JCarson

We are happy to announce that we will be doing a feature series for Season 86 about a new venture being done by Molly the Cat. Molly the Cat has joined forces with several local and international charitable organizations and is happy to announce the formation of a new charity called the Litter Box. The Litter box is physically one of the box suites within the London Arena. Molly the cat has purchased the rights to the box for season 86 and will be inviting children and their families to enjoy a game. The children invited will be nominated by many charities that work with individuals who have or are facing significant life events. The children and their families/guardians will experience an all-expenses paid trip to London, including hotel accommodations, meals, a tour package of the city, and tickets to the Litter Box for the game. We had a chance to sit down with Molly the Cat for an interview right after the official press conference announcing the Litter Box. Molly the Cat, thanks for sitting with us. What are you hoping to accomplish with this new charitable activity? There are so many individuals who are impacted by numerous negative life experiences and for me it is even more tragic when these individuals are children. I know there is little I can do to directly impact many of the individuals that will be coming to the Litter Box. Reality is I am a hockey player; I do not possess the skills required to make a permanent impact on their lives. Yet, as a hockey player I can attempt to provide these people with what I can, an experience that potentially they would never get. In addition, I am hoping that through this initiative we can also raise awareness of and funds for the many organizations that assist these children daily. Molly the Cat, how have the rest of your team responded to this initiative? London United is made up of generous individuals who choose to back many charitable initiatives. I am so excited that players and management have both embraced the idea of the Litter Box and will be joining me in several ways to make these experiences memorable for those involved. I did not mention it in the press conference, but I am happy to announce that all the players of the team have agreed to contribute $1000 if they have a multipoint night during a home game, and $2000 if they get a hat trick. In a show of good faith, the owners and management of London united have agreed to match those donations. These donations will be forwarded to the charity involved in bringing the attendees to the game. Molly the Cat, tell us how the fans of London United can get involved? If any fan wants to get involved, we ask that they donate financially or volunteer their time to any of the charities in their area. There are so many deserving organizations doing so many wonderful things that we will not be able to feature them all during the season. We encourage you to find one that resonates with you. Be involved, care for others and we can make this world a better place. Molly the Cat we want to thank you for your time today, we look forward to seeing how this initiative works this year and hopefully into the future.

$1 million player cash Doubles week 5 uncapped TPE Transaction ID: 17A70150NJ6957613

This article gives a great summary of the players selected and the expectations each team should have for them. Congrats to the number one drafted player Rick Grimes. Good luck in Istanbul, good luck in the VHLE. Hopefully each player selected can live up to their own expectations and compete well over the next year. Keep growing, building TPE and we will see you in the VHL one day. Good luck in the VHL Draft, hopefully you get a team that is looking forward to having you. Well written article, Author should be proud of their work.

The exploits of Jesse Teno during the WJC make great reading. The young goalie played well, accomplishing a significant record. Congratulations for a great tournament. The young Jesse Teno has plenty to learn playing back up for the London United behind newly acquired David Davis. As Jesse Teno continues to grow and develop they will soon take over top spot as the London United push to be long standing playoff contenders. Great work Aimkin, great article, looking forward to playing with you in Season 86.

1) I have heard speculation that Yun Chiang may be cursed, is season 86 the season that the curse is broken, and will Yun put up significant offensive numbers? 2) What position in the European Conference will London have by the end of the regular Season? 3) Last season our top points producer was a defenseman, will we see a repeat of that in season 86 or will we see an offensive powerhouse emerge from among the forwards? 4) Who do you think will be our biggest competition in Season 86? 5) Quick comment, how well did Dil do in the offseason so far? 6) Should we open a zoo (we already have a Raptor, a Cow, A Monkey, An Eagle and A Cat) and if we do, what is the next animal we should acquire?

Season 86, A time to show what a community can do! Season 86 will be my 4th season, but my first that will occur over Christmas. I was pleasantly surprised by the post by Beketov earlier today about the 2022 Charity drive that will occur in December. It puts a different spin on the community versus what we saw in season 85. It may be that I just was not paying attention in the first couple seasons I was involved in but season 85 for me anyway showed some of the bad that occurs within a community of individuals. The number of bans, both temporary and permanent, that were the result of postings that just should not be occurring, were disheartening. However, this is not what I want to address. I want to thank those that help manage this community for the work they do and for including the ability to show the good side of pulling people together and what it can accomplish. I have read the suggestions that many have made of different charities we could support and the guidelines that the decision will be made by and honestly if we keep to those guidelines there will be good accomplished. So now the question really becomes: can we pull together, can we demonstrate the good in humanity, can we make this world a little better? I would like to encourage everyone to consider being a part of this. If you have the resources and ability to give, please do. There are so many in this world who do not have what many of us take for granted, whether it be their health, basic needs like food and shelter, or healthy relationships and mental health supports. So, I will say it again, please give.

Molly the Cat, hope you have been enjoying the offseason. Can you tell me what you have been up to? I have to say it has been a good off season so far, but I am looking forward to getting back to training with camps starting tomorrow. The first part of the off season I took some time to travel back home and see friends and family. Also took some time to rest and heal from all the minor bumps and bruises one picks up during the season. I am feeling 100% and looking forward to hitting the ice hard before season 86 starts. Molly the Cat, you mentioned in our pre-interview chat that you have a team meeting first thing in the morning. That will be your first chance to meet the new additions to the team. What are your thoughts going into that meeting? Management made some significant changes this offseason to give us a great chance to compete this season. We are going to miss a few people for sure. I do have to say that I am extremely optimistic that this season is going to be a strong showing for London United. The additions of Hari Singh Nalwa and Velociraptor Greg are fantastic. Being able to add them to soon to be VHL hall of fame player Jerome Reinhart gives us an extraordinarily strong defensive core. Then adding veteran Yun Chiang up front provides us depth that we need. The additions of Rookie forward Astro Singh and Goalie Jesse Teno set us up for years to come. Lastly adding veteran Goalie David Davis is like putting the cherry on top of the cake. This team is designed to compete. Moly the Cat, I know you spent some time during the offseason getting some practice in with Landon Wolanin. Was there anything specific you were working on? Yes, I spent some time with Landon this offseason. We regularly meet up to do some practice and to focus on skill development. This year I was focusing on my defensive play, specifically using my body to help take the puck. I hope to be able to contribute more this year both in our end, but also in the offensive zone trying to get the puck back. I am hoping to develop into a strong 2-way forward, it is going to take some time and training. The fact is that I am going to get some additional time this year to train with the likes of Jerome Reinhart and Hari Singh Nalwa, to watch how they approach the game, to discuss defensive strategies and to take part in their training schedules. It is an opportunity that most players do not get. I am going to make the most of it. Molly the Cat, do you have any predictions or goals for Season 86? I expect London United to be a playoff team this season. We have a talented group of players. Honestly, a deep playoff run and even a championship would not be out of the question. Personally, I am hoping to improve on last season's performance. I know it will be a stretch, but I would like to hit 40 goals and 100 points on the season. I am not afraid of the work that will be needed. Molly the Cat, thanks for sitting with us today. Enjoy the remainder of the offseason, good luck in training camp and we look forward to seeing you and the London United in Season 86

Jerome is a vital piece of London.

Article Review First, congratulations to DC for their championship win. This article has all the makings of a real life conversation with a sports captain after a championship win. Fantastic way to show the friendship and fun that was had and the joy of finally winning. It reflects on seasons past and holds up the future . I like the fact that it isn't just a call to those top players but remembers that the depth players play a vital role in a salary cap sport. Hope I can be there one day. 10/10 on this article. Good luck in Season 86 wherever you are.

Article Review: Steve quickly touches on the expectations of the off season, A time to reset, gather some TPE and look forward to the next season. He also recognizes that there is only so much that can be done and the remainder is left in the hands of SIMON. Voodoo, a level of mystic unknown may be the best way to describe SIMON. Get some rest Steve, reset, recharge and make another sacrifice to the SIMON GOD, maybe you can move the Voodoo in your favor. 8/10 for the article.

1) What should be Dil's main positional target for the upcoming draft? 2) What are your thoughts on changes made so far this offseason? 3) Do you expect to have more points in Season 86 than you did in Season 85? 4) Free agency opens up shortly, do you think we should be aggressive in free agency? 5) London was 38/28/8 in the regular season for season 85, do we have more wins in season 86. 6) Can Jerome Reinhart finish their career with more than 800 points?

The London United are pleased to announce the promotion of Blake MacTavish, Astro Singh and Jesse Teno to the lineup for season 86. These player had strong seasons in the VHLE last season and as such have earned a place in the VHL. Blake MacTavish was originally drafted in Season 82 by the Las Vegas Aces. Blake played a couple seasons in both the VHLM and the VHLE in which he accumulated 165 points, including 62 goals. In season 63 Blake and the Las Vegas Aces won the Founder’s Cup. Blake MacTavish brings grit and dedication to the team. Astro Singh was drafted in Season 85 by the Vasteras Iron Eagles after playing their VHLM season with the Saskatoon Wild. Astro had a strong VHLM and VHLE season accumulating 115 points, including 60 goals. Astro Singh brings with them a strong scoring touch and a great vision for the game of hockey. Jesse Teno has had a strong showing so far with significant improvements in the VHLE. Jesse Teno started with the Saskatoon Wild in the VHLM where they were able to show their talent. Moving to the VHLE allowed Jesse to show what they could put up a 29-win season with a 93% save percentage and 2.08 GAA. Recently we had a chance to sit with Molly the Cat, captain of the London United and were able to ask about each of the recent call ups. Here is what Molly the Cat had to say. “London United looks forward to our new teammates joining us for training camp. I really believe that Blake MacTavish has had a hard-fought career up to this point. Not everyone gets the opportunity to jump directly from the VHLM to the VHLE to the VHL. There are those players who fight and claw their way through the leagues. These players bring a level of grit and determination that is hard to explain.” When asked about Astro Singh, Molly the Cat had this to say, “Astro Singh is an exceptionally talented player. They see the ice well and have great hands. They rely on their speed to put distance between them and their opponents. They are going to make a fantastic addition to the front end of the London United. Depending on what they can show in training camp it will determine what line they get to start with.” Molly the Cat had the following to say about Jesse Teno, “Jesse Teno definitely has the talent to be a starting goaltender in the VHL. Very few goalies have the pure talent that Jesse Teno possesses. We look forward to working with Teno and helping them find their place on the team. I expect that they will start by backing up Ed Nu but honestly the net could be up for grabs this season. Jesse Teno is just that good.” It will be interesting to see how these players integrate into the London United team dynamics, defensive structure, and overall team culture. We know the fans of the London United are looking forward to Season 86.

Season 85 went well for London United. We made great progress as a team and ended the regular season in 3rd place in our division. Unfortunately, we faced the Moscow Menace in the first round of the playoffs and after a quick 5 game series were eliminated. And the waiting began. Waiting is not something I do well, I can admit to that failing. Maybe it is the excitement of what is to come, or maybe I just get bored easily, I do not know for sure. But I can say I hate waiting. I am going to say that again just in case anyone missed it, I hate waiting. But what am I waiting for: First, I am waiting for the next season. I get the fact that there must be time between seasons to allow people to respond to the numerous changes that need to occur. Actions like depreciation and training camp require the existence of time to allow players to respond. Second, I am waiting for GM’s to make necessary offers for contracts. Free agency and extension contracts take time to complete. Time to negotiate and time to accept. Third I am waiting for trade negotiations and free agency negotiation. I get that these need to happen, I know that I am hoping my team can resign one of our players in free agency and I am hoping that a trade or two may occur but it is still waiting. I get the fact that things are happening, I understand that we need time. BUT WAITING SUCKS.

Article Review: I always look forward to these articles. The game summaries, the player comparisons. It is a unique and fun experience. Hope that these continue for many seasons as the Janser's move through the VHL. Add to this the fact that they are well written and you have some great reading. 10/10 for this article. Keep it up.

Article Review: Interesting thought pattern here. It would be interesting to see the statistics expanded to include the impact of TPA especially consideration the low TPA of VHLM players and the importance of defenseman increases. This type of analysis can help add depth to Gm skill within the league. Great job on the article, it would be interesting to see the statistics expanded over a number of years, especially in a year that is defense heavy. 9/10 ranking for this article.

Press conference Week of Oct 30, 2022 (Off season edition) 1) It is the first week of our offseason, what is your player doing to relax? 2) Training during the offseason has become a significant focus for many top players, what specifically is your focus for your offseason training? 3) What expectations do you have for next season? 4) Do you expect to be more or less involved during the offseason? 5) Will your player do better next year than they did this year? 6) What is one thing you like about the VHL experience?

The second round of the VHL Playoffs has just started and although I am not a part of it anymore. Unfortunately, London United was eliminated by the Moscow Menace in five. I do find myself still interested in the outcome and as such look every day at the games. This article is meant to express some of the reasons to maintain interest in the league if you have an extended offseason. It is personal. Honestly at this point I am hoping Moscow takes the championship. At least then I will be able to tell myself that we were beaten by the top team in the league, the champions. We did not lose to some second-rate team. It took a champion to eliminate the London United. To maintain processes. I do not know how everyone else does this, but I do my tasks at the same time every week. By maintaining my processes and touching base as I would during the season, I can keep up my TPE pace. The more I can keep the season and the off season the same the better I will be at keeping connected to the community, my teammates, and my player. The offseason tournaments can be as fun as the regular season. At every stage of the VHL, there are tournaments during the offseason designed to help keep you connected, designed to help you stay excited and designed to keep you in the community. Use these tournaments to assist you in keeping engaged, keep you building relationships and to help you grow in your involvement. I have been told that for anyone looking to get into a GM role, these off-season tournaments are a suitable place to start. So even though you and your team may be sitting back waiting for the beginning of season 86, do not disconnect from the VHL experience. Use this time to build your TPE and to engage in the larger VHL experience. Also note that for those of you who have friends that may be interested in the VHL this is a wonderful time to introduce them and start them on their VHL journey

Molly the Cat, it has been some time since you did an interview. Can you give me your thoughts on how the season ended and how your first round in the playoffs went? We are immensely proud of our season. If you go back and look at the media review of London for the year we were meant to be out of the playoffs. The media regulated us to a position of rebuilding. We wanted to show them that we had more than that in us, and I think coming third in the European conference did that. We had several players who had great seasons from a personal perspective. As for the first round of the playoffs, we fought a hard opponent. Moscow has a formidable team. We battled every game, which was all we set out to do. We lost in the end, but we learned a lot about who we are and what we can accomplish. Molly the Cat, you had a personal best season this year, how does that make you feel and what are your expectations for next year? I am extremely proud of the season I had. Being at a point per game pace is something all talented players strive to achieve. As much as I put everything, I had into it I know that I was only able to accomplish it with the assistance of my teammates. It was a group effort, and I am just grateful that my linemates were able to be there with me. I could not have done it without them. As for what comes next. I take everything I have learned this season and during the offseason work to make it better. There were times this season where the bigger players were pushing me around. One area I know I am going to work on is my upper body. I need to build a little strength so I can battle more for the puck. Next season I hope to show I will be able to play a strong game in front of the net and battling in the corners. Molly the Cat, you had mentioned to me that you had spent time with team management recently talking about expectations for next season. Is there anything you can share? I know that our GM is working hard to help fill in some gaps we have in the lineup and there are some good options available but nothing concrete yet. I think the first and focus is determining what Zaza Colors is going to do. Zaza is a free agent this year and so has several options ahead of him. He understands we would love to keep him, to allow him to finish out his career as a member of the United. We have shared our vision of the future and how he would fit in it but at the end of the day it is going to be Zaza that will make his final decision. Regardless of what he decides we have plans to make it work. On the other side we are looking forward to having a few rookie players join us for training camp this year. Blake McTavish (RW), Astro Singh(LW) and Jesse Teno (G) are all good options for our lineup. We will push them to see what they can do and hopefully slot some of that talent into our young core. Having young exceptional talent pushing for a spot on the team will increase competition and hopefully increase everyone’s game. Well, that is all the time we have for this week. Thank you, Molly the Cat, for sitting down with us and discussing what this offseason brings for London United. Hopefully, we can catch up again soon. Until then, enjoy your offseason, stay well and good luck in your training.

However I will also note that Beketov has on numerous occasions read and responded to articles/media spots I have posted where I have asked questions. I have found most people on this site to be friendly or at least polite. This can probably be boiled down to you get what you give.

I have to ask the question. The premise of this article seems to come down to the last statement: A perfectly built welfare player played well by their GM will outperform a poorly built max-earner. How many players are "Played well by their GM" regardless of being a welfare player, a max-earner, or at some point in between? Can someone write an article called, "How to use your players effectively, a guide to playing welfare earners, max-earners and everyone in between"

Article Review: This article reads a little short but on the other hand if you listen to most interviews done with sports professionals this would not be an uncommon experience. It has enough of the cliche statements to make it feel authentic and as usual the player doesn't really say much of anything. The reporter in this short piece follows the normal pattern, friendly greeting, some useless piece of trivia, generic question (get answer), generic question, (get answer) Good Luck. As I move on here I am starting to think this writer worked really hard to keep this article true to life. I'm giving this article a 10/10, great work. Good luck in the playoffs.

1) We play Moscow first, which team will score the most goals in the series? 2) Which player on Moscow will have the most penalties? 3) How many games will the series go? 4) Will either of the goalies get a shut out in the series? 5) Can you predict who the most valuable plyer for the series will be? 6) Final question: Which team will win the series?

Thus my comment about intention vs perception. I'm very glad those in charge are hiring GM for the VHLM knowing they may have the most difficult job of the 3 GM'img positions. To be the main source of teaching and encouragement, as well as manage potential waivers that could happen at any time is not easy. But as you said the general conversation when it comes to GM positions is that you enter as part of one of the offseason tournaments, you get a VHLM job and then you move up (are promoted to higher positions).

I wrote an article previously about how I think the VHLM GM is the most important as they have a significant job related to training and retention of first gen players. However, my experience in the last 3 seasons would suggest that actual hiring of GM's generally puts those with less GMing experience in the VHLM, they then work their way to either the VHLE or VHL. Sometimes we have to accept that there is intention of those doing the hiring, and then there is the perception of everyone else. I am glad that those doing the hiring aren't using the VHLM as a training ground but the perception still exists.

There have been several articles and media spots posted over the last season that have asked a variety of questions regarding the league structure (VHLM – VHLE – VHL) and if that structure is being effective in accomplishing what it was intended for. I will admit that I am guilty of bringing this topic up to resolve some frustration, or better put, perceived frustration I have. I would like to start by first apologizing. After reading several recent articles and considering the conversation that went on, I entered the conversation with my concept of things but never stopped to ask the most fundamental question. Why is the league structured as it is, what is the history and what was the purpose? VHLM – I have been working under the assumption that the VHLM is a separate league designed to allow new and recreating players an opportunity to come into the league at any time (let us be honest you would never be able to have a league if you only allowed player creation during the offseason and up to draft day) and be able to join the league and get immersed in the process without disturbing the VHL ongoing activities. Secondly, the VHLM is designed to assist first gen players get introduced to more veteran players, to learn the overall process of building TPE and to learn how the system works. The VHLM works as an expansion of the recruiting function and does support this activity by focusing on the first gen player experience. Lastly, the VHLM is meant to be a place where those who join and then drop out can do so without causing downstream problems in the VHL. From a GM perspective it is my assumption that the VHLM is used as a training ground for new GM candidates before they move on to VHL positions. Would really love if one of our more veteran players, especially a board member could address these assumptions, set me straight where needed or confirm those items that are true. VHLE – From what I have been told the VHLE was initially a reaction to an influx of players during Covid. That it was introduced to allow more players to be involved without disturbing the overall process and integrity of the VHL. I believe it has evolved from that initial position and now the VHLE is that secondary level of player development hoping to ensure that only those who are dedicated to regular play will make it to the VHL. Thus, allowing for a more competitive VHL experience. Overall, it also allows for further GM development. As the only way to get to the VHLE is through draft it does provide an added level of competition between the teams. The VHLM is not meant to be competitive as there is no guarantee of when or how many new or returning players will join. VHL – is designed to allow a player to experience a hockey career. Draft, contracts, trading, championships, free agency, an overall experience. Part of the design is that you must reach a certain level of commitment to the process, to reach a minimum threshold of involvement (400tpe) before you can join. This ensures that all people and all teams within the league can compete. The purpose is to push both players and GM to do their best to develop their skills and to take pride in what they accomplish. In the VHLM and VHLE participation ribbons matter as it is about learning skills and finding out if you are having fun in the league, in the VHL it is about coming in 1st participation becomes an expectation, striving to win becomes the goal. This is like real hockey, you enter hockey as a child to learn to skate, pass and shoot. Once a player reaches the NHL you do not questions their dedication to the sport and their minimum ability. As I noted, I am asking this question to confirm my assumptions and to learn what the starting point of a discussion should be.