fromtheinside

Yukon Rush Press Conference (for week ending in 4/3) 1) The Rush recently traded away league leader in scoring Gaspar Zakrevsky. They traded him for a forward, a defenseman and a 3rd round draft pick. How did you feel about this trade being made? 2) Yukon currently sits at 6-10-0 about a quarter of the way through the season. Do you think we have a chance to squeak into the playoffs this season, why or why not? 3) What goals do you have for your player this season. Do you have a certain number of goals/assists/points you're hoping to reach. Also TPE are you hoping to hit by the end of the season? 4) [For VHL Drafted Players] What team are you drafted to in the VHL and have you been keeping up with how they've been doing so far? Are you excited to play for them potentially next season? [For Non-Drafted Players] Are you excited about being taken in the VHL Draft this upcoming offseason? What team or teams are you hoping to be taken by? 5) How have you enjoyed your time so far on the Yukon Rush? Is there anything the management can do to make your experience more enjoyable here? 6) The NHL season is over the halfway point. Do you have a favourite team or player? If so how are they doing this season? If not, do you follow any other teams or sports that are non-hockey related?

Im so proud of my Yukon Rush players doing sick media spots!!! Amazing work man!

Hey @huxtepuh! A very warm welcome to the league! My name @fromtheinside and I am the Assistant GM for the Yukon Rush, and we are highly interested in having you added to be apart of the team! We can offer you THIRD LINE MINUTES to start out with, but depending on your activity and development we can guarantee you moving up the lineup! If you like the sound of joining us, quote this with a comment saying #FEELTHERUSH

Hey @MOOSE_ A very warm welcome ot the league! My name is fromtheinside and I am the Assistant General Manager for the Yukon Rush, and we are highly interested in having you added to be apart of the team! We can offer you THIRD LINE MINUTES to start out with, but depending on your activity and development we can guarantee you moving up the lineup! If you like the sound of joining us, quote this with a comment saying "#feeltherush"

1. 2-2 to start the season. How you feeling very, very early into the Season. Honestly, Ive been really jacked up about this season for a couple weeks now. With all the position shuffling and our additions in the offseason, I think if we all just work at getting our players built up, this squad can do some real damage going forward! 2. Three undefeated teams still left in the VHL (Seattle, Prague, London). Who is the last one standing? I think London makes the most sense. They have Tonn in net who is right in the peak of his career. Plus with Lahtinen up front they are always a threat to put up some offense. 3. Oh Sens has nine points in our first four games for us this season? What kind of drugs do you think he is currently taking? Clearly uppers. Cocaine would be my bet, that guy is flying out there. Hey if it works, Im all for it! 4. The two Greens on the roster have yet to score this season. Who gets the first goal this season Jolly or Lester? Gotta go with Lester, but Jolly can bury it too. Lester may be a former defenseman, but he knows how to put the biscuit in the basket. I think it's just a matter of time before he starts scoring in bunches. 5. Funk has a 40% shooting percentage already and three points. What are your early predictions for his end of season totals? Clearly these percentages are very sustainable and will not dip. So by my math if he has about 200 shots this season I think he oughta be good for roughly 80 goals. Don't let me down Rayz. 6. How's things? How's life? We in the Social Club want to know Uh my life is actually kinda crazy right now. I've started working full time again in the kitchen I work at. In turn, that has made me realize how much I hate working in restaurants and has motivated me to try and find something else to do with my life. I recently finished an online certification called TESOL that will allow me to teach English to foreigners online. Maybe I can do that part time go down to part time in the kitchen too and kinda sustain myself with both of them.

It feels like just yesterday I was getting into the Saskatoon Wild locker room and learning the ropes of the VHL. Time really does fly. From Sasky to San Diego, and then to Toronto to start my pro career, it's been one hell of a ride already. But what's changed? From my first experiences in Toronto to now, what's different? And how has my particular role with the team changed. Well to be honest, the change has been quite dramatic and I do feel like I have a bit of a veteran presence here with Toronto. Allow me to explain... Despite spending an additional season in the VHLM with the San Diego Marlins (a decision I am super glad I made in hindsight), I was able to immerse myself in the Toronto Legion locker room during Season 75. While I was just a prospect, I always kept one eye on the goings-on in there. There were a few promising players in Toronto, but the team was still looking to add some more youth to truly bolster their ranks and become a competitive team. It seemed like there was a larger focus on individual performance that season, which is understandable since the team wasn't going to make a playoff run. Leo Strauss and John Merrick had monster seasons up front, while Ziarie Anigbogue had a breakthrough campaign on the blueline. Meanwhile in net, Jaxx Hextall was playing some of the best hockey of his career. There was a lot to be excited for going into my rookie season in Season 76. Season 75 ended, and unfortunately my team in San Diego came up a bit short, losing in the semi-finals. I had a hell of a year but I was more than ready to make the jump to the pros. My focus shifted solely onto Toronto. At the draft Toronto took defenseman Kristof Welch, as well as my old Marlins teammate Rayz Funk Jr. I had connections with both these players, and I was super excited to have them join us. Both of them, along with fellow defenseman Jolly Greene Giant, and myself all joined Toronto as rookies in Season 76. Heading into the season, the excitement was high. The young nucleus coming in could've been a perfect compliment to the aforementioned pieces that were already established. But alas, it was for naught. Without rehashing too much of what has become well-known public knowledge, there was some toxicity on the team that really was dragging us all down. Trades were made, and quite frankly, it did set us back a lot. It sucked, but it needed to happen. Though it set our playoff aspirations back, there was some definite positives to draw from it. First off was getting Lester Green as part of one of the trades. This man has had a large part in changing the culture in Toronto and his veteran presence cannot be understated. But in addition to that, it really felt like everyone from that point forward was on even-footing. In addition to Lester we also brought in another ex-teammate of mine, Gunnar Odinsson. Gunnar and I had been defensive partners in San Diego and I knew it was going to be a terrific add for the team. His on-ice ability mixed with just being a solid teammate day in and day out would make him invaluable to our club. Season 76 ended quietly, and although were weren't where we wanted to be statistically, the mood had never been better. After the draft and a lengthy offseason, we are finally headed into the start of Season 77. We drafted promising young center Asher Reinhart who could be the key piece we need going forward up front. Additionally we brought in John Webber who has immediately ingratiated himself to the team in the locker room. I've went from biting my tongue as a rookie to leading the charge and rallying the troops to get ready for big games. Though it may be just my second year in the league, we are a VERY young team. And because of that I do feel like I have veteran presence with the team. This core will hopefully remain largely in tact for a long time to come. Instead of being motivated by individual numbers, we are a team-oriented hivemind that works together and thrives off of each other's positivity and encouragement. It's a new Legion going forward and I am overjoyed to be at the heart of it.

claiming a second week for this

you're all lame

#winit4Rookie Big thanks to @BOOM for his incredible work with the sigs, and @Peace for the writeups on each guy! To echo was Dok said, it really is a treat to be part of this group, it's taken a bit to get it where it is but I am so happy with our current squad. People constantly lifting each other up, positive vibes... it's great and even the new guys @rjfryman and @Webberj have seamlessly fit in great. We aren't quite a powerhouse yet, but I truly feel we are moving in the right direction!

Hey @Jayrad28, I was a big fan of Ryker, and even had you on the World Juniors with me! I know you had alot of special experiences in Miami, but I would really love to have you with us in Yukon. Regardless of where you end up though, I hope you enjoy your time with your new player. Cheers buddy!

Hey @nickgraham A very warm welcome to the league! My name is fromtheinside and I am the Assistant General Manager for the Yukon Rush, and we are highly interested in having you added to be a part of the team! We can offer you backup goaltender to start out with, and if you continue to grow your player you could earn even more starts. If you like the sound of joining us, quote this with a comment saying "#feeltherush"

Review: While it may not have the shine and polish alot of the other banners have, I think thematically this graphic is fantastic. You were going with the retro video game feel and I think its a refreshing take and was something outside-the-box. The fonts you used were all great for the style you were going for. Overall, I enjoyed it and I thought it was a great effort! 8/10

Review: This is an incredible graphic and everything goes together so well. The font for your name is a color from the color scheme of the Bulls so that's cool. The flame/glowing effect around the player render looks amazing. The most impressive work is the detail on the goalie mask. It looks incredible. Great stuff. 10/10

As our preseason slowly winds down this week, we look back on the season that was and then turn our attention to what's coming in our near future. First and foremost, congratulations to the Mexico City Kings on winning their first ever Founder's Cup in team history. After assembling an incredible squad top to bottom, they were able to knock off mighty Houston Bulls in the finals. It was an exciting and high-offense final that saw the Kings come out ahead in six games. Mexico will be looking entirely different going into Season 77 as most of its players are graduating to the VHL. Additionally GM @Hylands was promoted to take over the Malmo Nighthawks, which his assistant GM @Juice was tasked with taking over the Yukon Rush. Replacing the management in Mexico City is none other than VHL legend @Advantage.With a member like Advantage at the helm, another title may not be far off. The shake-up in Mexico was far from the only executive change this offseason, as the VHL and VHLM have gone over an unprecedented overhaul in the past few weeks. Just last week long time Las Vegas Aces general manager @Spartan was promoted to take over the Moscow Menace. Replacing him will be his old assistant @JigglyGumballs, and his newly appointed assistant will be @Emi! Meanwhile over in South Beach, @Ricer13 was chosen to take the reigns for his old team in Calgary. Replacing Ricer in Miami will be a returning @InstantRockstar, who brings in a ton of experience as well. There is still a vacant GM spot left in Vancouver, so the managerial musical chairs may still not be over yet. The community has been buzzing about these changes and time will tell how these new faces fair in their new places. In my opinion, while some of these people may surprise some people, I think all of them are fantastic choices and will do great in their new roles. Congratulations and best of luck to all of you. Now, let's get down to business. Coming off the heels of the S77 VHL Dispersal Draft this past Sunday, the VHLM landscape has once again shifted. Let's take a look at where the chips have fallen. Prev: N/A | Current: 1 Well after a season of mediocrity, the Marauders are back in a major way for Season 77. Ricer left his old club in great shape for this season. With a cavalcade of returning players who are going to have massive years, alongside some decent draft picks, Miami is primed to compete this year. The historic duo of @CptSquall Napoleon Bonaparte and @Shiny Alexander the Great will look to do some major damage up front, while first round pick @Bojovnik Jan Hlozek will be tasked with anchoring a respectable defensive core. Miami management also did a nice job adding some extra depth by signing free agent @Mashy Noah Mashford to help add some extra offensive punch. Meanwhile, between the pipes goaltender @ClapbombsRus returns for another season and looks poised to build upon a relatively successful Season 76. I think with the vast number of weapons the Marauders feature up front, combined with a steady defense and a good goalie puts them at the top of the Power Rankings for now. Though there are certainly a couple other teams who could be just as good, or even better! Prev: N/A | Current: 2 The reigning champions of the Eastern Conference are looking to take another crack at greatness again in Season 77. The Minnesota Storm dominated in the regular season last year, but ultimately were stymied in the playoffs by the eventual Cup-winning Mexico City Kings. While they may have lost some high end talent from last year's roster, they still pack quite a punch and have re-loaded their roster nicely via the draft. Winger @Grapes-Tophat_Clan- Grapes will look to take on a larger role with the team this season as he will be promoted to the top line alongside fellow returnee @2hawk Calvin Hobbes. If that wasn't enough, they'll look to their second overall pick @Patrik Tallinder Nils Tallinder to anchor their second line which could be a potent top six come playoffs time. The Storm also feature arguably the best blueline in the league this season. Most of their blueliners are returning to the club from last year and many of them are highly developed already. The top pair should consist of @VOID Stiles Markuss Puhovs and @LefLop Barron Kruulenstien, both of whom play solid defense, while Puhovs could be an early favourite for the Ryan Sullivan Trophy with his strong two-way play. In net @Leafsfan328 Carter Bellamy returns, and this season the starting job is all his. If he can continue to grow and improve, the Storm could easily contend for a title this season. Prev: N/A | Current: 3 In the three seasons I've done VHLM Power Rankings, I can safely say this is the highest I've ever seen the Mississauga Hounds place. Credit to @Zetterberg and @tcookie for turning around this franchise that was truly a hot mess for the past few seasons. The Hounds seemed to have went for the same model that the Season 76 Houston Bulls went for. They've been able to secure a nice group of returning players from last season, and they also loaded up in the draft with three picks in the top five, and six picks in the first two rounds overall. While this strategy is solid, and I do think their team is quite strong, it's unfortunate for them that the draft class of S77 is significantly weaker than the one of its predecessor from S76. Nonetheless, they still managed to scoop up some of the best players available heading into this season. The Hounds have incredible depth both on offense and defense from top to bottom. If their players commit to developing at a reasonable rate, this team could be downright scary come playoff time. @Lspinelli Luke Spinelli returns for another season between the pipes and should be one of the top keepers in the league this year. Prev: N/A | Current: 4 Coming in at 4th is the first team out of the Western Conference, which is noticeably the weaker of the two conferences this season. While their roster may not jump out at you with any powerhouse players, Las Vegas has stability which is more than most teams in the West can say for themselves. Up front the Aces will really be relying on returning winger @Wolverine Darryl McDagg, who will be taking on a much bigger role than last season. Where the Aces really shine is their blueline, where they have a few really promising players to shut down the opposition. The veteran of the group is @I'll change this later New Player, who is back for his second stint in Vegas and looked to improve upon a 62 point performance last season. Alongside him will be flashy Fin @Devise Sven Reikkinen. Reikkinen is developing at a rapid pace and should be a top-end defender come playoff time. Manning the crease will be @Erik Morgan Karlsson, who is eager to step out from behind Aksu Maronen, and finally get his shot to be a starting goaltender in the VHLM. I think if Karlsson can rely on his steady defense in front of him and play half-decent, the Aces could easily beat up on a weak Wastern Conference. Prev: N/A | Current: 5 Shifting focus back to the East, the Halifax 21st come in at the five spot. The 21st feature a very robust roster with some high-end weapons on both ends of the ice. The top line of Halifax should feature the boisterous first-gen @assassin6898 Creed centering @MikkoKoskinensMistress Kikko Moskinen and @Tbeez99 Kyle Glass. These three could make a very formidable offensive threat and it should be fun to watch going forward to see how their do. Top draft pick @GlowyGoat should nicely compliment the second line to give Halifax some nice depth to their Top 6. After coming over via trade last season, @bluesfan55 Hadrian will be tasked with leading the defensive core for the 21st. Hadrian's development since landing in Halifax last season has been solid and they could really be in store for a great season if they keep up their hard work. The only reason I don't have them higher up on the list is because they have a bit of a weakness in net. Rookie @Vkobe-v Leroy Johnson will be handed the reins and is still a raw and unproven talent in the VHLM. If Leroy maximizes his training and improves, Halifax could be in a great spot this season, but it won't be easy. Prev: N/A | Current: 6 After a year of rebuilding, the Wild have flushed out the last of their old generation and ushered in the next batch of Sasky Bois to lead them to the promised land. While Saskatoon's roster isn't necessarily deep or stacked with elite talent, there's still a lot of positives to draw from. A couple of legendary recreates highlight the new roster. Up front, center @Seabass The Seabasstard will likely take the spot on the top line and could be the best faceoff guy in the league this year. Hopefully this will lead to more puck possession and in turn, more goals for the Wild. On the defensive end, the Wild were able to snag @Kendrick Nixon Caldwell with the seventh overall pick in the Dispersal Draft this past Sunday. Caldwell will look to build on a very nice 51 point rookie performance he had with the Reapers last season. Also on defense, returning for his second year in Saskatoon is the belligerent and truculent @TXC Tanky. Tanky plays a physical, shutdown brand of hockey that will undoubtedly make the Wild a tough match night in and night out. Finally, in net Saskatoon is bringing back @BrutalBoost Andrew Bowman for what will likely be his last season in the VHLM. Bowman has grown steadily throughout his minors career and will look to have a dynamite season to propel the Wild back into the postseason this year. Prev: N/A | Current: 7 The Lynx are back in playoff range for Season 77 as they look to build off of a respectable campaign last year. Ottawa welcomes back its mega-star @Joshothegreat Josho who set the VHLM world on fire last season with 49 goals, 72 assists and 121 points. Josho will need to be just as good as he was last season for Ottawa to be successful, as they don't have a ton of high-end options to compliment him up front. On the blueline the Lynx grabbed @PandaBearD25 Kirby Pandora in the second round of the VHLM Dispersal Draft, and will rely on her to hold down the blueline. The reason I have the Lynx in the top 8 though is thanks to their netminder @Barry Barry Taffe. Taffe comes into this season as one of the highest rated goalies in the VHLM and Ottawa will rely on him to steal some wins for them this season. If Ottawa adds some pieces throughout the season, they could still be a solid team. I see them finishing close to the .500 mark, just like they did last year. Prev: N/A | Current: 8 Last season Marlins management were tasked with picking up the pieces following a Season 75 run that saw them go all in for a Founder's Cup and coming up short. Season 76 was a long and hard road as the team was just trying to recruit players to fill out their roster most nights. This year, while they are still by no means a powerhouse quite yet, they at least have a roster full of promising young players. General Manager @thadthrasher has gained a great reputation early in his managing career for recruiting and developing young talent in this league. He has a plethora of players at the helm this season who can be molded and I am sure some of them will be quite good. Left winger @Eldredman Aldwin Craig will return to the team to lead the offensive charge. On defense, Marlins prized first overall pick @LuluSalesAway The Loch Ness Monster will lead their fellow blueliners. In goal best boy @Jericho Anime Protagonist will be do his best to keep pucks outta the net. He might need a training arc or two in order to get his power level up to keep up with the firepower some teams in the VHLM have in store for him. Prev: N/A | Current: 9 For the first time I've ever done these Power Rankings, the Mexico City Kings find themselves on the outside looking in. This should come as no surprise as Mexico has been a highly competitive team for three seasons now. After finally winning the big one, most of their roster is off to the pros this season. Unfortunately for new GM @Advantage, there wasn't a whole lot left for him "in the cupboards" so to speak. The weakest point of the team is undoubtedly the offense, which only features one player over 100 TPE. While they only have three defenders, @Jakefufu Shaggy Tipton and @KingMortie Big Mortie are both serviceable options that the Kings can rely on. If they can add a couple more bodies to their blueline, they could probably get by fine. Rounding out things in net is returning goaltender @williamirc Johnathan Bustard. Bustard had a solid season last year for the Kings, but he will have a much harder task at hand this season and will have to play the best hockey of his life if Mexico City wants to sneak into a playoff spot in Season 77. Prev: N/A | Current: 10 Ironically one spot below Mexico City is the Houston Bulls at 10. Much like the Kings, the Bulls were all in on Season 76, but unfortunately they came up just short. Their team was loaded with max-TPE players and almost all of them have moved on to the pros this season. Three skaters return for the Season 77 though, most notably among them is winger @Senjo1706 Bradley Senjo who will enjoy a full season at the 250 cap. @TownBizness Kid Frost will also be returning and joining Senjo on the top line. These two could be a great 1-2 punch. On defense, while @RicoTheTrapGod Germano Henchoz will be steady, he is one of only two defenders on the roster, and that is mainly why I have the Bulls rated so low. If they can add some bodies to their defensive core they would be a lot better off, but unfortunately defensemen are few and far between in the VHLM these days and many teams are vying for their services. In goal Dutch keeper @enigmatic Aike van Giersbergen will get his chance to be a starter after serving as a backup last season for Philadelphia. Prev: N/A | Current: 11 The last two teams on the list are kind of odd choices as they do have some solid skaters, but the main reason both teams find themselves on the bottom of the list is because as of the time of writing this article, neither have a goaltender for the start of the season. The Reapers are now two seasons removed from winning the Founder's Cup in Season 75, and while they have some decent pieces, they are still not quite back to the form they once were. @glass Kjell Nilsson will be back for more season, and the Reapers will need all 140 points of his production from last season and then some if they want to be playoff-bound. The Reapers have a few respectable d-men, highlighted by @Sportsboy57 who continues to develop nicely as he enters his third season with Philadelphia. Sadly, despite the handful of quality players on the team, none of it will matter if their is a Bot goaltender in net come the start of the season. As we seen last year with Saskatoon, teams will feast on this deficiency and it will get ugly fast. So here's to hoping @DMaximus can find a solution between now and next week! Prev: N/A | Current: 12 Just like the Reapers, Yukon is goalie-less going into the start of their S77 campaign. Coming off the heals of a respectable regular season and subsequent semi-final sweep at the hands of the Houston Bulls, the Rush are in rebuild mode and focusing on having a strong Season 78. As previously mentioned, having no goalie puts them at the bottom of the barrel for the Power Rankings, but what makes them worse than Philadelphia is that they only are icing two defensemen to start their season. If they could find a half-decent goalie and a couple of defenders the team could actually be pretty decent with the likes of @Jake Sumner The Great and @Pythonic Gaspar Zakrevsky coming back for one more season with the team. Until they find a netminder though, its gonna be bad times ahead for Yukon. That wraps up the first installment of the Power Rankings for Season 77. The balance of power has definitely shifted dramatically this season and I think it is pretty wide open. There are some strong teams for sure, but there aren't any clear cut favourites as of yet. Multiple teams could do well if their players commit to improving over the course of the season so it should be fun to monitor each team over the course of the year. Thanks for reading and until next time, cheers!

Valtteri Vaakanainen- F @Advantage

Ryan Schwarz- F @Juice

Hey @MaseTheBeast A very warm welcome to the league! My name is @fromtheinside and I am the Assistant General Manager for the Yukon Rush, and we are highly interested in having you added to be apart of the team! We can offer you a backup goalie position to start out with, but depending on your activity and development we can guarantee you moving up the lineup! If you like the sound of joining us, quote this with a comment saying "#feeltherush"

OH DAMN MAJOR POGS

Jean Pierre Camus- G @Advantage

Ray Shields- F @Juice

1. Another week in the off season... is there anything I can do to keep you entertained? Nothing you can personally do lol. But I think our LR has collectively been great lately, there's always good dialogue happening, so that's a plus. 2. I'm running out of questions for the off season, so I'm going to start asking random ones... what is your favorite game genre? I grew up being a big RPG guy. And I obviously love my sports games...it's almost time for MLB The Show to come out so I am pumped about that. I am not a huge shooter guy anymore, I am dogshit at them so I avoid them lol. The past 10 years or so I've gotten really into to basebuilding/world building games like Civilization or Stellaris. And Ive started playing alot of trashy mobile gacha games too sadly lmao. 3. What about your favorite music genre? Simply put, rock. Classic rock, hard rock, alternative, metal... it's all good. I also like alot of non-current rap. Stuff rom the 90s to the late 2000s. Not that mumble rap shit they make now though. Even pop is okay, I just don't like country music. 4. What about movies? I think I've kinda turned more towards watching TV series over movies because I love the long, slow-burning plots and character development. But that being said, I like a good variety of movies. Fiction, docs, crime, space themed stuff. lots 5. Favorite snack to munch on while watching a movie/playing a game? Chips are solid. Jalapeno Cheddar Doritos are my go-to 6. Do you crank your music loud, or do you listen to it at a reasonable volume? Well typically I would listen to my music loud, but I've lived in an apartment for about 6 years now, so I've learned to keep it to a reasonable level to respect the people in my building.

Alex Letang- D @Advantage

D- Roque Davis@Juice This is literally the group of death lol