CowboyinAmerica

Outside of everything else, trying to explain the VHL and this legal action to an actual lawyer would be very fun to watch

Was out of touch for Easter travel so just seeing this now - thank you so much @kirbithan! This is amazing, going in the sig right now.

Oslo, Norway -- The start of the season is here for the VHLE, and for first overall pick and Oslo Storm forward Antonia Bucatini, the result has been a resounding "meh." The Oslo Storm were hopeful to be near the top of the league, but through 12 games, sit in fourth place with a 6-5-1 record. Bucatini, meanwhile, does have 11 points in 12 games - but that's only due to a hat trick and four points against Bratislava, before which she was struggling.
 
It's a bit of a continuation with Bucatini's time with Houston, where there was some team success, but also the nagging feeling that she should be playing better and really assert her will.
 
"This feels good, because I haven't had too many of these feelings this season," Bucatini said after that Bratislava game. "It's been a slow start for me. I know that. And while I'm thankful to have teammates to pick me up, I wish they didn't have to."
 
Will she get going soon? Word from Oslo management is that they've started to play around with lines in recent games, with Miner VHLer even getting some time playing alongside Bucatini on the first line. It remains to be seen whether that or something else is the right combination, but Bucatini's hopeful.
 
"We just have too much talent here, and I really think it'll come together," she added. "It's a long season, 12 games is just one-sixth of the way done. And I really do think good things should be ahead for us with the Storm."

Oslo, Norway -- The start of the season is here for the VHLE, and for first overall pick and Oslo Storm forward Antonia Bucatini, the result has been a resounding "meh." The Oslo Storm were hopeful to be near the top of the league, but through 12 games, sit in fourth place with a 6-5-1 record. Bucatini, meanwhile, does have 11 points in 12 games - but that's only due to a hat trick and four points against Bratislava, before which she was struggling.
 
It's a bit of a continuation with Bucatini's time with Houston, where there was some team success, but also the nagging feeling that she should be playing better and really assert her will.
 
"This feels good, because I haven't had too many of these feelings this season," Bucatini said after that Bratislava game. "It's been a slow start for me. I know that. And while I'm thankful to have teammates to pick me up, I wish they didn't have to."
 
Will she get going soon? Word from Oslo management is that they've started to play around with lines in recent games, with Miner VHLer even getting some time playing alongside Bucatini on the first line. It remains to be seen whether that or something else is the right combination, but Bucatini's hopeful.
 
"We just have too much talent here, and I really think it'll come together," she added. "It's a long season, 12 games is just one-sixth of the way done. And I really do think good things should be ahead for us with the Storm."

I know x

1. With one week of sims down, is the team performing as you’ve expected?
Oslo's been alright, maybe a little behind where I'd want to be so far. But a tough schedule and some backup goalie games to start the season will do, we'll get there.
 
2. Who do you predict will be Davos’ MVP this season?
I have a tough choice - is it our captain, our first assistant captain, or our second assistant captain? In the end, I think I'll have to split the difference and say Jokinen.
 
3. What are your thoughts on our current prospect pool?
Obviously I'm slightly biased, but I'm really happy where things are headed. And not just with the S93 Draft either, I think Sunset Moth, Ivan Ivanov and others can help us build something really cool here.
 
5. What is your most controversial VHL opinion?
Simmers should be paid. But not in TPE - like actual, real money. It's a job and a lot of people donate, let's compensate people with such an important position.
 
6. If Davos had a mascot, what would it look like?
An anthropomorphic mountain would be entertaining, but not super practical. I'll say it's a cartoon skier - but in all purple and with hockey stick-like poles.
 
8. What was the last video game you played?
MLB the Show came on Game Pass recently and I really enjoy it. If you like baseball I highly suggest the Storyline modes - maybe my favorite thing a sports game has done in years, both last year and this year.

Oslo, Norway -- The start of the season is here for the VHLE, and for first overall pick and Oslo Storm forward Antonia Bucatini, the result has been a resounding "meh." The Oslo Storm were hopeful to be near the top of the league, but through 12 games, sit in fourth place with a 6-5-1 record. Bucatini, meanwhile, does have 11 points in 12 games - but that's only due to a hat trick and four points against Bratislava, before which she was struggling.
 
It's a bit of a continuation with Bucatini's time with Houston, where there was some team success, but also the nagging feeling that she should be playing better and really assert her will.
 
"This feels good, because I haven't had too many of these feelings this season," Bucatini said after that Bratislava game. "It's been a slow start for me. I know that. And while I'm thankful to have teammates to pick me up, I wish they didn't have to."
 
Will she get going soon? Word from Oslo management is that they've started to play around with lines in recent games, with Miner VHLer even getting some time playing alongside Bucatini on the first line. It remains to be seen whether that or something else is the right combination, but Bucatini's hopeful.
 
"We just have too much talent here, and I really think it'll come together," she added. "It's a long season, 12 games is just one-sixth of the way done. And I really do think good things should be ahead for us with the Storm."

1. With one week of sims down, is the team performing as you’ve expected?
Oslo's been alright, maybe a little behind where I'd want to be so far. But a tough schedule and some backup goalie games to start the season will do, we'll get there.
 
2. Who do you predict will be Davos’ MVP this season?
I have a tough choice - is it our captain, our first assistant captain, or our second assistant captain? In the end, I think I'll have to split the difference and say Jokinen.
 
3. What are your thoughts on our current prospect pool?
Obviously I'm slightly biased, but I'm really happy where things are headed. And not just with the S93 Draft either, I think Sunset Moth, Ivan Ivanov and others can help us build something really cool here.
 
5. What is your most controversial VHL opinion?
Simmers should be paid. But not in TPE - like actual, real money. It's a job and a lot of people donate, let's compensate people with such an important position.
 
6. If Davos had a mascot, what would it look like?
An anthropomorphic mountain would be entertaining, but not super practical. I'll say it's a cartoon skier - but in all purple and with hockey stick-like poles.
 
8. What was the last video game you played?
MLB the Show came on Game Pass recently and I really enjoy it. If you like baseball I highly suggest the Storyline modes - maybe my favorite thing a sports game has done in years, both last year and this year.

Oslo, Norway -- The start of the season is here for the VHLE, and for first overall pick and Oslo Storm forward Antonia Bucatini, the result has been a resounding "meh." The Oslo Storm were hopeful to be near the top of the league, but through 12 games, sit in fourth place with a 6-5-1 record. Bucatini, meanwhile, does have 11 points in 12 games - but that's only due to a hat trick and four points against Bratislava, before which she was struggling.
 
It's a bit of a continuation with Bucatini's time with Houston, where there was some team success, but also the nagging feeling that she should be playing better and really assert her will.
 
"This feels good, because I haven't had too many of these feelings this season," Bucatini said after that Bratislava game. "It's been a slow start for me. I know that. And while I'm thankful to have teammates to pick me up, I wish they didn't have to."
 
Will she get going soon? Word from Oslo management is that they've started to play around with lines in recent games, with Miner VHLer even getting some time playing alongside Bucatini on the first line. It remains to be seen whether that or something else is the right combination, but Bucatini's hopeful.
 
"We just have too much talent here, and I really think it'll come together," she added. "It's a long season, 12 games is just one-sixth of the way done. And I really do think good things should be ahead for us with the Storm."

Oslo, Norway -- The start of the season is here for the VHLE, and for first overall pick and Oslo Storm forward Antonia Bucatini, the result has been a resounding "meh." The Oslo Storm were hopeful to be near the top of the league, but through 12 games, sit in fourth place with a 6-5-1 record. Bucatini, meanwhile, does have 11 points in 12 games - but that's only due to a hat trick and four points against Bratislava, before which she was struggling.
 
It's a bit of a continuation with Bucatini's time with Houston, where there was some team success, but also the nagging feeling that she should be playing better and really assert her will.
 
"This feels good, because I haven't had too many of these feelings this season," Bucatini said after that Bratislava game. "It's been a slow start for me. I know that. And while I'm thankful to have teammates to pick me up, I wish they didn't have to."
 
Will she get going soon? Word from Oslo management is that they've started to play around with lines in recent games, with Miner VHLer even getting some time playing alongside Bucatini on the first line. It remains to be seen whether that or something else is the right combination, but Bucatini's hopeful.
 
"We just have too much talent here, and I really think it'll come together," she added. "It's a long season, 12 games is just one-sixth of the way done. And I really do think good things should be ahead for us with the Storm."

It's time.

As the rumours about their off-ice affairs persisted, Italian prospects Antonia Bucatini and Gianfranco Del Rocco went first and second overall, as expected, in the VHL draft. With Bucatini staying close to home in Davos but Del Rocco nine timezones away in Seattle, surely that was the end of that off-season fling? Well, maybe, if it existed in the first place. But with both players choosing to spend an extra season in Europe to hone their skills in the VHLE, the rumour mill has ended up churning.
 
Bucatini is spending her VHLE year in Oslo with Del Rocco across the border in Vasteras. A five-hour drive separates the two (or a six-hour train with a change at Hallsberg), not in itself surprising given half of the VHLE's teams are in either Norway or Sweden. What has been surprising and slightly disappointing for the paparazzi is that both young players have seemingly chosen to focus on their hockey, not leaving their team bubbles even when travelling away to other VHLE locations.
 
The step up to the VHLE hasn't hindered either Italian with Del Rocco leading Vasteras with 9 points and Bucatini's 4 goals joint most on Oslo. But have the harsher northern conditions cooled passions? Or is it that two points separate the Iron Eagles and Storm and it will likely remain a close-run race all season? Or was there nothing there to begin with? The speculation certainly won't be quelled so easily.

Graphic credit: @Triller
 
 
On Monday evening, the VHL’s Junior Showcase Tournament wrapped with Game 6 between the Warriors and the Steel.  With the Warriors already in control of the series at three games to two, they clinched the Season 92 Junior Showcase Tournament in a 4-3 victory that featured a three point performance by Connor Simard @Alex99 and a stellar night in goal by Aleksanteri Kaskiniemi-Kekkonen @Snussu.  While the Steel managed to keep the Warriors’ top line off the scoresheet in game 6, it was the second line players of GM @Nathan_8’s squad that pushed them over the top in this game as Simard, Bruhmaninho @BigBruhman, and Robinson @isaak combined for 3 of the team’s 4 goals.  6:04 into the 3rd period, Simard would bury the game winner on the powerplay from de Trueno @Thunder and Robinson.  The Steel would draw back to within 1, but the Warriors would seal the Steel fate with an empty netter by Jillian Woods @jacobcarson877 and that was all she wrote.  In the ensuing celebrations, an ecstatic Nathan had only two words for any who may have doubted his managerial pedigree, “I’m him.” 
 
It’s hard to argue with the confidence of a manager who clinched World Junior Championship gold with Team World and the Junior Showcase Championship on back-to-back nights.  Safe to say, his managerial career is off to a hot start and he’ll be carrying this confidence into his first season as general manager for the Mississauga Hounds in the VHLM.  And while the Warriors’ triumph may be the top story of the tournament, it was far from the only one.  
 
 
════ ⋆★⋆ ════
 
 
www.hitsfordays.jst - Okay, here’s a random fun fact for you, would you believe that the top three hitters in the JST were Wladyslaw Mintus @mintusaurus, WWumbo @Fire Tortorella, and Walter Jinn @Adrest245?  Welcome to the world of weird and wacky... or maybe that's just my tired brain getting overly excited about the letter W.  Did I mention that the Warriors won the JST?  Sorry-- on with the article!
 
 
Fire Brigade
 
At one point in the regular schedule, the Brigade were the class of the field.  In my preview article, I had the Brigade ranked 5th in the early roster power rankings and it seems that @samx's squad took that to heart.  From days 11-25 of the tournament, the Brigade were unbeaten– 11-0-0 during that stretch, outscoring their opponents 32-15.  Unfortunately, the Brigade cooled off immediately following this hot streak and lost their next 6 in a row, finishing the season 3-4-4 in their next 11 games.  For the Brigade, it was perhaps a case of peaking at the wrong time.  Though they still finished the regular season in 2nd place behind the Warriors, their late struggles seemed to shake their confidence in the playoffs as they fell to the Steel in 6 games in the first round, despite having home ice advantage.  
 
Notably, Tyler Lawson @Nyx was the Brigade’s leading scorer throughout the regular season and the playoffs.  The 14th overall selection of the Helsinki Titans scored 26 points in the 30 regular season games and followed that up with 9 points in the Brigade’s 6 playoff games.  Defender, Lucy Leitner @LucyXpher, and winger, UghSike @UghSike, both led the team and were among the tournament’s top scorers during the Brigade’s 11 game tear, but both cooled off considerably down the stretch, finishing with 22 and 21 points respectively.  The team boasted a strong two-way game with players like Goncalves @leandrofg, Reynolds Jr @Crstats23, and Bouchard @Gaikoku-hito leading the way in that respect, but seemed to lack scoring punch at times, conceding points in a tournament high 6 shootout or overtime losses.  Though they led the tournament with 212 shots blocked, the Brigade conversion rate of 9.91% on the powerplay was nearly 5% lower than the league average.  
 
While goaltending was thought to be a question mark for this team entering the tournament, it proved to be a strength as Da TypThond @Erik and Kendra Cavill @Firekiss both posted solid numbers in the regular season, highlighted by Da TypThond’s .918 SV% and 1.84 GAA.  In the playoffs, however, Cavill struggled to a .877 SV% and 4.75 GAA in all 6 starts for the Brigade.  Though it would be unfair to pin the Brigade’s playoff disappointment on Cavill who performed well during the regular season, it was certainly a performance to forget.  
 
 
Solid Steel
 
In my preview for the Steel, I suggested that if they chose to play Kolesinska @chikn and Swift @lilchrist on the same line along with Artav @jake, they could boast one of the most complete starting lineups in the tournament.  While Swift and Kolesinska didn’t play together all season on the Steel’s top line, they did play together on the team’s tournament best powerplay.  Perhaps the team I was most accurate about in that preview, the Steel placed a solid 3rd in the tournament, never losing more than 3 games in a row or winning more than 4 in a row.  The Steel were consistently a solid team throughout the tournament with Benjamin Abenduct @Schnee leading the way from the blueline, notching 34 points in 30 games.  He was also tied with Trimiskez Artav with 13 goals, which was the second highest goal total in the tournament.  
 
Despite the Steel’s consistency, there were some anomalous numbers on their stat page, including Abenduct and Dukat @MSouthworth both being a minus rating throughout the tournament at 5-on-5.  For the Steel, the statistical performance of goaltender, Ondrej Vencko @Mutti, was also a bit mystifying.  With a .904 SV% and 2.07 GAA in a tournament-high 17 starts, Vencko’s numbers were respectable, though perhaps not as impressive as his closest rivals from this past season in the VHLM.  Vencko, however, did claim the distinction of the tournament’s most victorious goalie, claiming 12 wins with only 5 losses on his record.  In the playoffs, however, Vencko was arguably outperformed by his backup, Austin Goulet III @Tuchy, who posted a .919% compared with Vencko’s .903%, though both goalies held a record of 3-3.  
 
For Steel GM, @dstevensonjr, this tournament has to be considered a success.  Entering the playoffs as the 3rd seed and knocking off the Brigade in the first round, the Steel were in the final with a chance to win it all. Despite losing the first two games of the finals on the Warrior’s home ice, the Steel pulled off two wins in their own barn to draw even at two games apiece.  Unfortunately, they lost a close game 5 to the Warriors 4-3 which was punctuated by a Jean-Pierre Devote @eagle_3450 hattrick, and then the 4-2 loss in game 6.  While they didn’t achieve their desired outcome, the Steel proved to be a formidable opponent throughout the season and measured up competitively against the eventual champions.  
 
 
No Rush
 
If it wasn’t for the performance of Jorgen Lovstrom @Pifferfish, I’m not sure where this team might have finished… Where have I heard this story before?  Lovstrom paced the field of netminders with a .931 SV%, a 1.44 GAA and an impressive 4 shutouts in 15 games.  Compare those numbers to his counterpart, Connor Hellebuyck @HockeyFan4Life, who is no slouch between the pipes, and you start to see why Lovstrom was so important to his team.  For his part, in an equal sample of 15 games, Hellebuyck posted a .902% and 2.51 GAA.  While he won the same number of games as Lovstrom, it’s clear which goalie gave his team the best chance to win.  In the best of 5 play-in round, Lovstrom still managed a respectable .906, despite a shocking 4.50 GAA which likely reflects more on the team’s performance in front of him as the Rush would fall in 4 games to the Royals, who were the tournament’s weakest team through the regular season.  
 
Offensively, the Rush were led by 2nd overall selection in the S93 VHL draft, Gianfranco Del Rocco @Victor, who finished the tournament with 24 points in 30 games, followed closely by Oliver Loo @Misty with 20 in 30.  Notably, Loo was a net 2nd in the tournament at +11 in 5-on-5 play and tied for net 3rd in goals, also with 11.  In the play-in round, Nathan Ecker @Nathan_8 led the team with 6 points in 4 games, though the team seemed to lack scoring throughout that series against the Royals, managing to score only 2 or fewer goals in three of the four games.
 
The Rush never really seemed to get going in this tournament, losing three consecutive games on four separate occasions, while only managing a three game winning streak at one point during the schedule.  Having the second fewest total goals in the tournament with 62, the Rush were asking a lot of their goaltending tandem– and not to put too fine a point on the goaltending disparity in the Rush crease, Lovstrom only allowed 22 of the team’s 66 goals against.  With a goal differential of only -4, the Rush were not so far off the mark that they weren’t competitive game to game, but they did seem to lack the offensive spark that would have put them in contention for the JST title.  In the end, the overall result was not what the Rush would have hoped for, though the tournament still provided a spotlight for some of the team’s brightest stars.   
 
 
We’ll Never Be Royals…
 
Okay, maybe that subtitle is a little harsh, but I’m trying to keep things light so allow it... please?  Finishing last in the regular season with only 9 wins in 30 games, the Royals never really got going in the Junior Showcase Tournament.  Going 9 games without a win in the middle of the season certainly doesn’t help the cause either.   After their top goal scorer and point getter, Steve French @Seabass, who had 11 goals and 10 assists in 30 games, the next highest goal scorer on the Royals only had 7 goals and 17 points. You might be surprised to learn that this player was selected 1st overall in the recent VHL and VHLE drafts, and also went 1st in the VHLM draft a season ago.  While I don’t think for one second that this JST performance is indicative in the slightest of what Antonia Bucatini @CowboyinAmerica is or might become, it is a surprising outcome for a player and a team that I had among the favorites to win the tournament.  
 
Revisiting this Royals roster, it’s frankly shocking how poorly this team performed in the tournament, despite featuring the likes of Annie Oaks @Noodle Enjoyer, Forum Content @frescoelmo, The Phantom of the VHL @Hogan, Maple Dogwood @dogwoodmaple, Felicia Hardy @JCarson, Toby Cooke @KRZY, and the aforementioned Bucatini and French.  With the tandem of Wazinski @samthemancub and Benson @Benson, two proven goaltenders at the VHLM level, it’s even more puzzling that this team allowed the most goals in the tournament– 77!  With a goal differential of -18, they were in a class of their own at the bottom of the table.  Look, I don’t want to pile on a team that had a run of bad luck so I’ll reiterate what I said before– I don’t think their record is indicative of the quality of the players on the roster.  Chalk it up to bad puck luck, chemistry, low morale, or just speak the unspeakable name.
 
Here’s the thing, whatever the Royals were in the regular season, they were a different team in the playoffs.  Take Forum Content, for example, who scored 17 points in the regular season, but 18 points in the playoffs in 20 fewer games!  Oaks and Bucatini experienced similar scoring bumps, both recording 15 points in 10 playoff games.  The Royals would dispatch the Rush convincingly in the best-of-five play-in round, and matched up quite competitively against the eventual champion Warriors, losing in 6 games.  If nothing else, the tale of two teams that was the Royals in this tournament is just another example of how fickle the game can be at times– or perhaps we just give the devil his name… Simon.
 
 
The Warriors are… them?
 
If their GM, Nathan, is him, then they are them, but let’s not get bogged down in semantics.  The bottom line is that the Warriors were the class of the tournament.  The only team with more than a +1 goal differential, the Warriors lapped the field with an absurd +20 in 30 games, finishing the tournament with a record of 21-8-1. In the regular season, Yermolai Nabokov @fonziGG led the way with 16 goals and 30 points in 30 games, while Jean-Pierre Devote pitched in 20 assists to go with his 8 goals.  Jillian Woods and Ray Stanton @horoscope were standouts on the back end, logging 23 and 21 points respectively, but it was the Warrior’s goalie who may have really stolen the spotlight.  Aleksanteri Kaskiniemi-Kekkonen played an unbelievable tournament, recording 11 wins with only 4 losses in his 15 starts, a .924 SV%, and a 1.51 GAA.  In the playoffs, AKK continued his strong run of form with 8 wins and only 3 losses, a .920%, and a 2.72 GAA.  While Lovstrom may have had slightly better percentages and Vencko, more wins, AKK played the most consistent tournament of those 3 top goalies and deserved every bit of his team’s victory.
 
Throughout the tournament, the Warriors never really struggled and, unlike the Brigade, managed to heat up at just the right time.  Down the stretch, the Warriors racked up 11 wins in their last 12 games and went into the playoffs flaming hot.  In the playoffs, they would never face elimination and took care of business against the resurgent Royals and the consistent Steel. While the Brigade came the closest in the regular season to reaching the level of the Warriors, they seemed to lack the bona fide starting goaltender that the Warriors had to go along with a strong blueline and a frightening forward corps.  This was a well constructed Warriors team that found a way to win most nights and delivered on the lofty promises made by their GM before the tournament started.  Fair play and congratulations to the Warriors on a dominant Junior Showcase Tournament!
 
 
════ ⋆★⋆ ════
 
 
 Players of the Tournament:
 
Goalie: Aleksanteri Kaskiniemi-Kekkonen @Snussu
Regular Season (11-4-0, .924%, 1.51 GAA, 2 SO)
Playoffs (8-3-1, .920%, 2.72 GAA)  
 
As I suggested earlier, I think AKK was the most consistent goalie throughout the tournament and played a huge part in his team’s success.  While his last season in the VHLM may not have played out the way he hoped, his JST performance reminded us why he’s considered among the best goalies in his draft class and was a highly rated prospect in the recent VHL and VHLE drafts.  Congratulations to Aleksanteri Kaskiniemi-Kekkonen on a fantastic tournament.
 
 
Skater: Benjamin Abenduct @Schnee
Regular Season (30GP, 13G, 21A, 34P)
Playoffs: (12GP, 9G, 13A, 22P)
 
There’s really not much debate when it comes to the top skater of the tournament and who I would consider the tournament MVP.  Abenduct led the tournament in points as a defenseman, scoring the second most goals, and recording the highest assist total.  He was also 3rd in shots blocked, 6th in hits, and played the 4th most minutes of any player in the tournament.  In the playoffs, he led the tournament in points again, had the 2nd most goals, 3rd most assists, and was 2nd in shots blocked.   It was an absolutely dominant performance by Abenduct at this tournament and there’s really no other player who performed at the same level throughout both the regular schedule and the playoffs.  Though he came up short in the finals with the Steel, it wasn’t for lack of effort.  Congratulations to Benjamin Abenduct for his incredible individual performance and a great run to the final.
 
 
════ ⋆★⋆ ════
 
 
And that concludes my coverage of the S93 Junior Showcase Tournament!  Thank you to all the players and managers for giving us an entertaining showcase, as well as the simmers and commissioners who made it all happen behind the scenes… despite a few hiccups and a false start.  I wish the best of luck to all the players continuing their careers-- some returning back to the M, while others are moving up to the E, and even potentially the VHL as early as this season.  We’ll see what the future holds for this generation of players, but if this JST was anything to go by, the future is bright!
 
 
 
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Sweet, thanks for pointing that out. Complete oversight on my part lol
 
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P.S. Hey cutie long time

Best VHLE Players of All Time
I am about to embark on my first ever season VHLE, ironic as that is given I was one of the two founding commissioners 13 seasons ago. As such, whilst it is no notable anniversary or milestone for the league itself, I thought it was an opportune moment to look at the VHLE's past, specifically the best players to grace the league so far.
 
We're not counting one-season stars on their way up to the VHL, such as Omi Aberg and Kyosti Karjalainen in the VHLE's early days, future Hall of Famer and MVP trophy namesake Ronan Lavelle, or John Jameson and Jasper Davis more recently. These players wrote their name into the VHLE history books but haven't truly become part of its fabric; for them the league was more of a necessary pitstop.
 
Instead, this is a ranking of an arbitrarily selected 21 players who are best known for their VHLE exploits. Let's begin the countdown.

 
21. Al Land (S85-S91) – 379 points in 432 games – S89, S90, and S91 Renaissance Cup @Big Dee
Populating several slots towards the bottom of the ranking are the “lifers”, in particular those who managed to land on some of the dynasties that have come about in the second half of the VHLE's life so far. Al Land fits that bill perfectly, spending six seasons in the E, five of them on the Cologne juggernaut which swept all before them en route to a threepeat to end Land's career. Land never matched this 123-point season in the VHLM which earned him three individual awards in S84 but was a familiar face to VHLE fans and clearly a born winner, retiring with two Founder's Cups and three Renaissance Cups from nine seasons overall.

 
20. Adeline Delle Donne (S82-S89) – 490 points in 572 games – S87 Top Two-Way Forward, S83 and S88 Renaissance Cup @Dtayl
One of the all-time top scorers of the VHLE comes in at number 20 on this list having nearly cracked the 500-point mark largely thanks to longevity rather than being an individual standout. There was certainly a peak in S87 with 107 points and her only individual award but consistency was the name of the game for the most part. Delle Donne played for four of the current six VHLE franchises over her eight-season career, making the playoffs with each one and helping both Bratislava and Oslo to championships. Certainly a VHLE cult hero.

 
19. Arthur Kimura (S80-S88) – 477 points in 640 games – S80, S82, and S85 Renaissance Cup @FBR
Sneaking in ahead of Delle Donne in the longevity rankings, Arthur Kimura still stands as one of just three players with three or more Renaissance Cups, despite retiring pre-Cologne threepeat and more impressively doing it with three different franchises (Vasteras, Rome, and Oslo). In all, Kimura suited up for six VHLE teams, a genuine nomad who encapsulates the VHLE model – someone who would have been considered a burden on the depth chart of VHL teams pre-VHLE but managed to have a reasonably successful career at a lower level.

 
18. Rhys Trenton (S80-S81, S85-S86) – 277 points in 288 games – S85 Top Defenceman, S86 Renaissance Cup @DeeGoat
On the subject of archetypal VHLE players, here is an interesting case study of someone who started in the E, impressed enough to make the jump to the VHL (after a 99-point season as a defenceman in S81), held his own in the big leagues for a little while, but ultimately went back to the comfort zone for his best VHLE seasons. Fittingly, Rhys Trenton's three VHL seasons were all with European teams (London, Malmo, and Prague) and he was named the VHLE's best defenceman when moving to Rome in S85 before bowing out with a cup in S86.

 
17. Travis Clark (S84-S90) – 180-108-27 .929 sv% 2.53 GAA – S90 Top Goaltender @ClarkClanT
The first goalie and first Clark on our list, here is another player who had a VHL stint, albeit just one backup season with Davos back in S85. After another backup season in the VHLE with Oslo, an impressive 100% record convinced GMs that Clark was starter quality and he remained among the league's best for the remaining four seasons of his career. Individual glory came in his final season, which was also the closest Travis Clark came to the Renaissance Cup (losing to the other Clark in the final), but arguably S87 was his best regular season. A couple near misses push this Clark down the list however.

 
16. Nagy AL (S82-S90) – 560 points in 648 games – S84 and S88 Renaissance Cup @bigAL
Although VHLE career statistics are not tracked anywhere, Nagy AL is probably the all-time leader in points and games played. Possibly blocked shots as well. He never quite dominated the league but with 60-80 point seasons generally as a defenceman and two cups, he was ever-present for nine seasons of the league's existence. AL spent most of his time in Istanbul, winning that franchise's only Renaissance Cup before bouncing around the league, adding a championship with Oslo in S88 and having his individual best season in S89.

 
15. Jordan Bennett (S84-S85, S87-S92) – 463 points in 576 games – S87, S88, S90, and S91 Renaissance Cup @Plate
A perfect example of a late-bloomer and the impact of a position change. After two unimpressive seasons as a forward and even more so when playing that position for one season in Moscow in the VHL, Cologne's management moved Bennett to defence and reaped the benefits as he won three cups in four finals during his four-season stay in Germany. In between, Bennett snuck in another championship with Oslo in S88, making him the all-time leader in Renaissance Cups. Although his VHLE seasons were more solid than spectacular, that winning run more than earns a place on this list.

 
14. The Loch Ness Monster (S80-S84) – 363 points in 360 games – S81 Renaissance Cup @LuluSalesAway
Carrying on the streak of defencemen is the mythical Loch Ness Monster. He/she/they were actually in the VHL before the VHLE's formation, but fit in well into a five-season stint with Stockholm upon the league's creation. S81 was the highlight with 94 points in the regular season, and a tremendous return of 17 points from just 9 games in the playoffs en route to the Vikings' Renaissance Cup victory. The Monster remained a mainstay in Stockholm through to its retirement.

 
13. Florida Man (S80-S81) – 140 points in 144 games – S81 Renaissance Cup and Playoff MVP @zepheter
First trophy namesake on the list, Florida Man just about makes the cut despite only two seasons in the VHLE. As they were the first two seasons of the league, and Man's 20-point playoff performance in S81 was good enough to be more impressive than Loch Ness Monster's above, we have to afford bonus points here for being a formative part of the VHLE. Apart from the S81 playoffs, Florida Man didn't massively stand out in his two seasons in Stockholm, but with his VHL career being equally consistent without a massive breakthrough, this is not a case of someone using the league a stepping stone but instead becoming part of its fabric.

 
12. Sigma Freud (S87-S89) – 177 points in 216 games – S89 Top Defenceman, S89 Playoff MVP, S87 and S89 Renaissance Cup @CODENAMEJIMMY
Up next is in effect Florida Man a decade later, a short but memorable stint with a successful franchise. Sigma Freud joined the Cologne Express as they began to assert dominance on the VHLE, being a cog in the wheel for his first championship in S87. By his final VHLE season, in S89, Freud was now one of the leaders of the team, considered the league's best defenceman after a 94-point seasons and playoff MVP en route to another cup.

 
11. Ryan Li (S80-S81) – 191 points, 601 hits in 144 games – S80 and S81 Top Two-Way Forward @Ryan Li
A mix of several worlds – Ryan Li was someone who bounced between the VHL and VHLE and also did a lot in a short period of time in Europe. Li's career predated the league, as he spent a few seasons in a rebuilding Vancouver. Moving to the VHLE just as the Wolves embarked on their threepeat clearly inspired him as he had two of the best two-way forward seasons the league has seen, setting the bar for all those to come after him. Li then made his way back to Vancouver in time for their third cup, making his time in the E worth it.

 
10. Pope Francis (S89-S90) – 168 points in 144 games – S89 and S90 Top Defenceman @nurx
Another of the midtable pack of short but prolific stints, Pope Francis spent two seasons in Rome, fittingly, and was unmatched as the VHLE's finest defenceman in that time. The Gladiators fell short in the playoffs despite two strong runs, but no blame could fall on the Pope who delivered strong performances and made the most of his time in the E.

 
9. Aldwin Craig (S80-S84) – 320 points, 1,521 hits in 360 games – S82 Top Two-Way Forward, S81 Renaissance Cup @Eldredman
Ryan Li set the bar, but ultimately the man after whom the two-way forward trophy named is Aldwin Craig. After one unspectacular season in New York in S79, Craig joined the successful Vikings team of the early VHLE and was a formidable physical presence throughout his five seasons in Stockholm. The pinnacle came in season three with a scarcely believable 450 hits in 72 games – a marker was set and Craig's name immortalised.

 
8. Evan Bihler (S87-S89) – 98-76-11 .930 sv% 2.72 GAA – S89 MVP and Top Goaltender @Eb14
More recently known as Toronto's extremely dependable backup, Evan Bihler's time as starter in the VHLE was an indication of his underlying talent. Consistently putting up strong performances despite not being on the cup favourites, Bihler's crowning glory was S89, perhaps the VHLE's best goaltending season up to then which saw him crowned as MVP and left him well prepared for stepping in when needed for the Legion.

 
7. BjorkaBjorn BjornaBjorkson (S87-present) – 433 points in 432 games – S88 Playoff MVP, S87 Renaissance Cup @JardyB10
The first player to specifically target a career in the VHLE, BjornaBjorkson may be disappointed not to be at the top of this list yet, but still has time to add more crowning achievements and chase down Nagy AL's records. The accomplishments so far are impressive enough, with two 97-point seasons and a rare playoff MVP as a member of the losing finalist. His loyalty to Rome means he hasn't yet been the face of the best team in the league, but coming off his joint-best seasons yet in S92, there may well be more to come from the VHLE lifer.

 
6. Clark (S90-present) – 113-58-11 .928 sv% 2.32 GAA – S90 and S91 Renaissance Cup and Playoff MVP, S92 Top Goaltender and MVP @cl4rk
The Clark that was promised. From S89 (down in the VHLM with Las Vegas) through S91, Clark was playoff MVP and champion for three straight seasons, and the spell was only just broken in S92, albeit after a regular season .940 save percentage which was certainly the best goalie season we've seen yet. It will be interesting to see how Clark adapts to the new scoring-focused rules in the league but Cologne remains a formidable force while he is around so a place in top five is still on the cards.

 
5. Justin Lion (S87-S89) – 127-45-20 .930 sv% 2.10 GAA – S88 Top Goaltender, S87 and S89 Renaissance Cup @Emperor_Fun
A big part of the Express dynasty was the seamless transition to Clark from Justin Lion who came beforehand. Lion was an even more dominant force in the regular season, with three straight 40-win and .929 save percentage seasons, with Cologne riding that wave to two championships in that time. Lion has moved on to a starting role in the VHL but certainly the highlight to date is his VHLE achievements placing him as the league's second best goaltender ever.

 
4. Zeljko Ranogajec (S80-S83) – 326 points in 288 games – S81 Top Defenceman @ColeMrtz
Before Cologne had playoff success, they had Ranogajec, the best defenceman the VHLE has seen. In his sole VHL season before the VHLE opened its doors, Ranogajec won the Continental Cup with Malmo, and brought an edge to the E which was almost unmatched over his four seasons in the league. The highlight is definitely 103 assists in S81 and whilst a championship eluded the Express, Ranogajec's 11 assists brought them close in S82.

 
3. Orion D H Chiester IX (S80-S86) – 210-116-46 .923 sv% 2.63 GAA – S83, S84, and S85 Top Goaltender, S83 Renaissance Cup @Donno100
Barring continued success from Clark, Chiester's goaltending throne remains secure. Unlike other award names where some debate could be had, after being the league's best goalie for three seasons running, it was hard to argue against Chiester being the name for future netminders to look up to. After a slow start to life in Bratislava, that winning period was clearly his peak, but he also has strong career numbers having spent seven full seasons as the Watchmen's undisputed starter.

 
2. Fred Hampton (S85-S87) – 235 points in 216 games – S86 MVP, S87 Renaissance Cup and Playoff MVP @TownBizness
The man who kickstarted the Cologne dynasty? Perhaps. After a forgettable season in Geneva, Fred Hampton put up 200 points in just two seasons with the Express, being voted MVP both in the regular season and playoffs. Unusually for a player who spent that long in the VHLE, Hampton still went on to make a significant impact in the VHL, winning a championship with Prague and putting up a 98-point season in S90, but it all started with the formative years in Germany.

 
1. Sebastien Dokis (S83-S88) – 430 points in 418 games – S87 MVP, S86 Renaissance Cup @Sebastien
Eventually famous for being the oldest rookie to win the Continental Cup in S89, it was part of a long but ultimately successful path for Dokis through the VHLE. Whilst some of the players already ranked had higher peaks and some have higher career totals, Dokis has the best of both worlds – four seasons of being a solid performer before a big breakthrough with 115 points in S87. More importantly, the late graduation to the VHL and finding more success there is a perfect story of how different VHLE journeys can be enjoyable which feels like a worthy story for top spot.

Everyone trying to hype us up smh

S93 VHLE Power Rankings
 
It’s going to be a big season for the VHLE. Following a very successful recruitment drive that saw a bunch of new players enter the VHLM at the start of last season, VHLE GMs had to be licking their chops at the upcoming draft and all the players that would be joining their teams. And indeed, those dreams came to fruition - with an 11 round draft that saw 200+ TPE players being selected as late as the sixth round, meaning there’s going to be a whole lot of talent in the league this season. I’d even argue this may be the most talent the VHLE has seen in many seasons, with most teams able to field at least two full lines, and often lines of active players.
 
But for the six-team VHLE where four teams make the playoffs, who’s at the top and who’s fighting to sneak into that final playoff spot? It’s perhaps tougher to determine in the VHLE, where there isn’t as much spread between the TPE levels, and player builds are starting to take shape in a greater way than the VHLM. With so much potential parity this season, it would be a fool’s errand to try and predict what’s going to happen this season.
 
Luckily, I’m just that fool. Here’s one person’s power rankings to start the VHLE season. Right now, I see two real tiers between the bottom two teams and the top four teams, but that’s subject to change with all of these teams so close. In particular, I think there’s going to be a few teams that look really good to start the season, but others will rise as those young S93 draftees continue to train and grow as players throughout the year.
 
As always, assume I know nothing and these won’t be the final standings, unless I’ve chosen your team to win, then I’m an oracle that you can trust with zero hesitation. Everybody likes when you say good things about them after all.
 
(For another view, also see @Noodle Enjoyer's excellent rankings posted yesterday. I wrote most of this on Thursday, my apologies for any duplication.)
 
 6. Bratislava Watchmen
 
The Watchmen were a juggernaut last season, winning eight of their nine playoff games en route to the title. The unfortunate nature of the VHLE, though, is that having a talented team probably means A. a lot of your players are headed to the VHL, and B. you probably mortgaged some of your future to get those talented players. Thus is the case for the Watchmen, who didn’t pick in this year’s VHLE Draft until pick 29 and thus got no players expected to play in the VHLE this season. As a result the roster is a bit bare, with only three forwards, two defensemen and a goalie, all of which being S91 or older. The only capped player in Luke Glendenning is a face-off and defense specialist as well, meaning this team may struggle to score from the jump. Bratislava fans will get to bask in their championship for a while, which is good, because there might not be much to cheer about on the ice this season.
 
 5. Stockholm Vikings
 
The other team that I’d expect to be rebuilding a bit this season, the Vikings have a much fuller roster than the Watchmen do, but perhaps the same level of immediate star talent. The Vikings’ top two picks, defenseman WWumbo and goalie Aleksanteri Kaskiniemi-Kekkonen, are players with a lot of potential, but also likely to be playing in the VHLE for each of the next two seasons. Outside of them, I’m expecting a big jump from potential first liners Dan jr and Nico Belique in their second seasons in Stockholm following last season’s 49 and 40 point affair, respectively. Former first round VHL Draft pick Wayne Shotzky will also probably get some good run in his first VHLE season. But still, the firepower to keep up with the top of the VHLE isn’t quite there yet. Just wait for another season of growth from these players, because this was a team that was constructed with next season rather than this season in mind. They’re absolutely already my pick to be one of, if not the top of, the Season 94 contenders.
 
🇻🇦 4. Rome Gladiators
 
If Bratislava and Stockholm are in their own tier this season, I think there’s a significant step up to the top four. And the only reason that have Rome in the four slot is youth. There’s a lot of talent here from recent draft picks, with Nathan Ecker, Steve French, Tyler Lawson (who’s playing up), Vanuza Kolesinska, and Gul Dukat all showing a ton of potential to be real impact players at some point this season. But that last clause is the rub: Even if I could see all of those players being close to their full VHLE potential by the time the playoffs roll around, they all still have some room to grow during the season to get there. With Miroslav their most seasoned player in terms of practice, will that put Rome too far behind the standings eight ball to keep pace with the top VHLE teams? Perhaps, but even if that’s the case, this one team I would certainly not want to play in the playoffs once all that growth hits. This will be a very different team on Game 72 than it will be on Game 1.
 
 3. Cologne Express
 
There’s a lot to like about the Cologne team. Returning goalie Clark and incoming forward BjorkaBjorn BjornaBjorkson bring a VHLE pedigree of success that is rather rare at this level. Newcomers like Annie Oaks, Forum Content and the playing up Maverick Goncalves bring a lot of offensive firepower. And, of course, a team that made the finals last season and had won three straight titles before that knows how to have playoff success. But if I’m picking nits near the top end of the VHLE, do they have top-end talent to be able to compete early and often? Similar to my argument for Rome, Oaks, Content and Goncalves will be great, but also it’ll take a bit of time to get to the top levels of VHLE talent. I’m a bit worried about a defensive corps with a VHLM-level second line. And though Clark is the most talented goalie in the VHLE right now, I think others will catch him by the time we get into the season. It’s never smart to bet against the Express, as VHL Fantasy Zone players have learned in recent seasons, but for now I have them with a bit of room left to grow.
 
 2. Oslo Storm
 
Following last season’s last place finish, the cupboard was pretty bare for Oslo in terms of VHLE-ready talent. But a lot can change over the course of an offseason. In come a whole hoard of players from the VHLM, including first overall pick Antonia Bucatini, fellow wingers UghSike, Chris Reynolds Jr and Miner VHLer, and defenseman Benjamin Abeduct. Talented forwards in Jussi Jokinenegg (57 points last season), Olumide Anderson (30 points last season), and liam oinas (56 points last season) are hoping to take another step forward, especially as Jokinenegg and Anderson are likely to graduate to the VHL next season. And David Slezak, entering his third season in Oslo, is set to get a full season with a talented roster for the first time. Plus, there’s the Great One Wayne Gretzky lurking as an X-Factor to any team. It’s a whole lot of disparate pieces, and the pressure is on Oslo to win this season. But with some specialist players (VHLer’s Leadership focus, Abenduct’s pure defense) will the lines be able to gel? That’s a puzzle that the coaching staff will be trying to put together from day one.
 
1. Vasteras Iron Eagles
 
The Iron Eagles have not won a Renaissance Cup since the very first VHLE season, where a goalie with a particularly handsome agency (Doomsday, ofc) helped lead the team to victory. But now may be the time for a second. With two of the first four picks in the draft, the Iron Eagles were able to bolster their offense with Gianfranco Del Rocco and Lucy Leitner. Two rounds later, they added Yermolai Nabokov, then followed that up with the first two goalies taken in this year’s VHL Draft: Jorgen Lovstrom and Ondrej Vencko. They join a roster that is absolutely loaded - seriously, just look at the number of bodies, with 10 forwards alone. That’s a lot for management to juggle, but it’s a wealth of riches mostly, with forwards like Crosby, Dufour, Smith Jr and Bell all in the upper half of VHLE talent level. Acquiring defenseman Sunset Moth was also a very shrewd move, especially as he’s returned to practice. The main question: Can the two-headed monster of Lovstrom and Vencko get up to speed quickly enough in stopping the top-end VHLE talent? Both acquitted themselves well in the VHLM, but the VHLE is a different beast. If so though, the Iron Eagles certainly have the talent all over the roster to make a run at the King’s Cup, then the Renaissance Cup after that.
 

S93 VHLE Power Rankings
 
It’s going to be a big season for the VHLE. Following a very successful recruitment drive that saw a bunch of new players enter the VHLM at the start of last season, VHLE GMs had to be licking their chops at the upcoming draft and all the players that would be joining their teams. And indeed, those dreams came to fruition - with an 11 round draft that saw 200+ TPE players being selected as late as the sixth round, meaning there’s going to be a whole lot of talent in the league this season. I’d even argue this may be the most talent the VHLE has seen in many seasons, with most teams able to field at least two full lines, and often lines of active players.
 
But for the six-team VHLE where four teams make the playoffs, who’s at the top and who’s fighting to sneak into that final playoff spot? It’s perhaps tougher to determine in the VHLE, where there isn’t as much spread between the TPE levels, and player builds are starting to take shape in a greater way than the VHLM. With so much potential parity this season, it would be a fool’s errand to try and predict what’s going to happen this season.
 
Luckily, I’m just that fool. Here’s one person’s power rankings to start the VHLE season. Right now, I see two real tiers between the bottom two teams and the top four teams, but that’s subject to change with all of these teams so close. In particular, I think there’s going to be a few teams that look really good to start the season, but others will rise as those young S93 draftees continue to train and grow as players throughout the year.
 
As always, assume I know nothing and these won’t be the final standings, unless I’ve chosen your team to win, then I’m an oracle that you can trust with zero hesitation. Everybody likes when you say good things about them after all.
 
(For another view, also see @Noodle Enjoyer's excellent rankings posted yesterday. I wrote most of this on Thursday, my apologies for any duplication.)
 
 6. Bratislava Watchmen
 
The Watchmen were a juggernaut last season, winning eight of their nine playoff games en route to the title. The unfortunate nature of the VHLE, though, is that having a talented team probably means A. a lot of your players are headed to the VHL, and B. you probably mortgaged some of your future to get those talented players. Thus is the case for the Watchmen, who didn’t pick in this year’s VHLE Draft until pick 29 and thus got no players expected to play in the VHLE this season. As a result the roster is a bit bare, with only three forwards, two defensemen and a goalie, all of which being S91 or older. The only capped player in Luke Glendenning is a face-off and defense specialist as well, meaning this team may struggle to score from the jump. Bratislava fans will get to bask in their championship for a while, which is good, because there might not be much to cheer about on the ice this season.
 
 5. Stockholm Vikings
 
The other team that I’d expect to be rebuilding a bit this season, the Vikings have a much fuller roster than the Watchmen do, but perhaps the same level of immediate star talent. The Vikings’ top two picks, defenseman WWumbo and goalie Aleksanteri Kaskiniemi-Kekkonen, are players with a lot of potential, but also likely to be playing in the VHLE for each of the next two seasons. Outside of them, I’m expecting a big jump from potential first liners Dan jr and Nico Belique in their second seasons in Stockholm following last season’s 49 and 40 point affair, respectively. Former first round VHL Draft pick Wayne Shotzky will also probably get some good run in his first VHLE season. But still, the firepower to keep up with the top of the VHLE isn’t quite there yet. Just wait for another season of growth from these players, because this was a team that was constructed with next season rather than this season in mind. They’re absolutely already my pick to be one of, if not the top of, the Season 94 contenders.
 
🇻🇦 4. Rome Gladiators
 
If Bratislava and Stockholm are in their own tier this season, I think there’s a significant step up to the top four. And the only reason that have Rome in the four slot is youth. There’s a lot of talent here from recent draft picks, with Nathan Ecker, Steve French, Tyler Lawson (who’s playing up), Vanuza Kolesinska, and Gul Dukat all showing a ton of potential to be real impact players at some point this season. But that last clause is the rub: Even if I could see all of those players being close to their full VHLE potential by the time the playoffs roll around, they all still have some room to grow during the season to get there. With Miroslav their most seasoned player in terms of practice, will that put Rome too far behind the standings eight ball to keep pace with the top VHLE teams? Perhaps, but even if that’s the case, this one team I would certainly not want to play in the playoffs once all that growth hits. This will be a very different team on Game 72 than it will be on Game 1.
 
 3. Cologne Express
 
There’s a lot to like about the Cologne team. Returning goalie Clark and incoming forward BjorkaBjorn BjornaBjorkson bring a VHLE pedigree of success that is rather rare at this level. Newcomers like Annie Oaks, Forum Content and the playing up Maverick Goncalves bring a lot of offensive firepower. And, of course, a team that made the finals last season and had won three straight titles before that knows how to have playoff success. But if I’m picking nits near the top end of the VHLE, do they have top-end talent to be able to compete early and often? Similar to my argument for Rome, Oaks, Content and Goncalves will be great, but also it’ll take a bit of time to get to the top levels of VHLE talent. I’m a bit worried about a defensive corps with a VHLM-level second line. And though Clark is the most talented goalie in the VHLE right now, I think others will catch him by the time we get into the season. It’s never smart to bet against the Express, as VHL Fantasy Zone players have learned in recent seasons, but for now I have them with a bit of room left to grow.
 
 2. Oslo Storm
 
Following last season’s last place finish, the cupboard was pretty bare for Oslo in terms of VHLE-ready talent. But a lot can change over the course of an offseason. In come a whole hoard of players from the VHLM, including first overall pick Antonia Bucatini, fellow wingers UghSike, Chris Reynolds Jr and Miner VHLer, and defenseman Benjamin Abeduct. Talented forwards in Jussi Jokinenegg (57 points last season), Olumide Anderson (30 points last season), and liam oinas (56 points last season) are hoping to take another step forward, especially as Jokinenegg and Anderson are likely to graduate to the VHL next season. And David Slezak, entering his third season in Oslo, is set to get a full season with a talented roster for the first time. Plus, there’s the Great One Wayne Gretzky lurking as an X-Factor to any team. It’s a whole lot of disparate pieces, and the pressure is on Oslo to win this season. But with some specialist players (VHLer’s Leadership focus, Abenduct’s pure defense) will the lines be able to gel? That’s a puzzle that the coaching staff will be trying to put together from day one.
 
1. Vasteras Iron Eagles
 
The Iron Eagles have not won a Renaissance Cup since the very first VHLE season, where a goalie with a particularly handsome agency (Doomsday, ofc) helped lead the team to victory. But now may be the time for a second. With two of the first four picks in the draft, the Iron Eagles were able to bolster their offense with Gianfranco Del Rocco and Lucy Leitner. Two rounds later, they added Yermolai Nabokov, then followed that up with the first two goalies taken in this year’s VHL Draft: Jorgen Lovstrom and Ondrej Vencko. They join a roster that is absolutely loaded - seriously, just look at the number of bodies, with 10 forwards alone. That’s a lot for management to juggle, but it’s a wealth of riches mostly, with forwards like Crosby, Dufour, Smith Jr and Bell all in the upper half of VHLE talent level. Acquiring defenseman Sunset Moth was also a very shrewd move, especially as he’s returned to practice. The main question: Can the two-headed monster of Lovstrom and Vencko get up to speed quickly enough in stopping the top-end VHLE talent? Both acquitted themselves well in the VHLM, but the VHLE is a different beast. If so though, the Iron Eagles certainly have the talent all over the roster to make a run at the King’s Cup, then the Renaissance Cup after that.
 

S93 VHLE Power Rankings
 
It’s going to be a big season for the VHLE. Following a very successful recruitment drive that saw a bunch of new players enter the VHLM at the start of last season, VHLE GMs had to be licking their chops at the upcoming draft and all the players that would be joining their teams. And indeed, those dreams came to fruition - with an 11 round draft that saw 200+ TPE players being selected as late as the sixth round, meaning there’s going to be a whole lot of talent in the league this season. I’d even argue this may be the most talent the VHLE has seen in many seasons, with most teams able to field at least two full lines, and often lines of active players.
 
But for the six-team VHLE where four teams make the playoffs, who’s at the top and who’s fighting to sneak into that final playoff spot? It’s perhaps tougher to determine in the VHLE, where there isn’t as much spread between the TPE levels, and player builds are starting to take shape in a greater way than the VHLM. With so much potential parity this season, it would be a fool’s errand to try and predict what’s going to happen this season.
 
Luckily, I’m just that fool. Here’s one person’s power rankings to start the VHLE season. Right now, I see two real tiers between the bottom two teams and the top four teams, but that’s subject to change with all of these teams so close. In particular, I think there’s going to be a few teams that look really good to start the season, but others will rise as those young S93 draftees continue to train and grow as players throughout the year.
 
As always, assume I know nothing and these won’t be the final standings, unless I’ve chosen your team to win, then I’m an oracle that you can trust with zero hesitation. Everybody likes when you say good things about them after all.
 
(For another view, also see @Noodle Enjoyer's excellent rankings posted yesterday. I wrote most of this on Thursday, my apologies for any duplication.)
 
 6. Bratislava Watchmen
 
The Watchmen were a juggernaut last season, winning eight of their nine playoff games en route to the title. The unfortunate nature of the VHLE, though, is that having a talented team probably means A. a lot of your players are headed to the VHL, and B. you probably mortgaged some of your future to get those talented players. Thus is the case for the Watchmen, who didn’t pick in this year’s VHLE Draft until pick 29 and thus got no players expected to play in the VHLE this season. As a result the roster is a bit bare, with only three forwards, two defensemen and a goalie, all of which being S91 or older. The only capped player in Luke Glendenning is a face-off and defense specialist as well, meaning this team may struggle to score from the jump. Bratislava fans will get to bask in their championship for a while, which is good, because there might not be much to cheer about on the ice this season.
 
 5. Stockholm Vikings
 
The other team that I’d expect to be rebuilding a bit this season, the Vikings have a much fuller roster than the Watchmen do, but perhaps the same level of immediate star talent. The Vikings’ top two picks, defenseman WWumbo and goalie Aleksanteri Kaskiniemi-Kekkonen, are players with a lot of potential, but also likely to be playing in the VHLE for each of the next two seasons. Outside of them, I’m expecting a big jump from potential first liners Dan jr and Nico Belique in their second seasons in Stockholm following last season’s 49 and 40 point affair, respectively. Former first round VHL Draft pick Wayne Shotzky will also probably get some good run in his first VHLE season. But still, the firepower to keep up with the top of the VHLE isn’t quite there yet. Just wait for another season of growth from these players, because this was a team that was constructed with next season rather than this season in mind. They’re absolutely already my pick to be one of, if not the top of, the Season 94 contenders.
 
🇻🇦 4. Rome Gladiators
 
If Bratislava and Stockholm are in their own tier this season, I think there’s a significant step up to the top four. And the only reason that have Rome in the four slot is youth. There’s a lot of talent here from recent draft picks, with Nathan Ecker, Steve French, Tyler Lawson (who’s playing up), Vanuza Kolesinska, and Gul Dukat all showing a ton of potential to be real impact players at some point this season. But that last clause is the rub: Even if I could see all of those players being close to their full VHLE potential by the time the playoffs roll around, they all still have some room to grow during the season to get there. With Miroslav their most seasoned player in terms of practice, will that put Rome too far behind the standings eight ball to keep pace with the top VHLE teams? Perhaps, but even if that’s the case, this one team I would certainly not want to play in the playoffs once all that growth hits. This will be a very different team on Game 72 than it will be on Game 1.
 
 3. Cologne Express
 
There’s a lot to like about the Cologne team. Returning goalie Clark and incoming forward BjorkaBjorn BjornaBjorkson bring a VHLE pedigree of success that is rather rare at this level. Newcomers like Annie Oaks, Forum Content and the playing up Maverick Goncalves bring a lot of offensive firepower. And, of course, a team that made the finals last season and had won three straight titles before that knows how to have playoff success. But if I’m picking nits near the top end of the VHLE, do they have top-end talent to be able to compete early and often? Similar to my argument for Rome, Oaks, Content and Goncalves will be great, but also it’ll take a bit of time to get to the top levels of VHLE talent. I’m a bit worried about a defensive corps with a VHLM-level second line. And though Clark is the most talented goalie in the VHLE right now, I think others will catch him by the time we get into the season. It’s never smart to bet against the Express, as VHL Fantasy Zone players have learned in recent seasons, but for now I have them with a bit of room left to grow.
 
 2. Oslo Storm
 
Following last season’s last place finish, the cupboard was pretty bare for Oslo in terms of VHLE-ready talent. But a lot can change over the course of an offseason. In come a whole hoard of players from the VHLM, including first overall pick Antonia Bucatini, fellow wingers UghSike, Chris Reynolds Jr and Miner VHLer, and defenseman Benjamin Abeduct. Talented forwards in Jussi Jokinenegg (57 points last season), Olumide Anderson (30 points last season), and liam oinas (56 points last season) are hoping to take another step forward, especially as Jokinenegg and Anderson are likely to graduate to the VHL next season. And David Slezak, entering his third season in Oslo, is set to get a full season with a talented roster for the first time. Plus, there’s the Great One Wayne Gretzky lurking as an X-Factor to any team. It’s a whole lot of disparate pieces, and the pressure is on Oslo to win this season. But with some specialist players (VHLer’s Leadership focus, Abenduct’s pure defense) will the lines be able to gel? That’s a puzzle that the coaching staff will be trying to put together from day one.
 
1. Vasteras Iron Eagles
 
The Iron Eagles have not won a Renaissance Cup since the very first VHLE season, where a goalie with a particularly handsome agency (Doomsday, ofc) helped lead the team to victory. But now may be the time for a second. With two of the first four picks in the draft, the Iron Eagles were able to bolster their offense with Gianfranco Del Rocco and Lucy Leitner. Two rounds later, they added Yermolai Nabokov, then followed that up with the first two goalies taken in this year’s VHL Draft: Jorgen Lovstrom and Ondrej Vencko. They join a roster that is absolutely loaded - seriously, just look at the number of bodies, with 10 forwards alone. That’s a lot for management to juggle, but it’s a wealth of riches mostly, with forwards like Crosby, Dufour, Smith Jr and Bell all in the upper half of VHLE talent level. Acquiring defenseman Sunset Moth was also a very shrewd move, especially as he’s returned to practice. The main question: Can the two-headed monster of Lovstrom and Vencko get up to speed quickly enough in stopping the top-end VHLE talent? Both acquitted themselves well in the VHLM, but the VHLE is a different beast. If so though, the Iron Eagles certainly have the talent all over the roster to make a run at the King’s Cup, then the Renaissance Cup after that.
 

S93 VHLE Power Rankings
 
It’s going to be a big season for the VHLE. Following a very successful recruitment drive that saw a bunch of new players enter the VHLM at the start of last season, VHLE GMs had to be licking their chops at the upcoming draft and all the players that would be joining their teams. And indeed, those dreams came to fruition - with an 11 round draft that saw 200+ TPE players being selected as late as the sixth round, meaning there’s going to be a whole lot of talent in the league this season. I’d even argue this may be the most talent the VHLE has seen in many seasons, with most teams able to field at least two full lines, and often lines of active players.
 
But for the six-team VHLE where four teams make the playoffs, who’s at the top and who’s fighting to sneak into that final playoff spot? It’s perhaps tougher to determine in the VHLE, where there isn’t as much spread between the TPE levels, and player builds are starting to take shape in a greater way than the VHLM. With so much potential parity this season, it would be a fool’s errand to try and predict what’s going to happen this season.
 
Luckily, I’m just that fool. Here’s one person’s power rankings to start the VHLE season. Right now, I see two real tiers between the bottom two teams and the top four teams, but that’s subject to change with all of these teams so close. In particular, I think there’s going to be a few teams that look really good to start the season, but others will rise as those young S93 draftees continue to train and grow as players throughout the year.
 
As always, assume I know nothing and these won’t be the final standings, unless I’ve chosen your team to win, then I’m an oracle that you can trust with zero hesitation. Everybody likes when you say good things about them after all.
 
(For another view, also see @Noodle Enjoyer's excellent rankings posted yesterday. I wrote most of this on Thursday, my apologies for any duplication.)
 
 6. Bratislava Watchmen
 
The Watchmen were a juggernaut last season, winning eight of their nine playoff games en route to the title. The unfortunate nature of the VHLE, though, is that having a talented team probably means A. a lot of your players are headed to the VHL, and B. you probably mortgaged some of your future to get those talented players. Thus is the case for the Watchmen, who didn’t pick in this year’s VHLE Draft until pick 29 and thus got no players expected to play in the VHLE this season. As a result the roster is a bit bare, with only three forwards, two defensemen and a goalie, all of which being S91 or older. The only capped player in Luke Glendenning is a face-off and defense specialist as well, meaning this team may struggle to score from the jump. Bratislava fans will get to bask in their championship for a while, which is good, because there might not be much to cheer about on the ice this season.
 
 5. Stockholm Vikings
 
The other team that I’d expect to be rebuilding a bit this season, the Vikings have a much fuller roster than the Watchmen do, but perhaps the same level of immediate star talent. The Vikings’ top two picks, defenseman WWumbo and goalie Aleksanteri Kaskiniemi-Kekkonen, are players with a lot of potential, but also likely to be playing in the VHLE for each of the next two seasons. Outside of them, I’m expecting a big jump from potential first liners Dan jr and Nico Belique in their second seasons in Stockholm following last season’s 49 and 40 point affair, respectively. Former first round VHL Draft pick Wayne Shotzky will also probably get some good run in his first VHLE season. But still, the firepower to keep up with the top of the VHLE isn’t quite there yet. Just wait for another season of growth from these players, because this was a team that was constructed with next season rather than this season in mind. They’re absolutely already my pick to be one of, if not the top of, the Season 94 contenders.
 
🇻🇦 4. Rome Gladiators
 
If Bratislava and Stockholm are in their own tier this season, I think there’s a significant step up to the top four. And the only reason that have Rome in the four slot is youth. There’s a lot of talent here from recent draft picks, with Nathan Ecker, Steve French, Tyler Lawson (who’s playing up), Vanuza Kolesinska, and Gul Dukat all showing a ton of potential to be real impact players at some point this season. But that last clause is the rub: Even if I could see all of those players being close to their full VHLE potential by the time the playoffs roll around, they all still have some room to grow during the season to get there. With Miroslav their most seasoned player in terms of practice, will that put Rome too far behind the standings eight ball to keep pace with the top VHLE teams? Perhaps, but even if that’s the case, this one team I would certainly not want to play in the playoffs once all that growth hits. This will be a very different team on Game 72 than it will be on Game 1.
 
 3. Cologne Express
 
There’s a lot to like about the Cologne team. Returning goalie Clark and incoming forward BjorkaBjorn BjornaBjorkson bring a VHLE pedigree of success that is rather rare at this level. Newcomers like Annie Oaks, Forum Content and the playing up Maverick Goncalves bring a lot of offensive firepower. And, of course, a team that made the finals last season and had won three straight titles before that knows how to have playoff success. But if I’m picking nits near the top end of the VHLE, do they have top-end talent to be able to compete early and often? Similar to my argument for Rome, Oaks, Content and Goncalves will be great, but also it’ll take a bit of time to get to the top levels of VHLE talent. I’m a bit worried about a defensive corps with a VHLM-level second line. And though Clark is the most talented goalie in the VHLE right now, I think others will catch him by the time we get into the season. It’s never smart to bet against the Express, as VHL Fantasy Zone players have learned in recent seasons, but for now I have them with a bit of room left to grow.
 
 2. Oslo Storm
 
Following last season’s last place finish, the cupboard was pretty bare for Oslo in terms of VHLE-ready talent. But a lot can change over the course of an offseason. In come a whole hoard of players from the VHLM, including first overall pick Antonia Bucatini, fellow wingers UghSike, Chris Reynolds Jr and Miner VHLer, and defenseman Benjamin Abeduct. Talented forwards in Jussi Jokinenegg (57 points last season), Olumide Anderson (30 points last season), and liam oinas (56 points last season) are hoping to take another step forward, especially as Jokinenegg and Anderson are likely to graduate to the VHL next season. And David Slezak, entering his third season in Oslo, is set to get a full season with a talented roster for the first time. Plus, there’s the Great One Wayne Gretzky lurking as an X-Factor to any team. It’s a whole lot of disparate pieces, and the pressure is on Oslo to win this season. But with some specialist players (VHLer’s Leadership focus, Abenduct’s pure defense) will the lines be able to gel? That’s a puzzle that the coaching staff will be trying to put together from day one.
 
1. Vasteras Iron Eagles
 
The Iron Eagles have not won a Renaissance Cup since the very first VHLE season, where a goalie with a particularly handsome agency (Doomsday, ofc) helped lead the team to victory. But now may be the time for a second. With two of the first four picks in the draft, the Iron Eagles were able to bolster their offense with Gianfranco Del Rocco and Lucy Leitner. Two rounds later, they added Yermolai Nabokov, then followed that up with the first two goalies taken in this year’s VHL Draft: Jorgen Lovstrom and Ondrej Vencko. They join a roster that is absolutely loaded - seriously, just look at the number of bodies, with 10 forwards alone. That’s a lot for management to juggle, but it’s a wealth of riches mostly, with forwards like Crosby, Dufour, Smith Jr and Bell all in the upper half of VHLE talent level. Acquiring defenseman Sunset Moth was also a very shrewd move, especially as he’s returned to practice. The main question: Can the two-headed monster of Lovstrom and Vencko get up to speed quickly enough in stopping the top-end VHLE talent? Both acquitted themselves well in the VHLM, but the VHLE is a different beast. If so though, the Iron Eagles certainly have the talent all over the roster to make a run at the King’s Cup, then the Renaissance Cup after that.
 

Antonia Bucatini, in Europe Once Again
 
When Antonia Bucatini moved to North America to play in the VHLM, it was the biggest move of her life. Born and raised in Italy, she had traveled around Southern Europe and the Mediterranean to play in junior tournaments, sure, but she didn’t know what to expect in beginning her professional career.
 
As it turned out, Halifax was like another world. On the water just like her native Rome, sure, but different culturally in every way. Halifax wasn’t particularly prone to late afternoon meals, to late night travels on a vespa, to exploring different cultures with a heavy tourist season. Not bad at all, Bucatini would say, just different.
 
Then after a late season trade, Houston was a different animal altogether. She was used to the heat, sure, but not necessarily the humidity. The sprawl of Houston also proved to be a barrier - for someone who loves walking down to the corner to get a coffee, unless she was right downtown, the massive highways and the need to drive everywhere seemed like a different world.
 
But now, Bucatini is returning to Europe. Sure, Oslo isn’t Rome, not by a long shot. The Norwegian city is colder, its inhabitants more staid, the level of play on the ice higher in the VHLE than the VHLM. Even with those caveats, though, Bucatini believes coming to the Storm is somewhat like home.
 
“The past season of my life was all hockey, all the time, which has its positives and negatives,” Bucatini said. “I loved my teammates, the play and the fans. But I don’t know that I necessarily fell in love with the cities, if that makes sense. I always had in my head that this would be a one-season thing, so it felt like there was always some distance.”
 
It was noted by the press and fans alike that, soon after the season ended, Bucatini absconded back to Europe and the beaches of Italy - with fellow Italian player Gianfranco Del Rocco, no less. Now, following the VHLE Draft, she is back on the continent full-time. Granted, Oslo is likely to be a one season thing for Bucatini as well. However, following Oslo will be Davos - another cold-weather European city, with fans that love their hockey and a whole host of things to do and people to see. Sure, it may not be near loved ones located in Rome (or perhaps Vasteras?), but those are a shorter flight away as well.
 
Walking into the practice facility for training camp for the first time as a member of the Storm, Bucatini said she felt at peace for the first time in a while. She sees Norway and Switzerland becoming a new home that she can get used to, as she adjusts to the new rigors of the VHLE, and following it, the VHL.
 
“I thought becoming a professional in the first place was tough, but it doesn’t get any easier from here. What can really help my play on the ice, though, is being a bit more settled off the ice,” Bucatini said. “But now I’m close to friends and family. My future VHL home is a short bit away. And my personal life is starting to blossom in ways that I never had given much thought to. I think this is going to be a good season for me, in all ways. Oslo: Bring it on.”
 

Antonia Bucatini, in Europe Once Again
 
When Antonia Bucatini moved to North America to play in the VHLM, it was the biggest move of her life. Born and raised in Italy, she had traveled around Southern Europe and the Mediterranean to play in junior tournaments, sure, but she didn’t know what to expect in beginning her professional career.
 
As it turned out, Halifax was like another world. On the water just like her native Rome, sure, but different culturally in every way. Halifax wasn’t particularly prone to late afternoon meals, to late night travels on a vespa, to exploring different cultures with a heavy tourist season. Not bad at all, Bucatini would say, just different.
 
Then after a late season trade, Houston was a different animal altogether. She was used to the heat, sure, but not necessarily the humidity. The sprawl of Houston also proved to be a barrier - for someone who loves walking down to the corner to get a coffee, unless she was right downtown, the massive highways and the need to drive everywhere seemed like a different world.
 
But now, Bucatini is returning to Europe. Sure, Oslo isn’t Rome, not by a long shot. The Norwegian city is colder, its inhabitants more staid, the level of play on the ice higher in the VHLE than the VHLM. Even with those caveats, though, Bucatini believes coming to the Storm is somewhat like home.
 
“The past season of my life was all hockey, all the time, which has its positives and negatives,” Bucatini said. “I loved my teammates, the play and the fans. But I don’t know that I necessarily fell in love with the cities, if that makes sense. I always had in my head that this would be a one-season thing, so it felt like there was always some distance.”
 
It was noted by the press and fans alike that, soon after the season ended, Bucatini absconded back to Europe and the beaches of Italy - with fellow Italian player Gianfranco Del Rocco, no less. Now, following the VHLE Draft, she is back on the continent full-time. Granted, Oslo is likely to be a one season thing for Bucatini as well. However, following Oslo will be Davos - another cold-weather European city, with fans that love their hockey and a whole host of things to do and people to see. Sure, it may not be near loved ones located in Rome (or perhaps Vasteras?), but those are a shorter flight away as well.
 
Walking into the practice facility for training camp for the first time as a member of the Storm, Bucatini said she felt at peace for the first time in a while. She sees Norway and Switzerland becoming a new home that she can get used to, as she adjusts to the new rigors of the VHLE, and following it, the VHL.
 
“I thought becoming a professional in the first place was tough, but it doesn’t get any easier from here. What can really help my play on the ice, though, is being a bit more settled off the ice,” Bucatini said. “But now I’m close to friends and family. My future VHL home is a short bit away. And my personal life is starting to blossom in ways that I never had given much thought to. I think this is going to be a good season for me, in all ways. Oslo: Bring it on.”
 

Antonia Bucatini, in Europe Once Again
 
When Antonia Bucatini moved to North America to play in the VHLM, it was the biggest move of her life. Born and raised in Italy, she had traveled around Southern Europe and the Mediterranean to play in junior tournaments, sure, but she didn’t know what to expect in beginning her professional career.
 
As it turned out, Halifax was like another world. On the water just like her native Rome, sure, but different culturally in every way. Halifax wasn’t particularly prone to late afternoon meals, to late night travels on a vespa, to exploring different cultures with a heavy tourist season. Not bad at all, Bucatini would say, just different.
 
Then after a late season trade, Houston was a different animal altogether. She was used to the heat, sure, but not necessarily the humidity. The sprawl of Houston also proved to be a barrier - for someone who loves walking down to the corner to get a coffee, unless she was right downtown, the massive highways and the need to drive everywhere seemed like a different world.
 
But now, Bucatini is returning to Europe. Sure, Oslo isn’t Rome, not by a long shot. The Norwegian city is colder, its inhabitants more staid, the level of play on the ice higher in the VHLE than the VHLM. Even with those caveats, though, Bucatini believes coming to the Storm is somewhat like home.
 
“The past season of my life was all hockey, all the time, which has its positives and negatives,” Bucatini said. “I loved my teammates, the play and the fans. But I don’t know that I necessarily fell in love with the cities, if that makes sense. I always had in my head that this would be a one-season thing, so it felt like there was always some distance.”
 
It was noted by the press and fans alike that, soon after the season ended, Bucatini absconded back to Europe and the beaches of Italy - with fellow Italian player Gianfranco Del Rocco, no less. Now, following the VHLE Draft, she is back on the continent full-time. Granted, Oslo is likely to be a one season thing for Bucatini as well. However, following Oslo will be Davos - another cold-weather European city, with fans that love their hockey and a whole host of things to do and people to see. Sure, it may not be near loved ones located in Rome (or perhaps Vasteras?), but those are a shorter flight away as well.
 
Walking into the practice facility for training camp for the first time as a member of the Storm, Bucatini said she felt at peace for the first time in a while. She sees Norway and Switzerland becoming a new home that she can get used to, as she adjusts to the new rigors of the VHLE, and following it, the VHL.
 
“I thought becoming a professional in the first place was tough, but it doesn’t get any easier from here. What can really help my play on the ice, though, is being a bit more settled off the ice,” Bucatini said. “But now I’m close to friends and family. My future VHL home is a short bit away. And my personal life is starting to blossom in ways that I never had given much thought to. I think this is going to be a good season for me, in all ways. Oslo: Bring it on.”
 

Being a ninth round pick, I know expectation for me are at a minimum right now but I'm excited to make my debut in the big Euro league and prove any doubter wrong. I think this season is going to be a turning point in my short career so far. I haven't had the most flashiest rookie season in the VHLM and I'm anxious to begin this next season on the right foot. I only had a small talk with the GM so far and I believe in this team and the spirit surrounding us to lead our group to the great honors. I'm currently trying to shape myself into a shoot first type of player with a discreet strong passing game. I want to help the team upfront without being a liability in all other area of the ice. Knowing that Oslo has some veterans retiring by the end of next season, I want to absorb and implement has much of their knowledge as possible in my life and career. So far, every player and every General Manager or Assistant General Manager I've played with have been supportive in discovering everything the leagues has to offer and I can only wish them all the success and well being in the rest of their playing and managing career. After hearing my name in the draft the other day, I went back in the earlier rounds and I realized I'm going to be playing with a few players I've played with last season and can't wait to regroup with them and support our new team for the foreseeable future.  The current JST and the PRO-AM did humble me a lot and showed me a lot of my sides I need to work on and improve. Currently, I'm still trying to settle-in to my new appartement in Oslo which is not an easy task to be so far away from all I've known all my life so far. I look forward to being, hopefully, an essential part and solid foundation for this team for the rest of my career. In the end, I can only wish for the better for everyone into his league, current or past players and Manager. All I have to say to finish this little introduction, let's keep this league competitive for seasons to come and push each other to become a better self. Can't wait to see everyone on the ice once the season start. 
 
Good Day from my new home in Oslo.
 
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