jacobcarson877

This is definitely how the league works today and I hope at the end of the day a lot of this sentiment still exists! Who cares about the numbers and all that if I'm not bringing in new homies to spend my downtime with. And to be honest, there has never really been a need for looking at line composition other than maybe Checking, but I think it would be kind of fun if the league went in the direction where player builds actually matter! Someday they'll learn. Someday.

Hello VHLers! I have had a lot of thoughts over the last few weeks, some spurred on by reading other people’s wonderful thoughts and some I like to think are original. What I want to do here is compile some “theory” on player, line and roster building as a sort of intermediate-level document for those who have read through resources like Gustav’s Guide to Building and the TPE & Point Tasks Tutorial. Since those are already amazing, I will not be overlapping too much, so if you do not know how the STHS attributes work and do not know how to earn TPE please go read those they are great. To start off then, I wanted to talk about player building. As a current VHLM GM this is an area that I think could use a lot of improvement right off the bat, and with the hybrid-attributes having been implemented for a couple seasons now, my view on building in the VHLM has changed a lot. Historically the idea was to get the Core-4 attributes (DF, SC, SK, PH) up to ~70 and then go from there. Nowadays, with 1 TPE getting you much less than it used to, some concessions need to be made. Getting those stats up to ~50-60 is not much of an issue if you put your head to it. And for those earning well, this is probably still the way you’ll want to build. I do think one should try to prioritize pushing 1 of those Core-4 attributes at a time, starting with DF, so you always have the advantage at SOME aspect of the sim. The principle of min-maxing in sim leagues is still particularly important. Being great at 1 thing and okay at some others, is better than being good at everything. This leads into my next, and most crucial point about building. This idea is pretty much a straight rip from Shindigs, but I want to compile it here as well. As much as this is important in the VHLM, it snowballs over time all the way up to the VHL. Building all of the Core-4 attributes to a point where you will be great at them is a luxury even the best earners are struggling to afford. What this means is that lower earning players (I will talk about my love for these players later), need to absolutely capitalize on being dominant in something. If they try to spread themselves as widely as the max earners, they will ALWAYS be at a disadvantage in the sim when it comes to every single comparison check. In order to not be blown out of the water in the VHL, all of those amazing depth players need to be competitive in some aspect as soon as 300 TPE with the new callup threshold. But enough beating around the bush, what should those lower earning players be sacrificing in order to be dominant in something? The answer is Scoring. I’m not saying don’t invest in scoring unless you’re max earning, but what I do mean is that great DF will carry you much more offensively than mediocre DF and SC. Building a player that can literally have the puck and skate with it without losing it will lead to your player having more opportunities to do the things that get you offense, shooting or passing. The VHL desperately needs players who can hold and carry the puck for their top stars. One of the leading theories is that only 2 forwards and 1 defender in a unit actually contribute to the offensive output, and the others largely don’t affect the results. Many teams have been riding high TPE duos with a rookie to remarkable success. Many of the top scoring units over the last few seasons have been exactly this. Not to dive into line and roster construction too much here, but as a lower earning player you have to give VHL teams every reason to want to play you in these gold mine roles. Learn to retrieve the puck and carry it, and let the stars drive you to offensive godhood. My last point about player building is actually one I picked up in the SBA, and it has to do with final builds and order of operations. In your first few seasons, you will be tossed around to multiple teams in multiple leagues in multiple roles. For each team you will likely get that urge to completely change your final build to match the situation that you’re in. Your team needs more offense? Well, I will just plan for more offense in my build. That is not exactly a terrific way to handle it. Having a final build to work towards is essential to efficient and decisive building, and although it does not have to be set in stone, and can grow or shrink over time, it should remain stylistically consistent. That does not mean your player has to be stylistically consistent over their career, in fact I also discourage that. I am all for building around your team’s needs, but perspective matters a lot. You can, and absolutely should RUSH certain parts of your build in order to help your team out. In fact, you should always be rushing the next attribute that your team needs. Breaking your build into chunks helps you be able to adjust stylistically on the fly, while also working towards a significant enough milestone that the sim might actually give you appropriate reward. Working in 5-increase chunks should be the lowest you intentionally go for, but maybe early on when attributes are cheaper you work in 10-increase chunks. That is it for player building! Remember to focus on DF and build one thing by a significant margin instead of slowly increasing everything to get that competitive advantage! When it comes to line construction, I have had a lot of VHLM experience, and a little bit of VHLE-level experience with the WJC. But I have been around enough in the VHL to understand the schools of thought, and I have also found some interesting on other STHS forums about the engine. First off, the non-VHL specific, objectively (although potentially not subjectively) correct way to build lines. GMs from leagues that use NHL players and such to simulate with use this method to enormous success. It is rather simple and makes a lot of sense. You want to have a skater (who is also generally the checker for the line), a playmaker and a scorer. It is ideal for the playmaker to be the C, with the skater and scorer playing the wings. With the overall lack of build variation in the VHL this is not necessarily possible, but there are still opportunities for this sort of line construction. This is something I want to encourage more at the VHLM level, as we work with new players to build for a specific playstyle. By offering build advice that separates our players into “classes” we can encourage build diversity in the VHL and work towards better strategic and build-focused roster construction. I use forwards as an example, but this concept also works with D, having a higher SK D paired with a higher SC D. The second way to construct lines, which is the more common way in the current VHL landscape is the dominant duo and competent filler strategy. This is what I mentioned earlier in the player construction section, and as much as I encourage the other line construction strategy moving forward, the “competent fillers” can easily be rebranded as the skater/checker on a line. But for now, having 4 high-TPE forwards and 2 high-TPE D is generally what this cap allows teams to afford. Some teams load their top unit and leave the other to the wind, but many teams have gotten a lot of success from splitting their talent evenly and filling the rest of their lineup with cheap prospect talent. I cannot really spill any theory for why this works, other than the difference in builds is not significant enough that “classes” can emerge, so players are simply branded as either “good” or “not good” and therefore a player who is good, is good at all the things and therefore fits all or any of the above roles. Those are really the 2 schools of thought as far as I know for line construction, and both seem to have their success depending on the roster you have. As we know, most of what we do in the VHL is trying to break STHS in our favour instead of following its intentions, so theory and reality can be rather random, leading to the “Simon does what Simon does” phenomenon. When it comes to roster construction, you have to commit to a set of values that your team is going to adhere to. Much like real NHL teams have “identities,” your team, regardless of the level, must have an identity. This often boils down to the players currently on your roster, but players come and go, and if you simply ride whatever players, you currently have, you will never build a pattern of long-term success. There are certain players that I pass over at the draft because they have not built in the style that I like, even at the VHLM level. Obviously ignoring players so new that they do not have the TPA to have gone in the wrong direction for me. Las Vegas under Shindigs has built an identity of dominant 2-Way forwards and rugged, tough defensemen. The Warsaw Predators under dlamb committed themselves to a high-flying offense, while sacrificing defense. This is how these teams were intentionally built, and although not everything was handed to them exactly how they wanted it, they committed to their identities and their line construction vision. This is something I have really had to sit down and think about, watching my first attempt at a roster fail, then get traded off and now lost to the VHLM Draft and the VHLE. As much as I think all of my players have grown into talented players, and had a lot of success this season, I think I could have improved my advice to them over the course of my mentorship. I have perpetuated the meta, and although there is a need for meta-styled players in the league, not all of them will earn to the point where they will see the statistical success for which they might hope. My vision for the Marlins, and also for my player and the team I play on have changed. I hope to provide better tailored advice for my players and encourage players across the leagues to talk to their GM about their vision for the team. Every GM is going to have a different view than I will, so I will not spill too much about how I view building, to avoid misleading players according to their GMs plans. There is room for a lot more build variation in this league, and STHS has the capacity to handle it effectively. We have abused this engine for so long, but I want this article to be a call for return to the ways that STHS has designed. Bring back line chemistry, interesting line/roster construction and strategic drafting selections. I bid adieu to the days of working in the BPA at the draft. To build a league free of the meta, we must commit to exploring a possibility that there are other things besides the meta. It starts in the VHLM, and with our top young talent in the VHL. Hockey is a bandwagon sport, so by demonstrating success, people emulate it. Let us show everyone that success can come from a variety of ways and philosophies. I am working to break my player from the mold of the meta that I fell into, and I hope to use my platform as a VHLM GM to build the next generation of builds from the new payers I am gifted with. It will take time to explore, and some commitment by everyone, but it is worth the risk for me. Finally, I want to talk about player roles and really sit and be frank with everyone. Not everyone can be the star. And honestly, not everyone SHOULD be the star. We tried that, and then we broke STHS. But just because you are not the star (because if you are reading this it is more likely you are not the star than are), you have to accept that the best way to help your team is to embrace a role. What ties this article together is the fact that at a player building, line building and roster building level, we need to be ready to accept that role players are necessary and really the building blocks of every team. Get a few draft picks and you will get some star players. That is not really the question here anymore. Many teams have the stars they would need to compete, but they do not have the system around them to compete. Building a great prospect system full of a wide range of earners and build types is now necessary for long-term success. We need cheap talent to support holding stars. And honestly, the cheapest and most sustainable way to hold that window of winning open is through our lower earning players. I am not encouraging people to stop earning, but rather appreciate our welfare earners for the assets they are, enabling the top earners the security to stay with a team and a system that treats them well instead of being perpetual cap dumps in the offseason. Having a system of varied players, stylistically and earning-wise allows us to be able to replace talent as they retire and build a system of talent that follows our identity. Look at real NHL teams like Tampa Bay. Whenever a player prices them out in contract negotiations, they always have someone in the minors eager to step into that role. They always have talent ready to shine, and always have a revolving door of talent ready to move out. Teams overpay for their cast-offs in free agency, and they laugh as they steal yet another project piece in the draft. This is how we have to look at our VHL franchises. If build variety does not expand, then all we have to judge players on is TPA. Everyone who has ever talked to their GM builds pretty well. If TPA continues to be all that matters, then there is almost no reason to have attributes at all. When it comes to prospects, there is also now an interesting dilemma about who to call up. Assuming people take my advice and lower earners build strong defensive players then it is almost a no-brainer to call up a lower earning forward of this mold and let the higher-earning talent develop and compete in the VHLE. This seems counter-intuitive, but the high-earning scorers only really provide that top-end value towards their peak, and at 300-500 TPE are probably worse off on a VHL roster than a 300TPE defensive forward. Much like the NHL, the young forwards who make a dent in the league are usually the high-energy puck retrievers, not the high-octane offensive guys. And generally, of those offensive guys, the ones that see the most success are on shallow rosters, where it would make sense in the VHL to call them up anyways. As those role players grow into more expensive assets, they can be flipped to rebuilding teams looking to field a roster. There are more than enough roster spots in the league for those who are at the TPE for it. I order to continue to encourage players to reach that level, there has to continue to be opportunities to be useful pieces, and that boils down to how they build and how we approach roster construction. As someone who has been in that boat, although as a backup goaltender, my activity was directly tied to how much I was contributing to my team. If we treat our potential role players like the royalty they are, there will be more of them and better prepared for the VHL. How do we get more VHL-calibre talent? Allow for more than one route to being a successful player, and stop making our attribute system virtually worthless, by all building the same way. I think that is probably enough to get some discussion going. Feel free to disagree, because well there is lots in here that could be wrong or be seen differently. But also, really try to understand what I mean, and do not take my frankness as an insult to your character. We are all out here trying to be better (or we should be at least). Please feel free to discuss below, I want to learn more, and I know some of you have some knowledge to dispense. This is well over 2000 words and I am sure I’ll probably only claim it once, but it was rewarding enough getting the thoughts out there. Appreciate you all and best of luck! Thanks to @Gustav, @Shindigs, @badcolethetitan, @Daniel Janser, @Spartan, @fromtheinside and @Ricer13 specifically for continuing to expand my perspective and teach me more and more about the different aspects of being a player, GM and member on the site! Most of these ideas stem from conversations we've had over the last couple years and have fundamentally shifted how I interact with the VHL. 2000+ Words, might claim at least once!

Definitely something that I continue to work on actively! It really is crazy how fast time can move here, I mean i just wrote my "Veteran Presence" career task this week and it's felt like only a couple weeks since I was drafted to the VHLM. Glad you had a great time with the JST, and hope to work with you again soon!

Good haul for Riga and masterclass of a move for Vancouver!

Art Vandelay

I apply

@Chayto We have just officially started the offseason, so the VHLM Draft will be coming up soon! Feel free to DM me if you have any questions, and you should be hearing from some VHLM GMs soon leading into the draft!

i'm calling the mods

very hype

Today, Landon Wolanin signed his second contract with the Calgary Wranglers. Alongside his fellow S83 draftees, he enters S85 as a veteran in the VHL. He has been fighting to be in this position for 2 whole seasons now, and heading into number three, the goal is to drive this team to a championship. Wolanin has been riding shotgun alongside league greats such as Saku Kotkakoivu, Brendan Telker, Luc Tessier and Daniel Janser for his rookie season, but now he must start to show the league that he is a name just as worthy as those above. Daniel Janser took on the role of team dad last season, and for that Landon will forever be grateful. As the next generation of talent rolls in, Landon hopes to be a dependable big brother. Someone you can come to for anything, someone who has been there, and done that (probably incorrectly) and can show you the right way. Landon is also still hip with the kids these days, and has strong insight on the VHLM talent headed our way, and hopes to be a useful resource for GM Kris Rice in the upcoming drafts. We encourage an environment of TPE earning, and with our infectious drive, we hope to bring even the least motivated, burnt out and uninspired back to the passion of the VHL. We are kind, compassionate and closely-knit, while also being incredibly competitive, driven and vocal. Landon has thrived in this environment thus far, and as the TPE piles up, Landon has been devising the best ways to allocate his time and efforts, and with a core locked down for the seasons to come, he has been trying to figure out how to build the best chemistry with individual teammates and try to create one of the best lines in history. We know that Calgary can pump out awards winners, and with a team hungry for personal and team success, it is only a matter of time before we brute-force our way to some titles. There is no more time for messing around. We treat every week like its our last. We want it more than anyone else, and we will get what we’ve worked towards. It might not be this season, or even the next. But our hard work will pay off, and Landon is bought into this mentality, and hopes to ride it to a Hall of Fame Career. He’s a veteran now, and he has to show these young punks how its done.

We can and we will. That’s the approach GM Kris Rice took this offseason when it came to rising stars Leandro Goncalves, Landon Wolanin and AirRig GoodBrandSun’s upcoming contract extensions. Locking all 4 up to at least 3 years worth of contract, the core and winning window seems to be pretty well solidified now. With strong prospects getting their first taste of the VHL this season, and a series of promising upcoming VHL Drafts, the Wranglers should be set for top talent for seasons to come. Depth will be Calgary’s biggest focus for the next few seasons. Taking advantage of potential cap savings from the 300-400TPE Salary Bracket might be huge for them with this abundance of top, and expensive talent. GMs across the 3 leagues urge depth players to focus on their Defense, Skating and Puck Handling, growing into their Scoring later into their careers. In order to not be a defensive and transition liability on a lower ceiling, one must sacrifice some offensive training to support the team, and have a chance at having the puck to score. There are whispers of multiple announcements coming out of both the league and the Wranglers in the coming weeks, as well as a brand new ad campaign featuring the 3 young Wranglers stars from the S83 Draft.

Wranglers 4ever!!!!

Transaction ID: 0WD16672VC391023A 1M Player Store Cash - 8/28 5 Uncapped - 8/28 Doubles Week - 8/28

No surprises coming from such a FIRE trio!!

SAN DIEGO MARLINS (ft. the JST and also Team Europe!) PRESS CONFERENCE Week Ending 8/21/2022 or 8/28/2022 Answer 3 questions for 1 capped TPE, all 6 for 2. 1. The final VHL Playoff series between Seattle and Warsaw is likely closing up (or has just closed up) by now. What would winning a championship in the VHL mean to you? 2. The World Juniors in real life has just finished and the World Juniors in the VHL are just beginning. How do these tournaments help prospective players in the big leagues? 3. Do you feel as though you're ready for the upcoming season? 4. I am off to a concert (The Strokes and the Red Hot Chili Peppers) today! Who would you most love to see in concert? 5. What strategies do you use to balance real life and also the VHL? 6. Since this is the last week of the month, what was something great that happened this month? @Minion @BabeBaptista @CreamTeam @Novanod @vincentlg2007 @Bedirhan @Zylen @Mint @John Cimarno @sadie @TxtBammer @CODENAMEJIMMY @kirbithan

claim 2

https://discord.gg/q7fbYDxW

Hey @Nick Gage! I am the GM of the Brigade in the Junior Showcase Tournament! We are currently 1st in the tournament, so if you'd like to join our roster and learn what it takes to dominate in the VHL, quote this message and reply with #WeAreBrigade and I will add you to the roster! Regardless, you should join the JST Discord! https://discord.gg/q7fbYDxW

Frank's getting bored and coming up with banger ideas.

Hello all you Europeans! I have an announcement to make! We are here to continue the legacy of success built by the previous Team Europe management. We have been building the European program for many a season now, and this group gives us the best opportunity to compete on the World Stage, while also showcasing the hardest working members Europe has to offer. Being named to the World Juniors is both an honour and a responsibility. Those @vincentlg2007 and I have tasked to represent Europe this tournament are: FORWARDS: Hailing from Italy: Noodles Marconi @Eynhallow, who most recently played for the Istanbul Red Wolves of the VHLE! Hailing from Slovakia: Svatopluk Puk @Otaznik, who most recently played for the Vasteras Iron Eagles of the VHLE! Hailing from Sweden: Calen McKay @Kendrick, who most recently played for the Istanbul Red Wolves of the VHLE! Hailing from the United Kingdom: Fraser Wallace @Hoopydog, who most recently played for the Bratislava Watchmen of the VHLE! Hailing from the United Kingdom: Sax Justice @Eso, who most recently played for the Stockholm Vikings of the VHLE! Hailing from Ireland: John Jameson @Frank, who most recently played for the Philadelphia Reapers of the VHLM! Hailing from France: Alfred Champagne @Anthique, who most recently played for the Philadelphia Reapers of the VHLM! Hailing from Portugal: Juan Sano III @denns, who most recently played for the Mississauga Hounds of the VHLM! Hailing from Poland: Henry Eagles @Greg_Di, who most recently played for the Bratislava Watchmen of the VHLE! DEFENCEMEN Hailing from Latvia: AK92 Wit da Hoodie @hedgehog337, who most recently played for the Istanbul Red Wolves of the VHLE! Hailing from the Netherlands: Malum Maellard @frescoelmo, who most recently played for the Cologne Express of the VHLE! Hailing from Finland: Velociraptor Greg @samx, who most recently played for the Cologne Express of the VHLE! Hailing from Ukraine: Faith Hope Love @MMFLEX, who most recently played for the Vasteras Iron Eagles of the VHLE! GOALTENDERS Hailing from Germany: Basileus Jute @Matt thunder, who most recently played for the Vasteras Iron Eagles of the VHLE! Hailing from Denmark: Karl Pedersen @JeffD, who most recently played for the Mississauga Hounds of the VHLM! Come Join the World Junior Championship Discord! Let the HYPE begin!

Hey @Erkan! I am the GM of the Brigade in the Junior Showcase Tournament! We are currently 1st in the tournament, so if you'd like to join our roster and learn what it takes to dominate in the VHL, quote this message and reply with #WeAreBrigade and I will add you to the roster! Regardless, you should join the JST Discord! https://discord.gg/8GGAu6hJ

Hey @Lilmar! I am the GM of the Brigade in the Junior Showcase Tournament! We are currently 1st in the tournament, so if you'd like to join our roster and learn what it takes to dominate in the VHL, quote this message and reply with #WeAreBrigade and I will add you to the roster! Regardless, you should join the JST Discord! https://discord.gg/8GGAu6hJ

Hey @Valek! I am the GM of the Brigade in the Junior Showcase Tournament! We are currently 1st in the tournament, so if you'd like to join our roster and learn what it takes to dominate in the VHL, quote this message and reply with #WeAreBrigade and I will add you to the roster! Regardless, you should join the JST Discord! https://discord.gg/8GGAu6hJ

not a bad start! DF is definitely the best thing to focus on, but i also love the SK and PH you’ve done too! As you earn more TPE you’ll be able to increase things much more significantly but a great start!

Hey @Squids McKenzie! I am the GM of the Brigade in the Junior Showcase Tournament! We are currently 1st in the tournament, so if you'd like to join our roster and learn what it takes to dominate in the VHL, quote this message and reply with #WeAreBrigade and I will add you to the roster! Regardless, you should join the JST Discord! https://discord.gg/8GGAu6hJ