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Undisciplined Titans play and stellar goaltending by the shutout hero Legion goalie Joel Castle decided the game 290. Toronto set the tone in the first period, when Quinn Clark capitalized on two power plays out of four total opportunities. Despite four minor penalties against the Titans and just one against the Legion, the shot total was tied at 8 after the first period. In the second, Fuukka Rask in the Titans net didn't get much support from their teammates, facing 19 shots and stopping 18 of them and getting substitued by Ben Dahl in the 19th minute. The last period was evenly matched, with the Legion chipping in for one final goal to make the final score 4-0.

The rookie of the year contest brings us exciting race every year, as we watch new blood writing the first pages if their legacy. Well...almost every year. This year, halfway through the season, the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy is already pretty much decided. And has been for some time. Matt Murdock @Acydburn is taking the league by storm in their second VHL season, first as the Menace starting goaltender. They have started all 38 games, and holds 23-13-2 record with 0.930 SV% and 2.42 GAA. The save percentage ranks them second among all VHL goaltenders. Aidan Shaw Trophy would definitely look nice next to the Stolzschweiger Trophy, just saying. But for a while, let's pretend there is an alternative universe without Matt Murdock. How would the rookie race look then? Let's catch up with the most prominent future runner ups. Larry Abass Jr @RileyL is having quite a rookie season for them, building on a 45-goal 100-point VHLE campain. Playing on the first Wranglers line with Landon Wolanin and Daniel Janser might give their stats a little boost, but they definitely look like they belong, with 12 goals and 29 points in 38 games. Abass Jr is also a part of the Wranglers special teams, logging minutes on both power play and penalty kill, and with 11 powerplay points – 7 of which are goals – and 12 blocked shots, they are definitely playing a big part. They bring some physicality as well, utilizing their 6'3'' frame for 58 hits and getting in a fight already. Nikolas Kauppi @Tetricide has been the best playmaker of this season's rookie class so far with 20 assists (of 29 points), being Saku Kotkakoivu's running mate on the second Phantoms line and supporting the team's powerplay with 3 goals and 4 assists. As of writing this, Kauppi is riding a 7-game point scoring streak, and they could definitely end the season as a top scoring rookie with a strong second half. They have already become a fan favorite thanks to their willingness to drop the gloves – five teams this season already. This might drive their coaches nuts, but it will definitely give them bonus points with teammates. Daryl Dixon @Ricer13 has been an absolute animal, with 110 hits and a fight to their name. They have been an absolute nuisance you hate to play against, with their great defensive play and physicality. The -12 in their stats may not look the best for someone praised for their defensive play, but keep in mind Helsinki Titans team is at the bottom of the league, and you can't expect a single rookie to carry the team (unless the rookie's name is Matt Murdock, of course). Even when the rookie has scores 17 goals halfway through the season (leading all rookies). Quinn Clark @axtron, the second highest scoring defenseman of the 86th VHLE season has joined the Toronto Legion team. So far, Clark has amassed very respectable 7 goals and 20 points on the struggling Legion squad and is the highest scoring rookie defenseman in the league. Though you can't blame a single player on a bottom feeding team for -19 rating, but to be fair, Clark has still some defensive shortcomings. They are an offensive weapon that's especially effective on man advantage – proven by 5 goals and 5 assists. As said at the beginning, I think the ROTY award is already decided, but it will be interesting to see how the other rookies will fare nonetheless.

1. I got my main attributes to the balance I want to keep them in, so not really. Other than slowly working on faceoffs - Kerr Isa natural center after all. 2. In a vacuum, both. But in real world, I think with a goalie like Fuhr, the impact of the difference between good defense and elite defense is smaller than between good offense and elite offense. 3. Definitely some breweries! I'm not saying Kerr is a drunk, but he likes beer a lot. 4. It's my first gen rookie season, ask me this question later. 5. I would *like* to be assigned to Slytherin, because they value traits I'd like to build - ambition, cunning, leadership and resourcefulness. Realistically, I'd be a Hufflepuff tho. 6. They use sticks?

There it is. After few months of grinding and waiting, the highly anticipated moment is here! My first player is playing VHL games! With getting to the VHL sooner or later being the point, with the most attention being paid to the VHL and with the most avtivity being in the VHL, I will now be able to experience this league in full! So what changed? To be perfectly honest...not much. I don't necessarily mean it on a bad way. I sure was super excited to join the reigning Cup champions and the team management really made me feel welcome, but the graduation somehow felt...mundane? I think that's as close to the word I'm looking for as I'm gonna get. I was expecting a sense of accomplishment that just hasn't arrived (...yet. Hopefully). Many members bash the E, but looking back, the graduation from the M to the E felt more...more. I don't know. On one hand, it makes sense, it was the first time I've experienced my player moving up. On the other hand, going from the E to the top league is a bigger step. Okay, I admit I've had a pretty tough schedule in my offline life lately, unfortunately coinciding with the start of my player's rookie season. That definitely has a big part of me being underwhelmed. And especially this week has been so exhausting that it lead me to just put my feelings in words rather than to think about a PT or an article that would make sense. To anyone is still reading this, I have a question: did you feel similarly? Or is it just me being overall mentally drained? I guess asking this was the point of this post more than anything else. Thanks.

1. Not in my wildest dreams. The biggest surprise for me was Nezuko. I knew they're an amazing player with two 40-goals season already, but actually playing with such a player is something else. 2. I've already spoken about Nezuko in my first answer. I really wasn't expecting such a rocket start from them. And they don't look like slowing down. 3. You see what Brandt Fuhr does back in the net? Yeah... 4. I'm...whelmed...by my player. About what I expected. Not a liability, and chipping in with a point here and there. I'd still like to hit 20 goals tho. Jens is looking really good, especially with their physicality in defensive zone. I can't wait to see Jeremy start some games. 5. We're top 3 in both the most shots for and the least shots against. That's just dominant. If I were to nitpick, I'd say we could use some improvement on penalty kill, we're "only" about average. 6. It's gonna be a pun, isn't it? I have no idea.

Sitting at the top of the standings with 7-0-1 record, the Wolves are not messing around. GM @Frank's offseason activity already looks like savvy moves and certainly is paying off. Leading the team in goals (6) and points (14) is Nezuko @Baozi, an offseason free agent addition who was brought to try to replace Alexandre Leduc's @Lemorse7 production. Sergey Preobrazhensky @Bulduray_1, acquired last season from Moscow, and Svatopluk Puk @Otaznik, a 3rd-season Wolves forward, are tied for 2nd with 11 points. Dogwood Maple @dogwoodmaple (10 points) and Henry Eagles @Greg_Di (7 points) are both on track to set new career high in points. Rookie Wann Kerr is off to a solid, though not spectacular start, scoring a goal in his debut game and currently sitting on 2 goals and 4 points On blue line, the loss of Biggie Cheese @a_Ferk was always going to be huge. But Pierre Emile Bouchard @Gaikoku-hito, the team's newly appointed captain, is having a special season with 10 points already, pushing the game forward like Biggie Cheese used to. Jimmy MacElroy @Xflexz is building on the confidence their rookie season gave them with a fantastic start. Jens Lekman @Bobcat, a rookie defender, already has a 2-goal game under their belt. Jens has been a prolific triggerman on every level so far, and it looks like the trend continues. In the net, oh boy, what a season Brandt Fuhr @Tate is having. Save percentage north of .94 and sub 1.75 goals against average are inhuman numbers. The Wolves certainly need their goaltending to be atrong after losing Biggie Cheese, and so far Fuhr has more than delivered. We're yet to see rookie goaltender Jeremy Swayman @Agito starting a game. Even rhough everyone would like to see their newest face in the net, it's hard to justify sitting Fuhr right now.

1. About as close as someone participating can! 2. Not really. I would, if my player was there, or maybe if I was in management and some of my team's players or prospects would be there. 3. Hey, my nameplate has just been put on my locker room stall, I've just arrived. I have yet to find time to look into the Wolves lore. 4. Being a part of the team for some time is definitely a plus. But I think the most important things are team first mentality and their locker room presence. 5. Not at all to be honest, I've only seen the announcement about the temporary cap relief and that's it. 6. It physically joins something together by biting? It has to be a stapler! And all the victim, fate, might etc. is stapling together legal documents!

G - Clueless Wallob @rory

D - AK92 Wit da Hoodie @leandrofg

Every player puts their offseason in good use. It's the time of the year to put on some muscle weight and work on their technical skills to come back stronger, tougher and faster than before next season. This was the case for Wann Kerr as well, naturally. This offseason he's focusing on his shot and adding muscle the most, and it pays out - at the training camp that's about to end, he's already looking like one of the stronger Wolves players. But that's not the only thing the czech forward focused on. Despite what seems to be a brutal workout schedule, he often finds a way to visit kids' hockey trainings to motivate the kids and give a few tips to the coaches. It's one thing for the youngsters to hear about the deeds of the country's pro players, but meeting them, speaking to them in person and having the opportunity to touch a WJHC gold medal is a different thing. "Look at pro czech players. Whether it is VHL or its lesser wannabe rival league NHL, most of the czech players there don't come from czech hockey leagues nowadays. They play in Canadian junior hockey leagues, in NCAA, in Scandinavia, in Switzerland, you name it. There's just no real development program here. Just a bunch of clubs with funding not even worth talking about. And the pro junior league... Players whose parents are rich find a way into it more often than really talented kids. If I can do my part in building a foundation of a development program for a new wave of czech players, I'm happy to do so." - said Wann Kerr for czech media. And it looks like he's backing up what he's saying. It was confirmed Kerr met with Czech Ice Hockey Federation executives and made a significant donation to help youth hockey funding. It looks like getting a few professional hockey seasons under his belt has changed his priorities completely. Before joining the VHL structure, Kerr had stated his goal is to fulfill his dream of running a reptile zoo - or "the best reptile zoo the world has ever seen" as he said - but now he looks commited to his new cause. Perhaps a place in player development is in Kerr's cards after his pro player career is over. But that's far enough in future. Now Kerr is preparing himself for his rookie season in the big league with the Wolves. The freshmen competition will be really tough, with a lot of high profile prospects graduating. Even though Kerr's newest cause is an important one, he should not get distracted if he wants to rise to the top of his draft class. His top-10 pick pedigree and playing for a reigning Founders Cup champion definitely light fire under him, perhaps enough for him to set his eyes on the Stolzschweiger Trophy? He said he doesn't aspire to win it, his priority is performing well in a role his team needs him to. But there's nothing wrong with overperforming, is there?

F - Igor Molotov @rory

F - Sergey Preobrazhensky @leandrofg

1. So-so. I wasn't a full time member of the team last season, so no matter what changes does the offseason bring, the S87 Wolves will be my real first impression on the team. 2. I'm sure I can't recall all of them. But it's great to see a GM not getting lazy after winning The Cup. 3. It's said the team who gets the best player wins the trade. I don't think anyone is happy to see Leduc leave, but it's too early to tell. There are picks for S88 and S89 drafts involved, who knows. 4. Not saying it's fair to them, but yes, they for sure will be. At least by the fans 5. I've played with Jeremy before, he's been a fantastic goalie on every level he's player on. But it will take some time for him to adjust to the big league, I don't think there will be a real controversy this season. 6. I think we're looking solid! A few prospects are joining to fill in depth roles, the top end is looking great, I'd give it a solid 9.7/10.

D - Jake Thunder @rory

F - Daniel Janser @leandrofg

Not counting the three games at the end of S85 and a playoff run with the Lynx, every season Wann Kerr has played so far has been a rookie season on any given level. The same goes for me as a member, being first gen. But I've talked about this side in my theme week MS this season, let's focus more on the player here. VHLM experience - S85 Las Vegas Aces Strictly speaking, Kerr's career has started with Ottawa Lynx after they claimed him as a newcomer. But the true start of his career was the dispersal draft, where he went 33rd overall to back-to-back champions Las Vegas Aces. He was drafted as a black horse, no one exactly knew what to expect of him, but he's a prime example of how a player can absolutely explode when working with the right GM. Kerr eventually became one of the top Aces' forwards and was regularly centering their second line. Eventually the Aces went to lose in the final series. Seeing such a success - both as a team and as a player - early in his career, his VHLM experience set Wann Kerr on fire. He wanted to experience this high again. Getting to the finals with his Junior Showcase Tournament team only made this desire stronger. VHLE experience - S86 Rome Gladiators Kerr's Rome experience was a bit different to his Aces tenure. Nearing the end of S85, Kerr had been contemplating staying in the M for one more season as a TPE capped player to try being The Guy on offense, and jump straight to VHL after that. Ultimately, he decided against that, which turned out to be a great idea. Because, foreseen by no one, he started the season by a 6-game point streak and quickly became The Guy. It was a character building experience for Kerr - either he could get cocky and claim the team wouldn't get as far as they did without him, or embrace his inner on-ice leader (displayed by the A on his chest) and team player, and be thankful to be put in the position to succeed. Judging by how he's been speaking at press availability and on his social media, the latter was the case. All in all, this season was as succesfull for him as the previous one - the Gladiators lost in finals. But this time, Kerr was the team leader in goals and points both in regular season and playoffs. What a way to end his development leagues career. And just to add to that, Kerr helped Team Europe to win their second straight gold medal. VHL expectations for rookie season Now that's a tough one. I was penciled as the second line left wing on the Vancouver Wolves squad, playing opposite of the Wolves' elite scorer Alexandre Leduc. But that was before the huge trade that saw Leduc leaving the team. The lines will surely be shuffled before the first puck drop. Kerr should start the season as a 500-ish TPE forward playing on the wing, despite being natural center. The Wolves have great forward depth, on one hand it will give Kerr less ice time, on the other hand it could give him more favorable matchups. I don't particularly aspire to win the Stolzschweiger Trophy, but I would like to see Kerr scoring 20 goals and being a defensive asset. Twenty goals is a high ask, but so far, my expectations have been too low. Now let's go for it. Go Wolves Go!

Both Kerr and Joyo should put some points in fighting to make it more entertaining. I hope Joyo wasn't that teammate who stole Kerr's gf back in his beer league days

Maybe they will be, but not now during the WJC lol. Can't bring bad blood in the LR

Nope, he was in Team World

A1: I'm extremely happy for the Wolves, it's the team that drafted me, I'm joining them for the next season. Let's hope for back-to-back! A2: Probably not. Seeing they haven't fixed literally any of the issues that make it so frustrating for me to play it, I didn't even get the game. A3: Of course Wild, it's my team! But not counting them, I think this finally is the Leafs' year. Q1: What are your player's goals for the next season build-wise? Q2: From what's already decided, how are your predictions looking? Q3: Do you have any pet(s)? If not, what pet(s) would you consider getting?

Rumor has it that Wann Kerr's first phonecall after the Gladiators' loss in the VHLE finals was to set up an appointment with a therapist. He rarely loses his cool, but on the ice it seemed like he took the L harder than most of his teammates. Allegedly he was also the first player to leave the rink and he cut off contact with everyone for the following two days. There were even some concerns that he might be locked up in Juan Ceson's cupboard again. These concerns were put to rest when Wann Kerr contacted his team apologizing for his behavior, saying he had to "deal with an urgent personal issue". We get it, experiencing nothing but finishing second is tough, but that's a part of being a professional athlete. Whatever Kerr was dealing with - inferiority complex, frustration, impostor syndrom, your guess is as good as mine - venting to a therapist seems to help him. He now presents himself in much better state, hyped for the upcoming WJC. At least that's what can be deduced from the photo he's posted on his social media, where he's skating in his Team Europe jersey, commenting it "this is about f**king winning".

1. Oh yeah, every year. I was the type of kid who would open the whole box on December 1, eat all the chocolates, put the plastic tray back in and glue the box closed, then I would just keep opening the windows. 2. The playoffs started during the holidays this season, so not much really. We were all more focused on the game. 3. To his eyes - at 5'9" he's a pretty short fella, and longer stick gives him a deceptively long reach which he uses well when poke checking. Q1: How happy are you with your player's/team's performance this season/postseason? Q2: What are your player's plans for the offseason? Q3: Does your player have/want any tattoos?