Shaka

I'm going to mail my vote in, if that's okay.
 
I'm feeling lucky.

I'm going to mail my vote in, if that's okay.
 
I'm feeling lucky.

It's like if random people were responsible for a Key & Peele skit.
 
It's exactly how I'd expect that to go.

If anyone could fake a jailor claim it'd be the one and only chatfan036... that being said I trust him this time, and I'm ready to be hurt again

1. What is your favorite memory from the regular season?
2 Shutouts in one sim. Sure, it was Halifax. Still, that was neat. I'll pretend Houston hasn't rolled me for 7 goals a game every other game.
 
2. Do you think this team is good enough to make a deep run in the playoffs? 
If the Goalie will get his shit together, sure.
 
3. How is your Stanley Cup bracket looking so far? If you don't have a bracket, who do you hope wins?
I don't have a bracket. I live in Tampa, so the Lightning are my squad. We dropped that game last night, but I'm still hopefuly.
 
4. What kind of music have you been listening to lately?
The world's largest spectrum of music. Christian Music to start my morning, but by mid-day I'm listening to G-Funk West Coast form the 90s. I don't get it either.
 
5. If you were put in charge of a VHLM expansion, where would you put a team?
Puerto Rico Penguins
 
6. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? 
A burrito, because it could fit the most other foods. Perfect loophole.

Sounds like it.

Seems sus
 
Vote Quick

Also

Also

1. We currently sit at 7th in the standings, but our post-season chances are almost certain. What will we need to do to compete in the playoffs?
Better Goaltending, I'd say. I'm awful this year.
 
2. Do you think our boy Jesper Norberg will be able to hang on and win the Alexander Chershenko trophy? (Most goals)
I think so. Nut then again, I haven't looked. 
 
3. Which player has the best/most funny name in the VHLM?
Christian Mingle ??
 
4. I picked the Canadiens to win the stanley cup in my bracket. Any chance this actually happens?
I'd say on this Wednesday, those odds look preeeeetty long.
 
5. What is your take on Tuukka Rask opting out in the middle of the first round?
It's a bad look lol. If you need to opt out, opt out. I'm all for keeping your family safe. But he's done everything in his power to make sure everyone judges the fuck out of him for doing so lol. You can't be talking about how boring it is and now they're saying he's out golfing lol. I'm guessing he's making some enemies in Boston.
 
6. Has anyone tried the new sourdough chicken club sandwich from Burger King yet? I have and it was pretty heckin good
Now I have to try it. When someone says heckin good, you gotta give it a go.

Welcome back to another edition of Future Watch! A short two weeks ago we covered the best prospects from all around the European Conference. This time, we take a deep dive into the prospect pools of the North American VHL teams.
 
As always, be sure to support the unbelievable content that is being constantly published by VSN. From weekly coverage of both the VHL and VHLM, historical articles which detail some of the VHL’s most interesting teams and players, and content following the upcoming S74 Draft, there’s at least one article a week that applies to everybody. Here’s some of our latest work:
| VHL Weekly | Behind The Trophies | VSN Podcast | VHLM Weekly |
 
Without further delay, let’s get into it!
 
 
 

 
DC DRAGONS | 8th in NA | 16th Overall
Top Prospect: Rick Osman - S73 3rd Round (38)
 
DC’s group is one of decent potential, yet also one of uncertainty. They have two solid prospects, but I can’t quite say what their ceiling as a player looks like. The reason for this is the fluctuation in TPE totals from week to week.
 
In last season’s Future Watch, I noted S72 prospect Alek Andreshnikov as a wildcard. The reason for this is because he had recently increased his TPE production after only claiming practice facility for the bulk of his career. Fast forward to now, Andreshnikov has earned 6+ TPE in four consecutive weeks. He did fall back into the habit of only claiming practice facility for a brief few weeks, but nonetheless he has proven himself to be a prospect with VHL upside.
 
Along with Andreshnikov, new arrival and S73 prospect Rick Osman has shown great potential. Osman kicked off his career with 9 straight weeks of 6-8 TPE but has since struggled a bit with consistency. Enter a 31 TPE week in the middle of this downpatch, and it really becomes hard to predict his potential. I will say one thing for sure though; The 18-year-old defenceman has displayed consistency and high TPE production at different points in his career so far, which gives him some pretty good potential if he can capture at least one of those two things more often.
 
 

 
CALGARY WRANGLERS | 7th in NA | 13th Overall
Top Prospect: Gary Rush - S73 3rd Round (37)
 
Unfortunately, Calgary’s prospect pool only has one member. The fortunate part of this is that their one prospect is Gary Rush, who could be ready for the VHL as soon as next season. Rush has earned at least 8 TPE for twelve straight weeks, often earning 10-12 TPE in many of those weeks as well. Rush is a scoring threat with a responsible 200-foot game that coaches love. His 20 goals in 45 games so far in the VHLM show his offensive talents, which are only getting better over time. He has already topped all of last season’s offensive totals, and there is still plenty of time left in S73. Calgary’s pool is pretty shallow, but the one asset they have is a keeper for sure.
 
 

 
SEATTLE BEARS | 6th in NA | 12th Overall
Top Prospect: Han Jae Kuk - S73 2nd Round (35)
 
Seattle has a nice group of up and coming prospects, led by two newcomers of the S73 Draft. I decided to choose defenceman Han Jae Kuk as the team’s top prospect, but it’s really splitting hairs when Rocket has shown so much promise as well. Both of these players regularly earn 8-12 TPE per week, with occasional weeks of more. With Han Jae Kuk on the blueline and Rocket on the wing, the Bears have some nice positional depth as well. The pair could very well be ready for the VHL by S74, and are highly anticipated arrivals in Seattle.
 
Where things get even more interesting is a couple of returnees from last season’s article. Defenders Bo Burrows and Erik Hjalmarsson have seen an uptick in TPE production lately, most notably in the capped department. For Hjalmarsson, this is a massive step forward in his development, given that for a long time he has solely claimed practice facility and training camp. For Burrows, he could be returning to form as a very valuable piece of Seattle’s future blueline. Needless to say, they are both putting themselves in the right position to succeed, and now it’s just about maintaining their increased TPE rate. The Bears have up to three quality defencemen here, with a great forward to balance things out a bit.
 
 

 
LOS ANGELES STARS | 5th in NA | 11th Overall
Top Prospect: Jiggly Gumballs - S73 2nd Round (28)
 
Our first expansion team on this list, the Stars find themselves with a unit of nice depth, but with a bit of a lack of consistency in some of the players. Going by order of draft selection, Mikeal Keef of the Ottawa Lynx is the first name to come up in this group. Keef looked to be a potential core piece of the team’s defence, but a sudden drop in TPE production since around mid-July has raised some concern. Despite this, Keef is still quite close to the VHLM TPA cap, and if he gets back on track, could still be an amazing player. He has only had one week of complete inactivity since his activity decreased, so it’s not hard to believe he could pick it back up at any time.
 
Joining him as second-round draft choices, Jiggy Gumballs and Drew Minott are probably this team’s top two prospects. Both players are late joiners of the S73 class, and both have shown immense potential. Gumballs has displayed his talents as a physical two-way defender this season with Ottawa, totalling 89 hits and 65 points in only 45 games. Minott has a fantastic goalie build which will lead him to success as he earns TPE over time, and is currently considered the goalie of the future for this exciting new team.
 
Lastly, we have the Finnish Janiina Juutila. Juutila’s weekly TPE earning has seen some ups and downs lately, but she has demonstrated an ability to consistently earn 6-8 TPE per week consistently early on in her career. Her build is extremely scoring-based, with skating and scoring being her most prevalent features. If she can get back to where she was just a short few weeks ago, this could be an absolute steal of a pick for the Stars. This team has tons of potential in the pipelines, it just needs to show itself a little more often.
 
 

 
NEW YORK AMERICANS | 4th in NA | 10th Overall
Top Prospect: John Brewitt - S72 3rd Round (30)
 
New York has three notable prospects this season, and they are led by the VHL-ready winger John Brewitt. Brewitt has had an outstanding performance so far in S73 for Minnesota, scoring 30 goals and 68 points in just 47 games. Last week was an inactive week for him, but hopefully, that was just a small hiccup; He gets the benefit of the doubt from me because of his past consistency. Usually, he earns about 10 TPE on average per week, so should he come back in full form, he will be a useful asset for this team moving forward.
 
Two goalies find themselves as the remaining pair of active players. The most recent addition, Cal Conway, has shown spectacular upside, yet has battled with inactivity for a little while now. The American netminder has had a good season in S73, taking the reins as the starting goalie following the departure of Grekkark Gyrfalcon. If Conway can find consistency in his development as a player, watch out — that’s all I’ll say. The other half of this pair is Bacon, who has also shown promise as a young goaltender. His weekly TPE totals have seen some peaks and valleys lately, but overall he’s still producing a pretty nice amount. He has been incredible for Miami this season, putting up 36 wins in 47 games so far. Selected in the fourth round of the S72 Draft, Bacon has been a steal for the Americans, and hopefully, he shines in the big league to prove his worth to those who passed on him.
 
 

 
TORONTO LEGION | 3rd in NA | 8th Overall
Top Prospect: John Merrick - S73 1st Round (5)
 
Top Toronto prospect John Merrick is nothing short of a superstar in the making. He has already climbed up to 9th in TPE among S73 players despite creating in the last week of eligibility for that draft. As he continues to climb, Merrick’s skill set will be on full display — this absurd skill set of his has already allowed him to pot goal after goal at nearly a goal-per-game average in S73. Look out for him as a balanced scoring threat in the VHL next season, where he could quite possibly contend for the top rookie award.
 
Behind Merrick isn’t a pool full of depth, but one other high-quality prospect. Ziarie Anigbogu somehow fell to Toronto at 38 last season, and he has wasted no time soaring past his competition. Anigbogu’s build paints him as a fantastic puck-moving defenceman, and his 33 assists reflect that. The vast majority of weeks, he is earning 10 or more TPE, so he is undoubtedly on a great trajectory as far as the future goes. He and Merrick are both high upside prospects and must-see rookies in S74.
 
 

 
CHICAGO PHOENIX | 2nd in NA | 7th Overall
Top Prospect: Matty Socks - S73 2nd Round (22)
 
Yet another two-headed monster, the Chicago Phoenix’s duo of prospects are both extremely high upside players with bright futures ahead. Leading the way is Miami’s Matty Socks, a mobile defender with lots of offensive potential at the VHL level. His 23 goals in 47 games up until this point are unbelievable, and his TPE production suggests that he could do the same in the VHL one day. 
 
S Kuchar is the other prospect here, and he would likely be neck and neck with Socks if he had joined earlier. However, he has still managed to make up an amazing amount of ground on those who had a headstart on him in the short time since the draft. He has often shown up on the scoresheet as well this season, with 21 goals in 47 games. Both of these players will play a large role in the success of this new Chicago team, and we will get to see it all unfold soon enough.
 
 

 
VANCOUVER WOLVES | 1st in NA | 5th Overall
Top Prospect: Jesper Norberg - S73 2nd Round (20)
 
The Wolves’ group is headlined by some truly fantastic names but backed up by some under the radar prospects that should not be taken lightly either. I’d like to begin with Raiens Grasis who made an adjustment a few weeks ago that has significantly increased his value. Going from a weekly 2 TPE to 6 has tripled his TPE production, and has now entered Grasis into the conversation of being a solid VHL player in the future. Good stuff to see from the young winger.
 
A couple of picks in the tail end of the second round of the S73 Draft could turn into decent players for this team. Florent Vericel has been almost completely inactive lately but has shown VHL potential not long ago. Consider him a wildcard for the time being. Jeff Odinson was picked two spots later and is proving his worth already. He is a physical two-way threat that can both create plays and shut them down. His 137 hits are a nice touch, and his TPE earning seals him as a great overall prospect.
 
Hunter Harrison is still earning at a decent pace and could be in the big league fairly soon. He has a very balanced build that could play in all situations, and his 32 points this season is already a career-high. I would say he’s someone to keep an eye on. He could be a nice addition to their blueline soon enough, and 1st round pick Shawn Glade III is already prepared for the VHL. He has been up and down with activity lately, but his potential is still sky-high. User ShawnGlade has had successful VHL players in the past, and Glade III could be another one for him. The defenceman has a nice balanced build as well and could fit into any lineup.
 
Glade III is actually only one of three VHL-ready players in this unit though, and the other two are a pair of back to back 2nd round selections. Kevin King was chosen 19th overall after taking the league by storm as a late joiner first-generation player. The scoring hasn’t really come in full force for King yet, but he is too talented to not break out soon. He caps out almost every week, earning plenty of uncapped TPE at the same time. This is a player with true star potential, and he, along with Jesper Norberg, will be huge parts of this team as soon as next season. I have Norberg listed as the team’s top prospect, but really it’s extremely close. The Swede has had a tremendous VHLM season in S73, posting 42 goals and 78 points in only 47 games so far. He is a goal scorer as pure as they come, and his elite TPE earning makes it likely that he could tear up the VHL soon enough as well. He is averaging a shade over 27 TPE over his last 4 full weeks, which is just unreal. Vancouver has depth, but also some truly next-level talent in their prospect pool
 
 
That’s it for S73 Future Watch! As always I wish these players the absolute best in the future, and any criticism I have is meant to be constructive. I’ll see you next season, but until then, catch some of VSN Scouting’s upcoming draft content! This will give you an early look at the names we’ll be seeing next season. 
 
Players Mentioned: @PuckPushers @dylanjj37 @G_Rush @Dtayl @Rocket @Walter Fizz @Erik @RStar @JigglyGumballs @DreMin15 @Jansgasm @JBrew42 @Shaka @Bacon @Steve @ngine4 @fishy @S. Kuchar @raiens @dart @GoldGear88 @I'll change this later @ShawnGlade @IamMOOSE @jpsd

Thanks again for the shot @Peace. Hope you find a rockstar. ?

Unfortunately, @Shaka has been absolutely bombarded by his work schedule, so I must gently release him from his duties. I haven't seen him, or heard from him, in quite some time but I do know he's 'swamped' from his work calling him to shifts day in and out, pulling multiple weeks in a row last time I spoke with him. I understand that work catches up to everyone, but I'd like an active AGM presence within Toronto's small sphere here on VHL. 

If you're interested in joining the Legion as an AGM, please send me a personal message.

Standard duties, really. 

Looking forward to seeing who's interested. 

Welcome again to my expectation’s media spot! Where I go through the most in-depth power rankings post you have seen yet! This is where I rank how each team will perform, and I also project their wins and losses over the season! Incredible!
 
Mind you, I can’t account for things like trades, busts, people leaving, signings or TPA growth. Basically, all the independent variables that a teams TPA is depended on. Which is why the result at the end of the season might be VERY different.
 
Method
If you want to know my method, you can read this. There will be a bunch of formula and math jargon going on here. You can feel free to skip this and just look at the list. My feelings won’t be hurt.
 
This was a two-step process. The first step was figuring out the baseline wins and losses for every team. Then the second part was adjusting the number of wins and losses total so that it fit the 432 games that are played in the regular season.
 
I took all the teams’ players and threw them onto a spreadsheet. Then I added up all their TPAs together. From when I did this segment the last season, I discovered the TPA per point was 29. Meaning for every 29 TPA a team had, they got a point in the regular season. I used this as a baseline. I had to round to the nearest whole number because you can’t have half a point.
 
Halifax has 603 TPA on their team.
603/29 = 21
 
When I did that for every team, I got a small problem. It totals up to 350 wins and 514 losses. I wanted both numbers to be at 432 because there are 432 games played in the season. So, I needed to do some adjusting by spreading out 82 wins among our 12 teams. How did I get to decide how many wins a team got? I’m glad you asked!
 
I added up all the TPA in the league from all the teams. It turned out to be 20,303 TPA. I then divided the amount of TPA each team had to get a percentage. Again, I rounded to the nearest whole number because you can’t have a part of a win. It’s either you lost, won, or went into overtime.
 
There is 20,303 TPA in total. Halifax contributes to 0.03% of that.
20,303*0.03
 
I used the 0.03% TPA contribution that Halifax had as the amount of wins they would get from the 82 left over. Because they had 0.03% of the TPA in the league, they would get 0.03% of the 82 wins available.
 
Halifax has 0.03% of the TPA in the league. There are 82 win up for grabs.
82*0.03 = 2
Congratulations Halifax you just got yourself two more wins! Because of the rounding, there were two more wins than I needed this way. Philadelphia was supposed to get 2 wins out of that slice of pie, but I cut them because they had the lowest amount of TPA. Sorry Philly fans.
 
I’ll be going down the list in reverse order. From the worst team to the best. You won’t believe who’s first!
 
Philadelphia Reapers 
Grade: Rebuilder
Record: 9 - 63 - 0 
Points: 18
 
Philly stands strong at 524 total TPA in their roster. Philly saw most of their players move up to the VHL or get drafted high in the S73 Dispersal Draft They’re going to be settling into rebuild territory for a while. There isn’t much else to say about this season for them.
 
The Reapers might spare some of their players by trading them away to contending teams. I mostly mean their goaltender, John Poremba, for a 1st and other assets to a team that needs a goalie. It will be interesting to see if Philadelphia can post a better record that last seasons Houston Bulls.
 
Halifax 21st 
Grade: Rebuild
Record: 13 – 58 – 1
Points: 27
Halifax is poised slightly higher than Philadelphia. Not that it matters down at the bottom of the league. With 603 TPA on their roster they could squeak a couple more wins out. Next season Halifax is going to be completely insane. Even though they won’t be dong great this year, you can watch out for them in the future.
 
There aren’t many all-star talents on the 21st. Which is okay, because even the greats had to start somewhere. Their best player, Hex Valentine, is a piece that you might see ship off. Consider this season for Halifax a bit of a quiet one as they explode into S74. 
 
Mississauga Hounds 
Grade: Rebuild
Record: 18 – 53 – 1
Points: 37
 
 
Mississauga is singing the same song as the rest of the rebuilders. However, with a couple more pieces to fit into their roster next season. They sit with a steady 851 total TPA at their disposal. This will be a forgettable season in their history. Yet an important one in their rebuild as they try to gain as many picks as possible.
 
Micheal Mac and Gavin Harris lead this team as their best forward and defender. Harris is a solid defensive defenseman that can lay out the body. The two way player Mac will be looking to lead the team in points and goals. Depending on their aspirations, could be trade bait or pieces for Mississauga next year if they stay under the 250 TPA limit.
 
Mexico City Kings 
 
Grade: Rebuild
Record: 21 – 50 – 1
Points: 43
 
Mexico City went all in last season trying to hoist the Founders Cup. With one draft pick for this season, Ottawa’s 1st, and a squad lacking a bit of depth, this season might be a bit tough. There’s 970 TPA on this roster so they’ll break 1000 in no time. The Kings wont be the worst team in the league.
 
Mexico is a team that still has some very good pieces. Their top pairing defensemen, Chance Rust and Kirishima Wakaro, would be a good enough pairing for almost any team in the league. The depth isn’t there. With one solid defensive and offensive line Mexico is going to be a seller as the season progresses.
 
Yukon Rush 
Grade: Hopeful
Record: 27 – 44 – 1
Points: 55
 
Yukon is the first team on the list to break 1000 TPA on their roster with 1247. It’s possible that Yukon can turn it around with a goalie prospect for next season. This is an upswing season for the Rush. There were great selections in the draft.
 
The first line of Jeff Odinson, Alek Andreshnikov and Vlad Imir will only look better as the season moves along. The back end and goaltending pose a few questions. It isn’t to say that Yukon can’t perform this season with the skaters they have on their roster. But if they want to unlock the full potential, looking for a starting goaltender and defensemen would help solidify a possible 1st round upset.
 
Las Vegas Aces 
Grade: Hopeful
Record: 32 – 40 – 0
Points: 64
 
Las Vegas isn’t as good as last season. They’re in the middle of the pack with 1495 TPA in the locker room. I would say Vegas will be a .500 team by the end of the season. Coming into the playoffs might be able to turn an upset but won’t go far. Watch this age well.
 
There are still good pieces on Las Vegas that are going to hit the TPA cap. Nils Fiedriksen, Onde Sandstrom and Gary Rush are all going to be excellent talents come the playoffs. With some signings and a couple trades Las Vegas could push themselves from hopefuls to contenders.
 
Houston Bulls 
Grade: Contender
Record: 39 – 32 – 1
Points: 79
 
Houston is almost a purely offensive team. Sitting with 1820 TPA in their roster. Being in their LR, I will say there are quite an active number of members. Compared to the other top teams in the league though, the numbers say they will get 39 wins. The Bulls are a team that will get better with time.
 
There is a considerable amount of star talent on this team. Which will be a trend the farther down the list we go. S74 prospects include Aloe Dear, Venus Thightrap and Markus Schauer, who are all top 10 prospects. Riley Knight and Drew Minott are veterans of the club and tie things together nicely. This is a Houston much different from the one last season.
 
San Diego Marlins 
Grade: Contender
Record: 44 – 27 – 1
Points: 89
 
San Diego came out of the last draft looking at cup contention. 2066 TPA is in their locker room, the first team to break the 2000 TPA mark. The S73 draft treated them well. They quickly sprouted from going 2nd last in the league, to potentially in the top 5. That’s a very good climb. The Marlins are looking high and mighty as the first real contenders for the founder’s cup.
 
There are two players that start at the cap already for the Marlins coming into the season. 1st overall selection John Merrick and Pietro Angellini. Doug Dimmadome is a solid starter that will be an elite goaltender come the playoffs. Don’t sleep on Marlin prospects Ryan Shwartz or John LeClair II. The left wingers that will be key pieces as the season goes along.
 
Ottawa Lynx 
Grade: Champion
Record: 52 – 20 – 0
Points: 104
 
Ottawa, my former team, is looking poised as one of the top 4 teams in the league. It’s a close race between them and their former first round opponent Saskatoon. Perhaps the two cats will have a rivalry going this season? Their S73 draft set them up for this season so you can look for them to make the most of it. It won't be difficult for them to make the most of their 2425 TPA either. 
 
Spearheading the charge is their 2nd overall selection Alec Volchenkov. The two-way passer with a build unlike most in the VHLM. Ajay Krishna is an absolute STUD in the net and is easily the best goaltender in the league. Jiggly Gumballs and Mikeal Keef lead this Ottawa defense. With defensive builds and an elite goaltender, good luck scoring on this Lynx squad.
 
Saskatoon Wild 
Grade: Champion
Record: 52 – 19 – 1
Points: 105
 
The team that is almost tied, but eclipses Ottawa by a single point, is Saskatoon. It would be a disservice to forget to mention they are the S72 founders cup champions. While they did lose good pieces in the dispersal draft, McWolf left this team in capable hands. This team isn’t just good, they’re going to be eying up the cup as one of the favourites to win. This team has a very solid 2462 TPA to start.
 
Keith Krestanovich, Dan Baillie Jr, Bobby Wyman and Emi Rune are your top liners for this team. Cal Conway is another top goaltender in the league. With a good balance of scoring and defense, expect this team to just play solid hockey throughout the season. S73 will be a ride to the playoffs.
 
Minnesota Storm 
Grade: Champion
Record: 59 – 12 – 1
Points: 119
 
Minnesota finished top of the league last season. There's an incredible 2752 TPA in that locker room. Though they didn’t win the founders cup, this team is poised to go right back again. Under normal circumstances a team with 2752 TPA in their starting roster would be enough to put them as the best in the league. This time around, it’s not the case.
 
The storm have the players and the experience needed to go deep in the playoffs. Shawn Glade III and Ziarie Anigbogu are both 250 TPA and their starting pairing defensemen. Elite. Couple that with Cole Newhook, Jer Lefebvre and John Brewitt on your first line and you have the elite players needed to make other teams shudder. The scoring on this team is deep too. Joe Exotic and Jack John make excellent depth pieces.
 
Miami Mauraders 
Grade: Champion
Record: 66 – 6
Points: 132
 
3088 TPA. Last years Minnesota Storm had finished the regular season with about the same number. Miami is an absolute unit. They are the clear winners of the last draft and the favourites to win the cup this season. Can’t wait to see Miami dominate this season and work into a finals cup run.
 
Eight players in the 200 TPA range and five of them being at the cap already. Miami was fortunate enough to win the Patrick Laine sweepstakes, for starters. I could talk about the talent of Andre Lebastard, Dakota Lamb, Oh Sens, Wolf Stansson, Matty Stocks, Kevin King, Victor Grachev or Luke Thornton. But honestly, that was enough and I’m already past 2000 words.
 
Final Standings Table: 

 
Thanks for reading and I hope that my standings are accurate! Enjoy! Words: 2118
 
Mentions (I just finished and this is a lot of mentions, very sorry):
@ahockeyguy @IamMOOSE @fishy @Jtv123 @KaleebtheMighty @osens @PatrikLaine @Andre LeBastard @dlamb @GoadenGoalie35 @Joe Exotic @JBrew42 @GrittyIsKing09 @Jer_Lefebvre @ngine4 @ShawnGlade @Shaka @Boragina @wcats @Lefty_S @Emi @JigglyGumballs @Hooperorama @SirRupertBarnes @Esso2264 @Enorama @flyersfan1453 @Steve @okifenoki @Renomitsu @BladeMaiden @DreMin15 @KnightRiley @Biggreen10 @fonziGG @G_Rush @CrlineDijohn14 @DrHexDex @LastOneUp @BigIrish @turkey2349 @Snussu @GoldGear88 @PuckPushers @Big Dee
 
 

So reminding you of childhood trauma is what keeps you around? Got it, perfect.

VHLM Experience so Far - Alright
 
As what I would call a "fringe member" most of the time, I would say I am probably close to the average new member when it comes to what they experience, enjoy or are overwhelmed with. While I have significantly more experience in a player sim league than most new members, that experience also comes with a lack NRE. You know, "New Relationship Energy." While I may benefit from knowing how these things work, I don't benefit from having the "holy shit what did I just find!" energy that most new members have when they find a league in the VHL. All in all, I think I am a decent case study on what the VHL does right, what the VHL could improve and how the VHLM impacts both experiences.
 
In my opinion, I think the VHLM hits it's mark. For all it's quirks, and areas needed for improvement, the VHLM has one thing going for it that makes it impossible for me to really feel like any of the negativity around it's shortcomings could possibly outweigh - activity.
 
The VHLM, and the VHL itself, is so damn active on Discord that it's almost overwhelming on it's own. If you're away for 15 minutes, you might as well be away for 10 days, cause you're not finding something posted in the general board. It, like the VHL and it's many point opportunities, can be a little daunting and - sometimes - offputting when you don't have the energy to "figure out the system" but I can say I would never have stuck around this long (this is a record) if it wasn't for my boys in Saskatoon. The activity, the engagement, the team work in Saskatoon is just so unrivaled compared to most leagues I have been into, that it keeps me sticking around. It energizes me to want to reach the point where some of these players, and members, are with their careers and engagement.
 
And it's not just Saskatoon. My last rodeo had me in Philly, with BlaideMaiden(sp?) and a team that was beyond engaged. It was a madhouse how active that team was. I'm assuming, to some degree, that most VHLM locker rooms are like this.
 
The fact that I can find a conversation at any time in my teams discord, have a mediocre Goalie who can win 20 games off the bench and post the league's best Save Percentage, win a title with an active as hell squad, get leadership from the leagues best young GM in @McWolf and get leadership from the league's next best VHLM GM in @Doomsday, my experience has been pretty friggin great. And it's hard to think that little details that new members don't know any better on, like if the draft is on the forum or on twitch, is going to turn people away a ton.
 
So sure, things could be better. Such is life. This is a sim league, and at least for this 500 words so I don't miss out on essentially 20 TPE, I'm giving the Victory Hockey League Minors....
 
FIVE MEOW MEOW BEANS!
 

My 13th year will always be remembered as the year I lost my virginity. For better or worse, that's what it was. Some people, if they somehow find that out, are like no way that's crazy. And I'm like ya it's actually quite awful. Because it also means I have a memory of having sex with a 13 year old. Sure, I was 13 at the time, but it's something you try to put behind a massive mental barrier and never remember.
 
So thanks @Beketov.
 
 

VHLM Experience so Far - Alright
 
As what I would call a "fringe member" most of the time, I would say I am probably close to the average new member when it comes to what they experience, enjoy or are overwhelmed with. While I have significantly more experience in a player sim league than most new members, that experience also comes with a lack NRE. You know, "New Relationship Energy." While I may benefit from knowing how these things work, I don't benefit from having the "holy shit what did I just find!" energy that most new members have when they find a league in the VHL. All in all, I think I am a decent case study on what the VHL does right, what the VHL could improve and how the VHLM impacts both experiences.
 
In my opinion, I think the VHLM hits it's mark. For all it's quirks, and areas needed for improvement, the VHLM has one thing going for it that makes it impossible for me to really feel like any of the negativity around it's shortcomings could possibly outweigh - activity.
 
The VHLM, and the VHL itself, is so damn active on Discord that it's almost overwhelming on it's own. If you're away for 15 minutes, you might as well be away for 10 days, cause you're not finding something posted in the general board. It, like the VHL and it's many point opportunities, can be a little daunting and - sometimes - offputting when you don't have the energy to "figure out the system" but I can say I would never have stuck around this long (this is a record) if it wasn't for my boys in Saskatoon. The activity, the engagement, the team work in Saskatoon is just so unrivaled compared to most leagues I have been into, that it keeps me sticking around. It energizes me to want to reach the point where some of these players, and members, are with their careers and engagement.
 
And it's not just Saskatoon. My last rodeo had me in Philly, with BlaideMaiden(sp?) and a team that was beyond engaged. It was a madhouse how active that team was. I'm assuming, to some degree, that most VHLM locker rooms are like this.
 
The fact that I can find a conversation at any time in my teams discord, have a mediocre Goalie who can win 20 games off the bench and post the league's best Save Percentage, win a title with an active as hell squad, get leadership from the leagues best young GM in @McWolf and get leadership from the league's next best VHLM GM in @Doomsday, my experience has been pretty friggin great. And it's hard to think that little details that new members don't know any better on, like if the draft is on the forum or on twitch, is going to turn people away a ton.
 
So sure, things could be better. Such is life. This is a sim league, and at least for this 500 words so I don't miss out on essentially 20 TPE, I'm giving the Victory Hockey League Minors....
 
FIVE MEOW MEOW BEANS!
 

VHLM Experience so Far - Alright
 
As what I would call a "fringe member" most of the time, I would say I am probably close to the average new member when it comes to what they experience, enjoy or are overwhelmed with. While I have significantly more experience in a player sim league than most new members, that experience also comes with a lack NRE. You know, "New Relationship Energy." While I may benefit from knowing how these things work, I don't benefit from having the "holy shit what did I just find!" energy that most new members have when they find a league in the VHL. All in all, I think I am a decent case study on what the VHL does right, what the VHL could improve and how the VHLM impacts both experiences.
 
In my opinion, I think the VHLM hits it's mark. For all it's quirks, and areas needed for improvement, the VHLM has one thing going for it that makes it impossible for me to really feel like any of the negativity around it's shortcomings could possibly outweigh - activity.
 
The VHLM, and the VHL itself, is so damn active on Discord that it's almost overwhelming on it's own. If you're away for 15 minutes, you might as well be away for 10 days, cause you're not finding something posted in the general board. It, like the VHL and it's many point opportunities, can be a little daunting and - sometimes - offputting when you don't have the energy to "figure out the system" but I can say I would never have stuck around this long (this is a record) if it wasn't for my boys in Saskatoon. The activity, the engagement, the team work in Saskatoon is just so unrivaled compared to most leagues I have been into, that it keeps me sticking around. It energizes me to want to reach the point where some of these players, and members, are with their careers and engagement.
 
And it's not just Saskatoon. My last rodeo had me in Philly, with BlaideMaiden(sp?) and a team that was beyond engaged. It was a madhouse how active that team was. I'm assuming, to some degree, that most VHLM locker rooms are like this.
 
The fact that I can find a conversation at any time in my teams discord, have a mediocre Goalie who can win 20 games off the bench and post the league's best Save Percentage, win a title with an active as hell squad, get leadership from the leagues best young GM in @McWolf and get leadership from the league's next best VHLM GM in @Doomsday, my experience has been pretty friggin great. And it's hard to think that little details that new members don't know any better on, like if the draft is on the forum or on twitch, is going to turn people away a ton.
 
So sure, things could be better. Such is life. This is a sim league, and at least for this 500 words so I don't miss out on essentially 20 TPE, I'm giving the Victory Hockey League Minors....
 
FIVE MEOW MEOW BEANS!
 

My 13th year will always be remembered as the year I lost my virginity. For better or worse, that's what it was. Some people, if they somehow find that out, are like no way that's crazy. And I'm like ya it's actually quite awful. Because it also means I have a memory of having sex with a 13 year old. Sure, I was 13 at the time, but it's something you try to put behind a massive mental barrier and never remember.
 
So thanks @Beketov.
 
 

VHLM Experience so Far - Alright
 
As what I would call a "fringe member" most of the time, I would say I am probably close to the average new member when it comes to what they experience, enjoy or are overwhelmed with. While I have significantly more experience in a player sim league than most new members, that experience also comes with a lack NRE. You know, "New Relationship Energy." While I may benefit from knowing how these things work, I don't benefit from having the "holy shit what did I just find!" energy that most new members have when they find a league in the VHL. All in all, I think I am a decent case study on what the VHL does right, what the VHL could improve and how the VHLM impacts both experiences.
 
In my opinion, I think the VHLM hits it's mark. For all it's quirks, and areas needed for improvement, the VHLM has one thing going for it that makes it impossible for me to really feel like any of the negativity around it's shortcomings could possibly outweigh - activity.
 
The VHLM, and the VHL itself, is so damn active on Discord that it's almost overwhelming on it's own. If you're away for 15 minutes, you might as well be away for 10 days, cause you're not finding something posted in the general board. It, like the VHL and it's many point opportunities, can be a little daunting and - sometimes - offputting when you don't have the energy to "figure out the system" but I can say I would never have stuck around this long (this is a record) if it wasn't for my boys in Saskatoon. The activity, the engagement, the team work in Saskatoon is just so unrivaled compared to most leagues I have been into, that it keeps me sticking around. It energizes me to want to reach the point where some of these players, and members, are with their careers and engagement.
 
And it's not just Saskatoon. My last rodeo had me in Philly, with BlaideMaiden(sp?) and a team that was beyond engaged. It was a madhouse how active that team was. I'm assuming, to some degree, that most VHLM locker rooms are like this.
 
The fact that I can find a conversation at any time in my teams discord, have a mediocre Goalie who can win 20 games off the bench and post the league's best Save Percentage, win a title with an active as hell squad, get leadership from the leagues best young GM in @McWolf and get leadership from the league's next best VHLM GM in @Doomsday, my experience has been pretty friggin great. And it's hard to think that little details that new members don't know any better on, like if the draft is on the forum or on twitch, is going to turn people away a ton.
 
So sure, things could be better. Such is life. This is a sim league, and at least for this 500 words so I don't miss out on essentially 20 TPE, I'm giving the Victory Hockey League Minors....
 
FIVE MEOW MEOW BEANS!
 

Hello all,
 
Since people didn't like my previous attempt SEEN HERE at a dark theme I decided to give it another go.
 
This time I used an old test theme that Will and I were working on and used that as a foundation. The result was this:

 
After doing a 10 min beta test and having @Enorama say "Not gonna launch a dark theme where 90% of the screen is white again" along with 3 other volunteers saying it looked good its finally ready for release!

I'm proud to Introduce the Animated Dark Theme banner! Found here:

 
 
I will hopefully be able to add additional animated banners but for now you get one. If you find any bugs with this new theme please send me a message or tag me in this thread (other than Commissioner names being too dark)
 
Hope anyone that likes dark themes can find a use for this!
 

In the spirit of Theme Week, I'd like to take a moment and praise a member that I don't know very well, but had the opportunity to coach in the WJC USA Juniors team this week - @Brewins15 and her player Mickey Dickson.
 
As you may already know, Brewin recently shared with the VHL her experience Being a Girl in the VHL. It was a great perspective piece that engaged the community to the tune of 3 pages of discussions. I appreciate the perspective she shared and the experience she has encountered during her time in this league, as it's a vastly difference experience than I had when I was a new member to the VHL and sim leagues in general. In her piece, she mentioned having to be aware whether or not she felt comfortable enough to tell people she was a female and asks that the community do our best not treating someone of the opposite sex differently. I was happy to see we all agree with that sentiment and I hope that her positive experience thus far continues. 
 
Last week, I was tasked with helping Team USA make a run at a Gold Medal in the S72 WJC Tournmanet. It was an easy choice to select Brewin's Right Winger Mickey Dickson. In route to a 6-0-2 tournament record, and an unfortunate Gold Medal Game loss to Europe on the final day, I had the chance to see a bit of Brewin in the locker room setting, as well as Dickson on the ice. Both were a pleasure to have involved. She was active, encouraging and happy to be there, despite a rather inactive Locker Room. Dickson, on the other hand, was lightning in a bottle. As one of the youngest players on the team, in under 13 minutes of ice time, Dickson tied teammate Jack Feriancek with 15 points for what was hands-down the most usage of ice time in the entire tournament. In the Medal Rounds, she added an additional 3 points in two games. It was for that performance that I voted for Dickson to be named to the All-Tournament team and am pleased to Announce Mickey Dickson is the S72 Team USA MVP!
 
With the WJC over, and Theme Week encouraging me to get out of my comfort zone and meet someone I don't really know, I'm happy to do so with Brewin. A quick search shows that she's been around since early January and has shown a very promising sign of consistency. As someone who doesn't have a background in sim leagues, I'm not sure she even knows the gravity of how good it is to be consistent for months. Never one to miss a week, even if it requires some Welfare posts, Brewin has stuck with it and that dedication is a major reason that Dickson is on the rise. In addition to being named Team USA MVP, she was also named to the S72 Future Watch team this week. She was a third round pick in last year's draft and likely one of Davos' premier future pieces. As evidence of her comfort level with us in sharing a bit about herself last week, and the nature of writing an article over claiming welfare, is evidence she's becoming more active and I - for one - am all for it.
 
Though our time in the same locker room was brief, Brewin, it was a pleasure and I'm happy to see you rising and having fun in this league. I'm thankful for the Theme Week to take a little deep dive on your experience so far and I hope to see you around for many more seasons!
 

thank you so much for this!! I appreciate it so much!!