VanCanWin

As the VHL is in the midst of a tight, intriguing first round of playoffs, there is a rumour going around that a player on one of the contending teams has been splitting his focus lately as he is currently in the process of changing his entire name. While there are no confirmed reports of this, talk is picking up and his friends, family, and teammates are hoping this is not a distraction for him during this time of the season. As I was writing this, the player approached me to keep his name anonymous to which I had to oblige. I talked to him recently and asked him about these rumours and this is what he had to say: “Rumours are rumours. I can neither confirm nor deny these ones and all I can say is as of right now my name is still _____ “. “I love my name right now but if I were ever to change it, I’m pretty sure I know what I would change it to.” ”It’s my name so I should be given the choice as to whatever it is that I want people to call me, no?” “I have enough nicknames that I don’t think my teammates would even really notice I would have a new name so no big deal there”.

Good time for my first VHL playoff goal

In the history of the VHL there have been certain individual performances that were celebrated more because of who the player is the what he has accomplished. This is no different that anything else in life and so why should we expect any different? That being said, there are still some awards that were handed out in the past that definitely shouldn’t have been. One particular example of this is taken from way back in Season 2. His name is Maxim Desny. Maxim was a very well known goaltender who was property of the Boston Bruins before he skipped out and joined the VHL. Some look back on this as a signature moment in the VHL’s stories history, a moment that changed the landscape of the league forever. Many players followed suit in the seasons following where they left their NHL dreams behind as they realized there were other professional hockey routes they could take and the VHL was fast becoming a viable alternative. All of this made Desny a person and player that was beloved, not just by his teams fans but by all VHL fans alike. After a solid first season in the league, Desny began his second season playing on a struggling and still building team. His defence in front of him was porous. Yet, Desny was such a highly touted prospect that everyone thought he would stand on his head for his team anyways. As the season went on, Desny displayed a maturity and leadership unparalleled in the league and mostly in any professional sport. This led him to being nominated as the best leader in the VHL that season. That award was justified. There was an award however that he won and definitely should not have. The voters for the awards looked at Desny’s season expecting a breakout year and had certain blinders over their eyes. They realized his numbers were awful. Yet they put the blame on his porous defence. This is even justified. His defence really was awful. Still, there was no way he was the best goaltender, statistically, that season. He had the most losses and a GAA of 4.40. Regardless of the situation and circumstance, there were goalies in the league who had better seasons and so Desny won an award as the top goaltender when it was clear he shouldn’t have. So why did Desny win it? The reasons really are clear. He won it because of who he was as a person, not because of how well he played that year. Desny has an awful statistical year. He did not follow up his rookie season with the breakout everyone was expecting. He did not stand on his head enough to win his teams enough hockey games. He was not the best goaltender that season. Desny was a fantastic person, a talented hockey player, and a building block for his team and the VHL. He was put on a pedestal by the league because of who he was and what he had done off the ice and the voting committee used this predetermined opinion of him and his talents, ignored the statistics, and voted him as the leagues best goaltender for season 2. 533 words theme week.

So much is said about how the VHL these days just has so many options for earning TPE that it’s just become so easy to max out our earnings. TPE totals are at an all time high and the sheer amount of stars in the game today is incredible. People get double weeks, donate each season for more extra TPE, less sticky rules regarding PT’s, and in general just more options to earn and earn fast. Once per season the VHL has a “theme” week also known as an automatically eight TPE gained if users just write a PT and a VHL article about whatever theme it is. Also, at certain VHL milestones such as it’s birthday, there is extra free TPE handed out. All this being said, there was a moment in VHL history, precisely season forty which marked an important milestone in the VHL’s history and a sure reason to celebrate. The players at that time were certain beneficiaries though as it was decided anyone then could earn an incredible amount of extra TPE. In Victors words at the time he said: “Yes. For this historic season we have a historic week. No doubles, not triples, but QUADRUPLES week. Any Media Spot, Graphic, or Podcast (not 2 TPE) submitted this week is worth four times its final grade.” Victor - https://vhlforum.com/topic/13934-season-40-quadruples-week/ Imagine getting an infusion of 24 TPE today just because Victor feels like being so kind.

Our top line has scored 102 goals on 661 shots ... 15.4% lol

Though we aren’t quite at the finish line yet, this season has already been a success for me. I’ve reached few new career highs as I currently sit with twenty goals and nineteen assists for a career high thirty-nine points, nine more than my previous. My goal this season is to surpass the twenty five goal and fifty point plateaus as a VHL sophomore. I’ve been blessed to be playing alongside high skill players but I still am proud with how my player has grown this year especially after a tough first week. Big thanks to @Advantage for sticking with me on that first line! I am doing everything I can to prove that decision was a correct one for you to have made and stuck with. Besides my personal success this season it is the teams success that has me most excited! I’m really hoping I can part of a deep playoff run even though I know it won’t be easy fighting through the European Conference. 167 words.

 Why every NA team can/can’t win the continental cup This article is a follow up to a fantastic article my coworker Matt posted last week. You can find his article here: https://vhlforum.com/topic/70331-why-every-eu-team-cancant-win-the-continental-cup/. Matt looked at the EU conference and why or why not each team could be a contender. I have followed his format in doing the same for the NA conference. Seattle Can - Goalie Rayz Funk Seattle has built a roster full of young promising players with the hope of developing a contending core for seasons to come. In Season Sixty-Seven, Seattle drafted a young goaltender in Rayz Funk. Rayz has been a stalwart for Seattle even though they are a very young team. It looks like Seattle is a lock for a playoff spot and it’s mainly due to their league low one hundred and two goals against. That’s a team stat sure but having a lights out goaltender is sure to be a big help in getting there. Can’t - Lack of star power Outside of their goaltending, Seattle has a lot of potential waiting to burst out of the gates. It looks like a bunch of them are sitting on the cusp of turning from prospects to players but this season Seattle really lacks that star power on the ice. They recently picked up centre Joel Ylonen to try change this but though Joel has a high TPE total he has never been a point per game player in the VHL and we don’t expect this to change this season. Vancouver Can - Top Line After trading the Season Sixty-Seven trophy whore Rauno Palo and a first round pick for superstar Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Vancouver now has a top line that most teams dream of. Hunter, Starlord, and Freeman are a trio that alone should guarantee Vancouver makes the playoffs and sets them up for another potential playoff run through the weak North American conference. Can’t - Special teams If Vancouver wants this season to be another deep playoff run, they will need to pick it up in the special teams department. They currently sit 3rd last in Power Play Percentage and dead last in penalty kill. Those type of numbers will put you on the wrong side of a tightly contested playoff series should they not improve. Calgary Can - Defense/Goalie Calgary has a stalwart defence led by Brady Stropko Jr and Leph Twinger. With Cody Smith anchoring the second pairing, Calgary’s recent movement transitioning some forwards to defence looks to be paying off. Couple that with a legendary goaltender in Brick Wahl and this teams back end should be able to compete with most and any given night. Can’t - Offense - particularly on the wings Unfortunately, though they upgraded their defence at the expense of their offence, the damage that did to their offence was significant. Their three centres have TPE totals around the six hundred mark showcasing their lack of star power but it is their wing depth - a total of TWO wingers on their entire roster - that is a telling stat as to why this team is seemingly underachieving in a weak North American conference. Toronto Can - Goalie JB Rift After a dominating season Sixty Seven, Toronto has taken a serious step back and has gone full out into their tank. Goaltender JB Rift is the only one left on the squad that still has the talent to be part of a contending team. A ton is resting on his shoulders if Toronto has any hopes of making the playoffs this season. Can’t - below average everywhere else Outside of their all-star goaltender, Toronto has little else to offer. They are old and declining as they spiral from the top of the league last season to near the bottom this season. A rebuild is in order here and we’ll see how long it is until they once again climb to the top. New York Can - Defence New York has a young core of defence that should set them up for many more seasons. This group of four has outperformed expectations as three rookies being led by a stud sophomore in LeGrande. If New York has any hopes of making the playoffs it will have to lean on an inexperienced but talented group on the back end. Can’t - inexperience Even with its promise and potential, New York is a very young team that just doesn’t have the experience and development that’s needed to win games in the VHL consistently. This will be the reason they likely miss the playoffs this year although the only cure to this is time so hopefully this will no longer be an issue next season as they trend upwards. DC Can - Cinderella Every league and every season has the potential for a nice Cinderella story. A Cinderella story is basically where a team or player do so much better than they are expected to do that everyone is in disbelief whether they can continue their run. DC’s only hopes of playoffs would be a heck of a Cinderella story. Can’t - everything else DC literally does not have any pieces that make you think, “well this player can carry this team.” They are so weak on paper and during the sims that they look miles behind fellow expansion team Prague. They need to build an entire roster - not that we are doubting them at all - but it’s simply going to take time and a few gems that they’ll need to find to build around. So there you have it. The North American conference is definitely much weaker than their European counterpart but still there is competition for playoff spots and the quality of competitiveness will be fierce. On behalf of VSN and all the excellent writers there, my name is Trevor Van Lagen and I’ll see you all next article.

Vancouver Wolves @ Helsinki Titans Moscow Menace @ New York Americans Prague Phantoms @ Seattle Bears Calgary Wranglers @ Toronto Legion

Helsinki 4-2

Last week I wrote an article bringing attention to a phenomenal young group of defence for New York. This week I asses the remainder of the roster and shed light on exactly how bright New York’s future is. I will dive deep into each of the forwards who matter today and most importantly, for the future. While there are some other vets and league minimum youngsters, it’s this group of seven forwards who best represent the future. The Forwards Boris the Forest @chillzone 15G 17A 32P 162S 9H 20SB Boris the Forest was drafted in the Season Sixty-Seven draft at tenth overall as a center. Boris quickly became the future for New York up front as they had thinner themselves out quite a bit and were beginning their rebuild. Boris is an offensive wizard who also plays very responsible hockey in his own end. Already, Boris has a lethal shot and a very good defensive mind although the rest of his game still needs to catch up some. Boris is playing this season as the clubs number one center and is doing everything he can to justify it. Scoring at nearly a point per game for New York, Boris is their number one offensive weapon. He gets plenty of offensive ice time resulting in a total of one hundred and sixty-two shots already. Boris will continue his development on his other attributes as he continues to form into a top center in the VHL. New York is counting on his development being key to getting the forward ranks up to par with the skill and potential of the defence. Boris is by far the most promising piece up front that New York has. Alexander Rodriguez / Nethila Dissanayake @Jtv123 @nethi99 26G 43A 79P 215S 186H 17SB Combined Stats Alexander Rodriguez and Nethila Dissanayake are two Season Sixty-Six players for New York who have taken on a more leadership type of role with this young club. The two players are welfare players but dedicated nonetheless and now sit each close to the five hundred TPE mark making them New York’s top two wingers by skill and experience. The two have combined for a lot of scoring this season, each scoring over a point per game. Alex and Nethila also bring a lot of grit to the Americans as they have combined to lay down one hundred and eighty-six hits just thirty-five games into the season. Alexander and Nethila both are playing pivotal roles for New York even though they may never reach superstar status that Boris the Forest brings to the club. One thing to count on though is their dependability and that may be enough to help bring New York back to contention. Both players are signed to just one year contracts though I’m not sure they would rather play anywhere else than where they currently are. Dalton Wilcox @Dalton Wilcox 17G 17A 34P 161S 33H 10SB Dalton was drafted by Malmo twenty-eighth overall in the Season Sixty-Seven draft. Dalton was lost in the depth on Malmo and because of this Malmo included him in a trade with New York that saw Malmo snag Ryan Sullivan Jr. There was room on a rebuilding team like New York which presented a golden opportunity for Dalton to take the next step in his promising career. Since coming over in the trade, Dalton has shot out of the gate for New York scoring at nearly a point per game in his first season here. He’s firing a multitude of shots - one hundred and sixty-one already while doing all the little things to help his teammates win games. Probably a simple case of extra playing time is helping him score so many points but nothing should be taken away from him and his production to date. Dalton should continue to get plenty of ice time and opportunity this year and we’ll see if his production can keep up like it has the first half of the year. Dalton may not have the obvious ceiling that Boris the Forest has but with dedication and hard work can still turn into a very solid complementary piece to this outstanding group of youngsters playing in the Big Apple. Frans Eller / Michael Sage / Owen Nolan @studentized @AcousticKazoo @Ace With Boris the Forest and Dalton Wilcox leading the rebirth at the forward positions and Rodiguez and Dissanayake being solid veterans on this team, the future of the forward ranks depends very much on this trio of youngsters. Frans Eller, Michael Sage, and Owen Nolan are three Season Sixty-Eight draftees that are growing together as they acclimate to life in the VHL. Already all hovering around the three hundred TPE threshold, if these three can continue to put in the hard work and grow their talent, the future of New York’s forwards is very bright. Should this trio falter though, New York doesn’t have anyone else. The three rookies have had varying levels of success so far this season in diminished roles. They have been providing solid depth for an inexperienced New York squad and should continue to grow being the bigger four in front of them. There is definite opportunity for these three to gain ice time and move up the lineup should they continue to earn TPE at solid rates. Together, the three represent the difference between a powerhouse future for New York and a New York that has too many holes to really contend. The Goalie A Red Guy @.sniffuM 8W 13L 4OTL 0.894SV% 3.19GAA A Red Guy has jumped onto the scene being drafted eighth overall in Season Sixty-Eight. New York already had a young goaltender in Thorvald Gunnarson but the potential in A Red Guy intrigued them so much that they used a first round pick on him. The decision really can’t be argued as he has jumped straight into the number one role passing Gunnarson on the teams depth chart within the first half season of his career. It’s safe to say, the future in goal for New York is A Red Guy and him alone. A Red Guy, though full of potential, is still generally raw and his stats show just this. Don’t let that fool you on his talent and his potential though. By the time his teammates develop into contenders, A Red Guy will be contending for being the leagues top goaltender. There should be no concerns here. That wraps the in-depth look into New York’s future. The defence and goaltending are locks to be a phenomenal group but though the forwards are less of a sure thing, with proper development, expect New York to be a powerhouse within a few seasons. On behalf of VSN News and all the great staff there, my name is Trevor Van Lagen and I’m signing off until next week.

It’s been a very solid year for Malmo. The team weathered a very tough schedule to begin the year and since their schedule began including more of the DC’s and Prague’s of the world Malmo has taken their game to a new level. On the backs of veteran superstar Matt Thompson @Beketov and sophomore goaltender Michael Johnson @fonziGG - a leading candidate for most improved player - Malmo has surged to a top three position nearly halfway through the season. They have a great blend of veterans and young guts balanced throughout their roster and the chemistry on the ice is top notch. Though the number one goal this season is #bek4400, Malmo has their sights and expectation set on more than just securing a playoff spot. How far can they go? It will still be tough as Europe is a beast of its own, but Malmo thinks they can remain near the top, this season and beyond. 156 words

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You’re killing it too for New York but I was just looking at the defence. Maybe I’ll do another article on the rest of the team yet ??

New York - The New York Americans are a rebuilding team that really won’t compete for a few seasons. That said, they have a group of young men that most teams don’t and this is setting themselves up to return to the Playoffs and to contender status before too long. Those young men particularly are the three rookies on the backend led by their “veteran” presence in sophomore Guy LeGrande. While they are very inexperienced, their talent potential is off the charts and should they stay together in the long term, will give New York a defence group most GM’s just dream about. I took a long look into these four and will dive deep into each of the four players highlighting how they got there, where their potential is and their outlook on their season and careers ahead. Guy LeGrande @Steve 7G 19A 26P 30.35MPG 10H 54S 55SB The veteran presence of the defence core, Guy was originally drafted by the HC Davos but part way through his rookie season Guy was unsettled with the lack of ice time he was seeing and made a bold move requesting a trade. Davos, accepting this unfortunate reality found a trade partner and soon enough, Legrande was on his way to North America to play for New York. As he took to the ice for his sophomore season, Guy was tasked with leading a very inexperienced group of defence. The team was going to struggle as they gained experience but Guy was guaranteed to get a boatload of minutes, something he wanted more than anything else. Now even with an abundance of opportunity and a growing skill set Guy couldn’t have expected an absurd amount of success. Yet, here he is with a cool twenty-six points through twenty-one games! That’s absurd! New York has a special talent and a special person on their team and someone who will cornerstone their defence for seasons to come! Lance Flowers @CowboyinAmerica 2G 16A 18P 28.91PPG 72H 36S 44SB Lance Flowers was drafted second overall last season behind only the consensus top pick Condor Adrienne. Early in the year, Lance was actually leading in the discussions to be first overall pick in the S68 draft. Through no fault of his own, Lance eventually lost that title but what he didn’t lose is his talent and potential. New York got a gem here and is hoping to reap the rewards as soon as this year. Having a defence group that really didn’t exist until the draft, Flowers comes into the New York organization being handed first line duties and a ton of ice time. He’s expected to be the physical presence on that pairing offering some grit and a ton of talent to complement the aforementioned LeGrande. He would kill some penalties, play some big power play minutes and face top lines every game at even strength. That’s a lot to ask for of a rookie! Facing top talent before he has a chance to grow into the VHL player he really wants to be would usually mean a rough year for any player put in this situation. Fortunately for New York, Lance isn’t just any player. Lance has bolted out of the gate to start his career, scoring near a point per game pace through twenty-one games, laying down some thunderous hits while being a plus player against the VHL’s best! If Lance can continue this production and keep this high a level of play, he is very likely to be considered for Rookie of the Year. This would be a great accomplishment, one of what Lance hopes can be many in his career ahead. Keven Foreskin @Esso2264 3G 9A 12P 27.32MPG 73H 32S 51SB Right in line with his teams rebuild, along comes Keven Foreskin, Esso’s GM player. Keven earned well through his one season in the VHLM to a point where he would have been a top ten pick in the S68 draft had he not been a GM Player. Keven has a solid all around build going currently that affords him good defence instincts, toughness and enough offence to contribute. Keven really has left it wide open to develop his career any way he chooses as time goes on. Keven is the third stud defence behind LeGrande and Flowers and because he is a GM player, is a key defender in that he won’t be hard for the GM to please in regards to getting his fair share of ice time, role etc. Keven hopes to continue to develop into a steady defender as he is placed in a second pairing role. He should still receive plenty of ice time all around on both special teams and at even strength. Keven has come as advertised so far early in his career as he has contributed a respectable twelve points in his first twenty-one games. He been a physical force on the back end with his seventy hits already, while also getting down to block fifty-one shots from reaching his goaltender. Keven has been a good value defender early on but will have to watch his tendency to take penalties as he currently sits at fifty penalty minutes on the year. It’s hard to contribute when you are in the box that often. Fredrik Elmebeck @Elmebeck 1G 7A 8P 27.41MPG 9H 22S 25S The last of the future core four, Fredrik is an exciting prospect in his own right. Frederick was selected by New York with the ninth selection in the S68 draft and for good reason. Frederick has the potential to develop into a smooth skating, offensive weapon on the back end while being dependable in his own zone. Frederick will start his career on the second pairing along side Foreskin. He should receive plenty of minutes in his rookie season with no one pushing him from below in the depth chart. That’s not to say the ice time isn’t warranted, but Frederick at least won’t have that worry on his mind and can instead focus on improving his game as he continues to develop. A solid start for Frederick to his rookie season has seen him score eight points already in twenty-one games. Frederick does not play a physical game however as he has just nine hits registered on the season. As anticipated, he is receiving plenty of ice time at above twenty-seven minutes per game. Frederick should continue to contribute from the back end as he is put in offensive situations which will allow him to finish his rookie season flashing his immense potential. After looking closer at these four young defencemen, we can see how much potential New York really has on the back end. This is a team that has been set up well by @Esso2264. It will be exciting to see how these four grow together and drive the future of this New York team. On behalf of VSN and all the great writers there, it’s been my pleasure to bring the insight into the future. My name is Trevor Van Lagen and I’ll catch you all again next time.

Calgary 4-3

100 Helsinki Titans @ Calgary Wranglers 101 Malmo Nighthawks @ Vancouver Wolves 102 HC Davos Dynamo @ Prague Phantoms 103 Riga Reign @ Toronto Legion

Rumours usually aren’t completely accurate ?

The #Beke4400 watch is on! Matt Thompson has started the season on fire with SEVEN goals in his first ten games! The quest for 400 career goals is off to a good start with Matt now sitting at a tidy 369 goals in his prolific career! That leaves Matt with 31 goals to score in the remaining 62 games. Scoring at a career 0.71 GPG Matt needs just 0.5 GPG to accomplish this rare feat. The watch continues with his Malmo teammates willing to sacrifice their lives in order to help Matt get there. Rumour even has it some Malmo teammates are planning to name their firstborns after Matt should he reach this milestone with Malmo whom he chose this offseason. Will Matt be able to get to 400? Be sure to follow him this season in this quest as we’re sure he’ll continue to make a push for it deep into the season. #Beke4400 @Beketov

F Hunter Hearst Helmsley @Kekzkrieg

Actual quote I got. As for his passing, yes this is a common build recommendation to keep passing/scoring at least 10 apart. Regardless, he will still be a predominantly scorer (doesn’t mean he won’t get any assists). His strength isn’t in his passing though. Again, this doesn’t mean he sucks at it, it’s just that’s his weakest area. Really I think this speaks of how much talent he really has as there is no glaring weakness. Im sure he will be a very good player for you this season ??

This past season and offseason the VHL has seen a number of high profile players switch positions for various reasons. In an attempt to see why this trend was set and whether this is something we can expect more often going forward, I am taking a look at five players who recently made these changes. Of the five, two made the switch from the wing to defence, one from defence to wing, and two from defence to center. The reoccurring theme here was they made these changes with team inspired aspirations though some had some personal gain to make from the change as well. With the increase in teams and GM’s getting creative in order to maximize their team’s potential the position change route seemed like a good alternative to acquiring players via trade or free agency. Further in this article, I break down each player, the change they made and why, and provide an outlook on their season ahead as they acclimate to a new position. Leph Twinger @DollarAndADream Position Change: LW to D Team: Calgary Leph Twinger is playing in his seventh VHL season already. Leph began his career filled with certain promise and generational talent. His first season in the league was a massive one as he scored 116 points. Unfortunately for Leph, his career faltered from there. Though he has still had a solid career up until now, Leph surely knows it wasn’t what it could have been. This is one of the reasons why he was willing to make this switch to defence when he was asked by his team to fill a hole in their roster. As we look to this upcoming year, Leph will be coming into it on the back end of a declining career. He will be fighting depreciation so will struggle to develop any current areas of concern. Thankfully, his build is quite solid making his transition game his weakest point. His passing sits at just 81 which is average at best. His defence sitting at 94 - which is respectable, won’t be high enough to make him an asset here and so he will resort to skating the puck out often. The problem there is any good checking team with speed will give him fits all night long. Leph will be getting top line minutes alongside Brady Stropko Jr as they anchor a contending Calgary team. The potential is there that the two of them stabilize the defence enough to lead the team deep into the playoffs, potentially ending as champions. This is where we will be able to determine how successful his transition was. “Since my rookie season, it has been no surprise that my career has not gone the way that I wanted it to. I spend countless hours in the training room, but it just doesn't seem to pay off during games. I have only ever had a point per game season once in these last 5 seasons since having 116 points as a rookie in S62. The Calgary Wranglers had the option for me to switch this off-season, and I jumped right on that. I think I have been great defensively through hitting and shot blocking, and taking me away from the forward group should be fine as well. I cannot wait to help on the back end to finish off my career these next 2 seasons.” - Leph Twinger Ryan Sullivan Jr @Advantage Position change - D to LW Team: Malmo Ryan Sullivan Jr is entering his fifth season in the VHL and has made a curious switch to forward after playing his entire career on the blue line up until now. Ryan is in his prime and is coming of a Jake Wylde trophy year as defensive player of the year. It sure looks like Ryan is not settling for a good career but wants to push himself to be the best player he can be. This, along with team fit, are clear determining factors in making this switch to forward. Sullivan Jr has the capabilities and all around skills to transition smoothly to forward. Though he looks capable in all areas, his weakest would be in his puck handling abilities. He is better than league average but if left to face strong opponents he may have his hands full trying to keep the turnovers down to a minimum. With that said, Sullivan Jr has no real glaring weakness and so the question will be how he develops his chemistry and finding a fit for him with players that complement his style. Sullivan Jr will start the season on the second line wing on a line centered by sophomore phenom Phil Marleau. Look for Ryan to be an offensive force playing again secondary lines while picking up his fair share of power play minutes as well. If he develops his chemistry and gels with his new line mates, expect a big year out of him. If not, this switch may just be a big mistake in the prime of his already successful career. “I felt that my offense wasnt as effective from the back end and I always felt I could impact the game more around the net and while my defensive game has always been a huge strength for me, I feel like I can now develop into a well rounded talent rather than a more one dimensional one.” - Sullivan Jr Cody Smith @cody73 Position change: LW to D Team: Calgary Cody Smith is entering just his second season and is making a career altering decision to move to the back end. Cody is still growing his skills and so is trying to make this change before he is fully developed as a VHL player. Will this be the right direction his career should take? Being a young player in this league, Cody’s talents are still quite raw. Despite this, Cody has actually developed himself into a promising defender. There is one area however that he will realize he needs to grow in - strength. Cody will be bullied on the ice in his second year unless he hits the gym with renewed vigour. Cody has secured a spot on the second defence unit and is sure to get his share of minutes here. Cody should receive power play time as well and so should see a nice amount of offensive output this season although he may struggle on the defensive end as he continues to develop there. Expect a season of growth for Cody as he adjust to this new position. “I made it (the switch) in the middle of last year (Just as the WJC was going down) as my team had made a trade which left us short on defence and given my player's flexible build and lack of TPE, I fit best on the blue-line. I was willing to take one for the team as I felt I was versatile and could do great things as a defenceman.” - Cody Smith Ryan Kastelic @Enorama Position change: D to C Team: Riga Ryan Kastelic was a prolific defender who is now entering his 6th season in the VHL. While Ryan has not won any individual awards, he has been a star for a while now. As he enters his final stages of his career, Ryan felt a team need for a true number one center and the best option to acquire one was for him to make the switch. Ryan Kastelic, like many defensemen, doesn’t have much face off experience and so we can expect him to struggle here as a top flight center. This will cause him and his line to struggle a bit in the puck possession department. Ryan will have to improve in this area if he wants to ensure his success with his transition from the back end to the middle. Kastelic has all the makings of a superstar forward. Elite passing, skating, puck handling along with an obvious talent on the defensive side. With an improvement in the face offs Ryan could quickly transition into an elite, pass first, two way center. Coupled with the elite skills, Ryan will be handed the number one pivot duties this season. Expect big things from Ryan as he enters the final stages of his career. “I did it mid-season last year because we were faltering with 4 good-decent dmen but no clear #1 C. I was the only one with the TPE to pull it off.” - Ryan Kastelic Maxim Kovulchuk @Banackock Position Change: D to C Team: Seattle Maxim is the only player from this list that also purchased the reroll allowing him to identify as a completely new player. Maxim has struggled against depreciation as he enters his 7th season in the VHL. Seattle, in an attempt to expedite the rebuild, has taken their veteran defender and turned him into a center with the hopes he can add some star power to the top line. How much star power is left in him is questionable, however. As Maxim fights against depreciation it will be interesting to see just how much he struggles against other top lines in the puck possession area, specifically in puck retrieval. Maxim’s defence is decent but not by top line standards, he doesn’t check anyone and his face offs are again average at best. Maxim looks to get a boatload of minutes as he anchors the top line as well as the third line, getting 60% of ice time! The sheer amount of chances should bode well for his standard statistics but what quality of play he gives in those minutes is less of a surety. The best thing he has going for him here is his build type. Maxim has all but forgotten about learning how to pass, which is by design, in an attempt to be decisive with his decision making as well as have one less area to try maintain this late in his career. Expect solid numbers from Maxim, but he won’t be the number one center that brings Seattle back to glory. So we see these five players and the career altering changes they have made in an attempt to revive their careers or help their team achieve a new level of greatness. Will this be a trend going forward? Not likely. More likely this a fad that we see now as GM’s balance out their rosters which is something that may not be needed as much each and every season. We will continue to watch these players adjust as the new season gets underway. Whichever way this works for these players, we give them respect for making their team priorities higher than theirs. These will be storylines to follow for all players as these five set the precedent for the future. Until next time, on behalf of VSN and all the great writers there, my name is Trevor Van Lagen and I look forward to providing you more articles and insight in the future.

F Ryan Sullivan Jr @Tate

D Leph Twinger @Esso2264

Haha now your confusing everyone since Van usually means me ?

Getting lost in all this is that this is a great article! Very in depth and a great read!!