Mistxh J

@Mistxh JThanks for alerting us of this tragedy and reminding us that hockey is just a game and only a part of life albeit a potentially dangerous one. Condolences to Timur's family. This is also a reminder that hockey - even fake hockey - is a community and when one hurts, we all hurt.
 
Review:
This was well-written and the style and tone was appropriate for the subject. You brought your own thoughts to this terrible event which made it poignant and heart-felt. 10/10 

March 16th marks a great tragedy for the hockey community around the world as 19 year old Timur Faizutdinov passed away this morning after sustaining a head injury during a game last Friday. Timur was a defense-man for Dynamo St. Petersburg's junior team in the MHL. At just 19 years old he was the leading bull for the team and sparked their locker room which is why he earned the big 'C' on his jersey. Timur's injuries were the result of receiving a puck to the head after his opposition attempted to dump the puck in their zone but unfortunately Timur was in the way. 
 
Timur was seen almost immediately grabbing his head and stumbling before collapsing to the ice. After the team and MHL doctors attempted to provide on ice care he was immediately rushed to the hospital where for three days doctors and Timur would fight for his life. It is with great sadness that all efforts failed and Timur died this morning under care. The news of his passing spread quickly and many will miss his young spirit on the ice. 
 
VHLM rising star, Nicholas Mariani, had some words about the tragedy after his morning skate today during an interview. Nicholas had said, "First and foremost I want to give my condolences to the family of Timur Faizutdinov, I cannot imagine the pain that they are going through right now. I knew he was hospitalized on Friday and that he was battling but I never knew the details... no one did." he chokes up a bit before continuing on, "Not many people knew this but before making my decision on entering the VHLM draft I was seriously considering going to Europe for a couple years to truly hone my skills. Timur had reached out to me to actually join his team, we would talk about forming a powerhouse team and everything. When I heard the news I was in the middle of my morning skate, I took it hard.. I just dropped and my emotions took over, it was just the worst news I could have heard. All I can say is that the hockey world has lost a good one, but Heaven gained another angel. My Prayers got out to his family." After finishing his thoughts Nicholas ended the interview there and went on to later post a picture of Timur Faizutdinov on his social media with the caption, "Rest in Peace Timur Faizutdinov #dynamoforever" . 
 
 
 
 
In memory of Timur Faizutdinov here was my way of a giving him a tribute . RIP Timur, Hockey will miss you 03/16/21
 
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During the off-season I played a little with my sheets, looking at every teams and getting different informations which probably is useless unless I wanted to do a long article. Let’s be honest, a power ranking is most of the time full of flaws and it is most likely gonna be wrong but it’s a good topic for debates and also a good topic to write about. So here is my power ranking based on TPA datas and not on my personal thoughts
 
 
Here is the maths:
 
 
The forwards total TPA is only based on the top 6 which means the 2 first lines. The reason behind that is because the 3rd line and the forth line is most likely gonna spend less time on the ice and having multiple rookies on a team could lead a team to be at the top of the ranking
 
 
The defense total TPA is based on the top 4 which means the 2 first lines as well for the same reason
 
 
Then the Goalie total TPA is only the starter goalie because having an high TPA starter goalie is better than having an average duo so I only took the datas on the starter goalies.
 
 
For the team ranking, the score is based on the forward top 6 + the defense top 4 and the starter goalie total TPA.
 
 
*All these datas has been taken Monday the 15th so there might have been some change since then. I personally notified one change in London on the defense since then but didn’t want to start over.*
 
 
16. New York:

Forwards: 15th
 
Defense: 16th
 
Goalie: 12th
 
 
 
At the 16th position, we have a team that is filled with young talent. It is no surprise that New York come last when the power ranking is based on total TPA but with players such as the rising star, Red Lite @Tate who just won the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy (it’s a nightmare to spell that trophy by the way!), Zeedayno Chara @Jubis who is their freshly acquired 1st round pick and could be a potential rookie of the year contender, and their young and feisty goalie Thadius Sales @thadthrasher, should make New York confident for their future! Hopefully, New York’s GM @Esso2264 can break the curse soon enough but they will probably need to wait one more season.
 
 
 
 
15. Davos:

Forwards: 16th
 
Defense: 9th
 
Goalie: 15th
 
Davos is an other team that is filled with young players. In fact, that team should be the home of 9 rookies this season. This is an impressive number that include some potential rising stars such as the second pick overall in the last draft; Reylynn Reinhart @Ricer13. This is also combined with a young Taro Tsujimoto @GustavMattias, who is leading the S75 draft class in term of earned TPE. Add over that, a S73 defenseman, Tyler Walker @Advantage on the last season of his prime, who should be leading the young Davos squad. In front of the net, they will put their trust into their young goalie; Kuniburi Unguri @Berocka. Like New York, this team should not be a contender for this season but they are building a team that will be competitive soon!
 
 
 
 
14. Moscow:

Forwards: 12th
 
Defense: 14th
 
Goalie: 13th
 
In 14th position, we have a team that made a lot of moves in the off-season to aim at a better future. With their core getting old, Moscow pulled the trigger and started the rebuild. That allowed them to get their hands on the first pick overall; Paul Astreides @Mr_Hatter and the third pick overall; Duncan Idaho @OrbitingDeath . This is some interesting additions that will give them a bright future at the price of a season at the bottom of the standings. It should be interesting to see what will be their plan at the trade deadline.
13. Malmo:

Forwards: 14th
 
Defense: 8th
 
Goalie: 15th
 
Coming at the 13th position, it’s a team that decided to rebuild after winning the cup in S75. Expect their veteran forward Chris Hyland @Hylands to lead that squad and probably be one of the best forwards in the league this season. They also still have the defenseman Marshall James Frostbeard @FrostBeard who should be their biggest piece at the defense. Combining with those veterans, they have 2 freshly drafted first rounders in Brendan Telker @Telkster and Druss Deathwalker @animal74. Like Moscow, it will be interesting to see what Malmo will do at the trade deadline.
 
 
12. Calgary:

Forwards: 13th
 
Defense: 10th
 
Goalie: 11th
 
 
 
Calgary will probably be one of the teams in the race for a playoff spot. It is still early to know which team will be making it but I do think that they will be in the race. With Luke Thornton @Jtv123 getting in his prime and Kosmo Kramerev @Mongoose87 as their top defenseman, they will be an aggressive team filled with players that will soon hit their prime. I do think they will finish higher than 12th .
 
 
 
11. Toronto:

Forwards: 11th
 
Defense: 7th
 
Goalie: 6th
 
At the 11th position, we have a team that has a solid young core all on the edge of reaching their prime. That team has a ton of rising stars in Scotty Kaberle @fromtheinside, Kristof Welch @Juice, Jolly Greene Giant @DoktorFunk, Frank Funk Jr. @Rayzor_7, Asher Reinhart @rjfryman, Sirkants Klamasteris @hedgehog337 and it does on. This is a massive core for the seasons to come. For the coming season, expect them to be on the race too.
10. Vancouver:

 
Forwards: 4th
 
Defense: 15th
 
Goalie: 16th
 
At the 10th position, we have the Vancouver Wolves, This is a team that has a lot of offensive potential but a is weak on the other side of the ice. Expect their games to be high in goals for both team. Also expect Micah Adrienne @Poptart to get a lot of ice time as the top defenseman in the team. The offensive is composed of SS Hornet @McWolf, Andrew Su @Da_Berr and Onde Sandstrom @fonziGG. Let’s hope for them that a good offense can cover their weakness but it is hard to predict where they will be in the leaderboard.
9. Prague:

Forwards: 7th
 
Defense: 13th
 
Goalie: 8th
 
Coming at 9th, we have the Prague Pahntoms. This is a team that has performed better than the expections last season and has improved again for the coming season. Some will say I am biased about this one but I do think that this team will do better than 9th . With an experienced goalie, Grekkark Gyrfalcon @Sharkstrong who proved to step up his game when the playoffs come and an offensive squad leaded by Thomas Landry II @Doomsday who has set a new team record last season with 105 points, that team should be fun to watch! Let’s not forget the two newcomers who got aquired during free agency, I name Brian Strong Jr. @Wheaties and Xavier Leflamant @BarzalGoat. This team should count on their depth to succeed this season.
 
 
 
 
8. D.C. :

 
Forwards: 10th
 
Defense: 5th
 
Goalie: 2nd
 
D.C. is a team that will need to rely on their starter goalie Stone Wolski @DollarAndADream who is currently the second best goalie in the league in term of TPA and a solid defense that just brought in a former Moscow Menace player in Alex Letang @Spartan. While the offense is ranked 10th in TPA, they still have one of the top players in the league with Groovy Dood @bigAL. This is a team that lost a few key players due to retirement but still has what it takes to succeed.
 
 
7. Seattle:

 
Forwards: 5th
 
Defense: 6th
 
Goalie: 10th
 
Here we have a team in the middle of a transition period. This team is a mix between young talent and experienced players. Expect their first line composed of Timothy Brown @a_Ferk, Jim Bob @jRuutu and Isabella Campbell @Banackock to be an impressive scoring machine. This is also the season where you should see Lucifer Olivier Leveque @InstantRockstar claim the title of Seattle’s first dman by the end of the season. Without forgetting their fresh goalie Rara Rasputin @Victor who is set to become one of the best in the league soon enough.
 
 
6. Helsinki:

 
Forwards: 1st
 
Defense: 12th
 
Goalie: 4th
 
Let’s be honest, that offense is scary. Helsinki is surely gonna be one of the teams that score the most if not the team that score the most. With a newly acquired Venus Thightrap @BladeMaiden who will add even more scoring ability to that team that already had Ola Vinkingstad @Dil , they should be very good. Let’s hope their top goalie Zamboni Driver @Tape-to-Tape can handle the fact that their defensive will an ordinary one.
 
 
 
 
5. London:

 
Forwards: 3rd
 
Defense: 11th
 
Goalie: 1st
 
London… Where to start? Here we have the team that improved the most during the off-season. They went all-in this season by acquiring the both the hottest goalie in the league Jacob Tonn @MexicanCow123 and the hottest player in the league Mikko Lahtinen @Beketov. We all know these two names, they belong to the elite of the league and maybe are future Hall of Famer. That Power ranking has been done before they get a 4th defenseman which is why that team is ranked 5 but I’m confident that it will go in the top 3 before the season start. Big things are expected from London this season and they are ready to get their first appearance in the playoffs of their history.
 
 
4. Riga:

 
Forwards: 9th
 
Defense: 3rd
 
Goalie: 3rd
 
Here we have a young but impressive team. We all remember Riga selling all their top players for picks before the S75 draft. Well, now it pays off, that team can now rely on many young players like Cabe McJake @RedSus, Addison McLaren @tcookie, Linus Zetterstorm @Ledge_and_Dairy and many more. Add over that young squad a few veterans acquired with trades in General Zod @Matt_O, James Rose @MattyIce and Ray Shield @Zetterberg. That team now has an impressive good mix of youth and experience that should be helped by an elite goalie Calvin Harvey @Mrpenguin30.
3. L.A. :

 
Forwards: 8th
 
Defense: 1st
 
Goalie: 8th
 
Not Gonna lie, seeing Los Angeles as the 3rd team in that power ranking was really not something I expected. When you take a closer look at their team though, it all make sense when the datas is taken on the top lines. What L.A. has to offer this season is a brutal force on their top lines composed of Jeffrey Pines @rory, John Merrick @Steve, Jiggly Gumballs @JigglyGumballs and Roque Davis @Josh. Their weakness though, it should be their depth. While this team is impressive on the first lines, the depth is an other story. I do think this team will be in the playoffs but probably not third in the league.
 
 
2. Warsaw:

Forwards: 6th
 
Defense: 4th
 
Goalie: 7th
 
There we have an other team that has a full trio of elite players on their first line. I’d expect the line of Dakota Lamb @dlamb, Uthred @leafsman and Aloe Dear @Renomitsu to be among the best lines in the league. Combined with the top defensive line Latrell Mitchell @dasboot and Victor Grachev @KaleebtheMighty, this team should have an impressive power play that will make you think twice before giving a cheap shot to your opponent. Warsaw had one of the most shocking run at the playoffs last season by doing a reverse swipe and making it to the finals. Can they finally win it all this season? I’m sure that is the plan in Warsaw!
 
1.   Chicago:

Forwards: 2nd
 
Defense: 2nd
 
Goalie: 5th
 
The S76 Champions are still a strong contender this coming season. There is no slowing down in Chicago, they are thirsty for a second cup in a row. Last season, we have seen Christin Mingle @Quik stepping up his game to claim a spot on the leaderboard and bringing home a few trophies. Not only this team still has their core but they even added new players to complete their roster with Jungkok @tfong and Spencer Elsby @Spence King. While the new arrival of an elite defenseman at the side of Matty Socks @fishy should reduce the icetime of the younger desensemen, I’m sure this is no problem if they can touch the cup for a second time. In front of the net, we have last season’s Kanou winner Jean-Pierre Camus @solas who is still in his prime and should be even better this season. I think Chicago is in the beginning of a new dynasty and they are not done being at the top, its only beginning.
 
 
 
This is all for my S77 power ranking, please consider that these teams are not ranked on a personal ranking but on specific datas. My personal ranking would probably have London in the top 3 and Los Angeles more in the middle of the ranking. Let’s get ready for a wonderful season everyone, its starting tomorrow!
 
Let us know your top 3 teams for this season in the comments!
 

2172 words
claiming on weeks ending on:
3/28
4/04
4/11
4/18
 

1. Going into S77 I honestly couldn't be more excited to get back on the ice and get the train rolling!
 
2. I got picked up in the draft.
 
3. My expectations individually aren't to high.. going into my first season, I still have a lot to learn and to grow from but my expectations of the team are pretty high, we got a good group of guys here that just want to win.
 
4. I have definitely been working on a few things for sure.. I don't want to spoil the surprise but let's just say if things go well you will here my name often on the score sheet.
 
5. I moat certainly did experience the DRAFT HYPE and to be honest I still am. An absolute unforgettable experience!!
 
6. Honestly I think management is doing great, got a great team so far and even better locker room chemistry! Management has done a lot to bring this team together and I have no doubt in my mind.
  

Here we are at the start of season with Sophomore Robert Bouchard as he prepares for his second season with Prague Phantoms in the VHL in a series we like to call #AsktheBouch.
 
What are your overall objectives for the season ahead?
RB: This is very difficult to answer without an actually game played yet since I am no longer sure of my place on the team. I knew last season that I was heading into the season as likely second center and would have a good chance to prove myself in my Rookie season.
 
In the end I was originally placed on the third line behind a inactive player as far as I could see with a big ten minutes of ice per game that seen me struggle for the first twenty games or so before being placed on the second line; which seen my ice time increase but not as much as others since they were being doubled shifted since we had only seven forwards last year.
 
Once again we head into the season with seven forwards and once again I am looking at third line center role as we brought in another center filling my role on the second line; so with assumed lack of ice time once again to at least start the season it mean I will be luck if I improve on last season points tally.
 
Do you think Prague is making a mistake handling your ice time and managing you as a prospect?
RB: I don’t want to create drama but I am in the final year of my current contract and at this point I am all but certain that I will test the free agency market if I am going to continue to be under utilized.
 
With the season about to start tomorrow we will watch close to see if Robert Bouchard does manage to get himself further up into the line-up or if his projection is correct that he will be placed behind new free agent sign Brian Strong Jr and watch his roster placement be handed to an older player in the series we like to call #AsktheBouch.
 
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"Who are you?", "What makes this kid tick", "Where did he come from?", these are just some of the question I have received since entering the VHLM. Today I will finally give the answers that the people want to know, finally get to know who is Nicholas Mariani. I grew up in Montréal, Québec and was raised as any other typical Canadian, with a hockey stick in my hand and skates on my feet. From the moment I was able to walk I was pretty much playing hockey every chance I had. My dad was a big influence on my hockey path/career growing up, as well, after all  i guess having an Olympic Gold Medalist and all star pro player dad would have that effect. 
 

My dad (Left) celebrating a big win that led to a Gold medal
 
Growing up my dad was always there for me as well as my two brothers, Stefano & Daniele, we grew up as a hockey family and had dad coaching us every day and every step of the way. Although having three boys who all play hockey competitively can get really expensive for a family (even if your dad was an ex-pro hockey player) my dad never cared about the price-tag when it came to us, even when we would go through sticks and skates like they were nothing he never flinched. All he wanted was for us to be successful, I mean my brothers and I wanted nothing more than to go pro and continue the amazing hockey legacy our dad has started and he knew that, which is why he sacrificed so much for my brothers and myself to get to where we are today. My dad is my hero, without him teaching me everything I know and always pushing me to be better than I was the day before.. I wouldn't have the opportunity I do today. That all came with a price though, my father was a very serious, intense and stern coach. He made sure that if hockey is what we want to pursue that we would have to work our butts 24/7! But he also had his soft side at times, like how he would reward my brothers and myself with building a homemade rink in our backyard during winter just to hold tournaments with the other families in the neighborhood. To be fair it was still practice for us, but those memories were some of the best I ever had. 
 

My brothers and myself practicing before our legendary, annual neighborhood tournament
 
After having my dad help propel me to success in every hockey league I played in as a kid it was finally time for me to take the next biggest step for my career. Before joining the VHLM draft I played in the QMJHL for the Rimouski Océanic. My time there was amazing, but it started off very rocky. For the first time in my life hockey and my dad were separated, for the first time in my life I didn't have him there to coach me in practice or to cheer me on during my games. It created a huge learning curve for me, it was almost like I had to learn how to play hockey again. It is also the reason why I haven't developed as much as I should have. My first year and half with Rimouski was mostly just learning how to adapt and become independent as a player and man did I suck, I didn't live up to any of the hype that was surrounded with my name. But they never gave up on me, as much as I struggled every player and every coach helped me become the player we all knew was inside of me. Let me tell you, it paid off, we ended up going back to back, winning 2 President Cups in my last 2 years with RImouski.
 

Me (Right) celebrating my first goal with the Rimouski Océanic
 
My time in the 'Q' and all the hard work I put in during my time there to reinvent myself was the biggest reason why the GM @thadthrasher of the San Diego Marlins took a chance on a kid like me. Now with the VHLM season starting in a couple days I have the chance to show the world who I am on ice and maybe... just maybe I will be able to make my dad proud and carry on the legacy he left behind. Although that will only be told with time, I plan on making the most of it every step of the way. 
 
I can only hope that I answered the questions you all wanted to know, but this was my life until now.. in a nutshell. I appreciate all who have supported me on my journey and I cannot wait to take you along for the ride!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Keep up the development rookie!

"Who are you?", "What makes this kid tick", "Where did he come from?", these are just some of the question I have received since entering the VHLM. Today I will finally give the answers that the people want to know, finally get to know who is Nicholas Mariani. I grew up in Montréal, Québec and was raised as any other typical Canadian, with a hockey stick in my hand and skates on my feet. From the moment I was able to walk I was pretty much playing hockey every chance I had. My dad was a big influence on my hockey path/career growing up, as well, after all  i guess having an Olympic Gold Medalist and all star pro player dad would have that effect. 
 

My dad (Left) celebrating a big win that led to a Gold medal
 
Growing up my dad was always there for me as well as my two brothers, Stefano & Daniele, we grew up as a hockey family and had dad coaching us every day and every step of the way. Although having three boys who all play hockey competitively can get really expensive for a family (even if your dad was an ex-pro hockey player) my dad never cared about the price-tag when it came to us, even when we would go through sticks and skates like they were nothing he never flinched. All he wanted was for us to be successful, I mean my brothers and I wanted nothing more than to go pro and continue the amazing hockey legacy our dad has started and he knew that, which is why he sacrificed so much for my brothers and myself to get to where we are today. My dad is my hero, without him teaching me everything I know and always pushing me to be better than I was the day before.. I wouldn't have the opportunity I do today. That all came with a price though, my father was a very serious, intense and stern coach. He made sure that if hockey is what we want to pursue that we would have to work our butts 24/7! But he also had his soft side at times, like how he would reward my brothers and myself with building a homemade rink in our backyard during winter just to hold tournaments with the other families in the neighborhood. To be fair it was still practice for us, but those memories were some of the best I ever had. 
 

My brothers and myself practicing before our legendary, annual neighborhood tournament
 
After having my dad help propel me to success in every hockey league I played in as a kid it was finally time for me to take the next biggest step for my career. Before joining the VHLM draft I played in the QMJHL for the Rimouski Océanic. My time there was amazing, but it started off very rocky. For the first time in my life hockey and my dad were separated, for the first time in my life I didn't have him there to coach me in practice or to cheer me on during my games. It created a huge learning curve for me, it was almost like I had to learn how to play hockey again. It is also the reason why I haven't developed as much as I should have. My first year and half with Rimouski was mostly just learning how to adapt and become independent as a player and man did I suck, I didn't live up to any of the hype that was surrounded with my name. But they never gave up on me, as much as I struggled every player and every coach helped me become the player we all knew was inside of me. Let me tell you, it paid off, we ended up going back to back, winning 2 President Cups in my last 2 years with RImouski.
 

Me (Right) celebrating my first goal with the Rimouski Océanic
 
My time in the 'Q' and all the hard work I put in during my time there to reinvent myself was the biggest reason why the GM @thadthrasher of the San Diego Marlins took a chance on a kid like me. Now with the VHLM season starting in a couple days I have the chance to show the world who I am on ice and maybe... just maybe I will be able to make my dad proud and carry on the legacy he left behind. Although that will only be told with time, I plan on making the most of it every step of the way. 
 
I can only hope that I answered the questions you all wanted to know, but this was my life until now.. in a nutshell. I appreciate all who have supported me on my journey and I cannot wait to take you along for the ride!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

"Who are you?", "What makes this kid tick", "Where did he come from?", these are just some of the question I have received since entering the VHLM. Today I will finally give the answers that the people want to know, finally get to know who is Nicholas Mariani. I grew up in Montréal, Québec and was raised as any other typical Canadian, with a hockey stick in my hand and skates on my feet. From the moment I was able to walk I was pretty much playing hockey every chance I had. My dad was a big influence on my hockey path/career growing up, as well, after all  i guess having an Olympic Gold Medalist and all star pro player dad would have that effect. 
 

My dad (Left) celebrating a big win that led to a Gold medal
 
Growing up my dad was always there for me as well as my two brothers, Stefano & Daniele, we grew up as a hockey family and had dad coaching us every day and every step of the way. Although having three boys who all play hockey competitively can get really expensive for a family (even if your dad was an ex-pro hockey player) my dad never cared about the price-tag when it came to us, even when we would go through sticks and skates like they were nothing he never flinched. All he wanted was for us to be successful, I mean my brothers and I wanted nothing more than to go pro and continue the amazing hockey legacy our dad has started and he knew that, which is why he sacrificed so much for my brothers and myself to get to where we are today. My dad is my hero, without him teaching me everything I know and always pushing me to be better than I was the day before.. I wouldn't have the opportunity I do today. That all came with a price though, my father was a very serious, intense and stern coach. He made sure that if hockey is what we want to pursue that we would have to work our butts 24/7! But he also had his soft side at times, like how he would reward my brothers and myself with building a homemade rink in our backyard during winter just to hold tournaments with the other families in the neighborhood. To be fair it was still practice for us, but those memories were some of the best I ever had. 
 

My brothers and myself practicing before our legendary, annual neighborhood tournament
 
After having my dad help propel me to success in every hockey league I played in as a kid it was finally time for me to take the next biggest step for my career. Before joining the VHLM draft I played in the QMJHL for the Rimouski Océanic. My time there was amazing, but it started off very rocky. For the first time in my life hockey and my dad were separated, for the first time in my life I didn't have him there to coach me in practice or to cheer me on during my games. It created a huge learning curve for me, it was almost like I had to learn how to play hockey again. It is also the reason why I haven't developed as much as I should have. My first year and half with Rimouski was mostly just learning how to adapt and become independent as a player and man did I suck, I didn't live up to any of the hype that was surrounded with my name. But they never gave up on me, as much as I struggled every player and every coach helped me become the player we all knew was inside of me. Let me tell you, it paid off, we ended up going back to back, winning 2 President Cups in my last 2 years with RImouski.
 

Me (Right) celebrating my first goal with the Rimouski Océanic
 
My time in the 'Q' and all the hard work I put in during my time there to reinvent myself was the biggest reason why the GM @thadthrasher of the San Diego Marlins took a chance on a kid like me. Now with the VHLM season starting in a couple days I have the chance to show the world who I am on ice and maybe... just maybe I will be able to make my dad proud and carry on the legacy he left behind. Although that will only be told with time, I plan on making the most of it every step of the way. 
 
I can only hope that I answered the questions you all wanted to know, but this was my life until now.. in a nutshell. I appreciate all who have supported me on my journey and I cannot wait to take you along for the ride!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

"Who are you?", "What makes this kid tick", "Where did he come from?", these are just some of the question I have received since entering the VHLM. Today I will finally give the answers that the people want to know, finally get to know who is Nicholas Mariani. I grew up in Montréal, Québec and was raised as any other typical Canadian, with a hockey stick in my hand and skates on my feet. From the moment I was able to walk I was pretty much playing hockey every chance I had. My dad was a big influence on my hockey path/career growing up, as well, after all  i guess having an Olympic Gold Medalist and all star pro player dad would have that effect. 
 

My dad (Left) celebrating a big win that led to a Gold medal
 
Growing up my dad was always there for me as well as my two brothers, Stefano & Daniele, we grew up as a hockey family and had dad coaching us every day and every step of the way. Although having three boys who all play hockey competitively can get really expensive for a family (even if your dad was an ex-pro hockey player) my dad never cared about the price-tag when it came to us, even when we would go through sticks and skates like they were nothing he never flinched. All he wanted was for us to be successful, I mean my brothers and I wanted nothing more than to go pro and continue the amazing hockey legacy our dad has started and he knew that, which is why he sacrificed so much for my brothers and myself to get to where we are today. My dad is my hero, without him teaching me everything I know and always pushing me to be better than I was the day before.. I wouldn't have the opportunity I do today. That all came with a price though, my father was a very serious, intense and stern coach. He made sure that if hockey is what we want to pursue that we would have to work our butts 24/7! But he also had his soft side at times, like how he would reward my brothers and myself with building a homemade rink in our backyard during winter just to hold tournaments with the other families in the neighborhood. To be fair it was still practice for us, but those memories were some of the best I ever had. 
 

My brothers and myself practicing before our legendary, annual neighborhood tournament
 
After having my dad help propel me to success in every hockey league I played in as a kid it was finally time for me to take the next biggest step for my career. Before joining the VHLM draft I played in the QMJHL for the Rimouski Océanic. My time there was amazing, but it started off very rocky. For the first time in my life hockey and my dad were separated, for the first time in my life I didn't have him there to coach me in practice or to cheer me on during my games. It created a huge learning curve for me, it was almost like I had to learn how to play hockey again. It is also the reason why I haven't developed as much as I should have. My first year and half with Rimouski was mostly just learning how to adapt and become independent as a player and man did I suck, I didn't live up to any of the hype that was surrounded with my name. But they never gave up on me, as much as I struggled every player and every coach helped me become the player we all knew was inside of me. Let me tell you, it paid off, we ended up going back to back, winning 2 President Cups in my last 2 years with RImouski.
 

Me (Right) celebrating my first goal with the Rimouski Océanic
 
My time in the 'Q' and all the hard work I put in during my time there to reinvent myself was the biggest reason why the GM @thadthrasher of the San Diego Marlins took a chance on a kid like me. Now with the VHLM season starting in a couple days I have the chance to show the world who I am on ice and maybe... just maybe I will be able to make my dad proud and carry on the legacy he left behind. Although that will only be told with time, I plan on making the most of it every step of the way. 
 
I can only hope that I answered the questions you all wanted to know, but this was my life until now.. in a nutshell. I appreciate all who have supported me on my journey and I cannot wait to take you along for the ride!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Awesome dude! Great detail into your backstory; very realistic. I would work on your 'run on' sentences in your future articles. 7/10 but a 10/10 in soul lol

"Who are you?", "What makes this kid tick", "Where did he come from?", these are just some of the question I have received since entering the VHLM. Today I will finally give the answers that the people want to know, finally get to know who is Nicholas Mariani. I grew up in Montréal, Québec and was raised as any other typical Canadian, with a hockey stick in my hand and skates on my feet. From the moment I was able to walk I was pretty much playing hockey every chance I had. My dad was a big influence on my hockey path/career growing up, as well, after all  i guess having an Olympic Gold Medalist and all star pro player dad would have that effect. 
 

My dad (Left) celebrating a big win that led to a Gold medal
 
Growing up my dad was always there for me as well as my two brothers, Stefano & Daniele, we grew up as a hockey family and had dad coaching us every day and every step of the way. Although having three boys who all play hockey competitively can get really expensive for a family (even if your dad was an ex-pro hockey player) my dad never cared about the price-tag when it came to us, even when we would go through sticks and skates like they were nothing he never flinched. All he wanted was for us to be successful, I mean my brothers and I wanted nothing more than to go pro and continue the amazing hockey legacy our dad has started and he knew that, which is why he sacrificed so much for my brothers and myself to get to where we are today. My dad is my hero, without him teaching me everything I know and always pushing me to be better than I was the day before.. I wouldn't have the opportunity I do today. That all came with a price though, my father was a very serious, intense and stern coach. He made sure that if hockey is what we want to pursue that we would have to work our butts 24/7! But he also had his soft side at times, like how he would reward my brothers and myself with building a homemade rink in our backyard during winter just to hold tournaments with the other families in the neighborhood. To be fair it was still practice for us, but those memories were some of the best I ever had. 
 

My brothers and myself practicing before our legendary, annual neighborhood tournament
 
After having my dad help propel me to success in every hockey league I played in as a kid it was finally time for me to take the next biggest step for my career. Before joining the VHLM draft I played in the QMJHL for the Rimouski Océanic. My time there was amazing, but it started off very rocky. For the first time in my life hockey and my dad were separated, for the first time in my life I didn't have him there to coach me in practice or to cheer me on during my games. It created a huge learning curve for me, it was almost like I had to learn how to play hockey again. It is also the reason why I haven't developed as much as I should have. My first year and half with Rimouski was mostly just learning how to adapt and become independent as a player and man did I suck, I didn't live up to any of the hype that was surrounded with my name. But they never gave up on me, as much as I struggled every player and every coach helped me become the player we all knew was inside of me. Let me tell you, it paid off, we ended up going back to back, winning 2 President Cups in my last 2 years with RImouski.
 

Me (Right) celebrating my first goal with the Rimouski Océanic
 
My time in the 'Q' and all the hard work I put in during my time there to reinvent myself was the biggest reason why the GM @thadthrasher of the San Diego Marlins took a chance on a kid like me. Now with the VHLM season starting in a couple days I have the chance to show the world who I am on ice and maybe... just maybe I will be able to make my dad proud and carry on the legacy he left behind. Although that will only be told with time, I plan on making the most of it every step of the way. 
 
I can only hope that I answered the questions you all wanted to know, but this was my life until now.. in a nutshell. I appreciate all who have supported me on my journey and I cannot wait to take you along for the ride!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

"Who are you?", "What makes this kid tick", "Where did he come from?", these are just some of the question I have received since entering the VHLM. Today I will finally give the answers that the people want to know, finally get to know who is Nicholas Mariani. I grew up in Montréal, Québec and was raised as any other typical Canadian, with a hockey stick in my hand and skates on my feet. From the moment I was able to walk I was pretty much playing hockey every chance I had. My dad was a big influence on my hockey path/career growing up, as well, after all  i guess having an Olympic Gold Medalist and all star pro player dad would have that effect. 
 

My dad (Left) celebrating a big win that led to a Gold medal
 
Growing up my dad was always there for me as well as my two brothers, Stefano & Daniele, we grew up as a hockey family and had dad coaching us every day and every step of the way. Although having three boys who all play hockey competitively can get really expensive for a family (even if your dad was an ex-pro hockey player) my dad never cared about the price-tag when it came to us, even when we would go through sticks and skates like they were nothing he never flinched. All he wanted was for us to be successful, I mean my brothers and I wanted nothing more than to go pro and continue the amazing hockey legacy our dad has started and he knew that, which is why he sacrificed so much for my brothers and myself to get to where we are today. My dad is my hero, without him teaching me everything I know and always pushing me to be better than I was the day before.. I wouldn't have the opportunity I do today. That all came with a price though, my father was a very serious, intense and stern coach. He made sure that if hockey is what we want to pursue that we would have to work our butts 24/7! But he also had his soft side at times, like how he would reward my brothers and myself with building a homemade rink in our backyard during winter just to hold tournaments with the other families in the neighborhood. To be fair it was still practice for us, but those memories were some of the best I ever had. 
 

My brothers and myself practicing before our legendary, annual neighborhood tournament
 
After having my dad help propel me to success in every hockey league I played in as a kid it was finally time for me to take the next biggest step for my career. Before joining the VHLM draft I played in the QMJHL for the Rimouski Océanic. My time there was amazing, but it started off very rocky. For the first time in my life hockey and my dad were separated, for the first time in my life I didn't have him there to coach me in practice or to cheer me on during my games. It created a huge learning curve for me, it was almost like I had to learn how to play hockey again. It is also the reason why I haven't developed as much as I should have. My first year and half with Rimouski was mostly just learning how to adapt and become independent as a player and man did I suck, I didn't live up to any of the hype that was surrounded with my name. But they never gave up on me, as much as I struggled every player and every coach helped me become the player we all knew was inside of me. Let me tell you, it paid off, we ended up going back to back, winning 2 President Cups in my last 2 years with RImouski.
 

Me (Right) celebrating my first goal with the Rimouski Océanic
 
My time in the 'Q' and all the hard work I put in during my time there to reinvent myself was the biggest reason why the GM @thadthrasher of the San Diego Marlins took a chance on a kid like me. Now with the VHLM season starting in a couple days I have the chance to show the world who I am on ice and maybe... just maybe I will be able to make my dad proud and carry on the legacy he left behind. Although that will only be told with time, I plan on making the most of it every step of the way. 
 
I can only hope that I answered the questions you all wanted to know, but this was my life until now.. in a nutshell. I appreciate all who have supported me on my journey and I cannot wait to take you along for the ride!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Bronze Medal Game:
Team Canada vs. Team World
Gold Medal Game:
Team Europe vs. Team Asia
 
Go to Standings
 

"Who are you?", "What makes this kid tick", "Where did he come from?", these are just some of the question I have received since entering the VHLM. Today I will finally give the answers that the people want to know, finally get to know who is Nicholas Mariani. I grew up in Montréal, Québec and was raised as any other typical Canadian, with a hockey stick in my hand and skates on my feet. From the moment I was able to walk I was pretty much playing hockey every chance I had. My dad was a big influence on my hockey path/career growing up, as well, after all  i guess having an Olympic Gold Medalist and all star pro player dad would have that effect. 
 

My dad (Left) celebrating a big win that led to a Gold medal
 
Growing up my dad was always there for me as well as my two brothers, Stefano & Daniele, we grew up as a hockey family and had dad coaching us every day and every step of the way. Although having three boys who all play hockey competitively can get really expensive for a family (even if your dad was an ex-pro hockey player) my dad never cared about the price-tag when it came to us, even when we would go through sticks and skates like they were nothing he never flinched. All he wanted was for us to be successful, I mean my brothers and I wanted nothing more than to go pro and continue the amazing hockey legacy our dad has started and he knew that, which is why he sacrificed so much for my brothers and myself to get to where we are today. My dad is my hero, without him teaching me everything I know and always pushing me to be better than I was the day before.. I wouldn't have the opportunity I do today. That all came with a price though, my father was a very serious, intense and stern coach. He made sure that if hockey is what we want to pursue that we would have to work our butts 24/7! But he also had his soft side at times, like how he would reward my brothers and myself with building a homemade rink in our backyard during winter just to hold tournaments with the other families in the neighborhood. To be fair it was still practice for us, but those memories were some of the best I ever had. 
 

My brothers and myself practicing before our legendary, annual neighborhood tournament
 
After having my dad help propel me to success in every hockey league I played in as a kid it was finally time for me to take the next biggest step for my career. Before joining the VHLM draft I played in the QMJHL for the Rimouski Océanic. My time there was amazing, but it started off very rocky. For the first time in my life hockey and my dad were separated, for the first time in my life I didn't have him there to coach me in practice or to cheer me on during my games. It created a huge learning curve for me, it was almost like I had to learn how to play hockey again. It is also the reason why I haven't developed as much as I should have. My first year and half with Rimouski was mostly just learning how to adapt and become independent as a player and man did I suck, I didn't live up to any of the hype that was surrounded with my name. But they never gave up on me, as much as I struggled every player and every coach helped me become the player we all knew was inside of me. Let me tell you, it paid off, we ended up going back to back, winning 2 President Cups in my last 2 years with RImouski.
 

Me (Right) celebrating my first goal with the Rimouski Océanic
 
My time in the 'Q' and all the hard work I put in during my time there to reinvent myself was the biggest reason why the GM @thadthrasher of the San Diego Marlins took a chance on a kid like me. Now with the VHLM season starting in a couple days I have the chance to show the world who I am on ice and maybe... just maybe I will be able to make my dad proud and carry on the legacy he left behind. Although that will only be told with time, I plan on making the most of it every step of the way. 
 
I can only hope that I answered the questions you all wanted to know, but this was my life until now.. in a nutshell. I appreciate all who have supported me on my journey and I cannot wait to take you along for the ride!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

BIG teammate vibes!! and as long as you keep pushing me to get better the M will in fact have to watch out
 

Got a jump on my PT submission for next week.  This is the only goalie with these colours that I can remember lol.
 
 

San Diego might end up being just a bit better than 8!  Also, keep a sharp eye out for winger Nicholas Mariani @Mistxh J.  Dude is on fire in the LR and if even half of that translates to the ice, watch out M!

March 16th marks a great tragedy for the hockey community around the world as 19 year old Timur Faizutdinov passed away this morning after sustaining a head injury during a game last Friday. Timur was a defense-man for Dynamo St. Petersburg's junior team in the MHL. At just 19 years old he was the leading bull for the team and sparked their locker room which is why he earned the big 'C' on his jersey. Timur's injuries were the result of receiving a puck to the head after his opposition attempted to dump the puck in their zone but unfortunately Timur was in the way. 
 
Timur was seen almost immediately grabbing his head and stumbling before collapsing to the ice. After the team and MHL doctors attempted to provide on ice care he was immediately rushed to the hospital where for three days doctors and Timur would fight for his life. It is with great sadness that all efforts failed and Timur died this morning under care. The news of his passing spread quickly and many will miss his young spirit on the ice. 
 
VHLM rising star, Nicholas Mariani, had some words about the tragedy after his morning skate today during an interview. Nicholas had said, "First and foremost I want to give my condolences to the family of Timur Faizutdinov, I cannot imagine the pain that they are going through right now. I knew he was hospitalized on Friday and that he was battling but I never knew the details... no one did." he chokes up a bit before continuing on, "Not many people knew this but before making my decision on entering the VHLM draft I was seriously considering going to Europe for a couple years to truly hone my skills. Timur had reached out to me to actually join his team, we would talk about forming a powerhouse team and everything. When I heard the news I was in the middle of my morning skate, I took it hard.. I just dropped and my emotions took over, it was just the worst news I could have heard. All I can say is that the hockey world has lost a good one, but Heaven gained another angel. My Prayers got out to his family." After finishing his thoughts Nicholas ended the interview there and went on to later post a picture of Timur Faizutdinov on his social media with the caption, "Rest in Peace Timur Faizutdinov #dynamoforever" . 
 
 
 
 
In memory of Timur Faizutdinov here was my way of a giving him a tribute . RIP Timur, Hockey will miss you 03/16/21
 
(word count 410) 

We do do some things just for funsies but you’re right, a lot of times we can get some sweet sweet teeps from things like predictions and fantasy sim hockey. 

Thanks for clearing it up! Still new to the league so wasn't sure how this worked

I knew this would not make it to the poll but I had fun doing it. I mainly tried to get an NHL 94 retro style.
 

I just added this disclaimer to the post: