DreMin15

Welcome back everyone, to another episode of Minner Minute. Here, I will attempt to answer your fan-submitted questions in a minute or less. I'm your host, Drew Minott, let's get started!
 
Submitted by User: SkyHye: Hey Minner, this season has obviously been siginifigantly better than last season. What do you feel has changed in order for the team to find success this season?
 
Well I feel the answer to this is fairly obvious. We've thrown together an amazing group of people this season. Not to discount the folks from last year, but you can't argue that the team from last year is better than this year's. We just didn't have the numbers or talent last year to put up a fight. This year, however, we've added almost an entire team to our roster, with mostly Knighty, Grapey, and myself being the ones that were leftover from the dismantling of last year's team. I feel that this year's team not only has the skill, but has the personalities to find success. 
 
Submitted by User: WikiFiki: Hey Minner, in your off time, what kinds of things do you like to do? 
 
Well, I'm a bit of a nerd. I like to play a lot of video games, I like to read, and I like to write. I'm kind of a weeb, though to be fair half our team is. I've been playing Civ6 on my laptop when we're on the road, and when I'm home I'll play games like Persona 5, SCP: Secret Lab, and Rust. I also enjoy cooking a lot, I've actually received culinary training back in my highshool days and want to open a restaurant after my playing days are over. 
 
Thank you for coming to this week's episode. I'm glad that you decided to join me this week. Leave some questions down below for next week's episode, and goodbye!

Welcome back everyone, to another episode of Minner Minute. Here, I will attempt to answer your fan-submitted questions in a minute or less. I'm your host, Drew Minott, let's get started!
 
Submitted by User: SkyHye: Hey Minner, this season has obviously been siginifigantly better than last season. What do you feel has changed in order for the team to find success this season?
 
Well I feel the answer to this is fairly obvious. We've thrown together an amazing group of people this season. Not to discount the folks from last year, but you can't argue that the team from last year is better than this year's. We just didn't have the numbers or talent last year to put up a fight. This year, however, we've added almost an entire team to our roster, with mostly Knighty, Grapey, and myself being the ones that were leftover from the dismantling of last year's team. I feel that this year's team not only has the skill, but has the personalities to find success. 
 
Submitted by User: WikiFiki: Hey Minner, in your off time, what kinds of things do you like to do? 
 
Well, I'm a bit of a nerd. I like to play a lot of video games, I like to read, and I like to write. I'm kind of a weeb, though to be fair half our team is. I've been playing Civ6 on my laptop when we're on the road, and when I'm home I'll play games like Persona 5, SCP: Secret Lab, and Rust. I also enjoy cooking a lot, I've actually received culinary training back in my highshool days and want to open a restaurant after my playing days are over. 
 
Thank you for coming to this week's episode. I'm glad that you decided to join me this week. Leave some questions down below for next week's episode, and goodbye!

Welcome back everyone, to another episode of Minner Minute. Here, I will attempt to answer your fan-submitted questions in a minute or less. I'm your host, Drew Minott, let's get started!
 
Submitted by User: SkyHye: Hey Minner, this season has obviously been siginifigantly better than last season. What do you feel has changed in order for the team to find success this season?
 
Well I feel the answer to this is fairly obvious. We've thrown together an amazing group of people this season. Not to discount the folks from last year, but you can't argue that the team from last year is better than this year's. We just didn't have the numbers or talent last year to put up a fight. This year, however, we've added almost an entire team to our roster, with mostly Knighty, Grapey, and myself being the ones that were leftover from the dismantling of last year's team. I feel that this year's team not only has the skill, but has the personalities to find success. 
 
Submitted by User: WikiFiki: Hey Minner, in your off time, what kinds of things do you like to do? 
 
Well, I'm a bit of a nerd. I like to play a lot of video games, I like to read, and I like to write. I'm kind of a weeb, though to be fair half our team is. I've been playing Civ6 on my laptop when we're on the road, and when I'm home I'll play games like Persona 5, SCP: Secret Lab, and Rust. I also enjoy cooking a lot, I've actually received culinary training back in my highshool days and want to open a restaurant after my playing days are over. 
 
Thank you for coming to this week's episode. I'm glad that you decided to join me this week. Leave some questions down below for next week's episode, and goodbye!

Hello everyone, welcome back to another episode of Minner Minute. Here, I will try to answer as many fan-submitted questions in a minute as I can. Let's get started.
 
Submitted by User: ShatrikHaine: Hey Minner, with the recent slump the Bulls have been having, how do you see you and the team getting out of it?
 
Well, I think we just need to keep playing our game. You aren't going to win every game in a season, every now and then you'll have a slump. Happens to the best of teams. Only thing we can do is try our best and play our style, it has worked for us in the past and it will work for us in the future. 
 
Submitted by User: Bulls4LiF3: We've been hearing rumors about you and other Bulls being involved in an off-season training camp with other players in the league. Can you give us any details on it?
 
Not many in particular just yet, it hasn't actually happened. We are looking to get a decent sized group of us to get together and practice once the season is over. All I can say is that it isn't a group of plugs, those of us in the group are pretty good. 
 
That's going to have to be it for this episode, thank you all again for coming this week. If you would like to send in questions, my private messages are open, or you could send a reply to this article. I look forward to next week!

Hello everyone, welcome back to another episode of Minner Minute. Here, I will try to answer as many fan-submitted questions in a minute as I can. Let's get started.
 
Submitted by User: ShatrikHaine: Hey Minner, with the recent slump the Bulls have been having, how do you see you and the team getting out of it?
 
Well, I think we just need to keep playing our game. You aren't going to win every game in a season, every now and then you'll have a slump. Happens to the best of teams. Only thing we can do is try our best and play our style, it has worked for us in the past and it will work for us in the future. 
 
Submitted by User: Bulls4LiF3: We've been hearing rumors about you and other Bulls being involved in an off-season training camp with other players in the league. Can you give us any details on it?
 
Not many in particular just yet, it hasn't actually happened. We are looking to get a decent sized group of us to get together and practice once the season is over. All I can say is that it isn't a group of plugs, those of us in the group are pretty good. 
 
That's going to have to be it for this episode, thank you all again for coming this week. If you would like to send in questions, my private messages are open, or you could send a reply to this article. I look forward to next week!

Hello everyone, welcome back to another episode of Minner Minute. Here, I will try to answer as many fan-submitted questions in a minute as I can. Let's get started.
 
Submitted by User: ShatrikHaine: Hey Minner, with the recent slump the Bulls have been having, how do you see you and the team getting out of it?
 
Well, I think we just need to keep playing our game. You aren't going to win every game in a season, every now and then you'll have a slump. Happens to the best of teams. Only thing we can do is try our best and play our style, it has worked for us in the past and it will work for us in the future. 
 
Submitted by User: Bulls4LiF3: We've been hearing rumors about you and other Bulls being involved in an off-season training camp with other players in the league. Can you give us any details on it?
 
Not many in particular just yet, it hasn't actually happened. We are looking to get a decent sized group of us to get together and practice once the season is over. All I can say is that it isn't a group of plugs, those of us in the group are pretty good. 
 
That's going to have to be it for this episode, thank you all again for coming this week. If you would like to send in questions, my private messages are open, or you could send a reply to this article. I look forward to next week!

Hello everyone, welcome back to another episode of Minner Minute. Here, I will try to answer as many fan-submitted questions in a minute as I can. Let's get started.
 
Submitted by User: ShatrikHaine: Hey Minner, with the recent slump the Bulls have been having, how do you see you and the team getting out of it?
 
Well, I think we just need to keep playing our game. You aren't going to win every game in a season, every now and then you'll have a slump. Happens to the best of teams. Only thing we can do is try our best and play our style, it has worked for us in the past and it will work for us in the future. 
 
Submitted by User: Bulls4LiF3: We've been hearing rumors about you and other Bulls being involved in an off-season training camp with other players in the league. Can you give us any details on it?
 
Not many in particular just yet, it hasn't actually happened. We are looking to get a decent sized group of us to get together and practice once the season is over. All I can say is that it isn't a group of plugs, those of us in the group are pretty good. 
 
That's going to have to be it for this episode, thank you all again for coming this week. If you would like to send in questions, my private messages are open, or you could send a reply to this article. I look forward to next week!

Hello everyone, welcome back to another episode of Minner Minute. Here, I will try to answer as many fan-submitted questions in a minute as I can. Let's get started.
 
Submitted by User: ShatrikHaine: Hey Minner, with the recent slump the Bulls have been having, how do you see you and the team getting out of it?
 
Well, I think we just need to keep playing our game. You aren't going to win every game in a season, every now and then you'll have a slump. Happens to the best of teams. Only thing we can do is try our best and play our style, it has worked for us in the past and it will work for us in the future. 
 
Submitted by User: Bulls4LiF3: We've been hearing rumors about you and other Bulls being involved in an off-season training camp with other players in the league. Can you give us any details on it?
 
Not many in particular just yet, it hasn't actually happened. We are looking to get a decent sized group of us to get together and practice once the season is over. All I can say is that it isn't a group of plugs, those of us in the group are pretty good. 
 
That's going to have to be it for this episode, thank you all again for coming this week. If you would like to send in questions, my private messages are open, or you could send a reply to this article. I look forward to next week!

Welcome back to another edition of Future Watch! A short two weeks ago we covered the best prospects from all around the European Conference. This time, we take a deep dive into the prospect pools of the North American VHL teams.
 
As always, be sure to support the unbelievable content that is being constantly published by VSN. From weekly coverage of both the VHL and VHLM, historical articles which detail some of the VHL’s most interesting teams and players, and content following the upcoming S74 Draft, there’s at least one article a week that applies to everybody. Here’s some of our latest work:
| VHL Weekly | Behind The Trophies | VSN Podcast | VHLM Weekly |
 
Without further delay, let’s get into it!
 
 
 

 
DC DRAGONS | 8th in NA | 16th Overall
Top Prospect: Rick Osman - S73 3rd Round (38)
 
DC’s group is one of decent potential, yet also one of uncertainty. They have two solid prospects, but I can’t quite say what their ceiling as a player looks like. The reason for this is the fluctuation in TPE totals from week to week.
 
In last season’s Future Watch, I noted S72 prospect Alek Andreshnikov as a wildcard. The reason for this is because he had recently increased his TPE production after only claiming practice facility for the bulk of his career. Fast forward to now, Andreshnikov has earned 6+ TPE in four consecutive weeks. He did fall back into the habit of only claiming practice facility for a brief few weeks, but nonetheless he has proven himself to be a prospect with VHL upside.
 
Along with Andreshnikov, new arrival and S73 prospect Rick Osman has shown great potential. Osman kicked off his career with 9 straight weeks of 6-8 TPE but has since struggled a bit with consistency. Enter a 31 TPE week in the middle of this downpatch, and it really becomes hard to predict his potential. I will say one thing for sure though; The 18-year-old defenceman has displayed consistency and high TPE production at different points in his career so far, which gives him some pretty good potential if he can capture at least one of those two things more often.
 
 

 
CALGARY WRANGLERS | 7th in NA | 13th Overall
Top Prospect: Gary Rush - S73 3rd Round (37)
 
Unfortunately, Calgary’s prospect pool only has one member. The fortunate part of this is that their one prospect is Gary Rush, who could be ready for the VHL as soon as next season. Rush has earned at least 8 TPE for twelve straight weeks, often earning 10-12 TPE in many of those weeks as well. Rush is a scoring threat with a responsible 200-foot game that coaches love. His 20 goals in 45 games so far in the VHLM show his offensive talents, which are only getting better over time. He has already topped all of last season’s offensive totals, and there is still plenty of time left in S73. Calgary’s pool is pretty shallow, but the one asset they have is a keeper for sure.
 
 

 
SEATTLE BEARS | 6th in NA | 12th Overall
Top Prospect: Han Jae Kuk - S73 2nd Round (35)
 
Seattle has a nice group of up and coming prospects, led by two newcomers of the S73 Draft. I decided to choose defenceman Han Jae Kuk as the team’s top prospect, but it’s really splitting hairs when Rocket has shown so much promise as well. Both of these players regularly earn 8-12 TPE per week, with occasional weeks of more. With Han Jae Kuk on the blueline and Rocket on the wing, the Bears have some nice positional depth as well. The pair could very well be ready for the VHL by S74, and are highly anticipated arrivals in Seattle.
 
Where things get even more interesting is a couple of returnees from last season’s article. Defenders Bo Burrows and Erik Hjalmarsson have seen an uptick in TPE production lately, most notably in the capped department. For Hjalmarsson, this is a massive step forward in his development, given that for a long time he has solely claimed practice facility and training camp. For Burrows, he could be returning to form as a very valuable piece of Seattle’s future blueline. Needless to say, they are both putting themselves in the right position to succeed, and now it’s just about maintaining their increased TPE rate. The Bears have up to three quality defencemen here, with a great forward to balance things out a bit.
 
 

 
LOS ANGELES STARS | 5th in NA | 11th Overall
Top Prospect: Jiggly Gumballs - S73 2nd Round (28)
 
Our first expansion team on this list, the Stars find themselves with a unit of nice depth, but with a bit of a lack of consistency in some of the players. Going by order of draft selection, Mikeal Keef of the Ottawa Lynx is the first name to come up in this group. Keef looked to be a potential core piece of the team’s defence, but a sudden drop in TPE production since around mid-July has raised some concern. Despite this, Keef is still quite close to the VHLM TPA cap, and if he gets back on track, could still be an amazing player. He has only had one week of complete inactivity since his activity decreased, so it’s not hard to believe he could pick it back up at any time.
 
Joining him as second-round draft choices, Jiggy Gumballs and Drew Minott are probably this team’s top two prospects. Both players are late joiners of the S73 class, and both have shown immense potential. Gumballs has displayed his talents as a physical two-way defender this season with Ottawa, totalling 89 hits and 65 points in only 45 games. Minott has a fantastic goalie build which will lead him to success as he earns TPE over time, and is currently considered the goalie of the future for this exciting new team.
 
Lastly, we have the Finnish Janiina Juutila. Juutila’s weekly TPE earning has seen some ups and downs lately, but she has demonstrated an ability to consistently earn 6-8 TPE per week consistently early on in her career. Her build is extremely scoring-based, with skating and scoring being her most prevalent features. If she can get back to where she was just a short few weeks ago, this could be an absolute steal of a pick for the Stars. This team has tons of potential in the pipelines, it just needs to show itself a little more often.
 
 

 
NEW YORK AMERICANS | 4th in NA | 10th Overall
Top Prospect: John Brewitt - S72 3rd Round (30)
 
New York has three notable prospects this season, and they are led by the VHL-ready winger John Brewitt. Brewitt has had an outstanding performance so far in S73 for Minnesota, scoring 30 goals and 68 points in just 47 games. Last week was an inactive week for him, but hopefully, that was just a small hiccup; He gets the benefit of the doubt from me because of his past consistency. Usually, he earns about 10 TPE on average per week, so should he come back in full form, he will be a useful asset for this team moving forward.
 
Two goalies find themselves as the remaining pair of active players. The most recent addition, Cal Conway, has shown spectacular upside, yet has battled with inactivity for a little while now. The American netminder has had a good season in S73, taking the reins as the starting goalie following the departure of Grekkark Gyrfalcon. If Conway can find consistency in his development as a player, watch out — that’s all I’ll say. The other half of this pair is Bacon, who has also shown promise as a young goaltender. His weekly TPE totals have seen some peaks and valleys lately, but overall he’s still producing a pretty nice amount. He has been incredible for Miami this season, putting up 36 wins in 47 games so far. Selected in the fourth round of the S72 Draft, Bacon has been a steal for the Americans, and hopefully, he shines in the big league to prove his worth to those who passed on him.
 
 

 
TORONTO LEGION | 3rd in NA | 8th Overall
Top Prospect: John Merrick - S73 1st Round (5)
 
Top Toronto prospect John Merrick is nothing short of a superstar in the making. He has already climbed up to 9th in TPE among S73 players despite creating in the last week of eligibility for that draft. As he continues to climb, Merrick’s skill set will be on full display — this absurd skill set of his has already allowed him to pot goal after goal at nearly a goal-per-game average in S73. Look out for him as a balanced scoring threat in the VHL next season, where he could quite possibly contend for the top rookie award.
 
Behind Merrick isn’t a pool full of depth, but one other high-quality prospect. Ziarie Anigbogu somehow fell to Toronto at 38 last season, and he has wasted no time soaring past his competition. Anigbogu’s build paints him as a fantastic puck-moving defenceman, and his 33 assists reflect that. The vast majority of weeks, he is earning 10 or more TPE, so he is undoubtedly on a great trajectory as far as the future goes. He and Merrick are both high upside prospects and must-see rookies in S74.
 
 

 
CHICAGO PHOENIX | 2nd in NA | 7th Overall
Top Prospect: Matty Socks - S73 2nd Round (22)
 
Yet another two-headed monster, the Chicago Phoenix’s duo of prospects are both extremely high upside players with bright futures ahead. Leading the way is Miami’s Matty Socks, a mobile defender with lots of offensive potential at the VHL level. His 23 goals in 47 games up until this point are unbelievable, and his TPE production suggests that he could do the same in the VHL one day. 
 
S Kuchar is the other prospect here, and he would likely be neck and neck with Socks if he had joined earlier. However, he has still managed to make up an amazing amount of ground on those who had a headstart on him in the short time since the draft. He has often shown up on the scoresheet as well this season, with 21 goals in 47 games. Both of these players will play a large role in the success of this new Chicago team, and we will get to see it all unfold soon enough.
 
 

 
VANCOUVER WOLVES | 1st in NA | 5th Overall
Top Prospect: Jesper Norberg - S73 2nd Round (20)
 
The Wolves’ group is headlined by some truly fantastic names but backed up by some under the radar prospects that should not be taken lightly either. I’d like to begin with Raiens Grasis who made an adjustment a few weeks ago that has significantly increased his value. Going from a weekly 2 TPE to 6 has tripled his TPE production, and has now entered Grasis into the conversation of being a solid VHL player in the future. Good stuff to see from the young winger.
 
A couple of picks in the tail end of the second round of the S73 Draft could turn into decent players for this team. Florent Vericel has been almost completely inactive lately but has shown VHL potential not long ago. Consider him a wildcard for the time being. Jeff Odinson was picked two spots later and is proving his worth already. He is a physical two-way threat that can both create plays and shut them down. His 137 hits are a nice touch, and his TPE earning seals him as a great overall prospect.
 
Hunter Harrison is still earning at a decent pace and could be in the big league fairly soon. He has a very balanced build that could play in all situations, and his 32 points this season is already a career-high. I would say he’s someone to keep an eye on. He could be a nice addition to their blueline soon enough, and 1st round pick Shawn Glade III is already prepared for the VHL. He has been up and down with activity lately, but his potential is still sky-high. User ShawnGlade has had successful VHL players in the past, and Glade III could be another one for him. The defenceman has a nice balanced build as well and could fit into any lineup.
 
Glade III is actually only one of three VHL-ready players in this unit though, and the other two are a pair of back to back 2nd round selections. Kevin King was chosen 19th overall after taking the league by storm as a late joiner first-generation player. The scoring hasn’t really come in full force for King yet, but he is too talented to not break out soon. He caps out almost every week, earning plenty of uncapped TPE at the same time. This is a player with true star potential, and he, along with Jesper Norberg, will be huge parts of this team as soon as next season. I have Norberg listed as the team’s top prospect, but really it’s extremely close. The Swede has had a tremendous VHLM season in S73, posting 42 goals and 78 points in only 47 games so far. He is a goal scorer as pure as they come, and his elite TPE earning makes it likely that he could tear up the VHL soon enough as well. He is averaging a shade over 27 TPE over his last 4 full weeks, which is just unreal. Vancouver has depth, but also some truly next-level talent in their prospect pool
 
 
That’s it for S73 Future Watch! As always I wish these players the absolute best in the future, and any criticism I have is meant to be constructive. I’ll see you next season, but until then, catch some of VSN Scouting’s upcoming draft content! This will give you an early look at the names we’ll be seeing next season. 
 
Players Mentioned: @PuckPushers @dylanjj37 @G_Rush @Dtayl @Rocket @Walter Fizz @Erik @RStar @JigglyGumballs @DreMin15 @Jansgasm @JBrew42 @Shaka @Bacon @Steve @ngine4 @fishy @S. Kuchar @raiens @dart @GoldGear88 @I'll change this later @ShawnGlade @IamMOOSE @jpsd

Hello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of Minner Mintue! This is the show where I try to answer as many user-submitted questions in a minute or less! Let's get goin'!
 
Submitted by User: Geekus14: Hey Minner, I was wondering what the design of your padding was based on?
 
 Well I didn't want anything too flashy, you know how the media hates players showing a shred of personality. I just kept it simple by going with a white base with red and black finishes. I feel like it looks really well in the end.
 
Submitted by User: SeamusTrapson: Who would you say would be the best bet to suit up as an emergency goalie if you were to get injured in a game?
 
 That's a tough question. If I had to say anyone, I would probably say Markus Schauer. He's a tall guy with a large frame, and he's one of the more flexible people on our team. If he could resist the urge to go out and play the puck every time it gets near him, I would say he would be pretty decent in net. 
 
Okay, last question then we need to call it quits for this week.
 
Submitted by User: TakinLsL&R: Minner, what does your warmup/hype music playlist typically consist of?
 
 This is one I've heard a couple of times before. I have a bit of an odd mix. I typically stick with a couple different bands, mostly Avenged Sevenfold and Pantera. Though I do like to toss a few orchestral pieces in there such as Libeslied, You Say Run, and Moonlight Sonata. I kind of go all over the place. 
 
Okay everyone, that concludes this week's episode of Minner Minute. Don't forget to send in your questions for next week's episode! Thank you all for coming this week, and I hope to see you next time! Goodbye!

Hello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of Minner Mintue! This is the show where I try to answer as many user-submitted questions in a minute or less! Let's get goin'!
 
Submitted by User: Geekus14: Hey Minner, I was wondering what the design of your padding was based on?
 
 Well I didn't want anything too flashy, you know how the media hates players showing a shred of personality. I just kept it simple by going with a white base with red and black finishes. I feel like it looks really well in the end.
 
Submitted by User: SeamusTrapson: Who would you say would be the best bet to suit up as an emergency goalie if you were to get injured in a game?
 
 That's a tough question. If I had to say anyone, I would probably say Markus Schauer. He's a tall guy with a large frame, and he's one of the more flexible people on our team. If he could resist the urge to go out and play the puck every time it gets near him, I would say he would be pretty decent in net. 
 
Okay, last question then we need to call it quits for this week.
 
Submitted by User: TakinLsL&R: Minner, what does your warmup/hype music playlist typically consist of?
 
 This is one I've heard a couple of times before. I have a bit of an odd mix. I typically stick with a couple different bands, mostly Avenged Sevenfold and Pantera. Though I do like to toss a few orchestral pieces in there such as Libeslied, You Say Run, and Moonlight Sonata. I kind of go all over the place. 
 
Okay everyone, that concludes this week's episode of Minner Minute. Don't forget to send in your questions for next week's episode! Thank you all for coming this week, and I hope to see you next time! Goodbye!

VHL THEME WEEK SIGS!
Please keep an open mind that I am not the best at designing sigs, but I tried.
 

 
@Bacon
 

 
@Ricer13
 

 
@Snussu
 

 
@BlueMaple
 

 
@DreMin15
 

 
@BladeMaiden

Now, as you all may remember, Miami got blown out last week by Houston 7-2. The game was frustrating but I still did manage to get my old buddy Drew Minott back. Before the game, I convinced my friend and Houston Bulls forward Venus Thightrap to let me into the Houston locker room before Drew Minott got there. She agreed and let me in. I proceeded to tie the arms of his jersey, but that's just the intro. I also put some ink into his mask and taped his skates. The final one was the kicker though. I filled his goaltender stick up with water. It felt like it was 100 pounds when I tried to lift it. I have no idea how he played the game with that stick, but props to him. Just a little friendly fun before the play begins to ramp up in the playoffs. I'm not gonna lie, watching him fall down in warmups due to the tape was pretty funny. I am now preparing for the inevitable, which is either him or Ottawa Lynx Defender Jiggly Gumballs to get me with a prank, but I'll be ready for them. I've still got a few pranks up my sleeve to try down the stretch.

People mentioned:
209 words, 1056 characters

Hello everyone, welcome back to Minner Minute! I apologize for missing the past week, I had life goings that caused me to not have time for the MinMin. With that out of the way, this is Minner Minute, where I answer as many of your questions in a minute or less. Let's get started!
 
Submitted by User: al29nghd: Hi, now that we've just passed the halfway point in the season, how are you feeling? 
 
Well, I'm feeling really good about it. We just took first place in the league, which is the biggest upgrade I could have asked for after last year. I'm very excited for the future of this team.
 
Submitted by User: HornzU9: Who would you say is your biggest rival on or off the ice?
 
For sure would be Miami. We're both some of the top teams in the league and there's a bit of a personal tune to it. I know that myself and Patrik Laine have a bit of a friendly beef going on. He's yet to score a goal on me. However, in terms of teams, they to like to throw a few dirty hits. It's only a matter of time until a line brawl breaks out with these teams,  and let me just give a warning to Bacon. You don't wanna fight a southern boy. I'll leave it at that.
 
Thank you all again for coming to episode 6 of Minner Minute. Again, I apologize for missing last week. I will try not to do so again. If you have any questions for next week, please feel free to send them in! Have a good day or night, and goodbye!

Hello everyone, welcome back to Minner Minute! I apologize for missing the past week, I had life goings that caused me to not have time for the MinMin. With that out of the way, this is Minner Minute, where I answer as many of your questions in a minute or less. Let's get started!
 
Submitted by User: al29nghd: Hi, now that we've just passed the halfway point in the season, how are you feeling? 
 
Well, I'm feeling really good about it. We just took first place in the league, which is the biggest upgrade I could have asked for after last year. I'm very excited for the future of this team.
 
Submitted by User: HornzU9: Who would you say is your biggest rival on or off the ice?
 
For sure would be Miami. We're both some of the top teams in the league and there's a bit of a personal tune to it. I know that myself and Patrik Laine have a bit of a friendly beef going on. He's yet to score a goal on me. However, in terms of teams, they to like to throw a few dirty hits. It's only a matter of time until a line brawl breaks out with these teams,  and let me just give a warning to Bacon. You don't wanna fight a southern boy. I'll leave it at that.
 
Thank you all again for coming to episode 6 of Minner Minute. Again, I apologize for missing last week. I will try not to do so again. If you have any questions for next week, please feel free to send them in! Have a good day or night, and goodbye!

Hello everyone, welcome back to Minner Minute! I apologize for missing the past week, I had life goings that caused me to not have time for the MinMin. With that out of the way, this is Minner Minute, where I answer as many of your questions in a minute or less. Let's get started!
 
Submitted by User: al29nghd: Hi, now that we've just passed the halfway point in the season, how are you feeling? 
 
Well, I'm feeling really good about it. We just took first place in the league, which is the biggest upgrade I could have asked for after last year. I'm very excited for the future of this team.
 
Submitted by User: HornzU9: Who would you say is your biggest rival on or off the ice?
 
For sure would be Miami. We're both some of the top teams in the league and there's a bit of a personal tune to it. I know that myself and Patrik Laine have a bit of a friendly beef going on. He's yet to score a goal on me. However, in terms of teams, they to like to throw a few dirty hits. It's only a matter of time until a line brawl breaks out with these teams,  and let me just give a warning to Bacon. You don't wanna fight a southern boy. I'll leave it at that.
 
Thank you all again for coming to episode 6 of Minner Minute. Again, I apologize for missing last week. I will try not to do so again. If you have any questions for next week, please feel free to send them in! Have a good day or night, and goodbye!

INSIDE INTERVIEW WITH PATRIK LAINE
MIAMI - Patrik Laine, the young 18 year old from Finland has been playing with the Miami Marauders for about a month now. We thought we would have a sit down interview with him and see what he thinks of his new team and his future.
 
Reporter: Thanks for doing this with us, Patrik.
 
Laine: Thanks for inviting me to do this.
 
Reporter: Let's start with an obvious question first. You've played in Miami for a few weeks now. How are things down there?
 
Laine: Things are good. I was able to rent an apartment right across the street from the rink which is perfect.
 
Reporter: In your first 11 games so far this season, you have amassed 9 goals and 11 assists. You are currently on pace for 59 goals and 72 assists, good for 131 points this season. How do you feel those totals reflect your improvements in your game?
 
Laine: I've played good these first 11 games. I've been playing well defensively and then also coach gave me time on the power play so I've been trying to make the most of all the time I have out on the ice. Wish my goals were a bit higher but if those assists help us win, keep them coming.
 
Reporter: You are currently ranked 10th in points, 9th in goals, tied for 6th amongst forwards, 7th in +/-, 2nd in power play goals and 4th in game winning goals. What do you think of those rankings and what do you plan to do to move up?
 
Laine: Obviously, I can't say I went out and did it all. The coaches here have given me a generous amount of ice time and special teams time to let me do my thing and my teammates are amazing. I'm hoping to be the best player in the VHLM this year and it is still early so hopefully I can keep climbing.
 

Laine (pictured above) on the ice for practice in Miami on July 26th, 2020.
 
Reporter: Who do think are the MVPs of the Marauders so far. Choose one for offence, defence and goaltending.
 
Laine: For offence, it is definitely my guy Dakota Lamb. He's been playing with me on that second line as he's a great guy off the ice too. For defence, Matty Socks no questions. Great guy off the ice and he puts his heart and soul out there every night to help us win. In net, definitely Bacon. He's been putting up so many great stat sheets and shutouts and we wouldn't be in 1st without him.
 
Reporter: You were a part of a terrible Houston lineup last year in S72. Now, you are on the #1 ranked team in the VHLM so far. Does it feel any different?
 
Laine: Obviously, it is better when you are winning but the locker rooms for both teams I've been on for great. I miss having Jiggs and Minner around, but the locker room in Miami has been just as good so it's all good. I can always see them in the offseason too.
 
Reporter: You guys play in Houston in a couple of games time. What do you think about your return to Houston?
 
Laine: It'll be fun. I get to see Minner again, along with their all ladies line and we all trained together during the offseason so some familiar faces over there but once the puck drops, I gotta be ready to play.
 
Reporter: We've heard some rumours that you are tough on contract negotiations, you want to give us some background on that?
 
Laine: Uh.....Not really. I accepted my entry level contract from Jubo nice and easy, but at the same time I am willing if my team has the space to keep to get compensated for my performance. However, if one of us needs to take a cap hit to stay competitive, I would be willing to be that guy who takes it to help the team win.
 
Reporter: Alright, we have time for one last question. During one of our draft interviews, all of the other prospects were dressed up fancy. You just did the interview from your bed in normal attire. What do you think that says about you?
 
Laine: Well, I don't need to be professional all the time. I wanted to show people the real me and I want to be myself. There is a time to be professional of course, but I thought for that interview I might as well be myself so those are my kind of comments.
 
(762 words, 3936 characters written by @PatrikLaine)
 
People Mentioned:
 
 

Hello again Houston, welcome to a very late edition of Minner Minute! Here, I try to answer as many of your questions in a minute or less. Let's get goin!
 
Submitted by User: LadyKiller10: Which player always comes to you first after a win?

A) That'd be Knighty. He's said it's because us Vets gotta stick together, but I think he's intimidated by the ladies. 
 
Submitted by User: Hazedandconfused: Which player do you miss the most from last season?

A) That would have to be Jiggs. Don't get me wrong, I love everyone in our room now, but Jiggs is a friend for life to me. Thankfully we'll be reunited in Los Angeles eventually, but I miss that nutcase.
 
Submitted by User: HellYeahBrotha: When we went to our first team bonding event, what was is and what memory is most vivid for you?
 
A) That would have to be when we went to the bar our second game, it was in Mexico City. Venus snuck my helmet out somehow, so after I went to the bathroom and came back they had it lined with plastic-wrap. It was filled to the brim with margarita and those little LED ice cubes. The team ended up sharing it, minus me because I wasn't a fan of the ordeal, and they ended up puncturing a hole in the wrap and the drink got everywhere. It took a week for the smell of alcohol to get out of my mask. 
 
Okay everyone, that's all I have time for. Thank you for coming to this week, and hopefully next episode won't be so late!

Hello again Houston, welcome to a very late edition of Minner Minute! Here, I try to answer as many of your questions in a minute or less. Let's get goin!
 
Submitted by User: LadyKiller10: Which player always comes to you first after a win?

A) That'd be Knighty. He's said it's because us Vets gotta stick together, but I think he's intimidated by the ladies. 
 
Submitted by User: Hazedandconfused: Which player do you miss the most from last season?

A) That would have to be Jiggs. Don't get me wrong, I love everyone in our room now, but Jiggs is a friend for life to me. Thankfully we'll be reunited in Los Angeles eventually, but I miss that nutcase.
 
Submitted by User: HellYeahBrotha: When we went to our first team bonding event, what was is and what memory is most vivid for you?
 
A) That would have to be when we went to the bar our second game, it was in Mexico City. Venus snuck my helmet out somehow, so after I went to the bathroom and came back they had it lined with plastic-wrap. It was filled to the brim with margarita and those little LED ice cubes. The team ended up sharing it, minus me because I wasn't a fan of the ordeal, and they ended up puncturing a hole in the wrap and the drink got everywhere. It took a week for the smell of alcohol to get out of my mask. 
 
Okay everyone, that's all I have time for. Thank you for coming to this week, and hopefully next episode won't be so late!

Hello again Houston, welcome to a very late edition of Minner Minute! Here, I try to answer as many of your questions in a minute or less. Let's get goin!
 
Submitted by User: LadyKiller10: Which player always comes to you first after a win?

A) That'd be Knighty. He's said it's because us Vets gotta stick together, but I think he's intimidated by the ladies. 
 
Submitted by User: Hazedandconfused: Which player do you miss the most from last season?

A) That would have to be Jiggs. Don't get me wrong, I love everyone in our room now, but Jiggs is a friend for life to me. Thankfully we'll be reunited in Los Angeles eventually, but I miss that nutcase.
 
Submitted by User: HellYeahBrotha: When we went to our first team bonding event, what was is and what memory is most vivid for you?
 
A) That would have to be when we went to the bar our second game, it was in Mexico City. Venus snuck my helmet out somehow, so after I went to the bathroom and came back they had it lined with plastic-wrap. It was filled to the brim with margarita and those little LED ice cubes. The team ended up sharing it, minus me because I wasn't a fan of the ordeal, and they ended up puncturing a hole in the wrap and the drink got everywhere. It took a week for the smell of alcohol to get out of my mask. 
 
Okay everyone, that's all I have time for. Thank you for coming to this week, and hopefully next episode won't be so late!

Hello again Houston, welcome to a very late edition of Minner Minute! Here, I try to answer as many of your questions in a minute or less. Let's get goin!
 
Submitted by User: LadyKiller10: Which player always comes to you first after a win?

A) That'd be Knighty. He's said it's because us Vets gotta stick together, but I think he's intimidated by the ladies. 
 
Submitted by User: Hazedandconfused: Which player do you miss the most from last season?

A) That would have to be Jiggs. Don't get me wrong, I love everyone in our room now, but Jiggs is a friend for life to me. Thankfully we'll be reunited in Los Angeles eventually, but I miss that nutcase.
 
Submitted by User: HellYeahBrotha: When we went to our first team bonding event, what was is and what memory is most vivid for you?
 
A) That would have to be when we went to the bar our second game, it was in Mexico City. Venus snuck my helmet out somehow, so after I went to the bathroom and came back they had it lined with plastic-wrap. It was filled to the brim with margarita and those little LED ice cubes. The team ended up sharing it, minus me because I wasn't a fan of the ordeal, and they ended up puncturing a hole in the wrap and the drink got everywhere. It took a week for the smell of alcohol to get out of my mask. 
 
Okay everyone, that's all I have time for. Thank you for coming to this week, and hopefully next episode won't be so late!

Hello again Houston, welcome to a very late edition of Minner Minute! Here, I try to answer as many of your questions in a minute or less. Let's get goin!
 
Submitted by User: LadyKiller10: Which player always comes to you first after a win?

A) That'd be Knighty. He's said it's because us Vets gotta stick together, but I think he's intimidated by the ladies. 
 
Submitted by User: Hazedandconfused: Which player do you miss the most from last season?

A) That would have to be Jiggs. Don't get me wrong, I love everyone in our room now, but Jiggs is a friend for life to me. Thankfully we'll be reunited in Los Angeles eventually, but I miss that nutcase.
 
Submitted by User: HellYeahBrotha: When we went to our first team bonding event, what was is and what memory is most vivid for you?
 
A) That would have to be when we went to the bar our second game, it was in Mexico City. Venus snuck my helmet out somehow, so after I went to the bathroom and came back they had it lined with plastic-wrap. It was filled to the brim with margarita and those little LED ice cubes. The team ended up sharing it, minus me because I wasn't a fan of the ordeal, and they ended up puncturing a hole in the wrap and the drink got everywhere. It took a week for the smell of alcohol to get out of my mask. 
 
Okay everyone, that's all I have time for. Thank you for coming to this week, and hopefully next episode won't be so late!

Welcome again to my expectation’s media spot! Where I go through the most in-depth power rankings post you have seen yet! This is where I rank how each team will perform, and I also project their wins and losses over the season! Incredible!
 
Mind you, I can’t account for things like trades, busts, people leaving, signings or TPA growth. Basically, all the independent variables that a teams TPA is depended on. Which is why the result at the end of the season might be VERY different.
 
Method
If you want to know my method, you can read this. There will be a bunch of formula and math jargon going on here. You can feel free to skip this and just look at the list. My feelings won’t be hurt.
 
This was a two-step process. The first step was figuring out the baseline wins and losses for every team. Then the second part was adjusting the number of wins and losses total so that it fit the 432 games that are played in the regular season.
 
I took all the teams’ players and threw them onto a spreadsheet. Then I added up all their TPAs together. From when I did this segment the last season, I discovered the TPA per point was 29. Meaning for every 29 TPA a team had, they got a point in the regular season. I used this as a baseline. I had to round to the nearest whole number because you can’t have half a point.
 
Halifax has 603 TPA on their team.
603/29 = 21
 
When I did that for every team, I got a small problem. It totals up to 350 wins and 514 losses. I wanted both numbers to be at 432 because there are 432 games played in the season. So, I needed to do some adjusting by spreading out 82 wins among our 12 teams. How did I get to decide how many wins a team got? I’m glad you asked!
 
I added up all the TPA in the league from all the teams. It turned out to be 20,303 TPA. I then divided the amount of TPA each team had to get a percentage. Again, I rounded to the nearest whole number because you can’t have a part of a win. It’s either you lost, won, or went into overtime.
 
There is 20,303 TPA in total. Halifax contributes to 0.03% of that.
20,303*0.03
 
I used the 0.03% TPA contribution that Halifax had as the amount of wins they would get from the 82 left over. Because they had 0.03% of the TPA in the league, they would get 0.03% of the 82 wins available.
 
Halifax has 0.03% of the TPA in the league. There are 82 win up for grabs.
82*0.03 = 2
Congratulations Halifax you just got yourself two more wins! Because of the rounding, there were two more wins than I needed this way. Philadelphia was supposed to get 2 wins out of that slice of pie, but I cut them because they had the lowest amount of TPA. Sorry Philly fans.
 
I’ll be going down the list in reverse order. From the worst team to the best. You won’t believe who’s first!
 
Philadelphia Reapers 
Grade: Rebuilder
Record: 9 - 63 - 0 
Points: 18
 
Philly stands strong at 524 total TPA in their roster. Philly saw most of their players move up to the VHL or get drafted high in the S73 Dispersal Draft They’re going to be settling into rebuild territory for a while. There isn’t much else to say about this season for them.
 
The Reapers might spare some of their players by trading them away to contending teams. I mostly mean their goaltender, John Poremba, for a 1st and other assets to a team that needs a goalie. It will be interesting to see if Philadelphia can post a better record that last seasons Houston Bulls.
 
Halifax 21st 
Grade: Rebuild
Record: 13 – 58 – 1
Points: 27
Halifax is poised slightly higher than Philadelphia. Not that it matters down at the bottom of the league. With 603 TPA on their roster they could squeak a couple more wins out. Next season Halifax is going to be completely insane. Even though they won’t be dong great this year, you can watch out for them in the future.
 
There aren’t many all-star talents on the 21st. Which is okay, because even the greats had to start somewhere. Their best player, Hex Valentine, is a piece that you might see ship off. Consider this season for Halifax a bit of a quiet one as they explode into S74. 
 
Mississauga Hounds 
Grade: Rebuild
Record: 18 – 53 – 1
Points: 37
 
 
Mississauga is singing the same song as the rest of the rebuilders. However, with a couple more pieces to fit into their roster next season. They sit with a steady 851 total TPA at their disposal. This will be a forgettable season in their history. Yet an important one in their rebuild as they try to gain as many picks as possible.
 
Micheal Mac and Gavin Harris lead this team as their best forward and defender. Harris is a solid defensive defenseman that can lay out the body. The two way player Mac will be looking to lead the team in points and goals. Depending on their aspirations, could be trade bait or pieces for Mississauga next year if they stay under the 250 TPA limit.
 
Mexico City Kings 
 
Grade: Rebuild
Record: 21 – 50 – 1
Points: 43
 
Mexico City went all in last season trying to hoist the Founders Cup. With one draft pick for this season, Ottawa’s 1st, and a squad lacking a bit of depth, this season might be a bit tough. There’s 970 TPA on this roster so they’ll break 1000 in no time. The Kings wont be the worst team in the league.
 
Mexico is a team that still has some very good pieces. Their top pairing defensemen, Chance Rust and Kirishima Wakaro, would be a good enough pairing for almost any team in the league. The depth isn’t there. With one solid defensive and offensive line Mexico is going to be a seller as the season progresses.
 
Yukon Rush 
Grade: Hopeful
Record: 27 – 44 – 1
Points: 55
 
Yukon is the first team on the list to break 1000 TPA on their roster with 1247. It’s possible that Yukon can turn it around with a goalie prospect for next season. This is an upswing season for the Rush. There were great selections in the draft.
 
The first line of Jeff Odinson, Alek Andreshnikov and Vlad Imir will only look better as the season moves along. The back end and goaltending pose a few questions. It isn’t to say that Yukon can’t perform this season with the skaters they have on their roster. But if they want to unlock the full potential, looking for a starting goaltender and defensemen would help solidify a possible 1st round upset.
 
Las Vegas Aces 
Grade: Hopeful
Record: 32 – 40 – 0
Points: 64
 
Las Vegas isn’t as good as last season. They’re in the middle of the pack with 1495 TPA in the locker room. I would say Vegas will be a .500 team by the end of the season. Coming into the playoffs might be able to turn an upset but won’t go far. Watch this age well.
 
There are still good pieces on Las Vegas that are going to hit the TPA cap. Nils Fiedriksen, Onde Sandstrom and Gary Rush are all going to be excellent talents come the playoffs. With some signings and a couple trades Las Vegas could push themselves from hopefuls to contenders.
 
Houston Bulls 
Grade: Contender
Record: 39 – 32 – 1
Points: 79
 
Houston is almost a purely offensive team. Sitting with 1820 TPA in their roster. Being in their LR, I will say there are quite an active number of members. Compared to the other top teams in the league though, the numbers say they will get 39 wins. The Bulls are a team that will get better with time.
 
There is a considerable amount of star talent on this team. Which will be a trend the farther down the list we go. S74 prospects include Aloe Dear, Venus Thightrap and Markus Schauer, who are all top 10 prospects. Riley Knight and Drew Minott are veterans of the club and tie things together nicely. This is a Houston much different from the one last season.
 
San Diego Marlins 
Grade: Contender
Record: 44 – 27 – 1
Points: 89
 
San Diego came out of the last draft looking at cup contention. 2066 TPA is in their locker room, the first team to break the 2000 TPA mark. The S73 draft treated them well. They quickly sprouted from going 2nd last in the league, to potentially in the top 5. That’s a very good climb. The Marlins are looking high and mighty as the first real contenders for the founder’s cup.
 
There are two players that start at the cap already for the Marlins coming into the season. 1st overall selection John Merrick and Pietro Angellini. Doug Dimmadome is a solid starter that will be an elite goaltender come the playoffs. Don’t sleep on Marlin prospects Ryan Shwartz or John LeClair II. The left wingers that will be key pieces as the season goes along.
 
Ottawa Lynx 
Grade: Champion
Record: 52 – 20 – 0
Points: 104
 
Ottawa, my former team, is looking poised as one of the top 4 teams in the league. It’s a close race between them and their former first round opponent Saskatoon. Perhaps the two cats will have a rivalry going this season? Their S73 draft set them up for this season so you can look for them to make the most of it. It won't be difficult for them to make the most of their 2425 TPA either. 
 
Spearheading the charge is their 2nd overall selection Alec Volchenkov. The two-way passer with a build unlike most in the VHLM. Ajay Krishna is an absolute STUD in the net and is easily the best goaltender in the league. Jiggly Gumballs and Mikeal Keef lead this Ottawa defense. With defensive builds and an elite goaltender, good luck scoring on this Lynx squad.
 
Saskatoon Wild 
Grade: Champion
Record: 52 – 19 – 1
Points: 105
 
The team that is almost tied, but eclipses Ottawa by a single point, is Saskatoon. It would be a disservice to forget to mention they are the S72 founders cup champions. While they did lose good pieces in the dispersal draft, McWolf left this team in capable hands. This team isn’t just good, they’re going to be eying up the cup as one of the favourites to win. This team has a very solid 2462 TPA to start.
 
Keith Krestanovich, Dan Baillie Jr, Bobby Wyman and Emi Rune are your top liners for this team. Cal Conway is another top goaltender in the league. With a good balance of scoring and defense, expect this team to just play solid hockey throughout the season. S73 will be a ride to the playoffs.
 
Minnesota Storm 
Grade: Champion
Record: 59 – 12 – 1
Points: 119
 
Minnesota finished top of the league last season. There's an incredible 2752 TPA in that locker room. Though they didn’t win the founders cup, this team is poised to go right back again. Under normal circumstances a team with 2752 TPA in their starting roster would be enough to put them as the best in the league. This time around, it’s not the case.
 
The storm have the players and the experience needed to go deep in the playoffs. Shawn Glade III and Ziarie Anigbogu are both 250 TPA and their starting pairing defensemen. Elite. Couple that with Cole Newhook, Jer Lefebvre and John Brewitt on your first line and you have the elite players needed to make other teams shudder. The scoring on this team is deep too. Joe Exotic and Jack John make excellent depth pieces.
 
Miami Mauraders 
Grade: Champion
Record: 66 – 6
Points: 132
 
3088 TPA. Last years Minnesota Storm had finished the regular season with about the same number. Miami is an absolute unit. They are the clear winners of the last draft and the favourites to win the cup this season. Can’t wait to see Miami dominate this season and work into a finals cup run.
 
Eight players in the 200 TPA range and five of them being at the cap already. Miami was fortunate enough to win the Patrick Laine sweepstakes, for starters. I could talk about the talent of Andre Lebastard, Dakota Lamb, Oh Sens, Wolf Stansson, Matty Stocks, Kevin King, Victor Grachev or Luke Thornton. But honestly, that was enough and I’m already past 2000 words.
 
Final Standings Table: 

 
Thanks for reading and I hope that my standings are accurate! Enjoy! Words: 2118
 
Mentions (I just finished and this is a lot of mentions, very sorry):
@ahockeyguy @IamMOOSE @fishy @Jtv123 @KaleebtheMighty @osens @PatrikLaine @Andre LeBastard @dlamb @GoadenGoalie35 @Joe Exotic @JBrew42 @GrittyIsKing09 @Jer_Lefebvre @ngine4 @ShawnGlade @Shaka @Boragina @wcats @Lefty_S @Emi @JigglyGumballs @Hooperorama @SirRupertBarnes @Esso2264 @Enorama @flyersfan1453 @Steve @okifenoki @Renomitsu @BladeMaiden @DreMin15 @KnightRiley @Biggreen10 @fonziGG @G_Rush @CrlineDijohn14 @DrHexDex @LastOneUp @BigIrish @turkey2349 @Snussu @GoldGear88 @PuckPushers @Big Dee
 
 

Although it’s a bit late, we were able to get Ottawa Lynx defenseman, Jiggly Gumballs, for an interview regarding the draft and before the season starts. Better late than never.
 
Pre-Season Interview with Jiggs!


Reporter:
So you were eligible and were drafted in both the VHL Draft and VHLM Dispersal Draft. Falling into the hands of the LA Stars 28th overall and the Ottawa Lynx 10th respectively. What are your thoughts now that the season is about to begin?
 
Jiggs:
As I said previously, I was very honoured to be selected by both teams. When I heard the whole “With the 28th overall pick...” and whatnot, I was genuinely surprised. I didn’t think I’d be picked as high as 28. I was at least expecting a few picks after that. Visiting LA a while back was a fun experience and @Josh has been great as the GM so far. I know I won’t be playing with them this season, but I think I’ll be ready to take on the VHL by next season. Here in Ottawa, things have been great as well. I had a good experience getting to know my teammates and I’m ready to put my locker room expertise to work. If you know what I’m saying that is hehe. But in all seriousness, I’m super pumped to start the season and I’m ready to prove to @DoktorFunk that it was the right choice to take me 10th overall.
 
Reporter:
What do you wish to improve upon this season? Any goals you have in mind?
 
Jiggs:
Well an obvious goal is to win the cup with Ottawa. Other than that, my main goal is to improve my overall game. I was signed pretty late into the season, so I’ve yet to truly prove myself. So I want to keep pushing forward, keep improving and be a better player. Looking to block a lot of shots out there, maybe put up a few points. I also kinda want to win an award, though that’s just me being a bit selfish. I know whoever wins any award this season is deserving of it.
 
Reporter:
What do you think of Ottawa so far?
 
Jiggs:
Ottawa has been great so far! I didn’t have any trouble fitting in at all. The climate is a bit different from Houston, but I’m glad to be able to play in my country’s capital. It’s a great city and it isn’t too far to visit my hometown of Winnipeg. Teammates like Ajay Krishna and Lee Xin have been great and I’ve been getting along with them really well. I’m really motivated to play here and I’m ready to help bring them to the playoffs.
 
Reporter:
We know that you’re good friends with both Patrik Laine and Drew Minott as all three of you have played together in Houston in the previous season. Now that Patrik Laine has moved onto Miami, and Drew Minott stayed with the Bulls organization, do you still keep tabs with them?
 
Jiggs:
Of course! We’re all still great buds. I was really excited to learn that Minner ended up in LA as well. So even if we’re playing against each other for now, we’ll eventually end up as teammates. As I said, we’re all still really great chums. Heck, during the offseason, I took a trip to Finland to visit Laine and also maybe wrapped plastic wrap and put sticky notes all over his car. I’m actually pretty excited now since I now have a chance to play against them. Funnily enough, I’m pretty sure we face Miami in our first game of the season. So that’s fun.
 
Reporter:
How do you think your team will do this season?
 
Jiggs:
Well looking at the team, I think we’re ready for a nice playoff run. I want to win the cup, but I do know that there’s some tough competition like the aforementioned Miami Marauders. Heck, I even heard that Houston is stacking up as well. Though that’s the fun thing in sports eh? Even if you know you’ve got tough competition ahead of you, you won’t back down without a fight. I honestly think strong teams will only make you push yourself to be better than them. Also I hope that I can score a few more on Halifax since that’s the team I tend to score a lot against.
 
Reporter:
So have you been satisfied with your play recently? And what part of your game do you want to improve upon.
 
Jiggs:
Right now, my game has been pretty good. My skating has been good and I’ve improved on my defense and puck handling, but I can’t just be satisfied with just that when there’s still so much to improve upon. My game isn’t complete. There’s still much to learn and a whole league I haven’t even stepped foot on. I am in a constant drive to get better and better. I’ve always prided myself on my worth ethic, and despite being a locker room clown, at least I do what I can to improve. Right now I do want to improve on my checking a little. I had quite the number of hits in my short stint last season, and I wanna improve on that. Checking is key for a defenseman afterall. Plus, I'm a bit smaller than some defensemen, so I have to learn how to shut down those who I consider to be frickin’ giants. Other than that, maybe I can improve my scoring a little? Wouldn’t hurt to score a few more goals eh?
 
Reporter:
So we have to know, what sort of battle plans do you have for the season?
 
Jiggs:
Well I’m afraid I can’t say much on that. I do have stuff planned but it must stay confidential. Wouldn’t want to spoil the fun. I’ll tell you this though. My pranking won’t be reserved to just my locker room. Of course if I overstep boundaries, I’ll step off the gas pedal a bit, but it’s all meant to be fun and games. I don’t want to harm others in a negative way because of my tomfoolery. They may think my pranks are annoying or tedious, but I don’t want them to hate me. As I said, it’s all for fun. Plus, I treat everyone fairly. So if one gets pranked, expect the rest of you to come soon as well~
 
Reporter:
Well thank you so much for the interview, and hope you have a great season!
 
Jiggs:
Thank you thank you! Always a pleasure.
 
 
(1067 words)
 
 

Wow, FOUR new teams...

This curveball was thrown out somewhere around trade deadline during season 72.  Obviously it was discussed by the Board of Governors, and when the news was disclosed, it seemed to be well received by most of the community.  The new cities that were granted franchises, their logos and the general managers were all revealed and, much to my personal chagrin, there was still no Montreal team.  I mean, it would have been cool to eventually play a road game close to home or have a chance to play there in some future or even be a new player's agent, post-retirement.

I only want to discuss from my experience and perspective, then if you choose to chime in, feel free to do so.

So I played in Mexico in season 71, then got drafted to VHL Helsinki and VHLM Halifax.  Around the 15 game mark, all us draft picks get moved out for assets to Halifax.  Sonnet had planned to set up Houston for a winning season in s73, I mean they were last place with a near empty roster, save Riley Knight Gee, who had asked for a trade from Philadelphia to return to Houston.  Then came waiver claims Patty Laine, Jiggly Gumballs and Drew Minott and there was this tight chemistry that prevailed.  We still sucked hard but the locker room was enjoyable, finishing the season with like ten wins or something.

Fast forward to the offseason...

Speaking with Jubo from Helsinki briefly, we were told there was a short protection list, and at the time I hadn't done the math for myself.  Helsinki had four retirees and a good prospect pool ready for VHL promotion, I still believed I was protected, since I did plan to stay for a third season in the minors and there would be no salary cap implications to the roster.

Boy, was I wrong...

James Rose was selected in the expansion draft by GM Sir McWolf of the London United.  Man was I shocked, but neither in a bad or good way.  I mean, my first thoughts were, "Now I understand why Jubo couldn't protect me, and now I have an opportunity to play in the VHL NOW!".

Meanwhile, Sonnet got the promotion to be the Commisioner of the VHLM, and rjfryman was anointed Houston GM.  So, in the span of one day, I got just bombarded with questions from Houston and London, plus a thorough conversation with Jubo about his Helsinki situation, plus the rollercoaster of everyone going everywhere was such a wild ride.

I was still on the fence about graduating up, since I had told rjfryman that I wanted to stick with Riley Knight Gee and attempt VHLM domination, pre-draft.  He told me that it's my choice ultimately, and he did say it's his job to prepare us for the big show.  I had the same conversation with McWolf and it was the same message.

I did decide to pack my bags and make the move to London, since I would get valuable experience and play with, and against, the best, logging solid top minutes and probably get humiliated by the likes of stars like Julius Freeman, Jet Jaguar and such.

I do already miss Houston though, although now I'm slightly above that weight class.  My own personal journey is just beginning, having attended training camp on the VHLs' 13th birthday.

Sonnet made the move to get me, assuming he was setting up for a great s73 in Houston and leaving rjfryman with little to worry about with a potential top defensive pairing.

Now it's your turn to chime in if you please:

How hard has the expansion hit you and your squad?  How far did you speculate into the future of the franchise you're running?  Did you make a move you regret?  Or are you laughing your ass off because you made moves that benefitted your franchise?  Have you lost players you didnt think you would?  Did you draft the best available player, or for need?

Too lazy to make a word count, but I'm sure it's over 1k
 
Peeple Menshins:
@Sonnet @rjfryman @Jubo07 @PatrikLaine @KnightRiley @JigglyGumballs @DreMin15 @gorlab @McWolf