Lazarus

@MexicanCow123 @TownBizness @Craig @Shiny @osens  @Zetterberg  @JetsFan81 @Garrett @v.2 @TheTiptonKing @diamond_ace  @ColeMrtz @Vkobe-v @Spaz

Calgary receives:
S80 SEA 4th

Seattle receives:
Andrew Su


This trade has been accepted by all parties and is pending league approval.

I'll apply. Good luck to dlamb in Warsaw, I admire how many first gens you made into first round picks.

Why not.. I'm in

Season 79 VHL Draft Lottery
Date: July 12th, 2021
Time: 6(ish) EST
 
 Hi Everyone,
 
Before getting into the final draft odds and the lottery itself, a reminder of the rules regarding the Draft Lottery:
 
 
 
Onto the odds for the Season 78 Draft Lottery. At the conclusion of the Regular Season, prior to the Lottery Tournament, the odds began as:
 
 
Following the Lottery Tournament, the updated odds are as follows:
 
FINAL DRAFT LOTTERY ODDS
Vancouver: 25.0%  Davos: 22.5% Vancouver (From Toronto): 22.5%  Moscow: 10% Los Angeles: 10%  Riga: 10%   
 
 

While I think Mr. Beard for the other Watchmen logo was certainly one direction, I'm going to add in a second option for possible consideration. More of a simpler take, but still incorporating the lighthouse aspect.

BRATISLAVA WATCHMEN

 
 

Interested in continuing what dlamb and I started in Ottawa. 
 
Congrats again dlamb!

Applying

Well this aged poorly

Thank you everyone!! I'm so hyped to be taking over my draft team, like Bek said I have some big shoes to fill, but I'm ready to get to work 💪

One of these days I’ll be able to start a season without a GM change, just gotta get enough new guys in, right? As always an amazing group of candidates applied but ultimately passion for the team won us out.
 
That’s why, starting season 79, the GM of the defending champion Warsaw Predators will be none other than the captain who led them there, @dlamb. Congrats lamb, you have some hefty shoes to now fill!

I’ve seen a lot of your sigs and they’re all unreal. You’re definitely the best when it comes to goalie graphics. The helmet is so cool and the London logo matches perfectly. The background you chose goes extremely well with the sig and I love how you added the Tower Bridge. I seriously can’t find anything I don’t like about this. 10/10

@MattyIce

I personally love these draft articles and this one is another great one. It shows how much research are put into these articles. I think you make some terrific points on why these teams should take a goalie because they are right there. They just could use some extra depth in net. 10/10

The S78 goaltender draft class has the potential to be one of the strongest in recent memory. Two goalies were selected in the first round followed by another six in rounds 2-4. In saying this, the S79 goaltending class could be on par with the previous draft and may even have the potential to be stronger. With the S79 draft right around the corner, here’s what teams I feel should consider selecting a goaltender to help improve the backend of their franchise in the coming years. When draft day comes, we all known trades are bound to happen however I have written this article with the assumption of teams keeping their picks where they are.
 
 
Prague Phantoms

 
After its most successful season in history, Prague will look for an important piece to become a competitive team for years to come. In S78, the Phantoms had one of the deadliest goaltending duos with Grekkark Gyrfalcon and Jacob Carson but it could be short-lived as Carson’s contract is set to expire and he will hit free agency during the offseason. However, Prague will own both their own as well as DC’s first-round selection. There is one particular goaltender that may fall to them that could change the future of this franchise for a long time. In the S79 draft, there is a goaltender that goes by the name PAPA EMERITUS. This may be a long shot but no teams that will be drafting before the Phantoms really need a goaltender of this caliber. If Emeritus is to fall to Prague, he could jump immediately to the VHL if the Phantoms don’t resign Carson or pick up another goaltender in free agency. Papa Emeritus had a strong regular season with the Rush, posting an extremely impressive .892 SV% in 69 GP. He would be able to play under Grekkark Gyrfalcon for season 79 and move into the starting role as Gyrfalcon depreciates. Papa Emeritus has already won a Founder’s Cup with Yukon so he has tasted victory and you can bet he’s hungry for the same glory in the VHL. If Prague manages to pull this off, this team will be a contender for the next few seasons as Emeritus could become the backbone that pushes them over the hump and win their first Continental Cup.    
 
 
Chicago Phoenix

 
Chicago has seen a lot of success as of late and leading that success is their Daisuke Kanou Trophy winning goaltender, Jean Pierre Camus, who is the only goaltender currently on the roster. However, Camus is coming off his 6th season with the team and will retire sooner rather than later. The Phoenix need to look towards their future in terms of their backend and luckily there are some potential gems in the S79 draft. Although Chicago may look into grabbing a goaltender in free agency, drafting a goaltender to develop will be very beneficial for the future of this franchise. The Phoenix hold their first-round selection which will be later in the round where two potential options are projected to be selected. Both Em Em Flex and Orion D H Chiester IX should fall and while activity has slowed for both goaltenders, Chicago should still take the risk on one or the other. If either of them can become consistent with their TPE earning then the Phoenix could have another franchise netminder as soon as Camus calls it a career. I feel the best option will be Em Em Flex, the young goalie played in all 72 games for Miami and will only need one more year to develop before making the leap in the VHL in S80. If all goes well, that would give Flex one year behind Camus to learn under the veteran before taking over the starting role for years to come.   

 
Malmo Nighthawks

 
The Nighthawks have one of the strongest prospects pools in the VHL which could set them up nicely for the future. Despite having a lot of young talent, they don’t have a goaltender that can step up in the seasons to come. Having said that, they have a lot of draft capital in this year’s draft that includes three first-round picks. The Nighthawks have a great opportunity to select one of the top three goaltenders in this draft and I feel they need to capitalize. Veteran goaltender Woody McPine has played his last season in the VHL which leaves a spot on the active roster. Fortunately for the Nighthawks, their starting goaltender Artem Tretiak will lead them for a while longer and can mentor a younger netminder to take over the starting role in the future. Malmo can afford to pass on Emeritus and Em Em flex as Tretiak is still relatively young. Nonetheless, Malmo can use either Seattle’s or Warsaw’s pick on Ottawa netminder, Orion D H Chiester IX. Chiester IX had a very strong rookie campaign, splitting the crease with Jacob Rask. He put up a SV% of .886 in the 30 games he played. He will most likely need only one more season in the VHLM before making the jump into the big leagues as a backup. The duo of Tretiak and Chiester IX could last them for many seasons to come.    
 
 
New York Americans

 
Like Chicago, New York has only one active goaltender, Thadius Sales and I’m sure he’ll be the first to tell you that and strong number two goaltender will have a large impact on a team’s success. In the S78 draft, New York decided to select the aforementioned goaltender, Jacob Rask with the 52nd pick. Rask was looking very promising and could have been a potential backup for the team down the road. Shortly after the regular season ended, Rask decided the VHL wasn’t for him and retired after two seasons in the VHLM with Ottawa and Yukon. This left New York back where they started with no goaltending prospects. In this draft, The Americans have a lot of options to select a potential goaltender for their franchise. New York has a selection that will land them in the middle of the second round where many options will be available for them. Now they may not find a franchise superstar in this spot, but there are three goaltenders that have the potential to become a much-needed backup in the future. Emiko Spector, Elijah Mikaelson, and Alex Parise will likely be on the board when New York makes their selection. Drafting any of these guys may be considered a reach however with very little draft capital, New York would have to wait until round 4, where all the VHL caliber goaltenders will already have been selected. My ideal selection for New York would be Canadian goaltender, Alex Parise. He has shown the most potential to become a consistent TPE earner and has had some pretty strong weeks. Parise could definitely make the VHL with a few seasons of development. Hopefully for the Americans, they can avoid another Rask situation and find someone to strap up the pads in The Big Apple.         

 
Toronto Legion

 
Toronto traded their first-round selection to Vancouver during season 77 which ruined the opportunity to select Emeritus, but they can still look for a future backup for the team. Toronto is in a rough place with very few draft picks as well as not making the playoffs. They may need a small miracle to compete in the near future. If Toronto is to go into a rebuild, then they will need some goalies that can come up in the future.  As it sits, Toronto has no goaltending prospects and one on the active roster. The Legion hold two picks in round two which will both be in the bottom half so they will have a similar pool as New York to select from. If Parise does end up going earlier then they can take a chance on either Elijah Mikaelson or Emiko Spector. Both goaltenders will likely take multiple seasons to develop but if their activity increases then Toronto could have a major steal late in round two. If Toronto decides to risk it and select a goaltender, Emiko Spector may be the best option. Spector has a major problem with inactivity but is a well-known member that could potentially come back. Should Emiko become an active member again, Toronto will have a goaltender that has the capability of making the VHL as a long-term backup. The Legion may be better off being patient until the S80 draft where there are already three highly touted goaltending prospects and they’ll have the picks to select them. In saying that, it may not be the worst thing for Toronto to gamble on a goaltender in the upcoming draft. 

 
No matter what happens in the draft, I’ll be keeping a close eye on this year’s class of goaltenders especially with the VHLE coming into play which will give more options for these prospects to carve their legacy. It’s very exciting to see the future of VHL goaltending and how these prospects’ journeys pan out. I wish all the prospects as well as team management good luck in the draft.
 
Words: 1518
Week ending 7/11 
Week ending 7/18
Week ending 7/25

Thanks for all the kind words. I like your idea for the VHLE goaltenders and I'll look into doing something in the future!!

The S78 goaltender draft class has the potential to be one of the strongest in recent memory. Two goalies were selected in the first round followed by another six in rounds 2-4. In saying this, the S79 goaltending class could be on par with the previous draft and may even have the potential to be stronger. With the S79 draft right around the corner, here’s what teams I feel should consider selecting a goaltender to help improve the backend of their franchise in the coming years. When draft day comes, we all known trades are bound to happen however I have written this article with the assumption of teams keeping their picks where they are.
 
 
Prague Phantoms

 
After its most successful season in history, Prague will look for an important piece to become a competitive team for years to come. In S78, the Phantoms had one of the deadliest goaltending duos with Grekkark Gyrfalcon and Jacob Carson but it could be short-lived as Carson’s contract is set to expire and he will hit free agency during the offseason. However, Prague will own both their own as well as DC’s first-round selection. There is one particular goaltender that may fall to them that could change the future of this franchise for a long time. In the S79 draft, there is a goaltender that goes by the name PAPA EMERITUS. This may be a long shot but no teams that will be drafting before the Phantoms really need a goaltender of this caliber. If Emeritus is to fall to Prague, he could jump immediately to the VHL if the Phantoms don’t resign Carson or pick up another goaltender in free agency. Papa Emeritus had a strong regular season with the Rush, posting an extremely impressive .892 SV% in 69 GP. He would be able to play under Grekkark Gyrfalcon for season 79 and move into the starting role as Gyrfalcon depreciates. Papa Emeritus has already won a Founder’s Cup with Yukon so he has tasted victory and you can bet he’s hungry for the same glory in the VHL. If Prague manages to pull this off, this team will be a contender for the next few seasons as Emeritus could become the backbone that pushes them over the hump and win their first Continental Cup.    
 
 
Chicago Phoenix

 
Chicago has seen a lot of success as of late and leading that success is their Daisuke Kanou Trophy winning goaltender, Jean Pierre Camus, who is the only goaltender currently on the roster. However, Camus is coming off his 6th season with the team and will retire sooner rather than later. The Phoenix need to look towards their future in terms of their backend and luckily there are some potential gems in the S79 draft. Although Chicago may look into grabbing a goaltender in free agency, drafting a goaltender to develop will be very beneficial for the future of this franchise. The Phoenix hold their first-round selection which will be later in the round where two potential options are projected to be selected. Both Em Em Flex and Orion D H Chiester IX should fall and while activity has slowed for both goaltenders, Chicago should still take the risk on one or the other. If either of them can become consistent with their TPE earning then the Phoenix could have another franchise netminder as soon as Camus calls it a career. I feel the best option will be Em Em Flex, the young goalie played in all 72 games for Miami and will only need one more year to develop before making the leap in the VHL in S80. If all goes well, that would give Flex one year behind Camus to learn under the veteran before taking over the starting role for years to come.   

 
Malmo Nighthawks

 
The Nighthawks have one of the strongest prospects pools in the VHL which could set them up nicely for the future. Despite having a lot of young talent, they don’t have a goaltender that can step up in the seasons to come. Having said that, they have a lot of draft capital in this year’s draft that includes three first-round picks. The Nighthawks have a great opportunity to select one of the top three goaltenders in this draft and I feel they need to capitalize. Veteran goaltender Woody McPine has played his last season in the VHL which leaves a spot on the active roster. Fortunately for the Nighthawks, their starting goaltender Artem Tretiak will lead them for a while longer and can mentor a younger netminder to take over the starting role in the future. Malmo can afford to pass on Emeritus and Em Em flex as Tretiak is still relatively young. Nonetheless, Malmo can use either Seattle’s or Warsaw’s pick on Ottawa netminder, Orion D H Chiester IX. Chiester IX had a very strong rookie campaign, splitting the crease with Jacob Rask. He put up a SV% of .886 in the 30 games he played. He will most likely need only one more season in the VHLM before making the jump into the big leagues as a backup. The duo of Tretiak and Chiester IX could last them for many seasons to come.    
 
 
New York Americans

 
Like Chicago, New York has only one active goaltender, Thadius Sales and I’m sure he’ll be the first to tell you that and strong number two goaltender will have a large impact on a team’s success. In the S78 draft, New York decided to select the aforementioned goaltender, Jacob Rask with the 52nd pick. Rask was looking very promising and could have been a potential backup for the team down the road. Shortly after the regular season ended, Rask decided the VHL wasn’t for him and retired after two seasons in the VHLM with Ottawa and Yukon. This left New York back where they started with no goaltending prospects. In this draft, The Americans have a lot of options to select a potential goaltender for their franchise. New York has a selection that will land them in the middle of the second round where many options will be available for them. Now they may not find a franchise superstar in this spot, but there are three goaltenders that have the potential to become a much-needed backup in the future. Emiko Spector, Elijah Mikaelson, and Alex Parise will likely be on the board when New York makes their selection. Drafting any of these guys may be considered a reach however with very little draft capital, New York would have to wait until round 4, where all the VHL caliber goaltenders will already have been selected. My ideal selection for New York would be Canadian goaltender, Alex Parise. He has shown the most potential to become a consistent TPE earner and has had some pretty strong weeks. Parise could definitely make the VHL with a few seasons of development. Hopefully for the Americans, they can avoid another Rask situation and find someone to strap up the pads in The Big Apple.         

 
Toronto Legion

 
Toronto traded their first-round selection to Vancouver during season 77 which ruined the opportunity to select Emeritus, but they can still look for a future backup for the team. Toronto is in a rough place with very few draft picks as well as not making the playoffs. They may need a small miracle to compete in the near future. If Toronto is to go into a rebuild, then they will need some goalies that can come up in the future.  As it sits, Toronto has no goaltending prospects and one on the active roster. The Legion hold two picks in round two which will both be in the bottom half so they will have a similar pool as New York to select from. If Parise does end up going earlier then they can take a chance on either Elijah Mikaelson or Emiko Spector. Both goaltenders will likely take multiple seasons to develop but if their activity increases then Toronto could have a major steal late in round two. If Toronto decides to risk it and select a goaltender, Emiko Spector may be the best option. Spector has a major problem with inactivity but is a well-known member that could potentially come back. Should Emiko become an active member again, Toronto will have a goaltender that has the capability of making the VHL as a long-term backup. The Legion may be better off being patient until the S80 draft where there are already three highly touted goaltending prospects and they’ll have the picks to select them. In saying that, it may not be the worst thing for Toronto to gamble on a goaltender in the upcoming draft. 

 
No matter what happens in the draft, I’ll be keeping a close eye on this year’s class of goaltenders especially with the VHLE coming into play which will give more options for these prospects to carve their legacy. It’s very exciting to see the future of VHL goaltending and how these prospects’ journeys pan out. I wish all the prospects as well as team management good luck in the draft.
 
Words: 1518
Week ending 7/11 
Week ending 7/18
Week ending 7/25

The S78 goaltender draft class has the potential to be one of the strongest in recent memory. Two goalies were selected in the first round followed by another six in rounds 2-4. In saying this, the S79 goaltending class could be on par with the previous draft and may even have the potential to be stronger. With the S79 draft right around the corner, here’s what teams I feel should consider selecting a goaltender to help improve the backend of their franchise in the coming years. When draft day comes, we all known trades are bound to happen however I have written this article with the assumption of teams keeping their picks where they are.
 
 
Prague Phantoms

 
After its most successful season in history, Prague will look for an important piece to become a competitive team for years to come. In S78, the Phantoms had one of the deadliest goaltending duos with Grekkark Gyrfalcon and Jacob Carson but it could be short-lived as Carson’s contract is set to expire and he will hit free agency during the offseason. However, Prague will own both their own as well as DC’s first-round selection. There is one particular goaltender that may fall to them that could change the future of this franchise for a long time. In the S79 draft, there is a goaltender that goes by the name PAPA EMERITUS. This may be a long shot but no teams that will be drafting before the Phantoms really need a goaltender of this caliber. If Emeritus is to fall to Prague, he could jump immediately to the VHL if the Phantoms don’t resign Carson or pick up another goaltender in free agency. Papa Emeritus had a strong regular season with the Rush, posting an extremely impressive .892 SV% in 69 GP. He would be able to play under Grekkark Gyrfalcon for season 79 and move into the starting role as Gyrfalcon depreciates. Papa Emeritus has already won a Founder’s Cup with Yukon so he has tasted victory and you can bet he’s hungry for the same glory in the VHL. If Prague manages to pull this off, this team will be a contender for the next few seasons as Emeritus could become the backbone that pushes them over the hump and win their first Continental Cup.    
 
 
Chicago Phoenix

 
Chicago has seen a lot of success as of late and leading that success is their Daisuke Kanou Trophy winning goaltender, Jean Pierre Camus, who is the only goaltender currently on the roster. However, Camus is coming off his 6th season with the team and will retire sooner rather than later. The Phoenix need to look towards their future in terms of their backend and luckily there are some potential gems in the S79 draft. Although Chicago may look into grabbing a goaltender in free agency, drafting a goaltender to develop will be very beneficial for the future of this franchise. The Phoenix hold their first-round selection which will be later in the round where two potential options are projected to be selected. Both Em Em Flex and Orion D H Chiester IX should fall and while activity has slowed for both goaltenders, Chicago should still take the risk on one or the other. If either of them can become consistent with their TPE earning then the Phoenix could have another franchise netminder as soon as Camus calls it a career. I feel the best option will be Em Em Flex, the young goalie played in all 72 games for Miami and will only need one more year to develop before making the leap in the VHL in S80. If all goes well, that would give Flex one year behind Camus to learn under the veteran before taking over the starting role for years to come.   

 
Malmo Nighthawks

 
The Nighthawks have one of the strongest prospects pools in the VHL which could set them up nicely for the future. Despite having a lot of young talent, they don’t have a goaltender that can step up in the seasons to come. Having said that, they have a lot of draft capital in this year’s draft that includes three first-round picks. The Nighthawks have a great opportunity to select one of the top three goaltenders in this draft and I feel they need to capitalize. Veteran goaltender Woody McPine has played his last season in the VHL which leaves a spot on the active roster. Fortunately for the Nighthawks, their starting goaltender Artem Tretiak will lead them for a while longer and can mentor a younger netminder to take over the starting role in the future. Malmo can afford to pass on Emeritus and Em Em flex as Tretiak is still relatively young. Nonetheless, Malmo can use either Seattle’s or Warsaw’s pick on Ottawa netminder, Orion D H Chiester IX. Chiester IX had a very strong rookie campaign, splitting the crease with Jacob Rask. He put up a SV% of .886 in the 30 games he played. He will most likely need only one more season in the VHLM before making the jump into the big leagues as a backup. The duo of Tretiak and Chiester IX could last them for many seasons to come.    
 
 
New York Americans

 
Like Chicago, New York has only one active goaltender, Thadius Sales and I’m sure he’ll be the first to tell you that and strong number two goaltender will have a large impact on a team’s success. In the S78 draft, New York decided to select the aforementioned goaltender, Jacob Rask with the 52nd pick. Rask was looking very promising and could have been a potential backup for the team down the road. Shortly after the regular season ended, Rask decided the VHL wasn’t for him and retired after two seasons in the VHLM with Ottawa and Yukon. This left New York back where they started with no goaltending prospects. In this draft, The Americans have a lot of options to select a potential goaltender for their franchise. New York has a selection that will land them in the middle of the second round where many options will be available for them. Now they may not find a franchise superstar in this spot, but there are three goaltenders that have the potential to become a much-needed backup in the future. Emiko Spector, Elijah Mikaelson, and Alex Parise will likely be on the board when New York makes their selection. Drafting any of these guys may be considered a reach however with very little draft capital, New York would have to wait until round 4, where all the VHL caliber goaltenders will already have been selected. My ideal selection for New York would be Canadian goaltender, Alex Parise. He has shown the most potential to become a consistent TPE earner and has had some pretty strong weeks. Parise could definitely make the VHL with a few seasons of development. Hopefully for the Americans, they can avoid another Rask situation and find someone to strap up the pads in The Big Apple.         

 
Toronto Legion

 
Toronto traded their first-round selection to Vancouver during season 77 which ruined the opportunity to select Emeritus, but they can still look for a future backup for the team. Toronto is in a rough place with very few draft picks as well as not making the playoffs. They may need a small miracle to compete in the near future. If Toronto is to go into a rebuild, then they will need some goalies that can come up in the future.  As it sits, Toronto has no goaltending prospects and one on the active roster. The Legion hold two picks in round two which will both be in the bottom half so they will have a similar pool as New York to select from. If Parise does end up going earlier then they can take a chance on either Elijah Mikaelson or Emiko Spector. Both goaltenders will likely take multiple seasons to develop but if their activity increases then Toronto could have a major steal late in round two. If Toronto decides to risk it and select a goaltender, Emiko Spector may be the best option. Spector has a major problem with inactivity but is a well-known member that could potentially come back. Should Emiko become an active member again, Toronto will have a goaltender that has the capability of making the VHL as a long-term backup. The Legion may be better off being patient until the S80 draft where there are already three highly touted goaltending prospects and they’ll have the picks to select them. In saying that, it may not be the worst thing for Toronto to gamble on a goaltender in the upcoming draft. 

 
No matter what happens in the draft, I’ll be keeping a close eye on this year’s class of goaltenders especially with the VHLE coming into play which will give more options for these prospects to carve their legacy. It’s very exciting to see the future of VHL goaltending and how these prospects’ journeys pan out. I wish all the prospects as well as team management good luck in the draft.
 
Words: 1518
Week ending 7/11 
Week ending 7/18
Week ending 7/25

Review
Drafting goalies is always tricky! I feel like we've seen them drop so much further than anticipated (especially with excellent classes) in prior drafts because there are so few slots, and oftentimes middle earners don't get a good shot at playing anything beyond a backup role. You did a good job in reading these four teams' current goalie situations (especially Chicago/Prague, as it's easy to have rose-colored glasses on when a team is really good).
One consideration for this article I'd have put forth was Warsaw, who has an IA goalie who's right around the middle in TPE (500-600) without a true good backup option (Bustard is OK but barely over the 200 mark). As far as future article ideas, when do you think VHLE teams will take their netminders? Overall nice work!

S78 OFF-SEASON:
Dates and times subject to change
 
Sunday, July 11th
Off-Season Begins
Experience Points Allocated
Depreciation
(Affects S72 / S73/ S74 Drafted Players)
S79 Finance TPE Cut-Off 
(all TPE earned, up to, and including, this date will affect salary brackets for S79) 
 
Wednesday, July 14th
World Cup Day 1
World Cup Day 2
 
Thursday, July 15th
S79 Training Camp Opens
World Cup Day 3
World Cup Day 4
S78 VHL Awards Ceremony @ 8PM EST
 
Friday, July 16th
World Cup Day 5
World Cup Quarter-Finals
S78 VHLM Awards Ceremony
S78 VHL Awards Prediction Payouts
S79 VHL Awards Predictions Open
 
Saturday, July 17th
World Cup Semi-Finals
World Cup Finals
Free Agent Discussions Open @ Noon EST
 
Sunday, July 18th
WJHC Day 1
WJHC Day 2
Free Agency Open @ Noon EST
S79 VHLM Dispersal Draft @ 3pm EST
S79 VHL Entry Draft @ 7pm EST

S79 VHLM TPE Cut-Off  
(Any players who have earned 251 TPE or more, up to and including this date, will no longer be eligible to play in the VHLM for S79 - Training Camp may not be claimed if you are at the Cap; if you are within 10 of the cap on this date, you may claim up to the cap, i.e. If you are at 244, you may claim 6 TPE from Training Camp)  
S79 Depreciation Fighter Cut-Off 
(Any players who wish to purchase a S79 depreciation fighter from the Player Store will no longer be eligible to do so after this date: The 'Jaromir Jagr', Still Kicking, Old But Not Forgotten)
 
Monday, July 19th
WJHC Day 3
WJHC Day 4
S79 Retirement
(Players can re-create for S80 and still play S79)
 
Tuesday, July 20th
WJHC Day 5
WJHC Quarter Finals
 
Wednesday, July 21st
WJHC Semi Finals
WJHC Finals
S78 Hall of Fame Induction
 
Thursday, July 22nd
S79 Training Camp Closes
S79 VHL / VHLM Indexes Posted
 
Friday, July 23rd
S79 VHL / VHLM Regular Season Begins
S79 Predictions Close

A New spin on the old Alternate
 

The S78 goaltender draft class has the potential to be one of the strongest in recent memory. Two goalies were selected in the first round followed by another six in rounds 2-4. In saying this, the S79 goaltending class could be on par with the previous draft and may even have the potential to be stronger. With the S79 draft right around the corner, here’s what teams I feel should consider selecting a goaltender to help improve the backend of their franchise in the coming years. When draft day comes, we all known trades are bound to happen however I have written this article with the assumption of teams keeping their picks where they are.
 
 
Prague Phantoms

 
After its most successful season in history, Prague will look for an important piece to become a competitive team for years to come. In S78, the Phantoms had one of the deadliest goaltending duos with Grekkark Gyrfalcon and Jacob Carson but it could be short-lived as Carson’s contract is set to expire and he will hit free agency during the offseason. However, Prague will own both their own as well as DC’s first-round selection. There is one particular goaltender that may fall to them that could change the future of this franchise for a long time. In the S79 draft, there is a goaltender that goes by the name PAPA EMERITUS. This may be a long shot but no teams that will be drafting before the Phantoms really need a goaltender of this caliber. If Emeritus is to fall to Prague, he could jump immediately to the VHL if the Phantoms don’t resign Carson or pick up another goaltender in free agency. Papa Emeritus had a strong regular season with the Rush, posting an extremely impressive .892 SV% in 69 GP. He would be able to play under Grekkark Gyrfalcon for season 79 and move into the starting role as Gyrfalcon depreciates. Papa Emeritus has already won a Founder’s Cup with Yukon so he has tasted victory and you can bet he’s hungry for the same glory in the VHL. If Prague manages to pull this off, this team will be a contender for the next few seasons as Emeritus could become the backbone that pushes them over the hump and win their first Continental Cup.    
 
 
Chicago Phoenix

 
Chicago has seen a lot of success as of late and leading that success is their Daisuke Kanou Trophy winning goaltender, Jean Pierre Camus, who is the only goaltender currently on the roster. However, Camus is coming off his 6th season with the team and will retire sooner rather than later. The Phoenix need to look towards their future in terms of their backend and luckily there are some potential gems in the S79 draft. Although Chicago may look into grabbing a goaltender in free agency, drafting a goaltender to develop will be very beneficial for the future of this franchise. The Phoenix hold their first-round selection which will be later in the round where two potential options are projected to be selected. Both Em Em Flex and Orion D H Chiester IX should fall and while activity has slowed for both goaltenders, Chicago should still take the risk on one or the other. If either of them can become consistent with their TPE earning then the Phoenix could have another franchise netminder as soon as Camus calls it a career. I feel the best option will be Em Em Flex, the young goalie played in all 72 games for Miami and will only need one more year to develop before making the leap in the VHL in S80. If all goes well, that would give Flex one year behind Camus to learn under the veteran before taking over the starting role for years to come.   

 
Malmo Nighthawks

 
The Nighthawks have one of the strongest prospects pools in the VHL which could set them up nicely for the future. Despite having a lot of young talent, they don’t have a goaltender that can step up in the seasons to come. Having said that, they have a lot of draft capital in this year’s draft that includes three first-round picks. The Nighthawks have a great opportunity to select one of the top three goaltenders in this draft and I feel they need to capitalize. Veteran goaltender Woody McPine has played his last season in the VHL which leaves a spot on the active roster. Fortunately for the Nighthawks, their starting goaltender Artem Tretiak will lead them for a while longer and can mentor a younger netminder to take over the starting role in the future. Malmo can afford to pass on Emeritus and Em Em flex as Tretiak is still relatively young. Nonetheless, Malmo can use either Seattle’s or Warsaw’s pick on Ottawa netminder, Orion D H Chiester IX. Chiester IX had a very strong rookie campaign, splitting the crease with Jacob Rask. He put up a SV% of .886 in the 30 games he played. He will most likely need only one more season in the VHLM before making the jump into the big leagues as a backup. The duo of Tretiak and Chiester IX could last them for many seasons to come.    
 
 
New York Americans

 
Like Chicago, New York has only one active goaltender, Thadius Sales and I’m sure he’ll be the first to tell you that and strong number two goaltender will have a large impact on a team’s success. In the S78 draft, New York decided to select the aforementioned goaltender, Jacob Rask with the 52nd pick. Rask was looking very promising and could have been a potential backup for the team down the road. Shortly after the regular season ended, Rask decided the VHL wasn’t for him and retired after two seasons in the VHLM with Ottawa and Yukon. This left New York back where they started with no goaltending prospects. In this draft, The Americans have a lot of options to select a potential goaltender for their franchise. New York has a selection that will land them in the middle of the second round where many options will be available for them. Now they may not find a franchise superstar in this spot, but there are three goaltenders that have the potential to become a much-needed backup in the future. Emiko Spector, Elijah Mikaelson, and Alex Parise will likely be on the board when New York makes their selection. Drafting any of these guys may be considered a reach however with very little draft capital, New York would have to wait until round 4, where all the VHL caliber goaltenders will already have been selected. My ideal selection for New York would be Canadian goaltender, Alex Parise. He has shown the most potential to become a consistent TPE earner and has had some pretty strong weeks. Parise could definitely make the VHL with a few seasons of development. Hopefully for the Americans, they can avoid another Rask situation and find someone to strap up the pads in The Big Apple.         

 
Toronto Legion

 
Toronto traded their first-round selection to Vancouver during season 77 which ruined the opportunity to select Emeritus, but they can still look for a future backup for the team. Toronto is in a rough place with very few draft picks as well as not making the playoffs. They may need a small miracle to compete in the near future. If Toronto is to go into a rebuild, then they will need some goalies that can come up in the future.  As it sits, Toronto has no goaltending prospects and one on the active roster. The Legion hold two picks in round two which will both be in the bottom half so they will have a similar pool as New York to select from. If Parise does end up going earlier then they can take a chance on either Elijah Mikaelson or Emiko Spector. Both goaltenders will likely take multiple seasons to develop but if their activity increases then Toronto could have a major steal late in round two. If Toronto decides to risk it and select a goaltender, Emiko Spector may be the best option. Spector has a major problem with inactivity but is a well-known member that could potentially come back. Should Emiko become an active member again, Toronto will have a goaltender that has the capability of making the VHL as a long-term backup. The Legion may be better off being patient until the S80 draft where there are already three highly touted goaltending prospects and they’ll have the picks to select them. In saying that, it may not be the worst thing for Toronto to gamble on a goaltender in the upcoming draft. 

 
No matter what happens in the draft, I’ll be keeping a close eye on this year’s class of goaltenders especially with the VHLE coming into play which will give more options for these prospects to carve their legacy. It’s very exciting to see the future of VHL goaltending and how these prospects’ journeys pan out. I wish all the prospects as well as team management good luck in the draft.
 
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Week ending 7/11 
Week ending 7/18
Week ending 7/25

Hello everyone, 
 
Today I will be ranking the prospect pools of the VHL right now, before the draft. I'd like to make this a seasonal thing, since prospects will become players, new players will be drafted, etc. I am not here to criticize general managers or anything like that, I'm simply going to take an objective look at each team's position in regards to prospects. I understand that teams are in different places; some may have sold future assets to win now, while others may have an abundance of up-and-coming players. Without further ado, let's get into it! 
 
#16 - SEATTLE BEARS 
The Bears are an example of a team in win-now mode, winning five of the last ten Continental Cup Championships and being the runner-up (at least) this season. Because of this, though, their prospect pool is a bit weak. They only have the rights to two prospects, both inactive. However, they do have 5 picks in the first 3 rounds of the upcoming draft, including the Calgary Wranglers' first from the trade that sent Johnson and Lambert to Calgary last season. 
 
#15 - TORONTO LEGION 
It appears Toronto is now rebuilding. They finished 14th in the league this season after finishing 5th last. The Legion are without a first round pick in the draft, and only have two seconds. As for their prospect pool--not too deep. Their top prospect, Nikita Wolf, went inactive and didn't play this season. Only one of their prospects is on a VHLM roster; Mats Zucarello of the Las Vegas Aces. While Zucarello did lead the Aces in assists (50) and was second in points (85), they shouldn't be pro-ready for at least another season. The Legion are going to have to hit on both their picks in the draft if they want to restock their prospect pool. 
 
#14 - D.C. DRAGONS 
While D.C. is not in a dire spot by any means, they only have two prospects currently contracted to minor league teams. The good thing is, both of them are promising young players. Jannik Nylen of the Storm has developed into a top defender in the 'M and will play in the big league next season. Brock Hampton of the 21st had a 92 point season this season and looks to make the jump in the near future. They also have winger Jah Cool, who didn't play in the league this season. It doesn't look like Cool will be playing in the VHL this season, unfortunately. D.C. has only a 2nd in this draft, from Prague (as a result of the Brian Strong Jr trade). 
 
#13 - CALGARY WRANGLERS 
Calgary is in an interesting spot. They've built a good young core already, with several of their top prospects becoming regular contributors on the team. These include Season 78 1st overall pick Nils Tallinder and Season 77 7th overall pick Rolf Fizzlebeef Jr and 14th pick Joe Madison. Currently, the Wranglers have three active prospects in the system: Alex Johnston, Roberts Stutzle and Russell Dixon. Johnston was drafted 8th overall in this past season's draft. He looks to make his VHL debut in Season 79. Johnston lit up the 'M this season with the Reapers, scoring 118 points (59 goals, 59 assists) in 72 games. It looks like Johnston will be a star in the big league. Stutzle is their next best prospect. Drafted in the third round (44th overall) in the last draft, Stutzle managed 55 points (21 goals, 34 assists) in 72 games with Miami this season. Stutzle should be ready for the VHL in a season or two. Last we have right wing Russell Dixon, currently of the Mississauga Hounds. Dixon had a breakout VHLM season this season, scoring 63 total points in 73 games (due to a trade). It is hard to tell when Dixon should be ready. 
 
#12 - CHICAGO PHOENIX 
Chicago has one prospect who will be a rookie next season, defender Vasiliy Grigorev of Philadelphia. In 72 games with the Reapers and Miami Marauders this season, Grigorev notched 96 points (23 goals, 73 assists) on the back end--pretty impressive. In addition to Grigorev, the Phoenix have the rights to three other active prospects, defender Julia Waffles of the Ottawa Lynx, center Cody Lachance of the Houston Bulls and left wing Brian Schmigel of the Saskatoon Wild. All were drafted in Season 78 and will spend another season in the VHLM to continue their development. Waffles scored 66 points in 72 games with Ottawa and had 104 shot blocks. Lachance scored 79 points for the Bulls. Schmigel had 52 points for the Wild this season. Chicago does have their 1st this season, and next. 
 
#11 - RIGA REIGN
The Reign have a great prospect in right wing Anze Miklavz, who fell all the way to them at 15 last season. Miklavz's development is excellent. Miklavz scored 74 points (36 goals, 38 assists) with the Bulls this season and had 10 more (2 goals, 8 assists) in 11 postseason contests. Defender Milk Jugs unfortunately went inactive for the time being. Jugs was a top ten selection last season. Miks Sunish, a forward, has been a VHLM star and will likely remain in the 'M for right now. Riga has a stable net for the foreseeable future, with Morgan Karlsson and Tobias Reinhart continuing their development. Karlsson is VHL-ready, winning 50 games this past season for San Diego and having a .903 save percentage, 2.52 GAA and 5 shutouts, tied with Papa Emeritus of the Rush for the league-lead. Reinhart won 23 of the 39 games he played in for Philly, posting an .888 save percentage and 2.81 GAA with a shutout.
 
#10 - WARSAW PREDATORS
Warsaw has two quality prospects coming up soon, Lynx captain Bogdan Trunov and S78 Founder's Cup Champion Tynan Sylvester. Trunov led Ottawa in goals (41) and points (80). Trunov has showed no signs of slowing down development-wise. Meanwhile, Sylvester had 36 goals as a defender for the Rush this season, and 97 points. Sylvester might not be ready for Season 79, but will be a force in Season 80 if that's the case. Beyond these two, the Preds have no active prospects or prospects playing with a VHLM team. 
 
#9 - HELSINKI TITANS 
The Titans will likely have one rookie on their roster next season in S78 1st round pick Damien Salducci. In all 72 games with the San Diego Marlins this season, Salducci scored 71 points (11 goals, 60 assists) as a defender. In 12 playoff games, Salducci added 10 points (1 goal, 9 assists). The pick acquired from Seattle in exchange for center Venus Thightrap was used to select Salducci last season. Beyond Salducci, a name that jumps out is Zarek Kaczka, of the Minnesota Storm. Kaczka recorded 95 points, including an insane 39 goals as a defender. Kaczka currently has 19 points in 12 playoff games. Another notable prospect of Helsinki is Aces winger Slick Dasher. Dasher scored 87 points (39 goals, 48 assists) this season with Vegas. The Titans also have goalie Luke Spinelli in the system. Luke is on the verge of going inactive, so it is unsure if he will return to the league. Spinelli has posted a 113-94-11 record in the VHLM, with a collective save percentage of .884 and GAA of 3.30 with 8 shutouts. 
 
#8 - LONDON UNITED 
London has a few prospects on the verge of coming to London. Ottawa Lynx right wing Shane Lazeski is definitely coming to the United in Season 79. Lazeski had 70 points (24 goals, 46 assists) with the Lynx this season. Lazeski's development is coming along nicely. Center Hendrix Cobberson of the Marlins had 38 points in 72 games this season and 6 in 12 playoff games. Cobberson is on the brink of coming up. Gabby Dugan, a winger from the Marlins, scored 37 points in the regular season and had 5 assists in the playoffs. Dugan should be a rookie for London with Lazeski. Dexter Vaughn, the star goaltender of the Minnesota Storm this season, is in the system. Vaughn went 47-13-4 with a .903 save percentage, 2.65 GAA and 3 shutouts. Vaughn won 10 games in the playoffs en route to a Founder's Cup Final Appearance. Another goaltender London has rights to is Bastian Greiss. Greiss might go inactive, but if not, will be a stud for sure. 
 
#7 - NEW YORK AMERICANS 
New York has the rights to San Diego products The Loch Ness Monster and Aldwin Craig. The Loch Ness Monster recorded 184 points in 216 regular season games over three seasons on the blueline and had 15 in 19 playoff games. Craig had 186 points in 216 games as well. Craig added 25 points in 19 playoff games. Both will play for the Americans in Season 79. Then there's 111-point scorer Craig Martin from the Wild of the VHLM. Martin could make the jump but may stay down too. Both Craig and Martin are left wings. 
 
#6 - PRAGUE PHANTOMS 
The Phantoms have two prospects who will definitely play up next season, along with a few others who will be in Prague soon enough. Season 77 3rd round pick Nicholas Mariani has proved to be a steal. In two seasons with San Diego, the left winger notched a grand total of 185 points, including playoffs (83 goals, 102 assists). Also in the system is Nathan Powers, Prague's 1st round pick last season. In two seasons on defense for Yukon, Powers scored 36 goals, 155 assists and 191 points (including playoffs). Another prospect to keep an eye on is Rush center Otto Numminen, potentially another gem not selected in the first. Numminen exploded this season as Yukon's #1 center, scoring 72 points (12 goals, 60 assists) in 72 games and 16 points (6 goals, 10 assists) in 17 playoff games. Numminen might not come to the VHL this season, but certainly will next. Alexander Rivers and Deke Rike, although selected later in the draft, are players to watch considering Rivers's consistency (48 points last season, 51 this season) and Rike's clutch playoff production (10 points in 10 games). 
 
#5 - MOSCOW MENACE
Moscow has two prospects who all but should be ready to compete at the VHL level next season, both right wings. Jaromir Lemiuex of the Yukon Rush had 108 points (41 goals, 67 assists) this season, and added 16 more in the postseason. Lemiuex continues to develop well. Mikey Markov of Miami had 69 points (36 goals, 33 assists) and should also be ready to go. San Diego Marlin Brent Skimmer had 66 points this season and 14 in the playoffs. Brent is another right wing and could be ready next season (S80). Duncan Montana, a left wing, is promising but whose activity has dropped off a bit as of late. The Menace have secured their future in goal, too, with Leroy Johnson slated to debut in Season 79. Johnson posted a 39-21-4 record for Saskatoon to go along with an .893 save percentage, 3.59 GAA and 2 shutouts. 
 
#4 - LOS ANGELES STARS
LA features one of the deepest prospect pools overall. Arvid Johansson could go inactive but would be a fantastic add to the Stars. Johansson scored at a point per game pace in the playoffs as a defender. Left wing Genghis Khan had 74 points (37 goals, 37 assists) for the Reapers this season. Prior to scoring 74, Khan had point totals of 103 and 94. Khan will be on the Stars' roster next season, barring any moves. Perhaps LA's most promising prospect, Henri le Massif of the Storm will be in LA next season too. Le Massif had 93 points (47 goals, 46 assists) in 72 games with Minnesota this season and 13 in 14 playoff games. Le Massif's development is top-notch. Defender Ron World Peace III, also of Minnesota, could possibly be in the lineup next season for LA. Peace could go inactive, but that is not for certain. Peace had 87 points in the regular season and 21 in 14 postseason matchups. Another Storm player (start to see the pattern here?), Jocke Jockesson, a defender, could be ready in Season 80. Jockesson had 95 points, including 89 assists this season. Jockesson had 12 points in the playoffs. Lastly, center Kman of the Reapers had 35 points in 72 games and 2 assists in 6 playoff games. Kman could go inactive. 
 
TOP 3!!!
 
And that is all for right now. You'll have to wait to see the top 3 prospect pools in the VHL! Sorry folks! Stay tuned! 
 
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