scoop

Guys, I'm not earning max TPE this week. It's unfortunate that there was no trivia this week, but I won't be recording a podcast or making a VHL.com graphic to earn my last 2 capped TPE. The will be my first week earning fewer than 11 TPE (which I earned once thanks to an incorrect trivia answer that I disagree with the answer on, because the season had not been completed, but at this point I'm really just going on about this to get some more words in here). It's been a busy week for me, though. Work has kept me busy, and I've been away from home all weekend. In the long run, 2 TPE really doesn't mean much. I've already not capped out every week, which makes it easier to be okay with missing some this week, because it's not like I'm still trying to maintain a perfect 12.0 average. I did recently pass Beketov for second in TPE in the S79 draft class, which is cool and something I would like to maintain. I only passed him because he doesn't seem to make donations, or claim any of the benefits at least. I don't know if that's an admin thing or whatever, but that's how I've gained ground and passed him.

F - Asher Reinhart

G - Artem Tretiak @16z

D - Jiggly Gumballs @Zetterberg

Deadline to submit is when? @youloser1337

F - Cabe McJake @16z

D - Battre Sandstrom @Zetterberg

F - Red Lite @16z

Bana4gmoty

Transaction ID: 20769012147544345 Doubles Week 5 Uncapped TPE 1M Player Store

So what if I finished outside of the top ten in rookie points. I don't care. That's what I wanted anyway. I didn't want to win the Stolzschweiger; I've done that before. (Okay, I shared it, but it counts!). I have never won the Funk Trophy, though. With a 10-goal, 29-point rookie season, I'm setting myself up for a great improvement in my sophomore season. My goal is, and definitely has always been, to be named the most improved player. Why else would I have been so bad? I just saw my teammate Gunnar Odinsson win the award. The thing is, he was also won several other awards. I don't expect to win several other awards, and the fact that someone who is already a good player could go on to win it has me a little concerned. Who is going to be the Odinsson next season? I'm not only competing with the rookies who did much better than me this season, I'm competing with all the other guys who sucked. And all the guys who probably should have been a lot better than they were but did not have the grace of Simon on their side. Phil The Rock Johnson only had 9 goals (lol just kidding he has 95 passing I'm not worried about him). Cowboy Prout had a 43 point season. Shit, he's going to win most improved. I'm calling that now. Granted, he did have a bit of a down year, but his career high in points is 69 (nice). I could also potentially see someone on Calgary going the Odinsson route; any of Nathan Perry, Dan Dan, or Steve Eso. I don't know, most improved is hard to predict (ignore the fact that it was the only prediction I got right this season). I would very much like to win it, though I don't actually foresee myself having a good enough season to do so. I certainly would prefer to have a good season but not win it than continue to suck and eventually be good and win it then. It is one of the few awards that I have not won. Along with the Funk, the player awards that I have not won are the Slobodzian, Boulet, Valiq, and Clegane trophies. The Wylde and Clegane are newer ones, though I don't know for sure if I would have won either of those in the past. Esposito might have had a season where he could have come close to the Valiq, and I'm too lazy right now to look up if Glover ever led in GAA. I'm hoping that I can win at least one Boulet with Mourning; I will be building him as a power foward. The Slobodzian, obviously I would like for Mourning to win one.

How do I get the 1 TPE I should receive for predicting him to win the award?

Ending the Drought Over the past fifteen seasons, nine different teams have won at least one Continental Cup. Of the seven that have not, four are expansion teams that were established during that time frame. That leaves three teams that have current cup droughts of at least fifteen seasons. These three teams are the Calgary Wranglers, Davos Dynamo, and New York Americans. It is a very frustrating feeling, being fans of a team that just cannot get it done and bring home the cup. It is natural to start to wonder just how long it will go on. That is what I am going to be looking at here; which of these teams is in the best position to end their string of failure, and whose fans will continue to live in misery. HC Davos Dynamo Last championship: Season 61 Finals losses since last win: 0 Playoff appearance since last win: 6 41 seasons ago, the Dynamo won their ninth Continental Cup. At this point in time, Davos was the most successful franchise, with only other other team even having won more than five championships. Nowadays, they still rank third in that regard, but it relies heavily upon triumphs from times long since past. They are looking to end this trend before they slide even further down the ranks. This past season was a step in the right direction; the Dynamo reached the post-season for the first time in six seasons. The season itself could be seen as a bit of a disappointment, as some expected more than 77 points out of their team. Still, the way the team is built, they should be competitive for years to come. Team leaders Patrick Laine and Marshall James Frostbeard will be playing their last games in Season 80, but they have a good mix of players in their prime and rising stars. The defense is where their youth especially shines, with the trio of Reylynn Reinhart, Poopy Peepants, and David Tavau likely being key pieces for the team for years to come. They will need to find some more support for Luc Tessier after Addison McLaren and Taro Tsujimoto retire, but they have a few more seasons to get that done. Calgary Wranglers Last championship: Season 62 Finals losses since last win: 3 (S63, S70, S72) Playoff appearances since last cup: 13 Calgary was the best franchise in the VHL until that title was usurped from them by the Dynamo. Like the Dynamo, they have struggled mightily in the latter half of the VHL's existence. Prior to their cup run in Season 62, the Wranglers had just one championship in 31 seasons. They are 0-for-3 in finals appearances since their last win. They have not been strangers to the playoffs, either, making the post-season in nine of the last ten seasons; this mark is only matched the Bears, who have not missed the playoffs since Season 67. Even though the Wranglers have traded away quite a bit of talent this off-season, they may be in a better position to win this season than they were the last. Everyone on their current roster has at least three seasons left in the league. Alex Johnston and Nils Tallinder are two of the best young players in the league, and if those two stick around with the team, Calgary will probably be icing a top North American team year after year. New York Americans Last championship: Season 53 Finals losses since last cup: 1 (S60) Playoff appearances since last cup: 12 The Americans have not had the same level off success that the Dynamo and Wranglers have had in the past, though at a time it did look like the team was heading in that direction. From Season 25 to Season 53, New York made 13 finals appearances and won a league-high six cups during that time span. Unfortunately, the team was unable to continue their run, and they have gone back to being one of the worst franchises in terms of success. Their current drought is the second longest in VHL history, and they seem desperate to make sure they do not make it into the record books. Just as their past has been a bit more dismal than the likes of Davos and Calgary, their future looks more bleak. This off-season, their new management has decided to go all in to win a cup, trading away two first round picks to acquire Luke Thornton and Cowboy Prout. In the Season 80 draft, they made no picks in the top two rounds, and as things currently stand, they won't make any in Season 81 either. I do expect they can be a playoff team for the next few seasons, but beyond that, I am worried for them. They do not have the draft capital to restock, and their players are too old to hole much trade value if they try to trade them a couple seasons from now. Conclusion If I were to rank these three teams in terms of how soon I think they will end their respective droughts, I would say Calgary, then Davos, then New York. While I think any of the three could do it as early as the next season or two, if New York doesn't get it done, they are going to be waiting a much longer time. I do also just think that they are the worst of the three now, so it would be an upset for them to win a championship with their current roster. When it comes to Davos and Calgary, I think the Wranglers have better youth to replace their aging players. Davos will have some work to do if they can't win it in the next few seasons, but they'll still have potential. It is Calgary's superior forward prospects that have me viewing them as one of the best teams right now. I think they will be a frequent participant in the North American semi-finals over the next several seasons. In fact, if you were to ask me what team I think will win the most cups in the next ten seasons, I would probably go with the Wranglers. 1027 words; claiming for weeks ending 9/19 and 9/26

Signing up

Oh hey we're not the worst

https://anchor.fm/scoop192/episodes/9-18-talk-e17hhkc I talk a bit about my playoff performance, say something about both @Minion and @Quik, and then talk a bit about my thoughts on the direction of the New York Americans @MexicanCow123

We done gone and did it.

I agree that LA will probably have to trade up to get him, and personally I think a GM should try to get their own player if they can do so reasonably. That's a guaranteed career player. Not that I mindthe change that GM players don't have to be on their team, but it'd be my preference for sure.

As the off-season quickly approaches, draft hype rises. The lottery took place earlier today, which solidifies most of the draft order. We now just await the conclusion of the VHL finals, which could be over as early as today, with Malmo leading the series 3-1 games over the Bears. With that holding such little bearing on how things will go, now seems like a prime time to start discussing some of the top draft stories; in particular, I'm going to be discussing the goalie talent in the draft, and where I think they might end up. Let's get things started with a quick recap of the lottery, in which one team took a particularly big loss that could end up making a big impact. Disclaimer: my draft coverage last season ended up being very incorrect, so I'm probably wrong with literally everything I write in this article. Lottery Woes for Toronto The Legion came into the lottery in the first and third positions, having acquired Moscow's pick earlier this season as well as holding on to their own. Despite the odds being in their favor, the Titans won the first overall pick, pushing the Toronto first down to second. To make matters worse, Moscow's pick fell to fourth overall when New York jumped up two spots. As much as Toronto having two picks each drop a spot, I think New York moving up from fifth to third is as big of a development from the lottery. The Americans are a franchise that have been struggling, and they will take any win that they can get at this point. Is Booberry Number One? Xavier Booberry. Oskar Lindbergh. David Davis. This draft has three first round talents at goaltender. The Red Menace is also in there as a mid-to-late second round pick for a team that is looking more for a project goalie. A lot of teams are actually going to be in need of goalies in the coming seasons, including most teams that are currently in a rebuild. With the Season 81 draft very low on goalie talent thus far, now might be the time to go and get your guy. Booberry is arguably the most talented player in the draft, and with both Helsinki and Toronto in need of a starter of the future, perhaps he is the prize that the Titans won in the draft lottery. However, Helsinki also picks 11th, while Toronto has number ten in addition to two and four. Both of these teams could potentially take the risk that they could get one of the others later on. It would be hard to see Booberry possibly falling past third, but ultimately I do think the Titans secure the best player in the draft with the first pick, and I think this is the quickest path back to relevance for them. The Dominoes Fall After Booberry goes, Toronto will be in an awkward spot. I do think they'll want to get a goalie in this draft, but if they like Red Menace as a prospect, Lindbergh falls past them; if they don't, I think they need to take Lindbergh at four. While I don't believe New York would take a goalie not named Booberry at three, London at five or Prague at seven are potential destinations for Lindbergh. As for Davis, I do believe he will end up in Los Angeles one way or another. If the Stars have to trade up past Toronto to get him, I think they would do it. All things considered, my inclination is to believe that Lindbergh will end up in Prague. London would likely only take him if they deal Tater Tot (with Riga as the most likely trading partner), but I think the Phantoms will want him if he's available. After that, I think Josh will make sure to acquire Davis, securing a starting goalie who will likely play out his career with the team. Toronto, with one of their seven second round picks, will take the low-risk chance on Red Menace. 673 words @CowboyinAmerica @Doomsday @Josh @NickSunderbruch

Team USA won the S78 World Cup. The World Juniors did not go so great for the stars and stripes, however. I think we finished last. There are some young stars for the team, but the future of the team could be bad. The present seems to be okay. But for me, who won't make the team for a couple tournaments, that doesn't matter as much. By the time I make my first World Cup roster, I think I'll be the best forward on the team. Robin Winter and Thomas Landry II are gone from the recent gold medal team, leaving room for players such as Red Lite and Muffbeav to join the squad. Let's take a quick break to talk about something. Red Lite wasn't even on the team last tournament. I like that the World Cup has not expanded or changed with the growth of the league. I think it makes playing in it more special. It helps that we have the World Juniors for those younger guys. Okay, back to the main story. Lite and Muffbeav are the likely newcomers to the team, still leaving players like Its Gucci, Vick Fairchild, Jakob Sosa, Hex Rose, and Henry Tucker off the roster. Looking at the S82 potential roster, Isabella Campbell and John Merrick will now be retired. Justin Lose, Red Lite, Addison McLaren, and Muffbeav will all still be around and probably making the team. These are all S75 and S76 players. Two more names would join these guys, and it will probably be two of the names listed above. All of those players are also S75 and S76 players. If that is what the S82 roster looks like, then no one on the S82 roster would be eligible for the S84 team, because they'll all be retired at the end of S83 at the latest. That would leave a complete turnover of the forwards for Team USA for the S84 World Cup. How could this happen? Well, look at the forwards from the United States from S77 and S78. That's how. None of those players will be good enough to overtake the aging vets of S75. The player with the best chance, and I do definitely think the possibility is there, would be my own Taylor Mourning. I would have four seasons in the VHL by the time the S82 tournament is being played, so maybe I could beat out the likes of Gucci, Fairchild, Sosa, Rose, and Tucker for a roster spot. My name could at least be in the mix, but if I don't make it, then I will go from not being on the roster to being the top forward. Aside from myself and Vinny Detroit, who is a season behind me, Team USA doesn't have great forward talent. On defense, we have Hard Markinson and Erlantz Jokinen who will be good in S84. Throw in Xavier Booberry at goalie, and that is all the top-level talent you have from the S77 through S80 draft classes for the United States. S81 doesn't seem to be offering a ton, though it's early there. Early predictions from me say that we are going to be bad in S84 and there will be no US representation on Team Mercenaries in either S84 or S86.

Yeah this season isn't over yet, buddy.

The VHLE Draft Tournament is essentially meaningless. Given that the draft is going to be a snake draft, it's very possible that the team that wins it doesn't actually want to have won it. For the players, though, it is just more games to play and have fun with; and I definitely want to win. Obviously I don't care about this tournament like I do the VHL playoffs; nor, I would assume, does Nathaniel @Minion care about these games as much as the VHLM playoffs. What I am most enjoying about these games, however, is that I was put on a team with Minion. He is a Malmo prospect who has been very supportive of the team in our locker room, and although his entry level contract will expire before he is up with the Nighthawks, every indication seems to be that he wants to play with us down the road. So this is a chance to play with someone who is hopefully a future teammate, and we are doing quite well. Each team currently has six games under their belts, and Vasteras is on top of the standings at 5-1. Mourning is tied for the tourney lead in goals with five, while Minion leads the team with nine points. The pair made a particularly big impact in the second day of the tournament, when they each had two goals and two assists out of a total five goals scored by the Iron Eagles. They won both the games thanks to incredible goaltending from @Donno100 Orion D H Chiester IX, who has been just as valuable to the team as the Mourning and Minion, if not more so. In four of his five starts, Chiester has allowed just one goal.

I still do, but I tried.

Should've drafted me not that Peapant scrub. Clearly that was the difference in the series

Rude