dogwoodmaple

Dogwood Maple has recently opened up five Waffle House locations in Vancouver, the first in the region. The relationship began when Maple signed a marketing deal last season that saw Dogwood become the official spokesperson of the restaurant chain. "I'm really excited to bring such a fantastic establishment to my new home of Vancouver. I'm fortune to have some very wise business partners who identified this as a potential opportunity and were able to help make it a reality," Maple said. When asked if this would take some of his focus off the ice and become a distraction for the Wolves, Maple was quick to respond. "Of course not. My number one priority right now is being the best possible player I can be for Vancouver and that doesn't change. This is just something that presented itself to me as a great opportunity and it's something I really believe in. But I want to be clear - it will not impact my on-ice play whatsoever. I'm here to score goals, set up my teammates, and bring home as many wins as I possibly can. But it does mean that the entire team will get free Waffle House whenever they want - I'm sure my teammates will love that." 206 words

1. I'm not surprised! I knew we had it in us the entire time. We were just a little bit unlucky before going on this wild run. 2. I have no doubt that that trio can continue their torrid pace. We're absolutely clicking right now and I think one of them will come out on top at the end of the season. 3. It's such a load of my shoulders knowing that we have one of the best goalies back there. I know that even if I make a mistake, I've got a brick wall back there to keep me out of trouble. 4. I think he should buy each a Bentley. Fully loaded. 5. I'll probably go with either snakes or spiders. I have no tolerance for either. 6. We keep working hard between games! Gotta grind at the practice facility

When it comes to building a team, the most important facet is a unifying vision from the general manager. It's easy to simply try to accumulate the best talent, but it's so much more complicated than that. You have to account for the psyche of different players, how the team gels, and you have to be able to predict how each personality of each player will work in concert with the rest. That's why not only is general managing the most difficult job in the league, but it's one that has the most direct relationship between championships and utter defeat. In my estimation, there are three main things you have to account for in order to be a successful GM. First, you have to sign a roster full of players who will remain active, first and foremost. Many players start strong and burn hot, but they're not cut out for the long haul of keeping up a consistent career. Identifying players and users who will be cornerstones of your franchise with their activity is a crucial task. Sometimes, that even means targeting a new user or someone without a bunch of experience if you can get them in on the ground floor of your franchise to help them buy in to the process. Second, you have to always think two or three years ahead. In this game, your success can evaporate overnight and can turn your entire fanbase on its head. It's not enough to simply build a winner, you have to have the wherewithal to build a consistent power. That often requires taking short steps backwards if it means a bid step forward later down the road. By far the most difficult thing about running a team is maintaining the consistency and never falling down to the cellar, but it's something that must be done in order to build a dynasty. It can often be hard to predict exactly how players will age, but you are doing your fanbase and players a disservice if you're not even contemplating what the roster will look like a few years down the road. You have to always be thinking ahead. And last, you have to know what type of team you're building. What I mean is that you have to have a base strategy behind all the moves you make. If you sign the best players but don't have a cohesive vision for what type of system you want to run, you'll be fitting square pegs into round holes. Like I've mentioned above, it sometimes means signing or trading for players who aren't, on paper, as talented, but will be much more successful in the system that you're going to run. Will you build a roster made of speed demons? Sharp shooters? Will you employ a goon strategy? Focus on defending and goalkeeping? You need to always have your vision in mind when you are making moves as general manager and every step you take in that direction, the more successful you'll be. And to that end, you have to trust your plan and not worry about what other people are thinking and saying. Stick to your guns, general managers! 528 words

Game 299: Prague Phantoms vs. Seattle Bears This game was all about momentum and there were multiple shifts before this one ended. Prague took the lead early on and seized the momentum thanks to a goal from Omi Aberg. That momentum was quickly stolen away, however, as Seattle scored a pair of goals to give them a first period lead of 2-1. That wasn't all, either. The Bears scored another pair of goals in the second period and all but put this game to bed. With a 4-1 lead after the second period, Seattle fans began to celebrate as they could taste victory. Prague tried to mount a comeback and made the score 4-2 in the third, but Seattle ended all comeback hopes with stiff defense and another goal to make the final score 5-2. (128 words)

Game 294: Los Angeles Stars vs. Warsaw Predators What a game here between Los Angeles and Warsaw! The scoring got started early with Warsaw racing out to a 2-0 lead. Los Angeles was quick to respond, however, and entered the second period trailing just 2-1. After a quiet second period that saw no goals, Los Angeles again found the back of the net and tied the game at two, sending the teams to overtime. After a quiet OT period, Warsaw ultimately won in a shootout giving them a crucial victory over Los Angeles. An exciting game for fans and players alike. (93 words)

In a ceremony that took place last weekend, Vancouver Wolves' rookie Dogwood Maple was given a key to the city of Atlanta. "Dogwood is one of the brightest shining stars from Atlanta and we're truly honored to present him with this recognition today. He was a great player with the Aces, with the Iron Eagles, and now with the Wolves. We have no doubt that he will continue to reflect well on our great city," the Mayor said. Dogwood himself was humbled to accept such an award. "I cannot thank the mayor and entire city of Atlanta enough. This is my home and to get a key to the city is something I never even thought possible. It's truly one of the greatest honors of my career and I'll cherish this the rest of my life. And I can promise the good folks of Atlanta this - I'll always continue to work as hard as I can, not just for my team but as a representative of my wonderful city. I take great pride in being from Atlanta and that will never change, no matter which team I play for. Georgia's always on my mind!" 194 words

1. ME! I've been slacking big time. I need to step it up if we're to make a playoff push 2. So far so good! It's definitely an adjustment but I think the three of us are playing well 3. I think we're a bit unlucky. A couple of different breaks and we're near the top of the table. Just gotta keep on grinding. 4. No doubt! We gotta keep feeding the beast to get that points title. 5. I think the unsung hero is our overall depth. We can score and defend up and down the roster. 6. CONVINCE DOGWOOD MAPLE TO PLAY BETTER!

In an event that shook the entire Vancouver roster to its very core, the entire team facility was infested with snakes last Tuesday. Yes, that's right - snakes. It all started when Dogwood Maple arrived at the facility early on Tuesday morning for a workout and some training. After grinding in the gym for a couple of hours, Maple hit the showers and noticed something strange when he got in. He initially couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he realized something wasn't right. He then panned around to his right and there was a three-foot black snake curled up in the corner of the shower. "I wouldn't say I'm afraid of snakes, but I don't exactly like 'em, y'know? Plus, I was naked and wanted absolutely nothing to do with a snake in that moment. So of course I screamed and ran out. I thought that would be the only one we'd find that morning, but boy was I wrong," Maple said. His screams alerted some other teammates and employees in the facility who quickly called a local snake expert to come help out. Shortly after the expert arrived, another scream rang out. It was another Vancouver Wolves player who found a snake in one of the equipment closets. This one was the same color and shape as the one Maple had found, but it was significantly larger - roughly six-feet in length. "After that," Maple continued, "it was like something out of a horror movie. People started finding these huge snakes all over the place. Coming out of the drains, hiding in trashcans, falling down from ceiling tiles, everywhere. I honestly haven't slept since then. Like I said I don't think I have a snake phobia, but it's still pretty freakin' unsettling." To make matters more complicated, the report from the snake wrangler caused some controversy around the league. According to him, the snakes could not have gotten in there by themselves. They were not native to the immediate surrounding area and must have been placed there by someone. That "someone" is believed to be a rogue member of another organization who aimed to gain an advantage on Vancouver with this sneak snake attack. "I remember one of our security guards mentioning seeing someone suspicious recently with a big package, but we just figured it was one of the delivery guys. Apparently they went back and found the footage and that person was wearing a hat with a logo of another VHL team. Our team attorney has instructed me not to divulge which logo it was, but let's just say that I'm going to have a little extra motivation when we play that team," Maple concluded. The league has reportedly opened its own investigation into this attack and could release its findings at any moment. As for the snakes found in the Vancouver facility, they were all safely removed and taken to an appropriate habitat and released. No snakes or humans were harmed as a result of the attack or the wrangling, although Maple did slip slightly in the shower and has a mild foot sprain according to the team doctor. He's considered day-to-day. 525 words

Game 66: Calgary Wranglers vs. D.C. Dragons It didn't take long for one of these two teams to assert their will and race out to a big lead. In the first period, the D.C. Dragons scored a pair of quick goals to give them a 2-0 lead, before Calgary got one back to make the score 2-1. D.C. wasn't finished however, as Tui Sova netted the third goal for the Dragons in the opening period which gave D.C. an ultimately unsurmountable lead. The fireworks were mostly over after that, as neither team managed a goal in the second period and the third only saw Calgary find the back of the net once. The Dragons' early onslaught was enough to seal this victory over Calgary. (117 words)

Q: How would you assess your play so far this season? A: Absolutely no complaints. I knew it would be a transition going from the E league to VHL but so far I've been really pleased with my play. Q: What about the team as a whole - exceeding expectations? Disappointing? A: Definitely exceeding, I think. We definitely made some big offseason moves, but I've been really impressed with how we've all been able to gel both in the locker room and on the ice. We're firing on all cylinders. Q: What's been the biggest adjustment for you? A: Well both in VHLM and VHLE, I was one of the best players on the team, so adjusting to my new role is probably the answer. But I'm thrilled with our rotation so far and I'm honestly playing more than I thought I would. Overall, our front office has been pushing all the right buttons so far and I'm really pleased with just about everything so far. Q: Last one - let's talk about the weather in Vancouver. As someone from the American South, how has the new climate impacted you? A: Well it's nice to not have 100F summers with 70% humidity. Some days back home you don't even feel like going outside. So in that regard, I love it here. I haven't experienced winter yet, so I guess the jury's still out on that. 233 words

1. Dogwood Maple, of course! What I lack in experience I make up for in enthusiasm 2. I'll go with Biggie Cheese. Hits, hits, and more hits 3. Why not try to will some good fortune for myself? I'll pick me again. (fingers crossed) 4. Anze. No doubt. Or maybe Nico. Definitely Anze. Unless.... 5. POWERS. Going full goon this year 6. ....winners?

In what has been called the largest near-pizza disaster in modern times, the Vancouver Wolves' arena was nearly demolished by a runaway pizza yesterday. Fortunately, there were no fatalities and only two minor injuries, although a half-dozen cars were destroyed in the onslaught. It all started when Wolves' center Dogwood Maple decided to order pizza for the rest of the team. "I thought I was doing a good thing. We've played really well lately and I figured I would do us all a favor and buy pizza for the team. But it turned out to be a huge mistake. Something that will stay with me for a long, long time," Maple said. After placing an order for 198 pizzas, Vancouver Slice loaded up a literal UHaul to bring the pizzas over. Apparently their usual vehicles were too small, so they used the UHaul to bring the pizzas over to the Vancouver arena. The driver of the UHaul was in a minor accident en route to the arena and the UHaul flipped over, knocking all the pizzas loose from their boxes. Because it was an unusually hot day and Vancouver Slice had accidentally over yeasted the dough, the pizzas began to soften and reactivated the yeast in the blistering heat. The result was a 198 pizza glob that began to grow. When the glob outgrew the UHaul, it broke all the windows, the windshield, and the doors, and busted straight through the entire frame of the vehicle. The now relatively round glob of pulsating dough filled with boiling hot pizza sauce and pepperonis began to roll down the street, demolishing every car in its path. It continued to roll down the street and headed straight for the Wolves Arena, just a few blocks away. Two passersby were caught in its path and managed to jump out of the way, but both were burned by the near-volcanic level steam that was shooting from the blob. Just as the pizza ball was about to roll smack dab into the Wolves Arena, a good Samaritan in a cement truck slid in front of the path and blocked the would-be wrecking ball with his truck. "I was terrified. I heard a bunch of comotion outside the arena so I went to one of the windows to look and it was like something out of a horror movie. Just a rolling avalanche of pepperoni, sauce, and molten cheese. I thought I saw two people get run over, but I guess they escaped. It was terrible," said Maple. "I felt so bad that I caused this. It really started as just a nice gesture for my teammates, but man it really went all wrong. I've already said that I want to pay for the damages to the cars it hit and the burns those two people suffered. I carry a lot of guilt from it." Vancouver Slice has now instituted a policy where they will only take an order of 50 pizzas for delivery at a time and will no longer utilize UHauls for any deliveries. They are also reportedly lowering the amount of yeast for their pizzas, but that is as of now unconfirmed. Their CEO could not be reached for comment. 536 words

Let's roll with Cole Pearce, please

G - Papa Emeritus F - AJ Williams @Frank

In an exciting gold medal game, Team Eastern Europe was able to top the Canadians and bring home the gold. After a scoreless first period, both teams ratcheted up the offense and the goals started. Eastern Europe netted a pair of goals in the second period to jump out to a 2-0 lead, but the Canadians weren't going to go down without a fight. They found the back of the net, thanks to a goal from Aurelien Moreau, which cut the deficit to 2-1 as the teams went to the final period. Unfortunately for the Canadians, they couldn't make any headway in the final period, as they traded a pair of goals with Eastern Europe, before Team EE found the empty net to end any comeback hopes.

As I enter my first season with Vancouver, I'm incredibly optimistic. Not just for myself, but for our team overall. We were incredibly aggressive this offseason and I think we have made all the right moves to put us in a position to contend. Will we win the Cup this year? That remains to be seen, but I think it's clear that we couldn't have done anything more than the moves we pulled off. We now have a roster that's deep, it's full of top-end talent, and we already have fantastic camaraderie. There's a sense of confidence in our locker room that even if one of us has an off-night, there will be countless other Wolves there to pick up the slack and bail us out. That takes an enormous amount of pressure off each player and will allow us to play with reckless abandon. The bad nights will come, but it's how you respond that defines you. Like I said, we might not take home the 'ship, but we have put ourselves in the best possible position to make that happen. Our fans, our players, and all of our staffers deserve it. All that's left to do it go out and execute in the way we know we can. (210 words)

1. I'm having trouble just figuring out who my new teammates are! But I could not be more excited about the direction of our team. We'll be contenders sooner rather than later. 2. Let's go with the trade to acquire Anze Miklavz. I think that one will pay huge dividends for us. 3. I don't think so - it was someone I had my eye on and a player who will help our roster tremendously. 4. I think the moves were fantastic and shows that we are ready to win now. I sure hope we can send them out on top! 5. Huge signing and that's a move that will help us make a deep playoff run. We have all the pieces and as long as we just play Vancouver hockey, we'll be alright. 6. No clue

F - Henri le Massif D - Tavish DeGroot @Frank

After a stellar season in the VHLE, Dogwood Maple has not only secured a spot on the Vancouver Wolves, but recently signed an endorsement deal with Waffle House. Maple will become the official Waffle House spokesperson in VHL and his face will be featured nationwide on billboards, menus, and hundreds of commercials that will begin running next month. "As someone who loves eating at Waffle House, this couldn't have been a better fit. Sometimes endorsements are just a financial relationship, but this is truly different. I've been to Waffle House countless times and have had just about everything on the menu. Plus, it's an institution in the Atlanta area where I grew up. I'm just really excited about this relationship," Maple explained. As a part of the ad campaign, select Waffle House locations will begin serving specialty Maple Waffles. The menu will feature a picture of Dogwood next to the item and he has agreed to donate a portion of each Maple Waffle sold to a local children's hospital in Vancouver. "When I found out that I would get a portion of all the Maple Waffles that they sell, I knew immediately that I wanted to put that money to good use. Every penny of that is going to one of three children's hospitals in the Vancouver area and I'm hoping that will motivate people to try to eat as many Maple Waffles as they can. I'm even doing a contest next week where people come in and face off with one another to see who can eat the most waffles, with the winner going head to head with me. Every waffle cooked that day will mean more and more money going to those charities, which is just awesome." In addition, Maple also secured free Waffle House for all of his teammates, the Vancouver staff, and all of their families as a part of his endorsement deal. Plus, any time Maple scores 2 or more goals in a game, any person wearing Vancouver Wolves gear can get two free Maple waffles (while supplies last) "I really want to bring the local community into this. It's fun and exciting when you have a fanbase that is involved with the team at every step of the way. And these fans are so phenomenal that this was just a no brainer. They do so much for us on a nightly basis that they deserve some free waffles." When asked what other endorsement deals he would be signing in the near future, Dogwood was non-committal, but dropped a hint or two that this wasn't the last big name company he was signing a deal with. "It's not public yet, so I can't say anything...but keep your eyes peeled. I think everyone in Vancouver and across the continent will be excited. Plus, I will tie something in for all of our fans so they'll be able to get a piece of the pie, like with the waffles. They take care of us, so I've gotta make sure we take care of them!" Maple did admit that in preparation for this endorsement, he ate too many waffles for the team doctor's liking. "The trainers are going to really get after me this week, that's for sure." 540 words

F - Saku Kotkakoivu D- Tui Sova @Frank

yes please

What an exciting game for the Bronze Medal between Team Europe and Team World. It was back and forth virtually all game with Team Europe striking first and getting out to a 1-0 lead. There were four goals in the second period, evenly split 2-2, giving Europe a 3-2 lead heading into the third period. The Europeans extended their lead with an early goal, making it 4-2, but Team World turned on the afterburners and notched it up at 4-4 thanks to goals from Chikeli Cholo and Hockey Mann, leading to overtime. Europe, undeterred, found the back of the next barely a minute into overtime, taking home the Bronze. What a finish! 112 words

1. Congratulations! Great accomplishment. 2. I think it's the right move. Money can get really tight, so this was a good change. 3. Invest it (I'm boring) 4. Any one of my Las Vegas Ace teammates from back in the day! Get the band back together. 5. I think our strength is our camaraderie. We're a close-knit group 6. You are a map!

Maple starts his day waking up early and grabbing his customary cup of coffee. He then opens up the back patio door to let his rescue dog, Ace, out in the yard while Maple sips his coffee on the couch outside. "That's an incredible time for me. Probably my favorite all day, if I'm being honest. There's so much going on with hockey, endorsement stuff, and just everything else that I rarely get some true peace and quiet for myself. So having my morning coffee on the back porch is a great time to recharge, get my mind right, and have some quiet alone time," Maple said. This morning routine is usually interrupted by a phone call, text, or some other obligation, but he understands his responsibilities. On a normal offseason day, Maple will head straight to the training facility and workout. He has a strict offseason schedule in the gym, something that he says helps him maintain focus through the long offseason. "My rookie year, I didn't really have a routine and I really struggled during the offseason. I got lazy, wasn't engaged with the team, and I really didn't like it. But once I found the motivation to make this a habit, everything changed. It helps me feel productive and of course it also makes sure I stay in game shape. It's all about keeping that schedule and unless I'm on vacation, I stick to it really tightly," he explained. After leaving the gym, it's back home for lunch and then usually he takes the afternoon to take Ace on a long walk and help get his energy out. It's often the park or just around the neighborhood, but regardless it's something that Maple takes very seriously. "Ace is a great dog and I really love taking him on walks. He has a lot of energy, so it's good for both of us to get those long daily walks in." Depending on what day of the week, Maple will then spend the late afternoon either back at the training center working on stick skills, watching film, or just hanging out with teammates, but sometimes Dogwood takes the entire night off for some much needed rest and relaxation. "Whether it's one of the days where we all meet up at the training center and work on skills or just a night out with friends, I truly enjoy it. I'm so fortunate to be able to play hockey for a living that it really gives me joy to spend time with my teammates, whatever the setting is," Maple said. One thing that Maple made clear is that he's gotta get his sleep. He usually gets home relatively early and makes it a point to get plenty of sleep night in and night out. "Some players can run on just a few hours of sleep, but that's not me. I have to have probably more sleep than usual, but it helps me wake up refreshed. I have so many things that I have to do on a daily basis that if I don't start off with a good night's rest, there's no way I'll be effective at what I've gotta get done. But as much as I love the offseason, it's all about the season for me. Let's go Wolves!" 549 words

In an announcement that came out tonight, Dogwood Maple has been named to the United States WJC roster. Maple, who just finished his season with Vasteras, joins a star-studded cast to represent the red, white, and blue in this year's WJC. "It's a huge honor. I was hoping I would make the team, but with so many great players around the league you never know. I'm excited to get to work and hopefully bring home some hardware for the USA," Maple told a local news outlet. The former Las Vegas Ace and Vasteras Iron Eagle is set to join the Vancouver Wolves next season and hopes to make a name for himself in the VHL. But, not before doing everything he can to help his country win the gold medal. "I'm definitely excited about Vancouver, but right now all of my focus is on the WJC. It's a really short timeline so you have to get ready. We can't afford to have a slow start. In these types of tournaments you have to start fast and get the opening rounds going with some wins. Often times it's less about how good of a team you are and more about your mindset going into to something like this. But don't worry, we'll be ready." (213 words)