Greg_Di

There is a new goalie phenom coming into the VHL. They’ve just recently signed up to join the minor league and will be joining a team in the near future. During this next season there will be a 72 game display of the pros and cons of Spider Pandas game but for now I will break it all down for you here. We are going to start with the Pros and then work our way to the cons after.
 
Pros:
 
     To start things off we will talk about Spider Pandas rebound control. He has a way of controlling rebounds that is like no other. It’s fitting his name is SPIDER Panda because the puck sticks to him more than your typical goalie. There are rumours that he is in fact part spider but for now that’s all they are is rumours. Either way you won’t see much for rebounds coming off this goaltender.
 
     Next is tracking the puck. His awareness and ability to follow the puck is also very uncanny. Some refer to it as his spidey senses while others refer to it as his Peter Tingle. Not even sure why, his names not even Peter. It is almost like a super power of his though, how well he can anticipate where the puck is going to be at all times. It’s a quality that a coach would love for their goaltenders to have.
 
     The last pro is his ability to be a great locker room guy. Anywhere he’s been in his young career he has always been a person in the locker room that players love to have around. He is a team first kind of person and he gets a lot of respect because of it.
 
Cons:
 
     Spider Panda isn’t perfect, he does have a few flaws. His first major flaw is how emotionally unstable he is following loss. He lost his Uncle Ben Panda many years back and this led him down a very dark path. It took him many years to come back from that. Ever since that happened he has always struggled with losing. So watch out for some emotional highs and lows.
 
     Over confidence is another flaw he has. When the emotional highs are high, he tends to be a bit self centred. It got really bad when he had this incident with a symbiote. It’s almost like he was a completely different person. I’d recommend keeping him away from symbiotes if you want him dialled in on the ice.
 
      Lastly, he has this weird obsession with wanting to fight crime. He’s left practices and even games when that ear piece of his starts going off telling him where the nearest crime is happening. Don’t get me wrong, it’s noble as hell but it is extremely annoying to have a player dip out on you like that during an important game.
 
      You’re getting a quality player with a lot of weird baggage. He’s going to be a star in the league one day but not without a few bumps along the way!

508 Words
     
 
 

Oh damn some S95 goalie competition  

THANK YOU! That was driving me crazy

SC is style control  

Wrapping up our three week look at the top TPE earners of the Season 95 draft class (so far), this is a tale of a battle for second place. 
 
1 - Roger Eagles - 211 TPE - @Greg_Di has created a monster of a netminder with the 6'4" Eagles. In 17 games with the San Diego Marlins last season, he put up a 5-11-1 record with an .891 save percentage and a 3.21 goals against, but the sky is the limit here. With a really well balanced build that includes points in Size, Rebound Control, SC (which I assume is Stick Checking?), Hand Speed, and Reaction Time, he will absolutely be the first goaltender drafted...or would be, if he wasn't opting out of the VHLM to head directly to the VHLE.
2 - Otto Wolff - 63 TPE - @midnight.luck, a first gen user, is managing Wolff, a 6'5" 245 pound (!!!!) netminder. His focus has been mostly on Rebound Control, the aforementioned SC, Hand Speed, and Reaction Time. You might be thinking, "With a name like that, he must be German," and you'd be right. Still, it's a loooooong way from the first spot to the second.
3 - Zaps Cat - 61 TPE - Somehow these guys are just getting bigger and bigger, with another first gen user @scudmuffin19 building a 6'7" netminder. Unsurprisingly he has points in Size, but also in Skating, Agility, Rebound Control, Hand Speed, and Reaction Time. While none of those skills are developed enough to be a VHLM starter, at least he's emphasized Size, with it being the chief attribute.

With an unexpected announcement that Roger will skip the VHLM and enter the VHLE in his first full season in the VHL league.

It is not yet known where Roger will play as the draft is yet to happen but expectations are high for Roger. He will be entering the league with only 17 VHLM games under his belt but Roger feels like he is ready to enter the European development league. Many are wondering why he is doing this as he could be one of the best goalies in the M this season.
 
"It's something I wanted from the start and I have informed all those that needed to know that I am entering the European development league this season" Roger says " I plan to develop in Europe and see where it takes me. There is no reason for me to develop in a league where I would be one of the best, I need to be challenged and see where my weakness is."

As for what he plans on developing in Europe, he said that he will be working on his skating and agility as he gears up for his first full season.
 
"I think my skating and agility have been lacking and it showed in the VHLM" Roger continued " In this league the players are faster and stronger, so it will be a good place to work on these two items. I can't wait to get started and wait to see where I will play"

Rogers goals for the season are to have a save percentage over .920 and a GAA under 2.5. These seem like high numbers for a goalie that couldn't crack these numbers in the VHLM.
 
"I always set high expectations for myself and this is no different. I expect to be the best" Roger once again continues in our discussion with him "I know there are potentially more experiences and stronger goalies then me in this league but that doesn't worry me. Any team that knows my pedigree know that they are getting an all-star goalie that will be improving each week"

Most VHLE teams already have a plethora of goalies and goalie prospects waiting in the wings this season, so it will be interesting to see if there are any opportunities for Roger Eagles to be a starter. Will any team give an unexperienced goalie with a high pedigree the keys to the net? Or will his first season be played as a backup as he awaits the opportunity to steal the starting position from a more experienced goalie?

If I had went for a top ten I'd be able to claim it for like 3 weeks LMAO, this was already like 900 words lmaooo.

The final chapter of this seasons biggest question has finally been answered.

What was the question you might ask? The question was asked at the start of Free Agency....Why did Henry Eagles sign for Seattle?

Entering his final season, many thought that Henry would sign with one of the predicted contenders but shocked the league when he signed with Seattle. A team that missed the playoffs the season before and was not expected to make the playoffs once again. No one could understand the reasoning as Henry was getting older and entering his final season. Why wouldn't he go to a contending team to help him improve his chances at getting one more Continental cup?

Fast forward to a few days ago and the question was answered as Henry Eagles is retiring as a VHL champion and also achieved his career goal of hitting 100+ points in the season.

In a hard fought series against London where Seattle was down 3-2 in the series at one point, they managed to bounce back and win 4-3. 

Henry had an OK playoffs putting up 13 points in 19 games but his biggest asset was on the defensive side of the game, where he put his body on the line. 
 
"I don't think you can end your career any better then this, leaving as a champion" Henry said " I think this was a great storyline with what happened in free agency and the questions asked of me as to why I chose where I did. A lot of teams spoke to me and I was honest with each GM. Some teams had a very good chance and one team in particular I was leaning towards until I had a discussion with Seattle. It just seemed like the right fit for my final season and we made it work. The GM made some great moves after FA to ensure the team was competitive and we are now reaping those rewards"
 
When asked what other teams were close or what GM Bana said to get him to join Seattle Roger said "The one team that was close knows who they are, I won't be publicly saying at this time. Other teams also know where they stood as I responded and talked with every GM before making my choice. As far as what Bana said, I won't say that either....All I will say though is everything he said was done and it ended perfectly with a Continental cup win. I think an Eagles had to play in Seattle and it ended up working out"
 
Another plus to Henry was that he achieved what he couldn't achieve in 8 previous season with any of the teams he played for. When he stepped foot into the league, his goal was to hit 100+ points in a season. He was close when he played for Malmo at 96 points but didn't get close at any other point. Joining a high flying Seattle offense, Henry achieved 101 points to end his career.
 
"Makes you wonder if I started earlier in Seattle how many points could I have achieved when I was a bit faster and younger, who knows maybe some personal awards would have come my way" Henry said " I am happy with how my career turned out, sure it would have been great to win some awards but you can't complain with 2 continental cups and 2 victory cups. After we finish celebrating here in Seattle my attention will turn to Roger and ensure that he is ready for his upcoming E season and help guide him to be an all-star VHL goalie."

Review:
Great Article but I will not be in the M this season, will be moving on up to the E. I enjoy reading peoples predictions of the draft as it shows a different perspective then the VHL news articles. Article was well written with description of the players past season and why you think they will go in that spot. Lots of details and stats. I don't follow draft predications much but if I were to stay in the M it would show me who my competition is. No real faults found, next time I would go for a top 10! 9.5/10!

*EDIT* Just saw your reply to my vhl.com articles post  

With an unexpected announcement that Roger will skip the VHLM and enter the VHLE in his first full season in the VHL league.

It is not yet known where Roger will play as the draft is yet to happen but expectations are high for Roger. He will be entering the league with only 17 VHLM games under his belt but Roger feels like he is ready to enter the European development league. Many are wondering why he is doing this as he could be one of the best goalies in the M this season.
 
"It's something I wanted from the start and I have informed all those that needed to know that I am entering the European development league this season" Roger says " I plan to develop in Europe and see where it takes me. There is no reason for me to develop in a league where I would be one of the best, I need to be challenged and see where my weakness is."

As for what he plans on developing in Europe, he said that he will be working on his skating and agility as he gears up for his first full season.
 
"I think my skating and agility have been lacking and it showed in the VHLM" Roger continued " In this league the players are faster and stronger, so it will be a good place to work on these two items. I can't wait to get started and wait to see where I will play"

Rogers goals for the season are to have a save percentage over .920 and a GAA under 2.5. These seem like high numbers for a goalie that couldn't crack these numbers in the VHLM.
 
"I always set high expectations for myself and this is no different. I expect to be the best" Roger once again continues in our discussion with him "I know there are potentially more experiences and stronger goalies then me in this league but that doesn't worry me. Any team that knows my pedigree know that they are getting an all-star goalie that will be improving each week"

Most VHLE teams already have a plethora of goalies and goalie prospects waiting in the wings this season, so it will be interesting to see if there are any opportunities for Roger Eagles to be a starter. Will any team give an unexperienced goalie with a high pedigree the keys to the net? Or will his first season be played as a backup as he awaits the opportunity to steal the starting position from a more experienced goalie?

Congratulations on getting that cup, it was awesome to see you succeed in your final season!!

The final chapter of this seasons biggest question has finally been answered.

What was the question you might ask? The question was asked at the start of Free Agency....Why did Henry Eagles sign for Seattle?

Entering his final season, many thought that Henry would sign with one of the predicted contenders but shocked the league when he signed with Seattle. A team that missed the playoffs the season before and was not expected to make the playoffs once again. No one could understand the reasoning as Henry was getting older and entering his final season. Why wouldn't he go to a contending team to help him improve his chances at getting one more Continental cup?

Fast forward to a few days ago and the question was answered as Henry Eagles is retiring as a VHL champion and also achieved his career goal of hitting 100+ points in the season.

In a hard fought series against London where Seattle was down 3-2 in the series at one point, they managed to bounce back and win 4-3. 

Henry had an OK playoffs putting up 13 points in 19 games but his biggest asset was on the defensive side of the game, where he put his body on the line. 
 
"I don't think you can end your career any better then this, leaving as a champion" Henry said " I think this was a great storyline with what happened in free agency and the questions asked of me as to why I chose where I did. A lot of teams spoke to me and I was honest with each GM. Some teams had a very good chance and one team in particular I was leaning towards until I had a discussion with Seattle. It just seemed like the right fit for my final season and we made it work. The GM made some great moves after FA to ensure the team was competitive and we are now reaping those rewards"
 
When asked what other teams were close or what GM Bana said to get him to join Seattle Roger said "The one team that was close knows who they are, I won't be publicly saying at this time. Other teams also know where they stood as I responded and talked with every GM before making my choice. As far as what Bana said, I won't say that either....All I will say though is everything he said was done and it ended perfectly with a Continental cup win. I think an Eagles had to play in Seattle and it ended up working out"
 
Another plus to Henry was that he achieved what he couldn't achieve in 8 previous season with any of the teams he played for. When he stepped foot into the league, his goal was to hit 100+ points in a season. He was close when he played for Malmo at 96 points but didn't get close at any other point. Joining a high flying Seattle offense, Henry achieved 101 points to end his career.
 
"Makes you wonder if I started earlier in Seattle how many points could I have achieved when I was a bit faster and younger, who knows maybe some personal awards would have come my way" Henry said " I am happy with how my career turned out, sure it would have been great to win some awards but you can't complain with 2 continental cups and 2 victory cups. After we finish celebrating here in Seattle my attention will turn to Roger and ensure that he is ready for his upcoming E season and help guide him to be an all-star VHL goalie."

The final chapter of this seasons biggest question has finally been answered.

What was the question you might ask? The question was asked at the start of Free Agency....Why did Henry Eagles sign for Seattle?

Entering his final season, many thought that Henry would sign with one of the predicted contenders but shocked the league when he signed with Seattle. A team that missed the playoffs the season before and was not expected to make the playoffs once again. No one could understand the reasoning as Henry was getting older and entering his final season. Why wouldn't he go to a contending team to help him improve his chances at getting one more Continental cup?

Fast forward to a few days ago and the question was answered as Henry Eagles is retiring as a VHL champion and also achieved his career goal of hitting 100+ points in the season.

In a hard fought series against London where Seattle was down 3-2 in the series at one point, they managed to bounce back and win 4-3. 

Henry had an OK playoffs putting up 13 points in 19 games but his biggest asset was on the defensive side of the game, where he put his body on the line. 
 
"I don't think you can end your career any better then this, leaving as a champion" Henry said " I think this was a great storyline with what happened in free agency and the questions asked of me as to why I chose where I did. A lot of teams spoke to me and I was honest with each GM. Some teams had a very good chance and one team in particular I was leaning towards until I had a discussion with Seattle. It just seemed like the right fit for my final season and we made it work. The GM made some great moves after FA to ensure the team was competitive and we are now reaping those rewards"
 
When asked what other teams were close or what GM Bana said to get him to join Seattle Roger said "The one team that was close knows who they are, I won't be publicly saying at this time. Other teams also know where they stood as I responded and talked with every GM before making my choice. As far as what Bana said, I won't say that either....All I will say though is everything he said was done and it ended perfectly with a Continental cup win. I think an Eagles had to play in Seattle and it ended up working out"
 
Another plus to Henry was that he achieved what he couldn't achieve in 8 previous season with any of the teams he played for. When he stepped foot into the league, his goal was to hit 100+ points in a season. He was close when he played for Malmo at 96 points but didn't get close at any other point. Joining a high flying Seattle offense, Henry achieved 101 points to end his career.
 
"Makes you wonder if I started earlier in Seattle how many points could I have achieved when I was a bit faster and younger, who knows maybe some personal awards would have come my way" Henry said " I am happy with how my career turned out, sure it would have been great to win some awards but you can't complain with 2 continental cups and 2 victory cups. After we finish celebrating here in Seattle my attention will turn to Roger and ensure that he is ready for his upcoming E season and help guide him to be an all-star VHL goalie."

For years now, I've maintained a spreadsheet which shows how many Hall of Famers there were per Continental Cup champion. The most is seven on the great Davos team of S24 but back in the day there were multiple teams with 4, 5, or 6. The average has fallen to 2.6 per team now (2.7 or 2.8 if you exclude some of the more recent winners whose players are still active or only recently retired), as a result of expansion and good players being more evenly spread out – the last champion with more than 3 Hall of Famers was Calgary in S62 and only S78 Warsaw has even had 3 in the 16-team era.
 
You can go through and analyse the list at your leisure but in this article I wanted to focus on one fact I find quite interesting and currently relevant as Seattle has won the S93 championship. On the ranking tab of the spreadsheet, you can see all the teams who won a cup despite having no future Hall of Famers over the years. Naturally there's not many – 10 of which 3 should come off the list relatively soon (Pierre Emile Bouchard being on the HOF ballot for S86 Vancouver, and John Jameson and Jesse Teno being slam dunk inductees in my opinion from S90 Prague and S88 London respectively). Last season's D.C. Dragons have a couple players in The Frenchman and Mark Calaway who are on a generally good track so I think that roster will produce a Hall of Famer in due course. Which leaves six teams (maybe five but too early to tell with S91 Toronto), of which four are Seattle, and three of those during Blake Campbell's GM reign.
 
That's enough to be something of a trend I think even considering that Seattle has won the most Continental Cups of any franchise. OK, Bana had nothing to do with S43 – the only cup in a wretched 30-season spell for the Bears and a team that no one was ever quite sure how it won in spite of an inactive GM and no real standout players. Since Bana took over though, the theme for Seattle seems to have been to prioritise team chemistry over individual brilliance. Clearly, it's worked spectacularly, with 8 cups in 45 seasons and it's any GM's dream but it's still interesting it is so consistently the case for the Bears. Even the dynasty of the late 60s / early 70s only had two Hall of Famers regularly (Rayz Funk as the face of the franchise, protected by Hulk Hogan), other than an ageing Maxim Kovalchuk in S68 and S69. Since then, only 3 Hall of Famers have dressed up for Seattle – Andrew Su, Taro Tsujimoto, and Xavier Booberry – all very briefly before retirement having made their name elsewhere and all not winning a cup with the Bears. There are no former Bears currently on the Hall of Fame ballot (apart from Voittu Jannula who left back in S17) and no current Bears who are definitely going to end up there (granted, the team is quite young for the most part).
 
Despite this, the Bears have three championships in the same time span now. Notably it's often difficult to pick out a standout playoff performer from Seattle, a particular struggle this season where their 11 players are separated by just 12 points. Often the Kanou has gone to the Bears goalie almost by default and indeed the last six playoff MVPs to come from Seattle were goaltenders (Funk x4, Rara Rasputin, and Em Em Flex) although that streak is due to end in S93. Instead, due to the GM's wheeling and dealing style, there is usually a few older players acquired for the cup run who have one of their best performances in Seattle but retire without having serious Hall of Fame aspirations. Jim Bob in S77, Zeedayno Chara in S83, and now Henry Eagles in S93 are perfect examples of that type of player Bana seems to love.
 
To prove the rule, the more star-studded teams that Bana has assembled are the ones that have fallen apart in the playoffs. His first serious contender way back in S53 featured big names in Jeff Hamilton, Pietro Maximoff, and Zach Parechkin but couldn't make the finals. Ditto for Matt Thompson and co ten seasons later. The formula is clear now – cohesive teams with a lot of good but not great players pulling in the same direction – and this also explains why the quick rebuilds that Seattle does often catch people off guard as the teams contend for the cup sooner than expected, this season included. Is it a formula that can be easily replicated by rival GMs? I would think so, although it is natural to be more inclined to pick a superstar or two to build around instead of treating those as expendable and staying more loyal to the depth players who eat up less cap space and can step up when needed. Fundamentally, while the no Hall of Famers policy is partially by design, you can't necessarily predict who will end up in the Hall and clearly the Bears do not specifically seek to avoid anyone who has a shot at induction. If Severus Targaryen for example keeps up the momentum from his breakthrough season then the S93 champions will have a Hall of Famer and this niche statistic loses a bit of sparkle. Plus while Seattle has won a lot of cups during Bana's tenure, it comes out as around one every 6-7 seasons, which means other teams still have plenty of opportunities to win their own way.
 
Time will tell if the Bears keep building teams like this, if the S93 roster will go on to bigger things or if this is the peak of their careers, and indeed how long Bana will keep going but for now, given another successful playoff run, it is time to celebrate nearly 50 seasons of almost undisturbed commitment to putting collective over the individual in Seattle. DA BEARZ.

I wont lie I wish I had read this before I posted my mock draft article LMAO, good luck with the E my man.

After time in the off-season to think about where he will play in the upcoming season, Roger has made his decision.

Roger Eagles has decided to skip a full season of the M and head directly the the VHLE. There is much higher rated players and more competition on the E and that's where Roger wants to prove himself before the jump to the VHL.
 
" I thought about it and it didn't make sense for me to stay in the M. I think with the way my training has been going I have outgrown the M and it wouldn't be the best for my development" Roger said " I am always looking to improve myself and the E will offer what I am looking for next season. It will help me in my journey to the VHL"
 
It is not known yet where Roger will play as he will have to away the draft but he is looking forward to playing on any team that can give him starting minutes.
 
"I know its tough competition for goalies out there but I know I am good enough to be a starter in the E and that is what I will be looking for" Roger continued " I will be happy to play for any team that is able to provide that opportunity"

Really appreciate that,  Bana. One of the rare occasions when sim sports gives me the opportunity to do more than just waste my own time 😂
 
For those who don't know, the Rainbow Railroad is an organization that brings LGBT people out of countries where their governments make it dangerous to be queer and brings them into safe countries. It's a great cause.

S93 Seattle Bears Season Awards 

 
What a season! We started off being predicted 7th out of 8th in North America, largely missing the playoffs. We made huge signings and numerous massive trades that pushed us into 2nd in the entire VHL and 3 points away from the Victory Cup, awarded to the team finishing with the most points in the regular season. We entered playoffs and did not have an easy ride. New York. DC. London. 3 amazing teams this season and 3 very intense, fun and anxiety packed series. At the end of the day, we got the job done in so many ways. Eagles hit 100 points (which was one of their goals), @Ricer13, @ROOKIE745 won their first ever continental cups with players and we all got to celebrate a win together. Super special! Continuing the celebrations, congrats to the following members/players on the S93 Seattle Bears awards!
 
ALL PLAYERS
Regular Season:
Markus Strauss Award - Most Goals - 49
Severus Targaryen - @Banackock
 
Hulk Hogan Award - Most Assists - 62
Henry Eagles - @Greg_Di
 
Felix Peters Award - Most Points Award - 106
Severus Targaryen - @Banackock
 
Gabriel McMVP Award 
Fuukka Rask - @Jubis
 
James Lefevre Award - Most Penalty Minutes - 181
Toby Kadachi - @ROOKIE745
 
Karsten Olsen Award - Most Hits - 273
Daryl Dixon - @Ricer13
 
Heavyweight Belt - Most Fights - 10
Toby Kadachi - @ROOKIE745
 
Odin Omdahl Award - Most Shots Blocked - 151
Mina - @Baozi
 
Timothy Brown Award - Most Game Winning Goals - 13
Daryl Dixon - @Ricer13
 
Vyacheslav Smirnov Award - Top Rookie Award
Giorgiy Costanzov - @Mongoose87
25-15-4-.907SV%-3.17GAA
 
Playoffs:
Rayz Funk Award - Top Playoff Performer
The Whole Team - @everyone  
 
DMEN
Mitch Higgins Award - Top Overall D-man
Simons Worst Nightmare - @zepheter
 
Maxim Kovalchuk Award - Top Offensive D-man
Simons Worst Nightmare - @zepheter
 
Patrice Reynaud Award - Top Defensive D-man
Simons Worst Nightmare - @zepheter
 
GOALIE
Jakab Holik Award - Goalie Showcase
Fuukka Rask - @Jubis
34-20-3-.927SV%-2.53GAA (total)
21-2-3-.933%-2.21GAA (With Seattle)
 
Giorgiy Costanzov - @Mongoose87
25-15-4-.907SV%-3.17GAA
 
BONUS
Spirit Bear Award - @Mongoose87
 
Previous Winners and Charities Chosen:
S92 - Zepheter and HOPE Family Services
S91 - Oilmandan and Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation
S90 - AJW and Los Angeles Mission Homeless Shelter
S89 - Rory and Boyle Street
 
About the Award:
 
Giorgiy Costanzov, aka @Mongoose87, is a huge reason why we won the Continental Cup this season and if you took a look at the portal and the index, you'd kind of being scratching your head as to why? During the season, he held his own as a developing goalie for the Seattle Bears who has a lot of promise if the development continues. They could be a Bears legend.. and they started off their own personal story here with quite a bang. Good regular season record, but it wasn't so much their playing that got them the award and more so what they did for the team and locker room. As a GM, I'm always moving. I know some people think it's an easy job and very chill, but I don't know. Maybe for some. I'm always doing something, most days - if not every day. I made a lot of moves to help some cores pieces have as much success as possible. I knew if we were going to REALLY try and win, a 1,000 TPA goalie will get the job done better than a 500 TPA one. 

I approached Mongoose and we had a chat. They were very opened to the idea, despite knowing that it likely will be challenging and quite boring to open up sims and once again not see yourself on them. They sacrificed a good chunk of playing time in the regular season, something they didn't have to do. They gave up all playing time in the playoffs. Something they didn't have to do. He's been awesome this entire time - having fun in the locker room, being active as all hell, supporting the team and sacrificing like so many on this team do for everyone else. It's a really cool team and culture we have in Seattle and Mongoose is an INCREDIBLE leader of it all. Thank you for all your efforts and time you put into the VHL and the Seattle Bears. I know it was boring sitting on the sidelines mostly but know that you're just as big of part of this win as everyone else, CHAMP!
 
With that being said, I asked @Mongoose87 the same question I've asked the other 4 Spirit Bear Award winners.. 

 

 

DA BEARZ!
 
It feels good to finally get one but I never did think it would be with @Banackock and Seattle. A great season with great people 🍻 Congrats Bears 🐻 🏆 

Wow, 8th Continental Cup.. 13th trip to the finals.. on a season where we initially started off with low odds and predictions heavily against us. What is kind of neat about this victory is that on May 16th, it will be my 8th year anniversary as Seattle Bears GM - so that is kind of cool. 
 
London, Great series. For whatever reason, I never expect you to get all the way. You, with Teno @aimkin, are an absolute force to be reckoned with. Every sim I was SO nervous it was insane. I know I've been nervous as all hell in the past too, but wow, you had me freaking out the entire time. 
 
DA BEARZ, we did it once again! What a crazy fucking season. Landing the biggest fish @Greg_Di - getting them their 1st 100 point season along with Dixon and Targaryen, making massive huge trades and beating all the odds. You guys were bumping in the LR, earning your TPE and are a huge reason why we're here. HUGE SHOUTOUT to @Mongoose87 who allowed us to make the trade for Rask and take a back seat when we all know, especially as a goalie, it's never easy to do.  Neat we landed @Ricer13 his first ever cup in the league! I could write a short book here guys on how happy and excited I am to win this thing with you all... CONGRATS CHAMPIONS!  Thank you to every single one of you for everything you've done to get us to this point. All your efforts, time and loyalty to the team are so deeply appreciated. 
 
@Banackock @zepheter @ROOKIE745 @Berocka  @Greg_Di  @JB123 @sadie @Bigb33 @CODENAMEJIMMY @Mongoose87 @DustyMclaren @Brent @jhatty8  @Victor @Chillybro @Nathan_8 @Jubis @Ricer13 @Baozi

Had my vote in predictions!

Hopefully we can pull off these last 2 wins in the finals to answer the question....why on earth did Henry Eagles go to Seattle?

Hello BOG,
 
I am writing to you today so you don't make a weird mistake like one of those seasons past. I can't remember which it was, but it was a feeling of snubbery I remember oh so well! When the results came out, I released an article that had some BOG members commenting on it, notably @Advantage. They admitted to not being hugely involved in the conversations, that someone made a huge argument for one member and that's kind of how it ended up going. Once the target was set, it was all too easy to convince and prove why that target was the deserving one. All eyes were already on it! I'm here to make a case to make the right choice in choosing the right target this year. Some research has been done for you this year. There's probably some I'm missing but that's okay. You'll get the idea behind it.
 
 
Why Blake Campbell for GMOTY?
BOG Material: VSN Presents: S93 VHL Preview
Free Agency
Let's start with the quick and easy one. Anyone remember? A certain big fish, or should we say Eagle, signed with the Seattle Bears this off-season and left everyone surprised. Yep, the Seattle Bears once again define the word magical during Free Agency and manage to pick up the biggest Free Agent in the off-season, Henry Eagles @Greg_Di. This move left a lot of people surprised. Why on earth would Eagles, a player as good as them who is about to retire following the season, choose to play for the Seattle Bears who were picked to finish 7th out of 8 teams in North America? It simply doesn't make sense. Why would the best free agent sign with a team that was going to suck? The only team worse in North America was dubbed to be LA and we all know how that ended up. Do you remember some of the salt that seeped out of the cracks of the VHL that day and for the days to follow? Boy, being an experienced, 45 season tenured GM, you can add it to my little trophy case of memories for moments that I will cherish but likely forget because it's been so long. Seattle also signed some other lower FA's like Thor Odinsson, Sigma Freud etc.
 
Trades
Once again, the Seattle Bears were one of the more active teams this season. 9 trades this off-season. I know there's a spreadsheet somewhere for it that shows all the trades and such that managers have made since the beginning of time. However, like most, I'm just going to tag @Victor and ask him where that lands for most trades in a season?  In fact, I took the liberty of finding that easily accessible piece of history here and while 9 is not top of the list (even for Blake Campbell), it's up there and a shit ton of moves that proves this old GM still has a lot left in the tank. Now, with that said, let's take a look at the trades..
 
1.  Seattle Acquires Sadie St. Louis @sadie from Calgary for a S95 3rd and 4th.
This trade is pretty significant to Seattle. Not only did Sadie make a return to activity after kicking some ass in school, but she's been an absolute monster for the Seattle Bears this seasons. She currently stands at 827 TPE, hit 30 goals and finished with 67 points in 72 games. While this number might not excite some, their build isn't exactly ELITE and when you look at the roster, they fit in incredibly well to the team. That's not to mention how awesome it is to have her pop into the LR from time to time when she catches a break. While playoffs also don't count for this award (which is somewhat dumb imo - have said it for 45 seasons and will say it for 45 more that it should hold SOME weight).. She has 13 points in 16 games. Pretty nice trade, hey?
 
2. Seattle Acquires Oreo McFleury @JB123 and two 2nd round picks in S93 for two 2nd round picks in S93
Another easy, quick deal done with @leandrofg. Super pleasant talks and Seattle adds some more talent. Essentially, these deals were Seattle adding cheaper talent that would assist the roster and Eagles at squeaking into the playoffs. Fairly cheap deal. S87 player, 757 TPA with almost 100 banked, career high this season in points (93), Goals (40), Assists (52), shots (477),  shots blocked (38) and PPG (7). In fact, his point total smashed his other career high by a total of 25! That's pretty insane and speaks to just how much McFleury helped the Seattle Bears this season. Always been a member I've liked from their early days. While I didn't expect 93 points, I'm very happy with the end result. AND, again, while playoffs don't matter, 19 points in 16 games. Pretty nice trade, hey?
 
3. Calgary acquires a S93 3rd from Seattle for a 93 3rd and 4th
Minor trade, the trend continues with Calgary. Lots of easy, quick fun between us two teams this off-season. Pretending to be Leandro all these seasons really turned into something good. Never thought I'd ever be able to GM one of our biggest rivals of all time Calgary, but now I'm double dipping VHL teams and setting Seattle up for a hell of a season? DAMN! I knew taking Melatonin Magnesium would eventually pay off!
 
4. Seattle trades S94 WAR 1st and 92 CGY 2nd for S93 1st (Nathan Ecker) and a 93 3rd
This trade was a frantic one but I HAD to get it done. @Nathan_8 had been a strong up and coming member and we had spoken lots throughout the weeks of him joining to the draft day. He REALLY wanted to come to Seattle. A lot of players did! However, we just didn't have all the picks in the world to make it happen and while you know how good they are, they just aren't at the height of others who have had more time to develop or have been in the league longer. HOWEVER, I made a massive push to try and get a pick until he was drafted and ended up getting a deal done with Spartan. Nathan has been a great addition to the team and locker room. They're looking to come up next season and if I can hold on as GM, I look forward to hoisting a cup with them in the future.
 
5. Seattle trades a bunch of 3rds and 4ths to Davos for 3rds and 4ths
Another one of these deals. Davos wanted picks, Seattle said "sure, what the hell is the harm".  At this point in the draft, sometimes quantity is better than quality when it comes to 3rd and 4th round picks. 
 
6. Seattle moves Thor Odinsson out for a 3rd, clears cap space for future moves and helps CGY out.
Calgary again! Fuck, maybe I share the GMOTY with my multi @leandrofg?? Seattle signed a bunch of players to bonuses this year. Most of them. Maybe all of them. Multi-million dollars ones! Imagine if we didn't? It wouldn't have even been fair! Seattle needed to clear some cap. I had some talks going on that were lowkey stressful because some GM's take years to do their roles, but we crunched the numbers and made some moves in order to potentially fit those deals in. 
 
7. Seattle trades Highmore, Dew, Lion, two 2nds and two 3rds for Fuukka Rask. @Jubis
We know we have an amazing member and goalie of the future in @Mongoose87 but we also know that sometimes a higher, more elite goalie can steal you games. Look at other teams that aren't as good but have better goalies and do better than they should! Seattle knew, if they wanted to fully contend and not waste all they've done, they'd have to do this deal. It was somewhat of a bidding war and we're VERY happy we beat out malmo @KaleebtheMighty! Rask ended up going from 13-18-0 record with a SV% of .923 and a GAA of 2.81 to a 21-2-3, .933SV% and a 2.21 GAA. Seattle ended the season on something like an 8 game winning streak. They added a 1,000 TPA elite, starting goalie mid-way through the season. Is that not incredible? What a master of the puppets. While it seems like Seattle gave up lots, is a few 2nds and depth, lower pieces "a lot" when it is compared to a team need like a starting goalie and solving it with a 1,000TPA, 21-2-3 answer? I think not. 
 
8. Seattle moves S95 1st, two 3rds, a 4th and 3 prospects for Daryl Dixon @Ricer13
At this point, Seattle was feeling good but not great. We added an elite goalie and the team was looking pretty good. Somehow, we managed to make all the cap work and we knew, with this deal being prior calculated, it could happen too. We once again beat some team out in a little bidding war, added a massive player to the roster and an even bigger presence in the LR. Dixon got 31 points in 18 games for Seattle. That's crazy good. He was one of 3 players to have over 100 points on the team. 1,300 TPA at the Trade Deadline. Add that onto everything else Seattle has added and it's mind blowing. 14 points in 16 games played in the playoffs. Not his usual self, but playing great hockey to have us currently tied 2-2 in the finals..
 
9. S94 1st and Williams for Mina @Baozi - a final trade of the season and a final trade of the career for @hedgehog337
Wow. Awesome to get a trade done with Riga. Can't believe he actually stepped away. It's been so long. So long in fact, I celebrate 8 years (not seasons, real life years) as Bears GM on May 16th. Anyway, easy trade. Williams was IA, lower D-man, meh build. Mina is fong. Good guy, good player to add to the team to help us win. Williams had 30 points in 52 games. Mina had 13 in 20. They currently have 11 in 16 in the playoffs. Better long term and present day investment for Seattle. Mina also extended their contract with Seattle!
 
What Seattle added - not including drafted players etc
Fuukka Rask - 1050 TPA
Daryl Dixon - 1332 TPA
Mina - 723 TPA
Sadie St. Louis - 827 TPA
Henry Eagles - 975 TPA
Oreo McFleury - 757 TPA
Sigma Freud (FA) - 447 TPA
S93 1st
S93 2nd
S93 2nd
S93 3rd
S93 3rd
S93 4th
S94 3rd
S94 3rd
S94 4th
S94 4th
S94 3rd
 
Seattle moved out:
Justin Williams - 541 TPE (retired)
Justin Lion - 453
Matthew Highmore - 306
Tullemore Dew - 597
Aiden Page - 153
Cole Stermer - 154
Filip Zinek - 201
S93 2nd
S93 2nd
S93 2nd (to moscow, acquired in earlier deal from CGY)
S93 3rd
S94 1st
S93 LDN 3rd
S93 TOR 3rd
S94 1st
S94 SEA 2nd
S94 CGY 3rd (acquired in earlier deal with CGY)
S94 SEA 3rd
S94 VAN 4th
S94 SEA 4th
S95 SEA 1st
S95 SEA 2nd
S95 3rd
S95 4th
 
Lots traded in, lots traded out. At the end of the day, a price was paid. Mostly, it was draft picks. Players were all additions, prospects and all of that. We added a lot. So much so it seen us grow as a team. How much did we grow? Where did all these magical moves take us? Well, shouldn't we take a look?
 
Standings
We were predicted to finish 7th out of 8 teams in North America. We finished 1st in North America with a record of 48-17-7. This is an improvement of 34 wins and 69 points as Seattle finished 16th in the VHL with a record of 14-52-6 (34 points) in S92. So 16th in S92, 2nd place and 3 points away from a Victory Cup in S93. Surely, with all those trades and such a massive improvement, it's good enough for my "enter large number here" of runner up GMOTY nominations. All season long, "toronto is uncatchable", "no one will catch em", "so hot, so nice". Seattle caught em. 
 
Standings count for playoffs too, so shout out for VSN on getting 1/2 of the finalists correct wooooooooo!  and lastly, from 16th in the league, to being predicted 7th out of 8 in North America at the start of the season and making playoffs, to 2nd in the league and having majority of the votes predicting Seattle to win the cup.
 

It's off-season time so also time for off-season tournaments, and with that, we have the roster and captains of the Brigade:
 
Centers:
Pierre Marc Bouchard-@Gaikoku-hito
Ty Duke-@TheDuke
Dan Craig-@jj2416
 
Left Wingers:
Eugene Ryanheart-@jesse115
Dorji Khan-@Oddpurplefly
Meghan Dancalot-@diacope
 
Right Wingers:
Maple Dogwood-@dogwoodmaple
Alex Ovechkin llll-@Bruh
Cody Cobberson-@Hendrix Cobberson
Marko Polo-@Z0MBIEE
 
Defenders:
Felicia Hardy-@JCarson
Erik Thorvaldsson-@Tetricide
Toby Cook-@KRZY
LaClapbomb Hitstick IV-@Greasy Gary
Ronan Amnon-@Breeze837
Einar Mathiesen-@xsjack
 
Goalie:
Roger Eagles-@Greg_Di
 
Captains:
Dorji Khan-@Oddpurplefly-Captain
Eugene Ryanheart-@jesse115-Altenate
Dan Craig-@jj2416-Alternate
 
Signed,
GM-@meandyoc
AGM-@Tetricide
 
Also, I will update as we get more players.

The biggest series in the final season of his career and Henry Eagles has disappeared. He has not been playing his usual dominating game and it has shown on the scoreboard.

Henry is still yet to show up for the finals after a dismissal start in the first two games of the series. While the series is tied 1-1, Henry has achieved a grand total of 0 points so far.

His dominating regular season has not seemed to carry over to the playoffs as he sits with only 9 points in the last 14 games. He has been given lots of opportunity with ice time and great line-mates but things haven't gone to plan for him just yet.
 
" Man I don't know what is happening. I all of a sudden have gone on a cold streak in the biggest series of the season, can't get any points up there." Henry said " I think I am just in my own head and trying to hard instead of just acting on instinct and muscle memory. I need to trust my ability and turn this around."
 
Many are wondering if Henry is potentially playing injured as he has not been playing at his regular pace. One thing to note though is that while he has not been scoring, Henry has been a big defensive presence so far in the playoffs. The forward has 28 hits and 15 shots blocked which has helped his team keep pucks out of the net all playoffs. It is possible that one of these blocked shots have caused some sort of injury.
 
"We will not be disclosing if Henry is or isn't playing with an injury, he has been playing well in our eyes and eventually the goals will come" One of the Bears coaches said "We are happy with his defensive play and with a player of his caliber, you know he is bound to break out and we just hope its at the right moment and changes the momentum of this series"

With comments like that it has fueled rumours that Henry is more then likely playing with an injury that could be effecting his play. Most players will fight through injury in order to help their team out and knowing Henry, he would not sit out for a minor injury. He would play through it like any other Eagles.
 
For the Bears to overcome London, they will need Henry to step up and play to his full potential. Many are expecting this series to go down to the wire in 7 games and if Henry can find a way to get back to his regular season form then that will be a big boost to the Bears. 
 
" It is a best of 5 series right now and we want to ensure to get the next 2 games" Henry said " I know 3-1 is the worst series lead in hockey but if we can win these next 2 games then in my mine the cup will be ours. If we split the next 2 games again then in my eyes it will be alot tougher. We have a great game plan heading into the next few games and we are hoping to get the expected results"