Nick Kirkpatrick

Goodbye friends

Top Two-Way Forward Award "Matt Bentz Trophy"
 
While all the glory will go towards the Fertittas and Vericels of the world for their offensive dominance, a solid two-way forward often goes overlooked and underappreciated. While elite scorers can definitely leave their mark on a team, so can a solid forward who takes pride in excelling in their defensive game too.  It is often said the best offense is a good defense, and the Matt Bentz Trophy is awarded to the player that best exemplifies just that. This was a close vote so let’s take a look at our runner-up first.  
 
 
Theodore James St. Louis certainly had a year to remember. He hit the century mark for points, coming in at 101 (47G,54A) and despite playing on a Halifax team that was mediocre at best on most nights, he still managed to post a +31 rating which is nothing short of incredible. He also wasn’t afraid to sacrifice the body, making 195 hits and even blocking 25 shots. @Nick Kirkpatrick is just under the TPE cap to go pro, so it is unknown at this time if he will stay in Halifax for S76 or graduate to Prague. Either way, he is a lethal 2-way forward that will be an asset wherever he ends up!
 
 

Now for our winner… coming off back to back Founder’s Cup wins, the Matt Bentz Trophy goes to Addison McLaren of the Philadelphia Reapers. McLaren was undoubtedly the full package this season. He contributed 93 points (42G, 51A) and finished a +34 by the end of the regular season. While flexing his offensive flair, he also was a nightmare for the opposition, laying down 265 hits (5th in the league) and accumulated 128 PIMS (4th in the league). There’s no doubt McLaren was in touch with his inner goon throughout the course of the season!  McLaren and the rest of the army of S75 first-gens will be off to Riga Reign training camp next week. McLaren will definitely be an exciting young player to watch next season and could make a push for Rookie of the Year in Season 76. 
Congratulations @tcookie
 
 
 
Next up - Regular Season  MVP - Mitch Higgins Trophy!

Before I announce the roster for this season's Team World, I first want to say that I'm very grateful to have been selected as GM for this team. I'm super excited that I got a chance to come back in a different way. I also want to give a huge thanks to @Zetterberg for helping me through this process. And without further ado...
 

 
S74 WJC Team World Roster:
 
Forwards:
 
Jared Willis @BlueMaple
Wolf Weiss @Matmenzinger
Kasey Tamm @kesytamm
Jeff Odinson @GoldGear88
Pistil Stamen @DMaximus
Alek Andreshnikov @PuckPushers
Joe Kelly @emidas
Secel Keller @xsjack
Theodore James St. Louis @Nick Kirkpatrick
 
Defense:
 
Bobby Wyman @Lefty_S
Shawn Glade III @ShawnGlade
L @gorlab
Gabriel Akerstrom @Mason
 
Goalies:
 
Doug Dimmadome @Esso2264
Kevin Malone @chatfan036
 
Congratulations to all selected! I'm confident in this team and hopefully we'll have a great season under one banner. Go World!
 
Here's the link to the discord, I will also send you the links individually as well.
https://discord.gg/haxEkTu

5 games have passed and where are we now? Ottawa is on a 4-1 record with a 4 game winning streak. Arthur Dayne is leading the team in points with 13. WE HAVE BEEN ON A FIRE. We are optimistic and feeling great about this awesome start for S73. One thing that has been amazing is the locker room atmosphere after a win and before a game. Everyone is electric and hyped to show the best of the abilities on ice and that competition is what is keeping us going.
Winning games are a team effort. Everyone plays a role that is crucial to the team. Lee Xin has been playing on a line with Alec Volchenkov and Theodore James St. Louis on the 5 on 5 but he also has been getting some power play time with Alec and Lexi Glass. Despite him being a RW in nature, Lee Xin has been doing well on the LW with 4G and 1A in 5 games. However, we have to keep our foot on the gas as the season just started. "Ajay Krishna and the defenseman have been doing so well helping us from the back end there. We would never be able to score much without their help because we can trust them back there. Less worries on our mind, you know." Lee Xin said after the game against Minnesota. 
Clearly, the lines have worked for Ottawa as they continue the season competing for the cup. Majority of their draft picks have made it into their lineup this season from the start like Lexi and Lee. They have been producing for Ottawa goals and assists. I can't wait to see where they are at the end of the season and when the VHL draft comes. 
 
Players mentioned: @Hooperorama@AW13@SirRupertBarnes@Nick Kirkpatrick@Infernal
 

Venus Thightrap: The Center of Attention

I have been dreaming about the VHL ever since I was a little girl.  Long story short my mother decided to take me to a professional hockey game when I was 5 and I fell in love. I have to say she was majorly disappointed after that day for one reason, our family had always cheered for the same team. I do not know how many times I have been told in my life to be more patriotic and cheer for my home team. But things are never that simple, in that first game I saw played as a little girl I fell in love with the away team. It is odd, and as I have been told many times it is simply not patriotic.

Regardless of anyone’s opinions of what my VHL team preferences are both as a fan and player, I think we can all agree that the first game of hockey I saw was the catalyst that sent caused me to seek out the opportunity to play hockey.  The pace, physicality and comradery are what drew me to the sport, and they are what keeps me on the ice day after day as I try to achieve my goal of making it to the VHL.

My hockey resume is straight forward I worked my way up through the men’s leagues in mt hopes of making enough waves to get seen by VHLM recruiters. I can honestly say I was probably scouted by mistake at first, that was about a year ago. The VHLM recruiters came to see a good friend of mine show-off his skills in a game. I do not think they had originally intended on offering me the opportunity to move up but eventually my numbers and charisma won them over, and now here we are. I am literally clutching my invitation to join the VHLM and I cannot believe this is real, I never thought This day would come.

Some questions the interviewers asked me to answer for this Junior Review Article:

Who is your VHL Hero?

Julius Freeman @rjfrymanof the New York Americans. When he played in Vancouver, he spent a lot of time reaching out to younger players who wanted to turn pro in British Columbia. I have to say that meeting him was probably the biggest game changer in my young career. He really helped me to understand what a recruiter would be looking for and was so helpful with ticks and tricks for refining my offensive skills.  When it comes to a player that not only makes every team, he is on a better place to be but also has the skills to pay the bills I think of Freeman. I really do hope one day he can see me in the VHL and know that he is a large part of what inspired me to get there and hopefully he knows how much I appreciated his help.

How would you describe your on-ice persona?

High energy, razzle dazzle with a splash of sass.  I work hard to be good at what I do but I also like to enjoy every moment I am on the ice. The difficulty is what makes hockey fun and I am always up to take on a challenge. They literally call me the set-up queen, so I’ll be there to set it up so we can knock ‘em down.

How did you decide to be a Center?

I was told I was too offensively aggressive to play defense, but I also loved being part of the defensive unit. It was something that just happened very organically for me. As a child they tried you out in many positions and I gravitated to the one that fit my style of play best and I feel it all worked out damn well.

Have You been given any nicknames while playing hockey?

I have a few but I am sure the guys and girls on my new team will come up with new ones as well.

Player Information
Username: Nick Kirkpatrick
Player Name: Kameron Klause Koop
Recruited From: Other (Bob n vagene)
Age: 19
Position: D
Height: 80 in.
Weight: 250 lbs.
Birthplace: Afghanistan

Player Page
@VHLM GM

Need a team

Only Four games into their inaugural season, the San Diego Marlins sit at a middling record of 1-2-1. It’s still very early into the new season but if they wanna make they playoffs they will have to amp it up. Especially in the goals department.
 
They’ve played some of the tougher teams in the league and played solid stretches of hockey, which is very encouraging considering this is the first time all these players have played together. Chemistry takes time. Their one win was against the Houston bulls, who are sitting without a win so far this season. In that game everything seemed to mesh well together, the line of Clarkson-Pearson-Wilcox was a tough customer in that contest, They combined for +7 and 4 points.Since then that line has stagnated. Their toughest loss was against a particular strong Philadelphia Reapers team. 
 
Notables
———————————
 
Greg Eagles: Seemed to shake off the rust as the games went on, You can’t blame him for the losses as he did what he could, He’s held the Marlins in every game and gave them a chance to win it, you can win unless you score goals. Even with his great start I wonder when Promising Young rookie Knox booth will get his first start.
 
Alex Pearson: He has 3 assists in 4 games and no goals yet which isn’t bad as it is his rookie season. Although his team worst -3 is a potential indicator his defensive game is still lacking. His ice time has taken dips at times when the coach has shown frustration with his defensive game. His offensive skills though seem to be adapting well. Hopefully the goals start coming soon.
 
 
Edgar Tannahill: Very good start to the season for him, he’s leading the team in scoring, tied with Sam Sparrow and Pierre Persson with 4 assists so far, another couple great revolutions this season for San Diego if they can keep it up.
 
 
Pierre Persson: Was a late Offseason addition that has paid dividends for San Diego. He’s shown he has the tools to be an offensive weapon from the blue line. If his defensive game improves he could become a top pairing guy pretty fast with Sparrow.
 
 
Phil Marleau: The Captain Has 2 Goals and an assist so far in this season. His leadership abilities have been on display showing why he was a good Choice for Captain. He Has 11 Shots with a 18.2 Shooting percentage. If he keeps that up he should be able to score 25-30 Goals this year. A very respectable number for the Captain.
 
Sam Sparrow: An absolute workhorse for them so far, Sparrow has shown flashes of brilliant offensive instincts so far this year, hoping to improve in his totals from last year as the team’s Number one defenseman. His Ice Time number have been insane so far this year but he’s proven he can handle it so far.
 
 
Overall the Team has shown flashes of brilliance and flashes of youth and inexperience. The lack of shots is concerning but hopefully that will improve when we get deeper into the season. Their getting offence from everyone as well. but their defensive game will need to tighten up unless Greg Eagles and Knox Booth can hold a Brick wall All Season.
 
Thanks for reading.
 
 
 
 

Pearson Struggles as season winds down
 
 
     At the start of his young Vhlm career, Rookie Alex Pearson showed drive, promise, intensity and passion for the game. In the past few weeks all that had vanished and all that’s left is one thing. frustration.
 
 
His offensive numbers has completely fallen off a cliff. He’s been 17 games without a point. He currently has 27 points in 53 games and is a -5. His defensive game isn’t as bad as it seems, it’s gotten better as the season has progressed but at the loss of his offensive talent. There were games he looked like a true superstar. Then the next game he was invisible again.
 
 
He's been riding shotgun to Balls McZharl the past few weeks and the chemistry is non existent. He’s shown frustration, smashing sticks and getting in altercations and taking stupid penalties. Which really isn’t helping his case. Especially in the last week or so of games he has made a boneheaded play at least once a game. Maybe that has to do with the season winding down and he’s just worn down. Most players are, and Pearson hasn’t okayed more then 30 games in a season before and we’re sitting at 53. He’s been smart with certain things, he does use his speed well to get in good areas to set up changes before line changes.
 
he needs to get his offensive game back, which I don’t doubt he will, but when is the question. I’m sure the Marlins would love it if he came back right as the playoffs rolled in.

+4

At the beginning of the season Pearson struggled to adapt to the role of the second line Center, his defensive game was extremely lacking and his offensive game didn’t translate initially, but after the 15 game mark we began to see significant strides in his game, his defence tightened up and his offence cane back.
 
currently sitting with a respectable 23 points in 35 games with a +3. He’s been playing solid hockey as the season gets longer and played a key role in the Marlins success on a line with Wilcox and Clarkson. He currently sits with an average ice time per game with 19.11, but only played 9:32 in the last game against the Ottawa lynx.
 
After the Marlins last game in a press conference scum he was asked about his thoughts on the game,
 
Reporter: ”How do you guys handle a loss like this? Do you think you could’ve played better”
 
Alex: “Yeah these suck, I had a helper but I feel like I could’ve done more with more opportunity’s, I had some really good energy and shifts at some points.”
 
Reporter:”is that in regards to the coach cutting your ice time and benching you in the Third? Was there some kind of argument there?”
 
Alex “I wouldn’t say argument, I didn’t really say anything, you can take that however you want though”
 
(Alex gets up and leaves the scrum)
 
 
 
 
 

The San Diego Marlins have been a dominant offensive force this season. With one of the best d and Center groups in the league and led by offensive juggernaut Edgar Tannahill, this team has proven time and time again how dominant they are. 
 
In the expansion draft the Marlins draft picks looked like this 
1st Round – 5th Overall: C - Phil Marleau
1st Round – 10th Overall: LW - Edgar Tannahill
2nd Round – 15th Overall: G - Greg Eagles
2nd Round – 21st Overall: D - Samuel Sparrow
3rd Round – 27th Overall: RW - Andrei Mikhailov
3rd Round – 32nd Overall: D - Dean Clarke
4th Round – 43rd Overall: LW - David Clarkson
5th Round – 54th Overall: C - Scotty BigShotty
6th Round – 65th Overall: LW - Lexington Lewis
7th Round – 76th Overall: D - Taylor Budwaisor
8th Round – 87th Overall: C - Ludvig Sederstrom (No longer with the team)
 
Overall the Marlins were always looked st being one of the better expansion teams and now they are showing everyone why. 
 
Draft Picks 
 
5th overall-Phil Marleau @Phil
 
Marleau has been the fearless leader for the Marlins this year, and I underlined fearless because he’s currently 2nd in the league in hits. He also has a very respectable 17 Goals and 27 assists, after a slow start he’s been the dominant number 1 Center and Captin they needed
 
10th overall-Edgar Tannahill @Greg_Di
The offensive dynamo and team Canada rep for the Marlins, Tannahill is the spoon that stirs the drink for the Marlins. He has 26 Goals and 23 assists so far for 49 points in 39 games. Not too bad if I do say so myself.
 
15th overall- Greg Eagles @gregreg
Eagles has been a brick wall for the Marlins. Game in and game out. the polish netminder has been dominated and will be the backbone of this team down the stretch.
 
21st overall -Samuel Sparrow @Birdman
 
Sparrow has been a dominant top pairing defenceman for this team. 32 points is very solid for a workhorse defenceman who, earlier in the season before the Marlins added some defence, was playing over 30 minutes a night.
 
27th Overall - Andrei Mikhailov @Big Mac
After a rough start to the season, Mikhailov has shown to be dominant top line forward. He struggled to score at first but had picked it up and has a very solid 18 points.
 
 32nd Overall-Dean Clarke @Kyle
Another workhorse defenceman for the Marlins, while Clarke hasn’t been flashy offensively his 2way game has been on full display for the Marlins this season. A smart lark moving defenceman that can join the rush is something any team will take.
 
43rd Overall- David Clarkson @Jacob Kundrat
A very solid top 6 winger, Clarkson has played very well. He currently sits 4th on the team in scoring with 17 goals and 18 assist. Another highly potent peice to the Marlins.
 
 
54th Overall - Scotty  @FerdaJets
Another Dominant Center, Scotty has been solid, Rotation the 2nd line and playing very well. He started off his season a little rough but has shown lately he has what it takes to be a dominant top teir center.
 
65th Overall- Lexington Lewis@Lexlooter
Hasnt seen much action. But has been solid in limited time and as a penalty killer.
 
76th Overall: D - Taylor Budwaisor @AnthonyOuellet
Mostly played season as 7th defenceman. Seen limited time for the team with emergence of young defenceman.
 
 
The rest of the team has been filled out by signing’s. Most of which have been very impactful.
 
 
Dalton Wilcox @Dalton Wilcox
Another top 6 Winger, has been very solid for the Marlins.12 Goals and 19 assists. He has been more then great in that second line.
 
Alex Pearson @Jayrad28
Pearson has been very good for the Marlins. When you have 3 dominant offensive Centers that can munch minutes it’s a good problem. Pearson has improved as the season goes on and cure has 14 goals and 11 assists.
 
Lincoln Tate @Lincoln Tate
The Marlins golden boy.Tate has 10 goals and 43 assists in 39 games so far this season. He has been dominant on that power play unit. He is going to be  very dominant force on that blue line.
 
Ryszard Franciszek @ItssYoBoiDaLegend
Another dominant defenceman for the Marlins, Franciszek has been a solid shutdown hard hitting defenceman. He also had a hat trick in his first career game.
 
Pierre Persson @Dominus89
The number of quality defenceman the Marlins have is unfair. the smooth skating puck moving defenceman has 5 goals and 23 assists so far this season. He’s been another very solid signing.
 
Nick Kirkpatrick @Nick Kirkpatrick
A solid depth forward and penelty killer. Has been solid in limited games for the marlins.
 
Sean McGee @Strooper99
The young goalie had been eyeing his first start this season, but had been a Good locker room presence and has shown some solid growth. Will be a starting goalie in the near future for sure
 
Charles Drumm @frescoelmo
Drumm has only played 7 games but has been solid and looks to build on that going forward. He dosnt have a point yet but he’s come close and it looks like it’s coming.
 
 
 
The Marlins have a great young team and one of the deepest defence in the league. If they can continue this upward momentum and growth there is no reason they can’t do real damage in the playoffs.
 

Noooo

In their first ever playoff series, The San Diego Marlins are currently down 2-0 in a series against the Halifax 21st. And while they now have home ice and could win a couple of games to even the series, the fire of hope is dwindling in San Diego.
How did they get here?
 
Game 1 was simply a train wreck. Early in the game it was evident that they were not ready. Acyd Burn And Blake Gaudette lit up the Marlins early, and it never really got better, it got a lot worse. Lincoln Tate scored early in the second to wake the marlins up, but Acyd Burn’s Third goal was a dagger. Anton Edvin went on to embarrass the Marlins with a hat trick, and Guy Lagrande Put salt on the wound for the 21st 8th Goal. A complete defensive meltdown and a team that wasn’t ready by first whistle is what doomed the marlins in the first game.
 
Game 2 
 
It was an absolute goal bananza. 6-5 in overtime and Trevor Van Lagen is the OT hero for Halifax. The marlins goals were scored by Pierre Persson (2) Edgar Tannahill, Lincoln Tate and Andrei Mikhailov.
Halifax’s goal Scorers were TVL(2), Nacho, Blake Gaudette, Acyd Burn And Guy Lagrande.
 
Clearly if the marlins want to win their defence has to improve, as does Greg Eagles. He’s been good but he needs to be great. Overall of the marlins can win 2 at home I think they have a pretty good shot but if not then I think their series is sadly over.
 

“With the 9th overall selection the VHLM dispersal draft, the Philadelphia Reapers select From the San Diego Marlins, Center Alex Pearson” 

 
 
The Philadelphia reapers Had 2 picks in the first round of the VHLM Dispersal Draft And with their 1st pick they picked up rookie standout defenceman Connor Adrienne who will Quarterpack the Powerplay and top defence pair. With their second pick they went a little off the board and selected Marlins Center Alex Pearson.
 
Pearson has 18 Goals and 18 Assists For the marlins in his Rookie Campaign. Those aren’t exactly stellar number but the other elements he brought to the ice helped the marlins to the playoffs. His aggressive forechecking and solid face offs were huge assets to them during the season and as the season went along we saw his extremely raw talent begin to shine. But he was demoted to a bottom 6 role after a scoring drought and never really was able to recover until late in the Season. 
 
The Reapers selected Pearson on hopes he can meet his high potential he showed in his high school days.
 
 
“It’s kinda surreal, I didn’t except to go this early, I knew I wasn’t going back to San Diego so the Reapers were probably one of my top choices” Pearson said as he grinned, sporting his new Reapers Jersey.
 
The Reapers lost most of their roster that made it to the finals, Pearson will be a big peice on a team they can hopefully go all the way this season.
 
 
 

Great article!

Even though he’s sitting in California over 3000 miles away from his hometown, Young hockey Talent Alex Pearson said he’s never felt more at home. been blossoming in his new home in San Diego playing for the Marlins.
 

(Alex in his high school hockey days-2016)
 
 
He grew up and had a rough childhood. He actually didn’t even get to play organized hockey until his high-school hockey coach Dave Summers notices his Raw Talent. His skating, puck handling and scoring abilities on full display.
 
“It was like he was a seasoned professional the first game he played, I was blown away. The kid never played up until that point and he was outplaying half the team!”
 
”I knew he didn’t have the money for equipment, he was working a part time job at 14 to help his family pay bills, so I bought him all new equipment once I saw his skill and passion for the game and stuck him on the first line. He never looked back and ran with the opportunity.”
 
He led The high school to 4 straight Championships, making a name for himself in the small town. He then went on to represent one of the best universities for hockey in the country and play his heart out for UNB. Putting him on the map of the VHLM and into the heart of Marlins GM InstantRockstar. Everyone knew who he was, and how talented he was. He began getting visits from scouts for interviews when he was in school. When asked if it was ever intimidating or nerve racking to have so many people expecting you to succeed. Alex had a pretty simple awnser.
 
”Nah not really, I don’t think about it, I just work hard, play my game and have fun.”
 
Those are the kind of guys every team wants, humble, a good role model, and good leadership. He has excelled at every level of hockey and there’s no reason to think he can’t continue that line of trajectory. He’s blossoming quickly, showing off his speed, skill and skating abilities pretty well for the Marlins so far.
 
He’s sitting at 6 points in 11 games for the Marlins, which may not be a solid impressive when you see he’s on a 5 game scoring slump. It’s only his second week in the season so there’s no reason to panic with his lack of production. Slow steps and growing pains sometimes are very common in a rookie season. With his underlying numbers there’s hope he will begin to find the back of the net soon.
hes taken 28 shots but only scored twice. Sporting a measly 7.1 shooting percentage. Even if that goes up to 10.0 (Still below league average) he should pot 15- maybe 20 goals this season. He’s also missed 33 shots (33!). He’s helping the team in other ways even if he’s been help off the scoresheet, he’s been creating chances and scoring opportunities, as well as improving his defensive game massively lately. Im sure as the season goes on he will gel with his team better, hopefully work on his shot accuracy, in hopes of getting those extra points and helping the Marlins stay competitive.
 
We managed to Get ahold of Alex to ask him some questions shortly before their game tonight.
 
Is it hard playing so far away from your hometown?
 
”Yeah it is, Obviously I miss home and everything, but the teams been great, Phil has been extremely welcoming as the captain. Everyone on the team feels like family and that’s what makes the transition easy”
 
How do you think you’ve played so far this season?
 
”Not good enough. I started off pretty good but these past few games have really been a test for me, i’m working to improve my game every single day to help make the team better.”
 
We’ve heard you’re unhappy with declining ice time, do you think that’s due to these poor results ?
 
“Thats a little rude to ask. I mean obviously. I don’t ask you why nobody reads your articles and point out your a shit journalist. When you don’t produce your coach cuts your ice time. that’s how hockey works you dingbat. Obvious I’m not a fan but that just means I gotta work harder to earn it back. I’m a rookie I still have to earn my place on this team. I love the Marlins and I wanna be here for a long time.”
 
Do you think of things don’t work out this season you’ll give up hockey? If so what’s your backup plan?
 
“I’ve always wanted to be a pilot. But I mean I’m deathly terrified of heights so let’s hope to god that this hockey thing works out”
 
Thanks for Reading!!