CowboyinAmerica

Uncapped TPE Package +2 4/5

Seattle -- After last season's North American Conference finals loss, the Seattle Bears were determined to put the failure behind them and come out strong. But I doubt many in the locker room or front office expected quite this level of high play from the very beginning of the season. The Seattle Bears started out the season with a 9-0-2 record, with 20 points in 11 games and a seven game winning streak. And even though the streak was recently broken with a loss to the Malmo Nighthawks, those 20 points still have Seattle with the best record in the league and 4 points clear of Chicago at second in the conference. To team newcomer Xavier Booberry, it's a great start to his final season. "This is always what you envision in your head, but so often those dreams don't become reality," Booberry said. "But here, we're going out and doing exactly what our gameplan is. It's nice to see." It's a mix of offense and defense that has gotten it done for Seattle so far. The team's 39 goals scored are the second-most in the VHL thus far, only behind a surprising Helsinki Titans start. Booberry, meanwhile, has a 7-0-2 record in 9 starts, a .933 save percentage and 2.18 GAA - all figures that top his previous two seasons in Davos. And Booberry thinks the team can keep it going from here. "I think we're built to win it all, certainly. Now will we? There's so much that can happen in the VHL, especially in the playoffs. But I feel good that we've got just as good of a shot as anybody, and I think our play so far proves it."

21. @CowboyinAmerica recently broke the record for all time TPE earned in a career. How did the Bears help him celebrate? Being away from North America for so long and knowing what Seattle's good for, a fresh fish dinner was exactly what he wanted. One of those "pick your own" fish sorts of places. 22. Seattle is off to a hot start. is this surprising for you? Why do you feel they’re as hot as they are right now? I expected us to do well, but I didn't think we'd be doing quite this well. 20 points in 12 games is a great omen for the rest of the year. 23. how happy are you with your players performance so far? Solid, but I actually think I could be doing better. I love getting the wins, but I'd like to be dominant with some shutouts as well. 24. Seattle is coming out with a new cologne brand. What is the name and what is the scent? B.E.A.R. by Bana. Weirdly smells like salmon, but I guess some people are into that? (Really like this question btw) 25. Outside of Seattle, what team has been the biggest surprise so far this season? I have to say, I didn't see Helsinki's start coming. It's been some rough years for those fans, so it'd be nice to see them at least make playoffs. 27. Who is one of your biggest rivals on the ice in the VHL? Maybe rivals isn't the right word, but it's always nice to beat my old teams in Helsinki and Davos. And if we somehow ended up facing them in the finals, it'd get wild.

What if I wrote all that then just didn't claim the Uncapped TPE Package? But no, I probably should. Uncapped TPE Package +2 (3/5)

The All-Time TPE Lead (or, I've Spent Way Too Much Time Here) If you look in the Portal right now, you will see Xavier Booberry sitting at 1996 TPE. This VHL.com articles is worth 2 points. I also purchased an Uncapped TPE Package for this season that gives me a +2 for five VHL.com articles. That means, by the end of this article, I'll be at exactly 2000 TPE - or in other words, tied for the all-time TPE lead. This wasn't my plan at all, if I'm being honest. One of the very first things I did after creating Xavier Booberry was laying out my plan for his potential career. Really, I just wanted to experience what the VHLE and a nine season career would seem like, and let the chips fall where they may from there. But I did plan on trying to be active long-term after my previous player was more welfare-oriented, and for me, earning a lot of TPE goes along with that. I wrote at the time: "I’ve recharged enough to try and shoot for the stars, and I believe the ability to go nine seasons in his career will give me the drive to shoot for high TPE levels, especially early, to be able to wait out that long career. Constant 12’s per week will be the goal here, along with donations in the early stages." Maybe I didn't math is out or maybe I didn't think about it that much, but I've learned - just max earning is a lot of TPE. I've started dropping a few points due to 5 point welfares over the past month or so, but at least through S86, I'm pretty sure I had only missed 3 capped points in 7 seasons total (1 when I forgot to claim a Trivia, 2 when I was in England). I also had participated in every donation, fantasy zone and free giveaway I could, plus added a few points with store purchases. But I really didn't see it as a big lift, just trying to optimize what I could do. What I've learned, though, is constant vigilance really adds up. So I guess I'm going to sit with the all-time TPE lead, at least for a bit. I'm not going to lie, it's kind of a fun distinction - particularly because it's something that's 100% within my control, so I can feel like I've accomplished something. I've had the all-time TPE lead once before actually - Gabriel McAllister set the new record when he hit 1613 back in S63, only to see it passed one season later by Mats Johnsson and Norris Stropko a season later. Perhaps this title will last a bit longer. Maybe Nico Pearce passes it next season. I don't really care either way, honestly. I just think it's cool that I'm passing a nice round number like 2000 for the first time in VHL history, and even if Booberry's career has had its ups and downs, this is something I can point to as a fun feather in my cap for this career.

12. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be? I really want to do a Mediterranean trip, Italy and Greece in particular. I'd come back 50 pounds heavier and it'd be glorious. 13. what were your overall thoughts on the off-season? Seemed really long, honestly. It's my final season and I really just want to get it going. 15. it is Easter weekend. Does your player have any plans? Wife has to work in the evening, but we're doing brunch with her family. Simple but nice to get people together. 16. The Seattle Bears are having an Easter dinner potluck. Each player is supposed to bring something. What do you bring? Probably some Minnesotan fish that everybody tries a little bit of then goes for better food. Walleye for everybody. 19. your player was recently seen in the news for doing something on vacation. What were they doing? What, you didn't enter a hot dog eating challenge during your time off? 34 hot dogs in 12 minutes ain't too bad if I say so myself. 20. Beketov Was reading bedtime stories after the dentist. Growing up, what was one of your favourite tales or stories? I had a lot of Berenstein Bear books growing up - and I couldn't tell you a single thing about them now. But just remember having a stuffed bear I really enjoyed, funny that I'm on the Bears now.

Uncapped TPE Package 2/5: +2

Seattle -- For the past eight years of his life, Xavier Booberry has lived in Europe. First it was a year with the Vasteras Iron Eagles. Then it was four and a half in Helsinki with the Titans. That was followed by three and a half seasons with HC Davos Dynamo. And all the while, Booberry adjusted, but the goalie from Northern Minnesota never quite felt at home. But now, for the first time in a while, Booberry is back on North American soil. Granted, Seattle isn't quite the same as Minnesota. But the goalie - who has also represented Team USA in multiple World Cups - does feel somewhat more at ease in his new living conditions. "I mean at least it's not a cross-globe flight to see family, the portion sizes are large like me, and there's plenty of nature and hiking around like I'm used to. I think I'm going to like it in Seattle just fine this year," Booberry told local media after training camp. "It's not quite home, I'll admit, but it's a good place to be." Bears management and Booberry alike know that he's only going to be around for one season before retirement, so he hasn't looked for a permanent home in the area. But then again, he didn't shut down the notion either. "I've only been at each stop in my career for few years, so I haven't developed a deep connection with any one place. I just kind of assumed I'd be back in Minnesota after my career," Booberry added. "But as it draws closer, who knows? We'll see what happens in the Pacific Northwest. I'm just going to take one day at a time and worry about that when it happens."

1. Who is the greatest athlete that you have seen live? Seeing Lionel Messi live is a trip. He looks so small compared to what you expect of professional athletes, but then you see him move and it's so fluid. 2. What's a food combination or meal that you uncommonly enjoy? I put hot sauce on a lot, but I find not too many people put it on breakfast sandwiches. It's normal on eggs, why not the whole sandwich? 3. What is a feature you think would be really cool to add to the VHL? Bring back chat! Actually though, I know there's no way to actually "watch" the games, but for special ASGs or something I think it'd be great engagement. Questions: 1. What's your bucket list vacation destination? 2. It's opening day for baseball - you a fan? Why or why not? 3. What's your favorite VHL color scheme and why?

There's a balance between letting GMs make moves but still allowing players to have fun, and I think it's too far to one side. Generally, I've seen a lot of players moved because their builds aren't exactly in line what the GM wants. Players are getting cast off in search of whatever the meta is at the time (right now 6 F, 3 D, more TPE in forwards with zero variation) without a second glance. And partially in mine and Dusty's case but I've seen it in others (including not goalies), players spending a large portion of their careers with one franchise only to get abruptly cast aside for cap reasons right as they're reaching the end of their career. That all works fine if you're playing a GM simulator, and I think many GMs approach moves like they're playing OOTP or something. But here you're dealing with people - and people who are only here for fun at that, not a paycheck like professional leagues. At least in my opinion, player sims should have more of a communal element baked in, and part of that means letting individual players have fun in the way they want. If you want specifics, to me that means a more forgiving salary structure that allows more players to stay on teams if they wish (even if you don't want to raise the cap, think NBA's Bird Rights), less of a focus on the STHS meta and optimal player builds, and rosters/lines that encourage players to play as much as possible no matter where they are in their careers (with this many goalies, I wouldn't be against the backup limit being raised to 16 or 20). But above all else, really I just wish people focused more on what's fun than what's "best" or most "balanced". I've said all along that I'd rather be on a team that's a lot of fun and a 5% chance of winning instead of a team that's cutthroat for a 20% chance of winning. I think the league would be better off if more people thought that way too. That's not the prevailing mindset though.

I mean, I'd also argue that I deserved better from Davos which had a ripple effect here. There seems to be a culture of optimization over fun among current VHL GMs that I'm not the biggest fan of, which makes being cutthroat a necessity just to keep up.

Donation Doubles

Grand Marais, Minn. -- This past Sunday was an interesting one for goaltender Xavier Booberry, in the midst of the offseason before his final VHL season. He woke up and cooked himself some breakfast, ham and eggs. He took a walk along the shore near his lakeside Minnesota home. Then when he got back, he heard a voicemail from his agent – promptly informing him that his team for three-plus seasons, HC Davos Dynamo, intended to trade him. Speaking publicly for the first time since the trade that sent him from Davos to Seattle, Booberry tells VHLDaily.com that he’s happy where he ended up, that he believes he and his new Seattle teammates have a good chance at winning it all. At the time, though, Booberry says that he was in a state of shock. “Let’s be clear, I didn’t ask for a trade at all; I really thought I’d be with Davos until the end of my career. I fully intended to give it another go at the title," he explained. “Apparently that feeling wasn’t mutual. And with the level of effort I’ve put in and my skill on the ice – yeah, I can honestly say I’m pretty surprised.” From what the Davos organization has said publicly and privately, the decision was cap-related, with Booberry’s salary raising to $6 million this season due to new VHL rules. However, it’s notable that following the dual trades where Siyan Yasilievich was replaced with Brian Kowalski, the team would have been exactly at the salary cap and at a full roster even without trading Booberry. Yet, the efforts persisted. Booberry was told about multiple different destinations that he might be headed, among them Malmo and Chicago. Ultimately though, Booberry landed in Seattle for the price of a second round pick, a small sum that reflects how many teams in the league are already established at the goaltender position. Seattle themselves declined a team option on previous goaltender Dusty Wilson in order to make room for Booberry, a decision that ultimately led to Wilson hanging up his skates entirely when finding a home seemed unlikely. Now with his new home though, Booberry’s beginning to feel more excitement the closer we get to the season. This is a team set up for success after all, with Seattle making the North American Conference finals just last season and having the fourth-most wins among all VHL teams in the past five seasons. Booberry believes that the forward core might be the strongest he’s ever played with, he’s excited to be reunited with former Helsinki teammate from the S80 Draft Alessandro Nano, and he’s curious what final moves the team will have to set up for the rest of the season. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that Booberry’s agency has positive past history with Bears management. That history dates back to when Seattle drafted forward Gabriel McAllister with the first pick in the S56 Draft – a pairing that later led to McAllister winning both a title in S59 and an MVP with the franchise. “I know what I’m capable of. I know what Seattle’s capable of. And I think we’ve got a good shot at putting our collective power together for something really good here,” Booberry adds. “Did Davos end the way I would have wanted? No, it didn’t. But is that part of my career behind me now? It is, and I’m really to show why Seattle and I together is something to be feared.”

Uncapped TPE Package 1/5: +2

Calgary, AB -- Following six seasons in the VHL without ever reaching the finals, Davos goaltender Xavier Booberry was pumped for his first ever finals appearance. And after winning the first game of the series on the road, he let himself begin to dream of being a champion for the first time. But alas, a title was not meant to be. Calgary came roaring back in short order, winning each of the next four games to take the series in five games. The final three of those losses came by one goal, a crushing prospect for the team's goalie that couldn't quite get it done. "I don't think disappointing is really the right word. Soul-crushing, maybe?" Booberry told the Davos press after the final game. "I really thought this might be our year." In the end, it's back to the drawing board for Davos, who still intend to be a strong team. For Booberry, now entering his final season before retirement, it's now or never. "I have one more shot to win, and I intend to do just that," Booberry said. "Clearly, I'm going to be leading Davos to a title, and I can't possibly imagine anything that can get in the way of Davos and I getting there together."

$10 Donation Transaction ID: 6KH43922YX029172K Doubles Week 5 Uncapped TPE

*Stumbles into room* Oh, I'm supposed to answer questions here now? Well OK then. 1. What were your thoughts on Davos making it to the finals? Well, let's just say that I was rather excited about Davos making it to the finals, seeing as how I was on the team and all. It was my first finals, happy to be there. 2. What were your thoughts on Calgary winning the Continental Cup? Following up the last answer, let's just say rather poorly. I thought we might have had this one, and it was painful that each game was close. 4. What are your thoughts on Seattle signing and extending Vasile Lamb for S88? This seems like the year that we're really going for it all, and having Lamb on board is an important part of that. With 21 points in 20 games since coming over, you see what he can do. 6. Your player has been enjoying their off-season and time for themselves. What have they been up to? I'm an old man at this point, I needed some time away to just go chill. Particularly with all of the trade rumors swirling around, it's easy to get caught up in that. 8. Were you happy with your performance last season? Not really, honestly. I feel like I should absolutely be the top goalie in the VHL, and while I didn't perform badly, my personal expectation is winning awards every season. 10. What moves so far this off-season surprised you? Is this where I say that the fact I'm even in this press conference room surprised me? I'll have more to say on that, but yeah, I think it was a shock all around.

Davos, Switzerland -- Xavier Booberry has done a lot in his professional career. He's won Top Goalie and Most Outstanding Player awards for the entire VHL. He's won the very first VHLE title. He was named VHLM MVP. He might even put in the most practice hours of any player in the 88 season history of the league. But there's one thing Xavier Booberry hadn't yet seen: a VHL finals matchup. And now, that has changed. Booberry recently played in his first two VHL finals games, splitting the results on the road against the Calgary Wranglers. To the veteran goalie, stepping out on the ice resulted in a mix of nerves and anticipation for the new experience. "I mean, this is the finals. This is what everybody plays for. I'd be a bit surprised if I wasn't overly hyped for this one," Booberry said following the Game 2 loss. "But now we're in it, and I've got a job to do. I need to play better than I did tonight, because we need me out there." Indeed, the Wranglers/Dynamo matchup looks to be a tight one, with many analysts believing the series will go seven games. Especially as Booberry faces off against his former Vasteras teammate in Oskar Lindbergh, he knows that any small play could swing the entire series. "But we've had this pressure for a while - I mean, just look at the last series," Booberry added, referring to the team's 4-3 series win over Malmo. "Maybe we haven't been to the finals before, but we're used to the pressure. And I'm confident we'll be able to draw on that reserve to pull this one out."

For S88: Xavier Booberry - RB (I'll have enough cash for it when my S88 contract is added)

It might be impossible without the totals from the old boards, but a total TPE by member list would be interesting.

1: It’s been an intense series against Malmo. Do you expect the series to end tonight or will we go into game 7? At the risk of being a jinx, I'll be the optimist and say it ends tonight. Just need one strong goaltending performance from me! 2: Which Davos player has impressed you most so far in these playoffs? Jake Thunder's 14 assists in 9 games is pretty sweet. It's important to put home the goals, sure, but without a distributor I don't know where I'd be. 3: Is there any team you wish we had played these playoffs? Or maybe one you wish we meet should we make it to the finals? London seemed to talk a lot of smack for a team that didn't end up actually making it. But I'm not going to argue too much with how things ended up. 4: Let’s say someone goes back in time and finds a young Wayne Gretzky and brings them to our timeline. Do you think Wayne will still be the best or would it be too much of a change? I think he'd be the best, but I don't think it'd be by as wide a margin. There are just so many good players today. 6: If you had to change your hair color, which color would you choose and why? I'm cool with the brown, but it'd be interesting to blond it up for a day or two just to see how it fits. I don't think it'd look the best on me though. 8: What was the most recent Show you’ve watched? Gearing up for the final season of Ted Lasso coming out in a few days here. I like shows that end before they become stale.

Wooo I'm a record setter?

1: How many games do you think our first series will be? Currently being up 2-0, I'll say it goes six. They're all going to be really close games in my opinion, and splitting the next four seems good (especially since it means a Davos win!) 2: Which player on Davos do you think would win an arm wrestling tournament? I think it depends - can you arm wrestle a ghost who doesn't have any arms? I say Booberry wins by forfeit in that case, he has a built in advantage. 3: What is your players nickname? It seems like Boobs has started to stick which... let's be real, I don't hate it. 4: Which teammate do you expect will lead us in points at the end of our playoff run? Thunder and Teekirque both have 6 in two games already, which is wild. I'll say Thunder takes it - we're going to need our defensemen to come on strong, no matter who we face. 5: Which NHL player's jersey would you want to get as a gift? I genuinely do need a Wild jersey, and Kaprizov is the easy answer. But an Eriksson Ek jersey would also be fun as a fan favorite. 7: Do you listen to anything while you fall asleep? or do you find it strange to do so? I could never do TV or anything like that, but a fan or some sort of white noise does me well. (Also drowns out some outside noise that could get the dogs barking.)

1: With only a handful of games remaining, how many goals/wins do you expect to end this season with? I'll say I end with 33. I see a good stretch of games to end the season for Davos, I hope. (Am I talking about goals or wins? Your choice!) 3: Which teammate has impacted your player's performance the most this season? It's been nice having Summers behind me this season to bounce ideas and tricks off of. There's been seasons in the past where I've worried whenever I have to sit, but that's far from the case this year. 4: If you got a new pet what would you name it? The wife loves corgis and has always wanted to name one Radar because of the ears that stick up. So Radar it is. 6: The NHL trade deadline is right around the corner, which trade do you think is the most impactful? I don't know about impactful, but the Kane trade is sure is heck fun. As somebody who lived in Chicago at the height of that dynasty, it'd be fun to see the Rangers do well. 7: If you could move to any city, which city would you choose? Honestly, in keeping with the last question, back to Chicago. There's a lot to do, but it's not overwhelming like an NYC. Plus still have a lot of friends there. 8: Which movie do you wish had a sequel? I've always been a fan of Talladega Nights, and near two decades on I think it'd be fun to do a sequel where Farrell/Reilly are in a team owner role and dealing with brash new drivers.

Yup trade deadline was last week, we're coming up to the playoffs and the S88 offseason here shortly.