Advantage

Interesting.  Your ominous “game is completely different tomorrow” tone doesn’t necessarily spark confidence.  Not to say you aren’t completely good, but it’s such a vague tone at this point about something definitive.  

Hadn’t claimed yet. No need to scroll for it. I’m one of your two town support people. I’ll say which role tomorrow. 

What was your claim again @woog? I just don’t want to look through all the pages while at work. 

I promise that as someone who has been a bit quieter, there is good reason for that.  I know I haven’t officially claimed but last nights deaths may give you a good idea. 

This does feel like a fun little Jester play honestly. 

After 66 games the Nighthawks clinched the Victory Cup with 103 points. 6 games later the season has ended and the Malmo Nighthawks have officially won the trophy with a 52-14-6 record and 110 points. The best record a team has had since Season 84, and the most points Malmo has had in their team's history. Although the Nighthawks got off to a mediocre start, they kicked it into high gear about a third of the way through the season and didn't look back. Managing to end the season with the most goals for and least goals against... and all of this without a bonafide superstar?
 
This is not a slight in any way to @DarkSpyro but in a very recent short podcast he said "(Malmo) have no superstars." I can't leave out he called the team incredible across the board but I'm afraid I have to disagree with the claim we have no superstars... @Advantage Viktor Jensen (Malmo's superstar!!) scored a career-high 90 points and he did it without taking a single penalty. Apart from one of the cleanest seasons ever, Jensen's success individually proved to be incredibly impactful to Malmo's collection of the Victory Cup.
 
Superstar? Absolutely. I could easily make a case for Jensen to win the Scott Campbell Trophy but I won't do that... yet...

This week was Theme Week so while I have been mainly taking advantage of our welfare and pension system of late, I thought I would power up my phone and type out a 500 word article to earn a little bit extra this week.  The topic of “All Star” is an interesting one…cause frankly the whole notion of All Star Events in real sports has become rather stale and I think in some ways that’s what we saw in the VHL in the past.  People didn’t really care too much about it so it ultimately went mostly unnoticed. With that being said, I have always thought it would be an interesting way to bring in some different style of content.  Therefore, this article will cover a couple of ways I think the league could bring forth the All Star Game again, but add a twist to it to bring some popularity back to it.  Disclaimer: I don’t like all of these ideas.  But some I’ve seen around and some I just feel like would be obvious ways people want to tweak it.  
 
Idea 1: Make it Worth TPE
This is the obvious one that people would bring up and I don’t fully dislike the idea.  Granted I would probably only want to see 1 TPE for getting nominated because any more than that just frankly just makes the rich much richer.  Most probably wouldn’t support this ultimately (or at least those in charge) but I do think TPE will always convince some people to pay a little more attention to it and obviously that is important. 
 
Idea 2: Visibility is Everything
This is my main focus because I am a sucker for things like career resumes and accomplishment pages full of statistics, accolades and awards.  Adding All Star Game participation would give a lot more players some things to showcase in there which incidentally is a good thing for member morale.  While not everyone cares about that stuff, as someone who does, I think it actually would be a big addition for some to make them care more. 
 
Idea 3: NA vs World
While unlikely, I always thought this could be a fun way to present the ASG.  Would be a tough one but I’d be curious to see how the teams differ with this format and maybe we would see some national pride involved to bring in more of a rivalry. 
 
Idea 4: Ways to Present The Game
The obvious way is through STHS and while we could tweak that and put a lot of work into one on a NHL game or something like that, I do think that’s a lot of work, for a one game presentation it can be a very popular way to present the games. Id also like to see a fresh take in how to present it.  Add a 1 TPE reward for anyone who shows up during the stream and partakes in the chat and maybe present it on twitch or through a different platform. Put it on the front page of the portal and showcase it everywhere and you should see an uptick in interest.

This week was Theme Week so while I have been mainly taking advantage of our welfare and pension system of late, I thought I would power up my phone and type out a 500 word article to earn a little bit extra this week.  The topic of “All Star” is an interesting one…cause frankly the whole notion of All Star Events in real sports has become rather stale and I think in some ways that’s what we saw in the VHL in the past.  People didn’t really care too much about it so it ultimately went mostly unnoticed. With that being said, I have always thought it would be an interesting way to bring in some different style of content.  Therefore, this article will cover a couple of ways I think the league could bring forth the All Star Game again, but add a twist to it to bring some popularity back to it.  Disclaimer: I don’t like all of these ideas.  But some I’ve seen around and some I just feel like would be obvious ways people want to tweak it.  
 
Idea 1: Make it Worth TPE
This is the obvious one that people would bring up and I don’t fully dislike the idea.  Granted I would probably only want to see 1 TPE for getting nominated because any more than that just frankly just makes the rich much richer.  Most probably wouldn’t support this ultimately (or at least those in charge) but I do think TPE will always convince some people to pay a little more attention to it and obviously that is important. 
 
Idea 2: Visibility is Everything
This is my main focus because I am a sucker for things like career resumes and accomplishment pages full of statistics, accolades and awards.  Adding All Star Game participation would give a lot more players some things to showcase in there which incidentally is a good thing for member morale.  While not everyone cares about that stuff, as someone who does, I think it actually would be a big addition for some to make them care more. 
 
Idea 3: NA vs World
While unlikely, I always thought this could be a fun way to present the ASG.  Would be a tough one but I’d be curious to see how the teams differ with this format and maybe we would see some national pride involved to bring in more of a rivalry. 
 
Idea 4: Ways to Present The Game
The obvious way is through STHS and while we could tweak that and put a lot of work into one on a NHL game or something like that, I do think that’s a lot of work, for a one game presentation it can be a very popular way to present the games. Id also like to see a fresh take in how to present it.  Add a 1 TPE reward for anyone who shows up during the stream and partakes in the chat and maybe present it on twitch or through a different platform. Put it on the front page of the portal and showcase it everywhere and you should see an uptick in interest.

Brovy was such a character. 
 
I remember when he posted about his computer slowing down and wondering what to do. And in the same sentence Brovy mentioned he hadn't shut down the computer in months 😂🤣🤣 
 
(Shut down as in a full  pc shutdown)

It was Kesler at the time and @Jericho figured it out because I believe Kesler told him it for some reason.  
 
The password I’m pretty sure was just his username (Kesler). 

For tomorrow:
 
If GLU actually is town, we vote Ricer. 
 
The following players have not voted or participated in this game thread at all. These are your likely evils:
 
@Advantage
@Alex
@Da Trifecta
@Doomsday (usually quite active and has been posting on vhl)
@Lemorse7 - hasnt voted only contribution was asking for TI info

VHL Portal: League’s Greatest Recruiter (and Retainer)
 
I have to say….the Blue Team did not come up with a topic that I was looking forward to write about for theme week.  I know…”Advantage, you are being the spitting image of the whole meme around theme week topics.”  I just honestly had no idea what to write about.  My impact in recruiting is long past my glory days there where I was on several online message boards and other forums pulling for affiliates and mentions, just to maybe scrape up a few players for whatever football league was starting after the last one closed down a week prior.  Those who did these leagues understand…the longest one ran about two or three years maybe at most (this is prior to the EFL and other ones that I am speaking on). Ultimately, bringing the members in wasn’t even always the hard part.  Sometimes it was just difficult to make it incredibly easy for a new member.  “Retention” is the word we use and it is just as important as recruiting itself, if not far more crucial to the health and longevity of a league. This word rings true for me in my inspiration for this article as I want to talk about the major reason I stayed when I was recruited back to join the league some time ago.  That reason….is the VHL Portal.
 
There was a time not that long ago where the VHL seemed like a dying league that just wasn’t able to recruit or retain enough members to have a sustainable league.  We contracted in the VHL and the Board of Governors seemed full of doom and gloom to go along with some pettiness and arguing. It was not a bright time in our league history, and I left it all behind thinking the VHL probably wouldn’t see Season 70, much less Season 90. When I think back on those times and what changed from now to then, I see a more committed recruitment team for quite some time, and a lot of organization running the VHL and VHLM while the league was trying to find its footing again.  However, I believe the one thing that changed it all was the VHL Portal. 
 
The Portal was an idea I had first heard about when Devise was discussing the concept prior to the Admins or BOG even discussing it.  The principle was making tasks to earn TPE “as easy as the click of a button.”  It was bold and a very jarring difference from what I was certainly used to.  Not updating on the forum or claiming practice facility by posting “+1” or “+2”…what a foreign idea!  Honestly though, it changed everything as far as I can tell.  
 
The VHL has been better off since the change and even as its own dedicated member base that claim consistent TPE every week and barely post weekly on the actual forums.  Some argue this is a bad thing, and there point is fair.  Posting on the forums is certainly down with not only the Portal changes but also the move to Discord.  With that being said, the VHL had to adapt with the times or be left behind.  The Portal was just an added bonus that separates itself from the other leagues, who frankly have far inferior updating and claiming systems (no shade intended but truth is the truth). 
 
So with that being said, I hope you enjoyed my little media spot on recruitment and why the VHL Portal has not only been the leagues biggest recruiter since it was created, it has also been its greatest retainer. 
 


**I tried with formatting…did this on my cellphone**

Biggest killer? DISCORD

VHL Portal: League’s Greatest Recruiter (and Retainer)
 
I have to say….the Blue Team did not come up with a topic that I was looking forward to write about for theme week.  I know…”Advantage, you are being the spitting image of the whole meme around theme week topics.”  I just honestly had no idea what to write about.  My impact in recruiting is long past my glory days there where I was on several online message boards and other forums pulling for affiliates and mentions, just to maybe scrape up a few players for whatever football league was starting after the last one closed down a week prior.  Those who did these leagues understand…the longest one ran about two or three years maybe at most (this is prior to the EFL and other ones that I am speaking on). Ultimately, bringing the members in wasn’t even always the hard part.  Sometimes it was just difficult to make it incredibly easy for a new member.  “Retention” is the word we use and it is just as important as recruiting itself, if not far more crucial to the health and longevity of a league. This word rings true for me in my inspiration for this article as I want to talk about the major reason I stayed when I was recruited back to join the league some time ago.  That reason….is the VHL Portal.
 
There was a time not that long ago where the VHL seemed like a dying league that just wasn’t able to recruit or retain enough members to have a sustainable league.  We contracted in the VHL and the Board of Governors seemed full of doom and gloom to go along with some pettiness and arguing. It was not a bright time in our league history, and I left it all behind thinking the VHL probably wouldn’t see Season 70, much less Season 90. When I think back on those times and what changed from now to then, I see a more committed recruitment team for quite some time, and a lot of organization running the VHL and VHLM while the league was trying to find its footing again.  However, I believe the one thing that changed it all was the VHL Portal. 
 
The Portal was an idea I had first heard about when Devise was discussing the concept prior to the Admins or BOG even discussing it.  The principle was making tasks to earn TPE “as easy as the click of a button.”  It was bold and a very jarring difference from what I was certainly used to.  Not updating on the forum or claiming practice facility by posting “+1” or “+2”…what a foreign idea!  Honestly though, it changed everything as far as I can tell.  
 
The VHL has been better off since the change and even as its own dedicated member base that claim consistent TPE every week and barely post weekly on the actual forums.  Some argue this is a bad thing, and there point is fair.  Posting on the forums is certainly down with not only the Portal changes but also the move to Discord.  With that being said, the VHL had to adapt with the times or be left behind.  The Portal was just an added bonus that separates itself from the other leagues, who frankly have far inferior updating and claiming systems (no shade intended but truth is the truth). 
 
So with that being said, I hope you enjoyed my little media spot on recruitment and why the VHL Portal has not only been the leagues biggest recruiter since it was created, it has also been its greatest retainer. 
 


**I tried with formatting…did this on my cellphone**

VHL Portal: League’s Greatest Recruiter (and Retainer)
 
I have to say….the Blue Team did not come up with a topic that I was looking forward to write about for theme week.  I know…”Advantage, you are being the spitting image of the whole meme around theme week topics.”  I just honestly had no idea what to write about.  My impact in recruiting is long past my glory days there where I was on several online message boards and other forums pulling for affiliates and mentions, just to maybe scrape up a few players for whatever football league was starting after the last one closed down a week prior.  Those who did these leagues understand…the longest one ran about two or three years maybe at most (this is prior to the EFL and other ones that I am speaking on). Ultimately, bringing the members in wasn’t even always the hard part.  Sometimes it was just difficult to make it incredibly easy for a new member.  “Retention” is the word we use and it is just as important as recruiting itself, if not far more crucial to the health and longevity of a league. This word rings true for me in my inspiration for this article as I want to talk about the major reason I stayed when I was recruited back to join the league some time ago.  That reason….is the VHL Portal.
 
There was a time not that long ago where the VHL seemed like a dying league that just wasn’t able to recruit or retain enough members to have a sustainable league.  We contracted in the VHL and the Board of Governors seemed full of doom and gloom to go along with some pettiness and arguing. It was not a bright time in our league history, and I left it all behind thinking the VHL probably wouldn’t see Season 70, much less Season 90. When I think back on those times and what changed from now to then, I see a more committed recruitment team for quite some time, and a lot of organization running the VHL and VHLM while the league was trying to find its footing again.  However, I believe the one thing that changed it all was the VHL Portal. 
 
The Portal was an idea I had first heard about when Devise was discussing the concept prior to the Admins or BOG even discussing it.  The principle was making tasks to earn TPE “as easy as the click of a button.”  It was bold and a very jarring difference from what I was certainly used to.  Not updating on the forum or claiming practice facility by posting “+1” or “+2”…what a foreign idea!  Honestly though, it changed everything as far as I can tell.  
 
The VHL has been better off since the change and even as its own dedicated member base that claim consistent TPE every week and barely post weekly on the actual forums.  Some argue this is a bad thing, and there point is fair.  Posting on the forums is certainly down with not only the Portal changes but also the move to Discord.  With that being said, the VHL had to adapt with the times or be left behind.  The Portal was just an added bonus that separates itself from the other leagues, who frankly have far inferior updating and claiming systems (no shade intended but truth is the truth). 
 
So with that being said, I hope you enjoyed my little media spot on recruitment and why the VHL Portal has not only been the leagues biggest recruiter since it was created, it has also been its greatest retainer. 
 


**I tried with formatting…did this on my cellphone**

Pretty much agreed with all the above. I think we've navigated a tricky period of figuring how to account for meta abuse where things are stabilised, so I'm happy to remove those who got no traction.
 
Happy to put RJ forward as the Builder suggestion if that is the consensus (vs inducting someone currently active but potentially with a better resume).

So...I would generally agree with the opinion that Lavelle and Payne should be inducted in this class. I also would personally back rjfryman for builder, as he certainly deserves an induction and he's removed from the league in a way where he wouldn't necessarily be continuing to build that legacy any longer.
 
I decided to do a little analysis of the new additions:
 
Ronan Lavelle (8 Seasons)
Goals: 1st,3rd,5th
Assists: 3rd
Points: 1st,1st,6th,7th,8th
Hits: 2nd,8th
 
Brian Payne (8 Seasons)
Assists: 3rd,4th,5th,6th,10th
SB: 4th,4th,8th
Defensemen Scoring: 3rd,4th,4th,5th,5th,8th
 
Bo Johansson (8 Seasons)
Assists: 1st,2nd,3rd,4th,5th,5th,6th
Points: 6th
SB: 1st,5th
Defensemen Scoring: 1st,4th,4th,6th,7th,7th,9th
 
Hammar Voss (7 Seasons)
Assists: 1st,6th
Points: 5th
SB: 4th
Defensemen Scoring: 2nd,2nd,3rd,4th
 
Lavelle, Payne and Johansson certainly stick out here.  Lavelle was an absolute monster and finished in the top eight in points in five of his eight seasons during his VHL career.  Brian Payne really stands out for me as for a guy with over 2000 hits and 1300 blocked shots, I cannot believe that he finished in the top-ten in assists on five occasions and was top-eight in defensemen scoring six times.  That is ridiculous versatility that cannot be messed with and for my money, Payne is one of the best well-rounded defenders in the history of the VHL.  Johansson, meanwhile, is one of the best playmakers and play drivers in league history.  In seven of his eight VHL seasons, Johansson finished in the top-six in assists and he found his way into the defensemen scoring top-ten in those same seasons as well.  Johansson even added some solid blocked shot finishes, showing he wasn't just an offensive dynamo, although that certainly what makes up a significant majority of his argument.
 
I think Bo Johansson is a worthy Hall of Fame player and will most certainly find his way in (and I dont think it will take very long) as to me he actually is a bit of a legendary career in some ways.  As @Victor already pointed out, Johansson is fourth all-time in assists behind Scotty Campbell (the Wayne Gretzky of our league), Japinder Singh (a top-10 defenseman ever and a Hall of Famer) and Sterling Labatte (the first legendary VHL defenseman).  While some may find Singh and Labatte being ahead a bit of a knock on Johansson, it shouldn't be given both are Hall of Famers and Bo never benefitted from the Season 20 offensive juggernaut of a season like Singh did, or play nine seasons in the VHL like Labatte did.  His case is shut and sealed and just awaits votes in a future season (which will inevitably come as far as I'm concerned).
 
As for who I would remove, I think we actually need to make a bit of a sweeping removal here.  I personally think it's time for Holik to bite the dust on the ballot.  10+ seasons on the ballot and while he has received a single vote in three different seasons, we are now over five seasons removed from the last time he received one.  Nilsson needs to go as well, in my opinion, with 6+ seasons on the ballot and just one vote.  I don't think his overall resume really stacks up (he was never voted a top two defenseman in the league and only once was voted as a top four defender, in the season that defines his entire career (Season 81), but it just simply is not enough.  Atreides should go as well.  While some may think that is a little bit harsh, there are three forwards that are not Ronan Lavelle, that have better chances of making it than Atreides at this point, and that list will not get any smaller as new classes come in.  He has had five seasons and has received one vote, and really I think his chances are pretty much gone.  Finally, I would also move to remove Reinhart for similar reasons.  They have had five seasons on the ballot and have received one vote, and there are multiple players, who will not get inducted this season, that are ahead in probability of making the Hall of Fame.  
 
While for some might be too many removals, that would leave us with eight names on the ballot after the two players get inducted.  And of course, we would be adding more in future seasons to go on this list.  I feel like an easy way to monitor this is to take a look at the five season mark for players on it, and that is how I chose to do it.

So...I would generally agree with the opinion that Lavelle and Payne should be inducted in this class. I also would personally back rjfryman for builder, as he certainly deserves an induction and he's removed from the league in a way where he wouldn't necessarily be continuing to build that legacy any longer.
 
I decided to do a little analysis of the new additions:
 
Ronan Lavelle (8 Seasons)
Goals: 1st,3rd,5th
Assists: 3rd
Points: 1st,1st,6th,7th,8th
Hits: 2nd,8th
 
Brian Payne (8 Seasons)
Assists: 3rd,4th,5th,6th,10th
SB: 4th,4th,8th
Defensemen Scoring: 3rd,4th,4th,5th,5th,8th
 
Bo Johansson (8 Seasons)
Assists: 1st,2nd,3rd,4th,5th,5th,6th
Points: 6th
SB: 1st,5th
Defensemen Scoring: 1st,4th,4th,6th,7th,7th,9th
 
Hammar Voss (7 Seasons)
Assists: 1st,6th
Points: 5th
SB: 4th
Defensemen Scoring: 2nd,2nd,3rd,4th
 
Lavelle, Payne and Johansson certainly stick out here.  Lavelle was an absolute monster and finished in the top eight in points in five of his eight seasons during his VHL career.  Brian Payne really stands out for me as for a guy with over 2000 hits and 1300 blocked shots, I cannot believe that he finished in the top-ten in assists on five occasions and was top-eight in defensemen scoring six times.  That is ridiculous versatility that cannot be messed with and for my money, Payne is one of the best well-rounded defenders in the history of the VHL.  Johansson, meanwhile, is one of the best playmakers and play drivers in league history.  In seven of his eight VHL seasons, Johansson finished in the top-six in assists and he found his way into the defensemen scoring top-ten in those same seasons as well.  Johansson even added some solid blocked shot finishes, showing he wasn't just an offensive dynamo, although that certainly what makes up a significant majority of his argument.
 
I think Bo Johansson is a worthy Hall of Fame player and will most certainly find his way in (and I dont think it will take very long) as to me he actually is a bit of a legendary career in some ways.  As @Victor already pointed out, Johansson is fourth all-time in assists behind Scotty Campbell (the Wayne Gretzky of our league), Japinder Singh (a top-10 defenseman ever and a Hall of Famer) and Sterling Labatte (the first legendary VHL defenseman).  While some may find Singh and Labatte being ahead a bit of a knock on Johansson, it shouldn't be given both are Hall of Famers and Bo never benefitted from the Season 20 offensive juggernaut of a season like Singh did, or play nine seasons in the VHL like Labatte did.  His case is shut and sealed and just awaits votes in a future season (which will inevitably come as far as I'm concerned).
 
As for who I would remove, I think we actually need to make a bit of a sweeping removal here.  I personally think it's time for Holik to bite the dust on the ballot.  10+ seasons on the ballot and while he has received a single vote in three different seasons, we are now over five seasons removed from the last time he received one.  Nilsson needs to go as well, in my opinion, with 6+ seasons on the ballot and just one vote.  I don't think his overall resume really stacks up (he was never voted a top two defenseman in the league and only once was voted as a top four defender, in the season that defines his entire career (Season 81), but it just simply is not enough.  Atreides should go as well.  While some may think that is a little bit harsh, there are three forwards that are not Ronan Lavelle, that have better chances of making it than Atreides at this point, and that list will not get any smaller as new classes come in.  He has had five seasons and has received one vote, and really I think his chances are pretty much gone.  Finally, I would also move to remove Reinhart for similar reasons.  They have had five seasons on the ballot and have received one vote, and there are multiple players, who will not get inducted this season, that are ahead in probability of making the Hall of Fame.  
 
While for some might be too many removals, that would leave us with eight names on the ballot after the two players get inducted.  And of course, we would be adding more in future seasons to go on this list.  I feel like an easy way to monitor this is to take a look at the five season mark for players on it, and that is how I chose to do it.

1. It changes a bit here and there but we always do a movie list for November and December. 
 
2. Staying at home.  My job requires me here sadly as much as I’d love to go somewhere warmer. 
 
3. I would say golf for sure.  I love the sport but never was good at it. 
 
—-
 
1. Biggest guilty pleasure when it comes to music?
 
2. Are you happy with the play of your current player this year?
 
3. I mainly collect sports memorabilia.  Is there anything you collect or would like to start collecting if not?

1. Biggest guilty pleasure when it comes to music?
 
Not sure how I got into it, but recently I've gone into full Beatbox/Loopstation mode(MB14,Dlow,Saro etc). 
 
 
2. Are you happy with the play of your current player this year?
 
Sure. It's just the VHLM but Dassler doesn't suck so it's OK by me.
 
3. I mainly collect sports memorabilia.  Is there anything you collect or would like to start collecting if not?
 
I am a boobies connoisseur, as is well known. I have no need to collect anything else.
 
Questions:
 
1. If there was a VHL Exchange program, what user would you swap locations with?
 
2. Who has been the best GM you've played for in the VHL?
 
3. If you could bring back a Forward line from the past, who/what would it be?

BIG OL DOINKS

jebediah big ol doinks in amish has had a tough introduction to the vhl so far. but joining an up and coming malmo squad that under performed last season has left him eager to impress. the start of the season was a very big wake up call and it took quite a few games for jebediah to adjust to the pace of the top league. along with that came some lackluster results for the nighthawks, which saw them slightly frustrated with the way things were going. but a small tweak to the line combinations and things have turned around massively for malmo.
 
a massive eight game win streak brought the nighthawks right into contention to the extremely close european conference playoff race. and they are now getting good production from their veteran stars like skor mcfleury, yaroslav bogatyrev and henry eagles. players like viktor jensen and jacob stone are also coming into their own and showing that they can be the players to carry the team going forward. for jebediah, the points have been harder to come by, but he is happy to chip in wherever he can.

Hello VHL, this little two-pointer is coming from my own experiences as of late.  I’ve honestly felt really good during this players career, pretty much right up until the end of our disappointing season last year.
 
Since last season, I have sadly felt pretty tired and a bit distant from the league.  This is mainly due to real life rearing it’s sadly complicated and very poverty-inducing ways.  At the same time, I haven’t had the same interest in writing articles consistently.  I have debated going back to the podcast route or maybe just try and cook a long ass article to only have to write once every three or four weeks.  Honestly though, I’m not sure what I’ll do but for now, I have been just trying to get my TPE in as much as possible before hopefully stumbling on some inspiration again. 
 
By no means will I stop earning though.  I’ve still enjoyed this run so far and want it to be ultimately as strong as possible, in hopes to building to potentially an even better next time around (if I decide to go that route of course).  But now that y’all have listened to me ramble, feel free to give me some ideas if you have any for different media spot ideas as I can’t seem to keep one that I like. 

Viktor Jensen: A First Person’s Reflection of My Career So Far
 
 
Viktor Jensen here. It hasn’t been an easy start to my career, but I can honestly say that I wouldn’t change a single choice I ever made. Now, I am here to reflect on my career thus far and give you my thoughts on the beginning of the season for myself. 
 
Starting my career with Mississauga was honestly not the easiest start to my career. After a slow start with just 3 points in 16 games, I played horrible in my first ever playoff run and was booed off the ice after a late turnover cost the team a win.  But Houston was truly where I would find my footing.  It was such a fun year with a great group of guys and obviously my production was far better as I was able to fit in on a great team with some strong players.  While we ultimately didn’t reach our expected goal of doing more damage in the Founders Cup Playoffs, I can’t say enough about how that year helped me develop into the player that I have become today. 
 
Ultimately, after being selected 1st Overall by the Malmo Nighthawks, I chose to skip the VHLE and go straight to the VHL.  Part of me wonders if that was the best decision as playing a huge role on a VHLE team could have been really fun for one year, but ultimately I would play out a seventy-two game season in Malmo.  
 
My first season was challenging despite a decent start. I recorded 33 points in 72 games and was terrible in the defensive zone and the faceoff circle throughout the year, as the team struggled to reach the expectations they had going into the season. 
 
Last year though is where I felt I took a massive leap. I really worked hard on my skating, defensive play and my overall strength and I saw a pretty large impact on my performance.  42 assists and 60 points was really exciting considering this was my first chance to really adjust to my strengths and weaknesses at the highest level. I also felt I took strides in my own end, filling passing lanes more effectively and in the dot, where I won more than I lost over the course of the season. However, as a team we were definitely expecting to be a strong team, but fell short of the playoffs and sadly had to surrender up a top pick after we had moved it a couple seasons prior. 
Coming into this season, I was really hoping to take another step offensively and play effectively in every situation. We also really wanted to rebound and reach the playoffs at the bare minimum, but hopefully be good enough to make some noise. 
 
So far, I have recorded 5 goals and 11 points over 10 games but I feel like I have been fairly inconsistent in performance and effort over the course of the season so far.  I haven’t been nearly good enough and the whole team knows this already, but I am doing everything I can to improve on my own level of play so I can lead by example. 

Hello VHL, this little two-pointer is coming from my own experiences as of late.  I’ve honestly felt really good during this players career, pretty much right up until the end of our disappointing season last year.
 
Since last season, I have sadly felt pretty tired and a bit distant from the league.  This is mainly due to real life rearing it’s sadly complicated and very poverty-inducing ways.  At the same time, I haven’t had the same interest in writing articles consistently.  I have debated going back to the podcast route or maybe just try and cook a long ass article to only have to write once every three or four weeks.  Honestly though, I’m not sure what I’ll do but for now, I have been just trying to get my TPE in as much as possible before hopefully stumbling on some inspiration again. 
 
By no means will I stop earning though.  I’ve still enjoyed this run so far and want it to be ultimately as strong as possible, in hopes to building to potentially an even better next time around (if I decide to go that route of course).  But now that y’all have listened to me ramble, feel free to give me some ideas if you have any for different media spot ideas as I can’t seem to keep one that I like.