mattyIceman

With Sonnet not continuing in his role as Houston Bulls GM given the promotion to VHLM Commissioner alongside me, the position was technically open as soon as the regular season ended. While we could wait until after the playoffs, it might be better to get the new GM into the role early, so there's time to take stock of things with the team, and figure out where to go from there. Taking from our pool of applicants in the general thread, the candidate in question has been approached and after a few questions, has been given the job. Congratulations:

 
 
@VHLM GM @VHLM Commissioner

Alright now let’s put a team in Montreal ?

What goes around comes around. 
 
Hello Hello welcome to the second edition of Wiggles, Wobbles, and Jiggles with your host, the man with a weird name, Jiggly Gumballs. On the previous episode which was the premiere of WWJ, we discussed the reasons as to why the Houston Bulls were losing a lot. Funnily enough afterwards we got some wins. Though this episode isn’t about that. In a recent article by Patrik Laine, I participated in a pre-draft interview. Now I’m here to return the favor. So how are you doing Patty?
 
PL: I'm doing good. I've been developing my skills and I feel confident.
 
That’s great! So first off, a recent mock draft had you projected high in the second round of the VHL draft. I personally thought you were a first rounder but I guess a high second round is close enough. What are your thoughts on this? Do you think you should’ve been projected higher?
 
PL: I think a high second round pick is perfect. Of course I want to increase my draft stock but second round is exactly where I want to be right now.
 
Hmm well anyways, I’m pretty curious as to what VHL team would you want to get drafted to. Adding to that, would you like to be drafted in a team where your other teammates whom you’ve played previously are also drafted there? If so, who would they be? Also just to be fair, I’m excluded from the players you choose. 
 
PL: I would want to go to a team who sees me as a potential star player. If I were to choose, Helsinki and Seattle would be my prime choices. Helsinki is close to friends and family back home in Finland and Seattle is because I am very good friends with their GM. I would want to go a team with Drew Minott. We are great friends and competitors on and off the ice.
 
Well we both know that he’s a great guy. Funny how all three of us rookie’s are pretty good bros together. I know you’ve asked me this in your article, but what made you sign in Houston? I know you have the ability to put up the points and be a great goal scorer in this league. Yet you are playing in a basement team with me. So what made you sign with the Bulls?
 
PL: A lot of teams were offering me third line minutes when I was on waivers. Houston offered me first line minutes right away with premium focus from the coaches and management to turn me into a star player. When I signed, I knew I was jumping into a dumpster fire but I thought it would be the best chance for me to develop as a player and so far it is paying off.
 
I see. So what do you think makes you a great goal scorer? By that I mean, what do you think is the reason why you’re able to put up points? Natural talent? Hard work or dedication? I would mention team support but… well we both know there’s not much of that until recently. On the other side of the spectrum, what do you think is your biggest weakness?
 
PL: Goal scoring is my natural strength. I have a good one timer and wrist shot. I think it is mix of talent and hard work. I work day and night knowing this it what it takes to become a VHL player but also as a good scorer I know when to pass so assists are a good help to my points. My biggest weakness right now has to be my checking. I have a big frame and I haven't been using it to my advantage and I've been working on it over the past few weeks so hopefully I can develop it more over the summer.
 
Natural born scorers are always good. Moving on, can you describe your personality? Who are you as a person and how would you fit in a locker room? Doesn’t matter if it’s in the VHL or in the VHLM, just how would you fit in? Do you also think with your scoring talents, could you possibly be a hall of famer or at least an amazing player sometime soon in perhaps the VHL?
 
PL: I'm a very passionate person with a soft spot. I love making memories with the fans and I enjoy the media attention. I think I would be a locker room leader and push everyone to be their best. I would be fine sitting in a smaller role if it is best for the team. I wouldn't say I could be a hall of famer yet but if I keep working it is a possibility.
 
Possibility eh? Interesting. From what I’ve seen, your assists seem to be coming a lot from the top pairing defense pair of Riley Knight Gee and James Rose. Same goes when they score. Do you think it’s because of your chemistry together?? Or maybe it’s just the structure of how the team plays, with top line with top defensive pairing.
 
PL: Yeah, Gee and Rose feed me the puck really good. Jiggs signed a couple of weeks ago and he has been feeding it pretty good to me for 5 on 5 play and I think our defense will be good heading into next year. There is definitely a chemistry forming here. We all know what to do and put our best foot forward every shift.
 
We both know Houston’s situation in the upcoming VHLM dispersal draft. Houston’s young players including me and you along with Drew Minott will be exposed in the draft. What are your thoughts regarding how Houston will handle this situation. Houston currently has a first rounder from Yukon and three second round picks. Do you think we’ll be able to maintain our core for the next season?
 
PL: I think we may keep some guys but we will lose some as well. I hope I'm picked up by Houston but it is still business and anything can happen so we will see.I think we may keep some guys but we will lose some as well. I hope I'm picked up by Houston but it is still business and anything can happen so we will see.
 
Anyways that’s all we have for now, thank you so much for coming by. I’ve got to say, Patrik’s Picks is a nice show and I actually took your show as inspiration for WWJ. So it’s really nice to have you here. Any closing remarks?
 
PL: Thanks for inviting me. This interview was a lot of fun.
 
It was a lot of fun having you around as well. So that’s this edition of Wiggles, Wobbles, and Jiggles! I’m Jiggly Gumballs and I’ll see ya in the next episode!
 

 
People mentioned: @PatrikLaine @DreMin15 @MattyIce @KnightRiley

Solid article!

Double sim coming this evening, busy weekend on my end.

Welcome back to Future Watch, where we analyse the prospect pools of each VHL team! In the last article, we covered the North American Conference. This week, we will shift our focus to the European Conference. Without further ado, let’s get to it.
 

 
PRAGUE PHANTOMS | 6th in EU | 9th Overall
Top Prospect: Woody McPine - S71 3rd Round (35)
 
Prague saw both of their prospects from last season return to the VHLM in S72, and has added two more. Leading the way for the newcomers is third-rounder Riley Knight Gee. The 5’10” defenseman is a solid player at both ends of the ice and has produced at just over a point-per-game rate over his whole VHLM career to date. His TPE earning has varied a lot in his career so far, mostly because he doesn’t earn an overwhelming amount of capped TPE, but he takes advantage of any uncapped opportunities that present themselves to him. Also new to the organization is Ernie King, who is an interesting prospect. After joining pretty late in the season, King had two productive weeks, earning 23 TPE in that time frame. Following that, he went inactive for two weeks, and only claimed 1 TPE in the next week after that. But then he came back, and seemed back on track, until going inactive yet again for the past two weeks. He could be an intriguing prospect if he finds any regularity in his TPE earning, but hasn’t shown the ability to do so yet.
 
Returning from last season’s Future Watch are S71 draftees Woody McPine and Jack John. McPine is a VHL-ready goaltender having an amazing run with Minnesota this season. His record of 40-5-1 is truly unbelievable, displaying his ability to lock it down when his teammates need it most. He had a brief dip in activity not long ago but is back on track to becoming quite possibly a VHL starter. John is exactly where we thought he would be last time we checked in on him, as his impressive steadiness in earning TPE has remained intact. He has seen much growth in his game this season, already setting career-highs in goals and points, as well as tying his records of assists and hits. This is with 26 games remaining too. 
 
Lastly, we have the recently acquired Adam Syreck. Leading the VHLM in points, Syreck is an offensive monster who has torn up the league for two seasons now. With over 350 career points in the minors, Syreck will look to replicate that success with Prague next season with his VHL-ready status. He consistently earns around 7 TPE per week from welfare and practice facility. Prague’s group doesn’t have a crazy amount of upside but will produce some quality players for the future.
 

 
RIGA REIGN | 5th in EU | 7th Overall
Top Prospect: DeFenz Mann - S72 2nd Round (18)
 
Riga’s farm system is one of immense depth at both the centre and defence positions. They have two VHL-ready prospects, and one of them has returned from last season’s Future Watch. That would be JaredN, an S70 draft pick who has steadily made his way to the VHLM’s TPA cap over the past few seasons. He doesn’t have tremendous upside but will provide some high-quality scoring depth for the Reign. The Canadian centre is in the top 10 in scoring in the VHLM in S72 with 84 points, which is a big improvement on what was already a breakout season in S71. DeFenz Mann finds himself in the same boat as JaredN, at least in the sense that they are both waiting for their shot at the VHL level. Mann leads all defencemen in points this season and is following up an incredible S71 performance with possibly an even better one. He earns around 13-14 TPE per week most commonly but can add onto that as well. He is definitely one to keep a watch out for.
 
After picking DeFenz Mann, Riga would later have two back-to-back third-round picks in the S72 Draft, with which they picked Jay Jones and Bobby Wyman. Wyman is an active member in the EFL and SBA, displaying his experience in sim leagues. His TPE output fluctuates a fair amount, but ultimately he’s still earning enough to be successful. He is a mean two-way defender with a physical edge, which is nice to see in a young player. Jones is also a decent two-way player, but he really shines in the offensive zone, where he’s able to put on a show with his versatile skill set. He also sees his TPE output fluctuate a bit, but usually, he doesn’t fall below 10 in a week.
 
There are some less active players in this organization who could be of importance down the line, and as the trend seems to be, one is a centre and the other is a defenceman. The centre is Cassius Gardner, who has struggled to find any regularity in his TPE earning. However, he can claim 6 TPE from welfare due to his SBA activity, so if he can build on that, he could be a really nice piece for the Reign. On the blueline, we have Joe Jacks, who was earning 6 TPE every week, before dropping heavily in activity over the past few weeks. He could potentially be a good depth piece if he gets back to where he was, but as of lately the signs haven’t been too encouraging. Riga has a decent group with plenty of depth, which is nice to see.
 
 
 
MALMO NIGHTHAWKS | 4th in EU | 4th Overall
Top Prospect: Chris Hylands - S72 2nd Round (14)
 
In contrast to the Reign, Malmo does not have much depth at all, especially with the departure of Adam Syreck. However, depth isn’t all that makes a good prospect pool. What the Nighthawks have is star potential. Their only two active prospects are undeniable stars in the making and have been trending upward for some time now.
 
We’ll start with their top prospect, in my opinion, Chris Hylands. Hylands was selected by Malmo in the second round of the S72 draft and has continued the tear he was on leading up to his draft. He is an extremely flexible player, in the sense that his skill set is adaptable to however the team needs him the most. He can score, set up plays, and break up plays coming the other way. He has established himself in the community with his job here at VSN and is a must-watch for the future.
 
Six picks before Hylands, defender Viktor Alexei Kamenov heard his name called by the very same Malmo Nighthawks. Although I have him ranked lower than Hylands, it is no slight to Kamenov, who has been earning TPE at an almost unbelievably high rate for a while too. He and Hylands have been somewhat similar prospects, rising in the draft rankings around the same time, and finding their current jobs around the same time as well. BigTittySmitty has found his place in the community with scouting, which I can relate to. His series “A Sit With Tit on VHSC” has been a hit so far, and his future looks both secure and bright.
 
 
 
HC DAVOS DYNAMO | 3rd in EU | 3rd Overall
Top Prospect: Mickey Dickson - S71 3rd Round (25)
 
Davos returns this season with a similar boatload of prospects, though this group doesn’t necessarily have the same upside as it did a season ago. With the sheer volume of players here though, you are bound to have some valuable players come out of it.
 
The team has two players who are ready for the big league, one of whom I believe to be the team’s top prospect. That player is Mickey Dickson, who recently made noise around the league with an article about the importance of treating girls no differently than boys in VHL locker rooms. Outside of that article, Brewins15 has been a relatively quiet member on the forums but has been putting in the work behind the scenes extremely consistently. 10 TPE per week is just about a guarantee, and because of that, Dickson has seen steady and encouraging growth for a long time now. Also, VHL-ready is winger Big Chungus, who has been decreasing inactivity lately. Following the S71 Draft, Chungus quickly proved himself to be a huge steal for his draft slot and had a fantastic VHLM season with Ottawa. He is on pace to improve his goal total this season as well, even after the team lost last season’s MVP,  Richard Penisson. If Chungus could just get back to where he was a mere four weeks ago, he goes from a decent prospect to possibly Davos’ best.
 
With two second-round picks in the S72 Draft, Davos elected to choose forwards Joe Exotic and Jer Lefebvre. Joe Exotic is bordering on inactive at this point, but could be a thrilling prospect for the Dynamo should he return. Lefebvre was a bit of a reach at his draft position at the time of the draft but has wasted no time at all in proving his worth to anyone who doubted him. He has earned 69 TPE in under four weeks since the draft and is putting up some nice numbers in the VHLM.
 
Consistency is one of the most common issues for less active prospects, as not everyone has the time or willingness to update every week. Gino Alkamino has flirted with inactivity many times but has ultimately stuck around for three VHLM seasons now. The tendency for his activity to go up and down leads me to believe there isn’t a ton of upside here, but he could definitely be a solid depth piece at the VHL level as long as his activity outweighs his inactivity. Someone who’s had these same habits for even longer than Alkamino is King Kruul. He goes inactive for weeks at a time but never seems to walk away entirely from the league. Being an S69 prospect, his potential is not very high, but he could also serve as a depth piece if he can bring his TPE from 217 to 250 soon enough.
 
In the fourth round of the S72 Draft, Davos seems to have found a lot of success. They picked Turner McHugh with the 37th pick, and he has been exactly what they hoped for. McHugh is a skilful playmaker, which are less common in today’s VHL. His skating and vision stand out the most, and hopefully, they can translate to success at a higher level of play. The team followed McHugh’s selection with American defenceman Chance Rust. This season, Rust returned for his second World Junior Championship, and unfortunately fell to Team Europe in the finals. Rust is a great puck-moving defenceman and will be a solid addition to the Dynamo’s blueline once he reaches the VHL. One more S72 fourth-round pick has become a player to keep an eye on, and that would be Jared Willis. He went from earning 2-6 TPE per week prior to the draft, to an average of 13 since then. His draft position may cause him to have a lower profile than most, but his promise is up there with some of the names taken above him.
 
While it isn’t a player’s dream to go in the fourth round, some would consider them lucky. Multiple prospects go undrafted each season and need to get themselves noticed by VHL teams in order to get a contract to keep their dream alive. Davos has two of these players, being Riley Walker and Trey Nets. Neither of them have been too active lately, but Trey Nets specifically has shown VHL promise early in his career. He left a comment on last season’s Future Watch, explaining that he had to step away from the league for a bit due to some terrible circumstances and that he would be back soon. We here at VSN are rooting for you, and wish you the best moving forward.
 

 
HELSINKI TITANS | 2nd in EU | 2nd Overall
Top Prospect: Spencer Elsby - S72 2nd Round (17)
 
Helsinki saw a big change in the structure of their prospect pool this season. Last season, the draw of their group was the number of decent players who were almost VHL-ready. Well, those players have moved on to the VHL, and now this group has had a complete identity shift. The thing about the active prospects in this system is that each one has shown notable potential. Starting off with the highest potential player, we have my VSN Scouting partner, Spencer Elsby. Elsby has a job as the AGM of Philadelphia, and one as a scout and writer for VSN. As far as his player is concerned, he is unquestionably among the top prospects league-wide. He is approaching 300 TPE and has made his mark on the ice as a premium two-way defender with the potential to quarterback a powerplay. Elsby is a big part of Helsinki’s future and adds onto an already exciting group of defencemen.
 
Also selected in the S72 draft were Zamboni Driver and James Rose. Zamboni Driver seems to be on pace to become Helsinki’s starter one day with his recent increase in productivity TPE-wise. He has been a quality goaltender for two seasons in the VHLM now and has already produced a great VHL player with Joey Boucher. Rose has been earning nicely as well and seems to be yet another fine defenceman in this prospect pool. I would say he is more of a two-way defender with a versatile offensive tool kit and a good mind for the game. Both of these players just back up the idea that the S72 Draft was an absolute slam dunk for this Helsinki team, and will fuel them in the future.
 
Taking a trip back to the previous draft, Bob Helminen and Hex Valentine make their returns to this list in S72. Last season, I called Valentine and Ike Bennett wildcards for the Titans, as Valentine had just come back from a long stretch of inactivity, and Bennett had just gone inactive. This label proved to be accurate, as one ended up inactive, and the other one is still around. Valentine is quite possibly poised to be the backup to Driver if everything stays how it is now, given that his period of inactivity has made it difficult to catch up with his peers. Helminen is back as well, though he certainly won’t be next season. A VHL-ready prospect, the Finnish winger is currently pushing for a goal-per-game average on the season. He has earned his TPE very steadily over the course of time, not necessarily blowing anyone away with it, but proving his reliability. Overall, Helsinki has some nice pieces at all positions and a good foundation for the future with this unit.
 

 
MOSCOW MENACE | 1st in EU | 1st Overall
Top Prospect: Alex Letang - S72 1st Round (11)
 
Moscow’s prospect pool is one with undeniable promise, and the one that I truly believe is at the top of the VHL. Headlining this group are two first-round picks in the S72 VHL Draft, being Lucas Brandt and Alex Letang. Brandt is a centre with close to 300 TPE, and an amazing ability to put the puck in the net seemingly at will. The amount of ground he’s been able to make up on the other stars of his draft class has been a sight to see, considering how late he joined in relation to the majority of them. Letang was recently named Las Vegas’ GM after the resignation of Proto, and also holds a job as an updater. He is a defenceman with high upside on both ends of the ice and is with Brandt on the road to VHL stardom.
 
On the trade front, Moscow has been extremely active in obtaining prospects over the past season. Most recently was Kazimir Komarov, who we actually covered in this season’s North American Future Watch. Komarov has a rich family history, some untapped potential, but also some struggles with consistency. They have also received two S72 draftees, one of which was directly after the draft. Remy Moreau would be that player, and he has inspired a lot of confidence since the deal. A period of inactivity dropped Moreau’s draft stock, but with five consecutive weeks of 12+ TPE, he seems to have left that in the past. Acquired from Davos, Michael Hall makes up the other half of S72 draftees traded to the Menace. Hall has been reliable in his weekly TPE output, with at least 8 TPE in all except his first week. He’s on pace for a second straight 30 goal season in the VHLM, and could even push for 40. He’s a goal scorer at heart, with a great release and some remarkable skating ability. He, along with the other two acquired by trades, is on track to become important parts of this team should their activity stay up.
 
In terms of their own success at the S72 VHL Draft, this team had it in abundance, especially in the later rounds. Kicking off their later picks is Keith Krestanovich, who they chose early in the third round. Krestanovich earns a base of 8 TPE per week and frequently adds onto that as well. His player is a quality sniper with a lot of offensive potentials, but his defensive game is lacking. Moving on, Moscow then picked Cole Newhook later in that same round. Newhook was a late joiner, and only really hit his stride in the league after the draft. Now, he is one of the most active members on the forums and earning far more TPE than ever before. There is legitimate star potential here if everything goes right, which is rarely said for a third-rounder. With the second last pick in the draft, the Menace struck gold yet again with Pietro Angellini. This is another player with star potential, and who only showed that after the draft. He excels in protecting the puck down low and taking it to the net as much as possible. He went from earning 37 TPE over his first 8 weeks, to suddenly earning 89 over the next 4. Hopefully, all these prospects can keep it up because there is an almost unfathomable amount of upside to this group.
 
That concludes another season of Future Watch. I wish the best for all these prospects, and hope to see you at the VHL level soon!
 
Here at VSN, there are many outlets for you to follow these prospects yourself. Consider catching up on the WJC with daily updates, or seeing if any of them are making noise in the minors with VHLM Weekly! Here is some of VSN’s most recent work:
WJC Updates | Deep Rewind | VHL Weekly | VHLM Weekly
 
Players mentioned: @KnightRiley @Greg Ernest @HearnNation67 @GoadenGoalie35 @Spade18 @jared @Mike @TTtheT @Lefty_S @jhatty8 @ashton112 @Hylands33 @BigTittySmitty @Brewins15 @Ferda @Joe Exotic @Jer_Lefebvre @ChaceT @LefLop @Turner @turkey2349 @Jared Willis @GlowyGoat @KillaScrilla @Spence King @Tape-to-Tape @MattyIce @Big Bob @DrHexDex @twists @Spartan @Gooningitup @Da Trifecta @Hops @Boragina @GrittyIsKing09 @okifenoki

So by the time I'm posting this I literally just joined. Since this is a place of discussion I would honestly like to share my first impressions on the VHL and what I think of this place.

I first discovered this place via a good friend of mine @PatrikLaine. He out of the blue just asked me if I wanted to join. I hesitated but I figured why not? So I signed up and, all I can say is just wow. I'm loving this place. I loved how welcoming it was and I honestly felt I fit right in. Though I honestly didn't know how to react when people welcomed me since I suck at social interactions. At first glance, I struggled navigating through the place since I didn't know what I was doing. I simply asked Patrik for help and figured out how to create my player. I didn't exactly know what to name my guy since I didn't know if people put proper names or meme names at the time, so I ended up just using my username as my player name. I learned that only after I had created my player though I should've known on my part. I already knew what kind of player I wanted so I allocated my points I started off with and literally just asked Patrik for more guidance for my lack of knowledge.

I soon learned stuff about TPE and how to get them. When I noticed how detailed people were with their players and how much thought others put into their stuff with full on banners, I honestly fell in love with the place even more. I knew that this place was for me. I wanted to participate more in this community. I joined the discord and then I went to work with my junior review as I pondered on which team to join. Whilst writing my junior review, I realized how lacking my hockey knowledge really was compared to others and that made me want to learn more. The amount of detail and just how great the community felt made me want to participate more and improve my knowledge and make myself better. I'm a harsh critic on my work so I also felt that my junior review was bad. However, it's still my first day so I can only go up from here.

I eventually joined the Houston Bulls of the VHML and I again, loved the great community. I almost immediately felt pride being a Bull and felt like I was part of the team. I then learned a bit more on how things work around here and decided to participate in the team's press conference. This is where I ran a bit of trouble and unintentionally making a new topic rather than replying to the one I was supposed to. I'm sorry for that but I was still trying to navigate through things. Once I figured that out I tried to fix my mistake and just went on with my day. Occasionally checking back on any news.

My honest first impressions were all positive with my only real issue is navigating through messages and forums. Though that's on me.

In the future, I personally would love to be in a GM or AGM position after seeing how nice this place is. Though since I literally just joined, I need to further develop myself in this community and as well as to sharpen my understanding of the league and how it works. I really feel like this place is awesome and I may recommend this to others who I think would appreciate this as well. I personally want to thank everyone in staff, the GMs and just the people here in general for being great. It's fun being here and I'll definitely stick around. I hope I can have fun here with everyone around.

"Man, what a fun ride that was!"
 
James Rose, amidst the failure of moving onward past the semi finals in the s72 World Junior Championship, truly cherished his experience.
 
"It was simply incredible to play with and against such awesome players.  I had played with Kamenov last season in Mexico, Mjers was my defense partner in Halifax at the start of this season and we had some pretty great games over there, before we got moved to other teams.  Now I play with Riley Knight Gee in Houston and we didn't get paired together but hey, I'm not the coach or in management.  We're still trying to hold down some kind of fort in Houston, so we have our hands full with that at the moment."
 
Rose did manage to have a decent tournament.  While playing with rookie VHLers and top echelon VHLM players, he did manage to put up a solid performance in the round-robin tournament.  Rose finished 5th on team in scoring with a goal and seven assists in eight games, maintaining an even plus-minus, leading the team in hits with 27 and getting only 3 minor infractions called against him.  Other interesting stat lines include finishing second in the tournament in blocked shots with 25, one less than leader and teammate, Viktor Alexei Kamenov, with 26.  His hit total is good for 5th best, and the most glaring stat that should be paid attention to is his total minutes played. With 236 minutes played, he's good for 6th highest workload in the tournament.
 
"Yeah the whole experience was pretty thrilling, but out there on the ice, those were some REALLY tough minutes..." said Rose.  "Many of the guys out there were really in it to win it.  That's what was thrilling the most.  Even the locker rooms were pretty active and eager to intermingle, everyone wanted to bring their 'A' game, everyone assumed a role, even the trash talkers.  I got to see some familiar faces, like Chris Hylands and Timothy Brown, and meet so many new people.  From top to bottom, it was incredible."
 
"That last game against Europe, we weren't good.  I was dreadful, I played 31:28, was a minus three and i have so many bruises from blocking what seemed like 20 shots, even though the stats say seven shots blocked.  It was a difficult game to get a rhythm going, power plays and penalty kills, I was really gassed and I hate admitting that, I wasn't good and I realized from that point, I need to get to another level..."
 
Despite being out of the tournament, Rose is back in Houston, trying to help get his squad out of last place.  He even showed his happy-go-lucky type personality when being asked who was going to win it all.
 
"Well, right now it looks like the US got their big boy pants on after we defeated them on day one, heh.  They'll most likely win it all, but I hope I'm wrong.  I'd like to see Europe win, get Hylands another moment of glory"
 
"Man, what a fun ride that was.  What an experience for rookies..."
 
 
People mentions:
@BigTittySmitty Kamenov
@a_Ferk Brown
@InstantRockstar Mjers
@Hylands33 Hylands
@KnightRiley Knight Gee
 

PL: Welcome to the first episode of Patrik's Picks. Today, we have a special guest on the show with us. A Famous VHLM GM who has a lasting legacy on the league and just recently was appointed to league commissioner. Please welcome to the show Sonnet!
 
Sonnet: ? Hello, happy to be here!
 
PL: How have things been going for you?
 
Sonnet: Things have been alright- getting used to a whole new position has been a weird change for sure, but one that I'll hopefully settle into sooner rather than later.
 
PL: Yeah, your change to league commissioner was very sudden, did you know about it beforehand?

Sonnet: I didn't, no; I just woke up one morning to a DM from Quik asking me if I wanted to step into the role. I had no idea what was going on, or even why the position was open, but I was honored to even be considered for the spot.

PL: With your change to the commissioner role, you also have to step down as the GM of the Houston Bulls. How does it feel to be stepping down in Houston having won awards there and built the team you did this past season?

Sonnet: It's especially frustrating having to step down at the end of this year, because season 73 is a year primed for the return of a competitive Houston roster. Unlike last year, I would have had picks to bring back a lot of the great waiver signings that stuck with me through a difficult tank year. This season, especially, features a great crop of young talent that I hate leaving behind. Hopefully my successor is able to bring the pieces back together and put forth a competitive roster to wipe away the memories of these last two seasons.

PL: When you talk about young players who have the potential to turn into stars, Houston has a couple. You guys signed Patrik Laine off of waivers and he is now projected as the best skater in the VHLM Dispersal Draft. You guys also got James Rose out of a trade. However, with all this star power that Houston has, you guys only have 3 wins on the season even though a lot of the games have been close. What do you think about the future of these young players and how will you help Houston get over the hump with half of the season still in front of us?

Sonnet: I have no doubt that the young stars of our team are going to develop into stars on a league-wide scale, probably sooner rather than later. Laine, specifically, has been everything you could ever want out of a player. He's a prominent voice in the locker room, always expressing where his mind and heart are at- you can really tell that he wants the best for not only himself, but those around him as well. Rose and Knight Gee are two guys that are going to ease the transition into a top level team, they're a blue line pairing that many teams don't have the luxury of staffing. I also think Drew Minott is going to be a future starter for somebody; he hit the ground running as soon as he signed and hasn't looked back. Overall, I feel like all of our stars have the attitude and the grit to cement themselves as top players in the VHLM next year, and maybe even top players in the VHL somewhere down the line.
 
With half of the season left to go, I'm hoping to keep heads held high and eyes looking forward. It's not going to be an easy 30 games, but what's over the horizon is far brighter than anything we're going to see in the immediate future. There's a lot of hockey left to play and a lot of years left on the careers of these guys- if we can take this one day, one game at a time, I think we'll be okay

PL: With Laine and Minott, they had received offers from other teams. Minott was offered a backup role in Las Vegas and Laine was offered 3rd line minutes on various VHLM clubs including top-seeded teams like Minnesota and Mexico City. Did Laine and Minott every tell you why they decided to sign with Houston?

Sonnet: I don't know that they've ever said it formally, but both of them came in with the mindset that they had something to prove, and Houston was the place that offered them a chance to go out there and do it. Both are competitive and want to win more than anything, but they want to do it on their terms rather than by riding the coattails of a full roster of guys above them. A challenge was presented before them, and they opted not to take the easy way out. It's a difficult thing to commit to, but I think it speaks volumes about their mental fortitude and drive to be successful.
 
PL: Looking at Houston's roster on paper, the weak spot in the offence is at the Centre position. You guys have solid depth in Crosby and Sterk that can fill in the roster there, but you don't have a true number one Centre. Are you willing to make a move at the deadline to acquire one or will you guys leave the position to the young guns?

Sonnet: Probably not, I don't think spending future assets for current success is a wise move when considering the ramifications down the line. Our goal for the season is to push for playoffs, and even if we achieve that goal, I don't see us making it very far when constantly matched up with the best of the best. In addition to that, I think it cheapens our victory if we open up our wallet to acquire a new forward; this season has been about working hard and making the best out of what we have, and sacrificing our future in order to achieve our goal kind of undermines that mentality.

PL: For the last little bit of our show here, I would like to focus in on the Houston locker room and the upcoming VHLM draft. Usually, when a team loses a lot, the dressing room is very quiet. Having only won 3 times, how is the Houston locker room doing?

Sonnet: Just like last year, I'm surprised that our locker room is a great environment despite the massive losing streaks. Our lack of success has just turned into an inside joke, which is further used as fuel to push us all to improve and change our own fate. The guys are in the right frame of mind for a situation like this, and I couldn't be more proud of them for taking these results in stride.

PL: As you know, your roster has a lot of first-year players as a core of waiver claims nobody wanted is slowly assembling into a machine. Laine is taking strides towards being an elite VHLM forward and is projected to go 1st overall in the VHLM Dispersal Draft. You also have young players like Crosby and Minott who are slowly climbing up the draft board along with the recently signed Jiggly Gumballs. We know you will not be doing the draft, but do you have a plan you will share with the incoming GM on how they can keep that young core intact?

Sonnet: Absolutely! I'm planning to share a scouting report with the next GM, because I know that this core would love to stick around and push for the cup next year. They've more than earned the right to do that, so I'll be sure to pass along a good word and hope that the stars align with the picks they'll have in 73.

PL: We hate to end this interview on a sad note but my last question to you is this: With the sudden news of you being appointed to VHLM Commissioner, it was a very sombre locker room once you informed your organization and players about what was happening. Out of everyone in the Houston locker room, who took this news the hardest?
 
Sonnet: Riley Knight Gee, I think, was the most disappointed to hear the news. i know he specifically asked to be traded back here from Philly so he could play under me, but things changed in an instant and now he'll only have the rest of this season to see out that wish. I'm going to do my best to make sure a good GM takes my place, though, so hopefully he'll continue to work hard and have fun even after I've left!

PL: Unfortunately, we are out of time. I would like to thank you for coming on the show and for doing this interview with me. I wish you the best of luck for the rest of the season and into your new role in the VHLM. Let's give Sonnet one last round of applause everyone!
 
Sonnet: I was glad to be a part of it. Thank you for having me!
 
(552 words, 2909 characters written by @PatrikLaine)
 
Players Mentioned: @Sonnet @KnightRiley @DreMin15 @Crosby1987 @JigglyGumballs @MattyIce @TenZi

@MattyIce
 
https://vhlforum.com/topic/83829-s72-theme-week/
 

"Man, what a fun ride that was!"
 
James Rose, amidst the failure of moving onward past the semi finals in the s72 World Junior Championship, truly cherished his experience.
 
"It was simply incredible to play with and against such awesome players.  I had played with Kamenov last season in Mexico, Mjers was my defense partner in Halifax at the start of this season and we had some pretty great games over there, before we got moved to other teams.  Now I play with Riley Knight Gee in Houston and we didn't get paired together but hey, I'm not the coach or in management.  We're still trying to hold down some kind of fort in Houston, so we have our hands full with that at the moment."
 
Rose did manage to have a decent tournament.  While playing with rookie VHLers and top echelon VHLM players, he did manage to put up a solid performance in the round-robin tournament.  Rose finished 5th on team in scoring with a goal and seven assists in eight games, maintaining an even plus-minus, leading the team in hits with 27 and getting only 3 minor infractions called against him.  Other interesting stat lines include finishing second in the tournament in blocked shots with 25, one less than leader and teammate, Viktor Alexei Kamenov, with 26.  His hit total is good for 5th best, and the most glaring stat that should be paid attention to is his total minutes played. With 236 minutes played, he's good for 6th highest workload in the tournament.
 
"Yeah the whole experience was pretty thrilling, but out there on the ice, those were some REALLY tough minutes..." said Rose.  "Many of the guys out there were really in it to win it.  That's what was thrilling the most.  Even the locker rooms were pretty active and eager to intermingle, everyone wanted to bring their 'A' game, everyone assumed a role, even the trash talkers.  I got to see some familiar faces, like Chris Hylands and Timothy Brown, and meet so many new people.  From top to bottom, it was incredible."
 
"That last game against Europe, we weren't good.  I was dreadful, I played 31:28, was a minus three and i have so many bruises from blocking what seemed like 20 shots, even though the stats say seven shots blocked.  It was a difficult game to get a rhythm going, power plays and penalty kills, I was really gassed and I hate admitting that, I wasn't good and I realized from that point, I need to get to another level..."
 
Despite being out of the tournament, Rose is back in Houston, trying to help get his squad out of last place.  He even showed his happy-go-lucky type personality when being asked who was going to win it all.
 
"Well, right now it looks like the US got their big boy pants on after we defeated them on day one, heh.  They'll most likely win it all, but I hope I'm wrong.  I'd like to see Europe win, get Hylands another moment of glory"
 
"Man, what a fun ride that was.  What an experience for rookies..."
 
 
People mentions:
@BigTittySmitty Kamenov
@a_Ferk Brown
@InstantRockstar Mjers
@Hylands33 Hylands
@KnightRiley Knight Gee
 

S73 Expansion
Friday, June 12th, 3:00PM EST
@Members
 
In December of 2017 the VHL made a very difficult decision to revert our expansion and return to the original 8 teams that we had when the league began. If I'm being honest with you all this was done as a last ditch effort to try and save the league which was floundering at the time. Recruitment was way down, old members were burning out, and the league could not adequately sustain 10 teams anymore, thus the unfortunate demise of the Cologne Express and Stockholm Vikings.
 
It took just over a year before we added another team, the Moscow Menace, to the mix in January of 2019. After that things took off. Only 2 months later we added the Malmo Nighthawks and then 6 months after that both the DC Dragons and Prague Phantoms. In under 2 years the VHL went from 8 teams, the lowest it ever had, to 12.
 
But we aren't done.
 
It is my absolutely amazing honour today to announce yet another expansion to the VHL and this time it's our largest expansion in league history. Bigger than Moscow or Malmo, bigger than DC and Prague, even bigger than the three team expansion the VHLM went through when Moscow was added. Today we announce that four new teams will be joining the VHL for the start of S73 which will bring our total up to 16 teams. Double what we had when the league began almost 13 years ago and more impressively double what we had in December of 2017, not even 3 years ago. This is thanks, in no small part, to the amazing work of the @Recruitment Crew  bringing in members like crazy, as well as the Dev Team (who can't be tagged but are no less appreciated) who continue to make the VHL portal the best site extension the sim league community has ever seen. It's also thanks to all of you though, we're a community first and whether you wear many hats or just "member" you are no less appreciated. When the VHL started with 8 teams people thought it was too much, that it couldn't be filled. To see the league double in size is absolutely phenomenal and I can't express how amazing it is.
 
Who am I kidding though, none of you want to read about me getting nostalgic any longer. We've got some teams to announce do we not? Let's cover North America first and then travel east.
 
So, starting on the west coast we find ourselves in the city of angels. The VHL has gone a long time without the glitz and glamour of Hollywood but no more. Let me introduce the Los Angeles Stars!
 
 
Moving east we hit another city that has been sorely missing out on a VHL franchise for what seems like far too long. Once ravished by a fire and burned to the ground this great city rose from the ashes which brought inspiration to it's VHL team, the Chicago Phoenix!
 
 
With the North American conference handled we head across the pond to the European conference.  Once known for expanding it's empire across the globe the United Kingdom has been sorely missed in VHL expansion for too long, that changes now with the London United!
 
 
Last but certainly not least the VHL moves once again into uncharted territory for the league, Poland. Once nearly completely destroyed by war this great city refused to go down without a fight. That fighting spirit lives on in the Warsaw Predators!
 
 
The league would like to extend its greatest thanks to @Da_Berr who put together the Stars and United logos for us as well as the @VHL GM 's and @BOG  who have kept the lid on this closed over the past few months to keep it a surprise. This is an absolutely amazing achievement for the league and we're excited to see how adding four new teams shakes up the landscape of the league.
 
Now then, to business. There are also going to be some fairly significant changes to league rules and scheduling that are required to make 4 teams work.
 
Season 73 VHL Expansion Draft
 
We'll start with the S73 Expansion Draft, which will obviously be the largest in league history. In order to accommodate that fact there will be more than players from existing teams up for grabs. In fact, there will be supplemental picks in the 2nd round of each of the next two VHL Entry Drafts (S73 & S74), as well as the opportunity for the expansion teams to select their own draft slot for the S73 Entry Draft! The full details of the S73 VHL Expansion Draft can be found below.
 
 
Scheduling / Playoff Format
 
With 16 teams, there will obviously be a need for a new scheduling format, as the current 8/8/5 format would result in a nearly 100-game schedule. Going forward, teams will play Divisional Opponents a minimum of 6 times per season, Conference Opponents a minimum of 5 times per season, and Cross-Conference Opponents a minimum of 4 times per season. The remaining games will be randomly decided by the STHS Scheduling formula. This is subject to change if testing proves the math wrong but is the intention.
 
The next major scheduling change, as a result of growing to 16 teams, is the need for a new playoff format. With 4 expansion teams added to the mix, the playoff structure will expand to 10 teams, 5 per conference. The playoff format will be as follows:
 
 
Draft Lottery / Draft Lottery Tournament
 
With 6 teams now missing the playoffs, there will be some major changes to the Draft Lottery format. The first of which is the need for new Draft Lottery Odds. For the purposes of the Draft Lottery, all teams that miss the playoffs will be considered seeds 11-16 in the Regular Season Standings, and their draft odds will start as:
 
 
"Draft odds will start? Draft Lottery Tournament?" Indeed, with so many teams missing out on playoff action, the league has decided to add a new wrinkle to the Draft Lottery, which is a tournament that will decide the final Draft Lottery Odds, the format for the Draft Lottery Tournament will be as follows:
 
 
So, in conclusion: 4 new teams, new scheduling and playoff formats, new Draft Lottery Odds and Draft Lottery Tournament. Much excitement, and much congratulations to everyone who made this possible. As the league enters its 13th year of operation it is a source of pride to see the community grow to where it is today, and where it can continue to grow as we move forward!
 
@Commissioner
@BOG

"Man, what a fun ride that was!"
 
James Rose, amidst the failure of moving onward past the semi finals in the s72 World Junior Championship, truly cherished his experience.
 
"It was simply incredible to play with and against such awesome players.  I had played with Kamenov last season in Mexico, Mjers was my defense partner in Halifax at the start of this season and we had some pretty great games over there, before we got moved to other teams.  Now I play with Riley Knight Gee in Houston and we didn't get paired together but hey, I'm not the coach or in management.  We're still trying to hold down some kind of fort in Houston, so we have our hands full with that at the moment."
 
Rose did manage to have a decent tournament.  While playing with rookie VHLers and top echelon VHLM players, he did manage to put up a solid performance in the round-robin tournament.  Rose finished 5th on team in scoring with a goal and seven assists in eight games, maintaining an even plus-minus, leading the team in hits with 27 and getting only 3 minor infractions called against him.  Other interesting stat lines include finishing second in the tournament in blocked shots with 25, one less than leader and teammate, Viktor Alexei Kamenov, with 26.  His hit total is good for 5th best, and the most glaring stat that should be paid attention to is his total minutes played. With 236 minutes played, he's good for 6th highest workload in the tournament.
 
"Yeah the whole experience was pretty thrilling, but out there on the ice, those were some REALLY tough minutes..." said Rose.  "Many of the guys out there were really in it to win it.  That's what was thrilling the most.  Even the locker rooms were pretty active and eager to intermingle, everyone wanted to bring their 'A' game, everyone assumed a role, even the trash talkers.  I got to see some familiar faces, like Chris Hylands and Timothy Brown, and meet so many new people.  From top to bottom, it was incredible."
 
"That last game against Europe, we weren't good.  I was dreadful, I played 31:28, was a minus three and i have so many bruises from blocking what seemed like 20 shots, even though the stats say seven shots blocked.  It was a difficult game to get a rhythm going, power plays and penalty kills, I was really gassed and I hate admitting that, I wasn't good and I realized from that point, I need to get to another level..."
 
Despite being out of the tournament, Rose is back in Houston, trying to help get his squad out of last place.  He even showed his happy-go-lucky type personality when being asked who was going to win it all.
 
"Well, right now it looks like the US got their big boy pants on after we defeated them on day one, heh.  They'll most likely win it all, but I hope I'm wrong.  I'd like to see Europe win, get Hylands another moment of glory"
 
"Man, what a fun ride that was.  What an experience for rookies..."
 
 
People mentions:
@BigTittySmitty Kamenov
@a_Ferk Brown
@InstantRockstar Mjers
@Hylands33 Hylands
@KnightRiley Knight Gee
 

"Man, what a fun ride that was!"
 
James Rose, amidst the failure of moving onward past the semi finals in the s72 World Junior Championship, truly cherished his experience.
 
"It was simply incredible to play with and against such awesome players.  I had played with Kamenov last season in Mexico, Mjers was my defense partner in Halifax at the start of this season and we had some pretty great games over there, before we got moved to other teams.  Now I play with Riley Knight Gee in Houston and we didn't get paired together but hey, I'm not the coach or in management.  We're still trying to hold down some kind of fort in Houston, so we have our hands full with that at the moment."
 
Rose did manage to have a decent tournament.  While playing with rookie VHLers and top echelon VHLM players, he did manage to put up a solid performance in the round-robin tournament.  Rose finished 5th on team in scoring with a goal and seven assists in eight games, maintaining an even plus-minus, leading the team in hits with 27 and getting only 3 minor infractions called against him.  Other interesting stat lines include finishing second in the tournament in blocked shots with 25, one less than leader and teammate, Viktor Alexei Kamenov, with 26.  His hit total is good for 5th best, and the most glaring stat that should be paid attention to is his total minutes played. With 236 minutes played, he's good for 6th highest workload in the tournament.
 
"Yeah the whole experience was pretty thrilling, but out there on the ice, those were some REALLY tough minutes..." said Rose.  "Many of the guys out there were really in it to win it.  That's what was thrilling the most.  Even the locker rooms were pretty active and eager to intermingle, everyone wanted to bring their 'A' game, everyone assumed a role, even the trash talkers.  I got to see some familiar faces, like Chris Hylands and Timothy Brown, and meet so many new people.  From top to bottom, it was incredible."
 
"That last game against Europe, we weren't good.  I was dreadful, I played 31:28, was a minus three and i have so many bruises from blocking what seemed like 20 shots, even though the stats say seven shots blocked.  It was a difficult game to get a rhythm going, power plays and penalty kills, I was really gassed and I hate admitting that, I wasn't good and I realized from that point, I need to get to another level..."
 
Despite being out of the tournament, Rose is back in Houston, trying to help get his squad out of last place.  He even showed his happy-go-lucky type personality when being asked who was going to win it all.
 
"Well, right now it looks like the US got their big boy pants on after we defeated them on day one, heh.  They'll most likely win it all, but I hope I'm wrong.  I'd like to see Europe win, get Hylands another moment of glory"
 
"Man, what a fun ride that was.  What an experience for rookies..."
 
 
People mentions:
@BigTittySmitty Kamenov
@a_Ferk Brown
@InstantRockstar Mjers
@Hylands33 Hylands
@KnightRiley Knight Gee
 

Welcome back to another season of the World Junior Championship; as such, it is time for another Daily Review!. These series are about best players, surprises, and let downs from the most recent games. Stick around and follow us as VSN is here to be the media outlet for you and your entertainment!
 
Also, don’t forget to check out other cool VSN Content produced weekly for your entertainment. 
 
 
So far we have two teams still perfect after the first day of games, with Team Asia taking the number one spot thanks to their regular/overtime wins, closely followed by Team Europe whose two shootout victories are enough to take the second position. The United States comes next, having won one and lost one in overtime, while Team Canada is all over the place, going 1-1-1 through their three games.  Rounding out the standings is Team World, whose performance leaves a little to be desired, as they have lost three times, once in overtime. All in all, the standings are neck and neck, with three teams tied on points heading into Day 2 of games. Let’s take a look at all the action from our first day of games, right here on your WJC Daily Update!
 
Team Asia
 
Despite not having a single skater in the top ten for points (you have to go all the way down to Jungkok at number 12, though he is tied for tenth with four, all goals, in fact, more on that later), Team Asia is off to a great start this WJC. Both their games have been nailbiters, with their first victory coming in a 4-3 victory against the Canadians. Despite being outshot 45-24, Team Asia held strong, with a particularly impressive third-period display of defensive grit. Bacon’s 42 saves may not have earned a star, but he certainly showed what it means to put the team on his back in this one. Our first star of the game went to a well-deserving Kazimir Komarov, whose two goals (including the game-winner) were vital in securing the victory for the Asians. Going back to Jungkok however, take a look at his performance in Game 5 against the United States. Take a good hard look at the stat’s line. Yes, you are reading that right; four goals in just the one game from the Korean. Speaking of putting the team on his back, this was almost single-handed; but not quite. Arthur Dayne assisted three times, and the aforementioned Komarov was the one to put the icing on the cake four minutes into the overtime period. It’s been a good showing from Team Asia so far; let’s see if they can keep it up!
 
Team Europe
 
The Europeans have started off the tournament with two wins, but it could have just as soon been two losses. Finding themselves in two back-to-back shootouts, if their luck was just a little worse you could potentially have seen them much farther down in the standings. Regardless, lady luck smiled on them indeed, and they walked away with both the wins. Similar to Team Asia, their only skater near the top-ten in points is Valtteri Vaakanainen, who is coincidentally also tied for tenth with four points. Does this mean balanced scoring, or do our top teams have some hidden issues they need to sort out? Their first game against Team Canada was neck and neck, with four separate equalizers being scored. Gabriel Gutzweiler’s brace was key in keeping the Europeans in the game, while Chris Hylands was the man to score the winning shot in the shootout. The second game was a little different. Despite trailing early on in the first to Team World, they quickly came back with three unanswered goals, absolutely blitzing them. Despite eventually conceding the equalizer, they did enough to take it to the shootout where their goalie Zamboni Driver came up big, stopping one and psyching out the second shot to end it after just four shots. 
 
Team United States of America
 
The United States has been an interesting team thus far; they certainly know how to put on a show. Jack Feriancek and Mickey Dickson are both electrifying players, whose five points apiece land them solidly in the top 10 for points. Each had three in their first game against Team World that seemed to be trying to answer the question “how many different periods of domination can we have?” Despite a strong start in the first period, the United States conceded four in a row in the second, before then scoring another four in a row to take the victory a thrilling 7 goals to 5. Robin Winter came up big, kicking off the comeback with a shorthanded goal twelve and a half minutes into the second period, before scoring the equalizer just a minute and a half later. Game two was a heartbreaking overtime loss to Team Asia, but showed great signs of promise, as the Americans were never really out of reach of victory; it just didn’t go their way. Lucas Brandt and Jack Feriancek each had a goal and assist to their name, but despite their best efforts were unable to take the victory. 
 
Team Canada
 
Despite sitting fourth in the standings, Team Canada has been on fire to start the WJC. They have four players inside the top ten four points, including three of the top four centres in the tournament: SS Hornet,  JaredN, and Andrew Su. Alex Letang is the lynchpin defenceman holding the group together and is tied for most points from a defenceman, while Timothy Brown is holding strong. The Canadians have the top three slots for +/-, a factor helped out by their third game against Team World that saw them win by a blowout score of 6-1; five goals scored in the first period. Andrew Su’s four-point game was particularly impressive, though it was goaltender Jacob Tonn’s 49 save performance that deserves significant praise, considering he wasn’t even named one of the stars.  Their first two games were very tight, and although it didn’t quite go their way, losing in a shootout to Team Europe and losing by just a single goal to Team Asia isn’t the worst way Day One could have gone. Looking ahead, Canada needs to stay the course; they have the firepower and they have the grit to take this tournament for themselves. 
 
 
Team World
 
While Team Canada’s fourth-place position might be a little disingenuous considering their +3 goal differential, Team World’s -8 is just about right for their performances thus far; but even with that being said, I wouldn’t count them out just yet. Yes, they lost big to Canada, but they only fell to the United States by 2 goals, and only lost to Team Europe in a shootout. What Team World needs is more consistency. Their goaltender, Hex Valentine, has been about as hot and cold as you can get. His games against Team USA and Team Canada left a lot to be desired, conceding a total of 13 goals across 71 shots, but a strong 40 save performance against the Europeans showcased what he can do. With all that being said, how can Team World dig themselves out of this? They are in an interesting position: they have one of the greatest disparities in talent between their lines of any team. Left-winger Gary Neal leads the tournament in points with eight, on two goals and six assists, and is shooting at an impressive 16.67% rate. Considering Aleelee Kiak’s and Latrell Mitchell’s strong performances as well (with Mitchell’s three goals ranking best amongst defencemen), you would think they would be a stronger competitor. But with a lack of depth scoring, they have struggled. We will see if they can turn this around.
 

But for now, that will be all from us. Do you agree with our assessment? Tune in next time for your WJC Update! See you there!
 
 
Players Mentioned: @tfong, @Bacon, @Gooningitup, @Infernal, @Jubo07, @DaftRaincloud, @Hylands33, @Tape-to-Tape, @Jackie4967, @Brewins15, @Sonnet, @twists, @McWolf, @jared, @Da_Berr, @Spartan, @a_Ferk, @MexicanCow123, @DrHexDex, @LittleRiDog, @Grant, @dasboot
 
  
VSN Writer Mr_Hatter

Drew Minott
  Chuck Andrew "Drew" Minott, born in Memphis, TN, is one of the hottest goalies in the upcoming draft. The 19-year old stands at 6'4, 180 lbs, and has one of the deadliest skillsets among goalies. Minott is known for his sensational rebound saves, often combined with his incredible reaction time and ability to fly across the crease.
 
 Growing up in the South, a region known for everything except hockey, Minott had a difficult time finding competition to match his level. He played every opportunity he could, spending time between various roller hockey and ice hockey midget leagues, often overlapping the two. When he was 11, his father had him volunteer at the local ice rink teaching younger children to skate so he could have an excuse to practice his skating. Over the next two years, Minott would grow into an even greater goalie, even being given offers by local colleges, such as Mississippi University and the University of Memphis. However, Minott knew he didn't want to waste time in colleges that frankly weren't worth playing for when he knew he could do better. At the age of 14, Minott was granted exceptional status by the Southern Junior Hockey League, and joined his hometown team, the Memphis RiverKings (pictured), where he would continue to grow as he played with players who ranged from the ages of 15 to 20. Throughout his time with the RiverKings, Minott would win many trophies, both team and individual. Throughout his 4 year tenure with the RiverKings, he led his team to the President's Cup Finals three times, taking home the trophy twice. Minott managed to capture the "Goaltender of the Year" award all four years, becoming the first goaltender to not only win the trophy multiple times, but also the youngest to ever win the award. At the age of 18, after being passed on in the draft, Minott was given a scholarship to play with the University of Wisconsin Badgers, which he jumped on. Playing with others of his skill level only drove Minott to improve further. After being considered the 2nd best player in the NCAA, he was sent an offer by the Houston Bulls of the VHL. Though the team was struggling, Minott found it his duty to turn the season around and help his teammates win. Whether or not he has succeeded in that plan is yet to be seen, but Minott won't go down without a fight.
 
 

Look, not many people know me.  I'm new here in these parts and I dont know the down-low.  Ill give credit where it's due.  Thanks Bana for being a part of something that's bigger than all of us, with all of us.

Look, not many people know me.  I'm new here in these parts and I dont know the down-low.  Ill give credit where it's due.  Thanks Bana for being a part of something that's bigger than all of us, with all of us.

In all honesty... I was going to write a long blurb about why and what's going on with me but that in my opinion defeats the purpose of why we are supporting such worthy causes. Compared to others I am lucky as hell. That is such an important lesson I believe so many of us need to remember no matter what happens. I am so glad to be a part of group of people who are willing to do this. 

Thank you
 
EDIT: Since you both were amazing and I can only "claim" one of your gifts on my behalf.. please if anyone can be blessed by a gift please share that with them. I don't want to double dip the chip ❤️ 

In Baltimore, I participated in peaceful protests and cleanup of the neighborhood my mother grew up in because it was also my community. I was born into privilege - into a house of learned doctors - who loved their communities where they spent their childhoods and completed medical residency in spite of all of the hateful things that were said about it. That was after sitting idly by after dozens of other wrongful African American deaths at the hands of law enforcement, because I thought I could use the excuses of being a 'model minority' and 'I'm too young to understand what's going on here.'
 
In D.C., I taught 4th grade students in the southeast district for a full year specifically because they were like the community I knew back home in Baltimore. These were kids that were as bright-eyed, enthusiastic, and wonderfully intelligent, but weighed down by factors beyond their control - parents both wrongfully and rightfully incarcerated, neglect, neighborhood gang violence, deaths of friends, and barriers to basic needs like transportation and housing. They were weighed down by a community where they feared being stopped by cops at nine years old. They were weighed down by a socioeconomic environment 100% dependent on free or reduced lunches at school, which was often their only reliable source of food. Five years later, I still visit my fourth graders - now rising high school sophomores - because they helped me understand what my calling was in life. These children - denied a chance to grow up in favor of a demand to, denied opportunity, denied peaceful nights of sleep - welcomed me into their home without so much as a second thought, even though I didn't look like any of them.
 
In Richmond, I have stood and protested. My neighbor's house was set on fire by those seeking to take advantage of the chaos. I cheered when the mayor said the statues of the Confederacy would be taken down. I panicked as I helped triage a handful of innocent, peaceful protesters of all skin colors, socioeconomic statuses, and political leanings in the field and in the emergency room because of injuries they sustained while fighting for what should be basic equality for all. I shuddered at night hearing gunshots around my neighborhood selfishly wondering if I was safe before those defying a curfew order that was violated three nights ago.
 
I'm not responsible for much of, if any of the good that comes out of these protests. But if there is any time to put our foot down and make our presence known as a community, it is now. Let's be on the right side of history - fighting for rights of those marginalized by a system that would see them put down without so much as a second thought.
 

Transaction id: 60N51051L0737005T
 
Confirmed. -sterling

Look, not many people know me.  I'm new here in these parts and I dont know the down-low.  Ill give credit where it's due.  Thanks Bana for being a part of something that's bigger than all of us, with all of us.

Look, not many people know me.  I'm new here in these parts and I dont know the down-low.  Ill give credit where it's due.  Thanks Bana for being a part of something that's bigger than all of us, with all of us.

@Victor clearly I posted my message and have moved on while only defending being called a racist which I’m not..
 
I have nothing to do with anything else. I am part of nothing else. I have just sat here and watched and listened.. everyone has a right to make up their own mind and opinions and to be honest, nobody is wrong to feel however they decide to feel. I respect that. Please stop dragging me through this. I just want to go on. This has been difficult enough for me. 
 
Thank you for understanding this ??

@Beketov @Beaviss
 
Random Question - First off I will be donating no matter what the answer to this is, but I was wondering if I could use the tpe rewards from this donation towards my next player who I will be creating at the deadline instead of my current player?