jacobcarson877

I think the leadup to the VHL Draft is probably one of my favourite portions a career. Considering how the last draft cycle went for me, with me spending a large portion of my career with the team that drafted me, building a dynasty with them and eventually winning our Continental Cup together, my hopes are high. Looking forward to my VHL career, my goal this time around is being in the right place at the right time for my personal career. I had a blast riding on Daniel Janser’s coattails last time around, and I still hold that time very dear to me. But this time I’m giving myself the best odds to get myself a legendary personal career. I will be communicative, I will be helpful, I will give my all to whichever franchise has my contract currently. But I will have no objection to hitting FA or working towards trades. With that in mind, I want to outline my current thoughts toward each of the VHL Franchises and how I think they will fit my player, Jillian Woods. Calgary Wranglers Funnily enough, this is the only VHL Franchise to have drafted me. Never played for them the first time around, as they seem to have just picked BPA and then ended up with a bunch of random VHL-ish goalie prospects and shipped me off. Landon Wolanin obviously played a large chunk of time there. Seeing how Strasmore, McFleury and Stauffer have struggled to put up offense though, I am not sure this is a good fit right now. Chicago Phoenix Cole is a GM that I’ve always wanted to play for, and there are a decent amount of young prospects that should have a good amount of success. I’m not sure they have a Janser-level talent here, but this feels very reminiscent of what Calgary looked like coming into S84. I fear that I would probably ride along with Lamb and Collberg for a long while before I could ever step into my own. It would be a great ride, but I wonder if there are better options for my personal success. D.C. Dragons D.C is an interesting scenario. They’re very obviously putting their efforts into winning right here, right now. They’ve got the next couple of seasons lined up, assuming they can find a Tucker Jr replacement, but this could be a great shot for someone like me to shine. Sure, they’ve got Calaway and some really solid supplementary defenders, but a second defender here could get some really strong usage on a team that will certainly score goals. HC Davos Dynamo Davos has very little on their roster, but a ton of draft capital and prospects. This was an expertly planned rebuild, and should be a very potent team. They’ve secured Bucatini and Forum Content up front that should be high TPA players, some decent goaltending prospects, but their main lack here is on defense. Getting to be the player who can take advantage of some high-potential players, especially while the talent level is still low, would give me a great shot of shooting out the gate hot. Helsinki Titans I’m not really sure what to make of Helsinki at this point. This season was obviously not supposed to have happened this way for the team, they had lots of talent, but were a piece or 2 short of the rest of the insanity that is Europe at the moment. They have a lot of prospects, but very few in VHLE territory and none above 300TPA. Most of the team will be aging out by the time I’d be getting around, but for a couple seasons, maybe we could get up to some trouble. Not hugely optimistic though. London United ... hi guys. If you’ve been paying attention to the United roster over the last few seasons, I am a high-TPA defender hater. I much prefer to dump my cap into forwards and goaltenders, which yes, is ironic since I made a defender. I’m sure if I was on the board for myself I would take myself, but we both know that won’t happen, and I’ll be okay without that happening. Los Angeles Stars Not much here to talk about. Much like Helsinki they have a lot of prospects but not many that are near the VHL roster. I wouldn’t mind being one of the first pieces, but I’d probably prefer being the second draft of a rebuild. Malmo Nighthawks This has always been a very D-heavy franchise, and I’m sure Kaleeb knows how to sling D around by now. McFleury will be gone, and Stone aging out, could be a great chance for me to step inat the perfect time to become the next guy. The question is whether there will still be a contending team by that point. Moscow Menace Who keeps giving Moscow picks? Yeah this team is already a contender and has a boatload more picks coming. There’s no room for me I’m afraid, even if it would be a great ship to ride along on. New York Americans This team has been built from the back, and should be set there for the first half of my career. I don’t really think this is the spot that gets me the best start. I will cheer them on in their attempt to break the curse though, as I do always love a curse-breaker. If I were a forward, this would be a prime target for me. Prague Phantoms Prague is on a heater here in their last-ditch effort to get another Cup. By the time I’m up, there won’t much left from the current roster, if anything. They may not have much to sell and this may be a long rebuild. Much like the Stars, could be fun to be a first piece, but I’d much prefer to be in the second draft of a rebuild. Riga Reign Riga will have a new GM coming in for the first time in forever. This core didn’t really turn out, but some pieces could carry over, or some real assets could be recouped and a great team created. This is a really enticing spot for me, and I’m hoping that a great GM can be put in to run this rebuild. Seattle Bears I have always been a Seattle hater, as a Wranglers fan. But hey Leandro and Ricer have both done a stint there, so surely it can’t be that taboo. I can never really project what Seattle will be with Bana’s unique ability to just decide to compete and then it just happens. If I were to pick a positional need now though, it would be on defense and with a lot of talent retiring shortly, I could certainly find a spot in their retool, along with Mina. Toronto Legion Toronto is another team all in, and have a lot of talent retiring in the next couple of seasons. If they choose to ride to the end, this could be a tough rebuild, but they could also be the best team in the league for a couple more seasons. Really depends on what their plan is as to whether I would want to be in on this team. Could either be a really convenient timing on my part, or being the worst defender on a stacked, aging roster. Vancouver Wolves This is pretty much the same situation as Moscow, but a couple seasons behind. This team is loaded, will probably secure their final pieces this draft and move on to kick our asses until we change the rules again. Some things never change my friends and Vancouver winning in the finals against Moscow may once again be on the cards for the next 5 seasons. Oh, and there’s no room for me in this inn. Warsaw Predators This is the oldest, youngest team out there. I fear they may be perpetually cursed to have 3 good pieces forever. What it does mean is that the top couple of players on this squad rack up major success, but the team ends 5th or 6th. Would be a great launching point for me, and maybe I can help break the cycle! I have fond, distant memories of Warsaw, and would love to be back at some point. Anyways, that’s about it. Some final disclaimers here for legal purposes. This article does not replace a draft interview. This article does not exclude anyone. I will sign with whichever team drafts me. I may not extend beyond that, but this article does not imply the results of that future decision. This article is not meant to sway opinion, encourage tomfoolery, or break any rules. Any names and likenesses are purely circumstantial. I am not liable for any decisions made from here on out. This is not legal advice. Talk to your doctor before drafting Jillian Woods. Not available to citizens in Quebec, Texas, Florida and Nova Scotia. Also shoutout to this ridiculous S94 Class, and this wave of defenders who will inevitably kick my ass my whole career.

Gonna be a legendary draft to say the least!

@MSouthworth

Soja

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bars

Welcome back!

it really does just take one person willing to sit down and run you through being the best member you can be thankfully I've had a ton of people willing to mentor me in all varieties of things here on the site!

Assistant!

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should be! As long as you haven't updated on a player above 100TPE in the last 3 seasons you're eligible from what I've seen! And it was both more than 3 seasons and less than 100TPE!

That doesn't surprise me

Taking suggestions for what my rebrand should be!

Alright @Frank, you move Vancouver to Scotland and I'll move London to Quebec, and then we'll trade teams. Deal?

Jake Thunder, Class of Season 92 User: @Thunder TPE: 1677 Position: D Nationality: USA Height: 6’3” Weight: 205 lbs. VHL Drafted: 19th Overall, by the HC Davos Dynamo Played for: Las Vegas Aces, Oslo Storm, HC Davos Dynamo -- Career Awards Individual Sterling Labatte Trophy | S90 Jake Wylde Trophy | S90 Alexander Beketov Trophy | S88 Daisuke Kanou Trophy | S89 Dustin Funk Trophy | S85 All-VHL First Team (2x) | S88, S90 All-VHL Second Team (4x) | S85, S86, S89, S91 Team Victory Cup | S90, S91 Continental Cup | S89 -- Introduction & VHLM Jake Thunder got started in the league between the draft and the start of the season, so was in the unique position to play all 72 games on the waiver wire, and join in with the recent draftees. The Las Vegas Aces were entering an era of significant dominance, building a unique identity of strong 2-way players, and Jake Thunder got to be one of the building blocks of the defender archetype that the team was creating. After a couple weeks of getting their feet underneath them, they exploded onto the scene, earning every TPE available, and never really slowed down. Thunder got to explore how physicality can drive possession in the VHLM, and helped the Aces squeak into the playoffs. I actually got to witness Thunder’s prowess firsthand here for a few games, as I was a late addition to the roster that season. Thunder helped inspire a whole series of great players from legendary VHLE mainstays and longtime VHL players. Many of this roster went on to play great careers, and I personally attribute some of that to Thunder’s leadership. Regular Season Stats 82 (LVA), 72 Game Played, 4 Goals, 19 Assists, 23 Points, -19, 72 Shots, 64 PIMs, 177 Hits, 117 SB. Playoff Stats 82 (LVA), 7 Games Played, 8 Assists, 8 Points, 4, 12 Shots, 12 PIMs, 10 Hits, 8 SB. -- Greatness in the VHL Davos had been, at the time, in a truly horrific position. The league could not imagine a world where Davos would be considered a dynasty, or even a long-time contender. That was until the S83 VHL Entry Draft. Many consider Calgary to have been the greatest winner of this Draft, but Davos should be considered right there beside them. Davos selected Siyan Yasilievich, Pete Mitchell, Jake Thunder, and Sam Tombstone who all played a significant amount of their careers in Davos, and James Marino and Hasbulla Magomedov being traded for future assets. But the real standout, and the driving force of many successful playoff runs was Jake Thunder. The perfect defender in many people’s eyes, a fierce warrior, a brute, and a dominant scorer. It only took one season for Thunder to figure out how to be a point-per-game defender, and for most of that time afterwards was voted one of the top 4, if not top 2 defenders in the league. In his second season, his improvement from his already great rookie campaign took him to a Dustin Funk Trophy win. From there, we knew what to expect, no less than 80 points, and physical play game in and game out. But he wasn’t just a brute. He was slick, skilled and knew how to maximize the strength of his teammates. This earned him his Alexander Beketov Trophy win in S88, and was always somewhere in the mix in his career. Jake Thunder brought his level of play up to whatever challenge he had to face, and in the playoffs, there are great challenges. His only postseason campaigns that we less than a point a game were his rookie, and final seasons. From S86 through S89 he himself was leading the way for the team, having multiple campaigns of 20+ points from the back end. His effort that won Davos their Continental Cup and himself his Daisuke Kanou Trophy wasn’t even the first time he had put up that many points in the playoffs, in fact it was his third. To see a player putting up 3 Kanou worthy playoff runs, was truly a sight to behold. But he wasn’t done after winning his Cup, as his following season lead to Davos securing the top position in the league, manifesting into their first of 2 consecutive Victory Cups, but also having Jake Thunder step into a more veteran role, securing the Jake Wylde Trophy for best Defensive Defender, and the Sterling Labatte Trophy for Best Defender overall. While Davos’ playoff success began to dwindle with much of the core that dominated the league for so many seasons began to retire, Jake Thunder finished his career out strong, and fought through the pains of growing old. The Retirement of Jake Thunder sent ripples through the Davos fan base, as it signified a true end of an era for the franchise. Shortly after, the trades would be made and the very players that made Davos who they were would be soon suiting up for other teams around the league. But not Thunder. With a Hall of Fame career under his belt already, it was time to let Thunder go, into the memories (bruises) that he left behind for all of us to remember and enjoy. The icepack industry thrived under his rule, and investors around the world are scrambling to figure out where to spend their money next. The Victory Hockey League is a much tamer place without Jake Thunder (and yes that is a challenge!), and we will sorely (well I guess not technically) miss his presence around the league and on the leader boards. Forwards had a hard time keeping up with his level of scoring consistency and magnitude, and everyone struggled to play against the violent beast that was Jake Thunder. Crushing hits, and always willing to sacrifice the body for the team. Driven by rivalries across the league, and would never let himself be second to any of them. Thunder would play a whole 8-season career with Davos, pushing through depreciation as best as anyone, and seeing an era from start to finish. Not many players can boast being a plus player their whole career, let alone on the Davos Dynamo, but Jake Thunder can. Jake Thunder helped turn the narrative around, and showed up when it mattered most, leading his team to their first championship in, well, basically all of remembered history. Regular Season Stats 84 (DAV), 6 Goals, 32 Assists, 38 Points, +12, 110 Shots, 147 PIMs, 187 Hits, 129SB, 1GWG, 1PPG. 85 (DAV), 23 Goals, 67 Assists, 90 Points, +20, 202 Shots, 168 PIMs, 202 Hits, 146SB, 2GWG, 9PPG. 86 (DAV), 19 Goals, 69 Assists, 88 Points, +16, 185 Shots, 126 PIMs, 161 Hits, 184SB, 8PPG. 87 (DAV), 12 Goals, 69 Assists, 81 Points, +9, 241 Shots, 178PIMs, 216 Hits, 142SB, 1GWG, 7PPG. 88 (DAV), 17 Goals, 76 Assists, 93 Points, +25, 199 Shots, 198 PIMs, 239 Hits, 152SB, 3GWG, 12PPG. 89 (DAV), 14 Goals, 78 Assists, 92 Points, +20, 246Shots, 145 PIMs, 227 Hits, 152SB, 2GWG, 9PPG. 90 (DAV), 14 Goals, 72 Assists, 86 Points, +8, 225 Shots, 220PIMs, 266 Hits, 221SB, 3GWG, 9PPG. 91 (DAV), 16 Goals, 68 Assists, 84 Points, +41, 229 Shots, 135PIMs, 198 Hits, 158SB, 7GWG, 8PPG. Playoff Stats 84 (DAV), 9 GP, 2 Assists, 2 Points, -11, 16 Shots, 12 PIMs, 20 Hits, 17SB. 85 (DAV), 10 GP, 3 Goals, 7 Assists, 10 Points, -1, 30 Shots, 28 PIMs, 23 Hits, 25SB, 2PPG. 86 (DAV), 16GP, 6 Goals, 17 Assists, 23 Points, +5, 50 Shots, 38 PIMs, 34 Hits, 35SB, 4PPG. 87 (DAV), 16 GP, 4 Goals, 19 Assists, 23 Points, -5, 61 Shots, 40PIMs, 46 Hits, 45SB, 4PPG. 88 (DAV), 14GP, 1 Goal, 16 Assists, 17 Points, +7, 49 Shots, 54 PIMs, 52 Hits, 37SB. 89 (DAV), 16GP, 10 Goals, 12 Assists, 22 Points, +4, 46 Shots, 45 PIMs, 59 Hits, 33SB, 4GWG, 5PPG. 90 (DAV), 11GP, 1 Goal, 10 Assists, 11 Points, -3, 33 Shots, 26PIMs, 44 Hits, 35SB, 1PPG. 91 (DAV), 6GP, 1 Assist, 1 Point, -3, 21 Shots, 16PIMs, 21 Hits, 19SB. -- Legacy Breaking curses, necks and hearts. A franchise defining player, and an easy Hall of Famer. Not many people have as easy of a case, let alone with their first player, for the Hall of Fame. Add in how wonderful of a member Thunder has been to hang out with, how great of a forum content creator they are, and how great of a mentor they’ve been for every player they come across, and you’ve got both a Hall of Fame player, and a Hall of Fame member. I’ve appreciated getting some time to be on your side, and have been scared sh*tless whenever I’m not. Here’s to Jake Thunder, and the next coming, Bollos de Trueno! Regular Season Career Record 121 Goals, 531 Assists, 652 Points, +151, 1637 Shots, 1317 PIMs, 1696 Hits, 1276 SB, 19GWG, 63 PPG. Playoff Career Record 25 Goals, 84 Assists, 109 Points, -7, 306 Shots, 259 PIMs, 299 Hits, 246SB, 4GWG, 16PPG.

If you look at the VHL Teams page, you see a lot of really wonderfully crafted teams, brands and logos. Most of them are even conveniently similarly styled, with distinct black outlines and white highlighted shading. There’s a few with more matte finishes, but I can understand a couple classes of logos. There is however a logo that is unlike any other, with a weak brand, and weak connection to the geographic location, and a complete lack of intimidation. In case you haven’t put it together yet, I’m talking about the London United. A busy, yet equally flat logo, with at least 6 noticeable, yet awkwardly laid out elements. Text so small I often forget it is there at all. Small detailing but no edgework, highlighting or depth. A complete opposite design philosophy to any of the other logos across any of the 3 leagues. The brand is essentially just “New York Americans but make it British I guess”, sharing nearly identical colours, naming and it looks like even font. All that is missing is some big-ass guns on the Americans logo and I think we’d be at the same spot. I think New York also has a pretty weak name, so doubling down here on the “Name a city in the country and then use a word from the country name” is pretty disappointing. I can live with one weak brand here, so I’ll get rid of the bigger evil. So lets try to come up with something better here. We’re looking for a clever connection to an intimidating beast, faction or perhaps even emotion? We’re looking for an inspiring geographic location with a rich history of good vibes and general scrappiness. I’d love an alliteration, but that’s probably just me. We have seen some ideas already, notably @aimkin's Scotland Nessies, which I love, but I’ll leave them to promote their idea this Theme Week, and I’ll come from a different direction, for Forum Content. Behold the power of AI Art (and a lack of patience on my part to wait for it to make anything better), and the power of the Dublin Druids! This team hearkens back to a rich history of Celtic, and specifically Gaelic culture. The Druids are a mysterious, and often sinister class of religious leaders, referenced to as practitioners of human sacrifice by the Greeks and Romans. Turn those walking sticks into some wonderful knotted hockey sticks, a beautiful (and unique!) green, orange and white colour scheme, and take to the ice! Seriously though, London needs a fresh coat of paint regardless, and I endorse most cases of getting them some freshening up. Explore Scotland, Ireland, Wales, heck even somewhere else in Western Europe! Something that isn’t the second version of an existing team, with some comparable logo design would be wonderful, and I would greatly appreciate it! Tag me in all of your creations and lets see what we can do! I’m sure some other BOG members would agree it’s about time here for a new logo at least, if not a full relocation.

last batch of essays due for my girlfriend so I spent the whole weekend laying beside her crushing the Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov, and yup I get the hype. Got a couple more pages to go here and then we'll see where my whims take me next!

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I'll be helping the league take legal action.

1. It's been a weird start, for the whole league that is, but I'm happy with how many pucks we've kept out of our net, and I feel like our start should have earned us a better league position. 2. Well I heard him and Simon are old fishing buddies... so.... 3. I've been sending Simon lots of leftovers, he seems to hunger nearly as much as Fong! 4. Yeah, but that's by design! Team wouldn't look like this if Teno didn't exist! 5. I suppose I can call my father my friend, otherwise no. 6. I feel like I would have been a goalie. At least a defensive defender.