Xdjk93

Player Information
Username: Xdjk93
Player Name: Jarkko Laakkonen
Recruited From: Returning
Age: 21
Position: LW
Height: 72 in.
Weight: 185 lbs.
Birthplace: Finland

Player Page
@VHLM GM

Player Information
Username: Xdjk93
Player Name: Jarkko Laakkonen
Recruited From: Returning
Age: 21
Position: LW
Height: 72 in.
Weight: 185 lbs.
Birthplace: Finland

Player Page
@VHLM GM

Player Information
Username: Xdjk93
Player Name: Jarkko Laakkonen
Recruited From: Returning
Age: 21
Position: LW
Height: 72 in.
Weight: 185 lbs.
Birthplace: Finland

Player Page
@VHLM GM

(Sorry in advance for the shear size of this thing)
 
Introduction
 
Hello everyone, I am Hoopydog (or just Hoopy for short is fine) and I am the user behind the retiring Artair McCloud. This was my first proper go at the VHL universe and since I love a good player review, I thought it would be only fitting to take a look at how my first player got on and find out whether it was a success or not.
Early Days
 
When Artair McCloud entered into the league, it was past the trade deadline and therefore he couldn’t be signed to any VHLM team until after the draft. This dealt a blow to his chances of being drafted high up the draft because he had missed out on a few weeks of high TPE earnings but also the chance to join a locker room and get his name known around the league. There were only 2 minor league teams that contacted him before the draft and they were the Miami Marauders and the Las Vegas Aces. It would end up being GM Spartan that got his man with the 43rd pick of the draft. He felt at home in Vegas. It had everyone you could want as a player. A vibrant locker room to keep you engaged, a team with great quality capable of winning things and a management team to help steer you in the right direction.
 
VHLM – Regular Season
 
His VHLM career stats weren’t the best, let’s not beat around the bus they were pretty bad. In his 1st season on the Aces, he put up a measly 11 points in a full 72 game season. It might be worth noting that he played minimal ice time given strength of the team. I knew I’d get my time in the sun but for now my job was to play support and that’s what I was gonna do.
In his 2nd season he performed better, not to the standards he had hoped but it was still an improvement. This time he put up 48 points in 72 games scoring 28 goals as well so a decent showing from the young forward. That season again playing a very good team did limit his ice time in some aspects as trades for Dan Dan and Jordan Tate were both made to try and give the team the best chance at playoff glory. Something of note from this season was that he scored 13 Powerplay goals meaning just under half of his goal tally came with a man advantage
So overall his VHLM stats were: GP – 144 G – 34 A – 25 P – 59
 
VHLM – Playoffs
 
It seems that, over the course of his career, McCloud showed himself to be more of a playoff player than a regular season guy despite never winning a VHL or VHLM playoff championship (Spoiler Alert) his numbers and performances just always seemed better. He put up 3 points in 12 playoff games in that 1st season which doesn’t seem like much but it is a big improvement (in terms of points per game) compared to his regular season. The Aces breezed past Mexico City in the first round but were taken and beaten in 7 games by the underdogs in Miami, who went on to win the whole damn thing. Still not over it.
In the 2nd season he put in a much better performance in the playoffs. He played the same number of game but this time put up 10 points for the Aces. In that run, they took the Saskatoon Wild to seven games but then fell to Mexico City in the following round meaning that McCloud’s VHLM career ended without a cup win.
So overall his VHLM playoff stats were: GP – 24 G – 6 A – 7 P – 13
 
He definitely wasn’t a stand out in the minor league but he did do enough to attract quite a few teams interested in the taking him in the draft.
 
Taking The Next Step
 
The S75 draft was absolutely stacked and McCloud was on a lot of teams list as a potential steal later on in the draft. No one really knew where he would go in the draft but it was thought he would go as a late 2nd or early 3rd rounder. Out of all the teams that expressed interest in McCloud, it looked like it was going to be either the Vancouver Wolves or the Riga Reign that would be the most likely to pick him up. As the picks entered the twenties, I started to get a bit a nervous as it was nearing closer to my predicted position and when the Vancouver Wolves select Sheldon Juniper with 23rd overall pick, I knew my home was going to be Riga. GM Hedge selected me with the 28th overall pick in the draft along with a few of my Vegas team mates. It was always going to be difficult to find my place and stand on my own on the Riga roster since they had just drafted 9 prospects in the first 2 rounds of that draft which included the likes of Cabe McJake, Adison McLaren, Sirkants Klamasteris, Justin Lose and Linus Zetterstrom. The hype around this team, especially after a couple of seasons and we were all 700 TPE+ was immense and it was frustrating that we just didn’t win anything. Out of the 5 season I played with Riga, we only made to the playoffs twice. I never won a VHL playoff round in my career but that wasn’t for a lack of trying. I ended up going IA for a little while and during that time my contract with Riga expired. I was picked up as a free agent by the D.C. Dragons and it was there that I would have my best season as a player, playing as a defenseman.
 
VHL – Regular Season
 
It took McCloud a few seasons to adapt to the speed of the VHL and to start to produce semi-decent numbers. In his debut season McCloud put up 40 points in 72 games played, scoring 19 goals in his debut campaign. Due to the nature of the Riga roster, the time was split pretty evenly amongst the prospects but 40 points is ok for a rookie. Not amazing but not terrible either. The 2nd season wasn’t much better, his points tally went up to 48 points and scoring and extra 3 goals. He played similar minutes to the previous season but some of the other players on the roster gained a lot more ice-time, leading to them having larger points totals and I noticed I was again starting to play that support role like I did when I was in Vegas.
In his 3rd season with the Reign, Artair had a bit of jump in his production on the team. He put up 30 goals and 66 points in that season, mainly due to the fact that he was playing about an extra 6/7 minutes a night. Some random stats from that season, he took 441 shots, scored 10 times on the powerplay and he also scored a short-handed goal. The following 2 seasons, he had the same sort of level of production, with his eclipsing the 30-goal mark and scoring 70 and 72 points respectively.
He played 1 season for the D.C. Dragons in which he hit a career high 92 playing as a defenseman. He was also nominated and won some unofficial VHL awards that season, a somewhat highlight of his playing career
I don’t really have much more to say about my last few seasons at Riga nor my season playing for D.C. as this was around the time, I went IA and it doesn’t feel right to comment on them since I don’t really know what happened. I enjoyed my time at Riga and the locker room was amazing to be apart of even though we were one of the most cursed teams in modern VHL times.
His VHL regular season stats ended as follows: GP – 432 G – 164 A – 224 P – 388
 
VHL - Playoffs
 
There isn’t really a whole lot to talk about when it comes to McCloud’s VHL playoffs since he only took part in 2 playoffs series and lost them both #blamesimon. McCloud would continue as being more of a playoff player. In S76, he got his first taste of playoff experience and he would be able to shine as he was joint team top scorer with 3 points despite averaging 12 less minutes a night than the teammates, he shared top spot with. In S79 he claimed the top spot in team point scoring all for himself, putting up 7 points in 5 games. This was unfortunately not enough to help push his team over the line and he lost yet another playoff series.
So, after those 2 playoff attempts his stats were: GP – 9 G – 4 A – 6 P – 10
 
The Last Dance
 
When I came back to the league, I decided that since I only had one more season left that I want to go for a cup. So, when Rome GM Rockstar asked me if I wanted to play for the Gladiators in my final season, I said yes. (Sidenote: This led to possible my most notable moment as a VHL member to date, there was an issue because I had been IA that I was contracted still to D.C. so I was still their player. A big thank you to GM Enorama for letting my play for Rome in my final year). I was gunning for that cup but I also wanted to show everyone what McCloud was capable off, even if it was in the VHLE. He was the top defensemen in the VHLE this season and he finally achieved what he had sought after his entire career, a playoff championship. We had assembled a great team here in Rome with the likes of Pekko Viitanen, Drakon Zabastovka and Boris Tsezar at all ends of the ice.. A big thank you to all my teammates in Rome for helping me go out with a bang… WE DID IT!!!!
 
VHLE – Regular Season
 
McCloud had a stormer of a season playing on Rome. As one of their marquee signings, he had a duty to perform at the highest level for his team and he did just that. He put up a staggering 91 points and claimed his spot as the top defensemen in the VHLE that season. This was a monumental achievement as he now stood alone as the best Dman in the VHLE.
That season’s stats were: GP – 72 G – 22 A – 66 P – 91
 
VHLE – Playoffs
 
This playoffs run was about getting over the line, no matter if he scored 1 point or 20. As long as he got to hoist the cup, that’s what mattered. He scored 10 points in Rome’s playoff run contributing 3 goals to their tally. He also put up a man of the match performance in Game 5 of the finals having a hand in all 3 goals, in a 3-2 win of Cologne to help keep that dream alive.
His playoffs stats for the run were: GP – 12 G – 3 A – 7 P – 10
 
Conclusion
 
Well, that was a very long rabble but it was nice to go through and see just what I was able to achieve with my first player in the VHL. In case you didn’t know, I have re-created and my new player is Fraser Wallace and I’m hoping that I will be able to use all the knowledge I have gained from my first player and take the VHL by storm this time round.
 
P.S. I was really close to hitting the 2000-word mark so I’m just gonna tell some of my other memorable moments from my first player in the VHL. During one of the VHL charity streams, I was last in nearly all of the marble races which is just absurd considering that game is literally all chance. Another being that everyone seemed to like the name of my player, I think in the creation thread someone made a comment about it being one of the best names in the draft.
 
2030 words

Hello everyone and welcome to my talkshow(article). Today we’ll be looking at the theme of the week since I really need to improve my defence.. I mean to tell everyone the best players of all time! Since it’s my first year in this league and I have no idea who is who we’ll be looking at a current VHLE dream team (copyrighted) looking at raw stats. 15 skaters and No goalies will be chosen (no goalies because “best” goalies can be subjective) based on current stats (true of Thursday February the 24th 6:17 pm give or take the time it took me to write this). Let’s start!
 
First Line
Our first line will be consisting of goal scorers and a 2 great playmaker. Our first player (our left winger) will be, drumroll please, Pekko Viitanen! This was an obvious one, number one points scorer with a large amount of points who will be our play maker and coincidentally a left winger! On to our right winger who will be Mats Zucarello! Mats is the number goal scorer right now and was destined to be on the first line. Our center for the first line will be, my teams very own, Perry Laperriere!  Second in assists and fifth in points one of the best centres for the VHLE for the moment.
 
So far our first like is looking like:
Pekko Viitanen - Perry Laperriere - Mats Zucarello
So let’s look at our top defensive pairing! For defence, rather than looking for just points we should look for good physicality in a player. This will help us in agression in the long run. So for our top defensive pairing, let’s take the easy way and look at the most points (by a long shot) in any defence man, who I like to call Mr. Australia, Zeljko Ranogajec! (That took a shaming amount of attempts to write I’m sorry). This was a obvious choice for the defence bringing good experience to the team along with a good skill set. The player playing in hand to hand with this Australian player is a very unexpected one, Cameron Elsby. I’ve chosen Cameron after careful thinking. The reason I’ve chosen him over the many others is a result of him playing very well all round. With a point per game along with 190+ hits and 100+ Shots blocked he’s a perfect asset on the defence while contributing up the ice.
 
So far our team is looking amazing, 
Pekko Viitanen - Perry Laperriere - Mats Zucarello
On the top line along with 
Zeljko Ranogajec - Cameron Elsby 
on the top pair!
 
Now that the first line is done and the first pairing is done I don’t think that explaining all the people is worth, for the offensive lines most of them will be following a 2 playmaker, 1 goal scorer, or a 2 goal scorer, 1 playmaker format while the defence will be following a 1 agresser, 1 point maker or 2 point maker pattern. Other than that, let’s get on with it. (I will be making 3 offensive lines only since 4 offensive lines will be too much for the sake of salary)

Pekko Viitanen - Perry Laperriere - Mats Zucarello  On the first line, great bunch of people and some amazing prospects, will be getting 40% of ice time
Ronan Lavelle -Johnny Xavier - Mikhail Lospenov another bunch of great prospects, 30% ice time
Jason Coiner - Jlloyoid Blloyoiderson - Raihan Heavems Some prospects, some not, 30% ice time
 
Now the defence
 
Zeljko Ranogajec - Cameron Elsby 
X Man - The Loch Ness Monster
Artair McCloud- Mr Duk
 
I think that this would be one of the best current VHLE teams and you may think otherwise however, I think this is perfect. Nothing else from me (for now) and I’ll see you next week soon. Signing off, Dabnad until next time!

 

Welcome everyone,
 
the 82th season and the third one for the VHLE is officialy started. Before the beginning of the season, the team had an intern vote to decide the team's captain and assistants and the vote ended up on Boris Tsezar @comrade catas the captain! Russel Dixon @Rjdixon01and DB III @wcats are going to help our goalie captain lead the team to the Cup. The team is doing incredibly, but they are not the only team who is having a good season. In fact, three teams are tie in first place of the standings with an identical record of 8 wins, 2 losses and 2 overtime losses for a total of 18 points in 12 games. There are a couple of new players on the Rome Gladiators and one in particular is doing great, Pekko Viitanen @Xdjk93, 8 goals and 9 assists in 12 games for a total of 17 points. Also, he is second in the league for the most goals since the beginning of the season just behind Julien Bernier @Julien_Bernier.
 
Thanks everyone, see you next week and let's go Gladiators!!!

Swiss Central Gazzette
 
And we are back with the promised update on our Swiss Hitmen and where they are going to play.
 
After being drafted 8th (highest VHL pick by a Swiss player ever) overall by the Calgary Wranglers, Daniel was picked at number 9 (and by doing so became the first Swiss to be drafted into the VHLE) by the Oslo Storm, a new founded team in the VHLE (relocated from Minnesota in the VHLM). As all the contracts with the existing roster had been invalidated by the change of league, the Storm will have to rebuild from scratch.
Marcel was picked by the acting Renaissance Cup holder Västeras Eagles at number 35 in the 4th round.
 
We finally were able to reach the brothers on the phone to give their comments:
Marcel: 'My injuries have healed well and I am back into full practice. The next season I will be playing for Halifax 21st and have a swing at the Founder's Cup. After that we will see, but I am excited to be picked by the Västeras Eagles and will do my best to make the lineup next season.'
Daniel: 'I am very excited to turn a new page with Oslo. It is very interesting to be a part of building up a new franchise and I hope I can contribute with my skills on and off the ice for the future success of this club. The final goal is the VHL though and I think I am a good fit for the Wranglers as Perry @tinafrombobsburgers and Vintanen @Xdjk93 are veteran left wingers and I hope to get to play with and learn from them, before they retire. I have already tickets to fly to Oslo and rented a flat in the Ullensakergata, close to the Nye Jordal Amfi, where we will play. It is all pretty new for me and I endeavour to learn Norse as soon as possible, so I can do my shopping (and of course talk to the ladies ;))'
 

Daniel in his new uniform at the draft day.
 
We will be back when hockey recommences properly for the brothers.
 
https://vhlforum.com/topic/111467-a-tale-of-two-brothers-world-cup/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/111468-a-look-at-each-vhlm-team-heading-into-the-draft-pt1/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/111541-vsn-presents-s81-vhl-mock-draft/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/111556-a-tale-of-two-brothers-surprises/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/111555-beers-with-boot-episode-4-s81-mock-draft/
S81 VHL Entry Draft (vhlportal.com)
https://vhlforum.com/topic/111631-s81-signing-daniel-janser-cgy/
https://vhlforum.com/topic/111634-a-tale-of-two-brothers-world-cupdraft-day-part-1/
S81 VHLE Entry Draft (vhlportal.com)

Awesome man! That is a really cool graphic!

@Xdjk93

This week I decided to look at all 57 shootouts this season and find out which teams had the best duels, after selecting my favorites and creating a list I was left with a lot of nominations so I ended up with a few lists, the best goaltending, the best goal scoring and the longest duels we've had, leaving out the shorter shootouts where there was only a few saves or goals. These are the best of the best, which one do you think is the most entertaining?
 
the Best Goaltenders
 Jacob Tonn 
Game 470 | London United vs. Vancouver Wolves 
Both goaltenders duel but Tonn comes out on top with the shutout in the shootout, gloving down a the final snipe shot by Onde Sandstrom headed top shelf
 
 Jacob Tonn
Game 550 | London United vs. Prague Phantoms
Tonn doesn't waiver after giving up the shootout tying goal and stops 4 straight shots using all of his equipment, giving his team plenty of chances to score
 
 Jurgis Kalvelis Blazevicius
Game 59 | HC Davos Dynamo vs. Warsaw Predators
Backup goaltender Blazevicius shuts down the Warsaw offense with four huge saves, stopping Taro Tsujimoto with a crowd shocking toe save at the beginning and bearhugging a  slap shot from Aloe Dear
 
Woody McPine
Game 84 | Malmo Nighthawks vs. Moscow Menaces
McPine frustrates the Menace shooters by staying solid and wins the game, not buying into Ryan Schwarz's fake shot attempt
 
Woody McPine
Game 477 | Malmo Nighthawks vs. Moscow Menace
After round one blunder, McPine takes advice and get energized by his teammates, stopping the next three shots
 
Doug Dimmadome 
Game 132 | New York Americans vs. Los Angeles Stars
Dimmadome earns his paycheck flying back and forth for the first two shots and sweats it out after the shot rings off the post, gloving it down on the line, after the replay.. SAVE IS GOOD! 
 
 Grekkark Gyrfalcon 
Game 156 | Prague Phantoms vs. Toronto Legion
After a huge save stopping Asher Reinhart, silencing the crowd, bench and deflating the Legion, Gyrfalcon tells Thomas to go right side with his next shot and he scores, Gyrfalcon keeps focused on the next shot and stops a bad attempt from a shaken up Jon Webber for the dub
 
 Vsevolod Askarov 
Game 179 | D.C. Dragons vs. Calgary Wranglers
Askarov does the dragons dirty and makes three straight saves against three shootout beasts, Groovy Dood, Alex Letang and Jeffrenomitsu The 3rd with a couple of poke checks and glove hand save on Letang
 
John Poremba 
Game 181 | Moscow Menace vs. Los Angeles Stars
Shining in his back up role with three big time stops, Poremba solidifies the Los Angeles Stars as a shootout threat with shooters, goaltending and back ups ready for the spotlight
 
Ajay Krishna
Game 228 | Warsaw Predators vs. D.C. Dragons
Krishna keeps his team in it by stacking his pads against Groovy Dood's speedy left, right dangle while staying big the rest of the way, taking space and not giving any opportunities against The 3rd or Letang, getting the easy win for his team
 
 Calvin Harvey
Game 272 | Los Angeles Stars vs. Riga Reign
Harvey shuts down one of the best shootout teams, proving he can go one on one with the best, stopping dangle god Jeffrey Pines with the pads, hard shot John Merrick's laser went into the glove and the creative Its Gucci tried to slow it down but Harvey shut his five hole just in time to give his team the victory
 
Artem Tretiak
Game 567 | Malmo Nighthawks vs. New York Americans 
Stopping three straight shots toward the top of the net, Tretiak holds the fort for his team with excellent reading and glove work
 
 
the Best Goal Scorers
Brendan Telker & Druss Deathwalker
Game 423 | Moscow Menace vs. Malmo Nighthawks
Malmo ends the shootout quickly without a commercial break as Telker and Deathwalker end Moscow's chances with a few easy dangles, going five hole both times
 
Chris Hylands &  Thomas Landry II 
Game 303 | Prague Phantoms vs. Malmo Nighthawks
In an electric shootout where we saw five goals, Hylands and Landry II exchange highlight reel goals, first Hylands goes in very slow and gets close to the goalie, dangles the puck left, right really quickly which gets the goalie out of position and toe drags it into the empty net. On the other side we saw Landry II shoot the puck off the goaltenders helmet but miss, hit off his helmet and into the net
Pekko Viitanen, John Merrick & Its Gucci 
Game 466 | Los Angeles Stars vs. Chicago Phoenix
Playing it perfectly against the former champions we see a trio of players leave no errors against a tired goaltender, outwaiting and scoring their first two attempts blocker side, the last one under the glove
 
John Merrick & Jeffrey Pines
Game 280 | Los Angeles Stars vs. Vancouver Wolves
The Stars shine and end the shootout with perfection, leaving no errors with a top of the slot wrister through legs by Pines in the crease and a trickling over right pad goal by Merrick to stun the Wolves
 
Red Lite
Game 398 | Prague Phantoms vs. New York Americans
This shootout had to go to a few round into sudden death after both teams failed to solve the opposition and after a long wait and nervous crowd Red Lite wins the game with a slick move that fakes out the goaltender, leaving the top half of the net wide open
 Alex Letang, Groovy Dood & Jeffrenomitsu The 3rd
Game 368 | Los Angeles Stars vs. D.C. Dragons
D.C. flips the script on a comfortable in the shootout Los Angeles, scoring three straight goals for the sure win. With the first shot Groovy Dude lifts the puck up a few feet in the air and bats it past Doug Dimmadome's blocker, scoring one of the best this season, second goal we saw The 3rd easily slapping it home through the five hole and the last shot we see a confident Letang skate in with the puck, snapping it past the glove hand
 
 Wolf Weiss
Game 337 | Helsinki Titans vs. Vancouver Wolves
In a shootout where both teams could have left the net empty we see give goals from each team, three for Vancouver and two for Helsinki, they always say save the best for last and Weiss was just that, dangling the puck like a madman through his legs confusing the goaltender, easily opening up the net for a wrister upstairs 
 
John Merrick, Cole Newhook, Roque Davis & Pekko Viitanen
Game 444 | Los Angeles Stars vs. Moscow Menace
Seven total goals were scored in this one and both water bottles got a workout after a good start from the goaltenders but it would be the scorers left to show off their skills in an exciting duel, in the end though it was Viitanen who took his chances with a creative move, failing along the way and losing the puck we saw an awful pokecheck attempt totally missing the puck and Kevin Malone drags it into his own net
 
the Longest Duels
Game 491 | HC Davos Dynamo vs. Toronto Legion
This game went 9 rounds and both teams didn't give up after a nail biting start going back and forth, in the end it was the goaltenders who prevailed but it would be veteran Jaxx Hextall coming out victorious with a save against a defender, Shawty Nananana, giving his team the edge in the next round with a sniper Jon Webber who stops the nightmare with backhand fake, forehand wrister past a stretched out Kunibuni UnGuri's glove
 
Game 340 | Warsaw Predators vs. Malmo Nighthawks
In our longest shootout of the season we see a back up goaltender duel it out with a starter, Jacob Carson and Artem Tretiak, who both had 8/11 stops in a 22 shooter shootout but it would be the Predators Carson to stop a shot against an offensive defense Alexei Kamenov and a depth player Gino DiGiannantonio who finally solved Tretiak 
 
Game 541 | Riga Reign vs. Helsinki Titans
In this one we saw another outstanding effort from both goaltenders, stopping shots from some of the best shooters the league has to offer, in the end though Ray Sheilds snaps the puck under the armpit of a standing Zamboni Driver
 
Game 44 | Warsaw Predators vs. Chicago Phoenix
It was early in the season and both squads were fighting it out for top spot which made for a nail biter of a finish, starting things out we see slick moves from both sides in Round #1 and a few more in Round #4, after that we saw the goaltenders take over and extend the shots all the way to Round #8 when Matty Socks broke the silence with an absoloute rocket from the top of the circle
 
 
Well that ends my list, hope everybody enjoyed.. See you next season!
 
1502 words without the spoilers
 
@MexicanCow123@efiug @HearnNation67 @Esso2264 @Sharkstrong @Gooningitup@CrlineDijohn14 @Hooperorama @Mrpenguin30 @Molholt @Telkster @animal74 @hylands @rory @Steve @Xdjk93 @frescoelmo @Josh @Spartan @Jeffie43 @bigAL @Tate @Matmenzinger @Doomsday @GrittyIsKing09

🔥🔥 let’s go boyss

S75 Philadelphia Reapers – The greatest VHLM team of all-time
 
The history books will forever show that the Philadelphia Reapers won the S75 Founder’s Cup. Kids will act out Tom Eagles amazing end to end rush to score the Cup winning overtime goal. Fans will long tell the heroics of goaltender Jacob Carson, who’s .921 save % is the best performance in the playoffs in more than 10 seasons. Or they’ll talk about the perseverance of long-term Reapers like captain Darius Marimoto or assistant captains Carson Walkers and Jacob Carson.
 
There are other feats by the team which will enter the record books. Like franchise records for most goals in a season (304), most assists in a season (548), most shots in a season (2,641). Some may even applaud the franchise record for most penalty minutes in a season (943).
 
All of those things are great, but lots of teams have won championships and lots of teams set franchise records. The reason I think this Reaper team is the greatest team in the history of the VHLM is because winning is great and all, but the VHLM has other goals, like introducing players to the league, keeping players active, and earning TPE. The Reapers kept a full roster of 22 players for the entire season. We only had to release 1 player due to inactivity during the season. That’s a feat during any season, much less during a season with 22 players on the roster. That really speaks volumes to the fantastic players who recently joined this league. I’m glad the VHLM was able to provide such an exciting season for everyone and keep so many people engaged and active this season. I also think it demonstrates how cohesive this Reaper team was. Everyone stuck together as a team and encouraged each other to be successful.
 
During the season, this Reaper team earned more TPE than any other team in the history of the league. Check out these TPE totals.
 
  Starting TPE
Ending TPE
TPE Earned
Drafted Players
      Isau DaMoose
152
335
183
Addison McLaren
211
393
182
Robert Bouchard
174
341
167
Jivere Zolnek
73
239
166
Caitlyn Catowize
83
238
155
Tom Eagles
148
300
152
Robin Galante Nilsson
81
228
147
Jolly Greene Giant
244
382
138
Pekko Viitanen
142
266
124
Bob Tristan
140
253
113
Kjell Nilsson
121
212
91
Sportsboy57
59
129
70
Blim Blam McFluble
138
186
48
Alex Zverina
50
87
37
        Wavier signees
      Barry Taffe
56
153
97
Rusty Knale
81
164
83
Asher Reinhart
102
183
81
        Already on team
      Thomas King
161
243
82
Jacob Carson
248
318
70
Darius Marimoto
221
288
67
Carson Walkers
231
283
52
        Traded For
      Gustav Hjalmarsson
241
287
46
            Ending TPE
TPE Earned
Totals
  5508
2351
 
This team earned 2,351 TPE during the season! That is an unbelievable amount. The total ending TPE of 5,508 is also amazing and is more than some VHL teams. I’m blown away by how committed the entire team was to improving themselves and winning it all.
 
Add all these things together: the fact they won the championship in a super competitive year with the greatest number of active players in the history of the league, maintaining a full roster with 22 active players for an entire season, and earning the most TPE in a season for any team ever. The result is you have the greatest VHLM team of all-time, the S75 Philadelphia Reapers.
 
Tagging the whole team:
@Eynhallow  @tcookie @Gaikoku-hito @Sixersfan594 @CrazyCaityCat @Greg_Di @RomanesEuntDomus @DoktorFunk @N0HBDY@Xdjk93 @glass @Sportsboy57 @Nicolai488 @Catter98 @Barry @HatrickRoy @rjfryman @Duddy @jacobcarson877 @dariusmarimotoman @Cwalker @McLovin
 
Thank you all so much for your hard work and dedication. You deserve all the accolades and joy that comes with winning the cup and being part of the greatest team. Good luck to everyone and remember, once a Reaper always a Reaper. Love you all!
 
I want to add a thank you to everyone who helped pull this team together, especially @Spence King and @dariusmarimotoman! We wouldn't have this cup without your help. Thank you!

NOT TO FEAR! THE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS ARE HERE!
 
What's that sound? The one that dominates the minds of all of us in the VHL? It's the sound of anticipation for the roster of TEAM EUROPE! But I won't keep you waiting any longer folks. Here is your season 75 TEAM EUROPE:
 
 
 
 
 
🇪🇺S75 Team Europe Roster🇪🇺
 
I just was to let y'all know, it was really hard making this roster. There are so many good players, and if you didn't make the cut, no hard feelings. And I'd like to thank my AGM @Domino Draws for helping me build this roster. 
Without further ado, I present to you: your S75 Team Europe!
 
 
Forwards:
 
DOLANT FERTITTA @Dolant
 
VLAD IMIR @Big Dee
 
LIAM FISCHL @linsangeles
 
CABE MCJAKE @RedSus
 
NERO ENDRIZZI @TurnDaddy
 
PEKKO VIITANEN @Xdjk93
 
DAN DAN @MMFLEX
 
JEFF ODINSON @GoldGear88
 
ARTAIR MCCLOUD @Hoopydog
 
Our forward group this year looks pretty darn good. Starting with Dolant Fertitta, the VHLM leading scorer, and carrying on with two full time VHLers, Jeff Odinson and Vlad Imir, S75 Team Europe's offense looks scary. Cabe McJake of the Miami Marauders and Nero Endrizzi of the San Diego Marlins were both in the top ten in VHL goals, while Pekko Viitanen and Liam Fischl are battling it out in the VHL finals with Philly and Mexico respectively. Dan Dan and Artair McCloud were both members of the Las Vegas Aces team that was recently knocked out by Fischl and the Kings. But I have no doubt these guys are willing to put their playoff series behind and focus on getting Team Europe that gold!
 
 
Defensemen:
 
L @gorlab
 
R @Kylrad
 
BATTRE SANDSTROM @Acydburn
 
OVE DYRDAHL @GRZ
 
Team Europe's defense core also looks to be an area of strength. Starting off with L and R, the hotshot rookie defensemen for the Chicago Phoenix, who are the underdogs of the year in the VHL playoffs. L has 60 points in all 72 games, and R has 29 in 71. Our other two D are Ove Dyrdahl of the D.C. Dragons, the other crazy underdog team in the North American semis, and Battre Sandstrom, the stud defender for the Saskatoon Wild who got 75 points in 72 games and is projected to go 2nd overall in the upcoming VHL draft.
 
 
Goalies:
 
SIRKANTS KLAMASTERIS @hedgehog337
 
AKSU MARONEN @aksuko
 
Finally, we have our trusty goaltenders. We were lucky to get Sirkants Klamasteris of the Riga Reign back from last year's gold medal winning team, and we have Las Vegas Aces rookie Aksu Maronen as our backup. Both look to be strong between the pipes for Team Europe.
 
Team Discord: https://discord.gg/j7abUGWZ
 
 
Let's get that gold!!
 

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. 
 

Philadelphia, PA – Philadelphia Reapers Head Coach/GM @DMaximus& Assistant GM Spence King announced today that DARIUS MARIMOTO @dariusmarimotoman has been named the longest tenured captain in Reapers franchise history*(Not all Data available) continuing to wear the C for his THIRD season in Philly . Along with returning for his 3rd season in Philly before going pro vet and top Reapers draft pick in S74 a MAJOR…MAJOR part of our leadership group and has been since stepping in the locker room, CARSON WALKERS @Cwalker, last week the Reapers roster held a vote in regards to who they believe have been and are consistently contributing to the discord LR and being great role models for all team members. The results of the poll were VERY tight with a FIVE way tie, obviously leaving our front office with some tough decisions to make in regards to who will be our on ice leadership group in S75, without further a due after very long and hard-fought consideration, JACOB CARSON @jacobcarson877, and ADDISON MCLAREN @tcookie25 will each serve as alternate captains.
 

 
"Since I arrived in Philadelphia four seasons ago, we have been blessed with a tremendous amount of leadership on our roster," said King. "Darius has grown up within that environment and evolved into someone who not only plays his best hockey when it matters the most, but who also leads by example off the ice. He knows what it takes to win and his performance in our recent playoff runs reflects that. Most importantly, Darius has the respect of his teammates and we're extremely proud to name him as the Longest tenured captain of the Philadelphia Reapers."
 
“As an organization we are excited to finalize our leadership group today and feel that all four players, led by Marimoto, as well as guys like Robert Bouchard, Bob Tristan Robin Galante Nilsson and so many more all truly exemplify and understand what it is expected of a Reaper” stated Assistant GM Spence King.
 
"We have a great blend of talent and experience amongst these three players who will work amongst Darius as alternate captains," said King. "Two of these players are previous captains in the minors for 3 seasons now and we feel this group is a reflection of our team's identity and their leadership will be counted on both on the ice and in the community. Our team poll speaks for itself our locker rook is loaded with leaders even our S76 Rookies are verging the role of captain and will more than soon be wearing letters themselves"
 
Marimoto- is in his third season with the Reapers after being selected by the club nearing the end of the 5th round during the S73 VHLM Dispersal draft. The eighteen year old native of the country of Japan is one of five Reapers scoring at a pace over a point per game and Darius is averaging +1 assists each GP.
Last season the 6.01, 205-lb winger was named to the S74 Team Asia Roster for the WJHC.
Last year he notched a 74 point campaign, putting up back to back 30 goal seasons.
 
“It feels great. Being the captain of such a talented and promising team is something you dream of. This dream became reality for me. I can’t wait to see how the season plays out, and hopefully playoffs. Let’s go Reapers.” said Marimoto.
 
Walkers- is also entering his 3rd season with the Reapers.
Two Season ago the veteran sniper was selected in the 2n Round of the S74 VHL Entry Draft by the Malmo
NightHawks.
In 155 career regular season VHLM games played, the USA native has 52 goals and 69 assists in his career to-date.
Doubling his single season
 
"I’m honored that DMax and Spence continue to place their trust in to help lead the team to playoffs. I’m also excited to help Darius lead the team."- Quoted Carson Walkers
 
Jacob Carson- a giant in between the pipes, a native of Location Uknown (Canada), is in his second season with the Reapers.
Originally a 4th Round Selection of the club in S74, The 3rd and final player selected by the reapers in that round
Starting off S75 capped at 250 looking towards and sitting with a an amazing above 900SV% after 9 games
He would then go on to almost go undrafted in the S74 VHL draft before Calgary selected in the final round  62nd  Overall, 7th last pick of the entire draft.
Named to Team Canada during the S74 WJHC
 
Mclaren- is in his 1st season with the club
In mid S74 Mclaren signed as a waiver playing with The Miami Marauders
With playing half a season in Miami Addison logged a whopping 157 Hits in just 46 Games
Through 18 games played in the S74 Playoffs, Addison lead the Marauders to a Founders Cup Championship  with 9 goals and 9 assists (18points in 18GP).  
His goal output has tied his rookie totals, and he is mere points from setting a career-best season already.
 
 
@Gaikoku-hito @Eynhallow @Nicolai488 @Xdjk93  @Duddy @glass @CrazyCaityCat @Jackson Wilson @Sixersfan549 @N0HBDY @RomanesEuntDomus @Greg_Di @Barry @DoktorFunk @Catter98 @Sportsboy57

Thanks again @DMaximus!!
 

Really cool back drop you’ve got here displaying both Helsinki and Mississauga. Great choice of font and utilizing the the blue on the players names as well. Also even though the renders player hand is in the way, you still found a way to put the hounds logo there! Just goes to show how much effort is put in! Good job! 9/10

Really like the background effect you have here. Your player cutout is really clean and blends well. The jersey and pads look legit. Also you got a good font it looks really bold and clean. Good job here! 10/10

1.Unfortunately we have been eliminated from playoff contention. What are your thoughts? It definitely sucks not making it to the playoffs, but we have a team with alot of new guys put together late into the season. Hopefully Minnesota can rebound next season.
2.We have six games left to play, with the final two coming against Miami and Houston. How do you think we wil do?We were hoping to scoop up a few wins in the final six games but we were unable to. We did play some good teams after all.
3.Who do you think will win the Founder’s Cup? I’m going to say Yukon will win it all. Lots of skilled players on that team and it shouldn’t surprise anyone if they do win.
4.Who do you think will win the Continental Cup? (And why is it Moscow and not Davos with their stinky goaltender?) I think Seattle is the team to win the continental cup. They have great defence and high skill up front.
5.What is your favorite part of the VHL so far? My favorite part of the VHL so far has to be the community. Everyone kind of knows everyone and the community is very helpful towards newer players.
6.What is your least favorite part, and is there anything we can do to help? Everything in the VHL has been great but one this I wish could be better is the sim times. If it could be more consistent ex. 8pm everyday or something, but I’m not really too concerned about it, people have lives and it’s fine the way it is.
7.How was your weekend? My weekends are spent working so they could be better, but it wasn’t terrible.

I like how you incorporated the VHL logo with the team name across the bottom of the photo, just goes to show the extra effort put in. The Wranglers logo on the front of the jersey could be a little bit cleaner but it’s not too bad, overall good job here 8/10

Pretty cool graphic! The missing eye is fitting as Halloween is around the corner, but it looks really clean and crisp. Nice font/size. 9/10

I need more music recommendations. Who is your favorite musical artist? It all depends on on how I feel but I like Eminem a lot, really gets you in the zone. Also Metallica is a great band, I kind of like all genres of music.
What would be your goal song? The Who - Won’t Get Fooled Again would be my goal song for sure.
What is your first hockey memory? My first hockey memory would have to be the 2002 olympics in Salt Lake City when Canada won gold, they had an amazing team and it really got me into hockey.
Is hockey your number one sport? If not, what is? Hockey is my number one sport, soccer would have to be second. But nothing beats hockey in my opinion.
Would you rather be the captain of a team or the MVP of a team? I would rather be the captain of a team because hockey is a team sport, it’s not about individual awards, it’s about winning the cup at the end of the day.
Do you think it’s more important to have fun, or to win? Definitely more important to have fun, that’s what hockey’s all about. You win some and lose some, but just enjoy it.
What is your biggest sports regret? It would have to be quitting sports halfway through high school. I played hockey, lacrosse, and soccer but gave it up after grade 10 because i was young and would rather hang out with friends.

Really good job on this. You have utilized the team colours well with the lettering and with the back drop. The jersey looks fresh too, also the photo of eichel celebrating was a perfect fit for this. 10/10 

Okay sounds good!