Scurvy

Howdy

With just a few games left in the season the EU conference is battling it out like crazy with four way run for first between Warsaw, Moscow, Prague, and Davos. The always deadly Moscow Menace are again and again at the top of the standings and have a real shot at winning the division. Amazing goalie in Papa Emeritus, some stud defense, and scoring threats in Nico Pearce and Tomas Sogaard will make Moscow a threat to anyone in the playoffs. Rival Warsaw has been flying offensively lately and in the last few games Wumbo and the D have played well. EU Leading 230 goals the Preds have relied on offense to beat clubs at the expense of D sometimes. The silent assassin, Girts Galvins has erupted on the scene and is a proven playoff performer. Great offense and goalie, the only question is can their defense step up for a deep playoff run. I think so (but I am biased) Prague was the club that I had picked at pre-season to be a real threat in the EU, and I was right. They have been lighting it up lately and are currently tied for 3rd in EU with Davos. Prague is super scary and can compete with any club. Such talent on the front end with Godlander, Kotkakoivu, Fire, Laperriere,and Jason. On D there led by Kovalchuk and Jokinen and in goal they are steady with Wallob. Davos has been super streaky as of late and had some tough losses that bounced them back in the standings a bit. They have been climbing and lowering the standings all season but have always remained in reach for first. With amazing talent all over Davos play is top notch and they have sone serious grit to deal with as well with Vinny Detroit and Jake Thunder. I feel that any of the above four teams could be the EU champ and its awesome to see such competition in the conference. Prediction: EU Cup champ - Warsaw.

Pretty impressive season buddy. Happy for you!!

7

So, another week has passed and there is a lot going on in the league. Some amazing point scorers, a stacked EU conference, a defenseman lighting it up, and a new PIM leader making a name for himself. So, let’s do episode three of Around the league in 500 words. EU CONFERENCE IS INSANE: As of right now, two teams in NA (Chicago and Calgary) are taking off from the rest with some amazing wins and huge numbers. In the EU there are 5 teams vying for playoff berths and probably 2 teams who could win the division. Moscow, Warsaw, Davos, Prague, and London are all making huge win streaks as the season comes close to an end. Most impressive has been Prague as of late. They have been putting lots of goals on the board and are #2 in goals scored in the EU. Excited to see it come down to the wire. Defenseman in race for scoring Title: I make it no secret I always root for the defensive players in the league. I would love to see a D-person with the scoring title once in my career. Bo Johansson @Shindigsis absolutely tearing it up for Chicago this season. He’s in 3rd place overall at 104 points in 68 games, 10 back from Baby Bob for #1. Unless something crazy happens, I don’t see him getting the #1 spot but huge shout out to him for an amazing season. I hope there are many awards for his performance this season and I secretly hope he still loses to Warsaw in the finals. LOL Sophomore Dman showing his toughness: The last two seasons have seen familiar names like Brian Payne and Vinny Detroit at the top of the PIM leader board. This season NY’s monstrous Dman Jared Carter the 2st has knuckled his way to the top and shows no signs of slowing down. He has an amazing 8 fights on the season with 5 fight wins! With 4 games left in the season he has a whopping 239 minutes in the sin bin and 276 hits, which is no small feat for a defenseman. Great season @jaredc7and I hope that Payne and Jared Carter can mix it up sometime, just don’t hurt me! SHOUT OUT VHLE Tough guy! Ok so I normally don’t cover the VHLE or M but I should. I wanted to offer a quick shout to Bratislava Watchman defenseman Womp Womp Womp Womp Womp Womp Jr (yes the name is correct) @AdamEssAdam. The S85 Malmo draftee (18th overall) has racked up 193 PIMs in 68 games and an amazing 300 hits!!! I want to tell him his name absolutely sucks in my effort to praise him but am afraid he might actually make me eat my words. I love giving shout outs to tough guys and thought I’d shed some light on Womp x5 jr. I hope to see him flourish in the VHL next season and maybe someone will knock an letter or two off his name next season so its easier to type!! LOL Until next time

Six down

5 for 5

Yo

Sad to see this one fall through! Would have loved having you with the Preds!!!

Hello

Love ya Frostbeard!!!!! You were always great to me during my time in Bratislava and the leave is lucky to have people like you here !! Best of luck and look forward to more time with you in VHL

3rd

$15 donation 8GT783094T042532C thank you

Love Day 1

So, my insane journey in the VHL for my first gen player started with me staring at the VHL forum on my computer trying to decipher what in the hell I was looking at, hovering over that “Create a Player” bar that seemed to be begging me to click it. I am truly, truly thankful that I finally got the nerve to click that create button and thus, Brian Payne was born. Signed as a free agent on the San Diego Marlins, his story began. However, even after creating this player I found my learning curve only heightened as I navigated the forum and capped vs uncapped TPE and how to earn it. Thankfully, there were other first gens struggling to learn and some veteran help. Our GM JB123 @JB123 was extremely helpful in navigating myself and other first gens in the finer points of the game and how to become beasts, if you put the work in. It was in Season 81 when I discovered (usually after hours of checking other team’s stats and box scores) how many great first gens would be in the S82 draft. Players like @dlamb, @Shindigs, @MubbleFubbles, and others who all had a huge influence throughout my career here in the VHL, VHLE, and VHLM. Also, playing in all three leagues taught me a lot and allowed me to meet some great new people along the way. After an ok season stat wise but great season TPE earning wise in the VHLM I entered the draft. I never thought as a grown man I would be so riveted that I saw at the dinner table with wife and daughter while watching Twitch on my phone to see the draft live. My wife and daughter just shook their heads wondering what could be so great about an imaginary sim machine and a created player. Same thing I wondered before I tentatively clicked that forum button to create Payne. But now I know just how great it is. Sadly, the S82 draft didn’t go how I thought it would. I knew who was going to be the top picks with players like Vasile Lamb, Bo Johansson, Cole Pearce @N0HBDY, and the best named player ever, The Board Game Clue on Skates. But it did hurt to see Payne drop all the way down to #26 to the Warsaw Predators. But I do believe things happen for a reason and no better outcome could have been scripted than me falling the Preds. Payne followed up with the VHLE draft a little better and went #20 overall to the Bratislava Watchman where I feel I learned the most how to build a player from the best student of the game and future Hall of Famer, Bo Johansson (Shindigs). He helped craft Payne into a better defenseman and continues to help me along the way as I ask stupid questions after stupid question to make my player better each and every week. After an early round playoff loss and max TPE earning the whole VHLE season I finally got my call up to the show where fellow S82 draftee Dlamb took me under his wing as I continued to build Payne to contribute to a club full of high TPE studs and rookie phenoms such as fellow S82 draftee Girts Galvins @Girts. Payne was able to raise the Continental Cup in his second year and a Victory cup in his third year. Payne won the Jake Wylde Trophy and Sterling Labatte Trophy in S85 and is hungry for more. So going from a man sitting as his computer hesitant to join this league, to late draft pick, to award winner and champion, this first gen is grateful to everyone who makes this league possible and competes every week to make this such a fun experience for all.

The Warsaw Predators are on FIRE as of late in a very tough EU conference. With 8 straight wins the Preds are trying to prove that they are the team to beat in a stacked EU conference. With amazingly tough teams like Warsaw 58pts, Davos 58 pts, Moscow Menace 55 pts, London 49 pts, and Prague 48 pts it is no guess as to which conference has the tougher teams. Any of these 5 clubs could battle for first overall by the end of the season. Each club has their strength and weaknesses that could tip the scales in another’s favor but it is exciting to see such great teams compete for the coveted EU championship leading to an eventual Continental Cup coming back to the EU conference this season (hopefully). There are some tough clubs in the NA such as DC, Chicago, and most notably the Calgary Wranglers. The Wranglers are scary as with a league leading 149 goals and only 6 losses. At just a little over halfway through the season only time will tell which conference has the juice to bring home the Cup!

1. Fuckin awesome!! Warsaw is humming and winning great games. 2. hmmm. Not sure. Pete Mitchell? 3. celebrates Christmas but doesn’t go crazy with fat foods or sugar. 4. 3 girls at the same time. 5. Girts for sure. He’s so quiet and friendly 6. New Jersey is legit. Not sold on the Krakken yet (even tho I live near Seattle).

Brian Payne Defenseman Seattle, WA 601 225lbs Nickname: Scurvy and Southpaw The road to the VHL for Brian Payne was not an easy one. Payne grew up in Spokane Washington and was introduced to hockey at a young age. But there was one problem, he wasn’t very good. But Payne could work and that kept him on clubs. He filled roles and was the first and last person in the gym or rink. At 16 years old he was drafted in the last round by the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League. His play had improved but it was clear to most that Payne was picked up for a physical presence and not lighting the lamp or leading the power play. Payne grinded his way on the club for 4 years steadily improving each year. His final year he was on the Power play and worked his way up to first pair defense. However, even with improved play he was still required to provide that physical presence and in his final two seasons in the W he was #1 in Penalties and fighting majors both season with 303 PIM and 319 PIM his final season. After so much improvement Payne was hoping to see his name in the upcoming VHLM draft but his name wasn’t called. Undeterred he signed on when San Diego Marlins GM JB123 gave him a call asking him to play and offering him third D pair minutes and some PK time. Payne jumped at the chance. Under the guidance of his new GM Payne steadily grew in the lineup, ending up on the first defensive pairing by the end of the season. This improved play and steadily max earning experience (TPE) each week opened the eyes of VHL and VHLE scouts. S81 VHLM Regular Season- 72 GP 11 G 20 A 31 PTS 128 PIM 166 Hits S81 VHLM Playoffs: 13 GP 6 G 11A 17 pts 22 PIM 43 hits In S82 the draft came, and Payne was drafted 20th overall by the Bratislava Watchman in the VHLE and 26th overall in the VHL by the Warsaw Predators. When asked about where he went in the draft shortly after, Payne replied, “I am just happy Warsaw and Bratislava picked me and my goal is to make each team that passed on me suffer.” In Season 82 Payne started with the Watchman and made quick friends with fellow defenseman and elite talent, Bo Johansson. Payne was the stay at home rough and ready defenseman while Bo had silky hands, quick feet, and was dazzling with and without the puck. Playing with Bo is what changed Payne’s game forever. BO had Payne working on the smaller details of his game and slowly Payne started to improve his game while still playing a defense first style. Payne still had to fight and play some rough minutes, but he hit double digits in goals and found himself once again on the power play where he gained confidence that he could compete a higher level. VHLE stats: 72 GP 12G 33A 45 PTS 120 PIM 178 HITS 109 SB Season 83 found Payne in his first year in the big show with the Warsaw Predators. Payne hit the VHL in full force and despite the tougher competition his game excelled. He had some outstanding games that involved some fights with notable VHL legends such as Duncan Idaho, Hard Markinson, and Druss Deathwalker. Team GM Dlamb took Payne under his wing and helped Payne polish his game to another level. Payne ended his first season with record numbers: S83- 72 GP 16 G 36 A 52 PTS 207 PIM 235 HITS 132 SB Season 84 showed continued improvement statistically with a 17-point increase and a Continental Cup Championship. Payne continued his Defense first style and amassed 210 minutes in PIMS and 261 hits. Payne shined on a stacked team during their cup run with 4 goals 12 assists 16pts 70 PIM 73 hits and 42 SB. Season 85 showed him at his best and silenced a lot of doubters that have been steady at him his whole life. Payne lit the lamp all season long and played like a man possessed. All his coaching from his family, JB123 @JB123, Dlamb @dlamb, Bo Johansson @Shindigsall came together and for the first time ever Payne was playing with confidence. Payne won the Sterling Labatte Trophy and Jake Wylde Trophy, not bad for the 26th overall selection. Payne could not be more thankful to those who got him to where he is currently at. Payne is also thankful for the creators and management of the Victory Hockey League for giving Payne the platform to play with such amazing people. Payne is hungry to continue in his remaining four seasons and beyond and hopes that more championships are in his future. VHL Regular Season Totals: 248 GP 62 G 171 A 233 PTS 745 PIM 839 HITS 587 SB

Bro. You rock!!! Thank you so much

I feel your Pain buddy….. Payne isn’t performing well either after a great season last year. Payne

It’s time for another around the league in 500 (or so) words. Were about ¼ way through the season and there are some surprising and exciting milestones in the young VHL season. So here we go… CALGARY WRANGLER: The Wranglers are on absolute FIRE!! 19-3-6 so far with a jaw dropping 94 goals for and only 68 goals against. This team is about as perfect as it gets with a great goalie in Ben Dahl (@Ben), some rough and ready D with AirRig GoodBrandSun @Rhynex Entertainment and Logain Ablar, and some beast forwards in Landon Wolanin @jacobcarson877, Daniel Janser @Daniel Janser and Leandro Goncalves @leandrofg . After a stunning loss in last year’s playoffs I look for the Wranglers to come out this year with a chip on their shoulder. They are proving to be the team to beat in the NA conference. WARSAW PREDATORS’ OFFENSE PROWNESS ----AND DEFENSIVE WOES: The Preds are off to a great start, battling it out with Davos and Prague for top spot in EU conference. Their offense is absolutely buzzing and keeping them competitive. They have tallied 97 goals for a league high but have allowed 73 goals. Girts Galvin @Girtshas bursted out to help the Preds with some all star level offensive talent. With other forwards, team captain Kisslinger @Kisslinger, gritty Brendan Marner @MetalToday and Vasile Lamb @dlambthey are making other teams defenses cry when they see the schedule. However, on defense the Predators are struggling. Season 85 Sterling Labatte Trophy and Jake Wylde Trophy winner Brian Payne has been less than spectacular, not getting to the form he played at last season. The loss of two other high TPE defensive players this offseason has allowed teams to stop his offensive game. Payne has 5 G 17 A 22pts in 26 games. Not terrible by any stretch but not what he wants from his game. He is grinding TPE like crazy and just trying not to grip the stick too tight and let his game come back. On a positive note, he is shooting more, with 110 shots already and still playing a physical game. Payne was quoted last week after a game where he had no points and little activity on the box score saying, “if we win, I don’t care about stats. I came into this league as a defensive minded Dman and that is my focus.” BO JOHANSSON OFF TO INSANE START Chicago Wolves 6-06 foot defenseman is off to an amazing start this season. The pass first Dman has 4 goals 38 assists 42 points in just 27 games! He is almost at half his points from last year and were just a quarter way through the season. I am excited for Bo as we were teammates in the E together and he pours his heart and soul into this league. Another crazy Bo stat is as a season 82 draftee (#9 overall) he is amassed a whopping 1263 TPE already, good enough for 14 overall in active TPE leaders and #1 overall for S82 draftees. Great job Shindigs!! @Shindigs Anyway that’s it for now. Enjoy the week and as always I hope your teams struggle against Warsaw!

1. I am so impressed with the way the club has been playing. Defense has struggled offensively but I do feel that we’re not bad overall defensively. 2. a good offensive Dman would be great. Not sure who but any high TPE player would be good. 3. got into a fight with team captain 4. hes a stud! I played against him in the M and with him in the E. He’s always a quiet professional who can score in bunches. 5. my hockey pants. True story 6. Warsaw and I’d hit the physicality to max for a record number of fights in a game.

Warsaw Predator Girts Galvins @Girtshas exploded his way to the top of the points standings in his 4th year as a pro. Just not that long ago Girts suffered a disappointing rookie year after high expectations. He never complained and kept working his ass off earning TPE. He quietly started sniping the competition putting up great years in S84 (61 points), S85 (67 points), and in the Predators cup winning playoff he had 25 points in 20 games that were all even strength goals. We call him the silent assassin in Warsaw as he doesn’t say much and lets his play do most the talking. He’s currently in a battle with Prague’s stud right winger, Nils Godlander @Moonfor the leaderboard in points. I for one is happy to see such a great person and teammate doing so well and producing as we all knew he would. Great job Girts on such an amazing start!!

Great Job Girts!