kirbithan

trio things ig absolutely wicked article as per usual john!!

3.72

I hope so!

This season, the prestigious Junior Showcase Tournament announced that there would be a change in eligibility for its players. Instead of allowing only players who were not VHLM-drafted yet, it would expand to those who have not been VHL-drafted. This meant that all S86 and S87 players could participate. Lachlan Summers, John Richards, and Sadie St-Louis— also known as the Legendary Trio— were ecstatic that they had the chance to play in the tournament once more, as they all expressed a desire to take part again by the conclusion of the S84 JST. The draft was underway a mere few days later and at 4th overall, Lachlan was selected by the Steel. Afterwards, the friends sat in wait, wondering if they’d get a chance to reunite once more. At 15th overall, Sadie was selected by the Royals. Then soon after, at the 22nd pick, John was also drafted by the Royals. The trio was dumbfounded and weren't sure how the two of them were always guaranteed to end up on the same team while one was left out. This has already happened on numerous occasions: - During the S84 JST, John and Sadie were both drafted to the Brigade and Lachlan went to Team Clue, but at the expansion draft— John and Lachlan were selected by the Pickles. - At the Pro Am, Sadie and Lachlan were both members of the Arctic Ground Squirrels while John played for the Atlantic City Angus. - Then came the S85 VHLM dispersal draft, and Lachlan returned to the San Diego Marlins, meanwhile John and Sadie were reunited on the Ottawa Lynx. Was this a sequence of mere coincidences or conspiracy? Perhaps we’ll never know, but maybe the trio’s fate will change at the S86 VHL and VHLE drafts.

PLAYER NAME: LACHLAN SUMMERS POSITION: GOALTENDER HEIGHT: 6'1" WEIGHT: 174 LBS. AGE: 20 BIRTHPLACE: BRISBANE, QLD, AUSTRALIA VHLM TEAM: (S84-S85) SAN DIEGO MARLINS, DRAFTED 6TH OVR VHL DRAFT STATUS: ELIGIBLE FOR S86 Lachlan Summers hails from the land down under, taking his talents to the San Diego Marlins of the VHLM near the end of the S84 season. After splitting games with Alexander Minion, Lachlan finished the season with 8 games played— 2-5-0 record with a below average .884 SV% and a 3.46 GAA. Although he didn’t have spectacular numbers, his presence in the locker room and work ethic caught the eye of quite a few VHLM GMs prior to the S85 dispersal draft. The netminder— who bears a striking resemblance to Jordan Binnington— was drafted 6th overall, bringing him back to the Marlins organization for a second season. This pick was a shock to many, but San Diego’s general manager Jacob Carson was confident in his goaltender and a sense of familiarity led up to the decision to take Lachlan this early. The Aussie would go on to prove any doubters wrong, becoming a cornerstone to the S85 Marlins team that began the season with four players. As we approach the end of the season, he has started all 68 games for the Marlins with a record of 32-28-8. He boasts a .914 SV % along with a 2.59 GAA and 4 shutouts (one of which, was against the first place Las Vegas Aces). Prior to his arrival in the VHLM, Lachlan was a talent who flew under the radar, playing in the AIHL back home in Australia. Now he is one of the top goalie prospects in this season’s draft despite the overloaded goaltender class. What does Lachlan bring to the table? PROS HAND SPEED - Hand speed is one of the most important traits in a goaltender as the glove is a crucial part of their equipment. Lachlan takes great pride in how quickly he can swing his glove to make a spectacular save and cover the puck. A versatile and mobile goaltender— Lachlan has spent a majority of his time testing different techniques with his glove in order to secure any pucks that are shot in his direction with relative ease. His husband Frankie was a former QMJHLer, so Lachlan’s able to get reps in during the off-season with his help. REACTION TIME - Many coaches and teammates have described him as a “robot” or “android” out on the ice. Lachlan is locked in whenever he is between the pipes, eyes tracking the movement of the puck and reading plays that enter his zone, whether it be a breakaway or even a 3-on-1. Accompanied with his hand speed, his ability to make swift moves on big plays and unexpected bounces allows him to gain the edge on opponents and rob them of surefire goals. This is something he plans to work on his entire career until no more refinement can be attained. CONS SIZE - Lachlan stands at 6’1,” which is slightly shorter than average for a goaltender— but where he truly lacks is in weight. He has always been a naturally lanky person and has attempted to gain more muscle on multiple occasions to no avail, weighing in at 174 pounds. He uses up a lot of his energy sliding from post-to-post to cover as much net as possible since he doesn’t have a natural size advantage at his disposal. Unfortunately, size isn’t something he can magically fix, but he can improve the technicalities that allow him to overcome it. STYLE CONTROL - Even though Lachlan’s hand speed and reaction time are impressive, he struggles with maintaining his consistency throughout the course of the game at times. On a few occasions during the season, he found himself allowing multiple goals in the third period after what looked like a competitive contest. This led to those respective games becoming blown wide open, especially when the opposing team was tacking many shots on goal. He has acknowledged this issue and is working on managing his style of play in an alternative manner that allows him to be far more consistent in net and avoid these collapses.

Very nice choice of player render. And already such a big improvement from your last few graphics!! Amazing work, Aimkin!

potassium

Anytime, dude!! Super glad you liked it! Thank you again for being a great interviewee.

Another great edition!! Super proud to be apart of the Prospect Pipeline team.

sadie graphics are elite as per usual!!

SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Marlins have officially named their leadership core at the midseason mark! Due to their small roster that consisted of four players, the team chose to go without any letters to start out. However, with an expanded group of players, the time has now come to reveal the captains of the S85 Marlins squad! CAPTAIN - SJIN @Mint Sjin has proven to be an absolute force in the locker room, aptly earning him the captain’s “C” with 83% of the votes from his teammates. Originally one of the waiver Marlins from S84, the center was drafted by the Miami Marauders 51st overall before making his return to San Diego in exchange for Tristen Gorlim, where he has since put up spectacular numbers with increased ice time. He was the center that the Marlins desperately needed. Sjin currently has 14 goals and 27 assists to his name this season. ASSISTANT CAPTAIN - VINCENT LAROCHE-GAGNIER @vincentlg2007 Another S84 Marlin who returned to San Diego at pick 22, LW Vincent Laroche-Gagnier— also known as VLG— has made a notable impact on the Marlins’ morale and the score sheet. Vincent has also shown off great prowess this season for the Marlins, leading them in points with 28 goals and 26 assists. He’s shown clear growth in his play on the ice and locker room activity this season, earning him the “A”. ASSISTANT CAPTAIN - ADAM RAGE @MrMom A fresh new face in the Marlins locker room this season, RW Adam Rage has demonstrated his high potential after being selected 32nd overall. A standout in the Junior Showcase Tournament for the Brigade last offseason, Rage has helped generate a majority of the Marlins’ offense along with fellow linemates Sjin and VLG, earning him the assistant’s “A” for his efforts. He currently has 22 goals and 25 assists under his belt. ASSISTANT CAPTAIN - LACHLAN SUMMERS G Lachlan Summers rounds out our leadership group, drafted at 6th overall. Another familiar face for the Marlins, Summers has backstopped them to multiple wins this season with a 0.918 save percentage and 2.36 GAA, as well as an impressive 4 shutouts. He is a vocal member of the locker room and aims to lead his team to a deep playoff run. Summers was also named an assistant captain in the previous season.

Look at that shiny, new "A" patch!

With this season’s theme week focusing on general managers, this is the perfect time for me to express my appreciation and talk about my first and only GM so far, @jacobcarson877 of the fabulous San Diego Marlins! I joined the VHL on a whim. During the wild recruitment drive from the two YouTube ads that dropped, I was extremely intrigued at the idea of a simulation hockey league that allowed you to create your own player and watch them grow from draft to retirement. Admittedly, I was hesitant to even join in the first place because I have quite a bit of social anxiety and was afraid I wouldn’t belong. Boy, was I wrong in the best way possible. Jacob was the first GM to pitch to me under my waiver post only minutes after I created my player Lachlan Summers. When I saw that the team he GM’d was based out of San Diego (my hometown), I jumped at the chance to play in a tandem for the Marlins. I, like many others when first joining, was completely overwhelmed at first and wasn’t sure if I’d even be able to meet the task requirements to earn TPE but now, as I am two months in, it has become second nature and Lachlan has just reached the 200 TPE cap this week. This is mostly due to Jacob’s willingness to answer any questions we had and giving us great advice on builds, how to earn TPE, and how to stay engaged with the league. His traits are what every VHLM GM needs to strive for, as he is the main reason why many members of his waiver Marlins have been staying so active to a point where other GMs took notice and wanted to draft them prior to S85. That special Marlins group included two of my close friends— John and Sadie— who now play together for the Lynx. Jacob is a wonderful general manager and is always quick to take new members under his wing. It’s hard to believe that last season was his first as a full-time GM, I believe he’s done an amazing job already. Needless to say, I was ecstatic to see I was going to be returning to the Marlins during the S85 VHLM draft. I loved the locker room atmosphere that the Marlins had curated and we hoped to recreate that this season, as well. I’m a lot more outspoken now than I was when I first joined the VHL, and a lot of that has to do with how welcoming and open the locker room was. I always love talking to Jacob about Simon’s antics and how the sim engine cursed our players, to sending Star Wars gifs, and creating a cookie channel in the Marlins locker room where all we do is send pictures and gifs of cookies in order to convince players to join. The Marlins system is an excellent place for players to grow and our S85 group has really surprised people this season. I trust Jacob and newly appointed AGM Aimkin (who is also amazing) to make the proper decisions that will propel our team to a playoff run. The western conference is extremely competitive at the moment, but with the fantastic leadership in the front office, I know we can rally and make a push this season. I can’t wait to see how the rest of the campaign goes now that we’ve hit the midseason mark. Once again, a huge thank you to Jacob for being your awesome self! You’ve made such an impact on all your current and past players and I sincerely appreciate all the work you do for the VHL and the Marlins organization.

GAME 196 RECAP: MEXICO CITY KINGS (3) vs. OTTAWA LYNX (1) This was a very physical contest between the Ottawa Lynx and Mexico City Kings, boasting 12 penalties, as well as an impressive victory for the Kings over 2nd place Ottawa. The Lynx were outshot by the Kings 37-22 and were kept in the game by a solid performance from goaltender Fuukka Rask, who ended the night with a .944 save percentage. Opposing goaltender Jeremy Swayman also put up impressive numbers with a .955. The Lynx’s only goal came in the third period from winger John Richards to make it a 2-1 deficit after the Kings got out to an early lead, but an empty net goal buried by Mexico City’s Alexander Stroheim secured his team the victory. The three stars were Nikolas Kauppi (MEX), Womp Womp Womp Womp Womp Jr. (MEX), and Jeremy Swayman (MEX).

Welcome to another episode of Marlin Meetup— where we sit down with members of our beloved San Diego Marlins and get to know them on a level deeper than hockey. I’m your host Marina Martin. Today’s guest is starting goaltender Lachlan Summers, hailing from Brisbane, Australia! How are you today, Lachlan? “Feelin’ good, doin’ good. What more can you ask for, really?” Glad to hear it! Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to join us. Ready to answer some questions? “Defo. Let’s see what you’ve got.” First, we wanted to congratulate you on back-to-back shutouts a few nights ago! That’s such an amazing feat to pull off and all of Marlins country is proud of you. How’ve you adjusted to life in North America? “Thanks. Well, I lived in Ontario for a couple months for a hockey camp when I was 17, but this is my first experience living in the States. There were a couple culture shocks when I first got here, like how massive food portions are for the price. Which is bloody great, don’t get me wrong—but I gotta keep fit and this makes it a lot harder for me. My husband Frankie usually cooks the meals for us, so I don’t have to worry about it much, though, luckily. He’s a personal trainer so he knows his stuff. He helps out a lot. Keeps me from gettin’ too outta shape.” Sounds like that works out well for you both! How’d you and Frankie meet? Your wedding photos were spectacular. “Funny you mention that ‘cause we actually met at that hockey camp I mentioned earlier. I was the only Aussie. Felt like the odd one out. I’m already a quiet person as it is and that made it worse I reckon, ‘cause everybody had their respective ‘cliques’ and people they already knew, but Frankie was the first one to talk to me. His smile could light up an entire room. He had braces back then, though, and his Quebecois accent was a lot thicker than it is now. I like to tease him about the braces once in a while. I could talk about him for hours but I don’t wanna bore everyone watchin’ at home, but I do have some pics on my phone of us from that camp if you wanna see ‘em. I like lookin’ back on how far we’ve come.” Of course! This would make for a great treat for the fans. “Yeah, just. . . don’t pay too much attention to my awful haircut in these photos.” It’s not that bad. Now, onto the next question, we’ve noticed that friends and fans alike have been calling you the “kangaroo man.” Any thoughts about that? “Honestly, I think that John Richards and Sadie St-Louis might’ve started that trend, but I can’t say I haven’t contributed to the “kangaroo man” thing either. I have a boxing kangaroo tattoo on my thigh and it’s wicked. Got it done not too long ago before movin’ here. Just wanted to bring a piece of home with me and now the fans have taken it to a whole new level, which is both great and hilarious. I’m runnin’ outta room on my shelf for all the roo stuffies that they’re tossin’ onto the ice after every win. San Diego is definitely a hockey city, I don’t care what anybody else says. That’s a fact.” Speaking of nicknames, do you have any more? “My close friends and family call me Lachy. Some of the other Marlins have given me grief for it, but I don’t really care. But even they know that they should stay far away from that nickname for me if they know what’s good for ‘em. . . just kidding, I wouldn’t go that far, but I might swing my stick at someone once or twice if I catch ‘em callin’ me Lachy. It was a nickname that’s followed me from childhood ‘till now. Reckon I can’t really escape it at this point.” Well, you heard it here, folks! Let’s stick to some other nicknames for you, then, Lachlan. Have you also gotten a chance to explore San Diego at all? “Yeah, whenever I have off days, Frankie and I have tried to mark a new thing off our San Diego bucket list. We went to the Safari Park up north in Escondido and got to hang out with some wallabies— basically mini kangaroos— they’re both in the same family of marsupials. We also have gone to some hidden gems like the Cave Store. Gotten plenty of time in the sun with our dog Addy, too. Luckily the climate isn’t too different from back home so it hasn’t been too drastic of a change.” Little Addy has become quite the social media star, hasn’t she? “I’m fully convinced most people like Addy more than me, but honestly, I’m not surprised. She’s a sweetheart, always followin’ us around. One of my friends back home owns a dalmatian who had puppies and was given’ ‘em away so of course I took one. Who can resist an adorable pup? Named her after the city of Adelaide, but sometimes it’s a mouthful, so it’s Addy most of the time. Unless she gets into some kinda trouble.” Oh, but you let her off the hook most of the time, don’t you? “I was pretty pissed when she unrolled an entire toilet paper roll in the bathroom, but. . . yeah. Can’t stay mad at that sweet face for long.” I didn’t realize we’re nearly out of time! Thank you again for joining us today, Lachlan, and for giving us a chance to get to know you more! “No problem. Having little to no hockey questions to worry about was refreshin’. If you ever wanna see my mug on this show again, feel free to let me know.” Of course! And thank you to our viewers for watching another excellent edition of Marlin Meetup. We will ‘sea’ all of you next time! This has been your host Marina Martin, signing off.