JCarson

I have heard it said more than once that STHS has built in logic that keeps the goals for and against any team within a range of options. Meaning that no team should have significantly more goals for or against. Generally, this topic is noted when you have a bad team with one person having higher stats and seems to score proportionally more than a better player on a better team. The argument is that a mediocre player on a bad team can score more because the goals must go somewhere, the system will have a minimum scoring target for the team, while a talented player on a talented team can score less as STHS can spread the scoring around to multiple people. Having looked at multiple seasons I can see some logic in this. Yet how do we explain the differences in scoring this year? The top scoring teams are right now tied with 113 goas for. The Vancouver Wolves and the HC Davos Dynamo hold this honor. Each has played 33 games, so they have 3.4 goals per game pace. My team London has only scored 73 goals in 32 games or 2.3 goals per game. Okay I will say it before someone else does, potentially we should get good. That would be the simplistic answer. Yet we are also the reigning Continental Cup Champions, we repeatedly eliminated high scoring teams by grinding them down and beating them in low scoring games. Good is not only about scoring, just scoring more than your opponent. Right now, we are number 2 in the league for goals against. We have only let in 75 where most teams are sitting somewhere in the range of high 80’s with the worst team having 119 goals against. I would love to see us improve our goal scoring even slightly to 2.5 or 3 goals a game, if that happened, we would be unstoppable. Until then we see how far defense can take us.

A friend of mine contacted me this morning and let me know his father passed away during the night. The deceased was in his 90’s and had been diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer, it wasn’t a surprise to anyone, yet it is still a sad day. I am not writing to expound on the sadness of death or that diseases like cancer suck. We all know that it is true, there is no discussion on that point, no argument that can be had. I was lucky that I could spend some time with my friend a couple of days ago, we had gotten together with a few others and sat in one of our backyards around a slightly larger than roaring fire. (As a side note dry Christmas Trees make great bonfire fuel). I picked him up at his place and drove the 25 minutes to the location of our pyrotechnics. It gave us a terrific opportunity to talk. If you haven’t had a loved one diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, then count yourself lucky. The rest of this article is not going to make much sense to you. For those of you who have watched a loved one slowly decline, have their body and/or mind ripped from them and yet they lived on for some time only waiting for the inevitable death. I’m sorry. I know what it is like, I have faced it more than once. You see my mother passed away over two decades ago after a 10-year battle with ovarian, cervical, bladder and bowel cancer. My mother-in-law faced a multi-year battle with Alzheimer's before she passed. I have met people who want to debate which option is better, having your body decline or having your mind decline, having witnessed both, neither is a better option. So, I have created a 300-word preamble to what I was hoping to discuss. In my talk with my friend, while we drove to get to the place where we were going to be for the evening, I had the opportunity to address a profoundly serious topic and came to find out that I gave an especially important piece of advice that he mentioned to me today. While we talked, I asked him not only about how his father was doing which really was only being polite, I already knew, but I asked how he was doing. Not surprising I got the polite answer originally, “I’m tired, but I’m doing okay.” Maybe he was, maybe he wasn’t, but I remembered when I was facing a similar situation and I thought about how I was feeling at the time. You see sadness wasn’t the biggest issue I faced, and in talking with others after I learned that for many people, sadness isn’t the biggest issue. It is guilt. Regardless of who you are and how much you care for the person who is battling the disease, at some point you come to the realization that their death is the best option. Now I am not getting into the political debate over euthanasia. What I am discussing is handling our mental health through traumatic situations like watching a loved one suffer and die. The fact that the thought comes up is not that we want our loved one's dead, it is the fact that we want their suffering to end. We want them to maintain a level of dignity even in their last moments. We want to, maybe selfishly, remember them in their prime where all the good memories exist. That is not something to feel guilty about. It is by nature your mind realizing that the only outcome that gives your loved one peace is the one situation that will give you the greatest grief. If you are in the midst of this right now, all I can say is I am terribly sorry. It is not easy, there is no simple solution. It will hurt. Know that you are not alone even though you feel you are. Talk to someone, be honest with them and yourself. You will get through this, and you will be able to remember your loved one for all the good they gave you in life. It will take time, healing always does.

Article review: I always like reading Gustav's analysis of various areas of the league. Now they do end up being long drawn out discussions that take sometimes months to complete but there is a sense of research, a general hypothesis that is then tested, not just accepting the basic fundamental assumptions of what is believed. Gustav questions the status quo, challenging the self fulfilling prophesy to add depth to the league and the overall discussion. Keep up the great work, hopefully you can get your spreadsheet far enough along that it becomes relevant. I give this article a 10/10.

Article Review: Another well written article. Regardless of what the truth is or is not, this is exactly what would happen in a situation like this. The veteran leadership of a team would address any sort of attack being done on one of the players. This article provides depth to the Calgary organization, the players involved and speaks ot the bond that has formed in the locker room. Well done, keep up the good work. I give this article a 9/10.

This is a get to know you press conference 1) Favorite music group? 2) Favorite TV show? 3) Favorite Movie? 4) Favorite Book/Book Series? 5) Favorite Video Game? 6) Do you Knit or would you like to learn to knit?

Eighteen games into the season there seems to be a divide occurring within the standing in both the European and North American conferences. Twenty five percent complete and things already look like they are shaping up, settling out, defining the Season 89 playoff race. In the European conference the divide is forming between fifth and sixth place. Currently a six-point difference has been created and unless something happens quickly that division may expand and solidify the playoff contenders in the European conference early on. The question will be how those five teams place, who will be first, and which two teams will have to compete for the fourth playoff spot. In the North American Conference, the divide is forming between second and third. A nine-point difference almost solidifies the top two teams vying for the first overall spot from the rest of the pack. Seattle and Calgary like usual have been dominant with the rest of the pack trailing behind looking to position themselves for the last three playoff spots. At this point those critical positions in the standings could be the prize of any of the teams, as eighth and third are only separated by 4 points. We will see if the teams who are currently below the line can right the ship, take back some ground and prove that the start of the season has no bearing on how it ends, or we may be already defining who the buyers and who the sellers will be at the trade deadline. We will only know at season end.

Season 89 is now in full swing and as many may have predicted we have the usual performers putting up significant numbers in the way of offensive production. I can say this as I have looked at your awards predictions, as usual season 89 points leaders are just that, predictable. The question that comes to mind is: Will we expect major changes for season 90 when it comes to watching the VHL scoring title unfold? I expect we will. You see at the end of this year several strong offensive players will retire. The current season 81 players will walk away. Does that really matter, I say it does. Why? Currently, 4 of the top 10 points leaders will be retired by year end. That is a substantial number of top performers. Who are these individuals and what will it mean when they are gone? Currently tied at 5th place and having 24 points in 16 games are perennial points leader contenders Sergey Preobrazhensky, Hulk Hogan 2 and Sirdsvaldis Miglaskems. Each of these players continues to put up strong offensive seasons and their presence will be missed in the league. That is a lot of offensive talent and a large whole that will open. We will see if there are players ready to step up and fill that void. Currently in first place overall on the points chart, and perpetual scoring sensation Daniel Janser is the last season 81 player who will hang up the professional skates at the end of the year. Nobody in their right mind is going to suggest that the retirement of this points titan won’t open a significant vacancy in the points standings. I’m not sure that even if someone moves up the rankings that they are filling this phenom’s shoes, they will be more like filling a spot by default as somebody must be number one. Even outside the top 10 currently we have several other top players who are stepping away, Mason Jones, Nezuko and Alexander Leduc round out the forwards that will be leaving. Outside of the forward core we will see Defensive experts, Biggie Cheese and Marcel Janser also retiring. Season 90 will look vastly different than the VHL I started in; it will be a new group on top, new talent leading the way. We will see fresh players emerge to position themselves as annual contenders for the points race, for the top seeds in VHFL selection, for prediction selections. Oh yes, there will be those who have been sitting on the fringe for the last couple of years, waiting for their opportunity to sit in the lights, bask in the fame and glory it brings. But their time is short as their retirement is soon at hand. It is the young players just emerging from the VHLE that have the most to gain, the greatest height to cross and have the biggest opportunity ahead of them. The players that will carve their name in the face of the VHL without ever having to know the name of Daniel Janser, without having to face the defensive wall that is Marcel Janser. What season 89 did to the goalie title race by eliminating talents like David Davis, Oskar Lindbergh and Xavier Booberry, season 90 will do from an offensive standpoint. We will have had a complete turnover of top talent in all areas of the VHL by the end of season 89. Season 90 is a new day, is the VHL ready?

Article Review: Welcome back, thanks for your honesty. Not a glowing recommendation for yourself or your ability to help a team. But on the other hand you aren't hiding anything either, anyone who drafts you should know exactly what to expect. Hope you stick around for a while and get to experience the fun that the VHL can be. As you have job pay from other leagues there is a limited workload beyond logging on and claiming. I give this article a 10/10, for pure honesty. Good luck and hope you enjoy round 2.

Article Review, fun article, well written, very creative. It is always nice to see something beyond the typical here is how my player did this week, let me tell you what is bothering me or I hate this other team because the always beat us. Glad to here there were no major issues and everyone got back to the arena for the next game. Keep up the great work on the articles, keep being creative it makes it fun for the rest of us. I give this article a 9/10

James Teekirque -F @jacobcarson877

Svatopluk Puk - F @RileyL

Lachlan Summers-G @jacobcarson877

Brian Kowalski - D @RileyL

Sirdsvaldis Miglaskems - F @jacobcarson877

1) What brand stick do you use? 2) What is your go to pre-game meal? 3) Do you use Smelling salts? 4) Water or sport drink during game? 5) What color tape do you prefer on your stick? 6) Do you have a pre-game ritual, if so what is it?

Transaction ID 9301-9952-3348-907 1Million player store 5 Uncapped TPE Doubles Week

Dear Carter XXXXXX: (In the published version we are striking out particular details to keep the identity of the writer private) Thank you for sending your letter. As per your request I have signed and am returning the hockey card you sent with your letter. I hope you enjoy it. I am glad that you enjoy playing sports and hope that you one day achieve your goal of playing for the London United. I will do my best to answer the questions you posed in your letter. What is your favorite thing to eat prior to a game? Carter, nutrition is an especially important and seriously overlooked component of sports performance. It is not just the meal prior to the game that is important but ensuring that optimal nutrition and hydration occurs throughout the day. I am lucky that as a professional player we get to work with various food experts and medical professionals to help tailor individualized plans for each player. For someone like you who doesn’t have access to that level of assistance I would recommend that you start your day with a high protein breakfast, have a higher carb lunch and then have a smaller meal just prior to the game. The key, however, is ensuring that you are drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day. If a normal person is recommended to intake about 8 cups of fluids per day, a high performing athlete will consume 50-100% more than that to replenish fluids lost while competing. What skills do you think are most valuable in the VHL? Carter this is a very tough question as the skillset of every player is different. Every individual relies on their strengths, those things they do particularly well, allowing them to fulfill their role. Personally, I decided very early on that I wanted to be a player that was a net front goal scorer. As such, I worked on several skills that would allow me to accomplish that. For example, I spend considerable time in the gym working on my leg strength, this allows me to position myself in front of the net and battle against defenders to maintain positioning. Without that strength the defending players would be able to push me out of the way. I have also spent significant time working on my ability to tip shots towards various spots on the net. If you have ever been to a practice, you may have noticed that I have a specialized machine that is designed to shoot pucks from the blue line with varying positioning and speeds. I typically spend at least 30-45 minutes each practice just tipping pucks on net. Do you have a particular brand of equipment that you prefer? Carter currently I am using a variety of hockey equipment providers. For me it is about how each piece fits individually and together and not about the brand. Typically, when I am looking for a new piece of equipment, I take all my existing pieces with me and try on the new gear while wearing everything else. More than once I have found a piece of gear, I like it but when I try it on with my other pieces, I realize there is a level of interference. I am very particular about my helmets and have on several occasions had custom pieces created that are molded specifically for my head. Hope that answers your questions Carter, again thanks for writing and good luck with your season. Moly the Cat

Jake Thunder - D @RileyL

The London United are excited to announce that at our first home game of the season against the Prague Phantoms we will be having a VHL championship banner raising ceremony. The players of the London United have been waiting anxiously during the offseason in anticipation of this event where they get to share the Continental Cup win with their loyal fans. The Continental Cup will be at the arena, and fans will be able to take pictures before the game. We are also happy to announce that it will be Hari Singh Nalwa appreciation night. As most of you know, Hari Singh Nalwa retired this offseason to pursue other opportunities. The London United wanted to take this opportunity to publicly thank him for his dedication to the team. As part of the celebration, we will be giving bobbleheads to the first 1000 fans, there will also be a meet and greet session with Hari Singh Nalwa in between the first and second periods, location details will be announced during the first period. Lastly, for those fans unable to get a ticket but who will come down to the arena, we will be hosting an outdoor concert, prior to the game and between periods, we will also have numerous screens available that will be broadcasting the game live. We invite everyone to attend. London United look forward to another wonderful season of great VHL hockey. We look forward to sharing it with our fans, the greatest sports fans in the world. United We Stand

Article review: This is a great article. The emotion of being drafted and moving leagues and cities is evident in this article. The unknown of the VHLE and the limited players currently adds to the angst discussed. As anther player who started with San Diego and passed through Vasteras I understand how that can be both exciting and a little scary. Keep up the great work writing these articles from your players perspective, good luck in Vasteras. I give this article a 9/10

Article Review: This article provides a number of interesting thoughts about he VHLE, as a first gen player I will admit the VHLE was a dull part of my VHL experience as the locker room I was in was most of the time silent. My GM answered my questions, no issues there but outside that it was dead. To someone sitting on the outside it really seams like a place where inactives go to die, or potentially a place that kills careers depending on how you want to look at it. I expect there is a long term solution, hopefully discussions like this help find what that is.

Well it is that time again, start of the next season, so lets start with a fun Press conference 1) What is your preferred eye? (Don't ask, this question comes directly from ex-London player Sam) 2) What is one characteristic you want you player to be described by at the end of the season? 3) If you could ask any one teammate, one question, what would it be? 4) Which player from London United dropped the cup during their day with it? 5) Prediction Time: Which player on London will lead the team in production in season 89? 6) Prediction Time: What position will London hold at the end of Season 89 regular season?

I have been in several conversations recently about depreciation. I luckily haven’t had to worry about it, but it is creeping closer. I have one more year before it comes for me. The conversations have been with individuals who have as of this year had depreciation and they watched their stats fall. I have had conversations with individuals who are planning to try to ensure they can keep a consistent player build. I have also had conversations with individuals who are struggling to understand the player store options to fight depreciation, which to buy, timing of purchase, which ones are most important. Lastly, I have had conversations with individuals who are questioning the impact or even the necessity for depreciation in the hybrid statistics era. The way people speak of depreciation, it is some foul creature who lurks in the night, hiding under the bed waiting to feast on the body, mind, and soul of those who reach that critical time. It has the power to suck the very essence out of a player, leaving them a fragment of who they used to be. It is not a mathematical representation of aging; it is a living thing, and it must feed, and feed it does on the players of the VHL. I have tried to take everything in and devise a plan so that I can have a consistent build but only time will tell. For the last year I have been saving money and TPE so that I can address this looming creature, feed it what it needs to leave me alone. I just hope I have done enough and that I won’t be devoured like so many others.

Article Review: Great article, you can feel the disappointment at the loss to London. The analysis of what worked and what didn't gives a balance of growth and angst of frustration. It is neet to see an article that so strongly pulls on the players experience and lays it out in an easy to follow story. I give this article a 10/10, Great work, keep up the writing and hopefully the future will turn out better. Enjoy season 89

Article Review: This is a great analysis of every team and what they may or may not do. It will be interesting to see if the GM of the teams agree with this analysis or decide to go another route all together, Secondary aspect is the players choice on where they go. Salary cap again seem to be an influence on choices for both sides. Getting the biggest impact at the lowest cost is now a constant requirement I give this article an 9/10, great job.