Doomsday

Claiming for week of 11/27 - 12/3 Claim 2/2

Good to see ya again bud! Hope all is well!

hai boo

Thinking Outside the Box For Recruitment Let’s be real: we all know why you’re here. You know the background, you’ve sipped the tea, and witnessed (or partaken in) the assorted shenanigans of the past week. Now, with the added incentive of uncapped TPE, the collective VHL think tank is on overdrive coming up with ideas to jump-start the recruitment process from the ground up, and it’s now my turn to join in the fun. What I’ve decided to do is come up with ideas that may not be the most traditional - out of the box, if you will. A unique vision for a problem that absolutely needs to be rectified as soon as possible. Let’s get started, shall we? Social Media Incentives One thing that, in spite of all the vast criticisms to come to light, the recruiting team has done a fantastic job of is having a strong presence on social media. While I certainly think there’s room for improvement, which to be fair, there usually is for most things, I think there is an interesting opportunity to use social media to draw in new members. Challenging people to be the next big legend, using success stories of first-generation members and players such as Daniel Janser, tantalizing the chance to become the latest chapter in the extensive history of the VHL. The siren’s call of making history and being a true great is one that has drawn in countless members, and ultimately retained many as well. However, the idea I was really going for with this was providing prospective members with a bonus incentive to join. Let’s say it’s October 9th, Leif Erikson Day. A post offering all new members who create a Norwegian player with 5 uncapped TPE might just incentivize people to take that step and create a player. In the grand scheme of things, it’s not a game-breaking advantage to be giving these new members, but it does provide the feel of, “this is the right time to join.” Getting that little extra boost could be a strong incentive for people to take the plunge and join the VHL. This could be done sporadically throughout the year, for holidays, important dates, or maybe even no reason at all. It’s tough to break into the VHL and make a name for yourself, so offering a little extra boost could help some feel like maybe it’s not so daunting after all. Role Play/Town of Salem One of the most endearing traditions of late in the sim league community is Town of Salem, a game in which players must work together to find the evil players in their midst before it’s too late. Adapted from the popular PC game into a forum-based format, games have proven to be popular, often featuring more than 15 players at a time and spanning across the VHL, EFL, and SBA. However, what if we took that a step beyond? Perhaps we could attempt to expand our base and presence amongst a community of people who play the PC version of Town of Salem, and perhaps even get them to join our forum-based version, and possibly even create a player in the future. Role playing has a history in the VHL, although it has waned as of the past few years as people began to identify as themselves, rather than their players. However, role-playing is still embedded into this community, and perhaps tapping into that could also yield more members? Role-playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons and Pathfinder remain widely popular, and players of those games with an interest in sports would be well-suited for sim leagues. This is a niche community and interest as is, and branching out to similarly interested people could prove to be a fruitful endeavor. HockeyNation Partnership For those who don’t know what it is, HockeyNation is a free to play, browser-based game in which the user takes control of their very own hockey team. On top of their professional team, they also have a U21 team composed of pro prospects, and a U17 team in which they get a jump on scouting future draftees with. International competition is also a strong, but optional component of the game, in which now 36 nations compete for global superiority. It’s a lot of fun, and can be as casual or serious as you ultimately want it to be. It is now on it’s 10th season, and the game continues to receive new features and improvements. All-in-all, it’s a ton of fun, and if you enjoy GM leagues, you’ll really enjoy this game. But why am I bringing this up out of nowhere? For starters, this isn’t entirely an unknown game to the VHL community. It’s estimated that of the 237 members of the game, roughly 10% of them consist of members of the VHL, meaning this is a community that is familiar with members of our own community. The creator and administrator of the game, Dennis, is a nice guy that works hard to improve and grow his game, and I think it would be a wise idea for the recruiting team to reach out to him to form an affiliation of sorts. HN members who join the VHL could receive a little TPE bonus, and more VHL members could be introduced to HN to help grow the game more in return. Maybe even a code to redeem for a free week of premium membership to HN? This is a partnership that I could really see working out due to the similar interests of both communities. Wrapping up, I hope that the recruiting team doesn’t see the events of the past week or so as a slight against them. They do work hard towards bringing and maintaining new membership, and they are an essential part of keeping our beloved community alive. But there is always room to improve, ways to refocus, new ideas waiting to be tapped, and connections waiting to be made. The VHL will make it to 100 seasons and beyond thanks to the recruiting team, and our collective mindset and ideas can help this happen. Best of luck, guys. You got this!

1. Thanksgiving is somehow almost here in the United States, while Canada had theirs all the way back on October 9th. What's your favorite part of the big meal on Thanksgiving? 2. The Vikings are on a roll! They've climbed into a playoff spot and with a trade for another defenseman, Swinsola, Stockholm seems to be putting it all together at the right time. How far up the standings can they go? 3. There are some Vikings, such as Spanish Moon Moth, Grimgor Ironhide, and Olober Syko that are performing amongst the best at their positions this season. Do you think any of them could win any awards this season? 4. What's your favorite Thanksgiving tradition? 5. What nation really needs more representation in the VHL? 6. What historical figure do you think unfairly gets a bad rap?

What if a specific recruitment team member had a set day to post on? Say, if you theoretically have seven people, that's one member to post for every day of the week, which gives each person another week to create content. Something like that could stagger content and mean more consistent posts.

1. Jake Thunder of Davos is having a really strong season offensively, and is still hitting and blocking shots at a good pace so far as well. He's definitely in the running for the Labatte. 2. This is a tough one, as there isn't really a clear standout that excels at everything. CGY Janser is killing it with hits and blocked shots, but isn't a top ten in points. Leif Reingaard leads all defensemen in points, but doesn't have a lot of hits and just cracks the top ten in shots blocked. Tyler Swift is probably the most balanced of the candidates so far. 3. Petit Hughie has been showing out in points, hits, and shots blocked, and looks to be the front-runner in my opinion so far. 1. We're already about halfway through the season, what's the biggest surprise so far? 2. What's a topping that needs to be banned from pizzas? 3. If a zoo would inexplicably allow you to take one of their animals home with you, which one would you pick?

Claiming for week of 11/13 - 11/19 Claim 2/3

1. YaBoi Oven is doing alright, on pace for a similar point production to his rookie season, but definitely much better defensively as well. Continuing to improve! 2. The Flyers aren't as much of a dumpster fire as I thought, and some of the kids are looking really good. Really encouraging, being honest. 3. Playing CHEL with the boys! 1. How many points are you looking to score this season in your respective league? 2. Who is a veteran you're proud of? 3. Have you ever ridden on a zamboni before?

What's Next For YaBoi Oven? HELSINKI - After being selected first overall by the Helsinki Titans in the Season 90 VHL Entry Draft and immediately beginning his pro career after being called up from the VHLE, YaBoi Oven hit the ground running in his rookie season. He was the only Season 90 player to finish in the top ten of rookie scoring in the VHL, ultimately finishing fourth with 41 points. Oven led all rookie defensemen with 14 goals, and wasted no time establishing himself as a threat on the man advantage with nine power play goals. He contributed defensively with 133 shots blocked, but perhaps did not play as physically as his potential would suggest, working hard to keep his penalty minutes down, with just 42. The Titans reached the playoffs, breaking a recent drought, although they fell in the Wild Card round to the London United in five games. However, with five points in those five games, Oven looks poised to take the next step towards being an elite VHL defenseman. "All things considered, I would have to say my rookie season was a huge success," said Oven following a World Cup game. "I felt like I was able to come in right away and be productive and effective in both zones, instead of just dragging the team down. I was quite happy about that, but now it's time to build on that and be more than just someone that isn't holding their team back." Oven has kept busy over the off-season, being named to Team Eastern Europe's roster for both the World Junior Championship and the VHL World Cup, where he contributed to medal-winning efforts in both tournaments. He scored ten points in ten round robin games, with three power play goals, and also scored a goal in the gold medal-winning game, the second straight season Eastern Europe has won WJC gold. On the world stage at the World Cup, Oven scored four points, including two more power play goals, in a successful tournament which resulted in a silver medal for Oven and Eastern Europe. Throughout both tournaments, it was evident that YaBoi Oven is a considerable threat on the man advantage, something Helsinki certainly hopes will continue in Season 91. The Titans added a major veteran presence on the blue line with longtime Vancouver Wolves defenseman Pierre Emile Bouchard, who will spend the twilight of his career with Helsinki. A former Sterling Labatte Trophy winner and a Continental Cup champion, Bouchard has also been a menace on the power play, with 59 career tallies on the man advantage. He's a proven weapon in both ends of the ice, and an ideal candidate to use in virtually any situation. Bouchard, as it turns out, is the absolute perfect person to mentor a young core of defensemen that has less VHL experience than he does alone, and has embraced the idea of taking them under his wing. "We love Pierre here," Oven reiterated during Helsinki's training camp. "With Hammar Voss retiring, we knew we needed a veteran presence and top guy back there with us, and Sam really delivered with bringing Bouchard here to Helsinki. It has been a short time, but I feel like he's already making all of us better, and learning under a proven winner who has excelled in the ways you want to do yourself is the best scenario I could have possibly asked for." If Season 90 was about proving that YaBoi Oven belonged in the VHL, then Season 91 will be about proving that he has what it takes to be great, to be an elite player capable of building a franchise around. The promise has shown, his ability has been showcased on the national stage, and his potential is only just beginning to be realized. If the Helsinki Titans want to take the next step towards winning the Continental Cup, they will need Oven to continue to improve and deliver on his lofty expectations. Jethro Novacek is a writer for the MSFL Times, the premium purveyor of simulation sports news. He enjoys massively discounted candy, scouring antique stores, and not being sick.

Sparks, WEU Defense Stymie World To Take Bronze REYKJAVIK, ICELAND - After a whirlwind opening to the first period of the Bronze Medal Game between Western Europe and Team World, fans were instead treated to a masterclass of defense and goaltending, with the 2-1 advantage Western Europe held after the first period holding as the final score and winners of the bronze medal at the Season 90 VHL World Cup. Despite finishing at the bottom of the pack following the Round Robin, Western Europe played stellar hockey afterwards, stunning Team USA in the quarter finals to earn themselves a shot at a medal. Western Europe's defense stymied Team World throughout the game, never allowing more than five shots in a period, with World's only tally coming on a power play goal by Mo Probert late in the first period. Both of Western Europe's goals, scored by The Frenchman and Perry Laperriere, came in the first ten minutes of the game, with Leandro Goncalves assisting on both goals. Despite the two goal lead being cut to one by the end of the first period, they had generated all the offense they would ultimately need, with Ash Sparks shutting the door with the help of stellar defense, including four blocked shots from Malum Maellard and another three blocks from Moritz Stauffer. Despite looking strong at times, Team World ultimately leaves Iceland empty-handed and searching for answers heading into Season 92's World Cup, while Western Europe will enjoy their stunning turnaround from the Round Robin and look to build upon their success in the next tournament.

1. Season 91 is just around the corner, what are your expectations for yourself entering the new season? 2. What does Stockholm need to do to end their current playoff drought? 3. Who has the biggest breakout potential on this team? 4. What do you believe is the ideal job to have in the VHL? 5. Does fighting still have a place in hockey? 6. Where do you fall on the alignment chart?

1. Oooh, super fancy! *applause* 2. Getting Bouchard was a big boost for adding veteran experience at the blue line, should be a move that pays dividends for Helsinki and Fuuka Rask in particular. 3. It's all about engagement. Be knowledgeable, be entertaining, and minimize dead air. 4. I have not been teammates with @FrostBeard to my knowledge, so I'm really looking forward to that when he joins our pro roster next season! 5. I don't even know where you live, my brother in Christ. 6. It's gotta be Dracula, especially when you factor in his prominent role in the Castlevania franchise.

1. @Doomsday F - F - F - D - D - G - 2. @jacobcarson877 (GM) F - F - F - D - D - G - 3. @dlamb F - F - F - D - D - G - 4. @RJMW F - F - F - D - D - G - 5. @dstevensonjr F - F - F - D - D - G - 6. @Acydburn F - F - F - D - D - G -

Hungarian representation!!