Spartan

Thanks again for the questions Viper! 1. I think we definitely have the ability to keep up this pace, especially when the new folk continue to update and develop at a solid pace. 2. I think first games are always tough, especially with brand new teammates and new leadership. It always takes a game to figure out some chemistry and really mesh together. 3. I am pretty happy, I've got 8 points in 10 games as a mostly defensive defenseman. Just hoping to keep contributing on offense and playing lockdown defense. 4. I think our GM and AGM are setting us up for success, so I definitely think we can keep winning. Just gotta make sure we don't get too overconfident. 5. It'll probably be on us rookies, but hopefully @McWolf feels kind with the wad of cash he's sitting on. 6. Of course, our success starts from our leadership and he's been solid. His leadership along with our Alternates will determine whether we continue our pace.

EFL +6

G - Greg Eagles @OrbitingDeath

Alex Letang - Junior Review Alex Letang likes to joke that he didn't choose to play hockey, but that hockey chose him. Alex was born into the hockey life, as his father Kris played defenseman for the Pittsburgh Penguins. All of his early life, Alex remembered watching his dad play live and on the television. Sometimes he'd even go on YouTube with his dad to watch the 2016 and 2017 Stanley Cup victory celebrations, where Kris brought him onto the ice for post-game interviews. As soon as Alex learned to walk, his father immediately put him on skates. As the months and years passed, Alex was fluent on skates and had moved on to using a stick as well. Kris had a mini ice rink installed in the backyard, where the duo would practice together, with Kris forcing Alex to participate in physically draining conditioning drills. However, the practice bore fruit when Alex finally joined a youth team. As a young defenseman, Alex had a lot to learn about his role on a team. He had decided to be a defenseman, like his father, but his instincts screamed at him to be an offensive minded defenseman. He would constantly join rushes at inopportune times and end up out of position on aggressive takeaway attempts, much to the ire of his coaches. He never failed to score points, however, the coaches would constantly ask him to switch positions to a forward due to his lack of defensive awareness. Stubbornly, and out of respect to his father, Alex never budged, insisting his role on a team was to be a defenseman. In order to develop the defensive awareness and intelligence that was lacking, Alex would take time on off-days to watch film with his father, often picking his brain on when to play aggressively and when to settle back and let the forwards focus on offense. The film study and extra training helped, as Letang improved tremendously in the defensive aspects of his game, drawing the eye of various junior teams and colleges. Alex joined the Calgary Flames Midget AAA team as a 15 year old, and performed well, posting 23 points in 34 games. His attention to detail on defense paid off, but the offensive production declined. He then joined the Brooks Bandits of the AJHL for his 16 and 17 year old seasons, where he refined his two way game, and exploded on both ends of the ice. Over two seasons with the Bandits, Letang posted 34 goals and 96 assists, for an impressive 130 points in 108 games. His strength and conditioning training with his father also helped, as he played through both seasons without any major injuries. These performances led him to UMass Amherst, where he caught the eyes of pro scouts in the VHL. Letang took a season to adapt to the pace of the NCAA, posting 21 points in 34 games, but created offense and provided steady defense in a way unseen in stat lines. The team's puck possession numbers surged when he was on the ice, and he consistently suppressed shots again, all while creating high numbers of offensive chances. For his sophomore season, he was named captain, and absolutely dominated, posting a 16/33/49 stat line over 41 games. Impressed with his overall performance, the Las Vegas Aces selected him 26th overall in the 3rd round of the S71 VHLM draft, sparking the beginning of a potentially exceptional pro career.

D - Jeff Downey @Beaviss

Review: I really like the simplicity of the sig, and the font that you used. I think from a design standpoint, you could have added another layer or two to add a little extra pop, but the work here is really good. I especially like two additional parts: the black border around the player to hide any potential blurry edges, and the player crop that removes any need for a jersey swap. I figure that there weren't too many options for player images without any logos showing, so I think a slightly lower image quality isn't bad at all. Just to recap, I really like the overall design and style you've used for the sig, but I do think another layer or effect would really make the sig look much cooler. Just as a disclaimer, this is much better work than I'd do, since I don't do graphic design much, but just tossing my comments here as an average viewer. Keep up the good work!

On Wednesday March 26th, Alex Letang played in his first two VHLM games, signaling the start of his pro hockey career. Before the game, this reporter got a chance to speak to Alex about his pregame ritual and thoughts regarding the game. Alex: "I like to sleep in a little bit, especially before a doubleheader like we have today. Sleeping was a bit tough because of the jitters, so going to try to take a pregame nap as well if possible. Just focusing on trying to relax and to eat a healthy meal to prepare for the games today." Regarding his excitement for his VHLM debut, Alex said "I'm super excited to play today, I've been working hard this offseason to try to get my game to the pro level. I don't expect to be very flashy, the main goal is to just be consistent defensively and set our forwards up to get some scoring chances." And solid defensively he was, going +1 on the day (-1 and +2 against Minnesota and Houston respectively). He was also able to tally his first VHLM point during the second game of the day, a 7-3 rout of Houston. He contributed the secondary assist on Conner Tanner's first of the season. It was a great game for Letang to get his first assist, as this type of game will surely be what Las Vegas will aim to emulate over the rest of the season. 10 players registered a point in the game, with 5 players registering a multi-point effort. Alex Letang will surely remember this day not only for the milestone he reached, but for the journey it has began. Letang will look to continue to build off his skating and defensive skills to factor into more scoring plays, allowing for more team performances such as the one against Houston.

D - Jerry Garcia @OrbitingDeath

Roll Fizzlebeef - F @Beaviss otc

Thanks for the questions Viper! 1. I think Vegas had a really strong draft, of course, because I was selected in it. However, I think the selections in the 1st and 2nd round really set this team up for immediate success, and a 3rd round pick for me was great value for the team. 2. I'd like to be a solid two-way defenseman for a team loaded on offense. I think my presence on the blue-line can really shore up our back end, but just hoping to maintain high puck possession numbers and stifle shots against. 3. I expect a deep playoff run. Period. 4. I really like our captains, especially the selection of SS Hornet (@McWolf) as captain. He's already been super helpful in terms of developing me and providing advice, and I think that our leadership will be a huge part of our success. 5. We'll come out on top. That's my confidence in this team. 6. I think Saskatoon can be a surprise contender. I don't ever want to count a team led by McWolf out. They've got a massive amount of young talent, I think he can whip up a competitive group there.

I'll just get Scott Greene here then lol @OrbitingDeath otc

you weren't last tho, someone got added to the group late. you're back on the clock now

Scott Greene @OrbitingDeath

John Frostbeard please @Beaviss is on the clock

Sorry about the mic quality, but thought it'd be nice to try this out. Give it a listen and give me some feedback, or questions for the next podcast!

On Monday, Alex Letang - Defenseman, was drafted by the Las Vegas Aces in the 3rd round of the VHLM draft. Letang, a strong skater and playmaker, hopes to strengthen the back end for Vegas, who also selected some offensive juggernauts in the draft. Overall, Las Vegas and Letang are positioned for a strong season! Here is a look at Alex Letang's first playing card for Las Vegas:

1. I think skating ability and mobility is one of my greatest strengths. I've taken a lot of time to work on those traits since I think it's the future of hockey. More and more teams are employing speedy lineups versus the gritty lineups of the old days. 2. I think discipline is a bit of an area of weakness. I play physically and aggressive, as that's the way I compete. It's led to me taking some boneheaded penalties over the years though, so I think think that's something I'll really need to work on. 3. I plan to spend TPE on skating and defense primarily, and then passing and puck handling. 4. I'm a fiery competitor who loves to win. Getting passed over in the draft will be extra fuel to the fire if it happens, so my rookie season will be my revenge tour. Apart from then, you're getting a solid defender on the back end who has no problems jumping up and joining the rush. 5. I think the attitude of the team is huge. Plenty of teams have experienced locker rooms, but the attitude is really going to impact my experience. An active room, with active leadership is what I'd prefer. My room to grow is massive, and I'd like a team that can help me grow rapidly. 6. A player who never backed down. Someone who accepted every challenge, stepped up in the face of adversity, and did whatever it took to get the desired result. Appreciate the questions @Poptart!

Ask away folks!

EFL +6

I'm in!

(Written from Alex Letang's perspective) All my life, I've been in my dad's shadow. Him being a prominent defenseman for the Pittsburgh Penguins, I've always been known as the kid featured in Pens TV videos, the one who made highlight reels as a 5 year old. Even as I grew up, I was known as Kris Letang's son. People always asked for autographs from my dad, or other memorabilia that was sure to either go onto a dusty shelf or the internet for sale. I think that ends now. I'm my own person. My dad has been in my corner throughout this journey, attending every one of my games he could. Of course, all eyes were on him at the games, as famed player Kris Letang was in the building. My dominance in youth hockey was largely overlooked, as I was simply a byproduct of my father's game. I'm more than that. I'm faster than my dad. I'm stronger than my dad. I fight just as well as my dad. With the draft coming up in the next few days, I'm sure I'll be overlooked again by general managers. After all, I'm just Kris Letang's son to them. But I'm ready for my chance. I'm ready to be my own person, no matter where I'm drafted. I know what I can do, and I'll prove it on the ice. I'm determined to make my mark, and be a better player than my dad. I'm no longer Kris Letang's son. I'm Alex Letang.

EFL +6

Questions courtesy of @McWolf: 1. We are probably not going to start the regular season before another 2 weeks. How do you keep yourself fresh during the offseason? I've been working with a strength and conditioning coach for a bit now to prepare for the season, and to try to build up some muscle for this jump into the minor/pro leagues. Just trying to eat right and follow a strict regiment in order to maximize gains and improve as quickly as possible. 2. What have you been doing apart from training in this offseason? I've spent some time taking online classes to get my degree in business, just so that I have something to rely on post hockey. Apart from that, just spending time with friends and family before the craziness of the season. 3. What would you do for a living if it wasn't for hockey? I'd like to work in analytics, especially for sports teams. No matter what, I want my life to be focused around sports, as it truly is one of the best parts of life. Creating and analyzing advanced stats to improve performance really intrigues me.

Just a desire to contribute I guess. Skating and playmaking ability are two things I pride myself on, so I hope to be a top pairing defenseman wherever I play. Eager to play top d-man minutes, and get playing time in all facets of the game. Of course, I mold my game after Kris Letang, so hopefully I can reach his level of play. In terms of teams, I'm open to anything. If it's a top team, obviously my goal will be to play a part in a cup win. If it's anything else, I'll try to step up and do my part to lead the team to success. I love challenges, so getting drafted on a struggling team or a young team with room to grow will definitely allow me to step into a leadership role.