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10:15 on a Sunday night, the very last minute for writing a media spot. Yet it must be done, and I've come up with an interview with Sheldon Juniper for this week's article. It regards the performance of Juniper himself lately, the performance of the Calgary Wranglers, and the race for the rookie of the year.
 
Reporter: Thanks for taking the time to do this, Sheldon. First of all, how are you doing? It's your very first season in the VHL, and that must come with a lot of stress. How do you cope with suddenly being on a real professional hockey team?
 
Juniper: Yeah, I mean, it's a big jump for sure. Being traded too, after thinking I'd be spending my career in Vancouver, it's been a news flash, too. But I'm very happy with my situation in Calgary. Management is awesome, and I really feel at home in our dressing room. It's a nice feeling to know you belong somewhere.
 
Reporter: That's great, I'm glad it's going well. I know the World Juniors were a while back now, but let's touch on that quickly. You had a good tournament representing Team Canada, although you ultimately fell short of gold. How was that experience as a whole?
 
Juniper: Yeah, that whole thing was surreal. Being able to represent my country, and playing with guys I grew up playing against and with, it was a great experience. We weren't on our best in the round robin, and I had only 2 goals in those 8 games. But we found our clutch in the important games, when we beat Asia in the qualifiers and then barely lost to Team World, who would go on to win gold. But we did get bronze, which is still something to be proud of. I had 4 points in those 2 medal games, too, so I think I was at my best at that tournament. Overall, it was an amazing thing to be a part of, and I hope I can do it all over again next season, and hopefully come back with that gold.
 
Reporter: Onto the Wranglers. You guys are tied with the Seattle Bears for 4th in the North American division after a hot start. How do you think your season's going to end up, and who's been making the biggest difference on the ice and in the room?
 
Juniper: I think the way the season has gone so far, we should at least be able to get into the wildcard series, and after that, anything can happen. As for the guys that stick out, I have to give a shout out to my man Tallinder, who's the heart and soul of this team. Lafontaine is also a rock in nets, we would be at the bottom of the standings without him. RJ Jubis, one of the main leaders in the room, announced he's retiring after this season, which is going to affect the team for sure. We're a tight group of players.
 
Reporter: Thanks for this, Sheldon
 
Juniper: No problem. Have a good day
 
 
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July 18th, 2007. It seems like just an ordinary date, like any other in time, and perhaps it is. But for the members of the Victory Hockey League, it is the league's birthday, the day in which it officially opened its doors to the public. In a time in which sim leagues were plentiful in numbers, but short on lifespan, all the VHL has done is not only survive until the present day, but thrive. With sixteen VHL franchises, along with twelve in the VHLM, the league is bigger than ever before, with new members joining on a practically daily basis. Wrapping up our 75th season, over thirteen calendar years after VHL legends Scotty Campbell, Brett Slobodzian, and Maxim Desny first took the virtual ice, the VHL continues to produce both legendary players and unforgettable members. In commemoration of this achievement, along with a very gracious donation by @WentzKneeFan036, I've embarked on a journey to find out from longtime members of the league just what it is that keeps the VHL going, and makes it so endearing to so many. 
 
Right off the bat, one major factor for the VHL's continued success is the constant innovations made over the years. Back in 2007, many leagues made at the time were using video games as the sim engine, kind of like how the VHL All-Star Game is done using the EA NHL games currently. Except here, lines and strategies, along with player creations, updates, and edits were mainly done by a single person, with games run in real time, more often than not with results of plays and screenshots posted in a thread followed by dozens of people. I'm not going to lie, it was awesome, and incredibly engaging. But, as someone who did this for a football league, it was a lot of work, and it quickly led to burnout. Many leagues, as a result, faded away quickly. 
 
"I’m not sure a lot of people realize just how much of a trailblazer the VHL has been for its longevity," says longtime member @CowboyinAmerica. "Sim leagues had existed before the VHL started up in 2007, but they were notoriously volatile and subject to the whims of its founders/commissioners. The idea of a league going even 10 seasons would have been considered a success, 20 seasons positively ludicrous. And if you had told people at the Season 1 Draft that this thing would still be going 75 seasons later, they’d probably laugh in your face. But somehow it has, and I think that’s something to be commended."
 

At one time, your sim hockey dreams played out with the aid of graphics like this.
 
The first such innovation was the use of the text-based Simon T Hockey Simulator, as opposed to a more visual engine. With an index providing things like statistics, schedules, and player attributes in an easily accessible manner to the members that a video game simply couldn’t, it was a revolutionary change in sim leagues. However, that's not to say that STHS was unable to provide the same excitement that a more visual engine could. 
 
"I always enjoy being able to compete against others and my own expectations," continued @CowboyinAmerica. "But being able to chase what others have done for 75 seasons now really sets the VHL apart."
 
"What I enjoy most about the VHL is monitoring my player's stats and our team's success," added @flyersfan1453. "For some players, individual success was more important, and for others (most of them) team success is more important. Going for one over the other with different players keeps things fresh."
 
"When I first joined the VHL, I was very invested in tracking my own player's performance and would check every game thread to see how my team did," @WentzKneeFan036 reminisced. "Then I became a GM and at one point my favorite thing was pretty much having knowledge of every player in the VHL."
 
"I’m a huge hockey fan and always dreamed of making the NHL," @Banackock, a longtime member and General Manager with the Seattle Bears, added. "It’s cool to be part of a league with a lot of history where you can have players ranked, etc. My biggest passion in these leagues dates back to the start of the SHL and its GMing. It’s probably what’s helped me stick around these leagues."
 
Although STHS couldn't replicate watching streamed games or screenshots in game threads, it more than delivered in sparking competitive drives into the members of the VHL. However, some old hallmarks of the old leagues still existed, such as manual updating on the forums, members needing to wait until their point tasks were graded before they could be claimed, and updates only being processed once a week. However, as the members themselves can attest, the innovations didn't stop in 2007.
 
"Constant improvement has been an underrated aspect of this league's history," adds the VHL's Grand Poobah, @GustavMattias. "Internet culture has shifted more towards instant gratification and communicating solely through a forum is something that would be considered hugely outdated in this day and age. Things like the portal and (though some may not want to admit it) Discord have kept us with the times, while league policies such as an improved updating system, elimination of TPE-based grading, and a cap of 12 being reachable for all have made the league much more accessible for a newer member."
 
"At a sim level, the portal automation is such a giant relief for so many members who had to manually update everyone, manually post game threads, and all sort of work that stops members from burning out quickly," continued @WentzKneeFan036, a veteran of the VHL for many years. 
 

On an unrelated note, @gorlab's work is so profilic that it shows up on Google search results.
 
"Sim leagues have changed a lot in the last 13 seasons, the VHL included," adds Day One member @Beketov. "We’ve done our best to try and stay ahead of these changes so that we can be better off for it. Stuff like auto-6 on PT’s, the portal, etc are things we brought to the community as a whole (so far as I’m aware) and they have made multiple leagues better. You gotta evolve with the times to last this long and I think we have."
 
But, for league historian @Victor, among many others, one change stands above the rest: the Portal.
 
"The portal is the biggest change for changing the way the die-hard users interact with the league," @Victor stated, "but also making it more accessible to the more chilled members. It's one of many revolutions in the VHL's long and storied history."
 
The introduction of the VHL Portal was a true game changer. No longer did updaters need to manually scour through player threads and point tasks to approve them, all it took was the press of a button. Better yet, the TPE now went directly to the player, who could immediately apply the TPE, which now no longer needed to be manually done with the file. Trades, signings, and cuts could now be done with the portal as well, with training camp and practice facility points now claimable with the press of a button to boot. The ease of access granted by the portal was instrumental to the continued success of the VHL, but what does it take to last over 13 years and 75 seasons?
 
"The dedication of (the VHL's) core members," answered @tfong succinctly. "At one time the VHL had only a handful of members left."
 
"The members are what has helped the league survive," elaborated @sterling, an original member from 2007. "I was in charge of some of our most unsteady times and I’m very surprised how the league has evolved. The members are what make the league."
 

VHL community hockey? We'll see what the future has in store.
 
It's hardly a surprise to hear that, as without strong and consistent support from members, nothing can last forever. But, as @diamond_ace explains, what started as a hockey sim league has grown to be so much more. 
 
"Honestly, it's gotten less and less about the hockey anymore, and more about the personal relationships between the people in the league," he revealed. "There are a lot of people here I consider friends, and a few I'm even close enough to that I'll be inviting them to my wedding - you don't develop those sorts of relationships just anywhere."
 
"This is one of very few places in my life where I feel comfortable expressing my true feelings and personality, and one of very few where I feel that I will not be judged for being who I am," added @GustavMattias. "Of course, we're only talking about words on a computer screen, but my time in this league and the people I've met here have had a giant positive effect on my own mental health, and I can say entirely honestly that I have zero regrets about joining."
 
Along with the league itself, the community itself has grown as well. Digging into older posts of times' past will reveal a much different, brasher place. Many things, from many members, that simply wouldn't fly today. As @tfong attested, "Old VHL was more abrasive and insensitive." Today, however, that's not the case. 
 
"The fact that we could raise close to $4000 for charity speaks to where the league has come," says @sterling about the growth of the community. 
 
"At a community level, I don't think these donation and charity auction drives would have been so successful, say, 7 years ago," elaborates @WentzKneeFan036 on the community's growth. "I think it's an awesome thing to see now."
 
"The community comes together to find a way," explains @Banackock. "I think the best one is realizing it’s the internet, not to look into things too much and just be kind to one another. A lot of people put incredible work into this place in so many different ways."
 

Perhaps the best new tradition in the VHL is the annual VHL Charity Drive, which has been a rousing success thus far.
 
Growth in the community has also led to perhaps the secret to the lasting success of the VHL, as @Victor so masterfully explains:
 
"Longevity of the VHL is definitely the people though, not the sim. The simmers, the admins, the countless mods, GMs, updaters who put in so many hours into the league and making it better for everyone else, not just themselves, but also just everyone buying into the idea and giving their time and energy, however little or much, to this hobby. We wouldn't be here with 3-4 loyal guys, we need the 100+ and even more now to keep going."
 
"Hard work is the honest answer," replied @CowboyinAmerica when asked about the league's lasting power. "It’s worthwhile to take a step back occasionally and take a look at just how much goes into making things run as smoothly as possible. And especially given that it’s often a labor of love without getting much in return, I’m always thankful for the people who are willing to put in the time to make this place special."
 
In short, the VHL hasn't just built a successful sim league, it has also built a true community. It began as just another sim league, but it has grown to be so much more. 
 
"I think there’s a real sense of community here," adds @sterling. "I’ve seen the league change a lot through the years. Members come and go, but the basic premise of the league and the solid leadership is what makes the community. You’ve got reliable sims and good members doing their jobs to keep the ship afloat."
 
As it turns out, it's hardly a unique viewpoint around the VHL.
 
"The VHL has always been about community first for me, that hasn’t changed in 13 years," @Beketov continued. "Yeah the games are fun to look at and stuff, but ultimately they are meaningless numbers on a page. As cheesy as it sounds, I’ve made more friendships on this site than I have Hall of Fame players, and I enjoy the former far more."
 
"In a cliche," @Victor summarized, "I enjoy the people and the interactions, and that's why I keep coming back in."
 

The Victory Hockey League: 75 seasons strong, and more to come!
 
To dwell on Victor's statement… coming back. It's a common theme here in the VHL, in a variety of ways. Members coming back from hiatuses to rejoin the league. The league itself surviving the dark ages of the 50's and coming back to reach perhaps it's highest point ever. Recreating another player to come back for another career. We live in a world filled with change, the VHL itself not immune to that. Members have aged, moved on with their lives. Some return, some do not. Others have grown to become pillars of our community. But for more than one member that I interviewed, the VHL was a source of stability for them in this ever-changing world which we live in.
 
"The VHL has been a constant in my life through high school, college, and now adulting in the real word," stated the monetary funder of this article, @WentzKneeFan036.  "While I don't spend quite as much time on it as I used to, I would definitely consider it a significant personal loss if it were to just poof and vanish for some reason. That and also Gustav's Town of Salem games have been sooo much fun!"
 
Editor's Note: He's not wrong, Gustav does a phenomenal job with these games and they're a lot of fun, as long as you don't trust a word Eagles says. Consider joining the next one if you haven't played yet!
 
"It’s hard to put into words really," added @Beketov, bringing us back on topic. "The VHL has been the most stable thing in my life for 13 years, as weird as that is. I joined Day 1 as a teenager going into grade 11. Since then, I graduated high school, went to and graduated from university, moved back home, got a job, moved out of my parents place, got married, moved out of province, bought a house, and had a kid. That’s a lot of change but the one constant has been the VHL. It’s activity hasn’t necessarily been this high the entire time, though I did my best to keep mine up, but it’s always been present. The league brings a lot of people from a lot of walks of life together based on this one silly little hobby of ours and I’ve absolutely loved bringing it back from the brink to its highest point yet. I’m not saying being blue is easy, it’s often not, but helping this thing I have loved, that has always been there for me, grow into the best version of itself has been phenomenal."
 
Wrapping up, while there are many things that have made it possible for the VHL to reach 75 seasons, the biggest constant that keeps it going can be summarized in one word: community. The VHL grew to be more than just a sim league, it became a community of people across the world with a common love for hockey and bettering each other. Between growing contributions to charitable organizations and movements, increased acceptance of diversification and assisting with increasing knowledge of and helping improve mental health, this has come far beyond just ranting and raving over Simon T's Hockey Simulator, and before we all know it, we're going to be celebrating the 100th season of the Victory Hockey League. 
 
A special thank you goes out to @tfong , @CowboyinAmerica, @Victor, @Beketov, @flyersfan1453, @Banackock,  @diamond_ace , @WentzKneeFan036, @GustavMattias, and @sterling for their time and patience with completing this article, and their knowledge of what makes the VHL so special. Another thank you goes out to @Zetterberg, who made the gorgeous banner for this article. @WentzKneeFan036 gets another thank you for his donation and idda that led to the creation of this article. Lastly, a big thank you goes out to you, the reader. You're a valued member of our community, and you are a part of the biggest reason why the VHL is such a special place and will continue to be.

VHLM Playoffs: First Round Recap
 

By fyrefly
 
 
It's playoff time in the VHLM! The top eight teams of the regular season faced off for the first round of the VHLM playoffs. The playoffs in the M are a time for capped players to give their last hurrah in the minors before heading up to the big leagues, and for freshly signed potential draftees to show off their skills before the draft. Either way, it's an exciting time. And with the Founders' Cup on the line, tensions are high and players are willing to give whatever it takes!
 
 
       In this recap, I'll be summarizing each series that has been played. Watch for the spotlight on star players and predictions for the next few rounds. 
 
 
Series 1: Mexico City Kings(1st seed) vs. Halifax 21st(8th seed)
Notable Performances: Dolant Fertitta(HFX), Javad Kamkar(HFX), Justin Lose(MEX), King Kruul(MEX)
This was one series that was expected to go by fast. The Kings blitzed the M in the regular season, capturing the top record with an astonishing 54 wins. But surprisingly, the 21st put up a fight. Nothing too much, only enough to stretch the series to 5 games. But enough to let everybody else in the league know that the Kings aren't invincible. But they sure are close. Justin Lose @youloser1337 was an absolute force for the Kings, putting up 4 goals and 8 points in those 5 games. Jakob Sosa @TMGSosa also contributed offensively, notching 5 assists and 7 points. From the back end, King Kruul @LefLop kept his fruitful career fruitful with 6 assists and 7 points, enough to tie for first among defenceman scoring. And then there's goaltender Markus Emerson Jr. @Xflexz, who's a rock of a goalie in between the pipes with a .872 save percentage and a 3.2 goals against average.
The 21st were a tyrant of a team last season, but experienced a crazy insane upset by the hands of the eventual champs Miami Marauders. This year, they had a much weaker team, but they managed to take a game in this series. They were largely riding the performance of superstar and shoo-in for MVP Dolant Fertitta @Dolant, who lead the playoffs in points somehow. Javad Kamker @Parriyah9374 was also a massive contributor from the blueline with five assist and six points. Poor Mike Sterling @SilverMike, who has to face the loaded Mexico offense with such a lackluster defense. He has a depressing 5.2 goals against average. Halifax also doesn't look to have the strongest team next year, as they don't have a first round pick.
Series score: 4-1 Mexico
 
 
Series 2: Philadelphia Reapers(2nd seed) vs. Yukon Rush(7th seed)
Notable Performances: Jivere Zolnek(PHI), Jacob Carson(PHI), Tom Eagles(PHI), The great(YUK)
This was another series involving a top regular season team and a team that barely made the playoffs that was supposed to go by very fast. And unlike the prior mentioned series, it did. The Reapers executed a perfect 4-0 sweep, eliminating the Rush. A couple of top VHL draft prospects did extremely well in this series, namely Jivere Zolnek @Sixersfan549 and Tom Eagles @Greg_Di. Zolnek, after an underwhelming regular season of only 13 points, exploded against the Rush for 3 goals and 7 points in only 4 games. Eagles, on the other hand, continued what he had gotten done in the regular season. He translated his amazing 64 points into 6 points in the first round. Also worth mentioning is goaltender Jacob Carson @jacobcarson877, who had an incredible .946 save percentage and 1.25 goals against average. Pekko Viitanen @Xdjk93 also stunned the Rush with 5 assists in the series.
The Yukon Rush, in a sense, played as was expected of a team who sold at the deadline and squeaked into the playoffs. They had no real stars to rely on for points, as they traded them all away for futures. But they managed to keep the Reapers close in all but 2 of the games they played. The only really performances worth mentioning are The great @Jake Sumner, who scored 2 goals and has an astonishing 40% shooting percentage. Other than that, no one really made a difference as the Reapers changed the Rush's championship chances to 0.
Series Score: 4-0 Philadelphia
 
 
Series 3: San Diego Marlins(3rd seed) vs. Miami Marauders(6th seed)
Notable Performances: Gunnar Odinsson(SDM), Michael Olson(SDM), Nero Endrizzi(SDM), Ryan Ryker(MIA)
Since the seeds were closer for this series, it was more than expected to be close. Miami was a decent team heading into this playoffs. But the Marlins sure proved they were the stronger team. They went all out at the deadline, and reaped necessary rewards for a long playoff run. They picked up a bunch of waiver players to fill their depth spots, and still had room for stars to fill the top spots. Some of their guys who particularly shone during this series were top VHL draft prospect Gunnar Odinsson @BOOM, who had to have raised his stock with his 6 assists and 7 points from the back end. Goaltender Michael Olson @MSO94 also made a massive difference, with a .934 save percentage and a 1.25 GAA, effectively shutting down the Miami offense. Nero Endrizzi @TurnDaddy, a player the Marlins picked up in the dispersal draft last season, also put his skills on display with 2 goals and 6 points in the series. A lot of Marlins will be heading up next season, and the Marlins used a lot of their futures acquiring all that talent, so we can expect a basement finish next season.
As I said before, the Marauders had a promising squad heading into the postseason, grabbing the 6th seed in the playoffs and securing a slightly weaker matchup in the first round. Unfortunately, it didn't work out that way. Nevertheless, they had some decent performances from some of their players. Ryan Ryker @Jayrad28 was a beast throughout the series, picking up 3 assists, 10 hits, and 3 blocked shots. Phoenix Dawson @Toastalso impressed, with 2 goals and a 33.3% shooting percentage. He will also be among the top VHL prospects. Finally, there's my old friend Cabe McJake @RedSus, who, with a goal and an assist, couldn't manage to carry the Marauders to victory. Either way, a successful season for Miami. Unfortunately, they spent a lot of their picks at the deadline, so they should sink into mediocrity for next season.
Series Score: 4-0 San Diego
 
 
Series 4: Saskatoon Wild(4th seed) vs. Las Vegas Aces(5th seed)
Notable Performances: Lenny Sanderson(SSK), Battre Sandstrom(SSK), Jordan Tate(LVA), Linus Zetterstrom(LVA)
Well, this one had a wild finish, didn't it? Game seven OT. That doesn't happen often. And what a series. The Aces take the 3-1 lead, but the Wild come roaring back and force the final game. But the Aces came up big. Linus Zetterstrom @Ledge_and_Dairy was the man with the winner, and he notched 7 assists and 9 points in those 7 games. Also incredible was the performance of Jordan Tate @Aye my name jeff, who got 11 points and leads the playoffs in scoring right now. He and fellow deadline pickup Sheldon Juniper @fyrefly along with linemate Connor Sim @SimmerDown99 combined for 28 points in the series. Matt thunder @Matt thunder also got a point per game in the series. Overall, the Aces' deadline acquisitions made the difference for them this series. They have a bunch of clutch players that should really help in their next round series against Mexico. 
The Saksatoon Wild are a playoff team, and probably a second round caliber team. But they couldn't manage to complete the comeback and knock off the Aces one last time. But they played a hell of a good series. Notably, rookie and top draft prospect Lenny Sanderson @Gally, who must have raised his draft stock with his 5 goals and 10 points. Battre Sandstrom @Acydburn , who is projected to go second overall in the VHL draft, also shone as an offensive defenceman, with 6 assists and 9 points. Other that, Vivek Weiner @coochiman got an assist per game plus a goal for 8 points. Although the Wild don't look to be strong next season, they had a really good team this season and should be proud. 
 
 
 
This concludes the series for round one of the VHLM playoffs. For the next segment, I'll give you the next round of series plus predictions for who will win. 
 
 
Series 5: Mexico City Kings(1st seed) vs. Las Vegas Aces(5th seed)
The Aces are now the underdog as they take on the potentially unstoppable Kings. The Kings will try to ride their firepower and depth that got them the best regular season record, while the Aces hope their deadline pickups and waiver players, as well as the game seven clutch that got them past the Wild, will get them over top of the Kings and onto the finals. The Kings were eliminated in the first round last season, so they're looking for a much deeper playoff run this year. The Aces were one of the top teams last season, but they were beat out in the semis by the waiver warrior Miami Marauders. For this matchup, even with my biased opinion, I feel the Kings have a team that is nearly invincible this year. I think the Aces will take them to six games, and give them a run for their money. But the talent and depth of the Kings is hard to match.
Prediction: 4-2 Mexico
 
 
Series 6: Philadelphia Reapers(2nd seed) vs. San Diego Marlins(3rd seed)
This one I'm sure I cannot accurately predict. These two squads are so evenly matched it'd be hard to put one ahead of the other. The Reapers were a borderline playoff team last year, but were nudged out by the eventual champions Marauders in the final games of the regular season. The Marlins, on the other hand, were a basement team last season, losing out only to the lowly Minnesota Storm for bottom of the standings. They were, however, able to pick up the top two picks of the draft and select two very good players. Both teams acquired a truckload of talented players through the draft and trades, and it will be a long, tough series. But I think the sheer amount of capped players of the Reapers wil ultimately push them over the top. But not without a fight.
Prediction: 4-3 Philadelphia
 
 
 
 
El Finale: Mexico City Kings vs. Philadelphia Reapers
These two teams were in the exact same situation as each other last year. They are in the exact same situation as each other this year, too. The Founders' Cup Finals. Against each other. It will be a battle of two teams of roughly the same skill, roughly the same depth. It will be a nail-biter, I'll guarantee you that. But looking at their rosters, and their success in these playoffs so far, I have chosen a winner. And if I can figure out how to hide a result, it'll appear down there ⬇️
 
 
That concludes my recap and predictions for the S75 VHLM Founders' Cup playoffs. For the sake of honesty, I fully expect the Philadelphia Reapers to fulfil my prophecy and win the cup. This has been fun, and I wish all contestants hope, but especially the Aces. I hope we can break my prediction and bring the Cup back to it's rightful home, Sin City! Good luck to all, and we'll see you in another month or so because this media spot is so damn long I can claim it for that long! Either way, I hope you enjoyed this. Excuse me for making this final paragraph kind of awkward, but this is how I'm filling the gap to get to 2,000 words. 
 
I need five more words. 
 
 
 
2,000 words on the dot. Claiming this for four weeks. 
 

1. I think we're doing decent out of the gates
 
2. Apple. I need a watch
 
3. I love my pick of Alex Letang, I think that's a steal
 
4. Um, the whole season? haha
 
5. Jets got fleeced. They don't get to see a Perfetti-Laine power play.
 
6. Merrick went to a bad team, so maybe he makes them better. Strauss should give the Bears some depth

GMS: DON'T BE OFFENDED BY THIS. I'VE SEEN EVERY SINGLE TEAM DO IT AND IT'S JUST BECOME A NORM.
 
                         Fresh off the VHL sims, feeling pretty good about Zetterstrom's performance, I check out the M sims and am blindsided by blowout after blowout. I'm seeing games that are 7-3, 8-3, 7-2, and a couple 5-2s. But this isn't really the problem, just an example of aftermath. The issue with the VHLM right now is that teams are trying to win or tank. It's that simple. It was especially apparent at this draft, where teams like the Bulls and the Storm were just piling up picks; while teams like the Marlins struggled with no picks until the seventh round. After I watched that draft happening before my eyes, as Houston literally drafted half of the first round, I knew this season was going to be rough out of the gates. And it has been. The Bulls have only lost one game, and the Storm 3. They're doing that while the Aces and the Wild flounder, both with nine losses. The parody in this league is gone. 
 
            And then we take a look at the differences in roster sizes. Let's compare the the team with the most players, the Storm, versus the team with the least players, the Lynx.
 

                            
                We're looking at 22 players versus 9. That's a 13 player difference. And it's not one we can take lightly. This is not only affecting the crazy high scores of the games, but of the retention of members. If you can look closely, you'll see Sean Ramirez on Minnesota. He's an EFL guy, and so far he has claimed only base TPE and an affiliate PT. But what we're really going to look into is his ice time while playing for Minnesota. 
 

 
      Two minutes and 33 seconds. And he's not the only one. Jacob Oldenburger, Nathan Askarov, and Gary Tarantino ll also had under 3 minutes of ice time in the game. And let me tell you, this is not acceptable. Let's now look at the ice time a bot got on Ottawa:
 

 

 
           
The highest forward, which applies to Askarov and Ramirez, got more than 8 minutes of ice time, as well as limited power play and penalty killing time. That's a 6 minute difference, which, spread across a 72 game season, is a *pulls out calculator* 432 minute difference. Four hundred minutes. And that's not the worst of it
 
      Then there's the defenceman issue. At the draft, there was a massive run on defencemen. They were getting prioritized over forwards more than one hundred TPE more than them. And, believe it or not, the teams like the Bulls and the Storm, hogged all the defencemen! You wanna know how many defencemen Minnesota has? Seven. Ottawa? ONE! This is not acceptable! A bot defencemen on Ottawa got 20 minutes of ice time! When a defencemen on Minnesota gets less than 3! There's no way this happens unless a team is trying to win, and another is trying to not.
 
     
                  So after all those statistics and comparisons, I'll finally get to the part where I recommend a rule change. What I want to come out of this is a player limit on VHLM rosters. Nothing too sharp, so that teams have to constantly trade guys to stay under, but one that prevents what happened with the Storm and the Bulls to happen. It will also prioritize the use of the Juniors, which have gone untouched so far because of the massive gaps on the rosters of non-contenders. The limit could also change by season, so if we get a  massive recruitment wave, we can expand the limit. I'm welcome to criticism from GMs and commishes about this suggestion.
 
          Just to nail it in: THE VHLM IS ABOUT RETENTION AND DEVELOPMENT, NOT WINNING AND TANKING. Apologies to any GMs I may have offended while doing this, just know that I have seen every single team do what I just described in the last couple seasons.
 
 
670 words. I just wrote a media spot.
 
 
 

Ya, that's what I get when I cut and paste from Google Docs.  Then I can't unbold.  So I get what I get.  Thanks for the input though.  It is appreciated.  The reason for the length of the interview was that this was supposed to be like a fireside chat....or and in-depth piece.  Then I got carried away with Nikki Starr's stories which are embarrassingly true.  Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Isau’s First Radio Interview (Transcript)
 
The following is Isau DaMoose’s first radio interview (recorded November 25, 2020) during which he promised to keep his remarks family-rated and not to”do a Torts”.  At this time I would also like to introduce a first-time interviewer, Gail Force.  A person from whom I expect you will hear a lot more.
 
Gail:  Hi Isau!  I so appreciate your making time for this my first and, coincidentally, your first radio interview.  I understand that you have agreed not to do a John Tortorella interview.
 

 
Isau:  No comment.  (Laughter).  Seriously though, thanks for having me on.  It was a real thrill to be approached by your network for this opportunity.  So, I am pretty excited about being here with you today.
 
Gail:  I guess the first question that the fans would ask is “What’s up with your name?”  No offence, of course.
 
Isau: (More laughter)  None taken Gail.  Ya I know it is a little sorta/kinda old fashioned and rural.  But, what can I say.  You can’t choose your parents.  Anyways, I like it….it’s got some colour, you know.
 
Gail:  Who is your favourite NHL hockey player?
 
Isau:  As far as current players are concerned, I gotta go with Auston Matthews.  We play the same position.  The guy has size and a tremendous shot.  I also like that he comes to the rink ready to play.  Good pro attitude.  

With regard to older retired players my favourite is Phil Esposito.  Again we play the same position.  Phil would go to the tough areas in front of the net in order to hack in a goal or two.  I also like Phil’s colourful leadership.  He still does a great interview.

 

 
Gail:  So, Isau, you were drafted 38th overall by the Riga Reign and 14th overall by the Philadelphia Reapers.  Have you any thoughts about the draft and your position in it ?
 
Isau:  That almost inspired a Torts answer…..”no”.  But in all fairness, I was excited about the draft and pleasantly surprised that I was picked up that early by both teams, given that I had only played a total of 57 games with the Mexico City Kings @Hylands the previous season. I had no preconceived notion about where I wanted to play.  I mean, hell, it's the bigs, right ??  Or at least almost the bigs as far as the Reapers are concerned.
 
Gail:  Can we talk about the Reapers for a bit ?
 
Isau:  Sure, so long as you know that what happens in the locker room stays in the locker room.
 
Gail:  The Reapers got off to a great start going 8 - 0 before dropping a couple of close ones.  They entered the playoffs as a number one seed and, after an inspired 15 - 3 playoff run won the Founder’s Cup, defeating the Mexico City Kings in 6 games.   To what do you contribute this degree of success.
 
Isau:  Ya, we were playing inspired hockey as were the Kings, with whom I spent part of last season.  So, I know how hard they work for success.  Having said that, the Reapers @DMaximus also have a strong management group and the guys have a strong work ethic.  I was proud to be a Reaper and was particularly happy to be able to contribute to the team’s success.  The guys up front that really carried the load for us are Bouchard, @Gaikoku-hito McLaren @tcookie and Marimoto. @dariusmarimotoman  Nilsson  @RomanesEuntDomus and JGG @DoktorFunk certainly pitched in from the back end.  Just an all round great team.
 
Gail:  I notice that you didn’t mention your output.  With 19 goals and 31 assists in 72 games  Not too shabby, don’t you think?? 
 
Isau:  Well I am not one to wave my stats around too much.  But thanks for the compliment.  I have picked up the pace a bit, I guess, in the past few games.  The coaching staff has been working with me to develop my passing and stick handling skills. So, I guess that is paying off. 
 
Gail:  So what about Riga ? @hedgehog337  Will you be going there next season ?
 

 
Isau:  Well, Riga holds my contract, so I hope to play there next season.  But you know how the business of hockey works.  Unless you have a no-trade deal, you could be traded anywhere if a team needs a particular part to win it all.  I certainly hope to be part of the Reign for the foreseeable future.  They have a strong management team as well.  Just take a look at the number of early round draft picks they negotiated for in the previous entry level draft.  And take a peak at the talent they drafted.  Addy McLaren, my Reapers teammate, Cabe McJake, @RedSus Dolant Fertitta @Dolant just to name a few.  They are all burnin’ it up….   They are faltering a bit this season, but the recent acquisition of Ben McGirr and Calvin Harvey @Mrpenguin30 seems to have ignited the flame a bit.  I see them in the role of spoiler for the balance of the season.  A gratifying place to be if you don’t have the depth to take it deep into the playoffs.
 
Gail:  I am sure that the fans, particularly the young women, would like to know a bit about your personal life.  Have you a partner ?
 
Isau:  “Partner”....so politically correct (chuckle).  Ya a girlfriend, Nikki Starr.
 

 
Gail:  So what’s happening on that front given that you are here in Philly?
 
Isau:  Well, she is back home in Swords shovelling snow, hunting deer and learning Lettish.  
 
Gail:  Lettuce...what do you mean….lettuce ???
 
Isau:  Lettish, Gail.  Latvian.  In case we end up in Riga next season.  She wants to be able to immerse herself in the culture and to do that you gotta be able to communicate.  On the ice it's different...we all speak profanity. (Laughter)  About Nikki, though, you will hear more about her story in my biography, but are gonna have to wait until Season 7 for that to be published….
 
Gail:  Quite a girl.  Anything else you could share about her ?
 
Isau:  Ya, sure.  I can tell you a Nikki story, of which there are many.  I was playing in Swords at the time and we had a game against the Magnetawan River Rats.  Nikki and a few of the other girls had got together to watch the game.  They went and sat in what would be the nosebleed section of the rink.  As far from the ice surface as possible where, during the game they apparently enjoyed a bottle of purloined Screech that one of them had liberated.  I had had a pretty good game 2 goals and an assist as I recall.  So after the game I went to Nikki and said “So what did you think ??”  To which she replied “Ummmm….what colour were you ???”  Ya….that’s my girl !! 
 
Gail:  My kinda girl !!!
 
Isau:  Do we have the time? I could share another story if you want?
 
Gail:  By all means !  
 
Isau:  I have to preface this story with a couple of things.  Firstly, Nikki is a small town Northern Ontario girl.  And, like all of us from up there, kinda crinkly around the edges, if you know what I mean.  Secondly, the rinks that we played in were rudimentary at best.  The ice surface was good on account of it being brass monkey weather for several months, but the stands left a lot to be desired.  There was a wire mesh behind the nets to protect those brave souls who watched us play, but there was no barrier along the length of the ice surface.  So the fans could come right down to the boards.  This caused some fan interference, but such was life in the rock ‘em sock ‘em world of rural hockey.
      Anyway, I was playing for the Swords Slashers at the time and the team lived up to its name providing a strangely entertaining brand of extremely physical play.  We were playing the Trout Creek Dolly Vardens.  On this one play I went to the boards to get the puck and one of the Dollys came up behind me and ran the shaft of his stick up my spine.  I can still feel every painful vertebra.  So this got me PO’ed and I swung the guy around so that his back was to the boards and prepared to retaliate.  That’s when I knew I was in trouble.  My nose didn’t even come up to the guy’s breastbone.  I gave him a shove, thinking “This is not gonna end well”.  When all of a sudden the big boy went down in a heap on the ice.  Nikki had come out of the stands with her long-strapped purse and tommy hawked the guy!!! She must have had her penny collection in there!  The rink had a shared penalty box to which we were both escorted for the obligatory 5 to contemplate our sins.  The guy had mostly regained his senses and in this big old Newfie accent asked “Gosh and begorrah, lad,  what did ya hit me with. I never even seen it coming!!”  How do you respond to that ??? To this day, have never lived down how I won my one and only fight.   Yup….what a girl.
 
Gail:  I like her more and more.  Maybe I should be interviewing her rather than you.  It sounds more interesting.
 
Isau:  Ya….it likely would be.
 
Gail:  Getting back to hockey, if you had to describe yourself as a hockey player in three words, what would they be.
 
Isau:  Awwww….you are just trying to get me to give you a Tortorella answer.  OK, so, three words….. intense, efficient and team-oriented.
 
Gail:  Hockey players can be superstitious types.  Have you any pre-game rituals ?
 
Isau: Yes.
 
Gail: (giggles)  Too funny, care to share.
 
Isau:  As I got to the pros I found myself becoming patterned.  Game day meal usually consists of grilled fish or chicken with a bunch of green stuff.  I take pleasure in sitting at the same place in the dressing room with the same guys sitting alongside me.  Strangely I have to put on my left skate first, but tighten my right skate first.  We all have our little quirks, so more radical that others.  We have a guy who taps his stick exactly 93 times before every game.  Another who after he tapes his stick no one can touch it.  If someone does, he has to retape the stick.
 
Gail:  What do most like about the center ice position?
 
Isau:  I like the fact that a center is involved in the game at both ends.  You have to have some offensive punch and yet be defensively responsible.  
 
Gail:  When did you start playing hockey ?
 
Isau:  Well, a lot of this material will be covered in my biography as I mentioned earlier as well as in a couple of other short media spots that I am contracted for.  So, without giving too much away,  I first laced up a pair of skates in the non-existent hamlet of Gargantua.  Thats a place maybe 100 miles north of the Soo on the shore of Lake Superior.
 

 
Gail:  Were you at any time encouraged to be particularly physical as a player ?
 
Isau:  Thats a tough one, Gail.  I mean hockey, by its very nature, is a physical game.  So you gotta take the body and finish your checks.  In that sense, yes, I was encouraged to be physical.  If you mean getting into fights or being illegally creative with your stick, the answer to that is a general “No”.  However, I alluded to the Swords Slashers a while back.  Now that was one rough team.  Apparently, if you were a Slasher you had to live down to the name!!!
 
Gail:  If the game is so rough, injuries must occur on a regular basis.  What was your most serious injury ?
 
Isau:  Yup, injuries are a fact of life for most hockey players.  They can range from relatively minor strains to career changing events.  I have been extremely fortunate in that the most serious injury I have had is likely a hangnail. (chuckle).  Seriously though if you keep yourself in top physical condition and skate with your head up, you can avoid a lot of the situations in which you could get seriously hurt.
 
Gail:  OK, Isau, last question.  Why do you play hockey ?
 
Isau:  I guess you figured you were going to save your toughest question until the end of the interview.  In fact, it's one of the easier ones.  In short “Because it's fun”.  Really, think about it, someone is paying me to PLAY.  Doesn’t really get much better.
 
Gail:  Isau, thanks so much for doing this.  It was a slice !!  Can we get you back again sometime ?
 
Isau:  Gail, it was a rare pleasure.  Just contact my agent and I am sure we can set up another talk.
 
Word Count : 2146
Claiming for four (4) Weeks
 
01/31
02/07
02/14
02/21

Welcome to the VHL!
 
      When you first join the VHL it can be very confusing for members as they try and navigate their way through trying to figure out how to do point tasks, what each point task is and how you go about claiming them. There are other tutorials in here that are extremely helpful but I still find myself explaining it all anyways to new members as they come into the league. I am going to break down the point task system as I would to any new recruit and below each task I will write a step by step instruction on how to claim them. I will be using this in my locker room to help new members and I hope it gets spread across the league to help many others as well.

    What is TPE/TPA? How do we earn TPE?
 
      TPE stands for "Total Points Earned" and TPA stands for "Total Points Applied." TPE is commonly used to refer to the experience points you earn for your player and TPA is the points you have actually applied to your player. To collect TPE in this league you must complete tasks every week referred to as "Point Tasks." Each week you are allowed to earn 12 capped TPE and unlimited uncapped TPE.  
 
Point Tasks
 
      There are a number of point tasks you can do each week. There are your main point tasks which you can choose one of and then there are supplemental point tasks you can do to fill out your remaining capped TPE for the week. I will start by writing out the main points first. These point tasks are worth 6 TPE with the exception of welfare of course. You may only claim ONE main task per week. You can not do two media spots or two graphics to get 12 TPE.

Media Spots: Media Spots are 500 word articles about anything related to the VHL. 500 words isn't the capped amount of words. You can write 2000 or more words if you so choose and this will allow you to actually claim 6 TPE for the next four weeks. It breaks down like this:

500 words: Claim 1 week
1000 words: Claim 2 weeks
1500 words: Claim 3 weeks
2000 words: Claim 4 weeks

You can only claim up to four weeks for one article and you have to claim it once per week not all at once. Media Spots being 500 words can be intimidating for new members so I always suggest doing interviews to get a feel for it. You can ask a player or GM questions and use their answers as part of your word count. Just a little tip to help out any beginners looking to write media spots! 

HOW TO CLAIM:  Copy the link to the article > Go to vhlportal.com > Click player > Click manage > Claim Capped > Week ending: current week > Type: Media Spot > Paste your link > Submit
 

Graphics/Videos: Graphics must be league related such as a player card or team graphic. They must have a good amount of effort put into them with layers. It has to be seen that if even if you are a beginner that you actually put the effort in. Videos have to be a minimum of 30 seconds long and must include music, transitions or graphic to show you put effort into making the video your own. Completing either of these will net you 6 TPE.
 
HOW TO CLAIM:  Copy the link to the graphic > Go to vhlportal.com > Click player > Click manage > Claim Capped > Week ending: current week > Type: Graphics > Paste your link > Submit
 

Podcasts: Podcasts also must be league related and be 15 minutes in length to claim 6 TPE. Like Media Spots you can multiweek claim for podcasts and it breaks down like this:

15 minutes: Claim 1 week
30 minutes: Claim 2 weeks
45 minutes: Claim 3 weeks
60 minutes: Claim 4 weeks

You can only claim up to four weeks per podcast and you are allowed to have multiple people claim on the same podcast but an example of that would be if two people were to do a podcast together they would both have to complete 15 minutes EACH for a total of 30 minutes to get 6 TPE for one week. 

HOW TO CLAIM:  Copy the link to the podcast > Go to vhlportal.com > Click player > Click manage > Claim Capped > Week ending: current week > Type: Podcast > Paste your link > Submit
 

Welfare: For those members who do not want to put in the work or just don't have the time to there is always the option of welfare. Welfare is just a button you click on the player update page that you click each week. It will give you 4 TPE but the downside is it now drops your weekly capped total to 10 TPE. This may not seem like a lot but over time this really does add up.
 
 
 
Affiliate TPE: For members who come to the VHL from our affiliate leagues such as the EFL and SBA, you can claim your tasks that you have done already in that league. So if you wrote a media spot in the EFL you may also claim that in the VHL as Affiliate TPE for the amount of 6 TPE. This is a great way to encourage members from other leagues to be just as active in this one!

HOW TO CLAIM:  Copy the link to the Affiliate task > Go to vhlportal.com > Click player > Click manage > Claim Capped > Week ending: current week > Type: Affiliate PT > Paste your link > Submit
 
 
Supplemental Point Tasks
 
 
      Once you have completed your main task for the week you need to complete supplemental tasks in order to get to that 12 capped TPE limit for the week. There are plenty of ways to do this and I will break down a list and also how to claim them. An important note is that you can only complete one of each type of task per week. You can do as many press conferences as you want for example but you can only claim one per week.

Press Conferences: This is by far one of the easiest tasks you can complete. There are also two different ways of doing it. Each week your GM or AGM will write up six questions for you to answer. You just have to answer all 6 questions with a sentence or two and that's it. Doing this will take you a couple minutes and it earns you 2 TPE. You can also submit six press conference questions yourself for people to answer and the result is the same.
 
HOW TO CLAIM:  Copy the link to your answers > Go to vhlportal.com > Click player > Click manage > Claim Capped > Week ending: current week > Type: Press Conference > Paste your link > Submit
 

Trivia: *UPDATED Feb/7/2022*
Trivia has recently been revamped and is now found on the portal. If you go to www.VHLportal.com, go to the menu and then click “league” to open a drop down menu. This is where you’ll find the trivia menu. Click on that to go the trivia section where there will now be randomly generated trivia questions. Click on the option to generate a question. Once the question is generated you will have to search through the forum/portal to figure out the answer. Please don’t hesitate to ask your GMs to help navigate you through the site to find the answers more easily. This will also help you familiarize yourself with where everything is found on the forums.
 
HOW TO CLAIM:  Once you have correctly answered your question, on the same page a “claim” button will appear and once you click that it’ll automatically apply your 1 TPE for that question. Remember there is a limit of 2 TPE for trivia each week.
 
https://vhlforum.com/forum/256-vhl-trivia/
 
Game Recaps: *UPDATED Feb/7/2022*
Every day sim results are posted in a thread. You may choose a game and do a break down of that game with a minimum of 75 words. You may do up to TWO recaps a week and for each recap you do, you are allowed to claim ONE TPE for. This allows for a maximum of TWO TPE a week for this task. A few rules to note: A member cannot recap a game that their player played in or if they are a GM of one of the teams playing. For more information check out the link below.
 
 
VHL.com Article: This article is a small 150 word article that is to be anything related to the VHL. Completing this will earn you 2 TPE. This is quick and easy to complete for even members who aren't into writing.

HOW TO CLAIM:  Copy the link to the article > Go to vhlportal.com > Click player > Click manage > Claim Capped > Week ending: current week > Type: vhl.com article/gfx/podcast > Paste your link > Submit
 
 
VHL.com Graphic: This is a graphic that must be VHL related. It can be a basic player card or just something simple and put together quickly. Completing this earns you 2 TPE.

HOW TO CLAIM:  Copy the link to the graphic > Go to vhlportal.com > Click player > Click manage > Claim Capped > Week ending: current week > Type: vhl.com article/gfx/podcast > Paste your link > Submit
 
https://vhlforum.com/forum/538-vhlcom-graphics/
     
VHL.com Radio: This is similar to a podcast but only has to be 5 minutes in length but again has to be VHL related. Doing this earns you 3 TPE!!!

HOW TO CLAIM:  Copy the link to the podcast > Go to vhlportal.com > Click player > Click manage > Claim Capped > Week ending: current week > Type: vhl.com article/gfx/podcast > Paste your link > Submit
 
 
Reviewing: Reviewing has gotten a lot easier since I have joined. It is quite easy to do and is a good filler for weeks when we do not have trivia. You simply read someone's media spot or look over their graphic and then comment with a review that is 3 of 4 sentences on what you think of their work. Then add a rating out of 10 and you're done. You link your comment when claiming the TPE for it. Reviews earn you 1 TPE and you can do two a week for a maximum of 2 TPE.

HOW TO CLAIM:  Copy the link to the review > Go to vhlportal.com > Click player > Click manage > Claim Capped > Week ending: current week > Type: Reviewing > Paste your link > Submit
 
 
Uncapped TPE
 
      Now that we have broken down all of the Capped TPE opportunities that a player can complete every week its time to have a look at all of the uncapped opportunities that you will be able to take advantage of during your players career. Here is a break down of each one and how to claim them.
 
Career Point Tasks
 
      During your players career in the VHL there are point tasks that you can complete at different stages of their career. They are all articles that document different stages of your players career and can only be completed ONCE per career. Each of these tasks earns 5 uncapped TPE up to 8 TPE which makes them worth doing to give your player the boost that they need.

Biography: This career task has made its return to the VHL. It is the most work out of all of the career tasks but you get paid well to do it. This article is 800 words exploring your player's background. You really get to have fun with this one as you get to create a backstory on your player all the way from when they first learned to skate. The Biography pays a whopping 8 uncapped tpe and can be done any time throughout your career.  You also have the option of doing a 15 minute podcast instead for the same amount of TPE.

HOW TO CLAIM:  Copy the link to the tagged post > Go to vhlportal.com > Click player > Click manage > Claim Uncapped > Career > Week ending: current week > Type: Biography > Paste your link > Submit
 
 
 
Prospect Scouting Report: This article is to be written during your draft season. It is a breaking down of your player and a list of pros and cons that help teams scouting your player better understand the type of player they are going to be drafting. This article is to be 400 words or a 10-minute podcast.

HOW TO CLAIM:  Copy the link to the tagged post > Go to vhlportal.com > Click player > Click manage > Claim Uncapped > Career > Week ending: current week > Type: Prospect Scouting Report > Paste your link > Submit
 
 
Hello Europe: New to the career tasks is a 400 word article about your time in the VHLE during your rookie season. You are required to hit a minimum of 400 words for this article or a 10-minute podcast.
 
How to Claim: Copy the link to the tagged post > Go to vhlportal.com > Clicker player > Click Manage > Claim Uncapped > Career > Week ending: current week > Type: Hello Europe > Paste your link > Submit
 
 
Rookie Experience: This article is also 400 words and is to be written once you graduate into the VHL. You write about how it feels to be moving up to the big leagues and what your expectations are for your players start to their career. There is also the option of doing a 10 minute podcast for the same amount of TPE.

HOW TO CLAIM:  Copy the link to the tagged post > Go to vhlportal.com > Click player > Click manage > Claim Uncapped > Career > Week ending: current week > Type: Rookie Experience > Paste your link > Submit
 

Career Reflection: This article is to be written during or after your players 4th VHL season. It must be 400 words and be about what it is like to be a veteran in this league and how it differentiates from when you first came into the league as a rookie. There is also an option to do a 10 minute podcast for the same amount of TPE.

HOW TO CLAIM:  Copy the link to the tagged post > Go to vhlportal.com > Click player > Click manage > Claim Uncapped > Career > Week ending: current week > Type:Career Reflection > Paste your link > Submit
 
 
Fantasy Zone
 
      The Fantasy Zone is a place where you can earn uncapped TPE by playing fantasy games in the VHL. Guessing weekly scores and creating your best VHL team similar to actual fantasy hockey. These are great opportunities to try your luck and win out some extra TPE.

Fantasy Zone: Every week during the season you are asked about certain matchups in the VHL, VHLE, and VHLM. Your job is to correctly guess which teams are going to win those matchups. There is also a bonus section where you get to guess the score of a game or who's going to lead certain statistical categories and if you correctly guess them right you get additional bonus TPE. Correctly guessing the winners of the matchups and bonus questions get you up to 4 uncapped TPE. If you guess the scores correctly you will be tagged in a post and that post is what you link in order to claim the TPE.

HOW TO CLAIM:  Copy the link to the tagged post > Go to vhlportal.com > Click player > Click manage > Claim Uncapped > Fantasy > Week ending: current week > Type: VHL Fantasy Zone > Paste your link > Submit
 
 
 
VHFL: The Victory Hockey Fantasy League is similar to NHL fantasy leagues. You are put in a group of six teams and you take turns selecting VHL players to assemble a roster. Over the season as they accumulate goals, assists, hits, etc. your team increases in points. The fun part is everyone gets TPE no matter the results but the better you do the more TPE you get. The top team earns 6 TPE and it goes down by one from there. Second place would earn 5 TPE and so on. At the end of the season you will be tagged in a post once the results are in and you use that to claim your TPE.

HOW TO CLAIM:  Copy the link to the tagged post > Go to vhlportal.com > Click player > Click manage > Claim Uncapped > Fantasy > Week ending: current week > Type: VHFL > Paste your link > Submit
 
 
Miscellaneous TPE
 
      There are a few bonuses that you get throughout you career that reward you for your hard work. Once you hit that glorious triple digits in TPE you get rewarded and when you make that jump up into the pros. These rewards feel good and a nice little boost when  you're itching for some extra TPE.

First Generation Bonus: For first time players there is a bonus 10 TPE that they receive for hitting the 100 TPE mark. It rewards new members for there hard work at the beginning of their career and helps them become more competitive in the VHLM. There is a First-Generation Bonus thread that most GM's will find for you and all you do is comment in that thread "+10" That comment is what you will need to copy the link for in order to claim your TPE.

HOW TO CLAIM:  Copy the link to the comment > Go to vhlportal.com > Click player > Click manage > Claim Uncapped > Other > Week ending: current week > Type: First Gen Bonus > Paste your link > Submit
 
 
Graduation Bonus: Once you move up to the VHL and play your first VHL game you will get a graduation bonus of 10 TPE that is automatically applied. No extra steps necessary!

Training Camp: Once you have been draft by a VHL team you will be eligible to receive training camp TPE. Each off season you will be able to click the Training Camp button on your player update page to receive a bonus 10 TPE. That is it, no extra steps necessary.
 
Donations
 
      Once per season you can donate to the VHL. There is a donate button on the main forum page that you can click and it will take you to the page. You can donate as much as you would like but to earn any perks you must donate a minimum of 5$. Donating at least 15$ gets you three of the available perks. The great thing about donations in the VHL is that  you can't "pay to play." You only to get do it once a season so it's only a little boost for your player but it also goes a long way into helping the league. Once you have donated you copy your transaction ID into the donation index thread and use that comment as as your link for the TPE. Here are the perks you can receive for donating.
 
Free Week: A free week is 12 TPE that replaces your point tasks in a single week. It isn't really additional TPE but rather saves you a week of work if you feel like you are burning out.
 
HOW TO CLAIM:  Copy the link to the comment > Go to vhlportal.com > Click player > Click manage > Claim Capped > Other > Week ending: current week > Type: Free Full Week > Paste your link > Submit

5 TPE Uncapped: Pretty self explanatory, if this is an option you choose that gets you 5 TPE. This is one of the more popular donation options out there.
 
HOW TO CLAIM:  Copy the link to the comment > Go to vhlportal.com > Click player > Click manage > Claim Uncapped > Other > Week ending: current week > Type: Donation 5 TPE > Paste your link > Submit
 
Doubles Week: Choosing this option gives you an additional 6 TPE on top of the 6 TPE you would earn with a point task. Also another very popular option but you must complete a point task such as a media spot or graphic in order to apply it.

HOW TO CLAIM:  Copy the link to the comment > Go to vhlportal.com > Click player > Click manage > Claim Uncapped > Other > Week ending: current week > Type: Doubles Week > Paste your link > Submit
 
$1M Player Store Cash: This option allows you to claim $1, 000, 000 to add to your players salary. To claim this you actually need to do it in the player store.

HOW TO CLAIM:  Copy the link to the comment > Go to vhlportal.com > Click player > Click manage > Player Store > Claim Income > Week ending: current week > Type: Donation > Paste your link > Submit
 
 
Player Store
 
      When a player first joins the VHL there are a couple opportunities for TPE in the player store. When signed by a team you will receive your contract earnings and with that you can decide to either buy these TPE bonuses or save your money for depreciation down the road. I think buying these bonuses doesn't hurt you at all when saving for depreciation as I have done it myself and rather successfully. I highly recommend buying these when you are able to afford to do so. Important: These can only be purchased by first generation members or returning members who have not had a player in the previous three seasons!

The First Generation: Purchasing this from the player store allows you to claim 5 uncapped TPE for your player. This is applied directly to your player so no claiming through the portal is necessary.

First Gen Doubles: Purchasing this from the player store allows you to claim 6 uncapped TPE that you can apply to a point task such as a media spot or graphic. 

HOW TO CLAIM:  Copy the link to the comment > Go to vhlportal.com > Click player > Click manage > Claim Uncapped > Other > Week ending: current week > Type: Other > Paste your link > Description: "First Gen Doubles - Player Store" > Submit
 
Word Count: 3300+

D-Markus Schauer
 
G-Jacques Lafontaine
 
@Jubis you're up again

G- Ajay Krishna
 
@fyrefly
You may make 
Your two final picks 👏
 

@weekz you've been disqualified as a result of not making your picks. Please tag me in their place for the remainder of the draft
 
F - Chris Hylands
F - Chad Magnum
D - Ziarie Anigbogu
 
@jpsd

D- Randy Marsh
 
@fyrefly 
You get 2x picks 

F-Timothy Brown
 
@weekz
 
Picking the second time, thanks @Jubis
 
 

Yeah thanks sorry was working a 12.  
@jpsd you are also skipped for now.  Make your pick when you can. 
 
@Victor your turn with a chance to steal 2nd pick 

1. The VHLM draft was a crazy one, and there were a lot of new GMs
 
2. Yeah, I think it's cool that there's fresh blood. Giving new guys opportunities is good
 
3. I think it's slowed down considerably this season, so I don't think expansion is necessary.
 
4. I don't think that format is enviable, just because if one division is really strong and another is weak, it makes for lopsided standings.
 
5. A fair amount. I think we're one of the stronger teams in the league.
 
6. I really like the Mandalorian, I think it's a great show

1. The VHLM draft was a crazy one, and there were a lot of new GMs
 
2. Yeah, I think it's cool that there's fresh blood. Giving new guys opportunities is good
 
3. I think it's slowed down considerably this season, so I don't think expansion is necessary.
 
4. I don't think that format is enviable, just because if one division is really strong and another is weak, it makes for lopsided standings.
 
5. A fair amount. I think we're one of the stronger teams in the league.
 
6. I really like the Mandalorian, I think it's a great show

SEASON 76 CALGARY WRANGLERS PLAYER STATS PREDICTIONS 
 
 
After trading away every single s75 pick they had the Wranglers had regular season success, winning the Victory Cup. The playoffs were another story and did not go as planned.  
The Wranglers season came to a instant halt after a heartbreaking game (7) 4-3 OT loss to Chicago. This helped push a busy offseason. In fact they made a VHL leading 10X trades during the break. Including a league leading 6x trades on opening day.
The new faces to crack the Wranglers lineups are: Riley Couture, Sheldon Juniper, Liam Fischl and Tom Eagles. Calgary's lineup has gotten much younger and now consists of: 2x S69's , 2x S70's, 1x S72, 1x S73 , 4x S74's, 2x S75's , 1x S76.  They now have a whopping 7 players on rookie contracts.
My predictions for S75 were pretty far off.  I thought we would score more goals but we ended up being a very good defensive team. Lets see what season 76 brings for this younger and energized group.
 
 
 
 
 RJ JUBIS , S69 , D
SEASON 75
GP 72  G 33  A 42  PTS 75  +22
PIM 104
S75 PREDICTION
GP 72   G 51   A 44  PTS 95  +32  PIM 88
☆SEASON 76 PREDICTION ☆
GP 72   G 7  A 61  PTS 68  +25 
PIM 92
After leading the Wranglers in points the past three seasons, RJ Jubis took a step back offensively. He was however top 3 in the league at faceoffs and had a career high in hits at 235 and reduced his PIM's by 50.  Now moving from center to defense, I expect Jubis to set a career high in assists. Fun fact: Jubis will retire having played at least one full season at wing, center and now defense.
 
 
 
 RILEY COUTURE , S74 , C
SEASON 75 (VANOUVER )
GP 72   G 6  A 19   PTS 25  +11  PIM 25
☆S76 PREDICTION☆
GP 72   G 26   A 38   PTS 64  +28 
PIM 32
Newly acquired player, Couture signed a 5x season extension. Calgary wants Couture to be their next franchise center. Riley seems 100% ready for the bigger role. I truly have Couture as a lock to set career highs in almost all categories. A very conservative prediction at 60+ points.  Possibly a great candidate for most improved.
 
 
 

@Patrik Tallinder
 PATRIK TALLINDER,S69 , C
SEASON 75
GP 72   G 36  A 43  PTS 79  +26  PIM 34
☆S75 PREDICTION☆
GP 72   G 56  A 49  PTS  105  +38  PIM 22
☆S76 PREDICTION☆
GP 72   G 41   A 44   PTS 85  +24 
PIM 32
Only a season removed from an 127 points season. I think Tallinder still finishes his career with a strong 85 point season. Now moving to center to replace Jubis,  I predict great two-way numbers from Patrik as well. If anyone can handle a position change like this its Tallinder.
 
 
       
@linsangeles        
LIAM FISCHL, S75 ,  RW
SEASON 75 (MEXICO)
GP 72   G 15   A 38   PTS 53  +18  PIM 46
S76 PREDICTION
GP 72   G 12   A 20  PTS 32 +12  PIM 30
Recently acquired in a trade with Riga, Fischl will be making his VHL debut with Calgary. He will be used in more of depth role this season with a bunch of veterans ahead of him on the depth chart. Liam will still contribute offensively and find his way onto the scoresheet. 
 
 

  @Tagger
EDWIN THE ENCARNACION, S70, RW
SEASON 75
GP 72   G 36   A 44  PTS 80  +28  PIM 24
☆S75 PREDICTION☆
GP 72   G 26  A 90  PTS 116  +45 
☆S76 PREDICTION☆
GP 72   G 43  A 50  PTS 93  +38  PIM 56
PIM 42  
Edwin had great seasons in S74 and S75.  Encarnacion was the Wranglers point leader in season 75.  I am going to predict he leads the wranglers in points once again and sets a career high in goals. As a pending UFA after S76, Encarnacion should garner attention from Calgary and many teams alike.    
 
 

                        @Jtv123
LUKE THORNTON , S74 , LW
SEASON 75 
GP 72   G 31   A 41   PTS 72   +9   PIM 126
S75 PREDICTION
GP 72  G 23   A 35   PTS 58  +16  PIM 32
☆SEASON 76 PREDICTION ☆
GP 72   G33   A 47  PTS 80  +34   PIM 130
Thornton is one scary power forward. He fell just short of 300 hits at 292.  In S75 he had a 28 point and 100+ hits increase compared to his S74 stats. I predict another season where he improves his stats. 30+ goals ,80+ points and 300+ hits.  A FANTASY MUST HAVE ON YOUR ROSTER !
 
 
 
  
@fyrefly
SHELDON JUNIPER , S75 , LW
SEASON 75 (YUKON )
GP 72   G 17 A 21  PTS 39  -3 PIM 20
☆S76 PREDICTION☆
GP 72   G 15   A 28   PTS 43 +12
PIM 28
Juniper is another rookie joining the Wranglers. A player who's future appears to be very bright.  I predict a very respectable 40 point season in his first one in the VHL.  With even more upside the following season.
 
 
 

                  @Matt_O
GENERAL ZOD , S72 ,  D
SEASON 75
GP 72   G 8  A 47   PTS 55  +25 PIM 195
☆SEASON 75 PREDICTION ☆
GP 72   G 9  A 65   PTS 74  +26  PIM 164
76 PREDICTION
GP 72   G 10  A 56   PTS 66  +22  PIM 134
My S75 prediction was off. Mostly due to Calgary scoring less goals than i thought.  I predict Zod aroundto finish around 65 points and 250 hits. He will have another stellar season. Excelling in both ends of the ice.
 
 

         @Mongoose87
KOSMO KRAMEREV , S73 ,  D
SEASON 75
GP 72   G 13  A 56   PTS 69  +12  PIM 24
S75 PREDICTION
GP 72   G 13  A 45   PTS 58  +6  PIM 70
☆SEASON 75☆
GP 72   G 15   A 51   PTS 66  +18   PIM 42
A prediction that was kind of close last season. I predicted 13 goals  and Kramerev had 13 goals.
Kramerev has been a consistent defender whose numbers have improved each season. I expect maybe this is Kramerev's new range. A 65-70 points prediction.
 
 

@Kyle
JONAS STORMSSON  , S74 ,  LW
SEASON 75 
GP 72   G 14   A 22  PTS 36  +6  PIM 4
S75 PREDICTION
GP 72   G 19   A 30   PTS 49  +12  PIM 14
☆SEASON 75 PREDICTION ☆
GP 72   G 22   A 30  PTS 52  +18  PIM 18
Jonas Stormsson is expected to start the season playing on lines with Tallinder.  If the two of them find chemistry, Jonas should set career highs in all categories. With more minutes i predict 20+ goals and 50+ points. 
 
 
 

@Greg_Di
TOM EAGLES  , S76 ,  D
SEASON 75 VHLM (PHILADELPHIA)
GP 72   G 17   A 47   PTS  64 +28  PIM 56
S76 PREDICTION
GP 72   G 9   A 44   PTS 51 +24  PIM 62
Calgary's highly regarded 3rd overall pick will be looking to make an immediate impact. With 4 D on the roster, Tom Eagles will get max minutes from the start.  I expect a great career from the potential franchise Dman.  I predict a bold 50+ points from Eagles in rookie season  number 1.
 
 
 
 

@Gooningitup
VSEVOLOD ASKAROV , S74, G
SEASON 75 VHL
GP 10   W 8  L 0  OTL 2  0.921SV%  2.38GAA
☆S76 PREDICTION☆
GP 17  W 10  L 5  OTL 2  0.918SV%  2.36GAA
Askarov did not lose a game in regulation in S75 and was a big reason why the Wranglers won the Victory Cup. As those extra points proved to be crucial. Calgary's management really hopes they have found their next number one goalie.  I do unfortunately predict Askarov finally loses a few games but still has a strong season backing up Lafontaine. He will definitely get more starts than in S75.
 
 
 

    @SlapshotDragon
  JACQUES LAFONTAINE , S70 , G
SEASON 75
GP 62   W 37  L17  OTL8  0.928SV%  2.48GAA
S75 PREDICTION
GP 62  W45  L15  OTL2  0.931SV%  2.39 GAA
☆ SEASON 76 PREDICTION ☆
GP 55   W40  L13  OTL 2  0.930SV%  2.41 GAA
Lafontaine lead the league in sv% and  GAA the entire season until the final  4-5 days. Two seasons in a row this has now occurred. Probably costing him some trophies.  I predict he will carry the Wranglers to wins this season, even when the offense takes the night off.  Is this finally the season Lafontaine can dominate even through the final stretch. I hope so. If Calgary is going to finally get a cup, they need Jacques to do what he does best and that is stopping pucks.
 
 
 
 
Alright this concludes another Calgary Wranglers player stat predictions media spot.
LETS GO WRANGLERS 🏆!!
 
1500+ words

VHLM Playoffs: First Round Recap
 

By fyrefly
 
 
It's playoff time in the VHLM! The top eight teams of the regular season faced off for the first round of the VHLM playoffs. The playoffs in the M are a time for capped players to give their last hurrah in the minors before heading up to the big leagues, and for freshly signed potential draftees to show off their skills before the draft. Either way, it's an exciting time. And with the Founders' Cup on the line, tensions are high and players are willing to give whatever it takes!
 
 
       In this recap, I'll be summarizing each series that has been played. Watch for the spotlight on star players and predictions for the next few rounds. 
 
 
Series 1: Mexico City Kings(1st seed) vs. Halifax 21st(8th seed)
Notable Performances: Dolant Fertitta(HFX), Javad Kamkar(HFX), Justin Lose(MEX), King Kruul(MEX)
This was one series that was expected to go by fast. The Kings blitzed the M in the regular season, capturing the top record with an astonishing 54 wins. But surprisingly, the 21st put up a fight. Nothing too much, only enough to stretch the series to 5 games. But enough to let everybody else in the league know that the Kings aren't invincible. But they sure are close. Justin Lose @youloser1337 was an absolute force for the Kings, putting up 4 goals and 8 points in those 5 games. Jakob Sosa @TMGSosa also contributed offensively, notching 5 assists and 7 points. From the back end, King Kruul @LefLop kept his fruitful career fruitful with 6 assists and 7 points, enough to tie for first among defenceman scoring. And then there's goaltender Markus Emerson Jr. @Xflexz, who's a rock of a goalie in between the pipes with a .872 save percentage and a 3.2 goals against average.
The 21st were a tyrant of a team last season, but experienced a crazy insane upset by the hands of the eventual champs Miami Marauders. This year, they had a much weaker team, but they managed to take a game in this series. They were largely riding the performance of superstar and shoo-in for MVP Dolant Fertitta @Dolant, who lead the playoffs in points somehow. Javad Kamker @Parriyah9374 was also a massive contributor from the blueline with five assist and six points. Poor Mike Sterling @SilverMike, who has to face the loaded Mexico offense with such a lackluster defense. He has a depressing 5.2 goals against average. Halifax also doesn't look to have the strongest team next year, as they don't have a first round pick.
Series score: 4-1 Mexico
 
 
Series 2: Philadelphia Reapers(2nd seed) vs. Yukon Rush(7th seed)
Notable Performances: Jivere Zolnek(PHI), Jacob Carson(PHI), Tom Eagles(PHI), The great(YUK)
This was another series involving a top regular season team and a team that barely made the playoffs that was supposed to go by very fast. And unlike the prior mentioned series, it did. The Reapers executed a perfect 4-0 sweep, eliminating the Rush. A couple of top VHL draft prospects did extremely well in this series, namely Jivere Zolnek @Sixersfan549 and Tom Eagles @Greg_Di. Zolnek, after an underwhelming regular season of only 13 points, exploded against the Rush for 3 goals and 7 points in only 4 games. Eagles, on the other hand, continued what he had gotten done in the regular season. He translated his amazing 64 points into 6 points in the first round. Also worth mentioning is goaltender Jacob Carson @jacobcarson877, who had an incredible .946 save percentage and 1.25 goals against average. Pekko Viitanen @Xdjk93 also stunned the Rush with 5 assists in the series.
The Yukon Rush, in a sense, played as was expected of a team who sold at the deadline and squeaked into the playoffs. They had no real stars to rely on for points, as they traded them all away for futures. But they managed to keep the Reapers close in all but 2 of the games they played. The only really performances worth mentioning are The great @Jake Sumner, who scored 2 goals and has an astonishing 40% shooting percentage. Other than that, no one really made a difference as the Reapers changed the Rush's championship chances to 0.
Series Score: 4-0 Philadelphia
 
 
Series 3: San Diego Marlins(3rd seed) vs. Miami Marauders(6th seed)
Notable Performances: Gunnar Odinsson(SDM), Michael Olson(SDM), Nero Endrizzi(SDM), Ryan Ryker(MIA)
Since the seeds were closer for this series, it was more than expected to be close. Miami was a decent team heading into this playoffs. But the Marlins sure proved they were the stronger team. They went all out at the deadline, and reaped necessary rewards for a long playoff run. They picked up a bunch of waiver players to fill their depth spots, and still had room for stars to fill the top spots. Some of their guys who particularly shone during this series were top VHL draft prospect Gunnar Odinsson @BOOM, who had to have raised his stock with his 6 assists and 7 points from the back end. Goaltender Michael Olson @MSO94 also made a massive difference, with a .934 save percentage and a 1.25 GAA, effectively shutting down the Miami offense. Nero Endrizzi @TurnDaddy, a player the Marlins picked up in the dispersal draft last season, also put his skills on display with 2 goals and 6 points in the series. A lot of Marlins will be heading up next season, and the Marlins used a lot of their futures acquiring all that talent, so we can expect a basement finish next season.
As I said before, the Marauders had a promising squad heading into the postseason, grabbing the 6th seed in the playoffs and securing a slightly weaker matchup in the first round. Unfortunately, it didn't work out that way. Nevertheless, they had some decent performances from some of their players. Ryan Ryker @Jayrad28 was a beast throughout the series, picking up 3 assists, 10 hits, and 3 blocked shots. Phoenix Dawson @Toastalso impressed, with 2 goals and a 33.3% shooting percentage. He will also be among the top VHL prospects. Finally, there's my old friend Cabe McJake @RedSus, who, with a goal and an assist, couldn't manage to carry the Marauders to victory. Either way, a successful season for Miami. Unfortunately, they spent a lot of their picks at the deadline, so they should sink into mediocrity for next season.
Series Score: 4-0 San Diego
 
 
Series 4: Saskatoon Wild(4th seed) vs. Las Vegas Aces(5th seed)
Notable Performances: Lenny Sanderson(SSK), Battre Sandstrom(SSK), Jordan Tate(LVA), Linus Zetterstrom(LVA)
Well, this one had a wild finish, didn't it? Game seven OT. That doesn't happen often. And what a series. The Aces take the 3-1 lead, but the Wild come roaring back and force the final game. But the Aces came up big. Linus Zetterstrom @Ledge_and_Dairy was the man with the winner, and he notched 7 assists and 9 points in those 7 games. Also incredible was the performance of Jordan Tate @Aye my name jeff, who got 11 points and leads the playoffs in scoring right now. He and fellow deadline pickup Sheldon Juniper @fyrefly along with linemate Connor Sim @SimmerDown99 combined for 28 points in the series. Matt thunder @Matt thunder also got a point per game in the series. Overall, the Aces' deadline acquisitions made the difference for them this series. They have a bunch of clutch players that should really help in their next round series against Mexico. 
The Saksatoon Wild are a playoff team, and probably a second round caliber team. But they couldn't manage to complete the comeback and knock off the Aces one last time. But they played a hell of a good series. Notably, rookie and top draft prospect Lenny Sanderson @Gally, who must have raised his draft stock with his 5 goals and 10 points. Battre Sandstrom @Acydburn , who is projected to go second overall in the VHL draft, also shone as an offensive defenceman, with 6 assists and 9 points. Other that, Vivek Weiner @coochiman got an assist per game plus a goal for 8 points. Although the Wild don't look to be strong next season, they had a really good team this season and should be proud. 
 
 
 
This concludes the series for round one of the VHLM playoffs. For the next segment, I'll give you the next round of series plus predictions for who will win. 
 
 
Series 5: Mexico City Kings(1st seed) vs. Las Vegas Aces(5th seed)
The Aces are now the underdog as they take on the potentially unstoppable Kings. The Kings will try to ride their firepower and depth that got them the best regular season record, while the Aces hope their deadline pickups and waiver players, as well as the game seven clutch that got them past the Wild, will get them over top of the Kings and onto the finals. The Kings were eliminated in the first round last season, so they're looking for a much deeper playoff run this year. The Aces were one of the top teams last season, but they were beat out in the semis by the waiver warrior Miami Marauders. For this matchup, even with my biased opinion, I feel the Kings have a team that is nearly invincible this year. I think the Aces will take them to six games, and give them a run for their money. But the talent and depth of the Kings is hard to match.
Prediction: 4-2 Mexico
 
 
Series 6: Philadelphia Reapers(2nd seed) vs. San Diego Marlins(3rd seed)
This one I'm sure I cannot accurately predict. These two squads are so evenly matched it'd be hard to put one ahead of the other. The Reapers were a borderline playoff team last year, but were nudged out by the eventual champions Marauders in the final games of the regular season. The Marlins, on the other hand, were a basement team last season, losing out only to the lowly Minnesota Storm for bottom of the standings. They were, however, able to pick up the top two picks of the draft and select two very good players. Both teams acquired a truckload of talented players through the draft and trades, and it will be a long, tough series. But I think the sheer amount of capped players of the Reapers wil ultimately push them over the top. But not without a fight.
Prediction: 4-3 Philadelphia
 
 
 
 
El Finale: Mexico City Kings vs. Philadelphia Reapers
These two teams were in the exact same situation as each other last year. They are in the exact same situation as each other this year, too. The Founders' Cup Finals. Against each other. It will be a battle of two teams of roughly the same skill, roughly the same depth. It will be a nail-biter, I'll guarantee you that. But looking at their rosters, and their success in these playoffs so far, I have chosen a winner. And if I can figure out how to hide a result, it'll appear down there ⬇️
 
 
That concludes my recap and predictions for the S75 VHLM Founders' Cup playoffs. For the sake of honesty, I fully expect the Philadelphia Reapers to fulfil my prophecy and win the cup. This has been fun, and I wish all contestants hope, but especially the Aces. I hope we can break my prediction and bring the Cup back to it's rightful home, Sin City! Good luck to all, and we'll see you in another month or so because this media spot is so damn long I can claim it for that long! Either way, I hope you enjoyed this. Excuse me for making this final paragraph kind of awkward, but this is how I'm filling the gap to get to 2,000 words. 
 
I need five more words. 
 
 
 
2,000 words on the dot. Claiming this for four weeks. 
 

VHLM Playoffs: First Round Recap
 

By fyrefly
 
 
It's playoff time in the VHLM! The top eight teams of the regular season faced off for the first round of the VHLM playoffs. The playoffs in the M are a time for capped players to give their last hurrah in the minors before heading up to the big leagues, and for freshly signed potential draftees to show off their skills before the draft. Either way, it's an exciting time. And with the Founders' Cup on the line, tensions are high and players are willing to give whatever it takes!
 
 
       In this recap, I'll be summarizing each series that has been played. Watch for the spotlight on star players and predictions for the next few rounds. 
 
 
Series 1: Mexico City Kings(1st seed) vs. Halifax 21st(8th seed)
Notable Performances: Dolant Fertitta(HFX), Javad Kamkar(HFX), Justin Lose(MEX), King Kruul(MEX)
This was one series that was expected to go by fast. The Kings blitzed the M in the regular season, capturing the top record with an astonishing 54 wins. But surprisingly, the 21st put up a fight. Nothing too much, only enough to stretch the series to 5 games. But enough to let everybody else in the league know that the Kings aren't invincible. But they sure are close. Justin Lose @youloser1337 was an absolute force for the Kings, putting up 4 goals and 8 points in those 5 games. Jakob Sosa @TMGSosa also contributed offensively, notching 5 assists and 7 points. From the back end, King Kruul @LefLop kept his fruitful career fruitful with 6 assists and 7 points, enough to tie for first among defenceman scoring. And then there's goaltender Markus Emerson Jr. @Xflexz, who's a rock of a goalie in between the pipes with a .872 save percentage and a 3.2 goals against average.
The 21st were a tyrant of a team last season, but experienced a crazy insane upset by the hands of the eventual champs Miami Marauders. This year, they had a much weaker team, but they managed to take a game in this series. They were largely riding the performance of superstar and shoo-in for MVP Dolant Fertitta @Dolant, who lead the playoffs in points somehow. Javad Kamker @Parriyah9374 was also a massive contributor from the blueline with five assist and six points. Poor Mike Sterling @SilverMike, who has to face the loaded Mexico offense with such a lackluster defense. He has a depressing 5.2 goals against average. Halifax also doesn't look to have the strongest team next year, as they don't have a first round pick.
Series score: 4-1 Mexico
 
 
Series 2: Philadelphia Reapers(2nd seed) vs. Yukon Rush(7th seed)
Notable Performances: Jivere Zolnek(PHI), Jacob Carson(PHI), Tom Eagles(PHI), The great(YUK)
This was another series involving a top regular season team and a team that barely made the playoffs that was supposed to go by very fast. And unlike the prior mentioned series, it did. The Reapers executed a perfect 4-0 sweep, eliminating the Rush. A couple of top VHL draft prospects did extremely well in this series, namely Jivere Zolnek @Sixersfan549 and Tom Eagles @Greg_Di. Zolnek, after an underwhelming regular season of only 13 points, exploded against the Rush for 3 goals and 7 points in only 4 games. Eagles, on the other hand, continued what he had gotten done in the regular season. He translated his amazing 64 points into 6 points in the first round. Also worth mentioning is goaltender Jacob Carson @jacobcarson877, who had an incredible .946 save percentage and 1.25 goals against average. Pekko Viitanen @Xdjk93 also stunned the Rush with 5 assists in the series.
The Yukon Rush, in a sense, played as was expected of a team who sold at the deadline and squeaked into the playoffs. They had no real stars to rely on for points, as they traded them all away for futures. But they managed to keep the Reapers close in all but 2 of the games they played. The only really performances worth mentioning are The great @Jake Sumner, who scored 2 goals and has an astonishing 40% shooting percentage. Other than that, no one really made a difference as the Reapers changed the Rush's championship chances to 0.
Series Score: 4-0 Philadelphia
 
 
Series 3: San Diego Marlins(3rd seed) vs. Miami Marauders(6th seed)
Notable Performances: Gunnar Odinsson(SDM), Michael Olson(SDM), Nero Endrizzi(SDM), Ryan Ryker(MIA)
Since the seeds were closer for this series, it was more than expected to be close. Miami was a decent team heading into this playoffs. But the Marlins sure proved they were the stronger team. They went all out at the deadline, and reaped necessary rewards for a long playoff run. They picked up a bunch of waiver players to fill their depth spots, and still had room for stars to fill the top spots. Some of their guys who particularly shone during this series were top VHL draft prospect Gunnar Odinsson @BOOM, who had to have raised his stock with his 6 assists and 7 points from the back end. Goaltender Michael Olson @MSO94 also made a massive difference, with a .934 save percentage and a 1.25 GAA, effectively shutting down the Miami offense. Nero Endrizzi @TurnDaddy, a player the Marlins picked up in the dispersal draft last season, also put his skills on display with 2 goals and 6 points in the series. A lot of Marlins will be heading up next season, and the Marlins used a lot of their futures acquiring all that talent, so we can expect a basement finish next season.
As I said before, the Marauders had a promising squad heading into the postseason, grabbing the 6th seed in the playoffs and securing a slightly weaker matchup in the first round. Unfortunately, it didn't work out that way. Nevertheless, they had some decent performances from some of their players. Ryan Ryker @Jayrad28 was a beast throughout the series, picking up 3 assists, 10 hits, and 3 blocked shots. Phoenix Dawson @Toastalso impressed, with 2 goals and a 33.3% shooting percentage. He will also be among the top VHL prospects. Finally, there's my old friend Cabe McJake @RedSus, who, with a goal and an assist, couldn't manage to carry the Marauders to victory. Either way, a successful season for Miami. Unfortunately, they spent a lot of their picks at the deadline, so they should sink into mediocrity for next season.
Series Score: 4-0 San Diego
 
 
Series 4: Saskatoon Wild(4th seed) vs. Las Vegas Aces(5th seed)
Notable Performances: Lenny Sanderson(SSK), Battre Sandstrom(SSK), Jordan Tate(LVA), Linus Zetterstrom(LVA)
Well, this one had a wild finish, didn't it? Game seven OT. That doesn't happen often. And what a series. The Aces take the 3-1 lead, but the Wild come roaring back and force the final game. But the Aces came up big. Linus Zetterstrom @Ledge_and_Dairy was the man with the winner, and he notched 7 assists and 9 points in those 7 games. Also incredible was the performance of Jordan Tate @Aye my name jeff, who got 11 points and leads the playoffs in scoring right now. He and fellow deadline pickup Sheldon Juniper @fyrefly along with linemate Connor Sim @SimmerDown99 combined for 28 points in the series. Matt thunder @Matt thunder also got a point per game in the series. Overall, the Aces' deadline acquisitions made the difference for them this series. They have a bunch of clutch players that should really help in their next round series against Mexico. 
The Saksatoon Wild are a playoff team, and probably a second round caliber team. But they couldn't manage to complete the comeback and knock off the Aces one last time. But they played a hell of a good series. Notably, rookie and top draft prospect Lenny Sanderson @Gally, who must have raised his draft stock with his 5 goals and 10 points. Battre Sandstrom @Acydburn , who is projected to go second overall in the VHL draft, also shone as an offensive defenceman, with 6 assists and 9 points. Other that, Vivek Weiner @coochiman got an assist per game plus a goal for 8 points. Although the Wild don't look to be strong next season, they had a really good team this season and should be proud. 
 
 
 
This concludes the series for round one of the VHLM playoffs. For the next segment, I'll give you the next round of series plus predictions for who will win. 
 
 
Series 5: Mexico City Kings(1st seed) vs. Las Vegas Aces(5th seed)
The Aces are now the underdog as they take on the potentially unstoppable Kings. The Kings will try to ride their firepower and depth that got them the best regular season record, while the Aces hope their deadline pickups and waiver players, as well as the game seven clutch that got them past the Wild, will get them over top of the Kings and onto the finals. The Kings were eliminated in the first round last season, so they're looking for a much deeper playoff run this year. The Aces were one of the top teams last season, but they were beat out in the semis by the waiver warrior Miami Marauders. For this matchup, even with my biased opinion, I feel the Kings have a team that is nearly invincible this year. I think the Aces will take them to six games, and give them a run for their money. But the talent and depth of the Kings is hard to match.
Prediction: 4-2 Mexico
 
 
Series 6: Philadelphia Reapers(2nd seed) vs. San Diego Marlins(3rd seed)
This one I'm sure I cannot accurately predict. These two squads are so evenly matched it'd be hard to put one ahead of the other. The Reapers were a borderline playoff team last year, but were nudged out by the eventual champions Marauders in the final games of the regular season. The Marlins, on the other hand, were a basement team last season, losing out only to the lowly Minnesota Storm for bottom of the standings. They were, however, able to pick up the top two picks of the draft and select two very good players. Both teams acquired a truckload of talented players through the draft and trades, and it will be a long, tough series. But I think the sheer amount of capped players of the Reapers wil ultimately push them over the top. But not without a fight.
Prediction: 4-3 Philadelphia
 
 
 
 
El Finale: Mexico City Kings vs. Philadelphia Reapers
These two teams were in the exact same situation as each other last year. They are in the exact same situation as each other this year, too. The Founders' Cup Finals. Against each other. It will be a battle of two teams of roughly the same skill, roughly the same depth. It will be a nail-biter, I'll guarantee you that. But looking at their rosters, and their success in these playoffs so far, I have chosen a winner. And if I can figure out how to hide a result, it'll appear down there ⬇️
 
 
That concludes my recap and predictions for the S75 VHLM Founders' Cup playoffs. For the sake of honesty, I fully expect the Philadelphia Reapers to fulfil my prophecy and win the cup. This has been fun, and I wish all contestants hope, but especially the Aces. I hope we can break my prediction and bring the Cup back to it's rightful home, Sin City! Good luck to all, and we'll see you in another month or so because this media spot is so damn long I can claim it for that long! Either way, I hope you enjoyed this. Excuse me for making this final paragraph kind of awkward, but this is how I'm filling the gap to get to 2,000 words. 
 
I need five more words. 
 
 
 
2,000 words on the dot. Claiming this for four weeks. 
 

Nearly immediately after the playoffs ended and trades were deemed okay again, there was a new trade almost every hour for the next two days. Swapping draft picks, making room for prospects, selling for picks, it was a whirlwind of exchanges. One of those exchanges involved one Sheldon Juniper. 
 
        The Vancouver Wolves, Juniper's draft team, had a plethora of forwards and needed to offload a couple. At the same time, the Calgary Wranglers found their forward core aging, so they wanted some new blood in the system. So a deal was worked out: the Wranglers would receive Juniper, fellow young forward Riley Couture, and a S77 third round pick in exchange for a S76 first round pick and a S77 second round pick. And with RJ Jubis moving to defense to shore up that position, Juniper and Couture will be getting second line minutes. 
 
          But right now, Juniper is focused on his play in the World Juniors, where he is a winger for Team Canada. The Canadians have had a rough tournament so far, and they're looking to turn the ship around today with the commencement of the medal round. To my understanding, they will be playing Asia in an elimination game. The winner of that game will play Team World, who has only one loss in the tournament, in the semis. 
 
 
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