sadie

First off, it's such a purple graphic that obviously it's amazing. The mountains behind the render are the perfect shade and I love how you lined up the Davos logo so it gives the appearance that the logo's mountains are part of the foreground range. I also like the choice to have the logo sink behind the mountains. Tage Thompson pops out great despite being the same color and I like that the name and team are fairly understated in the bottom left. The only thing I would say is the purple on the Davos logo on the render's jersey seems too different from the jersey color. 9.5/10

I can't believe John Richards is allowed to just return to the league, no penalty, no punishment, nothing! This is preposterous! The man hasn't played hockey for the better part of 5 seasons and he's out here talking about how he expects a 40 goal 100 point season?! Absolutely preposterous if you ask me. How can you come back from so much time off and expect such high numbers? I mean the guy has produced at a high clip at every level he's played at but never at a 100 point pace! I am so excited to see how this season turns out for him because if he is wrong, you better believe I will be here writing another article voicing my opinions on why you all should've listened to me. An article that I already see being named "I Told You So". 
 
If Richards does produce and does exceed his own expectations then good for him I will not slight him any bit for doing what he set out to do since before the season even started. Don't get me wrong, I personally think that it is very good to set personal goals for yourself but to set goals as ludicrously as that just shows that you're cocky and arrogant to me. I mean if you're going to set a goal make it reasonable like I can see Richards scoring 90 points but 100 is a reach. 
 
All in all I think Richards is a very good player and a very kind man off the ice I just had to voice my opinions on his recent words.

John Richards has been missing for quite some time. He is back to show the VHL and the VHLE that you can't get rid of him that easily! I bet you're all wondering what happened to him so I will tell you; John Richards decided to take his vacation pay from the S85 Marlins and go to Jordan. He hated the country so he went to Chad and also hated it. Once he ran out of money, Richards left on foot to Europe where he found out that he was supposed to be playing hockey for Bratislava but it was too late. Richards signed with Cologne this season and as he embarks on his comeback season he wants to prove to the league that he is serious about his career and hopes to continue to be active throughout the rest of the season. 
 
I believe that John Richards will be very valuable to the Express and signing with a team of familiar faces, Richards should produce at a high clip in no time. Adjusting to being with another new team has never been easier, Richards will be able to make more friends, more memories and, more gm's disappointed that they didn't draft him. John Richards will have a career year this year and the Cologne Express will be a championship contending squad with Richards leading the way, the Cologne Express will be hard to beat. I believe that this signing will benefit both the team and the player as he tries to re-enter the league. 
 
Richards has always been successful no matter where he's been, there is no reason to believe that he won't be dominant in Cologne. I am positive that with proper linemates and ice time that John Richards will be a naturally great leader again like he was in Ottawa in the VHLM. John Richards is a leader, a dominant winger and, a natural born scorer. He cannot wait to begin the season and begin to strike fear into the hearts of the other teams in the VHLE. He expects to have a 40 goal 100 point season as he believes that he is fully capable of it and is on the right team to unlock his offensive capabilities. 
 
John has been pondering the thought of returning to the VHL because he thought that his career couldn't be resurrected but, he is back and is going to try his best to make this career the best it can be. I hope that Richards can be a top point producer and an elite goal scorer. I hope that his journey to the VHL goes well and he earns a spot on a VHL roster soon. I believe that his comeback journey will be successful and he will be a fulltime VHL player like he used to be in no time at all. 
 
Once the next season rolls around, John Richards plans to update regularly and be active in the VHL like applying to GM or AGM in the JST again and reacting to media spots and articles like he used to. He can't wait to see what this season is holding for him and he is excited to get it underway. Now it's time to sit back, relax and, see what the season entails for Richards.

I like the unique design behind the render's head and arms with the square pixels fading out, and I like that lower down on the renders it changes to dots blending into the white background. I like how monotone it is, it makes the render pop more because the skin is the only color and the Wolves logo at the bottom looks pretty great as well. The logo warp is very well done. The only complaint I have is that the Vancouver Wolves writing under Analfist's name is very small and hard to make out, as well as the five year contract. 9.5/10

Again your graphic looks amazing! I really love how the black foreground is brushed away to reveal the graphic underneath- it's one of my favorite designs in graphics. The logo warp looks good, the muted blue-gray looks really great because it makes the red pop. The font coloring is great as well as just the font shape. The VHL logo in the background is the right size and it looks awesome! I think this is definitely one of my favorite graphics you've made, so I will give it a 10/10.

I love the black and white color for the render’s face while keeping everything else red themed. The render pops out so well because of the more muted red of the background and I love the decision to make the face larger in the background on the left. The font is awesome as always and the way the background blends at the top and bottom is perfect. Honestly just 10/10 couldnt improve it in any way i think.

@leandrofg

DBC ©️2023
 
The Riga Reign have done it again! Although we hope that the event they have repeated is a key winstreak such as the one at the end of the season or a glorious seven-point game for The Frenchman making a strong start to their playoffs, the reality is that yet again, Riga has failed to make it work. 
 
Is it simply a case of encountering the wrong goalies at the wrong times, given that Lachlan Summers and Jesse Teno have terrorized their forwards come playoff time? Could it be that this Reign team is suffering a similar affliction to the well-known curse of the Toronto Maple Leafs (a fifth-tier North American side made famous for its choke artistry)? Or is it something else?
 
To try to get a look inside the hearts and minds that fill Riga’s locker room, Keita Mālina interviewed Sadie St-Louis, a player regarded as one of the leaders of this team’s core. Although younger than some of her counterparts and  often facing struggles with production, there’s no doubt that she cares about this Riga team and where they go deeply.
 
 
Keita Mālina: The Riga Reign have fallen again to HC Davos Dynamo, who seem to be a familiar foe. Do you think that your struggles to advance in the playoffs are just a result of Davos being always a little bit more of a contender?
 
Sadie St-Louis: I can’t really attribute it to Davos being better, because at the end of the day that’s not really true. When we’re clicking out there, no team can stop us and you all saw that in game one. Every time we have a chance to make a run, we crumble and I don’t know why.
 
KM: Do you think it’s a lack of effort on the part of the team or of certain players that’s impacting you guys negatively? Can you give any insight?
 
SSL: I don’t think its fair to place blame on players and series like this aren’t a place for that anyhow. It was really hard fought between both teams and everyone gave their all. We must have used up all our luck in game one, I guess. I don’t know I’m just really mystified.
 
KM: It always seems to come back to Lachlan Summers, Davos’ superstar goalie and your friend. How did his play affect the outcome of the series? 
 
SSL: Lachlan’s awesome and always has been an awesome goalie. I could barely believe it when I got one puck by him in this series, let alone 2 in a game and 3 in the series! I think if you watch the replay you’d see my jaw hit the ground. But in all honesty I find it easy to be super happy for him even though its really bitter to lose again. Lachlan is totally the reason for their win in my eyes and I think game 1 lit a fire under him. We talked after the game and you could see plainly in his eyes that he was reliving the trauma of an incident about a decade ago that involved potassium filled fruits. Well, allegedly but never mind that. He was definitely the key and is perennially I believe, to Davos success.
 
KM: Is Riga starting to lose hope after so many repeated failures? There’s some speculation about management being the problem- thoughts on that?
 
SSL: No, we always bounce back ready to win, and it’s going to happen. We will be back next year stronger than ever and it will only be helped by our amazing GM. They haven’t been the reason for being unsuccessful, and have helped us make many key additions which we wouldnt have made the postseason without. 

KM: On a lighter note, thoughts on Brian Kowalski and the amazing season they have had this year? 

SSL: I think it's just astonishing what they've been able to do as a defenseman especially. They have been playing big minutes and being a huge part of this team defensively, laying the body on opposing players as well as sacrificing it for us. The offensive pace is unreal. I will be incredibly surprised if they don't win a bunch of awards- it will be so deserved.
 
KM: What skills are you planning on training most in this offseason?

SSL: I really feel my shot still needs work, I'd like to see more goals versus the amount of pucks I put on net. Also strength, I really need to contribute more on the physical side of the game and definitely have some better hit totals haha.
 
KM: Any words you have for the fans before your offseason really begins?
 
SSL: Thank you Riga for showing up. We know we can count on you to show up and get loud at home and to follow us to away games. All of you have made me feel so welcome in this city and are the reason our team is so determined to get back out there and win. We’re going to get that Cup for you next year, Riga.
 
KM: Thanks so much for sitting down with me Sadie! Best of luck to you and the Reign next year!
 
 
Sadie’s production was at a personal best for her this year, with a whopping 77 points in 72 games. While she had certainly shown the talent to be able to put up more than that, it’s a significant jump from last years point total of 55 and her first time finishing above that point per game threshold. Her goal total increased by 50% as well this year, showing that last offseason’s commitment to shooting practice paid off. She is looking to take a step to the next level again next year, now having touched a point per game, her sights are set on 80 or even 90 points (that would be very cool!). Before we see what she does next year, however, we have a long offseason to go. Sadie will be in Switzerland, hopefully catching a Davos Continental Cup win while she's there. Here’s to a better next year for her and Riga!

 
 

DBC ©️2023
 
The Riga Reign have done it again! Although we hope that the event they have repeated is a key winstreak such as the one at the end of the season or a glorious seven-point game for The Frenchman making a strong start to their playoffs, the reality is that yet again, Riga has failed to make it work. 
 
Is it simply a case of encountering the wrong goalies at the wrong times, given that Lachlan Summers and Jesse Teno have terrorized their forwards come playoff time? Could it be that this Reign team is suffering a similar affliction to the well-known curse of the Toronto Maple Leafs (a fifth-tier North American side made famous for its choke artistry)? Or is it something else?
 
To try to get a look inside the hearts and minds that fill Riga’s locker room, Keita Mālina interviewed Sadie St-Louis, a player regarded as one of the leaders of this team’s core. Although younger than some of her counterparts and  often facing struggles with production, there’s no doubt that she cares about this Riga team and where they go deeply.
 
 
Keita Mālina: The Riga Reign have fallen again to HC Davos Dynamo, who seem to be a familiar foe. Do you think that your struggles to advance in the playoffs are just a result of Davos being always a little bit more of a contender?
 
Sadie St-Louis: I can’t really attribute it to Davos being better, because at the end of the day that’s not really true. When we’re clicking out there, no team can stop us and you all saw that in game one. Every time we have a chance to make a run, we crumble and I don’t know why.
 
KM: Do you think it’s a lack of effort on the part of the team or of certain players that’s impacting you guys negatively? Can you give any insight?
 
SSL: I don’t think its fair to place blame on players and series like this aren’t a place for that anyhow. It was really hard fought between both teams and everyone gave their all. We must have used up all our luck in game one, I guess. I don’t know I’m just really mystified.
 
KM: It always seems to come back to Lachlan Summers, Davos’ superstar goalie and your friend. How did his play affect the outcome of the series? 
 
SSL: Lachlan’s awesome and always has been an awesome goalie. I could barely believe it when I got one puck by him in this series, let alone 2 in a game and 3 in the series! I think if you watch the replay you’d see my jaw hit the ground. But in all honesty I find it easy to be super happy for him even though its really bitter to lose again. Lachlan is totally the reason for their win in my eyes and I think game 1 lit a fire under him. We talked after the game and you could see plainly in his eyes that he was reliving the trauma of an incident about a decade ago that involved potassium filled fruits. Well, allegedly but never mind that. He was definitely the key and is perennially I believe, to Davos success.
 
KM: Is Riga starting to lose hope after so many repeated failures? There’s some speculation about management being the problem- thoughts on that?
 
SSL: No, we always bounce back ready to win, and it’s going to happen. We will be back next year stronger than ever and it will only be helped by our amazing GM. They haven’t been the reason for being unsuccessful, and have helped us make many key additions which we wouldnt have made the postseason without. 

KM: On a lighter note, thoughts on Brian Kowalski and the amazing season they have had this year? 

SSL: I think it's just astonishing what they've been able to do as a defenseman especially. They have been playing big minutes and being a huge part of this team defensively, laying the body on opposing players as well as sacrificing it for us. The offensive pace is unreal. I will be incredibly surprised if they don't win a bunch of awards- it will be so deserved.
 
KM: What skills are you planning on training most in this offseason?

SSL: I really feel my shot still needs work, I'd like to see more goals versus the amount of pucks I put on net. Also strength, I really need to contribute more on the physical side of the game and definitely have some better hit totals haha.
 
KM: Any words you have for the fans before your offseason really begins?
 
SSL: Thank you Riga for showing up. We know we can count on you to show up and get loud at home and to follow us to away games. All of you have made me feel so welcome in this city and are the reason our team is so determined to get back out there and win. We’re going to get that Cup for you next year, Riga.
 
KM: Thanks so much for sitting down with me Sadie! Best of luck to you and the Reign next year!
 
 
Sadie’s production was at a personal best for her this year, with a whopping 77 points in 72 games. While she had certainly shown the talent to be able to put up more than that, it’s a significant jump from last years point total of 55 and her first time finishing above that point per game threshold. Her goal total increased by 50% as well this year, showing that last offseason’s commitment to shooting practice paid off. She is looking to take a step to the next level again next year, now having touched a point per game, her sights are set on 80 or even 90 points (that would be very cool!). Before we see what she does next year, however, we have a long offseason to go. Sadie will be in Switzerland, hopefully catching a Davos Continental Cup win while she's there. Here’s to a better next year for her and Riga!

 
 

@badcolethetitan

The blur on the background of the graphic really helps the player pop out and the shadow on the font allows the name to be read much more easily. I like that you chose to make it a signature and the number is nicely spaced away from the letters in the name. The logo warp is just super awesome and the color swap onto the jersey and onto the helmet works well too. If I were to change anything, I'd just make it further Helsinki-themed by making the background more blue-tinted or monochrome to fit into the color scheme. 8/10

Lachlan Summers was swarmed by reporters, microphones, and cameras after practice as his team, HC Davos Dynamo, headed into the playoffs on a first round bye. They will be facing the Riga Reign, a rivalry that has been heating up over the past few seasons due to many factors: Summers’ friendship with winger Sadie St-Louis as well as the rivalry between defensemen Brian Kowalski and Skor McFleury.
 
Interviewer: “Davos struggled near the end of the season and missed out on the Victory Cup after a dominant campaign. Has the team reflected on that at all?”
 
Lachlan: “We’re moving past that now. We’re in the playoffs and the last thing on our minds right now is what happened during the regular season. It was a close race. Didn't play as well as we should've. That’s all I have to say.”
 
I: “Since you are facing off against the Riga Reign again after besting them just a few seasons prior, are there any tensions between you and your friend Sadie St-Louis?”
 
L: “I wouldn’t say there’s tension but there’s definitely a rivalry and we drive each other to be our best. Sadie is one of my closest friends and we both know to keep things that happen on the ice, on the ice. No friendships are going to be ruined if that’s your concern. Nothing could tear us apart, especially after that banana attack that supposedly happened nine years ago.”
 
I: “Mason Jones and Alexandre Leduc are going to be retiring at the end of the season. How much will Davos be missing them?”
 
L: “A hell of a lot. Two very strong presences both on the ice and on the locker room. I hope they’ll stick around even after this season, maybe take up some coaching spots or something like that. I have really enjoyed playing alongside those two and now we want to win that Continental Cup to send them off properly.”
 
I: “Thank you for your time, Lachlan. Good luck.”
 
L: “Thanks.”
 

I really like the way you decided to go about this graphic- the numbers behind Liv make a massive difference and the city skyline tint changing is a huge plus. It's helpful to have the player name next to the signature to add interest but also better allow people to read it (even though the signature is nice and legible unlike many). The render pops out enough that the red background doesn't hurt at all and I love the font you used for Chicago. 9.2/10