studentized

I made this awhile ago, I swear this guy is a VHLer.... Feel free to tag the member if you're reading this and know who this player belongs to. 

Trade Details
 
To: Prague
 
Brick Wahl
 
To: Calgary
 
Owen May
S70 PRG 1st
 
 
---------------------
 
Analysis
Looking to be the first on the latest expansion teams to make the playoffs, Prague fills a major need with the acquisition of Brick Wahl. With a young, developing blue-line, the Phantoms need a presence in net like Wahl. Now with no first or second-round picks in the upcoming draft, and considering the relatively light S70 draft class, it looks like Prague believe they can put a competitive team on the ice with the pieces they have plus enough cap space to still make big moves in free agency. With a goal-tender with top-five potential, the other challenges Prague faces this off-season seem much more manageable.
 
For Calgary, after a season filled with more drama than the VHL has seen in some time, they suddenly find themselves with three of the first four picks in the draft. This team that, on paper, looked like they should compete last season but instead tanked, might actually reap significant rewards for their actions. Shipping off one of the players most dissatisfied with the team's performance in Wahl, the Wranglers are definitely taking a downgrade in net with the slightly older JB Rift, who they acquired from Toronto. With their abundance of picks, expect Calgary to sure up their blue line and possibly reach for a goalie who could potentially become the starter when Rift retires.
 
 
---------------------
 
Get-to-Know the Players
 
Brick Wahl
Drafted 12th overall in S64, Brick Wahl has spent his entire career with Calgary up until now. Despite never reaching playoff success, Wahl has consistently been one of the best players on the Wranglers' roster. Sporting a career SV% of .919 and a 2.56 GAA, Brick likely has just two seasons left to win the hardware he's been after for so long. Prague is an interesting choice and a big gamble to make a legacy in the league, but after threatening to retire in Calgary, it isn't clear how many other teams were interested in the ageing star.
 
Owen May
Drafted 11th overall in S66, that was also the only season May was a full-time starter. Bouncing between starter and backup for Moscow, Owen finally saw the lion's share of the workload this season in Prague. With a career SV% of .907 and a 3.2 GAA, May has never found much success in the VHL, having never played in a playoff game and being frequently benched for other options in net.
 
 
 
VSN Writer Erik Summers

S70 New York Americans: The Rebuild is Over
 
Season 70 is shaping up to be a big one for the New York Americans, who are looking to jump into the upper echelons of the North American conference and the VHL. Some would argue that they’re already there – a late-season run had New York third in the conference, and they almost took out the eventual champions Seattle in the first round of the playoffs.
 
But now, the team is ready to make a leap. The young roster is starting to come into its prime, and – with filling a few holes – may be better than you remember. Haven’t paid attention to New York in a few seasons? Here’s an unofficial look at what they’ll be rolling out onto the ice next year. And a note: These TPA totals will also be their TPE totals as well, since not a single current New York player is old enough to be in depreciation. And these TPA totals are current as of the beginning of the offseason, meaning add 20-30 for each player by the time the first game is played.
 
Offense
 
Projected Lineup
LW Soren Jensen (515 TPA) -- C Boris the Forest (827) -- RW Dalton Wilcox (623)
LW (FA?) --- C Keven Foreskin (556) -- RW Owen Nolan (576)
LW Jaxon Walker (273) -- C Walter Clements (309) -- RW Ryo Yamazuki II (366)
 
 
Boris the Forest and Dalton Wilcox were the original two members of the Americans’ rebuilding squad, both being drafted in Season 67. Now, as they enter their fourth season, they’re the centerpiece of an offense that is just beginning to come into its own. Forest put up a career high with 71 points last year, but Wilcox took a step back from his rookie season with only 46 - both players have the talent to be doing much better. Potential ROY Jensen, meanwhile, could join them to create a powerful trio for the next 3-4 seasons.
 
S68 forwards Nolan and Foreskin could be first liners in their own right on many other teams, especially with one more year of seasoning. But for now, they form the backbone of a stud second line that could rival those in Seattle and Vancouver. Last season, Yamazuki joined them on that line at LW, and could very well do so again. But I believe there’s a hole for a potential free agent to bolster that group (or perhaps even unseat Jensen in the first line and have him move to the second line), which would create a deadly top six. This also has the side effect of creating a fully active, young third line - which could feed on the lack of depth elsewhere in the conference that is necessitated by paying older players.
 
 Defense
 
Projected Lineup
D Lance Flowers (660) -- D Fredrik Elmebeck (521)
D David O’Quinn (346) -- D (FA? Low?)
 
Lance Flowers might have been the high draft pick and have the TPE total, but it was Elmebeck who was the revelation on the blue line last year for the Americans: In the top ten for defenseman scoring for much of the season, he ended the year with 52 points, a massive increase in hits to 121, and solid 123 shots blocked. If Flowers can regain his form that saw him win the S68 Wylde Trophy, this pairing of S68 defenseman provides a nice offensive/defensive balance that will only grow from here.
 
On the second line, O’Quinn could be the Americans’ secret weapon - following a season with Saskatoon that saw him put up 99 assists and 114 points, he should be a Rookie of the Year dark horse with the opportunities he’ll get in New York. There is a question, though, of who will be across from him. Kevin Low, acquired midseason from Seattle, played alongside Flowers on the first line last season, but will be the only active Americans player to test free agency this year. The team wants him back (we love you @Smarch), but if he decides to take his talents elsewhere, New York has the cap room and the capability to sign or trade for a defenseman elsewhere.
 
Goalie
 
Projected Lineup
G A Red Guy (614)
G Thorvald Gunnarsson (407)
 
If there’s one reason to point to why the Americans made their late season run last year, the play of second year goalie A Red Guy is it. He finished the year top five in the VHL in save percentage (.923), GAA (2.24) and shutouts (5), and he finished just one win outside the top five despite playing five fewer than the maximum goalie games. If he continues on this trajectory, especially with goalies like Pepper and Krikiters getting slammed by depreciation in their final season, he could very well be a Shaw candidate this year. Gunnarsson also provides a solid stopper for New York in the days where A Red Guy can’t go, at the very least making it so that New York doesn’t sweat against the bottom of the standings.
 
Outlook
 
New York’s oldest player is third line forward Walter Clements, entering his fifth season. Every single other player on the team is in the first half of their career, with a majority being S67 (fourth season) or S68 (third season) draftees. This was a team that was built to compete right about now, and for the next three seasons, they should be a force to be reckoned with. They have depth that few other teams in the league possess, and they have the activity to continue to improve throughout the season leading up to the playoffs.
 
That said, the Americans aren’t a team without holes. They really need one more scoring forward to supplement those first two lines, creating a top six that could all be over 600 TPA by the time the playoffs roll around. There are a few of those players out there in free agency - a veteran presence like Svoboda, Materazo or Madden has to be intriguing - and leadership would do well to bring one of them in. If Low doesn’t re-sign, defenseman is also an area of need, even if it’s a stopgap like former Legion defenseman Carles Puigdemont. New York also has the 6th, 16th and 18th picks in the upcoming draft, which could be intriguing for a trade or for a play-now defenseman.
 
It’s too early to tell where New York will finish in the standings. But it’s reasonable to believe they’ll compete with Seattle and Vancouver for tops in North America, with D.C. likely one more rebuilding season away. And if New York keeps building throughout the year, who knows what can happen with a little playoff magic?

Very nice article @Victor and I'm very tempted to do a members tag since this should be required reading for new members.
 
Only thing that I'm not 100% sure is correct is the removal of grading thing in 2018. I thought that we had done that earlier when I was head grader (so like...2014? 2015? because I was still in college) but the more I think about it, that might have just been the "you only need 1 grade of a 6 to claim" change.

Disclaimer: This is a bit of a whistle stop tour of 10 years of history. Where I could below, I've linked to articles which dive into some of these topics in much greater depth.
 
One of the ideas floated around the blue team forum for 12 Days of Christmas was to try to refer to something from all of the 12 years of the VHL's existence. It was a bit convoluted in the end and we went for a simplified approach that you all saw, but I do feel like using the fruits of the brainstorming session. So, barely a week into 2020, why not look back at the 2010s in the VHL? Ten years is several lifetimes in a sim leagues and having joined in April 2009 this is actually a slightly easier topic for me than the entirety of the VHL's existence, so let's dive in.
 
2010
Where were you in 2010? If you're reading this, chances are you weren't on the VHL. In fact, not many people were based on the levels of activity at the start of the year. I won my first Continental Cup in S14, the goaltender of the New York Americans who also won their first cup, meaning that all 8 franchises won at least 1 cup in the VHL's first 14 seasons. That was a fine accomplishment but it did have an end-of-time vibe to it. S14 was also notable for long-time commissioner and simmer Scotty Campbell stepping down from both roles after 14 seasons and just under 3 years. He was replaced by two of the biggest names in the VHL at the time, Brett Slobodzian and Sterling Labatte @sterling, but this didn't lead to an immediate uplift. In fact, in S15, a league-wide poll was posted in the announcements forum asking if the league should pack it in after 15 seasons (at the time, a sim league record). Fortunately for us all, the answer was a resounding no.
 
That was a big turning point. By S16, an inactive third-rounder by the name of Jardy Bunclewirth @JardyB10 was drafted by Calgary – his sudden burst in activity right after that transformed Calgary and then the league when he became commissioner by early 2011. Jardy also headlined the new concept of first-gens as opposed to recreates, alongside other hyperactive names like @Squinty, @frescoelmo, @CoachReilly, and @Phil. This all culminated in the S18 draft, still arguably the greatest in VHL history – quite a turnaround from where 2010 had started.
 
2011
The years after that weren't ever as revolutionary as 2010 but still saw some fundamental changes throughout the league. 2010 was also when the SHL was founded and that became a rival we've had to contend to ever since. At the start though, things were quite amicable – lots of the 2010-11 drafts were filled with SHL members crossing over with varying degrees of success. In early 2011, VHLM Commissioner Terence Fong @tfong successfully pitched an idea to change the VHLM from an affiliate system to the entirely separate junior system we still use today. It was an absolutely essential change even if both leagues stayed on the same sim file (i.e. simmed by the same person, Sterling then Jardy) for some years.
 
Then our beloved forum died. Invisionfree was home to the VHL from July 2007 to July 2011 – I know this because I went on holiday for a month with no internet that year and when I came back it turned out we couldn't post anymore as we hit some threshold. This was the catalyst to finally abandon what was in truth an outdated website, although our first move to Simple Machine Forums (SMF) led by the league's biggest ever flash in the pan, Nick Barretta, would prove to be nearly catastrophic. But it was still an improvement and we ended 2011 with a brand new website to start S24, an early version of the portal to go with it, and brand new custom-made logos for every VHL franchise (many of which you still see today).
 
2012
The next year was spent entirely on SMF and saw continued rise in activity and league parity. The website kept crashing for days on end and we all had to seek refuge on the old invisionfree forum while Sterling tried to figure out what was wrong since Nick had gone inactive pretty much immediately after the move. But we all just went along with it and pretended it was a completely healthy way to run the league. To be fair, apart from that, things were going swimmingly, so swimmingly that David Knight was confident enough to announce expansion, to great hype, to take place in S31. I still think it was worth it and 10-team VHL was better fun than 8-team VHL for at least 20 seasons. Plus, that original level of excitement is still unparalleled in my mind.
 
2013
This is where I have to talk about me for a bit because either in late 2012 or early 2013 I became commissioner at the ripe old age of 16 or 17. I walked over a few people to get there (mainly David @Knight which is a regret but I think we were cool in the end) and can always take solace from the fact that people seemed genuinely disappointed when I stepped down. In terms of fundamental changes in the VHL, I can only take credit for the increased focus on the VHLM which I dedicated a lot of my time in 2013. As my very first act upon gaining access to the admin CP (after changing my username of course), I split the VHLM team forums into their own section as they remained until everything moved to the portal. Then I pushed to change the equally archaic sim set-up where Jardy was still simming both leagues simultaneously, but I couldn't do anything myself as I've always been a bit of a dummy when it comes to the sim. Fortunately, my new right-hand man @Higgins stepped in to split the sims in S33 or S35 and we never looked back.
 
Higgins also turned out to be key during the other major event of 2013: the SMF site being hacked or DDOS'd or whatever happened there. It was a blessing really because it was the most unstable forum I've ever had to use, but unlike when invisionfree went down we didn't have any way of mass communication other than going back to invisionfree if we had been in the league long enough. Somehow, despite over a week of setting up this forum, I don't think we ever lost any members in the transition.
 
2014-15
There was a bit of a gap when we were brainstorming for 12 Days of Christmas and it was in this period of VHL history. Sim-wise I think there were quite a few good storylines but in terms of big changes in the league, nothing came to mind. As one of my last acts of commissioner I held S40 celebrations and then concluded them by announcing that Vasteras would be relocating forever and after that.... I think we just went stale. Nothing really changed for a while in the league.
 
2016
Then came 2016 and we realised things were really unravelling. The same core of members was essentially carrying the league since 2013 if not earlier and everyone was clearly fatigued. There were some cool stories in the VHL throughout this time, probably most impressively Toronto's threepeat team, but whether this was a positive or a negative for the league was unclear. Fittingly, it was Toronto's GM Molholt who put forth the most convincing pitch to date for two players (what came to be known Project Player Two) and in one my last few bursts of activity I saw the band-aid potential for this idea and just ran with it. In S52, our first draft featuring second players took place and the darkest period in VHL history began.
 
2017
I am no expert on 2017 in the VHL as I quit the league in January that year, but I don't think I missed out on too much. Project Player Two flopped and the legitimate fears of existing members burning out came to fruition, while we also let Scott Anderson back into the league and into a GM role because no one else wanted to do anything. Second players were canned by the end of the year and two VHL franchises were contracted, while boubabi and Kendrick threatened to destabilise what was left of the league with petty arguments on a daily basis (it is notable that this was from the first petty squabble in VHL history but was so long-term and so toxic that it warrants its own place as one of the main events on 2010s). Looking back at 2017 now I am very unclear what prompted me to come back in March 2018, but I'm glad I did.
 
2018
For this was the year that the tide turned in almost inexplicable fashion. Fair play to the BOG in the lead up to contraction as they painstakingly assessed all the possible solutions to the dwindling activity in the VHL. It wasn't just the big changes (contraction and end of PP2) that were made in that time – grading was also abolished and a 12 TPE weekly cap established with more capped TPE opportunities than ever before (including the addition of press conferences). 2018 was the first full year of these sweeping changes being put in action and it clearly became a more appealing concept both to burnt-out old members and the new ones being attracted by a revamped recruitment crew.
 
In 2018, the portal also became an integral part of the league. I'm not sure if the portal existed as effectively a database for a few seasons previously (it looks like it starts around S50 but I don't know if this was retroactively added), but this was when updating moved off the forum after 11 years – arguably the biggest change in VHL history. It's a bit ironic that the dinosaur that is the VHL ended up at the forefront of one of the big innovations for sim leagues in general and all credit here has to go to @Will, a solid commissioner but a great admin. I wonder if it was his brief stint as simmer after Jardy stepped down that prompted him to entirely revamp the manual set-up before. Either way, with so many of the league functions moving to the portal since the initial announcement, it's an absolute godsend that he did.
 
2019
With the league structure torn up and revamped and the portal becoming an integral feature of the day-to-day VHL life, the scene was set for the biggest recruitment effort we have ever seen. There's not much more to say here other than that the drafts in the 60s have had the most quality and quantity of prospects ever and most remarkably weren't just one-offs, with VHL players drafted as late as the eighth round. A lot of credit here has to go and has gone to @Beaviss who earned his commissioner spot on the back of revolutionising VHL recruitment. This does also feel like an opportune moment to give shout-out to the guys who had to steer the league through the darker times, like @Beketov, @Devise, and @Smarch.
 
With drafts better than ever we've managed to undo contraction and then some, exceeding old expansion levels with no 12 teams (and it's not unthinkable that this will increase again). Based on the rollercoaster that was the previous decade I wouldn't dare to predict that this will mark a guaranteed golden age in the VHL but if we've survived the 2010s, I'm confident enough to say that this league will still be around in 2030.

Another season over, another VHL.com post looking at team TPA growth. The chart compares end of regular season TPAs from S68 to S69.
 


 
Risers:
1) D.C Dragons  (+3157)
D.C edges out Prague as the expansion team with the most growth. Not unexpected at all that they sit at #1 and #2 considering where they came from.
 
2) Prague Phantoms (+2127)
Both expansion teams grew to a point where next year's playoffs are possible. At the end of S69 they sit at 6719 and 6574 respectively.
 
3) Seattle Bears (+1639)
Easily the most impressive growth number. Seattle becomes the first team ever to eclipse 10,000 total team TPA by regular seasons end.
 
4) New York Americans (+1527)
Not far behind, and almost as impressive considering their trades, is NY. Solid drafting starting to pay off with a bunch of S68 guys all sticking together.
 
5) Calgary Wranglers (+1065)
This was the biggest surprise to me personally, just based on my perceptions of the teams. Calgary probably should have made the playoffs this year...
 
6) Malmo Nighthawks (+442)
Another surprise to me. Losing Matt Thompson means a lot of TPA needed to overcome, but they did it.
 
7) Vancouver Wolves (+313)
Second best team in the league and still getting better. Vancouver did a good job.
 
Fallers:
8 ) Riga Reign (-191)
practically no change. When you are already a top team, small change is a good thing.
 
9) Helsinki Titans (-308)
A smaller loss than I expected, but once you rank around 9th, relative loss compared to the rest of the league is more worrying than the absolute loss itself.
 
10) Toronto Legion (-308)
Same number as Helsinki, and same comment applies. Beginning of a decline for these two very good S60's franchises?
 
11) Moscow Menace (-580)
Lot's of change for Moscow. They were the #1 S68 team TPA team, so this loss doesn't hurt as much as it might look.
 
12) HC Davos Dynamo (-4576)
lol
 
VHL as a whole (+4307 => +358 per team)
Is this due to having more members or more TPE handouts? Not sure, but this number doesn't seem too worrying on the inflation front either way, so that's good.
 

Another season over, another VHL.com post looking at team TPA growth. The chart compares end of regular season TPAs from S68 to S69.
 


 
Risers:
1) D.C Dragons  (+3157)
D.C edges out Prague as the expansion team with the most growth. Not unexpected at all that they sit at #1 and #2 considering where they came from.
 
2) Prague Phantoms (+2127)
Both expansion teams grew to a point where next year's playoffs are possible. At the end of S69 they sit at 6719 and 6574 respectively.
 
3) Seattle Bears (+1639)
Easily the most impressive growth number. Seattle becomes the first team ever to eclipse 10,000 total team TPA by regular seasons end.
 
4) New York Americans (+1527)
Not far behind, and almost as impressive considering their trades, is NY. Solid drafting starting to pay off with a bunch of S68 guys all sticking together.
 
5) Calgary Wranglers (+1065)
This was the biggest surprise to me personally, just based on my perceptions of the teams. Calgary probably should have made the playoffs this year...
 
6) Malmo Nighthawks (+442)
Another surprise to me. Losing Matt Thompson means a lot of TPA needed to overcome, but they did it.
 
7) Vancouver Wolves (+313)
Second best team in the league and still getting better. Vancouver did a good job.
 
Fallers:
8 ) Riga Reign (-191)
practically no change. When you are already a top team, small change is a good thing.
 
9) Helsinki Titans (-308)
A smaller loss than I expected, but once you rank around 9th, relative loss compared to the rest of the league is more worrying than the absolute loss itself.
 
10) Toronto Legion (-308)
Same number as Helsinki, and same comment applies. Beginning of a decline for these two very good S60's franchises?
 
11) Moscow Menace (-580)
Lot's of change for Moscow. They were the #1 S68 team TPA team, so this loss doesn't hurt as much as it might look.
 
12) HC Davos Dynamo (-4576)
lol
 
VHL as a whole (+4307 => +358 per team)
Is this due to having more members or more TPE handouts? Not sure, but this number doesn't seem too worrying on the inflation front either way, so that's good.
 

Another season over, another VHL.com post looking at team TPA growth. The chart compares end of regular season TPAs from S68 to S69.
 


 
Risers:
1) D.C Dragons  (+3157)
D.C edges out Prague as the expansion team with the most growth. Not unexpected at all that they sit at #1 and #2 considering where they came from.
 
2) Prague Phantoms (+2127)
Both expansion teams grew to a point where next year's playoffs are possible. At the end of S69 they sit at 6719 and 6574 respectively.
 
3) Seattle Bears (+1639)
Easily the most impressive growth number. Seattle becomes the first team ever to eclipse 10,000 total team TPA by regular seasons end.
 
4) New York Americans (+1527)
Not far behind, and almost as impressive considering their trades, is NY. Solid drafting starting to pay off with a bunch of S68 guys all sticking together.
 
5) Calgary Wranglers (+1065)
This was the biggest surprise to me personally, just based on my perceptions of the teams. Calgary probably should have made the playoffs this year...
 
6) Malmo Nighthawks (+442)
Another surprise to me. Losing Matt Thompson means a lot of TPA needed to overcome, but they did it.
 
7) Vancouver Wolves (+313)
Second best team in the league and still getting better. Vancouver did a good job.
 
Fallers:
8 ) Riga Reign (-191)
practically no change. When you are already a top team, small change is a good thing.
 
9) Helsinki Titans (-308)
A smaller loss than I expected, but once you rank around 9th, relative loss compared to the rest of the league is more worrying than the absolute loss itself.
 
10) Toronto Legion (-308)
Same number as Helsinki, and same comment applies. Beginning of a decline for these two very good S60's franchises?
 
11) Moscow Menace (-580)
Lot's of change for Moscow. They were the #1 S68 team TPA team, so this loss doesn't hurt as much as it might look.
 
12) HC Davos Dynamo (-4576)
lol
 
VHL as a whole (+4307 => +358 per team)
Is this due to having more members or more TPE handouts? Not sure, but this number doesn't seem too worrying on the inflation front either way, so that's good.
 

1 minute and 21 seconds left in the third period of game 7. New York rookie Aamon Grim is called for a slashing penalty with his team up 3-2. "Just kill a penalty. We knew there was going to be a big challenge left before finishing the game. We just had to kill it". And NY almost did. For the next 27 seconds they held the Seattle Power Play without a shot, forced an icing, and forced then pulled goalie Rayz Funk back into the net. Then another penalty. A hook by Konstatin Mulligan. "That one irks me", Nolan said. "But that's home ice I guess. Crowd was loud and the refs aren't looking to cause a riot in Seattle. I think it was a weak call but that's why you fight for home ice. It probably doesn't get called in NY, no".
 
New York was now looking at a 6 on 3 situation. And it proved as hard as it sounds. The score didn't hold up and Scott Greene tied it up with 31 seconds left. Just 31 seconds. 31 seconds that left New York still short handed. "I'm pretty sure I blacked out at that point. Just felt defeated even though the game was still tied". New York would survive into overtime, and even successfully kill off the rest of that penalty to start OT. But they couldn't get it done in OT all series. "As much as you try to stay positive, losing the past 2 overtimes and the one in triple OT, it just adds that whole feeling of 'here we go again'". And again it went for Seattle. The big free agent signing Dan Wilinsky seals it for Seattle, the crowd goes wild and the once wild run for New York ends with a whimper.
 
"Careers are so short in the VHL, so you really need to make the most out of every opportunity you get. That's why this stings me so much. People will probably say that NY should just be grateful for getting here, forcing a game 7 against some of the best players, but it's all bull to me. It was an even series the whole way. Just needed to pull it together for 31 more seconds." 
 
So what are the positives? "We now know what we are capable of. We aren't a rebuilder, we are a contender. At the beginning of the year, you probably say this is as close to a best case scenario as imaginable. I don't see it that way now obviously, but maybe I just need some time to escape this off season." As a team, New York is now entering their prime. Six S68 players are entering the final year of their rookie deal: Lance Flowers, A Red Guy, Owen Nolan, Keven Foreskin, Frederik Elmebeck and Ryo Yamazuki II. Those are cap savings they will probably never get again anytime soon so it should be interesting to see what they do.
 
For now, New York can only just sit back and watch Seattle vs Vancouver in round 2. "Go Vancouver, I guess", Nolan mumbles as he exits the locker room.

 

Another season over, another VHL.com post looking at team TPA growth. The chart compares end of regular season TPAs from S68 to S69.
 


 
Risers:
1) D.C Dragons  (+3157)
D.C edges out Prague as the expansion team with the most growth. Not unexpected at all that they sit at #1 and #2 considering where they came from.
 
2) Prague Phantoms (+2127)
Both expansion teams grew to a point where next year's playoffs are possible. At the end of S69 they sit at 6719 and 6574 respectively.
 
3) Seattle Bears (+1639)
Easily the most impressive growth number. Seattle becomes the first team ever to eclipse 10,000 total team TPA by regular seasons end.
 
4) New York Americans (+1527)
Not far behind, and almost as impressive considering their trades, is NY. Solid drafting starting to pay off with a bunch of S68 guys all sticking together.
 
5) Calgary Wranglers (+1065)
This was the biggest surprise to me personally, just based on my perceptions of the teams. Calgary probably should have made the playoffs this year...
 
6) Malmo Nighthawks (+442)
Another surprise to me. Losing Matt Thompson means a lot of TPA needed to overcome, but they did it.
 
7) Vancouver Wolves (+313)
Second best team in the league and still getting better. Vancouver did a good job.
 
Fallers:
8 ) Riga Reign (-191)
practically no change. When you are already a top team, small change is a good thing.
 
9) Helsinki Titans (-308)
A smaller loss than I expected, but once you rank around 9th, relative loss compared to the rest of the league is more worrying than the absolute loss itself.
 
10) Toronto Legion (-308)
Same number as Helsinki, and same comment applies. Beginning of a decline for these two very good S60's franchises?
 
11) Moscow Menace (-580)
Lot's of change for Moscow. They were the #1 S68 team TPA team, so this loss doesn't hurt as much as it might look.
 
12) HC Davos Dynamo (-4576)
lol
 
VHL as a whole (+4307 => +358 per team)
Is this due to having more members or more TPE handouts? Not sure, but this number doesn't seem too worrying on the inflation front either way, so that's good.
 

Another season over, another VHL.com post looking at team TPA growth. The chart compares end of regular season TPAs from S68 to S69.
 


 
Risers:
1) D.C Dragons  (+3157)
D.C edges out Prague as the expansion team with the most growth. Not unexpected at all that they sit at #1 and #2 considering where they came from.
 
2) Prague Phantoms (+2127)
Both expansion teams grew to a point where next year's playoffs are possible. At the end of S69 they sit at 6719 and 6574 respectively.
 
3) Seattle Bears (+1639)
Easily the most impressive growth number. Seattle becomes the first team ever to eclipse 10,000 total team TPA by regular seasons end.
 
4) New York Americans (+1527)
Not far behind, and almost as impressive considering their trades, is NY. Solid drafting starting to pay off with a bunch of S68 guys all sticking together.
 
5) Calgary Wranglers (+1065)
This was the biggest surprise to me personally, just based on my perceptions of the teams. Calgary probably should have made the playoffs this year...
 
6) Malmo Nighthawks (+442)
Another surprise to me. Losing Matt Thompson means a lot of TPA needed to overcome, but they did it.
 
7) Vancouver Wolves (+313)
Second best team in the league and still getting better. Vancouver did a good job.
 
Fallers:
8 ) Riga Reign (-191)
practically no change. When you are already a top team, small change is a good thing.
 
9) Helsinki Titans (-308)
A smaller loss than I expected, but once you rank around 9th, relative loss compared to the rest of the league is more worrying than the absolute loss itself.
 
10) Toronto Legion (-308)
Same number as Helsinki, and same comment applies. Beginning of a decline for these two very good S60's franchises?
 
11) Moscow Menace (-580)
Lot's of change for Moscow. They were the #1 S68 team TPA team, so this loss doesn't hurt as much as it might look.
 
12) HC Davos Dynamo (-4576)
lol
 
VHL as a whole (+4307 => +358 per team)
Is this due to having more members or more TPE handouts? Not sure, but this number doesn't seem too worrying on the inflation front either way, so that's good.
 

Another season over, another VHL.com post looking at team TPA growth. The chart compares end of regular season TPAs from S68 to S69.
 


 
Risers:
1) D.C Dragons  (+3157)
D.C edges out Prague as the expansion team with the most growth. Not unexpected at all that they sit at #1 and #2 considering where they came from.
 
2) Prague Phantoms (+2127)
Both expansion teams grew to a point where next year's playoffs are possible. At the end of S69 they sit at 6719 and 6574 respectively.
 
3) Seattle Bears (+1639)
Easily the most impressive growth number. Seattle becomes the first team ever to eclipse 10,000 total team TPA by regular seasons end.
 
4) New York Americans (+1527)
Not far behind, and almost as impressive considering their trades, is NY. Solid drafting starting to pay off with a bunch of S68 guys all sticking together.
 
5) Calgary Wranglers (+1065)
This was the biggest surprise to me personally, just based on my perceptions of the teams. Calgary probably should have made the playoffs this year...
 
6) Malmo Nighthawks (+442)
Another surprise to me. Losing Matt Thompson means a lot of TPA needed to overcome, but they did it.
 
7) Vancouver Wolves (+313)
Second best team in the league and still getting better. Vancouver did a good job.
 
Fallers:
8 ) Riga Reign (-191)
practically no change. When you are already a top team, small change is a good thing.
 
9) Helsinki Titans (-308)
A smaller loss than I expected, but once you rank around 9th, relative loss compared to the rest of the league is more worrying than the absolute loss itself.
 
10) Toronto Legion (-308)
Same number as Helsinki, and same comment applies. Beginning of a decline for these two very good S60's franchises?
 
11) Moscow Menace (-580)
Lot's of change for Moscow. They were the #1 S68 team TPA team, so this loss doesn't hurt as much as it might look.
 
12) HC Davos Dynamo (-4576)
lol
 
VHL as a whole (+4307 => +358 per team)
Is this due to having more members or more TPE handouts? Not sure, but this number doesn't seem too worrying on the inflation front either way, so that's good.
 

Another season over, another VHL.com post looking at team TPA growth. The chart compares end of regular season TPAs from S68 to S69.
 


 
Risers:
1) D.C Dragons  (+3157)
D.C edges out Prague as the expansion team with the most growth. Not unexpected at all that they sit at #1 and #2 considering where they came from.
 
2) Prague Phantoms (+2127)
Both expansion teams grew to a point where next year's playoffs are possible. At the end of S69 they sit at 6719 and 6574 respectively.
 
3) Seattle Bears (+1639)
Easily the most impressive growth number. Seattle becomes the first team ever to eclipse 10,000 total team TPA by regular seasons end.
 
4) New York Americans (+1527)
Not far behind, and almost as impressive considering their trades, is NY. Solid drafting starting to pay off with a bunch of S68 guys all sticking together.
 
5) Calgary Wranglers (+1065)
This was the biggest surprise to me personally, just based on my perceptions of the teams. Calgary probably should have made the playoffs this year...
 
6) Malmo Nighthawks (+442)
Another surprise to me. Losing Matt Thompson means a lot of TPA needed to overcome, but they did it.
 
7) Vancouver Wolves (+313)
Second best team in the league and still getting better. Vancouver did a good job.
 
Fallers:
8 ) Riga Reign (-191)
practically no change. When you are already a top team, small change is a good thing.
 
9) Helsinki Titans (-308)
A smaller loss than I expected, but once you rank around 9th, relative loss compared to the rest of the league is more worrying than the absolute loss itself.
 
10) Toronto Legion (-308)
Same number as Helsinki, and same comment applies. Beginning of a decline for these two very good S60's franchises?
 
11) Moscow Menace (-580)
Lot's of change for Moscow. They were the #1 S68 team TPA team, so this loss doesn't hurt as much as it might look.
 
12) HC Davos Dynamo (-4576)
lol
 
VHL as a whole (+4307 => +358 per team)
Is this due to having more members or more TPE handouts? Not sure, but this number doesn't seem too worrying on the inflation front either way, so that's good.
 

Another season over, another VHL.com post looking at team TPA growth. The chart compares end of regular season TPAs from S68 to S69.
 


 
Risers:
1) D.C Dragons  (+3157)
D.C edges out Prague as the expansion team with the most growth. Not unexpected at all that they sit at #1 and #2 considering where they came from.
 
2) Prague Phantoms (+2127)
Both expansion teams grew to a point where next year's playoffs are possible. At the end of S69 they sit at 6719 and 6574 respectively.
 
3) Seattle Bears (+1639)
Easily the most impressive growth number. Seattle becomes the first team ever to eclipse 10,000 total team TPA by regular seasons end.
 
4) New York Americans (+1527)
Not far behind, and almost as impressive considering their trades, is NY. Solid drafting starting to pay off with a bunch of S68 guys all sticking together.
 
5) Calgary Wranglers (+1065)
This was the biggest surprise to me personally, just based on my perceptions of the teams. Calgary probably should have made the playoffs this year...
 
6) Malmo Nighthawks (+442)
Another surprise to me. Losing Matt Thompson means a lot of TPA needed to overcome, but they did it.
 
7) Vancouver Wolves (+313)
Second best team in the league and still getting better. Vancouver did a good job.
 
Fallers:
8 ) Riga Reign (-191)
practically no change. When you are already a top team, small change is a good thing.
 
9) Helsinki Titans (-308)
A smaller loss than I expected, but once you rank around 9th, relative loss compared to the rest of the league is more worrying than the absolute loss itself.
 
10) Toronto Legion (-308)
Same number as Helsinki, and same comment applies. Beginning of a decline for these two very good S60's franchises?
 
11) Moscow Menace (-580)
Lot's of change for Moscow. They were the #1 S68 team TPA team, so this loss doesn't hurt as much as it might look.
 
12) HC Davos Dynamo (-4576)
lol
 
VHL as a whole (+4307 => +358 per team)
Is this due to having more members or more TPE handouts? Not sure, but this number doesn't seem too worrying on the inflation front either way, so that's good.
 

Another season over, another VHL.com post looking at team TPA growth. The chart compares end of regular season TPAs from S68 to S69.
 


 
Risers:
1) D.C Dragons  (+3157)
D.C edges out Prague as the expansion team with the most growth. Not unexpected at all that they sit at #1 and #2 considering where they came from.
 
2) Prague Phantoms (+2127)
Both expansion teams grew to a point where next year's playoffs are possible. At the end of S69 they sit at 6719 and 6574 respectively.
 
3) Seattle Bears (+1639)
Easily the most impressive growth number. Seattle becomes the first team ever to eclipse 10,000 total team TPA by regular seasons end.
 
4) New York Americans (+1527)
Not far behind, and almost as impressive considering their trades, is NY. Solid drafting starting to pay off with a bunch of S68 guys all sticking together.
 
5) Calgary Wranglers (+1065)
This was the biggest surprise to me personally, just based on my perceptions of the teams. Calgary probably should have made the playoffs this year...
 
6) Malmo Nighthawks (+442)
Another surprise to me. Losing Matt Thompson means a lot of TPA needed to overcome, but they did it.
 
7) Vancouver Wolves (+313)
Second best team in the league and still getting better. Vancouver did a good job.
 
Fallers:
8 ) Riga Reign (-191)
practically no change. When you are already a top team, small change is a good thing.
 
9) Helsinki Titans (-308)
A smaller loss than I expected, but once you rank around 9th, relative loss compared to the rest of the league is more worrying than the absolute loss itself.
 
10) Toronto Legion (-308)
Same number as Helsinki, and same comment applies. Beginning of a decline for these two very good S60's franchises?
 
11) Moscow Menace (-580)
Lot's of change for Moscow. They were the #1 S68 team TPA team, so this loss doesn't hurt as much as it might look.
 
12) HC Davos Dynamo (-4576)
lol
 
VHL as a whole (+4307 => +358 per team)
Is this due to having more members or more TPE handouts? Not sure, but this number doesn't seem too worrying on the inflation front either way, so that's good.
 

Another season over, another VHL.com post looking at team TPA growth. The chart compares end of regular season TPAs from S68 to S69.
 


 
Risers:
1) D.C Dragons  (+3157)
D.C edges out Prague as the expansion team with the most growth. Not unexpected at all that they sit at #1 and #2 considering where they came from.
 
2) Prague Phantoms (+2127)
Both expansion teams grew to a point where next year's playoffs are possible. At the end of S69 they sit at 6719 and 6574 respectively.
 
3) Seattle Bears (+1639)
Easily the most impressive growth number. Seattle becomes the first team ever to eclipse 10,000 total team TPA by regular seasons end.
 
4) New York Americans (+1527)
Not far behind, and almost as impressive considering their trades, is NY. Solid drafting starting to pay off with a bunch of S68 guys all sticking together.
 
5) Calgary Wranglers (+1065)
This was the biggest surprise to me personally, just based on my perceptions of the teams. Calgary probably should have made the playoffs this year...
 
6) Malmo Nighthawks (+442)
Another surprise to me. Losing Matt Thompson means a lot of TPA needed to overcome, but they did it.
 
7) Vancouver Wolves (+313)
Second best team in the league and still getting better. Vancouver did a good job.
 
Fallers:
8 ) Riga Reign (-191)
practically no change. When you are already a top team, small change is a good thing.
 
9) Helsinki Titans (-308)
A smaller loss than I expected, but once you rank around 9th, relative loss compared to the rest of the league is more worrying than the absolute loss itself.
 
10) Toronto Legion (-308)
Same number as Helsinki, and same comment applies. Beginning of a decline for these two very good S60's franchises?
 
11) Moscow Menace (-580)
Lot's of change for Moscow. They were the #1 S68 team TPA team, so this loss doesn't hurt as much as it might look.
 
12) HC Davos Dynamo (-4576)
lol
 
VHL as a whole (+4307 => +358 per team)
Is this due to having more members or more TPE handouts? Not sure, but this number doesn't seem too worrying on the inflation front either way, so that's good.
 

A long time ago, in the galaxy far, far away known as the Archived Media Spots section of the forum, I wrote an article called "So You Want to GM...," which detailed how exactly your friendly neighborhood Gustav came to be supreme dictator of a VHLM team (not in a biographical sense, but in more of a "here's what to do" sense). Anyway, I'm somewhat well-known in the GM community these days as "that guy who sends broken lines from a Mac" (and, as the simmers know, occasionally the client file instead of actual lines). That's somewhat significant as the STHS Client is NOT meant to be run outside of Windows, so doing it outside of Windows is a challenge. So, I'm writing this article to show you the long and difficult process which is getting it to work on Mac, with no guarantee of good results.
 
Note: recently, I bought Parallels for my computer for multiple reasons, both league-related and otherwise, one of which is STHS compatibility. If you're willing to spend the money on Parallels, this is easily your best option. But if you don't have the money to spare on it, or if you don't think it's worth it, I'll show you the long way. This will teach you a perfectly valid way to run it for free--it requires a reasonable short-term memory and a lot of getting used to, but it works.
 
Another note: please don't accuse me of being a Mac fanboy, as I'm not one. The only reason why I've got this computer is for the music programs. Otherwise I'd be using a PC like all you common folk.
 
 
STEP 1: DOWNLOAD WINE 
Go here: http://winebottler.kronenberg.org and click the "download" icon with the green arrow (or, if you're on an old computer, you might need the one with the gray arrow. You'll want the green one if you're running anything higher than OS X Capitan). Hit "download" and wait.
 
1A: Make sure you don't get anything sketchy. When you hit "download," you will be taken to a screen with ads. You may have something pop up that says you need to download something to continue. You may have something pop up which implies in some way that you should be clicking a link, or that you have a virus of some sort, or whatever. CLICK NOTHING EXCEPT THE YELLOW "SKIP AD" BUTTON IN THE TOP RIGHT (which should appear after a short amount of time). The file you want to download is a perfectly good version of what you're actually looking for, but the site may lead you to download something which is not what you're looking for and which you do not want on your computer (I can tell you this from experience, though that's a story for another time). Anyway, make sure you download WineBottler and only WineBottler. 
 
1B: What to do after you've successfully avoided sketchy downloads and gotten Wine... Click the .dmg file to open it. You should see something like this:
 

 
Click and drag both Wine and WineBottler to the Applications folder. I'm not sure if you need to do this with WineBottler for STHS, but it's what I did and it works so I won't tell you to do otherwise.
 
 
STEP 2: CLIENT SETUP
Go here: http://sths.simont.info/Download_En.php and download the client you see in the first set of links. It doesn't matter which one you download, whether it's Windows or Mac, because it's the same file either way. I prefer the Mac one, as it comes in its own folder with a text file that gives instructions that don't work and then basically just says "yeah figure it out yourself idiot." Having the client file in its own folder is actually very important, and I'll explain why in the next part.
 
2A: Get the client to acknowledge that anything other than itself exists. I don't know how to explain this part other than by saying that, when you click "open," there's a drop-down menu at the top which should look something like this when you open it up:
 

 
See those blue folders? If you do this wrong, opening up STHS will, through some stroke of pure idiocy, absolutely not recognize that there are any other files on your computer. You'll see the three white things marked C, H, and Z, and sure, you can click on the Z and find the user folder and find your username and click the downloads folder, but once you get in there nothing will happen--even though you've got a compatible file in there. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THIS IS THE CASE OR WHAT CAUSES IT, But I can tell you how exactly to place your client so that you will see those blue folders in there, and so the client will show you a client file if you've downloaded one.
If you've downloaded the "Mac and Linux client" (literally the same thing as the Windows one, but in a folder), it will be in your downloads folder. Open Finder, find the folder with the client sitting in Downloads (if for some reason it isn't in Downloads, put it in there) and drag it onto the sidebar.
 

My STHS folder. Note how I've dragged it out to the sidebar rather than leaving it in Downloads or putting it on my desktop or something. THIS IS IMPORTANT. Pictured in my STHS folder: the pointless text file that came with the client, the client itself, a completed lines file, Buff Beav pic (optional), and a folder containing the sim engine itself (unrelated to this article, don't worry about it).
 
If you've downloaded the Windows client (and, again, there is no difference), it will again be sitting in Downloads (and, again, if it is not in Downloads, put it in Downloads). Once it's in Downloads, create a folder, name it whatever you want, and stick the client in there. Take the folder and drag it out to the sidebar in Finder--same process as above with the "Mac" client.
 
Now, all you've done at this point is set up the client so that you should (to the best of my knowledge) be able to open up and run it. You still have to learn how to actually run it; having fun yet?
 
 
STEP 3: ACTUALLY RUNNING THE CLIENT
 
 
First, you'll need a client file from the index. Go to the subforum where all the current season's games are listed, and at the top you'll see the index pinned. Open up the index and go to "Main" --> "STHS Client League File." The file should download automatically, and you should see it in your Downloads folder. Leave it there for now.
 
Go into your STHS folder and right-click on the client. Go Open With --> Wine.
 

What it should look like. Ignore all the other stuff--Parallels is the superior program that I've spent money on, File Explorer is a part of that, and I've tried PlayOnMac with this and it does not work (or, more accurately, it uses Wine, so there's no difference--but with PlayOnMac, I can't find a way around that stupid "you have nothing in your downloads folder" thing I mentioned earlier). Anyway, click Wine.
 
Once you've clicked Wine, you may get some sort of error message saying that some setting has to be changed so that you can allow the client to be run with Wine. I don't remember what it was specifically, but I can tell you that I got past it by just looking it up. If you get something like this, look it up and you should be able to get past it.
 
Anyway, before (or after, I don't know) this error pops up, you should get this window:
 

 
ALWAYS choose the first option. If you choose the second, it will actually make the client into a nice app for you--but then you'll also get the stupid "you don't have anything downloaded" thing that's (as far as I know) impossible to work around. Run it directly every time without exception.
 

 
When you finally get it opened up, click File, then Open. You should see this picture. Look familiar?
 

 
If you see this picture, you have done it right and you've avoided that stupid bullshit thing where it won't recognize that there are any other files in your computer. If it doesn't look like this (if you don't see all the blue folders right away) you haven't done it right and you will be hit with that stupid bullshit thing. Get rid of the client you have downloaded, download another one, and follow all the steps again. If you do everything exactly as I've told you to do, and you get this, I've explained it wrong and I don't know what to tell you. I got it to work through pure trial and error; maybe you will too eventually.
 
Anyway...
 
Click Downloads.
 

 
The stuff in everyone's Downloads folder is different, but note the presence of the STHS folder I mentioned earlier in this one. I do not know this for sure, but I believe that having the client folder in your Downloads folder forces the client to look through everything else in your Downloads folder--in this case, the client file you've just downloaded. Double click that.
 

 
You should see this. Double click your team.
 

 
Now you should see this. The "Roster" tab is where you'll assign captain status to players, as well as determine which players are actually on your roster (due to roster limits, you should never have a surplus. But, if for some reason a player isn't on your roster, you should check this tab each time you do lines). I'll skip that one because it's fairly self-explanatory. Now, click "Lines." Here's where the Mac idiocy sets in...
 

 
When you click Lines, this will happen. Just click OK. You will be able to move on without issue, so I have no idea why this pops up.
 

 
Now, here's where the real Mac idiocy sets in. Guess what: these lines are COMPLETE. There is a player sitting in every one of those white bars in the above image. The Mac client doesn't show who's where; you just have to remember it (which is near impossible at first, but after a few seasons I've gotten used to it enough that I'm pretty good at it). You can figure it out, one player at a time, by clicking on one player and looking at the space on the bottom--from this image, we can see that in these lines I've got Ola Vikingstad on the second line, the second power-play line, as well as second in line in the penalty shot chain of succession. I can also see what Vikingstad's ratings are, through the row on the bottom. 
 
Hit "Wipe Lines" first, unless you're only making minor changes. Redoing lines entirely without clearing them out with this system is a nightmare and too much to keep track of.
 
With forwards, the positions in here are not labeled, but they are, from top to bottom:
Center
Left Wing
Right Wing
...on each line. Place a player in a position by clicking the player, then clicking the corresponding slot (single clicks will do; double clicking isn't necessary).
 
When you're done, hit "Copy All Lines." THIS IS IMPORTANT. Hit "Exit," then on this screen again...
 

 
...hit "Save to File." Save it as your team name (i.e. "don't change the name it gives you") to make the simmers' lives easier. When you've saved it, it should appear nicely in your STHS folder, right back where you started.
 
Send the file you just made (NOT the file you downloaded from the index) to the simmers. Delete both the lines file and the client file, so the next time you do lines both of these files will appear under the same name (the simmers will hate you forever if your line file isn't) and your folders won't be cluttered.
 
 
Anyway, those are the basics (laughs and cries simultaneously). Will this work? I don't even know. It's what I'm pretty sure works, and it's what I'm pretty sure I did, and I can tell you that it's at the very least very close. I'm afraid to touch the setup I have now, as I did somehow get it to work and that's a miracle. If this works, then great, glad to help! If it doesn't, then...well, I tried.
 
I don't even know if anyone will use this, but if anyone does, good luck.
 
 
2,082 words, I'll claim for 4 weeks if I end up having to but I don't think I will...you'll see what I mean soon enough.

1 minute and 21 seconds left in the third period of game 7. New York rookie Aamon Grim is called for a slashing penalty with his team up 3-2. "Just kill a penalty. We knew there was going to be a big challenge left before finishing the game. We just had to kill it". And NY almost did. For the next 27 seconds they held the Seattle Power Play without a shot, forced an icing, and forced then pulled goalie Rayz Funk back into the net. Then another penalty. A hook by Konstatin Mulligan. "That one irks me", Nolan said. "But that's home ice I guess. Crowd was loud and the refs aren't looking to cause a riot in Seattle. I think it was a weak call but that's why you fight for home ice. It probably doesn't get called in NY, no".
 
New York was now looking at a 6 on 3 situation. And it proved as hard as it sounds. The score didn't hold up and Scott Greene tied it up with 31 seconds left. Just 31 seconds. 31 seconds that left New York still short handed. "I'm pretty sure I blacked out at that point. Just felt defeated even though the game was still tied". New York would survive into overtime, and even successfully kill off the rest of that penalty to start OT. But they couldn't get it done in OT all series. "As much as you try to stay positive, losing the past 2 overtimes and the one in triple OT, it just adds that whole feeling of 'here we go again'". And again it went for Seattle. The big free agent signing Dan Wilinsky seals it for Seattle, the crowd goes wild and the once wild run for New York ends with a whimper.
 
"Careers are so short in the VHL, so you really need to make the most out of every opportunity you get. That's why this stings me so much. People will probably say that NY should just be grateful for getting here, forcing a game 7 against some of the best players, but it's all bull to me. It was an even series the whole way. Just needed to pull it together for 31 more seconds." 
 
So what are the positives? "We now know what we are capable of. We aren't a rebuilder, we are a contender. At the beginning of the year, you probably say this is as close to a best case scenario as imaginable. I don't see it that way now obviously, but maybe I just need some time to escape this off season." As a team, New York is now entering their prime. Six S68 players are entering the final year of their rookie deal: Lance Flowers, A Red Guy, Owen Nolan, Keven Foreskin, Frederik Elmebeck and Ryo Yamazuki II. Those are cap savings they will probably never get again anytime soon so it should be interesting to see what they do.
 
For now, New York can only just sit back and watch Seattle vs Vancouver in round 2. "Go Vancouver, I guess", Nolan mumbles as he exits the locker room.

 

1 minute and 21 seconds left in the third period of game 7. New York rookie Aamon Grim is called for a slashing penalty with his team up 3-2. "Just kill a penalty. We knew there was going to be a big challenge left before finishing the game. We just had to kill it". And NY almost did. For the next 27 seconds they held the Seattle Power Play without a shot, forced an icing, and forced then pulled goalie Rayz Funk back into the net. Then another penalty. A hook by Konstatin Mulligan. "That one irks me", Nolan said. "But that's home ice I guess. Crowd was loud and the refs aren't looking to cause a riot in Seattle. I think it was a weak call but that's why you fight for home ice. It probably doesn't get called in NY, no".
 
New York was now looking at a 6 on 3 situation. And it proved as hard as it sounds. The score didn't hold up and Scott Greene tied it up with 31 seconds left. Just 31 seconds. 31 seconds that left New York still short handed. "I'm pretty sure I blacked out at that point. Just felt defeated even though the game was still tied". New York would survive into overtime, and even successfully kill off the rest of that penalty to start OT. But they couldn't get it done in OT all series. "As much as you try to stay positive, losing the past 2 overtimes and the one in triple OT, it just adds that whole feeling of 'here we go again'". And again it went for Seattle. The big free agent signing Dan Wilinsky seals it for Seattle, the crowd goes wild and the once wild run for New York ends with a whimper.
 
"Careers are so short in the VHL, so you really need to make the most out of every opportunity you get. That's why this stings me so much. People will probably say that NY should just be grateful for getting here, forcing a game 7 against some of the best players, but it's all bull to me. It was an even series the whole way. Just needed to pull it together for 31 more seconds." 
 
So what are the positives? "We now know what we are capable of. We aren't a rebuilder, we are a contender. At the beginning of the year, you probably say this is as close to a best case scenario as imaginable. I don't see it that way now obviously, but maybe I just need some time to escape this off season." As a team, New York is now entering their prime. Six S68 players are entering the final year of their rookie deal: Lance Flowers, A Red Guy, Owen Nolan, Keven Foreskin, Frederik Elmebeck and Ryo Yamazuki II. Those are cap savings they will probably never get again anytime soon so it should be interesting to see what they do.
 
For now, New York can only just sit back and watch Seattle vs Vancouver in round 2. "Go Vancouver, I guess", Nolan mumbles as he exits the locker room.

 

1 minute and 21 seconds left in the third period of game 7. New York rookie Aamon Grim is called for a slashing penalty with his team up 3-2. "Just kill a penalty. We knew there was going to be a big challenge left before finishing the game. We just had to kill it". And NY almost did. For the next 27 seconds they held the Seattle Power Play without a shot, forced an icing, and forced then pulled goalie Rayz Funk back into the net. Then another penalty. A hook by Konstatin Mulligan. "That one irks me", Nolan said. "But that's home ice I guess. Crowd was loud and the refs aren't looking to cause a riot in Seattle. I think it was a weak call but that's why you fight for home ice. It probably doesn't get called in NY, no".
 
New York was now looking at a 6 on 3 situation. And it proved as hard as it sounds. The score didn't hold up and Scott Greene tied it up with 31 seconds left. Just 31 seconds. 31 seconds that left New York still short handed. "I'm pretty sure I blacked out at that point. Just felt defeated even though the game was still tied". New York would survive into overtime, and even successfully kill off the rest of that penalty to start OT. But they couldn't get it done in OT all series. "As much as you try to stay positive, losing the past 2 overtimes and the one in triple OT, it just adds that whole feeling of 'here we go again'". And again it went for Seattle. The big free agent signing Dan Wilinsky seals it for Seattle, the crowd goes wild and the once wild run for New York ends with a whimper.
 
"Careers are so short in the VHL, so you really need to make the most out of every opportunity you get. That's why this stings me so much. People will probably say that NY should just be grateful for getting here, forcing a game 7 against some of the best players, but it's all bull to me. It was an even series the whole way. Just needed to pull it together for 31 more seconds." 
 
So what are the positives? "We now know what we are capable of. We aren't a rebuilder, we are a contender. At the beginning of the year, you probably say this is as close to a best case scenario as imaginable. I don't see it that way now obviously, but maybe I just need some time to escape this off season." As a team, New York is now entering their prime. Six S68 players are entering the final year of their rookie deal: Lance Flowers, A Red Guy, Owen Nolan, Keven Foreskin, Frederik Elmebeck and Ryo Yamazuki II. Those are cap savings they will probably never get again anytime soon so it should be interesting to see what they do.
 
For now, New York can only just sit back and watch Seattle vs Vancouver in round 2. "Go Vancouver, I guess", Nolan mumbles as he exits the locker room.

 

When Hugh Jass signed with the Houston Bulls three weeks ago, many didn’t think much would come of it. The Bulls were, for all intents and purposes, eliminated from the playoff race and didn’t fair much better with Jass in the lineup. But his play on the ice has turned the heads of VHLM scouts across the league, and he has seen his draft stock shoot up significantly. 
   “I definitely went to Houston for a reason”, Jass said, “I knew there wasn’t much of a shot for us to contend, but I needed a place to get ice time and perform to get the attention of the league”
   Jass did just that. He scored 27 points in 23 games, 13 of those points being goals. He proved that he could lead a powerplay, scoring eight goals with the man advantage. He also blocked nearly two and a half shots per game. 
   Jass projects as both a top pick at this upcoming VHLM draft, and the following S71 VHL draft. He currently sits as the 7th ranked skater in the most recent rankings. He has been quoted as saying he’d be willing to return to Houston, but hasn’t heard from management and doesn’t have any hard feelings towards them.
   “That organization gave me a shot to prove my abilities, I’ll forever be thankful for that. But it’s a business, and they’re going to draft who they see as the best fit”.

@CowboyinAmerica
 

Anyone who watched the stream already knows but hot damn did it like generating the same number multiple times. 2 people won twice despite having over 100 numbers to choose from. Of course we want the prizes to go to as many people as possible so they didn’t ACTUALLY win twice, I just hit re-draw on the lower tiers. As I mentioned on the stream, if you would prefer a prize in a lower tier than what you have won just let us know and we’ll accommodate that instead. We’ll be getting in touch with all the winners soon to get shipping and stuff sorted out. So, enough talking, who won?
 
Tier 1 - $10 VHL Donation x10 winners  - No actual cash value but the equivalent rewards of a normal $10 VHL Donation. You can claim your prize in the regular donation index, just link back to here to show you won.
@eaglesfan036 @DaftRaincloud @JeffD @Cusemode @Jayrad28 @ROOKIE745 @Grant @PadStack @McWolf @KC15 @GRZ* * I feel bad because I looked at the wrong number and initially announced the winner as GRZ. Considering this prize costs the league nothing I have decided to give it to GRZ as well on account of the confusion.
 
Tier 2 - VHL Merch x5 winners - Beaviss can confirm but we were aiming for a $20 value here so I believe this means a VHL T-Shirt. He can also confirm if the designs for every team are ready or if it will be a VHL Logo version. The blue team will be in touch with you about claiming this to get your sizing and shipping information.
@Sonnet @diamond_ace @Phil @Beaviss @Peace  
Tier 3 - NHL 20 x3 winners - A copy of the latest VHL ripoff EA Sports NHL game for whichever console you’d like. The blue team will be in touch with you about claiming this to get your console choice and shipping information.
@studentized @Motzaburger @Patrik Tallinder  
Tier 4 - NHL Jersey x1 winner - Finally the big boy. $250 value to a single person. A Jersey of any NHL team and player (or custom) that you’d like. The blue team will be in touch with you about claiming this to get your sizing and shipping information.
@MMFLEX  
Congrats to all who won and I hope you all enjoyed your VHL 12 days of Christmas!

1) Probably that first game after the trade for Low facing Seattle. Was nice to win that won and really started a string of good games to get us ahead of Toronto
 
2) Better, but not completely unexpected either. Knew it would be fairly tight between us, Toronto, and Calgary so just glad not to be the odd team out
 
3) I think the fall at the start was more surprising. Just. Couldn't. Win. A. Game
 
4) Feeling good to have made it. Playoffs are a whole other animal and they are the reigning champs, so need to play even better.
 
5) May the best team win. Would be awesome if it were us, but would also be cool if Guy gets on a deep run too.
 
6) No idea. I'm expecting big things of our team as a whole though with 6 S68 guys entering the last year of their rookie deal.