VanCanWin

It’s soooo close to happening. S68 is just around the corner and it can’t come soon enough for Van Lagen and his Malmo teammates.  The hype is building for what could be a huge year for the team.  There’s two reasons for such optimism: Development and Additions
 
Development
 
Malmo has some star potential sophomores that began their careers just last season. @Phil Phil is the star that warranted his high selection. At such a young age he’s already a leader in the locker room, a physical presence on the ice, and a dynamic talent that should shape up his career quite well. @fonziGG Johnson, our goalie, has had an offseason to develop his strength and endurance to handle a heavy workload this season. His talent and dedication to his craft sets him apart from his peers. Potential Most Improved Player here! Van Lagen has worked on his strength as well as his face offs while continuing to develop offensively last season and he is being rewarded with top line minutes to start year two. His teammates believe in him and he is determined not to let them down.
 
What an off-season Malmo had! 
 
Can we just take a minute to appreciate the work @Advantage put in to improve his team once again this offseason? I mean he got the first overall puck handed to him sure (and what an addition that pick is!) but it’s the other picks from last season and looks to be more good ones this past draft that have built a depth chart that should keep Malmo contending for a long time. Then there is the trades. Getting a star in Sully Jr as a precursor for the FA signing he made in luring prized FA Matt Thompson to Malmo. I mean the body of work here is tremendous and not just in quantity but also quality. GM of the Year right here! 
 
Let’s kick this European conference in the teeth and show them who is the presence and the future!
 
Let’s go Malmo!
 
329 words.

Michael Johnson was noting on his rookie season within the VHL:
"... I've spent a lot of time at home with my support group reviewing the positives and the negatives of my play last season while training every single day physically. It's been a tough ride for my first season, especially with my very hot start changing to a very cold finish. My body might not have been ready to handle 60 games in a season considering I split games with Thorvald in Halifax. I got my conditioning up, stronger and faster so I think my play will impress a lot of people this season."
 
Johnson was then found talking about his Malmo teammates:
"We have such an incredible roster with Sullivan and Thompson joining us. Sure, we're top heavy a bit but I think with Hugh and Green joining us, we're going to be a very balanced squad. I hope that my extra work and training has been enough to be a major factor for this team, I know the GM is trying to support me as much as possible with this squad. I'm very excited to see what we can do this season, I'm excited to get into training camp today and show the coaching staff that I'm here to keep my place in the team."

Review: 
 
I think you’ve done a good job with the render on this one. It’s clear, the focal point stands out well.  The background is a bit plain but at the same time it doesn’t take anything away from the render so good work.

The Malmo Nighthawks have made a free agency offer to Matt Thompson:

S68: $5,500,000 (NTC)

Van’s Hot Takes - Part Two
 
     This article is the second in my ongoing series of Van’s Hot Takes. (No, this has nothing to do with the Wolves. I go by Van in reference to myself, partly because that’s my nickname but mostly because the fans of the Wolves love clicking on my articles thinking it’s all about them. News flash: it’s not always about you). 
 
     My takes are bold predictions of the future. In this episode I will be covering both one VHL team outlook, a recent league event involving two new teams, and a TPE situation that is cringe worthy. Feel free to call me out if you wish on any of these especially if (or when) I am proven completely wrong in my predictions.  Last season I went 2 for 3 in with the only missed one being because one GM decided not to heed my wise advice in building his team. 
 
*See link at the bottom for previous episodes of Hot Takes with Van.
 
Disclaimer:
     All the predictions are made in good fun though some may not be too complimentary of different teams and/or players.  I hold no ill will to anyone.
Without further ado, I present to you, on behalf of the VSN network and all the great writers there, Van’s Hot Takes - Part Two.
 
 
Seattle will lose their division.
 
Scenario:
     Last off season Seattle was my lone miss in my Hot Takes. This year I will get it right and Seattle players and fans won’t like what I have to say.  Seattle, by not following my not so subtle hint to trade potential for star power, has decided to commit to their mega S67 draft.  The intent here is to build a roster that can compete for multiple seasons, thus expanding their competitive window, albeit at the expense of a longer wait. That’s going to kill them. In fact they’ve decidedly shortened their competitive window. They’re clearly not winning anything this year and after next season most of their roster will be due new contracts. Some will demand higher wages while some will leave for greener pastures. What will be left is a team with many holes and no draft picks to fill them. They will become a top heavy team at a time where depth will become imperative to winning.  The Top Six Top Four setup isn't the future of the VHL folks.
 
Hot take:
     Seattle will take a step backward this season when they are expecting to be moving forward. They will finish LAST in their division.  Their window to contend will be ONE season long: S69.  If they don’t win then, it will be rebuild time again. (This hot take will be retracted if GM @Banackock decides I am right and mortgages his future to win now. Then they will become instant contenders and will win it all, this season!)

 
Prague and DC Finish Bottom Two
 
Scenario:
     Celebrated by the world, the VHL has recently undergone a two-team expansion showing the growth in the league with an abundance of talent infiltrating it via back to back loaded draft classes.  As seen in other leagues (NHL specifically) Expansion is exciting and the leagues generally want a competitive team right away rather than a team that sits at the bottom for the first few years of its existence. This is where the VHL went wrong. The protection rights for GM’s were way to much leaving only fodder for new GM’s @Enorama and @diamond_ace.
 
Hot take: 
     Prague and DC will finish bottom 2 in the standings by a large margin.  There is no desire (or ability) to compete out of the gate as each GM settles for a start from the bottom and horde the draft picks approach in an effort to build a competitive roster.
 
Bonus hot take: 
     DC’s name also gets an overhaul after one season in the league.  New name will be Washington regardless of any protests from other leagues. They can suck it up, the VHL owns them.
 
 
Reviewing Rules get an Overhaul
 
Scenario:
     In a league where TPE whoring is more of a indicator of talent than actual on ice success, it’s that last dang two TPE that just sucks to get. Media spot or graphic? Easy for those dedicated to this sport. VHL article? No biggie. Press conference, trivia, practise facility? All relatively pieces of cake. Now what happens when Trivia is done for the season? People resort to reviewing. What exactly does that consist of, some might ask? Basically, it requires you to dig up some old articles or graphics people submitted, sometimes seasons (or months) old in age, and to write a short sentence saying what they did good or not so good and how they can improve. There are many annoying issues with this. The front VHL article page filled with irrelevant topics, opinions from people who don’t know the first thing about what they’re reviewing, and in general, tedious time spent doing the worst job there is for just 2 TPE.
 
Hot take: 
     A petition will begin for the BOG’s to consider changing the rules in this area. Within a season or two, new rules will be in place. That’s the good news. 
The bad news? (For those who actually do the reviewing for “easy” TPE). It will become more difficult to review and thus earn tpe PLUS nothing comes up to replace this. It’s time to start getting league jobs or risk losing out on a few TPE each season.
 
 
Recap
 
     So there you have it folks. I guarantee you that Seattle did it wrong, expansion teams will suck until the VHL does it right, and no one will be spamming ancient VHL articles anymore. 
Now that I’ve told you the future let’s all sit back and watch it play out exactly as I have just said. 
 
Episode 1: Hot Takes With Van - https://vhlforum.com/topic/65273-hot-takes-with-van/

Lost video of Condor Adrienne appeared!
 
Yesterday evening the VHL Draft took place and Condor Adrienne got selected first overall. While Condor could not be there to get his jersey and draft day pictures taken, he did send in a message to the draft host to talk to his fellow draftees and fans. However due to the technical difficulties during the draft when people could not submit their picks, the draft message was never played.

But this morning it suddenly appeared on youtube, so somehow somebody got a hand on the recording that was supposed to be played:
 
 
With the draft now underway, we can see that there was indeed no surprise of where Condor would end up, he however did show flashes of his alien self, as he’s been used of playing in a league where many players die and is not afraid to play it dirty when the situation calls for it. He will face a suspension as it is in violation of the league rules, so let’s hope he can contain himself for the future of the Nighthawks.
 
 

Review: 
 
This is really well done man! The player definitely is the focal point here and really pops out. The name also fits well as it doesn’t take away from the face at all, meshes well with the background and yet stands out clear. Well done, my friend!

Review:
 
very nice graphic here. You’re background and render mesh together very well. The shadow on the player works really well in this render as intended. Very well done.

It’s that time of the offseason again! Draft day is here! For all the players who have been toiling for a season (or more) in the VHLM building a player with the hopes of fulfilling their VHL dreams, keep pushing to be the best player you can be. Whether you’re being picked in the first round or the fourth round, you will soon be a valuable piece to a VHL team who will be able to help develop you into a serviceable VHL player and possibly one day, a star. 
 
Everyone should be excited for this day as it is one of the more entertaining events there is! Even better, tune in to the VSN’s coverage of the event as they break down each pick! Their coverage is so great I watched the entire event last season!
 
While the top pick should be much less of a shocker than last seasons first overall pick, the draft will still be full of intrigue and should keep everyone on the edge of their seats, especially those finding out where they’ll start their next step in their careers!
 
185 words.

It’s that time of the offseason again! Draft day is here! For all the players who have been toiling for a season (or more) in the VHLM building a player with the hopes of fulfilling their VHL dreams, keep pushing to be the best player you can be. Whether you’re being picked in the first round or the fourth round, you will soon be a valuable piece to a VHL team who will be able to help develop you into a serviceable VHL player and possibly one day, a star. 
 
Everyone should be excited for this day as it is one of the more entertaining events there is! Even better, tune in to the VSN’s coverage of the event as they break down each pick! Their coverage is so great I watched the entire event last season!
 
While the top pick should be much less of a shocker than last seasons first overall pick, the draft will still be full of intrigue and should keep everyone on the edge of their seats, especially those finding out where they’ll start their next step in their careers!
 
185 words.

It’s that time of the offseason again! Draft day is here! For all the players who have been toiling for a season (or more) in the VHLM building a player with the hopes of fulfilling their VHL dreams, keep pushing to be the best player you can be. Whether you’re being picked in the first round or the fourth round, you will soon be a valuable piece to a VHL team who will be able to help develop you into a serviceable VHL player and possibly one day, a star. 
 
Everyone should be excited for this day as it is one of the more entertaining events there is! Even better, tune in to the VSN’s coverage of the event as they break down each pick! Their coverage is so great I watched the entire event last season!
 
While the top pick should be much less of a shocker than last seasons first overall pick, the draft will still be full of intrigue and should keep everyone on the edge of their seats, especially those finding out where they’ll start their next step in their careers!
 
185 words.

Wish I could go back and experience the draft for the first time again. When Glade was getting drafted, I was on vhl for unhealthy amounts of time researching where I would go. Fuck, I couldn't sleep the night before, i was that excited. I cancelled plans with friends to watch the draft live
 
Now it's just like "ah, cool"

As usual, time flies by and before we know it, the present has become the past. This is also true in our VHL lives. The seasons are short and fun-filled. There’s always something happening. There truly isn’t such a thing as the “dog days of summer” in the VHL. So, as this season has come and gone, and with the draft rapidly approaching, I thought I would reflect back on my draft experience in an effort to help those getting ready to be drafted, especially those who are going through this experience for the first time.
 
A few things I want to cover as I dive deep into my experiences. 
1. Leading up to the draft 
2. The Draft itself
3. After the draft is complete
 
Leading up to the draft.
 
My VHLM season was well under way and it was becoming clear who I was as a player and who I was intending to become. I was a big, scoring Center who due to being a first Gen player and having started my career later then the early birds of the draft class, was an underrated prospect — something I don’t fault the GM’s for at all but the truth none-the-less. Regardless, I had maxed out earning the entire season, was constantly contributing on the forums via Media Spots and Articles, all the while my player was putting up point per game numbers in my first season. 
 
Since I wasn’t getting any love on the forums and in draft spot lights, I felt a real possibility I was going to slip in the draft so I began to focus my articles and media spots on me as a person and on my player in an attempt to gain some of the draft spotlight. 
 
In the official Draft rankings I was always just on the outside of the elite of the class due to having a later start than others and not having any carry over TPE to give me a boost.  By the end of the season I ended up top 20 in rankings (higher when you discounted the GM players who couldn’t be drafted) so my thought was I would become a early second round pick. Boy was I wrong.
 
In the two weeks before the draft I had a couple GM’s reach out to me to let me know they were interested and to get to know a little about me. I handled these interviews with honesty and depth explaining who I was, who I wanted to become, and why exactly the should draft me. I even prodded a little about where they were thinking about possibly drafting me and again, was left with the impression I wasn’t making it out of the second round.  This set me up for what was next to come — the Draft itself.
 
The Draft
 
Draft night came quik and I was confidently tuned in expecting to hear my name called relatively early. With my eyes on a couple teams who were very interested in me, I sat and watched the picks roll by.  I actually tuned into the live feed and followed along there.  The first round came and went and I was still not selected. As the second round began, I was on the edge of my seat. My future was about to be determined. Pick by pick went by. Players I know were lesser prospects were being picked. I was beginning to wonder what the heck was going on. Why was no one taking me? I began commenting on the feed and in the forums that “hey I’m still out here guys” and others began to jump on board asking the world why.  The second round finished and the one thing I never would have guessed, happened. I was falling to the third round. 
 
At this point I was quite shocked, and frankly I was disappointed. I worked my butt off to show everyone who I was and yet everyone was passing on me. Then it happened. It started with whispers that there was a team really interested in me. Then a trade was announced. Malmo was moving up one slot and just like that I was the one selected. They didn’t have roster space for me but just couldn’t pass on the opportunity to draft such a high TPE player in the third round! I sighed, the wait was over. My VHL dreams were a reality! I really didn’t know Malmo much but I knew some of the guys on the team who had vouched for me so I was excited to be drafted by them. 
 
After the draft was complete
 
After a little bit of time passed and it began to sink in to me that I had been drafted, I began to look ahead. Malmo’s group excited me. They invited me to the team discord and I felt very welcome by some familiar faces as well as those I did not know yet.  As I evaluated my situation and took stock of how my career was going to start I began to realize that once again I was being under valued as there was only going to be room for me on the third line even though I was a higher earner than others ahead of me in the depth chart.  So I wasn’t going to win (we had a young team that needed to grow) and I wasn’t getting minutes. I would be lying if I told you I wasn’t itching for a move elsewhere. However, a trait I do admire is loyalty and something I try to have myself and so I stayed patient. The group of guys really struck a good chord with me and I began to really appreciate the locker room and this team. This really helps in looking at your future because if it wasn’t for the locker room I would surely have requested a trade. 
 
This exactly was my experience going through the draft as a first Gen player. You get undervalued because of no history, you fall to a deep team who still under values you but stick with it and prove your critics wrong and you will come out on top! 
 
Good luck to the S68 draft class, especially the first Gen players hoping to hear their name called on Draft night. Remember, no matter when your name is called, you will be given the chance to compete in the best sim League there is. It just doesn’t get better than that.
 
1089 words

As usual, time flies by and before we know it, the present has become the past. This is also true in our VHL lives. The seasons are short and fun-filled. There’s always something happening. There truly isn’t such a thing as the “dog days of summer” in the VHL. So, as this season has come and gone, and with the draft rapidly approaching, I thought I would reflect back on my draft experience in an effort to help those getting ready to be drafted, especially those who are going through this experience for the first time.
 
A few things I want to cover as I dive deep into my experiences. 
1. Leading up to the draft 
2. The Draft itself
3. After the draft is complete
 
Leading up to the draft.
 
My VHLM season was well under way and it was becoming clear who I was as a player and who I was intending to become. I was a big, scoring Center who due to being a first Gen player and having started my career later then the early birds of the draft class, was an underrated prospect — something I don’t fault the GM’s for at all but the truth none-the-less. Regardless, I had maxed out earning the entire season, was constantly contributing on the forums via Media Spots and Articles, all the while my player was putting up point per game numbers in my first season. 
 
Since I wasn’t getting any love on the forums and in draft spot lights, I felt a real possibility I was going to slip in the draft so I began to focus my articles and media spots on me as a person and on my player in an attempt to gain some of the draft spotlight. 
 
In the official Draft rankings I was always just on the outside of the elite of the class due to having a later start than others and not having any carry over TPE to give me a boost.  By the end of the season I ended up top 20 in rankings (higher when you discounted the GM players who couldn’t be drafted) so my thought was I would become a early second round pick. Boy was I wrong.
 
In the two weeks before the draft I had a couple GM’s reach out to me to let me know they were interested and to get to know a little about me. I handled these interviews with honesty and depth explaining who I was, who I wanted to become, and why exactly the should draft me. I even prodded a little about where they were thinking about possibly drafting me and again, was left with the impression I wasn’t making it out of the second round.  This set me up for what was next to come — the Draft itself.
 
The Draft
 
Draft night came quik and I was confidently tuned in expecting to hear my name called relatively early. With my eyes on a couple teams who were very interested in me, I sat and watched the picks roll by.  I actually tuned into the live feed and followed along there.  The first round came and went and I was still not selected. As the second round began, I was on the edge of my seat. My future was about to be determined. Pick by pick went by. Players I know were lesser prospects were being picked. I was beginning to wonder what the heck was going on. Why was no one taking me? I began commenting on the feed and in the forums that “hey I’m still out here guys” and others began to jump on board asking the world why.  The second round finished and the one thing I never would have guessed, happened. I was falling to the third round. 
 
At this point I was quite shocked, and frankly I was disappointed. I worked my butt off to show everyone who I was and yet everyone was passing on me. Then it happened. It started with whispers that there was a team really interested in me. Then a trade was announced. Malmo was moving up one slot and just like that I was the one selected. They didn’t have roster space for me but just couldn’t pass on the opportunity to draft such a high TPE player in the third round! I sighed, the wait was over. My VHL dreams were a reality! I really didn’t know Malmo much but I knew some of the guys on the team who had vouched for me so I was excited to be drafted by them. 
 
After the draft was complete
 
After a little bit of time passed and it began to sink in to me that I had been drafted, I began to look ahead. Malmo’s group excited me. They invited me to the team discord and I felt very welcome by some familiar faces as well as those I did not know yet.  As I evaluated my situation and took stock of how my career was going to start I began to realize that once again I was being under valued as there was only going to be room for me on the third line even though I was a higher earner than others ahead of me in the depth chart.  So I wasn’t going to win (we had a young team that needed to grow) and I wasn’t getting minutes. I would be lying if I told you I wasn’t itching for a move elsewhere. However, a trait I do admire is loyalty and something I try to have myself and so I stayed patient. The group of guys really struck a good chord with me and I began to really appreciate the locker room and this team. This really helps in looking at your future because if it wasn’t for the locker room I would surely have requested a trade. 
 
This exactly was my experience going through the draft as a first Gen player. You get undervalued because of no history, you fall to a deep team who still under values you but stick with it and prove your critics wrong and you will come out on top! 
 
Good luck to the S68 draft class, especially the first Gen players hoping to hear their name called on Draft night. Remember, no matter when your name is called, you will be given the chance to compete in the best sim League there is. It just doesn’t get better than that.
 
1089 words

As usual, time flies by and before we know it, the present has become the past. This is also true in our VHL lives. The seasons are short and fun-filled. There’s always something happening. There truly isn’t such a thing as the “dog days of summer” in the VHL. So, as this season has come and gone, and with the draft rapidly approaching, I thought I would reflect back on my draft experience in an effort to help those getting ready to be drafted, especially those who are going through this experience for the first time.
 
A few things I want to cover as I dive deep into my experiences. 
1. Leading up to the draft 
2. The Draft itself
3. After the draft is complete
 
Leading up to the draft.
 
My VHLM season was well under way and it was becoming clear who I was as a player and who I was intending to become. I was a big, scoring Center who due to being a first Gen player and having started my career later then the early birds of the draft class, was an underrated prospect — something I don’t fault the GM’s for at all but the truth none-the-less. Regardless, I had maxed out earning the entire season, was constantly contributing on the forums via Media Spots and Articles, all the while my player was putting up point per game numbers in my first season. 
 
Since I wasn’t getting any love on the forums and in draft spot lights, I felt a real possibility I was going to slip in the draft so I began to focus my articles and media spots on me as a person and on my player in an attempt to gain some of the draft spotlight. 
 
In the official Draft rankings I was always just on the outside of the elite of the class due to having a later start than others and not having any carry over TPE to give me a boost.  By the end of the season I ended up top 20 in rankings (higher when you discounted the GM players who couldn’t be drafted) so my thought was I would become a early second round pick. Boy was I wrong.
 
In the two weeks before the draft I had a couple GM’s reach out to me to let me know they were interested and to get to know a little about me. I handled these interviews with honesty and depth explaining who I was, who I wanted to become, and why exactly the should draft me. I even prodded a little about where they were thinking about possibly drafting me and again, was left with the impression I wasn’t making it out of the second round.  This set me up for what was next to come — the Draft itself.
 
The Draft
 
Draft night came quik and I was confidently tuned in expecting to hear my name called relatively early. With my eyes on a couple teams who were very interested in me, I sat and watched the picks roll by.  I actually tuned into the live feed and followed along there.  The first round came and went and I was still not selected. As the second round began, I was on the edge of my seat. My future was about to be determined. Pick by pick went by. Players I know were lesser prospects were being picked. I was beginning to wonder what the heck was going on. Why was no one taking me? I began commenting on the feed and in the forums that “hey I’m still out here guys” and others began to jump on board asking the world why.  The second round finished and the one thing I never would have guessed, happened. I was falling to the third round. 
 
At this point I was quite shocked, and frankly I was disappointed. I worked my butt off to show everyone who I was and yet everyone was passing on me. Then it happened. It started with whispers that there was a team really interested in me. Then a trade was announced. Malmo was moving up one slot and just like that I was the one selected. They didn’t have roster space for me but just couldn’t pass on the opportunity to draft such a high TPE player in the third round! I sighed, the wait was over. My VHL dreams were a reality! I really didn’t know Malmo much but I knew some of the guys on the team who had vouched for me so I was excited to be drafted by them. 
 
After the draft was complete
 
After a little bit of time passed and it began to sink in to me that I had been drafted, I began to look ahead. Malmo’s group excited me. They invited me to the team discord and I felt very welcome by some familiar faces as well as those I did not know yet.  As I evaluated my situation and took stock of how my career was going to start I began to realize that once again I was being under valued as there was only going to be room for me on the third line even though I was a higher earner than others ahead of me in the depth chart.  So I wasn’t going to win (we had a young team that needed to grow) and I wasn’t getting minutes. I would be lying if I told you I wasn’t itching for a move elsewhere. However, a trait I do admire is loyalty and something I try to have myself and so I stayed patient. The group of guys really struck a good chord with me and I began to really appreciate the locker room and this team. This really helps in looking at your future because if it wasn’t for the locker room I would surely have requested a trade. 
 
This exactly was my experience going through the draft as a first Gen player. You get undervalued because of no history, you fall to a deep team who still under values you but stick with it and prove your critics wrong and you will come out on top! 
 
Good luck to the S68 draft class, especially the first Gen players hoping to hear their name called on Draft night. Remember, no matter when your name is called, you will be given the chance to compete in the best sim League there is. It just doesn’t get better than that.
 
1089 words

With the draft coming up very soon, I decided to do an in depth analysis of every VHL team's needs, rank said needs, and then do a round or so of draft projections accounting for said needs. So let's begin, shall we?
 
MALMO NIGHTHAWKS
     The Veteran(s):
     S61 - Mikka Pajari - 355 TPA - C
//Pajari is at this point a placeholder effectively, having reached the end of his career and being smacked by depreciation. However he sits 4th at center depth so his role is not a hard one to fill. Shockingly he's also the only player I'd consider a veteran on Malmo's entire roster.
     The Inactives:
     S64 - Basaraba Moose - 377 TPA - D
//Moose hasn't updated since the week of June 9th, a period of nearly 3 months. Unless he returns to the league it's likely he will be dropped and need a replacement. With Moose being the third highest TPA defenseman in Malmo, this raises concerns for the organization.
     S65 - Jack Lynch - 490 TPA - RW
//Lynch has been quiet since July 28th, only just over a month. The recency could see a return from the winger but a loss of his talents would be damaging to Malmo's core, with Lynch sitting second in RW depth.
     S67 - Lucas Nygren - 365 TPA - RW
//It's ADV's player he'll be back.
     S65 - Milan Griffin - 200 TPA - LW
//Griffin has been gone since May, and the noticeable downtick in activity leading up to his fully inac status leads me to believe he won't be seen again. With only 200 TPA his role will be filled immediately should a LW be taken so it's not really the end of the world, however this is the 3rd inactive winger Malmo has seen, calling attention to the positional need.
     S66 - Rusty Shackleford - 462 TPA - D
//Shackleford brings a major concern to Malmo's D core, as the second best defenseman on the team and about a month of inactivity. Losing him will put Malmo in dire need of defensive talent, as they would be left with only 2 "fresh" defensemen and a true rookie as their whole core.
     S66 - Juan Juandice - 200 TPA - G
//Inac since June and only filling a backup position, Juandice is probably the least concerning of all the player on the inactives list.
 
     With a total of 7 players either inac or near retirement, Malmo is looking at an active roster of:
S67 - Brendan Plunkett - 200 TPA (44 Banked) - LW
S65 - Brian Strong - 332 TPA - RW
S67 - Dalton Wilcox - 200 TPA (129 Banked) - RW
S67 - Hugh Chan - 323 TPA - D
S66 - Jerry Garcia - 606 TPA - D
S67 - Koda Adok - 224 TPA - LW
S64 - Matthew Materazo - 759 TPA - RW
S66 - MORPHEUS DESTRUCTIOUS - 280 TPA - D
S67 - Phil Marleau - 460 TPA - C
S65 - Teagan Glover - 468 TPA - C
S67 - Trevor Van Lagen - 458 TPA - C
S67 - Michael Johnson - 434 TPA - G
 
     Which means we're looking at 2 LWs, 3 RWs, 3 Cs, 3 D, and a goalie. Only 2 of these players have exceeded the 600 TPE mark, where assuming a true VHL "star" reaches 1000 TPE and a true rookie has 200 TPE, 600 makes you a pretty solid player. Those players are Jerry Garcia and Matthew Materazo, at 606 and 759 respectively. Taking all of this into account, Malmo's "hierarchy of needs" is as follows:
1. DEFENSE
Malmo doesn't have enough defensemen for 2 lines, so their top priority will be to look at filling that defensive hole on their roster.
2. WINGERS
The offense if pretty well off assuming all players stay active, but with a very young core (unproven activity-wise) and a shortage at LW, wingers fall into Malmo's second category.
3. CENTERS
The centers are here already, just encourage them to all go past 80 FO and you're practically golden for the time being. They're all near the 500 TPE mark as well making them promising players for Malmo's program.
4. GOALIES
You have an active starter, find a new backup in FA or sign someone late, goaltending isn't a huge priority here.
 
     SO, after tearing apart the roster, finding the needs and all that garbage, we can look at the S68 draft board. The top three prospects are all defensemen, and with Malmo picking first, the first overall pick of the S68 draft is without question,
CONDOR ADRIENNE
 
     I'll do the rest of the teams soon but this took too long for me to make the obvious choice so you get Malmo and you'll be happy with it.
 
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As usual, time flies by and before we know it, the present has become the past. This is also true in our VHL lives. The seasons are short and fun-filled. There’s always something happening. There truly isn’t such a thing as the “dog days of summer” in the VHL. So, as this season has come and gone, and with the draft rapidly approaching, I thought I would reflect back on my draft experience in an effort to help those getting ready to be drafted, especially those who are going through this experience for the first time.
 
A few things I want to cover as I dive deep into my experiences. 
1. Leading up to the draft 
2. The Draft itself
3. After the draft is complete
 
Leading up to the draft.
 
My VHLM season was well under way and it was becoming clear who I was as a player and who I was intending to become. I was a big, scoring Center who due to being a first Gen player and having started my career later then the early birds of the draft class, was an underrated prospect — something I don’t fault the GM’s for at all but the truth none-the-less. Regardless, I had maxed out earning the entire season, was constantly contributing on the forums via Media Spots and Articles, all the while my player was putting up point per game numbers in my first season. 
 
Since I wasn’t getting any love on the forums and in draft spot lights, I felt a real possibility I was going to slip in the draft so I began to focus my articles and media spots on me as a person and on my player in an attempt to gain some of the draft spotlight. 
 
In the official Draft rankings I was always just on the outside of the elite of the class due to having a later start than others and not having any carry over TPE to give me a boost.  By the end of the season I ended up top 20 in rankings (higher when you discounted the GM players who couldn’t be drafted) so my thought was I would become a early second round pick. Boy was I wrong.
 
In the two weeks before the draft I had a couple GM’s reach out to me to let me know they were interested and to get to know a little about me. I handled these interviews with honesty and depth explaining who I was, who I wanted to become, and why exactly the should draft me. I even prodded a little about where they were thinking about possibly drafting me and again, was left with the impression I wasn’t making it out of the second round.  This set me up for what was next to come — the Draft itself.
 
The Draft
 
Draft night came quik and I was confidently tuned in expecting to hear my name called relatively early. With my eyes on a couple teams who were very interested in me, I sat and watched the picks roll by.  I actually tuned into the live feed and followed along there.  The first round came and went and I was still not selected. As the second round began, I was on the edge of my seat. My future was about to be determined. Pick by pick went by. Players I know were lesser prospects were being picked. I was beginning to wonder what the heck was going on. Why was no one taking me? I began commenting on the feed and in the forums that “hey I’m still out here guys” and others began to jump on board asking the world why.  The second round finished and the one thing I never would have guessed, happened. I was falling to the third round. 
 
At this point I was quite shocked, and frankly I was disappointed. I worked my butt off to show everyone who I was and yet everyone was passing on me. Then it happened. It started with whispers that there was a team really interested in me. Then a trade was announced. Malmo was moving up one slot and just like that I was the one selected. They didn’t have roster space for me but just couldn’t pass on the opportunity to draft such a high TPE player in the third round! I sighed, the wait was over. My VHL dreams were a reality! I really didn’t know Malmo much but I knew some of the guys on the team who had vouched for me so I was excited to be drafted by them. 
 
After the draft was complete
 
After a little bit of time passed and it began to sink in to me that I had been drafted, I began to look ahead. Malmo’s group excited me. They invited me to the team discord and I felt very welcome by some familiar faces as well as those I did not know yet.  As I evaluated my situation and took stock of how my career was going to start I began to realize that once again I was being under valued as there was only going to be room for me on the third line even though I was a higher earner than others ahead of me in the depth chart.  So I wasn’t going to win (we had a young team that needed to grow) and I wasn’t getting minutes. I would be lying if I told you I wasn’t itching for a move elsewhere. However, a trait I do admire is loyalty and something I try to have myself and so I stayed patient. The group of guys really struck a good chord with me and I began to really appreciate the locker room and this team. This really helps in looking at your future because if it wasn’t for the locker room I would surely have requested a trade. 
 
This exactly was my experience going through the draft as a first Gen player. You get undervalued because of no history, you fall to a deep team who still under values you but stick with it and prove your critics wrong and you will come out on top! 
 
Good luck to the S68 draft class, especially the first Gen players hoping to hear their name called on Draft night. Remember, no matter when your name is called, you will be given the chance to compete in the best sim League there is. It just doesn’t get better than that.
 
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isn’t great journalism all about how many clicks you get??

Congrats on the upcoming kid

I keep thinking these are about the wolves when I click these.

Thanks for the mention @fonziGG!! Let’s crush it next season!

08/28/2019:
 
Man, this offseason feels long. The days have been longer, i've been sweating on my couch. I'm literally sitting here itching my arms like a crack addict, waiting on the season to come back. Is this what it feels like to not be in the playoffs? On god, I'm tired as hell of doing nothing every single day. Most days we go to @K1NG LINUS's house, play xbox and barbeque which is cool and all, don't get me wrong. I'm just missing a purpose in my life I guess, maybe I should make some priorities before the offseason finishes so I don't come into camp as a fat dude.
 
Today, the All-Star game voting came out. I was listed as one of the candidates to enter into the big game, granted I don't believe I'll be going. There's just better goalies out there, simple as fact. I don't feel terrible at all by saying that, there's nothing wrong with that thought process at all. In fact, today I was talking to my teammates and we had a discussion on who could win the Most Improved Player next season and I've decided to throw my name in the hat. I'm going to be doing everything physically possible to get my name etched into that award. I've been making big talk about how I'm going to make waves but I feel this time it is different. I am going to make waves next season and I think I can be a top 5 goalie statistically. I've been talking to the coach and he believes in me as well.
 
Now granted, I think @VanCanWin is also a very strong candidate and I'll be advocating for him just as much as myself for the award. He deserves it more than me I'd like to think. His play has been improving at an astronomical rate this season and I just can't see it stopping anytime soon. He's been improving on his skating and shooting. He'll be absolutely sniping them in soon! I'm excited to see what he can produce. He absolutely deserves the recognition and I think he'll climb up the depth chart really quickly next season, so keep an eye out on him.
 
Since I was talking about next season with my teammates, I did want to talk about this season here in my journal. I believe @GustavMattias deserves Most Improved Player for this season. He's an incredible defensive defenseman and while he doesn't put the puck in the net, he does all the dirty work in the defensive zone. If anyone sees this, please vote for him. He definitely inflated the hell out of my stats. So thank you Jerry, he deserves some love from the league with what he's been producing this past season.
 
I'm sure I could talk about everyone on my team, they're all incredible athletes. Next season, we can be a very strong team and hopefully we push into a playoff position.
 
Lets go Malmo Nighthawks!
 
Michael Johnson

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

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