Toast

Lol what just happened? This was an extremely fun read and I have no complaints for you. I flew right through this because you got me interested. Looking forward to reading more articles from you! 10/10 for 10 cups in a row.

@Victor @JardyB10 Let's enjoy a bit of a callback here...
 
Back in S51, I was general manager of the Riga Reign. A 18/19 year old with way too much time to obsess over a sim league and hoping for a miracle. In S51 Riga would win the Continental Cup which would be my first in the league after about 20 or so seasons? More importantly however the Finals series between Riga and the Toronto Legion was headlined by something more important. Cleganebowl. 
 
For anyone who wasn’t around at the time or doesn’t know the history, Jardy and Victor both created goalies around this time. Sandro and Greg Clegane were amongst the best in the league and in the playoffs? It wasn’t even close. Victor was the reason that the Legion were able to topple the superteam in Calgary that had many of the league’s top members sign as free agents. 
 
In the Cleganebowl, Sandro ended up posting a .950 save percentage and Greg Clegane was right behind him with a .948%. I’m well aware of how STHS hates goalies but there was nothing stopping this battle from going down as an all-timer. The question for this Alternate Reality article though is what if Greg didn’t stand on his head to eliminate Calgary? 
 
Well, the first thing that comes to mind here is that the Toast curse would have lived on forever. Despite being a general manager for probably five or six seasons at this point and a player since the late S20s, I had zero success when it came to making the Finals or finally winning something. This curse seemed to only effect my Continental Cup appearances though as the World Cup was fine.
 
Being hot-headed back them and coming off an inevitable sweep loss to the Wranglers there is a fair chance that if Cleganebowl doesn’t happen? Young Toast gives up on his VHL aspirations and retires both Kopralkovs and doesn’t end up on the New York Americans team that got me my second Continental Cup. 
 
If Cleganebowl doesn’t happen and Jardy doesn’t get that win? Who knows if he loses inspiration and the VHL finds itself without a simmer sooner than that happens later on in history? I'm sure that it’s definitely the Cleganebowl win that fuels Jardy going forward. 
 
The Cleganebowl was built up to for seasons with moments just not happening until these finals. If this series doesn’t happen it’s possible that the league never gets Cleganebowl and the missed opportunity would’ve been devastating for the league (I don’t think there was ever a clash later on?)
 
Without Cleganebowl, I think Calgary crushes Riga or Cologne in the finals and the rest of the league would have been miserable seeing a super team form up and destroy the rest of the league. During this two player era that may have hurt activity even further.
 
Thankfully these are all hypothetical as Cleganebowl did happen and would result in my first Continental Cup. I can’t remember what I had to trade to get Jardy to Riga but whatever it was made it possible to see the Cleganebowl and break a curse that tormented me on this league for years.
 
Enjoy some good old threads that can provide some further detail too:
 
 
 
 
 
 

@Victor @JardyB10 Let's enjoy a bit of a callback here...
 
Back in S51, I was general manager of the Riga Reign. A 18/19 year old with way too much time to obsess over a sim league and hoping for a miracle. In S51 Riga would win the Continental Cup which would be my first in the league after about 20 or so seasons? More importantly however the Finals series between Riga and the Toronto Legion was headlined by something more important. Cleganebowl. 
 
For anyone who wasn’t around at the time or doesn’t know the history, Jardy and Victor both created goalies around this time. Sandro and Greg Clegane were amongst the best in the league and in the playoffs? It wasn’t even close. Victor was the reason that the Legion were able to topple the superteam in Calgary that had many of the league’s top members sign as free agents. 
 
In the Cleganebowl, Sandro ended up posting a .950 save percentage and Greg Clegane was right behind him with a .948%. I’m well aware of how STHS hates goalies but there was nothing stopping this battle from going down as an all-timer. The question for this Alternate Reality article though is what if Greg didn’t stand on his head to eliminate Calgary? 
 
Well, the first thing that comes to mind here is that the Toast curse would have lived on forever. Despite being a general manager for probably five or six seasons at this point and a player since the late S20s, I had zero success when it came to making the Finals or finally winning something. This curse seemed to only effect my Continental Cup appearances though as the World Cup was fine.
 
Being hot-headed back them and coming off an inevitable sweep loss to the Wranglers there is a fair chance that if Cleganebowl doesn’t happen? Young Toast gives up on his VHL aspirations and retires both Kopralkovs and doesn’t end up on the New York Americans team that got me my second Continental Cup. 
 
If Cleganebowl doesn’t happen and Jardy doesn’t get that win? Who knows if he loses inspiration and the VHL finds itself without a simmer sooner than that happens later on in history? I'm sure that it’s definitely the Cleganebowl win that fuels Jardy going forward. 
 
The Cleganebowl was built up to for seasons with moments just not happening until these finals. If this series doesn’t happen it’s possible that the league never gets Cleganebowl and the missed opportunity would’ve been devastating for the league (I don’t think there was ever a clash later on?)
 
Without Cleganebowl, I think Calgary crushes Riga or Cologne in the finals and the rest of the league would have been miserable seeing a super team form up and destroy the rest of the league. During this two player era that may have hurt activity even further.
 
Thankfully these are all hypothetical as Cleganebowl did happen and would result in my first Continental Cup. I can’t remember what I had to trade to get Jardy to Riga but whatever it was made it possible to see the Cleganebowl and break a curse that tormented me on this league for years.
 
Enjoy some good old threads that can provide some further detail too:
 
 
 
 
 
 

These Alternate Universe articles have been a lot of fun but I loved your writing here. Good insight into a what-if but my favourite thing is your resume. I have further questions about what happens on the Discord if the anti-horny police are a thing but maybe they're best left unanswered. 10/10

@Toast won the Christmas Auction for a sig from me, my first in about 3 years based off my photoshop folder. Took awhile to drag me out of retirement for this piece but hopefully he’s happy with it. Who wants to roast the commish with some CnC?
 

 
P.S I know this isn’t the player render you’ve normally been using but I’m rusty on cutting and couldn’t find a good render of him so went with someone else haha

13. Thoughts on adding Grant's player in the draft?
Seems like a good pick for us! Happy to see more new faces.
 
14. Thoughts on adding Kendrick player in the draft?
Kendrick is a VHL legend so having someone like him around just adds to the locker room!
 
15. Which team had the biggest off-season?
Seattle definitely for adding on to the future. Our dynasty is getting there!
 
16. Were you surprised by all the GM's stepping down? Who would you hire?
Yeah, seems to be a lot of change going on. I would give @tinafrombobsburgers an opportunity!
 
17. Thoughts on the Bears off-season?
I was worried we would lose some players but it seems that we're rolling on!
 
18. What are your expectations for you this season?
So far so good! Maybe 40 points? I just want to do what I can to help the team!

Dawson and Toast Agency Look Back on VHLM Career
 

Phoenix Dawson celebrates a goal at the most-recent World Junior Championship.
 
Miami, FL — A farewell with the media was called as Phoenix Dawson spent his last day at the Miami Marauders training facility. Serving as captain in his second season with the team, the young S76 player will be joining the Seattle Bears to make his VHL debut on Monday.
 
“When I was first drafted here I wasn’t sure what to expect,” said Dawson. “I declared to the VHLM on a whim after getting recruited to the Toast Player Agency and I wasn’t sure if hockey was even truly my calling.”
 
In his first season with Miami, Dawson declared late into the declaration period and did not have much time to impress general managers. With the lack of a successful player coming from the Toast Agency in recent memory, Dawson’s draft position continued to fall. It was only at 79th overall in one of the most successful drafts in history that Dawson would finally hear which team he was going to. 
 
Dawson arrived to the Miami practice facility in S75 where he was expected to play low minutes but with his dedication during practice and the early goings of the season, Dawson quickly solidified himself as the number two center on the team behind Theodore Hoffman. 
 
“My main goal in my rookie season was to show everyone I was going to be one of the best,” said Dawson. “I am a very competitive player and I wasn’t going to allow myself to just play low minutes for the full season.”
The team has openly expressed that the locker room in Miami can be very lively but it did not take long for Dawson to fit it. Being one of the few S76s on the team, Dawson stepped into a leadership role for the rest of the players on the team that were going to find themselves in the upcoming VHL Entry Draft. A particular moment that has been reported was Dawson sacrificing his ice time so that free agent Green Gaming could get an opportunity on the second line.
 
“I feel like I’m more mature due to all the advice that my player agent has given me. I saw this energetic young player who was getting his first taste of professional hockey in the VHL world and I wanted him to have an opportunity to really shine. There were other players on that team that were more focused on their own success than the team’s and I wanted to show everyone that I was there to do everything to lift Miami up and not just myself.”
 
On the ice Dawson was a consistent player as well, mostly finding success with winger Nathan Perry. On and off the ice Perry and Dawson quickly became a favourite duo of the Miami fans as the two were very open about their friendship on social media often tagging each other in photos or interacting with the fans.
 
“I think a large part of me being successful in my rookie season was the fact that I had Perry there with me,” said Dawson. “Our personalities meshed perfectly and that was something I really valued. It made the season so much better!”
 
With the chemistry that had been formed with Perry, Dawson would end up putting up 46 points through his 72 games which were very respectable numbers for the first-year player. With the overall success from the team’s other stars such as Cabe McJake and Peter Louis II, the team went intro the post-season hoping for some post-season magic like they had seen previously in Miami. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be as the team would be eliminated quickly in four games. Everyone knew that the team was entering a retooling period with quite a few players moving on to the pros and free agents to the VHLM Dispersal Draft.
 
After a few moves from the Miami front office, Phonenix Dawson was one of the last players on the Miami roster as a sign of trust after the hard work and involvement that he had through the first season. Rumours through media reported Dawson meeting with front office several times through the off-season but it may have been nothing more than updates for their star player.
 
“It wasn’t my concern really. I was curious to see if I was going to be the next name called to pack my bags and head to the next town but I really wanted to stay with Miami. I fell in love with the city in my first season here and Miami is responsible for putting the Toast Agency back on the map in the VHL.”
 
Surviving the mass exodus in Miami, Dawson’s next concern was the upcoming VHL Entry Draft. After being the 79th-overall pick in the VHLM, Dawson worked hard through his entire season to become one of the big names available in the draft. Analysts argues if Dawson could be the best available center and this got attention from teams.
 
“I had quite a few draft interviews and it was certainly exciting. I wanted the GMs to know that I was serious about being the best player that I could be but I think there was one thing that really held me back from the rest of the class.”
 
Top prospects often made the jump to the VHL right away after the draft and while that may mean they were not as successful as they could have been in the minors, they could have a longer career in the pros. Dawson was the exception to this in his class as he made it clear to several general managers that his intent was to return to Miami to see our his journey in the VHLM. Dawson decided that he had some unfinished business and though he practiced as much as possible for the VHLM, Dawson was decided on this to the point where he would make sacrifices. 
 
“I informed teams that I would be skipping training camp. I know that sets me back from the other players my age who are going to get that experience ahead of me but if I wanted to make sure that I was ready for the VHLM season that would mean returning to Miami as soon as possible to help the new group of prospects adjust.”
 
While this certainly would end up hurting Dawson’s draft stock, he still went in the first round and much higher than 79th-overall this time around. The Seattle Bears made a big splash in the S76 Entry Draft with three picks in the first round. They were able to get the energetic center Hex Rose with the 8th-overall pick and a strong winger at 12th-overall in Phil “The Rock” Johnson. Most importantly however, at 9th-overall the Bears selected another center in Phoenix Dawson.
 
“I was extremely excited to hear my name called by Seattle and in the top 10 as well! I knew I had put in the work to make sure that I would get noticed but I wasn’t sure if it was going to be enough for the teams who were cautious about the player agency that I was coming from. The opportunity in Seattle was one that I really wanted and I’m happy that they were able to see that.”
 
Dawson and the Toast Player Agency released a statement to media prior to the draft announcing their intention to go to DA BEARZ as a sign of loyalty as it was Blake Campbell who were able to get Dawson and the Toast Agency back into the VHL in the first place. Warning other teams that they wanted to go to Seattle or would end up going their via free agency was enough to have the odds work in their favour it seemed. Dawson was now free to return to Miami with that peace of mind knowing that a good opportunity was waiting for him in the VHL. 
 
Upon return to the VHLM, it was announced that Dawson was going to be wearing the C in Miami for all of his work in the previous season. Dawson was very excited about the opportunity but the next season was certainly going to provide its own challenges.
 
With the stresses of the VHL career looming it was clear that Dawson did not have the same energy that he had with something to prove in his rookie season. The second-year player was definitely more serious with his training and his work with the team but was also more reserved in the locker room and only provided his input if required. 
 
The work that Dawson was putting into his game was clearly working as he was trusted to take on a much younger Miami team with a lot of S77 talent on it. Dawson would be relied on to carry most of the work this season as Miami had moved number one center Hoffman to Ottawa over the off-season. Dawson immediately found chemistry with other S76s that had arrived to Miami through the Dispersal Draft in Alexander the Great and Napoleon Bonaparte. All of these players would end up with point-per-game offensive results for Miami at the end of the season.
 
“I was really worried about doing the best that I could. At one point in the season I was in the top 10 scorers in the league and coming back for a second year in Miami I wanted to lead the entire league. I worked so hard through my first year to do everything I could and I knew that I had the skill that was needed.” 
 
As Miami had some rough points in the first portion of the season, Dawson would end up a -2 on the season but led the team with goals with 39 and assists with 58. With Dawson all over the ice during Miami games it was no surprise that he would end up leading most of the categories for the team. He also showed a strong defensive side as well with quite a few hits and shots blocked to add on. 
 
Dawson and Miami heated up towards the end of the season and came roaring into the post-season with their second attempt at playoffs in Dawson’s career. It was certainly a better attempt than the season prior but Miami were eliminated in six games in the first round with this attempt and Dawson’s time with Miami was coming to a screeching halt. It was disappointing for the team and Dawson.
 
“I feel like I could have done more. As captain you want to make sure that you’re giving it everything you’ve got every night and I think I brought that for Miami but it just wasn’t enough. It’s crushing to leave this behind without seeing success in the post-season like I dreamed of.”
 
Miami exceeded all expectations of VHLM analysts and certainly seemed like that had some future they could build on if they were successful in the VHLM Draft again. For Dawson though, it’s time to look ahead to Seattle.
 
“I want to thank everyone that I’ve had the chance to meet Miami. You are the reasons why I am going to have this opportunity in Seattle and why I will make sure that I do whatever it takes to be one of the best players in the league. I want to give a special thanks to Ricer and Tina for their leadership during my time in Miami and for making the VHLM experience such an enjoyable one. There is no other tandem that I would have preferred to play for. 
 
“While it’s disappointing to not get it done in Miami I look forward to joining Seattle and working for the next seven or eight years to become the best player that I can. They have arguably the most committed management in the league and a young squad where we have the opportunity to become a dynasty. I will never forget my roots in Miami though. They are the reason that Phoenix Dawson will become a household VHL name and I will forever be a Marauder.”
 
---
2025 words (Four weeks)
Claiming for W/E March 21st
 

Dawson and Toast Agency Look Back on VHLM Career
 

Phoenix Dawson celebrates a goal at the most-recent World Junior Championship.
 
Miami, FL — A farewell with the media was called as Phoenix Dawson spent his last day at the Miami Marauders training facility. Serving as captain in his second season with the team, the young S76 player will be joining the Seattle Bears to make his VHL debut on Monday.
 
“When I was first drafted here I wasn’t sure what to expect,” said Dawson. “I declared to the VHLM on a whim after getting recruited to the Toast Player Agency and I wasn’t sure if hockey was even truly my calling.”
 
In his first season with Miami, Dawson declared late into the declaration period and did not have much time to impress general managers. With the lack of a successful player coming from the Toast Agency in recent memory, Dawson’s draft position continued to fall. It was only at 79th overall in one of the most successful drafts in history that Dawson would finally hear which team he was going to. 
 
Dawson arrived to the Miami practice facility in S75 where he was expected to play low minutes but with his dedication during practice and the early goings of the season, Dawson quickly solidified himself as the number two center on the team behind Theodore Hoffman. 
 
“My main goal in my rookie season was to show everyone I was going to be one of the best,” said Dawson. “I am a very competitive player and I wasn’t going to allow myself to just play low minutes for the full season.”
The team has openly expressed that the locker room in Miami can be very lively but it did not take long for Dawson to fit it. Being one of the few S76s on the team, Dawson stepped into a leadership role for the rest of the players on the team that were going to find themselves in the upcoming VHL Entry Draft. A particular moment that has been reported was Dawson sacrificing his ice time so that free agent Green Gaming could get an opportunity on the second line.
 
“I feel like I’m more mature due to all the advice that my player agent has given me. I saw this energetic young player who was getting his first taste of professional hockey in the VHL world and I wanted him to have an opportunity to really shine. There were other players on that team that were more focused on their own success than the team’s and I wanted to show everyone that I was there to do everything to lift Miami up and not just myself.”
 
On the ice Dawson was a consistent player as well, mostly finding success with winger Nathan Perry. On and off the ice Perry and Dawson quickly became a favourite duo of the Miami fans as the two were very open about their friendship on social media often tagging each other in photos or interacting with the fans.
 
“I think a large part of me being successful in my rookie season was the fact that I had Perry there with me,” said Dawson. “Our personalities meshed perfectly and that was something I really valued. It made the season so much better!”
 
With the chemistry that had been formed with Perry, Dawson would end up putting up 46 points through his 72 games which were very respectable numbers for the first-year player. With the overall success from the team’s other stars such as Cabe McJake and Peter Louis II, the team went intro the post-season hoping for some post-season magic like they had seen previously in Miami. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be as the team would be eliminated quickly in four games. Everyone knew that the team was entering a retooling period with quite a few players moving on to the pros and free agents to the VHLM Dispersal Draft.
 
After a few moves from the Miami front office, Phonenix Dawson was one of the last players on the Miami roster as a sign of trust after the hard work and involvement that he had through the first season. Rumours through media reported Dawson meeting with front office several times through the off-season but it may have been nothing more than updates for their star player.
 
“It wasn’t my concern really. I was curious to see if I was going to be the next name called to pack my bags and head to the next town but I really wanted to stay with Miami. I fell in love with the city in my first season here and Miami is responsible for putting the Toast Agency back on the map in the VHL.”
 
Surviving the mass exodus in Miami, Dawson’s next concern was the upcoming VHL Entry Draft. After being the 79th-overall pick in the VHLM, Dawson worked hard through his entire season to become one of the big names available in the draft. Analysts argues if Dawson could be the best available center and this got attention from teams.
 
“I had quite a few draft interviews and it was certainly exciting. I wanted the GMs to know that I was serious about being the best player that I could be but I think there was one thing that really held me back from the rest of the class.”
 
Top prospects often made the jump to the VHL right away after the draft and while that may mean they were not as successful as they could have been in the minors, they could have a longer career in the pros. Dawson was the exception to this in his class as he made it clear to several general managers that his intent was to return to Miami to see our his journey in the VHLM. Dawson decided that he had some unfinished business and though he practiced as much as possible for the VHLM, Dawson was decided on this to the point where he would make sacrifices. 
 
“I informed teams that I would be skipping training camp. I know that sets me back from the other players my age who are going to get that experience ahead of me but if I wanted to make sure that I was ready for the VHLM season that would mean returning to Miami as soon as possible to help the new group of prospects adjust.”
 
While this certainly would end up hurting Dawson’s draft stock, he still went in the first round and much higher than 79th-overall this time around. The Seattle Bears made a big splash in the S76 Entry Draft with three picks in the first round. They were able to get the energetic center Hex Rose with the 8th-overall pick and a strong winger at 12th-overall in Phil “The Rock” Johnson. Most importantly however, at 9th-overall the Bears selected another center in Phoenix Dawson.
 
“I was extremely excited to hear my name called by Seattle and in the top 10 as well! I knew I had put in the work to make sure that I would get noticed but I wasn’t sure if it was going to be enough for the teams who were cautious about the player agency that I was coming from. The opportunity in Seattle was one that I really wanted and I’m happy that they were able to see that.”
 
Dawson and the Toast Player Agency released a statement to media prior to the draft announcing their intention to go to DA BEARZ as a sign of loyalty as it was Blake Campbell who were able to get Dawson and the Toast Agency back into the VHL in the first place. Warning other teams that they wanted to go to Seattle or would end up going their via free agency was enough to have the odds work in their favour it seemed. Dawson was now free to return to Miami with that peace of mind knowing that a good opportunity was waiting for him in the VHL. 
 
Upon return to the VHLM, it was announced that Dawson was going to be wearing the C in Miami for all of his work in the previous season. Dawson was very excited about the opportunity but the next season was certainly going to provide its own challenges.
 
With the stresses of the VHL career looming it was clear that Dawson did not have the same energy that he had with something to prove in his rookie season. The second-year player was definitely more serious with his training and his work with the team but was also more reserved in the locker room and only provided his input if required. 
 
The work that Dawson was putting into his game was clearly working as he was trusted to take on a much younger Miami team with a lot of S77 talent on it. Dawson would be relied on to carry most of the work this season as Miami had moved number one center Hoffman to Ottawa over the off-season. Dawson immediately found chemistry with other S76s that had arrived to Miami through the Dispersal Draft in Alexander the Great and Napoleon Bonaparte. All of these players would end up with point-per-game offensive results for Miami at the end of the season.
 
“I was really worried about doing the best that I could. At one point in the season I was in the top 10 scorers in the league and coming back for a second year in Miami I wanted to lead the entire league. I worked so hard through my first year to do everything I could and I knew that I had the skill that was needed.” 
 
As Miami had some rough points in the first portion of the season, Dawson would end up a -2 on the season but led the team with goals with 39 and assists with 58. With Dawson all over the ice during Miami games it was no surprise that he would end up leading most of the categories for the team. He also showed a strong defensive side as well with quite a few hits and shots blocked to add on. 
 
Dawson and Miami heated up towards the end of the season and came roaring into the post-season with their second attempt at playoffs in Dawson’s career. It was certainly a better attempt than the season prior but Miami were eliminated in six games in the first round with this attempt and Dawson’s time with Miami was coming to a screeching halt. It was disappointing for the team and Dawson.
 
“I feel like I could have done more. As captain you want to make sure that you’re giving it everything you’ve got every night and I think I brought that for Miami but it just wasn’t enough. It’s crushing to leave this behind without seeing success in the post-season like I dreamed of.”
 
Miami exceeded all expectations of VHLM analysts and certainly seemed like that had some future they could build on if they were successful in the VHLM Draft again. For Dawson though, it’s time to look ahead to Seattle.
 
“I want to thank everyone that I’ve had the chance to meet Miami. You are the reasons why I am going to have this opportunity in Seattle and why I will make sure that I do whatever it takes to be one of the best players in the league. I want to give a special thanks to Ricer and Tina for their leadership during my time in Miami and for making the VHLM experience such an enjoyable one. There is no other tandem that I would have preferred to play for. 
 
“While it’s disappointing to not get it done in Miami I look forward to joining Seattle and working for the next seven or eight years to become the best player that I can. They have arguably the most committed management in the league and a young squad where we have the opportunity to become a dynasty. I will never forget my roots in Miami though. They are the reason that Phoenix Dawson will become a household VHL name and I will forever be a Marauder.”
 
---
2025 words (Four weeks)
Claiming for W/E March 21st
 

Dawson and Toast Agency Look Back on VHLM Career
 

Phoenix Dawson celebrates a goal at the most-recent World Junior Championship.
 
Miami, FL — A farewell with the media was called as Phoenix Dawson spent his last day at the Miami Marauders training facility. Serving as captain in his second season with the team, the young S76 player will be joining the Seattle Bears to make his VHL debut on Monday.
 
“When I was first drafted here I wasn’t sure what to expect,” said Dawson. “I declared to the VHLM on a whim after getting recruited to the Toast Player Agency and I wasn’t sure if hockey was even truly my calling.”
 
In his first season with Miami, Dawson declared late into the declaration period and did not have much time to impress general managers. With the lack of a successful player coming from the Toast Agency in recent memory, Dawson’s draft position continued to fall. It was only at 79th overall in one of the most successful drafts in history that Dawson would finally hear which team he was going to. 
 
Dawson arrived to the Miami practice facility in S75 where he was expected to play low minutes but with his dedication during practice and the early goings of the season, Dawson quickly solidified himself as the number two center on the team behind Theodore Hoffman. 
 
“My main goal in my rookie season was to show everyone I was going to be one of the best,” said Dawson. “I am a very competitive player and I wasn’t going to allow myself to just play low minutes for the full season.”
The team has openly expressed that the locker room in Miami can be very lively but it did not take long for Dawson to fit it. Being one of the few S76s on the team, Dawson stepped into a leadership role for the rest of the players on the team that were going to find themselves in the upcoming VHL Entry Draft. A particular moment that has been reported was Dawson sacrificing his ice time so that free agent Green Gaming could get an opportunity on the second line.
 
“I feel like I’m more mature due to all the advice that my player agent has given me. I saw this energetic young player who was getting his first taste of professional hockey in the VHL world and I wanted him to have an opportunity to really shine. There were other players on that team that were more focused on their own success than the team’s and I wanted to show everyone that I was there to do everything to lift Miami up and not just myself.”
 
On the ice Dawson was a consistent player as well, mostly finding success with winger Nathan Perry. On and off the ice Perry and Dawson quickly became a favourite duo of the Miami fans as the two were very open about their friendship on social media often tagging each other in photos or interacting with the fans.
 
“I think a large part of me being successful in my rookie season was the fact that I had Perry there with me,” said Dawson. “Our personalities meshed perfectly and that was something I really valued. It made the season so much better!”
 
With the chemistry that had been formed with Perry, Dawson would end up putting up 46 points through his 72 games which were very respectable numbers for the first-year player. With the overall success from the team’s other stars such as Cabe McJake and Peter Louis II, the team went intro the post-season hoping for some post-season magic like they had seen previously in Miami. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be as the team would be eliminated quickly in four games. Everyone knew that the team was entering a retooling period with quite a few players moving on to the pros and free agents to the VHLM Dispersal Draft.
 
After a few moves from the Miami front office, Phonenix Dawson was one of the last players on the Miami roster as a sign of trust after the hard work and involvement that he had through the first season. Rumours through media reported Dawson meeting with front office several times through the off-season but it may have been nothing more than updates for their star player.
 
“It wasn’t my concern really. I was curious to see if I was going to be the next name called to pack my bags and head to the next town but I really wanted to stay with Miami. I fell in love with the city in my first season here and Miami is responsible for putting the Toast Agency back on the map in the VHL.”
 
Surviving the mass exodus in Miami, Dawson’s next concern was the upcoming VHL Entry Draft. After being the 79th-overall pick in the VHLM, Dawson worked hard through his entire season to become one of the big names available in the draft. Analysts argues if Dawson could be the best available center and this got attention from teams.
 
“I had quite a few draft interviews and it was certainly exciting. I wanted the GMs to know that I was serious about being the best player that I could be but I think there was one thing that really held me back from the rest of the class.”
 
Top prospects often made the jump to the VHL right away after the draft and while that may mean they were not as successful as they could have been in the minors, they could have a longer career in the pros. Dawson was the exception to this in his class as he made it clear to several general managers that his intent was to return to Miami to see our his journey in the VHLM. Dawson decided that he had some unfinished business and though he practiced as much as possible for the VHLM, Dawson was decided on this to the point where he would make sacrifices. 
 
“I informed teams that I would be skipping training camp. I know that sets me back from the other players my age who are going to get that experience ahead of me but if I wanted to make sure that I was ready for the VHLM season that would mean returning to Miami as soon as possible to help the new group of prospects adjust.”
 
While this certainly would end up hurting Dawson’s draft stock, he still went in the first round and much higher than 79th-overall this time around. The Seattle Bears made a big splash in the S76 Entry Draft with three picks in the first round. They were able to get the energetic center Hex Rose with the 8th-overall pick and a strong winger at 12th-overall in Phil “The Rock” Johnson. Most importantly however, at 9th-overall the Bears selected another center in Phoenix Dawson.
 
“I was extremely excited to hear my name called by Seattle and in the top 10 as well! I knew I had put in the work to make sure that I would get noticed but I wasn’t sure if it was going to be enough for the teams who were cautious about the player agency that I was coming from. The opportunity in Seattle was one that I really wanted and I’m happy that they were able to see that.”
 
Dawson and the Toast Player Agency released a statement to media prior to the draft announcing their intention to go to DA BEARZ as a sign of loyalty as it was Blake Campbell who were able to get Dawson and the Toast Agency back into the VHL in the first place. Warning other teams that they wanted to go to Seattle or would end up going their via free agency was enough to have the odds work in their favour it seemed. Dawson was now free to return to Miami with that peace of mind knowing that a good opportunity was waiting for him in the VHL. 
 
Upon return to the VHLM, it was announced that Dawson was going to be wearing the C in Miami for all of his work in the previous season. Dawson was very excited about the opportunity but the next season was certainly going to provide its own challenges.
 
With the stresses of the VHL career looming it was clear that Dawson did not have the same energy that he had with something to prove in his rookie season. The second-year player was definitely more serious with his training and his work with the team but was also more reserved in the locker room and only provided his input if required. 
 
The work that Dawson was putting into his game was clearly working as he was trusted to take on a much younger Miami team with a lot of S77 talent on it. Dawson would be relied on to carry most of the work this season as Miami had moved number one center Hoffman to Ottawa over the off-season. Dawson immediately found chemistry with other S76s that had arrived to Miami through the Dispersal Draft in Alexander the Great and Napoleon Bonaparte. All of these players would end up with point-per-game offensive results for Miami at the end of the season.
 
“I was really worried about doing the best that I could. At one point in the season I was in the top 10 scorers in the league and coming back for a second year in Miami I wanted to lead the entire league. I worked so hard through my first year to do everything I could and I knew that I had the skill that was needed.” 
 
As Miami had some rough points in the first portion of the season, Dawson would end up a -2 on the season but led the team with goals with 39 and assists with 58. With Dawson all over the ice during Miami games it was no surprise that he would end up leading most of the categories for the team. He also showed a strong defensive side as well with quite a few hits and shots blocked to add on. 
 
Dawson and Miami heated up towards the end of the season and came roaring into the post-season with their second attempt at playoffs in Dawson’s career. It was certainly a better attempt than the season prior but Miami were eliminated in six games in the first round with this attempt and Dawson’s time with Miami was coming to a screeching halt. It was disappointing for the team and Dawson.
 
“I feel like I could have done more. As captain you want to make sure that you’re giving it everything you’ve got every night and I think I brought that for Miami but it just wasn’t enough. It’s crushing to leave this behind without seeing success in the post-season like I dreamed of.”
 
Miami exceeded all expectations of VHLM analysts and certainly seemed like that had some future they could build on if they were successful in the VHLM Draft again. For Dawson though, it’s time to look ahead to Seattle.
 
“I want to thank everyone that I’ve had the chance to meet Miami. You are the reasons why I am going to have this opportunity in Seattle and why I will make sure that I do whatever it takes to be one of the best players in the league. I want to give a special thanks to Ricer and Tina for their leadership during my time in Miami and for making the VHLM experience such an enjoyable one. There is no other tandem that I would have preferred to play for. 
 
“While it’s disappointing to not get it done in Miami I look forward to joining Seattle and working for the next seven or eight years to become the best player that I can. They have arguably the most committed management in the league and a young squad where we have the opportunity to become a dynasty. I will never forget my roots in Miami though. They are the reason that Phoenix Dawson will become a household VHL name and I will forever be a Marauder.”
 
---
2025 words (Four weeks)
Claiming for W/E March 21st
 

@Toast you were one of the best players I got the pleasure of AGMing and I wish the best with this player, I have a feeling you’ll be at the top of the league in no time.

@ToastIt was an absolute pleasure to have you during the last couples seasons of my tenure in Miami. I am happy that Miami was able to breath life into your player and yourself as a member of this league. I wish you nothing but the best for you and your player except when you’re playing Calgary of course.

With the Medal games said and done, Team Canada has unfortunately seem themselves unable to medal with a loss in the Bronze Medal Game vs. Team World. It was certainly an exciting game where we would see overtime decide who was taking home third place but it was Team World who controlled the offense for majority of the game. Canada would hold a lead for majority of the game but seemingly could not put Team World away and gave up the lead early into the third. Post-game it was clear that the Team Canada players were upset with the loss following the expectation that they could capture Gold in this tournament.
 
"We let our country down," said captain Phoenix Dawson. "I know that we had the skill to put Team World away but things weren't clicking out there on the ice for us. ClapbombsRUs was fantastic through the night and made sure things weren't worse than they could have been. I am disappointed with my own game and really think that I could have played better but there isn't anything that's going to change the result. I look forward to watching Team Canada in the future and hopefully they'll turn things around in the next WJC."

Wait we won the bronze? Wtf haha

With the Medal games said and done, Team Canada has unfortunately seem themselves unable to medal with a loss in the Bronze Medal Game vs. Team World. It was certainly an exciting game where we would see overtime decide who was taking home third place but it was Team World who controlled the offense for majority of the game. Canada would hold a lead for majority of the game but seemingly could not put Team World away and gave up the lead early into the third. Post-game it was clear that the Team Canada players were upset with the loss following the expectation that they could capture Gold in this tournament.
 
"We let our country down," said captain Phoenix Dawson. "I know that we had the skill to put Team World away but things weren't clicking out there on the ice for us. ClapbombsRUs was fantastic through the night and made sure things weren't worse than they could have been. I am disappointed with my own game and really think that I could have played better but there isn't anything that's going to change the result. I look forward to watching Team Canada in the future and hopefully they'll turn things around in the next WJC."

@ClapbombsRus

WJC
S76
Team Canada
 

 
S76 playoffs are almost over already and you know what that means, it's time to set the ice for the awaited world juniors! Canada has always been one of the fans favorite and still are on the quest to bring home their first gold medal. Will this year be the one? As a proud canadian and also the GM of that team I sure hope so! One thing can be guaranteed, the hype in Canada's locker room will be over the top. For this season, I have the honor of having @rory with me as the AGM of Team Canada, bringing with him his experience and his energy to the locker room. Grab your popcorn and get a seat, the show is just starting!
 
Link for the WJC discord here: https://discord.gg/FJV93j9QyQ
 
Forwards:
 
Brendan Telker @Telkster
Brian Moreau @weekz
Green Gaming @Lilpfigher
Phoenix Dawson @Toast
Andy Nexber @Domino Draws
Joseph Sharkton @TheOGShark
Victor Foles  @Suzuki14
Braxton Hunter @dshervill
Eddie Dams @Eddie Dams
 

 
Defense:
 
Hulk Hogan Jr @Beaviss
Silas LeFriend @yevty
Kevin Wu @kevinscix
Aurelien Moreau @Frank
 
 
Goalies:
 
Tater Tot @Trunkxolotl
ClapbombsRUs @ClapbombsRus
 

 
 
To conclude this, I want to say thank you to the WJC commissioners @bigAL and @rjfryman to give me the opportunity to GM Team Canada for this tournament, it is really appreciated. I also want to say that there was tough choices to make and if you didn't get picked, don't give up, maybe you will make me regret my choices later, who knows! So, for everyone who got picked, don't forget to join the discord and join us, this will be a great tournament! Let's go Canada!!!
 
 
 

💔 I'll miss you Miami 

💔 I'll miss you Miami 

.. but it's the only thing I have to post for a PT this week
 

Hello Everyone,
 
As some of you may have heard @Jubis is resigning at the end of the season as General Manager of the Calgary Wranglers. When we were told by Jubis we opened up the applications to the public. We had a large number of qualified candidates but unfortunately, it is only one spot that so many people want to fill. That being said we would like to thank Jubis for everything he did with the Wranglers. We would also like to announce that @Ricer13 has been hired for the General Manager role.
 
Congratulations, welcome to big league management @Ricer13
 

This picture is huge but a MS needs an image and this is how I feel about the VHL right now.
 
The past season has seemed to fly by but also drag on at the same time for me. I find myself in the same spot where I have been the past few weeks and that is wondering what to write with the clock ticking before the deadline and mostly just doing this to make sure that I don't fall behind.

Just last season I was going into the off-season really feeling like I was one of the top prospects available and I think Seattle picking me high in the first round really showed that the work I was putting into the league was paying off. I have had some dud players where I lost my interest and I'm glad that so far, it seems that is behind me. I am dedicated to turning Dawson into hopefully my best player on the league and putting the tarnished reputation behind me.

These last few weeks though or I suppose the season overall... has been rough to put it plainly. Compared to my rookie season where I was on a thriving team and the Draft at the end of the road, my excitement has really taken a hit. That's not saying anything against the league, Miami or Seattle but more of a personal thing I guess. I've put more free time into other responsibilities and between work and other things, I have been putting VHL on the backburner to panic about at the end of the week and I need to find a way to stop that.

I realized it was a problem when I signed on three/four weeks ago and realized that I had missed the theme week all together and blew an opportunity to get some nice uncapped TPE. That started a spiral of claiming welfare for a couple weeks because I was not investing enough time in the VHL to really come up with anything that was sparking my interest to write. That's probably why I'm opting for the diary style media right now because I'm waiting for something to spark me up again. Dawson will be making the jump to Seattle next season and I should try to be more involved in the Discord there to really give it a fair shot. 

I guess the point overall of this media submission is to force myself to think about why I have hit some sort of slump and to claw my way out of it. I know that I have the time to really make Dawson into something special (at least in comparison to my previous players) and I want to do whatever I can to help the teams that were willing to take a shot on me. It has definitely been a bit of a bump in the road this season but I'm looking forward to being a pro player now. Maybe it was staying back a season and not being able to spend any of the points I earned? Regardless, I'm not blaming anyone/anything for the recent lack of effort. 

If you read my rambling thoughts, thank you! Hopefully you're having a fantastic time on the league because it's special to see so many Discords thriving. Maybe I'll start there and we can get Dawson back on track.

My last Miami PC...  

1. It wasn't meant to be. I'm slow to answer these and unfortunately Yukon were the better team. Hopefully Miami grows from this and comes back next post-season even stronger.

2. Dawson had a good post-season as well.  I wanted to see him really go off and think that could've helped us more but at least he did what he could.

3. Our's because we're not advancing and I hate it!

4. Bad luck. Someone get him some find my phone devices next season so Miami is never eliminated.

5. One younger brother.

6. Arctic Monkeys

Thanks for everything in Miami @Ricer13 @tinafrombobsburgers! I'm going to miss the team but I know everyone is in good hands with @Shiny!

Thanks for everything in Miami @Ricer13 @tinafrombobsburgers! I'm going to miss the team but I know everyone is in good hands with @Shiny!

Another season has come and gone for the Miami Marauders. A group I pegged before the season started to not be a playoff team. Through good drafting and development Miami came out of the gates strong and were a consistent force all season long. They finished 2nd place in their conference, 5th overall in the VHLM but ultimately fell to the Yukon Rush in the first round of the VHLM playoffs. Every game was close and the Marauders did not go down without a fight making Yukon earn each and every one of their wins. Now that our season has come and gone it is time to announce the winners of our regular season awards. As always I like to lead off the awards with the leadership award and this award will have a new name this season, so lets start things off.
 
The Perry Leadership Award

     Once called The Lebastard Memorial Trophy named after the late Andre Lebastard, we decided to rename the trophy after last seasons winner Nathan Perry. Lebastard has been inactive for quite some time now so we decided to name it after Nathan Perry because of the success and leadership shown during his time in the VHL and with the Marauders in the VHLM. He proved in season 75 to be amongst the best leaders on Miami and has now taken it a step further and become and AGM on the same team he once played for. Now that we have a little history on the change in the awards name lets get on to the player who deserves to be crowned this years Perry Leadership Award Winner. 

      Miami selected this player in the S76 VHLM Dispersal Draft with their very first pick. He comes over from the SHL and has made an immediate impact as a member of the VHL. During his time in Miami he has taken strides in proving that he is one of the leaders on this team. Every day he is encouraging his team after wins or losses and has even taken a role with the team covering all of their social media handlings. As it shapes up right now he will be back in Miami next season and will be the main guy up front as the Marauders look to make a push for another championship. GM Ricer and AGM Tina are very excited to have this player back next season and are thrilled to award the Perry Leadership Award to Alexander The Great. @Shiny Congratulations.

The Dakota Lamb Trophy

      Each season an award is given to the player who scores the most goals during the regular season. The award was named after previous Miami Marauder Dakota Lamb as he holds the record for most goals in a season with the Miami Marauders at 44. The recipient of this seasons Dakota Lamb Trophy is Captain Phoenix Dawson @Toast. He did not break Lambs record but he came quite close leading the team with 39 goals this season. He was three goals ahead of Alexander The Great for the team lead when the season ended. This is Phoenix Dawson's final season with Miami as he looks to make the jump up to the VHL next season. He was a big part of our squad over the last few seasons and as a man of a few words he still made a huge impact on this team on and off the ice. He has created some real bonds with some of our past and present players and I am very excited to see what the future holds for him in the VHL. Congratulations on winning the Dakota Lamb Trophy, Phoenix Dawson.

The Kosmo Kramerev Award

      The Kramerev is awarded to the teams top defensemen during the regular season. This was a tough year for Miami defensemen because they were all so fresh and had a lot of pressure put on them to succeed. It was hard to pick just one defender but at the end of the day both GM Ricer and AGM Tina agreed on the same person. This seasons winner of the Kosmo Kramerev Award goes to Raphael Sonier @raphaelsonier9815. Sonier joined the Marauder's early in the season as a waiver player. He made an immediate impact in the locker room and was earning at a fairly decent rate. He became busy with personal things in life but still managed to squeak in some training every week which showed true dedication. No defensemen on the Marauder's popped off in regards to points but Sonier still had a decent year statistically. He finished the season with 21 points but where he shined was in his defensive play. He was second on the team in shots blocked, second on the team in hits, he had the highest shooting percentage out of all defensemen and proved he could handle loads of minutes playing against the leagues best. This is why Raphael Sonier is the Kosmo Kramerev Award winner for season 76. Congratulations.


The Waiver Warrior Trophy

        What's that?! Another name change??? The previously named Eoin Byrne Trophy is now being renamed The Waiver Warrior Trophy in honor of the dubbed "Waiver Warriors" who came into Miami in season 74 and helped the Marauders win their first ever Founders Cup. This award is given each season to the top waiver signing player during the regular season. There were a lot of waiver players who signed up in Miami this season but one stood out to me above the rest. Zeedayno Chara @Jubis joined Miami mid way through the season. He came in when Miami was in desperate need of help on the back end. Although he only played 36 games he made a massive impact on the Miami roster and was able to absorb a lot of minutes and take some of the pressure off of our very young D-core. On the ice he was a playmaking machine with 27 out of 29 of his points being assists. He was a dynamo on the powerplay and logged heavy minutes on the penalty kill as well. Off the ice he was equally as important to the team. Always filled with words of encouragement when the team was feeling down. The definition of a team player. Congratulations Zeedayno Chara on winning this seasons Waiver Warrior Award.

The MVM "Most Valuable Marauder"
 
     The Most Valuable Marauder trophy is given to the player who the team votes as their Most Valuable Player during the regular season. This vote this season was extremely tight with two players going neck and neck but ultimately one person was chosen and that player was none other than Captain Phoenix Dawson. @ToastHe edged out Goaltender ClapBombsRUs by one vote for the team MVM. Phoenix Dawson had a career year with Miami nearly hitting the 100 point plateau. His finished just shy with 97 points in 72 games. This led the team in points amongst all players. He led the team in goals and assists showing off his offensive game but was equally as dominant in other areas of the ice. He wasn't afraid to put his body on the line adding 46 blocked shots and when it came to grinding out wins and playing with an edge he was the guy to do it. His 118 hits was the second highest amongst forwards. Phoenix Dawson will no doubt bring the same kind of pace and energy to the Seattle Bears next season and if he continues on the path he has laid out for himself I could see him winning some ACTUAL MVP trophies in the future. Congratulations Phoenix Dawson on winning the Most Valuable Marauder Award.

The BigAL Award

          The BigAL Award is awarded to the player who shows the most promise for long term success in the VHL. There is always numerous members of the team who are deserving of this award but I am only going to be awarding it to one person and that person for season 76 is Trevor Wallace @LilHCorny. Wallace was someone who the Marauder's drafted in the S76 Dispersal Draft and was picked well ahead of where he was ranked because of his great draft interview. He showed right off the bat that he was going to be a solid member for this club and for this league. After joining the team you could tell right away that he wanted to be better every day. He worked hard and earned TPE while maintaining a team first mentality. He has shown his activity around the league in such a short period of time joining in on other activities such as Chess Tourneys. Slowly making a name for himself in the right way. If he continues on this trajectory Trevor Wallace will have a legitimate shot at long term success in this league and become a solid member of our community.

Graphic of the Year
 
     Each season we like to recognize some of the hard work players are putting in each week to earn experience for their players. I would like to start that off by awarding Nils Tallinder @Patrik Tallinder with the Graphic of the Year award. Tallinder has continually been working on his graphic skills and in my opinion that deserves to be spotlighted even if it is just for a small thing like this. I am extremely impressed with the work you have put in to your craft and am excited to see how much you improve over another season of work. Here is a sample of what Tallinder is able to do and I implore you to go have a look through the graphics section to check out some more of his work.
 
Media Spot of the Year

      Now it is time to show some recognition to those who decide to write articles rather than create graphics. I love to show off the work of members who aren't necessarily masters at their craft but rather those who take a chance on it and are open enough to write even when they aren't necessarily writers or so they think. This person surprised me when he dropped at 1500 word article on Miami's last draft breaking down each of our selections. He took a leap and put in the work and created some really solid reading material for other users to view. Its amazing what people can accomplish when they give it a try and ClapBombsRUs did a fantastic job with this article and that is why he is the winner of our Media Spot of the Year. Congratulations @ClapbombsRus

Podcast of the Year

      Unfortunately creating podcasts aren't as popular as the above categories but that is okay. This season there will not be an award given our for Podcast of the Year but I hope to see members give it a chance in seasons to come.

            This wraps up another edition of the Miami Marauders Regular Season awards. I want to say Congratulations again to all the winners and to all those who did not receive an award you have nothing to worry about. A lot of you will be coming back next season to take another shot at them again. To the waiver players who joined Miami this season I want to say thank you for all that you did for us this season. Many of you have proven to be amazing additions to the VHL and I am hoping to at least snag a few of you in the draft to bring back home to Miami! Lastly I want to thank our two members moving up to the VHL, Phoenix Dawson @Toast and Napoleon Bonaparte @CptSquall. Dawson I have already spoken at great lengths about and what you meant to this team but I want to take a moment to thank Bonaparte for an amazing season in Miami. You were a leader on this team, a good guy to talk to and a great veteran presence for the younger players in our room. Continue on the path you are on and you will find much success in this league. I hope you stick around in Miami to talk sports and to BS with. Thank you everyone for tuning in, until next season!!!! GO MIAMI GO!

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