Steve

lol. Comical. Let's see. Limited ice over a player, leading league scorer, over rookies is a good thing? I want to win games and also have player success. Learn how lines work and come back and have a real conversation. LA is a better fit, Merrick might not be in the top 10 in the end but they know ice times and what needs to happen. It will be a much more rewarding season knowing the team has winning as a thing on the to do list. I wasn't negative in Toronto's locker room. I was commenting. If you have a player that played well you wouldn't be human if you didn't want success for that player. Winning is the goal but if you can't win don't hinder players with bad line choices to please a couple of friends with ice time. The funny part about it is that I really didn't hear about any of these teammate feelings about what I was saying until your GM told me. If you have balls you would have just commented back to see where I was coming from. Not a peep from the team, but behind my back and to the GM I was being negative. Sorry, I am used to more direct discussion and don't pussy foot around if I have a point to make. If you disagreed, post your opinion and that starts a dialog. That didn't happen. So my feelings for the team went way down and I really only cared about not getting screwed over with poor line choices. Don't get me wrong, I can be a prick but only when pushed to that point. I just want to win and have a great career. Just like every other player in the league should want. Time to let it go.

Yes, was intended to vent. You are taking this negative PC after the fact and out of context. I was told my comments about lines and how we were playing was rubbing the players the wrong way. How is voicing an opinion and trying to get us winning a bad thing? Apparently it is. I said trade me and now I have another locker room that doesn't seem so thin skinned. Best to you

While I won't bash my time in Seattle, you were the biggest drama queen I have ever seen in this league. You are also the best GM I have ever played for. So you put up with some things you don't like and enjoy the good parts. Being friendly in the locker room is a great thing, being thought of as difficult for pointing out things a player sees is just wrong and taken in the wrong way. You were open to suggestions, just not certain ones. It's all good. I have my opinion that isn't popular with most of the members. I do things that I think are the right way, even if they might not be.

Wrong drama. I didn't call anyone sheep while I was in any locker room. It was a way to show a differences in players and what is important to them. I could have used a different analogy. Best of luck to you as well.

Review: Hey, good start. You have all the elements needed to make a good graphic. You should work on cutting out renders and placing logos. Keep working on your skills. Great to see work from newer members. There are lots of resources here to help you along your path to stardom. 7/10

Review: I like this design. Really wild and open. Contrasting color palette doesn't look distracting like you would think it would. I think the only thing that I would have done different is the text placement. Edge cutting text in this design doesn't look right to me. 8/10

John Merrick is at a crossroad in his career. Looking at the recent events that lead to him being traded, one has to think what is going on. Well there are several layers to the VHL. Merrick is here to be on a team and do well as a player and team. Then there is a whole other camp that uses this league as a social club and player/team performance isn't top priority. Those would be the ones bragging about getting a goal when the team lost. Those are the ones that have never payed attention to how games are played and what went right or wrong. They are sheep that follow the Shepard no matter what. Merrick on the other hand reads the game play, looks at lines, looks at what could be better or changed and has the balls to bring up his opinion in the locker room. Not that anything Merrick thinks is right or wrong is correct or has to be addressed, just comments of an observation nature. This is where Merrick gets frowns from the sheep. Team mates have turned on him because they don't like someone questioning the situation. The trade from Toronto was written on the wall. The GM needed to bolster the defense from last season but instead loaded up on forwards that wanted ice time. Well there went anything positive we built from the previous season. Merrick voiced his opinion and in the end the trade happened. He has played for a few other Gms that found him “difficult” to work with. I find this to be false but the failure of the Gms to understand that Merrick or even LeGrande wasn't in the league to hear drama or create it. A hockey sim league that labels a player that wants to succeed as a team and a player seems wrong. Well back to the daily grind and I have hopes that LA will be a team working to be better moving forward. Merrick will continue to ask questions and report what he sees, like what any invested player would do. If it rubs the locker room the wrong way then that's on them. Team success and watching after their own player should be top priority with any member or just go join a social forum and hold hands.

1. We recently made pair of trades that sent out John Merrick and Leo Strauss, what are your thoughts on those particular trades and do you think we got back fair value? Toronto had a fairly productive season last year but failed to carry that momentum into this season just to appease rookies. I see Toronto as a bottom dweller for some time. I think the trade was a push for both teams. 2. Toronto released a podcast! Have you listened to it yet? Any suggestions on how to improve it? I haven't listened to it. 3. Since the trade Toronto is 2-2-2. Is that better than you expected, or do you believe we can get more out of this squad? You traded away the leading scorer in the league and his linemate, what do you expect? Learn to take constructive criticism. 4. Do you feel like you can be yourself within our locker room? Dangerous question, I know! Locker room was fine until the players got their feelings hurt every time I said something. 5. What are your favorite things about Toronto this season? Not being on the team. 6. Toronto management thrives on being transparent within the locker room. Do you have any suggestions on how to improve communication between myself and the LR? It is a social club with a GM trying to make it pleasant. @Peace

1. Although early in the season, what are your thoughts on the teams play? From what I have seen, there seems to be a fair amount of talent and as the season gets a few weeks in, I think the team will really come together. 2. What are you looking to upgrade the most this season? I am working on a bit of strength and faceoff work. 3. La's old agm has come back from break and has reclaimed the role. thoughts on this? I really can't comment as I wasn't here before. He must be a great agm to be back in that spot. 4. What player really needs to shine this year in order for the stars to be successful? It's going to take a group effort to win. I put pressure on Merrick to play an honest game but I think Pines is going to have a stellar season. 5. La won against Calgary today. What do you think needs to happen to keep the wins coming? We can win these games. Team defense, meaning forwards too, seems to be working better and that should lead to success. 6. is your player doing as well as you expected them to do so far this season? If not what would you like to see change? A bit of a slow start for Merrick but getting off the Toronto team and moving here to the Stars should lead to a more balanced season.

It felt rather good getting a goal to tie the game and have us beat you in the SO.

Review: Well, you have a player, some text and a background. I think you just need to work on some adjustment layers and formatting. Practice making graphics and use that skill I know you have. 7/10

1. 0-4 in the first four games. 7 GF, 18 GA. Why are we in that position? Well I really don't know how the team has been playing. LA does have talent and should start winning. 2. Given the poor start, when do you hit the panic button if you and Josh traded places? I want no part of that scenario. I just curl up in a ball at night and cry myself to sleep. 3. Our General Manager is engaging and a good locker-room presence, overall good guy. If you could change one things in the Star organization as GM for a day, what would it be? I would make sure the showers had "Soap on a Rope". 4. Out of our class of rookies this season, who do you see having the biggest impact overall in a Stars jersey? Too soon to tell. 5. What is the best case scenario for us given our current roster? Let's see a few more games. 6. Six prospects are currently listed on the Stars roster. Name one you think will play for the Stars eventually and one you could see moving on before they pull on a Stars jersey? Sanderson looks like he is making an effort. Not sure about Sirois

When a door slams shut, another opens up wide. Merrick will start a new adventure with a team that has a good future and is well managed. The players have talent and it should be a good fit over the next several seasons in LA. Moving forward, training has been intense and looks to get even more focused as the season moves along. There are several lessons to be learned about skills and how much of what you should have. I have found areas to improve on and I think it will be a good fit for any line. Moving to a new team isn't easy at first but I think Merrick will fit in fine and will be able to help the team get on a winning streak. Teamwork and locker room presence seems to be there, just have to make sure to stay in shape and train as much as possible. Better days are coming for LA.

Glad to be in LA. Had a great time in Toronto, best of luck to them.

It worked out just fine. Congrats to all of you. Great team, great leaders.

The off season is always filled with excitement. It also gives players time to evaluate themselves and see where the work should be focused. Balancing what benefits the team while not muting the players performance is sometimes a tricky thing. There are some obvious skills that everyone should have and most are working towards a more better balance. Toronto is a great team. Even missing the playoffs we were not negative in the goals for and against. I think a higher defensive skill level will help us slide into the playoffs this season. We have a handful of youth that will get their first taste of the big league. It will be fun to watch them grow as a player and mesh with the team. I am sure we will hit some rough times, but we have always come back with force and determination to succeed in the end. I look forward to this upcoming season. I think it will define the teams direction and future success. The good part is that Toronto added to the roster without taking away from the core. I see brighter days in the near future.

Review: I really like your designs. This has all the stuff that makes for a good looking graphic. I have two concerns. Placement of the render is far right, looking to the right. I think if the render was on the left it would look more balanced. I like to remove as much of the nhl stuff that I can and I think the helmet logo should have been removed or replaced. Great job overall. 8/10

Review: You have the pieces, just need to assemble them. Render is clean but not unique. Logo is way too huge and would serve this graphic better if you placed it on the jersey. Backgrounds are, for the most part, only good if they interact with the main subject. That said, I think you are heading in the right direction. Keep working at it, you have skills. 7/10

1. What is the biggest issue Toronto needs to address before the start of the season, in your opinion? I don't see anything that sticks out. I like to wait until we play 15 to 20 games to see what trends are forming. 2. We have a lot of young guys coming into the team who will be expected to play right away, are you worried about growing pains at all? I would hope they add to our success from last season and we can make the playoffs. 3. The VHL draft is on Friday, any players you're keeping your eyes on heading into draft night? Looks like a good draft. I haven't scouted any players. 4. What's one area of your game you want to improve on heading into this season? I'm working on face offs, along with a strength program that should help in the circle. 5. Who is a player that you looked up to as a kid, in any sport? Marcel Dione was one of my favorites. Very nice guy to talk to. 6. Got any pets? Tell us about your pets, we love pets here in Toronto! I have a Jack Russell/Weener dog mix named Oscar. He a lot of fun and is treated better than my kids.

I just posted this for fun and will not claim it.