DoktorFunk

Player Information
Username: GlowyGoat
Player Name: Baldur Poulsen
Recruited From: Returning
Age: 19
Position: LW
Height: 72 in.
Weight: 166 lbs.
Birthplace: Faroe Islands

Player Page
@VHLM GM

So the S76 VHL Entry Draft is closed, and the sunshine of the following morning is cresting the rooftops of my apartment complex. I realized I still needed some TPE to max this week for Killinger, so I figured I'd get this done early before the sun is well above the sky and I lazily waddle away from my computer to 'adult'. The topic for this short VHL.com article is Toronto's draft, but I won't go into great depth as I plan on doing a podcast with @DoktorFunk and maybe some other members of the Toronto Legion sometime in the future! 

Toronto selected Kristof Welch ( @Juice ) at fifth overall, followed directly after by Frank Funk Jr ( @Rayzor_7 ) at sixth overall, and these were two players I am beyond happy to have in Toronto. Now I wonder if anyone asks why Welch went above Funk Jr, but that'll probably be covered in the podcast, so if you're interested in that story you'll have to wait for the podcast is posted. Regardless Toronto landed both players, which Bana publicly said were his 'sloppy seconds', obviously referencing Ray's future Hall of Fame forward... clearly we're planning on making Seattle pay for those comments!

That's it for now.

Season 75 was a different kind of season for Toronto, a rebuilding team with some good young talent, backed up by a star goalie. This Toronto team seemed like it was struggling to find its groove at times this season, but towards the end the group started to find their identity. It's also relevant to mention that this team was close to finding themselves in a wildcard spot towards the end of the season. But what else is there to say about this team? The only thing left is to show off the team.
 
1. John Merrick @Steve
John really has a knack for scoring goals and winning games. 
John Merrick finished with the most points in the league this season with 45 goals and 62 assists for 107 points.
This is coming off his already amazing rookie season where he scored 38 goals, and 46 assists for 84 points in his rookie year.
John Merrick absolutely has an amazing career in front of him with a lot of good talent on thus team to back him up.
 
2. Oh Sens @osens
Another good sophomore season for Sens, finishing off with 39 goals and 43 assists for 82 points.
Sens really likes scoring goals, and he's directly on the wing with Merrick making the two of them a dangerous duo.
Sens was drafted 18th overall in season 73, and his contribution to the team is absolutely noticeable as well. 
I'd say this first round pick was well worth it.
 
3. Jaxx Hextall @ROOKIE745
Future hall of famer? Honestly maybe so.
Jaxx is an insanely good goaltender, this season putting up a 9.2 SV% with 30 wins this season.
A 30 win season is absolutely insane, and on a team that's supposed to be rebuilding and losing games, an incredible feat.
Hextall is currently one of my favorite VHL players of all time, I mean look at his past seasons.
His stats are insane, and potentially good enough to make HOF if he has just one more good season.
Hextall startes his career in Toronto, and that's where it looks like it'll come to a close as his retirement nears.
Regardless if he makes the HOF or not, this is a historical goaltender.
 
4. Ziarie Anibogu @ngine4
A defenseman who can put up points and keep pucks out of the net with ease.
Ziarie just finished this season with 13 goals, 68 assists for 81 points.
Pretty damn good if you ask me, he also blocked 170 shots this season, with a +/- of +9
I think that Ziarie has a long career in front of him, and I look forward to season 76 with them on the top d pairing,
 
5. Leo Strauss @gregreg
This stud has what it takes, he's got what makes you tough, he's got the stuff.
This kid is a STUD, top 5 in the rookie scoring this season, with 71 points.
Leo has it all, he's got the scoring touch, the playmaking, and the grit to back it all up.
Drafted in S74 40th overall, he's proven to be a massive steal in the draft. 
I can't predict the future but look forward to a few triple digit point totals in the coming seasons.
 
     That does it for today's article, I only looked at 5 players but they're some of the players that make this team what it is and what it can be soon. I'd like to give a few quick shoutouts to the other players I didn't mention, Jolly Greene Giant @DoktorFunk John Callahan Jr @Callahan Joseph Gainer @joegand a quick shout out to @Peace for his work in assembling this team, if he's able to keep it all together then this is a high octane team looking to dominate the ice this season. All I can say to the other teams this year is to watch out, it's Toronto's year.
 

GG New York! Go win a fucking cup for once, you fuck heads!

Wow, alright... 

We did it Malmo! From hard going in the regular season and battling it hard in the playoffs we did it. Your hard work payed off and I have to say that my role here was truly minor. You are the people that deserve this! From our retiring HoF player Condor Adrienne @OrbitingDeathto guys who have done so much for the franchise - @Hylands and @Zetterberg, @BigTittySmitty and @tfong, @Snussu and @Sharkstrong! Our newest guys in @Molholt (For allowing me to keep you steady as our backup if we ever needed you) @Infernaland @Cxsquared - you couldn't be replaced in this playoff run, you showed what we can do as a team.  You are the CONTINENTAL CUP CHAMPIONS! 

I am so proud of you all! 

Also, I would truly like to thanks DC Dragons for these amazing series, you showed a true passion for the game and made us worry about every single game. Your team is lead by an amazing GM I had pleasure playing for and I have to say, one of the best people to deal with. @Enoramayou have a wonderful team in DC!

@Rayzor_7proud of you buddy! I remember you saying you wanted to break records and get in the HoF all the way back in Mississauga! It was a pleasure to play with you for almost my whole career. Hope your son is just as good!

LETTS GOOOO. Another 0 vote performance. Was amazed to be a repeat winner in defensemen trophies many times. This is truly an honour to do it in the HOF

@Rayzor_7proud of you buddy! I remember you saying you wanted to break records and get in the HoF all the way back in Mississauga! It was a pleasure to play with you for almost my whole career. Hope your son is just as good!

Hey there, hope you've recovered from the hectic, potentially record-breaking* day of trades to start the off-season. Take a breath, settle down, as we have a juicy Hall of Fame induction for you today.
 
*not a verified fact
 
 
C - Hunter Hearst Helmsley, S66-S73 
 RS: 576 GP, 265 G, 362 A, 627 P, +96, 747 PIM, 1,567 HIT, 234 SB, 45 GW
PO: 56 GP, 18 G, 24 A, 42 P, +3, 84 PIM, 147 HIT, 30 SB, 4 GW
 
S71 Mike Szatkowski Trophy (Most Points)
S71 Scott Boulet Trophy (Top Two-Way Forward)
3x All-VHL First Team (S69, S71, S73)
1x All-VHL Second Team (S70)
 
He's done it! Beaviss is in the Hall of Fame! Hunter Hearst Helmsley, aka HHH, was one of the most hyped consensus first overall picks in recent memory, racking up pre-draft TPE to such an extent he was almost guaranteed to hit the ground running in the VHL. He didn't quite do that, but set up a nice foundation for his HOF bid for when he did break out. In his final 5 seasons, HHH became a bonafide star and one of the premier and most feared forwards in the league. A center who could do anything, he finished his career with a frankly ridiculous 1,828 TPE, good for 2nd all time. HHH didn't manage to win a championship or even make it to the finals, which probably more than anything held him back from a first ballot induction. But in the regular season he was at the pinnacle for a forward in the VHL's dead puck era and is a very well deserved entry into the Hall of Fame. @Beaviss
 
 
 
G - Rayz Funk, S67-S74  
 RS: 522 GP, 294 W, 179 L, 40 OTL, 2.56 GAA, .917 SV%, 36 SO
PO: 85 GP, 55 W, 20 L, 10 OTL, 2.09 GAA, .930 SV%, 7 SO
 
S67 Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy (Top Rookie)
S68 Daisuke Kanou Trophy (Playoff MVP)
S69 Daisuke Kanou Trophy (Playoff MVP)
S71 Daisuke Kanou Trophy (Playoff MVP)
S73 Daisuke Kanou Trophy (Playoff MVP)
1x All-VHL Second Team (S68)
Four Continental Cups (S68, S69, S71, S73)
 
Let's face it, Funk was just an above average goaltender in the regular season. In complete contrast to HHH, if we were judging players solely by their regular season work, Funk wouldn't even make the HOF ballot. But this is Rayz Funk, therefore the regular season is irrelevant, much like it was for the legendary Seattle team he backstopped. In the future, when people think of the team that won 4 cups in 6 seasons, they'll think of Funk, the man who was MVP for all 4 of them. The playoff MVP trophy may continue being named after Daisuke Kanou, but there is no longer debate about who the greatest playoff goaltender in VHL history is - it's Rayz Funk. Greatest playoff performer regardless of position? That's a debate for another day but the fact it exists is exactly why Funk is a first ballot Hall of Famer, regular season be damned. @Rayzor_7
 
 
It was a very close vote, here's how the votes tallied up:
 
Hunter Hearst Helmsley - 8/11
Rayz Funk - 7/11
---
Lincoln Tate - 6/11
Hulk Hogan - 0/11
 
 
But we are not done here for we have a Builder induction too. Now there's an unwritten rule that you wait for someone, especially a commissioner, to step down from their main role before inducting them as a Builder. But firstly, we've broken that rule loads anyway and more importantly, is @Beaviss ever going to stop? The man is a machine.
 
I remember coming back from hiatus in S59 or S60 and the GM of Quebec was a guy I didn't know, who also was the VHLM commish and on a mission to revamp the VHL's barely functioning recruitment team. He's still the GM of Quebec (Vancouver now) - that tenure would be worthy of Builder consideration on its own and will be just a footnote here - but has come up the ranks to become VHL commish in no time. More importantly, and I don't throw this around lightly, I'm not sure we'd be here celebrating a 75th season if Beav hadn't joined the league in those dark months in the 50s.
 
Keaton Louth may have failed to make the HOF as a player (although maybe, just maybe, hold that thought), but he is a slam dunk induction as a Builder, with a capital B.
 
 
Congratulations Beav, Ray, and Beav again!

S75 Philadelphia Reapers – The greatest VHLM team of all-time
 
The history books will forever show that the Philadelphia Reapers won the S75 Founder’s Cup. Kids will act out Tom Eagles amazing end to end rush to score the Cup winning overtime goal. Fans will long tell the heroics of goaltender Jacob Carson, who’s .921 save % is the best performance in the playoffs in more than 10 seasons. Or they’ll talk about the perseverance of long-term Reapers like captain Darius Marimoto or assistant captains Carson Walkers and Jacob Carson.
 
There are other feats by the team which will enter the record books. Like franchise records for most goals in a season (304), most assists in a season (548), most shots in a season (2,641). Some may even applaud the franchise record for most penalty minutes in a season (943).
 
All of those things are great, but lots of teams have won championships and lots of teams set franchise records. The reason I think this Reaper team is the greatest team in the history of the VHLM is because winning is great and all, but the VHLM has other goals, like introducing players to the league, keeping players active, and earning TPE. The Reapers kept a full roster of 22 players for the entire season. We only had to release 1 player due to inactivity during the season. That’s a feat during any season, much less during a season with 22 players on the roster. That really speaks volumes to the fantastic players who recently joined this league. I’m glad the VHLM was able to provide such an exciting season for everyone and keep so many people engaged and active this season. I also think it demonstrates how cohesive this Reaper team was. Everyone stuck together as a team and encouraged each other to be successful.
 
During the season, this Reaper team earned more TPE than any other team in the history of the league. Check out these TPE totals.
 
  Starting TPE
Ending TPE
TPE Earned
Drafted Players
      Isau DaMoose
152
335
183
Addison McLaren
211
393
182
Robert Bouchard
174
341
167
Jivere Zolnek
73
239
166
Caitlyn Catowize
83
238
155
Tom Eagles
148
300
152
Robin Galante Nilsson
81
228
147
Jolly Greene Giant
244
382
138
Pekko Viitanen
142
266
124
Bob Tristan
140
253
113
Kjell Nilsson
121
212
91
Sportsboy57
59
129
70
Blim Blam McFluble
138
186
48
Alex Zverina
50
87
37
        Wavier signees
      Barry Taffe
56
153
97
Rusty Knale
81
164
83
Asher Reinhart
102
183
81
        Already on team
      Thomas King
161
243
82
Jacob Carson
248
318
70
Darius Marimoto
221
288
67
Carson Walkers
231
283
52
        Traded For
      Gustav Hjalmarsson
241
287
46
            Ending TPE
TPE Earned
Totals
  5508
2351
 
This team earned 2,351 TPE during the season! That is an unbelievable amount. The total ending TPE of 5,508 is also amazing and is more than some VHL teams. I’m blown away by how committed the entire team was to improving themselves and winning it all.
 
Add all these things together: the fact they won the championship in a super competitive year with the greatest number of active players in the history of the league, maintaining a full roster with 22 active players for an entire season, and earning the most TPE in a season for any team ever. The result is you have the greatest VHLM team of all-time, the S75 Philadelphia Reapers.
 
Tagging the whole team:
@Eynhallow  @tcookie @Gaikoku-hito @Sixersfan594 @CrazyCaityCat @Greg_Di @RomanesEuntDomus @DoktorFunk @N0HBDY@Xdjk93 @glass @Sportsboy57 @Nicolai488 @Catter98 @Barry @HatrickRoy @rjfryman @Duddy @jacobcarson877 @dariusmarimotoman @Cwalker @McLovin
 
Thank you all so much for your hard work and dedication. You deserve all the accolades and joy that comes with winning the cup and being part of the greatest team. Good luck to everyone and remember, once a Reaper always a Reaper. Love you all!
 
I want to add a thank you to everyone who helped pull this team together, especially @Spence King and @dariusmarimotoman! We wouldn't have this cup without your help. Thank you!

Jolly Greene Giant, defenseman for the Philadelphia Reapers and prospect for the Toronto Legion, has voiced his concern that He hasn't done enough recently to live up to His high draft position or reputation. "Ho ho," says the Giant, and He's not wrong. He has been seen notably not showing up to practice and is slacking a little with His time on the ice. The Reapers are currently up three games to two on the Mexico City Kings, but the Giant needs to put more effort in if the Reapers are going to seal the deal. 
 
“Ho ho,” says the Giant, reiterating about the remorse He feels not showing up more for His teammates. It’s clear from His tone that He wants nothing more than to regain his honor and show why He was so highly regarded in His draft class. Hopefully, the Reapers can count on the Giant to give 110% again. They’ll need it to overcome Mexico. 

I've had a tough time showing up to say things recently, but thank you @Victor. The charity alone was enough incentive to donate, but this is EXTRA butter for my bread. Very good read!

As with anything that America does, please stand for THE National Anthem!
 
Now that your hearts have been warmed by the sweet melody of freedom look below to see Team USA's Roster Selection
 

 
As the S75 Playoffs are nearing the end of its course many are left wondering, "what's next?" Well, there is no need to look any further! As we wrap up the S75 Playoffs the World Junior Championship goes into full-swing! Many in the VHLM are watching and waiting, hoping to have their name called and to be placed on the most elite WJC team there is, Team USA! The list of candidates that @Banackock and I worked through was impressive, and no other team compares to the powerhouse that is Team USA!

Only a few short hours ago @fromtheinside released the roster for Team Cana-duh. Really, it's quite adorable that they or anyone else really thinks they have a chance against the greatest country in the world. While Team Cana-duh apologizes to the puck for hitting it to hard, Team USA is ready to apologize for NOTHING.
 
While the rest of the WJC General Managers prepare to announce their respective rosters, we all know that everyone only truly cares about the roster for Team USA. You've asked, and now you will receive.
 
FORWARD Momentum!
The forwards that we have selected are among the best in the league. These players are active, competative , and proud to be Americans. They will not let anything get in their way of putting up massive points, turning goalies into Swiss cheese, and making those opposing defenders look foolish!
 
Combined, these players amassed a whopping 267 goals, 377 assists during their S75 games. On top of that they delivered over 1000 hits (1102 to be exact) and even blocked 159 shots. These players are fast moving, goal scoring, body dropping hockey stars.
 
With that in mind, Team USA is proud to welcome the following players to the S75 WJC Team USA Roster:
Addison McLaren @tcookie Justin Lose @youloser1337 Its Gucci @frescoelmo Red Lite @Tate Vick Fairchild @GreenGato Hex Rose @Hex Universe Carson Walkers @Cwalker John Callahan Jr @Callahan Jakob Sosa @TMGSosa  
Honorable DEFENDERS!
Victory cannot occur if there is not a solid line of defenders. These players sacrifice everything to make sure shots are blocked and players are stopped. We are confident that they will challenge any forward coming into our zone, and keep pressure moving forward.
 
These four defenders are incredibly impressive. One of them alone blocked more shots than the 9 forwards above combined. Combined, these players earned 56 goals and dished up 144 assists. They made sure to lay out another skater 504 times, and together they blocked 408 shots. With numbers like these any opposing offense will be shaking in their skates.
 
With that in mind, Team USA is proud to welcome the following players to the S75 WJC Team USA Roster:
Muffbeav @.sniffuM Jolly Greene Giant @DoktorFunk Tee Pee E II @Goliathus Bob Tristan @N0HBDY  
Puck-Stopping GOALIES
The goaltenders selected to play for Team USA are incredible athletes and highly skilled at what they do. For S75 they won 85 games, lost 37, and grabbed 6 shutouts. On top of that, these goalies faced over 3000 shots and barely let in 10% of them. These two clocked a massive 7791 minutes played this season, which amounts to nearly 130 hours of ice time.
 
Team USA is proud to welcome the following players to the S75 WJC Team USA Roster:
Markus Emerson Jr@Xflexz Thadius Sales @thadthrasher  
For those who are preparing to face us on the ice we wish you a speedy recovery.
 
The United States and the entire World is prepared to join together with one voice as Team USA wins the gold this year...
 
You know what they say...
USA Hockey is Do or Die!
 
 

I really do hope everyone has a great 2021. May you all win the Kanou's you deserve.
 
@rory  @Hylands @.sniffuM @Victor @Josh @Quik @Beketov @Blazzer  @fishy @Spartan @Beaviss @Tate @CowboyinAmerica @Prout @Cornholio @rory  @gorlab @Kylrad @solas @a_Ferk @dasboot @Devise @Ricer13 @Zetterberg @OrbitingDeath  @Gooningitup @Enorama @tfong  @Renomitsu  @Spartan @efiug @GlowyGoat @frescoelmo  @GustavMattias @Berocka @Banackock @Peace @Jubis @hedgehog337 @Jubo07 @McWolf @Josh @FrostBeard @Frostbite @Dil @Esso2264 @diamond_ace  @Acydburn  @fonziGG @IamMOOSE @Tape-to-Tape @Nykonax  @Spartan @rory @WentzKneeFan036 @flyersfan1453 @Sixersfan549 @STZ @RedSus @fromtheinside @DoktorFunk @Molholt @emidas @chikn  @youloser1337 @thadthrasher @Dolant @MMFLEX @GRZ @Kendrick @Bushito
 
Be sure to tag your fellow members to give them good luck for 2021.

Let's start with a nice honest preamble – it sucks to compete against a dynasty in the VHL. I've been on both ends of the divide in my time in the league but from S68 to S73 there was one clear dominant team and that wasn't mine. Like many others, appreciation for the 'Class of '67' Seattle Bears came fairly late for me which is the case with any dynasty – you hate playing against them and then you look back and think, damn, they were pretty good weren't they. That said, I've never hated the Bears, I've always been perplexed by them more than anything. I remember in S70, with the Bears coming off back-to-back championships but Moscow being the odds-on favourites for the Continental Cup, I was really hoping they would get knocked out by someone in the North American Conference because there was just something about this recent Seattle team which meant you didn't want to face them in a best-of-seven playoff series. Fortunately, the underdog team from Calgary obliged and knocked the Bears out, allowing the Menace to win the cup – one of two the Bears didn't win in an incredible 6-season span.
 
Given my and many others' confusion about Seattle's success and the fact the dynasty in its old shape has clearly ended, what better way to address than to dedicate a whole article to looking at the various aspects of the recent version of the Seattle Bears? It also helps of course that this was requested as part of the Christmas charity auction but I will probably be revisiting the Bears in a future dynasty comparison regardless – spoiler alert: they'll be pretty high up. But this is not about where they rank and it's certainly not about me; let's move onto the main event! And where else to start than the S67 draft...
 
 THE CORE
From a historian perspective, the way the Bears' core formed has always fascinated me. I love it when a VHL GM builds a recognisable core that you can use as the starting point of any analysis. It doesn't necessarily have to come from one draft but that helps and in this case it very clearly did.
 
When GM Blake Campbell broke up the S65 Victory Cup winners, a regular season juggernaut featuring 3 future Hall of Famers in Matt Thompson, Sebastian Ironside, and Maxim Kovalchuk which contrived to consistently get knocked out in the first round, he embarked on the fourth rebuild of his illustrious GM career. Campbell had built two strong regular season teams (S52-S53 and S64-S65 Victory Cup winners) who couldn't quite rise to the occasion in the playoffs and one team led by Gabriel McAllister which very much did rise to the occasion in an undedog championship in S59. What he lacked was truly memorable team which would leave a lasting impression on the VHL public but this was also the first time he really had the assets for a good old school VHL firesale. The sales that off-season for themselves:
 
To Calgary, Davos, and New York
Maxim Kovalchuk, Sebastian Ironside, Veran Dragomir, Vyacheslav Smirnov, Piotr Jerwa, and the free agent rights of Matt Thompson (he would sign in Helsinki)
 
To Seattle
S66 CGY 1st (Shane Mars)
S67 SEA 1st (Rayz Funk)
S67 NYA 1st (Hulk Hogan)
S67 CGY 1st (Acyd Burn)
S67 DAV 2nd (Henrik Zoiderberg)
S67 CGY 2nd (Berocka Sundqvist)
S67 HSK 2nd (Kefka Palazzo)
 
Even if you don't recognise the names listed above, here's everything you need to know about how the trades went: Calgary, Davos, and New York won a combined 2 playoff series in the next 3 seasons (Seattle won the cup in the 3rd) and all of their GMs at the time were later fired.
 
A draft day deal also secured Campbell the pick used on Scott Greene. With 7 picks in the top 20 in S67, he only drafted one bust (11th overall Boone Jenton) but made up by picking up the underrated Kevin Low in the 4th round. With GM player Ambrose Stark joining Seattle directly under the old GM player rules, the famous S67 core was born:
 
Burn – Greene – Zoiderberg
Sundqvist
 
Hogan – Stark
Low
 
Funk
 
In S69, Low was essentially swapped directly for Guy LeGrande. Stark would end up moving up front and Sundqvist to defence, positions in which they became more famous. Greene, Stark, and Funk would spent 7 seasons in Seattle, retiring or leaving after their fourth cup in S73. Hogan and Sundqvist would make it all the way through to S74, with Hogan spending all 8 seasons with Seattle and making the S75 HOF ballot alongside Funk. While Funk is the most famous member of the core for his playoff heroics and VHL record 4 playoff MVP trophies, Stark, Hogan, and Sundqvist won individual trophies and along with Greene gained recognition in the regular season too with several All-VHL Team appearances. That would come in the 70s and latter halves of the S67s' careers though – team success came first...
 
 SEASON 68 – THE FORTUNATE ONE 
Although the potential of the class of 67 was not up for debate, no one, probably not even Seattle management, expected things to click so quickly. GM Campbell went back to the Calgary well between S67 and S68 and managed to steal back Kovalchuk and the extremely promising John Frostbeard for veteran Joel Ylonen – who the Bears would then also get back on the cheap when they realised the opportunity to strike in the weak North American Conference. That opportunity arose in part because of the Wranglers' flip-flopping between retool and contention, as well Vancouver and Toronto, the S67 Continental and Victory Cup winners respectively, losing several key pieces and declining in S68. The Bears comfortably won the conference with 91 points, a total which would have only seen them scrape 4th place in Europe.
 
Every dynasty needs a bit of luck to become one and winning a cup ahead of schedule usually helps – the Toronto threepeat did it, as did the Helsinki back-to-back champions who preceded it, and many of the teams from Davos' glory days. Although only one Bear (Acyd Burn) scored more than 72 points in S68, no one held the team back and they had a steady hand in Funk to guide them in net. With the added experience of Kovalchuk, Ylonen, and two-time cup winner Shawn Glade (acquired on the cheap from Davos who appeared to be in competition with Calgary for who could assist Seattle the most), there were no gaping holes in the squad and also lots of depth, as well as an easy path to the finals.
 
Disaster almost struck early on in the playoffs as a Toronto team of journeymen and inactives took 2 of the first 4 games of their first-round series. The Bears adapted and wouldn't lose another game all playoffs. And while no one stood out from the skaters – 10 players got between 10 and 18 points in the postseason – sophomore Funk turned up the style. He conceded only 2 goals on 84 shots in a comprehensive sweep of the Wranglers in the conference finals and then more than held his own against Matt Thompson and the Malmo Nighthawks, a fellow surprise package in the finals. With 10 wins in a row, Funk claimed his first Kanou Trophy and Seattle the first of many cups.
 
 SEASON 69 – CONSOLIDATING POWER 
Debate raged on in the league as to whether the Bears were the real deal or a one hit wonder, but after their playoff dominance in S68 no one doubted two things – Funk was here to stay and Seattle was at the very least in the cup contender conversation. In the off-season some fat was trimmed while the S67 core developed, Shawn Glade retired and Calgary provided the replacement yet again in veteran Leph Twinger. The real eye-catching acquisition was star forward Dan Wilinsky however, a forward in his prime and a mainstay in the Scott Boulet Trophy conversation for several seasons – a bit of stardust that wasn't there in the young and hungry team of S68.
 
The Bears still didn't quite catch fire in the regular season, finishing second in North America behind the offensive powerhouse in Vancouver. This time only Wilinsky exceeded the point-per-game mark, although scoring was rapidly going down in the league and Funk registered what would prove to be the best regular season of his career. The team's depth was also terrifying – Zoiderberg and LeGrande, the 7th forward and 5th defenceman on the depth chart, would walk into the top line of just about any rival in the league. Affordable rookie contracts and hyper-active young players had resulted in a team brimming with talent which could roll over opponents in a way that arguably still hasn't been recreated in the VHL.
 
Despite this, there was no 10-game winning streak in these playoffs. New York took Seattle to Game 7 which was won by a Wilinsky goal in overtime, while Vancouver and Riga each required 6 games to dispatch. The youth stepped up as Frostbeard led the team with 19 points, followed closely by Greene on 17, while Funk took some time to find his S68 form, ultimately putting together his weakest Kanou win with a .924 save percentage. He did deliver when it mattered though, stopping 94% of the shots fired at him by the high-flying Reign in the finals, considered by many to be the cup favourites, and outdueling Kallis Kriketers who up to then had put together one of the greatest goaltending seasons in living memory. After getting ahead in Game 5, the Bears ran out to a 4-0 lead by the end of the first period of Game 6 and hang on to a 4-3 win – the repeat was complete.
 
 SEASON 71 – RETOOLING ON THE FLY 
S70 was largely a forgettable season for the Bears, as the salary cap started to make an impact and GM Campbell had to part ways with some beloved veterans like Ylonen, Wilinsky, and Frostbeard. Although the S67 core was now firmly the stars of the team, things didn't quite click and Seattle only scraped into the playoffs by 1 point over New York. Vintage Funk came to play and upset the Wolves with a .939 save percentage in the first round but the magic wore off and the Wranglers ended the very impressive playoff run in the conference finals.
 
Fans were bracing themselves for more of the same as the cap crunch continued to hit – for the first time, two S67 draftees in Burn and Zoiderberg had to be sacrificed. The return was good as the Bears acquired the picks used to draft Odin Omdahl, Ola Vikingstad, and Randy Marsh among others, but it seemed like the team was a work in progress. Instead, they had rediscovered the successful old balance between young and old and had arguably their best regular season yet, finishing just 2 points off the Victory Cup winners in Vancouver. Stark led the league in points, Hogan in assists, while Greene made the All-VHL First Team now recognised as one of the premier centers in the league. Sensing an opportunity to strike, the Bears made a trade for veteran forward Aleksander Rodriguez on the cheap – the S71 version of Glade or Wilinsky.
 
The Rodriguez acquisition would prove inspired as he led the league with 10 playoff goals, his 18 points tied with Stark and Greene. The balanced line-up proved crucial against the young D.C. Dragons in round 1, rookie Vikingstad grabbing a late winner in a tight Game 7. Then Funk proved to be the scourge of Vancouver for a third straight season, saving his best for last as he conceded just 5 goals in 5 dominant games. Then came the defending champions from Moscow and another 5-game victory, again close but again comprehensive. Rodriguez fittingly was the first star in Game 5 while Vikingstad scored 2 goals including the cup winner – a testament to the wheeling and dealing of GM Campbell which in turn earned him his first top GM award of the dynasty.
 
 SEASON 73 – THE LAST HURRAH 
After S71 it was more about organic growth for the Bears as they looked to close out the era with a bang. Five members remained from the S67 core – Greene and Stark up front, Sundqvist and Hogan as a dominant defensive duo, and the evergreen Funk in goal. The retool bore fruits however, with forwards Uhtred and Vikingstad, defenceman Omdahl, and even rookie goalie Jordan Tonn being more than capable deputies for the fan favourites. As a result, the Bears dynasty delivered perhaps their best season of them all.
 
With 103 points tying Seattle for the league lead (winning the Victory Cup on goal difference), this was the first time the Bears were clear favourites at the end of the regular season, with Greene cracking 105 points and Hogan and Sundqvist putting up matching 93-point seasons for career years each. They again faced a tough fight from the Dragons, requiring a classic performance from Funk but still going to double overtime in Game 6, eventually won by the younger Aleelee Kiak assisted by rookie Timothy Brown.
 
Then came possibly the series which will be remembered most in this Bears run. The dominant sweeps in S68 and the annual humiliations of Vancouver set the scene, but from S70 onwards Seattle's rivalry with a rebuilt Calgary was a defining feature of the generation. The Wranglers made the finals in the Bears' place in S70 and S72 but came away with nothing, so were hoping to make it third time lucky first by knocking out their hated rivals. Calgary ran out to a 3-1 lead in the conference finals on the back of heroic goaltending by Jacques Lafontaine and two double OT victories. A lesser team would have accepted their fate but the Bears rallied, starting with a triple overtime winner by Randy Marsh as they faced elimination in Game 5. Kiak came up clutch again in Game 6 overtime before Sundqvist and Stark completed the comeback in a 5-3 win in Game 7, sending the Wranglers packing. Lafontaine (.949) and Funk (.943) put up a goaltending battle for the ages and the Bears added another feather in their cap – an iconic playoff series victory.
 
From then on, a fourth cup in six seasons seemed predestined. Seattle's last opponent was Helsinki, who showcased their attacking prowess by putting 5 and then an uncharacteristic 7 goals past Seattle in Games 1 and 3, chasing Funk in the latter, but once the Bears figured them out they won 3 games in a row to seal the cup in six. That would be the end of the dynasty as we knew it – Stark retiring, Greene and Funk moving on in the off-season, while Hogan and Sundqvist would retire at the end of S74. The playoff run is still ongoing, now up to eight consecutive seasons as of S75, and some of the younger cup winners remain with the Bears (Uhtred, Brown, Marsh, Omdahl, and Tonn), but the historic run of playoff success seems to be a closed chapter. What a chapter it was however.
 
Thank you for your generous donation and hope this meets your expectations @DoktorFunk and the rest of the S67 core - @Banackock @Rayzor_7 @TXC @Berocka @Acydburn  @HenrikZoiderberg @Smarch @Steve - and everyone else I mentioned who played a role in the cup wins - @ShawnGlade @DollarAndADream  @FrostBeard @Esso2264 @oilmandan @zepheter @Dil @leafsman @a_Ferk @MexicanCow123 @Grant

Okay so... I just wanna say I don't deserve any mentions I've received here. Like really, I don't think of myself too highly so for @Crstats23, @PatrikLaine, @Hex Universe, and @Ledge_and_Dairy. Thank you. It means a lot to even be mentioned here. It makes me really really happy to see me mentioned in a thread like this and I'm really glad to have made some form of impact in this league.
 
Otherwise first and foremost, I wanna thank @PatrikLaineagain for introducing this league to me.

@Sonnet , @MattyIce, @DreMin15, and @KnightRiley for getting me truly hooked onto this place and making my early days here a blast.
 
@DoktorFunk, @DarkSpyro, @Blazzer for a genuinely fun time in Ottawa. I really enjoyed talking to you guys when I played there and I'm glad I was able to help you set up your server Spyro.
 
@Spartanfor hiring me as an AGM and putting up with my shit in Vegas sometimes as well as teaching me the ropes. It's something I really really appreciate.
 
@a_Ferk, @NickSunderbruch, @Crstats23, @Ledge_and_Dairy, @IamMOOSE, @Ricer13, @dariusmarimotoman, @tfong , @fromtheinside, @fishy, @Esso2264, @Hex Universe and @Viperxhawks19 I wanna thank you guys all for making the VHL more than just a random place to chat with random people. I really enjoyed talking to you guys in the discord LRs and the VHL server. It's something that you guys may not value much but it's something I value quite a bit.
 
@GustavMattiasfor the town of salem games and the occasional talks in VHL gen.
 
And I finally want to thank every single one of Vegas's players. You guys really shouldn't be giving me as much credit as I seem to get so thank you ❤️
@thadthrasher, @aksuko, @Hoopydog, @MMFLEX, @Nordin, @frescoelmo , @SimmerDown99, @matt sovick, @Matt thunder, @Domino Draws, @Syzygy, @Jakefufu, @Aye my name jeff, @inflastud, @correllvincent, @Wreckening, @fyrefly, @Bouncyelf, @Kelsier
 
 
To those I didn't mention (despite there being so many lol), I wanna mention you guys as well. My league experience has been phenomenal and I can't thank everyone enough for it. I wanna wish everyone a Merry Christmas and thank you. Again, thank you.
 
 

Let's see...
 
@Sonnet for helping VHLM me stick around, as usual.
 
@omgitshim for spending hours on end helping me get started with Town of Salem and indirectly being the entire reason why I'm getting tagged in this thread about the game.
 
@Berocka for putting up with my bullshit for well over a year now and being a great addition to both teams I've run. Probably for being the one member connected to me the most.
 
@McWolf and @Ahma for sticking around and not hating me for Davos getting slapped in the face by the sims on a daily basis.
 
@gorlab and @Acydburn  for not hating me after I screwed you over with some early GM career rookie mistakes.
 
@Advantage for being the best first big-league GM I could have asked for.
 
@gorlab again for helping me out a ton with graphics.
 
@Banackock and @diamond_ace  for giving me a chance as VHLM GM and supporting me when I made the move up.
 
All the commissioners for  all of their hard work, but weirdly enough especially @Beaviss for putting up with more of my bullshit than the others do.
 
Everyone on Discord who has given me good conversation and shown themselves to be genuinely nice people--with a special thanks going to @Garsh, @Blazzer , @thadthrasher, @Renomitsu , @DMaximus, and @Brrbisbrr for being the ones that immediately come to mind in terms of going beyond random internet stranger talk and truly caring about my well-being. It's more appreciated than you know.
 
@Doomsday, @DoktorFunk, @Esso2264, @gorlab and @diamond_ace (again!) and @GlowyGoat for having zero reason to have anything to do with my little team server but choosing to make it a fun place nonetheless.
 
@Dil for actually being a really solid league member and a decent person and putting up with a lot...
 
...and @fonziGG for his help in muting Dil.
 
It says a TON for this community that I feel guilty stopping here, because I could keep going on and on with this post. Names are popping into my head as I'm writing this and I feel weird leaving them out. If you've had anything positive to do with me, ever, you belong in this post. Thank you all for being great people, and I look forward to making many more good memories here!
 
MERRY CHRISTMAS...and if you don't celebrate Christmas, I hope that whatever you are or are not doing this time of year makes it a great time for you regardless.

I’ll jump in on this
first @DoktorFunk and @DarkSpyro thank you both for helping me when I first joined and had no idea what to do
 
@Spartan @twists @JigglyGumballs I would never have thought that I was actually going to be drafted but you took a chance on me and I see what Spartan and Jiggs do in Vegas and it’s a great thing
@NickSunderbruch @ZP16 @G_Rush @Rhynex Entertainment thanks for being some of the best teammates anyone could ask for, I see you all being beasts keep it up 
 
@.sniffuM @dasboot and the rest of Warsaw squad you guys welcomed me too the team and given me the most I could have wanted as a rookie (I thought I was going to be a 4th line playing two minutes a game)
 

@GustavMattias for continuously giving me a management job, even though I don't deserve it.
 
@Banackock @Rayzor_7 For being a great GMs
 
@DoktorFunk @TXC @Acydburn  for being great teammates
 
@dasboot For being a quality bloke
 
@.sniffuM @bigAL @BOOM™ for tagging me you are all great people

@DoktorFunk slide into my DMs, I need a Media Spot for next week

What a great idea footfan_036!
 
Jeez where to start:
- @Ricer13 for hiring me as AGM right away, that was such a great entry point to the league and gave me a purpose and passion I wouldn't have gotten as just a third line scrub on some team. forever 
 
- On the hiring thread, @Acydburn  and @rjfryman hiring me for WJC commish. Again, being recognized and valued for work feels great. I like to help.
 
- @fishy @Spartan @Berocka @dasboot @DoktorFunk @DarkSpyro for inspiring me to start podcasting - I haven't written a media spot since! (bonus spot to @thadthrasher for being the first guest of the show)
 
- @.sniffuM @Josh @Hylands @rory  @Esso2264 for playing games with me. Sounds silly but I've got so few irl friends who play games so it's amazing to be able to golf with friends and fall guys and shit. I know it hardly ever works out for me, and doesn't mean anything to you cause you guys do it all night every night, but it's really cool and meaningful to me. I love a solid "we stan AL in this chat" every time I join hahaha
 
- CHESS CLUB
 
- @GustavMattias and @omgitshim for continuing to let me play Town of Salem when they really, really shouldn't

- @gorlab for going extremely out of his way to throw compliments around
 
I think it's a testament to the leadership of the league that there's so many coloured people people with coloured roles on this list. The people in charge are really doing their damn best to make this place welcoming, nice, and fun. There's lots of other people to shout out like the S72 Marauders, the DCD LR (quality of convo > quantity), the ol' 9-5 crew who got me hooked, the people who listen to my show, and everyone who makes me proud to be in the VHL.

@Cowboy way back when for getting me here.
 
@BOOM™@Noah@Devise@diamond_ace @Advantage@Jericho for being my best friends in my first extended VHL run.
 
@Beaviss for being the reason I stayed active and around for Harding through to now.
 
@Esso2264 for being a great GM, putting up with a lot of bullshit, and dealing with my backseat gaming when I watch him play pokemon.
 
@Da_Berr for being an awesome AGM that helped me a ton getting Warsaw off the ground.
 
@dasboot for being an awesome AGM that has helped us take the next step in our VHL existence and has made my job easier.
 
@dlamb@Hooperorama@KaleebtheMighty@jman9theman9 for being the best first draft class that I could ever ask for.
 
@Infernal@Alex Bridges@Laflamme@efiug for helping Warsaw by setting a strong example in the early years of our franchise.
 
@Renomitsu @AW13@Siddhus@Crstats23@inflastud@Jeffie43 for being a part of a pivotal second Warsaw draft class that has played a massive hand in our come-up this season (and in jeffie's case, coming in from a trade and being a big addition to the squad).
 
@TurnDaddy@kevinscix@Senjo1706@Jake Sumner@SilverMike@williamirc@Nicolai488 for your continued hard work in the Warsaw pipeline.
 
@dasboot@diamond_ace for your players' terrific performances this season.
 
@Hylands@rory @Esso2264 for putting up with me in VC almost every day and being good people.
 
@Garsh@Mr_Hatter@JeffD@Blazzer @Spartan@Da Trifecta@fonziGG@frescoelmo @gorlab@jhatty8@solas@Jeffie43@Renomitsu @a_Ferk@OrbitingDeath @STZ@thadthrasher for being homies.
 
@BladeMaiden for the free therapy, great conversations, and you putting up with my never-ending quest for optimization in Stardew Valley. ❤️
 
@bigAL@Tate for brightening everyone's day whenever y'all come around.
 
@Prout because you deserve a shoutout.
 
@Victor@tfong @Beketov@Quik for your continued work to make this league as great as it is, in most cases even through its darkest times.
 
@Josh for everything that you do, in the league and as a friend.
 
@Banackock@hedgehog337 for setting a great standard for the GM position for so long, and giving the league some stability to lean on in the job while going through a massive influx of members.
 
@Dil for putting up with all the heat and being cool nonetheless.
 
@Enorama@rjfryman@GustavMattias@Berocka@DoktorFunk@Acydburn @FrostBeard@Jubis@Jubo07@Ricer13@Peace@McWolf@Rayzor_7 for being members of the VHL's greatest generation that I haven't mentioned yet but have done great things to make this place much better over the past couple years. If I miss anyone from this category I apologize, there are a lot of you and I've been writing this post for a while already.
 
inb4 I forgot a homie and get shamed
 
@VHL community thanks for making this a great second home where I can RP as a muffin. ❤️ you all
 
@Nykonax I'M SORRY
@MexicanCow123 I'M SORRY

Wooooo Su is now the points leader! In season 71. Looking back on it, it has been a long ride from where I started. When I first made my player as a first-gen, I had no idea what VHL was or how it worked. Truthfully, I had come on the site a week prior by searching for sports sims and immediately left due to not knowing anything. Fortunately, I decided to come back, and I don't regret it one bit. There were definite highs and lows for myself and the VHL as a whole during this time, but to this day I can say that VHL is an amazing experience.
 
First starting out in the league was super confusing for me since I've never done something like this in the past. Thankfully the community was super helpful and got me on my feet. I still remember being signed to MIS after the season had already ended, thinking I would be playing in some games the next day. The LR of MIS was great, with everyone being incredibly kind in it, and I was super happy that I was subsequently drafted by MIS in the VHLM draft. Both Berocka and DoktorFunk (former GM, AGM) were a huge help in getting me started and actually interested in the league itself. I also remember some great teammates that made the LR tons of fun, such as bacon, JBrew42, LastOneUp, joeg, who are all unfortunately inactive now. Being traded to OTT which was DoktorFunk's new team, halfway through the season and winning the cup with them was also a great experience. Spyro who was AGM for the Lynx was also super welcoming and a great presence in the LR.
 
Then came the VHL draft. I remember the hype building up to the draft, and the hope that I would be picked in the first round like all the mock drafts said I would. But, due to my "intentional tanking," I slipped into the second round and was picked by VAN. Today I have to say that slipping to VAN was one of the best things to happen to me. Not only was Spyro on the team, but both Beaviss and the other players on the team were super welcoming. Unfortunately, most of the younger guys that I played with in my rookie season also went IA. Thankfully since then I've gotten some great teammates on the ice and in the LR. My rookie season was rough, to say the least, with a measly 17 points, it was looking like I would be a bust, and I didn't have high expectations for the future. In S73, the expansion draft came, and I was lucky enough to be signed as Warsaw's AGM by Muff. Preparing for the draft was tiring but very rewarding, as now I get to see the team and players flourish. For the one and a half seasons I was AGM there, I had a blast. Thankfully this time around most of the players are still active. dlamb, KaleebtheMighty, Hooperorama, and everyone else keep doing what you're doing. Unfortunately due to school I got too busy and had to resign from being AGM there, Muff sorry for not being able to fulfill my duties well in the later parts of my stint. From S73 and onwards my player must've started doping since he's been on a tear. One of the most satisfying things in VHL has to be seeing your player improve and tear up the league as time goes on. Winning the cup with VAN last season was also a great memory, and as time goes on I hope to make many more memories with VHL.
 
 

Yeah alright
 

 
Thats all I can spare tho 😓

Can we now discuss what I'm actually gonna have this motherfucker write about? 😅