Mistxh J

The Malmo Nighthawks welcome in the S77 Draftees to the team!
 
  
@Telkster @animal74
 
  
@ColeMrtz @GlowyGoat
 
 

Jaxx Hextall is nearing his final season before retirement, this future hall of famer is not only a celebrity on the ice, but also in the locker room.
The Toronto Legion have all came together to put in extra work, to do everything we can this season to get him his cup. The past two seasons Toronto has missed the playoffs, but their tenured net minder hasn't complained a single time. I'd like to do an article where I can praise @ROOKIE745for his excellence, not only in Toronto but in the league as a whole. 
 
     When I first stepped into the locker room here in Toronto, not only did I love how welcoming Jaxx was, I loved how great this man played. He would stretch his body in crazy ways just to stop the puck from entering the net. And you can ask anyone who's played against us these last few seasons, Jaxx is not an easy man to score on. With 176 career wins, a .917 save percentage, and over 13,000 saves, Jaxx has solidified himself as not just a player, but a leader of the highest caliber, not only in Toronto, but also across the league. Hextalls determination, and shear love he has for his team and the game has really made an impact on me as a player, and makes me want to strive to be even half as great as he is. 
 
     Hextall might not be the flashiest goalie to ever play in the VHL, but he has more heart than anyone else I've ever played with. He's played 390 games in his career with Toronto, and he's going to retire in Toronto. Our star goalie is leaving us at the end of the season, and after all he's done for us, the Legion have committed to winning the cup this year, for him, for our fans, and for our amazing GM @Peace. Hextall may be retiring this season, but win or lose, he's decided to do it with us. And nothing makes me happier than to play alongside this man one last season, and suit up every game with him. 
 
     And to you Jaxx, thank you for the inspiration you've given us younger players, and thank you for the dedication you bring to the Ice night after night. The fans love you, management loves you, the boys love you, and the world loves you. No matter how this season ends, we're playing with you until the last buzzer rings, and hopefully after that we can celebrate our victory with some Champagne. Because of your leadership, I believe that we're going to win, and wwe'e going to win big. I'm not worried about the future, because you taught us what this game is all about, family, the kind that goes out and bleeds for one another. Don't be worried about us, because after you leave, we'll use what you've taught us. Lets win a cup, and lets kick some ass. #WinForRookie
 
     Thanks you for reading this article, I gotta mosey on out and eat something. Stay warm and stay icy, Seacrest out. 

So for the VHL historians, there's always been a team that has stood out like a sore thumb: Avangard Havoc. Taken from the KHL team Avangard Omsk, whoever created the team did not realize Omsk was the place and Avangard was not. This resulted in them taking Omsk out and adding Havoc, resulting in "team name team name" such as Penguins Blue Jackets, rather than one of the words being a place.

However, this phenomenon is not only found in sim leagues, but also in real life. The MLS team Real Salt Lake is an example. Taken from Spanish teams such as Real Madrid, Real Zaragoza, and Real Oviedo, the term "Real" (pronounced Ray Al, not like the word "real" as in the opposite of fake) is Spanish for "Royal" and refers to the team of the monarchy in some way. This makes sense for the Spanish teams, as Spain has a history of being a monarchy. It does not make sense for Real Salt Lake, who is neither Spanish-speaking nor has any historical context with which to claim a monarchy. Salt Lake City is in Utah, which is more Mormon than monarchical. The MLS in particular tried to go a bit too far with stealing European naming conventions, but most of the time it's harmless, such as Toronto FC where FC really just means "football club" and is therefore true.

Which is a dumber team name? Can you think of any other examples of teams where the name doesn't even follow its own internal logic?

I know that rosters are still changing, and that players are still being traded around, lines haven't all been finished yet. But I want to rank the top teams in the country this season. And I'll get started with our number one pick. 
 
1.Toronto Legion
This team is my clear favorite this season, not just because Toronto is due a run.
But because the players are playing for more than just themselves.
They're playing for Jaxx Hextall, their goalie who's going to retire this season.
I see the legion putting up point this season as well, acquiring new picks in the draft like Asher Reinhart.
Not only a respected member of the VHL, but also a stud who should've gone first overall in my opinion.
The Legion not only have a solid offensive core, but their defensive core is absolutely beautiful as well.
With players such as Scotty Kaberle, and Jolly Green Giant.
Expect the Legion to not only make the playoffs, but to dominate as well.
@Peace @ROOKIE745 @rjfryman @fromtheinside @DoktorFunk
 
2.Moscow Menace
With a scary good draft, Moscow looks set to take on anyone this season.
Moscow has picked up not only Duncan Idaho, but they also managed to acquire Paul Atreides.
Two incredible rookies looking to make an impact on the league, and both of them are on this team.
Not only does Moscow have some top tier talent, but they've acquired a new GM in Spartan. 
A talented young GM who used to manage the Vegas Aces, a team who may not have seen post season success, but he was amazing with first gens and remakes.
I feel like a lot of people are going to sleep on Moscow unfairly, but let them prove you wrong, Spartan would love to.
@Spartan @OrbitingDeath  @Mr_Hatter
 
3.D.C. Dragons 
God this team is scary on paper, unfortunately being scary on paper doesn't win cups. 
Despite DC having an objectively good team, they've seen very little playoff success.
However anything can change and I think it will. 
D.C. is just itching to prove to the hockey world that they belong, and they will stop at nothing to do so.
With an offensive core composed of impressive players like, super star winger Groovy Dood they can't fail right?
The defensive core of the Dragons might be even better thought with players like, Alex Letang, and DeFenz Mann, the dragons will be a hard team to score on.
Speaking of hard to score on Stone Wolski is cashing in at 863 TPA and ready to win big.
@cant tag spartan twice @bigAL @Mike @Enorama
 
 
     Well that's all the teams I'm going to cover today, I feel as though these teams will do incredibly well. Thank you for reading, stay warm, and stay icy, Seacrest out. 

Great read!!

This off-season was probably the closest Hextall came to leaving the Legion but the veteran netminder decided to stay. He's played his entire career with the team and has made the choice to end it there, but one has to wonder why if there were other factors than just staying loyal Toronto. We reached out to him for a comment "It was a long and hard thought process, I took a deep look at other rosters and where they are, and like I've said most teams are pretty set with their goalie position so even the teams I would have like to go to didn't need me. Vancouver was the team I was looking at the most but while I think they might be better in an area or two, Toronto is going to have a better defense and I love the depth of our team, everyone is coming together and working hard, harder than I've ever see. I think we're going to be very dangerous with every line and from anywhere on the ice."
 
With Hextall staying with the team he can continue to move up the Legion history books. Besides that though his comment about the depth of the team is true, three solid lines and four great defensemen. Lines are still up to changing but so far the first line is: Anigbogu - Green - Odinsson /second line: Sunderbruch - Reinhart - Sens /Third line: Funk Jr - Weiss - Webber The talent is well spread out with two solid scoring lines and third line that will keep you on yours toes. Kaberle-Welch / Upton-Giant are your defense pairings and they are all rated highly for defensemen. All we can do now is wait for the season to start to see how the team performs.
 
(word count 292)

New Miami Marauders defenseman Damien Salducci joined the hosts of VHL’s “Top Shelf” podcast for a quick chat during the busy draft season. Below is a transcription.
 
Top Shelf: Firstly Damien we want to throw a big congrats your way for your selection in the VHLM draft for season 77. Are you now less nervous or more nervous than before the draft?
 
Salducci: [Laughs} Um I’d say both, if that’s possible? No it definitely feels like a weight off my shoulders in one way, but when I think about it a lot more, realize what is up ahead, it starts to get a bit overwhelming. I am lucky to be surrounded by a great family first of all, who really are keeping me sane.
 
Top Shelf:  Tell us about last night, were you able to celebrate with your family?
 
Salducci: Yea I was, it was great.
 
Top Shelf: Champagne was flowing?
 
Salducci: Well I am under age and um, I’ve never tasted champagne in my life. Yea let’s go with that.
 
Top Shelf: Fair enough! Let’s get to the meat of the draft. You were picked 42nd overall. In fairness I think you were slated to be selected later on, any idea what it is about your game that had Miami go over some other players and pick you?
 
Salducci: Yea if you told me last week that I would be in the 42nd slot, I wouldn’t have believed it. I am guessing they see the effort I put in every week to grow my game.
 
Top Shelf: What round did you think you’d be selected in?
 
Salducci: Um definitely not the 4th, more like the 5th or the 6th. I was preparing for anything, maybe even not getting picked.
 
Top Shelf: That’s a healthy mindset to have for sure Damien. Now you’re heading into an interesting situation; the Marauders were one of the best defensive teams last season, and you’re joining a crew of very established and dynamic players. Any idea what the expectation is of you, and what kind of game do you want to carve out for yourself in the team?
 
Salducci: You know, I was kinda surprised they picked me because I figured they were so loaded on defense. Also, my dad always told me that you always want to play with people better than you – they bring up your game. He certainly reminded me of that last night [laughs]. It’s obviously flattering to know they think I can compliment their guys, and that’s exactly what I want to do. It’ll take a few games for me to figure out the pace of the VHLM but I am sure that I can adapt. I made it this far doing that over the years!
 
Top Shelf: Alright last question here – when we say Miami, what do you think of, and what about the city excites you the most?
 
Salducci: I mean I can’t not mention the beaches, the boulevards on South Beach I think?
 
Top Shelf: Yup on South Beach
 
Salducci: Right, and the Cuban music and food. Really excited to get seafood, I am from the North of Italy, it’s a totally different food scene back home.
 
Top Shelf: Alright Damien, thanks for your time, and best of luck next season.
 
Damien: Was a pleasure, bye guys
 
 
 
(551 words, claiming for week ending March 28)

1. We managed to bring home 2 free agents this season. Brian Strong Junior and Xavier Leflamant. What is your thought about that? - Going into my seventh season, luring in free agents that weren't already connected to the team is something that really didn't happen before. To have two in one off-season... that's big. It signals a shift in outside opinions in that Prague is a desirable place to play and contend. It's a big moment for the franchise. 
 
2. With Moscow and Malmo now in a rebuild, we can say this season will surely change the power ranking in the europe conference. Give us your prediction, what position do you think Prague will be in the Europe conference standings? - As long as it's at least fifth, I don't care. Punching our ticket to the playoffs is all that matters. 
 
3. Someone broke our player stat bot in the discord, who is guilty? - Kisslinger, dude's always messing with that thing!
 
4. @animal74, former Prague Phantoms got drafted by Malmo with his new player. How will you be when you will play against him for the first time? - He's very familiar with the team and our style of play, and Deathwalker is built well to roll with it. He's gonna be out to disrupt our game, but we have a roster full of guys ready to take him on!
 
5. With only one pick in the entire draft, Prague drafted Nicholas Mariani with the 43rd pick and he already showed us good things in our locker room. Any message for the new Phantom's prospect? - He's a perfect fit for this team, it feels like he's been one of the boys forever instead of just a weekend. Very hard worker too, and I hope he can keep it going, because I would love to get to play with him for my final season next year!
 
6. Do you think that Mikko Lahtinen will still be at the top of the league after being traded to London? - Oh yeah, Mikko is way too good to not be. London still has a quality roster, and adding Lahtinen to it means both will do well this season. 

1. I think it's huge for the team, really helps us get ready for the cup rush this year!
2. I think it's no question we finish first or second.
3. Probably @Zach Kisslinger, he breaks everything lol
4. I think it will be a pretty good game, and i'm hoping to get a couple points. 
5. Continue to be active in the locker room and meet new people it makes it a lot more fun in the long run! Also update as much as you can, helps the team a ton. 
6. No, I don't I'm hoping for Chris Hylands to be!

1. I think it is huge for us, after losing two of our previous players. having these guys is super exciting and I cannot wait to hit the ice with them.
2.I think we finish 1st, honestly pretty easily.
3. Probably me, I tend to break things pretty easily ahahha
4. I think it will be cool, maybe we could drop the gloves ahahah
5. Update and do as much as you can, and please be active in the locker room like you already are.
6. I think Mingle will probably be at the top.

1. We managed to bring home 2 free agents this season. Brian Strong Junior and Xavier Leflamant. What is your thought about that?
Answer:
 
2. With Moscow and Malmo now in a rebuild, we can say this season will surely change the power ranking in the europe conference. Give us your prediction, what position do you think Prague will be in the Europe conference standings?
Answer:
 
3. Someone broke our player stat bot in the discord, who is guilty?
Answer:
 
4. @animal74, former Prague Phantoms got drafted by Malmo with his new player. How will you be when you will play against him for the first time?
Answer:
 
5. With only one pick in the entire draft, Prague drafted Nicholas Mariani with the 43rd pick and he already showed us good things in our locker room. Any message for the new Phantom's prospect?
Answer:
 
6. Do you think that Mikko Lahtinen will still be at the top of the league after being traded to London?
 Answer:
 

ZEEDAYNO CHARA
ROOKIE EXPERIENCE 

Zeedayno Chara has always dreamed of playing in the VHL.  He played his final year of Junior for the Barrie Colts of the OHL 2 years ago. Now at 22 years old he entered the league as a free agent. He signed with the Miami Marauders of the VHLM. Chara played 36 regular season games and 6 playoff games for Miami.  He put up 2 goals and 31 assists total in those games. 
 
After he was eliminated from the VHLM playoffs Chara's focus was on the VHL draft.  He had no idea where he would be drafted.  There were many mock drafts that predicted what spot Chara may be selected at. VHL.com had Chara going 8th to Riga , VSN had him being selected 7th by Calgary and another local newspaper had Chara also going to Calgary.  Many teams showed interest but Zeedayno didn't know what team was going to call his name on draft night. 
Finally the draft begins and Chara sees the top Defensemen Reinhart selected 2nd overall.  He waits in anticipation.  Moscow makes a predictable pick at 3rd overall and now the New York Americans General Manager steps up to the podium.  Esso: " With the 4th overall selection, the New York Americans select Zeedayno Chara". 
Chara was ecstatic to step up and dawn that Americans Jersey.  He was excited and proud to be part of an organization with such a great history. 
 

We are currently in the off season and Chara is officially a VHL rookie now.  He signed a 3 year entry level deal. Season 1: $2.5M , season 2: $1M and season 3: $1M. He is very optimistic with New Yorks future. The team has young promising players in all positions. Zeedayno was excited to be joining the team that selected Red lite 1st overall in the previous draft. If we had to predict Chara's season stats they would be as follows: 6 goals, 35 assists , 41 points.  Not bad for the defensive minded rookie. Not close to ROTY worthy but a respectable start to career nonetheless.  
 
Big Z plans to get to know his new city before the season starts.  He will play the role of tourist this week and check out all the sites. His teamates gave him a welcome package that included: white New Balance shoes, a fanny pack, sun hat , long white socks and a old Polaroid camera.  Dressed in his new attire, Chara will check out the Big Apple tomorrow. 

 
 
Will Chara's rookie season surprise people,  be predictable or will he disappoint? 
With the season 77 just around the corner all these questions will be answered with his play on the ice. 
 

@N0HBDY your time is up, you have been skipped
 
@Brewins15 it is your turn to pick

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.
  

Coming into the S77 VHL Draft, Prague only had one single pick, 43rd overall in the 3rd round, so it was always going to get a bit interesting in terms of who we could manage to get and who we couldn't. It was perhaps a bit ironic that this draft in particular was the one we barely had any picks in, given that there were so many Prague alumni with their recreates in it. That Dude @Cornholio, Druss Deathwalker @animal74, Brussels Sprout @Liberty_Cabbage, and Gary Tarantino @Garrett, were all guys who we greatly enjoyed having on the team and would have definitely preferred to bring back, had circumstances gone in a direction as to allow it, but ultimately I'm still happy with the trade that netted us Grekkark Gyrfalcon @Sharkstrong even if it took away the opportunities on bringing back some of these guys. It was pretty interesting though seeing the mid first round to the early second full of members of the Phamily, and I hope these guys all enjoy their new locations. Honestly, given the way a few of them fell, I'd thrown the idea around in our strategy area of potentially trading into the draft to pick one up, but never ended up pulling the trigger - mostly because work was particularly busy and I couldn't guarantee being able to take the time away to fully negotiate a deal with anyone, but still. All of these guys are 100% welcome in Prague at any time and they know that. That's simply the way the Phamily works - for that matter, Animal is still doing the team awards, despite no longer being on the team, and it's probably one of my favorite little personal touches that Prague offers despite being done by a now former member.

A few hours before draft night, I took a look through all the VHLM Discords (the perks of being one of the guys running the thing after all) to see what I could find in terms of activity from the type of players who were likely to be around at 43. At first, I did have one specific target, Baldur Poulsen @GlowyGoat who at that stage would have been more of a locker room presence type of player than one that would necessarily be a huge help for us on the ice. Still, Glowy is a great person to have around, and so I wanted to try to make that happen. Unfortunately, I'd gotten word from my AGM Dominic Gobeil @Domg5 that he speculated Malmo at 40 might be looking that way, and my source ended up being correct on that front.
 
I found a few players just down the draft list that I'd also seen in their respective discords, and added Raphael Sonier @raphaelsonier9815 and Raihan Heavems @RstortonYT in particular to my list (and had I not gone with the guy I did, these two were the next targets) but there was one message in particular that intrigued me. "Appreciate the heads up, but sticking to the basics is just temporary until I'm not stressed with school and also learn the league in more detail. I would definitely do more in the future!" This was found in the Houston discord, and it came from a guy that perhaps on paper would have been maybe half a round later, Nicholas Mariani @Mistxh J. A guy who is active already, but who plans to increase that as time goes on, and just needs to learn the league? I was immediately sold. After all, where better for a member to learn the league than on the team with both VHLM commissioners? I'm confident Mariani will significantly outperform his 43rd overall selection. In fact, while he was somewhere in the early to mid 50s TPE-wise on draft night, just over the last few days he's climbed to 47th.
 
Shortly thereafter, it was time to turn our attention to free agency. We had Jungkok @tfong that was set to test the market, although we were considered to have a fair chance of retaining him as a fairly contending team. Ultimately, it did not work out that way, and while it's unfortunate to see him go, it's hard for a guy looking to compete for cups to turn down an offer from the team that most recently won it, which is where Jungkok ended up. This left us with 7 million in cap and the rest of the market to play with. Obviously, an attempt was made to go after Venus Thightrap @BladeMaiden as well - similarly to the people mentioned in the first paragraph, Blade and any of her players will always be welcome in Prague. This time, it wasn't to be - my work schedule for the Saturday in which FA opened got changed to 7 PM-3 AM, so I didn't wake up until 6 PM, by which time she'd already signed with Helsinki (I'd talked briefly with her the day before though, when FA talks were open but signings were not). This narrowed our focus onto two players, Xavier LeFlamant @BarzalGoat and Brian Strong Jr @Wheaties.
 
Both guys I added to the discord, let them talk with the team for a bit, created a role for FA with basically the same perms as the Players role, and let the guys get down to the business of swaying them to our side. The plan was to offer on both players, and if we got one, to then put in an inactive claim on Hugh Jass which combined would take up most of our cap space. While it seemed stressful at the time, and I could never be 100% sure of where either guy would go until they signed, I'm ultimately not sure how close it was in the end for either guy. Barzy took to our discord like he was meant to be there the whole time, immediately meshing with the guys as though he was a long lost member of the Phamily. Given we could match the few things he had a preference for, he agreed to sign fairly early for us, which solidified the plans a bit and most importantly, it removed the possibility of a complete strikeout. Given we'd lost Jungkok, getting LeFlamant was a major relief in my mind.
 
Then the focus turned to Strong. He'd already been talking with us a little during the talking period, but went out the first night FA was open and wasn't around quite as much as Barzy initially. Still, Wheaties is a guy I go back some way with, having been on his Miami Neptune in EFL for a while with one of my old players (not my shiny new auto 12s, but a guy I had to do work for and ultimately didn't most of the time) plus was just generally aware of him anyway and got along well. There's also a few other guys on the team (the aforementioned Shark, as well as @Doomsday) that know Wheaties and could make it a place of familiarity. At this point, FA largely became a series of if-then statements: IF Strong : THEN Done - IF Not Strong : THEN IA claim on Jass. It never came down to that though, as Strong also signed on with us and while admittedly landing both does fill up the forwards a bit, it still makes us a much stronger team than we were, which is saying a lot because we were already in a pretty good spot. Definitely happy to bring Wheaties on board and the even nicer part is he's still a pretty young player as a season 74 draftee, so potentially he fits in well with the whole extended window, both pre and post the Landry timeline.
 
This whole thing turns our arguably weakest area from last season, centers, into a position of strength. We now have four players with a developed FO attribute as both FAs have done so (Strong may want to bump his up a little, as he's at 70 compared to Bouchard's 75, LeFlamant's 77, and Landry's 85) and can actually move people about the lines a bit more freely and look for matchups rather than having the center availability largely dictate things for us. Also, and this appears to be somewhat of a footnote because it didn't require any separate transactional work over the last few days, but it's certainly much more important than just the brief mention at the end: we are set to see the debut of hard working winger Braxton Hunter @dshervill. He's given everything he's had to the Saskatoon Wild program in the VHLM, and it's time for him to take a step up the pipeline and crack the opening day roster. He deserves every bit of this chance and will surely be a key part of the Phantoms going forward. It's especially impressive that a guy who was in somewhat of the dregs of his draft, at 72 overall, has kept such consistent work over the seasons and now finds himself on the Phantoms roster proper.
 
1504 words
 

1. Are you excited to start S77?
Excited does not begin to describe it.  Had a great career with Guy Lesieur and can't wait to get started with Tessier.
2. Did you get picked by a team in the draft or hoping for a wavier?
I am very grateful to have been drafted by San Diego.
3. What are your expectations this season?
I first and foremost want to have a blast with my teammates on and off the ice.  Second, I'd like to make a run at the playoffs and the Cup.  Came close before, but the ultimate prize still eludes me.  Third, to build the foundation for becoming an elite 1C in the VHL.
4. Do you have a special plan for your player?
I'm going to go for as close to max earning as possible.  Let's see if I can do that for one full season and then we can worry about season 2. lol
5. Did you experience the DRAFT HYPE?
Yes, always so cool to see where you are going to start your career and then meeting all your new teammates.
6. If there is something you think the management should work on this Season, what would it be and why?
Just creating and maintaining a great LR experience.  Everything else flows from that.  I'll do my best to help.

Hey if you could do one for my player, Nicholas Mariani, and use Nathan Mackinnon as the render that would be GREATLY appreciated!! 🙏🏻 oh and the team is for San Diego Marlins

Glad to be a part of such a great organization and I can't wait to get started! Thanks for all your support @thadthrasher

March 14th, 2021 is a day that will be talked about for many years to come. This was the day that San Diego came through the draft with an incredibly solid core of players, and the management could not be any happier. After taking over the reigns of San Diego during the off-season between S75 and S76, @thadthrasher came into the management scene with only two draft picks, one in the 7th round and the other in the 8th round. The remainder of S76 saw the SDM management signing waiver and Free Agent players while also trading huge players away for future draft picks, a move that should prove worth while.
 
On the heels of S76, after having to release all of their waiver signings, San Diego was left with only one player, Aldwin Craig @Eldredman. At this point, San Diego entered the stage of being under a complete rebuild. They needed to snag players in every position, and they weren't the only team needing to do this as well. With the S77 Draft Class lacking much depth, it became apparent a few days before the draft that every pick had to be calculated precisely, and that's exactly what San Diego did. With how difficult this draft seemed to be for many managers, San Diego had to have multiple backup plans for if and when their desire player was picked up. There were moments of frustration, and even a few times where San Diego wasn’t sure what to do. However, cool minds prevailed and they were able to hold an incredibly successful draft. They were able to secure a great core group of players, establish a few healthy lines off the bat, and get things rolling on the ice for an impressive S77 run. Now, only time will tell if they can do it!
 
#1 The Loch Ness Monster @LuluSalesAway
While many speculated as to who SDM would select with their 1st round draft pick, few were surprised by their selection of the Loch Ness Monster. Nessie, as she is sometimes called, comes back to SDM after initially playing for the team during S76 as a waiver signing. She added grit and depth to the team, something that was needed, and is why she was brought back.
 
#11 Luc Tessier @KC15
Tessier comes to SDM after being selected 11th overall. He's an energetic, active, and eager player. While he does not have any prior ice-time to gauge, he has looked great in videos of him on previous teams outside of the VHL. He will certainly come out as one of the top centers of the draft.
 
#15 Lochlan Chisholm @Lochlan Chisholm
Chisholm is another player that will be returning to San Diego after playing the full 72 game season as a waiver player. Chisholm did not have much to show on the ice, but with a tired and worn out team around him, SDM believes that their true potential was never reached. They are hoping for an explosive season out of this young winger.
 
#21 Arvid Johansson @Gwdjohnson
Johansson only has 12 games played for S76 as a Halifax waiver player. Those games didn't offer much for scouting, but Johansson's work ethic on and off the ice really propelled him higher on SDM's draft board. While a new player, they seem to have a great veteran presence about them that should help keep the rest of the team motivated!
 
#32 Nicholas Mariani @Mistxh J
Much like Tessier, Mariani does not have any VHLM ice-time to have helped SDM scout him. However, during every discussion with SDM (and every other team that talked to Mariani) there was an indisputable passion and drive that, if converted on the ice, would make for an amazing player. There is much potential here!
 
#39 Anime Protagonist @Jericho
Protagonist comes to San Diego with only 3 games under his belt in Saskatoon. While those 3 games were wins for the young netminder, it wasn't too much to go off of. Protagonist has been active around the league, making his name known. This selection by SDM could prove to be something that helps them during a potential future playoff run.
 
#49 Bogdan Trunov @qripll
This is yet another player that did not have any previous games to help SDM scout. However, after receiving his draft notice he was quick to come into team discussions and say "hey" to everyone. As a center he doesn't have much going on as far as face-offs go, but he will certainly help the team score quick and early in games! This is a player with great potential.
 
#52 James Tavers @lukechezzwoo
Tavers comes to the team as a brand new player. Not having much experience, he showed some great potential in tapes that SDM management saw. With some great coaching and grooming, Tavers has the chance at being a great defenseman in this league. Only time will truly tell.
 
#68 Brent Ashe @nhlbeastmode_7777
Ashe is another young player that showed some potential. While there really isn't much to be known about this player, he is young enough to grow exponentially as long as he is will to show up and put in the work. But, when someone is drafted in the VHLM they are always ready and willing to put in the work!
 
#83 Jason Foote @Fno
After playing 30 games for Yukon, Foote didn't really have much going for him in the stats. What impressed SDM was his willingness to grow, practice, and work hard. While he has taken a bit of a leave of absence, management hopes that they will be able to reach out and pull back in this great young player!
 
SDM's Future...
With 10 solid picks this draft, San Diego is certainly looking like a team that will make an early and impressive impact on the league. Under the careful management of @thadthrasher and team veteran @Eldredman, San Diego is looking to go the distance. Their hope is that with this core group of players, San Diego will be able to do something that hasn't happened in franchise history, take home the Founder's Cup!
 
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1007 words, claiming weeks ending 21 March and 28 March
 
 
 

Congrats to all the boys who won awards and what a great read this was! 

S76 Team Awards
 
 
Announcing the S76 Prague Phantoms’ Team Awards as voted by the players and management:
 
Best Defenseman
Riley Knight Gee
 
With Prague’s original “Big 3” on defense either retired or signed elsewhere, it was time for the next generation of Phantom blueliners to step up. And Gee sure did that! The Canadian defenseman set career-highs in just about every category including setting franchise records for plus-minus (+28) and goals by a defenseman (23). He also led the team in minutes played, PIM, power play goals and shootout goals.
 
Others Receiving Votes: Zachariah Kisslinger
 
Rookie of the Year
Dominic Gobeil
 
Gobeil set new Prague rookie standards for goals (26), points (71), shots (374), power play assists (19) and points (26) and tied the franchise rookie record with 45 assists.
 
Others Receiving Votes: Robert Bouchard, Silas LeFriend
 
Unsung Hero
Dan Baillie Jr, Zachariah Kisslinger
 
There are always a lot of players who receive votes for this award which points to Prague’s comradery and the effort this team plays with.
 
Baillie Jr had somewhat of a bounce-back season as he set career-highs in goals (28), points (54), plus-minus (+15), shots (267), and power play goals (8) and was a consistent source of offense all season long. This is his second shared Unsung Hero Award.
 
Kisslinger went from little-used rookie to top-pairing sophomore overnight blasting his rookie numbers out of the water. He was second on the Phantoms in assists (47), plus-minus (+25), and PIM (112) and third in hits and shots blocked.
 
Others Receiving Votes: Robert Bouchard, Dominic Gobeil, Grekkark Gyrfalcon, John LeClair II, Woody McPine
 
Most Energetic
Dominic Gobeil, Zachariah Kisslinger
 
As a rookie, Gobeil led the team in hits (185 over the full season) and was second in shots as he constantly buzzed around the ice and caused havoc for opponents and opportunities for his teammates.
 
A one-man wrecking crew in front of the Prague crease, Kisslinger was among team leaders in PIM, hits, and shots blocked as he also queued the Phantom attack with his deft passing.
 
Others Receiving Votes: Thomas Landry II
 
Most Gentlemanly
Robert Bouchard, Thomas Landry II
 
Neither Landry II nor Bouchard are afraid to mix it up on the ice but it was their pleasant and contagious personalities that permeated the Prague locker room. They were always looking out for their teammates and put others first as only gentlemen do. This is Landry’s third Most Gentlemanly Award and Bouchard's first.
 
Others Receiving Votes: John Brewitt, Jungkok, John LeClair II, Woody McPine
 
Most Valuable Player
Thomas Landry II
 
The runaway winner for the Phantoms’ MVP for the second straight season is none other than their leader Thomas Landry II who had the best season in team history setting franchise records for goals (38), assists (67), points (105) and shots (449), and tying his own franchise records in power play assists (21) and points (29). He also set career-highs in plus-minus (+21) and shot blocks (45) and had 34 more points than the next Phantom. 
 
Others Receiving Votes: Dominic Gobeil
 
Phantom of the Year
Thomas Landry II
 
In his first season as team captain, Landry II stepped it up a notch on and off the ice. He had a career year leading a young Prague team to the playoffs, set team records along the way and continued to make his mark as the unquestioned leader of the Phantoms. This is his second Phantom of the Year Award.
 
Others Receiving Votes: Zachariah Kisslinger, Grekkark Gyrfalcon
 
3-Stars Award
Thomas Landry II
 
With his record-breaking season, it’s no wonder Thomas Landry II outpaced the next closest Phantom by 100 Star points – although goalie Woody McPine gave him a run for his money before getting traded. Landry II led the Phantoms with 10 1st-Stars and 20 total Star selections as he willed the Phantoms into the playoffs for only the fourth time in franchise history. This is his second 3-Stars Award.
 
Full 3-Star standings below:
 
Player 1st 2nd 3rd Star Points Total Stars Thomas Landry II 10 6 4 460 20 Woody McPine 8 5 2 360 15 John LeClair II 4 6 8 320 18 Dominic Gobeil 5 4 3 260 12 Grekkark Gyrfalcon 4 3 4 220 11 Dan Baillie Jr 0 7 5 190 12 Riley Knight Gee 3 1 4 150 8 Jungkok 2 2 0 100 4 Zachariah Kisslinger 2 2 0 100 4 Robert Bouchard 1 2 3 100 6 Battre Sandstrom 1 0 4 70 5 Pengu 1 0 2 50 3 John Brewitt 0 1 2 40 3 Silas LeFriend 1 0 0 30 1 Michael Fletcher 0 0 0 0 0 Willy Myers 0 0 0 0 0  
Players Mentioned: @Doomsday @Domg5 @wcats @JBrew42 @flyersfan1406 @tfong  @Pengu @Gaikoku-hito @KnightRiley @yevty @Kisslinger @Acydburn  @Sharkstrong @DragonFire420 @Willy Myers @HearnNation67 @diamond_ace

Kisslinger’s Offseason Shenanigans and Thoughts...
This off season I have been trying to keep the perfect balance of training and other events, which is a super hard combo to keep track of. One night I go to a bar and have a couple too many drinks and the next day I am in the gym for 10 hours.  This offseason I finally got enough money to buy a nice piece of land in Prague and it is starting to feel like home in a way. My teammates and I are getting closer and closer. I feel as this off season we really hit it off and we are starting to build some chemistry for a real cup run this year. I have been trying to get involved with the community here in Prague, but Covid has really made that hard. The fans here in Prague love us so much and support us to the max, it sucks not being able to give back to the people who support us most. Another thing that has been bothering me is being away from my family back in Canada. It has been very rough, but that was the only positive thing about being eliminated early was being able to go back and see them.
  I always try to get them to come out and move to Prague, but it is just so hard to convince them. This off season I have started to appreciate the game of hockey more and realize how good I can be. I reflect on my rookie year and I had a total of 7 points in 72 games. This past season I had 50 points in 72 games. It fuels my training seeing those numbers climb like that. It makes me work harder and harder. But then again, I do not want to over train. I can already feel my body starting to give me a little bit of problems.
 This offseason has been very hard mentally for me. I feel as right now life is not as exciting. Just a couple weeks ago I was in the locker room with the boys everyday practicing and playing and now it is just us barely getting to hang out because everyone is flying back home or training. I know I will get over it, it is just hard during the offseason, being so far away from home, away from everything I used to know. When the season is on, I feel so much better and so focused, I just do not know what gets into me when it hits offseason. I really do love it here in Prague, maybe once I retire, I can settle here and really start a life out here. I do not know though; I think to much about stuff that is way ahead of me… I just worry for my future too much and I need to stop doing that. I know I will be okay, and this offseason has been teaching me that.  I am beyond excited to get back out on the ice and show everyone that myself and the rest of the Phantoms are here to win.
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