hitting hard with almost 5 hits per game and M.Pajari has had around 4 per game. You might think that both of them should carry their team in the physical game easily, but that is not even nearly true. Looking deeper in statistical spreadsheets you will find that there are 2 players that have won 3 fights this season – one is Seattle Bears player Valeri Morozov, while other being a truly dreaded Malmo Nighthawks defenceman Morpheus Destructious. Interesting that Malmo’s beast is not only one of the best fighters in league with 75% of his fights being wins, but he is also the leading Penalty taker in the league with 126 PIM this season. With that it is clear that he will take a penalty every game you let him play. Even in a category like Shots Blocked you can clearly see Nighthawks players ability to take a beating – both Rusty Shackleford and Jerry Garcia are in Top 5 in that category, quite ahead of players that are known for their defensive ability. It is clear for ECN that is a couple of seasons, with strong growth and increase in offensive ability, Malmo will become a true powerhouse that will dominate VHL!
 
Beau Louth, one of ECN’s favourite players in VHL is not only leading his team in points but is showing why he should be considered the best Centreman in VHL. His production on the offensive end is truly remarkable this season, but many times overlooked is his ability to provide puck possessions to his team. B.Louth currently sits in 1st place in VHL in Faceoff percentage and has over 2.5% lead over Podrick Cast. Added to all that, Beau Louth currently is the most effective player on the powerplay this season, so it is safe to say that Vancouver’s success has been the result of amazing quality plays of Beau Louth.
 
This season we are having quite a few truly clutch players that deserve the recognition – those 3 amazing players are Matt Thompson, Randoms and Oyorra Arroyo. All three of them are having 6 game-winning goals and that clearly shows you why they are mentioned here. For us, it is clearly not a surprise to see Matt Thompson on this list as he has been one of the best true goalscorers in VHL for the past few seasons. With a total of 22 goals this season, 27.2% of his goals have been game-winners, it is surely impressive, but not as impressive as our next to VHL stars. Randoms, even though a truly skilled player, is not considered by ECN a true goalscorer. He is more or less a hybrid that tends to pass the puck more. Exactly that fact makes Randoms an interesting player as with his 18 goals this season, his every 3 goals has been a game-winner, isn’t that amazing? Probably, one of the reasons why Moscow is doing so well this season. Lastly, Oyorra Arroyo, an amazing player on Toronto, a player that currently is proving to be most clutch. His effectiveness should not only be evaluated by the fact that 35% of his goals are game-winners but by the fact that out of those three players, he is the most disciplined and is fully relying on his offensive ability.
 
For this weeks ECN’s “VHL Now!” that will be it, we hope you learned something new about VHL and how everything is progressing this season. And with that ECN is off this week and will catch up with you next!
 
Brought to you by Frostbeard Entertainment
 
People mentioned:  @Phil, @Devise, @Abaddon, @GustavMattias @K1NG LINUS, @Beaviss, @Beketov, @hedgehog337 and @omgitshim

The puck probably thought he was staring at it instead of the player and jumped into the net.

Malmo, Sweden
 
At one of the regularly scheduled "Meet the Players" events for the Malmo Nighthawks, rookie defenseman Rusty Shackleford has created created controversy over his actions towards one of the attendees. 
 
Within minutes of the event starting, a man handed Shackleford a Podrick Cast Moscow Menace jersey to sign, prompting Shackleford to throw the jersey in a nearby trash can and begin screaming at the man. Bystanders reported hearing Shackleford yell about a variety of things, from expletives directed at the man, to general threats to the city of Moscow and the entire country of Russia. At one point, Shackleford announced that "Sweden is now officially at war with Russia," however, no Swedish lawmakers were able to verify these claims as accurate. 
 
There have also been reports that Shackleford attempted to physically assault the man, but was restrained by teammates Garcia and Materazo. No one was injured in the altercation, but the Cast jersey is reportedly damaged beyond repair. 

69

Malmo, Sweden
 
At one of the regularly scheduled "Meet the Players" events for the Malmo Nighthawks, rookie defenseman Rusty Shackleford has created created controversy over his actions towards one of the attendees. 
 
Within minutes of the event starting, a man handed Shackleford a Podrick Cast Moscow Menace jersey to sign, prompting Shackleford to throw the jersey in a nearby trash can and begin screaming at the man. Bystanders reported hearing Shackleford yell about a variety of things, from expletives directed at the man, to general threats to the city of Moscow and the entire country of Russia. At one point, Shackleford announced that "Sweden is now officially at war with Russia," however, no Swedish lawmakers were able to verify these claims as accurate. 
 
There have also been reports that Shackleford attempted to physically assault the man, but was restrained by teammates Garcia and Materazo. No one was injured in the altercation, but the Cast jersey is reportedly damaged beyond repair. 

We're approaching the half point of Season 67 in the Victory Hockey League. Now seems like a good time to look forward and guess which players will be favourites to bring home the various defensemen awards at the end of the season. The races seem tight for all three awards, and with how random the sims can get, I don't think there's even the slightest I go 3-for-3 here, but whatever, let's give it a try.
 
 
Jake Wylde Trophy
Top Defensive Defenseman
 
S66 Winners
Basaraba Moose (MAL) 48 PTS, +0, 118 H, 174 SB
Samuel Gate (SEA) 93 PTS, -9, 251 H, 159 SB
 
Without a doubt the hardest trophy to assess, so let's get it out of the way first. The thing that's counter-intuitive about the Wylde is that the stats that always seem to have the most weight in the winner's decisions are shots blocked, hits and plus/minus. While plus/minus is more an indicator of team success, the former two are actually stats that players on bad teams usually get loads of. Unless there's a perfect candidate with 200+ hits and 150+ shots blocked on a good team, which would help him have a nice positive plus/minus, the trophy might just fall in the hands of a player with a negative plus/minus or a physical defenseman on a good team that doesn't block a lot of shots.
 
S67 Early Favourites
Piotr Jerwa (NYA) @majesiu 32 PTS, -2, 111 H, 78 SB
Dan Montgomery (HSK) @BarzalGoat 29 PTS, +5, 118 H, 61 SB
Joseph McWolf (RIG) @McWolf 32 PTS, +1, 105 H, 59 SB
 
While it's hard to predict how the rest of the season will go for these three -- and every other defensemen in the league, for that matter -- it looks like they are the front runners at the moment. I'd give the edge to Jerwa, but he's one NYA losing streak away from seeing his plus/minus hit unreasonable numbers for a Wylde candidate. On the other side, Montgomery has the 2nd most hits of all  defensemen, trailing only Ryan Sullivan Jr., and he's only outside the top 10 in shots blocked. Finally, McWolf was added as a third candidate because I'm narcissistic and I need to talk about myself every now and then because he's on the right track, but he's only missing a bit of hits and shots blocked to pass the other two. With a solid end to his season or a collapse from the other two candidates, he could pass them at the finish line and lift the award after this season.
 
 
Alexander Valiq Trophy
Top Offensive Defenseman
 
S66 Winner
Dan Montgomery (HSK) 18 G, 73 A, 91 PTS, +42
 
While the Wylde race looks like it could be decided by a roll of a dice, the Valiq is a little bit more straight forward. It's usually awarded to the defenseman that scored the most points and goals during the season, so I'm basically trying to guess who'll finish on top of the standings by the end of the season, with a little more weight given to goals.
 
S67 Early Favourites
Tzuyu (TOR) @tfong 8 G, 27 A, 35 PTS, +7
Robert Malenko (CGY) @pennypenny 11 G, 23 A, 34 PTS, +11
Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen (DAV) @flyersfan1453 13 G, 14 A, 27 PTS, +5
 
It was honestly hard to limit this list to 3. I almost went on and named myself as a candidate again. The top scoring defensemen are all so close one to another that it feels like anyone is a great sim away from the very top spot. However, the award has historically been awarded more often to defensemen that scored a lot, and didn't only contribute by passing to sniping forwards. That's why I chose these three. They're all on a pace for around 20-25 goals and 70-80 points, which is fairly low for a Valiq Trophy winner, but no one is on a pace for 100+ so that will have to do. I haven't included the top scoring defenseman at the moment, Elasmobranch Fish, as I believe he might regress a bit as the season goes and he's not scoring goals at an impressive pace, which would leave him behind the others when the season is over.
 
 
Sterling Labatte Trophy
Top Defenseman
 
S66 Winner
Samuel Gate (HSK) 93 PTS, -9, 251 H, 159 SB
 
Since the Sterling Labatte Trophy was split into the Wylde and Valiq Trophies and then came back in S63, the trophy was awarded 3 times to the winner of the Wylde Trophy and 1 time to a defenseman that didn't win neither of the other ones that same season. Which makes sense, because it feels like the awards committee has agreed to give the trophy to the best two-way defenseman since it's been reinstated. If I was a betting man, I'd say the odds are the Labatte Trophy will go to the winner of the Wylde if he also had solid offensive numbers. The case could also be made for the winner of Valiq, given he has great defensive stats too, but this seems like it's rarely the case, the trophy often being awarded to uni-dimensional offensive defenseman. I can't see a player with around 10 hits winning the best two-way defenseman award.
 
S67 Early Favourites
Dan Montgomery (HSK) @BarzalGoat 29 PTS, +5, 118 H, 61 SB
Joseph McWolf (RIG) @McWolf 32 PTS, +1, 105 H, 59 SB
Robert Malenko (CGY) @pennypenny 34 PTS, +11, 35 H, 66 SB
 
As expected, two Wylde Trophy candidates are also among the three favourites for the Sterling Labatte Trophy, along with an oddball. As explained with their nomination for the Wylde, Montgomery and McWolf are looking like solid defensive defensemen so far this season and, given that they continue to score as much and block as many shots, one of them could very well go home with both trophies during the offseason. Our third candidate is Wranglers' Robert Malenko, who was named as a potential Valiq winner and, unlike his fellow Valiq candidates, presents great defensive numbers as well. He's lacking a bit in the hits column, but blocks shots at a more impressive rate than the other two. If he distances himself with a ton of points in the second half of the season and continues to block some shots, he could be the second defenseman in five seasons to win the Sterling Labatte Trophy but not the Alexander Valiq. It depends how much the committee values hits for a two-way defenseman.
 
 
Predicted Winners
Jake Wylde Trophy: Dan Montgomery (HSK) @BarzalGoat
Alexander Valiq Trophy: Tzuyu (TOR) @tfong
Sterling Labatte Trophy: Dan Montgomery (HSK) @BarzalGoat
1st All-Star Team Defensemen: Dan Montgomery (HSK) @BarzalGoat - Tzuyu (TOR) @tfong
2nd All-Star Team Defensemen: Robert Malenko (CGY) @pennypenny - Joseph McWolf (RIG) @McWolf
All-Rookie Team Defensemen: Rusty Shackleford (MAL) @K1NG LINUS - Hulk Hogan (SEA) @HulkHogan
 
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1,146 words (claiming for weeks ending on July 28 and August 4)

Congrats on having your innocence taken by Doug.

Malmo repping!!! @Gaudette @K1NG LINUS

The Rookie Report 
VSN Network - July 28, 2019

 
The Season 67 VHL Regular Season has just about reached the midway point and the crop of S67 VHL Rookies are starting to find their groove. Looking at the rookie scoring race, it is flooded with New York Americans and Malmo Nighthawks. It is also striking to see that the majority of the players at the top of the race are Season 66 draft prospects, who took a developmental year in the VHLM last season. Today we'll take a deep dive into the rookie class through the midpoint of the season and check in on who has been the top rookie performers. 
 
 
1. Blake Gaudette - Left Wing - Malmo Nighthawks  @Gaudette
34 Games  |  10 Goals  | 20 Assists  | 30 Points 
 
Atop the rookie scoring leaderboard is Blake Gaudette of the Malmo Nighthawks. The S66 VHLM MVP nominee has accumulated 10 goals and 20 assists in his first 34 games played in the VHL. This nearly point-per-game pace puts him fairly comfortably at first in rookie scoring. Gaudette was a Season 66 draft pick, going 34th overall to Malmo, which is proving to be quite the steal at this point in his career. Gaudette has been playing on the teams second line alongside fellow rookies Phil Marleau and Lucas Nygren. The All-Rookie line for Malmo has been an exciting one to watch and has been headlined by the top rookie of the year candidate in Blake Gaudette 
 
 
2. Nethila Dissanayake - Right Wing - New York Americans @nethi99
34 Games  |  11 Goals  | 16 Assists  | 27 Points 
 
Second on the list is another rising Season 66 draft pick, Nethila Dissanayake. Dissanayake has been a polarizing player on the ice in the VHL, standing at 6'8, he uses his big body to create high scoring chances. He played two seasons in the VHLM for the Saskatoon Wild, posting decent stats each season, but seems to have made a bit of a leap in the VHL this season. His 27 points so far this season puts him in the Top-2 on the Americans behind veteran Piotr Jerwa who has 32 points. The Americans have been primarily playing him on the second line with Walter Clements (who we will mention a bit later) and Blake Laughton, making yet another All-Rookie line in the VHL. Look for Nethila to potentially close the gap on Gaudette for rookie scoring in the second half of the season. 
 
 
3. Walter Clements - Center - New York Americans @cpetrella
34 Games  |  11 Goals  | 13 Assists  | 24 Points 
 
Back-to-back New York American rookies reside in the Top-3 of rookie scoring here with Walter Clements coming in at number three. Clements also continues the theme of late-round Season 66 draft picks coming into their own in Season 67 of the VHL. Clements was drafted extremely low at 55th overall in that draft class. Like Dissanayake, Clements is also 6'8 and plays on the Americans second line. Clements was a prospect that the Americans have been patient with as he appears to have a bit of a slower developmental curve than other prospects around the league. Clements played on the champion Philadelphia Reapers last season and excelled in the playoffs to take home the Playoff MVP award. Despite the struggles this season, the Americans may have found a diamond in the rough here with Clement if he continues to develop. 
 
 
4. Lucas Nygren - Center/Right Wing - Malmo Nighthawks @Advantage
34 Games  |  6 Goals  | 18 Assists  | 24 Points 
 
The second Malmo Nighthawk on the list is Lucas Nygren; line mate of the leading rookie scorer Blake Gaudette. The smooth-skating Swede played for the Saskatoon Wild last season (30-36-66) in the VHLM before signing with Malmo as a GM player. Despite being number four on this list, Nygren is the top Season 67 draft prospect in scoring with his 24 points in 34 games. When you look in detail at Nygren's stat line, it is hard to ignore his astonishingly low shooting percentage at just around 4%. This indicates to me that he has quite simply been unlucky this season in terms of scoring goals. When this starts to turn around, expect Nygren to catch fire. 
 
 
5. Rusty Shackleford - Defense - Malmo Nighthawks @K1NG LINUS
34 Games  |  5 Goals  | 19 Assists  | 24 Points 
 
Rounding out our Top-5 is yet another member of the young Malmo Nighthawks in defenseman Rusty Shackleford. Rusty was drafted 17th overall in the Season 66 draft class and is the top rookie scorer amongst defensemen so far this season. He is primarily a new-school defensive defenseman who can skate very well, but this season for Malmo he has found some early success in terms of offensive production. Shackleford is seeing top pair minutes for Malmo during even strength and also has a presence on the teams second powerplay unit. This is a player that has been working hard and developing nicely ever since declaring for the VHL draft; Malmo looks to have a potential franchise defenseman here. 
 

19 PIMS for MORPHEUS!
 
Also, gotta love:
 
MORPHEUS DESTRUCTIOUS beats up Chico Smeb at 6:16 of 2nd period
MORPHEUS DESTRUCTIOUS ejected from game at 6:16 of 2nd period

Congrats on having your innocence taken by Doug.

We need more!

S66 vs. S65 Draft Comparison 
#3: Almost All the Way Up 
 
After getting through the depths and meat of both drafts, we arrive almost at the end. While these players were chosen later than others, they are still great in their own rights. This list includes many players that have ended up making quite a name for themselves one way or another.  
 

 
44 D Derek Bohne  OTT | C BALLS McZehrl  MIN 
Avoiding the obvious implications of men named “Bohne” and “BALLS” being compared, this is actually a tough comparison. While Bohne was a very solid two-way defenseman for Ottawa in Season 65, McZehrl had a far greater improvement from his pre-draft season. Bohne had over 100 hits and shots blocked, but disappeared the following season, making his value for Ottawa drop significantly. This matchup will result in a slight edge for Mr. McZerhl, which will be solidified if he continues to produce in the future.  
 
43 G Sunny Burst  LVA | RW ACL TEAR  OTT 
Goalies and skaters are difficult to compare, but fortunately the skill levels in this comparison are not even close. Burst had a disappointing season following being drafted, and was traded to the Reapers shortly after. ACL TEAR was scouted early on for his pedigree by his experienced agent, and despite being one of the most ferocious grinders/enforcers in the league, managed to perform dramatically well offensively with 27 points in Season 66. His surprising offensive upside coupled with his very impressive 202 hits makes ACL TEAR the winner of this comparison.
  
42 D Dave John OQuinn  LVA | D Boomer Kuwanger  PHI 
If TPE was the only factor in determining which pick was better, Kuwanger would be the clear winner. However, despite having almost double OQuinn’s total, Kuwanger did not run away with this matchup. Kuwanger had an amazing pre-draft season, with 11 points in 14 games, but had a massive drop off in his numbers, with only 17 points, 39 hits, and 42 shots blocked in all of Season 66. OQuinn managed to outscore Kuwanger in his first season following being drafted with 20 points, then followed it up in the hyper-competitive Season 66 with a 38 point season. OQuinn was also no stranger to the defensive aspects of his game, with hundreds of hits and shots blocked in both Season 65 and 66. OQuinn wins this comparison hands down.  
 
41 C Markus Lulic Descheneaux  LVA | D David Lindberg  OTT 
Another comparison between two inactives joins the list. However, unlike the last matchup, there are no surprises here. Descheneaux played on 60 games of Season 65 for Las Vegas and only had 4 assists to show for it. He was released from the team and has languished as a free agent since. Lindberg was far more impressive, getting 44 points as a defenseman, a shocking +48 rating, and 68 hits and 96 shots blocked for his team. Lindberg is still somewhat active as well, and likely to remain a fixture in Ottawa, making him a far better asset for the team.  
 
40 D Jack Logan  YUK | LW Dylan Doyle  YUK 
Yukon had the 40th player chosen in both drafts, and this is one of the most interesting comparisons of the whole list. Defenseman Jack Logan at a measly 39 TPE had 20 points in the season immediately following his draft day, and a whopping 30 points in Season 66. Doyle was nearly at the VHLM TPE cap by the season’s end, but had a nearly identical point total to Logan in Season 66. Doyle did manage to produce an impressive hit total for a forward, with 123, outdoing Logan’s 114 as a defenseman. While Doyle does narrowly edge out Logan as the victor in this matchup, it is still very compelling how much Logan overperformed when compared to Doyle, who did not by any means have a bad season.  
 
39 G Wendy Kandee Cain  PHI | LW Ben Hafkey  PHI 
Yet again a comparison between a goaltender and a skater, and unfortunately it is a close one. Cain put up extraordinary stats immediately following her draft, including a brief stay on a tanking Philadelphia team, and later being traded to the eventual cup winning Minnesota Storm. Her 0.888 SV% and 2.95 GAA are even better when compared to the rest of the VHLM goalies for that season. Hafkey has also had a decent season with 37 points with the eventual cup winners of Season 66. This would be a draw, but Cain also continued to put up outstanding numbers on the much less successful Storm in Season 66 as well, giving her a slight edge due to her consistent body of work.  
 

 
38 D Benson Van Roosen  LVA | C Dan Gles  MSH 
Van Roosen is another inactive player that has put up shockingly decent numbers, with 48 points and 123 hits as a defenseman in Season 65, followed by 61 points and 174 shots blocked in Season 66. Ordinarily back to back jaw-dropping performances would make that player a lock for the winner in these comparisons, however, Dan Gles has gone above and beyond in his season with the Hounds. Gles was well over a point per game with 96 points and an outstanding +32 this season. Despite Van Roosen exceeding his expectations based on his activity level, Gles without a doubt wins this matchup.  
 
37 LW John Perdue   SSK | D Duncan Jeffers  PHI 
Interestingly, both Perdue and Jeffers went inactive with 135 and 136 TPE respectively, making for a very even comparison. Perdue had a solid 51 points in Season 65, followed by 52 points in Season 66, with a solid hitting game for a winger to boot. Jeffers had 29 points in Season 65 and 32 in Season 66, which is already not too shabby for a defenseman, and compounded with over 100 hits both seasons makes for an imposing specimen.  With what is likely the most even comparison possible, this matchup will have to end in a draw for now, dependent on future performance by both players.  
 
36 D Jerry Garcia  HOU | D Brandon LeBlanc  PHI 
The legend himself, and the only VHL player to get an ice cream flavor named after him, Jerry Garcia spent the season on the mediocre Houston Bulls, and despite this the defensive defenseman was able to attain 31 points, 119 hits, and 145 shots blocked. LeBlanc was in a very different situation from Garcia, being drafted to the eventual cup-winning Philadelphia Reapers. LeBlanc had much better offensive stats, with 37 points and a +43 rating, but lacking in physical and defensive stats with only 60 hits and 32 shots blocked. While this may appear to leave the comparison at a stalemate, it is worth giving extra consideration to Garcia due to his impressive performance on a very lackluster team, and taking LeBlanc’s performance on one of the best teams in the league into account. With these factors considered, Garcia is a narrow victor in the matchup, but with a larger sample size LeBlanc may prove victorious eventually.  
 
35 LW Willy Memelander  LVA | LW Cody Smith  MSH 
This is another comparison that gets absolutely dominated by one side. Memelander went inactive shortly after being drafted, and despite playing a full season got only 6 points before being released from the Aces. Smith on the other hand worked his butt off and was able to score 87 points, plus a somewhat surprising 172 hits. Generating over a point per game is remarkable for any player, and Cody wins this comparison in dominating fashion.  
 
34 D Yuri Kalerov  SSK | D Dean Clarke  SDM 
Here we have one of the biggest mismatches of this list. Kalerov updated to get to just 40 TPE, while Clarke has been regularly updating to nearly get to the minor league cap before the end of the season. Kalerov had a modest 15 point season for playing almost exclusively as a bottom-pairing defenseman. Clarke had a significant advantage in TPE last season, and put it to good use. 42 points and 159 hits later, Clarke is the clear favorite in this matchup.  
 
33 C Jordan Tonn  LVA | D Derek England  MCK 
Tonn and England are both active and engaged players in the league, and this is another great matchup. Tonn had a decent season after getting drafted with a 40 point Season 65, followed by a point per game season with 71 points in Season 66. Tonn also had over 100 hits in both seasons, proving himself as an asset both offensively and defensively for his team. England also had a very impressive season for Mexico City, managing to put up 59 points as a defenseman, on top of over 100 hits and shots blocked. England’s point total is even more notable given how little offense Nyko’s Mexico team had this season, and despite a stellar second year in the VHLM for Tonn, this matchup will have to go to the defenseman Derek England for his outstanding single season performance.  
 

 
32 RW Nethila Dissanayake  SSK | D Boone Jenton  MIN 
The superstar right winger Dissanayake lit up the league immediately following being drafted by the Saskatoon Wild with over a point per game and a 74 point season, as well as a +4 on a defensively struggling Saskatoon and a shocking 112 hits for a forward that is mostly a skilled offensive scorer. Jenton also had an impressive season, playing for the Minnesota Storm for most of the season before being traded to Philadelphia. Once again, we have a defenseman pull out an absurd point total with 63 points this season, as well as giving his body for his team with 168 hits and 126 shots blocked. However, most of Jenton’s points came from his time in Philadelphia, despite playing fewer games with them, meaning that it was likely a result of having better teammates around him. Meanwhile, Dissanayake was able to put up those insane numbers on an undeniably worse team, making them even more of an accomplishment. This was a very close comparison, but based on the talent assisting around them, the very slightest edge would have to go to Dissanayake. However, with both being at very close TPE totals, it is very likely that Jenton can prove himself the better player when both move up to the VHL in Season 66.  
 
31 C Walter Clements  PHI | D Hiromu Takahashi  MCK 
This is comparison has a rough outlook, as we are comparing a massive 6’8” 250 lbs. man to a 5’7” 194 lbs. fireplug. Clements unfortunately dominates Takahashi in almost every aspect, from stats to TPE, and even in size. Clements managed to put together a 43 point season on a tanking Reapers team in Season 65, and managed to show his full potential with an 80 point follow up season that featured him getting 148 hits. Takahashi makes this a surprisingly close at only 70 TPE, with 32 points, and not letting his height discourage him, outperforming Clements with a shocking 172 hits and 133 shots blocked. While Clements is the better player in this comparison, it was much closer than would be expected from Takahashi.  
 
30 D Andreas Sundell  MIN | C Boris the Forest  HOU 
Sundell had a modest season for himself on the eventual cup-winning Minnesota Storm with 43 points, as well as a not-too-shabby 128 hits for Season 65. On the other side of this matchup, the Forest managed to get 66 points on the mightily struggling Houston Bulls, proving himself to be very well rounded with 33 goals and 33 assists this season. While Sundell did not by any means have a bad tenure in the VHLM, he was definitely helped along by his champion-caliber teammates. However, he provided further evidence of his skill with his Season 66 performance with Mississauga, getting slightly more points and shots blocked at the cost of his hit total. In the end, Boris was able to outscore and perform Sundell while on one of the worst teams the VHLM has ever seen, giving Boris the victory in this matchup.  
 
29 LW Blake Gaudette  HFX | RW Andrei Mikhailov  SDM 
Finally, a nice and easy comparison between two forwards. Gaudette had a bit of a rough Season 65, with only 31 points with Halifax. Andrei “Big Mik” Mikhailov did not do much better in Season 66, with only 33 points, and just a few more hits for San Diego. Gaudette really makes a case for his superiority in Season 66, where he transitioned from a weekly welfare collector to steadily becoming more involved and earning greater amounts of TPE, and had quite a bit to show for it with over 100 points with Halifax, making him one of the most improved players of the season. Sadly, Mikhailov has retired, and since his hockey career has come to an end, he will not have the opportunity to match Gaudette’s performance. Gaudette wins this comparison due to his body of work and tremendous improvement.  
 
28 LW Matteo   MIN | LW Devin Gabella  PHI 
What’s this? Two players in the same position, both on a championship-winning team? Sounds like a recipe for an easy comparison! Matteo had a great season with Minnesota in Season 65 with 51 points, but surprisingly a –20 rating as well despite the tremendous core around him. Gabella had significantly more points and hits, and a +38 rating in Season 66, completely eclipsing Matteo in just about every aspect, and giving Gabella the victory here.  
 
27 LW Hunter Wagner   OTT | RW Emil Passerelli  SSK 
Two very similar wingers with very similar TPE and stats. Wagner had a 75 point first season, followed by getting 91 points and a +35 rating with Ottawa in Season 66. Passerelli played a full season before being drafted, in which he had a 66 point season before being drafted. After being drafted, Passerelli was traded to Vegas amid some controversy, followed by another trade to Halifax, but during this post-draft season, he racked up 102 points with a +34 rating. Although it was a close one, Passerelli wins this matchup.  
 
26 LW Blake Laughton  HOU | D Kefka Palazzo  LVA 
Back to a comparison between a forward and a defenseman, we have Laughton, who had a bit of a disappointing season following being drafted to Houston and his trade to Ottawa. However, in the following season he turned his fortune around and was able to get 80 points, a +41 rating, and a surprising 261 hits. Palazzo was able to double Laughton’s entry season point total with 22 points, and while Laughton had slightly more hits, Palazzo was able to attain 69 shots blocked. Laughton wins this comparison for now with his off the wall bounce back season, but Palazzo will also be staying in the VHLM for another season, and another chance to prove his worth.  
 
25 G Luke Derion  LVA | RW AJ Axelsen  HFX 
A much easier comparison between a goalie and a skater, Derion’s best performance was the 10 games he played in the VHLM prior to getting drafted, with a 0.892 SV% and a 2.41 GAA. However, it was downhill from there, as Derion’s stats faltered and he eventually retired after two less than optimal seasons in the minors. Axelsen is a very different story, and after a not very flashy pre-draft season, completely turned it around with a 105 point Season 66. This comparison is not even close, and Axelsen wins on every level.  
 
Another draft comparison is in the books. Look forward to the next issue, in which we will wrap up the 65 vs 66 VHLM Dispersal Draft Comparison.  

It has been twelve years since the VHL opened its doors to the public. There have been so many important moments throughout VHL history that have shaped the league, it is hard to keep track. That is exactly what I'm going to be doing today. Take a seat and get ready for a trip down memory lane, as we go through the most important moments in the history of the VHL.
 

 
Robert Sharpe being taken first overall
Of course, how could we not add the first ever draft to the list? Who would have guessed that the league would have gone for 12 years and counting. What this draft is most famous for is the selection of goalie Robert Sharpe being taken first overall. He was believed to go in the second round, and the selection of Sharpe over Scotty Campbell was one of the biggest surprise selections in VHL history. Future hall of fame goaltenders Maxim Desny and Matt Pogge were also passed on in favor of Sharpe. Sharpe would (unfairly) be known as one of the biggest busts in VHL history, while Scotty Campbell would go onto become the greatest player ever. Honorable mention to Jeff Downey for being a huge bust as well.
 
Suspension of Robert Sharpe
The suspension of Robert Sharpe is one of the most controversial decisions in VHL history. Sharpe was found to be re-using graphics from other leagues, and he was given a one season ban from earning TPE. This is why he is known as one of the biggest busts in history. We will never know how Sharpe would have fared had he never been suspended. We almost lost Beketov for good after this, but Scotty, the acting commissioner, convinced him to stay.
 
Vasteras winning the championship
Heading into the playoffs, the Calgary Wranglers were the odds on favorite, having a 69-3 record during the season. While Vasteras certainly was not a bad team, they were not nearly as good as Calgary, similar to the Tampa/Columbus series, where Columbus was good but Tampa was just too good. Who could have guessed that Vasteras would take out the Wranglers in six games? This was absolute insanity, and remains one of the best upsets in the history of the VHL.
 
Scotty Campbell Trade
The biggest trade ever saw the "great one" Scotty Campbell force his way out of Vasteras, and brought future hall of famer Matt Defosse with him. Vasteras received Mike Szatkowski and Brannan Anthony, also future hall of famers. Seattle would go on to win back to back championships with Campbell at the helm, while Vasteras would enter a long drought of failure. 
 
Scotty Campbell scores 190 points
Campbell is the greatest to ever play in the VHL, and it is very apparent when you go back and look at the stats. He had 190 points in S5, the most in a single season ever. He had 101 assists and 89 goals in the most dominant year the league has ever seen. He and the Bears would go on to win the Continental Cup that season.
 
Riga vs Davos Semi Finals, S11
In one of the most bitter rivalries the league has seen, the Dynamo and Reign faced off in an epic series that would go all the way to seven games. Davos traded for superstar Jonathan Mattias during the offseason, which brought Davos up to Riga's level. Game seven is where the madness happened. Down 4-1 in the third period, Davos scored three goals in fourteen seconds to tie the game. They ended up winning the game in overtime, 5-4, in one of the greatest games ever.
 
Lars Berger Cup Winning Goal
Game five of the cup final between Toronto and Davos was one for the ages. It went to a third overtime, with 128 total shots on goal. It was tied at three, and many of the top players had been ejected earlier in the game. With the Legion up 3-1 in the series, Lars Berger scored to end the game and the series, and the Legion won the cup. It is one of the craziest games ever, and maybe the craziest game ever.
 
Vasteras breaking the curse
This might be the greatest moment ever. Vasteras, a cursed franchise, had no success in the past twenty seasons, failing to to make it to the finals in over twenty seasons. They finally had built a contending team centered around Phil Gerrard. They defeated the Americans in five games, and won their second cup in franchise history, and first in 25 seasons. 
 
Vasteras gets bullied out of existence
People hated this team for some reason. New players would refuse to play for Vasteras since all the other members hated them. They also were just a random city in Sweden that their inaugural GM picked. While many people still want Vasteras to return, everyone hated Vasteras so much they were removed from the league.
 
Seattle Bears win the cup in S43
This was one of the most unexpected runs ever. They had an inactive GM, but he got to keep his job when he returned and the team forced the commissioners to keep him around. Seattle was the third seed in the North American Conference, and proceeded to win it all in one of the most epic upset wins ever. It was magical, to say the least.
 
Calgary vs Quebec, S44
This was an incredibly heated rivalry. These two teams really disliked each other, and they faced off against each other in the S44 playoffs. Of course, when Calgary won in a decisive five games, there was an absolute meltdown from Quebec. See for yourself here.
 
Oregon Trail
This was the game of the VHL. Five people would get to play, and they would try to see if anyone can survive. This was largely done on the old forums, and them most legendary moment through all this is known as #jeffership. I looked around the current forums, and the only thing I could find was someone posting #jeffership with absolutely no context, so I'm not what exactly with this. What I do know is that people killed and ate @James.
 
Cleganebowl
Sandro and Greg Clegane faced off against each other in the S51 finals. It was pretty epic, and both goalies played very well throughout the series. While Sandro picked up the series win, both goalies played incredible. This was one of the most memorable moments in league history.
 
Boubabi
I'm sure everyone knows what happened with Boubabi. This is still a very important moment, despite how a lot of people say that he should be freed. After he went off on anyone who voted against him in the Brett Slobodzion trophy, he was banned for a day, and then banned permanently. It doesn't look like the ban will ever be lifted.
 
Scotty Anderson
After making a player in S3, Anderson decided to make another account for some unknown reason. It is unknown how anyone ever found out about this. People didn't like Anderson before this because they say he was "annoying", but after this he was hated. Any new player would be immediately interrogated to see if they were Anderson. He has been caught with new players every once in a while and they have been banned. 
 
Doug
How could this not be on the list? It truly is very influential to the modern day VHL. I have had many conversations with people on discord for long periods of time only talking about Doug. He truly is a legend, and he will never be forgotten as long as I am in this league. I was part of his claim to fame; he was the commissioner of an NHL 19 sim league. I picked Hischier up in the fourth round and jokingly said I would "bust a nut". Apparently he took it seriously and asked me if he could watch. I thought he was joking at first, but I guess not.
 
 
Other legendary moments that I don't have info on:
Red 5 standing by
Jardy vs Llama
Phil getting banned
Jericho hacking Kesler
 
Feel free to add in any other moments that have been left off the list, as I am sure I left off some things that are very obvious. Let the memories flow through you, and every day I wish I could go and look at the old forums to see how life was like in the beginning of the VHL.
 
 
 
 
 

50+ shots in our two games today. Huge two wins as well! Also @K1NG LINUS got a huge first goal today!

Happy Birthday VHL! 
 

 
For any of you who are unaware, today, Thursday July 18th, 2019 marks the 12th anniversary of the VHL opening its doors, all the way back on the original Invisionfree forum that many sim leagues used back in the day. A lot has happened over the years, as nearly 100 of you described last year. 
 
With our birthday comes the annual tradition of gifts for all the league’s members, in exchange for a small amount of work, of course. This year, we are asking all of you to come up with at least three creative player names* to be used in replacing the bots in the sim, including at least two skaters and one goalie. If you'd like, you can specify which league and/or team the name would go on. As a reward, you will receive 12 Uncapped TPE, as well as a Doubles Week to be used with a Point Task submission in the next month**. The ones we like the best will be used to replace the generic "TEAM C1" names currently in the sims.


 
*Please remember that the league does not condone the use of slurs or foul language in the naming of its players.
**Uncapped TPE and Doubles Week must both be claimed by the week ending August 18th 

This rivalry series is starting to get ugly. At least Phil is doing great and Shackleford was somehow a plus in this game. 

Week/Month Start Day End Day Competition First Game Last Game RAND GAME RAND COM User Prize JULY 2 10/07/19 17/07/19 VHL 1 55 4 8 @K1NG LINUS 3 Uncapped JULY 2 10/07/19 17/07/19 VHLM 1 18 18 2 @uphillmoss 3 Uncapped  
 
proof:
 

The Malmo Nighthawks recently made waves in the VHL graphics community with the release of a new design for their jerseys, which served as an inspiration to many and at the very least reached "interesting" status for most. The team became the second in the league to release what look to the casual observer to be extensively planned, extensively thought-out, meticulously designed jerseys, and the press recently sat down with Jonathan Pepper, Assistant General Manager of the Helsinki Titans and the mind behind the designs (OK, that last bit didn't really rhyme all that well), to gain a bit of insight on the matter.
 
Take us through some of the more important features of the Helsinki jersey.
JP: Well, you know, this team just came off a season where they were undeniably the best in the league, and we even won a cup. Our championship status was the first thing about our team that we wanted to represent, and that's why, if you look closely, you'll see some similarities with the jerseys of the NHL's St. Louis Blues. We both won cups around the same time, so I'd say it's fitting to draw a connection there. 
Previously, you saw our jerseys featuring a lot more teal, which was really just an interesting color we decided to throw in. We decided to darken the blue for two reasons: first, we wanted to represent the waters of the Baltic Sea, which, while beautiful, can be cold and unforgiving to the unfamiliar...just like the Titans. The exact blue that we chose wasn't coincidental, either--we wanted it to be somewhere in between the blue of the flag of Greece and that of the flag of Finland, to represent both the team's name and its location.
We kept the teal as trim to pay homage to our old design, and we also added in some white trim to represent both the snow of an Arctic winter and, once again, the Finnish flag. If you notice a some black, too, there's another reference to our Finnish winters, where we see prolonged periods of darkness.
 
Fascinating. So what about the Malmo design? Do we have many hidden messages in there, too?
So I've got this green highlighter on my desk. I was stoned one day and I looked at it and I was like, "oh, hey, there's our jersey right there." I just kind of took a navy blue template and slapped a few fluorescent green lines on it and boom, that was that.
That's it? No hidden messages? No references to Arctic winters?
Nope. That's it. I was just really baked that day.
Ok, good talk.
 
Just kidding @Sonnet I love your jerseys.

Anyone can add to this at any time; here's where we throw in somewhat questionable images from Discord. I'll start.