VattghernCZ

Game recap: What a thrilling, yet low scoring end to the final series, where the only thing overshadowing Phantoms elite goaltending was Wolves HOF caliber goaltending. The Phantoms took control early, peppering Brandt Fuhr with 23 shots in the 1st period - compared to the Wolves' 13 shots - but neither Fuhr nor Clueless Wallob allowed the puck to get past them. Second period was much more even, and it brought the first goal of the game, after Pierre-Emile Bouchard blasted the puck past Wallob on powerplay in the last 4 minutes of the game to put the Wolves up by 1. The Wolves were not able to carry the momentum into the 3rd period as Faith Hope Love tied the game just 49 seconds in and slightly tilted the ice in the Phantoms for the whole period. But Fuhr stood strong just like Wallob, and the game was tied at 1 after the end of 60 minutes. Faith Hope Love might have been the hero in the 3rd period, but unfortunately for his team, his minor interference penalty gave the Wolves another powerplay opportunity that allowed Pierre-Emile Bouchard to end the game with his second goal. Congrats, Wolves!

The season was definitely a fun experience I'll happily reflect on as Wann's career progresses. Coming so close all these times feels extremely rewarding for a newbie like myself. You guys in the management did a hell of a job putting this team together. It was also great seeing my player being put in a position to succeed on a team as strong as this Gladiators squad was. And Swayman, oh boy, how great it was to have one of the league's best goalie tending the crease and just being an MVP. See you guys soon, maybe on the opposite end of the ice, maybe in a locker room, who knows.

The day is October 23, 2022. The Las Vegas Aces are suiting up to play game 7 of their semi-final series against the Mexico City Kings. The winner of the series would be a massive Founders Cup favorite. Centering the second Aces line is Wann Kerr, a young Czech forward for whom it is the first ever full season in the VHLM. A gutsy performance by the Aces allowed them to advance to the finals to clash with the Philadelphia Reapers. Everybody but the S85 Aces has to love the underdog story of the final series. Wann Kerr was watching the soul-wrenching scene of his opponents lifting the cup after the Aces lost in 6 games. Fast forward to November 10, 2022. There is Wann Kerr, raising his draft stock as one of the top Junior Showcase Tournament players leading the Brigade to the tournament final. It's game 7 of the final series against the Delhi Pickles. A very close game was decided by a 3rd period goal scored by Wann's teammate, woooooo! Oh wait. It was his Aces teammate. Who was a member of the Pickles now. An all too familiar scene was now taking place in front of Kerr's eyes, as the Pickles players lifted the cup. Let's jump to January 6, 2023. Rome Gladiators are facing the Oslo Storm in game 7 of the VHLE finals. Leading the Gladiators in goals and points is Wann Kerr. But Oslo couldn't be stopped. After advancing to the semi-finals as a wild card team, they upset the VHLE juggernaut Cologne Express, and the momentum was definitely on their side in the final game against the Gladiators as they've tied the series after being down 1-3. Another character building moment for Wann Kerr as he watched his opponents lift the cup for the 3rd time. Will the Wolves or this season's WJC Team Europe change this trend, or will Wann Kerr bring his curse to his teams? Let's find out.

I love those! If you find yourself short of TPE, can you please make one for me? Player name: Wann Kerr Player render: Calen Addison, preferably with greasy lettuce he used to rock Team: Vancouver Wolves

Claim 2/2 for week ending 1/8

I fancy our chances lads!

In Gustav's guide to building players, it says defense is, in Gustav's opinion, THE MOST IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTE FOR ANY POSITION OR BUILD. According to my first VHL mentor Shindigs, defense in the sim basically dictates how often your players has the puck. So what was my experience? Building a two-way center, I always knew DF would be high on my priority list. I got DF somewhat high in the M, and was able to put up almost 100 points. Not bad, but I also had 60 SC. During JST after I left the M and was able to allocate all my banked TPE, I put it all to DF (and something to FO), so by the start of S86 - when I graduated to the E - my DF was already around 70, but my SC was still 60 and my SK and PH in high 50s. Throughout the year, I mostly focused on upgrading DF. At the end of the season, my player had DF 76, FO 65, SK+PH 64, ST 63, SC+PA 61. The result of this ultra-DF center build? Team leading 37 goals and 84 points, both top 10 in the league. Now capped in the E finals, with DF 76, SK+PH 66, FO 65, ST+SC 63 and PA 62, my guy is sitting at 5 goals and 7 assists for 12 points (all three stats team leading) in 7 playoff games. Is defense really that OP? At least below the VHL level? Or am I just being lucky? Can't wait to find out.

Remarkably consistent effort brought the Phantoms victory in game 76. The first period was even on the scoresheet, but not necessarily on the ice, as the Phantoms were clearly the better team. Perry Laperriere opened the scoring for the Phantoms in the 7th minute, but Mason Jones promptly tied the game. Similar situation followed shortly after when John Jameson put the Phantoms up by one again, but James Teekirque tied the game again. Clueless Wallob in the Phantoms net was really true to his name, allowing 2 goals on 5 shots. Second and third periods were like carbon copies of each other - Prague led in shots in both, and scored a goal a period. Faith Hope Love and Nils Godlander were the shooters adjusting the final score to 4-2.

Elite goaltending by Brandt Fuhr (VAN) in game 69. Vancouver led the first period in shots with 14 (compared to Chicago's eight) and was the only team to score, when Henry Eagles put the Wolves up by 1 in 9th minute. Chicago were more active in the 2nd period, with The Board Game Clue On Skates tying the game in 5th minute and outchancing Vancouver 18-11. Only one team arrived to play the last period - the Wolves limited the Phoenix to 7 shots and no goals, while Svatopluk Puk and Alexandre Leduc adjusted score to final 3-1 win for the Wolves.

The Winter holidays mean extra few days off for the players, who can visit their families and enjoy a bit of peace. Some fans of course like it less than others, saying players just get rusty and out of rhythm - we let you decide your stance on this fact. One of the players opting to catch a plane to his homeland was Wann Kerr, a Rome Gladiators center. What's surprising is he managed to make himself available for an online interview for a czech sports magazine during the holidays, a translation of which we bring you in this blog spot. Note: this interview took place before thr VHLE semi-finals have started. Wann Kerr is sitting in an office chair, dressed in a christmas jumper with The Lord of the Rings "one does not simply walk into Mordor" graphic, occassionally sipping dark beer. In the background, there is a Christmas tree, and a sizeable snake using the tree as a jungle gym. Hello again. Last time we spoke, you were an Aces player, now you are with the Gladiators. How different is playing in Europe to playing in North America? Hello! Well of course the competition is higher in the E that it was in the M, I have to play against faster, stronger, tougher players, and I have to score against better goalies. I mostly try to keep my game the same and work hard as always...yeah. But you haven't looked out of place for a bit. How happy are you with how the season went both for you and for the team? We started really strong, I think we won something like first 6 straight games. It really gave us a lot of confidence early on. We eventually came back to earth for a bit, there were some games - especially against Geneva - we probably should have won, but I think we've put together a strong season, finishing 3rd. As for me personally, our GM has really put me in a position to succeed. Being the top scoring forward on the team feels great, but it's just the regular season. Now with the playoffs approaching, we need to carry on playing the way we did. You're facing the...Bratislava Watchmen in the first round. What's your outlook? They've always been one of the tougher opponents, the series is definitely gonna be a close one (it was - Gladiators won in 6; editorial note). I can imagine a game or two going into the overtime. We've got strog defense, elite goaltending and we can score some goals, I believe we can win. Being czech, doesn't playing against a team from Slovakia perhaps make you want to play for them, or maybe for Prague in the VHL? Of course it would be cool to play at home, close to my loved ones. But I think that ship has sailed. This is my only season in the E, and I'm not planning to leave the Wolves organisation. The only way I'd end up in Prague is if the Wolves traded me there, or didn't offer me an extension - looking for a new job as a free agent, a team being from Prague could be a factor. So I take it as there is a good relationship between you and the Wolves? Oh definitely, I can't wait to join them next season. Frank, the Wolves GM, has been in touch with me since the draft, we had some talks about my role next season and about what areas of the game would be good for me to work at, and stuff like that. I believe it will be a long, mutually beneficial relationship between the Wolves and me. So what role are you expecting to play in Vancouver next season? Frank told me I'll probably play my rookie year at the wing, so there is not a great need for me to work on my faceoffs as much as I do, and perhaps allocate the time to work on skating mechanics and puck control. I'm expecting a secondary role with some special teams time. The talent gap between the VHL and the E is really big. But before that, there's playoffs to be played. Who do you think will be the biggest X-Factors on your team? Jeremy Swayman in the net has been our MVP all season long, he will play a crucial part in our run. We've got strong players who can step up on every position, but ultimately, I think we're getting as far as Jeremy can drag us. I hope it will be to the championship title. In Vegas, you were on the team with Victor Hašek, now there is Left Alone, another fellow czech. What's your guys' relationship? Left is not often present in the locker room, so it's hard to say. We spend more time together on the ice than off the ice to be honest. But it's still great to have another czech in the room, you know, like a little reminder of where I'm coming from. I can see you're spending the holidays back home. How does it feel to escape from the routine for a couple of days? I'm actually not home, I'm with my girlfriend's family. It's really great for my mental health, to have a few days off like that. Don't get me wrong, I love playing hockey, but being a professional athlete is incredibly taxing, both physically and mentally. But on the other hand, it makes moments like this even more special. And a last question, what did Baby Jesus brought you as a gift? I got a whole bunch of vintage wooden hockey sticks! How cool is that? You know I love playing with the old school Titan sticks, but nowaday it's all carbon and composite materials...there's nothing like a proper wooden stick! I'm not an active player myself, I couldn't tell. Anyway, thank you for your time, especially now during the holidays. I hope your playoffs go well and we'll talk soon. Merry Christmas! Thank you, it was my pleasure as always. Happy holidays to you too! 1000+ words

Woooooo Roma Victrix !!!

Woooooo let's go get the cup!

Rookies really took over the E last season, with some of the most dominant players in the league being first year VHLE players. Let's revise which rookies were most impactful and put together an all-rookie team, front to back. LW - Sadie St-Louis @sadie, Stockholm Vikings The top goal scorer in the league with 47 goals to her name, Sadie definitely belongs in the all-rookie team. A dynamic, well rounded winger, Sadie was deployed on top Vikings line as well as top powerplay units and secondary penalty killing units. She was also named one of the team's alternate captains as a rookie, which speaks volumes about what kind of character is she. Riga Reign have definitely drafted them a keeper. C - Larry Abass Jr @RileyL, Stockholm Vikings The extra year in the M did wonders for the Calgary Wrangler prospect's development. Larry managed to rack up 45 goals (3rd in the league) and 55 assists (T-6th in the league) for 100 total points (2nd in the league). He was also one of the most active shooters and hitters in the league. You'd have hard time finding a more complete forward. Even though he's a narural winger, he was deployed as the top line center on the Vikings squad, as well as centering top powerplay and penalty killing lines. Playing center position, his sub-50% faceoff percentage was the only drawback to Larry's game, but considering he's probably gonna play his natural position in the top league, it shouldn't be an issue going forward. RW - Babay Shrimp @Blazzer, Bratislava Watchmen The second highest assists producing forward in the league (56 assists) and one of the Watchmen alternate captains, Babay would round up the all-rookie forward line really well. Someone might object Babay played a bit more sheltered minutes on the second line, but team leading 42 goals and 98 points really speak for itself. Shrimp is probably the best passing forward in the E, and it will be great to see the Americans benefit from Babay's puck distributing proficiency next season. D - Skor McFleury @Alex, Cologne Express The top scoring defender on the juggernaut Cologne team, Skor has really established himself as one of the best blueliners in the league. Logging ice time as a top pairing defenseman in every situation, Skor was 6th best shot blocker and 3rd highest scoring blueliner in the league, accumulating respectable 125 hits on top of that. Being an S87 VHL entry draft eligible player, expect him being one of the top selections, he will probably join the VHL straight from the draft. D - Jens Lekman @Bobcat, Rome Gladiators The Wolves prospect scored 21 goals last season, which tied him for second place among all blueliners. He showcased brilliant two-way game by being one of the better shot blockers and hitters on top of his high end goal scoring ability. G - Joel Castle @animal74, Geneva Rush Okay, Geneva Rush was a dumpster fire last season. But there was one bright spot - their elite 1A/1B goaltending tandem. And Joel Castle was the 1A. In 43 games played, his .937 SVS% was absolutely elite. But despite his elite saves percentage, the team wasn't able to support him as they went 6-24-7 with Joel, and allowed enough shots to make his GAA not very good looking 3.13. But that's hardly Joel's fault, as he was constantly lights out. By the way, him, Jens Lekman and Larry Abass Jr are all Las Vegas Aces alumni.

Enjoy the celebration of capitalism, gluttony and family everyone!

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Kevin Fiala is my daddy

Deset

Earlier this season, we brought you an article on how Wann Kerr's blue collar game and elite ability to gain puck possession for his team allow him to be an impactful player straight away. But an obvious flaw in his game was his unwillingness to skate with the puck himself. Instead he used to look for open teammates to play a hot potato with them as soon as the puck touched his stick, being the third forward on transition. In the offensive zone, he was rarely creating plays or looking for a more favorable position to shoot, he prefered to either pass the puck, or shoot a low percentage shot in hopes to generate something. During the season, Wann Kerr put a lot of work into improving his skating mechanics and puck control, and it's safe to say he's now one of the better skating forwards on the Rome roster. Especially in the last 20 or so games, we could see him gaining confidence with the puck and regularly actively supporting transition game and making plays in the offensive zone. This change in Kerr's game makes the Gladiators top line that much more lethal. It couldn't have come at better time than now, as Rome is looking to clash with the Bratislava Watchmen in the first round of the VHLE playoffs.

Devět!

1. Hitting 350 would be awesome. You absolutely love having a player like Coasty on your team...because it means you don't have to play against him. 2. Oh yea, Crummer is an absolute beauty, just watch our powerplay tonight. He's got it. 3. Two games left, we're probably facing Bratislava in the first round anyway, let's keep our cool tonight and not play like we're trying to prove something. 4. The most important thing for us skaters is to have confidence in our goaltending, so we don't cheat on forecheck and play it "too safe", and I think we're alright here. I feel like we don't need to adjust our game based on who's in the net at all, which makes the switching between our goalies perfectly seamless. 5. I believe je will hit it at the beginning of the last year of his contract. How cool would be if he hit it in the home season opener? 6. Meh. Nothing against these two guys as human beings, but I'm a Wild fan, these two together with Sharp, Keith and Seabrook will forever haunt me in my dreams. I'm maliciously happy they've lost.

Jedeeem!

mine mine mine mine

Fun fact: Only female mosquitoes bite.

I hate ketchup

What was your worst restaurant experience? Wann Kerr's weekend probably brought him his top answer to this question. A perk of playing in Italy is - among other things - the abundance of delicious food. Especially in a tourist trap like Rome, there are amazing artisan restaurants behind every corner. Wann's love for mediterranean cuisines was mentioned in a short interview during the training camp, and it's even more evident now as he's now looking 10 pounds heavier. Another culinary preference known about Kerr since his Vegas days (a thing that caused him some grief at the team pizza party) is his love for pizza with pineapple. And boy, do living in Rome and pineapple pizza not go together. Wann Kerr found that out the hard way after asking for a pizza with alfredo sauce, ham, pineapple, habanero and mozzarella in a restaurant recommended to him by his teammate. According to his words, the whole restaurant went absolutely silent for a few seconds. A bead of sweat apeared on the waiter's forehead before he wispered "get out" through his clenched teeth. At first, Kerr was decided to stand his ground, but the sight of the restaurant's chef with a knife in his hand kicking the kitchen door open and two cooks following him with wooden peels changed his mind. Seeing two customers barricading the door, he was forced ro quickly jump through an open window and run for his life. Apparently this whole event became public, as the whole home crowd has been booing Wann Kerr anytime he has the puck since then. Channeling his inner Marchand, Wann Kerr embraces being the team's wanker.