tcookie

Hello, I have a few exciting rule changes to put into place for the VHLM. 
 
Beginning VHLM Season 75, Inactive players must be released from their respective teams. In regards to this, inactivity will be changed from 7 days if players have not updated their player to 14 days. This also extends the inactive claim for users who have updated previously to 21 days. This makes the new inactive markers 14 and 21 days respectively. A player can also be designated inactive at the discretion of the VHLM Commissioners.  Once a player has hit that number they are determined to be inactive and are required to be dropped. Failure to do so will result in a punishment at the discretion of the VHLM Commissioners. 
 
The prime directive of the VHLM is player engagement and retention, not to have team fillers (inactives). Every team will be provided bots to round out their rosters until they’re able to sign a waiver player or free agent. Similar to how you can not play an inactive above an active player, you can not play a bot above an active player. Bots will not increase their stats as the season goes on. To combat dropping an inactive player and them returning, free agency signings have been increased to 3. This is an effort to put more of an emphasis on retention and engagement. Free agents have the same rules as a player in regards to inactivity, with the exception they are deemed inactive at 14 days. 
 
Now the big news!
 
We had a very successful recruitment campaign last season and unfortunately we had difficulty signing all of these players to teams. As a solution to this problem is that we have developed the VHLM Juniors. These games will be simmed along side the VHLM games in the farm league within the STHS index. At the start of the season the junior league will be filled with bots and not utilized, then as the season goes on and teams become full we’ll be able to utilize this new junior league. The juniors follow the same rules as the VHLM with a few exceptions.

Rules:
 
Juniors will be enabled when at least half of the league has a max roster size (12-8-2) Teams can freely move players up and down from the VHLM Roster and the Junior Roster without risk of players being taken. The only rule to this is your VHLM Roster must not contain any bots. You are not allowed to put a bot in place of an active player on your M roster.  GMs can move an active player down to juniors (the player moving down has to consent and only when the junior league is being used.) When signing a player to waivers with the designation of going to juniors, it has to be made clear in the offer that they will be in said junior league.  When Juniors is enabled the roster sizes will move to 9-6-2, GMs have the ability to keep their team at 12-8-2 if they so choose.  Juniors have playoffs just like the VHLM teams.  No draft for juniors. They must receive players from VHLM teams
The VHLM is a development league first, and we strive to make sure that new members have room to grow and thrive in the VHL's entry level environment.
 
@VHLM GM @VHLM Commissioner
 

HOLY FUCK WE HAVE THE VHL EQUIVALENT TO THE ECHL

Addison McLaren has accepted a Signing Offer from Riga:

S75: $3,000,000

S76: $2,000,000

S77: $2,000,000

Cabe McJake has accepted a Signing Offer from Riga:

S75: $3,000,000

S76: $3,000,000

S77: $3,000,000

After an extremely successful first season with the Miami Marauders, Vivek now looks towards a new challenge, as he will bring his talents all the way up to Saskatoon. Drafted 20th overall, Vivek will look to be part of a 1,2 punch center combination with Steve Eso, a pair that will matchup very nicely with other teams around the league, and terrify opposing coaches.  As for his expectations, Vivek is looking to improve from a slightly disappointing season, posting 20 points in 30 games. It's expected that Vivek should reach the point per game mark this season and be a strong defensive force as well. As for his team, the bear minimum expected from them is to make the playoffs, after that anything is possible(which was proved last year by the Marauders). On paper it looks like that should be possible, with a aforementioned strong center core, capable wingers and strong goalie tandem. But with the influx of good players recently the worst thing for Vivek and Saskatoon would be to get complacent.
173 words

The Season 75 VHL Entry Draft is slated to go today on November 9th, 2020. 2020 has been quite the year for the VHL, Seattle established themselves as a dynasty, the VHL expanded to 16 teams. Other than Seattle being good, I'd say everything is awesome right now in the VHL (just bugging bana). However, here is a 1st Round mock draft of the Season 75 VHL Entry Draft.
 
1st Overall Pick - Los Angeles Stars - C Pistil Stamen 269 TPE @DMaximus
 
The Los Angeles Stars need help everywhere but goalie. With the highly anticipated prospect Taro Tsjimoto having ties to a later team in this draft, L wanting to be drafted with brother D, so he isn't an option because LA doesn't have another 1st round pick, I assume the Stars will go with plan C. Obviously, I mean that in the best way possible because Stamen is a great prospect in his own right. He comes in with 269 TPE and is well rounded right now. His scoring touch and defense skills are VHL ready right now. What may need some time is his Skating and Puck-Handling skills. In 92 career VHLM games, Stamen has scored 91 points which means he is ready to move up to the show. Stamen will slide in nicely as the 3rd center for now but it won't be long before he moves up to take Richard Penisson's spot. 
 
2nd Overall Pick - Toronto Legion - D Jolly Greene Giant 250 TPE @DoktorFunk
 
The Toronto Legion just traded away some of the better players which happens to be Erik Killinger. I believe he is a defenseman so looking at the roster, I would say replacing him with some high end talent is what they want to do right away. Seeing L on the board still is intriguing for the Legion but with their next pick at 13th Overall, it is hard to see the Legion being able to swing a trade for an earlier selection to be able to select R. With that being said, I can see the Legion taking Jolly Greene Giant 2nd overall. It is no different than the United if they had this pick. Giant is a well rounded defenseman with solid scoring and defense abilities. His Skating is average for the VHL level but his strength is above average. He should fit in well on the Legion defense coming in as the 6th defenseman technically but it wouldn't surprise me if the Legion made more moves to free up playing time for Giant.
 
3rd Overall Pick - HC Davos Dynamo - G Artem Tretiak 238 TPE @Molholt
 
The Dynamo are in an interesting position, they have some older players especially on the wings but is 3rd overall to early to reach for a winger? Defense and goalies remain on the board that are more likely to pan out than the wingers on board. That is not a knock on the wingers on the board in RJ Thatcher and Joe Kelly but I think Davos may go in the way of a goalie since Joakim Bruden is getting a little older and he practices well, but he doesn't cap out like others. Tretiak caps out every week and he has so much potential since his agent is the legendary Mike Molholt, who GM'd the threepeat in the VHL, first and only of it's kind.
 
4th Overall Pick - Chicago Phoenix - D L 291 TPE @gorlab
 
Gorlab's hard on for kyl tanked his stock a little bit as he went from being 1st overall to 4th overall. Which is not bad for the Chicago Phoenix as they couldn't be happier. L steps right in to lineup and he would be the 3rd best defenseman on the roster right away as of the draft. That speaks a lot for L's talents and the lack there of on Chicago. Chicago just traded for Jeff Downey to shore up the defense line as well so Downey would be a great mentor for L in his first season.
 
5th Overall Pick - New York Americans - D Ove Dyrdahl 232 TPE @GRZ
 
The Americans have some young centers coming up this season so they seem to be set down the middle for the time being, unless those youngster don't pan out. However, with only 2 defenseman on the roster, I see them kind of reaching for Ove here. He is not bad by any means but the wingers above him could possibly be better. The Americans need defenseman though and Ove is a good one in his own right. Ove is a stay at home defender first and foremost, that may not sit right with the Americans but I think he would fit well with Markus Schauer who is offensive. They could be a Erik Karlsson - Marc Methot type pairing. Ove would step in and be the 3rd defenseman right away and wouldn't be to ofar off pasing Wolf Stenssen as the 2nd best defenseman.
 
6th Overall Pick - Chicago Phoenix - D R 213 TPE @Kylrad
Here we have the 2nd part of the defense pairing in R who L demands be drafted with him or else he would not play for the franchise. Chicago is the only team this early in the draft to have picks back close together to pull this off. R at 6th overall could be good if he pans out but will he ever live up to his billing as a top 6 pick? Probably not. That is the risk Chicago will have to take though since they want L and he is a 1st round talent. I hope R proves everyone wrong though and proves he is just as talented as his brother though. Chicago would have a nice pairing for years on the backend if that happens.
 
7th Overall Pick - Riga Reign - C It's Gucci - 218 TPE - @frescoelmo
 
This may seem like a reach but when you have needs, you need to fill it. Riga has 1 C on the roster and he will be entering his 6th season. So in this draft class, Gucci is the next best center after Stamen. Gucci and his agency have been hot and cold in recent times but if you remember, Tarik Saejis is a Riga Legend and he was brought to you by fresco. Maybe a return trip to Riga will reinvigorate fresco and make Gucci a very serviceable player for Riga. He would be the 2nd line center by default. I think this would be a good draft pick for Riga despite the reach as some may perceive it to be. Riga is playing with house money though as they have 3 draft picks in the 1st round.
 
8th Overall Pick - Riga Reign - RW RJ Thatcher - 246 TPE - @jhatty8
 
With back to back picks at 7 and 8, Riga would feel needs up front while hoping youngster Matt Thunder becomes a serviceable defender as he has been in the minors for the past few seasons. He seems to be making progress leaving the Reign to fill their needs up front. Thatcher would fit in well on the right side along side Gucci on the 2nd line. I think GM Zeptenbergs has a good relationship from the SBA with agent Jhatty, so he would be able to keep him active. Getting Thatcher this late in the 1st round is great for Riga and they should be giddy with anticipation for Thatcher.
 
9th Overall Pick - HC Davos Dynamo - C Taro Tsujimoto - 301 TPE - @GustavMattias
 
GM Selection
 
10th Overall Pick - Riga Reign - G Sirkants Klamsteris - 253 TPE - @hedgehog337
 
GM Selection
 
11th Overall Pick - Warsaw Predators - D Muffbeav - 263 TPE - @.sniffuM
 
GM Selection
 
12th Overall Pick - Vancouver Wolves - LW Cabe McJake - 233 TPE - @RedSus
 
GM Beaviss loves him some first generation players and RedSus would be barking up the right tree if he wanted to go to the defending VHL Champions in Vancouver. Vancouver has always had good luck with 1st Gen players so take McJake here would be a match made in heaven for both. Nothing better than being a player joining a cup contending team right away while also stepping onto a team that needs Left Wingers as they're none on the current roster. However, it would still require a lot of work for Cabe to earn that spot on the top line but the potential is there for the yongster and Vancouver has a ton of veterans willing help out McJake.
 
13th Overall Pick - Toronto Legion - LW Joe Kelly - 243 TPE - @emidas
 
I originally had Kelly going 9th to Davos to join his running mate Molholt but then I remembered GM's have to use their 1st round picks on their own players which I think is dumb. Either have the in the draft and they can go anywhere or just give them to their teams without picks. That is neither here nor there. Toronto gets an absolute steal to add to their forward group, while the need may be on the backend, the possibility of adding a forward of Kelly's caliber is too much to pass up. Doesn't that sound like another Toronto hockey team?
 
14th Overall Pick - Vancouver Wolves - D Shawn Andrei Zyuzin - 206 TPE - @me
 
I could be too high on myself here but I think I am the best defender left, and Vancouver could use a defender to step in after trading Jeff Downey to Chicago. I am not knocking other defenders left but I have earned at a higher rate and have almost caught them in TPE despite their headstart and because of the blues unwillingness to have me add my carryover TPE I have earned. I would be at 246 TPE at the time of writing but it is what it is. VHL commies gonna be anal about stupid things but let other things slide. 
 
15th Overall Pick - Helsinki Titans - LW Addison McLaren - 226 TPE - @tcookie25
 
To finish off the 1st round with an actual draft pick and not a GM pick, we have McLaren a winger who helped the Miami team win the championship after barely squeaking into the playoffs. I think McLaren is a fine winger and would fit in nicely in the future but will most likely spend a season in the minors.
 
16th Overall Pick - Moscow Menace - G Rara Rasputin - 238 TPE - @Victor
 
GM Selection

Riga receives:
Jeff Odinson
S75 MAL 1st
S75 MOS 1st
S75 VAN 2nd

Vancouver receives:
S75 MAL 2nd
S75 MAL 5th
S75 CGY 5th
S76 CGY 1st
S76 RIG 2nd
S76 TOR 2nd


This trade has been accepted by all parties and is pending league approval.

I'm fucking mad. Like fucking MAD. I was watching the twitch stream of the VHLM dispersal draft last night, and Sheldon Juniper, my player, fell to the back of the second round. And get this, he has more TPE than the first overall pick. After coming in the clutch in the playoffs, scoring ten goals and scoring three game winning goals. After helping the Miami Marauders to the VHLM title. Fucking mad
 
                        
       These are Juniper's stats from the playoffs. Ten goals, six assists, sixteen points in eighteen games. +7 plus/minus, 56 shots, 18 hits, one blocked shot, and five power play goals. An all around beast. And he'll only be scoring more next season as he develops. 
 
                13. That is the number of players with less TPE that were drafted above of Juniper. THIRTEEN. I don't know exactly what GMs were thinking there, but I really don't understand. I CONSISTENTLY earn more than 14 TPE per week, a hell of a lot more than some of the guys drafted ahead of me. I'm REALLY FUCKING ACTIVE in the forums. But not discord. I don't have discord. Which is probably why I fell. But is it a GOOD fucking reason? To pass on a guy who could be your team's leading scorer in favor of some random guy who is funny on discord and gets less than 10 TPE per week? I really don't get it. I really don't. If it's such a big fucking issue, then why don't we just move everything onto the forums? Then good players like Juniper won't be shunned in favor of guys who will be IA in a season. 
 
     Yeah, I'm still fucking mad. Watch the first ten seconds of this video of Filip Zadina talking. It's exactly how I feel. "I'm going to fill their nets with pucks. I just want them to know that they shouldn't have passed me on"
Thank you to the Yukon Rush for believing in me. You won't 
 
 
                       So now that I'm done ranting, I just want to shine some light on some guys who I think will become steals for the team that drafted them.
 
Cabe McJake, Miami Marauders, 3rd overall
When I saw the Marlins make the first two picks, and Cabe wasn't one of them, I laughed pretty hard. Cabe is the best player of this draft class in my opinion and I'm glad he'll keep the legacy alive in Miami.
 
Addison McLaren, Philadelphia Reapers, 9th overall
What is it this year with Marauders players being criminally underrated at the draft? Addison is a beast, he should have gone top five for sure. Key part of our playoff run.
 
Gunnar Odinsson, San Diego Marlins, 37th overall
Boom's newest recreate will have a long and fruitful career with the Marlins. I think recreates are always a safe bet in drafts.
 
Blim Blam McFluble, Philadelphia Reapers, 64th overall
This was a really great draft by Dmax. Addison and McFluble, who showed serious potential for the Bulls. 
 
 
 
500 words
 
 
 

For many young athletes, draft day is simultaneously one of the best and one of the most stressful days of their lives; an agonizing wait and the culmination of years of hard work, officially becoming a professional athlete, all wrapped into one.

For would-be VHLers, they often go through it twice in a matter of days. That will be the case for Addison McLaren this weekend with the VHLM draft going on Sunday and the VHL Draft going on Monday.
"It's a crazy time for sure," McLaren says. "GMs from both leagues are doing their scouting in the week or two leading up to this, it's a lot of phone calls to answer, a lot of interviews. It's a good thing, though. It keeps you busy and it's obviously much better to have a lot of teams interested in you than the alternative."

For a couple of reasons, the VHLM draft probably won't be quite so stressful for McLaren. It's unlikely he'll be waiting long to hear his name called in that one, and it's a home for one season rather than for an entire career. "I don't really know what to expect in the VHLM draft, honestly," says McLaren. "I had some teams reach out to me but not as much as the VHL teams, and with the way the VHLM goes, a lot of the picks are concentrated onto just a few teams every year... so we'll see how it goes. I'll be sad to leave Miami if it turns out that way, but I'm excited for next season."

The VHL draft is another matter. McLaren's ranked 16th in the last published VHCS rankings, a late 1st-early 2nd round grade. He's interviewed with a large majority of VHL teams, and hopes to hear his name called early, but it's far from a sure thing. "I mean... I think anyone would want to be a first-round pick, anyone would want to be picked as high as they can be, right?"

McLaren clarifies, however, that it won't be something he loses too much sleep over. "I can't control where I go. It's not something that's going to bother me. I mean, yeah, watching the draft is going to be stressful until I hear my name called but if it's first round, second round, wherever, it is what it is. I can only put in the work in the pre-draft process, whether it's at practice, in interviews, or whatever... all I can control is putting in the work there to show teams who I am, and I think I've done that. Personally? Take out the GM players and I don't see 10 guys better than me, but... that's just me being confident in my abilities. I'm sure every prospect who's being talked about in my position feels the same. It's a really deep draft with a lot of good players, and there are so many different things for teams to consider and evaluate players on."

Working on his side is McLaren's presence in an active Miami locker room over an improbable Founders Cup run and title. McLaren's also told teams in interviews that he's big on loyalty and would, in an ideal world, like to build a legacy with one team. On the other hand, working against him is that he's a player with no previous VHL ties, something that has in the past been a risk factor for some players.

Over the next two days we will see which teams take that risk, and we will see the fate of the next eight seasons of Addison McLaren's hockey career be determined.

It's 11 minutes till deadline, let's write a .com article.
 
Today I did a big trade. Biggest trade in London history. One of like 4 trades in franchise history. Still the biggest one. We got two Toronto Legion stars, Erik Killinger and Chad Magnum, along with a S77 1st rounder, in exchange for our own next three 1st rounders. Does this make us the best of the 4 most recent expansion teams? Possibly. We had good young core already and added 2 stars on top of it. Along with Hugh Jass who we just added a couple days ago. We'll see how STHS likes us, I guess, but one thing is for sure, we're not finishing last in the league again this season.
 
I did a dumb today too. I looked at Kevin Malone's updates and thought he was going welfare only. I thought it was weird because he's often on Discord and all, but I never really saw articles from him and didn't bother actually searching for articles. So I slid in his DMs and, instead of asking 'hey what's up your updates, my main man?', I asked 'would you be ok getting traded? I might test the goalie trade market'. Good thing he reassured me and told me he had a bunch of unclaimed TPE to add on his player, though. We dodged a bullet, for sure.
 
6 minutes and 200 words later, we are done.
Look @eaglesfan0366, I write .com articles too.

SITR: Miami Marauders GM Ricer13 Interview
 
Host: Thanks for tuning into VHL Network, Stick In The Rink November 2nd VHLM Championship Finals edition! Last time we spoke live with VHLM Star forward and Center of the Las Vegas Aces, Rhynex Entertainment @Rhynex Entertainment. Today, we have a call with a special guest in GM @Ricer13, the General Manager of the Miami Marauder and the team whom just recently eliminated Rhynex Entertainment from Season 74 VHLM playoffs.
           
            Hello Ricer13! Thanks for giving your valuable time to speak with us today!
 
Rice: Absolutely! Please call me Rice.
 
Host: Thank you, Rice. Well, first of all, congratulations on making back-to-back VHLM Finals.
Since you have games in Mississauga today against the Hounds, I'm sure you're very busy with Finals pre-game prep. So let's begin.
 
Rice: Thank you! Much appreciated.
 
Host: With your most recent victory over the Las Vegas Aces, what were your thoughts on the series as a whole? What was going through your mind and the Marauder's Locker Room when you went up 3-0 in the series? What about when Las Vegas abruptly stormed back with 3 wins of their own and forcing the spectacular winner take all game 7? 

Rice: Overall the series had its ups and downs of emotions. You’re excited and in utter shock and awe when you go up 3-0 against a team like Vegas. Them coming back with 3 straight after that definitely put the team on edge. At the end of it all we got the job done and the series was one of my favourite to have ever been a part of.
 
Host: Your team was the last team to qualify for Season 74 VHLM playoffs. Having to instantly go against the overwhelming favourites in Halifax 21st, and then pulling the upset and beating them in a 7 game series. Did your team celebrate after beating the Top Seat Halifax 21st in the First round? Were there any celebrations after the game 7 victory in Las Vegas?
 
Rice: You know I have preached to my team all season about staying humble. Don’t get ahead of yourselves in terms of excitement. We celebrated in our locker room after each series but we kept reminding ourselves that the job is not done. After every game we remembered to respect our opponents because it could have easily been us going home.
 
Host: Well spoken! You have successfully triumphed against all odds, taking out the top seats of both conferences after squeaking into the playoffs. What is your outlook toward how your team has been so successful in the Season 74 VHLM playoffs?

Rice: After beating Halifax I just chalked it up to luck and hard work. After beating Vegas is when I really started to compare teams with them and any potential opponents after that. We may have been long shots to make the playoffs but the players have worked their asses off and if you look at our roster compared to any other we have a top team. Imagine starting the season with the roster and skill we have now. Would be have been 8th? Unlikely!
 
Host: With the VHLM Championship Finals starting today, you are matched up against the 4th seat in Mississauga Hounds. What are your thoughts toward your Finals' matchup? How do you feel your current team matches up in comparison to your S73 team? Is this the 2012 NHL LA Kings equivalent?
 
Rice: To be honest our teams match up really well. We are both deep in the front and have elite top pairing defenders. (Vsevolod) Askarov @Gooningituphas been a monster for them this post season but (Rara) Rasputin @Victor has also been that for us. It’s going to be a back and forth series and it could go either way. 
 
Host: With how things have gone so far in your Season 74 VHLM playoffs, who do feel has been your team's Playoffs MVP? Regardless of what the results to this season's Championship Finals series, what are your team's plan for the future? Would the team's future plans be any different if you had back-to-back Finals losses? Or if your team wins the Season 74 VHLM Championship Trophy? 
 
Rice: Right now it’s between Cabe McJake @RedSusand Rara Rasputin. Both have been outstanding for the Marauders this post season and both have incredible futures ahead of them. As for our future plans, Miami plans on continuing to compete. We have a core of players who will be coming back next season and I plan to surround them with high end talent in this seasons draft. I expect we will be making another run to the playoffs. The plan will remain the same. It was to make the playoffs. Once you’re in you never know what’s going to happen. Win or lose this season was of the upmost success. 
 
Host: As one of the newest teams to join the VHLM, the Miami Marauders have been incredibly successful. Already off to a back-to-back Championship Finals appearance, what are your plans toward bringing the Miami Marauders to yet another Championship Finals appearance next season, making it back-to-back-to-back Finals? In your mind, could this be the start of a modern day Dynasty for the Miami Marauders? 
 
Rice: As I explained previously it’s going to be surrounding my core players with the right pieces. It is a very deep draft so making sure to select the right fit for your roster is going to be key. It’s hard to build a dynasty in the VHLM but I am going to do my best to make that happen.
 
Host: With your match against the Mississauga Hounds starting shortly, I won't take up too much more of your time. Is there any parting words you want to give to the team's supporters and fans out there?
 
Rice: I hope you have enjoyed the show as much as we have. Thanks to everyone who have supported us along this journey I hope to bring you home a trophy in the very near future.
 
Host: Thank you very much for your time, Rice! Good luck in the Finals against Mississauga! We hope to hear from you again in the future!
 
[Word count: 1031]
 
[claim for weeks ending Nov 8 and Nov 15]
 

I'm on vac and I'm bored a bit. So here's 16 possible picks in an upcoming VHL draft. 
 
 
1.   C- Pistil Stamen @DMaximus
 
For me, it's a no brainer. LA has a defensive and goaltending youth on lock. However, forwards is not. It's just not going to be enough with Pines and they will need bolster that position. Here comes Pistil Stamen, a player who comes from a well known agency of DMaximus. It already produced a good defenseman before, Charlie Paddywagon. Max is also a GM of a minors team Philadelphia Reapers. I think that's a match made in heaven situation right here. 
 
2.   D - Jolly Greene Giant @DoktorFunk
 
Another VHLM GM who already has a history of creating a good player. For truly competing London needs some fine forwards, but I don't think Wolf is planning to go all in and instead closes his 4th defenseman hole with Giant. Gonna be a fine pick for sure. 
 
3.     G - Kunibuni UnGuri @Berocka
 
I was thinkinging for a bit about what Davos even needs, but UnGuri makes sense. First off, Berocka is an AGM of Davos. Also, their current goalie Bruden is slowly becoming older and will start face the problems with regression soon. In this case, this youngster will be ready to take over while Bruden just going to backup position. 
 
4.     D - L @gorlab
 
One thing's for sure. Gorlab won't get his one wish and be the first overall. What he will get is playing with his buddy Kylrad in same team. Pretty much sure this is the reason why Jeff decided to sell his S76 first for having another lotto pick in this draft. Only Matty Socks is considered as the future defensive stud of Chicago so taking two more to almost close this position, I think that should be very good for this team. They will always have seconds/thirds etc to get good forwards anyways. 
 
5.    LW - Cabe McJake @RedSus
 
I was thinking about putting him lower, but one of Sus' answers in his today press conference made me think Bird already set his sights on this very promising Irish forward. It may seem a reach, but it's not really a reach considering his booming activity so far and I'm sure his LR presence will be wonderful as well. Something that NY will for sure appreciate. 
 
6.    D - R @Kylrad
 
I don't think I need to explain why this particular player goes sixth overall. 
 
7.   D - Ove Dyrdahl @GRZ
 
I may be known as a guy who can fall asleep right before the draft. But I also like to make some out of the reach picks if I feel like I want to do that. Although this may not be the case. That pick could basically signalizing that I'm ready to fix a mistake I made in one of expansion drafts when I left him unprotected. Well, GRZ has no regrets about that tough. He's a certified DC legend now.
 
8.   LW - Dolant Fertitta @Dolant
 
I picked a IRL Latvian a pick before. Well, let's pick a IRL Lithuanian as well. What could be better than Braluikas connection in Riga, especially when Dolant is earning 14 TPE each week and never slowing down. What a shame there is no Estonian member in this draft class. 
 
9.  C - Taro Tsujimoto @GustavMattias
 
Self explanatory. GM player pick. 
 
10.   G - Sirkants Kalmasteris @watch him, he's about to fell asleep at Monday, 7:50 PM EST
 
Self explanatory. GM player pick.
 
11.   D - Muffbeav @.sniffuM
 
Self explanatory. GM player pick.
 
12.   D - Scotty Kaberle @fromtheinside
 
One thing is for sure, Beaviss loves to pick first gens unless it's a very proven veteran with a couple of HoF players on his resume. Knowing champs' potential problem with a defense position, Beav will go with Kaberle. Yes, he is like 30-40 TPE behind some other players in this draft, but I feel he is more active on boards and that's exactly what 'Couver GM wants. 
 
13.   D - Chicken Wing @chikn
 
Another team that really needs a defense. Peace nicely set up his forward core, but I can't say the same about the blue liners. Chicken is a bit less active on boards, but still earns a good chunk of TPE and Toronto will go for it. 
 
14.    G - Thadius Sales @thadthrasher
 
I'm sure Beav would've been interested to pick someone else like McLaren, but his forward core is so set on place he won't go for that. I think he's just going to pick the activity once again. But what about Emerson who literally blew off right after the last draft? Well I guess is going to be a dog fight between him and Sales then after Spyro is gone due to a retirement. 
 
15.    D - Gustav Hjalmarsson @McLovin
 
Well yeah, there are more interesting draftees left, but knowing how productive Lovin's and Jubo partnership was during Hafkey's career. I think both could be happy with restoring this in this draft. And also, some guys like Summers and Bolonee are becoming old so this team will need some young blue liners soon. 
 
16.  G - Rara Rasputin @Victor
 
Self explanatory. GM player pick.
 
 
So there it is, my lil first round mock draft. Now, there could be a question - did I forget 5th and 7th ranked draftees, RJ Thatcher and Joe Kelly? And the answer is, no I didn't. I just couldn't really fit them in the first round properly despite of their superior TPE number. 4 GM player picks, some very active members and previous relationship factor seemed to be important enough for me to make that mock how it is. Anyways, even if that indeed happens, their lowest draft overall will be 17th and 18th. I think both NY and LA will be more than happy to take them at that stage of this draft. 
 
Ok, I'm too lazy to make more rounds and I'm not in VSN anyways. That's it and I'm out. Draft hype!
 
not claiming TPE because I already have an article to claim. just for draft hype purposes. 
 

I did a player press conference and may technically not play for Miami anymore, but I want to answer these anyway because we are the champions! lol
 
1) Awesome! It was such an incredible run to be a part of and everyone here really deserves it.
2) Miami, Saskatoon, San Diego I guess? I'm not picky though lol
3) Without any consideration as to how realistic it is, honestly Riga made the best impression on me. Davos, Vancouver maybe the next two. But again, I'm not picky and there are more than three teams that I enjoyed talking to in the pre-draft process, so I'll be happy wherever I end up
4) I'll do my best to be at both!
 
5) I care because the guy in charge before wasn't someone that should be the face of a country. Biden probably isn't a great candidate, and Trump may have done some legitimately good things for the economy, but he fractured his country and handled the pandemic very poorly. A president should never be actively divisive. Kamela Harris gave a fantastic speech yesterday too. I'm happy to see that.
6) The Maritimes are beautiful. I'd have a hard time choosing between Newfoundland or Nova Scotia.
 
I want to thank Miami for the opportunity they gave me and for the awesome experience it was. If I'm not here next season, good luck!

1. My goal for next season is to make the VHL and make the playoffs in my first year, this will depend heavily on who drafts me but I plan on helping my team in each way that I can.
2. Its' been really cool, meeting all the GM's of VHL teams. It's interesting to see there differing personalities and there different approaches to interviewing players. I think I did well in the interviews and hopefully that will bode well for me in the draft.
3. It was amazing, almost everyone doubted us buts what's important is that we never doubted ourselves no matter how hard it got. It will be an experience that I will certainly look back on a lot and hopefully create a lot more experiences like it in the future.

For this weeks article I thought it would be a good idea to go through each round to see who could possibly be the best steal from the first 6 rounds of Mondays draft. 
1st Round:
RJ Thatcher @jhatty8
With 86 points in 72 games played last season, it's fair to say RJ is not an unknown player heading into this next draft. But what I think makes him more valuable than some might think is the rate at which he earns. If he keeps up his current pace he will surely surpass many of the players above him and might become the best player to come out of this draft class.
2nd Round:
Addison McLaren @tcookie25
Addison, who was a late waiver claim pick up is on the list for similar reasons to RJ. He's earned at a shocking rate in his short time in the VHL which has seen him rocket up the draft rankings in the past few weeks. He can be projected to be at the very least a first line talent and may become a superstar if he's able to keep up his pace.
3rd Round:
Sheldon Juniper @fyrefly
Like Addison, Juniper is a mid season waiver claim pick up. unlike Addison, Sheldon took a little while to get going TPE wise. But once he got rolling he never stopped. What GM's should definitely take note of is the increased rate at which Sheldon improved. Starting out as a welfare player Sheldon gradually increased his earing until he gained 34 TPE in a week, If he can keep finding ways to improve he can be an impact player in the VHL within 2 seasons.
4th Round:
John Callahan Jr @Callahan
While his stats aren't too impressive what's interesting is his inconsistent earning. Callahan Jr Once earned 30 TPE in a week. Since then his earning has dialed down as has only capped out once since then. What can make Callahan Jr a valuable prospect is that he's proved he can earn a large amount of TPE, all that's missing is the consistency. If a team can push him in the right direction he can be a very good 4th round pick.
5th Round:
Anthony Suzuki @Anthony Suzuki
What separates Suzuki from other 5th rounders is his activity and devotion to the league, Anthony has shown through his activity on the forums the desire to improve and learn more about the league. While this may seem like a cliché reason to select him here I think activity is extremely important for GM's when selecting a player, especially in the later rounds.
6th Round:
Andy Nexber @Domino Draws
Nexber also shows a lot of activity for a later round player, and what makes him interesting is his surprising amount of knowledge of the league and his entertaining articles. he's also greatly improved his earing in the past week, improving from making 8 or 6 TPE to 14. If activity is any indication of success then Nexber can certainly be one to look out for in the future.
Honorable Mentions:
Scotty Kaberle @fromtheinside Vivek Weiner @coochiman Thadius Sales @thadthrasher

It's that time of year again. The time of drafting. And Sheldon Juniper, an upstart left wing who just won the VHLM title with the Miami Marauders, is eligible for both drafts that are happening. He is ranked in the late second round/early third round for the VHL Entry draft and late first round/early second round for the VHLM Dispersal Draft. 
 
                               Since the portal is down, these stats are from either memory or a wild guess. Bear(?) with me
 
             Juniper was hot trash in the regular season, to say the least. He was passed over by other superstar waiver pickups(Cabe and Addison, I'm talking about you) and got limited fourth line minutes for most of the season. I was getting kind of discouraged, and then BOOM. Juniper gains like 35 TPE in one week, upgrades scoring to 80 TPE, gets put on the second line, and starts scoring. Like, a lot. Juniper got almost point per game in the playoffs for the eventual champs Marauders, and was a key part of their upset victories over Halifax and Las Vegas(in fact, the goal he will be remembered for is, in game seven of the Vegas series, with two minutes left in the game, Sheldon Juniper breaks the 3-3 tie to put the Marauders ahead one goal, the winning goal to send the Marauders to the finals, where they sweep the Mississauga Hounds to claim the VHLM championship). 
 
                                                 As of the most recent VSN mock draft, Juniper is ranked just out of the second round, although I personally think he will go higher because of the clutch he brought this year. Expect to see the name Sheldon Juniper on the scoresheet more often than not in S75, and possibly on the league leaderboard.
 
Since the best teams from last year will be the worst teams this year, not including the Marauders because they actually acquired a bunch of picks at the deadline, I am looking forward to helping a team such as the Bulls or the Marlins or another weak team from last season reclaim glory if I join one of those teams. Also, good luck to the Marauders, who will likely be a middle of the pack team next season. If they manage to pull off another massive upset again, then I wonder in what ways Ricer is hacking the sim engine. 
 
                       Excuse me for being the president of my own fan club here, it's something I don't do very often. But I want Juniper to be drafted as high as possible and I see this as a way that might happen. 
 
433 words

hey, I don't know you or what you did around here in the past, but I think this post shows whatever you may have done wrong before is something you've learned from and grown past, and you deserve a lot of credit for acknowledging and apologizing. Good for you, and I hope everything is going better for you now!

Thank you to all my former teammates, and my GM @hedgehog337 as well! I tried to fit most of the people who I spent significant time with in Riga, but with only 8 spots (to keep everything on beat) it was tough to decide who to put there.
 
People in the video: 
@Cxsquared @Tate @Renomitsu  @Greg_Di @Phil @Kylrad @Nykonax  @ZP16
 
Also used a quick clip of @dasboot from the first One and a Half Aussies podcast (check it out, it's been great so far)
 
 
Now, on to Calgary! LET'S GO WRANGLERS!!!

@hedgehog337 and his picks ?

Credit to @ZP16 for giving me the idea for this with his article about a day in the life of Kankkunen. 
                                                             This is how Linus Zetterstrom spent his day this Friday, four days before the VHL Draft.
 
6:30 A.M. 
Zetterstrom is up before the sun in Malmo, where he is staying at his parents' house while he prepares for the draft. He gets dressed, brushes his teeth, and heads to the practice facility of the Malmo Redhawks in his "new" used Honda Civic. He still has ties with the Redhawks organization from his SHL time there before the S74 VHLM dispersal draft. There, he begins a workout, which involves intervals on the spin bike, pull-ups, pushing and pulling a weighted sled, and other muscle workouts. He also does a lot of stretching before and after.
 
8:00 A.M.
Zetterstrom comes home to the delight of his golden retriever, Bella, who he takes for a run in the forest. After that, he has a quick breakfast consisting of a banana and a protein shake. Now it's his free time, so he goes to his basement and plays Rocket League with his friends for a while. Funny enough, his dad, who took time off work to stay with Linus while he's home, is still fast asleep.
 
9:15 A.M
After his down time, Linus was driving back to Redhawks HQ for a hour ice session with a skills coach. He worked on retrievals, passing, moving around at the point, and conditioning. At this point in the day, Linus is hella tired and ready for a good meal.

 
10:30 A.M
Since it's Friday, and a school day for most kids Linus's age, he was also studying. He signed up for courses in business, math, chemistry, English, and sports management at various universities. He spends four hours doing schoolwork on days off, so two hours in the morning. This morning, Linus did an hour in business and an hour in chemistry
 
11:30 A.M
Linus's brothers, Henrik and Jesper, are home from from work and university respectively, and Linus's mother, Alice, is back from a trip she took with friends. The Zetterstrom family has a family brunch together, and everyone has a good time. Linus fills himself up with sausage and eggs.
 
1:00 P.M
After brunch, and a lot of talk about the American election and how it will affect Sweden, Linus does another two hours of his schoolwork. One hour of math and one hour of sports management(he alternates sports management with English). Linus's ultimate goal is to use the skills he has learned in university to eventually become a GM after his playing days are over. He applied for a law course at a prominent Swedish school but has yet to be responded to. 
 
3:00 P.M
After his schoolwork is done, Linus jumps on his piece of crap laptop and does some draft interviews VHL GMs have sent. He is visibly hyped up as he answers the questions. After he completes those, he goes on a sketchy site called the VHL portal and he looks at the rosters and picks of the teams that sent him the interviews. He goes into so much detail and gets so drawn into it he spends an hour doing it.
 
4:00 P.M
One of his friends calls and asks him if he's up for a little mountain biking. Linus, an ever-lover of mountain biking, happily accepts. They go through the stunning Swedish forests and hills, and they have a great view of the magnificent Baltic sea as they hop over little jumps and go down steep and rocky hills. Linus has a great time
 
6:00 P.M
Before he has dinner with his dad, his mom, and Henrik, he jumps on a zoom call with his Canadian agent, @Ledge_and_Dairy to discuss the interviews and the draft in general. Ledge advises him not to have preferences, since almost anyone can take him. Linus agrees
 
7:00 P.M
Linus enjoys his final dinner with his family for the last time until the next holiday. He will catch a flight at the airport in Stockholm at 9:00 and prepare for the draft in Las Vegas with his friends and teammates. He hugs his mom, shakes hands with his dad and Henrik, zooms Jesper at his university for a quick goodbye, and takes an Uber to the airport.
 
7:45 P.M
Linus is waiting at the airport and is very bored. He passes the time playing among us on his phone, although the crappy airport Wi-Fi made him lag out multiple times. One time, he is made impostor, and the game immediately lags out. He curses and throws the phone on his seat in the waiting area. His Las Vegas Aces phone case cracks. He vows to get a new one once he lands
 
9:00 P.M
Linus boards the plane and it takes off. He prepares himself for the long 17 hours that lie ahead.
 
11:00 P.M
His flight makes it first stop, in Paris, France. He buys a little Eiffel tower souvenir because that's how frickin bored he is.
 
10:00 P.M (American time)
Linus lands in Atlanta, Georgia, the second to last stop for his flight. He buys an Atlanta Thrashers keychain to but on his bag. 
 
1:00 A.M
Linus lands in Las Vegas, jet lagged and extremely tired. He taxis over to a Vegas hotel where he is supposed to meet Jiggs @JigglyGumballs but Jiggs is obviously fast asleep. Linus gets his room key and becomes dead to the world as soon as his head hits the pillow. 
 
 
Just going to put this in here in case it gets confusing: the times are probably messed up somehow, especially with all the flights and time changes. Excuse me if I did something wrong, because I'm too lazy to do the research and get it all spot on. Anyway, this should get me to 172 TPE, which jumps me a little in the draft rankings. Maybe I've written enough here to get me to 1,000 words. 
 
 
 
1,016 words

Wow that was a fascinating read about one of the league's most interesting character on and off the ice. Wild. But, it gave me a different perspective reading this after the latest chapter:
 That's such a powerful reminder that we're all human here too. Humans are messy, especially when things like anger, guilt, or shame are calling the shots.
 
But, humans are also capable of growth. It's so cool to see Nick's character arc end with a redemption story. It takes so much courage, maturity, and self-awareness to revisit this thing weighing on your chest. Good, true, real apologies always come with a story of growth. It looks like everyone forgave him, even though he was sure everyone would hate him.
 
This is a good reminder for everyone to go apologize for that thing that's weighing heavy on you - they'll always be more forgiving and compassionate than your worst fears expect.
 
✌️ & ❤️ 

This one isn't to a specific person but it's an ODE to all those members who came up with original names for their players. Gone (hopefully) are the days where Mike Boss comes on and only creates characters named Mike Boss. I mean at least @Tagger switches letters around. I always laughed at the people without a creative bone in their body to come up with a new name. It's sort of a role playing game when you create a new player for the simulation, but some just choose the same player. If you can think of any post them below, but there have been a lot of repeats. Years ago a lot of simulation leagues had Greg Clegane or any form of Lannister. I know for awhile there was a member that came on every 1-2 years of being inactive and would name a player the same thing. Now you may be asking, why does it matter? The reason I bring it up is because in an ever changing league and every changing statistics history; it seems rather strange you'd want to blend in with the same name. Be original, be unique and name players after new people or combination of names from different parts of popular culture. 

I'll be the first to admit I was probably the first GM to actually use this system when I selected Erik Killinger with Calgary's pick in the S71 VHL Entry Draft, if it happened before then I wasn't aware of it or I simply wasn't paying enough attention to notice it, but there's a new common trend with these claimable players that essentially ignores why GM players were removed in the first place. I believe the system behind claiming your own player as a general manager of a VHL team become an abusable system I really hope the Board of Governors (BoG) are actively discussing, which I have only seen some updates from the BoG update threads occasionally posted.
 
The abuse of this system is tanking the value of the draft, and in my personal opinion the legitimacy of the intent behind the 'spirit of competition' rule. Some VHL general managers -- you know who you are -- will trade into the first round of the draft for the sole purpose of picking their player at the latest pick possible. It's happened already a few times, and I guarantee you it is going to happen again this draft. There are currently four GM players in the pool, do you think they're going to go at the teams native picks? 

Damn unlikely. Possible, but I know they're going to try to push it back even further. 

There's going to be many trades where teams with GM players acquire a later first round pick, and that pick is going to be the one used to claim their own player. 

I'm not arguing for the system to be removed, not at all, but I am here to propose a new change. 

GM Players can only be selected with the teams native pick.

This won't stop GM players from being claimed at 16th overall if the team that wins the championship also has a recreate in the entry draft, but it will absolutely stop people from abusing the system by forcing us (we the general managers) to keep our own pick for the purpose of adding our own player to the team. It will stop teams from having -- for example -- the first round pick and adding the fifteen overall in the first round just so they can select a amazing prospect on top of what is typically already a top five or higher prospect at fifteenth too. 

Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.   

Marauders En Route to Founders Cup Final
Inside the team's celebration after second-round, seventh-game series victory over Las Vegas
 
1:37 earlier, the Miami Marauders' bench erupted in celebration as Sheldon Juniper scored to break a 3-3 tie in game seven of a semi-final playoff series against the Las Vegas Aces.

Now the team poured onto the ice as the final buzzer made it official - the #8 seed in the VHLM playoffs was heading to the Founders Cup Finals against the Mississauga Hounds, having knocked off the #1 and #2 seeds to get there, each in seventh-game thrillers. In the opening round, Cabe McJake scored the series-winning goal with about three minutes left; this time, it was Juniper with less than two minutes to play.

Miami's first pick in the S74 VHLM Dispersal Draft was defenseman The Blob at 21st overall. Blob isn't even on the team anymore - he's since been traded to the Hounds and will be facing Miami in the finals. That's part of what makes this run so remarkable - this Miami team is lead by a group of players unheard of when the S74 season began. Despite the presence of Eoin Byrne, Theodore Hoffman, and off-season pickup Chickn Wing, they weren't supposed to be in the playoffs, let alone here.

Rara Rasputin signed up early, after a starting job more so than a finals appearance. Rasputin received heavy interest, including from the Halifax 21st, but turned down offers from "better" teams in favour of the Marauders. Then, as the season approached the midway point, the Marauders lured Addison McLaren. A couple days later, McJake. In short order, the Marauders added Nikolas DAndrea, Sheldon Juniper, Martin Master.

Rasputin was a known commodity, but McLaren and McJake weren't. The two wingers' work ethics were infectious. They pushed each other, they set the example for their teammates. The wins started coming - Philadelphia's 11-point lead in the standings evaporated quickly, setting the stage for an exciting playoff race. The Marauders added more depth; Vivek Weiner, Hulk Hogan Jr., JL Gunnar, Nathan Perry, Wooshi Cat. And somehow, things began to come together. On the outside, beating Halifax once was a fluke, beating them twice was an accomplishment; in the locker room, the Marauders were far from content with just showing up. McJake's series-winning goal put the VHLM on notice. The Marauders went up 3-0 against Las Vegas, but the Aces battled their way back in the series, forcing Miami into a second straight game seven.

And then we were here. The architect of this squad, Kris Rice, watched from the press box as Theodore Hoffman's empty netter sealed a 5-3 Miami win, equal parts proud and surprised as he has been with every mounting victory in Miami's playoff run. He made his way down to the ice as the insurance goal was announced, ready to join his players on the ice in celebration.

Amidst the jubilation, we caught up with the game seven hero, Sheldon Juniper, whose 8 goals in the playoffs lead the team and whose 14 points in 14 games have already eclipsed his entire regular season production. More ice time and more confidence have helped create a true weapon on Miami's second line. "Sheldon, you've got some increased ice time in this playoff run and you're really stepping up your game, making an impact for Miami. What's changed for you on the ice?"

"I think being on an amazing team and having an amazing management team has made this season special, and I just buckled down and worked my butt off and, not to sound cliche, but hard work really does pay off. I've had some great teammates this year, and I'll give them a ton of credit as well," Juniper said.

Momentarily, we were interrupted by a jubilant McLaren: "Sheldon, you're a monster!" It was a small thing, but an example of the attitude and support for each other that this Marauders team has developed. They are driven to win, they don't care how or who does it, and they are quick to share credit.

"This series against Las Vegas was a roller coaster and a real thriller for the fans; what's it like to come through and score such a big goal for your team?"

Juniper replied, "It's an amazing feeling. Coming through after such a tough battle with such a good team, it's great to be the hero. I really don't deserve the credit on that one; Hulk Hogan Jr. got three assists and Peter Louis II got two goals and an assist, so those guys both had amazing games. It's just great to be in the final after beating two of the best teams in the league."

Rasputin, a bit of an oddity as a 30-year-old VHL prospect, took a moment to stand back as his teammates piled up on the ice. After outdueling Kevin Malone in the opening round, he was even better in round two. He only had 67 VHLM games to his credit at the start of the post-season, but he was one of the most experienced members of the team and took on a leadership role in addition to his strong play between the pipes. He spoke glowingly of many younger teammates and the impact they had. "I think the transformation (of this team) over the course has been incredible. So many new faces on the team, jumping right in and first getting us into the playoffs, now going on an unbelievable run. It really gives live to a jaded old guy like myself."

Then, he threw a shout out to a VHL legend of the past, sharing the source of some extra motivation. "A friend of a friend, Greg Clegane, heard about my frankly mediocre regular season and gave me a call before the Halifax series," he recalls, laughing a bit. "What can I say, a pep talk from a guy like that makes a difference."

Admiration and respect for Rasputin from his teammates was obvious. As McJake skated by us, he was quick to shower his netminder with praise. "Rara's stolen more games than I can count, we've been outshot for almost every game we played in these playoffs and he's held his ground, we only have him to thank," he says. This from a guy who many would call the Playoff MVP himself, who has 17 points in 14 games, second in the VHLM playoffs. We asked him about the chemistry between him and linemates McLaren and Weiner, a group put together towards the end of the regular season that has found instant success. "All three of us are just on the same wavelength," says McJake. "We all know each other's tendencies so we can make plays very easily. I think our playstyles also mesh really well; Vivek being a playmaker and me and Addison being shooters allows us to be a threat off the rush every single time we move up the ice."

McLaren has 6 goals and 14 points himself, plus a team-high 51 hits. He plays a slightly less offensive game than McJake, but he thrives in the dirty areas of the ice. And Weiner, though he's been hard on himself for lesser production than his linemates, still has 3 goals and 11 assists in 14 games and, as McJake called out, plays a complimentary style that makes the line click.

"Yeah, we fit together really well," McLaren agrees. "Vivek's a pass-first guy that does it all offensively, Cabe and I are both shooters. Cabe's a little more dynamic and I like to go get my nose dirty a bit. All together, we've got a little bit of everything on our line and I think that makes us tough to defend as a line. But I can't say enough good things about the guys on this team or how hard they work. This goes up and down the roster. I mean you look at a guy like DAndrea, he's not playing a ton right now, but he's all in on this team, he's around in the locker room, he does everything he's asked to do. You guys know all the big names, but this run is about more than just the big names, this is for the whole team."

"When I came here, it was a tough choice. I've basically never played outside of Minnesota in my career. I obviously had no idea this was what was waiting in Miami and I know I made the right decision. I'm proud of everyone here and just like I said when we won last series - tonight we're going to celebrate this, but tomorrow we're getting back to work. The goal is always a title... whatever happens, I'm sure will look back on it this off-season and we'll be happy, but we've got a job to do right now."

The Marauders' were in no hurry to take the celebration to the locker room, staying out on the ice with each other, with team staff, with media for about an hour after the game finished. Finally, as the team headed off, we caught up with Rice for his take. "Each game we win I sit back in disbelief. I marvel at how well these young players are gravitating to this league and how hard each of them have worked. Each win represents exactly that and it’s been an honour as their GM to watch this all unfold."

We asked him about the uniqueness of this run, mainly powered by in-season acquisitions. "Houston’s S73 team was similar; they had a very strong season but fell short in this playoffs. It wasn’t quite like this run," he says. So why is this group so special? "The amount of depth of active members on this team is something unheard of. The effectiveness comes from the activity. The majority of these young players have been active which in turn leads to positive results, when you have so many members doing exactly that on one team magic is bound to happen."

Make no mistake, Rice deserves credit too. He put this team together and is highly regarded by his players. He played a big part in each recruitment and in helping these players along in their development - their high level of activity is no accident. The Marauders are simply a well-run organization that does things the right way. This playoff run is proof of what can happen when a team has a mix of talent, leadership, and belief.

Now there's only one test left.

And to a player, the Marauders are united.

They are going to the finals, and they are going there to win.
 
---
 
1776 words, will claim over the next 3 weeks.
 
@Victor @RedSus @fyrefly @Ricer13 @CosmicStorm @Nikdandrea34 @Tropicalfire @coochiman @tinafrombobsburgers @snackhero @Jake Sumner @Martin Bradac @chikn @LatinViking @Beaviss @Big Mac @matt sovick