K1NG LINUS

Why you have to be mad? Is only game.

Is there a way that i can create a new team and be the GM

Aged rookie Colin Conklin started his first game last night against the San Diego Marlins. The 33 Year old beer league veteran allowed his first goals just 18 seconds in. Now it wasn’t his fault, Marlins rookie Alex Pearson Tipped a shot from Lincoln Tate and it went just over his glove. Less then 2 minutes later though the marlins scored again. Conklin looked shaky throughout the first, The Marlins missed a lot of shots, luckily because if they didn’t the score would likely be a lot worse. As the period went on The Marlins went up 4-0 on goals from Marleau and Pearson. It looked like the Bulls were Mounting a comeback with a couple quik goals going into the second from Tanner Andrew and rookie Jesse Nyman, but it didn’t last long. Tate scores a goal right through the five hole, a goal He has to save. And with that Conklin gets pulled.
(Conklin angrily smashes his stick after being pulled in his first career game)
 
After the game when asked about his preformance, Conklin said
“I sucked, I know I sucked. I don’t see why you even ask, you guys watched the f—-ing game, I stunk. I gotta be better to play with these kids”
 
 

Guidelines would help. If I'm being honest since some people don't like my opinion on it since some say all I did was spam. The problem that I see is that some people will dislike it when anyone comments on every game thread. I don't know how to respond to that honestly but guidelines might help. I personally like that the lottery is tied to game threads since game threads are more active, but if we were to tweak it I would not be upset. I could be wrong but something like this might help.

No create guidelines that people have to follow for it not to be spam. The system isn't broken the people that abuse it are the fault.

Yeah but the red one self destructs. We trade all assets for picks and dump nukes into Amer- whoops, sorry, Canada doesn’t have a nuclear arsenal. 

Saskatoon will rise once again to reclaim the fire we had early season! 

@DougF has been permanently banned for soliciting illegal images from members.

In honor of the finale of game of thrones, I'll compare VHL members to GoT characters:
 
Hot Pie - @DilIsPickle - Hot Pie is just a talkative lovable dude who throws outrageous statements out there like because you wear armor you are automatically a knight. 
Any of the Iron Born - Robbie Zimmers because he is always trying to start shit but it never really turns into anything and he is easily conquered (I forget who he is someone please tag)
Gendry - @Will because he is kind of important to the grand scheme of things but disappears rowing his boat for 3 seasons
Tywin Lannister - @boubabi - Replace Franchise Cornerstone with the Lannister legacy and they fight just as hard for the same thing (though Tywin is smarter)
Ser Davos - @tfong tries really hard to be the adult in the room in general chat
Melisandre - @Beketov because he has been with the league since S1 and is 1,000 years old just like her
 
 
 

It's the World Junior Cup, and USA is back for some glory. This team is going to be gunning for gold; and nobody will stop us. Here is the roster:
 
Forwards:
Kyson Blake @TMI
Bert Meyers @RunnerBert11
Teagan Glover @Bucky___lastard
Orion Slade @BluObieZ
Kyle Sabertooth @uphillmoss
Matteo @tunedtorock
Eric Parker @Eparker24
Aleksander Rodriguez @Jtv123
Emil Passerelli @SparrowLTD
 
Defense:
Jerry Garcia @GustavMattias
Apollo Hackett @Renomitsu
Charlie Paddywagon @DMaximus
Dallas Jones @Trifecta
 
Goalies:
Joe Nixon @Bonzaijoe
Justin Cole @WhiteMocha
 
Click this link to join the discord server: https://discord.gg/ABvr9wV
 

1. @K1NG LINUS, he has been pretty friendly on forums and in Discord. Haven't had a ton of interaction but he seems like a fun guy.
2. Well I don't see any of our guys falling far. Most likely to fall and be a steal would be me.
3. Quite surprised with this one. I guess he has a thing for hitting the stretch passes.
4. I mean I kind of have to. If I'm letting in shots we can't get the puck. I've also assisted a couple goals so yeah.
5. I feel like I'm underachieving, but I've also been peppered with the third most shots in the league. So I'm not disappointed but I expect better.
6. I don't think so. For the most part we are here to be strong and some teams will trade games with us but not often.

Haha I wouldn't worry too much. Hali is one of the only VHLM teams with 2 active tendies, so I don't think any other teams have the strategy set to pull the goalie. You'll average out when you've played more games.

Called it from day 1

Called it from day 1

After starting the season strong with a GAA of 2.75, Halifax rookie goaltender Thorvald Gunnarsson has seen himself pulled from games on back to back starts. Asked what happened the rookie offered, “I think it's just the level of competition is higher than back home. You can't have a mental night off, or else you will get beat.” What was a promising start to his VHLM career seems to be off the rails. Only managing to stop 10 of the last 16 shots he's faced (.625 save percentage and an astronomical 13.67 GAA), Gunnarsson has been seriously cold.
 
Originally drafted to be a the team's backup goaltender, Gunnarsson was quickly promoted to the starter after Chase announced to the team that he would be leaving the minors and taking his talents to Moscow in the up-coming season. Just before the season started Michael Johnson was signed to back up Gunnarsson. However, as of late it looks as if the roles are starting to change. Gunnarsson's recent bad play seems to coincide with Johnson's rising play. The two had been splitting starts recently so it would not be too much of a stretch to see Johnson run away with the starter position.  There have been rumblings of a goalie controversy for a little while, but now it may be open season for the starter job.
 
Up until recently the two have been very close in their performances in practice and it was difficult to say who had the edge. In games however, both had played well enough to put the team in a position to win, but it seemed as though luck was more on Gunnarsson's side for wins. He's certainly enjoyed more goal support in the early part of the season. In the last week though, a clear difference has opened up between the two, with Johnson flashing his skills in practice and in games.
 
“The better guy should play,” said Gunnarsson when asked about this. “I have been letting the team down recently.” Perhaps seeing the game from the bench for a few days would help Gunnarsson snap out of this funk. “I am still adjusting to the game here, but I need to be better.”
 
When asked if there was anything he needed to do differently, Gunnarsson stated that he would have to talk with his coaches first But he stated that he planned on adding more practice time in the coming weeks. “The schedule is pretty packed already, but I think there are a few hours where we can get some more drills done.” Obviously any time a player goes through a bad stretch like this changes have to be made. When asked what needed to be adjusting he mentioned that his positioning had been pretty poor recently. He added that he believes a lack of focus on the ice has contributed to his sloppy positioning and allowed in some soft goals. “I think a hard look at the tape will reveal what mistakes I have made, and where I can make simple adjustments,” Gunnarsson said. “We will be spending a lot of time in the film room, and I will be making those adjustments as soon as I can.”
 
Week ending 5/19/19, 534 words

MEX finally gets more than 15 shots. Wow they almost look like a team

MALMO--It seemed like all 300,000-plus people in Sweden's third-largest city had joined in the celebration Thursday night, though the rest of the league was left dissatisfied. Within hours of a press release from league headquarters, bars were flooded, the city had lit up in green, and a parade was going over the Oresund Bridge. Why? The Nighthawks had just been awarded the Continental Cup.
 
"Upon recent deliberation, the league has drawn the conclusion that, due to recent circumstances, the superior VHL team can no longer be best measured by their results in the regular season, their survivorship in the playoffs, or a win of a so-called 'championship round'," said the league's latest press release. "The VHL has drawn a unanimous consensus that the Malmo Nighthawks, by virtue of their sick logo, shall hereby be recognized as league champions this season. All further games shall be declared 'unofficial,' as shall the playoffs and finals."
 
The league's unprecedented, unexpected declaration drew criticism from most non-Malmo parts of the league, including multiple players going on the record to once again demand the cup for themselves, and Vancouver GM Keaton Louth tweeting "Oh no not this again" as riots erupted in the city. 
 
League officials declined to comment upon request for further information.

GUSTAV'S GUIDE TO BUILDING
(Updated for Hybrid Builds)
 
 
If you're new, welcome to the VHL! If you're not, I have no idea what you're doing here, but thanks for stopping by and I hope you learn something nonetheless. This guide originally served a purpose as a very helpful tool back when our build system was more straightforward, and I've now modified it so that it might be a very helpful tool now that it's less straightforward. For the newbies, I'm going to provide a little bit of context as to why our system works the way it does and how it's changed.
 
*NOTE: MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THE SECTION BELOW BEFORE MOVING ON!*
 
The VHL runs its sims (and has run its sims since 2007) with the SimonT Hockey Simulator (or STHS for short). This engine provides text-based output for every game, every season, and has mostly served its purpose well in doing so. If you've ever played a "Be a Pro" mode in an NHL (or Madden, or whatever other sporting equivalent), you have already experienced the basic concept of a sim league--you do things, and those things will help you earn points which you can spend to upgrade your player's attributes. For example, STHS has a "Scoring" attribute--earning TPE and spending it on Scoring will make your player better at--you guessed it--scoring (for the super lost, a good breakdown of TPE earning is in this article). 
 
And that's the basic premise of STHS. Our sim engine takes in basic player attributes (which will be explained in PART 1 below), and spits out results. It's not that simple, though--until Season 83, one point into Scoring on the VHL website meant one point into Scoring in STHS. That season, though, the system was reworked. Now, we have more attributes to upgrade, and more potential ways to build a player. These attributes aren't fed into STHS--rather, they're translated into the same basic attributes as before, and those attributes are fed into STHS.
 
You might be asking yourself--why do we do it this way? If it's accomplishing the same thing, why do we need to make it more complicated?
 
That's a perfectly valid question, and I would agree that it seems a bit nonsensical for someone new. The answer involves a good dive into league history. Starting around the early S70s, and growing throughout that decade, it became more and more accepted that having a full team of players who separated Scoring and Passing as much as possible would "break" STHS in a way, leading to unrealistic results and forcing teams to follow what became known as the "meta" way of building if they wanted to be good (I present a more detailed breakdown of the situation in this article). By S80, things had gotten way out of hand, and it was clear that something needed to be done about the meta taking over.
 
The new attributes (which I will explain in PART 2 of this article) solve two issues at once: first, it is impossible to separate Scoring and Passing nearly as much as before, and the effects of the meta are significantly diminished, and second, it allows for a little more build diversity--some had complained as well that the attributes offered by STHS weren't enough.
 
As goalie builds were unaffected by the meta, goalie builds remain the same as they were before. Part 1's explanation for goalie builds will be all you need, but you'll need both if you're building a skater.
 
 
Get it? Got it? Good. If you don't get it, please go back and re-read it--otherwise, you'll probably be very confused as to what's coming up.
 
 
*A SECOND NOTE: YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND PART 1 TO UNDERSTAND PART 2! THE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT A GOOD BUILD WAS BEFORE THE SWITCH IS 1000% RELEVANT TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT A GOOD BUILD IS TODAY!*
 
 
Without further ado...
 
 
PART 1: THE "OLD WAY" AND HOW STHS REALLY WORKS
 
What you'll see below is what STHS uses to evaluate its players--if you're a skater, this is different from what you'd see on the portal.
 
 
Skater attributes:
 
Checking (CK): The higher this stat is, the more hits your player will record. High Checking will also give you lots of penalty minutes, especially in the VHLM, but if you're building a physical player, there's nothing wrong with upgrading this attribute. If you're seeing your penalty minutes fly through the roof, that's just how it is with high Checking. There's no real way to avoid that (see the article linked under Discipline for more info), but it's a trade-off. Whether you upgrade it or not is up to you and can have benefits either way.
 
Fighting (FG): This one is pretty self-explanatory. The more you upgrade Fighting, the more fights your player will get into. Not good for the team, but some people like to upgrade fighting nonetheless for the laughs.
 
Discipline (DI): In theory, this attribute should lower the number of penalties your player takes. In practice, it accomplishes this--but it more or less does so by lowering hits. This is why I said up by Checking that high Checking and high Discipline at the same time is a bad idea. Per this article, in fact, I personally believe that upgrading Discipline at all is meaningless unless your sole objective is to avoid taking penalties--and even then it's only going to have a minor effect. Don't focus on upgrading Discipline at all if you're planning on doing things that will give you higher Checking.
 
Skating (SK): Upgrades to Skating make your player faster and can also help with positioning. In my opinion (and that of most others), skating is an important one to upgrade. Some believe it doesn't do much, but most players that you'll see out there have significant upgrades to Skating. In general, Skating is (as it should be) a primary attribute for skaters, and it's widely considered a standard in any build. Part of the Decision-Making Formula*. 
 
Strength (ST): Sounds important, and it is, though at a secondary level. Strength is sort of a "helper" attribute for a whole bunch of stuff: for one, it makes a player harder to knock off the puck (though Puck Handling will also accomplish this), and for another, it makes a player's checking slightly more effective. It also plays a minor part in face-offs and fighting. Mostly, a focus on Strength should be reserved for your player's build after you've already put a good amount of points into it, but once this is the case, upgrades to Strength aren't a bad idea. Even if it's secondary, it's underrated! Though it shouldn't be built up as much as some other stuff, it is worth it.
 
Puck Handling (PH): Underrated and important! Good for just about any build. It is exactly what it sounds like--a player with good Puck Handling will have a hard time losing possession, something more important than most realize in the simulation--go to the play-by-play of any sim and count the turnovers, because you'll find a ton of them. Also helps with tipping the puck to score and stealing the puck in the defensive zone (and I've heard once but not confirmed that it's a little bit helpful for shot blocking as well). If a player has Skating upgraded, Puck Handling should be upgraded as well, more or less evenly with it.
 
Face-offs (FO): A good face-off rating is essential to any center's build, and somewhat far off in the distance for a winger. Being able to get possession right away (especially if your goalie has solid rebound control, which we'll get to later) is imperative, especially in the defensive zone. If you're a winger, don't worry about this one--even though 10 points or so in it might be worth it, it certainly isn't any sort of priority. If you're a center, though, this should be right up there with your primary attributes--maybe not your highest, but not too far behind.
 
Passing (PA): Another "exactly what it sounds like" attribute. The higher this is, the better you'll be at passing the puck. Passing is tricky, because one must be careful to keep it distanced a bit from scoring (which I'll get to in the Decision-Making Formula section). In general, shoot-first players have more success points-wise and are more sought-after by GMs, but playmakers can still be valuable, so don't let that get in the way of building a pass-first player if you'd like to as well! Part of decision-making formula*.
 
Scoring (SC): Yet another "exactly what it sounds like" attribute. The higher this rating is, the better your player will be at, well, scoring. This is helpful and imperative in just about any build but defensive defenseman (where it's ok to upgrade, but should be secondary). Part of the Decision-Making Formula as well*. 
 
DEFENSE (DF): Defense is, in my opinion, THE MOST IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTE FOR ANY POSITION OR BUILD. Every player, regardless of what type of player they are, should upgrade their Defense rating to at least 70 in the VHLM. Prior to S83, just about every top player had a DF rating of 99, and getting it to a fairly high point today should be a primary objective in building. Upgrading Defense not only makes your player valuable on both ends of the ice, it also makes a player more likely to track down a loose puck, which is also helpful on both ends of the ice. It will also make your player more adept at intercepting passes, which can lead to some great chances, especially if your player is a forward. I HIGHLY recommend that everyone, regardless of position or build, upgrade defense, and do so significantly.
 
Penalty Shot (PS): This attribute (theoretically) makes your player more successful in both penalty shots and the shootout (with highly limited results in real life). Not too useful, and almost nobody ever upgrades it. Putting even 5 or 10 TPE into it might give you an edge over some goaltenders, but again, keep in mind that this stat isn't all too important. If your player has other needs, address them first. 
 
Leadership (LD): There are but a few who think leadership does anything at all. Theoretically, it will help your team's morale and make them more consistent, leading to more wins and more success in general. Whether or not this is actually the case is a matter of debate--a great many are convinced that leadership doesn't do anything, and even if it does have an effect, it's very slight. Upgrade if you'd like, but at your own risk.
 
 
*Decision-Making Formula: Passing, Scoring, and Skating are all part of the "decision-making formula." Basically, the more you have one of these attributes upgraded, the more likely your player is to choose that course of action when carrying the puck. For example, a player with Scoring upgraded more than Passing or Skating is most likely to shoot the puck, rather than pass to set up a play or attempt to skate to gain better positioning. It's advisable to stagger these stats a bit so your player isn't indecisive--if Scoring is more important to you than Passing, put Scoring at least 10 points ahead (if not more). If Passing is more important than Scoring, put passing about 10 points ahead. In my own personal opinion, Skating doesn't have to be staggered, and can be upgraded just as much as your top preference--common sense dictates that if you're carrying the puck, you will either have to pass or shoot, so in the end, to me, this doesn't make much difference. If you upgrade Skating significantly, however, you'd better also upgrade Puck Handling to make sure you can pass or shoot in the first place.
 
In the end, build the way you want. Not trying to maximize the gap between Scoring and Passing might get you to fall down the draft board a bit, but it's not like you won't be valuable if you build creatively. What's truly important is that you earn consistently, have a good all-around build, and have fun.
 
 
 
Now for goalies! You're the lucky ones because this continues to be completely relevant information:
 
Skating (SK): This attribute affects a goaltender's ability to move around, both in the net and out of it, to play pucks, for example. This is an important attribute for goaltenders, though not a top-tier one. Skating, Size, and Agility are the three main "secondary" attributes for goaltenders, though Skating is the one most often left in the lurch as some consider Size or Agility more important than the rest.
 
Size (SZ): Fun fact--although you get to choose your player's height and weight during creation, that information actually has no bearing on your goalie's performance. A goalie can, by official height and weight, be built like Shaq, or like Peter Dinklage, and neither will have any sort of advantage size-wise over the other in the sim. This attribute is actually what makes the difference--the higher a goalie's size rating is, the more area that goalie will cover without even having to move. It is somewhat popularly believed that Size has more of a positive effect than Skating or Agility, and though it is not a primary attribute, some tests in limited capacity have reflected this opinion numerically.
 
Agility (AG): Agility will make your player's movements more natural, making this attribute an overall boost to quickness. It's helpful as a supplement to already-upgraded stats, but isn't a substitute for any of them. It is, like Skating and Size, considered a secondary attribute.
 
Rebound Control* (RB): It doesn't matter what kind of save a goaltender makes--if the puck goes right back out to an opposing player with a wide open net, the outcome won't be very good. A solid Rebound Control upgrade gives a goalie the ability to stop the puck and hold onto it, something of higher importance than most realize. Centers be warned, though--to get the puck out of the defensive zone after the goalie hangs onto it, you'll need to win the face-off, so be sure to upgrade your face-off rating!
 
Style Control* (SC): This attribute is far more important than it sounds on its surface. Upgrades to Style Control will allow your goalie to be a good deal more consistent in the course of a game, maintaining the same style of play throughout. If a goalie doesn't do this, the game can fall apart and get blown wide open, so it's best to have this one taken care of.
 
Hand Speed* (HS): This attribute will increase your goalie's hand speed (no, really). It's also quite important, as anyone who knows hockey even a little bit knows that the glove is one of the most important pieces of equipment a goalie has, being extremely versatile and mobile. Making sure your goalie can use it well is one of the secrets to success as a player. 
 
Reaction Time* (RT): While skating and agility help to make sure that your goaltender can move around easily, Reaction Time is what makes sure your goaltender makes a move in the first place, before the puck goes in the net. While Skating and Agility are important, Reaction Time outdoes both. 
 
Penalty Shot (PS): This one will improve a goalie's ability in both penalty shot situations and in shootouts, though nothing but. Although it's not the most useful, putting even a little bit into this stat can give a goalie an advantage, as not many skaters upgrade it either. As I said for skaters, though, if you have any needs with your build, address those long before considering upgrading this one.
 
Leadership (LD): See above under skater attributes. Long story short, don't bother.
 
*Primary Attributes - upgrade these four above all else.
 
 
 
So, now that you've got all that (and feel free to re-read if necessary!), let's get on with the actual building.
 
 
 
PART 2: THE "NEW WAY" AND HOW TO GET YOUR BUILD STARTED
 
 
For a skater, the following attributes are available for player upgrades on the portal:

 
Remember those attributes from Part 1? This table explains how the new attributes work--if you take Deking from 0 to 1, for example, you will have effectively upgraded Puck Handling (PH) by 0.24 and Defense (DF) by 0.12. So, about 8 points into Deking equates to about 2 points into PH and 1 point into DF. 
 
I realize that this is a lot to make sense of for a new player, so here I'm going to provide some sample builds for different play styles. Each build below will be a 200-TPA build, to give you a good target to shoot for in the VHLM.
 
 
Forwards:
 
1. The Scorer
 
This build will be based on the following principles:
 
-We want to score! The three attributes that will help us upgrade Scoring are Offensive Vision (OV), Slap Shot (SS), and Wrist Shot (WS). Offensive Vision helps the most, but it also includes upgrades to Passing. Because of this, we'll upgrade Offensive Vision until it starts to cost more to upgrade, and then create a gap between Scoring and Passing with the others.
 
-We also want DF to be high. We don't care about hits, so we'll leave Body Checking (BC) off the table for now and focus on Deking (DK), Stick Checking (PC), and Defensive Coverage (DC).
 
-SK and PH are also important, so it will be important for us to put points into Stickhandling (SH) and Speed (SP).
 
That gets us the following build. Note that Stick Checking in the table is abbreviated to PC (presumably Poke Checking) on the portal:
 

 
With this build, our primary objective (increasing SC with high OV) has been achieved, with some gap added through SS and WS. Along with this, we've managed to bring DF to 51, SK to 47, and PH to 49--and ST increasing with the others is a nice bonus. Note that we made OV really high here--though it adds to PA at the same rate, it is by far the easiest way to increase SC.
 
 
2. The Playmaker
 
Pass-first builds tend to be frowned upon, but the hybrid system makes them more attainable than scoring builds. We'll target this build like so:
 
-Building Passing is easy if we go for high Passing (PA) and Offensive Vision (OV). Slap Shot and Wrist Shot matter a lot less here.
 
-As above, we'll build DF with DK, PC, and DC. We'll also build SK and PH with SH and SP.
 

 
While it's true that this build leads to lower Scoring, the ability to avoid putting points into SS and WS to build a SC-PA gap allows for those points to be distributed elsewhere--this player has DK, SH, PC, DC, and SP at least 5 above the Scorer build. When translated to STHS attributes, that's 3 higher in DF, 3 higher in PH, and 6 higher in SK. ST takes a hit as it's closely linked to the Scoring attributes, but other than that, this is a more TPE-efficient build (though it could present itself as a bit less desirable than the Scorer anyway).
 
 
3. The Two-Way Forward
 
Here, we'll be aiming to build a forward who can play a good defensive game, and can also throw their weight around. Because of this, we'll go for the following:
 
-Our first priority is DF, and we'll build that the same way we did before with DK, PC, and DC--but we'll also add in Body Checking (BC) because we don't mind giving some hits.
 
-If we really want to prioritize hits (and get in some fights), we'd also upgrade Grit (GR). Since BC has a greater effect on Checking than Grit does, Grit isn't practical for a VHLM build, so it won't be shown here--but it's something to keep in mind as TPE gets higher (as upgrading something past 70 will cost more, Grit will be the fastest way to upgrade Checking when BC hits 70).
 
-Strength is also important, so we'll throw points into SS. We'll also upgrade Faceoffs (FO). Even if our player isn't a center, it's a good boost to Strength that has a situational upside.
 
-Because SS is helpful for Strength, a two-way forward would trend more toward a Scorer build with added checking ability than a Playmaker one--but because PA is an efficient upgrade to make, it's perfectly fine and doable either way.
 

 
As you can see, a physical build tends to sacrifice some progress in the offensive realm because you're just targeting more different things at once. If you want hits to show up on your stat sheet, though, it's what you've got to do!
 
 
General advice for any forward build: FO is a very good attribute to upgrade if you're a center. With the exception of the Two-Way Forward build, I haven't shown it anywhere, but as you can see there, a little goes a long way. Decide what you'd like to sacrifice for it and make that choice.
 
 
 
Defense:
 
1. The Offensive Build
 
In this league, a defenseman who can score will get a lot of credit for it. Here's how to accomplish that:
 
-Don't forget your position! Defense is still your #1 priority. As explained above, we're going to upgrade DK, PC, and DC to get there. Because Scoring will require a lot of TPE, we'll avoid BC for now and tell ourselves we're going to look into it when we make it up to the VHLE or the VHL and we have more TPE to work with.
 
-OV will remain the most important offensive attribute there is, while we'll build the Scoring-Passing gap with points into SS. WS isn't as desirable here because its secondary attribute isn't what we need as a defender (though if SS eventually hits 70, WS will become the better way to improve Scoring).
 
-As above, SK and PH will be built up with SH and SP.
 

 
You'll probably see some builds shift more towards the offensive attributes, but I've never been a fan of building defensemen exactly like forwards. This build provides a solid base for every necessary defensive attribute while also giving you some level of Scoring to work with.
 
 
2. The Defensive Build
 
Here, we care a bit less about scoring and a lot more about just getting down to the basics and playing defense. We'll reflect that by doing this:
 
-DK, PC, and DC are again your top priorities, but you can think of them as your super-ultra-mega-top priorities. SH and SP will now be your top priorities as well, but imagine the first three in a tier above top.
 
-You can actually get objectively exactly where you want in a hyper-defensive build by doing that much and not touching anything offensive. For the sake of balance, we'll upgrade PA and OV somewhat as they're both very efficient attributes. SS is helpful as well because it's a bonus to Strength, and being a defensive player doesn't mean you can't touch it.
 
-BC is optional (as is GR eventually), depending on what kind of player you want to be, and I'll be throwing some in there just to show that it's a viable option. I won't make this build super physical, but a physical build is more doable here because we're not focusing on SC.
 

 
Exactly what you'd expect here--we've sacrificed some Scoring ability for some Checking and Defense. You won't be on the point leaderboard, but if hits and blocked shots are your thing, this player will still be exciting to watch!
 
 
 
Goaltenders:
 
Sadly, there isn't much build variation for goalies--but there is a lot of simplicity since you're just working with the STHS attributes. The process to building one is simple:
 
-Take your four primary attributes--(Rebound Control (RB), Style Control (SC), Hand Speed (HS), and Reaction Time (RT)) and upgrade those above all else.
 
-Take care to upgrade your secondary attributes (Skating (SK), Size (SZ), and Agility (AG)), though not as strongly.
 
I threw together the following really-basic-but-works-just-fine VHLM build in probably 10 seconds, and you can too:
 

 
That's not to say you can't mess around with your goalie build, still--at the time of updating this section, my goalie was just about to leave the VHLM! Here is/was his build:
 

 
 
 
 
One final word, and something I said earlier but which I find important to repeat: build your player in whatever way makes you happy. This guide is not a guaranteed path to success, and you should never be afraid to play around with your player and see what happens. Too many people think they have to build one way or another to have fun in this league, and that's simply not true. Your player's success should always be secondary to the enjoyment you get out of being a part of the community--you can have that enjoyment without success, but if you're not enjoying it, you're going to find it very hard to get good enough to be successful.
 
I hope this helps you--let me know if it does. Build on and have fun!

Really liking Moose and Carrison as fantasy picks. Good work Malmo!

Malmo: wins
Literally everyone not on Malmo about to comment here: 

#fixthelottery

Well so here we are I was traded to Malmö. Thank fucking god I wouldn't be able to stay on a team with a fucking Nyko he's so immature and a locker room cancer from my training camp time there never again. When I see him on the ice he will be knocked out dead I can't stand him that much Nyko I'm coming for you.
    Well let's get to the trade I'm happy Shawn listened to my trade request and I'm able to play with my best bud Nacho who I've played with in Halifax all the time so I mean that's nice u know but thank you Advantage for trading for me and Shawn for moving me but yeah I think I will have a great career In Malmö but if I don't I don't u know Atleast I'm with good players in a good organization. Let's go Malmö!

SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN -- The Saskatoon Wild have been active on the trade front by bringing in two defenders and a forward since the season begun, but it came at such a significant cost it left many wondering whether or not the price was worth paying for seemingly slight improvement to the core roster. The most conflicting trade was sending a first round pick in exchange for Kefka Palazzo, a young developing defender from the Las Vegas Aces, but Peace is confident in the decision he made. Today we're going to summarize the moves made by GM Peace and his Saskatoon Wild boat. 

FIRST TRADE 

Saskatoon sends a S68 first round pick to the Aces in exchange for Kefka Palazzo ( @diamond_ace ).

"It may look like a steep price, but this was a depth move for this season and he's a building piece for the next." Peace admitted. Palazzo joins the Saskatoon Wild after being drafted to the Aces' during the dispersal draft, he has put up three points in his eleven contests so far but remains scoreless with the Saskatoon Wild in his two appearances with his new club. "Kefka provides us with some stability and some flexibility, and the best way to look at it would be to say 'this is the type of player we would have drafted with that first round pick'. In essence, I channeled my inner Devise ( @Devise ) by trading a draft asset on a similar player I would have otherwise drafted with the pick itself. Kefka will be rejoining Saskatoon next season and we'll have his rights, since he was drafted by the Aces for this season, and we're extremely excited to build around him in the future." 

"We know the reputation of the Ace agency, and they've always supported talented players without fail, and that is why we agreed to the exchange." 

Kefka Palazzo has been playing alongside Shackleford on the teams top unit since joining the club.

SECOND TRADE 

Saskatoon sends S67 and S68 third round picks to the Bull's in exchange for Fylo Gibbles ( @SpartanGibbles )

"I think many can see the approach we took regarding this trade," Peace said. Fylo Gibbles is the flagship talent of the Spartan Agency, and although his development has hit an unfortunate stagnation, he was recently seen by the Wild's development coach. "We're really happy to have Fylo, we have great confidence in who he is and what type of player he is, and should he be a perennial VHLM'er I'm entirely okay with that as well." 

"In hindsight this is probably the most risky acquisition, as we were hoping that a quik scouting insight lead to action or improvement, and we will see if we can pursue that but there's no harm in it not happening. Ultimately - bar any expansions - Saskatoon will have Fylo's rights for a few more seasons and that's worth a couple of third round picks. If he starts improving again, well, I'd say that's a huge win for the Saskatoon Wild." 

Gibbles has found the score sheet, registering three points in his two games with the Saskatoon Wild.

THIRD TRADE 

Saskatoon sends two second round picks, a fourth round pick, a fifth round pick and Kachur to the Bull's in exchange for Milan Griffin ( @Sogarn )

"This trade was one we knew we had to make," Peace stated. "Griffin has confirmed with us that he is staying down for another season in the minors, and that made our decision - a decision of reacquiring him - exceptionally easy and, really, I proceeded without a second thought. This was perhaps the easiest trade to make simply because the Sogarn agency wants to build a VHLM reputation, and Griffin is achieving that goal for them." 

"I spoke with him prior to the trade - with permission of course - and confirmed with Griffin he'll be staying down for at least another season. We're really excited to have an active player who's content being a key piece of our core. With Dissanayake, Shackleford, Jaundice and Strong all heading to the VHL next season he'll join Gibbles and Palazzo as players we build around." 

Sogarn will likely play a few more games with the Bull's while the league approves the trade, but is expected to join Saskatoon immediately after the approval process is complete. 

Conclusion 

Although it appears that Saskatoon may have overpaid - or given up far too many assets - the team clearly built up a bit for next season as well. Typically, when a team 'goes all in', they acquire assets that help them now rather than later. What Saskatoon did was ensure a slightly better team now, and a healthy team next season as well. It should be noted that Saskatoon may have a strong returning cast of players rejoining the team for S67. 

 

Rink-Side Chat with Vancouver Wolves GM
 

 
Today VSN continues the VHL GM interview series with another well-established member that is beloved by many in the VHL community. The GM of the team formerly known as the Quebec Meute is known for getting perpetually FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY in the draft lotteries, as well as being one of the GMs with the most impressive physique. I present VSN's interview of the Vancouver Wolves' GM, Cornholio  Beaviss.
 
VSN: Can you tell us a bit about the trades your team made involving draft picks prior to the draft?
Beaviss:
TRADES:

First Trade of the off season sent long time Quebec/Vancouver goalie to the bears. We were able to get a top goalie back in @Will who at a moments notice could throw down 100+ TPE (HINT HINT). All it cost was the last pick in the 2nd round. We got a better goalie and a stopgap until @Bonzaijoe is ready to take the helm.
 

With this trade I found out that the player I really wanted (@rjfryman) was going to be picked 3rd overall by Seattle. I knew that it would cost a little but to move up 2 spots to grab him but it was worth every penny IMO. Without giving up much we were able to grab the 2nd best player in the draft and future first gen stud.
 

This trade was a pure cap space move. I would have loved to keep street around but he was declining and had a decent vet cap hit. That cap hit was the exact amount of $ that I needed to be under the maximum vet contract limit so I moved him for a 2nd round pick in a couple seasons. I was surprised I was able to get a 2nd out of this deal and lucky that Spade wasn't looking hard at his cap situation.
 
V: Would you like to explain why you picked the players you did?
B:
2. VANCOUVER WOLVES (from HC Davos Dynamo): LW - Julius Freeman
When looking at the draft list I was torn between Mars and Freeman. Freeman earns at a higher rate that Mars and also started 4 weeks after Mars did so he was 4 weeks behind but ended up at the draft only 1.5 weeks behind TPE wise. Also Conan.
14. VANCOUVER WOLVES (from HC Davos Dynamo): RW - Shawnomir Jagr
Before I traded up in the draft I had the 4th overall pick and I had Jagr as my pick at 4. I was exstatic that he was still around come pick #14.
18. VANCOUVER WOLVES (from Seattle Bears): LW - Kyle Sabertooth
Here is another steal of a pick. I needed a very good prospect that was willing to stay down in the M this season and he fit every need. High earner high activity and a great guy in the LR. I was really happy to get sabertooth.
28. VANCOUVER WOLVES (from Seattle Bears): C - Hans Gruber
Gruber was another player I had on my draft board slotted to go around the 20 mark. I couldn't believe he fell down to me. I was trying to trade up to 21 to grab him but the trade fell through. The other GM's all had player they wanted in this round and were set on picking them I for sure thought I was going to miss out on this gem of a player.
53. VANCOUVER WOLVES : LW - Ben Hafkey
Another Winger off the board for Vancouver (I didn't plan this) A little bit of a sleeper player as I didn't interview him (sorry about that) but I'm very excited about his potential. I know how great of a VHLM system the reapers are so I didn't sleep on Hafkey at all. I'm excited to see what he can do in this upcoming VHLM season.
63. VANCOUVER WOLVES : C - BALLS McZehrl
Another bit of an unknown for me as I didn't scout him (again sorry) If he can keep his activity up the Wolves could have there permanent 3rd Line C for the foreseeable future.
 
To sum it up I'm surprised I got the players I got where I got them. Very excited to see what you can all do this upcoming season!
 
V: What is the most important factor you look for when choosing your picks?
B: Activity and rate of TPE earning. If a player comes late to the draft but is earning at a high rate ill pick him above someone that has more TPE but less rate of earning. Activity in Discord is also big for me since I spend alot of time in there
 
V: Do you plan on trading any of your newly drafted players?
B: I never plan on trading anyone. Id call myself a very active GM when it comes to making moves though. Usually when I finish my draft I look at my picks and I project where I think they will be at the end of the next season and if they get close then I plan ahead to keep them. If they fall short then I usually look to move them in the off season or trade deadline.
 
V: Have any other GMS made a really bad pick this season? Which one?
B: To be honest its to early to tell. With this deep of a draft class anyone could be a home run from First overall to Last overall.
 
V: Did any other GMs snake a pick from you? Which pick?
B: I don't think its possible to snake picks as if they are on the board its fair game. Let an amazing goalie drop and they are available im going to take them 9 times out of 10.
 
V: What kind of hazing and other rituals will your newly drafted rookies have to look forward to?
B: Low mins to start and if they are active and are earning TPE and trying to get better they move up regardless of TPE levels. I like to reward hard work and activity. We are boring only hazing we do is @jRuutu creeping them out in the Locker Room.
 
V: Who is the most attractive player in the Draft?
B: Hunter Hurst Helmsley obviously the guy is a rocket.
 
V: Who is the least attractive player in the draft?
B: Hulk Hogan in next seasons draft the guy is a 0.5/10. Its sad really.
@HulkHogan
 
V: Have you asked any of the players you’ve scouted weird or unusual questions when reaching out to them?
B: I used to ask people what there favorite ice cream is. As you can tell a lot about a person depending on what there favorite ice cream is. Now I normally ask what there favorite NHL team to see if they hate Vancouver as a city or not.
 
V: Will HHH win Rookie of the Year? If not, who will it be? 
B: I'm confident that HHH has a good shot at Roty. Only downside is hes playing 2nd line where other rookies might get a shot at more mins. HHH will be the biggest producer p20 though.
 
V: Is HHH guaranteed to be a hall of famer?
B: No one is a guarantee unfortunately.... I wish for him to be one though as that's one of the bigger goals for me now.
 
V: Who will be the better player, Shane Mars or Julius Freeman?
B: I'm calling Freeman that's why I picked him 2nd overall. Freeman has a higher TPE earning rate than Mars and he started a couple weeks after Mars and almost caught him come draft time. I'm also a sucker for great first gens.
 
V: Who is the best defenseman in the draft?
B: I'm going to have to go with Jerry Garcia here. The guy is an animal and will make a huge impact at the VHL level once hes adjusted to the speed and skill of the league.
@GustavMattias
 
V: How many players picked after the 2nd round are going to become roster players in the future?
B: I can confidently say that almost every player from 1st round to 4th round will be roster players this was arguably the deepest draft class in VHL history and id be proud to be taken first overall in it.
 
V: How many lines will your team be running this season after this crazy deep draft?
B: The Wolves will be running around three forward lines and two defensive and two goalies. I'm more of a depth roster guy that a one line wonder team.
 
V: Next season’s draft will likely be just as, if not more deep than this one. Will you be willing to sell high picks to go on a run this season? Are you more likely to consider selling given the deep prospect pool that will be available?
B: My team building style is quite different than the traditional VHL style. Most General Managers of the past go for boom bust, I lean more towards getting solid top line players and then compliment them with rookies. The players I'm not so high on and or the players I don't have room for I move to recoup picks and or gain assets to be used to complement the team in the future. This leaves the team constantly fighting for a cup and also never depleting the team of assets.
 
V: What is your drink of choice?
B: Depends on the day. Casually I love Lucky Lager (west coast) Mojitos are great also.
 
V: Who is going to win the cup and why?
B: Hopefully Vancouver because we are in great shape in every position and the players I have are great earners and will push us to get better the longer the season is.
 
V: What city do you want the VHL to expand to next?
B: I'd like to see a Florida Team and a English Team. English Hockey is gritty and doesn't get enough love.
 
V: Is the VHL rigged?
B: I hope not.
 
V: Do you tell your players how you want them to develop or let them do their own thing?
B: I like to leave my players alone when it comes to there builds unless we have a flaring hole they can fix with some small adjustments. Its lame when you cannot build the way you want and it kills retention IMO. I don't mind answering questions and giving advice when players ask though.
 
V: Who is going to be the biggest bust of this draft?
B: Mars (love you)
 
V: Which player on your team has the most pressure on them coming into this season?
B: I'd say the top line players of Beau and Reives. They need to both produce at a top level for the Wolves to be able to function fully. Having the rookies preform also will be paramount to the teams success.

How do you figure they both can’t be bought? Rookie season is first VHL season so if you have your VHLM contract and your first season VHL contract you have enough money for both.

Rink-Side Chat with Vancouver Wolves GM
 

 
Today VSN continues the VHL GM interview series with another well-established member that is beloved by many in the VHL community. The GM of the team formerly known as the Quebec Meute is known for getting perpetually FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY in the draft lotteries, as well as being one of the GMs with the most impressive physique. I present VSN's interview of the Vancouver Wolves' GM, Cornholio  Beaviss.
 
VSN: Can you tell us a bit about the trades your team made involving draft picks prior to the draft?
Beaviss:
TRADES:

First Trade of the off season sent long time Quebec/Vancouver goalie to the bears. We were able to get a top goalie back in @Will who at a moments notice could throw down 100+ TPE (HINT HINT). All it cost was the last pick in the 2nd round. We got a better goalie and a stopgap until @Bonzaijoe is ready to take the helm.
 

With this trade I found out that the player I really wanted (@rjfryman) was going to be picked 3rd overall by Seattle. I knew that it would cost a little but to move up 2 spots to grab him but it was worth every penny IMO. Without giving up much we were able to grab the 2nd best player in the draft and future first gen stud.
 

This trade was a pure cap space move. I would have loved to keep street around but he was declining and had a decent vet cap hit. That cap hit was the exact amount of $ that I needed to be under the maximum vet contract limit so I moved him for a 2nd round pick in a couple seasons. I was surprised I was able to get a 2nd out of this deal and lucky that Spade wasn't looking hard at his cap situation.
 
V: Would you like to explain why you picked the players you did?
B:
2. VANCOUVER WOLVES (from HC Davos Dynamo): LW - Julius Freeman
When looking at the draft list I was torn between Mars and Freeman. Freeman earns at a higher rate that Mars and also started 4 weeks after Mars did so he was 4 weeks behind but ended up at the draft only 1.5 weeks behind TPE wise. Also Conan.
14. VANCOUVER WOLVES (from HC Davos Dynamo): RW - Shawnomir Jagr
Before I traded up in the draft I had the 4th overall pick and I had Jagr as my pick at 4. I was exstatic that he was still around come pick #14.
18. VANCOUVER WOLVES (from Seattle Bears): LW - Kyle Sabertooth
Here is another steal of a pick. I needed a very good prospect that was willing to stay down in the M this season and he fit every need. High earner high activity and a great guy in the LR. I was really happy to get sabertooth.
28. VANCOUVER WOLVES (from Seattle Bears): C - Hans Gruber
Gruber was another player I had on my draft board slotted to go around the 20 mark. I couldn't believe he fell down to me. I was trying to trade up to 21 to grab him but the trade fell through. The other GM's all had player they wanted in this round and were set on picking them I for sure thought I was going to miss out on this gem of a player.
53. VANCOUVER WOLVES : LW - Ben Hafkey
Another Winger off the board for Vancouver (I didn't plan this) A little bit of a sleeper player as I didn't interview him (sorry about that) but I'm very excited about his potential. I know how great of a VHLM system the reapers are so I didn't sleep on Hafkey at all. I'm excited to see what he can do in this upcoming VHLM season.
63. VANCOUVER WOLVES : C - BALLS McZehrl
Another bit of an unknown for me as I didn't scout him (again sorry) If he can keep his activity up the Wolves could have there permanent 3rd Line C for the foreseeable future.
 
To sum it up I'm surprised I got the players I got where I got them. Very excited to see what you can all do this upcoming season!
 
V: What is the most important factor you look for when choosing your picks?
B: Activity and rate of TPE earning. If a player comes late to the draft but is earning at a high rate ill pick him above someone that has more TPE but less rate of earning. Activity in Discord is also big for me since I spend alot of time in there
 
V: Do you plan on trading any of your newly drafted players?
B: I never plan on trading anyone. Id call myself a very active GM when it comes to making moves though. Usually when I finish my draft I look at my picks and I project where I think they will be at the end of the next season and if they get close then I plan ahead to keep them. If they fall short then I usually look to move them in the off season or trade deadline.
 
V: Have any other GMS made a really bad pick this season? Which one?
B: To be honest its to early to tell. With this deep of a draft class anyone could be a home run from First overall to Last overall.
 
V: Did any other GMs snake a pick from you? Which pick?
B: I don't think its possible to snake picks as if they are on the board its fair game. Let an amazing goalie drop and they are available im going to take them 9 times out of 10.
 
V: What kind of hazing and other rituals will your newly drafted rookies have to look forward to?
B: Low mins to start and if they are active and are earning TPE and trying to get better they move up regardless of TPE levels. I like to reward hard work and activity. We are boring only hazing we do is @jRuutu creeping them out in the Locker Room.
 
V: Who is the most attractive player in the Draft?
B: Hunter Hurst Helmsley obviously the guy is a rocket.
 
V: Who is the least attractive player in the draft?
B: Hulk Hogan in next seasons draft the guy is a 0.5/10. Its sad really.
@HulkHogan
 
V: Have you asked any of the players you’ve scouted weird or unusual questions when reaching out to them?
B: I used to ask people what there favorite ice cream is. As you can tell a lot about a person depending on what there favorite ice cream is. Now I normally ask what there favorite NHL team to see if they hate Vancouver as a city or not.
 
V: Will HHH win Rookie of the Year? If not, who will it be? 
B: I'm confident that HHH has a good shot at Roty. Only downside is hes playing 2nd line where other rookies might get a shot at more mins. HHH will be the biggest producer p20 though.
 
V: Is HHH guaranteed to be a hall of famer?
B: No one is a guarantee unfortunately.... I wish for him to be one though as that's one of the bigger goals for me now.
 
V: Who will be the better player, Shane Mars or Julius Freeman?
B: I'm calling Freeman that's why I picked him 2nd overall. Freeman has a higher TPE earning rate than Mars and he started a couple weeks after Mars and almost caught him come draft time. I'm also a sucker for great first gens.
 
V: Who is the best defenseman in the draft?
B: I'm going to have to go with Jerry Garcia here. The guy is an animal and will make a huge impact at the VHL level once hes adjusted to the speed and skill of the league.
@GustavMattias
 
V: How many players picked after the 2nd round are going to become roster players in the future?
B: I can confidently say that almost every player from 1st round to 4th round will be roster players this was arguably the deepest draft class in VHL history and id be proud to be taken first overall in it.
 
V: How many lines will your team be running this season after this crazy deep draft?
B: The Wolves will be running around three forward lines and two defensive and two goalies. I'm more of a depth roster guy that a one line wonder team.
 
V: Next season’s draft will likely be just as, if not more deep than this one. Will you be willing to sell high picks to go on a run this season? Are you more likely to consider selling given the deep prospect pool that will be available?
B: My team building style is quite different than the traditional VHL style. Most General Managers of the past go for boom bust, I lean more towards getting solid top line players and then compliment them with rookies. The players I'm not so high on and or the players I don't have room for I move to recoup picks and or gain assets to be used to complement the team in the future. This leaves the team constantly fighting for a cup and also never depleting the team of assets.
 
V: What is your drink of choice?
B: Depends on the day. Casually I love Lucky Lager (west coast) Mojitos are great also.
 
V: Who is going to win the cup and why?
B: Hopefully Vancouver because we are in great shape in every position and the players I have are great earners and will push us to get better the longer the season is.
 
V: What city do you want the VHL to expand to next?
B: I'd like to see a Florida Team and a English Team. English Hockey is gritty and doesn't get enough love.
 
V: Is the VHL rigged?
B: I hope not.
 
V: Do you tell your players how you want them to develop or let them do their own thing?
B: I like to leave my players alone when it comes to there builds unless we have a flaring hole they can fix with some small adjustments. Its lame when you cannot build the way you want and it kills retention IMO. I don't mind answering questions and giving advice when players ask though.
 
V: Who is going to be the biggest bust of this draft?
B: Mars (love you)
 
V: Which player on your team has the most pressure on them coming into this season?
B: I'd say the top line players of Beau and Reives. They need to both produce at a top level for the Wolves to be able to function fully. Having the rookies preform also will be paramount to the teams success.