scoop

So many years, my goodness

I had already been excited for the draft all week (really for a while, but especially since the off-season schedule was posted and there was a date to look forward to), but after writing a 2000-word first round mock draft, I'm even more pumped. Based on the talks I've had with teams, I do have somewhat of an idea where I may or may not be drafted, but I really don't know for sure. Honestly though, I'm not just going to be paying attention to where I'm drafted; I put some real thought into my mock draft, and so I'm eager to see how the first round goes down as a whole. I'm somewhat looking forward to the WJC, as well. Team USA honestly looks weaker than the other teams, but it's not out of reach. Plus, I'm one of the better players on the team, so maybe I can help carry the team. I mean, I eventually want to be that guy for my team in the VHL, so this could be a little preview of my VHL future. Oh, and one other thing to reach the word count. I'm thinking I may start up a podcast series again. I'd call it something like The Weekly Scoop, get it, scoop like my name but the news. That's not where my handle comes from though, and maybe I'll talk about that next week. Anyway, I'd basically just be recapping stuff that happened in the week. Boring news kinda stuff. Just giving my thoughts on announcements that are made, or trades, handing out weekly stars. I'd guess if I get it going, I'll do a few episodes and flame out, but maybe I won't. I don't know.

Transaction ID: 20698661005061746 Doubles Week 5 Uncapped TPE $1,000,000 Player Store Cash

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The Season 79 VHL Entry Draft is just a day away, and we have not seen much in the way of mock drafts. Although this draft class is not the most talented, there are still several players worth talking about, myself included. This does make writing a mock draft a bit awkward, but I'm not going to let it stop me. That being said, I don't know when I'm going to be drafted, but obviously, I have a bit more insight than many others. I'll be doing the whole first round, so with a lot to cover, let's get right into the first pick. 1. Los Angeles Stars - RW Tyler Reinhart @Zetterberg Los Angeles got the luck of the draw in the draft lottery, moving up from fifth with 10% odds to take first overall, and the pick is fairly obvious. Regardless of who won the lottery, Tyler Reinhart was going to be the guy. The best pure scorer in the draft, Reinhart had 64 goals in the VHLM last season, and led the league in points during the post-season for the Founders Cup-winning Yukon Rush. The Stars currently have a good group of forwards, but several of them are in the latter halves of their careers. Reinhart will be able to become acclimated to the VHL, and by the time players like Pistil Stamen and Its Gucci have aged out, Reinhart will be primed to take over the show in Los Angeles. 2. Vancouver Wolves - D Poopy Peepants @JardyB10 Aside from Reinhart, Vancouver taking Poopy Peepants with one of their two back-to-back picks is the only thing I'm almost sure of in this draft. Peepants fills a dire need for the Wolves; they currently only have three defensemen on their roster, and Peepants is the best blue liner in the draft. While they do also have some young prospects at the position who could eventually make it to the VHL, they likely won't be ready until their only two defensemen with VHL experience are getting up there in age. While I don't necessarily think Vancouver is entirely comfortable with where they are at in terms of forwards either, it would make sense for them to take a defenseman with one of these two picks. 3. Vancouver Wolves - RW Taylor Mourning @scoop The Wolves gave up a fourth round pick to move up one spot with their second pick, and with the first pick all but guaranteed to be T. Reinhart, Vancouver likely made that deal knowing exactly who they were getting. After getting Peepants, I do think they will look to add a forward as well. There are three players that I think are possibilities: Taylor Mourning, Jerome Reinhart, and Jonathan Ori. The Wolves look good at center, making Ori look a bit less likely. Between the other two, Mourning plays a more physical game, which is something that they sorely lack, which is what tips my prediction in that direction. 4. HC Davos Dynamo - D Erlantz Jokinen @jRuutu I don't think Davos would trade down just to get a fourth if they thought Vancouver was going to take the guy they wanted. That does make me think for a second that they might take Papa Emeritus. Just for a single second. I do think it would be a safe for them to assume that Vancouver doesn't plan on taking both of the top defensemen, so I think Erlantz Jokinen might be their guy. With Reylynn Reinhart and David Tavau, they do already have some very good young defensemen, so selecting Jokinen would shore up the position for years to come. I think it is also a very real possibility that they would take left wing Jerome Reinhart, especially if they do not believe they will be able to sign Gunnar Odinsson to a deal. 5. Moscow Menace - G Papa Emeritus @Beketov Moscow is stacked in terms of young forwards, so I don't really think they are looking to add another. I could definitely see them hoping Jokinen is available at this spot, but with him off the board, this could be where the second-best player in the draft is selected. Papa Emeritus goes this late due to being a goalie, and while he could go even later, Moscow isn't exactly set at goaltender. They traded last year's starter Kevin Malone, so they look to be going with the unproven Andrew Bowman. They do also have Leroy Johnson in the minors, who I think they are looking at as their goalie of the future, but Emeritus would give them a sure thing. If both Peepants and Jokinen have been taken by this pick, I do think there is a possibility for Moscow to trade out of this pick as well, possibly to somene else looking to snag Emeritus. 6. Riga Reign - LW Jerome Reinhart @MexicanCow123 The Reign could use youth at just about every position, with just two VHL-level players still on their rookie contracts. That being said, I think they take the best player available, and that leads to Jerome Reinhart finally going off the board after being multiple prior teams' second choice. He is a high skilled winger, and making this addition will allow them to potentially trade one of their more expensive forwards. They have several players in their prime, so they are in need of some cheaper contracts, and Reinhart should be able to come in by S80, if not S79, and make some level of impact. 7. Warsaw Predators - C Jonathan Ori @ROOKIE745 Warsaw could actually look to trade up to secure Emeritus, but assuming they are still picking at this spot with the goalie off the board, Jonathan Ori seems like the obvious selection. He could very reasonably be a top three pick in this draft, but instead he falls to the reigning champs. With long-time Predator Dakota Lamb heading into his last couple seasons, the spot will open up for them to add the best center of the draft to their prospect pool. He did struggle a bit in the VHLM last season, but the potential that he has is undeniable. 8. Helsinki Titans - RW Sigard Petrenko @SlapshotDragon The Titans are at a point in their rebuild where they are just looking to add the best player out there, and at this point, that looks like Sigard Petrenko. The first player selected who played just a partial season in the VHLM last year, Petrenko had 19 goals and 37 points in just 30 games. He came into the scene hot and did not let up, helping Houston pull off an upset in the playoffs. A diminutive player at just 5'8" and 158 pounds, Petrenko has proven to be a scrappy player who can get things done. The Titans will build around him going forward, having five first round picks in the next two drafts. 9. Prague Phantoms - RW AJ Williams @ajwllmsn I think AJ Williams is enough of a step above the rest that Prague takes him, even if they might prefer a defenseman or goaltender. Although there are definitely some solid players available in the rest of the first round, I do think the effort that these first nine have put in is noticeably greater than the rest. Williams declared for the draft as a very unknown prospect, but he has shown star potential. 10. Malmo Nighthawks - C Omi Aberg @osens The string of forwards continues as Malmo makes their first of three first round selections. They are not particularly desperate for any position, but Aberg is the last center worth taking in the first round, and he is one of the best prospects left on the board. I do think Em Em Flex would be the other consideration for them here, but I think they would prefer to risk hoping he falls to one of their later picks as opposed to Aberg. 11. Seattle Bears - RW Baby Bob @Baby Boomer Seattle's prospect pool is very empty, so they are probably just looking to start filling it with the best players available to them. At this point, though, I think that's a very unclear question. I have them going with Baby Bob, who is someone that has been showing quite a bit of promise earlier on, but has fallen off a bit as of late. Bob does seem to have the greatest chance of making a significant impact in the VHL down the road, and I think that's what Seattle will be looking for. 12. Vancouver Wolves - LW Miroslav Tsarov @PadStack Given the way the Season 80 draftee pool is shaping up, I think Vancouver (who has two first round picks in that draft) is inclined to take another forward as opposed to selecting a defenseman like Lilith Lunar. Miroslav Tsarov is that selection, and although I don't think he will see the VHL for a few seasons, in part because of the arrival of the VHLE, he is someone who has been consistently improving bit by bit. I think this is a safe pick more than anything else. 13. Seattle Bears - LW Jakub Brozik @Wolverine Pass-first forwards are not particularly common in the VHL, so this selection could pay out bigger than it would seem. He played on a not-so-great Mississauga team last season, but he did alright for himself with 63 assists and 81 points. Like a lot of the players left at this point, Brozik showed more potential when he first declared, but he should still be someone who finds his way to the VHL eventually. When that time comes, he could be the type of player who helps their stars look even better. 14. Chicago Phoenix - G Em Em Flex @MMFLEX After eight straight forwards are selected, Chicago switches things up as they take goaltender Em Em Flex. With Jean Pierre Camus having just two seasons left, they are looking for the player who will take up his mantle when he is gone. Although Chicago could stand to add prospects at every position, with not much talent on the farm and a rapidly aging roster, Flex is arguably the best player available at this point. He did struggle in the VHLM last season, and he might not quite be VHL-ready by the time Camus retires, but I don't think the Phoenix will need him immediately anyway. 15. Malmo Nighthawks - G Orion D H Chiester IX @Donno100 Although they would have loved for Flex to fall to them, I don't think the Nighthawks will lose any sleep over it. They do still select a goaltender, as Orion D H Chiester IX is certainly a solid prospect, though I do believe there is a distinct drop off in potential. He will have plenty of time to develop, as Artem Tretiak still has several years left in him. While I certainly don't think he'll ever be a star, I do believe Chiester has the potential to become a VHL starter at some point. 16. Malmo Nighthawks - D Lilith Lunar @Lilith_Lunar They already grabbed a center and a goaltender, so with the last pick of the first round, I have the Nighthawks taking defensewoman Lilith Lunar. Of the players left at this point, I think she has the highest upside, but I also think it is a real possibility that she never makes it to the VHL. With Lunar, I think it will become a matter of keeping her focused on training. She has the talent, but the question is going to be whether or not the effort is there. There you have it: my first round mock draft. As noted earlier, I think there is a clear-cut top nine players in this draft, after which you get into the picks where the advanced scouting really comes into play. Even among those top nine, however, there is a lot of different ways the draft could go. There is no definitive ranking of these prospects, aside from Tyler Reinhart as the best and Emeritus behind him. Regarding Emeritus, and the fact that I think different teams may have wildly different draft boards, I think there will be constant trade discussions going on and we could see teams being very active. Beyond just that, the addition of the VHLE and changing of how career lengths work, I think teams may value future picks much differently than they do current picks. All things considered, I think we are in for an exciting draft day, and I don't just say that because I am eagerly awaiting my selection. 2083 words; claiming for weeks ending 7/18, 7/25, 8/1, and 8/8

I'm still up and it's 10:30. That's way late! But I should be in bed by now.

In

Scouting Report: Taylor Mourning Position: Right Wing VHLM Team: Philadelphia Reapers Age: 22 | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 200 lb. Taylor Mourning declared for the VHL draft and joined the VHLM after playing in the NCAA at the University of Minnesota, Duluth. He played two games with the Mexico City Kings in Season 77 before being selected 18th overall in the S78 VHLM Draft by the Philadelphia Reapers. A player known in college as a power forward, Taylor began his time with the Reapers playing roughly 10 minutes a game for a good portion of the first half of the season. As he started to get more playing time and was moved up to the second line, he really started to hit his stride. After scoring just two goals and eight assists in the first 27 games, he went on to finish the season with 26 goals and 28 assists; that's good for nearly a point-per-game over the last 45, during which he still was not playing top-flight minutes. His physical game did carry over as well, finishing the season with 145 hits. He was far from being one of the team leaders during the season, but he did shine in the playoffs. Philadelphia ultimately lost their first-round series to San Diego in six games, but Taylor led the team with 4 goals and 9 points, while keeping up the physical play with 17 hits. He was a bit inconsistent in the series, being held off the score sheet in three of the games, while having multi-point games in the others. Taylor will certainly not be taking home any league accolades, but his performance when he was on the ice did not go unnoticed by his coaches. After Philadelphia was eliminated from the playoffs, management hosted the first Reapers Awards, acknowledging players for various contributions. Taylor was given the Reserve Reaper award for the value he brought to the team despite limited playing time. Even with his increased minutes during the season, he still averaged just 16.4 minutes per game, finishing with 0.92 points per 20. Even in the playoffs when he led the team in points, he was still under 20 minutes per game. Taylor Mourning looks to have the makings of a great two-way forward. He has shown flashes of brilliance, but he certainly has a ways to go. His stats are not all that impressive on their own, but his growth throughout the season is something that cannot be ignored. His biggest upside is his potential, and even still, it likely won't take long for him to start making an impact in the VHL. Given how quickly he went from struggling to score to averaging better than a goal every two games, he could be a legitimate scoring threat by as early as Season 80. Although he isn't the biggest player out there, he will certainly throw his 6'3", 200 pound frame around out there as well. One potential concern is the lack of playing time that he received. This might not be an issue early on in his career, as he likely won't be playing top-flight minutes anyway, but he never had to show that he could consistently produce while playing 25+ minutes per game. He was able to produce on the ice while being well-rested, but will he be able to withstand the toll that playing more minutes, and against faster and stronger competition, will put on his body? Nothing in his history suggests this will be an issue, but the possibility is out there. His draft outlook is unclear. While the most recent VHCS rankings list him at third, he could realistically fall as far as eighth or, given that there are no guarantees, possibly even further. He has not done particularly well in terms of marketing himself for the draft, and his conversations with team management have been limited. At the same time, with the number two prospect being a goaltender, Taylor could be picked as high as two, depending on team needs. He will almost assuredly be a first round pick, and whoever selects him will be getting a prospect with superstar talent. Worth noting, he has declared that his intent is to play in the VHL next season.

1. Are you excited for both the upcoming drafts? If you're draft eligible where do you expect to be taken in the draft? Not really excited about the VHLM draft, to be honest. I am psyched for the VHL draft, though. I'm thinking I'll be taken somewhere in the 6 to 8 range. I plan on being better than that, but my lack of a discord presence probably will move my draft stock down a bit. I also missed the finals predictions 2. What position do you think we need the most help at that can be acquired in the draft? I think it really depends on who is moving up to the VHL. I think the sixth forward is more important than the fourth defenseman, so if we lose a forward on top of Johnston and myself (to the VHL), I would say forward unless we lose both Jared and Grigorev. Goalie isn't the highest concern. 4. Our GM @KaleebtheMighty has been nominated for the Fredrik Elmebeck Memorial Award, what would you like to say to him? I'm proud of you. Honestly, I think those kinds of awards are the best. The ones where you are recognized as a valuable member to the league, and a good person. This is an award that you win, not your player winning via the grace of Simon. You definitely make the effort as GM of the team, and you seem to be doing a lot for the league in the way of logos. Best of luck to you, though I'm sure you're ecstatic just to be a nominee. 6. How do you think the first ever Reaper's Awards went? If an award could be added what would you like it to be? I think it went well. Team awards are always a good thing for a locker room, especially when you can acknowledge people aside from just the obvious star players. It helps keep more people interested, so it's especially good at the minor league level. I am honored to have won an award myself. I guess the first thing that comes to my mind for another award would be the Rookie Reaper. Not exactly the most creative. It could go to a standout player in their first season with the team. 8. What is your favourite summer food? Ice cream, but that's my favorite winter food and spring food and autumn food as well. 9. Apple pie is the best pie! Thoughts? Eh, pumpkin pie I guess, though I don't really eat much pie.

I previously wrote about the members that have had the most World Cup success with the western and central European teams. Unfortunately, the article was rather boring to write, in part due to the inaccessibility of World Cup statistics. So instead I'm just going to make these shorter articles, because most of what I type up can be seen in the little graphics I was making anyway, and the article is basically paraphrasing the same thing over and over. So let's just quick talk about the most successful reps from Team Russia and Team World, because the boundaries of those two make them a fair grouping, and Team Russia was pretty much turned into Team World because the Russian player base in the VHL has not really been enough to warrant the team designation. The biggest surprise here is realizing that @tfong never won a World Cup medal with either Daisuke Kanou or Xin Xie Xiao. Team World hasn't had a ton of success, but tfong has been there for most of the medals that they have won. He helped with 3/4 when they were Team Russia and 7/9 as Team World. They have never done better than bronze without him. Tzuyu is one of the only five-medal players. Lazy mode time. Hedgehog Latvian players = good. Hedgehog Canadian players = bad. He apparently had two S62 players (back when that was a thing), both Canadian, and then realized he accidentally didn't make them Latvian, because he dumped them and made two S63 players. As far as I know, other than those two players, he has only made Latvians, and other than Sirkants Klamasteris, they all have at least one medal with Team World. Klamasteris still has time, though. @hedgehog337 played a big part in the six-medal streak, including multiple World Cups in which he had two players representing. Other guys worth mentioning but not worth tagging because I'm glossing over them that much include Tyler, gorlab, and Tagger, all of whom have won five medals with the team, representing with multiple players. Enorama also has five, but it was all with one player, so really it's Ryan Kastelic also has five.

With Philadelphia's exit from the VHLM playoffs, Taylor Mourning may have played his last hockey as a Reaper. With the goal of playing in the VHL straight after the draft, Mourning's performance in the playoffs could be used as an argument for or against his claim that he is ready to make that leap. When he was good, he was great; but there were also games where he struggled to make any impact. Taking that next step, he'll be up against much fiercer competition every game, and he just might not be ready for that. The off-season may offer him one more chance to prove himself before S79. The World Juniors rosters have yet to be announced, but Mourning is hoping to make it onto Team USA. In recent years, the team has struggled. They haven't won a medal since S74 when they took the bronze, but that is something Mourning would like to change. He would certainly be one to play with a great intensity for his nation, though that is just how he plays naturally. If Mourning does make it on the roster, it is unclear whether the WJC will begin before the VHL draft, so he may not have time to improve his draft stock through the games, though that is not really a concern of his. He will be afforded the same chances just as anyone else no matter when he is drafted.

That's how your first series went, too. You guys are 8-0 with a 12-goal differential.

1. Well, we have been eliminated in 6 by San Diego from the playoffs. Do you have any takeaways from the first round? It's a bummer. I certainly would have liked to have gotten to play a bit more and show off my skill before the draft. Not that the games really meant anything to me, but it beats just sitting around waiting. 2. What team do you want to see win the Founder's cup this season? I'll say Minnesota. If I didn't feel a bit burned by Yukon not making more of an effort to pick me, I would root for them, but I'm from Minnesota, so I have a soft spot for them anyway. Plus Yukon has too many S79 draftees and I don't want my draft competition to already have that over me. 3. A few of our players are off the the VHL next season, do you have any words for these players? I'll see you on the ice, and don't take it personally when I hit you out there. I know I'm at that spot where I could spend another season in the VHLM, because I won't have a huge impact in the VHL, but I think my days as a Reaper are over. 4. If you are draft eligible (VHL or VHLM) in what round and to what team do you hope to be drafted by? I'd like to be drafted near the top, though I'm not necessarily interested in any team above others. I do think I'll end up going later than most draftee rankings would place me, because I'm not active at all in the VHL discord. I think given that there are others who are just slightly behind me in TPE who GMs have probably taken more notice of, I'll fall so somewhere around the 5 to 7 range. 5. How do you see the next two rounds of the playoffs shaping up? Yukon will take out San Diego. I think the series will go a lot like ours did with the Marlins. Even after four games before Yukon wins the final two. I think Minnesota beats Halifax, assuming they can even get past the Bulls. Halifax has really had to fight after it looked like it'd be a clean series two games in, while the Storm took care of business in four. Even though it was a sweep, it wasn't a cakewalk for Minnesota; they were tough games against a good team, so they won't be caught being overconfident. They've had time to rest and prepare for the next series, and I'm sure they're using that time wisely. Then Yukon vs Minnesota in the finals... I'd prefer to see Minnesota take it, but I think Yukon's superior depth will be the difference in what I think will be a seven-game series. 8. If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life what would it be? That's not a fun question. One song for the rest of my life? I'm just going to go ahead and pick my favorite song: Perfect Teeth by Motion City Soundtrack.

This is amazing.

It really should not matter, in any way, if a VHLE GM takes a player from a VHLM team. In fact, that is what they should strive for, no? The VHLM is a developmental league. They should want to see their players get the call up to the VHLE quickly. It also opens up more ice time for the newer players.

Players who reach a certain TPE threshold by the trade deadline should be "called up" from the VHLM to the VHLE. Consequently, a player's VHLE draft should line up with their VHLM draft rather than VHL draft so that they actually have a team to which they can be called up. If the only change to the VHLM is that the VHLE now exists, then what does it really mean when people say that it can now be the developmental league that it is meant to be? Get the newer guys more ice time to keep them more invested, right? Okay, then let players like myself and others who are eclipsing 200 TPE by the trade deadline move up to the VHLE where our games can actually matter. Where we are actually allowed to care about winning because we don't have to be concerned with our fresh meat teammates getting playing time. Even if this is the only league-to-league transaction that can take place mid-season, I think it is essential. Also get rid of the VHLM playoffs. It's not a competitive league, right? Just extend the season. Don't make some players stop playing for a couple extra weeks. Let them continue to get games in. At the very least, let every team into the playoffs. The top players should already have been moved up to the VHLE anyway, so it'll be likely that a lot of players who earned those wins for those VHLM teams aren't there anymore anyway.

During the first period of the Game 5 match between San Diego and Philadelphia, the Marlins scored four straight goals in a span of less than five minutes. They were up 4-1, but the game was evidently not out of hand, as the Reapers surged back with the next four goals of the game. The comeback effort proved fruitless, as Declan Wolf tied it up late in the third with his league-leading sixth goal of the playoffs, giving Hendrix Cobberson the opportunity to be the overtime hero. This win gives San Diego their first lead of the series, which now sits at 3-2. While the Marlins, led by Wolf and Aldwin Craig, are win away from knocking the Reapers out of the playoffs, Philadelphia's Taylor Mourning is the most talked about player of the series. Wolf and Craig both have more points, but Mourning gets extra attention for being a draftee, and he sure is using the playoffs to show teams he is worth the pick. Already a projected top-five pick, Mourning has always looked like a player who has potential. His performance during the regular season was adequate, but he was far from a shining star. This series has been a different story. Mourning leads all S79 draftees in goals (4) and points (9) in the playoffs. His performance in Game 5, although the reapers lost, was especially noteworthy. After trailing big early on, Mourning was instrumental in Philadelphia coming close. He scored two of their five goals and assisted on the other three. He is proving that the talk of him being a top pick is warranted based on more than just the speculation that he will be good in the future. It is unclear if Mourning will be back with the Reapers next season. The VHLE does not start up until S80, but there has been word that he would prefer to not spend any more time in the minors. It may depend on the outlook and needs of whichever team drafts him., but his time in Philadelphia could be coming to an end very soon.

1. With playoffs right around the corner, what is your prefered matchup? Minnesota or San Diego? We've struggled against both teams, though the games have been pretty close aside from a couple blowouts early against San Diego. I do actually think we'd match up better against Minnesota, with our superior forward depth possibly taking over the series. 2. With the season concluding who has been our regular season MVP, and why? While I do think that if Alex Johnston weren't here, the rest of the team would step up and score more goals, there's no denying that he carried our offense. JaredN Jr was very solid as well, and would be Johnston's only contention. Jared was the best player all around, but I think Alex was the most valuable. 3. Yukon enters the playoffs as the team to beat, what do you think their strengths and weaknesses are? I'd say their weaknesses are more just non-strengths, and I'll start with those. Their penalty kill is rather average and Papa Emeritus hasn't been one of the top goalies. Again, I wouldn't say he's a weakness on the team, it's just that the rest of their squad outclasses the VHLM while he doesn't. They have the best power play, they can play physical while avoiding penalties relatively well. 4. What are your predictions for the first round if the VHLM playoffs if they started today? I've got the top seed winning each matchup except in the 4 vs 5, where I can't help but predict the Reapers to beat the Marlins. Yukon and Halifax over Mexico City and Houston seem like sure things. Saskatoon has played well this season, and I do think they could potentially upset Minnesota, but ultimately I have to think the Storm will take it. We made some very solid additions to our team during the season, so even though we are lower in the standings, we definitely have a shot as well. 7. Do you have any pets IRL? I have a 8 month old puppy named Winter. If no, if you could have one what would it be? I don't personally have any pets, but my roommate has a four-month old puppy named Piper. I'm personally more of a cat person so if I were living on my own, I'd get a cat before a dog. 8. Do you eat a banana from the bottom or the top? I guess it depends on which side you call the bottom. I eat it from the side opposite the stem.

Oh wow I ended up in 4th.