VanCanWin

This article is a retrospective look in Trevor Van Lagen’s utilization in his rookie season which has recently concluded.
 
A recent media spot by @dmaximus highlighting S67 unofficial awards gave the 1 vs 100 Award away with the winner holding 374 penalty kill minutes. When comparing this to his own stats, Van Lagen realized he was just 5 minutes shy of that record, in his rookie season!
 
Coming into his first season in the VHL, Van Lagen was known as a scoring center. He didn’t hit, he wasn’t strong, and he definitely didn’t kill penalties. Yet, @Advantage, wanting to give everyone as much ice time as he could, placed Van Lagen at the heart of the teams penalty kill.  Van definitely struggled there and by as with anything else, he tried to give 110% at this task as well. Unfortunately, the end result would be he was tired often when he would finally get some offensive ice time (by far lower in ES + PP ice time then most of his teammates).  Besides this, Van Lagen was learning the ropes on the wing rather than in his natural position in the middle.  This transition though wouldn’t be as big of a change as it did take some of the responsibilities of being a center away from him so he could focus on developing the other aspects of his game.
 
Despite his struggles and frustrations, Van did learn a valuable lesson - he needed to gain strength to compete with the best in this league. That is exactly what he did as he dedicated his energy to the gym gaining that necessary muscle to fill his big 6’-5” frame.  He began dumping some hard earned TPE into his strength stat as well as putting emphasis on his skating and puck handling stats in an effort to remain a shifty player who is hard to hit. With his scoring and puck handling developed to 90 and his skating at 85 Van Lagen hopes to spend this offseason learning how to hit as well as improving on his face off abilities. His dream heading into his sophomore season is to become a shifty, strong center who’s stride is at least average and shot is near lethal. He will be able to knock opponents off the puck while being a keep away artist and then when he finds an opening he will be able to bury the puck in the net. The only missing aspect in his repertoire will be his passing. This is however, by design. Van Lagen believes in player types and being a predominant scorer will allow him to be a star earlier in his career. Whether he develops his passing later in his career to when his other attributes are maxed out in an effort to become more of an all around player will be determined when he gets there and by how much depreciation is affecting him in those years.
 
Next season, Van will definitely be more prepared than ever to handle the grind of a 72 game VHL schedule. With the hope and expectation that his ES and PP ice time will improve significantly, expect Van Lagen to be a breakout star in just his sophomore season for Malmo.
 
541 words

As a Dutch guy, free is indeed good.

291 Vancouver Wolves @ Calgary Wranglers
292 Riga Reign @ Toronto Legion
293 Malmo Nighthawks @ HC Davos Dynamo
294 Helsinki Titans @ Moscow Menace
 
2 Uncapped TPE
@berocka
@VanCanWin

Gold - Canada
Silver - Europe
Bronze - Asia
MVP - Ambrose Stark

Soon? It's been happening before he was even hired.

See link for original article.
 
https://vhlforum.com/topic/65273-hot-takes-with-van/
 
With the season unfolding well past the half way point and the contenders and pretenders have been all but sorted out, I bring you with me to revisit my hot takes from this past off season.
 
Hot take #1
Of the 8 picks Seattle will make, only 2 of the players drafted will still be on the team when they win again... in S68.
 
Not looking so hot on this one as they haven’t traded any of these players yet.  That said, they could be real contenders if they did though that probably wouldn’t be the smart play for the long run. 
 
Hot take
Not only will Nykonax fail to turn Mexico City around, but Mexico will finish DEAD LAST next season.  The locker room will be a mess with all the losing and Nykonax will be forced to trade whatever he has of value at the deadline
 
I couldn’t have been more spot on here. Mexico is indeed dead last and nothing says they will improve. I believe they have exactly ZERO active players. A mess. Pretty sure people will be calling for GM Nyko’s head soon.
 
Hot take
Lincoln Tate is only the 15th ranked prospect heading into the draft but clearly is better than that. Lincoln should be the number one pick on draft night! In 5 seasons, when a redraft media spot is published, Lincoln will be listed at number 1. There is a future spot reserved for Lincoln Tate in the Hall-of-Fame.
 
We all know how this one went. A shock to most of the world, Lincoln indeed was selected first overall. Lincoln has struggled a bit on the ice this season but is still earning like a champ and will be a star shortly, worthy of his selection.
 
To wrap, I am 2 for 3 with my hot takes with still a chance to go 3 for 3 (albeit slight chance as it looks now).
 
322 words.

@Beketov i was lowkey considering re-creating but decided not to be a dick. Unretire me please

Good luck man! Lack of ice time is definitely one of the toughest parts of being a rookie

Hard work and intestinal fortitude is a trait that isn't found in every hockey player, only a handful at best. Guy LeGrande possesses those traits and by all standards, should drive him into a successful career.
 
Being a rookie isn't easy in this league. Ice time is limited and you have to have a good showing every time you are on the ice. Guy has tried to make the best of his time and has had some success. With the luxury of high skilled team mates, Guy was pushing to be better and learn from his peers. There is a lot to learn in the VHL and his team mates were helping him all the time. With that said, there was an itch that wasn't getting scratched.
 
Guy LeGrande looked at his situation and made a bold move. He asked his GM for a trade. Something he would have never thought about at the beginning of the season. It came down to the desire to play. Davos is a class act and that will not change. Guy LeGrande is now on a team where ice time should not be an issue. Guy is looking forward to playing on his new team, New York Americans.

I was not a part of the league when this happened and therefore don't feel I should vote.

So I was thinking about what to write and I felt I should give a shout out to my awesome team who have been so thrilled to be members of the Malmo Nighthawks.  How am I going to do this? Well, I will write an article on every member of my team and talk a bit about the player and the member themselves. 
 
So far it has been a fantastic experience being a General Manager for the Malmo Nighthawks and I couldn’t ask for a better team supporting me.  We have come a long way in such a short little time and I’m thrilled to see where we end up in the end.  Now, let me introduce you to my team:
 
D - Basaraba Moose – The first team captain we ever had and a solid two-way defender that came to Malmo in a trade shortly after the Expansion Draft.  Moose, who definitely fits the bill as a defender that can play in any situation, has had a solid impact on the green and black thus far during his career.  Moose has recorded 73 points in 117 career VHL games (the first two seasons of his VHL career) and he has also recorded 183 hits and 266 blocked shots over that time.  More importantly, Moose was one of our most enthusiastic members when first joining the team, and while he has become far busier and sadly not around as much, he will always hold a special place in the heart of Malmo’s fans.
 
LW - Blake Gaudette – Blake was not one of my Expansion picks but he has been a member of our franchise since the Inaugural season.  Just like Moose, Gaudette came over in a trade from another European team in the Davos Dynamo.  Gaudette had some controversial moments over on that team but has rounded out nicely for Malmo as both a member and player.  With over 300 TPE as a S66 player, Gaudette looks to be a figure for the future with the Nighthawks and given that he is one of the more active members in our discord, he has been an important piece for us.  With 38 points in 45 games, Gaudette is having an excellent year and should figure into the Rookie of the Year voting.
 
RW – Brian Strong – Wheaties is a member I have been familiar with since the Elite Football League, as he was my GM for a number of seasons there.  He was selected by me in the Expansion Draft as the player that we took from the Wranglers, and has quietly become a solid young player for our team.  With 300 TPE as a Season 65, Strong won’t blow you away but with a well-rounded power forward build, he will be an excellent accessory piece going forward.  Additionally, he has always been a loyal member and someone that is an excellent teammate through and through.  So far in his rookie season, Strong has recorded 11 points in 45 games playing third line minutes for the Nighthawks.
 
RW – Jack Lynch – Our selection in the Expansion Draft from the Davos Dynamo, Jack Lynch has quickly developed into one of the leaders of our team.  With almost 500 TPE as a Season 65 player, Lynch has found a place as one of the best players on our VHL team.  Starting out as a more defensive player, Lynch has developed quickly into a well-rounded talent that is a consistent offensive threat.  After a 63 point rookie season, Lynch is coming close to a point per game total in his sophomore season.  With 106 points in 117 career games with Malmo, Jack Lynch is only getting better and will be a long-time fixture for the team into the future as a potential top line player.
 
D – Jerry Garcia – One of the star young talents on our team, Jerry Garcia was our first Dispersal Draft selection in Season 66.  As a stingy defensive defenseman with a talent for separating others from the puck, Garcia is improving his offense during his sophomore season.  After a 31 point rookie campaign, that saw the defender record 119 hits and 145 blocked shots, Garcia has improved to be a 23 point player in 45 games, while recording 88 hits and 107 blocked shots.  He seems destined to likely pass his rookie numbers and if he keeps it up, he could find himself in the discussion for some hardware soon enough.
 
RW – Matthew Materazo – As our best offensive player, Materazo has come some way from being the Americans cast out come Expansion Draft.  After a 33 point and 58 point campaign in his first two seasons, Materazo has had an incredible breakout year with 51 points in 45 games as the leading scorer of the Malmo Nighthawks.  Matt, like Jerry, has grown into being one of our biggest leaders on our team.  At one point he was the Assistant GM and has been one of our letter holders since he came onto the team in Season 66.  Ultimately, I feel strongly in Materazo’s career and he seems to only be getting better.  He recently signed an extension all the way through Season 70, and I couldn’t be happier to be committing long-term to Materazo.
 
C - Mikka Pajari – Devise has our veteran player and while Pajari is probably not the star I expected him to become when I traded for him prior to Season 66, it is hard to argue with the presence he has become on what is generally a very young Nighthawks squad.  Since joining the Nighthawks, Pajari has recorded a respectable 92 points in 117 games and has been a consistent physical threat with 493 hits over that span.  While it’s unlikely that he continues to become a top line center, Pajari does project to be a solid veteran player as he enters his last couple seasons on what will be a much improved team going forward.
 
D – Morpheus Destructious – MORPHEUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS……..listen…..this man was the 57th overall pick in the Season 66 draft……..how crazy is that?!!! He was an excellent steal as a pure defensive defender who throws massive body checks and entertains with his infectious personality.  Destructious has played a fairly solid role on the team as a second pairing defender, recording 8 points in 45 games with 144 hits and 90 blocked shots.  The question will become, can he take his game to the next level and ever evolve further than what he has become? I’m confident that if he keeps updating, he will achieve those goals.
 
C – Phil Marleau – Our third overall pick in S67 has continued his growth into a top center and he will likely continue that development going forward.  With 32 points and 218 hits in 45 games, Marleau has had a good rookie season and should be a fixture in the Rookie of the Year voting at the end of the season.  Phil has always been a tremendous member and nothing has changed now that he is a member of the Malmo Nighthawks.  He projects as our future top line center and it wouldn’t surprise me if he takes that role on next season. 
 
D – Rusty Shackleford – Mr. Shackleford was my second round pick back in Season 66 and despite deciding to stay down for a second VHLM season, he has become one of our best players as the partner of Jerry Garcia on our top pairing.  Shackleford’s offense has been developing, but he still projects best as a great skater who plays stingy defense and throws his weight around, not unlike Garcia.  With a solid rookie campaign a little over half way complete, Shackleford sees himself with 29 points, 105 hits and 99 blocked shots in 45 games, which puts him on a solid place overall.  On top of that, the member is consistently active and he is someone that I trust with some of my decisions when I am contemplating a move.  Shackleford is someone I want to lock up long-term and I am thrilled to have him on the team now and going forward.
 
C – Teagan Glover – Teagan Glover was our top forward last year, recording 71 points in 72 games during his rookie season.  He was the Riga pick during the Expansion Draft and has blossomed into a solid forward.  Unfortunately due to the minute restraints of having three lines, Glover has only recorded 18 points in 45 games.  With that being said, the team has made it clear they want to improve his minutes and give him a better shot going forward, one that he deserves and has proven to do a lot with in the past.  The member itself is quiet generally but consistent and has embraced being a part of the Malmo Nighthawks thus far in his career.
 
C – Trevor Van Lagen – One of our third round picks in Season 67 was an absolute steal and that player is Trevor Van Lagen.  Taking on a role as mainly a penalty killer and third liner, Van Lagen has put up respectable numbers despite these difficult time restraints.  Recording 17 points in 45 games, Van Lagen’s consistent improvement will result in more minutes going forward and a certainly increased role, especially with the likes of Pajari getting older and closer to retirement.
 
G – Michael Johnson – As for our top goaltender, Michael Johnson is the guy we are counting on to be our franchise goaltender going forward.  It hasn’t been the easiest year for Johnson, who has been stuck playing behind a younger team, but he has still had some pretty incredible moments on route to a 18-22-5 record, .907 save percentage and 3.46 GAA.  While it remains unclear if he can hang with the top goaltender in his class, Rayz Funk, Johnson has embraced being a Nighthawk unlike his competitor ever would have, and has been very outspoken about his love for the franchise.  I couldn’t be more proud to have this guy as a member of our team and I expect some great things going forward from him.

Review: Great job on the cut out of the player. I like the fact you altered the colors of the jersey, and put a logo on it, which is something I am still learning how to do. Overall, I like the graphic, I think the background makes it a bit busy, but really doesn't take away from it. The text effect is cool. Good job, keep it up!

Rachel Snyder of the Toronto News caught up with Malmo rookie Trevor Van Lagen and asked him about his rookie season and life in Malmo.
 
Rachel: it has been a while since we’ve had you on! How have you been?
 
Van: I’ve been great! Thanks for having me again!
 
Rachel: How has your first season been so far as a rookie in the VHL?
 
Van: It’s been so much fun and I have learned a ton so far! The league is so tough.
 
Rachel: What are your thoughts on your production for the team in your rookie season?
 
Van: I think I’ve been doing well, considering that it’s my first year here after making the jump following just one year in the VHLM. I started out slow but I’ve been consistent for the rest.
 
Rachel: You’ve been getting a ton of penalty killing time this season, which is not something that anyone would have envisioned for you as a player. How does this speak of your improvements on the defensive side of the puck?
 
Van: Honestly I think it speaks more about the depth of our team and our GM’s attempts at getting everyone some ice time. I have definitely improved a lot on the defensive side though as well so I have been embracing this challenge.
 
Rachel: What is your expectations for the rest of the season?
 
Van: I hope I can improve on my production pace and continue to contribute offensively and defensively for our team. This year is about development and getting ready for what I hope is a breakout year for me next season.
 
Rachel: we look forward to continuing to cover your career and hope to catch up with you again sometime!
 
Van: Thanks for having me, Rachel!
 
294 words.

@VanCanWin

FROM HERE ON FORWARD PLEASE DM ME YOUR SUBMISSIONS.
because we have cry babies

I figured if you triple posted, i would triple react 

Based on your posts above, I can see that people taking you serious is the least thing on your mind ?

Based on your posts above, I can see that people taking you serious is the least thing on your mind ?

Based on your posts above, I can see that people taking you serious is the least thing on your mind ?

I don''t need people to take me serious on here lol. Those days are long gone.

Sweet thanks! @jack I do have a laptop but just am not usually on it much but I might have to and give that a try ??

@jack Was using a combination of like 5 different apps that all did their own things and using screenshots a lot lol but now I found an app called LightXExpress that does a lot of different things within that app while holding the image quality