mediocrepony

1 is lit. Ez pickings

The mouth guard makes it seem like he has one tooth and the gums are bleeding.

Season 72 VSN Mock Draft
 
Hello VHL, and welcome to one of the most entertaining and energetic days of the entire Victory Hockey League seasons: it's draft day! The Seattle Bears may have just won their third Continental Cup in four years, but they'll be facing plenty of new challenges soon. The HC Davos Dynamo have been in a rebuild, looking to rise like the mighty Phoenix. With three picks in the first four selections (with one since traded), today is the big day for General Manager Jerry Garcia. Today is a pivotal step for the Dynamo, but they won't be the only team that needs a big draft. The Vancouver Wolves need to make the most of their picks, for their aging forwards won't be able to chase cups forever. It's going to be a wild day, is what I'm getting at here.
 
As is annual tradition, the VSN is here with our annual mock draft! It's been a lot of work, a lot of pulled hair… but we wouldn't do it if we didn't enjoy it! @Doomsday, @Berocka, @Mr_Hatter, @Esso2264, @McWolf, @Erik Summers and @Patrik Tallinder have all come together to keep this tradition alive. The first two rounds have been ranked, with the average rankings determining our draft order. We've got a really quality draft class on our hands, and today they find their forever homes in the VHL.
 
And now, the Season 72 VSN Mock Draft!
 
DISCLAIMER: All draft picks/rosters do not reflect any transactions after MIDNIGHT on Thursday, May 14th, 2020.
 

 First Round 
 
 
 #1. HC Davos Dynamo 
SS Hornet | @McWolf | C |
Las Vegas Aces | TPE: 377
Hatter: 1 | Doomsday: 1 | Berocka: 1 | Esso: 1 | Summers: 2 | Tallinder: 1
 
The first overall pick is a selection that can sometimes change the direction of an entire team in mere seconds. After picking defender Roque Davis second overall in last season’s draft, the Dynamo look to add to the core of their team, with this season’s first and second overall selections. By taking Hornet first overall, they get a future superstar centre, who will serve as a great leader for an already impressive group of up-and-coming forward prospects. Hornet had an equal 41 goals and assists and added another 17 points in 12 games in the playoffs. He’s responsible in his own end, but his biggest strength is really his arsenal of scoring methods. With a lethal shot, some great hands, and some nice speed, Hornet has the tools to find ways around any defenseman. In terms of earning TPE, Hornet has done that unbelievably well. On top of earning every available capped TPE to this point, he has earned 19+ TPE in 10 of his 13 weeks so far. SS Hornet is a fantastic player, and Davos will be thrilled with what they receive from him.
- Patrik Tallinder

 
 #2. HC Davos Dynamo (From NYA via SEA) 
Robin Winter | @Sonnet | LW |
Minnesota Storm | TPE: 325
Hatter: 2 | Doomsday: 2 | Berocka: 2 | Esso: 2 | Summers: 1 | Tallinder: 2
 
After adding SS Hornet with the first overall pick, Davos continues to build their forward core by adding Robin Winter with the second pick. After Winter's agent had numerous issues with the Calgary Wranglers' brash front office in the past, Jerry Garcia spares him from having to deal with them again. With Davos' rebuild now coming full circle, they need to build their forward core. With 57 goals and 120 points with the Minnesota Storm in the M last season, Robin Winter is a bonafide stud at left wing. After the extraordinary success of Roque Davis in Season 71, the HC Dynamo now will have similar potential with an up and coming group of forwards. Winter is already a skilled shooter, arguably already possessing a pro-grade shot. He's a solid skater and capable of avoiding hits, but his puck handling could lead to some growing pains until it improves. Either way, this is two can't-miss prospects in a row for Davos, whose rebuilding project simply could not be going any better. 
- Doomsday

 
 #3. Calgary Wranglers (From HSK) 
Latrell Mitchell | @dasboot | D |
Minnesota Storm | TPE: 303
Hatter: 4 | Doomsday: 3 | Berocka: 6 | Esso: 4 | Summers: 6 | Tallinder: 4
 
With the third overall pick, the Calgary Wranglers will almost certainly be in the market for a defenceman who can hop right into a starting spot. They currently only have three rostered defenceman, with no other prospects, and will be looking to fill that fourth spot with this pick. Luckily for them, they will have their pick of a few high TPE players. We see them going with Minnesota’s Latrell Mitchell. The Australian put up impressive numbers last season in the VHLM, scoring 81 points in 72 games; this was second-highest out of all S72 draftees for defencemen. Mitchell is built to compete in the VHL from the start, focusing on his defence and scoring ability. His skating and puck handling are particularly impressive for a player of his experience. There are some questions as to how he will adapt to the increased physicality of the VHL; he only registered 79 hits, compared to some of his competitors hitting in the 200s. Regardless, expect big things from the land down under coming up soon. Berocka Sundqvist who? 
- Mr_Hatter

 
 #4. Vancouver Wolves (From TOR via DAV) 
Gino DiGiannantonio | @pennypenny | RW |
Yukon Rush | TPE: 305
Hatter: 5 | Doomsday: 6 | Berocka: 3 | Esso: 5 | Summers: 7 | Tallinder: 3
 
 With the 4th overall pick, VSN experts and I think that the Vancouver Wolves will select sharpshooting right-winger Gino DiGiannantonio. If there's one thing that the American-born skater does well, it's to shoot the puck at the net. His wristshot's precision is matched only by the speed at which DiGiannantonio manages to unleash it. With both halves of the Wolves two-headed giant, Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Julius Freeman, entering the penultimate season of their respective career, it makes sense for the Western Canadian team to start looking at prospects with a knack for putting the puck in the back of the net, a feat which DiGiannantonio has done an impressive 58 times while dressing with the Yukon Rush last season. He has also shown that he can perform under pressure, scoring 12 goals and 9 assists over 15 games in the most recent playoffs. He was not able to carry his team to the conquest of the Founder's Cup, but this is more a testament to how strong the S72 roster of the Ottawa Lynx was. Some experts have suggested that the winger of Italian descent was a unidimensional player, a one-trick pony relying on his shot to set the value of his full game; the embodiment of a meme both on and off the ice. But upon watching his VHLM highlight reel, it was evident to me that he is literally never caught out of position in his own zone. Coupled with his above-average speed and puck-carrying abilities, this exceptional defensive awareness allows him to quickly counter-attack whenever he manages to steal the puck from his opponents. Give him some time to round out the rest of his game, and Gino DiGiannantonio will be a deadly weapon for the Vancouver Wolves before you manage to correctly spell his name.
- McWolf

 
 #5. Seattle Bears (From MAL) 
General Zod | @Matt_O | D |
Las Vegas Aces | TPE: 276
Hatter: 6 | Doomsday: 4 | Berocka: 4 | Esso: 8 | Summers: 3 | Tallinder: 5
 
In an era where most players learn to shoot before they learn to skate, General Zod's skillset is a breath of fresh air. The American blueliner absolutely shines in a defensive role. He is never caught out of position, is a skilled takeover artist, and he doesn't shy away from big hit opportunities. Most players nowadays enter the VHL with a defensively sound mindset, but it particularly resonates in the case of Zod, when you realize that it's mostly to the detriment of its offensive skills. While other prospects tighten their play in their own zone to complement their offensive performances, Zod is one of the very few defence-first players. While his shot is bad, even by VHLM standards, he has still been able to get on the scoreboard a lot last season. In fact, his haul of 65 assists shows that he's all but a liability as a quarterback, even without shooting much. The Seattle Bears, despite winning the last Continental Cup - and 3 of the last 4 - somehow managed to find a way to be picking a top 5 prospect once again. To be fair, they are the defending champions and their roster suggests that they should still be competitive next season, but the salary cap is going to hit them hard again soon. They'll need prospects at every position if they don't want to skip a beat and Zod, at this spot, is the best available.
- McWolf

 
 #6. Calgary Wranglers (From PRG) 
Randy Marsh | @oilmandan | D |
Las Vegas Aces | TPE: 278
Hatter: 3 | Doomsday: 5 | Berocka: 5 | Esso: 6 | Summers: 5 | Tallinder: 6
 
Although we predict that Calgary will take a defenseman with the third pick, it would almost be a crime for them to let Randy Marsh fall any further than sixth. And, with their wealth of offensive talent already on the roster, it makes sense that they may be looking to strengthen their blue line significantly in this draft. Built to produce at both ends of the ice, Marsh played a more solidly defensive role for the Las Vegas Aces last season. Randy played a big role in helping the Aces reach their first semi-final round since S67. He put up forty-six points, one hundred hits, and seventy-two shots blocked while playing a very disciplined style, earning just fifty-two penalty minutes last season. Hopefully, with the scoring capabilities, we have seen in spurts from the young defenseman, we will get to watch him have the opportunity to use those skills to their fullest potential. Wherever Randy Marsh ends up, he is certain to slot right into the roster and you should be prepared to see him make waves in the coming year.
- Erik Summers

 
 #7. Vancouver Wolves (From CGY via HSK) 
Jungkok | @tfong | RW |
San Diego Marlins | TPE: 249
Hatter: 7 | Doomsday: 8 | Berocka: 7 | Esso: 7 | Summers: 4 | Tallinder: 9
 
After grabbing Gino DiGiannantonio several selections ago, the Wolves continue to add prospects at forward by grabbing Jungkok here. The San Diego Marlins produced four first-round picks in the Season 71 VHL Entry Draft, they add another first-round selection in Season 72. It’s no secret that the Wolves will need  Jungkok soon, but it may not be this season. With him being just at the cutoff of VHLM eligibility, don’t be surprised if the Marlins get another season out of their latest first-round draftee. He’s a dangerous two-way player, recording 278 hits, 53 goals and 102 points for San Diego last season. Jungkok is certainly at a point where he could prove to be a solid depth player for Vancouver right now, but if the Wolves' roster is a bit full, General Manager Keaton Louth could allow him to season a bit more while space frees up. Regardless of where he spends Season 72, Jungkok, paired with Gino DiGiannantonio, look to be the next faces of the Vancouver Wolves, assuming these selections hold up.
- Doomsday

 
 #8. Malmo Nighthawks (From DCD via NYA 
Andrew Su | @Da_Berr | C |
Ottawa Lynx | TPE: 247
Hatter: 11 | Doomsday: 7 | Berocka: 8 | Esso: 9 | Summers: 8 | Tallinder: 7
 
Traded mid-season from the Mississauga Hounds to the Ottawa Lynx, Andrew Su has the rare seventy-three game season. In those games, he scored ninety-nine points with an excellent fifteen per cent shooting accuracy. He also played physically for a centre with one hundred and seven hits and sixty-seven shots blocked, proving himself as a true two hundred foot player. After joining the Lynx, Su quickly became an integral part of the championship team. The Lynx had a truly stacked roster, but no matter who is playing beside you, twenty playoff points shows a maturity you look for in young players. Andrews biggest strength is his shot, but goals are much harder to come by in the major league, so I would expect him to get off to a slower start in the VHL. However, with Malmo looking like they may want to retool now and wait for a window in a couple of seasons, that would be timed perfectly with the peak of Su’s development. If he does manage to maintain his offensive efficiency in the VHL, Andrew Su will be a very exciting player to watch in the coming season.
- Erik Summers

 
 #9. HC Davos Dynamo (From RIG via VAN) 
Alex Letang | @Spartan | D |
Las Vegas Aces | TPE: 215
Hatter: 8 | Doomsday: 11 | Berocka: 11 | Esso: 11 | Summers: 11 | Tallinder: 8
 
Coming up with the ninth pick in the draft, the Dynamo will start to look towards the blueline after solidifying their forward core with the first two picks of the draft earlier. The Ace’s Alex Letang will fill their prospect pool nicely, a high-potential player that only needs a little more development to be VHL-ready. This works well for Davos, as they have their defencemen more or less set for the coming season with the recent acquisition of Jerry Garcia. But with retirement looming for the former Malmo star, the Dynamo will want to look towards the future. Expect Letang to spend another season developing in the VHLM before he is ready to slot into Davos’ pairings. Letang is a pass-first defenceman, whose high hockey IQ will be an asset in any team. He can shut down opposing forwards with his confident play, and he has the speed and agility necessary to get in the passing lane and break up plays. He certainly needs development; despite decent production (15th in points for defencemen), his stats aren’t what you would hope for the 9th overall pick. What you are getting here is a value pick with a lot of talent and potential, and the drive to reach that potential. 
- Mr_Hatter

 
 #10. Helsinki Titans (From VAN) 
Valtteri Vaakanainen | @Jubo07 | LW |
Minnesota Storm | TPE: 341
Hatter: 10 | Doomsday: 10 | Berocka: 10 | Esso: 10 | Summers: 10 | Tallinder: 10
 
Helsinki claims Vaakanainen with the tenth overall pick, and they are able to do so because his user, Jubo07, is the General Manager of the Titans. This pick looks phenomenal for the team, given that in the scenario that they weren't able to select him in this way, he would be pushing for first or second overall. What he brings to the table is a strong, balanced forward who can score at will. Vaakanainen rarely turns the puck over, due to his fantastic puck control and strength on his skates. His scoring instincts are also elite, and he proved that in the regular season, with 49 goals and 97 points with Minnesota. The Finnish forward has earned every possible capped TPE, and close to an additional 100 uncapped TPE. Helsinki adds onto a solid group of wingers here, with names like Jim Bob, Erik Draven, Jared Spaz and Vladimir Shaposhnikov already in the mix. With Jubo’s last player recently being inducted into the Hall Of Fame, taking his next one will be a great and easy pick for the Titans.
- Patrik Tallinder
 
 #11. Moscow Menace 
Lucas Brandt | @twists | C |
Halifax 21st | TPE: 212
Hatter: 9 | Doomsday: 9 | Berocka: 12 | Esso: 12 | Summers: 12 | Tallinder: 12
 
After their repeat bid ended in a 4-1 defeat in the Continental Cup Finals to the Seattle Bears, the Moscow Menace will be a very different team moving forward. Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen and Gritty, two staples of the team, are gone, their rights traded to the Prague Phantoms over the off-season. Jet Jaguar isn’t getting any younger either, so the selection of Lucas Brandt here would make perfect sense. Brandt will likely need another season in the M to develop, but the first-generation player will likely factor in as soon as he makes the Moscow roster. A scoring threat that is responsible in his own end, he put up a very respectable 87 points in his first VHLM season, including scoring 41 goals. Brandt will need to work on protecting himself when he has the puck before he makes the jump to the bigs, as the young centre would make an excellent target for physical opponents. While no one at VSN slotted him to be taken here, Lucas Brandt to the Moscow Menace makes a lot of sense and I wouldn’t be surprised at all if it happened.
- Doomsday

 
 #12. Seattle Bears 
Spencer Elsby | @Spence King| D |
Philadelphia Reapers | TPE: 208
Hatter: 12 | Doomsday: 12 | Berocka: 9 | Esso: 13 | Summers: 13 | Tallinder: 11
 
And with the ultimate pick of the Seattle Bears, the VSN experts and myself think that the defending champions will select two-way defenseman Spencer Elsby. Now, I know we had the Bears selecting fellow blueliner General Zod with their previous pick and, while I think they should add at least one defenseman to their prospect pool via their two first-round selections, I suppose they wouldn't go with both Zod and Elsby; they're more likely to select a forward with one of the two. That being said, I also think that, with the shortage of quality blueliners in this draft class, I highly doubt that Elsby slips farther than the back-end of the first round, so let's pretend for a minute that the Finnish blueliner's name is called here. Elsby is a great all-around defenseman, who possesses great speed and an out-of-this-world hockey IQ. He's able to make strong plays both in the offensive and defensive zone. However, he's physically not as VHL-ready as some other prospects, as he rarely delivers pace-changing hits, and he's easily pushed around by opposing players. He might need one more season in the minors to develop his game and really grow as a professional athlete, but that might fit with the Bears' timeline, as their roster from last season is pretty much all returning to defend their title next season and the open spots for rookies are fairly limited.
- McWolf

 Second Round 
 
 
 #13. Vancouver Wolves (From DAV) 
DeFenz Mann | @Mike | D |
Ottawa Lynx | TPE: 200
Hatter: 14 | Doomsday: 14 | Berocka: 13 | Esso: 14 | Summers: 15 | Tallinder: 13
 
Now up to their third pick in the draft, Vancouver has already selected two forwards, and will likely want some variety in their selections. The best solution to this is picking the player who’s name is literally DeFenz Mann. Besides the name, Mann is a prospect who already possesses a very impressive resume in his young career. Not only did he win the Founder’s Cup with Ottawa, but he also had 22 more assists than anyone else in this draft class. If that wasn’t already enough to justify this pick, he was the only S72 defenseman to crack 100 points in the regular season, and lead the entire league in plus-minus too. Ironically, the French defender’s build is more geared toward a mobile two-way defenseman with a great shot, despite his assist numbers being so prevalent this season. Mann earns around 11 capped TPE per week, along with some uncapped TPE here and there. He will definitely be a big help on the blueline, and will almost surely hit the VHL ice by S73.
- Patrik Tallinder

 
 #14. Helsinki Titans  
Timothy Brown | @a_Ferk | RW |
Saskatoon Wild | TPE: 191
Hatter: 15 | Doomsday: 15 | Berocka: 17 | Esso: 15 | Summers: 9 | Tallinder: 15
 
Despite none of us having Timothy Brown in this spot, it could easily be a move that works out for the Titans. While most of us see the Titans moving for a defenceman, a winger could be what they need to help their rebuild along (in fact the two of us who didn’t predict a defenceman here predicted Chris Hyland instead, another winger in the same TPE range).  Brown has a highly developed shot that should translate well to the VHL. In general, his skill set matches that of recent HOF inductee and Titans’ legend Julian Borwinn, something the Titans’ GM will be sure to take note of. Brown will likely spend another year of development in the minors, where he should spend some time rounding out the other aspects of his game. With his heavy-hitting playstyle, he would do well to bulk up a little to be able to match the VHL for physicality. In a few years time, he could fill the Titans’ roster nicely with a great scoring option on the wing. As the Titans have a variety of other winger prospects, Brown will need to raise his game to guarantee ice time, but his hard work in his first VHLM season has proven he can do just that. 
- Mr_Hatter

 
 #15. Vancouver Wolves (From TOR) 
Chris Hylands | @Hylands33 | RW |
Mexico City Kings | TPE: 196
Hatter: 13 | Doomsday: 13 | Berocka: 14 | Esso: 16 | Summers: 14 | Tallinder: 17
 
Is it time yet? It honestly feels like an eternity since the last time the Vancouver Wolves didn't ice a competitive roster but, with both Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Julius Freeman entering their 7th season, it seems like the Wolves might finally be ready to turn the page and start an actual rebuild. In Chris Hylands, the team would get an offensively-gifted right-winger, whose best asset is easily his sharp shot, but his game is not simply limited to that. The Canadian forward is equally as good in his own zone as he is good at putting the puck in the back of the net. His skillset is also rounded by above-average playmaking abilities and great skating speed. All that being said, Hylands is still probably a full season of development away from being ready to swing in the major leagues. He can use this time to work on all aspects of the game, so that he jumps in the VHL as a great all-around prospect, ready to help Vancouver forget the eventual departure of their two stars.
- McWolf

 
 #16. D.C. Dragons (From NYA) 
Gregg Stallion | @SweatyBeaver | RW |
Houston Bulls | TPE: 173
Hatter: 16 | Doomsday: 16 | Berocka: 16 | Esso: 19 | Summers: 18 | Tallinder: 16
 
This is the part of the draft where things get the most interesting to me. Many of the picks as we get later in the second round will spend the coming season in the minors, which means that we will have to wait an extra season to see how the payoff. However, this can also be a great opportunity to pick up essential pieces of a future competitive core. The Houston Bulls had a rough go of it this past season, but one of the few bright spots was Gregg Stallion. His ninety-five points came from a very good balance of goals and assists and he proved to be extremely clutch. On a team that only had eighteen wins on the season, Stallion accounted for four of the game-winning goals. Picks this deep in the draft can certainly be gambling, but I think the odds are very good for whatever team ends up selecting this exciting young right-winger. Where Stallion is certainly a lock is the VHLM draft, where he will almost certainly go early if he isn’t drafted by a team that intends to call him up.
- Erik Summers

 
 #17. Riga Reign (From PRG via DAV) 
Viktor Alexei Kamenov | @BigTittySmitty | D |
Mexico City Kings | TPE: 167
Hatter: 17 | Doomsday: 18 | Berocka: 16 | Esso: 21 | Summers: 23 | Tallinder: 14
 
With their only pick in the first two rounds of the draft, we expect the Riga Reign to attempt to shore up their defensive pairings. With only 3 currently rostered defencemen, the Reign will need to make a move to secure their fourth spot. While they may yet achieve this via trades or free agency, they should certainly look to the draft as a way to fill this gap for the future. Considering Hackett isn’t getting any younger, their prior levels of defensive stability aren’t looking so secure. Enter Kamenov. The Russian giant stands at a huge 6’ 8”, weighing in at 210 pounds. He struggled somewhat offensively in the VHLM, with only 37 points, but considering his place on a struggling Mexico City side, his numbers don’t look too bad. Also considering his 163 hits and 152 shots blocked, and you can start to get a clearer picture of just how the big man can be utilized. It’s unclear as to whether or not Kamenov will stay down another season; he could certainly use the time to develop, but Riga also needs another defenceman now. It may be a trial of fire, but he has shown he can handle the heat. And at the very least, his defence first attitude will be invaluable on the second-pairing.  
- Mr_Hatter
 
 
 #18. Helsinki Titans (From MAL via VAN) 
Zamboni Driver | @Tape-to-Tape | G |
San Diego Marlins | TPE: 179
Hatter: 18 | Doomsday: 17 | Berocka:   | Esso: 17 | Summers: 16 | Tallinder: 18
 
Finally, nearly halfway through the draft, we have our first goalie off the board! Not only is the new goaltender for the Mexico City Kings (listed as a San Diego Marlin since he played there in Season 71) the first one off the board, but it turns out that Zamboni Driver is the only goaltender to be drafted in the first two rounds of the draft in the eyes of VSN. With their current goaltender situation, the Helsinki Titans are a perfect fit for him. Starting goaltender Michael Johnson has three seasons to go before retirement, with inactive backup Owen May set to retire after next season, assuming he’s even still there. Zamboni Driver will have another season in the VHLM, where he will likely be the major favourite to bring home the Benoit Devereux Trophy as the VHLM’s top goaltender. The Titans can afford to allow him to develop this season, and Driver would be able to make the roster as Johnson’s backup next season, likely pushing for more and more starts by Season 74. A future franchise goaltender at 18th overall would be great value for Helsinki here.
- Doomsday
 
 
 #19. HC Davos Dynamo (From CGY via TOR) 
Joe Exotic | @Joe Exotic | LW |
Philadelphia Reapers | TPE: 164
Hatter: 19 | Doomsday: 19 | Berocka: 20 | Esso: 20 | Summers: 19 | Tallinder: 20
 
Joe Exotic is a curious prospect because he joined the Philadelphia Reapers nine games into the season and was a very undeveloped talent at the time. Therefore, his stats for last season look very lack-lustre, scoring just seventeen points and shooting at less than a ten per cent conversion rate. However, if you watched his development closely, you noticed that he improved rapidly late in the season. This means that a team could get an absolute deal on a top-tier prospect late in the second round. If there is any team that is going to be flooded with top-tier prospects this season it is going to be HC Davos and if they secure Joe Exotic as well they are likely to get a great value. Exotic could very well end up on a squad that looks poised to make a lot of noise in the next two to three seasons.
- Erik Summers

 
 #20. Malmo Nighthawks 
Michael Mac | @LastOneUp | RW |
VHLM Team | TPE: 171
Hatter: 20 | Doomsday: 20 | Berocka: 18 | Esso: 18 | Summers: 24 | Tallinder: 21
 
Michael Mac is a prospect who could end up as a huge piece of Malmo’s future if he maintains his weekly output of TPE that he’s had so far. For a later second-round pick, Mac is of outstanding value, because of his potential as a consistent offensive threat at the VHL level. The Canadian winger has fine scoring instincts and sees the ice really well. He has progressed rapidly since joining, earning every possible capped TPE up until last week. That is not much of a concern though, with him rebounding perfectly this week. He has earned 20+ TPE in four of his 7 full weeks to date, which is also very nice to see. Despite playing for one of the VHLM’s weaker teams this season, Mac still put up nearly a point-per-game, and 25 goals. This is a player who could very well end up far outperforming his draft slot, and if Malmo is the team to take him, their winger depth could see quite the boost.
- Patrik Tallinder

 
 #21. Vancouver Wolves (From RIG) 
Joseph Gainer | @joeg | LW |
Mississauga Hounds | TPE: 146
Hatter: 22 | Doomsday: 30 | Berocka: 19 | Esso: 22 | Summers: 20 | Tallinder: 22
 
The Wolves have done a lot this draft to secure their future core, and so with this pick are looking to have some good prospect depth to round out their roster of tomorrow. Joseph Gainer of the Mississauga Hounds fills this gap perfectly. The word that comes to mind with this player is balance. He is steady across the board and is the perfect kind of player that any GM would love to work with and develop into a VHL-calibre star. He certainly could use the extra season in the VHLM to work on his game, but that will be afforded by Vancouver’s current offensive core. Gainer has a bit of steel about him, and the drive to succeed that holds a value above statistical output. Given the fact that the Hounds were struggling as a whole, the Wolves would be wise to look past the numbers and recognize Gainer for what he is; a fighter. 
- Mr_Hatter

 
 #22. Vancouver Wolves 
Bobby Wyman | @Lefty_S | D |
Saskatoon Wild | TPE: 141
Hatter: 23 | Doomsday: 21 | Berocka: 22 | Esso: 23 | Summers: 25 | Tallinder: N/A
 
With the 22nd pick in the draft, Vancouver takes German defenseman, Bobby Wyman. Wyman has been around since the draft’s first week of eligibility, so his larger sample size leads to more confidence that he will stick around long term. On the ice, he is a menacing defensive defenseman who hits like a truck. Every great part of his game is defined by his absurd strength. He is able to knock forwards off the puck in his own zone and is hard on the puck himself. When in the attacking zone, Wyman’s shot is an absolute cannon that the opposing team always has to be aware of. The Saskatoon defender put up 53 points, which is very nice to see from a defenseman who isn’t primarily focused on points. On top of that, his 278 hits tied him for first in the entire VHLM. Even though Bobby Wyman’s TPE earning has been a little sporadic, he has still managed to update every week, ranging from 6-10 per week in most cases. He will provide depth on the Wolves’ blueline, with his physical presence and standout defensive abilities.
- Patrik Tallinder

 
 #23. Moscow Menace 
Liam Flaten | @flatl99 | D |
Philadelphia Reapers | TPE: 158
Hatter: 21 | Doomsday: 24 | Berocka: 30 | Esso: 21 | Summers: 21 | Tallinder: 19
 
Approaching the end of the second round, we have Liam Flaten, a defenseman that our ranking team found themselves fairly divided on. Something of a late-bloomer last season, Flaten had a solid performance in the postseason. Despite playing for the Philadelphia Reapers, who were knocked out in the first round, Liam managed five points and came in at a plus three over the course of their seven games in which they were outscored by eight goals. One would think that Moscow’s window may be closing after the string of success they have had recently, but if that happens, Flaten should be developing out of the minors just in time to join a once again ascending Menace squad. One of the things I am most interested to see in the coming season from Liam is what type of player he intends to be. He currently is not very specialized in any particular direction, so it will be interesting to see what influence whichever teams that draft him has on his focus in training and development.
- Erik Summers

 
 #24. Seattle Bears 
Remy Moreau | @Da Trifecta | RW |
Las Vegas Aces | TPE: 143
Hatter: 25 | Doomsday: 23 | Berocka: 21 | Esso: 24 | Summers: 22 | Tallinder: N/A
 
As we wrap up our mock draft, the second round ends with the Seattle Bears grabbing Remy Moreau, a right-wing that will be spending a third season with the Las Vegas Aces in Season 72. Moreau is an interesting case and for sure a project player. He scored seven points in 18 games with the Aces in Season 70, but after being drafted by Vegas and spending Season 71 with them, he only scored four points all season. With a major drop in his work ethic, it would explain the drastic reduction in playing time, but he appears to be back at it, making Moreau a boom or bust type of pick. His agent has produced some stellar players, but a reputation of them retiring early does exist with them. For Seattle’s ageing core, Moreau could fit in nicely if he continues to update. He would be coming into his own right around the time some of them would be exiting the VHL. General Manager Ambrose Stark knows that sometimes you need to gamble big to win big, and rolling the dice on this Las Vegas prospect could help towards keeping the winning streak going for Seattle.
- Doomsday
 
Best of luck to all teams and draftees this year!
 
Love,
 
VSN

VHL Top 25 Players
 
Part 1: 25-21
 
S72 has already started and VSN is back here again to rank and show who we think is going to be the best player of S72! There are amazing new candidates and many older players who are all showcasing their strengths and immense talent so be ready for our next iteration of VSN's Top 25!
 
This season, VSN Editor-in-chief @FrostBeard, writers @Doomsday, @Erik Summers, and @Patrik Tallinder, along with voice and video masters @Berocka and @Esso2264 and also with our distinguished guest @rjfryman ranked and debated who is going to be the top dog in Season 72. They are joined by @Mr_Hatter, VSN's VHLM aficionado, for the write-ups. Part 1 will feature two amazing defencemen and three brilliant forwards out of whom one has just recently decided to switch up everything that he was known for to help his team succeed. 

 
25. Tyler Barabash Jr, C 
 
And with the first entry on our list, we have Tyler Barabash Jr, the Calgary Wrangler’s franchise centre. A consistent scorer, Barabash has hovered around a PPG for much of his career, despite a few dips in form. Now reaching the twilight of his career, the Wranglers will hope his veteran presence can inspire the franchise to a return to their S70 form that saw them reaching the Continental Cup Finals.. If the Canadian can post a point per game in his penultimate season, something he narrowly missed out on in S71, that will be a huge success for the Wranglers. Barabash is a scorer, first and foremost, having reached over 30 goals per season in three of the past four, and led the team in goals in each of those three seasons. His S70 performance was so instrumental to the Wranglers success that he almost doubled the next highest goalscorer for his team, leading the Wranglers to second place in the North American Conference. Barabash is a disciplined player but isn’t afraid to lay into the hits. Last season only three other players had more hits while racking up fewer penalty minutes, showing just how much of an on-ice presence he can be. With Calgary transitioning their core to the next generation, this leadership will be vital to the Wrangler’s success in the coming seasons. 
Mr_Hatter
24. Owen Nolan, RW
 
New York’s assistant captain, Owen Nolan, has developed perfectly up to this point in his career. While he started out with 10 goals and 6 assists in his rookie season, the Irish winger has seen those numbers increase each and every season since then. Three seasons later, this trend has continued and has led to his team-leading 35 goals and 73 points in S71. His 38 assists were also a career-high, proving his growth as a complete offensive threat. Nolan ranks first among the entire S68 draft class in goals and is one of its top point scorers as well. What has allowed him to perform at such a high level is his exceptional ability to keep possession of the puck. His skill set with the puck consists of some deceptive hands, as well as fantastic puck protection. He has a quick first step, allowing him to leave unsuspecting defenders in the dust, and an accurate shot to top it all off. His versatility as a forward is just another reason why he is so valuable to the Americans. His skillfulness at the faceoff dot allows for him to be an option at centre or wing, and his nearly identical number of goals and assists proves his ability to thrive as a sniper and playmaker. If Owen Nolan remains with New York, it isn’t all that far-fetched to think he could end up a top 3 all-time goal scorer within that franchise.
Patrik Tallinder

Tied-22. Charlie Paddywagon, D

Calgary Wranglers have been quite happy to have Charlie Paddywagon on their team considering that after a trade that sent him from Davos to Calgary he has been playing the best hockey of his career. Last season Paddywagon had the best statistical season of his career with 56 points, 140 hits and 116 shots blocked. Even though his career in terms of point totals and other statistical categories might not be considered on an all-star level, he still is a great contributor and has the ability to take over games. His defensive game is still improving and even though Charlie has already passed the point when his career would be considered at its peak, he still can produce and be one of the most wonderful and captivating players to watch. His role as a leader is important for Calgary and his skillset throughout this season will be an important part of Calgary’s ability to make playoffs. One thing is for sure, Paddywagon has all the tools to be a brilliant two-way defenceman, a high-quality passing defenceman who can outplay his opposition because of his immense ability to move the puck elegantly and fiercely at the same time.
 
FrostBeard
Tied-22. Jerry Garcia, LW
 
Although Jerry Garcia has enjoyed a stellar reputation as one of the VHL's best defensive players during his career with Malmo, accolades always eluded him due to his offensive output. After scoring 31 points in his rookie season, he has never produced below 40 points. After a brilliant Season 68, in which he Garcia scored ten goals along with 50 assists for 60 points, both he and the Malmo Nighthawks have struggled to reproduce the glories of Season 68. While his defensive prowess alone was likely enough to secure him a place in the Top 25, it's his potential for Season 72 that really solidifies his ranking here. As Garcia heads into the twilight of his career, he has completely reinvented himself. Now with the HC Davos Dynamo, he will be suiting up at left wing, and his new build looks capable of dealing some serious damage. Garcia's career-best 11 goals in Season 69 (nice) could be smashed within the first 20 games. With Acyd Burn and ACL Tear on the team now as well, the foundation is set for veteran presences to lead the way while Davos' next-generation develops under them. While Jerry Garcia has always been an underrated player, at left-wing, he may finally begin to garner the universal respect on the ice that he receives off of it. 
 
Doomsday
21. Cinnamon Block, D
 
After holding the leading spot for points among defensemen going into the final weeks of last season, Cinnamon Block fell just off her pace at the end to come in third in that regard. Block did that as an extreme playmaker with fifty-seven assists. On top of the impressive offensive numbers, she also had one of the best defensive seasons as well. With one-hundred and sixty-six hits, one-hundred and fifteen shots blocked, and a plus nineteen on the year, Cinnamon was well in the running for the Jake Wylde. This season is going to be a big one for this defender entering her prime as she is now the biggest star on the Phantoms’ roster and entering a contract year where she would undoubtedly be one of the most sought-after free-agents if she decides to go that route. Over the past two seasons, we have seen Block’s production on offence increase while her physicality has settled down. One thing that has allowed that shift if the incredible blue-line Prague has put together, supporting Block with the likes of Seabass Perrin and Wolf Stansson Jr. I expect that trend to continue as she makes a run at scoring leader among defenders, or perhaps the league, this season.
Erik Summers
 
Do you think VSN got it right? Do you think anyone else should be on this list? If so, post in the comments and debate it all! Truly talented and highly successful players coming up next!

People mentioned: @Bushito, @studentized, @DMaximus, @GustavMattias, @Acydburn, @Quik, @omgitshim, @Cornholio, @Seabass

Hello, and welcome to the first edition of a new season of Under 250: The VHLM Report. In these series, we will be taking a look at the trends and topics from the past week in the VHLM. What twists and turns will our minor league hold? Stay tuned to find out!
 
This season we welcome a new writer to our coverage, @diamond_ace! We are very excited to have him on the team, expanding VHLM coverage further. We will be trading off articles, so that’s all for now, but stay tuned for his content coming down the pipeline!
 
Speaking of other VSN content, make sure to check out the other great work from the greater VSN family! Here are a few handy links to check out, from our weekly podcasts to in-depth history articles, scouting reports, and more!
 
 | The Talent Behind the Trophies |  S72 Mock Draft | S72 Top 25 | 
 
The Review 
 
With a new season of hockey comes some new, sweeping changes to the structure of the VHLM. It’s been crowded enough the past few seasons, and so our benevolent overlords have seen fit to give us an expansion team! Welcome to the Miami Marauders, the newest addition to the VHLM family. The Marauders are led by fearless leader/GM Kris Rice @Ricer13, who is backed up by his assistant, @bigAL. Welcome boys!
 
 

 
Now into the standings, starting with the Eastern Conference. The Marauders aren’t exactly up to a great start, and sit at the bottom of their conference with 8 points (though not the worst in the league; more on that later). Next up is the Halifax 21st with 15 points, who are trailing playoff position by five points, partly by virtue of their conference’s strength. 
 
Entering the playoff spots in the East we actually have a three-way tie for second place. The Philadelphia Reapers, Ottawa Lynx, and Mississauga Hounds all have 20 points apiece, sitting on 10 wins, 6 losses, and 0 overtime losses. The Reapers take 4th position due to one of their victories coming in a shootout (Game 73 against Halifax), while the Hounds just edge out the Lynx on goal differential to secure the second position. 
 
Leading the Eastern Conference is the Minnesota Storm, whose 26 points is tied for top overall in the league. The Storm have a dominant goal differential of +42 in only 16 games; in part thanks to some really absurd victories (to the tune of 12-0 and 11-0). 
 
Just who did those victories come against? The two teams bringing up the rear of the Western Conference, the Houston Bulls and the San Diego Marlins. These teams have each won just a single game to go along with their 15 losses, and boast a combined goal differential of -160; meaning roughly a -5 differential per game across the two teams. Luckily for last season’s runner ups, the Yukon Rush, should be thankful, as if things keep going the same way their playoff position should be more or less guaranteed. The Rush currently sit at 13 points, having had middling to poor results so far. 
 
Entering the third position we begin to look at competitors again, starting with the Mexico City Kings. The King’s have the second-best goal differential in the league and have looked dangerous thus far, boasting the fewest goals allowed across their 16 games. In second place in the West is the Saskatoon Wild. The Wild have dropped a few games in overtime, including one early in the season against the West’s leaders, the Las Vegas Aces. These late-game performances so far mark the separation between the two, as the Aces have won all three of their overtime games in a shootout, while the Wild have lost both of their shootouts. With only two points separating these two teams, it is clear the margins could hardly be tighter. 
 
This rounds out our review of the standings. Let’s take a look at our ELO charts to see if they paint a clearer picture of the first week of the season:
 


The first thing that jumps out from the ELO charts is the plummet of the aforementioned Houston Bulls and San Diego Marlins, which should come as no surprise given their performances thus far. Going up the chart we see the Yukon Rush having a lot of movement; they kicked off the season strong but fell quickly thereafter. Miami has been a slow ride down, but manage to stay ahead of the Rush for now despite their worse record. 
 
One of the most interesting facts on our chart thus far is the position of the Hounds. Despite being second in the Eastern Conference, they have an ELO barely above average. This can mostly be explained by the difference in conferences, as they would only be fourth in the West, and they are also only in second in the East by virtue of that three-way tie. 
 
Taking a look at the Las Vegas Aces also showcases something peculiar. Although the Aces are first in the West and are tied for the top record in the league, they are next in ELO; meaning they are seventh right now, lower than the Halifax 21st, a team that isn’t even in a playoff spot right now. This tells us two things: one, the power dynamic in the West is almost certainly not settled yet, and two, the Eastern Conference is proving more and more to be a tough mix of teams. 
 
The top two teams by ELO are the Philadelphia Reapers and the Minnesota Storm, with the Reapers just edging out the Storm for that top spot. The Reapers started off strong, but have plateaued recently, while the Storm are currently riding a seven-game winning streak. In general, though, there appear to be a lot of competitive teams this season. The Reapers and Storm in the East are closely trailed by the Saskatoon Wild and the Mexico City Kings in the West; here’s to hoping a Founder’s Cup showdown between equally competitive teams will come to fruition. 

The Highlights
 
Miami’s Big Break
 
First things first; let’s look at the Marauders. Usually, we won’t cover individual games in too much depth, instead focusing on the bigger picture, but hey, the first game of an expansion team deserves something. And boy was that first game something else. Game 4 on the season, between newly minted Miami Marauders and the perennial contenders of the Minnesota Storm. The Marauders were travelling to Minnesota in this match, but it did little to deter them. The franchise’s first goal was scored by their top-line centre and first star of the game, Andre Lebastard, with the assist from Kosmo Kramerev. Congrats you two! 
 
Despite scoring first, the Storm hit back and hit hard with three unanswered goals to close out the first period, outshooting Miami 21-3. The second period was more of the same on the shot totals, but somehow, Miami evened up the score with two more finding the back of the net. Heading into the third period, I don’t think anyone could predict what was going to happen. 
 
Thirty seconds into the period, the Marauders took the lead off a goal from Bobbie Cheechoo. Not to be outdone, the Storm evened it up, but they wouldn’t score again. The game-winning goal came from Kosmo Kramerev, whose powerplay snipe sealed the franchise's first franchise win in their first-ever game. A nervy third period played out, but with only a minute or so left, Miami sealed the deal with an empty-net goal. Particularly impressive was the performance of Miami’s goaltender, the one and only Bacon, whose 46 saves on 50 shots was the backstop that weathered the Minnesotans storm of offence, leading them to victory. 
 
A Season for the Goalies
 
So far this season we have seen some impressive offensive performances (mostly thanks to a few team’s particularly unimpressive defences). Take a look at Game 72 in which the Minnesota Storm beat the Houston Bulls 12-0. This tied the league records for most goals by one team in one game (12), most assists by one team in one game (24), and most game points in one game (36). Interestingly enough, the Bulls nearly beat their own record for shots blocked in this game with 30; that’s because they got 31 earlier in the season against the Saskatoon Wild in Game 19 that saw them outshot 93-6. 
 
Despite such one-sided displays, it is in fact the defensive qualities that are most impressive this season. The goalies, in particular, have started off hot, with three starters over .900 SV%, and another two right on the border with .899.  Granted, it is still early, but compare this to the end of last season, where only three players had an SV% over .895, and the top goalie ended at just .900. That is a pretty impressive difference, sample-size notwithstanding.  Thus far Grekkark Gyrfalcon has the highest SV% through his 12 games at .910, followed by Mexico City’s Zamboni Driver with .906 over 16 games played; both goalies are currently tied on GAA with 1.81. Last season, no one had below a 2.61. 
 
Who knows if this trend will continue, but let’s enjoy it while it lasts. It’s not too often that we are treated to such impressive goaltending displays, regardless of opponent quality. 
 
That’s all for this edition of Under 250: The VHLM Review. Thank you all for reading, and stay tuned next week for the inside scoop on all that’s going on in the league. Until next time!
 
GMs:  @Proto, @ColeMrtz, @DoktorFunk, @Dil, @Rayzor_7, @Motzaburger,
@MexicanCow123, @McWolf, @DMaximus, @iRockstar, @Sonnet, @Ricer13
 
Players Mentioned: @Andre LeBastard, @Mongoose87, @Sharkie, @Bacon, @Sharkstrong, @Tape-to-Tape
 
 
 
VSN Writer Mr_Hatter
 

Today's topic is going to be deep within the realm of the VHLM. A team, pretty much filled with first generational players. Players that have never played in the VHL before. They have never felt true glory nor have they felt true pain (I still cry about my only finals appearance). We're diving into the Mexico City Kings organization. Mexico City has been a fun destination for new members and this is why it's such a fun time to break down their current team construct.
 
When I say that this team is full of first generation players, I'm not joking at all. Seriously, this is going to be a fun ride into the sunset, are you ready to take the journey?
 
Goalies
 
Let's start off with their goalies. This season, Zamboni has been running the show with 17 starts and 18 games played which is a mouth watering amount. Of those 17 starts, he's had 11 wins and 6 losses on his record. What makes Zamboni so special is that he's posting a very solid 90% save percentage and a 1.88 goals against average. He's among one of the best goalies in the league at the moment and is currently tied with Grekkark Gyrfalcon (goalie of the Saskatoon Wild). What really helps his case is the fact that he's faced 352 shots so far however, he's been right there when called upon for Mexico City.
 
Defensemen
 
Viktor Alexei Kamenov. At a whopping 6'8" and staggering 210 lbs. This man is built like a truck and has been doing so in Mexico. What a load of hunk. He's come back to Mexico City as a blue chip prospect (rights belong to Malmo) and he's been doing everything right on the ice so far. He's at exactly a point a game with 8 goals and 10 assists in 18 games. In 18 games, he's been incredible responsible with 10 penalties as well. What he truly excels at is being an anchor on the power play as well with 8 goals (2nd in the league to do so far) and 1 assist. Seriously, Viktor has been doing some work so far in Mexico and has been a huge star on their defensive core. Mr. Clutch has also put in 3 game winning goals as well which puts him 4th in the league for that.
 
The next big defensemen they have is Chance Rust. The 6'5" 225 lb monster of a defender has been a defensive anchor on the roster. While he's not in the top charts for anything this season, he's been such an important piece for this roster. With 1 goal and 12 assists for 13 points in 18 games has been a great secondary scorer on the blue line for the team. He's also had 22 hits and 23 shots blocked so he's truly working on both sides of the ice.
 
Surrounding these 2 main anchors on the are Nolan McNalley and Joe Jacks. Each of these two have been growing at a very steady rate and have been such a huge part of this defense as well. This defense will be strong for years to come, especially since these two are committed to the organization and could be apart of the team for a while!
 
Forwards
 
Chris Hylands. The main man, the star forward of this team. He's racked up 8 goals and 7 assists for 15 points in 18 games with a +/- of 9. Chris has the star ability to make for a brilliant player in the VHL and while he's not the lighting the league on fire, he has the fire in his belly and potential to make him an absolute stud for years to come. It looks like he'll be joining his teammate, Viktor Alexei Kamenov, over in Malmo after this season as well!
 
Blake Bridges is another top young man on the Mexico City Kings. With 15 points as well, he's put up 6 goals and 9 assists so he's been a great source of scoring and offense. Blake has been a huge physical presence with 21 hits as well. He could be a bit better, however he's been showing a strong presence to improve every single day and game. He's looking to be a strong member of the team for years to come.
 
Another big anchor on the offensive anchor is Arthur Dayne. Arthur Dayne has been an absolute lick, in my personal opinion. Arthur has put up a solid 10 goals and 13 assists for 23 points, being the main anchor on this team, offensively speaking. Arthur has also dished out a lot of hits for his size (25 hits on the season) considering his stature sits at around 6 foot tall at 203 lbs. Arthur has the mold to be an offensive weapon for the future and reminds me of a younger and a bit smaller version of Mikko Aaltonen. 
 
Summary
 
All of which have been working well within the system. The entire team has been awesome to see playing to well defensively. With around 102 shots blocked and 410 hits, this team has been extremely strong on the ice and has been supporting Zamboni Driver quite a bit. I think they need to work on their special teams however as they have a 79.78 penalty kill % (ranks them at 5th in the league) as well as a 22.06 power play % (ranks them 7th in the league). This could prove to be the pivotal factor in driving them higher in the ranking.

This is part 2, if you would like to view the Western Conference version you can read it here
 
 
Glasser Division
 
Minnesota Storm
 
Rank: 1st
 
After taking one quick glance at Minnesota’s roster, I came to the conclusion: “Yep, this team looks terrifying”. The Storm will be a force to be reckoned with this season. It is clear that Minnesota is making a push to win it all this year after the recent trade with Yukon that brought Dickson, Harrison and John to the team. They have one thing most of the other contenders don’t with a capped goalie in Woody McPine, which I think will give them an edge. Minnesota is not lacking in any other areas of the game, either. Danny DeYeeto has been around the block a time or two in the VHLM, and is expected to rack up points for Minnesota. They have a second defense pairing that rivals the first pairing of many other teams. Saskatoon remains the Storm’s biggest threat, and I think it is going to be a Saskatoon vs Minnesota final. 
 
Mississauga Hounds
 
Rank: 3rd
 
The Hounds had a very good draft this offseason, and will be looking to make a playoff push this season. It is unlikely that they will win the division, as they share it with a scary Minnesota team, but they have an almost certain shot of making it as a wildcard. The draft saw Mississauaga pick up some important pieces for their squad, including forward Marshall James Frostbeard and goaltender Jacob Tonn. Jacob is expected to have a ton of impact as the starting tender, and Frostbeard is the team’s star forward. Overall Mississauga has a good amount of depth, which could be a wildcard against teams that are top heavy. I don’t think they’re better than Philly, but they’re a good enough team to rank 3rd.
 
Ottawa Lynx
 
Rank: 5th
 
After a successful cup run, which saw the Lynx take home the founder’s Cup, Ottawa’s roster has been gutted quite a lot. Adam Syreck and Big Chungus are the team’s main driving force, backed up by Defenz Mann. Goaltender Ajay Krishna is a gem for the Lynx, taken in the 5th round of the recent draft. However, Krishna is still relatively unproven and it is unknown how he will do after immediately being thrown into the starting role. Defenz Mann and Rich Dickbutt McFudderdudder are a steady force at defense, among the best in the conference. However, Ottawa also has a staggering lack of depth. The top line and defense pairing are elite, but they are essentially the entire team. These aspects force me to rank them 5th in a close contest with Halifax. However, the weakness of the bottom teams in the West makes it so the Lynx still have a very good shot of making the playoffs.
 
 
Theusch Division
 
Philadelphia Reapers
 
Rank: 2nd
 
Although they have been overshadowed by Minnesota and are not doing very well in the standings right now, the Reapers still have a very good roster provided everyone stays with the team. I’ve heard speculation that they may be looking to sell. While John Poremba is no Woody McPine, he is still a very good goaltender in his own right and will steal them a few wins here and there. Bob Helminen and Bud Knight also remain very good players, and can be expected to provide a lot of scoring for Philly. The defense is also excellent, consisting of names like Ziarie Anigbogu, Riley Knight Gee, and Spencer Elsby. In fact, Elsby is among the best defensemen in the league. While Philadelphia doesn’t have any glaring holes in their roster, they just don’t have the firepower of Minnesota and so I have to rank them 2nd.
 
Halifax 21st
 
Rank: 4th
 
The same problem that plagues the Ottawa Lynx this season is also bothering Halifax, which is a lack of depth. Forward Timothy Brown has been providing a lot of the offense, with help from the first pairing of Viktor Mjers and James Rose. The signing of centre Empty has alleviated some of the pressure off of Brown, but the question is will it be enough? Hex Valentine is a pretty good goaltender and keeps the 21st in a lot of games, but in the present I just don’t think Halifax has the required depth to contend with top teams just yet. Another major issue for Halifax has been the amount of penalties they give up, and star forward Timothy Brown is the main culprit for this. The 21st have three players in the top 10 for penalty minutes. Be expecting a 7th place finish, or even a repeat of last season and another 8th place berth. I’m ranking Halifax 4th in the conference. Maybe I’m a bit biased, but my reasoning was that while Ottawa has better forwards, Halifax has a better goaltender.
 
Miami Marauders
 
Rank: 6th
 
The newest expansion team in the VHLM hasn’t had the cinderella story of the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights, but that is to be expected. The Golden Knights were the exception, not the rule, as many new expansion teams start at the very bottom. The Marauders are in the process of a bridge season, so to speak.They will not be very good this year but next season will be their year, due to all of the draft picks they have stockpiled. The strong points of the team this season are definitely defense and goaltending. Wolf Stansson and Kosmo Kramerev have been solid on the first pairing, while goaltender Bacon is the third best player on the team and has a sick name. Andre Lebastard is the main driving force on a pretty weak offense. Currently third last in the standings, I think Miami will finish last in the conference and so I must rank them 6th. Meanwhile, I also expect them to be the only team in the Eastern Conference to miss the playoffs due to the new playoff format.
 
 
Overall Power Rankings
 
 
1st: Minnesota Storm - If I finished this power ranking last week like I was going to, I probably would have ranked them 2nd. However, after the recent trade and actually studying their roster, they look scary. 
 
2nd: Saskatoon Wild - The Wild have a weaker goalie than some of the other contenders, so that might be their downfall. However, goalie Gyrfalcon has been quick to improve so he may close the gap. 
 
3rd: Mexico City Kings - The Kings have been slightly overlooked, in my opinion. First overall pick Chris Hylands and goaltender Zamboni Driver will lead this team to a top playoff spot, and first in their division.
 
4th: Las Vegas Aces - The Aces have been kind of a dark horse so far, currently sitting at first in the league. It didn’t feel right ranking them any higher than 4th since I only ranked them 3rd in the division, but if they continue this pace they will be a top team.
 
5th: Philadelphia Reapers - The Reapers have been underachieving so far this season, and are currently tied for 5th. On the other hand, Bob Helminen is currently tied for first in points, and Bud Knight is also currently in the top 10.
 
6th: Mississauga Hounds - The Hounds are a significant improvement from last season where they missed the playoffs. Frostbeard and Tonn will probably be capped by playoffs, so they could manage an upset.
 
7th: Halifax 21st - The 21st are a playoff team, but they have a current lack of depth. The first pairing has been a bright spot, especially James Rose. Rose is currently 9th in scoring for defensemen.
 
8th: Ottawa Lynx - With their current roster, they also have a critical lack of depth. If goaltender Ajay Krishna is able to improve a lot over the course of the season, they may be able to finish higher.
 
9th: Miami Marauders - Despite being lower than the Rush in the standings, looking at their roster makes it clear that Miami is the better team. I believe Miami’s main thing to look forward to is the draft. They will dominate next season.
 
10th: Yukon Rush - Being able to ice a couple of lines without bots makes the Rush better than teams like Houston or San Diego. Goaltender Jean Pierre Camus is definitely the star, and could steal them a few games.
 
11th: San Diego Marlins - Like many of the bottom teams, San Diego has the draft to look forward to with an abundance of picks. The Marlins have Roadkill Steve and a better goaltender than Houston, which makes them a better team on paper.
 
12th: Houston Bulls - Houston is likely to finish last in my opinion, despite being 11th in the standings as of right now. The Bulls don’t have any big assets, though Patrik Laine looks like a possible gem from waivers.
 
Conclusion
 
This is shaping up to be an exciting season for the VHLM, with Las Vegas currently in the lead after 18 games. At the start of the year, I doubt many of us would have expected them to be in first at this point of the season (except for their own players of course) and I think that makes it more entertaining. Let us hope that this year brings us a more exciting finals series, instead of the sweep we had last year.
 
1534 words, using for weeks ending 5/31, 6/7, 6/14, 6/21

What I anticipate in my near future
 

so true
HEY!!!
wtf are the logs of time

Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen
 

With the caveat that it's still very early in the season, Smitty seems to be (a little more) back on track to his Labatte winning seasons. Unlike the past couple of years, he's definitely not a favorite to win any award and is easily considered a dark horse contender, but it's not outside the realm of possibility. Through his agent's miscalculations or general apathy, Smitty is somehow going to end up with considerable more TPA than last season, and possibly the season before that as well, before he officially retires at the trade deadline. Maybe that extra help will give him an extra award or two at the end of his career. Vancouver's start to the season has been "meh". We've had a good sim, and average sim, and a bad sim. I believe we'll be making some changes to our lines and strategies, so hopefully we start seeing better results soon. On paper, we have a very strong team, but so do a couple of other teams in the North American Conference. Whoever comes out of this conference in the playoffs will almost certainly be considered the favorite for the Continental Cup.

With the amount of awards that Rauno Palo ( @jRuutu) has won, I think people will rightly raise a red flag as to his potential status as an “unsung hero”. However, while his success in the sim over the recent seasons have rightly seen his player receive a lot of adulation, there’s one magnificent feat that he achieved that I don’t believe has received nearly enough attention and therefore more than warrants his status as an unsung hero. What did he do?
 
He broke the 100 mark in an attribute
 
“How is that even possible though?” I hear you ask. The portal has always actively stopped players from going over 99 in an attribute when they allocate their TPE, so surely this is a lie? Well yes, it would be if every attribute was upped using TPE but that isn’t the case, for Experience is an attribute that can only be gained through end of season performance and player store purchases and well, let’s just say Palo was a fellow who was committed to the cause of being the most experienced player in the VHL, to the point of being too committed in fact.
 
This was brought to my attention in the updater’s forum by Beketov, the simmer of the VHL at the time, who put out a call for the updaters to go through Palo’s update log and find out how much Experience Palo should have had for the portal had “bugged out” and that had put Palo at a whopping 103 experience! 103! Of course it was a bug! What else could it be? And at first that looked like the case as the initial calculations that Will made only put Palo at 95 experience citing that it “must have been a double claim”. Thus, Palo’s Experience was immediately edited to this after Will’s testimony, taken as a fact and done with such pace that they would only hope that no-one would ever notice should anyone actually find a weakness in the machine’s armour.
 
However, as a seeker of the truth and someone who believes that the power of man is capable of overcoming any machine, I simply would not accept that Palo’s experience got to this figure by mere chance, there had to be another reason! Thus I sat down, warm beverage at hand, and decided to peruse through the updating scrolls to see if my suspicions were indeed correct. Now, through experience gained through the end-of-season allocation alone, Palo had no reason to be anywhere close to 99, let alone 103, as this occurred following his sixth VHL Season, so even if his team had won the cup every single season, he could only be at the very most, an 88. However, my research revealed that on December 28th 2018, the man bought a late Christmas present for himself, 10 experience points. An experience feast fit for a king certainly, but still not nearly enough to break into the hollowed ground of the third digit number. But as it turned out, our hero wasn’t done, as on May 11th, he put down another $3 Million and commanded the store owner Josh to give him all the experience he had on him. Josh stared into the windows of Palo’s soul, admitted defeat and yielded, granting him a further 10 experience points.  Combined with his end-of-season experience haul, Palo had, in just six seasons achieved ground that no other being had ever even dreamed of reaching, breaking the 100 attribute point plateau with 103 Experience. This was no “bug”, this was through no “double claim”, this was a demonstration of the true power of the human spirit.
 
--------------------------------------------------------
 
So I told Will he actually was right to have 103 and he said “Right, fuck that, we’re putting a cap on that” and he was promptly edited to 99 Experience.
 
So the lesson for today? If you can reach for the stars, hold back a little, because someone or something will fuck you up when you grab one.

I always liked forum LRs a lot more than discord but since everybody on every single league moved to discord, it's like you don't have a choice anymore.

EXCLUSIVE!
 
LeBastard Defends Oh Sens 
 
Miami Marauders Captian Andre LeBastard today backed teammate and friend @osens, after the high scoring winger was involved in a bit of a punch-up in the stands during a recent game against Minnesota. 'Look, while the League, the club and myself as the Captain, do not condone violence unless of course, it's on the ice when we play the Mississauga Hounds, I have to back 'Banzai', in this case'. 
 
'If you or I, had said what I heard being said to the guy, we would be arrested and charged with hate crimes'. 'That guy in the stands is just lucky that none of the other boys heard the remarks, or they all would have been over the glass'. 'I have to tell you, Oh Sens can kick ass, we've all seen him drop the gloves on occasion in exhibition games and trust me, he can really go, if he wants to.'
 
'I'm not going to comment about Minnesota's fans in general, but this guy needed to have an attitude adjustment and Banzai was just the man to do it.' 'What I sincerely hope is that the League looks at what happened and asks me for my input because I heard what was said before they make any kind of judgement in this case.'
 
When asked to be more specific about what he had heard the fan say to Oh Sens, LeBastard replied. 'Look, no - I'm not going to go into that in public. No, it's not for me to say.' 'Oh Sens can decide if he wants to share that, but I  would be inclined to believe that both of us will speak to the League and not the media, sorry boys.'
 
'I will say that all of the boys in the room are 110.5% behind him (Oh Sens), and we will always stick up for our guys, no matter what'.
 

Support @osens on GoFundMe

Last week a disturbing video was leaked by an anonymous source that showed an extremely drunk Gregg Stallion causing thousands of dollars in property damage as well as taking the lives of 327 Rabbits at the Houston Rabbit Sanctuary. Stallion’s draft status tanked as most VHLM Gms were too afraid to draft the volatile forward despite his upside leading him to fall all the way into the middle of the 2nd round.
 
Stallion refused to talk to reporters who were wanting to interview him after the draft and spent the week in the midst of a massive legal battle as P.E.T.A. sued him for 2.8 Million dollars ($8,562 per rabbit life taken.) In the end Stallion donated 1 million dollars to the questionable organization and came to a settlement as long as Stallion addressed his alcohol problem.
 
“I am committed to be sober, in honour of the countless Rabbit lives lost, and in order to better myself to be a better man to society.” Stallion said at his first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting that was televised on ESPN 3. “It is my desire to change for the better and I am going to fight my desire to drink so much alcohol…Whisky, Rum, Gin…Rum again” Stallion said as he visibly drifted away in thought fantasizing about the alcohol he could drink.
 
After the meeting Stallion packed his belongings to move to somewhere that would help him in his commitment to sobriety, unfortunately for Stallion he was drafted by the Las Vegas Aces and was moving to Sin City USA. Reports say that Stallion got in an Uber and drove past approximately 120 bars and night clubs before caving to temptation and bursting through the car window and going to the closest bar. Stallion was later spotted skinny dipping in the Bellagio fountain claiming ‘He was 150% totally sober and not drunk.’
 

 

Hey everyone, it's a new season so that means it's time for me to start releasing my [S72] VHL Team Overal Ratings! There has been a lot of changed for nearly every single team due to rookies being called up into the line ups, and of course because if veterans retiring. As always I will link the explaination post at the bottom(along side this season's earlier O.R ratings) and I have organized the teams below according to their "Total Overall" so if you see identical ratings but 1 team is listed higher than another, that team won that spot by a tie breaker. Now to finally get on with what you are all here for, the first Team Overall Ratings for S72:
 
NA
 
Seattle Bears
Overall Ranking: 1st

Offence Ranking: 1st
Defence Ranking: 5th
Goaltending Ranking: 1st
 
Calgary Wranglers
Overall Ranking: 2nd

Offence Ranking: 2nd
Defence Ranking: 6th
Goaltending Ranking: 8th
 
Vancouver Wolves
Overall Ranking: 4th

Offence Ranking: 8th
Defence Ranking: 3rd
Goaltending Ranking: 6th
 
New York Americans
Overall Ranking: 6th

Offence Ranking: 7th
Defence Ranking: 1st
Goaltending Ranking: 4th
 
D.C. Dragons
Overall Ranking: 8th

Offence Ranking: 4th
Defence Ranking: 4th
Goaltending Ranking: 12th
 
Toronto Legion
Overall Ranking: 11th

Offence Ranking: 11th
Defence Ranking: 12th
Goaltending Ranking: 7th
 
 
EU
 
Riga Reign
Overall Ranking: 3rd

Offence Ranking: 9th
Defence Ranking: 2nd
Goaltending Ranking: 2nd
 
Moscow Menace
Overall Ranking: 5th

Offence Ranking: 5th
Defence Ranking: 8th
Goaltending Ranking: 5th
 
Helsinki Titans
Overall Ranking: 7th

Offence Ranking: 6th
Defence Ranking: 9th
Goaltending Ranking: 3rd
 
HC Davos Dynamo
Overall Ranking: 9th

Offence Ranking: 3rd
Defence Ranking: 10th
Goaltending Ranking: 9th
 
Prauge Phantoms
Overall Ranking: 10th

Offence Ranking: 10th
Defence Ranking: 7th
Goaltending Ranking: 11th
 
Malmo Nighthawks
Overall Ranking: 12th

Offence Ranking: 12th
Defence Ranking: 11th
Goaltending Ranking: 10th
 
 
Overall Ratings Explained:
 

A good chunk of people is stupid.

In S70 there were a few trades made with long-term repercussions because of the picks involved. Trades across 3 draft years are always interesting when all the pieces come together so let's see what happened.

 

@Peace                                                                                                                                @Beaviss
 
Not a great start to the Toronto rebuild in hindsight. Vancouver clearly didn't want to give up a first straight up for 1 season of Tzuyu so it made sense to give them a 2nd to balance things out but due to the unfortunate inactivity of Graves, that 2nd now looks like the best piece moved in the trade. Either way, the Wolves make out like bandits.

 

@ShawnGlade                                                                                                                        @Beaviss
 
The thing that gets me about this one is that two seasons prior when Davos needed to make a cap dump, Vancouver got them to pay a 1st. A 1st that to get back, Davos had to give up an even higher 1st later (Jeff Downey). Yet when the Wolves were dumping Philliefan, they pretty much got fair value. None of the Dynamo's pieces are still with the team, Philliefan becoming a pick used on Jared Wills while the leFlamant pick was swapped for Derek Eriksson. The Wolves got a roster player and a very promising prospect now in Su.

 

@ShawnGlade (but @GustavMattias was fine with it coming in?)                                     @Peace
 
Finally, the most fascinating one of them all. I think this was Shawn's last trade for Davos and I was arguing it should have been voided by the blue team as it made no sense for the Dynamo to give up their new S70 core for futures. I still stand by that tbh looking at it now. With the Gino pick traded down and then shipped alongside Calia to Moscow for even more futures, the Dynamo still have nothing tangible on their roster to show for this one. Surely now that they're buying players and attracting free agents, Magnum, McDagg, and especially Hextall in net would have been beneficial?

Groovy Dood appeared to have a little extra swagger in his step ahead of Thursday’s matchups in Las Vegas and at home against San Diego. He entered the arena wearing only new sunglasses, a black speedo, and a black leather vest. When asked by reporters what was with his promiscuous and head-turning outfit, Groovy Dood exclaimed emphatically: “I’ve evolved.” The media scrum looked confused, but Dood slyly smiled and kept on swaggering towards his locker room.

Fortunately for the reporters assembled in the players’ tunnel, Dood’s agent stayed and tried to explain his client’s eclectic wardrobe choices.

“Groovy Dood is one groovy dude. He marches to the beat of his own drum, and we’ve all known that. What you don’t see behind the scenes is just how hard he works to be the best hockey player possible for this team and this league,” his handler explained.

“So explain to me then… he’s evolved?!” asked a reporter from the Athletic.

The agent chuckled before giving his answer: “We all know Groovy has some… underlying health conditions that allow him to take… some meds that aren’t quite… umm… let’s just say he was just approved by the league’s doctors to undergo the Mike Trout treatment. We’re looking forward to Dood becoming extra groovy in the near future.” The puzzled looks from the hockey reporters indicated that they thought Mike Trout was something they might catch in Pickle Lake in the off-season, and the scrum disbanded.

After watching Groovy Dood play in the 11-0 win over San Diego, reporters have inferred that his agent must mean “showing up once every nine times” when referring to this baseball player treatment. Groovy Dood chipped in on two of the Storm’s 11 goals, adding a goal and an assist to his 2-3—5 season.

Dood and the Minnesota Storm look to keep their spot atop the VHLM as they head into Friday’s rivalry night with games at Miami and versus Mississauga. Puck drops whenever the hell Devise wakes up.

Hello everyone, welcome to my first draft analysis article! As you may or may not know, I followed the last three drafts very closely in my Draft Profiles series. While reflecting on the most recent S72 draft, I found a connection to the first draft I ever covered. That connection was that the top 2 picks went to the same team. In S70, Edwin THE Encarnacion and Mikko Lahtinen were selected with the respective first and second overall picks by the Calgary Wranglers. This time around, SS Hornet and Robin Winter were both picked by the HC Davos Dynamo with those same picks.
 
Imagine this. You’ve begun a brand new VHL franchise, and you have no other players yet. You have the choice to build around one duo; there is Lahtinen and Encarnacion, or Hornet and Winter. But what’s interesting about this hypothetical is that time has been rewinded for all of them, restoring their TPE and age to the moment they were drafted. Now that we’ve removed as many biases as we can, let’s take a look at what’s on the table here.
 

Shoutout to @Tagger and @enigmatic for the graphics I used to make this.
 
Edwin THE Encarnacion // D // 371 TPE
 
Mikko Lahtinen // C // 350 TPE
 
 

Another shoutout to @zepheter for the one on the left. Couldn’t find one for Hornet, unfortunately.
 
SS Hornet // C // 379 TPE
 
Robin Winter // LW // 325 TPE
 
 
Previous Players
While this isn’t an accurate indicator of what this player will be, it is never a bad idea to have a background check on the user. Let’s look at how much TPE they earned with their last player.
 
Tagger - Edwin Preencarnacion: 1064 TPE
 
Beketov - Matt Thompson: 1571 TPE HOF
 
McWolf - Joseph McWolf: 1434 TPE
 
Sonnet - Alexander Pepper: 1390 TPE
 
It’s worth noting that TPE inflation could have been different at their peaks, but I can’t say I have any knowledge on that.
 
 
 
Draft Season
Edwin THE Encarnacion had a fantastic draft season, in which he put up 122 points (3rd amongst defensemen) in the regular season, and added a league-leading 24 postseason points. His efforts were key for a nearly unbeatable Saskatoon team, en route to a Founder’s Cup victory.
 
Mikko Lahtinen was traded early in the season, and headed to that same Saskatoon team. He posted 44 goals and 93 points on the season, with 83 coming from his time with the Wild. Lahtinen’s faceoff percentage was second in the league amongst the players with more than 25 faceoffs taken, which was impressive for such a young center. His 18 points also helped the team reach their S69 championship.
 
SS Hornet and Robin Winter unfortunately didn’t play on a Founder’s Cup winning team. Hornet made it to the second round with the Aces, tallying 4 goals and 17 points in 12 games. This came after a season of an identical 41 goals and assists, totaling 82 points.
 
Robin Winter had a remarkable draft season, with 57 goals and 120 points to show for it. Minnesota would go on to have a first round exit, but to no fault of Winter, who posted a point-per-game on the series.
 
 
 
TPE Earning
Now, we move on to the most important category, TPE earning. First, we’ll look at capped TPE. Obviously, as these guys are all top 2 picks, they’re bound to miss out on very little of it. The only one to not earn the maximum amount of capped TPE available to them was Mikko Lahtinen, who only missed out on 2. 
 
With that out of the way, it’s time to look at the uncapped side of things. This really puts into perspective the differing opportunities they had to earn TPE. First off, the time frame here isn’t the same. The S70 duo had 14 full weeks to earn TPE before their draft, while the S72 duo was finishing up their 13th week when they were drafted. Now that it’s been more than a week since the draft, we can see what they would have earned in that 14th week. 20 TPE must be subtracted since they wouldn’t have the training camp or VHLM graduation bonus, but that still adds a respective 19 and 30 TPE to Hornet and Winter. With this, their total TPE becomes 404 and 358, better than Encarnacion and Lahtinen.
 
Another opportunity the S70 players had was the VHL’s 12 days of Christmas giveaway. This totaled up to 15 uncapped TPE, which is a significant advantage over the S72 duo. Back then, donations could include an extra 5-6 TPE (though it should be mentioned that this was not used by Lahtinen), and they had two trivia payouts as well. With how the S72 guys still put up close to the same TPE totals as the S70 two, I would definitely give them the edge in TPE earning, given the lesser opportunities they had.
 
 
Other Factors
I’m not here to say one of these pairs of great players are better than the other. I leaned heavily towards the S72 guys in the last section, and I’m going to do the opposite here. I’m just trying to lay out all the information for you to make the most accurate vote. So here is the biggest factor I haven’t covered yet: position. Hornet and Winter are both forwards, being a center and a left winger to be exact. Encarnacion and Lahtinen cover two bases that are essential to a successful team; Lahtinen is a future #1 center, and Encarnacion is a future #1 defenseman. If you were in the hypothetical situation where you were building a team from scratch, that’s something that could greatly benefit your team. 
 
Jobs could also be a factor down the line. The most significant case here is Lahtinen, whose jobs are being a commish and simmer guarantee him 10 capped TPE each week. It likely isn’t a huge advantage, given that the others are almost always going to be capping out anyways, but it gives him a much lower chance to dip in TPE production long term.
 
 
Thank you for reading this, it has been fun to cover. I ask that you be as unbiased as possible in your vote, and I hope I was unbiased enough in my explanation. 

The Minnesota Storm have gone crazy early this season, sporting a 13- 3- 0 record with a plus 42 +/-, with two games that they have outscored their opponent by 11 or more, with one 11-0 victory over San Diego and one 13-0 victory over Houston, and at the time of this writing the Minnesota Storm have a 7 game win streak, taking down San Diego, Las Vegas (who they are tied for first with), Miami, Mexico, Houston, and Halifax. Cole Newhook has been pulling his weight, with one goal and seven assists in sixteen games for a respectable half of a point per game. Newhook looks to continue to score and hopefully put up even more points and score more goals, one of his lacking skills. This Minnesota team looks like it has the tools to become a cup contender, with 4 skaters and 1 goalie over 200 TPE, with 1 skater and 1 goalie at the VHLM cap. Also adding onto this, they have 14 skaters over 100, and both of their goalies over 100 as well. We asked Newhook his thoughts on the team and he responded with "I know we are a playoff team this year, and I think we are cup favorites by many. I'm looking forward to this season."

Ya a dumpster fire