Eynhallow

1 - How do you feel about the theme week topic? Personally, I think it's good to acknowledge kindness in the league. I think it is important to recognize the positive in things, so, ya, good choice. 2 - After a massive winning streak, we're back on a losing skid. Is it because of quality of opponents, or did we peak too soon? It is more likely that our opponents picked up the pace somewhat. We gotta get more aggressive on the puck. 3 - Are you heading to the VHL next season? Either way, what do you expect your player's role to be next year? Much the same as it is this year with a bit more ice time. 4 - What's one change you'd make to the VHL if you could? Or is it perfect as is? I like it the way it is. Maybe a bit more TPE thrown about. That would be nice. 5 - Let's talk about the future: do you have an idea of what your NEXT player is going to be? Noodles has yet to be drafted, anywhere. So I really haven't thunk that far ahead. 6 - I've been studying German off and on for years. What languages do you speak? Tbh...none very well.

1 - Up until today's sim, we were riding a 4 game losing streak. What would you do to address our inconsistency? The change in lineup should have a positive effect, but, really we have to focus on defense and take advantage of the offensive chances when they come. 2 - I'm working from home this morning, and then likely having a tooth pulled at the dentist this afternoon. If you have a job, do you like it, or would you rather have a tooth pulled? Ahh, is there a third choice? 3 - Geneva has the league's top 3 scorers, but we have 3 different players who have each had a hatty this year. Would you rather be on a team with a dominant top line, or a team with scoring depth throughout the lineup? In my opinion, it is depth that will win you more games in the long run. 4 - How's the weather where you are? It seems like Spring has finally sprung in my neck of the woods. Although it is only mid-May, we have had a 30 degree C heat wave. Things started getting back to normal today. 5 - Ed Nu has back to back shutouts, but Vasteras's Red Gaming has 6 on the season. How many shutouts do you think both goalies end the season with? Nu = 4 Gaming = 7 6 - Do you like smoothies? If so, what's your go-to mix? If not, tell me your favorite kind of ice cream. I am not fond of smoothies, but some rum/raisin ice cream always goes well.

I think you have the makings of a really good graphic. Despite the fact that the overall graphic is a bit dark for my liking, you have a very consistent colour scheme. Nice logo swap and a clear render of one of the Red Wolves' key players. I find your choice of font size a bit small. But that might just be my old eyes.. As well the left side of the text seems to get lost in the background. Perhaps some outlining or a change to a contrasting colour might help there. Overall, some fine work. Thanks. 8.5/10 Go Wolves !!!

I quite like this graphic. I like the slightly faded look to the whole piece and the speckles that are prevalent throughout give the whole thing a sort of old timey feel. Very nice logo swap. Your choice of font is excellent. It is large enough to be easily read. I also would like to commend you on how you have outlined the text and provided a bit of background to it using the colours that are on your player's uniform. I also like your choice of render. That is a player who is enjoying playing the game ! Nice work. 8.5/10

So, another week has gone by and Noodles has somewhat picked up his pace in terms of point production. GM @KaleebtheMighty Has readjusted his line up and it appears that Noodles is now getting third line minutes. Just this increase in ice time should have positive results for Noodles personal stats. Currently he has 6 points in 52 games, 3 goals and 3 assists. An interesting side bar to this is that 2 of Noodles' goals were game winning goals. So Noodles looks like he picks it up a bit when the game is on the line. As far as the Instanbul Red Wolves are concerned, they teetering on the brink of making the playoffs. Currently they are in fifth place, 3 points behind the Geneva Rush. It looks like it will require a concentrated effort on behalf of each and every Red Wolf in order to lock down a playoff spot. As we all know, the plaoffs are like another mini-season where anything can happen. Go Wolves !!!

I wish that my player, Noodles Marconi, would dish up a bit more pasta. This is translated as, "I wish Noodles was a little more productive." Currently, after 42 games, he is stagnating with a total of 3 points. One meatball and 2 strands of spaghetti. (1G, 2A) He does not get a whole whack of ice time. It would be nice if he could contribute a bit more to the success of the Istanbul Red Wolves. This is by no means a complaint in that Noodles is one of the very junior members on a pretty high powered team. He does continue to progress and should be able to be more of a contributor in the future. The Red Wolves are in fourth place in the VHLE, tied with the Geneva Rush at 47 points. They hold down fourth due to their total wins. There has been some minor line juggling done by GM @KaleebtheMighty in order to tweak the overall production as we head into a series of very tough meaningful games. Given that there are only eight teams in the league, it occurs to me that every game is meaningful. You have to beat those teams that you should beat and hope for a bit of puck luck when you play those teams above you. Now the push for a playoff position. Go Wolves !

Overall, I quite like this graphic. Your choice of color scheme is solid in that the background blends in well with the foreground. The background itself it nice. Wildly understated, if you get my meaning. The render is sharp, good work there. You choice and color of font is quite good in that it is easily read and does not detract from the graphical elemnet. As a suggestion, you could paint out that fine white line along the players head and back. Good work 8.5/10

Some things about this graphic don't sit well with me. I do like the wild blue background, it is not harmonious with the color scheme of the rest of the graphic. Good logo swap, but the render seems a bit blurry to my old eyes. Your choice of font is pretty good, but it needs to be outlined, or, perhaps in a different color to set it off against the background a bit better. Overall a good try 6.5/10

1. We are on a 6 game win streak, what do we need to do to keep up the momentum? We have to focus on defense and take advantage of the mistakes of the opposing team. 2. What team are you most excited to play against? Geneva is the team to beat. Gotta get up for those games ! 3. Have you ever been traded? Easy one....NO 4. What is your pregame ritual? I always put my equipment bits on left to right. 5. Are you superstitious going into a game? In a word...no. At least I don't think so 7. What is your favorite pizza topping? Cheese, pep, bacon, mushrooms and onions

It would be a lot easier to create a 200 word article if, in fact, something interesting had happened to Noodles. So what changed ? Absolutely nothing. Noodles is still getting limited ice time, between 3 and 6 minutes per game. I understand this, though, in that his skill set is not as developed as other players on the Istanbul Red Wolves. Of note is that Noodles did egt 2 points in 24 game, one of them being a game winning goal. So that, at least, is a bit of positive news. Noodles is continuing his progress, adding as many skill points as he can on a weekly basis. On another note, Noodles' team, the Istanbul Red Wolves, seem fated to end up in the middle of the pack. Although they are stuck in a spiral of losing (three in a row), it doesn't seem likely, at this point, that they will not make the playoffs. There is a lot of hockey between now and then, however. And a lot can happen. If/when they make the playoffs then anything can happen. Time will tell.

Your title is certainly attention grabbing as can be seen with the number of comments. Generally, I like the graphic. Your color palette is consistent with no unnecessary clashes. Good choice of render with the player showing some dynamism as opposed to just a passive pose. Your background is a little funky, but that's OK. It works. I know where you are going with your choice of font. That works too, but it is a bit hard to read. Nice work. 8/10

This is a really nice graphic. I like how the colors compliment each other and do not clash. Oskar looks pretty intimidating behind than full mask. Your background choice is good. It appears that Oskar is in the spotlight, which is a great way of drawing attention to the main area of focus for the overall piece. Your choice of font ant its size is very good. It is easily read and the right justification is a sort of counterpoint to the render. Nice work 8.5/10

1). The season has finally begun! What is your projection for our final record? I think our final record will place us just above the middle of the pack. Prime position for a deep playoff run.2). We started off going 2-2-0. How did you player do in those 4 games? Its hard to say, Noodles doesn't get enough ice time to really perform much.3). Guilty pleasure time: I freaking love the band ABBA and jam to them a lot at home. What is your guilty pleasure in music? The Skydiggers.4). What is your dream career? I have already done my dream career and retired from it as soon as I could. Dream career = doing what you want when you want.7). Everyone has a dream car, what's yours? 1967 Shelby GT 500 Mustang.8). What is your locker room tradition before a game? Noodles puts on his equipment left to right....never, ever the other way around.

@Gaikoku-hito really nice graphic, as usual. Not much to pick apart. I like how you kept in theme with a Viking in the background. Very good render and logo swap. I would also like to commend you on celebrating your players debut in the VHLE. The text commemorating that is easily read. Nice signature for Pierre Emile as well. The text on the side being framed by the player's stick is a nice touch as well. Nice work 9/10

Wow! Great graphic. I really like the black and white render you used for the background, particularly the old timey cracks in the photo Your choice of subject matter is very good and the logo swap is spot on. Your use of a cursive font for Otis' signature was good. The text is large enough and easily read. I am not too sure what you have going on with the red dots, but it doesn't matter because it works anyway. Great work 9.5/10

The VHLE season has started and Noodles has a position with the Istanbul Red Wolves. After 10 games the Red Wolves are playing 0.500 hockey with an uninspired record of 5W and 5L. If this trend continues, the Red Wolves will find themselves buried in the middle of the pack, fighting for a playoff berth. Noodles, who skipped a development season in the VHLM, has a low skill set at this time. This is reflected in the small number of minutes he plays in each game. This generally averages between 3 and 6 minutes. He has 2 points, 1G and 1A, which is fine for his role on the Wolves. Noodles continues to improve on his offensive and defensive skills as the season progresses. He is ranked quite highly amongst his draft class and it will be interesting to see who picks him up. Hopefully he, and the team, can get things going sooner than later and make a push for the playoffs. Then anything can happen.

Your graphic is quite straightforward. There is not a lot going on here. Your background is reasonable and doesn't clash with the foreground. Your test is clear and easily read. I like that you have included the Moscow Menace logo. Overall, I find this graphic just a bit too simplistic. Might I suggest some work on a contiguous color palette and the inclusion of another render, maybe a full body shot of a goalie. Please post more graphics. I think you are going in the right direction. 6.5/10

I am rarely critical about graphics, but I think this one leaves something to be desired. I assume that the slightly out of focus effect is by design, but whether it is or is not, I do not find it very effective or appealing. You do have a reasonable logo swap, and the subject matter has some merit. You could include some text or other more informative material to sort of explain what this is all about. This is only my opinion and please do not take my criticism personally. Please post more graphics. 5/10

1). The season has finally begun! What is your projection for our final record? Unfortunately it looks like we will be a middle of the road team. Unless we pick up the pace.2). We started off going 2-2-0. How did you player do in those 4 games? Noodles did very little during this time. His skillset is not well enough developed to have a real impact.3). What is your dream career? I am living it !!!4). What is your favorite type of candy? I am partial to M&M's5). Everyone has a dream car, what's yours? 1967 Shelby Mustang GT 500. 6). What is your locker room tradition before a game? I don't really have a locker room routine. But I dearly love to observe the unusual traditions that the other guys have.

Claiming Week 2

The point here is that was never made clear to me. And no, I didn't click on the training camp as per your request. But I did not understand why.....Now I do. Thanks

Yes @hedgehog337, but I was told that I could skip the VHLM and the draft, I guess, to join the VHLE. Had that happened as I was told it would. I would have been on a team and eligible for Training Camp. In any event, I am still pissed at missing those TPE.

Noodles Goes To Istanbul Before I get to my rant I would like to thank @KaleebtheMighty and @Acydburn for their efforts in actually getting my player to play in the upcoming season. I hope that Noodles will make a contribution in Istanbul as they already have quite a formidable team. But I digress. Please bear with me as I describe the sequence of events that do not make me a really happy player. Firstly, I retired my first generation player, Isau DaMoose shortly after the trade deadline so that my recreate, Noodles Marconi, would have as much time as possible to develop. Initially, this went well. Noodles played part of a season with the Mexico City Kings while Isau played out his career with the Riga Reign. Noodles wasn’t eligible for the current VHL draft, and I understood that, so when I was approached to skip the VHLM and go to the VHLE I accepted the opportunity. That;s where things went dramatically to hell in a basket. The VHLE draft came and went and Noodles was not drafted. Subsequently, no free agent offer came his way. I was somewhat concerned so I posted this: https://vhlforum.com/topic/118888-noodles-needs-a-contract/#comment-919788 I was hoping that this might be a gentle and humorous nudge to get a contract offer. Of course, that did not happen. I couldn’t understand why not. I had more than 200 TPE and I had only applied 199 to remain VHLM eligible. There were players that had been drafted into the VHLE that had 35 or more fewer TPE !! Needless to say, I was pretty confused about all this. Whereupon I posted something with a bit more bite: https://vhlforum.com/topic/119047-noodles-needs-a-contract/#comment-920397 At this time my own emotions were running wild. Was Noodles’ build that fucking bad that no one wanted him? Or was it me personally ? Was I being too controversial? Or not controversial enough? Was I too demanding, too much of a whiner? Good time to quit, right ? More about that later. As I type this, the Red Wolves have set in motion the process to acquire Noodles, but I would like to note that they were the only ones to reach out, excluding posts made by Riga and Moscow. I don’t think Noodles would have helped either of the VHL teams very much, so I am not too sure how serious those comments were. Consider this though. Let’s assume that a VHL team had offered Noodles a 3 year contract which he accepted. What, then, would be his status in the next draft. If he were to be ineligible for the draft a whole realm of possibilities present themselves. So, at this point, although Noodles will be on a VHLE team, he will likely miss out on training camp. That sets back his development considerably. And it also pisses me off because I work pretty damned hard to earn the TPE that I get. What also concerns me about this mind-boggling sequence of events is that Noodles has a decent build and should have been on a team way before this. It is really unfortunate that I had to go out and actually market my player when far weaker build had already been assigned contracts. My initial reaction is WTF and remains as such because I have no idea why all this happened. Nor did anyone actually try to explain it to me. As you may know, I have enjoyed the VHL. Take a look at the Moose Tracks series of articles regarding Isau DaMoose. They were a lot of fun to create. So when Noodles was struggling to get placed, I didn’t just give up on him. From the point of view of player retention, this could easily have happened with perhaps a marginal first gen player. I would hope that the powers that be would investigate this situation with the intent of either not having it happen again, or, at the very least, keep the player informed as to why his sim player is not getting on a team. It's not as though the VHL powers don't consider the individual. I recall an instance where a first gen player whined daily about not having been placed on a team immediately. That situation was handled promptly and the player received a contract............whereupon he went inactive. Go figure !! Now, I am not accusing anyone of anything. Nor blaming anyone for this problem (at least it was to me). I am merely pointing out that there is a problem in the sequence of things that should have happened with Noodles. And that problem should be rectified. So, where do I go now with Noodles. His future is unclear. If I retire him, I lose all that carry forward TPE that I amassed with my former player. If I continue down this path, will there be more issues surrounding this player due to the fact that I didn’t choose his career path very wisely? Should I continue with Noodles just because this ongoing scenario presents me with TPE opportunities by venting and mini-ranting? So, as I mentioned, Noodles, I think, has a decent build, or at least a build that I would like to see “in action”. User: Eynhallow | TPE: 204 (5 Banked) RW | 6' 0" | 187 lb. | Age: 21 | | Free Agent DK SH PA BC GR FO PC DC OV SP SS WS LD FG PO EX TPA 23 23 13 0 0 0 23 23 23 23 24 24 0 0 0 40 199 As you can see, Noodles looks to be a pretty balanced player for a Right Wing. I think he will be able to contribute offensively and be responsible at the defensive end of the ice. But, as you can also see, he remains a Free Agent as of the time and date of this article (2022:04:18:0848). This balance, though, seems to condemn Noodles to being a journeyman player for the balance of his career. However, I do have faith in the VHL’s system for placing players on various teams (although this has been badly shaken by the events I have mentioned). So, I am sure that Noodles will be able to earn an income playing hockey. Right now he is scraping by training geckos for Geico. In the big picture, I believe this all to be an unforeseen blip and Noodles’ career will continue as usual (with the exception of a missing training camp). Hopefully he will fulfill a meaningful role with whatever team(s) he plays for this season and in the seasons to come. Word Count = 1078