Aimee

GM 315: Lynx vs Hounds
As we get closer to the end of the season, Ottawa and Mississauga are looking at each game as massively important with the Hounds chasing first place and a better playoff seeding while the Lynx attempt to fend off the Wild and the Marlins to stay in the last spot. Clapbomb Bardownski opened the scoring today in the first period, the only goal of the first two periods. Miraculously, Ottawa equalized just FOUR seconds into the 3rd period with what I can only assume was a River Harrington power play slapper from center ice. Bardownski would grab the game winner just 3 minutes later however, with Ozzy Batty shooting one into the empty net to seal it for Mississauga late (they notably had the other two primary assists. Bardownski, Batty, and defenseman points leader Slava Kovalenko were the stars of the game, and quite a low-event one at that with the shots being 23-13 for Mississauga. It's a big win for the Hounds as they now sit even with Philly for second in the VHLM as Ottawa still maintains a five point gap to ninth place.

Out of 13 VHFL groups this season, four are currently being led by a member of the Malmo Nighthawks. Three other team members are also participating in the VHFL, with all of them in the top three of their respective group. Looking at the historical performances in the fantasy games, it's not really a surprise to see these Nighthawks faring so well this season. Most of them regularly place in the top half, but for them to hold the lead in four groups is quite impressive. So while the Nighthawks have been struggling a bit as of late, I'm going to take a moment to celebrate the success that we are having in the VHFL.
 
@KaleebtheMighty currently has the second highest scoring team across all groups. While I don't necessarily think comparing teams from group to group is all that meaningful, because a bad drafter or two can drastically inflate someone else's score, Kaleeb still made several really good picks in what is the fifth highest scoring group. Somehow, his group allowed him to get Axle Gunner, Obuz Schneider Canet du Bocage, and Jacob Stone. Those are the three best fantasy players, and he got them all.
 
@Pifferfish is someone who was very confident in his VHFL scouting in our locker room, and with the results they have had, the confidence is warranted. Pifferfish's previous fantasy success has come more from Super Coach than the VHFL, but this season will bring up the average placement. They were wrong about Owen Lazaro, who they expected would have a better season, but the rest of their picks were hits.
 
@scoop (that's me!) is unsurprisingly leading his group. I made the right call taking Canet du Bocage first overall rather than Stone, as much as I always want to take my own player. The mistake was in thinking that my group might somehow let Stone fall to me at the 12th pick. I definitely made some poor picks, particularly with my forwards, but luckily my competition also missed out on some big scorers and made some even worse selections.
 
@RJMW hadn't placed above fourth in a VHFL group since Season 89 when he won his group. He is on track to return to the winner's circle, though unlike those mentioned above, his group is close and he could still potentially fall a place or two. While he does have the lowest score among current group leaders, he is in the fourth highest scoring group. There are no weak teams in his group, which makes his potential first place arguably more impressive than mine or Pifferfish's in two of the lower scoring groups.
 
@Advantage is in second place in what is the second highest scoring group. He definitely left some points on the board with some of his picks, but he seems to understand the optimal strategy of picking the players who are less likely to flop and are all but guaranteed to at least be good fantasy options. Like many of us, he made the wise decision to trust in the Nighthawks in taking Savaisk Tzesar, whose average draft position was probably lower than it should have been.
 
@leafsman sits at third in Group 7, which is one of the higher scoring groups. The lack of Malmo representation on the roster is a bit disappointing, and his forwards could be improved by having taken some Nighthawks instead of his other picks, he obviously knows what he is doing. His pick of Guntis Gavilrovs, who was undrafted in six groups, was probably the highlight pick of his draft.
 
@tcookie is in the same group as Kaleeb, the only two Nighthawks that are competing with each other in the VHFL. That means that tcookie was one of the users who allowed Kaleeb to get the trio of top players. He even picked two other defenders before Kaleeb took either Canet du Bocage or Stone, so it's a wonder how he is in third place in this group. He did do better with his forward selections, however, and the defenders that he did take have been solid fantasy players.

A potential look at playoff matchups for Chicago
 
The Likely
 
Chicago Phoenix will most likely finish second in the conference, as they currently hold a 5 point gap over the Seattle Bears. Assuming we finished second in the conference, we can most likely look at who we're going to be playing in the first round, which would be one of two teams: The Seattle Bears, or The Vancouver Wolves. Starting off with the Seattle Bears, Chicago holds a 3-0-0 record against them this season, with two more games waiting to be played. However, one thing to note is that two of these games were decided by 1 goal, with the other being a 2 goal affair. This series would be extremely close as last season, Chicago was able to take Seattle to 7 games, unfortunately failing to complete the 3-1 comeback. This would be an amazing series that could go either way. The stats do favor the Phoenix in this series, but as we know in playoffs, anything can happen. Next up the second likely matchup is the Vancouver Wolves. Vancouver sits one point behind Seattle and has a high chance to finish third place and play Chicago. Chicago currently has a 3-2-0 record against Vancouver, with one more game at the end of the season waiting to be played. Chicago would struggle more against Vancouver than Seattle, so the ideal matchup would be Seattle in the first round as well for the storyline. I believe if we went against Vancouver it would easily go 6-7 games, and Vancouver could take the series. Regardless, both these matchups would be extremely close and probably a great series, to which Chicago could finally reach the second round for the first time in a very long time.
 
The Unlikely 
 
The one unlikely scenario is that Calgary somehow finds a way to slip into third place to play Chicago. I feel like everything else is pretty impossible, so we'll focus on this one as the last one. Chicago has played Calgary 5 times this season and holds a 4-0-1 record against them. I honestly believe Calgary would be the easiest matchup for Chicago, despite being undefeated against Seattle. I think we could beat Calgary in 5 games, and that we would probably take care of them pretty fast. However, one thing to note is that a wildcard every single season seems to become god and run the table. So it could be Calgary and that would be extremely scary to go against. Regardless, I feel like we'd take care of business there, but again anything can happen in playoffs.
 
Overall
 
Overall, I feel like coming into the playoffs this is probably the best team we're going to have for a while. I feel like the team is set up pretty well and there's not many holes. This might be the final run for this team as we have a ton of players potentially going to FA and we need to make some noise come playoff time. I need to win a series this playoffs and the pressure is for sure on. I believe this team can go far with the right luck and STHS seems to love Chicago for some reason. I'm looking forward to the playoffs and anyone can win!

The Malmo Nighthawks' pursuit of a Victory Cup and first place in the EU seems to have hit a snag, as the Nighthawks have feel victim to a couple of losing streaks over the past week or so. That has left them 7 points behind Moscow for first place and 5 points behind Riga for second, and so it's likely going to take both of those teams falling apart for Malmo to climb back into the hunt.
 
All is not lost, of course, as the Nighthawks have been very consistent throughout the season leading up to this point. Over the next few games, the Nighthawks will look to rebound so they can enter the playoffs on a positive note instead of a negative one.
 
"The end goal is always a Continental Cup, not a Victory Cup," says Phillip Rave, who seems poised to set career highs in goals and points this season. "We just need to get back on track here and see where it goes - I think we have a great team, a chance to go on a run here in the playoffs, so that's where our focus needs to be."

@Thunder
 

The season has been chugging along nicely. Getting near the end of it and it's pretty clear we are going to make the playoffs with zero issues. Started the season pretty slow then somehow had a fire lit under us and played out of our minds. We have collectively cooled off a bit slipping down into fourth place overall after being in a tight race for holding second place for quite some time but if we can hold our current spot I'd be happy. I've also played pretty well. I expect a bit more from myself but I can only do so well before you get into alien territory. Maybe well get hot again after the wave of new players come in and select Mexico City as their waiver spot. We could definitely use some more skaters to fill out our depth a bit since we're very top heavy at the moment and could use a small boost.
 
158 Words  

Another Random Thoughts-style .com this week, friends. Stringing together 200 connected words is just beyond me at this point.
 
1) I feel like it was only yesterday that Shevchenko had 13 goals on the season, along with a miserable plus/minus rating. Just like that, he's up to 20, though the plus/minus is still awful. But hey, what do you expect when all of your linemates are bots? D.C. has a lot of room to grow, but overall I'm happy with the development of my player, who is also over the 100 mark in both hits and blocked shots. 
 
2) Shoutout to Frostbeard for being a true bro. Amazing General Manager to play for, but beyond that, a very kind and giving human being. A disappointing season in D.C. is not the way he deserves to go out.
 
3) Last year's 1st overall selection, Spider Panda, is absolutely killing it in the VHLE. With 477 TPE, Ricer's goaltender is going to be ready to jump on the scene for the Calgary Horsies next year.
 
4) Speaking of Calgary, they also have highly-skilled forward prospect Phil Sakic and his 482 TPE waiting in the wings, ready to make the jump. And the big league team? A full 9 games above 500 so far this season. The future is very bright for the Horsies.

San Diego are terrible. Which is surprising considering the great talent the team had prior to the trade deadline. The decision to sell one of the VHLMs best players Inker Bell comes at a really odd point. Considering the team also had another piece as trade bait, a player they traded two 1st round picks for, who will only be with the team for one season. I wouldn't go as far as to call this mismanagement, but it's certainly startling sending TWO first round picks to snag the first overall pick, an then to use it on a goalie. Maybe Mysterious Fish knows something I don't. Now they have a couple more drafts to fix the damage of this last season. 

Not that it's up to me but San Diego are going to need a lot of help next season before they can make some stronger moves and make a deep run and be relevant again. I just hope they don't trade both of their 1st round picks again for the 1st overall selection and learn that depth and filling roster spots will make the team more competitive. 

Since my player is a defensive defenseman, naturally I'm more interested in the defensive side of the game now. They say defense wins the championship, right? I hope so, I don't want another notoriously incompetent player in my hands.
 
For this week's and next week's articles, I'm going to look at team defense on every level - at how the teams simulate defensively, rather than at individual players - and highlight the best defensive teams.
 
VHLM: Mexico City Kings
 
Defensemen: Alagsantere Groenvold (30.3 AMG), Ronan Amnon (29.7 AMG), Carl Erhardt (28.5 AMG)
Starting goaltender: Chazz Michael Michaels
 
Look at any defensive metric and see Mexico being up there. Goals Against and Penalty Kill are the basic defensive stats you can see in the standings, and Mexico ranks second in both. Second to Las Vegas in both scenarios. So why am I ranking MEX above LVA? Because the Kings dominate the Aces and the rest of the league in underlying numbers. Shots Against? Mexico is 1st, Vegas is 2nd. That's close. But the most important job of defense is to keep the puck away from the net, and the Kings lead the league with the least Puck Time In Defensive Zone, while the Aces rank 4th. This leads me to believe Mexico plays stronger defense, but Las Vegas boasts a better simulating goaltender.
 
Part 2, VHLE and VHL: https://vhlforum.com/topic/151225-the-best-defensive-teams-part-2-vhle-and-vhl/

After trying to leave the league for a while to focus on school and life in general, Randy freakin Bobandy decides to have a career high season, leaving myself consistently still checking games on the portal and enjoying Malmo’s S95 run. Bobandy thinks he’s some big shot having a good finish to his career and it pissed two Sunnyvale Park residents right off. Bubbles and Ricky LaFleur have declared for the S97 VHL Entry Draft with a main vision of “being better than friggin Randy”. Bubbles LaFleur had some words to say on his decision to enter the draft:
 
”Randy is friggin pissin me right off. Randy drives around the park with Lahey thinking he’s some big shot because he plays hockey now… he’s no Wayne Gretzky I’ll tell you that. The only thing Randy has been good at is driving cheeseburgers into that big ole belly of his. Me and Ricky are the best hockey players in the park and we’re going to show everyone. Ricky spent some time playing goalie in jail and I used to play like Rocket Richard back in my day… we’re ready to crack some skulls.”
 
Ricky claimed Bubbles to be his brother entering the VHL draft. The two will share the last name LaFleur on the Halifax 21st in the VHLM to finish S95. With the main priority being to shut Randy up, we’ll see how the boys shape up throughout these next few seasons.
 
@DarkSpyro

A mere six points separate the D.C. Dragons from the bottom of the league table, currently occupied by the Prague Phantoms. Although the Dragons have played one more game than Prague at the time of This Article, Prague has given up a league-worst 240 goals, good for 4.14 goals against per game. D.C., for comparison, sits at 3.8 goals against per game, far from a stellar mark but the gap is statistically-significant. Offensively, the gap is closer, with Prague's league-worst 1.87 goals scored per game barely behind the Dragons' 2 goals per game.
 
To make matters worse, neither team has a particularly impressive prospect pool. For both teams, their star prospect is already in the VHL lineup, with Prague sporting S94 draftee Lazlo Holmes, an impressive two-way defenseman from the United States, while the Dragons have S95 draftee Konstyantyn Shevchenko out of Ukraine. Holmes' 45 points in 58 games is actually quite extraordinary, slotting him 9th in rookie scoring, and he leads the league in blocked shots with 209. Holmes has been remarkably consistent so far in his young career, scoring 59 points with the Saskatoon Wild of the VHLM, then 59 points with the Stockholm Vikings in the VHLE, both of which were good for 0.82 points per game. The transition to the VHL has seen that number slip slightly to 0.78 points per game, but as he continues to grow, it's not that much of a stretch to imagine him finishing at 59 once again.
 
For Shevchenko, the numbers are a little more dire. Largely stapled to the second line for the Dragons, he's been able to put up 30 points in 59 games, on the strength of 17 goals. This translates to 0.51 points per game, a far cry from the 1.49 points per game he registered last season with the Mississauga Hounds of the VHLM. It's worth examining one additional attribute when it comes to evaluating Shevchenko's development, however, and that's his defensive game. In 13 fewer games against much stiffer competition at the VHL level, Shevchenko has already surpassed his hits (146 versus 140) and shot blocks (98 versus 40). Obviously some of that must be attributed to the fact that the Dragons do not have possession of the puck as frequently as the Hounds did last season, but for the 6'7" winger, those numbers show a commitment to winning, and a willingness to sacrifice for the good of the team. 
 
For two struggling franchises, it's only natural to look toward the VHL Entry Draft to generate hope for the future. At the head of the S96 Draft class is a shocker - 50 year old Pan Daffleck. Pan would undoubtedly step onto the Dragons' roster as their number one defenseman, and his enormous 6'8", 250 pound frame could make him and Shevchenko the Twin Towers of D.C. For the Phantoms, the opportunity to pair Daffleck with Lazlo Holmes is likely a proposition sweet enough to make them salivate, and Daffleck's size could help the comparatively diminutive Holmes, who stands at 5'10" tall, utilize his speed and offensive smarts to jump up in a play with confidence that his defensive partner has it covered.
 

The VHL Entry draft, where the worst teams dare to dream
 
 
@Gustav  @OrbitingDeath

The Good:
Leadership: Hugh knows all about what it takes to be a leader. For instance, when his son Jimmy created SPF-9000 sunblock in order to block out the Sun, causing a 2nd ice age in Retroville, Hugh led a band of the other fathers in the town hunting caribou in order to provide for their families and community. VHL pundits believe that this show of gumption and initiative will translate to on-ice results, with Hugh possibly even maturing into a captaincy role down the line. Raising his son Jimmy at home, with all of the boy's mischievous and wacky endeavors, would be a source of extreme stress for any regular parent, but Hugh has never appeared to be truly fazed by this, which is an achievement in itself.  Skating: Despite his gangly frame, Neutron is surprisingly elegant and graceful on the ice. This may be an unintended and surprise side-effect of his well-publicized obsession with ducks, but it is a welcome attribute of Neutron's regardless.  
The Bad:
Size: Neutron is listed at 6'1, 150 pounds, and VHL scouts believe that listing to be fraudulently generous at best; many think that he is barely even above the one hundred pound mark, which is quite frightening for a 30 year old man, and something that scouts will definitely factor into their decision on draft day. Neutron needs to bulk up, especially if he intends to man the blueline his entire career, if he wants to succeed in the VHL long term.  Separation Anxiety: First and foremost, Hugh is a family man. He is deeply in love with his wife, Judy Neutron, and also loves spending time with his son Jimmy. Since their marriage, Hugh has not spent more than a day away from his sugarbooger, and being on the road in the VHL for long periods of time traveling the world will certainly put a strain on their marriage, something that Hugh likely would not be keen on doing. Perhaps he may work out an agreement with his GMs in the future that will allow him to spend more time at home in Retroville than other VHL players.  
The Ugly:
Experience: Neutron has not played a single game of ice hockey in his entire life. The nearest rink to Retroville is hours away, and Hugh had little time to engage in such pursuits while raising a boy genius at home. If Neutron wants any chance of making it to the bright lights of the VHL, he will have to adapt and learn the game quickly; his inexperience will be his biggest hurdle in making it to the VHL.

Early Life
Born around thirty years ago in the fictional town of Retroville, Hugh Beaumont Neutron was the first-born child of a modest family. His parents, a father with no name and Granny Neutron, as well as sister Kari, were known for their steadfast values, quirky nature, and community-oriented lifestyle. Hugh's early years were marked by a typical suburban American upbringing, with a strong emphasis on family, education, avian wildlife, and community involvement. The Neutron family home was a hub of activity, with unnamed father and Granny Neutron instilling in him a sense of responsibility and an appreciation for the simple joys of life, such as ducks and pie.
As a young man, Hugh demonstrated an affinity for humor and entertainment. His academic journey began at Retroville High School, where he excelled in creative subjects such as drama, music and avian studies. His charismatic presence and natural comedic timing made him a popular figure among his peers, and he quickly became known for his ability to lighten the mood with a well-timed joke or a playful prank.
 

Family Life & Fatherhood
After graduating from Retroville Community College, Hugh proposed to his high school sweetheart, Judy. She said yes, and together, they built a life in Retroville and started a family. Before proposing, Hugh had an opportunity to invest in the Retroville-based fast food franchise, McSpanky’s, however he ultimately decided against it, using the money to instead purchase the engagement ring for Judy. While making a different decision may have made Hugh wealthier financially, he certainly doesn’t regret a single thing emotionally. Their son, James Isaac Neutron, aka Jimmy, was born soon after the wedding. 
From an early age, Jimmy exhibited extreme intelligence and a keen interest in science and invention. Hugh's role as a father was characterized by his unwavering support and a unique brand of humor. Although he lacked the scientific acumen of his son, Hugh's enthusiasm for Jimmy's inventions and projects was boundless. His approach to parenting was unconventional but deeply affectionate. Hugh often played the role of the well-meaning but clueless dad, providing comic relief and emotional support to his gifted son.

Hobbies
Outside of work, Hugh's hobbies included a variety of activities that reflected his whimsical nature. He was an avid collector of duck memorabilia and had a penchant for anything pie-related. His basement was a veritable museum of duck related-oddities, including vintage wood ducks, retro gadgets, and eccentric knick-knacks. 
Hugh was also known for his love of classic television shows and movies. He often hosted Neutron family movie nights, where he would regale his family with humorous anecdotes and trivia about the films they watched. His enthusiasm for entertainment was infectious, and these gatherings became cherished family traditions.

Relationship with Jimmy

While Hugh lacked the scientific genius of his son, his love and support were unwavering. He often found himself caught up in Jimmy's high-tech adventures, whether it was by accident or through his own enthusiastic participation. Despite his occasional clumsiness, Hugh's heart was always in the right place, and his dedication to his family was evident in every new adventure.
One of the defining characteristics of Hugh's relationship with Jimmy was his ability to be both a source of comic relief and a pillar of emotional support. Hugh's interactions with Jimmy were marked by a blend of humor, admiration, and genuine concern. His willingness to embrace Jimmy's inventions, no matter how outlandish, demonstrated his deep love and acceptance of his son's unique talents.
 
Challenges and Growth
Throughout his life, Hugh faced various challenges that tested his patience and resilience. His bumbling nature often led to comedic mishaps, such as when he sat on a banana at seven years old, but these moments also highlighted his ability to adapt and grow. It is that same ability to adapt and grow that led Hugh to explore a career in the Victory Hockey League, despite the heart-wrenching decision to leave Judy and Jimmy behind. Traveling on the road without his family is certainly going to be tough on the man, but with Jimmy and Judy supporting him, anything is possible for Hugh.
One notable challenge Hugh faced was balancing his own interests and hobbies with the demands of being a supportive father. His whimsical pursuits sometimes clashed with the more serious needs of his family, leading to moments of tension and self-reflection. However, Hugh's willingness to learn from his mistakes and prioritize his family's needs ultimately contributed to his personal growth.

VHL
While Hugh has absolutely zero experience playing hockey, his agent Thomas Corcoran does. Corcoran has a plethora of VHL experience, although his most recent foray in the VHL ended in the mid-S70s with Chad Magnum. Before Magnum came Rudolph Schmeckeldorf, Eggly Bagelface, and Thomas Corcoran, all of whom were solid VHL players, but none won many major awards or reached the VHL Hall of Fame, which has long been a goal for the former Vasteras GM. Will Hugh Neutron break this curse, or just be another run of the mill player? Only time will tell.
 

Fans have noticed that Roger Eagles has been on the bench the last few games as the backup goalie, LAS G2, takes over for the new few games. No need to worry as this is league mandate to have the teams backup play a minimum of 8 games per season.
 
"It's actually good to be on the bench and observe the play of some of these teams from a different perspective, will help me learn and memorize certain players methods on how they play and shoot. Much better to see it live then on video" Roger said " LAS has also been playing pretty well to be honest. He even got a shutout a few nights ago. That guy definitely has some skill"
 
While he is not starting any games for the next couple of weeks, Rogers training has been pushed into overdrive. He is the first on the ice in training and last off as he continues to improve and get better for the end of the season and future seasons for Los Angeles. 
 
" You always have to be training and working hard even if you're not playing any games. You can't rest and take time off or you will eventually start to drop off. That's not who I am" Roger continued " Every extra moment I can spent training and getting better, that's what I will do. My goal is to become the best in the league and to do that you have to put in the work. It doesn't come easy or naturally. You can be gifted but still without training you will not be the best"
 
Lately Roger has been working on his speed and agility which was seen as a weak spot in his last few games. 
 
" It is something that I have noticed and has been pointed out to me and it is something I am addressing with training. I am hoping by my next start you will see a lot of improvement in those areas" Roger said " The coaches here have been great and I appreciate all the feedback. My side to side movement is much quicker now which will help me down the line. I have let in too many soft goals going from post to post and I can't keep having that."

With the season starting to wind down and Los Angeles set to miss the playoffs, Roger described his off-season plans.
 
"Most guys will take the time off, maybe go golfing but for me the work doesn't stop. I will be flying back to Poland and training in our families practice facility there" Roger stated " I will be reviewing video from the season, working out the kinks in my play and start working towards my next season goals. I expect our team to be much more competitive next season and maybe even challenging for that playoff spot. I am looking forward to the rest of this season to see what we can do but also already starting to look forward to what we can work to accomplish next season"
 

Player Information
Username: Acydburn
Player Name: Brigitta Sandstrom
Recruited From: Returning
Age: 18
Position: D
Height: 80 in.
Weight: 250 lbs.
Birthplace: United States of America

Player Page
@VHLM GM

it's such a struggle lol! ahsoka is gonna be a beast in the vhl and i can't wait to see what she can do. 👀

I know how you feel. I've been capped at 400 the whole season lol. 

We're coming into the last little bit of this season and it's honestly flown by for me. As a first gen and coming into this only knowing Kirby, I really wasn't sure what I was going to find or if this was going to turn out well for me. I figured it was at least worth a shot and with Season 95 set to wrap up soon I can honestly say I'm very glad that I took the plunge and decided to join the VHL.
 
By nature, I'm usually more of a quiet person. I can get anxious pretty easily and at first, all of this was a bit overwhelming. But as time went on and I started to get to know some more people, it became easier and now I can honestly say that I really look forward to coming home and logging in every day to see what's happened in the world of the VHL, especially with how my boy Slava is doing.
 
Seeing my creation do so well was not something that I was expecting at all, which has made it feel that much nicer. I just hope I can continue to build on the success he's been having in Mississauga and potentially turn out a good player at the VHL level. Many thanks to those I've been in locker rooms with and also just take a second to like my writings. I'm not good at graphics so that's why I concentrate my efforts to written word only pretty much but hey, at least I have something. Many thanks again to those who've made this something that really brightens up my day.
 
(word count: 275)

Another week down and Season 95 continues to be a mixed bag for the Halifax 21st.  The team started fairly strong and put together a winning record through the first half of the season on the back of standout performances by Samuel Wazinski @samthemancub and Mathias Gunnarsson @ThatCanadian, both of whom were traded away in the week leading up to the deadline.  In the week since then, Halifax's record as a team has taken a turn for the worse, dipping again below .500 and the team's goal differential has dropped from a +12 to a -14 in that short span.  There are causes for hope, however, as the team recently signed some quality players off of waivers, most notably 160 TPA goaltender Vladimir Trunov @qripll and 85 TPA defenseman Hugh Neutron @Corco.  With these two new additions, the 21st will be hoping to shore up their defense in time for a final push for a playoff berth and a chance to compete past the 72 game mark.  And while the team has seemed to be in flux throughout the season, they've leaned heavily on the stability of players like Kokko Miskinen @MikkoKoskinensMistress.
 
Considered by some to be the potential steal of the draft, Kokko Miskinen was selected by Halifax at the end of the 4th round, 40th overall.  While Miskinen might've been overlooked by managers due to perceived developmental stagnation, this has not been an issue for Miskinen so far in Halifax.  Through 4 weeks of the season, Kokko has developed into a 153 TPA player-- the highest rated skater on this Halifax roster-- and is the team leader in points through 56 games with 26 goals and 32 assists.  For a player who's consistency was in question at the time of the draft, ironically it's been their consistency that has made them such a valuable player for Halifax this season.  Miskinen has been highly active for Halifax offensively ranking 7th in the league with 338 shots on goal and has been a clutch contributor with the 2nd most game winning goals in the league this season with 9 so far, one less than the league leader Jacob Longstreet @Dynamicmlb_42.  Though perhaps not the most active player around the team or in the locker room week to week, Miskinen is a player that has quietly gone about their business, earning consistently each week and continuing to develop and put in clutch performances for a Halifax team that will take any spark it can get.  

"Not all players need to be max earners or locker room wildfire.  Of course, it's awesome when people are able to give that level of commitment to the VHL each week, but with the business of life it's not reasonable to expect that from everyone.  In my time as GM of Halifax so far, I've come to really appreciate those players who do what they can each and every week.  I know for myself, life can get in the way and pull your attention in many different directions so having players that remember to check in at least once a week and keep chipping away is fantastic and I'll never knock anyone for clicking welfare every week or choosing to be a forum only user as long as they keep coming back!  Without those players, I don't think we have a VHL." - GM Lexie Leitner
 
Congratulations to Kokko Miskinen on being named our Halifax SuperSailor this week!
 
༻❁༺

Having been capped at 200 TPE since the week going into the VHLM dispersal draft for S95, I’ve been able to bank quite a lot now. Once this article gets approved, the count will be up to 121 that I can apply to River as soon as that rollover happens, which is always super exciting! There’s something so satisfying about being able to dump all of those points into attributes all at once, and I’ve been playing around with the player build tool to see how I want to utilize the TPE that I’ve earned. I’ve been aiming for a more offensively driven build as a defenseman, but I’ve been considering trying to balance it out into a two-way build so River can hit harder and block more shots after seeing his performance in the M this season. I’d also be lying if I said I didn’t want to craft him into a VHFL-pick worthy player in the future as well. I guess I just wrote this little Kirby Mini Rambles as a longer way of saying: WOW, it feels really nice to see over 100 banked go down to 0 at the first opportunity, and to see a build improve greatly with its application.

Name: Stanislav Gregorovitch Kovalenko
Preferred name: Slava
Age: 19
Height: 6 foot 8
Weight: 218
Position: Defenseman
 
Currently playing for and captaining the Mississauga Hounds, Kovalenko leads all VHLM defensemen in points with 76 (22 goals and 54 assists) in the 56 games he's played so far this season. He is a plus 20 while on the ice and has three game winning goals, nine powerplay goals and one shorthanded goal. He also ranks fourth in shots blocked and seventh in the overall points leaders of the season 95 VHLM players. 
 
Positive: consistency
Over the season, Kovalenko has maintained an average of almost a point every game and has only had 6 games out of 56 where he did not have at least one point. Clearly, he can be depended on to contribute to his team.
 
Possible minus: hits
Kovalenko still has hits, 153 to be exact, but depends much more on his long reach to knock the puck away as opposed to body checking. However, this also means that he doesn't have nearly as many penalty minutes as another defenseman might. He's currently 21st in penalty minutes. If a team already has a body checking defenseman, then Kovalenko could be an excellent fit to balance that pairing so both don't find themselves in the box.
 
Positive: points
While not necessarily having as many goals as others, Kovalenko has found the back of the net over 20 times and with more games left to play, his total could reasonably be expected to go up. With his defensive vision high as well as excellent skating skills, Kovalenko scoops up loose pucks easily and either turns those into goals or passes them on to his teammates who in turn put those chances away. Kovalenko currently has a 12.57 shooting percentage, placing him seventh in the VHLM.
 
Possible minus: goals
If a team is looking for a true two-way defenseman, Kovalenko may not quite fit that build. However, if a team needed him to work on adding a wrist shot to his arsenal, there is no doubt that with his work ethic, such a thing could and would be worked on as he already has a fairly impressive slap shot.
 
In summation, there is very little not to like about Kovalenko's overall game and given his consistency, his ability to not only shoot but also block shots and get the loose pucks to an open teammate or put it away himself, he would be an excellent addition to most teams. Anyone finding themselves in need a of a defenseman would do well to give Kovalenko's agent a call to discuss things. Given how low his penalty minutes are as well, it also speaks to him not putting his team into uncomfortable situations, which mean a mature, consistent game which is impressive, given that this is only his second full season in the VHLM after just 12 games as a waiver wire pick up in season 94. If a hardworking, consistent and steady defenseman is what is required, then look no farther than Slava Kovalenko.
 
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