Anthique

1. WE SWEPT MOSCOW! How did you feel once that series concluded?!
That was a nice team victory! Happy for you guys!
 
2. Do you believe in the Victory Cup curse?
Yes we got the experience a few season ago...
 
3. Has Davos exceeded your expectations this season now that we face Riga?
Yeah a little bit, but it just confirmed me that next season we will be even more dangerous.
 
5. Which team do you believe is Davos’ biggest rival overall?
With my last player, it was Helsinki, not sure now if it's still them. Maybe fake purple (Prague)?
 
6. Thoughts on the end of the VHLE?
I think it's a good thing, three leagues is too much in my opinion.
 
7. Will you be participating in the Pro Am this offseason?
Maybe, will need to link to it to do so haha!

1. How would you describe Davos’ performance in the wildcard round against Warsaw in one word?
Dominance
 
2. Moscow is up next! How do you feel about our squad going into this series? If you are answering after the series is over, how did we do?
You guys did f*cking great! A big upset let's goooo!
 
3. What are your thoughts on the current state of goalies in the VHL after the STHS tweak from a few seasons ago to create more scoring chances for skaters?
Nothing bad to say about this! Goalies are still really good so I think it was a good decision.
 
4. If you could play with any other player in the VHL, active or retired, who would it be?
My last player was very different from this one, so maybe they could teach each other something?
 
5. What was your player’s most impressive stat this regular season?
Can't really say one stats in particular. Top 5 in Points and Hits, top 10 in Shots Blocked, Penalty Minutes and Powerplay goals.
 
8. Do you speak more than one language? If so, what are they?
Bonjour comment ça va? In Québec most of us speak french so yeah haha.

@ace_five_
Welcome everyone,
 
As you probably already know, two days ago was the end of the last regular season of the VHLE as it won't come back in S96. This also means that these playoffs are going to be the last one and we are going to see a last VHLE champion. The first round will see the Cologne Express face the Stockholm Vikings and the Bratislava Watchmen play against the Vasteras Iron Eagles. So, who is going to win the Renaissance Cup for the last time?
 
Semi-final #1 – Cologne Express (1)  vs Stockholm Vikings (4) 
 
Regular season series: COL wins regular season series 10-5-0.
 
I feel like I am constantly repeating myself, but once again, the Cologne Express finished the regular season first in the league with a record of 51 wins, 19 losses ans 2 losses in overtime for a total of 104 points in 72 games. It was also the third 100 points season in the last four seasons for the Cologne Express. On the other hand, we have the Stockholm Vikings who fought for a playoff spot during the season and finished fourth in the standings with a record of 35 wins, 30 losses and 7 losses in overtime for a total of 77 points in 72 games. The Cologne Express can count on multiple veterans with a lot of playoff experience like BjorkaBjorn BjornaBjorkson @JardyB10, Baby Moo Moo @Elvis and Joseph Dubois @Dubois. For the Vikings, it is the rookies that are leading the team; indeed, Phil Sakic @Phil, Samsayz I-Smell @CaptainSB and Masa Akimoto @Hokikeijot are all among the leaders of the squad. In conclusion, I believe that Cologne is just way too good and even if Stockholm will cause a surprise in one or two games, the Express are going to win this series.
 
VSN Prediction: Cologne wins in 6 games.
 
Semi-final #2 – Bratislava Watchmen (2)  vs Vasteras Iron Eagles (3) 
 
Regular season series: VAS wins regular season series 7-6-1.
 
For this second semi-final series, we have two completely different teams. On one side, we have the Bratislava Watchmen who are at the top of the standings since the beginning of the season, but are slowing down a little bit since the trade deadline and ended the regular season with 44 wins, 24 losses and 4 losses in overtime for 92 points in 72 games. In the other locker room, we have the Vasteras Iron Eagles who struggled at the beginning of the season, but had a strong last week to qualify for the playoffs with a record of 41 wins, 29 losses and 2 overtime losses for a total of 84 points in 72 games. For the Bratislava Watchmen, Dorji Khan @Oddpurplefly, Steve French @Seabass and Ocean Codoller @FreshOceanCod are going to be really important offensively. Hugo Boss @Dil will have to be really good in this series, because Bratislava is struggling a little bit defensively. Unlike the Watchmen, the Vasteras Iron Eagles are a much better team defensively with Billy Joel @The goat of hockey, Alphonse Desjardins @Anthique, Chuck E Cheese @diacope 2 and Ondrej Vencko @Mutti in the net. This series is without a doubt going to be really tight, but we think that the Vasteras Iron Eagles have a slight advantage.
 
VSN Prediction: Vasteras wins in 7 games.
 
Final – Cologne Express (1)  vs Vasteras Iron Eagles (3) 
 
Regular season series: COL wins regular season series 10-4-0.
 
For the last final of the Renaissance Cup, we believe that the Cologne Express will face the Vasteras Iron Eagles. On paper, the Cologne Express look a bit better than the Vasteras Iron Eagles and they were the best team in the league defensively. Offensively, both teams did pretty much the same, Vasteras may have a slight advantage. So, will Cologne win their sixth Renaissance Cup or will Vasteras will win their second? We give the advantage to the Cologne Express.
 
VSN Prediction: Cologne wins in 6 games.
 
That’s all for me, thanks everyone for reading, I wish you all good playoffs and see you in another VSN article!

Hello @Members
 
I won't lie, some of you are probably thrilled to be reading this, but for me it's bitter sweet. 15 seasons and over 3 real life years ago we officially announced the VHLE, the league's third official league. It was a culmination of a lot of behind the scenes work to make what ultimately was necessary at that time and I was proud to get such a large project off the ground.
 
For many reasons it’s great that it’s no longer 2021, the world isn’t locked down anymore for instance; but one cannot deny those lockdowns brought us a lot of members and now league recruitment has returned to what we would call normal levels vs. the insanity that I think most members became accustomed to. Realistically with that comes the fact that the league is simply not overfilled to the point where a third league is necessary any longer. For that reason, as of S96, we will be removing the VHLE.
 
I can't find any quotes from me on the matter like I would have wanted but I have been saying for years that the VHLE is actually easier to remove than simply expanding the VHLM and then contracting teams later, I stand by that and it is more or less how we are going to handle this. The VHLM for the time being will remain at 10 teams, though we are open to future expansion if needed, and the players from the VHLE will be moved up or down accordingly based on their TPE levels. The VHLM's hard cap will increase to 400 TPE, the VHL's soft cap will remain at 300 TPE. So essentially the same as the VHLE for call ups, if you are over 300 TPE at the cutoff you can play up or down, if you are over 400 TPE you're in the VHL.
 
Exactly how players will be moved down is still up for debate a bit amongst the @VHLM Commissioner  team but in all likelihood players will simply revert back to the team that previously owned their rights in most cases and go to a waiver system in a few select ones. If that doesn't prove remotely balanced there could be a draft, again we'll know more details soon. The VHL isn't particularly affected since players who would have been going up still are so no major change on that front.
 
The @VHLM GM and @VHLE GM groups have been notified about this in advance so they already knew as of a few days ago. For the VHLM side nothing much is changing but unfortunately the VHLE crew are all more or less out of a job, luckily we expect a lot of openings this off season so hopefully they can all find new homes. Either way we appreciate all that they did for the VHLE, even if its time was relatively short in the grand scheme of things. Additionally we appreciate @Enorama for his work as VHLE commish, the RGB teams (RIP that acronym) can be thankless jobs and he did it well to the very end.
 
Other minor things of note that this does affect: the "Hello Europe" career task will officially be retired as of now. We may replace it in the future if we feel like another one is needed but thematically nothing really fits and the @BOG feels as if the career tasks don't necessarily need an additional one in that slot. Career length also did go up with the VHLE but we have no plans as of right now to bring it back down. With the expected time to get to the VHL staying the same it seems equally fair that the career length is staying the same; in most cases people will simply spend that extra season in the VHLM instead of jumping around.
 
I do want to make it clear that, at least personally, I do not believe the VHLE was a failure, simply a mark of it's time. Time's change and the league must evolve. if the time comes that it makes more sense Vasteras may yet ride again but as of now the numbers simply aren't supported. I look forward to moving things back to how they traditionally worked and seeing where that takes us as we approach season 100.
 
Of note, and I promise this wall of text is almost done, we don't expect this to cause off-season delays but it's not impossible so please bear with us if things run a little longer than usual.
 
If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask, I expect there will be some as this is a lot of information.
 
- @Commissioner

After a big season in the VHLM where he won the Cup, Alphonse Desjardins got drafted in the VHLE by the Vasteras Iron Eagles with the 9th selection.
As an Europeans, it's not really a problem for him to play in this region, even if he didn't visited Vasteras before. He knew they got a nice history in the league, so maybe it's his chance to win in this league? After already a Cup the season before, why not 2 in 2? After getting picked in the top 10, some pressure was on him to perform and help his team to get to the next level. He did it in the VHLM with 79 points in 85 games (as a defenseman), so he knows he can put points on the board and be good defensively.
 
On defense, the team is really good. They had two returnee players (S93) with Billy Joel and Check E Cheese as veterans to help the two rookies. The Iron Eagles added Alphonse Desjardins and Einar Mathiesen to have a solid top 4 to get a deep run in the playoffs. They also got Ondrej Vencko as their goalie, another S93 player that is back with the team. As we know, defense will championship so the team really understand that and builded their team from the back end to be competitive. As we will know later, so far it goes well.
 
The season is not over yet, but with 66 games played and only 6 games left, we can already tell if Desjardins had a good season or not. We can say that he had a great one!
In those 66 games, he scored 20 goals while 11 of them were on the powerplay and one game winning goal and he got that with shooting 227 times the puck on the other team goalies. With that he added 45 assists for a total of 65 points, so almost a point per game player. The other teams have to watch him as he's like another forward on the ice. When he have the puck, he can skate, pass or shoot so with those options it's hard to defend against him.
On the defensive side, he was not afraid to lay the body and crush his opponents. A big total of 90 penalty minutes, 195 hits and 135 block shots. 
 
With that we can say that he can play on both side of the ice and not look like a fool. Look at him in the VHL with Davos, they will have a great team in the future and that's great news for Desjardins.
 

After a big season in the VHLM where he won the Cup, Alphonse Desjardins got drafted in the VHLE by the Vasteras Iron Eagles with the 9th selection.
As an Europeans, it's not really a problem for him to play in this region, even if he didn't visited Vasteras before. He knew they got a nice history in the league, so maybe it's his chance to win in this league? After already a Cup the season before, why not 2 in 2? After getting picked in the top 10, some pressure was on him to perform and help his team to get to the next level. He did it in the VHLM with 79 points in 85 games (as a defenseman), so he knows he can put points on the board and be good defensively.
 
On defense, the team is really good. They had two returnee players (S93) with Billy Joel and Check E Cheese as veterans to help the two rookies. The Iron Eagles added Alphonse Desjardins and Einar Mathiesen to have a solid top 4 to get a deep run in the playoffs. They also got Ondrej Vencko as their goalie, another S93 player that is back with the team. As we know, defense will championship so the team really understand that and builded their team from the back end to be competitive. As we will know later, so far it goes well.
 
The season is not over yet, but with 66 games played and only 6 games left, we can already tell if Desjardins had a good season or not. We can say that he had a great one!
In those 66 games, he scored 20 goals while 11 of them were on the powerplay and one game winning goal and he got that with shooting 227 times the puck on the other team goalies. With that he added 45 assists for a total of 65 points, so almost a point per game player. The other teams have to watch him as he's like another forward on the ice. When he have the puck, he can skate, pass or shoot so with those options it's hard to defend against him.
On the defensive side, he was not afraid to lay the body and crush his opponents. A big total of 90 penalty minutes, 195 hits and 135 block shots. 
 
With that we can say that he can play on both side of the ice and not look like a fool. Look at him in the VHL with Davos, they will have a great team in the future and that's great news for Desjardins.
 

1. At the trade deadline, we acquired Yaroslav Trunov! What are your thoughts on Davos’ new addition?
Will bring more depth to the offense, not a bad idea!
 
2. How do you feel about our squad at this point in the season?
Davos is going in the right direction so I feel in a couple of seasons we gonna be really dangerous.
 
3. Have you ever gotten burnt out by the VHL’s weekly tasks? How do you get back on track/earn TPE consistently? 
Not really. I'm not max earning so getting my 10 tpe is not that hard. I'm kinda consistent I think and I don't think I'm gonna stop.
 
4. If there was an emergency backup situation, how do you think your player would fare in the crease for Davos if called upon? (the inverse for our goalie AKK— how would your tendy do as a skater?)
As a defenseman, he can see how his goalie moves so I think he would do good. Not excellent but enough to maybe win a game.
 
5. Should the trivia system be overhauled or changed in any way for newer members?
I don't really know, for me it's a good way to get tpe haha!
 
6. What is your favorite point task to do in the VHL?
This one haha! Fun to answer some questions

1. We have finished up all our backup starts with a promising record! Thoughts on our performance thus far this season?
Really better than anticipated, so that's really good!
 
4. What contributes more to winning championships: offense or defense?
Defense, why do you think I recreate as a defenseman? (joke haha)
 
5. How would you describe your player in one word?
Clutch
 
6. Do you enjoy meme player names?
Not really. I know there is a "meaning" behind it, but I don't really like them.
 
7. Did you watch the Olympics this year? If so, what was your favorite sport to watch?
Gymnastics and fencing were cool to watch!
 
8. Do you have any pets?
Yes a cat. Had a fish some years ago.

@Ricer13
 
Welcome everyone,
 
We are back for another season of the VHLE and I can say with confidence that when you look at the rosters, we can expect that this season is going to be one of the tightest I have ever seen in the VHLE. Indeed, a lot of teams have similar rosters and it made my job of predicting the standings really difficult. So, my predictions are maybe going to be wrong and feel free to tell me if you don't agree with me.
 
#1 Cologne Express 
 
Offense rank: 1st
Defense rank: 1st
Goalie rank: 4th
 
I feel like I am repeating myself, but once again I believe that the Cologne Express are going to finish at the top of the standings. Indeed, Cologne have the best offense of the league, led by BjorkaBjorn BjornaBjorkson @JardyB10 and Baby Moo Moo @Elvis and the best defense led by Joseph Dubois @Dubois and Scrungle Bungle @Novanod. What may hurt Cologne is their goalie, but if they continue to update, their goalie can become a real starter in the VHLE by the end of the regular season and then, they will be unstoppable.
 
#2 Oslo Storm 
 
Offense rank: T-2nd
Defense rank: T-2nd
Goalie rank: T-1st
 
After a tough season in S94, the Oslo Storm are already back on top and ready to compete for the Renaissance Cup. Oslo is tied in first place in the net as Spider Panda @Ricer13 is going to be one of the best goalies in the VHLE this season. Oslo is tied for the second best offense with the Stockholm Vikings and the Bratislava Watchmen. The Storm also tied in second for the best defense, but this time with the Stockholm Vikings and the Vasteras Iron Eagles. The Storm can count on David Pastanap @Jubis and Tim Robinson @Tim Robinson to help them offensively and on Ashoka Tano @Aimee and Wladyslaw Mintus @mintusaurus to help them defensively.
 
 
#T-3 Vasteras Iron Eagles 
 
Offense rank: 5th
Defense rank: T-2nd
Goalie rank: T-1st
 
For the next three teams, the Vasteras Iron Eagles, the Stockholm Vikings and the Bratislava Watchmen, it was way too difficult to rank them, because every team is good in two categories and struggle in the other one, so I decided to place them all in third place as they are way too similar. For Vasteras, their offense is going to hurt them a little bit, but if their top players continue to be active, I can see them being a dominant team with Alphonse Desjardins @Anthique and Einar Mathiesen @xsjack in defense and Ondrej Vencko @Mutti in the net. 
 
#T-3 Stockholm Vikings 
 
Offense rank: T-2nd
Defense rank: T-2nd
Goalie rank: 5th
 
With Phil Sakic @Phil and Dan jr @Danzo, Stockholm are going to be good offensively. However, they will need the help of their defensemen Samsayz I-Smell @CaptainSB and Masa Akimoto @Hokikeijot if they also want to be good defensively. Indeed, Stockholm's weakness is without a doubt going to be in front of the net and they will need the help of everyone to compensate that.
 
 
#T-3 Bratislava Watchmen 
 
Offense rank: T-2nd
Defense rank: 5th
Goalie rank: 3rd
 
Despite having a really good offense led by Dhorji Khan @Oddpurplefly and Steve French @Seabass, the Bratislava Watchmen are really going to struggle defensively as they have the second to last defense in the league, only in front of the Rome Gladiators. However, if Hugo Boss @Dil can continue to improve and become one of the best goalie in the league, the Bratislava Watchmen are going to be really dangerous at the end of the season.
 
#6 Rome Gladiators 
 
Offense rank: 6th
Defense rank: 5th
Goalie rank: 6th
 
Unfortunately, there is not a lot to be said about the Rome Gladiators. Indeed, this season is going to be one of transition for the Gladiators. The defensemen Billy Joel @The goat of hockey and Ray Stanton @horoscope will maybe cause some surprises some nights, but other than that, it is going to be a tough season in Rome.
 
That’s all for me, thanks everyone for reading, I wish you all a good regular season and see you in another VSN article!

Great career Summers!
 
So much awards and success with both teams, well deserved! 

Co-Hosts: @Royski @Pifferfish @Mysterious_Fish @Spartan
 
https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2215966548

1. A new season is upon us! What is one goal you want to accomplish with your player for S95?
I will try to take the next step in my development so I will be ready for my rookie season in the VHL after that.
 
2. We have also just come off another exciting draft with some familiar faces joining the squad! Thoughts on Davos’ newest prospects?
They are the best! Lot of good people (myself include I think lol) so we are really building a dynastie over here.
 
3. If a VHL award were to be named after your player, what statistic would it be awarded for?
Humm powerplay goals by a defenseman? Got 14 of them last season so not bad I think?
 
5. What is the story behind your VHL username?
It's the same that I use everywhere ahah! So if you see it somewhere it's probably me!
 
7. Are you participating in VHFL this season?
No I did it in the past, but I don't follow the league enough to do it. I do the Coach Challenge instead.
 
8. Spotify or Apple Music?
I don't have a single thing/product with Apple so Spotify 100%.

1. A new season is upon us! What is one goal you want to accomplish with your player for S95?
Be productive. Go out with a bang!
2. We have also just come off another exciting draft with some familiar faces joining the squad! Thoughts on Davos’ newest prospects?
Love em. @Anthique especially. Great have him back!
3. If a VHL award were to be named after your player, what statistic would it be awarded for?
Loyalty. Nuff said.
4. What STHS attributes are you focusing on this season?
No specific one really, with retirement looming ahead
5. What is the story behind your VHL username?
Ahma, Finnish word meaning "wolverine" (the animal, not the comic book character ya noobs). It's something I've used as an online nickname for ages.
6. What is one thing you would implement to STHS if given the chance?
Give us working takeaways and giveaways dammit lo
7. Are you participating in VHFL this season?
of course! always, something I woulnd't wanna miss.
8. Spotify or Apple Music?
Spotify. I don't know anyone who even uses Apple music lmao

Nice job! Thanks for the good words :)

1. Calgary Wranglers - Spider Panda - G - 347 TPE
S94 Stats: San Diego / Miami (VHLM) – 28 GP, 19–6-2, 0.904 SV%, 2.21 GAA, 2 SO
It seemed to be a perfect confluence of team need and top prospect available, with the Calgary Wranglers holding the #1 and #2 picks in desperate need of goaltending and Roger Eagles being the draft’s top-ranked prospect. The Wranglers did indeed take a goaltender, but they went a different direction, taking Spider Panda instead. In hindsight, it does make a lot of sense to see Panda go off the board here, given the previous ties between team and player agency – ultimately, you can’t go wrong with either of the two top goalie prospects. Panda is a very technically sound netminder who split last season in the VHLM between San Diego and Miami after being part of a late-season three-way trade and posted some good but not great numbers. The pedigree here is outstanding, and Panda is as close to a can’t miss prospect as there is. Calgary has their goalie of the future.
 
2. Calgary Wranglers (from Prague) - Phil Sakic - LW - 358 TPE
S94 Stats: Miami (VHLM) – 72 GP, 48 G, 47 A, 95 PTS, +33, 54 PIM, 362 S, 123 HIT
Another prospect with excellent VHL pedigree, Sakic projects as a franchise player who can do it all offensively - especially score goals. Sakic’s a great shooter who finished fourth in the VHLM last season with 48 goals and was a teammate of #1 pick Panda for most of the season, as well. His hands are high-end and he’s difficult to knock off the puck while his shot is the stuff of goalies’ nightmares. The Wranglers’ forward lineup will be tough to crack in S95 but Sakic is likely to force his way into the plans for S96 and will be an excellent player to build around going forward.
 
3. Los Angeles Stars - Roger Eagles - G - 452 TPE
S94 Stats: Rome (VHLE) – 60 GP, 32-20-7, 0.932 SV%, 2.50 GAA, 2 SO
The Stars had to have been thrilled to have Eagles on the board at #3, a goaltender who was good enough to take on a starting role in the VHLE before even being drafted to the VHL, and good enough to post some pretty solid numbers, too – like an 0.932 SV% and 32 wins. Eagles is VHL ready, he will almost certainly step straight into the league and contend for Rookie of the Year straight out of the gate. His rebound control and reaction time are already VHL-calibre, he’ll just need to work on his movement and aggressiveness playing the angles, which should certainly come as the season progresses.
 
4. DC Dragons - Konstyantyn Shevchenko - RW - 381 TPE
S94 Stats: Mississauga (VHLM) – 72 GP, 50 G, 57 A, 107 PTS, +49, 397 S, 142 HIT
Shevchenko is the most advanced forward in the draft at this stage of his career. He’s a true power forward, sporting a 6-foot-7, 214 pound frame and a lethal shot, strong two-way game, and physical edge. For a just-drafted player, Shevchenko’s strength on the puck is uncanny. One thing he will need to work on in a big way at the next level is his skating, but he’s just so talented and nearly pro-ready – it’s not hard to envision Shevchenko as a first line VHLer in the very near future. The Dragons are clearly in a rebuild, so the opportunity will come to Shevchenko right away, and we’d expect to see him start the season on the Dragons roster.
 
5. Helsinki Titans - Ahsoka Tano - D - 362 TPE
S94 Stats: San Diego/Houston (VHLM): 72 GP, 30 G, 62 A, 92 PTS, +17, 201 S, 36 PIM, 111 HIT, 107 SB
An offensively-inclined but still well-rounded defender who clearly stands apart from the others in this draft class, Helsinki needed a blueline prospect of this calibre in a big way. Tano is a smooth, fast skater with quick hands, setting the foundation for a truly elite puck-moving game, and is responsible enough defensively despite the 111 hits and 107 blocked shots maybe not completely bearing that out. Their biggest weakness is strength, something that perhaps adding some bulk to their 6-foot-3, 165 pound frame could help alleviate. Tano is not far from playing on a VHL blueline if it doesn’t happen this season, and projects as a surefire top pairing defender in the future.
 
6. HC Davos Dynamo - David Pastanap - RW - 324 TPE
S94 Stats: Houston (VHLM): 72 GP, 39 G, 46 A, 85 PTS, +47, 398 shots, 56 PIM, 116 HIT
A strong young core of forwards in Davos gets stronger with the addition of David Pastanap, a pure sniper with a bit of a power game in the way he protects the puck and drives the net (although he isn’t very physical). At this point in the draft the players are a little further away from being VHL ready, but Pastanap should move up to the big squad for S96 and seems like a pretty safe bet to grow into a first line calibre forward at the next level.
 
7. Los Angeles Stars (from New York) - Samsayz I-Smell - D - 329 TPE
S94 Stats: Mexico City (VHLM): 72 GP, 14 G, 72 A, 86 PTS, +27, 233 S, 78 PIM, 131 HIT, 151 SB
The draft’s second-best defenseman goes here to the Stars, who need one only slightly less than they did the goalie they nabbed at #3. I-Smell actually plays a remarkably similar game to Tano, both being very good skaters who ooze creativity with the puck. I-Smell ranked 3rd in the VHLM with 72 assists and 3rd in defensemen scoring behind Tano and Donald Carlson with 86 points. Their defensive game stands out as well, and with 131 hits and 151 blocked shots, that translated a little better than Tano’s in game action as well. I-Smell is a very welcome addition to a team whose only surefire defender younger than the S89 draft class right now is Erik Thorvaldsson.
 
8. HC Davos Dynamo (from Warsaw) - Alphonse Desjardins - D - 277 TPE
S94 Stats: Ottawa/Saskatoon (VHLM): 72 GP, 15 G, 51 A, 66 PTS, +15, 150 S, 76 PIM, 183 HIT, 102 SB
Davos did need a defender a little more than a forward out of this draft, and while they couldn’t pass on Pastanap at #6, they get their defenseman here in the 6-foot-4, 215 pound French-born Desjardins. While I-Smell and Tano play similar games, Desjardins brings quite a bit of contrast to those two – he’s much more physical and his offensive game is backed more by a heavy shot than speed and creativity. He’s able to use that shot both as a weapon to rip pucks past opposing netminders but also to generate opportunities for teammates, as evidenced by posting 51 assists. Has a little bit of work to do on his positioning, and potentially a slightly longer path to the VHL than the first seven drafted prospects, but Desjardins should be a big contributor at the VHL level one day.
 
9. DC Dragons (from Vancouver) - Einar Mathiesen - D - 276 TPE
S94 Stats: Miami / Las Vegas (VHLM): 72 GP, 18 G, 55 A, 73 PTS, +40, 163 S, 52 PIM, 129 HIT, 104 SB
We have a bit of a run on defensemen going here as the DC Dragons snag Einar Mathiesen with the second of their three first round picks. Mathiesen may not quite have the upside of the previous picks but he’s extremely detail-oriented with a responsible defensive game. There were flashes of offense at the VHLM level, too, with 73 points in 72 games last season, though it’s a little uncertain how well those abilities will translate to the VHL at Mathiesen’s current stage. The Dragons have a few future-VHL calibre defense prospects, but Mathiesen jumps straight to the top of that group.
 
10. Chicago Phoenix - Boris Bone-Breaker - D - 251 TPE
S94 Stats: Halifax (VHLM): 72 GP, 14 G, 57 A, 71 PTS, +45, 157 S, 89 PIM, 213 HIT, 90 SB
One look at the name Boris Bone-Breaker is all the scouting report you need on this guy. Bone-Breaker is a 6-foot-6, 238 pound behemoth on the back end who loves nothing more than inciting chaos and violence on the ice. Bone-Breaker surprisingly put up 71 points in 72 games last year. That’s largely because he played for a stacked Halifax team, because his offensive game tools are underdeveloped, but you’re not drafting him for that. This is a shut-down defenseman with a mean streak, a player who will intimidate opponents but usually does so smartly and without being caught out of position.
 
11. Riga Reign (from Malmo) - Tim Robinson - LW - 319 TPE
S94 Stats: Miami (VHLM): 72 GP, 39 G, 58 A, 97 PTS, +44, 497 S, 53 PIM, 125 HIT
Tim Robinson was the best prospect left (on paper) by far at this point in the draft and it’s a very nice bit of business for the Riga Reign to turn the 11th overall pick into a player with the talent and pedigree of Robinson. He put up big numbers for Miami last season with 97 points and a +44 rating, firing a whopping 497 shots on goal and driving play for the Marauders all season long. Robinson doesn’t have any particular standout strengths or weaknesses, he just does everything well, and it doesn’t hurt that he comes from the agency that once represented Mo Probert, who had a pretty strong VHL career himself.
 
12. London United - Drosmis Sarkanis - RW - 212 TPE
S94 Stats: Saskatoon (VHLM): 24 GP, 6 G, 9 A, 15 PTS, +4, 98 S, 12 PIM, 25 HIT
A late entry into the S95 draft class, Sarkanis was picked up late in the season by the Saskatoon Wild and made an impression out of the gate. He finished with 15 points in 24 games and flashed strong skating ability and offensive talent. VHL teams will want to see the defensive game improve and he’s likely at least a couple of seasons away from the VHL, but with Robinson off the board, it’s largely just talented project players left and Sarkanis has a chance to be the best of the bunch.
 
13. DC Dragons (from Riga) - David VanHousen - RW - 155 TPE
S94 Stats: Houston (VHLM): 72 GP, 13 G, 31 A, 44 PTS, +32, 158 S, 65 PIM, 104 HIT
With their third of three picks, DC selected David VanHousen, an intriguing but definitely long-range project pick. VanHousen has a well-rounded game but needs to evolve some VHL level skills to further his career. He had a promising start to his career with a 44-point season in Houston and has been consistent in showing improvement throughout the season. Another VHLM season to continue his development is in order and that will probably need to be followed up by a season or two in the VHLE, but if continues his steady progress, he could be a VHLer.
 
14. Helsinki Titans (from Seattle) - Bret Weier - LW - 196 TPE
S94 Stats: Halifax (VHLM): 70 GP, 11 G, 12 A, 23 PTS, +45, 76 S, 40 PIM, 82 HIT
Weier stands out for his steady progress and his ability to make some scouts take notice despite being somewhat buried on a stacked Halifax team in the VHLM this season. Despite only posting 23 points in 70 games, Weier was a +45 on the season and has a shot that’s already deceptive and accurate. He’s sure to receive a bigger role this season which will reveal a lot about his ultimate upside, but this feels like a solid gamble to take for the Titans.
 
15. Toronto Legion - Inker Belle - RW - 177 TPE
S94 Stats: San Diego (VHLM): 72 GP, 33 G, 39 A, 72 PTS, +16, 260 S, 28 PIM, 126 HIT
The Inkling-turned-hockey player has some flashy numbers – 72 points in 72 VHLM games this season – and is a surprisingly good skater with high-end vision. There are definitely some question marks here too, though, not the least of which is her 5-foot-5, 150-pound frame. Belle also can be a little bit easy to defend in the offensive zone as she doesn’t possess much of a shot. While she hasn’t necessarily been afraid to try to take shots, you’d like to see them be a little more threatening. Though she has a long way to go to reach the VHL, there is plenty of skill here, and you could definitely envision a VHL career if she continues to develop.
 
16. Moscow Menace - Ozzy Batty - C - 204 TPE
S94 Stats: Mississauga (VHLM): 72 GP, 43 G, 71 A, 114 PTS, +35, 380 S, 67 PIM, 133 HIT
Batty came out of the gate on fire and put up massive numbers in the VHLM, finishing 3rd in league scoring with 114 points. Obviously, that showcases an elite offensive game but the rest of the package still needs to come around with Batty, who is lacking defensively and only a VHLM-average level skater. Those will be areas to improve on as Batty continues to progress. A player with this level of skill and progress throughout the season could easily have gone higher in this draft – it’s a potentially great pick from Moscow here, who already have a bit of an embarrassment of riches and are also coming off a Continental Cup win.
 
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2260 words or so. Claiming for the next 4 weeks.
 
Players mentioned: @Ozzy Batty @WildfireMicro @Quanack @David VanHousen @Mr Bohannan @Tim Robinson @RileyL @xsjack @Anthique @CaptainSB @Jubis @Aimee  @der meister @Greg_Di @Phil @Ricer13
 

After a great season with Saskatoon in the VHLME, it was time for Alphonse Desjardins to play in the Junior Showcase Tournament, where he was selected to play for the Brigade!
It was a slow start for the team at first, but the team made some changes along the way and now the team is in much better shape. After Day 9, the Brigade are 3rd in the standing, just two points behind the Warriors, but they have one game in hand. The tournament is at the end of the round robin with only one day left, so we will see if the Brigade can pass the Warriors and claim the second position and probably face the Royals after that.
The game of Desjardins on the ice is sub par from what he played during the VHLM season and he will have to step up if his team want to win. Only 9 points in 27 games for someone who is supposed to be an offensive defenseman, is just bad.
WAKE UP DAMMIT AND PLAY BETTER!

I can do a bit more than that, but yeah a top 10 position is almost a lock. Good luck for all the draftees tomorrow!

1 Calgary Wranglers     Roger Eagles @Greg_Di                           G TPE: 421                                     Season GP W L OTL SV% GAA SO GA SA     S94 Regular Season 62 32 20 7 0.932 2.5 2 148 2163                             S94 Playoffs 6 2 3 1 0.909 3.46 0 21 232                             Despite a magnificent start to the season, the Calgary Wranglers faltered down the stretch and failed to reach the postseason. Despite a quality rookie season from goaltender David Slezak, rumor has it that Calgary's management isn't convinced that his work ethic will lead to the continued success that matches their championship aspirations. Possessing the first two picks in the draft, Calgary is now in an amazing position to add two real difference makers to an already stellar young roster, with the first one being the clear-cut top prospect in Roger Eagles. After a fantastic season with Rome in the VHLE, Eagles is VHL-ready, and would immediately supplant Slezak in net thanks to his elite work ethic. The Wranglers may be quite thankful they missed out on the playoffs last season after this draft.                                             2 Calgary Wranglers     Phil Sakic @Phil                           LW TPE: 349                                     Season GP G A P (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB     S94 Regular Season 72 48 47 95 33 362 54 123 13                             S94 Playoffs 6 1 6 7 2 27 4 13 1                             So you narrowly missed the playoffs, but landed a franchise goalie in the draft. How does it get any better than that? If you're the Calgary Wranglers, you get a franchise goaltender AND a generational talent at forward from a builder with a proven track record of success. Phil Sakic had a monster season with Miami in the VHLM last season, scoring nearly 50 goals and just short of 100 points. Sakic is certainly capable of developing into an elite two-way forward, but it was clear in the VHLM that his focus was on offense. He'll be afforded another season of development, this time in the VHLE, and he will almost certainly be a Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy favorite when he reaches the VHL with Calgary. An absolute home run for the Wranglers with their first two picks, this will be a dangerous team for seasons to come.                                             3 Los Angeles Stars     Spider Panda @Ricer13                           G TPE: 332                                     Season GP W L OTL SV% GAA SO GA SA     S94 Regular Season 28 19 6 2 0.904 2.21 2 61 635                             S94 Playoffs 9 4 5 0 0.901 2.66 1 24 242                             In a stroke of bad luck, the Stars miss out on the top goaltender in the draft thanks to an unfortunate result in the draft lottery, but it turns out that this wasn't the worst draft class at all for that to happen in. Losing out on Roger Eagles stings, but there is still another phenomenal goaltending prospect in Spider Panda available for the taking. The Stars have promising pieces of a core coming together, but they're still not ready to compete, which gives Panda a season to develop in the VHLE while Los Angeles continues to shape up. Coming from a builder that has a proven and consistent history of churning out quality players, the Stars still manage to walk away with their solution at goaltender while they continue to generate the capital to finish the rebuild.                                             4 D.C. Dragons     Ahsoka Tano @Aimee                           D TPE: 355                                     Season GP G A P (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB     S94 Regular Season 70 30 62 92 17 201 36 111 107                             S94 Playoffs 6 2 3 5 0 12 2 5 7                             Given how top defenders are a premium these days, D.C. is surely going to be absolutely tickled to have Ahoska Tano fall right into their laps at fourth overall. The Dragons, in one word, need everything. This franchise needs a face, a leader, the key piece for D.C. to rally around. Tano has already shown the promise of elite two-way play in the VHLM, scoring 30 goals and adding 62 assists. Showing positional awareness at a tremendous level for a prospect, and she'll have the chance to show if that elite promise in both ends of the ice is for real in the VHLE. The Dragons have little reason to rush Tano up, leaving her to develop and be ready to start the Dragons' next era while they continue to acquire draft capital to bring in their new core.                                             5 Helsinki Titans     Konstyantyn Shevchenko @der meister                           RW TPE: 365                                     Season GP G A P (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB     S94 Regular Season 72 50 57 107 49 397 40 142 40                             S94 Playoffs 5 2 2 4 -3 23 4 5 2                             Even though they are ranked as the second highest TPE player in this draft, Konstyantyn Shevchenko doesn't hear their name called until the 5th overall pick. However, Helsinki could not be more happy with this pick here. Konstyantyn displayed incredible offensive capabilities in the VHLM with the hounds, scoring 50 goals and putting up 107 points last season. As the Titans look to retool and rebuild with a new core, Shevchenko should provide a fantastic piece to their forward group and grow into an incredible player for the Titans.                                             6 HC Davos Dynamo     David Pastnap @Jubis                           RW TPE: 319                                     Season GP G A P (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB     S94 Regular Season 72 39 46 85 47 398 56 116 29                             S94 Playoffs 6 0 3 3 -5 18 4 7 2                             With their first pick in the S95 VHL Draft, Davos looks to grab yet another forward to add to their growing team. One could argue that they already are competitive, and with Ironhide, Bucatini, Hardy, and Kaskiniemi-Kekkonen, Davos looks ready to fight. With the 6th overall pick, Davos adds another forward with David Pastnap, who put up 85 points in the VHLM last season. There's plenty of room to add another key player here, and while they could add a defenseman here, there's plenty of remaining defenseman they can add. They grab the best forward left on the board and should be pleased with Pastnap at 6.                                             7 Los Angeles Stars     Samsayz I-Smell @CaptainSB                           D TPE: 323                                     Season GP G A P (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB     S94 Regular Season 72 14 72 86 27 233 78 131 151                             S94 Playoffs 11 3 7 10 3 36 16 27 20                             The tides are slowly changing in Los Angeles. A new team is emerging. With the 7th overall pick, Los Angeles adds a future defensive partner for Erik Thorvaldsson with Samsayz I-Smell. It's a perfect complement, with Thorvaldsson acting as a defensive defenseman and Samsayz bringing in an offensive mindset, evident by the 86 points they put up in the VHLM last season. The Stars won't be upset with no elite goalie in this draft, and should be quite happy with a defensive prospect like Samsayz I-Smell.                                             8 HC Davos Dynamo     Alphonse Desjardins @Anthique                           D TPE: 270                                     Season GP G A P (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB     S94 Regular Season 72 15 51 66 15 150 76 183 102                             S94 Playoffs 16 0 9 9 7 29 20 41 22                             Remember the defenseman I mentioned Davos could add later in the draft? Here they are. Davos brings back a member instrumental to their cup run in S90 with Alphonse Desjardins. While not as overly an offensive defenseman as other prospects in this draft, Desjardins clearly helped SSK with a Founder's Cup victory. Their staple play on the blue line showed leadership and poise, which is exactly what Davos wants to bring into their locker room as they prepare to seriously contend. With their 6th and 8th overall picks, Davos clearly shapes their future in the EU as a strong team for seasons to come.                                             9 D.C. Dragons     Tim Robinson @Tim Robinson                           LW TPE: 279                                     Season GP G A P (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB     S94 Regular Season 72 39 58 97 44 497 53 125 36                             S94 Playoffs 6 3 2 5 3 29 2 18 5                             An elite forward on both sides of the puck, Tim Robinson is coming off a great season where he led Miami in scoring with 97 points in 72 games. Additionally, Robinson has no problem finishing as they recorded just shy of 40 goals over the course of the season. Currently DC is in the middle of a rebuild, and adding Robinson will give them a winger with a very high ceiling. We can expect Robinson to step into DC's lineup after 1 season in the VHLE. Robinson projects as a top winger in the league, and this will be a steal for the Dragons!                                             10 Chicago Phoenix     Boris Bone-Breaker @RileyL                           D TPE: 247                                     Season GP G A P (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB     S94 Regular Season 72 14 57 71 45 157 89 213 90                             S94 Playoffs 15 2 8 10 3 46 16 52 25                             Boris Bone-Breaker is a one of a kind player, the defensive defensemen has made a name for themselves by punishing opponents physically and shutting down all their scoring chances. Bone-Breaker posted 213 hits, 90 shots blocked, and was a + 45 last season. Perhaps most surprisingly, they also had 14 goals and 57 assists for 71 points in 72 games played! Chicago is in a great position to compete sooner rather than later, and Bone-Breaker gives them a option that will be up in the VHL sooner rather than later and will make a impact on their blue-line.                                             11 Riga Reign     Einar Mathiesen @xsjack                           D TPE: 248                                     Season GP G A P (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB     S94 Regular Season 72 18 55 73 40 163 52 129 104                             S94 Playoffs 6 0 4 4 3 11 6 8 15                             Einar Mathiesen is a text-book two-way defensemen, and one that every team would want to have on their roster. They are coming off of a great season that they split between Las Vegas and Miami where they put up 18 goals and 55 assists for a total of 73 points! Additionally, they recorded over 100 hits and shots blocked while only taking 52 minutes of penalties. Riga really lucks out here with Mathiesen as they get a defensemen that will step into their roster and fill a gap for S96. Mathiesen projects as a solid top 2 defensemen that is solid on both sides of the puck.                                             12 London United     Drsmis Sarkanis @Mr Bohannan                           RW TPE: 195                                     Season GP G A P (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB     S94 Regular Season 24 6 9 15 4 98 12 25 12                             S94 Playoffs 16 7 4 11 7 64 10 17 21                             While only joining the VHLM just before the trade deadline, Sarkanis has made a name for themselves. After having 15 points in 24 games, they really took a step forward in the playoffs, scoring 7 goals in 16 games. A previous player from the same agency has played in London and it seems to be a great place for Sarkanis as the team starts to look towards the new era of London United players. Sarkanis will be a great piece to start building around.                                             13 D.C. Dragons                             Inker Belle @WildfireMicro     RW TPE: 177                                       Season GP G A P (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB     S94 Regular Season 72 33 39 72 16 260 28 126 35                             S94 Playoffs 11 2 4 6 -4 39 6 26 3                             The 5'5", 150lb Inkling has thrived in her transition from Inkopolis turf wars to San Diego ice hockey. As a fitting member of the Marlins in her first season of VHLM play she went a point per game in the regular season, finishing with exactly 72 points in 72 games. With her skill set consisting of significance playmaker capabilities, this fresh prospect should develop into a key piece of a rebuilding franchise. Stay Fresh!                                             14 Helsinki Titans     Ozzy Batty @Ozzy Batty                           C TPE: 204                                     Season GP G A P (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB     S94 Regular Season 72 43 71 114 35 380 67 133 53                             S94 Playoffs 5 2 4 6 -3 29 2 10 11                             Ozzie Batty is one of the best players to come in after the VHLM draft. The British center put on a performance to remember in Mississauga. As a member of the Hounds, he produced just under an assist per game which resulted in a staggering 114 points in 72 regular season games. As a offensive centerman capable of leading his team, The Titans might just pick up their future 1st line center with this pick.                                             15 Toronto Legion     Ronan Amnon @Breeze837                           D TPE: 154                                     Season GP G A P (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB     S94 Regular Season 72 10 47 57 15 155 66 161 116                             S94 Playoffs 11 1 2 3 4 13 8 18 6                             The Mexico City Kings rewarded Ronan Amnon for choosing them by selecting him with 14th overall pick in the VHLM draft. The 6'6 blue liner from Panama rewarded thus show of loyalty with 57 points,mostly off assist and 161 hits in the regular season. He would contribute to the Kings deep playoff run by scoring a crucial game winning goal. A true two way D man, Ronan can become a good consolation prize to the runners up given time to develop.                                             16 Moscow Menace     David VanHousen @David VanHousen                           RW TPE: 153                                     Season GP G A P (+/-) SHT PIM HITS SB     S94 Regular Season 72 13 31 44 32 158 65 104 15                             S94 Playoffs 6 1 2 3 -3 10 4 9 0                             The 1st round ends with back to back Houston Bulls being selected. He had a solid season with 44 regular season points. the 5'10", 160lb right winger doesn't really fit into any archetype just yet. But with time and training from the champs, David should develop into a star player.                                      
   

Just for funsies!

1. There's some really fun players in this draft, and with Moscow always circling around a high pick who knows who we may end up with! I've enjoyed my time around @Greg_Di, @der meister makes wonderful content, and is never afraid to try something new and wacky. @Aimee  has been my AGM whether in title or in practice since I started being active basically, and it will be weird not sharing an LR this season. @Phil and @Ricer13 make any LR popping, and they always have something fun to bring to the day. @CaptainSB would be fitting to go to Moscow as we pick last I'd assume, and that's where they belong! @Anthique @Ozzy Batty and @RileyL all remind me of my favourite era of the VHL, that mid 80s stretch, and I always love seeing them around! @Arce is a Moscow legend, a Marlins legend, and a great guy to hang around, so would love to have him make a magical return for real this time for Moscow!

2. God I have so much TPE to apply, and I haven't come up with a plan for it yet at all. Hoping to bring some slick offensive play to the mix, have the puck a lot and not lose it ideally. Not sure whether I'll lean into passing or not, I'm skeptical and it scares me, but we'll see what happens. Lots of DF left to build to put off that decision.

3. I mean Moscow won, and while they lost some big pieces, @leandrofg and I are definitely the members you want to replenish some lost TPE. We'll be rocking 800ish TPE for the playoffs, and with some killer builds to match.

4. I am not going anywhere this summer, trying to get myself in peak working order for school starting in September. I've missed a lot of opportunity over the last few years from some health concerns I never knew were sapping the life out of me, so I've spent the summer learning how to be a real functional adult. I'm trying to read ahead on my textbooks, work on a website, work my new part-time sales job, continue to make up for the years of terrible metabolism from unknown health issues, and get back into things that make me feel good! I have more energy in a day now than I used to have in a month, and there's just so many things to do!

5. Spartan. I'm not going to lie, the image of Spartan in my head does not match the details I know to be true about him, which I think is very funny. Now I just think about the Michigan State logo.

6. I'll say 2. But that's also a trick question, because he won't play in the E. And not only because I'm going to abolish it!

It’s time for the dreaded off-season and it gets harder and harder to find 500 meaningful words for a post.   The World Cup, WJC, and Pro-Am are in full effect and the draft is on the horizon so at least there is something to divert my attention while we wait for another year of battling for a Cup.  I am also going on vacation tomorrow with wifey and daughter to Victoria Island, so my head isn’t in the game.  So, for this weeks Around the League I will probably jump around and chat a mish mash of random shit.  
 
DRAFT
 
The draft is always and exciting time for players in the VHL, especially first gens.  The Calgary Wranglers have the first two picks and have already made a few moves this off-season to improve their club such as the addition of cup winner, Leif Reingaard @Zetterbergand 49 goal scorer, Adi Dassler @BOOM. When I first joined the VHL in S82 it seemed Calgary was always a formidable foe with amazing talent so I predict they will be back to their deadly ways soon.  
 
Davos is another team with an already great group of earners and now two picks in the top 10 which could make them daunting for years to come.  The only other team with two picks is LA who is in the midst of a re-build with some very good young talent in the Phantom of the VHL @Hogan, Erik Thorvaldsson @Tetricide, Pombo @samx, and Wally Lose @youloser1337.  
 
The top 10 picks in the draft are as follows:
1.     Calgary
2.     Calgary
3.     LA
4.     DC
5.     Helsinki
6.     Davos
7.     LA
8.     Davos
9.     DC
10.  Chicago
 
A quick look at the top 10 draft prospects shows a pretty good list of talent with histories of good players.  
1.     Roger Eagles @Greg_Di-   421 TPE.  This is about as certain of a perfect pick as you can get.  Huge earner and proven lineage.  Highest TPE in the draft and guaranteed top 3 pick. 
 
2.     Konstyantyn Shevchenko @der meister.  367 TPE. Huge Right Winger who put up 50 goals in VHLM this season.  
 
3.     Ahsoka Tano @Aimee . 355 TPE.  First defensive player on the board and an easy top 5 pick.  Tano will fill out a roster nicely as a long term anchor on the defensive side.
 
4.     Phil Sakic @PhilPhil. 352 TPE.  Another proven VHL member who makes exciting players that are usually punching my player in the face in box scores. 48 goals for Miami last season and a guaranteed all-star for years to come.
5.     Spider Panda @Ricer13 332 TPE. The second goalie on the board and easily a future brick wall for whomever drafts him.  Has history in Calgary so be interesting to see if they go with him with the top two picks.  Either way I don’t see Panda making it past #3 in draft. 
 
6.     Samsayz-I-Smell @CaptainSB. 323 TPE.  Second defensive player and a First-Generation player which is awesome.  Can hit and block shots and over a point a game for Mexico he should find a home in the top ten picks.
 
7.     David Pastanap @Jubis 319 TPE.  Ranked as one of the top names in the VHLM by me earlier this season Pastanap had 39 goals for Houston and 398 shots.  Gifted scorer who can throw his weight around he will be a solid pickup.
 
8.     Tim Robinson @Tim RobinsonTim. 308 TPE. Huge scoring potential and overall great locker room guy, TR had 97 points for Miami and was a +44, showing he doesn’t hurt his team on the defensive side either.  A team would be lucky to get TR in their LR.
 
9.     Einar Mathiesen @xsjackXS. 273 TPE.  Another imposing dman who had over a point a game in VHLM and triple digits in hits and shots blocked.  One thing is certain, a VHL team can never have enough quality defensive players so EM should have a good draft night.
 
10.  Alphonse Desjardins @Anthique 270 TPE. The final player on the top ten in TPE is a Dman who had 209 bone crushing hits last season on his way to a Cup. Can block shots, hit, fight, and plays a very tough game in front of the net.  Can’t wait to see AD get to the VHL and lock horns with Guntis Gavilrovs @Girts.
 
On the Vancouver front we are gearing up for the season.  We have three of our top prospects in Bollos de Trueno @Thunder, Pierre Mac Bouchard @Gaikoku-hito, and Soju @Frankall up in the big league now and hungry to win.  Award winning defender, Liv Slater @Subject056 has made the move to forward so the league should look out.  Liv was deadly offensively in the back end so it will be exciting to see now up front. 
 
Everyone has grown in experience and the team has remained intact.  Riley Martin @Smarch, Logan Ninefingers, Owen Lazaro @traphag, and Rip “the Dip” Wheeler @ScottyPScott are all eager to come back and crush the NA conference.  Depreciation hurt a few players, but the Wolves are a team that earns hard and has a pretty fun vibe so other players will step up to fill the void that depreciation hurts. 
 
A quick look at the potential strengths and weaknesses of the Wolves this season:
 
Strengths:
Grit-This team has high checking and loves to impose their will on opposing teams. 
 
Goalies-  With Dalkr @KaleebtheMightythe might and the addition of Soju  the Wolves have a tough tandem that can gift some wins to the club throughout the season.
 
Scoring-  Lazaro, Ninefingers, Martin, Wheeler, PMB, and Slater can all put the puck in the net so I look for both lines to be deadly.
 
Weaknesses:
Defensive depth- With Slater moving to forward, the Wolves are sporting 3 dmen with rookie Bollos de Trueno being asked to play big minutes early in his career.  Veteran Mark Calaway @Beketov and enforcer Guntis Gavilrovs @Girts are great mentors though.
 
Simon-  Simon seemed to hate the Wolves last season so were hoping all the bourbon and gifts we bought this season change this for us!! 
 
Well done rambling for my 1000 words.  Off to vacation 
 
Going to claim for 
08-04
08-11

It's fun to end a season with a Cup in your hand and that's exactly the situation Alphonse Desjardins is in.
 
I will come back later with another article about the VHLM season of Desjardins, but we will start this one with how it goes in the summer for him.
 
After the last game of the season with a 6-2 win against Halifax, the Wild won the Founder's Cup.
The party after that win was amazing, all young players celebrating the championship with big smile on their face! The owner of the team invited all the players in his home to celebrate in a safe environment. Don't want people making the front line of the new paper, the headline on the news or on social media.
 
Winning a championship is an experience that everyone will remember for the rest of their lives and bond the members of the team together. You heard stories about members of the winning team that become best friends are experiencing so much together. We will see in the future if some teammates of Alponse Desjardins will be in the same team as him. Being in a team with a former teammate always helps chemistry, especially if they won something significant together. It's almost like people coming from the same country or region, they have something in common to talk about and to ground them to reality. At the party, there was some famous local band «The Prairie Dogz» that can play popular songs that everybody will be able to sing (at the best of their capacity lol) and dance to. Even if there were some underage players, a lot of alcool was available to everyone. You heard stories about how drunk Alex Ovechkin was when he (finally) won it, it's not close to that, but it's a good thing the party was not public. Nothing bad happened, but when there are some minor you need to be extra cautious about how you do things. 
In a back to back championship,it's even more fun because you show the entire league that you are the best two seasons in a row and it was not just a fluke. Consistency is important, but it's way harder in that league where player comes and go. There is some player that doesn't improve much and stay two, three or four seasons (more even?) in the minor league. So it's not like the big league where you can keep your players longer.
 
For the rest of the summer, Desjardins will train to be ready for his VHLE season. He will know in a couple of days/weeks where he will play next season. That doesn't impact his training as he will try to continue on being an offensive threat on the powerplay and in the offensive zone while still being responsible in his zone.
 
The VHL draft is also in the next days/weeks so he will know more about his future and where he will try to make a difference. Already some teams have reached out in both leagues so hopefully he will not have to wait long at the draft before hearing his name.

It's fun to end a season with a Cup in your hand and that's exactly the situation Alphonse Desjardins is in.
 
I will come back later with another article about the VHLM season of Desjardins, but we will start this one with how it goes in the summer for him.
 
After the last game of the season with a 6-2 win against Halifax, the Wild won the Founder's Cup.
The party after that win was amazing, all young players celebrating the championship with big smile on their face! The owner of the team invited all the players in his home to celebrate in a safe environment. Don't want people making the front line of the new paper, the headline on the news or on social media.
 
Winning a championship is an experience that everyone will remember for the rest of their lives and bond the members of the team together. You heard stories about members of the winning team that become best friends are experiencing so much together. We will see in the future if some teammates of Alponse Desjardins will be in the same team as him. Being in a team with a former teammate always helps chemistry, especially if they won something significant together. It's almost like people coming from the same country or region, they have something in common to talk about and to ground them to reality. At the party, there was some famous local band «The Prairie Dogz» that can play popular songs that everybody will be able to sing (at the best of their capacity lol) and dance to. Even if there were some underage players, a lot of alcool was available to everyone. You heard stories about how drunk Alex Ovechkin was when he (finally) won it, it's not close to that, but it's a good thing the party was not public. Nothing bad happened, but when there are some minor you need to be extra cautious about how you do things. 
In a back to back championship,it's even more fun because you show the entire league that you are the best two seasons in a row and it was not just a fluke. Consistency is important, but it's way harder in that league where player comes and go. There is some player that doesn't improve much and stay two, three or four seasons (more even?) in the minor league. So it's not like the big league where you can keep your players longer.
 
For the rest of the summer, Desjardins will train to be ready for his VHLE season. He will know in a couple of days/weeks where he will play next season. That doesn't impact his training as he will try to continue on being an offensive threat on the powerplay and in the offensive zone while still being responsible in his zone.
 
The VHL draft is also in the next days/weeks so he will know more about his future and where he will try to make a difference. Already some teams have reached out in both leagues so hopefully he will not have to wait long at the draft before hearing his name.

1. Thoughts on the result of the Continental Cup final between Toronto and Moscow?
When it was 2-2 and in the latest podcast I predicted Toronto win. Moscow was impressive.
2. Are you participating in any offseason tournaments this time around?
Not my thing, so no.
3. Besides Davos, which VHL logo do you think is the best and why?
Cologne Express, will forever be my second favorite VHL logo. The colors scheme is so good.
4. If the VHL had an All-Star game, should rosters be decided by fantasy draft or by conference?
Fantasy draft would be more interesting, imagine the drama!
5. Was the VHL the first sim league you ever joined? If not, what was your first?
VHL is my first sim league yeah.
6. The offseason is off to a rocketing start! Thoughts on Davos’ moves so far by acquiring Ben Laas and UghSike?
 
7. Which prospect would you most like to see come to Davos in the S95 draft?
@Anthique's new player!
8. What do you wish to see from your player next season?
Don't suck completely, looking forward to retirement and recreating.
 

Wow didn't expect to get 12! But got 2 champions so that helped haha

Hey VHL @Members!
 
For anyone who isn't aware, or doesn't look at the list of events in the sidebar, July 18th, 2007 is the day the VHL opened. That means today marks the league's official 17th birthday. This means that it would be legally considered an adult in North Korea or vote in Israel! Those aren't much really but like, 17 is a weird age to find milestones for alright! Anyway, as much as I'm sure you all clicked on this to hear this old fart talk, I suppose I could offer some free stuff while you're here.
 
To commemorate the league's 17th birthday, we are giving all members a Triples Week, which adds 12 Uncapped TPE to any 6-TPE Point Task (Welfare/Pension/Affiliate PT are not included but as usual if your pay covers your PT that counts), as well as 5 Uncapped TPE. To claim these perks, which naturally add up to 17 Uncapped TPE (aren’t we so clever, bet you never saw that coming) all you need to do is post in this thread and then link to that post in your update; that's it! No scavenger hunt, no clues, no catches! Do a PT, make one post, and the sweet TPE is all yours.
 
One of these years we'll end up so old that it physically hurts to offer this much TPE, probably around 30 when everything starts to physically hurt, but it is not this day so go forth and be merry....and I guess get married in North Korea or something?
 
To summarize quickly, that's 17 uncapped TPE just for commenting and doing a PT. All you have to do is post in here, do your usual PT, and you're good to go!


 
Notes:
• This thread will remain open until 11:59PM PST on Monday, July 29th.
• All claims for the birthday bonus must be made before the start of S95.
• Birthday perks may only be claimed on one player per member (IE if you are re-creating you can't claim them on your current player, re-create, and claim them again, pick one or the other).