Alex

Hey, @Cffffff Welcome to the VHLM! I’m Alex_J32, AGM for the Philadelphia Reapers. We have a good team this year that is making a serious run for the cup, and we would love to have you. Right now, we can offer you 3rd Line minutes with the chance to move up and obtain more playing time if you’re active and ready to compete! Although it’s not as many minutes as some other clubs offer, we do give you the serious chance in joining a team that could potentially raise the cup at the end of the season. We pride ourselves on our work ethic, our competitiveness, and our team presence as Reapers. Our locker room is made up of a great group of guys that will help you really enjoy the VHL and the community of users as a whole. The GM @KaleebtheMighty and myself are devoted to helping players develop and become the best they can be! If you’re interested in joining the Reapers, just quote this post and say #fearthereaper. I look forward to seeing your response and watching you flourish in the VHL regardless of where you sign! -Alex_J32, AGM of the Philadelphia Reapers

Hey, @SlapshotDragon Welcome back to the VHLM! I’m Alex_J32, AGM for the Philadelphia Reapers. We have a good team this year that is making a serious run for the cup, and we would love to have you. Right now, we can offer you 3rd Line minutes with the chance to move up and obtain more playing time if you’re active and ready to compete! Although it’s not as many minutes as some other clubs offer, we do give you the serious chance in joining a team that could potentially raise the cup at the end of the season. We pride ourselves on our work ethic, our competitiveness, and our team presence as Reapers. Our locker room is made up of a great group of guys that will help you really enjoy the VHL and the community of users as a whole. The GM @KaleebtheMighty and myself are devoted to helping players develop and become the best they can be! If you’re interested in joining the Reapers, just quote this post and say #fearthereaper. I look forward to seeing your response and watching you flourish in the VHL regardless of where you sign! -Alex_J32, AGM of the Philadelphia Reapers

PRESS CONFERENCE: Week of June 13th, 2021 (You don't have to answer every single one, just answer 6 for 2 TPE) 1. With new additions Kid Frost @TownBizness and Angel Wachiure @inflastud the forward group is looking great! Where do you think it ranks among the VHLM teams? 2. With the season officially being halfway over, there is a clear gap between the playoff teams and everyone else. Who do you think is the biggest threat come playoffs? 3. Who do you think is our team's MVP at the halfway point of the season? 4. What do you think the trade deadline will look like for us? 5. With the theme week being this week, what are you thinking of doing for it? 6. What NHL player would you compare your player too? 7. The Sabres won the draft lottery :), who do you think they'll select? 8. Pineapple on pizza? yes or no 9. If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?

If you would like more context to how Istanbul would make a great city for a VHLE team and more context behind the potential team names, please visit my recent in depth article HERE.

Honestly, that's all I could ask for! I do think Istanbul makes a really cool and unique location for a team, that's very much unorthodox and could be intriguing to a lot of users.

Claiming week 2/4

With all the recent discussion around the VHLE and potential franchises, I decided that I would make a case for Istanbul. Below I have listed out several reasons why I believe Istanbul would be a very successful VHLE franchise that could become a fan favourite. I have also listed some proposed team names. 1. Population and History Located on the border of Europe and Asia lies Europe’s largest city Istanbul! Founded in 657 BCE as Byzantium, Istanbul has gone by several names throughout its history: Byzantium, Constantinople, Stamboul, and currently Istanbul. Istanbul has consistently been the largest city in Europe and occasionally the world, currently Istanbul has grown to a population of 15 million. Istanbul has a higher population than all of the cities proposed in the first VHLE pole (Oslo, St. Petersburg, Paris, Berlin, Rome) combined. Historically the capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires and the current capital of Turkey, Istanbul has been named one of the European Capitals of Culture (designated by the EU) with over 13.4 million visitors per year (the fifth most in Europe). Istanbul is also historically a key location along the Silk Road between Europe and India. With a population this large, the sheer number of tourists, and the rich historical and modern culture Istanbul can easily provide an environment where an ice hockey team can thrive! 2. Recent Team Asia Success in the WJC With the recent success of Team Asia at the WJC, winning a medal in 2 consecutive years, Istanbul has become obsessed with the sport and has become a true hockey mecca! During the last WJC the streets of Istanbul flooded with following each win especially over the traditional hockey superpowers of Canada and the USA. 3. Existing Infrastructure Istanbul is home to the Silivrikapı İce Rink which has been used to host several well known hockey events including the 2016 IIHF World Championship for division 3. The ice rink is located right next to the world famous Walls of Constantinople just to the west. The rink is also very accessible through public transport and has 3 pre-existing public bus lines. Possible Team Names Istanbul Empire: The historical capital of one of the largest and most recent empires, the Ottoman Empire spanned from Northern Africa, the middle east and all the way to Greece, covering an area of 1.8 million square kilometers. The Ottoman Empire will forever be known in Europe and was one of the biggest superpowers in the world. Istanbul Cavalry: The backbone of the Ottoman Empire the Cavalry units consistently out-maneuvered opponents and struck fear into the other military forces. Istanbul Conquerors: The Ottoman Empire conquered a significant amount of Northern Africa, the Middle East, and the area surrounding the Mediterranean. The name conquerors shows what the forces of Istanbul are capable of. Istanbul Redwings: The national bird of turkey is the redwing, a small bird that is typically seen in massive flocks that move in highly coordinated movements. The redwing is a species that shows how a species can thrive when they work together. Istanbul Red Wolves: During @Victor‘s initial article discussing potential teams for the VHLE they discussed the possibility of giving the moniker ‘Red Wolves’ to another team in Russia. I believe the name Red Wolves would fit a team in Istanbul perfectly, as the national animal of Turkey is the Wolf.

Hey, @ShawnGlade Welcome back to the VHLM! I’m Alex_J32, AGM for the Philadelphia Reapers. We have a good team this year that is making a serious run for the cup, and we would love to have you. Right now, we can offer you 3rd Pair minutes with the chance to move up and obtain more playing time if you’re active and ready to compete! Although it’s not as many minutes as some other clubs offer, we do give you the serious chance in joining a team that could potentially raise the cup at the end of the season. We pride ourselves on our work ethic, our competitiveness, and our team presence as Reapers. Our locker room is made up of a great group of guys that will help you really enjoy the VHL and the community of users as a whole. The GM @KaleebtheMighty and myself are devoted to helping players develop and become the best they can be! If you’re interested in joining the Reapers, just quote this post and say #fearthereaper. I look forward to seeing your response and watching you flourish in the VHL regardless of where you sign! -Alex_J32, AGM of the Philadelphia Reapers

That's a really good idea! I may work my way down through the draft for future Articles when I need something to write about! Thank you!

Hey, @Kraken Welcome to the VHL! I’m Alex_J32, AGM for the Philadelphia Reapers. We have a good team this year that is making a serious run for the cup, and we would love to have you. Right now, we can offer you 3rd line minutes with the chance to move up and obtain more playing time if you’re active and ready to compete! Although it’s not as many minutes as some other clubs offer, we do give you the serious chance in joining a team that could potentially raise the cup at the end of the season. We pride ourselves on our work ethic, our competitiveness, and our team presence as Reapers. Our locker room is made up of a great group of guys that will help you really enjoy the VHL and the community of users as a whole. The GM @KaleebtheMighty and myself are devoted to helping players develop and become the best they can be! If you’re interested in joining the Reapers, just quote this post and say #fearthereaper. I look forward to seeing your response and watching you flourish in the VHL regardless of where you sign! -Alex_J32, AGM of the Philadelphia Reapers

Alex Johnston Purchase #1 Hitting 48->40

Review: The Jersey itself looks good, It would be great if the logo could have been angled slightly to look more in line with the jersey and if some text could be added. The logo designed by Kaleeb looks great on oilers jerseys. 6/10

Review: Really cool article and I really like the series you have going! It is well written and clearly well researched. I am looking forward to read your next media spot as you finish out the M. Great Job! 9.5/10

Hey @Bob! Welcome to the VHLM! I'm Alex_J32 the AGM of the Philadelphia Reapers we're looking for some centers to help us in our eventual run at the Founder's Cup, and would like to offer you a contract! As of right now we can offer you Third Line Minutes with an opportunity to advance up the lineup in the future. The GM@KaleebtheMighty and myself are devoted to helping new players develop and succeed in the VHLM and VHL, and are more than happy to answer any questions you may have! If you want to play with the Reapers and make a push for the Founder's Cup, just quote this post and reply with #fearthereaper. -Alex_J32 Philadelphia Reapers AGM

Since I just went through my first VHLM Draft as an AGM I’ve been wondering if a player is a top pick (first overall) in the VHLM draft do they typically have success in the VHL once their M career is over. The answer to this question is relatively complicated as there have been several recent players to find a great deal of success in the VHL, and some who have not following their final season in the VHLM. In this article we will try to make a reasonable decision to answer this question looking back on the first overall selections dating back to the S69 VHLM draft where the Saskatoon selected David O’Quinn first overall, and up until the most recent selection of Alex Johnston by the Philadelphia Reapers last offseason. S69 – David O’Quinn ( @David O'Quinn ) Individual Accolades: S69- Vladimir Boomchenko Trophy S69- Founder’s Cup S71- Victory Cup Career Statistics: League GP G A P +/- SHT PIM HIT SB VHL 360 33 190 223 -17 405 417 642 643 VHLM 144 21 162 183 56 187 176 286 200 The Season 69 VHLM first overall pick defenseman David O’Quinn had a very promising season in the VHLM after being drafted putting up 15 goals and a remarkable 99 assists for 114 points in 72 games. O’Quinn was selected by the New York Americans 12th overall in the S69 VHL draft. After spending S69 with Saskatoon, O’Quinn was called up to New York for 1 season before being traded to Vancouver mid-season 71. During the off-season following S71 O’Quinn would be traded again to Davos where he would retire after 3 seasons. O’Quinn had a relatively short VHL career before retiring in which he never put up more than 11 goals and 59 points. O’Quinn retired following S74. S70 – Erik Killinger ( @Peace ) Individual Accolades: S69 - Founder’s Cup S77 - Sterling Labatte Trophy S77 - Jake Wylde Trophy Career Statistics: League GP G A P +/- SHT PIM HIT SB VHL 526 152 402 554 32 1829 1012 1468 964 VHLM 96 64 68 132 68 444 36 70 23 The season 70 VHLM first overall pick has come a long way since his draft season, being selected by the Houston Bulls and scoring an impressive 62 goals, and 62 assists for 124 points in 72 games during S70. Following S70 Killinger would enter the VHL draft and be selected 11th overall by the Toronto Legion Where he would spend the first 4 seasons of his career putting up a career high of 90 points in his final season with the team. Following this Killinger was traded to London where he would continue to produce for the 3 seasons he was there scoring on a pace that was just above a point per game. After spending S77 in London, Killinger was traded back to Toronto where he has continued to produce at an impressive pace. S71 – Joe Proto ( @proto ) Individual Accolades: S70 – Founder’s Cup Career Statistics League GP G A P +/- SHT PIM HIT SB VHL 361 76 72 148 -10 708 101 425 132 VHLM 138 72 77 149 46 589 98 168 40 Joe Proto was selected first overall in the S71 VHLM draft by the Las Vegas Aces. Prior to the S71 draft Proto won a Founder’s cup with Minnesota where he signed as a free agent. During S71 Proto would be very productive for the Aces recording 54 goals and 57 assists for 111 points in 72 games as a winger. Proto was selected 8th overall in the S71 VHL draft by the Vancouver Wolves where he would play for S72 putting up 30 points in their rookie season before being traded to Calgary 12 games into S73. Following S73 Proto was traded yet again to Davos where he would play 35 games and score 12 goals, before being traded yet again, this time to New York. Proto would play for both London and Toronto prior to being released before the start of S77. Proto had a career that is pretty mush the definition of being a journey-man playing for 6 different VHL teams over a 5 season VHL career. Proto is currently unsigned and is a free agent in the VHL. S72 – Chris Hylands ( @hylands ) Individual Accolades: S73 Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy S75 Daisuke Kanou Trophy S75 Continental Cup S77 Victory Cup Career Statistics: League GP G A P +/- SHT PIM HIT SB VHL 383 202 281 483 38 2348 439 917 247 VHLM 144 68 73 141 10 571 98 295 46 The Season 72 VHLM first overall pick has had one of the better careers when compared to the other former VHLM first overall picks in this article. Selected first overall in the S72 VHLM draft by Mexico City, Hylands would go onto having a dominant season following his VHLM draft, recording 52 goals, and 55 assists for a total of 107 points. Hylands was also selected 14th overall in the S72 by the Malmo Nighthawks where Hylands would spend his entire career up until waiving his no trade clause to go to Warsaw where they play today. During Hylands’ time in Malmo they became a household name continuously being well above a point per game and winning a Continental Cup in S75. S73 – John Merrick ( @Steve ) Individual Accolades: S75 Mike Szatkowski Trophy Career Statistics: League GP G A P +/- SHT PIM HIT SB VHL 310 159 209 368 46 1769 181 275 139 VHLM 98 60 65 125 53 512 42 113 21 The S73 first overall pick John Merrick was selected by the San Diego Marlins where he would go onto have an excellent season scoring 54 goals and adding 55 assists for 109 points during a full 72 game season. Merrick was also drafted in the S73 VHL draft, 5th overall by the Toronto Legion where he would go onto have a solid 2 seasons highlighted by winning the S75 Mike Szatkowski Trophy. 6 games into S76 Merrick was traded to Los Angeles where he would continue to produce at a rate just above a point per game. Early in S78 it appears that Merrick’s production has begun to decrease as for the first time in their career they are producing at a rate below a point per game. S74 – Wolf Weiss ( @Matmenzinger ) Individual Accolades: None Career Statistics: League GP G A P +/- SHT PIM HIT SB VHL 239 51 79 130 -19 585 130 326 45 VHLM 142 64 76 140 53 493 76 260 47 The S74 first overall selection, Weiss has had a consistent career since his draft. Weiss had an average season for Halifax following the draft, recording 25 goals and 32 assists for 57 points in 72 games, a step back from the previous season with Ottawa where he had a total of 83 points. Weiss was also selected 25th overall by Toronto in the S74 VHL draft and would be productive early in his career putting up their career high for goals and assists in their rookie season with 22 goals and 25 assists for 47 points. After spending their first 2 full seasons in Toronto Weiss was traded to Vancouver 23 games into S77. Since being traded Weiss has remained as consistent as ever and has 4 goals and 5 assists for 9 points in 22 games so far this season with the Vancouver Wolves. S75 – Cowboy Prout ( @Prout ) Individual Accolades: None Career Statistics: League GP G A P +/- SHT PIM HIT SB VHL 166 32 102 134 30 448 252 330 404 VHLM 112 35 90 125 -1 295 144 240 203 One of three defenseman drafted first overall in the last ten seasons, Prout’s career has taken off in a very different direction than that of S69 selection David O’Quinn. Prout was drafted by San Diego first overall in the S75 draft and proceeded to have a very good S75 with San Diego scoring 22 goals and adding 69 (nice) assists for a total of 91 points in 72 games. Prout was also selected 20th by the New York Americans, during his rookie season Prout proceeded to be a valuable member of New York’s defensive core before being traded near the deadline to Calgary where he remains today. During his stint with New York Prout scored 10 goals and had 37 assists for 47 points in 58 games. Since then Prout has been a leader on the blueline in Calgary and was recently named an alternate captain for the team. S76 – Paul Atreides ( @Mr_Hatter ) Individual Accolades: None Career Statistics: League GP G A P +/- SHT PIM HIT SB VHL 97 47 47 94 6 413 16 40 41 VHLM 85 42 65 107 44 339 16 33 10 Atreides, the only player included in this article that was a first overall pick in both the VHL and VHLM drafts. Selected first overall in the S76 VHLM draft by the Houston Bulls, Atreides took off to an incredible season in the VHLM scoring 42 goals and 64 assists for 106 points in 72 games. Following that dominant season in the VHLM Atreides was selected first overall in the S77 VHL draft by the Moscow Menace . Since joining Moscow Atreides has become a valuable member of the team, breaking the 30 goal mark in their rookie season and is off to a great start this season, already having 32 points in 25 games. S77 – The Loch Ness Monster ( @LuluSalesAway ) Individual Accolades: None Career Statistics: League GP G A P +/- SHT PIM HIT SB VHL N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A VHLM 167 21 120 141 -55 249 236 417 263 The season 77 VHLM first overall pick The Loch Ness Monster was selected by the San Diego Marlins. They are also the only player included in this article to play in the VHLM for 2 seasons following their VHLM draft. During their time with San Diego they have become a valuable part of the team and are currently a top 2 defenceman for San Diego. Given their current growth rate they will be joining the New York Americans next season, New York acquired The Loch Ness Monster from Malmo who selected them with the 17th overall selection in the S77 VHL draft. S78 – Alex Johnston ( @Alex_J32 ) Individual Accolades: None Career Statistics: League GP G A P +/- SHT PIM HIT SB VHL N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A VHLM 79 44 52 96 -11 304 66 125 35 The season 78 first overall selection in the VHLM draft is off to a good start with his new team, the Philadelphia Reapers. Johnston has recorded 20 goals and 26 assists for 46 points since joining the Reapers and hopes to continue his play for the remainder of the season. Johnston will be joining the Calgary Wranglers of the VHL next season who selected him 8th overall in the VHL draft last season. During the process of writing this article I had the opportunity to discuss what it was like being a top selection in the VHLM draft and transitioning to the VHL with a recent VHLM first overall pick Cowboy Prout, the following is our exchange: Me: What was your experience like being a first overall selection the VHLM? Prout: It was a great experience I’ve told this story i don’t know how many times but as a first gen and my tpe at time I thought it wasn’t possible but with me being active and earning, and being social I feel made a difference and I loved the Marlins. Rockstar was great there for me personally and when he took me back as a “off board pick” was really just overall good move by him I’ve thanked him for it. The discord chat was one of my favourite VHL moments. The hype I had it made me feel good not gonna lie and I was damn happy haha. Me: How has your career gone so far? Prout: Not up to par like I hoped but I’m still fairly decent I’d say. The production this season has boosted finally, and I’ve seen just better games by myself which is a step in right direction. Me: During your rookie season in the VHL you were traded, what was that experience like? Prout: I’m pretty sure most knew I requested my trade. I liked the LR for most part in New York and they still have some of the guys that were there before that I really liked. Esso was good about it and there’s water under the bridge here. Obviously, something you don’t want to do especially first gen and all, but I felt it was best at the time and I’ve had a great chance in Calgary. My first season over was Jubis stepping down. He was great. I respect him a lot here. Then Ricer taking over was one of the best moves. Ricer is one hell of a gm and he’s amazing stand up guy. The team has a bright future in Calgary. Being a top pick in the VHLM draft is a great way to start your career, and is a really cool experience for the lucky few who get to enjoy it but, as of now the question of ‘Is Being a Top Pick in The VHLM Draft a good Indicator of Potential for Success in the VHL?’ will remain unanswered as yes there has been several players to experience success and potentially make it to the Hall of Fame following being a first overall selection in the VHLM draft, there has also been several players who have not found success, hopped from team to team, or just retired very early. The real answer to this question may come a few seasons down the road when the up and coming group of former VHLM first overall selections of; Cowboy Prout, Paul Atreides, The Loch Ness Monster, and Alex Johnston have played through their VHL careers. Special thanks to @Prout for answering my interview questions. Words: 2355 Claiming 1/4

PRESS CONFERENCE: Week of June 6th, 2021 (You don't have to answer every single one, just answer 6 for 2 TPE) 1. Kaleeb and I have been talking about introducing a team MVP award to be given out each sim by the winner from the previous sim. What do you think of this idea? 2. As the season moves along it's looking very likely that we will be up against the Minnesota Storm in the first round of the playoffs. How do you like our chances against them? 3. With us closing in on the halfway point of the season, what are your thoughts on how we've done and in what area do you think we need to improve the most? 4. What brought you to the VHL and are you enjoying your time so far? 5. If there was a VHLM All-Star skills challenge, what event would you most want to participate in? 6. With the VHLE being introduced in S80, where would you like to see a team? What potential team would you like to play for? @Juice has been pushing for a team in Budapest. 7. With me being a Buffalo Sabres fan, the playoffs are something that I've barely seen my favourite team in. If your favourite team is still in the playoffs, what are your thoughts on how they are doing and their chances going forward? 8. In a non-pandemic world, do you prefer to order-in or go to a restaurant? 9. What are you most excited to do this summer?

Hey @Perkele Saatana! Welcome to the VHLM! I'm Alex_J32 the AGM of the Philadelphia Reapers we're looking for some wingeres to help us in our eventual run at the Founder's Cup, and would like to offer you a contract! As of right now we can offer you Third Line Minutes with an opportunity to advance up the lineup in the future. The GM@KaleebtheMighty and myself are devoted to helping new players develop and succeed in the VHLM and VHL, and are more than happy to answer any questions you may have! If you want to play with the Reapers and make a push for the Founder's Cup, just quote this post and reply with #fearthereaper. -Alex_J32 Philadelphia Reapers AGM

Review: All in all this is very well done and clean. The jersey colour changes and logo swap are very well done! The text is easy to read and contrasts the background well. I like that you blurred the background so that it doesn't distract from the focal point. Great job! 9/10

Review: The logo swap and jersey colour changes are both super clean and well done! The background looks nice and doesn't distract from the player or the text, and compliments the image well! Lastly, the text is easy to read and is contrasted nicely from the background! Amazing job, well done! 10/10

Hey @KitRas! Welcome back to the VHLM! I'm Alex_J32, AGM for the Philadelphia Reapers. We're looking for some great wingers to bolster our ranks. We've got a competitive team this season and would be looking to add you as a 3rd line winger. As a newly created player, feel free to look around and see which team gives you the offer you want. You have the option to play anywhere that gives you an offer, so take your time! If you want to play with the Reapers and make a push for the Founder's Cup, just quote this post and reply with #fearthereaper. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns! - Alex_J32, AGM of the Philadelphia Reapers

F- Aloe Dear F- Chris Reynolds

PRESS CONFERENCE: Week of May 30th, 2021 (You don't have to answer every single one, just answer 6 for 2 TPE) 1. We've started the season 9-4-0. What do you think about our record? 2. Would you consider us a serious cup contender? 3. The Yukon rush and @Juice have declared war on us? What do you think of this potential rivalry? 4. Other than the Yukon Rush, who would you consider our biggest rival? 5. We have a handful of players who are above a point per game including Genghis Khan @caltroit_red_flames who's tied for the league lead in points and Alex Johnston @Alex_J32 who's leading the league in goals. Are you happy with your players performance so far this season? 6. What's your favourite video game right now? 7. What is your go to hype up song? 8. Peanut butter or Nutella and why? 9. Is water wet?