JCarson

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.

Molly the Cat has a crystal ball. No really they do. Season 88 has finished, and I don’t expect that I need to tell everyone that it was a predictably wonderful season. My guess is that some of you are taken aback by my use of the word predictable. However, all you had to do was look at my beginning of season predictions and you should have known that London United were going to win the VHL Continental Cup. Honestly, I wrote it down for everyone to see. Then when we got to the playoff fantasy zone, I again documented in writing for anyone who wanted to pay attention that London United were going to be the VHL champions. I know some of you are thinking at this very moment, this individual is full of (Enter your chosen noun here). Perhaps you are right. All I know is that these are true statements. (I also know I just wrote 150 words for a media spot and have not really said anything yet have said everything at the same time.) With Season 88 being completed, that brings me to the offseason. Now the thing about offseason is that I do not generally get to use my talents of prediction for much of anything, except this year I am involved in 2 offseason tournaments, so I figured I would try to extend my record of guessing champions in those tournaments as well so that I can keep a keen eye on things. I need to ensure I am in top shape for when predictions come around again for season 89. Now the ProAm is already underway and if anyone is paying attention (I wasn’t as I just realized that it was in its’ third day of Sims) the Babylon Wonders are being completely obliterated. I this instance I am not going to make any predictions, the result for the Wonders is more than likely a last place finish. Sorry VLG we are trying, honestly what can be said, you did not draft VHL champion and playoff MVP Jesse Teno. When you are required to face such talented goaltending, game in and game out you need to expect to lose. The second tournament is the World Cup, now the world cup is an exceptional tournament where the best player in the world gets to show what they can do. This is a tough tournament to win. Yet my crystal ball is quite clear on this tournament. Team Canada, the team Molly the Cat is playing for, will be the eventual tournament champions. Now just a couple points of clarification, and this should not come as a shock to anyone, but Molly the Cat is Canadian (which is disclosed on their player profile) and this is Molly the Cat’s first World Cup which obviously means that they will win. So, there you have it folks, Molly the Cat pulls out the crystal ball and makes more predictions, Babylon Wonders will lose the ProAm and team Canada will win the World Cup. Sit back and watch and see that the Crystal Ball is right.

week of June 11 1) Landon Wolanin is currently resting by doing some camping, do you like to go camping 2) Off season tournaments happen frequently, do you take part in off season tournaments 3) What is the best part of off season tournaments for you 4) I've heard rumor that Triller is on the search for onions, do you think he will find them 5) What is the best part of offseason for you 6) What is the worst part of offseason for you

Article Review, another great article about the Janser Brothers. Marcel had a fantastic season this year in London with it being topped off by another VHL championship. Daniel seems to get more recognition for being a high offense forward but Marcel is as steady on defense as there can be. He makes everyone else around him better and makes the tough job of keeping pucks away from the net seem like an easy task. It should be interesting to watch the Janser Brothers over the offseason and into Season 89. Great article, 9/10 keep it up

Article Review: Great Article, the breakdown of London's progression through the finals detailing out the fantastic play by an amazing young goalie. Definitely deserving of playoff MVP honors. Keep up the great work, keep building your player, keep writing fantastic articles. Yo have many seasons ahead of you to establish yourself as one of the best in the league. I give this article a 9/10, only because you didn't mention Molly the Cat

Molly the Cat, we are glad that we can sit with you today and get your thoughts. You have had a busy last few days, as you have been celebrating your recent victory. I will start there, how are you feeling now that you are the Season 88 Continental Cup Champions? Thanks for having me, yes it has been a whirlwind of activity the last few days. Between celebrating with the team, contacting family and friends, and taking part in various media engagements organized by the team and the league, it has only left enough time to eat and sleep. Yet I wouldn’t have it any other way. Winning a championship of this nature is an extremely exciting opportunity, to be acknowledged as the best players in the league, in the sport, is something that most people only dream of. Molly the Cat, I remember early on in your career we had the opportunity to sit and talk about the goals you wanted to achieve while you were in the league. Now that you are several seasons in, I would like to go back and get comments on how you think things are going. It has been a wild ride for sure. Obviously winning the VHL championship was the largest of the goals and now that it has been completed, I will be focusing on the other aspects in greater detail. The other aspect that has already been completed was winning the rookie of the year award. I think at this point in my career those are two great accomplishments, but I am not done by any stretch. My continued focus will be on achieving greater productivity, with the hope of achieving the recognition of being one of the best and most consistent scorers in the league today. The end goal is to be inducted into the VHL Hall of Fame and recognized as one of the best players in this era of the league. I know it is going to be a challenging task, this league is filled with amazing talent and to be one of the best takes dedication and consistency. I am doing everything I can to do that. Molly the Cat, can you tell us anything about what the London United will look like next season? We are lucky to have many of our players under contract and returning next season, which is great to know. We will unfortunately be losing Nalwa as they are retiring so we do expect to be replacing them. Other than that management hasn’t brought me into any discussions as of yet. I do know that we will be keeping our eyes and ears open, listening to various offers. That can be said of any team, with a league as good as the VHL you always need to be considering ways to improve. I know that if any changes are made then management will be transparent about it. In the meantime, we would like to thank Nalwa for the great years they have had with London. You are a tremendous player which is evident by your multiple VHL championship wins. Thank you for your leadership, your experience, and your friendship.