diacope 2

TP or TI protecting the Jailor, I guess.

Ahahahaha

The hell did I do?

Like many others have already stated this Theme Week, I think the issue with recruiting new users is keeping them here. As a relatively new member myself, the thing that kept me around was the community. I made some friends immediately in Saskatoon, as we have a really nice GM and AGM, and our captain is really cool. However, I think there are some things we could improve on to help improve the experience for new users.
 
The main thing for retaining members is making them feel welcome immediately, in my eyes. Whenever Saskatoon signs a new player I make sure to reach out to them, either through personal messages in VHL or through discord. When I first joined my create a player page was buzzing. I had a bunch of people commenting, and offers from several different teams. This was the moment when I knew I would stick around for a good while. I sometimes see other users with barely any welcome messages or offers, and think that could be sort of discouraging for new users. Back in March when I first joined the VHL discord, I also noticed that I would frequently be talked over and ignored by some of the other members. Although I don’t know if this was because I was a noob, or if it was just because I’m annoying.
 
One possible cause for the lack of interest in some of the new players is that there is an abundance of wingers in the VHLM. I remember that there was a warning for a large number of goalies when I first created my player, so I think that there should be some sort of warning for wingers when new users first create their player to combat this. During my player creation, wingers and centres showed up as the lowest population of players. This can be misleading though, since the needs of the VHLM and the VHL are very different. While the VHL has many good defensemen, and goalied the VHLM has a shortage.
 
On the recruitment side of things I think that the reddit recruiting will always be effective to some degree. It’s not like we’ll ever run out of users to recruit, because new members do join the hockey subreddits and we may reach members who didn’t see the previous posts. I saw some users saying that the reddit method is kind of dying, but I think that we could reduce the amount we use reddit to fight it. If we only recruit every other week on reddit and alternate some other form of recruiting it could be more effective.
 
A possible recruiting method I thought of is to use a site such as fiverr to get outside help to recruit. If you don’t know what fiverr is, it’s a website where you can hire freelance services to do pretty much anything you want them to do. Fox example, if we wanted to hire someone to make a VHL recruitment video professionally, we could do that. Heck, we could hire someone to stand on a street corner and hold up a sign.
 
I hope my suggestions can be somewhat helpful for recruiting, to help more people find this great sim league and stick around.
 
540 words, using for week ending April 26 (Doubles Week)

Whaddup GMs! You're not going to want to miss out on this hot prospect.
 
Groovy dood is a bored guy who sits at a computer all day "working from home". I'm a wordmaker by day, co-ed rec leaguer on Saturday nights. My total points might be low, but hot damn are my cellies sick. I like to skate fast so my flow flaps Jagr-esque behind me, floating in the wind like a cape. 
 
I'm not too sure what this VHL adventure will lead to. I was the Friedge of my fantasy hockey league last year, interviewing GMs, breaking trades, and previewing playoff series, so I'm excited to join the VHL community!

I swear to god Gustav, I fell for this again. ?

Welcome back to another S71 WJC update. 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. From lovely podcasts hosted by Berocka to stat-filled content on weekly news, history and more!

VHL Weekly | VHLM Weekly | League History | S71 WJC Team Rankings | VSN Radio
 
With another seven games gone by, Team Asia maintains their run of dominance. Other than that, the standings are completely shaken up, with only Europe maintaining their position. Things are still very close between teams not named Asia. The points difference between second-placed Canada and last-placed World is only four; one less than the gap between Canada and Asia. There is still time to play, but for now, this Red Robin round is certainly setting up an engaging playoffs, as all five teams this season seem to have a shot at the gold. 
 
Team Asia
 
Speaking of all five teams having a shot at the gold, I may have spoken a little too soon; a shot at silver might be more accurate. Though Asia is certainly not unbeatable (as evidenced by their Game 8 loss to Europe by a score of 5-4, what a game), they are in the driver's seat, and their goal differential doesn’t lie. Sitting right now at a +8, with 30 goals scored, they have been dominant offensively. Vladimir Shaposhnikov maintains his impeccable form with a tournament-leading 18 points and has been truly massive this tournament. He is followed by teammate Kyl Oferson whose 8 goals in only 6 games is the highest of all players. Asia’s goaltending has been strong as well, with Nicolas Fomba maintaining his .925 SV% despite having faced the highest number of shots throughout all goalies in the competition. Nikita Kulikovich leads all defensemen in points with 11 after 6 games, thanks to his impressive 10 assists. 
 
Team Canada
 
Team Canada has rallied hard, and the perennial competitors are looking like they have a good shot at challenging for the gold. Despite being 5 points back off leaders Asia, they do have a game in hand. While Asia is offensively dominant, Canada has been relying on an airtight defence. In fact, they have the lowest goals scored with only 17 despite being second in the standings, but thanks to their tournament-best 15 goals allowed, they are still at a +2. This is of course in part due to their goaltender, who has so far been the best out of anyone, with the top SV% of .929, and top GAA of 2.72, almost a full goal better than Asia, Mr Woody McPine. McPine has been helped out tremendously by the strong defensive efforts of the whole roster, as he has faced almost 100 shots less than Asia’s Fomba (although he has played one less game). Alex Letang has been tremendous with this defensive effort, blocking 17 shots over 5 games, and Hugh Jass is currently second in defensemen leaderboard by points with 7 after 5 games. 
 
Team United States of America
 
The United States has rebounded quickly as well, going 2-1 in their games this time around, and only losing to Asia in a tight 5-4 barnburner that saw Asia take the win on two powerplay goals in the third period; basically, the Americans came very close to a big victory here, almost winning all three matches. In fact, they have had a lot of close games so far this tournament, with five of their six games being decided by two goals or less, and the sixth being their big 7-4 win over Team Europe in Game 12. The Americans are the second-best offence in the tournament, only 4 goals scored behind Asia, and only 2 more goals allowed. This is despite not having a single person in the top five for points; they have really been relying on all their players contributing, and have a strong offensive core of Joe Proto, Thomas Landry II, and Alex Bridges with ten, ten, and nine points respectively. Landry leads the team with 5 goals. Their netminder Stone Wolski has had some solid performances so far, maintaining a .914 SV%, but they might need a little more out of him in the games against the top teams this tournament. 
 
Team Europe
 
The Europeans have been somewhat of an enigma thus far this tournament. They are the first of our teams this update that is in the negative in goal differential, and they have struggled at times. With that being said, they are also the only team so far that has managed to win against Team Asia. So what does that tell us? Issues with consistency could certainly be a factor. Their top man is certainly Derek Eriksson, who is in third in points with 11 despite having only played five games; in fact, along with Gabriel Gutzweiler, they are the only two players in the top ten for points who have played five matches. So how can Europe make a run for the gold? Obviously they can do it, they beat Asia. They need to just improve each game, and start playing like that in repeat performances. Additionally, their goaltender Joakim Bruden will need to start playing to his potential, as his .866 SV% will struggle to take them all the way. Plainly said, they just need their players to step up. 
 
Team World
 
Team World struggled with this round of games, losing all three, including a humiliating 4-0 loss to the Canadians in Game 11. With that being said, there is still a chance for them to turn around, as they have been unlucky -  yes, unlucky. That game against Canada was the only one truly out of reach, as every other game was decided by two goals or less. Furthermore, two of their losses came in overtime, with one being decided by a shootout. Pengu has been scoring well for them with eleven points, albeit a -3 on the ice. They just haven’t been enough; each game tends to seem just a little too much for them to handle. Things aren’t too late for them to turn around, and their goalie Zamboni Driver has been holding things together decently considering the situation, with a .911 SV%, but they will need to switch something up sooner rather than later if they want to have a shot. Considering that if they manage a win in the play-in match they are rewarded with a game presumably against Asia, things aren't looking too hot for our World brethren.  
 
 
But for now, that will be it from us. Do you agree with our assessment or do you think VSN is completely wrong? Tune in to the next WJC Update when it comes out! See you there!
 
Players Mentioned: @ng1291, @Nykonax, @efiug, @Lockdown Defense, @HearnNation67,
@Spartan,@TheFlash, @Proto, @Doomsday, @Alex Bridges, @DollarAndADream,
@DirtyDerek, @PadStack, @Pengu, @Tape-to-Tape
 
 
VSN Writer Mr_Hatter
 

So I know this is a little odd, signing up just to post here, but I saw some familiar names and wanted to share my thoughts about one of my best friends and truly a rare dude, David. I apologize that this is going to be long, but David was truly one of my best friends and I’ve just needed an outlet to express these emotions.
 
We met in the SHL when I was around 12 (almost 24 now) and we instantly became friends. We both shared many similar interests and we just clicked. We’d spend all night gaming, or later on, FaceTiming with some drinks or maybe a little joint in hand. I remember all those late night Kik’s a couple have alluded to, David just had such a joy for life and an infectious personality. And something I can never thank him enough for is he was always there for me, especially the last few years as I dealt with depression issues. He talked me down from so much and was a genuine friend that cared about my wellbeing.
 
A couple of years ago, I unexpectedly lost a close relative to mental illness. Guess who was there every time I needed to vent, or every time I just needed a GTA session with the boys to escape? David was. Out of the kindness of his own heart, he even made the program for my uncles memorial. He was there for me every step of the way man, he truly fucking was.
 
We talked for years about one day trying to get a place together in the location we both dreamed of, Colorado. A couple weeks before he passed, he texted me (in typical David fashion) a picture flashing some money telling me he wanted to come out to where I live to kick it for a few days. We talked about maybe the end of this year as the right time, but we never got there. We literally grew up together and never lost touch, something I can’t say for most people I grew up with. I just hope he knew the love I had for him, something I didn’t express to him as much as I should.
 
Losing my brother from another like David has left such a massive void, but it’s been amazing to see the comments from all the people he touched in his short time on this Earth. And thank you guys for giving me this outlet to let all this out, it’s something I’ve needed to do.
 
Until we meet again, I love you and RIP my brother.

I apply. Thanks @Peace
 
I have AGM experience so I am qualified, and I have STHS experience. I can get my locker room active and I can get them to update. I know how to handle everything and I hope you consider me.

Hi @Members,
 
Something that has long been discussed is the fact that there is an optimal time to create a player for any given draft, and that is right at the trade deadline, giving some players several weeks of earning potential over members who create later on in the process. While it is impossible to completely negate this fact, we have worked to find a solution that we think is more fair to members who create their player in the weeks that follow the deadline. Thus, the Late Joiner Adjustment!
 
The Late Joiner Adjustment equates to +6 TPE for every week that has passed since the most recent trade deadline, which for this season means that anyone who creates a player next week, they are entitled to an additional 6 TPE, on top of their starting TPE, and applies to both first-gen members and re-creates.
 
While we do plan on automating this process into the portal, having the adjusted start TPE automatically applied upon creation, it is not currently a feature that is available. In the mean time, players who create as of April 27th may link to this post to claim their corresponding Late Joiner Adjustment as Uncapped Career TPE, which can be seen below for the dates of creation.
 
UPDATE: As of May 13th, the Adjusted Starting TPE has been automated. Anyone who creates a player going forward does not need to worry about manually claiming. Anyone who created a player between April 27th and May 13th (before the update went live) is eligible to manually claim the Late Joiner Adjustment, as follows:
 

@Motzaburger explain yourself

hi

I'm your huckleberry. 

count me in!

I'm in this time!

We should try using the coven instead of the mafia this time around lads, shake things up a bit.

We should try using the coven instead of the mafia this time around lads, shake things up a bit.

Written by Michael Mac:
 
MISSISSAUGA - Look inside the locker room of any team in the VHL, and at the heart of the space you’ll find a revered staple of the Room. No, not a Bieber-trampled emblem (although any hockey fan knows the extent to which the logos on the carpet are respected). I’m referring instead to the other cherished staple: the Ping-Pong table.
 
For years, Ping-Pong tables have had a special place in the VHL. In the NHL in the 1980s, rumor had it that Wayne Gretzky and his Oilers buddies would do battle just moments before puck drop en route to their Stanley Cup dynasty. In recent times, more controversial Ping-Pong stories hit our feeds, like an incident involving a visiting team getting some flack for using the home team’s table on a practice day … during the playoffs.
 
Ping-Pong has been an integral part of hockey’s locker-room culture for decades, and having played in the NHL, NCAA, AHL & now VHL, I can attest to that. Why Ping-Pong? Most athletes share this intense hunger for competition. Whether it’s video games or poker or golf, if you have the mentality of a pro athlete, you love games. But I think why so many guys gravitate toward Ping-Pong is that it tests some of the same attributes you use in sports, but it’s also completely removed from the scrutiny and pressure of performance-as-profession. (Unless you’re a pro Ping-Pong player, in which case, maybe you unwind with some Quidditch.)
 
Michael---action-shot
 
I grew up playing Ping-Pong as my preferred rainy day activity whenever I couldn’t be outside playing hockey or my other favorite sport, tennis. Like tennis, I gravitated toward Ping-Pong because of the rhythmic back and forth of the ball and the way it was propelled with skillful spin and touch, and how those two things combined with a cerebral strategy to bring your opponent to his knees. Yes, competition was a large part of the draw — and with two older brothers, the environment in my house was definitely ripe for some battles.
 
Aside from my brother Steve, my favorite opponent over the years has been @JBrew42. I played with JBrew every night this season. We both shared a passion for Ping-Pong and we would spend hours before and after practices and games duking it out.
 
For the record, I’m not talking about the kind of Ping-Pong you play at your family reunion with your cousin. I’m talking about stand-back-and-swing-out bash ball, where you’re diving for shots 12 feet from the table to keep the point alive. I’m talking about Ping-Pong that’s actually fun to watch — where teammates gather around the table and scream when a reflex backhand off a smash finds the corner edge. I’m talking trick serves, touch shots, drop shots, and chop blocks. I’m talking heavy-topspin crosscourt forehands and sidespin backhands inside out. I’m talking Ping-Pong where you sweat — a lot. Well, unless you’re @Berocka, in which case your perspiration has nothing to do with your exertion. You’re already leaking when you walk through the door. ?
 
JBrew and I would play set after set because a) It was fun; and b) J would want to keep playing until he won one. Yes, trash talk is also a big part of the action, and most of our banter usually revolved around me laughing at his “win-a-point, lose-a-point” body language, and him taking issue with my stalling tactics (if he got on too much of a roll, I’d pretend like I couldn’t find the ball under the table). We also had contrasting styles. He loved to play an aggressive topspin game that was good when his swagger was up, and I preferred to play with backspin, not because that was my game, but mostly because it drove him nuts. He just couldn’t handle it, and his body language would reflect that.
 
The idea of creating a charity Ping-Pong event had been on my mind for a while. I loved to play the game, and it seemed like it was a no-brainer that it was the perfect theme for a charity event. For one, it’s social. Unlike golf tournaments where you play with the same foursome for six hours and then sit through a banquet dinner while the sandbaggers and creative scorekeepers collect their commemorative golf towels, Ping-Pong was conducive to a party atmosphere, with much more mingling and interaction between all the guests, and it’s a game that pretty much anyone can participate in and still have fun.
 
In addition to that, I also thought it was a great chance to really showcase the players’ personalities. Hockey players are often criticized for their drab quotes and mundane interviews, but it can be hard to show any charisma during the season when teams like to protect privacy, (see “lower body injury”) and when you’re loaded up with thirty pounds of equipment plus a helmet and visor.
 
The event, I thought, would be the perfect way for players to show their personalities, and also bring the inside of the locker room culture out to the public. In this sense, too, the event would be an inside-out thing.
 
With the help of the VHLPA, we started working on a plan back in 2019. Pretty early on, we developed a tight-knit little team of people that “got it.” The idea was so unique and quirky that when you told it to someone they either understood or they didn’t, and the ones who got it were pumped and fired up to get it off the ground.
 
 
It’s never easy when you do something for the first time, and because the event was so different, we really didn’t know what to expect,  or how it would be received. We focused our efforts on one thing: Everyone who came to the event — corporate sponsors, guests, players — should come away saying they had a blast.
 
The tourney is held at Steam Whistle Brewery beneath the CN Tower in downtown Toronto, 30 minutes from where the Mississauga Hounds play their home  games. The festivities start with a pro-am doubles tournament with teams captained by VHL stars, followed by a singles bracket to crown a players’ champion. The first half is definitely more of a social scene, and the second half is where it gets intense.
 
And I really mean intense.
 
Last year the two finalists even got into a heated argument when one of them claimed interference with a camera on an important point. The official had to make a ruling to end the spat, and even though he had to remind them it was a charity event, I was actually proud of the intensity the guys were bringing to the table. For me, it was the culmination of the vision that those of us involved had all along.
 
I know my fellow Canadians @justinbieber and @drake are both Ping-Pong fanatics, so maybe they’ll reach out.
 
Don’t worry, Justin, we won’t hold the carpet incident against you. And some guys may have trouble with that lefty spin.
 
Heck, maybe our new prime minister, Justin Trudeau, would be interested in joining us. He’s already done a charity boxing match, so what else is there for him to lose? But whatever transpires, everyone involved will be winners — the players, the organizers, and the guests — because when you work from the inside out, it’s impossible to lose.
 
Unless, of course, you’re @JBrew42 and you’re playing me in your cut-off long johns and bare feet. Then it’s very possible.

Made this before he changed teams obviously..

Mikael Keef will provide much needed help on the blue line, and Cal Conway will  be a solid backup.
 
We have a few rookies going, so we're not going to be there for a long time, we'll be there for a good time.
 
I will take some of Adam Frence's wine, and the legend Adam Frence himself.
 
I would light myself on fire, and suddenly all eyes would be on me.
 
My 1996 Chevrolet cavalier. It's unreliable and you never know what might happen to it on any given day.
 
I am exceeding my goals set at the start of the season. I wanted 30-40 points, and I could hit 50 at this rate.

What a bum...

Power Rankings? Who cares about those. We all know that power rankings are made by nerds at desks, with pinstriped ties, with no knowledge of the game at all. Patrik Tallinder, whose that? Sounds like a nerd. Not putting Canada at number 1? This guy must be worse at his job than actual NHL refs. Now here I'm going to tell you the cold hard facts about the WJC. Canada is number 1, screw your power rankings. You heard it here first folks, Canada is taking home the gold. Let's look at the competition and what this "Patrik Tallinder" ranked them as.
 
#1 Europe?
 I'm sorry but this ranking isn't on who's the best at starting world wars, next.
 
#2 USA?
 Apologies but they got lost in the nearest Target, trying to figure out how to convert metric into imperial.
 
#3 Canada?
 This is absolute blasphemy that Canada isn't #1. Lack of Depth? This ain't a swimming pool kiddo, try again.
 
Asia and World #4 and #5?
Good bottom of the barrel like they should be.
 
As always thanks for tuning into the REAL WJC POWER RANKINGS. Done by someone who isn't a nerd.

Timothy Brown Junior Review
 
Born to a middle class family in rural Saskatchewan, Timothy Brown fell in love with hockey early in life. Some of his earliest memories were playing mini sticks in his family's basement with his father, who was the goalie for their local senior hockey team. His parent’s influence and support caused him to pursue a career in hockey from an early age.
 
Playing minor hockey for his local team, Timothy was always the best player. Consequently, this caused his coach to rely on him heavily. It was around this point in Timothy’s life that his coach and his parents noticed that he had a defensive mind, as he would frequent the blueline while his teammates chased the puck. Rival teams would often be completely shut down by Timothy, whose defensive awareness was remarkable for his age. His defensive capabilities, combined with his powerful shot allowed him to become one of the best offensive defensemen in Southern Saskatchewan.
 
It was around Peewee when Timothy joined his first AA team, the St. Albert Jr Oilers. During tryouts his coach noted that his skating abilities were far below average, and he was nearly cut from the team. It wasn’t until the season started that he realized how valuable he could be to the team. While the other kids focused on conditioning drills, Timothy spent most of his time watching film and working on his shot with his dad. His scoring and defensive abilities made him one of the best two-way defensemen in Saskatchewan AA. While he didn’t ignite the league point-wise, he put up a modest 69 points in 69 games played and led the Oiler’s special teams to first in the league.
 
It was during his first year of Midget that Timothy chose to play for the AAA Swift Current Legionnaires so he could be closer to home. In his hirst year his coach convinced him to switch to winger because of a lack of skilled forwards in the league. He had hoped that a larger talent pool for forwards would give him a bigger shot at playing in the NHL. However, Timothy’s decision backfired and his production dropped significantly. Timothy’s best season in Midget was a measly 30 points in 62 games played, with most of those points coming from special teams. While his hopes for the NHL were shattered, he found interest in another league called the VHL.
 
Several teams in the VHLM, the VHL minor league showed interest in Timothy. Halifax, Houston, Mexico City, and Saskatoon all offered him a contract. Timothy ultimately decided to sign with Saskatoon, beginning his VHL career.
 
 
 

@FrostBeard