Deee.Geee

Don't often see draft day pics, really like that you're dipping into seldom-used pic content for this signature. The background respecting the team's colour and names, the focus pulled on the player not in greyscale, and the super legible next mean you built an A+ graphic. 9.5/10!

Although the celebrations are slowly coming to an end, the memories should be eternal. The Miami Marauder’s storybook finale to season 77 of the VHLM and their seizure of the championship has propelled them to enormous heights this year. Their rookie defenseman, Damien Salducci, made some time for an interview ahead of a busy schedule including preparation for the VHL draft, a new exercise regime through the off-season, and a trip home before the kick-off of Season 78. Damien firstly we’d like to offer a huge congrats for the season; not every rookie gets a chance to drink from the cup in their first tilt in the VHLM. Take us through how you’re feeling. It’s felt a dream, you know? When I am home after the celebrations and parties in the last few days and I just stop to think about it, I actually wonder if this even happened. We’re all super happy. Our bodies also appreciate the downtime! The guys warned me how playoffs were fierce and that you get knocked around a lot but the reality was much worse than what I expected. Still, no complaints! Is there anything special you’re doing in preparation for the VHL Draft? Conversations with any teams? There have been conversations, sure, but a lot of my Marauder teammates told me to simplify my life and focus on my off-season routines. The rest is really out of my hands. The Marauder coaching and training staff and I have put together a great workout and new diet plan so that I can grow my game through different exercises in the off-season. We wanted to ask you what changes in this off-season preparation versus last years? Last year I focused on speed and agility, I wanted the increase the speed of my first steps because I knew that what I lacked in size I could make up for in acceleration. I am happy with the lower body gains – I had focused on legs and core last year, this year it’s more about gaining extra muscle and developing my upper body a bit more, hopefully not at the cost of speed. For those who might be wondering, why add muscle to the top of your frame? How is your diet changing? Yea it’s about making me a more competitive defenseman in battles along the boards or on the open ice. I got beat a bunch last year because my strength doesn’t match the older guys, and I need it if I want to compete in the VHL eventually. I mean it’s also a big benefit to keeping up in the VHLM too. As for the diet, I am modifying the vegetable ratio to add more carbs – so more rice and pasta are on the menu! I am also trying to get bulkier proteins like pork and beef versus fish which I tend to eat a lot of. When you’re not working out or celebrating the cup, what are you expecting to do in order to make the most this off-season? I have no other commitments, and I realized a few days ago that there’s a small window of time to fly back home to Italy to spend a week or so with my family, see my friends, etc. I haven’t been back in months so I am overdue. We wish you lots of luck at the VHL draft and beyond, congrats again Damien. Thanks guys, have a great week. Words: 575

1. We are the champions!!! What an accomplishment!? What was something that surprised you these playoffs? That sweep in the last round - I had winning in our future, but not like that! Very amazing feeling. 2. if you could sum up this entire season in one word what would it be? Champions 3. Who is your playoff MVP? @Sportsboy57averaged above a point per game as a defenseman and was a special teams beast. My pick goes to him! 4. A lot of Marauders are graduating this off season! Are the players and fans okay with a little retool? No sense in getting depressed - we should instead be happy for their contributions and wish them well on their next stage of hockey! 5. What’s on thing you can’t live without? My e-reader. I love having all books in one place 6. how are you spending your Mother’s Day?! Pandemic has made it hard to see anybody, but I called all my loved ones

You've hit a really cool niche in with your media posts - nobody is doing story telling quite like you. Not a lot of players are given the same kind of hurdles to jump over like Masami has to. Very fleshed out backstory. Great job! 9.5/10

I really like the name listed vertically (a rarity), and the font you chose is cool; very modern. Don't see a lot of branded/sponsored graphics either, so you're unique there too! Maybe find a way for the last name to not be hidden? Takes away the broadcasting of the player. 8/10

1. After the sweeping the Aces in the semi finals, Miami is Final bound!!! Do we take home the title?? 100% yes. We have to accept nothing else! 2. Who do you want to play in the finals and why? (Hounds or 21st) Totally open-minded. Both are going to bring tense, tough battles. 3. In 11 games @Mashyleads the Marauders with 10 goals and 17 points!! Has he been the teams mvp so far? These are superhuman stats. I would say MVP for sure! 4. What can you take from this years Marauders experience for your player and as a user in this league?! That a slow start means nothing. Teams that win are teams and players that apply themselves and grow, that's how you win in the VHL. 5. what is one tv show you find overrated? Big Bang Theory. Never laughed while watching it, can't understand how it was on TV for so long. 6. Go to Fast food restaurant? Shake Shake. Love it so, so much. Best fast food burgers, in my opinion.

A man of your word, bravo Juice!

I've become a big fan of reading season awards threads, and this one has pretty much made it to the top. It was nice to read about the accomplishments of other VHLM players (Marlins in this case), and the writing was professional and well edited. It was great to see a GM engage and congratulate their players this way. Great job! 9/10

I am a big fan of the lighting effect + textures around your player, as well as focus on blue, white, and black colours used across the image. The name text is legible, could maybe benefit from a slightly thicker font? The team name is harder to read for sure. Great job nonetheless. 8.5/10

Very unique setup here, love the juxtaposition of colour and layer between your player and the goalie. Unique! Only item to bring up is the Moscow Menace text - either the effect or colour or both don't exactly line up with the rest of the choices made. Still, solid sig. 9/10

We check in Miami Marauders rookie defenseman Damien Salducci, who is in the process of preparing for what should be a grueling playoff run by Miami that is expecting all of its players to fire on all cylinders. "Being surrounded by VHLM sophomores and veterans makes a big difference. For me anyway” said Damien late last week. “I am on the anxious side to play the Marlins, who have a lot of strengths and are going to pose an interesting threat”. When asked about if Miami team and player preparations for the playoffs are at all distinct than regular season, Damien advised that the team plans to keep things simple and he himself is eager to experience and learn which habits will work best for him. “The team’s philosophy is that we not stray from anything we already do as it gave us results in the regular season. I am planning to do the same; it just makes sense. We’ll probably have one less practice here or there, you know, to keep us fresh. I don’t plan to like, eat anything different. May reduce my workouts or their intensity to not wear out my body as much; I hear that becomes the challenge as you progress”. We eagerly await the duel between the Marauders and the Marlins.

1. Playoff time baby! How many games do you think our first round match up against the Marlins go? One word: victory! Feeling very good about our chances. 2. Is this playoff run truly cup or bust? If you see it as a bust then you're already losing in my opinion 3. can our top line continue their dominance in playoff style hockey?! Now's the time to show what we're made of. I am 100% confident of our boys. 4. Which Marlins player is the biggest threat to us and who we must try to neutralize? Nicholas Mariani for sure. Number one for points on their team, have to play a shut-down game against him. 5. Do you like olives? Very much so! Pitted or not, sliced or not. Delicious. 6. would you go sky diving? Maybe. But it's not on my bucket list...

I hate to be a parrot but yea this basically deserves a near-perfect score. The attention to colouring, composition of the image, and that font - just sublime. That mark art is great. Looking forward to seeing more from you! 9.9/10

This was a neat surprise - rarely ever see a GM-oriented media graphic. Hope this is a trend! I like that it's kept in grayscale with different textures and focuses. Great job adding some shadowing on the left-hand side of the guy! 9/10

Sign up Damien Salducci! Thanks

Damien Salducci Defenseman Age: 18 Height: 6’0” Weight: 195 lbs. Shoots: R Current Team: Miami Marauders ROAD TO THE VHL/VHLM Hailing from a rare source of VHLM players, Italy, Damien Salducci has been making himself quite the ambassador for his country while playing far from home. He was a surprise pick in the 4th round of the season 77 draft by the Miami Marauders; expectations for his selection were that he’d be a safe choice for most teams with draft picks in the 5th round and onwards. Not one to waste an opportunity, Damien has found his place as one Miami’s lower minutes eaters, but one of the best doing such work across the league. Despite his 10 minutes or so a game he’s found a way to add 13 assists while keeping a respective plus minus of 9. Not bad for someone paired to play up against some of the best offensive lines in the league. He has been a consistent presence for Miami throughout season 77, earning these points while holding down the blue line, blocking shots, and throwing his body around when needed. It hasn’t been easy either. He admits that there was some shock in the beginning of the season what with the reduction in the size of the rink compared to Europe’s larger surfaces. Even with several dozen games under his belt he admits to scouts that his timing is just short of where it should be. The other challenge has been the physicality of the North American game; body checks are thrown with more gusto across United States and Canada versus what is seen on Italian ice. His game has been modeled after players with similar builds; he has talked about watching Blackhawks games especially, to see Duncan Keith, as well as Kings games, to observe Drew Doughty too. With the right opportunity and coaching Damien can reach two-way defenseman talents, maybe even become more of an offensive defenseman. Abilities Puck-moving defenseman with robust defensive IQ, very dependable on both sides of the rink. Above average play reading, can anticipate the opposition’s passes well. His acceleration and speed have seen more gains as the season progresses. Smart with shots from the point i.e. creating tipping goals. There could be more untapped skills here. Downsides Can turn over the puck on break out passes; remains seen if he can be consistent with creating offensive plays from his zone. Has not yet committed to a style of play; is an aggressive stay-at-home player in one game and offensive speedster the next. Coaches will soon be asking him to decide. Low ceiling to physical game. Undersized for shut-down defenseman work, will need to address stick game to disrupt plays even more.

1. 9 games left in the season!! Sitting in 2nd in our conference, what do you want to see from our team in the final stretch?! Keeping all 9 games above .500 at the very least 2. Besides the Hounds who is our biggest threat? Definitely Saskatoon 3. Who has been the biggest addition to Miami this year? And if you’re a new player on the team which player do you really enjoy playing with? Jan Hlozek by a country mile. Killer on both ends of the ice. Look at the point production. 4. who do you think wins the title up in the VHL this season? Really have to get the odds to Warsaw, they that have a complete game. 5. Favourite Summer sport to play? Soccer for sure 6. least favourite NHL player for whatever reason? Name the reason if you’d like! Ulf Samuelsson - basically ended Cam Neely's career, 100% goon

Review: I haven't quite come across a piece, a short story, this like this before, and it's uniqueness got my attention immediately. It's obvious that not only a lot of care went into the story being told, but the characters as well. There was a lot of emotion leaping off the page, and it was refreshing to see a plot that while about hockey, wasn't actually about hockey. Also I think many of can sympathize with Masami's parental conflict. 9.5/10

It wasn’t hard to enjoy watching the incendiary middle of season that the Miami Marauders showed the VHLM; they took themselves from a bottom feeder position in the standings to becoming the third best team overall in the league in a matter of weeks. Now that they’re in the last few laps of the regular season, the Marauders don’t have much more to do to establish a foothold in the playoffs. The players though remain professional and focused – they do not need to be told to not take their foot off the pedal. This is not the first rodeo for all players except one, the rookie Damien Salducci, who is both trying to learn and savour this experience. “I thought I’d be in a weird spot what with being the only rookie, but the coaching staff and especially my teammates make me feel like I’ve been around forever. Special group of guys. I know that not everybody gets this experience” he shared with us. When asked about juggling a season 77 performance while also being looked at for the season 78 draft for the VHL, Damien admitted that he’s aware of the scouts at his games and how his output can influence where he gets picked, if at all. “I’ve said this before, but there are no guarantees. Every game counts, as cheesy as it is to hear myself say that.” We wish Miami the best of luck, there are formidable opponents in both the opposing and local conferences that will make this run at the cup anything but easy, but definitely fun to watch for everybody else.

1. Miami is the hottest team in the league right now! Why do you think the team has had this continued success? We always had the pieces to be winners, guess it just took the season to roll out for the chemistry and everything to click! 2. Which one of your fellow teammates has surprised you this season good or bad? Trevor Wallace is having a fantastic year. Big jump stats-wise. 3. Can we defeat the Hounds in a 7 game series? Not can, but when? 4, 5, 6, 7 games? 4. What from our locker-room will you take with you once you are in the VHL? It's been a team effort to get this far. There's been lots of secondary scoring to keep up in the standings, and that comes from the respect and teamwork of everyone. I hope to see that mutual respect when I get to the VHL. 5. do you like reality tv shows? If so what’s your fav? I watch some of those ghost haunting ones, more to laugh at how fake it seems than anything is. 6. biggest fear? Sharks. Hate them, won't go into open water because of that fear.

With the VHLM season being just over half-way complete, we check in with Damien Salducci, rookie defenseman for the Miami Marauders, on how he feels his game has progressed, what Miami’s chance of being champs is this season, his favourite spots in Miami, and more. It would be hard not to start this interview without mentioning the tear that the Marauders have been through over the last week or so. Miami has won most of its recent games, pulling it from the middle of the pack in the Eastern Conference to second place there and third place overall in the league. What do you think explains the team’s cohesion and success? We saw how good we were in the first quarter of the season but for some reason the end of game scores just weren’t showing that. We were frustrated but there was 100% buy-in from everyone on the team that we just had to apply ourselves and keep seeing how the season would unroll. Did you ever think that a trade was possible? You never rule them out, right? GMs can get calls at any time with an offer they can’t refuse. Ever worried about your own place on the team? I am not sure I was or am good enough to trade bait [laughs]. It says something that the team flipped from a .500 position to third best team in the league without changing players. The chemistry was always there, it was just waiting for an extra push. Yea and that’s why were so confident early on, even with our mediocre record. We saw what the team was like in practice, and what we can do during special teams. Sometimes it clicks during the season, and sometimes it just clicks, unfortunately, in future seasons. The mix of chemistry and luck in this game can make it hard to predict. Sounds like you’re not lacking any hope about making the playoffs or winning the championship. Well, we win nothing without persistence and drive. Sure we’re what, 50 or 60 percent through the season, but if we took our foot off the gas now we’ll be playing golf in a few weeks instead of contending in the playoffs. None of us are gazing too hard at the standings, proud of ourselves. I think we can be proud when we win it all! The most important question today is do you think your first goal is around the corner? [Laughs] Oh man I really don’t know! I’ve noticed that I am holding the stick a little tighter these days, I really don’t want that puck knocked off me I guess. That first goal will happen when it happens. I am trying not to overthink it but I’d by lying if I said it wasn’t on my mind. Seven assists so far for a player that plays 10 minutes a game and playing 7th/8th defenseman minutes is not nothing. Well that’s kind of you to say, thank you. Helps to play with Jocke Jockesson. You mentioned your budding love for Cuban food in the last press conference. Can you share some of your favourite spots? Um let’s see, there’s really been two places I’ve been going to back and forth to. Doce Provisions is the first place and Old Havana Cuban Bar & Cocina is the other. The wait staff are beginning to recognize me, which I guess is a plus! Thanks for your time Damien, best of luck to you and the Marauders. I appreciate that, have a good one. (589 words, claiming for week ending April 18)

1. Miami has been on an absolute tear lately! Is this current play sustainable? Absolutely. This is the fruit of our hard work, I don't see a reason for us to lose our pace. 2. Considering where we are in the standings right now. How far do you expect as to go? Top 3 in the Eastern conference, no doubt. 3. Favourite part about being a marauder? Living in Miami! I've fallen in love with Cuban food. 4. Do you believe we should add a piece before the deadline to help us contend this year? A LW would help fill out our forward lines more, I think 5. Would you rather go 4x4ing and have a fire or go lay out on a beach and swim? 4x4! 6. Favourite Vegetable? Definitely carrots, otherwise we wouldn't have carrot cake.

+10 Damien Salducci

1. How do you feel about the inconsistency of the Marauders play so far this season? I wouldn't be too hard on us, we still have a good goal differential, that's showing some positives. There is a lot of season left, too soon to pass judgement in my opinion. 2. Does Miami make the playoffs? 100% yes. 3. what do you believe you can do to help improve your player and in turn improve the Marauders? I need to keep upping my skills to the point I get can more ice time. I am averaging between 9-10 minutes a game which is hardly high-impact. 4. who do you connect most with on the team? Love the whole team, special spot for fellow defensemen! 5. Do you like banana bread? Absolutely. Are you offering? 6. Celebrity crush? Natalie Portman comes to mind...