fonziGG

Sigh. I guess, I'll admit, I've dropped the ball. It's been some time since I have posted on this site. A few months ago, quite honestly, I went through a physical injury which lead me to a mental health downfall. It's been a tough few months between juggling work, real life events and my injury. It doesn't help that there was also a lot of things in my life where I was already being affected mentally. The injury, while now I've officially been cleared as healthy again, had got me not moving as much. I stopped going outside, because I literally couldn't do it. I actually lazed on the couch, albeit maintaining my day to day 9-5. However, I wasn't going outside, I wasn't getting fresh air, my blinds were closed (yes theres clinical proof that literally sun will make you feel better), and I was stuck. Now, my mind runs at a million miles a minute. It didn't take long for me to feel depressed at all. Imagine feeling suffocated and then thinking about the worst shit that's ever happened to you before and the cycle.
 
It was terrible, and the first thing that suffered was my sim league players. Seymour Butts, my pride and glory, had to be sacrificed for my own mental clarity. I was mad and upset all the time. Seymour is meant to be a fun loving, jacked, GTL, and most importantly the protein fart king. Upon reflection, I feel like writing Seymours content was relieving to me at times. I mean, it sparked a creative juice in me that wasn't all bad. I feel like, if I did write content for Seymour every week during that short period in my life, I wouldn't have been so down bad. Honestly, coming up with Seymours antics takes a lot more work than it seems. I have to think of the most outlandish things throughout the week just to create his insane shenanigans. I mean, all of that just for 6 TPE, right? Well, as you can tell, this guy is more than just 6 TPE a week. He's a way of life, a calming presence in my life at minimum.
 
So, I've decided I'm going to be bringing back Seymour Buttocks man. My protein fart of a character thats been created. So, the protein farts will be back as of next week. It's about time Seymour starts putting his weight back into my life again and we start having some fun with Seymour. Now it's just time to come up with some insane stuff he's been doing over the past few weeks so that I can update ya. All I know is the next one is going to be a huge article for 2 reasons. 1st reason being that I'm celebrating my wedding (really its a 1st year anniversary but covid things) so I won't have much time over the coming month and 2nd reason being that Seymour has a lot to update you on. 
 
Bring on the summer of 2022. Seymour is about to pop off.

Sigh. I guess, I'll admit, I've dropped the ball. It's been some time since I have posted on this site. A few months ago, quite honestly, I went through a physical injury which lead me to a mental health downfall. It's been a tough few months between juggling work, real life events and my injury. It doesn't help that there was also a lot of things in my life where I was already being affected mentally. The injury, while now I've officially been cleared as healthy again, had got me not moving as much. I stopped going outside, because I literally couldn't do it. I actually lazed on the couch, albeit maintaining my day to day 9-5. However, I wasn't going outside, I wasn't getting fresh air, my blinds were closed (yes theres clinical proof that literally sun will make you feel better), and I was stuck. Now, my mind runs at a million miles a minute. It didn't take long for me to feel depressed at all. Imagine feeling suffocated and then thinking about the worst shit that's ever happened to you before and the cycle.
 
It was terrible, and the first thing that suffered was my sim league players. Seymour Butts, my pride and glory, had to be sacrificed for my own mental clarity. I was mad and upset all the time. Seymour is meant to be a fun loving, jacked, GTL, and most importantly the protein fart king. Upon reflection, I feel like writing Seymours content was relieving to me at times. I mean, it sparked a creative juice in me that wasn't all bad. I feel like, if I did write content for Seymour every week during that short period in my life, I wouldn't have been so down bad. Honestly, coming up with Seymours antics takes a lot more work than it seems. I have to think of the most outlandish things throughout the week just to create his insane shenanigans. I mean, all of that just for 6 TPE, right? Well, as you can tell, this guy is more than just 6 TPE a week. He's a way of life, a calming presence in my life at minimum.
 
So, I've decided I'm going to be bringing back Seymour Buttocks man. My protein fart of a character thats been created. So, the protein farts will be back as of next week. It's about time Seymour starts putting his weight back into my life again and we start having some fun with Seymour. Now it's just time to come up with some insane stuff he's been doing over the past few weeks so that I can update ya. All I know is the next one is going to be a huge article for 2 reasons. 1st reason being that I'm celebrating my wedding (really its a 1st year anniversary but covid things) so I won't have much time over the coming month and 2nd reason being that Seymour has a lot to update you on. 
 
Bring on the summer of 2022. Seymour is about to pop off.

Sigh. I guess, I'll admit, I've dropped the ball. It's been some time since I have posted on this site. A few months ago, quite honestly, I went through a physical injury which lead me to a mental health downfall. It's been a tough few months between juggling work, real life events and my injury. It doesn't help that there was also a lot of things in my life where I was already being affected mentally. The injury, while now I've officially been cleared as healthy again, had got me not moving as much. I stopped going outside, because I literally couldn't do it. I actually lazed on the couch, albeit maintaining my day to day 9-5. However, I wasn't going outside, I wasn't getting fresh air, my blinds were closed (yes theres clinical proof that literally sun will make you feel better), and I was stuck. Now, my mind runs at a million miles a minute. It didn't take long for me to feel depressed at all. Imagine feeling suffocated and then thinking about the worst shit that's ever happened to you before and the cycle.
 
It was terrible, and the first thing that suffered was my sim league players. Seymour Butts, my pride and glory, had to be sacrificed for my own mental clarity. I was mad and upset all the time. Seymour is meant to be a fun loving, jacked, GTL, and most importantly the protein fart king. Upon reflection, I feel like writing Seymours content was relieving to me at times. I mean, it sparked a creative juice in me that wasn't all bad. I feel like, if I did write content for Seymour every week during that short period in my life, I wouldn't have been so down bad. Honestly, coming up with Seymours antics takes a lot more work than it seems. I have to think of the most outlandish things throughout the week just to create his insane shenanigans. I mean, all of that just for 6 TPE, right? Well, as you can tell, this guy is more than just 6 TPE a week. He's a way of life, a calming presence in my life at minimum.
 
So, I've decided I'm going to be bringing back Seymour Buttocks man. My protein fart of a character thats been created. So, the protein farts will be back as of next week. It's about time Seymour starts putting his weight back into my life again and we start having some fun with Seymour. Now it's just time to come up with some insane stuff he's been doing over the past few weeks so that I can update ya. All I know is the next one is going to be a huge article for 2 reasons. 1st reason being that I'm celebrating my wedding (really its a 1st year anniversary but covid things) so I won't have much time over the coming month and 2nd reason being that Seymour has a lot to update you on. 
 
Bring on the summer of 2022. Seymour is about to pop off.

Sigh. I guess, I'll admit, I've dropped the ball. It's been some time since I have posted on this site. A few months ago, quite honestly, I went through a physical injury which lead me to a mental health downfall. It's been a tough few months between juggling work, real life events and my injury. It doesn't help that there was also a lot of things in my life where I was already being affected mentally. The injury, while now I've officially been cleared as healthy again, had got me not moving as much. I stopped going outside, because I literally couldn't do it. I actually lazed on the couch, albeit maintaining my day to day 9-5. However, I wasn't going outside, I wasn't getting fresh air, my blinds were closed (yes theres clinical proof that literally sun will make you feel better), and I was stuck. Now, my mind runs at a million miles a minute. It didn't take long for me to feel depressed at all. Imagine feeling suffocated and then thinking about the worst shit that's ever happened to you before and the cycle.
 
It was terrible, and the first thing that suffered was my sim league players. Seymour Butts, my pride and glory, had to be sacrificed for my own mental clarity. I was mad and upset all the time. Seymour is meant to be a fun loving, jacked, GTL, and most importantly the protein fart king. Upon reflection, I feel like writing Seymours content was relieving to me at times. I mean, it sparked a creative juice in me that wasn't all bad. I feel like, if I did write content for Seymour every week during that short period in my life, I wouldn't have been so down bad. Honestly, coming up with Seymours antics takes a lot more work than it seems. I have to think of the most outlandish things throughout the week just to create his insane shenanigans. I mean, all of that just for 6 TPE, right? Well, as you can tell, this guy is more than just 6 TPE a week. He's a way of life, a calming presence in my life at minimum.
 
So, I've decided I'm going to be bringing back Seymour Buttocks man. My protein fart of a character thats been created. So, the protein farts will be back as of next week. It's about time Seymour starts putting his weight back into my life again and we start having some fun with Seymour. Now it's just time to come up with some insane stuff he's been doing over the past few weeks so that I can update ya. All I know is the next one is going to be a huge article for 2 reasons. 1st reason being that I'm celebrating my wedding (really its a 1st year anniversary but covid things) so I won't have much time over the coming month and 2nd reason being that Seymour has a lot to update you on. 
 
Bring on the summer of 2022. Seymour is about to pop off.

Sigh. I guess, I'll admit, I've dropped the ball. It's been some time since I have posted on this site. A few months ago, quite honestly, I went through a physical injury which lead me to a mental health downfall. It's been a tough few months between juggling work, real life events and my injury. It doesn't help that there was also a lot of things in my life where I was already being affected mentally. The injury, while now I've officially been cleared as healthy again, had got me not moving as much. I stopped going outside, because I literally couldn't do it. I actually lazed on the couch, albeit maintaining my day to day 9-5. However, I wasn't going outside, I wasn't getting fresh air, my blinds were closed (yes theres clinical proof that literally sun will make you feel better), and I was stuck. Now, my mind runs at a million miles a minute. It didn't take long for me to feel depressed at all. Imagine feeling suffocated and then thinking about the worst shit that's ever happened to you before and the cycle.
 
It was terrible, and the first thing that suffered was my sim league players. Seymour Butts, my pride and glory, had to be sacrificed for my own mental clarity. I was mad and upset all the time. Seymour is meant to be a fun loving, jacked, GTL, and most importantly the protein fart king. Upon reflection, I feel like writing Seymours content was relieving to me at times. I mean, it sparked a creative juice in me that wasn't all bad. I feel like, if I did write content for Seymour every week during that short period in my life, I wouldn't have been so down bad. Honestly, coming up with Seymours antics takes a lot more work than it seems. I have to think of the most outlandish things throughout the week just to create his insane shenanigans. I mean, all of that just for 6 TPE, right? Well, as you can tell, this guy is more than just 6 TPE a week. He's a way of life, a calming presence in my life at minimum.
 
So, I've decided I'm going to be bringing back Seymour Buttocks man. My protein fart of a character thats been created. So, the protein farts will be back as of next week. It's about time Seymour starts putting his weight back into my life again and we start having some fun with Seymour. Now it's just time to come up with some insane stuff he's been doing over the past few weeks so that I can update ya. All I know is the next one is going to be a huge article for 2 reasons. 1st reason being that I'm celebrating my wedding (really its a 1st year anniversary but covid things) so I won't have much time over the coming month and 2nd reason being that Seymour has a lot to update you on. 
 
Bring on the summer of 2022. Seymour is about to pop off.

Thank you, Fonzi! I've already done the PC for Bratislava, but good pizza? I'll chime in. Margherita or Diavola. That's it!

Pressers (I’ll help out this week!)

1.) How has your player been performing this season? Are you pleased or are there things you could improve on?
2.) What is your go-to pizza order
3.) Is there any suggestions for the upper management?
4.) How are you enjoying the VHLE? What could be improved?
5.) How curved is your stick?
6.) Who is your bestest friend within the entire community?

That title sounds really gross in hindsight but I already wrote it so I’m sticking with it….
 
So there have been some rumblings for a bit and I know @fromtheinside brought it up recently in public that both the BOG stalls on things a lot and the mindset that the commish teams are just gonna do whatever we want anyway.
 
I do disagree with the last point as I feel like we’ve always tried to take what you all want and suggest heavily into consideration but it’s possible that the two are related and it feels like things can’t get done until a green / red / blue member signs off. When you take that with the current unfortunate level of apathy in here I think you end up with the issue.
 
I therefore offer my opinion that the main problem is currently apathy within this forum. I think dealing with the meta burnt a lot of us out a bit and caused a lot of otherwise valid conversations to stall. I apologize for this since I know I was part of the problem as much as anyone else.

So, with that in mind, I intend to go through all the active topics in the next couple of days and see if we can get some things finalized. It isn’t uncommon that a large change leads to a bit of BOG apathy, it has happened before and isn’t overly surprising but obviously we need a bit of a kick to get things moving so I’ll see if I can give us that.
 
@BOG

Interesting way to lodge your complaints. Sorry to see @Mr_Hatter go as the AGM. Wish you could've at least left your post in better circumstances ❤️
 

Quite honestly I have absolutely no idea what's going on in the VHLM, so if you're down to do something stupid, I'm down to be on the committee.

I sometimes have high IQ. Happens occassionally

Back in December I told you all that if we achieved $3000 or more in the charity drive I would stream Zoo Tycoon 2 Ultimate for you all. It may have taken 4 months but I am finally making due on that promise. If you all read the off season schedule carefully you’ll know that tonight is the night for that stream! 
 
I’m not sure how long it’ll be but I’m aiming for at least 3 hours starting at 6:30pm EST (which is 7:30 for me). I’m making this topic in advance just so people can discuss and so people have a quick and easy place to get the link when I go live. Unless I decide to switch over to the league YT channel that link will be:
 
https://twitch.tv/beketov_vhl
 
I warn you all now that it’ll probably be a bit of a shit show since I need to remember how to play but we’ll have fun together so so hope to see chat popping and everyone having a good time. I’ll see you all in a few hours.

I sometimes have high IQ. Happens occassionally

Congrats everyone! What a dynasty you guys were with Warsaw. Can't wait to see your next crop of players ❤️

Hello all, with Warsaw finishing up it's 10th season in the VHL, I think it is about time to recognize some of the franchise's best and most influential players from the first decade. All 3 of these players were the heart and soul of the Preds, bringing the team to the playoffs in every season they were on the roster, making it to the finals in S76, and culminating in S78 with a Continental Cup victory. Playing alongside them, I could not be happier to be the one announcing the ultimate honour, which is having their number retired by the franchise that drafted them. Without further ado... the retirements!
 
 Victor Grachev @KaleebtheMighty

Victor Grachev was drafted in the 2nd round, 24th overall, in Warsaw's inaugural draft in Season 73. After spending an additional season in the VHLM with Miami, Grachev would quickly establish himself as a franchise defender with the Preds, earning a place in the VHL All-Rookie Team in Season 74. Throughout his career with the team, he would amass 119 goals and 370 assists for 489 points, all franchise records by a defenceman. His best season was in S79, where he scored 31 goals, had 70 assists, and was named to the All-VHL First Team. Victor Grachev will be remembered as the first true franchise defender in Warsaw, and many will look to replicate what he has done while the number 24 hangs from the rafters in Poland. 
 
Aloe Dear @Renomitsu

Unlike Victor Grachev, who many could consider a steal, Aloe Dear was one of the most hyped prospects in the Season 74 draft. Although she did not get off to the hottest start in Warsaw while playing on the wing, it was the switch to the centre position that turned Aloe into a star in the VHL. Once at C, she exploded into one of the best players of her generation, amassing a total of 228 goals and 312 assists for 540 points in 432 games, good for 3rd in franchise history. This includes an absolutely laundry list of awards and honours, which include a Brett Slobodzian Trophy, Alexander Beketov Trophy, Scotty Campbell Trophy, Mike Szatkowski Trophy, All-VHL First Team in Seasons 77 and 78, and All-VHL Second Team in Season 79. Aloe certainly lived up to the hype after being drafted first overall, and will definitely be remembered as one of the most prolific offensive players to ever put on the blue and orange. 
 
Chris Reynolds @Crstats23

Not much hype surrounded Chris Reynolds on draft night, where he was drafted in the 2nd round, 28th overall, in the Season 74 draft. However, the scouting team of Warsaw saw something in him, and eventually Reynolds would prove to everyone that he was one of the team's best draft picks of all time. He played all 7 of his VHL seasons in Warsaw, amassing a total of 271 goals and 333 assists for 604 points, 2nd in franchise history, while playing 504 games for the team, the most in the history of the Warsaw Predators. In his final season, finally wearing the well-deserved "C" on his chest, Reynolds had the best offensive season ever by a Pred, scoring 60 goals and 76 assists, good for 136 points, also earning All-VHL First Team honours. Chris Reynolds will be remembered as a key player on and off the ice, and often comes back into the locker room, where he can now look up and see his number 7 hanging from the rafters. 
 
Congratulations to 3 great members and players!

RIP

Congrats @InstantRockstarand @Doomsday
 
My brothas. Wheres that yam gif again??

Well, good thing we're still alive today... That could've had major consequences!

Who are you? kidding. You're too special to be announced, it would break the site.

Let's go get 'em, eh!
 
On Offense, Team Canada proudly presents:
LW - Mason Jones @Masu Chan
LW - Weenuk Warrior @KnightRiley
LW - Bob Chicoine @PoignardLeclerc11
 
C - Johnny Xavier @Johnny_HX
C - DB III @wcats
C - Jack Hextall @Jack Feriancek
 
RW - James glove dropper @Jamomayo
RW - Bradley Buzzer @WereBuzzing
RW - Ashton Komaryk @Komaryk
 
and on Defense, we have some absolute studs, namely:
D - Seymour Butts @fonziGG
D - James Teekirque @Mongoose87
D - Cameron Elsby @Spence King
D - AirRig GoodBrandSun @Rhynex Entertainment
 
Finally, backstopping us on our way to victory, there is:
G - Ben Dahl @Ben
G - Brandt Fuhr @Tate
 
Now come join us for the fun over in the WJC Discord!
The vote for captaincy is being held in the LR. If you want to vote, you better get in there, eh?

Oh definitely however I was just merely discussing further. My bad! Was definitely not offended haha.

I had it as a friend once and it fucked me, best friend. So be careful!!!!

Though many VHL members of the past decade remember Chicago as a perennial contender and one of the top teams of the mid-late '70s in the NA conference, a new member today might raise an eyebrow at the roster. In stark contrast to traditional practice, the Phoenix chose not to rebuild and watched as one superstar after another--Jean Pierre Camus, Matty Socks, Lee Xin, Christian Mingle, among others--dropped off the map. Left with only a small handful of players, and an even smaller handful of active ones, the situation in Chicago dipped down in S81 and crashed hard in S82, as a 6-win season and a -232 goal differential proved historically bad--without the usual bad-team mountain of picks to show for it.
 
So, what's a GM to do? The current situation is a lot to deal with, and some smart moves need to be made to turn the team around. Some things have been done, many of which I like--dependable players, and potentially future core members of the roster, are already in the prospect system--but with the roster being as depleted as it is, are those things enough? A GM's worst nightmare is preparing to win inadequately and seeing the team fall in on itself after a couple seasons (I should know), and Chicago must be able to get beyond that and remain competitive without throwing everything else in the garbage.
 
Let's take a look at the roster, shall we? I'd like to work something out.
 
Disclaimer #1: This is simply an opinion piece. Take this with the old radio doctor "this is not legitimate advice" thing.
Disclaimer #2: Please take "Chicago should draft/trade for/sign this player" as "Chicago should draft/trade for/sign a player like this, and here's an example of a thing that could realistically work". I shouldn't need to say this, as someone who has no reason to tamper someone to go to Chicago, but you never know.
 
Active Players On the Roster:
Sunrise van de Schubbekuteveen | S79 | LW | 530 TPA | @Thunfish
Though Schubbekuteveen (which I almost spelled correctly without looking!) put up great numbers this season, there's a big reason why--he was the only active player on the team this season, and one of only two above 300 TPA (with the other being just barely so). Though some may see him as a remnant of the fall of the empire, he was a smart pick in a thin S79 class who has legitimate second-line potential on a competitive team.
 
...and that's it.
 
Active Prospect Pool:
The Board Game Clue On Skates | S82 | C | 466 TPE | @MubbleFubbles
I haven't talked about Clue since my mock, where I mistakenly assumed we were dealing with a first-gen member. Spoiler alert--we're not, and Clue's development has certainly lived up to the agency's reputation. The franchise's top prospect should continue to impress for seasons to come.
 
Bo Johansson | S82 | D | 435 TPE | @Shindigs
Johansson was originally drafted by Toronto, but moved out to Chicago for a solid price this season. Though it's one thing to say that the team giving up what's presumably a lotto pick, and what may end up being #1 overall in S84, was a lot--and you'd be right (and I don't disagree)--it's another to consider the player they got in return, and Johansson could be something special. With the import of a highly active member of the community, the team could have a gem on its hands both on the ice and off.
 
Julia Waffles | S78 | D | 383 TPE | @Edustava
We'll be real here--no, I don't see Waffles amounting to much in the big league. We're too late in her career for any superstar status to be reached, but she is right on the brink of breaking the VHLE TPE cap and there could be a fill-in spot on the roster in the near future.
 
Seymour Butts | S82 | D | 351 TPE | @fonziGG
It's strange to think that Butts is the second-best defender in the pool, but he is--and the veteran presence provided by Fonzi is a nice foil to the newcomer in Shindigs. It will be interesting to see how things work out roster-wise when both hit their primes, but that's a very nice problem to have (if a problem at all), and Chicago should have a future core in place already.
 
Nagy AL | S82 | D | 315 TPE | @bigAL
It's interesting to see the former-commish curse take effect, and that it did--only earning 17 TPE since the draft, Nagy AL seems to be headed toward bust territory. For the purposes of this article, I've assumed that he is out of the picture, but there's still potential for him to get back into it, and that would do nothing but help.
 
Freddy Freeze | S82 | G | 204 TPE | @G_Rush
You may recognize this player's agent as the former agent of Gary Rush, who never cracked 800 TPE but who managed to put up 98 points in S76 (back when 98 points meant something). At the moment, Freeze is a pure welfare player, and therefore likely a career backup, but there's been some higher level of earning in the past and he could prove valuable if that ends up being reached again.
 
ChickenLittle | S82 | G | 185 TPE | @LiningPolecat
I'll admit that I was unfamiliar with both the player and the member when I started looking at the team, but I can at least report now that ChickenLittle is very similar to Freeze. It would be unfair to assume that this player represents the future of the franchise in net, but it's always worth it to explore the possibility.
 
Yes, Chicago has a good amount of prospects! The past draft went well, as did their acquisition of Johansson. That's simply not going to be enough, though--having one forward in the entire pool won't do anything for the team if left alone. What's going to happen next season?
 
 
To-Do List for S83:
 
1. Use that top-of-the-draft status for another forward. Some may disagree with this--yes, there's no goaler in the prospect pool that, at the moment, could be the eventual starter, and Chicago only has one first-rounder in the next couple drafts to deal with (which they could use on top prospect Brandt Fuhr if they want to), but a team needs one goaler and six forwards. Here, I have the Phoenix winning the lotto and going with Scotty Sundin (@fromtheinside), though even if they don't, Igor Molotov isn't far behind in TPE and would be just as good.
 
2. Trade up a few spots and get that goaler at a budget. I originally thought that Chicago could wait until S84 and draft a certain "work of Art", shall we say, with their presumably-early pick, but they no longer have a presumably-early pick. Currently, they own the S82 Chicago 2nd, which will be 17th overall, while netminder Augustus Kennedy (@InstantRockstar) is ranked 10th in the draft class. Goalers are generally not in demand as much as many other positions, and many teams got the player they were looking for with last season's group, so I can see Kennedy falling a bit, especially as the second-ranked goaler in the class. Now, I don't see him falling to 17, but Chicago can realistically give up a 3rd or two (we'll say a 3rd and a 4th) to move up to, say, 13th overall and get someone in net. For the sake of simplicity, we'll say it's the S82 3rd and 4th, because later rounds are a lot of guesswork without an actual mock (speaking of which, spring break is next week!) and I don't want to project players there at the moment.
 
3. Let the sun set. It is my opinion that Chicago should move out Schubbekuteveen as soon as possible. By the time the team has any hope of being good, he's either in his second-last or (even more likely) last season. Currently, he's probably worth about a 2nd--for the sake of good guessing and matching names to picks, let's say that 2nd is 24th overall this season and that the team drafts Svatopluk Puk (@Otaznik), a forward ranked 25th in TPE. 
 
4. Make the team a great place to be, communicate the plan, and believe in it. S83 will not go well. Neither will S84, and, in all likelihood, neither will S85. Every player has a contract that's up before that point, and if the players don't know or don't believe in what's happening, they might be inclined to walk. Chicago simply cannot afford to lose anyone, and it must be understood that some level of pain must be endured before things turn around. Hopefully, everyone left will re-sign eventually--at the moment, that even includes Julia Waffles, who will be gone by the time competitive plans start to take hold but who will have room to run on the team.
 
 
That's all well and good, but assuming everything goes as planned with the above, the team still has 4 forwards, 2 defenders, and 1 goaler who even stand a chance at contributing later on, and practically no picks in S84. What do they do to make that up?
 
 
To-Do List for S84:
 
1. Scout well--REALLY well--and take advantage of a deep S84 class. Two 3rds and a 4th could very well mean three active players in what should better be known as "the S75 recreate class". We'll assume that Chicago hits on one of their picks here, and we'll say that said pick is a 150-TPE defender who earns about 110 TPE per season, both just above what one might expect from a generic 3rd. Deal? Deal. Bigger steals have happened, and I believe a good team can and will do better with a class like this, but we want to make safe estimates and I believe this is perfectly possible with three chances.
 
2. Be patient, and repeat S83's Step 4. I believe that one of my shortcomings as Davos GM was going for it all before the team was truly ready. This is not the time to compete yet! Chicago should not be burning their picks to make things happen in S84. The team will continue to not be good, but the players need to develop and develop well. This season will be fairly quiet.
 
 
So, one gap filled, and we've got a lineup of 4/3/1 by S86.
 
 
To-Do List for S85:
 
1. Go back to forward with that first pick! The Phoenix will again be at the top of the draft class, and this time with a full arsenal of picks at their disposal. We're going to assume here that their 3rd and 4th are inconsequential, but that they hit on their 1st (which we'll assume to be a 350-TPE forward who earns 140 TPE per season) and their early 2nd (which we'll assume to be a 190-TPE defender earning 120 per season). 
 
2. Explore the mid-level FA market. This is something that can be done in S84, too, but it's more realistic to think it would happen in S85. No, a high-end player who goes to free agency to win a championship is not going to move to Chicago in S85--because Chicago is not winning a championship in S85. But it's more than those players who become free agents--often, teams just can't afford to keep everyone, and there are also times when people move because they feel like it. Though no big names will be landing in O'Hare, there exists the possibility that someone around 500-600 TPA, who could be a serviceable player, would find their way to the team with the promise of ice time this season and competition next season. I'm not going to assume this happens, and as such I won't project it, but it's an option that should not be neglected.
 
3. Rinse and repeat on "ya gotta believe". The team probably won't be last place by this point! That's worth celebrating, and I don't mean that sarcastically. If the believing has happened well enough, everyone will be excited for what's to come.
 
 
What's to come, you ask?
 
 
To-Do List for S86:
 
1. Defense in the draft, for once. Butts and Johansson will age at the exact same time, and they could also present questions about cap space down the road. This is not an immediate concern, but having a solid player to back that up will help. As this will also be an early-draft pick, despite the fact that steps were taken in S85, we'll make the same assumption that the player is 350 TPE and earning 140 per season. Since this is the last season I'm going to project, I'm not going to say anything about the other picks.
 
2. Do whatever it takes up front. We'll say for now that Chicago gets one 900-TPE player and one 600-TPE player. Whether that's done completely through trades, or free agency, or a combination of both (I think most realistically, they can at least end up with the 600-TPE player after two seasons of trying in FA, but they'll likely have to buy the 900-TPE player as more established teams still have an edge in the FA market). This puts them at one big buy--hypothetically, a 1st and a 2nd are given up. 
 
 
If all this goes according to plan, Chicago has a fairly young team in S86 that looks like this (with rough TPE estimates):
 
The Board Game Clue on Skates - 926 TPA
S86 buy - 900 TPA
Scotty Sundin - 802 TPA
S86 FA - 600 TPA
Svatopluk Puk - 490 TPA
S85 1st-round draftee - 490 TPA
 
Bo Johansson - 895 TPA
Seymour Butts - 777 TPA
S84 3rd-round draftee - 370 TPA
S86 1st-round draftee - 350 TPA
 
Augustus Kennedy - 618 TPA
Freddy Freeze - 408 TPA
 
...a highly competitive 6-4-2 lineup, with the vast majority of players in their 5th season or earlier, which is perfectly cap-compliant at a cost of $39.5 million.
 
 
Will this happen exactly according to plan? Absolutely not--that would involve a whole lot of luck and a whole lot of skill to pull off. There will be bumps in the road, and it's entirely possible that we won't see Chicago be a good team until S87 or S88. There just aren't enough assets to go around, and it's going to take a long, long time to rebuild. But it's fun to speculate, and it will be a story for the ages if they manage to pull it off just as well as this or better.
 
 
Oh, and I used a spreadsheet for all my projections.
 
HERE IT IS FOR ALL YOU NERDS.
 
 
2,422 words | good for 4 weeks

Oh yes it is! 

I'll work on this tonight and tomorrow

We are well into the playoffs now and it is time to get the ball rolling on the VHL's favorite tourney!!! That's right, its time for the World Juniors!
 
We're here in the Job Interviews forum because we need to hire GMs for this elite minor league tournament. Getting a GM gig here gives you a huge leg up in future management jobs. There's always a GM or two that get a league job shortly after the WJC finishes. If you want a big pants job, your resume starts HERE.
 
We need five general managers to run each of the teams in the tourney. This is an amazing opportunity for newer members, or experienced members wanted to get into the management side of things. 
 
Your mission, if you choose to accept, will be to:
Choose a full team, including 9 F, 4 D, and 2 G, based on nationality Lead the team by building hype (for the team and the tournament), maintaining an active discord LR, and generally be the face of the team Submit lines for each game  
Teams
 Team Canada 
 Team USA 
 Team Europe 
 Team Asia 
 Team World 
 
Perks
Getting PAID - 2 capped TPE per week for the whole tournament Beef up that resume - no VHL/M GM is getting hired without previous management experience. Come get that experience here!  
Applying
Comment in this thread and tell us what team you'd like to GM Commissioners will follow up with interview questions for those selected If you think it'll help your case, feel free to list your qualifications and reasons why we should choose you  
Disclaimers
You DO NOT need to have STHS or GM experience - this is how you gain it! Access to STHS Client (a computer that can run it) is an asset but not mandatory Tournament will start after the Playoffs, so you will need to be active for the next month