tcookie

It’s March 7, 2021, and a just-turned 21-year-old Lichtensteiner stands atop the slopes of Austria’s Saalbach-Hinterglemm. He’s the second-youngest skier in the field today, and he has a chance to do something remarkable.
 
He steadies himself in the starting gates and prepares to receive the countdown. He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath of the crisp, cold air and envisions the line he wants to take… and then it’s time.
 
Out of the gate, the start feels smooth, controlled, perfect… everything is going according to plan. He’s confident and sharp in his turns, gathering speed, and staying precisely on the line he wants. He doesn’t know it yet, but the pace he’s on in the top half of the course would give him a silver medal time and a spot in the 2022 Winter Olympic games.
 
He may not know it's a silver-medal pace, but he does know that this run feels pretty darn good. His mind wanders a little, feeling what it might be like to ski in Beijing, and - no! His left ski cuts out too far on a turn. He recovers to stay on his feet, but the next turn is no better and produces a huge, pronounced wobble. He doesn't fall, which is probably good for his knees, but... it can't save his time. One lapse in focus… it’s over. He’s already distraught as he crosses the finish line, unable to fight off the tears welling up in his eyes. The announcer calls out, “Phillip Rave, time of 1:27.49. 22nd position out of 27 skiiers,” but he doesn’t hear. He doesn’t need to. He already knows. By the end of the event, he’s 36th.
 
A few months earlier, Rave was the talk of the skiing world. 20-year-olds don’t ski in world cup events very often, and while Rave was very much a super-G specialist, he’d captured two top-five finishes in the season’s first three super-G events by posting blazing-fast times of 1:02.04 at Val-d'Isère (4th) and 2:27.51 (5th) at Alta Badia. Just for reference, 2021 World Cup Champion Alexis Pinturault won Alta Badia with 2:27.19. The most dominant skier of the next three seasons, Marco Odermatt, finished fourth with 2:27.47.
 
You see, four years ago, Phillip Rave had very different aspirations for his life - and he was right on the cusp of making his dreams come true. But after that hot start, he struggled badly for the rest of the 2020-21 season, culminating in his worst finish of the season at Saalbach-Hinterglemm, and the barriers to Rave’s success were now on the mental side. He was starting to become resigned to defeat, to feel like he would simply never be able to grab the opportunity that was right in front of him. Now, every race was just a disappointment - another failure to earn that Olympic qualification berth that had become his life's sole mission.
 
Rave did have one last shot at qualifying for the 2022 Olympics. It would have taken the ride of his life at Lenzerheide, Switzerland, eleven days later. He never left the gate that day, as fog and heavy snowfall forced the FIS to cancel the race. Rave raced in his second career world cup giant slalom event a couple of days later at Lenzerheide, though by then, he had no chance to qualify for the Olympics anyway. He crashed out of the race halfway through, and he’d never ski competitively again.
 
Today, Rave says some combination of being burnt out and not really knowing how to handle expectations contributed to his demise as a skier. “I mean… yeah, I was good - I’m not gonna sit here and tell you I wasn’t,” he laughs. “I had some results that, looking back, are pretty unbelievable for someone my age. I started that season off skiing so well in the super-G and I started hearing my name… people talking about me all the time. I just didn’t know how to handle it. I wanted to be great so badly. I wanted to compete at the Olympics so badly… and I just put so much pressure on myself. I couldn’t handle it… and everything fell apart. I was terrible for the last four months of that season, and by the end of it, I felt like I hated the sport I’d loved my whole life.”
 
Rave took what was planned to be a brief mental break from skiing and got back on the skating rink, instead. Oh, did we mention he was a world-class speed skater in his youth, too?
 
This time, it wasn’t speed skating, though. Rave was taking a more serious interest in hockey. But come on - a world cup skier switching careers and actually succeeding at playing professional hockey at the highest level? Even for someone with the natural athletic gifts that Rave has, that was preposterous.
 
In just a few years, the progress that he has made is remarkable - or probably more accurately, unprecedented.
 
There was about six months of training and a season spent with a semi-pro team in Austria - where Rave occasionally looked like the best player the league had ever seen and also occasionally looked like he’d never played a game of hockey before in his life; a fascinating combination of athleticism, talent, and baffling inexperience.

He showed enough, improved consistently enough, over that time frame to earn himself a look from the VHLM’s San Diego Marlins.
 
And the more Rave played, the more he looked like he belonged. Just two levels away from professional hockey’s highest tier - the VHL - Rave was excellent, stepping right into the lineup of the VHLM’s best team and putting up 76 points in 72 games. He was drafted by the VHL’s Malmo Nighthawks 17th overall in the S91 draft. He was picked even higher - 9th overall - by the Cologne Express in the VHLE draft, and he would spend a year there further refining his skills, albeit playing much less than he did in San Diego while focusing on learning the game more and developing his overall skillset.
 
And now, if you go to a hockey game some 1500km north of the slopes upon which he posted his best-ever finish in world cup skiing in Val-d'Isère, you can watch Phillip Rave take the ice in a Malmo Nighthawks jersey. 12 games into his second VHL season, Rave has 8 goals and 16 points.
 
Not too shabby.
 
He now understands the game. He takes advantage of his athleticism and powerful skating stride to protect the puck, to find open space, to fend off defenders in front of the net. Rave isn’t physical, but he’s kind of a power forward anyway. And he’s very, very good at it.
 
“I’m the kind of person that… when I set my mind to something, I put every fiber of my being into it,” says Rave. “That’s why what happened with skiing was so hard on me. That was my life on those slopes. That’s why not qualifying destroyed me. That’s why my “break” turned into this. It’s not always a blessing… there was simply no way I could be that hard on myself and continue skiing. It would have been terrible for my mental health. But… it’s helped me pick things up quickly my whole life. It’s certainly helped me with hockey. My life for… basically 3 years straight was, ‘how do I get better at hockey?’ I watched so much film, read, practiced… it was an obsession.”
 
He smiles and adds, “I guess it’s worked out for me.”
 
Phillip Rave seemed destined to reach the highest level of competition in his chosen sport. And through his dedication, perseverance, and natural athletic ability, he has found a way to get there after all.
 
Just what we expected.
 
Well… almost. We didn't expect the skates.
 
---
 
1300ish words, this week and next

It’s March 7, 2021, and a just-turned 21-year-old Lichtensteiner stands atop the slopes of Austria’s Saalbach-Hinterglemm. He’s the second-youngest skier in the field today, and he has a chance to do something remarkable.
 
He steadies himself in the starting gates and prepares to receive the countdown. He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath of the crisp, cold air and envisions the line he wants to take… and then it’s time.
 
Out of the gate, the start feels smooth, controlled, perfect… everything is going according to plan. He’s confident and sharp in his turns, gathering speed, and staying precisely on the line he wants. He doesn’t know it yet, but the pace he’s on in the top half of the course would give him a silver medal time and a spot in the 2022 Winter Olympic games.
 
He may not know it's a silver-medal pace, but he does know that this run feels pretty darn good. His mind wanders a little, feeling what it might be like to ski in Beijing, and - no! His left ski cuts out too far on a turn. He recovers to stay on his feet, but the next turn is no better and produces a huge, pronounced wobble. He doesn't fall, which is probably good for his knees, but... it can't save his time. One lapse in focus… it’s over. He’s already distraught as he crosses the finish line, unable to fight off the tears welling up in his eyes. The announcer calls out, “Phillip Rave, time of 1:27.49. 22nd position out of 27 skiiers,” but he doesn’t hear. He doesn’t need to. He already knows. By the end of the event, he’s 36th.
 
A few months earlier, Rave was the talk of the skiing world. 20-year-olds don’t ski in world cup events very often, and while Rave was very much a super-G specialist, he’d captured two top-five finishes in the season’s first three super-G events by posting blazing-fast times of 1:02.04 at Val-d'Isère (4th) and 2:27.51 (5th) at Alta Badia. Just for reference, 2021 World Cup Champion Alexis Pinturault won Alta Badia with 2:27.19. The most dominant skier of the next three seasons, Marco Odermatt, finished fourth with 2:27.47.
 
You see, four years ago, Phillip Rave had very different aspirations for his life - and he was right on the cusp of making his dreams come true. But after that hot start, he struggled badly for the rest of the 2020-21 season, culminating in his worst finish of the season at Saalbach-Hinterglemm, and the barriers to Rave’s success were now on the mental side. He was starting to become resigned to defeat, to feel like he would simply never be able to grab the opportunity that was right in front of him. Now, every race was just a disappointment - another failure to earn that Olympic qualification berth that had become his life's sole mission.
 
Rave did have one last shot at qualifying for the 2022 Olympics. It would have taken the ride of his life at Lenzerheide, Switzerland, eleven days later. He never left the gate that day, as fog and heavy snowfall forced the FIS to cancel the race. Rave raced in his second career world cup giant slalom event a couple of days later at Lenzerheide, though by then, he had no chance to qualify for the Olympics anyway. He crashed out of the race halfway through, and he’d never ski competitively again.
 
Today, Rave says some combination of being burnt out and not really knowing how to handle expectations contributed to his demise as a skier. “I mean… yeah, I was good - I’m not gonna sit here and tell you I wasn’t,” he laughs. “I had some results that, looking back, are pretty unbelievable for someone my age. I started that season off skiing so well in the super-G and I started hearing my name… people talking about me all the time. I just didn’t know how to handle it. I wanted to be great so badly. I wanted to compete at the Olympics so badly… and I just put so much pressure on myself. I couldn’t handle it… and everything fell apart. I was terrible for the last four months of that season, and by the end of it, I felt like I hated the sport I’d loved my whole life.”
 
Rave took what was planned to be a brief mental break from skiing and got back on the skating rink, instead. Oh, did we mention he was a world-class speed skater in his youth, too?
 
This time, it wasn’t speed skating, though. Rave was taking a more serious interest in hockey. But come on - a world cup skier switching careers and actually succeeding at playing professional hockey at the highest level? Even for someone with the natural athletic gifts that Rave has, that was preposterous.
 
In just a few years, the progress that he has made is remarkable - or probably more accurately, unprecedented.
 
There was about six months of training and a season spent with a semi-pro team in Austria - where Rave occasionally looked like the best player the league had ever seen and also occasionally looked like he’d never played a game of hockey before in his life; a fascinating combination of athleticism, talent, and baffling inexperience.

He showed enough, improved consistently enough, over that time frame to earn himself a look from the VHLM’s San Diego Marlins.
 
And the more Rave played, the more he looked like he belonged. Just two levels away from professional hockey’s highest tier - the VHL - Rave was excellent, stepping right into the lineup of the VHLM’s best team and putting up 76 points in 72 games. He was drafted by the VHL’s Malmo Nighthawks 17th overall in the S91 draft. He was picked even higher - 9th overall - by the Cologne Express in the VHLE draft, and he would spend a year there further refining his skills, albeit playing much less than he did in San Diego while focusing on learning the game more and developing his overall skillset.
 
And now, if you go to a hockey game some 1500km north of the slopes upon which he posted his best-ever finish in world cup skiing in Val-d'Isère, you can watch Phillip Rave take the ice in a Malmo Nighthawks jersey. 12 games into his second VHL season, Rave has 8 goals and 16 points.
 
Not too shabby.
 
He now understands the game. He takes advantage of his athleticism and powerful skating stride to protect the puck, to find open space, to fend off defenders in front of the net. Rave isn’t physical, but he’s kind of a power forward anyway. And he’s very, very good at it.
 
“I’m the kind of person that… when I set my mind to something, I put every fiber of my being into it,” says Rave. “That’s why what happened with skiing was so hard on me. That was my life on those slopes. That’s why not qualifying destroyed me. That’s why my “break” turned into this. It’s not always a blessing… there was simply no way I could be that hard on myself and continue skiing. It would have been terrible for my mental health. But… it’s helped me pick things up quickly my whole life. It’s certainly helped me with hockey. My life for… basically 3 years straight was, ‘how do I get better at hockey?’ I watched so much film, read, practiced… it was an obsession.”
 
He smiles and adds, “I guess it’s worked out for me.”
 
Phillip Rave seemed destined to reach the highest level of competition in his chosen sport. And through his dedication, perseverance, and natural athletic ability, he has found a way to get there after all.
 
Just what we expected.
 
Well… almost. We didn't expect the skates.
 
---
 
1300ish words, this week and next

It’s March 7, 2021, and a just-turned 21-year-old Lichtensteiner stands atop the slopes of Austria’s Saalbach-Hinterglemm. He’s the second-youngest skier in the field today, and he has a chance to do something remarkable.
 
He steadies himself in the starting gates and prepares to receive the countdown. He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath of the crisp, cold air and envisions the line he wants to take… and then it’s time.
 
Out of the gate, the start feels smooth, controlled, perfect… everything is going according to plan. He’s confident and sharp in his turns, gathering speed, and staying precisely on the line he wants. He doesn’t know it yet, but the pace he’s on in the top half of the course would give him a silver medal time and a spot in the 2022 Winter Olympic games.
 
He may not know it's a silver-medal pace, but he does know that this run feels pretty darn good. His mind wanders a little, feeling what it might be like to ski in Beijing, and - no! His left ski cuts out too far on a turn. He recovers to stay on his feet, but the next turn is no better and produces a huge, pronounced wobble. He doesn't fall, which is probably good for his knees, but... it can't save his time. One lapse in focus… it’s over. He’s already distraught as he crosses the finish line, unable to fight off the tears welling up in his eyes. The announcer calls out, “Phillip Rave, time of 1:27.49. 22nd position out of 27 skiiers,” but he doesn’t hear. He doesn’t need to. He already knows. By the end of the event, he’s 36th.
 
A few months earlier, Rave was the talk of the skiing world. 20-year-olds don’t ski in world cup events very often, and while Rave was very much a super-G specialist, he’d captured two top-five finishes in the season’s first three super-G events by posting blazing-fast times of 1:02.04 at Val-d'Isère (4th) and 2:27.51 (5th) at Alta Badia. Just for reference, 2021 World Cup Champion Alexis Pinturault won Alta Badia with 2:27.19. The most dominant skier of the next three seasons, Marco Odermatt, finished fourth with 2:27.47.
 
You see, four years ago, Phillip Rave had very different aspirations for his life - and he was right on the cusp of making his dreams come true. But after that hot start, he struggled badly for the rest of the 2020-21 season, culminating in his worst finish of the season at Saalbach-Hinterglemm, and the barriers to Rave’s success were now on the mental side. He was starting to become resigned to defeat, to feel like he would simply never be able to grab the opportunity that was right in front of him. Now, every race was just a disappointment - another failure to earn that Olympic qualification berth that had become his life's sole mission.
 
Rave did have one last shot at qualifying for the 2022 Olympics. It would have taken the ride of his life at Lenzerheide, Switzerland, eleven days later. He never left the gate that day, as fog and heavy snowfall forced the FIS to cancel the race. Rave raced in his second career world cup giant slalom event a couple of days later at Lenzerheide, though by then, he had no chance to qualify for the Olympics anyway. He crashed out of the race halfway through, and he’d never ski competitively again.
 
Today, Rave says some combination of being burnt out and not really knowing how to handle expectations contributed to his demise as a skier. “I mean… yeah, I was good - I’m not gonna sit here and tell you I wasn’t,” he laughs. “I had some results that, looking back, are pretty unbelievable for someone my age. I started that season off skiing so well in the super-G and I started hearing my name… people talking about me all the time. I just didn’t know how to handle it. I wanted to be great so badly. I wanted to compete at the Olympics so badly… and I just put so much pressure on myself. I couldn’t handle it… and everything fell apart. I was terrible for the last four months of that season, and by the end of it, I felt like I hated the sport I’d loved my whole life.”
 
Rave took what was planned to be a brief mental break from skiing and got back on the skating rink, instead. Oh, did we mention he was a world-class speed skater in his youth, too?
 
This time, it wasn’t speed skating, though. Rave was taking a more serious interest in hockey. But come on - a world cup skier switching careers and actually succeeding at playing professional hockey at the highest level? Even for someone with the natural athletic gifts that Rave has, that was preposterous.
 
In just a few years, the progress that he has made is remarkable - or probably more accurately, unprecedented.
 
There was about six months of training and a season spent with a semi-pro team in Austria - where Rave occasionally looked like the best player the league had ever seen and also occasionally looked like he’d never played a game of hockey before in his life; a fascinating combination of athleticism, talent, and baffling inexperience.

He showed enough, improved consistently enough, over that time frame to earn himself a look from the VHLM’s San Diego Marlins.
 
And the more Rave played, the more he looked like he belonged. Just two levels away from professional hockey’s highest tier - the VHL - Rave was excellent, stepping right into the lineup of the VHLM’s best team and putting up 76 points in 72 games. He was drafted by the VHL’s Malmo Nighthawks 17th overall in the S91 draft. He was picked even higher - 9th overall - by the Cologne Express in the VHLE draft, and he would spend a year there further refining his skills, albeit playing much less than he did in San Diego while focusing on learning the game more and developing his overall skillset.
 
And now, if you go to a hockey game some 1500km north of the slopes upon which he posted his best-ever finish in world cup skiing in Val-d'Isère, you can watch Phillip Rave take the ice in a Malmo Nighthawks jersey. 12 games into his second VHL season, Rave has 8 goals and 16 points.
 
Not too shabby.
 
He now understands the game. He takes advantage of his athleticism and powerful skating stride to protect the puck, to find open space, to fend off defenders in front of the net. Rave isn’t physical, but he’s kind of a power forward anyway. And he’s very, very good at it.
 
“I’m the kind of person that… when I set my mind to something, I put every fiber of my being into it,” says Rave. “That’s why what happened with skiing was so hard on me. That was my life on those slopes. That’s why not qualifying destroyed me. That’s why my “break” turned into this. It’s not always a blessing… there was simply no way I could be that hard on myself and continue skiing. It would have been terrible for my mental health. But… it’s helped me pick things up quickly my whole life. It’s certainly helped me with hockey. My life for… basically 3 years straight was, ‘how do I get better at hockey?’ I watched so much film, read, practiced… it was an obsession.”
 
He smiles and adds, “I guess it’s worked out for me.”
 
Phillip Rave seemed destined to reach the highest level of competition in his chosen sport. And through his dedication, perseverance, and natural athletic ability, he has found a way to get there after all.
 
Just what we expected.
 
Well… almost. We didn't expect the skates.
 
---
 
1300ish words, this week and next

This is amazing, love it man!

I think it would be completely fair to allow anyone to submit a makeup PT for one that's declined within something like 48 hours, rather than just ending the week on them.
 
Also, although I do completely agree with whoever declined your update, I don't quite understand why the "similar" one was ever allowed through either, so... totally valid complaint lol

FREE TPE!!!!

I began my journey in the VHL less than a month ago, coming from a YouTube video and throwing myself into a brand new experience. Since then, I've made over 100 TPE, had the most liked post, and got drafted in the first round of a draft I didn't even know existed the week before. I joined a great team with a ton of active players, both new and returning, and have had a lot of fun following the first week of real games in the VHLM. Something also happened last week that I expected least of all, I was named captain of the Halifax 21st!
 
Now, being in the league for this amount of time really meant this announcement was a true test of what I could be capable in this league going forward. I was truly thrown into the deep end (off Pier 21) and asked to either sink or swim and I couldn't be happier. It was an honour to be named the captain of this silly, fun, fake hockey league full of real, talented people. I hope to help keep everyone as engaged as possible on the 21st so we can compete for a championship. 
 
I hope most of all to help everyone on the team keep coming back for more and keep having fun each week, because in the end that's what this is all about. Forget TPE earning and all the stats, we're here to make friends and meet new people and pretend to be super talented hockey players in the most competitive and diverse league in the world. 
 
Thanks everyone for making this experience so wonderful so far, it's what keeps me coming back.
 
 

I think it would be completely fair to allow anyone to submit a makeup PT for one that's declined within something like 48 hours, rather than just ending the week on them.
 
Also, although I do completely agree with whoever declined your update, I don't quite understand why the "similar" one was ever allowed through either, so... totally valid complaint lol

Last week I had a graphic that I liked and thought was good declined for 'not enough effort' which is fair it was pretty simplistic but looking back I'm glad it was denied because it forced me to make a better graphic and improve my skills which is something I am trying to do.

Europe?  As in Europa? One of Jupiter's 90 moons?  Gul Dukat was confused at first.  He thought Humans did not possess the technology as of yet to be able to travel to other planets.  He clarified this with his former General Manager of Miami.  The same General Manager that decided to abandon him and go to some weird place called Prague.  The General Manager told Dukat that Europe was just another continent on the other side of Earth.  Dukat was displeased as he had become accustomed to his lifestyle in America.  He now has to go to Europe and a city called Rome, a place where they speak Italian.  The only thing he knew about Italians was the Italian dressing he liked to put on his salad after every game.  He decided it would be best to research this new temporary home.  He knows he most likely would only be spending one season before moving up to the big leagues of the VHL and joining Toronto.  He was excited to play for Toronto as he learned that is in Canada, and Canada is America's hat.  For now, though, he is heading to Rome, where you can get some of the best Olive Oil the world has to offer and you can carbo-load off pasta before every game.   He was also excited to eat real pizza instead of that fake pizza from New York or Chicago.  After researching Italy and Rome more he became very excited as he learned they were a brutal people with a very rich history.  Many empires have risen and fallen during the history of Rome.  He was excited to take part and maybe even add a little of his own history.
 
 While playing for Miami may have ended on a sour note.  He was ready to move forward and become an ever-better defender.  He realized last season he took the Humans too lightly.  He didn't play up to his expectations, something he will make sure to rectify this current season.  Last season he finished with 18 Goals, and 47 Assists for a total of 67 Points.  He was excited he was able to put up those offensive numbers but on the defensive side, he was severely disappointed. He finished 6th in the league in shot blocked with only 123.  Far behind the mouse that entertains kids who had 159.  He finished even worse when it came to hits and as he finished 7th with 163.  He thought training in the art of hitting would have helped him but it was instead a complete waste of time.  He was also disappointed that he finished as a -9 +/- but understands that is a team stat and he can't exactly control that.  This season he plans to concentrate on blocking more shots, helping out the Goaltender.  As far as hits are concerned, he will just move anyone out of his way.  This season he has to prove to Rome, and even more so Toronto that their trust in him is warranted.

Chi dorme non piglia pesci

My tier list. Using my own magical calculations based on players' attributes rather than TPA. Helsinki could probably go in its own spot between great and good, and D.C. and Warsaw are also better than the rest of the average crowd but still definitely a step below good.
 
  North America Europe Elite NYA LON, MAL Great TOR MOS Good VAN, CGY HSK Average DCD, CHI, SEA WAR, PRG Bad   RIG             VHLE LAS DAV

Thanks! Every part of this is hand-made. Here's a version with all the layers separated:

 
  My thing with the Halifax logo is that imo the colour theory would be off. To counteract this, the city you see in the breakdown is Halifax. It's also where Pier 21 is located, granted you can't see it in the finished image. 


  Also, with Sierra's signature, I took a lot of inspiration from Seattle Kraken's announcement of Vince Dunn agreeing to terms, and that includes his player signature (for like jerseys and pucks and stuff), and I thought that would be really cool for Sierra to do. 

CTESPN Taps Kramerev for Hockey Coverage
 
This morning, CTESPN President and CEO, Antonio Brown and Chairman Mr Big Chest held a press conference to announce that retired Calgary Wranglers and New York Americans defenseman, Kosmo Kramerev would be joining the network as its first ever VHL hockey analyst.
 
“Kosmo brings a blend of experience and professionalism that is exactly what CTESPN needs to kick-start our hockey coverage,” said Brown, before grinning broadly and casting an unsettling, wide-eyed look around the press room. 
 
“You've got three liters of Kramerev in your coverage, buddy,” said Kramerev, gesturing emphatically in Brown's direction.
 
Kramerev would be an unconventional choice for most sports networks. The mind behind multiple failed hockey leagues, each more unusual than the last, and the co-star of the historically massive cinema flop, Space Trek: The Rage of Khatun, Kramerev is generally considered unreliable and eccentric at best, or a flight risk, at worst. For CTESPN, however, this would generally be considered “on brand.”
 
Kramerev is expected to provide updates on the VHL with alleged regularity, as well as analysis of individual games, bringing the expertise of a nine season veteran to a network that has, until now, exclusively covered the NFL.
 
Terms of Kramerev's contract were incomprehensible gibberish. 
 

I don’t see an issue with career point tasks.  Seems like fair TPE value for effort, and if they were just regular PTs not many would do them. I’ve seen some that are worth reading, and some that aren’t, that’s always going to be up to the person writing it, but I have noticed generally that there seems to be a bit more creative effort given to these than regular point tasks.

I don't think you can be sure yet. You should probably try it again

Malmo Nighthawks reveal alternate “Blackout” Jersey for S93. (signed by team Captain, Ash Sparks)

GO NIGHTHAWKS!! -🔥⚡️

Never was a fan of these jerseys for Dallas tbh but they look awesome with Malmo's logo. Nice logo swap btw!

Halifax, Nova Scotia - Canada
With the VHLM draft taking place this past Saturday and free agency opening immediately afterward, rosters in the M began to take shape. 
For Lexie Leitner, a first time general manager who was recently named to the Halifax 21st front office, it was a busy but exciting weekend.  Halifax added 10 new players with their draft selections, 1 new goalie by trade, and 2 new players so far through free agency. Following the weekend frenzy, I had the opportunity to chat with Leitner about the weekend and the state of the team going into Season 93. 
 
༻❁༺
 
 "Lexie, thank you for taking the time with us today and congratulations on the new job." 
 
"Thank you, Lauren, and it's my pleasure!" 
 
 "So let's get right into it, you were named as the next GM of the Halifax 21st just over a week ago, how are you finding the new role? And maybe you could just talk me through your experience joining the team." 
 
 "Sure, yeah, so far it's been a challenging but exciting job.  With very little time between being named to the team and the VHLM draft, it was a bit of a chaotic week reaching out to draft eligibles, doing scouting reports, and getting prepared for our picks.  Thankfully, I was lucky to have Will @Will3, our AGM, who has been a tremendous help in the scouting process and keeping up with the day-to-day management of the team.  To be honest, I wasn't certain that I'd get this job-- being a little lighter on experience than some candidates-- and there was a chance I might have ended up in Mexico City since they were also looking for a GM, but when it was announced that I was named to Halifax, I was super excited for this opportunity and I really hope I can live up to expectations and bring success to the city and the organization." 
 
 "It sounds like a lot of your focus so far has been on the draft and adding new players to your roster.  What was your strategy going into the draft?" 
 
 "Well, when I joined here, we already had a couple of 1st round picks and we were able to acquire a 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 7th by trade.  My goal was simply to add good players and quality people to our roster right away to give us the best chance to compete this season.  In our draft scouting, Will and I had identified a list of players who we really liked because of their on-ice skills and their draft interviews.  Ideally, they checked both of those boxes for us.  We're very happy with the players we were able to select and I think our roster is in a great place for the beginning of the season.  Obviously, things will likely change in the coming days and weeks with more free agent signings and development, but I'm confident that our core is strong and we've got some great young prospects as well who are already making a name for themselves." 
 
 "So you picked 2nd overall in this draft and it seemed like you were very quick to select Pierre Marc Bouchard @Gaikoku-hito.  With your 6th overall pick, you surprised some people by selecting Andrew Skilton @ace_five_.  Talk me through those two picks and how you came to decide on those two players with your important 1st round picks." 
 
 “Both of these players interviewed very well and really exemplified the qualities we were looking for, you know, strong character, hard working, involved in the locker room, and competitive on the ice.  With Bouchard, we really wanted to make sure we had a great number one center who could really stabilize our top line.  He’s got great defensive sensibilities too so we know he can be relied on in all situations.  And as for Skilton, we were just really impressed with his development leading up to the draft and I know he was on the radar of a few other teams. Sure, there’s an argument that he might have been available in the 2nd round, but we just didn’t want to risk missing out on a player who we are confident is going to be a strong player and leader for us this season.”
 
“Your next two picks were at 12th and 13th overall, talk me through those selections.”
 
“Yeah, we had a number of players on our list that were still available who we liked, but Novotny @Patrik Tallinder and Dogwood @dogwoodmaple were always the next two that we wanted.  Novotny-- a little bit like Skilton-- had been really rising fast on draft boards and we were really impressed with his training during the offseason.  His agent, is a known quantity around the VHL as well so we’re pretty confident what we’re getting with him.  And Dogwood, similarly, really gave us a lot in his draft interview and was developing well during the offseason. In our scouting, we also found out that he’d played with Bouchard before so the thought was that reuniting them could spark some instant chemistry.”
 
“So you then picked Tommy Shelby @Will at 22nd overall and had a long break before 43rd where you picked Connor Simard @Alex99.  Were you also targeting those players?  And were there any players in those early rounds that got away from you?”
 
“Yeah, so it’s funny you should ask, actually, with both of those we had a player in mind that we really wanted to pick that was taken just before our selection, so we had to pivot our strategy a little bit here and even explored some possibilities to trade into the 4th round.  Obviously, that didn’t happen. With Shelby at 22nd, he was a player we’d been targeting, but didn’t necessarily expect to be able to pick because of where our picks landed.  With Shelby, we’re very confident in our center ice position now and that was certainly a priority for us because there were always likely to be more wingers available later on.  And then with Simard, I was honestly shocked to see that he was still available at 43 so it was kind of a no-brainer for us because we needed a left winger and he’ll fit in perfectly with Bouchard and Dogwood on our top line.”
 
“You didn’t make a trade into the 4th round, but you did trade away a goalie after selecting another one in the draft.  What was the thinking around the pick and the trade?” 
 
“We viewed goaltending as a priority position for us this season so that’s why we traded for Wazinski @samthemancub before the draft.  Going into the draft with two goalies, we always felt confident that we would never have to reach for one.  At 46, we had the opportunity to take Jon Webber III @Webberj, who we were really high on from our draft interviews and scouting reports. So even though we already had two goalies that we liked, we saw it as an opportunity to add some value in the crease and made the pick. After that, it was really about just becoming compliant with the VHLM roster rules allowing only 2 goalies.  On a personal level, it is difficult to trade away a good player and we wish Cavill @Firekiss all the best in Vegas.”  
 
“And so your last three picks in the draft were Dorji Khan @Oddpurplefly, Ty Duke @TheDuke, and Robert Tango @trains.  What can you tell us about those selections?”
 
“With this draft, we knew that there would be hidden talent to be had all the way into the 7th round so it really kind of became a matter of selecting players who we see as being capable of developing over the course of the season.  Khan, in particular, we had done some scouting on and liked the potential we saw there.  With Duke and Tango, we add another player at the center position who has plenty of room to grow and a right winger with some versatility that may help us on special teams.”
 
“When the draft ended, free agency opened up and Halifax managed to sign a couple of players.  What were you looking for with those signings and how are those players doing so far?”
 
“Yeah, we were absolutely thrilled to sign Robin Sierra @ethanjaeda who has been putting in some great work off the ice to get his game to another level.  He’s also been awesome in the locker room as well so we’re really happy with the early returns on him.  And Captain Nugget Jr. @Captain nugget comes into the lineup with some real skill and finishing ability on the right side and really has the potential to be an impact player in our lineup this season.”
 
“Right now, it seems that there is one hole on the roster as it’s currently constructed, and that is at defense on the second pairing.  What are your plans to address this need?”
 
“Ideally, we would be able to find someone in free agency or on waivers that we could bring in right away, but at the moment it’s just not looking like that player is out there.  We’re also exploring some potential trade targets and if the right deal presents itself, we’re definitely open to making a move.  It’s a balance between wanting to give ourselves the best chance to win this year, but also not leaving ourselves too depleted for the future, so the deal would have to make sense.  I guess we’ll see what happens in time, though I’m confident that the players we have are capable of compensating for that with extra minutes right now.”
 
“Finally, looking around the league, which teams do you think will be the biggest challenge to compete with on the ice?”
 
“Well, I think Ottawa had a great draft.  I know they managed to grab a few players that we liked so I think our scouting probably revealed some similar things.  They’ve also got a pretty complete roster as well, so they’ll have the depth to get out to a good start early on.  Saskatoon and Houston, I think, will also be good this season.  Saskatoon just had a ton of picks and I think they got some great talent on that roster as well, and Houston– I mean, I just can’t count out @AJW as he’s got a knack for finding great players on waivers and in free agency so we’ll see what he can cook up this season.”
 
“Okay, one more quick question before I let you go because you mentioned AJW and waiver signings.  Last season, Lucy Leitner was a waiver signing for the Houston Bulls and was selected 3rd overall in the VHL draft by Riga, and 2nd overall by Vasteras in the VHLE.  For those who may not know, what’s your relation to Lucy?” 
 
“Yeah! So Lucy is my cousin. It was really cool seeing her get drafted so high and it’ll be fun to see how she does in Vasteras this season.  It would have been kind of cool to be a VHLM GM while she was still playing in this league, but who knows, maybe there will be an opportunity down the road to compete against one another.  Anyway, I’m really happy for her.”
 
“Great! Well, thank you for your time and best of luck to you and the 21st this season.”
 
“Thanks, Lauren.”
 
༻❁༺
 
With the first games of Season 93 in the VHLM happening today, Halifax will take on the Ottawa Lynx in back-to-back games.  In what may become a real rivalry in the Eastern Conference this season, Halifax and Ottawa will both want to claim victory first and start their seasons off on the right foot.  It’s a great opportunity for both teams to see how they measure up against one another and it’s sure to be an exciting night of action.  
 
Notes:
I’ll be writing a bi-weekly column on the Halifax 21st this season called Pier 21 so keep an eye out for those if you’re interested in following the story of the 21st this season.   Game updates: Halifax took game 1 of the season against Ottawa by a score of 2-1 in a shootout, but fell in the second game of the back-to-back, 6-2.  
 
Lauren Lambert for VHL.com
03/24/24 - 2044 words
04/07/24 - 2nd claim
 

During the S93 off-season, the Malmo Nighthawks made a trio of key acquisitions that should help extend the team's competitive window.
 
Two of those pickups will feature in their opening-night lineup, with Gregger McKeggegger jumping right into the lineup to replace Henry Eagles, now in Seattle due to salary cap constraints. Acquired in a three-way trade with Riga and Prague that saw a number of draft picks shuffled around, McKeggegger is a former first-round pick who has 96 points over the past two seasons with Riga. He's a 6'5, 205 pound forward who's main weakness is skating but is strong on the puck with a good shot, and he is terrific in his own end of the ice.
 
The Nighthawks also picked up Eric Queefson, who will fill the spot vacated by the departing Jebediah Big Ol Doinks in Amish. The second overall pick in S89, Queefson put up 49 points in 72 games with LA last season. He is a talented two-way defensemen, but Malmo will be his fourth team in five VHL seasons. The Nighthawks are hoping this will be a more permanent place for him.
 
The third acquisition will have to wait a year to make his Malmo debut, but Jorgen Lovstrom is the likely goalie of the future in Malmo. With captain Ash Sparks on the back nine of his career, likely two seasons away from retirement, the Nighthawks have also been seeking the eventual heir to the throne between the pipes. Having spent a lot of draft capital on goalies over the past few seasons - beginning with Karl Herzlich in S89, who will finally make his VHL debut as Sparks' backup this year - then Shaunca in the third round of S91 and Olafur Gunnleifsson in the first round of S92, both of whom have stagnated in development - the club hopes to have finally locked down the position with the selection of Lovstrom 7th overall in the S93 draft. The S93 draft had three talented netminders, of whom Lovstrom was clearly the head of the class. Lovstrom was simply dominant in S92 in the VHLM, going 48-8-4 with a .918 SV% and capturing the Benoit Devereux, Mitch Higgins, and Skylar Rift Trophies as the VHLM's Top Goalie, MVP, and Playoff MVP.

While the S93 VHL Entry Draft was highly anticipated from the moment high-end prospects Gianfranco Del Rocco @Victor and Antonia Bucatini @CowboyinAmerica declared their eligibility - and Jean-Pierre Devote @eagle_3450 and Forum Content @frescoelmo rounded out the top of the draft class nicely - it was a group that was originally pegged by many VHL scouts as lacking in depth.
 
It’s not so much that those scouts missed the mark, but the VHL made a mid-season play to expand their recruiting efforts and all of a sudden, there was a massive influx in talent in the VHLM and, accordingly, in the S93 draft class as well. Several of the new faces brought in have immediately made names for themselves, and a couple of them even threaten to shake up that top of the draft class - although the top two of Del Rocco / Bucatini in some order is essentially untouchable.
 
As a result, the S93 draft now looks like one of the deepest VHL draft classes in a very long time. Here, we’ll take a look at some of the new faces that have made their impact felt during their brief times in the league, and when some of these fast-rising prospects can look forward to hearing their names called on draft day.
 
Lucy Leitner - D - Houston Bulls @LucyXpher
The 5’8, 155 pound US-born defender stormed onto the VHL scene at the start of S93 and signed with Houston, where she would go on to rank 4th in the VHLM in defenseman scoring with 76 points in 72 games. That is surely impressive production for a VHLM rookie but it’s off the ice, with her work ethic, that Leitner has impressed most. She is a brilliant skater who moves the puck well and excels in her own end of the ice, though the offensive toolkit (passing and shooting) will need to develop to see the same production at the next level. Leitner has skyrocketed up draft boards and has massive upside - currently ranked 5th in the draft class, Leitner’s name will be in the minds of every GM who isn’t picking in the top-2, and if I were making the call, she would probably be the #3 pick.
 
Benjamin Abenduct - D - Houston Bulls @Schnee
The Bulls really scored themselves a pair of great young defensemen early in the year through the VHLM’s waiver process, with Abenduct close behind Leitner all year and actually outproducing her on the scoresheet. He finished the year with 23 goals, 81 points, 170 hits, and 100 blocks in 68 games. Although the stats don’t necessarily bear it out, Abenduct is a little more defense-minded than Leitner but doesn’t get around the ice as well and has a little bit less refined offensive game. He’s currently ranked 6th in the draft class and has his own case to jump Devote and Content on draft day, probably going right after Leitner especially if a team needs a defender.
 
Annie Oaks - RW - Las Vegas Aces @Noodle Enjoyer
Oaks signed with the Saskatoon Wild at the start of the VHLM season before being traded to the more competitive Las Vegas Aces at the deadline. Over the season, Oaks totalled 41 goals and 95 points, showcasing excellent vision and a powerful slapshot. Her shot is actually nearly pro-ready, but she does have a lot of work to do defensively before being able to contribute at the VHL level. Oaks is currently the ninth-ranked player in the draft class, the highest-rated forward coming from the increased recruiting efforts, and is a surefire first-round pick with a good chance to break into the top half of the round.
 
UghSike - LW - Miami Marauders @UghSike
UghSike has a lot of similarities to the aforementioned Oaks, having signed with the Wild at the start of the year before being shipped out at the trade deadline. UghSike found himself in Miami after the trade and was not as productive as Oaks during the season - he compiled 28 goals and 60 points. Compared to Oaks, UghSike has a slightly weaker shot (but still very good), is even less refined defensively, but is a better passer and skater. He will likely come off the board shortly after Oaks on draft day, somewhere in the middle of the first round.
 
Trimiskez Artav - RW - Houston Bulls @jake
Another member of the Houston Bulls, Artav brought it in a big way this season putting up 43 goals and 88 points in 72 games. He’s talented offensively and a little more well-rounded overall compared to the other forwards we’ve discussed so far. Unfortunately, over the last few weeks, there have been reports that Artav’s development has stalled and he’s been missing practice, which could definitely affect his draft stock. For the time being, Artav is still ranked 12th, but it seems likely he will fall into the second or third round based on these recent developments.
 
Nathan Ecker - RW - Houston Bulls @Nathan_8
As you may have guessed, the Bulls were big beneficiaries of the VHL’s recruitment effort, and this is the fourth player they’ve placed on this list. Ecker is an extremely similar player to UghSike, with glaring defensive deficiencies in his game but excellent offensive talent, hands, and vision. With 25 goals and 48 points in 72 games, Ecker contributed to the Bulls’ offense from day one and has shown a steady commitment to improving. He is ranked 15th in the draft right now and will definitely be in the conversation for those GMs picking late in the first round.
 
Gul Dukat - D - Miami Marauders @MSouthworth
Dukat is an old-school defender, a stay-at-home, 6’3 200 pound behemoth with a mean streak and above average mobility, the kind of game that fans, scouts, and coaches all love. Dukat even showed some untapped offensive ability with Miami this season, putting up 18 goals and 65 points, even though that’s not necessarily their strong suit. With 163 hits, 72 PIM, and 123 blocks, it is that defensive element where Dukat truly shines. Ranked 16th in the class to date, Dukat is also the draft’s third-ranked defenseman behind Leitner and Abenduct, which means they should be a lock to be a first rounder.
 
Ondrej Vencko - G - Houston Bulls @Mutti
Vencko came to the VHLM as a talented but troubled young netminder, and had some much-publicized concerns about drug usage mar his early days in Houston. We may never find out exactly what went on, but it seems that whatever it was is firmly in the rearview mirror. Vencko quickly claimed the starting role in Houston and improved greatly as the year went on, finishing the season 27-18-3 with an .892 SV% before posting a .917 SV% in 12 playoff games. Vencko has excellent reflexes and rebound control, but struggles with lateral mobility and plays a little small in his net at times. There’s definite upside here though and he is the 3rd-ranked goaltender and 18th-ranked prospect in the draft overall. Vencko should go early in the second round and might sneak into the late-1st if there is a particularly goalie-needy team.
 
Tyler Lawson - C - Houston Bulls @Nyx
The Bulls are a veritable factory of brand-new talent! Interestingly, Lawson is the first player on this list that naturally plays centre and is the third-ranked centre in the draft class overall. Lawson has a similar profile to a lot of these players in that he’s got great offensive vision, a good slapshot, and some flaws in other areas of his game, particularly defensively. Joining the Bulls mid-season, Lawson scored at a point-per-game pace in the regular season (56 points in 56 games) but fell off in the playoffs with just 5 points in 12 games. He’s ranked #22 and probably didn’t do enough this season to jump into the first round, but he’s a high upside player who could really reward a team that takes the plunge in the high or mid-2nd.
 
Ray Stanton - D - San Diego Marlins @horoscope
Stanton, a 5’10 185 pound defenseman who’s a little more offensively-inclined than most of the others in this draft, really stepped into the league in a big way with the Saskatoon Wild mid-season. He put up 21 points, 61 hits, and 42 blocks in just 18 games before being traded to the San Diego Marlins. Unfortunately, his production tailed off in a more structured system in San Diego leaving some questions as to whether his production was a product of just playing on a bad team or truly being great. Stanton has made some good progression over his short time in the league so far and is projected in the middle of the second round (ranked #25).
 
Cody Toland - D - Houston Bulls @ctoland102
A gritty, 6’4 215 pound offensive defenseman, Toland likes to hit and isn’t afraid to mix it up, giving him a little bit of a different dimension compared to most of the other young defenders in this draft. The two main concerns with Toland at this stage in his career are that he’ll need to develop his defensive game to play a defensive position at the next level and, while his improvement has been consistent over the course of the season, he hasn’t taken the next step in his development like some of the other players in the class have. With 35 points, 213 hits, and 92 blocked shots for Houston this year, Toland definitely has a possible VHL career in his future, and I would expect him to be chosen somewhere in the late-2nd or early-3rd round.
 
Oliver Loo - RW - Miami Marauders @Peiffy
Loo is a well-rounded, two-way forward with a little less upside than many of the forwards we’ve covered so far, but has shown steady improvement throughout the year and plays a projectable game without many flaws. Because of his limited offensive upside, at least based on what we’ve seen so far, Loo is more of a project who will likely spend more time at the VHLM and VHLE levels. However, he’s a good skater and responsible defensively, two things that VHL teams love to see. Loo is another player who will probably be selected somewhere around the early-3rd round.
 
Billy Joel - D - San Diego Marlins @The goat of hockey
Joel is a similar player to Toland, except even bigger, but less refined defensively. Joel’s brand of defense is simply running guys over and while it’s effective at times and certainly fun to watch, he will need to develop that positioning and poke checking at some point in order to have a VHL career in the future. Joel is a real old school type player, a 6’5, 235 pound physical force who is very willing to drop the gloves. He’s also got a bomb of a shot when he wants to use it. He put up 20 points in 72 games with San Diego but, more importantly, 205 hits and 84 blocks with 106 PIM. The harder he practices, the quicker he will get better but for now it looks like whoever drafts Joel will have a long-term project on their hands, with probably VHL #4 defenseman type upside to him. He’s likely to go off the board in the early-3rd round.
 
Jack Dickins - RW - Houston Bulls @Mystery_boy98
A big, well-rounded winger, Dickins has shown some steady improvement over the season and the consistency to eventually play at the VHL level if he can maintain that for a few seasons, but he’s definitely a couple of seasons away, starting with what will likely be another VHLM season to continue his development. Dickins put up 20 points in 64 games with Houston this year and is in line for a bump up in role with whichever VHLM team drafts him next season. How the next season or so goes for him will be the big determinant in whether or not the VHL is in his future, but he’s surely worth a pick in the 3rd round to figure that out.
 
 
~2020 words for the next 4 weeks

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY

The Dustin Funk is awarded to that season's most improved player, this season we had a lot of players take a huge step forward. For this award each VHL GM can nominate 1 player from their own team, this ensures that no player is overlooked in any way. This can lead to a crowded field and with that it was narrowed down to four finalists, who stood out above the rest. These were:
 
S91: Merome Dilson @MexicanCow123 (CGY) - 62GP, 24-28-10, 0.923SV%, 2.39GAA, 3SO, 1955SA
S92: Merome Dilson (CGY) - 64GP, 40-17-6, 0.935SV%, 2.3GAA, 6SO, 2252SA
 
S91: Jon Webber Jr @Webberj (LAS) - 18G, 30A, 48P, 18, 18PIM, 39HIT, 33SB
S92: Jon Webber Jr (LAS) - 33G, 52A, 85P, -1, 50PIM, 119HIT, 18SB
 
S90: Nick Sansoe @Tipskid97 (LDN) - 5G, 16A, 21P, -7, 35PIM, 82HIT, 8SB
S92: Nick Sansoe (VAN) - 32G, 56A, 88P, -22, 60PIM, 94HIT, 54SB
 
S91: Fuukka Rask @Jubis (HSK) - 62GP, 36-23-3, 0.925SV%, 2.55GAA, 5SO, 2081SA
S92: Fuukka Rask (HSK) - 65GP, 38-18-8, 0.935SV%, 2.27GAA, 5SO, 2285SA
 
S91: Ronald Johnson MacWallace III @RJMW (MAL) - 8G, 26A, 34P, 6, 19PIM, 35HIT, 17SB
S92: Ronald Johnson MacWallace III (MAL) - 31G, 43A, 74P, 23, 46PIM, 99HIT, 22SB
 
S91: David Rashford @Knight (MOS) - 11G, 17A, 28P, -48, 38PIM, 60HIT, 6SB
S92: David Rashford (MOS) - 28G, 35A, 63P, 22, 23PIM, 56HIT, 31SB
 
And the winner is…
 

I've been wanting this for years. A counter on a players update page on howmuch capped they've done per week (example included). It's easy to count to 12 but it would be helpful for a quick glance to make sure you've hit 12/12 per week, and very helpful for drafting to see howmuch players are earning across a couple week/month scale.
 

shoutout @jacobcarson877

Yes, that question is terrible lol. I got it by looking up the four players that were options and picking the one that looked like their stats might actually be worth winning the Matt Bentz Trophy. I ended up being right, but obviously with the portal only showing one winner, it's extremely misleading, and guessing from stats who maybe should have won an award is also a terrible way to award TPE for trivia

Hmm yeah then I suppose Wozniak stays and I just need to add Szat Jr
 
Lol wtf is that question. Portal will be updated though.
 
Wasn't a huge fan of the one that tripped me up the other day either. Trivia submissions increasingly seem to be about how to catch people out and less about just asking something semi interesting.