Garsh

we can kick @Grape out and make room for you

we can kick @Grape out and make room for you

we can kick @Grape out and make room for you

Jesse Teno (aimkin) has announced their retirement.

1. Moscow looks to be in a potential 5 way race for the top of the conference, how will we do?
I think we will end up top 3, we have had a bit of a slide with the roster changes but I'm confident we can move back up.

2. What team is our biggest threat in your opinion?
EU is so tight that any of the competing teams are a threat.

3. The lines have seemed to settle down a bit and sim more stable, do you agree?
At this moment we seem a little volatile i think.  Again, I think this is because of the recent change and finding the new chemistry.

4. Have any ideas about any changes the team should look at?
The team needs to shore up the Def...wait a minute they did that.

5. Syko has shown some elite skills in recent games. Can he lead us to the promised land?
You never know with goalies, when they get hot they can win a series by themselves.

6. If you could have one league related change, what would it be, if any?
I don't know, there is nothing really gnawing at me at the moment.

Kronchy Walks in, grape gets benched

Kronchy Walks in, grape gets benched

Kronchy Walks in, grape gets benched

The Sprawl Trilogy (Neuromancer, Count Zero, Mona Lisa Overdrive) is on my list, I have it along with Burning Chrome
 
Currently reading Cyberpunk 2077: No Coincidence by Rafal Kosik

For those of you reading Wheel of Time, stick with it. Some books are a bit of a slog to get through (looking at you, book 10), but it's worth it. Don't watch Wheel of Prime. Complete trash. The WoT audiobooks are excellent, as well, and a lot of libraries have audiobook lending via app. I'm currently listening to book 8 again as I make my way through the series.
 
As for Sanderson, don't sleep on his one offs. I'm a big fan of Warbreaker, and Elantis is a fascinating debut. The first book of Mistborn was my favorite. 
 
I'm still slowly working my way through the Warhammer 40k book Xenos. I did buy myself The Last Ronin, the Ninja Turtles graphic novel in hardcover. That's my treat after Xenos. Then it's on to either Deus Ex: Icarus Effect, or a John La Carré novel, of which I have several and have read none.

I just finished Thrill Switch by Tim Hawken  https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/62587788 
I did a mix of reading the physical book and listening to the audio book, which i had access to via spotify.  The first time I had listened to anything in audiobook format.  I really enjoyed the book.
 
I am very into cyberpunk settings right now so I will probably stick with that genre.

4 months is a reasonable timeframe for this right?
 
That's right everyone, I did not forget about you! Life has just been a bit hectic so I haven't had time to sit down and do this BUT I am finally gonna have a nice solid amount of time next week so it is my pleasure to announce that the third (at this point annual) Beketov Zoo Tycoon 2 stream will take place next Friday, April 12th, at 6:30pm EDT. Hopefully I'll have time to get the bugs worked out in advance and we can spend a few hours having fun and creating some VHL member based animals as we have the last two years.
 
As always the stream will be on my twitch channel which you can find HERE and I'll be aiming to upload the VOD to the league YouTube channel after for those who can't make it but hopefully a lot of people can since it's way more fun when people are hanging in the chat with me.
 
I'll see you all then!

Gonna keep it short here. You may seen or not my April 1st post in here where I was messing around on stepping down and thing. 
 
Except this was a hint, not joke. Following this season I'm no longer a Riga Reign GM. The reason is pretty basic, nothing left in the tank. My involvement in sim leagues is on the way to non existent at this point. And as Riga is close to competing again, there is a need of a way more energetic GM who can make this happen. I'm fairly sure that this time my interest won't come back the same way it did couple of times before. But it was fun times regardless, especially when I was on my prime. Just wish I had more cups lol (here is the part where I'll blame Simon for one last time). So yeah, nothing much else to say. Thanks everyone for the fish and good luck! 
 
P.S. don't show this thread to Bana, cause he bout to have a heart attack from happiness  

Hey, me too! My dad started the Stormlight Archive last November, and I mentioned I waned to read that series as well. For my birthday in February, he sent me the first three (full-length) books. We're reading them together, and we're currently on Oathbringer.
 
I'm just now (finally) getting myself out of a reading slump--I felt like every book I read for a while was extremely average. I think The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas and What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez may have saved me, so I'm trying to keep my good streak up now.
 
I've been doing this as well, and I really enjoy it. I read really slowly, so I like being able to put an audiobook at 3x speed and read at a faster pace. I also like being able to listen to a book while I'm doing various tasks, whether it be making dinner, running errands, or crocheting Audiobooks ftw

1.  Who will have the most goals this season on the team?
I think Daryl Dixon will have the most goals for us.
 
2.  Who will have the most assists on the team?
I think Owen Lazaro will have the most assists.
 
3.  Who will have the most points?
I think Daryl Dixon will get back on track and have the most points.
 
4.  Who will have the most hits?
I think Dixon will have the most hits.
 
5.  Who will have the most shot blocks?
Kronchy Kronchy Kronchy!
 
6.  What is your favourite chocolate bar?
I am a sucker for Twix.  Also, these are not candy bars per se but I found this at my grocery store recently and they are damn good
https://sanderscandy.com/collections/classic-caramels

1. Who were you happy to see get a VHL Award this Off-Season?
Yeah sure, I think you left out a word but yeah very happy for them to get that award, whoever and whatever it was.  Go them!
 
2. Do you wear hats, what kind and how?  Flat brim or curved, maybe backwards?  Fancy royal family style hats?
I'm not a big hat person but if I do its just like the standard curved brim ball cap looking thing.
 
3. What is your favourite cartoon of all time?
I haven't watched a cartoon in quite a while, so I'm not really sure. Nothing jumped out at me.
 
4. Do you collect anything?
No, not my thing, I've probably got too much stuff as is.
 
5. If you were a goalie, what would you have on your helmet?
I would probably do some kind of animal or creature where it has its mouth open and the opening is the cage area (I don't know what its called).
 
6. Long stick or short stick?
I'm a long stick kind of person.

VSN Presents: S93 Weekly Predictions
 
After what seems like an extremely long off season; but one must not forget the importance of the off season as the general managers work to improve the teams or shape the future for the teams moving forward; either through Free agency, draft or trade. The biggest question on the minds of most will be “has our team improved enough to be contenders for the Continental cup at the end of the season. Well, I am not here for that I am here to try to predict the weekly standing and if your team is going to make big early season push or flop out of the gate like a dead fish looking for water. Either way let get into this week’s Predictions:
 
 
 

 
 
 
1.    
As one of the stronger teams in the conference after a solid off season Jebediah Big Ol Doinks in Amish @hylands via a trade with Malmo Nighthawks only strengthening the chances of taking the top spot in the North American conference this season. New York starts the season as the strong team in the conference with challenges coming from Toronto Legion and defending champions D.C. Dragons. New York plays both those teams twice this week but I feel at this time New York is slightly ahead of D.C. Dragons and I have them actually finish equal with Toronto by the end of the week but gave them the tie break via overall TPE strength.
 
 
2.    
Similar to New York, Toronto Legion will make up what I think should be a two-way race for the top of the conference but it didn`t look that way at points in the off-season until Toronto secured their defensive core by trading for Mason Rice @Sawyer13 from HC Davos Dynamo. While Toronto are one of the best two teams in the conference to start the season, it is unlikely to remain that way as I think other teams are bound to catch them as the season progresses. Add in being right against the salary cap and concerns around the defensive core. Similar schedule as New York means a similar result but the games between Toronto and D.C. will be interesting as I think they could be closer than I am current predicting.
 
 
3.    
Next, we have a group of these teams Calgary Wranglers, D.C. Dragons and the Vancouver Wolves that really should battle most of the season over third place and the wildcard placements. Vancouver lands here at third thanks in part to an busy off-season that sees Vancouver add veteran players Left Alone @okochastar, Sunglasses Joyo @JetsGoalie101, Larry Abass Jr @RileyL and Jens Lekman @Bobcat from Moscow and Los Angeles. Add in the addition of six rookies and Vancouver might really grow up this list this season. Easy start to the season should see Vancouver the top of these three teams at the end of the week and might be closer to Toronto depending on how the two game series between Toronto and D.C. goes.
 
 
4.    
Again, since it is early days, I have the next two teams tied in my predictions so I am giving the tie breaker of defending Champions to the Dragons this week. It would seem on paper a quiet off season but D.C Dragons made a controversial move just before the trade deadline when they flipped a S94 DCD 1st to Moscow for S93 VAN 2nd; having most question the trade. In the end it was a calculated risk reaching into the draft to grab goaltender Herald Benson @Benson and should secure the teams future in net; so doesn`t look as bad as when the trade was first made. D.C while the defending champions have question about the defensive side of the team with an below league average defense and middle of the pack goaltender. The Dragons are still a very good team and should at least stay in playoff conversation. This week the Dragons fall victim of the top two teams with a two game set against Toronto and New York; while I have them also in tough against Vancouver, Calgary and Warsaw.
 
 
5.    
Calgary Wranglers had one of the most interesting and likely stressful off seasons. Calgary started the off season needing to clear salary cap to sign star goaltender Merome Dilson @MexicanCow123to a new contract. Calgary managed to clear the space when they shipped Sadie St-Louis @sadie to Seattle Bears for a few picks but than shocked many by completing other trades shipping out Oreo McFleury @JB123, Skor McFleury @Alex and Rip Wheeler @ScottyP while bring back Moritz Stauffer @GoodLeftUndone and Kyle Toms @Ktoms22 making the team slightly younger but also left the team scrambling to find replacement forwards trading for Adam Rage @MrMom & Thor Odinson @GoalPlays. Without these moves Calgary might have struggled this season but fifth is the best that the Wranglers can salvage this week due to a fairly tough schedule; which should determine the pecking order in the North American Conference play six of the seven team in the conference, add in Moscow and I have them with a rather split record around five hundred.
 
 
6.    
What to say about the Bears? Made moves to improve their roster with additions of Henry Eagles @Greg_Di and Tullemore Dew @Spade18 via free agency and brought in depth scoring option via trade with Calgary in Oreo McFleury @JB123 and Sadie St-Louis @sadie. While I don`t have Seattle as playoff team come season end, I have them like a lurking animal at the edge of the camp fire ready to maul you should you make a mistake as the Bears are close enough to the three teams ahead to be a rather pain in the arse and could just sneak into a wildcard spot. Most likely team that Seattle will be mauling or at least harassing this season will be their pacific coast rivals Vancouver Wolves. The Bears should be just below five hundred this week but that could swing in their favor should the up-end any of the three teams above them in Calgary, Vancouver or D.C. Seattle will also have a good understanding where they stand in the North American conference as they play all team in the conference in the first week.
 
 
7.    
Chicago is a sort of weird team where they are not good enough to really contend for a play-off spot but not really bad enough to be fighting for a top pick either. Rather Chicago feels stuck but have improved by adding Babay Shrimp @Blazzer via UFA and Karol Lamb @dlamb joins the roster for their rookie season. Minor trade seeing Chicago ship out Michael Shotter @TacocaT9 to Helsinki. Chicago gets a bit of break this week as Los Angeles, HC Davos and a huge game against Seattle should seem them maybe climb higher than I am currently projecting them.
 
 
8.    
How the night sky must be a lite with beautiful shooting stars this season as the Stars have fallen!! If I am correct after the first week of last season the Stars hadn`t lost a game but I am predicting a much uglier fate for the team this season as I have them really going winless to start the first ten games of the season but it not about wins this season is it? Made moves in the off season to collect prospect and picks while selling off remaining assets as Eric Queefson @twists, Sunglasses Joyo @JetsGoalie101, Larry Abass Jr @RileyL and Jens Lekman @Bobcat. First season of rebuild always looks worse than it really is.
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
1.    
Moscow might not be the best team in the European conference but they should lead the conference after the first week due to a fairly easy schedule with the toughest game coming from London United, which could really go either way. Big series that could put Prague Phantom behind the Eight-ball early in the season with a three-game set and another two against Riga Reign are the most notable games of the week. Moscow surprised a lot of the league completing a trade to bring in last season ROY Grimgor Ironhide @FrostBeard from Helsinki Titans for ROY prospect Adi Dassler @BOOM; which should replace Dog Woodmaple @dogwoodmaple nicely as the forward retired at the end of last season. Moscow also moved on from aging forward Left Alone @okochastarto make room for Grimgor Ironhide @FrostBeard and Rookie George Richmond @badcolethetitan. This team should continue to improve quickly with a young developing roster.
 
 
2.    
London United have a much more difficult schedule with four swing games two against Malmo Nighthawks, a game each against Moscow Menace and Helsinki Titans. Which can either have them placing as high as second at the end of the first week or as low as fourth or fifth. It will be interesting to see how the United handle the early season challenge without Molly the Cat @JCarson; who retired at the end of last season and will look to Sjin @Sjin to try to provide much needed secondary scoring vacated by the Cat. Dustin Funk winning Nick Sansoe @Tipskid97 returned to London via free agency after a return to the VHLE Rome and a season with the Vancouver Wolves but made the interesting choice to move to defense this season. Question surrounding London once again being around the defensive core and if it can hold together like last season. Again London will rely heavily on Jesse Teno @aimkin as they did last season making the Continental Cup finals.
 
 
3.    
While my college has Helsinki Titans as the top team in Europe this season, I don`t share the same view as the loss of Pierre Emile Bouchard @Gaikoku-hito and mentioned trade of Grimgor Ironhide @FrostBeard have clearly set the team back slightly. While Kronchy Kardashian @Garsh and YaBoi Oven @Doomsday should be able to fill the void of Bouchard. I am less confident that Helsinki found the correct answer; if any at forward for replacing Grimgor Ironhide @FrostBeard; Owen Lazaro @traphag will be tasked with this role in supporting Daryl Dixon @Ricer13 but it is a rather large drop off in the depth charts after that; which might leave Helsinki looking for secondary scoring sooner than later. Helsinki will be tested in the first week with a three game set against Malmo Nighthawks and other notable game being against London; otherwise a fairly early schedule that should see them in third by the end of the week or as low as fifth if Helsinki struggles out of the gate.
 
 
4.    
Can you have a statement week in the first week of the season? Well, this is how I see Malmo Nighthawks opening week. Malmo will face Helsinki Titans in a three-game series, London United in two game set and Moscow in a single game that see them play every team in the European conference except Riga Reign. Malmo can very much set the tone of the conference this week if they end up higher in the standing than predicted as I feel that I am doing them injustice by placing them this low as Malmo could easily finish second this week in a tight European Conference but just too many swing games has them placed lower in the standings. Malmo Nighthawks off season included trading away Jebediah Big Ol Doinks in Amish @hylands  to New York Americans in a trade that seen them aquire Jorgen Lovstrom @Pifferfish, who Malmo hopes is their goalie of the future. While also losing Henry Eagles @Greg_Di to the Seattle Bears via free agency. Malmo Nighthawks are a very good team but seem to lack any true star power outside Jacob Stone @scoop, the Jake Wylde co-winner. It will be interesting to see if a team can win a Championship without individual star power.
 
 
5.    
Warsaw Predators are in a group of two that should fight for Wildcard spot this season with Prague Phantoms and like the Seattle Bears; I see Warsaw playing the spoiler role. Key addition in Lachlan Summers @kirbithan from HC Davos Dynamo should keep the Predators hunting rather than being the prey most nights. Tough week to start the season but if Warsaw can upset Helsinki, Malmo or Moscow; if not all three than I can see them as high as second by the end of the week and putting the conference that they won`t roll over. Add in a huge two game series against Prague; which will establish how the season for Warsaw might just play out.
 
 
6.    
Similar to Malmo Nighthawks; Prague will face a statement week in the very first week facing every team in the European Conference and a huge three game series against Moscow Menace; not to mention the two game set against Warsaw Predators mentioned above. Prague, I have trying to hang on this week and not falling to far behind the other six teams above them so early into the season. If they fail to keep the standing close I feel that they could be on the outside looking in at the end of the season. A ton of change during the off season see new Manager in @Tetricide take control of the team and he completed a few huge deals bring in Skor McFleury @Alex and Rip Wheeler @ScottyP from Calgary Wranglers while shipping Moritz Stauffer @GoodLeftUndone and Kyle Toms @Ktoms22 the other way. The hope I am assuming is that Skor McFleury @Alex can rediscover his scoring touch from his HC Davos and Malmo days providing a much need set-up man for Nikolas Kauppi @Tetricide and John Jameson @Frank; both set to retire at the end of the season. While Rip Wheeler @ScottyP will try to add secondary depth scoring. Other minor trade sees Pope Francis @nurx arrive from HC Davos.
 
 
7.    
Riga Reign are still a very much young and developing team that needs; maybe, to become more aggressive in rebuilding their team as Riga just seems stuck always waiting for players to develop and has the team stuck at the bottom of the conference. While I don`t have Riga going winless in the first week playing the second worse team in the league, HC Davos Dynamo. To win more than a single game this week Riga will need to play spoiler against Vancouver, Warsaw and Prague but I still have them a clear lock for seventh this week and in the season standings. Only single move of note from Riga trading Gregger McKeggegger @TheNeonShaman for prospect Stefan Nikolaev @Is_thatok and S95 MAL 1st in a move that made a ton of sense for both the player and the team.
 
 
8.    
Another difficult season in Davos as the Dynamo currently waits for prospect to develop as HC Davos selected eleven players this past draft with Antonia Bucatini @CowboyinAmerica, opting to play a full season in the VHLE rather than joining the VHLE equivalent Dyanmo in the VHL. Biggest off season move came when Davos traded Lachlan Summers @kirbithan, while he still held value to Warsaw Predators for S95 WAR 1st and Prospects with Sunset Moth @McWolf being the most notable. Most other deals being what I consider minor deals even though Davos manager @Alex remain busy completing eight other trades on top of the Summers deal.
 
 
 
 
Final Thoughts:
Should be a very difficult season to predict as we have six teams in each conference that should be fighting for the playoff this season and while we have a few different groups within each conference every given night most of these teams can beat each other. Great for the league but mendosai for this writer as I try to predict what might happen every week so as always tell me how wrong I am in the comments below; as I am 100% sure you will be right at least this season!!  
 
 

1. Who were you happy to see get a VHL Award this Off-Season?
Yeah sure, I think you left out a word but yeah very happy for them to get that award, whoever and whatever it was.  Go them!
 
2. Do you wear hats, what kind and how?  Flat brim or curved, maybe backwards?  Fancy royal family style hats?
I'm not a big hat person but if I do its just like the standard curved brim ball cap looking thing.
 
3. What is your favourite cartoon of all time?
I haven't watched a cartoon in quite a while, so I'm not really sure. Nothing jumped out at me.
 
4. Do you collect anything?
No, not my thing, I've probably got too much stuff as is.
 
5. If you were a goalie, what would you have on your helmet?
I would probably do some kind of animal or creature where it has its mouth open and the opening is the cage area (I don't know what its called).
 
6. Long stick or short stick?
I'm a long stick kind of person.

So we are in this forum chatting most days, is anyone else on the Gym kick at the moment? If so lets share goals and what we want to achieve and try and keep each other accountable for the ones that struggle with motivation/dedication!
 
I have been really focusing on weight lose since the start of Feb and I am down 8kgs been focusing hard on calorie counting (well Kilojoules but lets not get into that debate) and trying to get to gym at least 3x per week.
 
What are your goals and how can we help? 

A day earlier than scheduled as I'm at an event tomorrow. In any case this is quite a short one this season as we have no Builders to induct and just one player.
 
D - Jake Thunder, S84-S91 
RS: 576 GP, 121 G, 531 A, 652 P, +151, 1,317 PIM, 1,696 HIT, 1,276 SB, 19 GW
PO: 98 GP, 25 G, 84 A, 109 P, -7, 259 PIM, 299 HIT, 246 SB, 4 GW
 
S85 Dustin Funk Trophy (Most Improved)
S88 Alexander Beketov Trophy (Most Assists)
S89 Daisuke Kanou Trophy (Playoff MVP)
S90 Sterling Labatte Trophy (Top Defenceman)
S90 Jake Wylde Trophy (Top Defensive Defenceman)
2x All-VHL First Team (S88, S90)
4x All-VHL Second Team (S85, S86, S89, S91)
One Continental Cup (S89)
 
But what a player it is. One of the best players in the hybrid era, one of the best defencemen in the 16-team era, and we can probably start the debate on his place in the all-time list. Jake @Thunder flew under the radar at the S93 draft, only going 19th overall, but what a steal that proved to be for Davos, who got 7 straight 80-point seasons out of Thunder, 6 elections to the top four defencemen in the VHL, and most importantly several deep playoff runs, two finals, and a first Continental Cup in nearly 30 seasons. Thunder and goalie Lachlan Summers invoked Dynamo dynasties of the past like those of Jenskovic and Devereux, and Bergqvist and Kanou. But even aside from franchise importance, Thunder also lands in the top 30 all-time of the defencemen stats that matter (assists, points, hits, shot blocks) and top 5 when just considering the playoffs. An all-time great first-gen career for sure and I'm glad you're back from a brief hiatus to allow me to congratulate you on a well-deserved Hall of Fame induction!
 
Voting results
Jake Thunder - 11/11
----
Voittu Jannula - 4/11
Papa Emeritus - 3/11
Bo Johansson - 2/11
Nico Pearce - 1/11
Kristof Welch, Paul Atreides, Oskar Lindbergh, Zach Kisslinger II, Hammar Voss - 0/11

Quite the scandalavia

Teno and Kardashian on the same team, what sort of unholy alliance is this?

Hello VHL,
 
Not even gonna bother with a members tag on this one since it's pretty minor stuff but for the sake of transparency I'm announcing it anyway; the @BOG is still tackling bigger problems but we do love to discuss random small stuff too.
 
First up, goalies are just too damn good! Okay that's a bit of an exaggeration but because goalies weren't touched when we nerfed the meta and skaters got a bit worse they have been running away with things a bit more than historically. Save percentages have been climbing, Playoff MVP is almost a foregone conclusion, etc. We could change this with huge sweeping changes to goalie stats and adding hybrid attributes and all that, and that's still on the table for testing as a future option, but it's a bit more complicated than what we realistically need right now. From our testing we can bring goalie stats back down to more of historical averages, without making scoring go too insane, by simply adjusting the goals slider inside the sim. This means the amount of shots won't increase (at least not substantially anyway) but the amount of goals will. As always we aren't going to publicly reveal what our slider settings are but we felt like the league should at least know it's getting adjusted so they aren't confused as to why scoring increases. The slider change will impact all 3 levels of the VHL so the VHLE and VHLM will get it as well for consistency.
 
Second, and this one honestly doesn't come up a ton but it's best to get it in writing: We are formalizing that during the week you re-create you are allowed to max earn (that's 12 capped TPE per week) on both your retiring player and your new player. The caveat to this is that you still cannot claim the same task multiple times. So for example if you have job pay and a media spot on your retiring player in a given week and you re-create you cannot claim that same job pay or media spot on the new player. You can write a new media spot, it doesn't need to be a different kind of task, but it needs to be a new task. Does that make sense? We've kinda been doing this for a bit anyway but there was some confusion around it so we figured it was best to clarify. Also, before anyone asks, for multi-week claims you can still use the same task but need to use a new claim week. So for example if you have a 2000 word media spot and you claim week 1 on your retiring player you can claim week 2 during the same week on your new player and then have 2 weeks left. Each claim effectively is just treated as a new task, the same as it is any other time.
 
Like I said, minor stuff but there it is, enjoy.
 
 - @Commissioner