DizzyWithLogic

Off topic but I miss Pavs already

HELLO EVERYONE AND WELCOME to the single best, most comprehensive, most secretly-kept (unless you're @Esso2264, who I trusted with the information) mock draft of the season, posted later than we would have liked because organization is easy until you actually have to do it.
 
So here's the scoop: a while back, @McWolf messaged me and a few others about the possibility of completing a mock draft collaboratively this season. I loved the idea--of course, I've written a mock of my own that I just love to talk about, and so have these guys. For the sake of transparency, this wasn't even my idea--I'm just making the post since McWolf is out of town today. I don't care about my fake Internet points, myself, but make sure that if you do like this article, you go out and give @FrostBeard, @McWolf, and @Renomitsu a like on something they've posted, to give all concerned here the credit they deserve.
 
What you're about to see is a representation of the hypothetical picks of the very soon-to-come draft. Each of us provided a separate ranking of the picks, and our rankings were compiled, with a list being made in order of the average of each of our rankings for the player concerned. If a pick doesn't make sense, it's because of the averages, and we apologize. But, we feel that this will at least give a good general sense of what's about to happen, and, who knows, it might even kill it (feel free, too, to check out our individual rankings, to see who's got the most psychic ability).
 
So, without not a great deal of additional ado...
 
 
 
1  Condor Adrienne | D | Philadelphia Reapers | 423 TPE | @OrbitingDeath
FrostBeard 1 | GustavMattias 1 | McWolf 1 | Renomitsu 1
 
Unsurprisingly, the consensus number one pick for the S68 VHL Entry Draft is Condor Adrienne, from the @Green player agency, one of the most decorated agency in the history of the league. The alien defenseman relies on deceiving speed, solid defensive awareness and great hand-eye coordination to help make his team competitive night in, night out. He has developped into a great presence, both offensively and defensively, for the Philadelphia Reapers. He is more than ready to make the jump straight to the VHL as a rookie in S68 and he'd settle well in a depth role if he lands on a deep team, ready for a playoffs run for a year or two before becoming a star himself. Defensemen are usually not seen as difference makers as much as forwards or goaltenders, but you still usually need one or two great ones in your roster if you want to be able to compete with the best teams. A forward might help the team more next season, but our experts agree Adrienne is simply too good to pass on and he'll easily be the better player down the line, when the Nighthawks are starting to compete for a Continental Cup. - McWolf
 
2  Lance Flowers | D | Yukon Rush | 365 TPE | @CowboyinAmerica
FrostBeard 2 | GustavMattias 2 | McWolf 2 | Renomitsu 2
 
With nearly 50 TPE between him and our consensus #3 and 60 TPE over the next best defender, @CowboyinAmerica's Lance Flowers felt like a lock for the New York Americans' first pick in this draft. An excellent defender and passer in his minor league season, Flowers was 6th in assists and 11th in points among defensemen; he also sported a +30 plus-minus. He lays out hits (191 last season), is capable of getting in front of the puck on defense, and sets his forwards up to succeed, following a prototypical, tried-and-true playmaker-style defensive build instead of the scoring paradigm we've seen emerge over the last several seasons. Though not a strength of his, he converted 14.75% of his shots on offense, good for second on his team among those with more than 10 points. And while the stats are nice, various media outlets have additionally pointed out his excellent fit in NYC, as well as the fact that he's pretty agreeable to joining a rebuilding team. Even with defenseman Keven Foreskin arranged to join the Americans, they can't field more than one complete defensive pairing - and that makes Flowers a no-brainer at this selection. -Renomitsu
 
3  Thorny Underyew | C | Ottawa Lynx | 268 TPE | @jack
FrostBeard 3 | GustavMattias 3 | McWolf 3 | Renomitsu 3
 
Underyew represents our first deviation from the TPE rankings, and while Jeff Downey certainly makes for a respectable choice here, given his position at #3 in the rankings and steady earning since returning to the league, Underyew gets the call with this pick as defense isn't currently a pressing need in Seattle--GM player Ambrose Stark and S67 first-rounder Hulk Hogan make up the top pairing, while fellow S67 Kevin Low sits on the second with Charles Puidgdemont, inactive but at 475 TPE. Instead, the team picks up a center who, once he passes Shane Mars in TPE, will earn a spot on the second line by the end of the season, and figures to be a major part of the team's rebuild. -Gustav
 
 
4   Jeff Downey | D | Houston Bulls | 305 TPE | @JeffD
FrostBeard 4 | GustavMattias 4 | McWolf 5 | Renomitsu 4
 
A well-balanced defenceman that has proved himself as a quality player, a pick you can’t really go wrong with. Probably his biggest strength right now is that he has developed a physical aspect to his game that many other young defenceman don’t focus on. His VHLM season stats might not be looking so great, but considering that he spent most of the season with one of the worst VHLM teams in the league before the trade that sent him to Houston he should be looked upon with more of hopeful rather than doubtful look. In my personal opinion, Jeff Downey is having all the tools to be the best defenceman in the league and I strongly believe that he can accomplish that in Davos. Davos are having quite a stacked defensive core with players like Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen and Charlie Paddywagon but adding a young, defensively and offensively capable player that is showing promise as one of the most well balanced defencemen this draft should be truly a no-brainer pick. - FrostBeard
 
5  Teemu Lehtinen Jr. | LW | Houston Bulls | 292 TPE | @Sixersfan549
FrostBeard 5 | GustavMattias 5 | McWolf 4 | Renomitsu 5
 
Lehtinen Jr., a 21-year-old Fin, is a massively-built winger (6'4", 215 lbs.) with staying power, graceful puck control and skating, and a roaring shot  with pinpoint accuracy that arguably tops this class. He's a little more mobile than your average sniper and has good technique on the defensive ice; with S66 draftee Dimitri Volosenkov's progression slowing considerably, Lehtinen may see third-line minutes almost immediately as he takes on mentorship from older wingers like Randoms, Jorgon Weyed, and Dan Bailie. As Moscow's something of a contender, he may see many more minutes in the regular season than the playoffs - but he's excellent insurance and solid depth as he grows. His game will continue to diversify from his sniper/tranditional forward skill set, and it helps that he's backed by a well-reputed agent in @Sixersfan549. -Renomitsu
 
6  Sigard Gunnar | LW | Philadelphia Reapers | 256 TPE | @Big Mac
FrostBeard 7 | GustavMattias 6 | McWolf 6 | Renomitsu 6
 
So far, our draft has been fairly consensual, and Gunnar continues the trend at #6, going to New York. Though there are other players on the board with higher TPE (Eller with 270, Stanson at 287, etc.), Gunnar joined the league right before the VHLM draft this past season, and didn't have much time post-deadline  or in the preseason to catch up. His earning has been somewhat better than the others, and for this reason he's at #6 in our mock after New York trades up a spot in the first round. Is it the right choice? Only time will tell, but a high-quality, consistent earner isn't out of place anywhere, much less on a rebuilding team with nowhere to go but up. -Gustav
 
7  Frans Eller | C | Yukon Rush | 270 TPE | @Ace
FrostBeard 6 | GustavMattias 7 | McWolf 7 | Renomitsu 7
 
Our experts mock drafts had Frans Eller selected with the 7th overall pick, on average, meaning he would join the Calgary Wranglers as their first selection in this draft. @Ace's player is the 2nd ranked centerman in this class. The Wranglers are actually pretty deep down the middle, but if Eller agrees to play on the wing, the S67 Quarter-Finalists would get their hand on a versatile, defensively sound, shoot-first forward, which would definitely help the team with depth down on the wings. The Dane was dangerous every time he touched the puck this past season with the Rush and he's ready to bring that same level of sniping potential in the VHL starting next season. - McWolf
 
8  Wolf Stansson Jr. | D | Yukon Rush | 287 TPE | @Cornholio
FrostBeard 8 | GustavMattias 12 | McWolf 8 | Renomitsu 8
 
Remember how we said New York needs defensive depth? Even after drafting Flowers, they still need a player to fill out the second defensive pair unless Kyson Blake has a sudden resurgence. Stansson, one of relatively few players to hail from Iceland, fits the bill brilliantly. He's oriented a bit more around scoring and finesse in contrast to Flowers - while he doesn't lay out tons of hits (63 with Yukon last season), he managed more overall points (71) thanks to 19 goals - including 4 game-winners and 10 while on the power play. Admittedly, New York could certainly use a forward to start filling out their second line - hence why Gustav has center Frans Eller going at this pick instead of Stansson - but with plenty more forwards available and New York also getting #9 overall, we can interchange this second defenseman with their next pick. -Renomitsu
 
 
9  Owen Nolan | RW | Halifax 21st | 262 TPE | @studentized
FrostBeard 10 | GustavMattias 13 | McWolf 9 | Renomitsu 9
 
After being awarded defensemen Lance Flowers, Wolf Stansson Jr and left winger Sigard Gunnar with their first three selections of the first round, our panel see the New York Americans adding yet another forward with the 9th selection, @studentized's Owen Nolan. The Americans are at the very beginning of a long rebuild process, meaning they need everything. Owen Nolan is quickly developping into a sharpshooter with smooth dekes and, let's be honest, there's nothing wrong with adding another goal-scoring forward to hopefully future Cup contenders. - McWolf
 
10  Luciano Valentino | D | Halifax 21st | 248 TPE | @Kekzkrieg
FrostBeard 11 | GustavMattias 10 | McWolf 11 | Renomitsu 10
 
I've actually got a bit of a connection to Valentino--he's a defensive defenseman who hopes to model his build after Jerry Garcia. Apart from being flattered by this, I'm more than happy to write about his dedication to his build and well-thought-out (at least, in my opinion) goals for his player's future. Vancouver is a good fit for him, too--if selected by the Wolves, Valentino figures to slide into a bit of a depth role at first, and will be behind all four of Vancouver's defensemen. With that being said, though, look for him to serve as the eventual replacement for Konstantin Mulligan, as the defending champions look to keep their elite status in the future. -Gustav
 
11  Frederik Elmebeck | D | Houston Bulls | 252 TPE | @Elmebeck
FrostBeard 12 | GustavMattias 9 | McWolf 12 | Renomitsu 12
 
With our experts ranking Mr.Elmebeck at 11th position, we could be looking at an interesting choice that could be going even higher in the draft. Clearly, blue line prospects are not a rarity this draft, but taking a quality puck-moving defencemen for an expansion team might be the best possible move. It has to be said, that Mr.Elmebeck is a true offensive defenceman that can perform well in a two-way form as well. DC Dragons first pick in franchise history will be looked at and evaluated for a long time and there will be a lot of pressure on player who will be picked, that being said, Frederik Elmebeck is the person to draft as his leadership ability and locker room presence will push him to be fan favourite for all of his career. - FrostBeard
 
 
12  A Red Guy | G | Yukon Rush | 270 TPE | @.sniffuM
FrostBeard 17 | GustavMattias 8 | McWolf 14 | Renomitsu 11
 
Goalies are where mock-draft-by-consensus gets pretty tough. As you can see, none of us had Guy going 12th, although Frostbeard did have him selected by the Phantoms. Neither expansion team has anything resembling a franchise goalie (in fact, D.C. doesn't even have a goalie rostered right now), and for our purposes Prague gets the goalie chain started. @.sniffuM represents the top netminder in this draft - and with borderline-pro level hand speed, style control, and rebounding right out the gate, he'll be able to do the job for either one of D.C. or Prague. The draft will be essentially one big game of chicken - seeing who can draft the greatest number of other assets before starting a goalie chain reaction. Raymond Bernard is the pick who waits below Guy, and admittedly our pick here only has a slight edge. But with teams like Riga and Calgary hoping to draft players to sit behind their mid-career goalies, it's a bit risky for D.C. or Prague to wait until the first goalie is selected. While Fang Flashback is represented by a high-quality agent in uphillmoss, teams have to be concerned about Kyle Sabertooth's abrupt retirement. In this hypothetical, Prague gets their goalie first and sends D.C. into a panic. -Renomitsu
 
 
13  Micha Sage | LW | Ottawa Lynx | 266 TPE | @AcousticKazoo
FrostBeard 9 | GustavMattias 14 | McWolf 13 | Renomitsu 14
 
Another pick, another New York Americans pick and the rebuilding franchise is adding yet another shoot-first winger. I said it before, there's nothing wrong with adding more forwards looking to score every time they get the puck. They say defense wins championship but, let's be honest, STHS works in its own way and it's been proven time and time again that teams need offensive support from everywhere in their lineup if they hope to compete for Continental Cups. That being said, adding @AcousticKazoo's dangler to Gunnar, Nolan and S67's Boris the Forest is a good way to make sure you'll score enough to win most nights in a couple of seasons. - McWolf
 
14  Kaspars Claude | LW | Minnesota Storm | 205 TPE | @Bruins10
FrostBeard 13 | GustavMattias 15 | McWolf 10 | Renomitsu 13
 
There's a bit of volatility with Claude here, largely dependent on reputation but dependent upon merit as well. Claude's agent, Bruins10, is a veteran of the league and renowned graphics guy. He's also a former GM--he was at one point at the helm of Helsinki (I think), and with experience comes the idea that both player and manager know what they're getting. In Claude's case, the Dragons here pick up a solid earner and a great forward prospect, who isn't hard to visualize as a future star. -Gustav
 
 
15  Ryo Yamazuki II | RW | Minnesota Storm | 200 TPE | @Donno100
FrostBeard 15 | GustavMattias 16 | McWolf 15 | Renomitsu 15
 
One of the reasons why Minnesota Storm performed so well this season was because of the scoring ability of Ryo Yamazuki II. Very disciplined and defensively capable forward with a wicked shot is something that any team in VHL could be looking at. Seattle Bears are already stacked when it comes to forward prospects, but adding another one to push their prospect pool over the top might be a choice to make. We ranked Ryo Yamazuki II in the 15th position, but there is always a chance to rise up in rankings considering how strong his upside is. – FrostBeard
 
16  Raymond Bernard | G | Ottawa Lynx | 265 TPE | @Mr_Hatter
FrostBeard 18 | GustavMattias 11 | McWolf 17 | Renomitsu 17
 
Alright, I'm getting tired of analyzing New York Americans picks. Plus, none of our experts actually have @Mr_Hatter's Raymond Bernard going to the Big Apple. Pretty much everyone agreed that the first teams that should draft goaltenders are the two expansion teams, as they're not carrying any potential future starting goaltenders on their roster. I personally had Bernard going to D.C. with the very next pick, after sending A Red Guy to Prague a couple of picks earlier. That being said, it could still make sense for the Americans to pursue a future starter at the moment and Bernard could very well be their man. Their only goaltender is rookie Thorvald Gunnarsson. He was drafted a season ago but only has 42 TPE over Bernard. Both are young and look like they'll develop into starters, but having both would give the team some security, if one of them eventually stops progressing. They could split the load this season and next, and then move forward with the man they'd consider their starter when they are ready to compete. - McWolf
 
 
 
17  Ricky Johnson | D | Philadelphia Reapers | 200 TPE | @Midnite
FrostBeard 14 | GustavMattias 18 | McWolf 16 | Renomitsu 16
 
While most of our panel have Johnson going to the Dragons, there's little question that Prague would also love to have a capped defender in @Midnite waiting in the wings to join them next season. Like our second-overall pick Lance Flowers, Johnson takes the playmaking/defending approach to the VHL - and with 55 points and a +23 plus-minus, he shows a fair amount of promise. He's shown strength and skating that make him one of the better physical prospects in the draft; as the lone active defensemen for the Phantoms (since Bolt Vanderhuge won't be returning any time soon), Johnson has his work cut out for him. Prague already has a starting point for their offense in Wilcox, Draven, Pearson, and BigShotty - enough for a starting line and some chance - and Johnson will probably be waiting for his pair partner later in this draft. -Renomitsu
 
 
18  Gert B Frobe | D | San Diego Marlins | 210 TPE | @NumberJ5
FrostBeard 16 | GustavMatthias 20 | McWolf 18 | Renomitsu 19
 
The D.C. Dragons, one of two new franchises joining the VHL in S68. As it's usually the case in these situations (don't look at the Golden Knights), the expansion teams rosters have blanks all over. The team got out of the expansion draft with 2 interesting forward prospects and a bunch of aging defensemen, so it makes sense for them to add defensive prospects. Frobe would suit well behind Malenko and Jerwa on the depth chart for this season, and then take over a spot on the top line from there. Anything would help the Dragons, but I do believe they need goaltenders and defensemen more than they need forwards, and @NumberJ5's player could be their man. - McWolf
 
 
19  Aamon Grim | D | Ottawa Lynx | 197 TPE | @aCrypticPancake
FrostBeard 19 | GustavMattias 21 | McWolf 21 | Renomitsu 20
 
That's right - I'm evaluating all three of Prague's inaugural draft picks - and it's Ricky Johnson's pair partner just two picks later. Acquired in a trade from Riga, this selection is the third in a series of defenseman picks. What makes Grim particularly promising is consistency and being a 'known quantity' - @aCrypticPancake has a good reputation in other professional leagues, particularly in the SBA, that makes him a likely long-term, devoted defender. His skill set is diverse - as he's capable of passing and scoring with roughly equal proficiency - and he's capable of changing possession of the puck. He's not the most intimidating defenseman, though you might be inclined to shy away at his 6'5" stature, and and has some difficulty staying on the puck in spite of his decent skating ability. But these areas for improvement are likely to improve with time; for now, he's a raw prospect with several different possible directions: a jack of all trades, and a master of none. His GM will have a large part in how he develops. -Renomitsu
 
 
20  Finnegan MacBurn | D | Ottawa Lynx | 174 TPE | @DizzyWithLogic
FrostBeard 20 | GustavMattias 23 | McWolf 19| Renomitsu 21
 
One of the most productive pass-first defencemen in S68 draft class in Finnegan MacBurn. Even though he is not showing much of his defensive game on the stat sheet, he is capable to hold his own and might be one of the most undervalued two-way defencemen in VHLM. Moscow is very stacked when it comes to the blue line depth but adding another player could be beneficial as you can never predict how much better players will get in VHL. Moscow might be looking at a replacement for Paolo Nano who has been an important veteran piece in the Locker Room for the past 2 seasons. – FrostBeard
 
21  Seabass Perrin | D | Yukon Rush | 200 TPE | @Sebster03 
FrostBeard 23 | GustavMattias 19 | McWolf 26 | Renomitsu 18
 
Back in the good old days of S65, the Reign spent their first-round pick (one of four, actually) on a defenseman named Aron Nielsen, whose agent, @solas, is a two-time Hall of Famer in this league. While a solid choice at the time, he's since gone inactive, leaving Riga with a bit of a hole in their future plans. While Nielsen will remain on the team for now, they look to move on with this pick, drafting Perrin and hoping he'll figure into their long-term plans. Perrin may be staying down in the minors for another season, at 200 TPE exactly, and this may even be optimal for Riga as this gives them the time they need to clear space on the roster. All in all, we had our differences in the ranking, but our average fell into a nice place. -Gustav
 
22  Ryan Busser | RW | San Diego Marlins | 186 TPE | @diacope
FrostBeard 25 | GustavMattias 22 | McWolf 20 | Renomitsu 22
 
Busser could end up going a good deal earlier than 22, if GMs take note of his as-of-late rise up the draft rankings. In the past week, he's displaced five different players, and as a relatively later addition to the league, he hasn't quite reached his peak in the rankings. Here, New York gets a steal in Busser, who's staying down this season but will easily factor into the team's rebuild when he makes the journey up to the big leagues. There was a bit of a red flag with his build--until recently his defense rating was a bit low, but he's recently bumped it up and looks to continue to improve for the foreseeable future. -Gustav
 
 
23 * Fang Flashback | G | Philadelphia Reapers | 179 TPE | @uphillmoss
FrostBeard 21 | GustavMattias 24 | McWolf NR | Renomitsu 24
 
As said with a few of our other selections, goalies are always tricky in a mock-draft-by-consensus (note the asterisk). Technically this pick belongs to Seattle - but our panel had him going to Riga or Vancouver. At this point, there's relatively little that Vancouver actually needs - but with Kingfisher retiring soon, Pouta and Chyrnoble as fodder in exchange for a S68 1st rounder, and Flashback staying down in the minors after claiming his achievement tracker, he can be some nice insurance or a great trade piece should either of D.C.'s or Prague's goalie draftees not work out. On the other hand, if he goes to Riga as predicted by Frostbeard, he could end up a long-term project/reliable backup as Kriketers begins to age. There's marginal uncertainty about Flashback because of @uphillmoss's sudden retirement of Sabertooth, but since he's involved with VSN and a relatively vocal member of the community, we're giving him the benefit of the doubt. -Renomitsu
 
 
24  Willie Dredge | RW | Yukon Rush | 224 TPE | @sjs88speed
FrostBeard 24 | GustavMattias 26 | McWolf 22 | Renomitsu 23
 
Vancouver is a team that already has one of the most well built prospect pools adding a player that could be considered a true “glass cannon” should be a bet they take. Willie Dredge is a player with an unchallenged ability to shoot the push. He has the necessary skill to be a true Power-play specialist for any team in VHL considering his ability to move the puck and skate on the same level as many VHL players already. The only question is will his defensive game game grow or we will be using the term “glass cannon” for the rest of his career? - FrostBeard
 
 
25  Mac Hooper | RW | Minnesota Storm | 165 TPE | @MacH
FrostBeard 26 | GustavMattias 29 | McWolf 23 | Renomitsu 25
 
In most of our drafts to this point, D.C. has their goalie and a couple of defenders. The next natural step would be to give Aaltonen and Gles some young forwards to mentor - and Mac Hooper will be one of them, in time. He's very raw - and likely will spend time in the minors next season - and has a relatively diverse skill set. He fits broadly into the category of winger, with passable scoring, defending, and passing, with the ability to get to loose pucks and quality skating speed. His ice time with the Storm was limited, and Hooper came up effectively as an unknown quantity, as @MacH isn't a particularly well-known agency (yet).  -Renomitsu
 
26  Jaxon Walker | RW | Minnesota Storm | 161 TPE | @hewasajazzman
FrostBeard 22 | GustavMattias 31 | McWolf 24 | Renomitsu 30
After using their three first selection to address their most urgent needs (goaltending and defense), the Prague Phantoms could use their latter picks to add forward projects. @hewasajazzman's player, Jaxon Walker, is a great defensive forward with a knack for shooting the puck, who could developp into a solid 2nd liner if he continues to grow at his current rate. I originally had him going to Vancouver with the 24th selection, but at this point in the draft, players are not ready to make the jump straight to the VHL and everyone comes with an added level of risk. Walker would fit well in Vancouver, but he'd also fit well in Prague's depth chart. - McWolf
 
27  Jeff Tates | RW | Saskatoon Wild | 184 TPE | @PotatoKing
FrostBeard 28 | GustavMattias 27 | McWolf 27 | Renomitsu 27
 
New York picks up another steal with this pick, and in retrospect Tates could be going a good deal higher than 27, if you ask me. This past week, he's surpassed four players in the rankings, and he's looking like a player any GM would be happy to hit after the first round. As of late, Tates has been a scout's dream, but the question that must be asked is--is this too much of a scout's dream to escape the attention of, well, most other scouts? PotatoKing has been reasonably active around the league--he's popped into my press conference thread lately--and has likely drawn the attention of anyone who's cared enough to pay it. So, for now, Tates at 27, but don't be surprised if he's up the actual board a bit more than that. -Gustav
 
28  Chad Gilbert | C | San Diego Marlins | 192 TPE | @Fire_In_Babylon
FrostBeard 27 | GustavMattias 28 | McWolf 30 | Renomitsu 26
 
Gilbert has a higher TPE than those around him, for sure, but drops down the board due to a bit of a lower earn rate in recent weeks. Davos is here more than happy to pick him up, though--he fits well into the future plans of the team at center, established last season with the selection of Dan Gles and subsequently erased this season with the disappearance of Gles in expansion. While Gilbert will likely take a season to see himself rise to the ranks of the men (and women) in purple, look for that time to be spent on preparation and development, for a better entrance. -Gustav
 
29  Liam Rooney | RW | Mississauga Hounds | 149 TPE | @elrune1988
FrostBeard 29 | GustavMattias 32| McWolf 25 | Renomitsu 28
 
Liam Rooney is an interesting pass-first centre with a well developed defensive ability at a very young age. Considering that  Seattle Bears are not very stacked right now on future Centres, adding a young and promising player could be a way to go for a team that at the 3rd Overall pick could be looking at picking up Thorny Underyew. It is never clear if players who are not yet even close to VHL Ready will make it and be successful but you have to gamble and hope that players like Liam Rooney are committed and are the future of VHL. – FrostBeard
 
30  Balentine Kidd | C | Mississauga Hounds | 145 TPE | @TukTukTheGreat
FrostBeard 30 | GustavMattias 30 | McWolf 29 | Renomitsu 29
 
Oh, look, I get to write about one of my players. I signed Kidd the day before the trade deadline, and he's earned at an impressive rate since, making his 145 TPE at the moment more than meets the eye. He's been actively involved in the site and in our locker room since the start, and if you ask me he's just as much a steal as anyone else you'll encounter in this mock. Though Davos picked up Gilbert earlier in the round, picking up Kidd is not necessarily harmful in terms of satisfying the team's needs--with both Kidd and Gilbert staying down in the minors for another season, Davos can take that time to evaluate their progress and decide which center they'd like to keep in the future. -Gustav
 
 
31 * Samuel Ross | G |  | 223 TPE | @Brrbisbrr
FrostBeard 35 | GustavMattias 17 | McWolf 35 | Renomitsu 35
 
Ross is another pick that depends greatly on how the rest of the draft plays out. Gustav has Ross going to Prague relatively early - not surprising, provided his recent excellent growth - while the rest of the panel gives New York a chance to claim @Brrbisbrr's client. What may buoy Ross up in the draft as early as #17 may be his locker room presence and activity in league discussions; he's often seen in the league Discord, a quality that some GMs may look on very favorably as it's a good predictor of activity in the pros. By this point, D.C. very likely has a goalie already (so you can largely ignore the little logo above) - but New York can get a solid backup and some insurance on the off-chance Gunnarsson doesn't develop as fast as they'd like. -Renomitsu
 
 
32  Jerry Wang | RW | Halifax 21st | 137 TPE | @ColeMrtz21
FrostBeard 31 | GustavMatthias 34 | McWolf 28 | Renomitsu 31
 
A true hybrid forward with a tremendous skating ability and good shot is clearly good enough for a 32nd pick in the entry draft. Moscow adding a player like this could be another bet similar to already mentioned Vancouver who could be taking a player with a very low defensive rating. In the case of Jerry Wang, he is clearly a person to grow in your system and help him develop with players that are known for their defensive talent like Randoms and Jet Jaguar. – FrostBeard
 
 
33  Jacob Perry | RW | Mississauga Hounds | 164 TPE | @Liberty_Cabbage 
FrostBeard 32 | GustavMattias 33 | McWolf 31 | Renomitsu 32
 
While raw, Jacob Perry does have a relatively defined play style as shown in his time with the Hounds - he's a prototypical offensive defenseman with a penchant for scoring and reasonable supplemental defensive attributes. He can lay out hits, skates reasonably, and can get the puck to his teammates - but ultimately what makes @Liberty_Cabbage's client so compelling is his ability to sneak shots in from nearly mid-rink. While he's likely to spend another season in the minors - having made his first update the week of July 14th - he has shown ~10 TPE/week earning during the season. By most metrics, that'd make him something of a steal at this stage of the draft, his lower starting point notwithstanding. With triple-digit hits and shots blocked, 8 power play goals on limited ice time in the VHL is a nice mark to hit. Depending on his GM, he may want to be a bit more judicious in his hits (122 PIMs, 186 hits last season) - but some may just want to steer into the curve. In this case, New York gets another promising winger who will have time to grow as their S66/S67 players swing into their prime. -Renomitsu
 
 
34  Tony Bolonee | D | Yukon Rush | 161 TPE | @Tbeez99
FrostBeard 36 | GustavMattias 35 | McWolf 33 | Renomitsu 33
 
This draft class is really a special draft class. There are way more top end defensemen when compared with forwards, but teams are usually not looking forward to have more than one star defenseman. That means that some great defensive prospects are probably going to be sleeped on while lesser forwards are selected before them. It's the case for @Tbeez99's Tony Bolonee, whose 161 TPE is borderline ridiculous for a late 3rd round pick. He's already on the right track to become a massive steal, just needs to keep on developping throughout his career. - McWolf
 
 
35  Killy Foilen | RW | Minnesota Storm | 137 TPE | @Aye my name jeff
FrostBeard 33 | GustavMattias 37 | McWolf 32 | Renomitsu 36
 
In Killy Foilen, New York rolls the dice on @Aye my name jeff's agency, who has a strong reputation for being outspoken and excellent activity in the Simulation Basketball Association. The Aussie winger made his debut with the start of Season 67, just like Jacob Perry, but Foilen goes down the less-traveled path of playmaking, finesse-style forward with flexibility enough to play center (65 FO). With a couple of former centers having gone inactive, Foilen provides a safe option at multiple forward positions and perhaps an occasional welfare claim. But because he's a ways under the minors TPE cap at the moment, New York can leave him on a smaller contract with the option to re-up him should his weekly earnings return. With a whopping tenth pick in this draft, the Americans have somewhat slim pickings; at this stage, it's low risk with a chance for reward if they can lure Foilen back into the fold. -Renomitsu
 
 
36  Bud Knight | RW | Philadelphia Reapers | 163 TPE | @Dilly Dilly
FrostBeard 34 | GustavMatthias 36 | McWolf 34 | Renomitsu 34
 
Late third round is always a bit of a tough situation to be in. The aptly-named Knight and agent @Dilly Dilly has had pretty spotty activity as of recent, while prospects like Alyksander Hunter (not mentioned in this mock) are more active but have a but just happen to fall in a defense top-heavy draft. It's difficult to predict how, exactly, Knight will compare, but this pick will inevitably have some time to sit in the minors while Vancouver evaluates if he'll stick around. -Renomitsu
 
 
37  Jason Connors | LW | San Diego Marlins | 117 TPE | @Klrpizza
FrostBeard 38 | GustavMattias - | McWolf 36 | Renomitsu –
 
Jason Connors is surely an odd draft pick to choose considering his very limited growth this season, but because he has been consistent and had a very physical first season we could be looking at a player who in a season or two might be a very valuable power forward for DC Dragons. His biggest strength probably is his ability to work wonders on the defensive end, but for that to be effective in VHL Jason should work on his skating ability and puck handling. - FrostBeard
 
 
38  Alyksandr Hunter | D | San Diego Marlins | 171 TPE | @Jaku
FrostBeard 37 | GustavMattias 38 | McWolf 37 | Renomitsu 38
 
One last pick for this mock draft and, once again, we see a defenseman going to an expansion team to give them some sort of depth. I originally had D.C. grabbing @Jaku's Alyksander Hunter with the 37th selection, but he could very well end up with Prague at pick #38. Both teams will need to get a good number of defensemen and hope that at least one of them grows into a nice future piece for them. - McWolf
 
 
 
HM Andrej Petrovic | D | Yukon Rush | 166 TPE | @Tyler
FrostBeard 37 | GustavMattias NR | McWolf 38 | Renomitsu 37
 
Andrej Petrovic is currently a solid VHLM defenseman, but the impressive number of defensemen available in this year's draft and the slow development of the blueliner from @Tyler's player agency makes him drop out of the first three rounds of the S68 VHL Entry Draft. - McWolf
 
HM Bruce Grimaldi | G | San Diego Mariners | 176 TPE | @Psyduck77
FrostBeard NR | GustavMattias 25 | McWolf NR | Renomitsu NR
 
Every season, members doing mock drafts stumble on the same issue: How many goalies will be drafted and where are they going? The victim this season is @Psyduck77's Bruce Grimaldi, whose 17 TPE should see him go easily in the first three rounds, but the fact that there are three goaltenders above him in the draft board and that there are really only 3 or 4 teams that might need a goaltender in the near future make it so he falls off our collaborative mock. - McWolf
 
 
 
Word counts:
FrostBeard: 1,082
Gustav: 1,770
McWolf: 1,421
Renomitsu: 2,077
Total: 6,350

Thank you to everyone who applied. Numerous great candidates and people we considered for the role. Ultimately, we wish to bring in a new face and some change to a new but strong organization. After a good, lengthy conversation with the member, myself and @diamond_ace both agreed that he'd be a strong choice to be the next member to lead the Philadelphia Reapers.
 
With that being said, Welcome @DMaximus to the  @VHLM GM  tag. Your new GM pals will tell you all about how that shit gets abused and always gets their hopes up that maybe we're finally firing @Nykonax (Calm your panties, people. It's a joke).
 
Thanks,
@VHLM Commissioner
 
 

All Star game is now live
 
 
 
Come check it out!
 
@Members
 
(Sorry for the double tag it wouldn't let me get rid of the members tag)

The Upbringing of Patrik Tallinder
Born in 2002, Patrik Tallinder came from a wealthy family who resided in Stockholm, Sweden. His family consisted of his mother, Alice Talinder, his father, Oscar Tallinder, and his two younger brothers, Lucas and Nils. Given that neither of his parents played hockey growing up, Patrik’s decision to play marked the beginning of a life they could have never seen coming. Constant travel, lots of spending, and hours upon hours at the rink was just the start for the Tallinders, not only for Patrik, but for his 2 brothers who followed in his footsteps.
 

The Three Tallinder brothers, Lucas (Left), Patrik (Center), and Nils (Right)
 
Hockey started out as a hobby to play with his friends, Liam and Theo. His competitive nature and raw talent made him quickly surpass all his peers, so it was at the mere age of 10 he started playing hitting hockey, going against 11 and 12 year old kids. His brother Lucas, who was just a year younger than him, was finding even more success than he was, playing on the same team as him at just 9. Nils was just starting out, but he quickly surpassed the level of most other kids his age because of his constant practice with his brothers at home.
 
A Huge Shift
Their parents noticed their abnormal skillsets, and decided to move from Sweden to Canada in 2015 to give the boys an opportunity to play tougher competition and pursue hockey as a career. Patrik says that he owes all his success to his family for their time and commitment to bettering his life. Despite all the positives of moving to North America, there were certainly hurdles to overcome, such as the language barrier, and the adjustment to the smaller rinks.This wasn’t easy for the young man, and he had his fair share of issues adapting to the new culture inside and outside of the rink.
 
The Tallinder boys adapted just about as well as they could have, and got back to dominating on the ice pretty quickly, playing at St. Andrews College, a high level prep school in Ontario. They attracted attention from scouts whenever they played, and impressed the coaches so much that their head coach called them “two of the most talented hockey players [he’s] ever had the pleasure of coaching.” 

 
Disaster Strikes
Everything was going perfectly as planned for Patrik and Lucas, and Nils was even dominating his age group in minor hockey. This all changed in the blink of an eye when Patrik and Lucas got in a taxi after going to the gym one night. As they approached the top of a hill on a two-way highway, they suspected nothing. In a split second, a pickup truck was illegally passing another car in the other lane and drove head on into the taxi. Luckily enough for everyone involved, they all survived the crash. But unfortunately, Lucas was paralyzed from the waist down, and lost the ability to play hockey from that point on. Patrik came away with nothing more than minor injuries, and the two drivers each got concussions of varying severity, among other minor injuries.
 

Patrik Tallinder after the accident.
Moving Forward
This event changed everything for Patrik,as his whole life, he and Lucas were intertwined with each other in everything they did. They were looked at as “The Tallinder Brothers.” Now Patrik was alone, knowing little English and being more of a quiet guy to begin with. Rather than sulking in the loss of his brother always being at the rink, he made it his mission to accomplish everything he and Lucas wanted to before the accident, and more. While he was always praised for his work ethic, it then became second to no one. He scored wherever he went, and found ways around all kinds of defensemen. It seemed he had no weaknesses.
 
The world was taking notice, especially his native country, Sweden. He was invited to play at a higher level, the SuperElit, for Djurgårdens IF U20 team. He quickly took the opportunity to face tougher competition and return home to his friends and relatives. Once again, he impressed as a 16 year old in the Swedish junior league, and has garnered attention from VHLM scouts. His goal has always been to win the Continental Cup, and now it’s beginning to seem like a real possibility for the young man.

Patrik Tallinder playing for Djurgardens IF U20 team.
What’s Ahead
Patrik Tallinder seems to thrive in whatever situation he is put in. He seems to have dealt well with the spotlight solely on him since his brother’s unfortunate accident, and wants to fulfill the dreams that he and Lucas once shared. Patrik plans to be drafted into the VHLM, then the VHL, and then take home the Continental Cup to Lucas and his family in Stockholm.
 
For Lucas, life has obviously been turned upside down for him, but he has made it his goal to make the most of what he has left. He hopes to one day help others in similar situations to his own, committing to studying psychology in university. He has also recently picked up sledge hockey, and says that it brings him the same rush that hockey used to. His brothers success makes him happy, and can’t wait to see him lift the cup they envisioned lifting together as children.
 
Nils is now 14 years old, and is already as big as Patrik, and even taller than Lucas. His size and speed have allowed him to utterly dominate his peers, and has been creating some buzz around his own name in the hockey community. He hopes to one day play with Patrik, but that remains to be seen whether it could happen or not.
 
The Tallinder family is one of a hard working, determined, and immensely talented background. Their parents are so proud of each of their children, and have no regrets in all the money and time they put into helping them reach their goals.
 

Patrik Tallinder playing in the U17 World Championship.

Every post that gives out TPE should also include instructions for submitting the TPE claim. Many times when special event TPE is given out, there is confusion about how to properly submit a claim for that event. There are also some semi regular TPE claims that don't have clear instructions for submitting a claim, like the weekly Reddit recruitment thread and the season theme week.
 
For example, the end of year trivia claim awarding TPE should also include a line saying something like:
"To claim TPE, from your player portal click on Claim Other, select Other as the Type, provide the link to this page and use "S67 Trivia Final Payout" for description"
 
 
 

Before announcing the picks, we are excited to unveil the two newest logo additions to the VHL ranks:
 

       

 
And now, without further adieu, the Season 68 VHL Expansion Draft:

Because it's too many people to tag...  @Members

Samuel knew he was talented, but never dreamed that so many people had noticed his skills.  He had never heard of the VHL, but after showing interest in the league, it was clear they knew at least a little about him.  The offers to play in the minor leagues started to trickle in.  Sam had picked an odd time to join the league, the draft had already happened and most teams had a good idea of how their roster was going to shape up.  Even with what seemed like bad timing, Samuel had a decision to make.  He had two offers to be a starter, and while that seemed great, he wasn’t so sure that he was starting material.  That left one option,  the Ottawa Lynx.
     Samuel’s decision wasn’t solely made on playing time though, it had a lot to do with the Ottawa GM.  Acyd Burn was starting his first season for a team that had lost in the finals the season before.  “Perfect situation” thought Sam, “I can learn this league, be a backup without a lot of pressure.”  After a day or two of consideration, he accepted a one year deal with Ottawa to back up Raymond Bernard.


    For a kid who had never been out of the United States, Ottawa was quite a shock.  Not knowing any French, exchange rates or even what the menu was (what is this poutine???) Samuel Ross needed help.  A lot of rookie goalies would feel threatened by a GM signing another rookie, but Raymond Bernard wasn’t like that.  Raymond Bernard had also made a big name for himself in a small league in California, but was much more cultured than Ross.  Samuel Ross had found his new friend and Sherpa on his professional hockey journey.  Ross knew that Bernard was the backup and didn’t mind his role.  Ross told his general manager, “I don’t care much about playing time, just play whoever is better.”  That didn’t mean he was going to let Acyd have an easy decision.
 
                                                                                                            
Ottawa dropped their first game to Halifax.  Halifax had one of the better goalies and were just a little better than the Lynx.  The team chemistry was just off.  Ottawa hit the practice rink hard and the wins started rolling.  Although Ottawa was on a winning streak, the league was held hostage by the Minnesota Storm.  The Storm had the number one overall draft pick, Berocka Sundqvist and a strong offensive minded defensive corps.  Ottawa also was being held hostage by their penalties.  Hockey is a strange game, Ottawa was having penalty problems but only had one big hitter, league leader Anthony Hawk.  Instead of giving a huge, domineering speech Acyd Burn kept his cool.  He knew that Ottawa needed a fresh face and some more practice time.  It was time for a trade.  Samuel Ross had never heard of Finnegan MacBurn, but as a rookie, he had not known of ninety percent of the league.  Soon everyone would know both.  
                                                                                                              
      Finnegan MacBurn was a hot shot defenseman that took over lower leagues.  He was college educated with the swagger of arrogance that came from a wealthy family line in California.  Opposites do indeed attract because both hit it off instantly.  Samuel and Finnegan both had huge work ethics and both liked to have fun.  It was nothing unusual for MacBurn to buy the team drinks after wins and to jump into the post game celebratory antics with Samuel.  It seemed like the defense was solidified, but what about the forwards?
Zeno Mitili was in his second year with Ottawa, but was playing like a 10 year veteran.  He was scoring at a record pace that had not ben seen since the experience cap was put on the minors.  There were rumors of him scoring an unimaginable 150 points.  He wasn’t alone atop the leader boards.  Anthony Hawk was turning into one of the best two way players in the minors, but in stepped another contender for that title, Thorny Underyew.
      No one was sure how everyone knew Underyew would be a great captain.  He wasn’t the biggest locker room presence lacking the flair of Samuel Ross and Finnegan MacBurn.  However, you did not want to let him down.  He was a lot like Oscar Robertson, you might do the wrong thing once, but that was your one time.  If you were in the right place, Underyew made sure you were successful.  Thorny was moving up the scoring ladder and reminding people of another great leader, Mark Messier.  One third through the season, Ottawa sat in third place behind last season’s champions, the Philadelphia Reapers and the undefeated Minnesota Storm.  This set the table for a huge match up between Ottawa and Philadelphia.
     Even though Samuel Ross wasn’t playing, this game gave him the sense of nervous excitement of a playoff game.  Ottawa knew they were good and knew they had a good chance of winning, but Minnesota had looked so impressive this season. Ottawa jumped out to a two to one lead with Finnegan scoring a goal.  The impressive stat was that Ottawa out shot Minnesota 18-6. Minnesota tied it up, but the game wasn’t as close as the score suggested.  MacBurn assisted on captain Underyew’s goal to give Ottawa a 3-2 lead and Anthony Hawk scored and empty netter to take down undefeated Minnesota 4-2.  Ottawa only allowed 12 shots the entire game and Finnegan MacBurn was named first star.  Finally everyone knew how good Ottawa was, it was no longer quiet confidence.  The Lynx weren’t braggarts or boisterous they remained business like and casual.  They came in, took care of business and left.  This trend continued.
Samuel Ross was getting more and more playing time.  He was also racking up more and more wins.  Raymond Bernard was sneaking up on some of the leader boards for goalies.  There were draft rumors for Bernard, but there was business to take care of in the form of the Philadelphia Reapers.
     Minnesota had played hockey at a good pace, but couldn’t keep up with the buzz saws that were Philly and Ottawa.  The minors became a 2 team race for the top seed.  Getting the number one seed was a big priority since it was unlikely the number one seed would face Minnesota unless they made the finals.  Philadelphia had also signed some rookies who were highly touted prospects.  It got under Samuel Ross’s skin just a little bit.  Who are these guys and how do they just waltz in and act like they own the place?  Ottawa had worked hard to be where they were and these guys just showed up acting like they were the best.  Samuel got his revenge beating Philadelphia in a start that was a surprise.  Usually Ross was playing against teams that were not quite as talented or deep as Ottawa.  That helped inflate his win/loss record.  Ross had won 20 games as a backup and was one of the top goalies in the goals against average category, but none of that was as sweet as beating the Philadelphia Reapers.  It wasn’t so much the win or his performance, stopping 21 of 23 and winning in a shootout, but the confidence Acyd showed in him.  “yeah I wanted you to know that we could beat Philly matter who was in net”.  This win put Ottawa up 4 points with 10 games to go and they never looked back.  They secured the number one seed, the best record in the VHLM with 61-9-2.  The team had 3 100 point scorers and leaders all over the leader board.  Samuel Ross finished his rookie regular season with a record of 20-2-2 and .887 save percentage and 2.11 goals against average with 2 shutouts.  None of that mattered now, it was playoff time.
     The Lynx drew the Las Vegas Aces in the first round.  Everyone thought it would be a sweep.  Las Vegas came out of the gates ready to go and maybe Ross was starstruck by getting his first playoff start.  The Aces played great and won 4-3.  They wouldn’t get any closer, however and Ottawa won 4 straight to advance.  Next up for Ottawa was their nemesis, the Halifax 21st.  Halifax had a good year, but always seem to kick it up a notch against Ottawa.  It was Ottawa that jumped out to a quik 2-0 series lead.  Halifax had gone through a general manager change during the year.  Interim GM Fonzi pulled some magic as the Halifax defense and goalie played great and tied the series at 2.  Ottawa won the next 2 and closed out the series to win 4-2.  
In the other bracket, Minnesota managed to take down Philadelphia.  That number one seed paid off well for Ottawa.  Now was their biggest test of the year.  Ottawa had knocked Minnesota out of the ranks of the unbeaten, but could they do it consistently?  The series looked like it was going to be one for the ages.  Ottawa, who had a deep history versus Minnesota who would have had a historically good season except for Ottawa and Philadelphia.  Everyone, including the Ottawa locker room, were expecting a long, hard-fought series.   Have I mentioned hockey is a weird game?                Minnesota was rather un-ceremoniously trounced 4-0 in the series.  Raymond Bernard had backstopped the Lynx to a championship.  The Ottawa forwards had been consistently strong and the defense played a great two way series.  Samuel Ross was a champion.    It was a bittersweet moment, as much as the championship was great, it was his last moment in a Lynx uniform.  Samuel had a big decision to make.
     Samuel had the experience to jump into the VHL draft.  It was his chance to make it to the top tier of a professional league even if it was as a backup.  He could also stay down in the minors and develop even more as a superstar in that league.  After a few interviews from VHL general managers, a big announcement would change the future of the league.  Two new teams would join the league.  This was good news for Samuel Ross and now former roommate Raymond Bernard.  This means that a possible 4 new goalie spots opened up.  It was a chance for each goalie to be a part of history and not have the pressure of trying to start on a championship caliber team.  With a week left until the draft, Samuel Ross made his decision to leave the VHL minor league system.  Sure he was a backup on a championship team, he had put in lots of work.  VHL gms had noticed, scouts had noticed and Samuel felt like he had achieved about all he could in the minors.  Also, what if he took the spot for the next no name goaltender from some part of the world that no one had heard of?  What if he took the next Samuel Ross’s spot?  It just felt right to move up.  After an excited phone call to his parents, Samuel took a week off in South Carolina.  He went back to his life of fishing, boiled peanuts, frying everything in site, and showing his parents his newfound dish of “hillbilly poutine” at least for a week,  Hockey was never far away as he still was an instructional coach for a developmental summer camp.  Hockey was no longer a ticket to greener pastures, it was his job.  The only question that was left was who would draft him?    
 
Holy cow there is 1924 words in here.  Sorry if you actually read the whole thing!

It seems weird that on a 90 degree day with a hurricane churning not far away hockey is on someone’s mind.  Word has just been sent by Samuel Ross’s agent, Brrbis Brr that Ross will declare for the VHL draft.  Ross released this statement just minutes ago.

       After hours of thoughts and prayers I have decided to continue to pursue my dream of playing professional hockey in the VHL.  Although I did have the option to be a major star in the VHL minor system, I feel like I have gotten as much as I could have accomplished at that level.  I also would not want to take a spot away from an aspiring star just to be dominant in the minors.  That is not what the minors mean to me.  I would like to thank my now former GM AcydBurn for giving me a contract, a chance and being a straight up guy with me.  I would like to thank my Ottawa teammates for a great season and memories that I will cherish until the end.  Not many players win championships in their rookie seasons and that is something to be proud of.  I know I have a long road ahead of me and I am going to struggle.  I hope that any general manager that is willing to draft me realizes that also.  I am not afraid of hard work and I’m not afraid of being a good teammate.  Thank you
 

Name: Magnus Erik Summers
Goes by: Erik                              
Position: Left Defense             
Jersey Number: #40                 
Age: 19                                       
Height: 6' 1''                               
Weight: 215 lbs                         
Hometown: Dusseldorf, Germany
 
After a good showing in the Ukrainian U18 league, Erik has decided to move to the states and declare for the VHLM draft. In his last three seasons, Erik has lead the league in +/-, become the captain of the Vinnytsia Vultures, and earned Defenseman of the Year twice. He also placed on the podium multiple times at the Ukrainian National Youth Track Competition in cross country.
 
 
Strengths:
Strength: Strength is Erik's greatest strength. He is a tough, grindy defenseman that doesn't shy away from contact and physical play. Erik keeps the defensive zone clear by finishing checks at the blue line and denying entrance to the zone. Passing: A true pass-first player. Erik would rather keep the puck moving than keep it on his stick. This is supported by his ice awareness and keen eye for finding passing lanes. Defense: And old-school shutdown defenseman. Erik tries to emulate players like Ken Daneyko and Adam Foote. Erik's strong +/- is much more a testament to his defensive prowess than his scoring potential. Weaknesses:
Skating: Erik is not the fastest skater. His defensive knowledge results in good placement most of the time, but when he gets caught out, he has a hard time getting back into position in time. Scoring: Erik has a strong shot, but not an accurate shot. He is sometimes able to generate scoring opportunities off of rebounds, but he rarely scores himself. Face-offs: Erik has not had a lot of opportunities in the face-off circle, and all together, it is just an unpracticed part of his game. Tendencies:
While still being a young player, Erik has developed some clear tendencies in the defensive zone. Erik will most often be found battling in the corner or in front of the net. While not the largest defenseman, Erik knows how to throw his weight around and isn't afraid to give, or take, a hit. Erik tends to be a pass-first player, and is much more likely to pass the puck out of the zone than to skate it out on his own. Offensively, Erik has a weak shot, but his puck handling and passing skills allow him to have some production on assists. Erik tends to play conservatively in the offensive zone, and will err on the side of retreating to defend on opportunities where a more aggressive player may pinch up to try to keep the puck in the zone. This makes him unlikely to give up an odd man rush, but can also limit his offensive production. Despite his physical style of play, Erik doesn't view himself as an enforcer. He would rather settle things with a chirp and a laugh than by dropping gloves. On the ice, Erik takes command of the defensive zone. He views himself as responsible for everyone's defensive placement, not just his own, with one of his coaches remarking, "It is like having an extra defensive coach that spends time on the ice."  
 
 
@VHLM GM

1. Rookie season in, and topping it off with a Founder's Cup win...can't get much sweeter than this, boys!
2. We killed it out there. Had some close games and series, but came out on top in the end.
3. Photobombing celebs.
4. I'd like to stay down in the M, but I have a feeling it's the VHL for me.
5. Six or seven games with a win would have been nice, but a sweep is just as sweet!
6. 60 - 6 - 6
 
It's been fun boys! One helluva ride, and couldn't have had more fun with a greater group of guys. You all rock.

S68 Expansion Megathread
Tuesday, September 3rd, 4:00PM EST (20:00 UTC)
 
Welcome everyone, new and old members alike, to the S68 VHL Expansion Megathread. In this thread, we will announce the two new team names and locations, the rules for the S68 Expansion Draft and Expansion Lotteries, as well as the rule changes that will be made to accommodate the VHL expanding to twelve teams for the first time in its history!
We will begin, with the two new franchise names. The logo unveiling for both teams will be coming during the Expansion Draft on Thursday, however, we are extremely pleased to introduce our two newest franchises:
 
@diamond_ace:
 
 
@Enorama:
 
With the league now expanding to 6 teams in each conference, we will also be introducing Divisions, with 4 divisions consisting of 3 teams in each conference. These Divisions will be aligned as follows:
 
 
The Playoff format will also be seeing a first for the VHL, as it will now be expanding to 8 teams, 4 per conference. This means that there will now be three full rounds of playoff hockey in the VHL, all of which will be decided in a Best-of-7 format, with the top team in each conference facing the 4th place team, and the 2nd place team facing the 3rd place team, in the Conference Semi-Final. The winners of that round will move on to face each other in the Conference Final, while the winners of that round will move on to the Continental Cup Final.
 
With this format, Division winners will be guaranteed a spot in the playoffs, but not home ice. There will also be no cross-over should 5th place in one conference hold a better record than 4th place in the other.
 
There are a couple other minor changes that will be adressed later in the off-season, including the official names for the 4 divisions, but these are the most important/pertinent changes to the league following this round of expansion! With this business taken care of, let's move on to:
 
S68 Expansion Rules
 
With the first 2-team expansion since Season 31, we will see the re-introduction of a true Expansion Draft, which will be taking place on Thursday, September 5th, 2019! With a 2-team expansion comes an additional lottery, whereby the winner will decide if they pick 1st in the Expansion Draft or take the higher Draft Slot in the S68 VHL Entry Draft. The full rules are as follows:
 
 
S68 Expansion Lotteries
 
EXPANSION LOTTERY #1
The winner of this lottery will get to decide if they choose 1st in the Expansion Draft, or take the higher Draft Slot in the S68 VHL Entry Draft.
 
EXPANSION LOTTERY #1 RESULTS
 
EXPANSION LOTTERY #2
This lottery is to determine what slots in the S68 VHL Entry Draft the two Expansion Franchises will be selecting from in each round. The lottery itself will be a random selector of 5-11, where the random slot, and the slot directly after it, will be awarded to the Expansion teams.

EXPANSION LOTTERY #2 RESULTS
 
The team that won Expansion Lottery #1 has decided that they will be:
 
Thank you everyone for coming to the Expansion Megathread. Best of luck to @diamond_ace and @Enorama, in their innaugural seasons! We are extremely excited for the upcoming season, as the league grows to places its never before been.

Thanks everyone. My first time visiting this league but it's really cool and I'm excited to take part

Basic Information
Age: 17
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 175 lbs
Hometown: Stockholm, Sweden
 
Pro's
Skating: Tallinder is a smooth, agile skater who thrives in open ice. He excels at receiving passes on the move, and finding lanes up the ice and to the net. His speed makes him a great breakout option, as he can sneak into open ice past the defense, creating odd man rushes and potentially breakaways as well. Although not the best at playing in the corners, Tallinder is able to make shifty moves to create space for himself down low and escape defensemen who are on him because of his elusive and powerful first step. His top speed is impressive, but not necessarily as big of a strength as his quickness. 
Wrist Shot: The Swedish winger has a fantastic release that should lead to consistent offensive production, especially when matched with his ability to find shooting lanes for himself. While he rarely uses slap shots, they are by no means a weakness. But his biggest threat to goalies and defensemen is his wrist shot. A great release, and some impressive power behind it too. He thrives on the rush, where he's able to find shooting lanes through any defender with quik moves to change the angle of his shot.
Hockey IQ: Tallinder's anticipation and vision consistently make him one of the most dangerous players on the ice. Great at breaking up plays and causing turnovers on the forecheck. A weapon on the powerplay, because of his vision and his quik shot. He's able to read plays on the forecheck, giving him the ability to break up plenty of breakouts before the puck leaves the offensive zone.
 
Con's
Defense: One area this kid falls a bit behind is his defensive ability. He can frequently end up out of position, and miss his assignments when more offensive minded defensemen sneak in towards the net. His desire to be involved in the play can cause him to lurk towards the puck and lose track of his man. While this is something that can be ironed out through coaching and time, it remains a concern for now.
Physicality: Tallinder is often referred to as a "perimeter player," meaning he doesn't get into the grittier areas, such as the corners and the slot. Some players succeed with this type of play, and for others, it is their downfall. If he were to fill out his frame a bit more, this could lead to better physicality in his game. This will take commitment in the gym and on the ice, which hasn't seemed to be a problem for the Swede to this point.
Discipline: When facing extremely physical teams, the 17 year old can sometimes take uncalled for retaliation penalties. Because of his slight frame, he is a common target for hits, and while he's usually able to escape the majority, they can take a toll if they connect and he can get heated. This is something that will likely disappear as he matures, but noteworthy at the moment.

Bump. Is this something that can be considered seriously? I've seen no reason given against that seems adequate to me. 

S67 OFF-SEASON SCHEDULE
Dates and Times subject to change
  
Sunday, September 1st
S68 Finance TPE Cut-Off  (all TPE earned, up to, and including, this date will affect salary brackets for S68) 
 
Tuesday, September 3rd
Experience Points Allocated
Expansion Team Names & Rules Announced
Expansion Draft Lottery @ 4PM EST
Depreciation
 
Thursday, September 5th
Expansion Draft (Noon EDT)
S67 VHLM Achievement Tracker TPE Awarded
 
Friday, September 6th
S67 VHL Awards Show - 8PM EDT
 
Saturday, September 7th
S67 VHL Hall of Fame Induction
Training Camps Open
 
Sunday, September 8th
S68 VHL Entry Draft @ 7PM EDT
Free Agency Discussions Open @ 11PM EST
S68 VHLM TPE Cut-Off  (Any players who have earned 201 TPE or more, up to and including this date, will no longer be eligible to play in the VHLM for S68 - Training Camp may not be claimed after this date if you are at the Cap; if you are within 10, you may claim up to the cap, i.e. If you are at 194, you may claim 6 TPE from Training Camp)  
  
Monday, September 9th
Free Agency Opens @ Noon EST
S68 VHLM Dispersal Draft @ 10PM EST
S67 VHLM Awards Ceremony @ 645PM EST
S67 VHLM All-Teams @6PM EST
Preseason Retirement (Players can re-create for S69 and still play S68)
  
Tuesday, September 10th
S68 Top Prospects Game
S68 VHL/VHLM Indexes Posted
S68 VHL Pre-Season Begins
 
Wednesday, September 11th
S68 VHL/VHLM Regular Season Begins
Training Camps Close

ALSO--something I just thought of. People (especially new guys) are always looking for league jobs, and the job market is highly competitive among the first-generation crowd. I've been hired for a few things so far (GM somehow included) and I consider myself lucky to have been picked for any of them.
So, I'm going to propose the introduction of a job that will not only be helpful to the individual press conference aspect of the matter, but will also introduce a basic league job that can be picked up by anyone, no matter the experience. 
 
(Hypothetically) introducing...the press. 
-Members needed: approximately 2-3
-Job pay: 4 TPE
-Tasks: Members of the press would have the same question-asking abilities as anyone else. There are, however, two main differences--number one, that they would be required to ask questions every week, and number two, that they'd be asking more questions than others--but they'd effectively be earning double press conference points as pay is 4 TPE, which would make it much more possible to cap during weeks where trivia isn't present (or during weeks when it is, if you're bad at it). 
-Though it would be difficult (or potentially foolish) to enforce it too strictly, members of the press would be expected to ask 6 questions in each of 4 different player threads every week--effectively taking idea #2 from above and doubling the amount of TPE that someone can earn. 
 
Let me know what you think!
 

Hiroshi Okada is a Founders' Cup champion and yet, people only talk about the likes of Thorny Underyew, Anthony Amberback, Michael Rasmussen, Zeno Miniti and Anthony Hawk. Who cares if they had over a point per game during the playoffs? Isn't participating just as important? Can we just take a moment to marvel at Okada's stats during the playoffs?
 
1 assist: Great playmakers are often overlooked. Players like Okada with more assists than goals should be applauded.
+9: So much better than Hunter Wagner. That dude may have 15 points but can he even play defensively? I don't think so.
6 penalty minutes: Such discipline, much control, wow.
1 shot blocked: Players willing to sacrifice their body for the sake of their team are rare in professional hockey. Hiroshi Okada can really do it all.
0.09 points/20 minutes: That's perhaps the statistic that's the most impressive of them all. How do you manage to get over 14 minutes on the ice per game and only have one point in 15 games? I don't know. You need to be a hockey guru such as Hiroshi Okada to have the answer to that question.

SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN -- Saskatoon Wild GM Rylan Peace released a short video today some would call 'blog style' after the Ottawa Lynx completed their sweep of the Minnesota Storm at the conclusion of game four. The Wild GM congratulated the relatively new Lynx GM on a job well done and their first championship in the VHLM. Peace also briefly applauded the Storm's efforts throughout the playoffs, especially defeating a powerful Philadelphia team, but the majority of his press release was addressed to John  Perdue and Anthony Amberback. 

Amberback played a critical role to Ottawa's post-season success with twenty six points. The strong defender is second in team scoring, landing just under Underyew - who's immensely impressive 34 points likely wins him the playoff MVP award - while achieving the highest points per twenty minutes among any defender in the playoffs. Of course Ottawa's offensive nature made it possible for such a strong performance. 

Perdue, unfortunately, was benched for the entirety of the playoffs as the rules that govern VHLM GMs dictate inactive members are played below active and engaged members and their players. He averaged just over three minutes a game during the regular season, where the left winger managed to pot eleven points in seventy one games before sitting the final regular season game. Perdue was once a reliable scorer for Saskatoon, so his disappearance into inactivity is truly disappointing. 

The Lynx defeated the Aces in the first round in five games, moved on to defeat Halifax in six before sweeping Minnesota in four. 

Minnesota on the other hand swept aside the Bulls in four, and impressively dispatched the Reapers in five before being unfortunately swept under the rug by the Lynx. 

It was a good and surprising playoffs this go around. 



 

Good series everyone. Great job getting that Founder's cup! You guys at Minnesota did awesome, don't let the sweep take that away. Hell of a team, top class. See you all in the VHL!

Tough series for the Storm good job on all your hard work through out the season.
Congratulations to my fellow Lynx on our cup victory!

Great season Minnesota don't let this sweep tarnish how great of a team y'all were.  This series was not indicative of the amount of fear y'all put in our locker room all year long.  I wish you guys nothing but the best going forward.
 
To my Ottawa teammates:  Thanks for a great rookie season, I can't tell everyone how special you have made the vhlm for me.  I'm glad I got the chance to meet each and every one of you and I hope our paths cross again.  

Condor Adrienne made it perfectly clear he was only ever going to sign for one of the four newest teams: Malmo, Moscow, and the two new expansions which have yet to be revealed (although it's largely no secret where the teams will be). With all four lottery teams having an equal chance to win, and three of them outside of Adrienne's preferred options, there was a lot of debate as to whether these teams would take him at the top of the draft if they won the lottery. That talk is largely irrelevant now, as Malmo won the lottery, the only team to appear both on the list of teams Adrienne would play for and the list of teams that were eligible for the lottery. There were rumors that both of the two new expansion teams had floated around the idea of trading up,  depending on which team had won (with varying degrees of how far talks had gotten, as obviously nothing could be too finalized with the lottery having not taken place). 

Look at those ?