TopTiddee2

Fair enough. I wouldn't be surprised if Calgary takes a look at calling up Jack Jack sometime during the season, however. Depends on how the Wranglers feel going forward with their D core (now with YaBoi Oven retiring). If Jack Jack sticks around, then I'd upgrade to a C on the blue line.

Hi everyone! I hope you read my (ridiculously) long media spot I just finished writing, it's my insight on the VHLM offseason and the direction teams might be taking heading into S99. Some of you most likely noticed that I took a rather lengthy absence from the forum, and that was for an obvious reason: life took a big turn. Mainly, my schoolwork became my priority, and of course, I needed to take a backseat on the VHLForum as a whole. With mounting tests, homework, projects, and future planning of my real-life career, I felt that it wasn't fair to the team I was on, and thus, I ultimately made the decision to retire my player and leave the forum, possibly for good. But after life settled down, I vaguely remembered the Forum and decided to do a quick Google search to see if the leagues were still running, and luckily, they still were. I thought to myself, "You know what, why not give it another shot?" Thus, Reid Johnson Jr was born. The son of a former LVA player and GM, "Junior" looks to follow in his footsteps and make his name known. I'll try and be more present in the Forum as I can, since I'll be graduating with my undergraduate degree in Biology in less than 2 weeks. I'll be going through final exams next week, so cut me some slack until that period blows over. Happy to be back! (Chris Rock will make an appearance again soon) ~TopTiddee2

Side note: I know some of these GMs have taken new positions/left and thus are no longer with their respective teams. But I'm too lazy to change it. I feel like the narrative for these teams won't change much.

PRELUDE: Hello everyone! After several months away from the forum for much-needed life adjustments, I have finally returned to the forum! Very nice to see many new and old names still around, and I hope I get to meet all the new names here soon. NOW...THE ACTUAL ARTICLE Now the premier developmental league of the forum, the VHLM has gotten a lot more competitive, making it tougher for lower TPE to stand out like they once did at a 200 TPE cap. With many graduations to the VHL, @Spartan knows that the league is bound to shake up following the conclusion of the playoffs, stating, "...teams in contention always have more players they'll lose to graduation or call-ups. It's sort of natural for a developmental league. The teams sitting in the mid-low playoff range this season will likely be the ones to make a bigger jump next season." As stated in the title, I will be ranking the depth of each team's position (F, D, G, Potential [meaning team's future potential with picks and lower TPE players]) and give my input as to what each team needs to focus on heading into the upcoming offseason. I'll start from the bottom of the standings to the top. DISCLAIMER: THE GRADES BEING GIVEN ARE FOR THE ROSTERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE OFFSEASON, NOT THE CURRENT ROSTERS Miami Marauders (10-56-6, 26 PTS) - First Selection: R1, Pick 1 Forwards: F | Defense: F | Goalies: F | Potential: A+ GM: @Ricer13 OVERVIEW: Miami had a rough season, finishing at the bottom of the standings for S98. They'll be looking to fill in some major holes, and this draft certainly has the potential to help Miami build for the future. When asked about thought processes about the upcoming draft, GM (@Ricer13) stated, "The upcoming draft is a big one. Miami's focus will be on trying to accumulate as many picks as possible to build out the team for long-term sustainability." Offensively, they're looking to find three replacements for all 3 Cs, as they will be lost to the Dispersion Draft/Retirement. On the defensive side of things, Miami will be losing D Chase Breeze (@C-Breeze) to the S99 Dispersal Draft, which will be a major blow to their D core. Most of their D have been slacking/not active as of recently, or at a very low TPE number, so Miami must pick up some D depth to build for the future. In net, G special ed (@special ed) will also be entering the Dispersal Draft, which puts Miami without a #1 option for the upcoming season. While ed's stats were nothing pretty, the Mauraders are banking on a G to fall to them in the draft or to have one join them via waivers. DRAFT SUGGESTION: 1st Overall - C John Cowgill (@FlyingWV) (195 TPE) Ricer has stated that "Miami will look to dangle this pick and move down in the draft. The goal is to acquire more depth picks in the draft. We aren't in a place to be selecting a top-end player as we won't be a contender next season." However, we like to have fun and assume that if, for some reason, Miami is unable to trade down with a team, then we say they would stick with #1 in this draft. If so, this should realistically be a no-brainer for Ricer. As mentioned before, Miami will be losing its 3 Cs after the season is over. Picking up C talent at the draft is going to be crucial for Miami's future, and Cowgill's progression has continued to skyrocket. Not to mention, with Cowgill just under 200 TPE, this would possibly mean that the C can stick around longer compared to Florida Man II (214 TPE) and Igor Sokolov (245 TPE). Cowgill has also performed well with Mexico City, putting up respectable numbers on the 2nd line. With first-line minutes, it's possible we could see a breakout from Cowgill and a dominance for seasons to come. TO RECAP: Ricer knows that Miami is in a full rebuild coming into the offseason. When asked about the amount of talent the Mauraders are losing, the hopeful GM reiterated, "The plan hasn't changed. We know waivers will be coming and going, and our focus will be on locking in our roster through the draft and speeding up the rebuild." Ricer certainly has a lot to think about come offseason time, and only time will tell if Miami can squeak into the postseason with luck from Simon. San Diego Marlins (21-47-4, 46 PTS) - First Selection: R1, Pick 2 Forward: C | Defense: B | Goalie: D+ | Potential: A+ GM: @Mysterious_Fish OVERVIEW: San Diego missed the playoffs by 9 points this season and is looking to broaden their depth tremendously. In my opinion, their Defensive core is solid, while their Forward core is mainly young and lower TPE, but has some experience sprinkled in. The only reason I gave Goalie a lower grade was due to a lower TPE compared to several other goalies in the league. Since (@Will3) is currently running Welfare + Practice claims, the position won't be developing into a top-tier goalie anytime soon (trust me, I'm not taking any shots, I was also like that at one point). DRAFT SUGGESTION: 2nd Overall - LW Florida Man II (@Florida Man) (214 TPE) The Marlins are looking to build on their forward depth, and I believe that Florida Man II is a key player that SD should be targeting. The Halifax LW (59GP 2-8-10) may not have the most lucrative stat line in the draft, but is capable of becoming a bloomer given a bigger role on a new team. Not to mention, Man II is consistently building up TPE points, suggesting he could reach well over 300 by the time next season concludes. Considering SDM holds both #2 overall and OTT's 1st (#3 overall), the Marlins have the chance to build strong depth up front or back in net if they wish to do so. 3rd Overall (from OTT) - RW Igor Sokolov (@Kisslinger) (245 TPE) Picking up F talent at the draft is going to be crucial for San Diego's future, and Sokolov, on paper, might be the franchise talent the Marlins can build around. Sokolov, last playing for Halifax (72GP 11-13-24), has been extremely active as of recently and tends to complete a lot of tasks to garner a LOT of TPE. A good forward core is what San Diego needs to be able to clinch a playoff berth, and I believe Sokolov would be the beginning of building something strong for the Marlins. TO RECAP: San Diego could easily become a playoff contender with a MAJOR shakeup bound to happen in the M this year, as top-seeded teams are losing several key players to graduation to the VHL. With the 2nd & 3rd overall pick, picking Man II, in my opinion, will give SDM a rather competitive team, giving them a shot to compete in the playoffs. It will be entertaining to see how SDM plays their cards and competes in S99. Ottawa Lynx (25-42-5, 55 PTS) - First Selection: R2, Pick 11 Forward: C+ | Defense: C | Goalie: C- | Potential: B GM: @Grape OVERVIEW: Ottawa just snuck into the playoffs after comfortably making it in during S98, thanks in part to RW Kyle Evans (@Kyle Evans), who put up great numbers for the 8th seed (72GP 38-71-109), as well as LW Owen Two (@do3bo1) (72GP 31-52-83). When asked about the potential departure of Evans, Grape acknowledges that the offseason will look to fill Evans' shoes once he leaves the club. The GM stated, "Right now, I'm looking at our draft and the players we are retaining to replace that offensive production, which I feel quite confident about." D Elisa McMuffin (@Ente2997) held down the blue line with impressive numbers (72GP 11-51-62), and G Komi Kamal (@dustywilson22) struggled a bit in between the pipes, as the Lynx couldn't find themselves in the middle of the pack and got bounced early by Houston in the 1st round of the playoffs. OTT does not have its first-round pick, as it was sent to San Diego, which Grape says was for a reason. The GM mentioned, "I made the trade right away, knowing that it'll be a high pick, and I still stand by it. I've done my best to load up on later-round picks to assist in making up for this." DRAFT SUGGESTION: 7th Overall (Trade w/ LVA) - D Ayumu Kasuga (@Grape) (149 TPE) Yes, you read that right. I think Ottawa's OWN GM will trade up with LVA to select himself. Here's why: Ottawa's main focus is going to have to be on their defense once Kasuga leaves for the Dispersion Draft. Having said that, if I were in the shoes of Grape, I would move the S100 OTT 2nd and S99 HOU 3rd to obtain the 7th overall pick, held by LVA. That way, Las Vegas obtains a 3rd round pick in this upcoming draft to draft a lower, but also productive, player on defense (they still have the 4th overall pick anyway). This, meanwhile, gives Ottawa the chance to retain Kasuga's services for several seasons down the road. Most of the players for the Lynx have not received TPE points in recent weeks, so it's important to have a player that you know is going to stick around, hence the pick for the GM's player. TO RECAP: Ottawa is continuing to look to compete in the playoffs down the road, but San Diego is not far behind. Miami is going to take a bit longer, but there is no warning as of now. If Ottawa can play their cards right, in picking up key F and D, this team will have no problem continuing to stay playoff contenders (it would also be funny to see Grape take his player lol). Las Vegas Aces (28-34-10, 66 PTS) - First Selection: R1, Pick 4 Forward: B | Defense: D | Goalie: B- | Potential: A+ GM: @sadie OVERVIEW: Las Vegas sat comfortably in the 7th seed when the regular season ended, and as of this writing, has made its playoff series with Philadelphia (the #2 seed!) very interesting. A very notable player on the blue line is easily D Mathias Gunnarsson (@ThatCanadian), putting up solid numbers in his last season with the Aces (72GP 16-43-58). That's the main issue, however, is that Gunnarsson will be leaving the team once the playoffs have concluded. Aces' GM Sadie agreed that Gunnarsson has been a major help for the team, but that the Aces are ready to move into the future. The optimistic GM stated, "Gunnarsson has been HUGE for us, and his departure will make a difference, but the team as a whole is going to have to look very different...S99 will of course be the most important draft in my time GMing." DRAFT SUGGESTION: 4th Overall - Chase Breeze (@C-Breeze) (180 TPE) In a no-brainer, must-need selection by the Aces, they take Chase Breeze, a very productive D with the Miami Marauders (38GP 9-19-28). This pick gives the Aces a solid D choice who has been very active in the forums and Discord. Not to mention that Breeze has developed very well for a first-gen. As mentioned previously, a hypothetical trade would see LVA send their 7th overall pick to OTT for HOU's 3rd in this draft and OTT's 2nd in next season's draft. This gives LVA the chance to pick in the 3rd round on top of their 2nd pick, with chances to select more D to solidify the core. A good draft and FA period could see LVA compete for a championship next year if Sadie plays it smart. Another player to target would be previously mentioned D Ayumu Kasuga, as having two solid, constantly developing D would prove extremely beneficial to the Aces in the long run, as they would both most likely stay for 2+ seasons. Sadie mentioned that Defense is going to be the focus of the offseason, claiming, "We're planning to build the foundation with S99 and be the favorite in S100." TO RECAP: Las Vegas has a lot of chances to make noise in the offseason and emerge as the easy winners. The 4th and 7th (if retained) overall picks could be a game-changer and bring much-needed talent to an already respectable Aces squad. If I were on another team, I would be cautious around the Aces going forward. Saskatoon Wild (34-33-5, 73 PTS) - First Selection: R1, Pick 5 Forward: C | Defense: C | Goalie: C- | Potential: B GM: @Dadam30 OVERVIEW: As of this writing, Saskatoon had been swept by Halifax in the 1st round and is now looking ahead to the offseason with RW CJ Daniels (@xNJDevilsFanx) (72GP 52-58-110) moving on from the team to HC Davos (VHL). This is going to raise a lot of concern for the Wild, who are looking to continue their rhythm next year and make the playoffs again. Their core roster will mostly return, besides Daniels and other late-season pickups. The Wild might have a lot of work to do in the offseason, but they hold a plethora of draft picks to help keep their roster afloat. GM Dadam30 will have their work cut out for them. DRAFT SUGGESTION: 5th Overall - C Patrick Finnegan (@JB123) (158 TPE) Saskatoon is gonna need a LOT of help up front to keep up with the rest of the league, and by selecting Finnegan with the 5th overall pick, will solidify their C position for several seasons. For playing in Miami this year, Finnegan (72GP 21-24-45) produced well and should be a solid piece for Saskatoon should they take him here. Another option could be to move down from 5th to grab more late-round picks in this draft, seeing how deep it is. TO RECAP: Losing a big piece is going to be tough, but I think Saskatoon has enough to persuade FAs and select well. The only reason I graded their potential low is due to the uncertainty of their offseason and the team going forward, but if they have a great draft and FA period, then I could easily see Saskatoon finishing higher than 6th next season. Finnegan's season with Miami this season shouldn't be taken heavily, as Miami struggled this season, but if the Wild were to take him, they should be able to keep up with the rest of the teams and make the playoffs. Mississauga Hounds (38-26-8, 84 PTS) - First Selection: R1, Pick 6 Forward: C+ | Defense: C+ | Goalie: F | Potential: B- GM: @ace_five_ OVERVIEW: After being eliminated in the 1st round at the hands of the Mexico City Kings, a lot of questions are going to be asked about the Hounds. Mississauga had a roster consisting of 3 400 TPE players, and 1 nearing 400, all of which produced a high point total over the season. Not to mention, their starting goaltender, G Yor Bjorven (@Rin), suddenly retired from the team. This makes the offseason very important going forward for them, as they look to continue to be playoff contenders. GM Ace acknowledged this, stating, "They will be missed greatly. Some of these players were part of the cup-winning team back in S96, so it says a lot...these are big shoes to fill." DRAFT SUGGESTION: 6th Overall - C Finn Mertzer (@Steve) (154 TPE) Mississauga currently holds 2 1st round picks, which Ace has high value for, claiming, "I don't think it's too necessary to move up a few spots in such a deep draft. I think the whole first round, and into the second, will be a hit. Anyone will be ready to help the team immediately." Suggesting this, Mississauga will have a strong chance to pick up very talented players, with possibly several seasons to be with the team. C Finn Mertzer (18GP 4-8-12) is a solid option to head up their new-look forward core. 10th Overall - G Brandon Hope (@McLovin) (125 TPE) Coming off a 3 game trial with Las Vegas, Hope can shine as a future star goalie. I have Halifax taking G Diego Adam with the 8th overall pick, so Mississauga should look to pickup the next best option, which in my opinion, is Hope. TO RECAP: Mississauga needs to make some major noise in the offseason to ensure a return to the playoffs. Their potential is solid due to their two high picks, but hangs in the balance of their FA signings due to their minimal draft capital. The GMs for the team know they have their work cut out for them in the upcoming FA/Draft period. Mexico City Kings (44-20-8, 96 PTS) - First Selection: R3, Pick 21 Forward: B+ | Defense: C | Goalie: C | Potential: C GM: @VattghernCZ OVERVIEW: Mexico City's roster has been stacked, consisting of a strong forward core and arguably the #1 defensive core, with a capped goalie to boot. One of the league's top defenders, D Ronan Amnon (@Breeze837) has put on a show from the blue line (72GP 21-53-74), and not to mention their goalie has had an amazing season (53GP 33-14-6, 0.927%, 1.51) to help the Kings become serious playoff contenders. However, once their season concludes, they will have some serious work to do to replace the firepower they will lose to the VHL. DRAFT SUGGESTION: 21st Overall - D Natalia Nano (@leafsman) (98 TPE) MEX will be losing 3 (possibly 4) D at the end of the season, so this position is going to become crucial down the road for the Kings to fill. Nano was stuck on a STACKED Houston team and was picked up late in the season, only playing 18 games in the regular season (2-1-3). With a bigger role and the possibility to play for a few seasons, Nano could easily emerge from their shell and become a big producer down the road for the Kings. TO RECAP: Mexico City has a lot of talent to boot, and should help carry them on a deep playoff run, but once their big producers leave, they'll have to start thinking about the future. With few picks of value in this year's draft, they may have to look to the FA market and pick up some help. I expect Mexico City to regress, but still make the playoffs somewhere in the 5-7 seed range. I give their future potential a C, as it's unsure how the Kings are going to rebound off their D core leaving. Halifax 21st (47-18-7, 101 PTS) - First Selection: R1, Pick 8 Forward: B- | Defense: B+ | Goalie: C | Potential: B+ GM: @rory OVERVIEW: Halifax just barely eclipsed the 100-point mark to cap off a great season under GM Rory. LW Hater Tottingham (@Trunkxolotl) finished in the Top-10 in points this season (72GP 33-47-80), and as of this article, the 21st swept Saskatoon in the first round. Their team consists of solid depth, both on the offensive and defensive side, and features a capped goalie in G Chad Powers (@Big_Dyl), helping solidify their positioning. DRAFT SUGGESTION: 8th Overall - G Diego Adam ( @Dadam30) (147 TPE) Halifax's big concern is going to be picking up a solid G to make up for losing G Chad Powers and now-inactive G Kim Chi. Picking G Diego Adam would make a lot of sense here. While he struggled with Saskatoon this past season, he may need a resurgence with a new team to emerge as the top option in the draft, and Halifax provides enough depth to help him grow. TO RECAP: Halifax had a very productive season, one that sees them more than likely making a deep playoff run, and potentially as a dark horse to win the championship this year. Once the offseason begins, I expect Halifax to move to the top of the standings and finish with an even better record with the depth they have and a hypothetical new addition of G Diego Adam. Losing LW Tottingham to the VHL is going to be a scratch to the lineup, but it shouldn't hurt the 21st too much. Philadelphia Reapers (54-13-5, 113 PTS) - First Selection: R1, Pick 9 Forward: C | Defense: B | Goalie: B | Potential: B GM: @mattyIceman OVERVIEW: Winning the Eastern Conference is no easy task, especially with the talent of some of the teams in the conference (-Miami), but Philly made the most of their season, clinching the conference title and the #2 seed in the Founder's Cup Playoffs. Boasting 4 (!!!) players in the Top 10 in points and G Louis Burley (@EndoNate) locking it down between the pipes for most of the season, the Reapers had no problem becoming a problem on teams' schedules this season. DRAFT SUGGESTION: 9th Overall - C Bash McMurray ( @Bushito) (148 TPE) Philly is going to be losing several Fs to the VHL soon and will need to address their depth up front. Selecting McMurray 9th will solidify the middle of the lineup, especially boasting an impressive stat line on conference rival Miami (18GP 4-7-11). Expect McMurray's production to slightly decrease with more depth surrounding them, but with development over the next few seasons, it should continue to be a productive piece for the Reapers to continue to hunt a championship. TO RECAP: Philly is a Founder's Cup contender at the moment and has a legitimate shot at taking the crown once it's all said and done. They'll lose some F depth after the playoffs, but I don't doubt their ability to rebuild with a hypothetical pick of McMurray. However, it is uncertain what kind of attention they can get from the FA pool, so their potential remains at a solid B for now. Houston Bulls (59-8-5, 123 PTS) - First Selection: R2, Pick 16 Forward: D | Defense: D+ | Goalie: F | Potential: C GM: @SMYLS4 OVERVIEW: The "Cream of the Crop", the Bulls finished with a 10-point cushion ahead of Philadelphia to win the Prime Minister's Cup for most points in the regular season. Led by a star-studded team of ~6 capped players and a capped G in G Bartholomew Lorequavius (@jaypc8237), Houston breezed through their opponents. GM SMYLS4 explained the plan for the Bulls this year, featuring an all-in push. "The plan for S98 was to go all-in and do whatever we could to win," stated SMYLS4, "Although I'm still not 100% sure how many players we will have returning next season, we will be missing many positional needs." I asked SMYLS4 what he thinks about the possibility of Houston winning the Founder's Cup in his first year at the helm. The GM smiled, stating, "This team is full of talent no matter where you look. I am very happy with how we performed in the 1st round, and have high expectations for the following rounds. With it being my first season, I was happy to inherit a good Houston team. I knew we would have a good chunk of players moving up to the VHL after the season, so I decided to go all-in and put us in the best position to win it all. I know it would mean a lot to the team to win it all, as they put in a lot of effort. For myself, winning a Cup in your first season is basically the best possible outcome you could ask for. Houston deserves another Cup." DRAFT SUGGESTION: 16th Overall - LW Oppai Bumu ( @BOOM) (132 TPE) With this all-in push, Houston runs the risk of rebuilding next season. SMYLS4 admitted this, with most of the roster for the Bulls about to be depleted. The GM states, "Having only 3 FA claims doesn't give us a ton of room to work with, but it could be possible. We will desperately need a goalie this draft or have to acquire one via trade." If I'm the GM, I would be looking to build up front and take a different approach to the upcoming draft. I believe at #16, Houston should look to take a risk with LW Oppai Bumu. Not having played in the VHLM yet, Bumu has a high ceiling and should develop quickly. Bumu has the chance to thrive in an environment like Houston's and should be a near half-PPG pick this season, considering future roster woes. Houston in the 3rd round should look to select their backup G from this year, G Michael Szatkowski III (@Mike), who performed well (understandably with a great team in front of him). Szatkowski has developed nicely, and while not the most lucrative pick, should be able to provide long-term stability at the position for Houston down the road. TO RECAP: Houston's roster will take a massive hit once the playoffs conclude. SMYLS4 understands this and seems committed to making the rebuild in hopes of becoming more competitive by the beginning of the season in S100. I give their potential for the offseason a C, considering the lack of draft capital and likely rough FA period lying ahead of them. FINAL THOUGHTS: Whew! Writing 2 days' worth of content is wild, but I had fun doing so. I am excited (as a potential VHLM draft pick myself) to see what the offseason holds and how much the league shakes up in S99! In Simon We Trust. ~4240 words (OH MY LORD)

Apply for AGM if a team needs it!

Is there a Discord Link still? I don’t have it anymore.

I am so back.

Player Information Username: TopTiddee2 Player Name: Reid Johnson Jr Recruited From: Returning Age: 25 Position: RW Height: 76 in. Weight: 205 lbs. Birthplace: United States of America Player Page @VHLM GM

I will say that this is a very good point made, activity and the general lack of new players is very concerning. Granted I’m not the one to talk but hopefully something happens soon so that we may see new faces

For Fox 39 News, I'm Chris Rock. After a 1st round sweep of Halifax in the first round of the VHLM Playoffs, Jeid Rohnson wrapped up his VHLM career and did not disappoint. Drafted 32nd overall by Las Vegas, Rohnson started off his year with 18 goals and 26 assists. Following the 48th game of the season, a struggling Aces squad was desperate to make a move to bolster their future squad. Rohnson was dealt before the deadline to the Halifax 21st, and finished up Season 89 with 6 goals and 14 assists. In Season 90, Halifax was gearing up with one of the top offenses to begin the year. In this season, Rohnson went off, scoring 40 goals and adding in 69 assists in the span of 72 games, giving himself the 4th spot in the league in points, and 2nd in the assist categories. While Rohnson excelled in the regular season, Halifax struggled due to a lack of Defensive depth and were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. While this was a disappointing end to what was a strong year for the youngster, things are looking up as Jeid begins to prepare for the VHLE with Vasteras. His long lost brother, Reid Johnson, played in the VHLE for Oslo. As a defenseman, he put up 48 points (11 goals, 37 assists) in 72 games. With Rohnson being a forward, there's a lot of expectation for Jeid to exceed those numbers considering he will be in front of the net more than Johnson. While we have to wait a few weeks to see how Jeid reacts to a new level of hockey, we can hope to see that he performs well. For Fox 39 News, I'm Chris Rock.

I ended up going back to Malmo but retired the player

@leandrofg Welcome VHLMers to this special edition of VHLM News. I'm your host, Chris Rock! Joining me today is a very special guest. The second writer for VHLM content on VSN, @McLovin!. We are bringing an update to how the VHLM season wrapped up and how we think the playoffs are going to go based on our very trustworthy predictions! FINAL STANDINGS x-Clinched Playoffs, y-Clinched Conference, z-Regular Season Champions 1st. Philadelphia Reapers (55-12-5) - z 2nd. Houston Bulls (48-14-10) - y 3rd. San Diego Marlins (49-16-7) - x 4th. Mexico City Kings (39-27-6) - x 5th. Mississauga Hounds (36-26-10) - x 6th. Halifax 21st (32-37-3) - x 7th. Ottawa Lynx (24-33-15) - x 8th. Miami Marauders (26-36-10) - x 9th. Saskatoon Wild (26-42-4) 10th. Las Vegas Aces (25-43-4) Not too much shift since my last post. We saw a dominant Reapers team clinch the Regular Season title, with Houston and San Diego fighting to clinch the West title. Las Vegas finished the season with the worst record (25-43-4), and will look to rebound promptly next season with a new squad. PLAYOFF PREDICITIONS: 1ST ROUND 1st. Philadelphia Reapers (55-12-5) - z vs 8th. Miami Marauders (26-36-10) - x This will likely be nothing short of a curb stomping for Philly. The top end talent, elite goaltending, special teams ability. They outmatch Miami ten to one in any category and I'd be surprised if Miami gets a game out of this series. Very reminiscent of Las Vegas v Mexico City from last season. A player I'd say to watch out for is Karl Herzlich. His shutdown ability is second to none in the M right now, and will likely be putting up high sv % and low GAA games, absolutely brickwalling Miami on this one. ~McLovin 2nd. Houston Bulls (48-14-10) - y vs 7th. Ottawa Lynx (24-33-15) - x I fully expect Houston to run away with this series early. Their production and offensive firepower make them one of the biggest contenders for the Founder's Cup. While crazy things have happened before regarding upsets, I don't expect an upset to happen here. I say Houston takes this series in 4. The player to watch in this series is HOU's G Devon Giguere, who was a top 5 goalie overall during the regular season. We'll see how he plays in what should be a quick series in favor of the Bulls. ~Chris Rock 3rd. San Diego Marlins (49-16-7) - x vs 6th. Halifax 21st (32-37-3) - x This looks to be one of the closest matchups we've seen in a little while. These teams tied the season series 3-3, and are now facing off in the first round of the playoffs. While I think Halifax can make a sneaky attack and advance to the second round, I think SDM will take this one in 6 games. The player to watch in this series is Brad Marchand, who was 2nd in the league in scoring this season. I think he will be the biggest factor when it comes down to the wire and SDM is in dire need of a goal ~Chris Rock 4th. Mexico City Kings (39-27-6) - x vs 5th. Mississauga Hounds (36-26-10) - x This series is going to be extremely competitive, and I get the sense that Mississauga will pull ahead on this one. You look at the facts and they don't lie. Capped players in the top 6 forward core, a better goalie. Mexico has a chance will a better defensive core but it'll need to come out to carry the team against that lethal offense MIS carries with them. It's a series I very easily see going 6 or 7, and can go either which way. A player to watch from this series will be Conference Prince-de-Galles. His elite two-way game as a defenseman will likely play a large role in who wins this series, and should he be able to translate his regular season production into the post season, it will make the difference in the series and likely propel Mexico past Mississauga. ~McLovin While it's pretty obvious where things are going in the first round for most of these series, it will be pretty entertaining to see where these head! We are looking forward to seeing all the drama unfold before us!. For VSN News, we're Chris Rock and McLovin. (Round 2 and Finals Below) claims: TopTiddee: 1 week McLovin: 2 weeks

OH MY GOD RAHHHHHHHHH HBD

@v.2 Good evening VHLers! As you might know, I have covered Jeid Rohnson's career so far on Fox 39 News, however, I was recently given the position at the Victory Sports Network to cover the VHLM. I am very grateful for this opportunity and look forward to a long relationship with the community! Without further ado, let's take a look into the VHLM season so far! STANDINGS (Overall) x-Clinched Playoffs, y-Clinched Conference, z-Regular Season Champions 1st. Philadelphia Reapers (46-9-3) - y 2nd. Houston Bulls (38-12-8) - x 3rd. San Diego Marlins (37-14-7) - x 4th. Mexico City Kings (31-22-5) 5th. Mississauga Hounds (28-22-7) 6th. Halifax 21st (26-30-2) 7th. Miami Marauders (22-29-7) 8th. Ottawa Lynx (18-27-12) 9th. Las Vegas Aces (22-32-4) 10th. Saskatoon Wild (21-34-3) Team that has surprised me the most: Halifax 21st Based on my Week 1 post regarding the VHLM week recap, Halifax started out at 3-7-0, and sitting at the bottom of the league. Key additions to their F core at the trade deadline (C Jeid Rohnson and RW Maxim Anisimov via LVA) has boosted their scoring production and has propelled them up the standings. While it seems like this team is going to be a one-and-done in the playoffs, they have the potential to go farther than most have them. Only time will tell if they can prove they belong, as they have a middle-of-the-road schedule for the rest of the season. Most disappointing team: Las Vegas Aces The future looked bright for the Aces, as they started off in the middle of the pack and looked to have a young group of guys who could develop into MVP candidates. Now that they have dropped to 9th place in the league, they have begun rebuilding their squad and were very active at the trade deadline. Sending capped D Walter Fitzroy Jr to Houston in exchange for RW Jason Lajeunesse Jr and D Harjen Van Kraken started off the fire sale, looking to add raw depth to their team. Just two days later, the Aces packaged C Jeid Rohnson and RW Maxim Anisimov and sent them to Halifax in exchange for a high volume LW in Quinndillus Whopper and HFX's S91 3rd round pick. It will be interesting to see how LVA adjusts to this new era now that they are in prime position of securing the 1st overall pick. SCORING LEADERS (Top 10) 1. Axle Gunner (PHI) (37 G, 49 A, 86 PTS) 2. Miroslav (HFX) (30 G, 49 A, 79 PTS) 3. Brad Marchand (SDM) (38 G, 41 A, 79 PTS) 4. Carson Walker Jr. (MEX) (39 G, 38 A, 77 PTS) 5. LeBen Aky (PHI) (37 G, 39 A, 76 PTS) 6. Catia Goncalves (MIS) (34 G, 40 A, 74 PTS) 7. Dominik Kopecky (MIS) (26 G, 45 A, 71 PTS) 8. Sjin (SDM) (26 G, 44 A, 70 PTS) 9. Tyler Swift (PHI) (20 G, 49 A, 69 PTS) 10. Anthony Simmons (PHI) (23 G, 46 A, 69 PTS) GOALIE LEADERS (Top 5) 1. Karl Herzlich (PHI) (45-8-3, .918 SV%, 2.22 GAA) 2. Devon Giguere (HOU) (38-12-8, .904 SV%, 2.43 GAA) 3. Clark (SDM) (37-14-7, .909 SV%, 2.3 GAA) 4. Jose Avocado (MEX) (31-18-5, .906 SV%, 2.61 GAA) 5. Pierre-luc Dutil (MIS) (28-22-7, .901 SV%, 2.92 GAA) MY TOP 3 MVP CANDIDATES: Axle Gunner, C, PHI The best scorer in the league on the best team. Gunner has the perfect combination of goal scoring ability and playmaking ability to help his team find the back of the net on most nights. With a tight race for the top of the scoring leaderboard, only time will tell if he can keep up the production to help Philly clinch the Regular Season title. Karl Herzlich, G, PHI You know what they say, defense wins championships. However, a big part of this mighty Reapers squad has been the production of Herzlich in between the pipes. Now that Philly is heading to the playoffs to defend their title, they are relying on him to become a key contributor in what is expected to be a deep playoff run for the Reapers. If he wins the Playoff MVP, there's no doubt in my mind he can win League MVP. Carson Walker Jr., RW, MEX It was hard to choose if I should've gone D or another F for this final spot. I chose Walker Jr. primarily due to his goal scoring ability, a league-leading 39 goals have come off of his stick. He is a big contributor to Mexico City's success and is in the hunt of securing a sneaky MVP award. Honorable Mention: Tyler Swift, D, PHI It was hard not putting a D in the Top 3, so I gave D Tyler Swift of Philly an honorable mention. Swift appears in numerous categories as one of the top, if not, the best Dmen in the M. He sure has to be keeping G Karl Herzlich happy considering Philly is an unstoppable force at the moment. FINAL THOUGHTS: It's shaping up to be a very entertaining finish in the VHLM, I think the most out of any season that comes to recent memory. I think there's a clear favorite in the Reapers to repeat as Founder's Cup Champions, however, anything can happen and we've seen it before. The most entertaining part of the standings, however, is who will make it out alive? Both Las Vegas and Saskatoon need to have long streaks of wins if they want to sniff a bottom seed in the playoffs this year, but based on current trends, the window continues to close. This ending is shaping up to be a good one! Good luck to all teams! For VSN, I'm Chris Rock.