IamMOOSE

Kevin King +10

Just a fun poll for everyone, I'm curious who you think will be the Vegas Golden Knights of the VHL?

No Detroit team... Boo! Boo! Boo!

Why LEADERSHIP Needs a Rework It is with great disappointment that I’ve come to the realization that Leadership as an attribute in VHL/VHLM play is a pointless stat. After reading several guides, going through comments, and player comments I decided that this needs to be an article (probably already is but my turn). A direct quote on Leadership from the Gustav Mattias (Gustav’s Guide to Building 2/2), “Leadership: Arguably the most worthless one on the board. There are but a few who think leadership does anything at all. Theoretically, it will help your team's morale and make them more consistent, but you'd need everyone strongly upgrading leadership for this to make any sort of difference. It's just not worth it.” Though I sympathize with how likely difficult it is incorporate Leadership into a game-by-game sim engine, it is a shame to see such a valuable intangible in sports devalued for any reason. There is a literal award/trophy in every sport to recognize exceptional leadership from a player, captain, or otherwise. Captain Based Leadership I won’t pretend to know anything about the sim engine, or how it works. The more I learn about it the less I understand it. So, let’s move away from the sim engine slowly, backing up while only slightly pushing your less athletic friend forward. Instead we’ll focus on captains and TPE. The simple fix for Leadership is a captain based TPE reward structure for teams. How Would This Work? We begin with the general rule in hockey when it comes to leadership on-ice. Three Captaincies. 1 Captain and 2 Alternates or 3 Alternates if you haven’t named a Captain. So, obviously beginning with a new season each GM would submit their choices for Captains, this can also be achieved through adding a (C)/“C” or (A)/“A” to a player through a roster page of some sort. The purpose of this is to establish your Captains’ Leadership Base, meaning the total sum of those three players’ Leadership. You then divide this by 3 (representing each player) to get your base average. This average will be the benchmark for your team’s Leadership during the season. There would be 4 Leadership checks throughout a calendar season, 1st at the start of the regular season, the 2nd at the midseason marker, the 3rd at the end of the regular season, and a 4th that only includes playoff qualifying teams. Leadership checks would be conducted by the GMs of each team, submitting their Leadership check as a Capped TPE for Leadership and would grant each player on the team TPE based on the check and score for the check. Season Start Greater than 50: +1 TPE for each player on the Team Greater than 60: +2 TPE for each player on the Team Greater than 75: +3 TPE for each player on the Team Mid-Season Greater than 50: +1 TPE for each player on the Team Greater than 60: +2 TPE for each player on the Team Greater than 75: +3 TPE for each player on the Team End of Regular Season Greater than 50: +1 TPE for each player on the Team Greater than 60: +2 TPE for each player on the Team Greater than 75: +3 TPE for each player on the Team End of Playoffs Greater than 50: +1 TPE for each player on the Team Greater than 60: +2 TPE for each player on the Team Greater than 75: +3 TPE for each player on the Team Runner-Up: +1 for each player on the Team Cup Champions: +2 TPE for each player on the Team Maximum Season Earnings: 14 TPE (= 75+ Leadership Average Entire Season + Cup Champions) Season Award (Should be Named After a League Great) for Leadership: +2 TPE for that player Author Notes This may not be the most polished idea ever set to page in the VHL/VHLM but I want us to start a conversation about some things that made with a little work could be implemented down the line. We have to pay respect to those that put so much time and effort into putting the league together, that doesn’t mean your ideas should go unheard. It’s the flow of ideas that keeps communities like these going. If you have any suggestions, edits, or maybe some ideas of your own for Leadership reworks or any other skill, feel free to comment here or go get those Article TPE points. I will be working on a few other skill work ideas in the future.

OVERVIEW It’s been over 24-hours since I joined the Victor Hockey League (VHL) and I’ve since seen my player sign into the VHLM (minors). Today I wanted to peal back the curtain and talk more about the experience as a new player and the community at large for what has been a wonderful start to play in this league. JOINING THE LEAGUE I first stumbled on VHL through Reddit, and specifically the r/EANHLfranchise subreddit where the recruitment was posted. I was hesitant, never having played a hockey simulation league before but figured I’d give it a shot. From there I got my email verification and began sifting through the mountain of information that comes with joining the league (a task I’m still going through as this is being written). From there I created my player, Kevin King, a Center from Detroit, MI, United States and began working on the TPE for said player. I did all this pretty solo, not sure how quickly to get integrated into the community on here. What if I didn’t care for this? What if I wasn’t any good at it? Finally though, I read through the signings and other guidelines and reluctantly joined the Discord. This was the best move I could’ve made. If I had any advise for commissioners on things to tell new players, it’s joining Discord and interacting with the very helpful community. OFFERS AND THE FRIENDLY GM CORE I first received an offer from @DMaximus of the Philadelphia Reapers. Then offers from Las Vegas and San Diego respectively, along with some well wishes from @Banackock & @Rayzor_7 who just came to welcome a new player. And that was the sense I got from this league as a whole. Over the next 12-hours I spoke with each GM who offered me a deal and was taken back by the help and sincerity of everyone I spoke to. @Viperxhawks19 was amazing in his responsiveness and willingness to continue to help me ease into the league, even after my decision to sign with the Las Vegas Aces, joining @Spartan who spent an hour my first night helping me navigate everything before I had even signed with the team. COMMUNITY After signing with Las Vegas, I was then ushered to the Lockeroom where I got to meet more teammates and my education on how to do things in the VHL continued. I’ve learned and been walked through so many things in such a short time but have never felt out of place among the community. I wanted to take this time to do write this, not just to fulfill an article, media spot, theme week, or whatever, but to really give thanks to some amazing people who helped make this first step much easier than it would’ve originally been. Since my signing I’ve had the chance to be apart of some constructive VHL related conversations and some downright odd chats. For my one and likely only fluff piece, thank you DMaximus, Banackock, Rayzor, Spartan, Viper, @Poptart, and anyone I may have missed for being apart of my first 24-hour journey through the VHL/VHLM. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Claiming for Theme Week

Ah, yeah I'm gonna try to make a graphic tomorrow. I expect it to be very crap but I'm gonna give it a go. lol

KEVIN KING HOCKEY CAREER Kevin King was born in August of 1994 in Detroit, Michigan, United States. He spent many summers as a Center for his local youth league but would change to Defensemen after spending time in a youth hockey league. A rare ambidextrous in the sport, King was originally a left-handed Defensemen, considered to be somewhat of a prodigy. At age 10, King would switch to a right-handed shot, claiming to see the need for a right shot defender but rumors say it was to hide a potential injury, but that was never confirmed. As apart of his youth league team (the Crush), he played for the better part of four years and would see his development take him to his school hockey team. At 15, King tried out for, and earned a spot on his high school hockey club. He would begin as a defensemen but would move to Center after showing natural Face-off talent in practice. King would never play a high school game on Defense, starting his freshmen season as the 2nd line Center, scoring on his first shot, 00:31 into his first shift. He would record another 2 assists to clear a 5-2 win in that game. King would go on to take the 1st Line spot, on route to a 40 goal season in 48 games played. In two seasons with his high school club, King records 92 goals and 158 points, never missing a regular season game. Unfortunately, King's last high school game saw a brutal Achilles injury take him out for the playoff, requiring surgery to repair a contracture in the left ankle. This would end his high school hockey career, costing him a full ride from Central Michigan University. It would take three years for King to get back on the ice even recreationally, the mental conditioning having been a longer recovery than the injury itself. King would take passes, and even skate but wasn't confident enough to take up competitive paly again until lifelong friend Michael Fletcher pushed him to join a small beer-league with him. He would play in part of one season with Fletcher, splitting time between Center and Defensemen and record 4 assists in 11 games. With some renewed confidence, King would try out for the Flint Freezers of the NEHL, earning a spot on the roster. With some first game jitters, King would score his first competitive goal in almost four years on a slapshot from the circle, 4 games into his first season with the Freezers, a game they would win 1-0. After that the flood gates opened, King would go on a 15-game pace, scoring 11 goals and adding another 7 assists during that time. The Freezers would go on to win 2 NEHL Titles in 3 appearances in King's four seasons with the team. King was named Playoff MVP in both Cup wins. Following the Freezers' second cup in 3 appearances, King announced that he would be leaving the Freezers and NEHL as a whole to pursue more opportunities in hockey. On June 8, 2020, King would enter Free Agency in the Victory Hockey League where he would sign a deal to play Center for the Las Vegas Aces of the VHLM midway through season 72. PERSONAL LIFE Kevin King currently resides in Saginaw, MI, United States with his wife of two years Amie Leidekker (a former NWHL player for the Boston Pride). Together they have one daughter Reilly (3). In his off-time, King is an avid movie/film fan, and is a wrestling fan, currently working on a podcast that covers thoughts, opinions, reviews, and news related to WWE, AEW, NJPW, ROH, IMPACT, and other promotions. King enjoys spending time with family and is considered to be very private when it comes to family affairs. PROFILE Name: Kenneth James King Age: Born in August, 1994 Height/Weight: Kevin King is 6'1, 187lbs Nationality: United States Hair: Short, wavy (Brunette/Dirty Blonde) Beard: Excellent (Brunette/Dirty Blonde) Tattoos: He has one tattoo as of now, the date of his daughter's birthday on his right wrist. PLAYING CAREER Position: Center (Defense) Hands: Right (Ambidextrous) Played For- Las Vegas Aces [VHLM]: Season 72 - Present Flint Freezers [NEHL]: 4 Seasons Roseville Raiders [MHSAA]: 2 Seasons NOTES *King has worn several numbers including; 59, 77, 71, 88, 53, but last wore 94, his most common number for the Flint Freezers in the NEHL.

I dig that, how did you make that?!?!

1. Unfortunately Proto has decided to step down from the GM post for the team, but we all know how much he meant to this team. Do you have any words of appreciation for Proto? King: “While I wasn’t fortunate enough to interact or play with/under Proto as a Player/GM, I hope nothing but the best for Proto and his future endeavors. Sometimes a change of scenery is exactly what you need and that’s the mindset Vegas needs going forward.” 2. Spartan has taken up the mantle of Las Vegas GM. Do you have any words of encouragement for our new leader? King: “Well, as the GM that brought me in, I’m happy to be apart of this great organization. I think Spartan has a eye on winning and he has a lot of potential as a top GM in the VHLM.” 3. Smack dab in the middle of the season, we remain among the best teams in the league with 57 points. What can we do to maintain this momentum pushing forward? King: “I’m a little biased to say that added depth down the middle is vital to our success. Beyond that, interacting with teammates, building chemistry, the fundamentals will be what carry us through the final half of the season.” 4. What are some goals you have to make the second half of your season even better than the first half? King: “As a team we need to focus on maintaining our game and improving down the middle. My role on the team is to provide that strong presence. Personally, I want to showcase my skills at 5-on-5 and earn some PK time.” 5. What are you looking forward to doing the most as quarantine restrictions are moving towards lifting? Moose: Going back to work strangely enough. I was a casualty of the stay-at-home cuts and furloughs so I’m eager to get back to getting a check. 6. If you had the chance to bring a new team to the VHLM, where would you want them to play and why? Moose: Detroit. It feels wrong to not have a Detroit based team in any sport, regardless of whether they’re any good. lol

Statement from Kevin King: "After careful deliberation I've elected to accept the offer from the Las Vegas Aces of the VHLM. I want to thank the several organizations that reached out and made joining this league a wonderful experience and hope the best for each of those teams. Also a big thank you to Spartan, GM of the Vegas Aces for his interest in me and I look forward to being apart of their late season push as we head towards the postseason."

Thank you all for the kind offers and kinder words. It's been a very welcoming experience to the league thus far. I will be making my decision on where to sign at 3:00pm est. Thank you all.

Player Information Username: Kevin King Player Name: Kevin King Recruited From: Reddit Age: 25 Position: C Height: 73 in. Weight: 187 lbs. Birthplace: United States of America Player Page @VHLM GM