VattghernCZ

1. I like them, offseasons tend to be too long without them. 2. Yes! I'm GMing in ProAm - Nuuk Narwhals - and my previous player is signed up to the tournament. I also AGM the Rush at JST, a team where Grønvold plays, and I've applied for a GM job at the WJC. 3. Just keep on earning. Last offseason, I did a multi-week Media Spot about tur goaltending in the previous season, maybe I'll do something similar. Offseason is a great time to dig through some numbers. 4. 12 capped every week of course! I also got 4 TPE for Super Coach and 5 TPE for VHFL, so I'm really happy. I have no idea what I put in Predictions, so let's see if I get at least a little something. 5. I came from YouTube. I'm not sure which youtuber it was, I think CynFTW or Rob Talks Hockey. They did an add read, I was intrigued but forgot about it until I heard a second ad read. 6. No, I haven't. My social circles of a) people who might be interested and b) people whose english is decent enough don't overlap.

Applying for Europe or World!

Claim 2/2 for W.E. 9/29

1) The initial thought was "oh come on, why right now", I guess that would be the initial thought of anyone who doesn't hate the E and was supposed to play there the next season 2) No, I don't like it. I wanted to apply for a GM job in the E as soon as possible. 3) Not that much. I'll start the season very close to - if not at - the 400 tpe cap. I guess a 400 tpe player in a league of 30-400 tpe players will only be a bit more dominant than they would be in a league of 200-400 tpe players. 4) The E hater get what they've been calling for. 5) Us Europeans won't have the chance to play close to home until we reach the VHL. 6) I almost quit during my first gen's VHLE season. We were a great team, but I wasn't as invested in the game yet, and the locker room was pretty much dead. Thank you @Agito for keeping me engaged!

A recent headline made news in Czechia, as Czech Ice Hockey Federation announced the new general manager of the Czech national team for the 2026 Olympics. The surprising new electee is Wann Kerr, former Vancouver Wolves and London United star-ish forward. Why is it surprising? He doesn't look like the best candidate, considering his only experience in team management is the constant bugging of Frank about a development coach position for the Wolves, and some minor management in Czech junior league, a development program Kerr heavily endorsed throughout his playing career. “When I applied, I was drunk, it was just for the memes,” said Kerr. “Like, there's no way they would seriously consider me. I don't know what the hell were they smoking, but here we are. They have officially out-trolled my trolling attempt. I guess I have to actually follow up now and go for the gold then. What the hell, let's do this, how hard can it be.” It's hard to say if that's the correct mindset, especially for a national team that won the World Championship gold medal just a few months ago. But perhaps it's the breath of fresh air the stale international hockey needs.

When we think about Alagsantere Grønvold here in the VHL Central Scouting, the first words that come to our minds are reliable. It may look like a backhanded compliment; you’d probably expect words like dynamic, exciting, or game-breaking when you're talking about a potential—though it may be a stretch—top 5 draft pick, but Grønvold doesn't play a flashy style of game. It's more appropriate to think about him as a stabilizing force on the blue line or a high-end complementary player. We've talked about our expectations on Grønvold in our VHL Prospect Highlight podcast as well as in our scouting report, but what are his own thoughts and expectations? Mike Rotchburns, one of our VHLM West scouts, had the opportunity to interview Grønvold during the VHL draft combine. So, Santy, have you heard from any VHL teams yet? Any idea where you might end up playing? I've heard from one team so far, so I think that's still pretty much open. Plus, a lot of stuff can change, so... no idea. And if it was up to you, what team would you be the most excited to join? Oh, that's tough. I think my old man would be thrilled to see me play for Vancouver or London, you know that. I'm open to the opportunity of playing anywhere; I'll play my heart out for any team that would let me; I'd love to give them my whole career. But if it really was up to me, I'm feeling like a big-market NA team Love the confidence; do you think you could handle that much pressure? Man, if there's one upside to me, it's that I thrive under pressure. Both on and off the ice. That's a great trait to have as a pro athlete, absolutely. You're currently the third-highest-rated defenseman on our list. How do you personally think you stack up against other blueliners in your draft class? I don't think you can just rank hockey prospects. We're all people bringing different qualities to the table, and different teams are looking for different things in their players. Hockey-wise? Yeah, I have confidence in my game. I do what I do. Daffleck and Harrington are amazing hockey players; they can do stuff on the ice. I don't even attempt to avoid embarassing myself, but I think I have some other strengths in different areas of the game. It's all about what teams are looking for, rather than just about the rank on a list. No offense. It could very well be a coin flip between all of us on draft day. And I can tell you the one drawing the shortest straw will have some fire under their... you know. Well said. Now, talking about the different strengths in your game you’ve mentioned, what do you bring to the ice? Well, I can skate. Sure, everyone in the game can skate, but what I mean is that I feel like I can actively change the pace of the game, and I don't think there have been many instances when I wasn't able to be where I meant to be. I also think I'm a quick thinker without the puck; I enjoy taking almost a chess-like approach to the game, scanning, analyzing, and predicting where the puck is going to go, you know. And I have no problem using both my stick and my muscle to turn the play around at the opportune time. I was blessed by growing like 7 inches in the last few years; it would be a waste not to leverage my size. I also don't mind taking a beating in front of the net. And now the more difficult part: what are some of your weaknesses, and how are you working on fixing them? Well, my coaches have always been telling me we're playing hockey, not bleeping hot potato. I just don't feel confident when I have the puck on my stick. I prefer strategizing, opening the space for my teammates, and making sure it's us, not the opponent, who has the puck. I'm working on both my shooting and my passing, but I just can't get the hang of it. I often just move too fast, and I'm too lanky to coordinate my stickwork and my feet; I don't understand how other bigger guys do it. So are you looking to double down on your skating, analyzing the game and physicality to make it stand out even more, or are you planning to round out your game a bit more? I think I can be somewhat flexible depending on what my future team is looking for, but I don't think I have the baseline talent to become a true offensive threat. Teams looking for this type of player are definitely putting more stock in Daffleck and Harrington at this time. I think the best approach would be to play to my strengths and to deploy me as a shutdown player. It's important to know your strengths as well as your limitations; it looks like you have this covered. How long until you're ready to hit the VHL ice, in your opinion? I think I'm ready to compete as soon as the next season, but it would be better for both my future team and my own development if I played in the minors for one more year. Okay, that's about the expected ETA for top-shelf talent like yourself. To end our interview, tell me a bit about your favorite VHL player or players who influenced your play style. Brian Payne is definitely up there. Him playing in Vancouver was the main inspiration for me to start playing hockey. If we're talking about current players, I really like Callum Gary Yannick Janser or Guntis Gavilrovs. Or if you want to look at up-and-coming youngsters, you have guys like Bollos de Trueno, Eric Thorvaldsson, or Felicia Hardy. It will be an honor to compete against players like this in the following years. I can definitely see a resemblance here. The VHL is definitely looking to get a bit wilder very soon. Thank you for your time. Good luck in the draft, and I wish you a long and successful career. 1000+ words, claiming 2×6 TPE

69.0%

Already has been with you two

@sadie @kirbithan I was half tempted to say Grønvold was the captain of the Vancouver Giants

Applying, preferably D.C. - dragons are cool

No retiring, Grønvold needs you to join his Kraken hunt

Congrats Miami

Alagsantere Grønvold is a hard-hitting, defensively-minded defenseman. His defensive readings and instincts are top-notch. Combined with his elite four-way mobility, he's a nightmare to play against, especially in transition. Discipline has been a concern in his game, as has his lack of composure with the puck on his stick and very limited offensive upside. Grønvold will probably never be your team’s top scoring defender, but he could be the perfect counterpart an offensive defenseman needs to fully unleash their potential. Grades: Skating: A Puck skills: C Goal scoring: B- Playmaking: C Hockey sense: A+ Physical: B- Observations: June 24, 2024: Upon finishing his senior year with the Greenland Youth Academy, Grønvold signed a contract with the Mexico City Kings, who will hold his rights until the upcoming VHLM draft. He looks like a good fit to complete the Kings’ blue line. Due to some visa issues, he's expected to miss the first few games, but he still should have enough time to build chemistry before a potentially very deep playoff run. July 4, 2024: The fatigue from jumping straight from the Greenland Youth Academy senior year into the VHLM regular season has clearly affected Grønvold's game. While he hasn't looked overwhelmed thanks to his awareness and defensive IQ, he has been struggling to adjust to the VHLM pace and to leverage his physical tools. Still, he became an impact defender for the Kings, finishing the regular season with 3 goals, 7 assists, a plus-1 rating, 28 hits, and 23 blocked shots in 16 games. July 13, 2024: Eleven playoff games is not a big sample size, but Grønvold definitely looked more comfortable than he looked in his regular season games. He held his own pretty well, especially considering five of the 11 games were against heavy favorites. Grønvold ramped up his intensity with 19 shot blocks and 20 hits, recorded a single goal and team-leading 7 assists with a minus-2 rating. August 5, 2024: Despite a strong defensive showing at the Junior Showcase Tournament with the tournament-winning Rush team, Grønvold wasn't selected to take part in the World Junior Championship, which arguably hurt his VHLM draft stock as he fell to the 7th overall pick, going back to the Mexico City Kings for season 95. September 13, 2024: In his first—and what should be final—full VHLM season, Grønvold surprised everyone with his production with 18 goals and 48 assists for 64 points (10th among VHLM defensemen). Some of hockey’s best coaches say the better you defend, the less you have to do it, and Grønvold was a great example of it. While his traditional defensive stats were unimpressive—plus-8 rating, 137 hits, and 112 shots blocked—his defensive impact went beyond the box stats, as he was the most deployed player on the league's best defensive team. It's hard to record hits and blocks when your team is on the puck most of the time you're on the ice. Grønvold remains a bona fide mid-first round talent, and a strong playoff performance could even propel him into a top-5 consideration. September 16, 2024: Let's not talk about Grønvold’s performance in the four playoff games Mexico City played. As the draft approaches, Grønvold remains one of the premier blueliners and one of the more VHL-ready prospects, but another year of development before jumping in the big league would be the best approach to his future. He is set to play another season with the Kings now that the VHLE announced the end of their partnership with the VHL and its affiliated leagues.

Hold my beer and hand me a lab coat

1. Not VHL related, my hiking trip to Norway, which took half a season. VHL related, the insane winning streak we were on. 2. Definitely our start to the playoffs. We habe to turn this thing around ASAP. 3. I missed a few fantasy weeks when I was abroad, but I did 12 capped every week, I did theme week PT and player bio. I'm happy. Sadly I'm too cheap to donate for extra TPE. 4. To be honest, nothing, Grønvold is performing exactly how I wanted him to. If anything, I'd take back the 10 TPE in OV and put it in BC to double down on the defensive D-man build. 5. Yes, I used it with my first gen player. I didn't start the build very well, but Shindigs (miss ya buddy) showed me the way. 6. Well not winning the Renaissance Cup, that's for sure. Our core players will be well above 200 tpe, I expect nothing less than a deep playoff run!

We got so close in S86!

There goes my plan to apply for a VHLE GM spot once I see an opening, now that I'm finally able to use STHS lol

I shamelessly admit I've been using quillbot grammar check every now and then, because artifical intelligence is the only kind of intelligence I possess.

Part 1, Intro and VHLM: https://vhlforum.com/topic/151224-the-best-defensive-teams-part-1-vhlm/ VHLE: Cologne Express Defensemen: Joseph Dubois (29.0 AMG), Cody Toland (27.0 AMG), Scrungle Bungle (26.8 AMG), Pan Daffleck (18.7 AMG), Bric Sheithaus (16.9 AMG) Starting goaltender: Jon Webber III While you could argue for a tie in the M, it's not the case here. Cologne is just dominant defensively, leading the league in fewest Goals Against, fewest Shots Against and the least Puck Time In Defensive Zone. The only flaw in their defensive game is their Penalty Kill. But when the weakest part of an area of the game still ranks 3rd best in the league, you're doing something right. VHL: Moscow Menace Defensemen: Nils Andersson (30.3 AMG), Obuz Schneider Canet du Bocage (29.5 AMG), Jillian Woods (28.9 AMG), Benjamin Abenduct (28.7 AMG) Starting goaltender: Olober Syko Before digging in, I expected a bit more parity in the top league. I was surprised to see Moscow defensively dominating the VHL even more than Cologne dominates the E. Ranking 2nd in Goals Against, 1st in Penalty Kill, 1st in Shots Against and 1st in Puck Time In Defensive Zone clearly shows they're a nightmare to play against. But the fact they're not 1st in Goals Against surprises me, I guess it's possible to get in their goalie’s head once you cut through their defense (good luck with that!). Mexico City is sitting at 4th overall spot in the VHLM, 12 points behind Mississauga and 1 point ahead of Miami. Cologne and Moscow lead their respective leagues, the Express with a 4 point lead on Bratislava and Moscow in a tie with Riga, 3 points ahead of Malmö. So does defense win the championship? Moscow is just dominant, leading their league in Goals For on top of their elite defense, so a better way to test this claim is to follow Mexico City and Cologne this postseason, as both are below average offensive teams relying heavily on their defense.

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/

Holy crap the logo swaps are cash money! Great job!

1. I don't think we're catching Vegas, Philadelphia is a coin flip, but I think we can finish Above Missisauga to finish 3rd overall, their defense looks a bit shaky. 2. I don't think there will be many, I saw some guys with names I recognize have already re-created, I think the rest will do so after the season is done, they probably don't want to mess with the results. 3. With my first player, my team made the finals. Hopefully this squad can get a step further and win! 4. Looking at our schedule, getting shutouts against San Diego and Ottawa, would be good, but even better - a statement shutout win against Philadelphia or Missisauga? Yes, I'm going for a bold 10. 5. I haven't even been drafted yet, so it's hard to say. I'm definitely playing in the E, hopefully bringing a strong defensive impact regardless of the stats, just as my player is doing now. Hopefully Grønvold can be a no. 1 or no. 2 defenseman on league's best defensive team. 6. Twelve games left now to get six wins? We're better than that, looking at the schedule, I'm saying 43 wins.

Another week, another goose egg

Hello there!

It's Sunday, 9 p.m., and I've realized I still need to ti 2 capped, so here we go. I've properly baited my swim, put a big halibut pellet under the hook, loosened the drag and I have some time to enjoy a somewhat cold one and write up something while waiting for the fish of the day. I was playing around with the TPA tool today - as I do probably way too often - planning my VHLE build. Or about 30th revision of it. I mean, what am I supposed to do when my player has been capped in the M since before game 1, so I can't apply any TPE? So what am I gonna do when I'm free to spend? First off, I'm gonna put 42 TPE into BC to raise Checking to 60, more than enough for the E. Next up, 1 TPE to DC and 61 TPE to DK to make Defense stand out at 80. 6 TPE in SH rounds up Puckhandling to nice even 70. 51 TPE in SP (I caught a decent Chub at this point) makes Skating 73 and leaves me with 39 TPE available. I'll probably dump them in SS to create some separation between Scoring (47) and Passing (43), with 64 Strength. Looks like a solid 400 TPA build, that I'll probably end up building completely different anyway.