ahockeyguy

Review: I love getting "into the players' heads," so to speak. So to see you writing that way about the one-goal games was awesome. There were a couple of grammatical things (mainly a misspelling), but that seems like nitpicking. The paragraphs are spaced nicely and the sentences are pretty good (though as I've been told sometimes simple sentences without commas are better than complex ones). One thing I like to see when reading these articles is a relevant picture (you can probably find a suitable one on Google Images, which is what I do). I find myself looking forward to your reaction to your draft, so that means you've captured my interest and wrote well enough to make me want to come back. Great job! Score: 8/10

Review: OK this is the only VHL post I've ever seen (in my very limited experience) that has made me truly sad. You were and are a great AGM, and there will never be another like the legendary Dood! Our rivalry really is built on respect, and Wolf looks forward to seeing you in competition in the big leagues. I would have appreciated a picture on this thing, though. And also spaces between paragraphs. Oh, one final ambiguity: I couldn't tell if this means you're retiring your player or not. I assume not? Great job! Score: 8.5/10

Nice interview! I have to say, I am still confused about the Krice vs. Ricer vs. The Rice Man vs. Old Geezer, etc. Actually I think we've eliminated Krice, so that is something at least. You know the article is good when my criticism is essentially I am still not clear on a nickname. In all seriousness, good interview, good non-pat answers. I think I would have liked to see some more specific questions demanding analysis of the team and its performance, whether it be this year vs. last year, analysis of potential playoff opponents, etc. Still good! Go Marauders! Score: 9/10

Over the VHL.com wire— Jan Stansson, the father of Miami Marauders defenseman Wolf Stansson, has passed away unexpectedly. He was only 49 years old. The devoted father and husband of three leaves his wife and children behind. The cause of death was not immediately known, though Icelandic authorities have confirmed that the elder Stansson had cardiac conditions previously. The second round of the playoffs is about to begin, and Wolf was not available for an interview. However, he did release a statement read to the press by his agent. It reads as follows: “Words cannot express the sadness my family and I feel right now. My father was not only my greatest coach for hockey, he was my advocate. He was my guide to life. He showed me how to fish, how to care about others, how to love one’s family, and how to work hard. He taught me so much about what is important in life. To lose him this soon is nearly unbearable. However, he would want me—he would want us—to persevere, both in hockey and especially in life. He was my guide, and I don’t know how I will go on without him. We ask for privacy about this matter in our lives at this time. Thank you.”

1. The Miami Marauders have just finished sweeping the Philadelphia Reapers. What was the key to finishing that series so quickly? Honestly I am not sure. I do know my guy didn't need to score, so that is a definite improvement over last season! 2. The Miami Marauders have entered the second round of the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. How are you and the team celebrating this historic run? By celebrating for one night, then getting back to work. Being "just happy to be here" is how you go home, and there is no next year for a lot of us in the M! 3. Who are you expecting to step up and take their game to a higher gear in Round 2? Hopefully me! If not, then Laine and Bacon. 4. The scoreboard-watching is over - we're facing off with the San Diego Marlins. What's your scouting report on them? They've been pretty good. We'll have to seriously work. I believe they capitalize on shots even if they only have a few. Outshooting them alone will not get the job done. 5. Do you have any playoff superstitions? No, though I am a little stitious. 6. Playoff beards: y/n? Not for me. It naturally grows in redneck style, and not the good kind. The patchy kind. For others, sure!

Wolf Stansson approaches the podium for the press conference. He is somewhat happy, but has a scowl on his face. His team, the Miami Marauders, has just swept their first-round opponents in the VHLM playoffs, and this is the first press conference he’s taken part in for quite a while—at least that’s the way it feels. “I’m just busy, you know?” he would say later. Stansson, as a player this season, is a bit of an enigma. In the regular season he’s done well on points, blocked shots, and hits. However, aside from shot blocking, he has zero points in the playoffs thus far. This is the first question he is asked. “I’m not sure why this is a question,” Stansson tersely replies. “I mean, we just swept Philly. We won,” he adds, emphasizing “won” as though he were adding new information to the equation. “I’m not sure why I’m being criticized.” He has a point. He blocked shots and logged serious ice time for a team that has won every playoff game thus far. It’s difficult to ask for much more. He’s maintained a +2 while averaging nearly 26 minutes of ice time per game. He’s landed in the box four times, but given his ice time and physicality, this is hardly a surprise. In fact, while Stansson often comes off as sensitive to criticism, here he may have a point (no pun intended). He is a two-way player. This is fair to think about his offensive production. But this is a different year than last. Last year, Stansson was asked to carry the load on the power-play and to team up with Kosmo Kramerev to inject a needed-boost into an expansion franchise filled with growing pains. This year he’s being asked to settle in as a leader on the ice, setting the tone through big hits and the occasional power-play goal. In other words: this team is much better, and Wolf has a different role to play. A question rings out about a hit he took from a Philly forward smaller than he was. “I’m not out there keeping score on hits. Again: we won.” There is a near-smugness to his tone, a smile creeping on his lips that borders on arrogant. He chuckles lightly, and claps. “That’s what it’s about, isn’t it? Isn’t this America?!” He spreads his arms wide, feigning exasperation. This is the part where we note two things can be true about Wolf Stansson: he is right about the criticism from the media at this point—it’s ridiculous—and he’s still being a little too sensitive. What he needs when he moves to the VHL in Moscow next season is for an older veteran to take the young kid under his wing and show him the ropes when it comes to PR. Not simply to be liked—he doesn’t have to care about playing the game that way. But he should do it so that he can tell his story in the way he wants to frame it. The less he reacts, the less the media will keep bringing up barbs. He would do well to learn this lesson now. There’s no better time than the present

1. Holy moly, we've got three games left at time of publishing, and we've got a 5 point lead for the Prime Minister's Cup. What was the biggest factor in our league-leading regular season? Honestly being stacked virtually everywhere has done it. I know we've had some ups-and-downs, but this is not a surprise! 2. Along with the end of the regular season comes the end of regular season awards eligibility. Which award do you want to be considered for, and why? I would love DOTY, but don't think I am the best person, not even on our own team! 3. If you aren't planning on winning any awards, nominate someone from our team for an individual award. Matty Socks for DOTY 4. There's a significant gap between the 7th and 8th place teams. With the PM's Cup, we'll draw #8 Philadelphia Reapers. What's the key to winning a series with Philly? Showing up. lol jk! Take nothing for granted. Honestly, it's going to be special teams. We capitalize on the power-play, we'll win. 5. Philly has a historically elite goalie having a historically elite VHLM season. How the heck do we solve John Poremba? In this case, I actually think taking fewer shots, but better quality, is a better strategy than throwing whatever at the net. 6. How will you reset after the regular season to prepare yourself for a long playoff run? Get some more sleep! And watch the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs.

I'm #2 I'm #2!

Review: This is fascinating, as I have never heard of this historical novel or that character before. I love that you have a theme, and that you want to be true to the characters. That is something fun not only for you to do, as you are in the VHL, but also fun for us to read. I really liked that you provided evidence for his character (what he did), and precedent for what he could be (the Pod Cast comparison). My only real questions would be these: could there have been another, comparable player for Lu? And even if there is not, would you be able to tweak his playing style in such a way that was both helpful and true, more or less, to the character? Great work here! Score: 9/10

Review: Wow, this was something! It was well-researched, including both stats and info on the players. When are we going to get a defenseman-oriented one? And then a goalies? You're tired out, you say? lol jk. It would be awesome to see where Bacon would go. So if I understood correctly, you weighted goals, assists, +/-, and shots equally, right? I wonder: would there have been a better way? I mean, probably not easier, but better? I really enjoyed this! You had the graphics on each team, and it might have been fun to have an overarching graphic, like the VHLM logo, or, of course, the Marauders logo haha. Awesome job, man! Score: 9.8/10

1. Miami was recently blown out by the Houston Bulls 7-2. What did you take away from that game and how will we play better down the stretch? I think we just ran into a tough team on a hot streak. I don't think major changes are needed; we just need to play our game and keep our heads. What counts is playoff time! 2. This week is VHL Theme Week! What do you plan to do to get the bonus 6 uncapped TPE? I honestly don't have the bandwidth to do it this time. But I did write up a small piece on the Miami-Minnesota rivalry, by the basics. 3. Next Monday is the Trade Deadline. Which players or what positions do you think we should take a look at? I really think we have a good thing going. Maybe a backup goalie in case we're required to use them more? 4. If you could choose any superpower to use for the rest of your life, which one would you choose? Mind reading, but the selective kind (I don't want to be tortured with all of your thoughts!) 5. Do you have any pre-game rituals? Probably prayer, for focus and concentration. Oh, and a healthy snack and plenty of water. Let's get that hydration going! 6. How do you think we will perform in our games leading up until the playoffs? What do you think we have to do to take our game to the next level? I think we will finish well, probably just behind or with Houston. We will then hit a hot streak and Bacon will be stopping everyone. It's on!

The Miami Marauders currently sit tied for second with Ottawa, both trailing Houston. Wolf Stansson has been playing well as of late, but it hasn’t always translated into wins. At present the Marauders are on a seven-game winning streak, having achieved a 9-1 record in the past 10 games. Stansson has eleven goals and 35 assists for 46 points in 47 games. He has a 10.58% shooting percentage, which is excellent for a defenseman. Seven of his 11 goals have come on the power-play unit. He’s added on 16 assists there as well. Fully half his points have come on special teams, and he’s only played one-third of his time on those units. He has nearly as many shots as he does hits, suggesting he is playing well on both sides of the game. These were his goals. So would he consider this season a success? “I can’t possibly know the answer to that at this time,” he says, appearing slightly exasperated at the question. “I will only know if the season is a success at the end, when the championship trophy is awarded. Then I can tell you.” He appears less on edge than he did the last time I interviewed him. He is relaxed in shoulders, pleasant in demeanor. Like he was in the old days before he was ever drafted into the VHLM. But he still has a slight edge to his voice. He still interprets questions to be about whether or not he is good enough. “I just wish we could get past Minny,” he breathes out ruefully. “They’ve been our rival since the inception of the franchise!” He’s not wrong. Last season, Minnesota was built not only to contend, but to win the title. Miami was not, to put it bluntly. In their very first outing, Miami was expected to be crushed by the Minnesota juggernaut. It did not happen. The Marauders enjoyed their very first victory in their very first game as a franchise! From there it went back and forth, and spilled over into the playoffs. An epic first-round battle culminated in a Game 7, where Minnesota eventually claimed victory. This season is different, with Minnesota winning most of the games so far, leading the season series 4-2, with two games left to play. The first game was an OT thriller, with Minnesota prevailing. Miami rebounded with a 3-0 win, and won again the second to last time these two teams met. The last time these two teams met was a 3-1 loss for Miami, with Stansson scoring the lone goal, on the power-play. “It doesn’t feel very good to score, looking back, when you still lost,” he laments. “It would’ve been better for me if I hadn’t scored, but we won 3-1.” He really just wants to win, and to contribute second. It’s in his competitive nature. He’s team-first, but he really wants to participate as well. Some days he gets his wish, and others he does not. Will they overcome Minnesota in their final two games against them, or in the playoffs? The VHLM will soon know.

I'll take the reduction in points in the M any day if it means a shot at the championship. I'm a contributing member of a great team, and it feels good. The guys are cool to be around, too, which is important to me. If the LR was bad, and the team didn't care to improve, then I wouldn't be having fun. But I am!

1) The VHLM standings are divvied clearly into two tiers. We lead the CONTENDERS tier with 42P, but the 7th place team has 35P and there are six teams nipping on our heels. Now that we're about a third of the way through the season, what can we do to separate from the pack? I'd say improving our shooting percentage. We typically outshoot the crap out of other teams. We just need to finish. 2) Our 2 OTLs lead the league, and we haven't won a game that extended past 60 mins. Why have we struggled to close games out in sudden death? See above. When we've got so many shots on the goalie, and he's stopped 35 of 37, that goalie's not going to give up a soft one. Whereas (not blaming Bacon at all) he's only faced 12 or 15 shots, it might go in a bit easier. 3) Last season, the Marauders dragged the top-seeded Minnesota Storm to Game 7 of round one. Now that we've seen some of what the Beast of the East can do, what are your expectations or hopes for S73 playoffs? I hope we meet Minny in the final and have an epic series where we walk away the victors. That would be sweet! 4) At some point, the trade deadline will sneak up on us. What should management do at the Trade Deadline to improve our team? Honestly, either nothing or make a move for a significant shooter. 5) Which bubble hockey do you prefer: bubble hockey or hockey in a bubble? Hockey in a bubble. 6) I've been out of the VHL loop a bit this summer - what's your early contender for Graphic of the Year or Media Spot of the Year? I'm going to have to say Patrik Laine's description of his first game back in Houston, for us!