GoalPlays

It is getting late into the season schedule now, so let’s take a look at the London United prospect pool.


 
Alex Deluca @Deluca

Seems to have disappeared for the last month, just shy of the magic 300TPE mark. Rome has a middling roster with a very lopsided talent curve, so I would expect them to be very interested in getting this player to return for next season.


 
Anthony Simmons @Starchychaff

Has been plugging away this season for a very strong Philadelphia squad. Earnings have slowed down significantly, but Vasteras will be glad to have his support next season nonetheless.


 
Brad Marchand @McGriddy10

Very similar to Simmons, Marchand has had much less momentum these days, but has had a lot of success on the scoresheet. Hopefully their activity can be revived for Cologne to take advantage of this upcoming talent.


 
Devon Giguere @omniscius

Has been an absolute force in net for Houston this season, and will hopefully be continuing to keep this momentum into Vasteras next season.


 
Grunkle Stan-dingyouup @Big Newff

They have been showing up exactly long enough to maintain activity in the VHLM, and have been a very solid piece for Houston for some time. Unless the activity increases though, I can’t imagine much VHL upside.


 
Marty Byrd @Marty B

Earning at a very reasonable rate in weeks past, but has not been on the site in a couple weeks now. Seems as though he may need a check in soon to make sure that he doesn’t disappear.


 
Nick Sansoe @Tipskid97

Picking away at the TPE, he is performing well in a depth role for the Istanbul powerhouse. They will need to work on establishing a build identity for when they get to the VHL. But there is lots of time to work on that in the offseason and the seasons to come.


 
Sjin @Sjin

I’m not sure what will happen with this player down the stretch, as this is the end of their dominant VHLM tenure with the San Diego Marlins. Has the TPE to make an appearance with either London or Oslo, so there will be discussions to be had in the offseason.


 
Swinsola @Swinsola

After a slower start in Geneva, their offense exploded in Vasteras. They have the opportunity to lead the team forward, and we shall see whether they will return next season to do the same. If they keep picking away and continuing to make good build choices, they’ll be a great player in the VHL.


 
Thor Odinson @GoalPlays

Thor Odinson will be joining the London United next season, and will hopefully be able to accrue some more TPE banked up to be a really useful piece for us next season. Really excited to GM this player for a second time, and see what we can do moving forward!


 
There are a few other players under contract, or with the option of extension heading into the offseason, but until we see some more activity I won’t comment on their development and progression. Having a constant flow of prospects is important for maintaining good cap management and supporting our pieces through the next seasons.


 
In other news, I just passed 3 years on the site! I’ve been all over the place the last few weeks working on a move to a new apartment, so it will be nice to get settled back into a routine here and keep up with the new and exciting content coming from our great members. I’m also heading up the Scouting division of VSN now, and with new writers coming in to join me I’m excited to see what we can do! We’re going to make a real emphasis on tracking first generation players on their paths to the VHL and giving them the spotlight to shine even compared to the top earning recreates.


 

 

 

 

Good morning everyone and I think we need less of an introduction for this huge event. Before we get to it, myself and @Jason kranz want to take this opportunity to thank every player that we have crossed paths with this season. All of you have made it extremely memorable and we wish you all the best in your respective careers. Now, shall we proceed? 
 
Our first award this morning is going to the Top Forward of the team. Someone we feel has really stood out from the rest and have been exceptionally remarkable in the offensive zone. When he shoots, he most certainly will score. No doubt, a sharpshooter! Paired with good vision and game IQ, this player has spent multiple seasons in Las Vegas ripping shots at goalies and making his mark. An overall amazing performance in the offensive zone has earned him this special award, @Vkobe-v Kobe Johnson!

On a similar note, we will be presenting a token of appreciation to our Top Defenseman! This was a tough decision to make but we ultimately decided that this person deserves it. He has always put in his 100% for the team, showed full commitment which was very astounding to watch. Racking up 96 points an enough to come in second among defensemen, it came down to the wire but our award goes to none other than, @CODENAMEJIMMYSigma Freud! Congratulations and I am sure you will reach great heights. 
 
An apple a day, keeps the doctor away and our next award winner will be staying away from their doctor appointments for a while. With 42 assists this season, our team wouldn't have scored as much if they weren't around. We're incredibly happy to be presenting this award to @GoalPlays Thor Odinson! A top tier playmaker whom we appreciate so much. 
 
Our next award, Ouch That Is Gonna Leave A Mark! Someone has to take the shot right HAHA. This one person has always put his body on the line for the team and he would continuously do so without hesitation. We are proud to announce the winner is...... @dylanjj37 JUAN CESON. 
 
Putting their body on the line happens to be the essence of their work ethic every night. Aggression, body contact and HITS! If we can't stop the puck, we stop the human bringing it entirely. This mantra is close to the heart of Juan Ceson as he takes home yet another award for having the most hits, GET WRECKED! 
 
A hat trick for Juan Ceson as he bags another award, Chatter Box. Juan can be seen interacting in and out of the locker room every day, with the fans or even teammates. He spends a lot of his time talking to Ivan and catching up with the zamboni diaries. Everyone can agree he makes the arena and locker room spring back to life!
 
Our (not so) final award for the day will go the best goal scorer on the team. We have plenty of sharpshooters on the team but one stands out in particular every night. His work ethic is commendable as many has seen him stay back longer on the ice after practice to sharpen his skill. Kobe Johnson get the SHNIPEEEEE award S86!
 
On a special and separate note, both Jason and I would like to recognise the efforts of the leadership team. It was a long and rather rocky road but they have done a wonderful job. Presenting the Juan Ceson Award, prestigiously named after the Las Vegas Captain, Juan Ceson. The award goes to the one and only Juan Ceson!
 
Congratulations to everyone, we have had a rough season but we did our best and that is what matters. We will come back stronger than before! To all VHLM graduates, congratulations and we are all proud of you. 

Whoa...this is awesome!! 

@GoalPlays

This season, Thor is very excited to compete for a VHLM championship with the Las Vegas Aces!

This season, Thor is very excited to compete for a VHLM championship with the Las Vegas Aces!

This season, Thor is very excited to compete for a VHLM championship with the Las Vegas Aces!

This season, Thor is very excited to compete for a VHLM championship with the Las Vegas Aces!

VSN’s VHLE Draft Recap S86
 
VSN’s Bobo will be breaking down the S86 VHLE Draft–taking a deep dive into each team’s performance
 
VICTORY SPORTS NEWS (13 NOV. 2022) –– You have to love the draft in sim leagues such as the Victory Hockey League (VHL). Each team makes moves that will make or break their future, and knowing that makes every moment of these events just that much more entertaining and strenuous as a fan or player. From our perspective as VSN writers, each pick is a potential story to be written–whether it may be a sleeper in the draft, a controversial pick, or the biggest pick of the draft. In this article, we’re going to be looking at all things VHL Europe (VHLE) drafting–specifically the S86 ‘E Entry Draft. VSN writer and columnist Bobo will be looking at each team’s draft performance and grading them for it, picking four winners and four losers of the draft, and more. Let’s begin with the team grading.
Istanbul Red Wolves Grade: C

 
This grade was hard to give out to a team with the first and second overall picks, but it had to be made considering their current situation. They drafted two talented players in right-wing Daryl Dixon and Rick Grimes, both very skilled forwards from the Miami Marauders of the VHL Minors (VHLM) system. They also happened to pick up a talented goaltender in Lachlan Summers from the VHLM’s San Diego Marlins ninth overall. Another notable pick-up for the team is 17th-overall defenseman Quinn Saint-Willes from the Mexico City Kings of the VHLM. This was a very much-needed pick for these Red Wolves, considering their non-existent defensive core. They had three more picks who served to bolster the team’s depth up-front. These picks were: Philadelphia Reapers’ right-wing Dirk Diggler at 25, Ottawa Lynx center Jagger Bomb at 31, and Lynx goalie Fuukka Rask at 41st. Two out of three picks can be used by the team long-term, with Rask may be coming in for next season to play between the pipes. In my eyes, however, Summers has that lock job. With all of that said, they addressed the major lack of scoring with some big forwards, just forgot about the defensive struggles too. Another year for Turkey’s team to be in the basement, I’m afraid. In two years though, these Wolves may be back on the hunt. 
 
Rome Gladiators Grade: A

 
What a draft it’s been for these Rome Gladiators. General Manager Baby Boomer knows how to play his cards in these drafts, or at least this one. He went ahead and drafted two ready-to-play players for selections three and six: Marlins left-wing Left Alone at three and Las Vegas Aces defenseman Jens Lekman at six. These two players are very skilled and were very productive for their respective teams–Alone scored 34 goals and 71 points, and Lekman had 56 assists and 69 points last season. Each finished the season top-five in scoring for their team and showed great hunger and fight every play of the game. They then took the high-scoring Aces center, Wann Kerr, at 12, and the Halifax 21st’s go-to defenseman Elias Lampi at 14–both are ready to play and will be getting lots of time on the Gladiators’ slightly short bench next season. Rome then had five other picks in this draft, all of which will make the roster in the next two-three seasons considering their activity. This draft was a slam dunk for the Gladiators and set them up for success for seasons to come. Well deserved that A.
 
Vasteras Iron Eagles Grade: C-

 
Vasteras’ situation for this draft is difficult, to say the least. They snatched up a great forward in Yaroslav Bogatrev, who had some experience with VHLE action with the Cologne Express before the draft. Bogatrev was an absolute workhorse for the Express last season, with his stat line of 28 goals and 59 total points in 72 games. It’s impossible to overlook his 384 TPE level [at the time of the draft]. That’s amazing and all, but I’m not seeing him return to the VHLE for next season, instead moving up to the Seattle Bears of the VHL where he was drafted. After that pick, the Iron Eagles selected Marlins left-wing Vincent Laroche-Gagnier 20th overall. That, in my eyes, is the pick of the draft for the Eagles, considering the future impact of Laroche in a season or two. The Canadian sniper could be seeing 40+ goal totals for Vasteras very soon. His stat line last season for the Marlins was impressive: 43 goals and 94 total points in 72 games. Gagner is a consistent eight TPE+ earner which helps his case being the Iron Eagles’ best pick-up this draft. They did draft a few more players in the draft, mainly 120-130 TPE range–Lynx defenseman Greg Hickman at 28th, 21st right-wing Marc Gordman at 36th, and former Houston Bulls right wing Thomas Matthews at 44th. Matthews was a controversial pick-up in my eyes because of his suspension before the draft. Those other two picks were pretty good in my eyes–consistent earners with the potential to make some impact in the next years. But the controversial pick of Achillies’ player and the low number of picks lowers the grade for Vasteras substantially. 
 
Stockholm Vikings Grade: A-

 
While not being as good as Rome’s draft performance, don’t sleep on the clinic these Stockholm Vikings put on for this year’s draft. Coming off of an already successful season in S85, the Vikings looked to improve off of their winning season team. Drafting Sadie St. Louis–a highly skilled Lynx left wing–at fifth overall was a huge win for Stockholm. The Canadian star showed great production on the stat sheet last year with 37 goals and 85 points in 72 games for Ottawa. She also had a stint with the Marlins a season earlier, playing only 13 games and scoring seven goals and 20 points. She’s going straight into the ‘E and will be a powerhouse next season at least. They then come in and draft two players in the second round that will produce heavily in the next few seasons: Lynx right-wing John Richards at 10th and Marauders right-wing Darius Marimoto II at 13th. Both forwards produced 60+ point seasons last year, with 20+ goals too. Richards will see an immediate impact in the league next season with a second-line spot waiting for him in Stockholm, while Marimoto will be a part of the big three in South Beach. I’m expecting major production from Darius and Richards alike, scoring big and showing a leadership role on their teams. Right-wingers Thor Odinson of the Aces and Adam Rage of the Marlins were picked in the third round for the Vikings. Both provide depth scoring and a solid third to second-line presence for Stockholm within the next two seasons. Marauders right-wing Tristen Gorlim was picked in the fifth round and will be a sleeper this draft for sure. His 50-point exhibition last season fell under the radar. His consistent updating and good build will see him having a career showing this season for Miami in the minors. The Vikings then finished the draft with another sleeper in Marlins center Jacob Bryla–a forward who produced 23 points in 50 games last season. That last pick cemented these Vikings as a clear winner in the draft, and one of the best drafting teams this year. 
 
Geneva Rush Grade: B+ 

 
When you look at the roster for the Geneva Rush for this upcoming season, they needed a solid draft to give them any chance at succeeding this season. They drafted Marlins right-wing Leonard Triller at eighth overall–a shining star for San Diego that scored 52 points and 38 assists last year. He will show up and show out for the Rush this season with his incredible playmaking ability and capability of quarterbacking an offensive rush from both ends of the ice. Joel Castle, an Aces goalie, was selected 11th overall by Geneva and will be tending the crease for the Rush next year. His 41-14-4 record and .911 save % last year shone for Las Vegas, especially in their deep playoff run. Geneva then selected a bit of an interesting pick at the time due to the other players around him–Aces right-wing Kobe Johnson at 15th overall. Johnson really struggled to put up numbers on Vegas’s very-talented roster last year with only 23 points and 11 goals in 72 games played. With his earning and scoring-oriented build however, he has potential to reach new heights in production this season, and make an impact on the Rush very soon. Deep in the fifth round, pick 34, Geneva took a very risky pick, but also a potential sleeper-of-the-draft pick: 21st goalie Ash Sparks. Being 250+ TPE, a consistent earner, and a very talented player; this selection was too good to be true. His 31-29-2 record, 0.914 save %, and 2.58 goals against average (GAA) are very good for where he was selected. With a better goalie being selected by the team prior to Sparks, he will most likely serve as a backup in the tandem, but with his presence, it solidified the team between the pipes. With three other picks used for roster depth, this draft I would say is successful for this Geneva squad.
 
Bratislava Watchmen Grade: D

 
Man these Watchmen were some busy bees. After making several trades–one of which saw superstar forward and Wolves pick Daryl Dixon moving to Bratislava for quite the return–it seems like GM Frostbeard’s squad was more concerned about trading than actual drafting. But with the trades came a lot of good returns: like Dixon, seventh overall selection Philadelphia Reapers defenseman Rex Wolffe McGregor, and center Rick Grimes. They did lose a lot of important picks, including next year’s first round selection as a result. The team was second best last year in the regular season however and managed to retain a large amount of the squad that led them to a 43-17-12 record. They then took The Frenchman–a centerman who already played for the Watchmen prior to the draft–23rd overall. This may sound good on paper, but when you look at his TPE, he can’t play another season for the team, as he’s above 400. It’s a waste of a pretty high-up pick, which could’ve been used to pick someone who has a chance to make an impact going forward. They draft two depth players to end the draft in the fifth and sixth rounds. This draft for Bratislava won’t help them very much going forward, which will eventually kick them where it hurts most once their roster moves up to their VHL counterparts. Ouch. 
 
Oslo Storm Grade: D+

 
While Oslo may haven’t done the best of jobs in this draft, they haven’t done the worst of jobs (ahem* Bratislava). They took a round to begin the draft, selecting Canadian-born 21st defenseman Edward Traverse at 16th: a defenseman who in 38 games scored 23 points and had 17 assists. A very sweet sample showing from a very promising prospect. He claims practice and welfare weekly, with some trivia sprinkled in too. Next, all the way in the bottom of the fourth round, the Storm took Marauders defenseman Winston Dixon Jr. at 32nd overall. Similar to Traverse, Dixon Jr. is a very reliable prospective defenseman who played a full season and put up 49 points and 35 assists. He served a top-four role in Miami last year and will take one more year to fully develop into a VHLE-eligible player. The same should apply to Traverse. After that selection, Oslo took Marlins’ centerman Sjin at 38th. What a pick it was. In my eyes, it was the best pick they’ve made in the whole draft. He made a name for himself on San Diego with 29 goals and 77 points in only 65 games. This was the highlight of a problematic draft for the Storm. They needed that. They then went on to draft two sub-100 TPE players who both saw bottom-line numbers last season in the minors and 10-20 point production to finish the draft out. While they had a few good moves, they still are losers in my eyes. They’re lucky to have a good team at their disposal this season. 
 
Cologne Express Grade: C

 
It took 26 picks for the Cologne Express to make their first selection in this draft. After skipping on three whole rounds, the 27th pick found the Express taking Marlins right-wing Ben Dover–a super skilled scoring forward who scored 25 goals and 53 points last season. He played all 72 games for San Diego. He’s a consistent welfare claimer and knows how to build his player around offensive production. Next, at 30th overall, the Express chose Aces defenseman Sigma Freud–another skilled defenseman out of the strip who put up 34 assists and 45 points in 72 games. A good pickup for a team who could use some good defensive depth in the coming seasons. Moving onward to the fifth round, Cologne took a very interesting goalie at 33rd overall: Mississauga Hounds net-minder Justin Lion. The reason why I call his case a peculiar one is due to his 5.19 GAA and 0-33-0 record. He did play on a historically terrible Hounds team that didn’t win a single game last year, but still, those numbers are unforgivable. He did however update for a lot of TPE this week and is consistent with the updating. If he can rebound this year, then there is hope for the future starter of the Express. They finished off the draft with a very respectable depth choice in Reapers’ right-wing Keon Jeannot at 46th. Solid 30-40 point range playing a full 72-game season. Not a bad draft at all Cologne!
WINNERS:
Rome Gladiators
Stockholm Vikings
Geneva Rush 
Cologne Express
LOSERS:
Bratislava Watchmen
Oslo Storm
Vasteras Iron Eagles
Istanbul Red Wolves
 

After a vote, I am happy to announce the captain and assistant captains that would be leading our team. 
CAPTAIN: 
Juan Ceson @dylanjj37 + B-LVA-D1
 
ASSISTANT CAPTAINS:
Kobe Johnson @Vkobe-v
Reese McFleury @Spaz
Thor Odinson @GoalPlays
 
Congratulations to everyone and let's have a great season!
 

+10 Thor Odinson

+10 Thor Odinson

1. I honestly don't watch horror movies so I don't have a favorite! I guess Myers? He's the one I tend to see the most and he's involved in a lot of memes LOL
2. I think that Thor will be a great all-around player for whichever team drafts him. He's developed a lot and has become a lot more consistent and I think he'll be able to get involved in all areas of the ice, bringing physicality and a sound defensive game to go along with a quickly developing offensive vision.
3. Vampires.
4. No cap the Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania trailer. Got me so hyped it looks so good. The Ant-Man movies haven't missed and I'll die on that hill!
5. Can't say for sure, but I have a hunch that somehow Mississauga makes it to the championships. Just feels right haha.
6. November is an extremely busy month for me - going to Epcot again and getting the rest of the parts for my new PC, so I'm very excited for that!

1. I honestly don't watch horror movies so I don't have a favorite! I guess Myers? He's the one I tend to see the most and he's involved in a lot of memes LOL
2. I think that Thor will be a great all-around player for whichever team drafts him. He's developed a lot and has become a lot more consistent and I think he'll be able to get involved in all areas of the ice, bringing physicality and a sound defensive game to go along with a quickly developing offensive vision.
3. Vampires.
4. No cap the Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania trailer. Got me so hyped it looks so good. The Ant-Man movies haven't missed and I'll die on that hill!
5. Can't say for sure, but I have a hunch that somehow Mississauga makes it to the championships. Just feels right haha.
6. November is an extremely busy month for me - going to Epcot again and getting the rest of the parts for my new PC, so I'm very excited for that!

1. I honestly don't watch horror movies so I don't have a favorite! I guess Myers? He's the one I tend to see the most and he's involved in a lot of memes LOL
2. I think that Thor will be a great all-around player for whichever team drafts him. He's developed a lot and has become a lot more consistent and I think he'll be able to get involved in all areas of the ice, bringing physicality and a sound defensive game to go along with a quickly developing offensive vision.
3. Vampires.
4. No cap the Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania trailer. Got me so hyped it looks so good. The Ant-Man movies haven't missed and I'll die on that hill!
5. Can't say for sure, but I have a hunch that somehow Mississauga makes it to the championships. Just feels right haha.
6. November is an extremely busy month for me - going to Epcot again and getting the rest of the parts for my new PC, so I'm very excited for that!

Wow this is AWESOME!! Thanks so much!

Hope you like it
 
Note to self: Claimed for week 11/13

I am super excited to announce the Pickles' roster for the S85 Junior Showcase Tournament. First of all, I would like to thank @Alex and @Shindigs for giving me this opportunity to GM this team and a huge thanks to my AGM @jacobcarson877 who has been most helpful and supportive! It's great to have an AGM with the same perspective that I do. I think we have a very competitive group who can do very well in this tournament.
 
Without further ado, here are your S85 Pickles!
 
🥒 FORWARDS:
C Antoine Barksdale  🇮🇹  @CrookedAnt
C Mac Atlas  🇺🇸  @v.2
C Randy Bobandy  🇨🇦  @AJW
C Jacob Bryla  🇨🇦  @Jakebryla10
C Zlatan Ibrahimovic  🇸🇪  @Markusbg
 
LW Left Alone  🇨🇿  @okochastar
LW Steve Lattimer  🇬🇧  @pugsood
 
RW Thor Odinson  🇺🇸  @GoalPlays
RW Tim Stuzle  🇦🇶  @NineIQ v2
 
🥒 DEFENSE:
D Elias Lampi  🇫🇮  @Pifferfish
D Sigma Freud  🇨🇦  @CODENAMEJIMMY
D Frank Forsberg  🇸🇪  @QcjetsQc
D Full Player Name  🇺🇸  @Matt_O
 
🥒 GOALIES:
G Joel Castle  🇨🇦  @animal74
G Shadow Thompson  🇨🇦  @Kelsey

Player Name: Thor Odinson
Player Render: Adrian Kempe
Team: San Diego Marlins
 
Think it's so cool you're doing this!! 

1. I'd be extremely excited to make it into the playoffs this season. We have a great group and I think we have what it takes.
2. I am a diehard LA Kings fan! I also like the Avalanche and Panthers!
3. I love to play video games and listen to music. They're things that always help me relax and unwind when I need it most.
4. I personally enjoy having a fun Halloween part with friends. Spooky time is fun time!
5. Probably Mexico City since it seems like we could be in for a tight playoff push with them.
6. Pizza. I love pizza.

1. I'd be extremely excited to make it into the playoffs this season. We have a great group and I think we have what it takes.
2. I am a diehard LA Kings fan! I also like the Avalanche and Panthers!
3. I love to play video games and listen to music. They're things that always help me relax and unwind when I need it most.
4. I personally enjoy having a fun Halloween part with friends. Spooky time is fun time!
5. Probably Mexico City since it seems like we could be in for a tight playoff push with them.
6. Pizza. I love pizza.

1. We've been on a bit of a surge this week, finally playing some new teams! Where do you think we'll end up in the standings?
I think we will keep 3rd place. 

2. We have just recently passed the halfway point of the season. How are you feeling about your player's performance at the halfway mark?
I think Rage has been doing great for being at his TPE level.

3. What is your favourite fish?
Wobbegong, they look cool and have a funny name.
 
4. Which VHLM team has the coolest colour scheme?
Marlins easy choice anyone who says different is a poopy head!

5. Would you rather score a goal or 2 assists?
2 assists goals are sick but 2 assists means 2 goals for our team.

6. You are all eligible for the upcoming VHL draft, what are your initial thoughts on where you might end up?
I have no idea but I'm excited and hope whoever takes me is excited to help me grow.