Doomsday

Bang-up job, both to @ShawnGlade and @Subject056!! Stuff like this really gives the league extra depth to it!

1. All the way, baby. This one's for Janser!! 2. I feel like a re-tool is the best option. There's a talented young goalie in Dilson, a star in the making in VLG, and players entering their prime. The right moves can keep the party rolling even with Janser hanging up the skates. 3. Calgary from the NA, Davos from the EU. 4. Twitter accounts for VHL players, with a certain amount of posts to claim 2 TPE. 5. I have fished when I was younger, and I did catch fish! However, as an adult I have not gone fishing. Not really too thrilled about gutting my own catch. 6. Back in May, the reception was a murder mystery show as well! Very unique and certainly not one I'll forget.

Claiming for week of 7/24 to 7/30 Claim 2/2

@Zetterberg is Greenland's golden god of graphics. With the Victory Hockey League celebrating its 16th birthday this week and the 90th season on the horizon, it’s wild to think that a league like this that’s been around for this long can still be unique and fresh. There are many ways that it remains to do so, but this article will be covering a more specific topic: international representation in the VHL. Traditional powerhouses of ice hockey have been well-represented, with American and Canadian members understandably ensuring their nations have always been strong on the international level in the VHL. However, with this upcoming draft class in Season 90, there are some nations that have not traditionally had a strong presence in the VHL producing prospects, with some of them among the best of the class. We’re going to take a look at these nations that are finally about to get some love here in the VHL. Now Trending on VSN: Season 89 In Review | S89 VHLM ASG Skills Competition | Building A Contender: SEA/PRA/LON | Victory Lap Australia Prospect: D Walter Fitzroy Jr The Land Down Under is naturally not a traditional powerhouse in ice hockey, and for most of the VHL’s history, that was also the case. During the later half of the 60’s, however, Australia began to produce VHL talent worth shouting about from the top of Uluru. Australian members @Berocka and @dasboot arrived on the scene and began producing quality players that impacted the league. Berocka Sundqvist won four Continental Cups during his career and Latrell Mitchell crafted a well-deserved reputation as a strong defensive defenseman, winning the Jake Wylde Trophy in Season 76. However, A Red Guy, courtesy of @.sniffuM, was the first Australian player to win the Scotty Campbell Trophy as the VHL MVP, accomplished during his final season in S73. Today, Australia boasts three players with over 1,000 TPA in Daniel Weaver @ThePerfectNut, Lachlan Summers @kirbithan, and Callum Murray, and in Season 90 another Australian defenseman in Walter Fitzroy Jr. @Moon will be drafted. He has made his mark on three different VHLM teams, and despite being at the ripe age of 50, Fitzroy Jr should be a top selection in the upcoming draft. While they aren’t an Olympic presence yet, Australia is quickly proving to be a rising producer of quality VHL talent. Greenland Prospects: C Axle Gunner, C Severus Targaryen Before the 70s, there is no record of any players from Greenland on the VHL Portal, but the famous invasion of Season 77 to 79 quickly put Greenland on the map in the VHL. Lewis Dawson @Kendrick and Aleelee Kiak @Grant were the first in Season 70, and Grekkark Gyrfalcon @Sharkstrong in Season 73 became a fantastic goaltender that lifted the Continental Cup. However, it was the famed Season 77 group, featuring three 1,000+ TPE players in Zeedayno Chara @Jubis, along with the first two Reinharts: Asher @rjfryman and Reylynn @Ricer13. Three more Reinharts would follow in the next two seasons: Tobias @Spaz in Season 78, with Jerome @MexicanCow123 and Tyler @Zetterberg in Season 79. Despite the fact that they fielded enough players for their own team, Greenland never realized the dream of having their own squad compete in the VHL World Cup, and that was that… until the next generation arrived. Axle Gunner @Steve and Severus Targaryen @Banackock are both draft-eligible in Season 90, and they're only the tip of the iceberg, as even more players will be coming from Greenland in Season 91. Gunner has been one of the most dominant players in the VHLM this season with the Philadelphia Reapers, and Targaryen has been a point-per-game player in Houston, just a sample of what's to come from Greenland's next generation. For more on Greenland's latest hockey generation, be sure to check out @Will3's latest article, Greenland's Golden Generation! Hungary Prospect: D YaBoi Oven Hungary is a nation that has not had a strong presence in the VHL throughout the history of the league. In the Portal Era, only one Hungarian has ever eclipsed 1,000 TPE, and that is journeyman defenseman Kristof Welch @Juice, the Season 80 Alexander Valiq Trophy winner, who played for six teams during his career and amassed 656 career points. Hungary seemed like they had a superstar in Nagy Al @bigAL, but tragically he burnt out before his potential could be realized. Hunor Solyom @solyom, a third round pick by Helsinki in Season 83, became the first Hungarian to win a Continental Cup with the London United just last season. Hungary's latest chance at producing a superstar talent in the VHL is defenseman YaBoi Oven, who was selected first overall in the Season 89 VHLM Dispersal Draft and could very well be the top pick again in the Season 90 VHL Entry Draft as well. His potential hasn't translated to dominance in the VHLM, but will VHL GMs be able to pass on the raw potential? Malta Prospect: C Xiver Zilla While Australia, Greenland, and Hungary all have relatively short stories regarding their history in the VHL, it is encyclopedic compared to Malta's. There is no story for the 316 square mile archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea, which sounds like the absolute last place you would expect to find ice hockey cultivated. As it turns out, Xiver Zilla @jhatty8 was the first player from Malta to take the ice in a VHL-sanctioned game when he suited up for the San Diego Marlins against the Houston Bulls and skated his way into history. However, he was not the first player from Malta, with that distinction going to Joey Balgeno @ItsTearless, who never applied TPE or signed with a VHLM team before retiring. With that, it is now on Xiver Zilla to write the first chapter for Malta's foray into ice hockey, and if his tenure with the Houston Bulls is any indication, the VHL is about to bear witness to a Mediterranean Monster. Mongolia Prospect: G WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW As odd as it sounds, Mongolia actually has a chapter in VHL history, regardless of how absurd it may seem. Season 53 actually marked the beginning of not one Mongolian's career, but two. One was Conrad Jenkins @Kylrad, a winger turned defenseman who carved out a solid career with the Stockholm Vikings, and from seasons 56 to 59, moved to the Helsinki Titans and became teammates with the other Mongolian in the VHL. That teammate… VHL legend and Hall of Famer Franchise Cornerstone @boubabi. The longest-serving captain in VHL history, Cornerstone is one of the most successful and decorated players in the history of the league, scoring 384 goals and 855 points in his career, spent entirely with the Helsinki Titans. It's a lofty standard that seems nearly impossible to live up to, especially for a goaltender, but that is exactly what WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW is up against. He is the first Mongolian to join the ranks of the league since Franchise Cornerstone retired following Season 60, and he has just two appearances in VHLM games to his credit thus far. However, he is still a highly-ranked prospect at his position, and is on track to be the first Mongolian player to reach the VHL in 30 seasons. Portugal Prospect: RW Catia Goncalves Portugal is another nation whose story in the VHL is still in its infancy, yet has still managed to shine. The first player from Portugal recorded on the Portal turned out to be a great one in defenseman Roque Davis @Josh, the second overall pick in the Season 71 VHL Entry Draft. Playing for the HC Davos Dynamo, Moscow Menace, and the Los Angeles Stars, Davis was among the best blue liners of his era, winning the Alexander Valiq Trophy as the best offensive defenseman in the VHL twice, leading the league in assists in Season 76 with 86, and also won the coveted Sterling Labatte Trophy as the top defenseman in the VHL that season as well. He became the first Portuguese player to be inducted into the VHL Hall of Fame in Season 84, right around when Portugal’s next big talent was just warming up: Leandro Goncalves @leandrofg . The ninth overall pick in the Season 83 VHL Entry Draft has been the epitome of selflessness and consistency with the Calgary Wranglers, and he was a pivotal part of the team’s drought-breaking Continental Cup victory in Season 87, making him the first Portuguese player to do so. The Goncalves line is set to continue, as little sister Catia Goncalves @cLoWn is currently tearing up the VHLM with the Mississauga Hounds, showing that she is ready to carry the mantle herself. If the stars align, it’s very possible that Portugal’s favorite siblings can play together for Leandro’s final VHL season, which I am now going to cheer into existence. Saint Lucia Prospect: D Jebediah Big Ol Doinks in Amish For those of you who have never heard of Saint Lucia, myself included, it is a small island nation located in the East Carribeans, known for volcanic beaches, reef-diving sites, tourism, and the Piton Mountains. Exactly the type of place you’d expect to develop elite VHL talent, right? Naturally, it’s no surprise that this is a nation that has no story in the VHL at all. Not a single player has ever come from this tiny, exotic locale, at least not until now. Somehow, in some way, a lad named Jebediah Big Ol Doinks in Amish is the first player to ever lace up the skates for Saint Lucia, despite sounding like he should be tending to cattle and raising barns in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania instead. How did this gloriously bearded farmer make it to Saint Lucia and end up playing ice hockey, of all things? I’m not going to pretend to have the faintest clue, because quite frankly, I don’t. Saint Lucia’s foray into the world of the VHL is off to a most peculiar start, however, and with Jebediah’s strong season with the Houston Bulls, it looks as if his story will continue into the ranks of the VHL. Ukraine Prospect: RW Maxim Ansimov, LW Jorji Costova Of all the nations on this list, Ukraine is the one that is traditionally a presence in the world of ice hockey, and that is no different in the VHL. The Portal has recorded Ukrainians in the VHL dating back to the 40s, and it’s very likely there were some in the VHL before this. A notable player of this time for Ukraine is defenseman Bobby Digital @gorlab, a two-time Continental Cup champion with the New York Americans, who also led the VHL in assists with 80 in Season 54 and won the Grimm Jonsson Trophy as the top leader in the VHL in Season 55. Ukraine’s most prolific player, however, is VHL Hall of Famer Jet Jaguar, who scored 256 goals and 645 points with the Moscow Menace, where he led the VHL in goals with 42 and won a Continental Cup in Season 70, and the HC Davos Dynamo. The defenseman pairing of L and R both hailed from Ukraine, as well as Kosmo Kramerev @Mongoose87. Faith Hope Love @MMFLEX of the Prague Phantoms is the only Ukrainian currently in the league, although the Toronto Legion have a future pro in Kobe Johnson @Vkobe-v in the VHLE with Geneva currently. The Season 90 Draft Class, however, has two prospects that have caught the eyes of VHL scouts: Maxim Ansimov @McLovin, a dynamic winger capable of racking up points, and Jorji Costova @Hybrid1486, another winger capable of lighting up the score sheet. Always seeming to keep a steady presence in the VHL, Ukraine has two exciting prospects that could put their program back into the international spotlight once again. What happens when the writer tries to make a graphic themselves. The Season 90 VHL Draft Class is loaded with players from less than conventional backgrounds, and it could lead to even more diverse representation from across the globe in the league. I would love to see some other nations become powerful enough to warrant their own team in international play in the VHL and add to the fun of those events. While I don’t expect to see Saint Lucia on that stage anytime soon, could Greenland do what they couldn’t a decade ago and rise to prominence? Will Australia become a rising power? Can the Goncalves trigger an ice hockey movement in Portugal? We won’t know until we meet future draft classes, and until then, all we can do is imagine what could happen and enjoy the stories that are playing out in front of us. After all, isn’t that why we’re all here?

Call me Larry Bird

Fightin' Joe Flacco gestures for you to join him!

11.37 seconds isn't bad at all for a 6'8, 250 lb oaf at all!

1. It's a good season for sure, but sending Janser out on top as a winner would be the ultimate success. 2. Definitely, keep playing your game and you'll gain that ground! 3. Statistically, it's a bust for YaBoi. However, the VHLM doesn't define a player, and learning from this season could very well lead to success at the next level. 4. Quebec would need to get a team back if it was NA, and if it was the EU... Berlin. Bring VHL hockey back to the fatherland! 5. Milk is the fastest beverage on the planet. Wanna know how? 6. I love an immersive RPG, and I think Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was my absolute favorite of them.

Vandelay Industries!

Should've waited until S99 tbh

One of my favorite parts of the VHL is the names that some members come up with for their players. Some of them go down in history for their performance, while others are remembered for their silly names. Here are some of my favorites that I've encountered from the VHLM this season: Baby Moo Moo: Come on now, how could you not love this? Just try not to picture an adorable little cow on skates with a helmet strapped to its head out there doing its best to be a good hockey player. Good luck not picturing that now. Simons Worst Nightmare: Simon T, the infamous creator of the Simon T's Hockey Simulator that the VHL has used since day one, is the namesake of this player. While it is unknown whether or not the player is a menace to the French Canadian programmer himself, he certainly has been one of the VHLM's most productive players this season. Maybe flattery does get you somewhere with Simon after all. Jebediah Big Ol Doinks In Amish: A spectacularly bizarre name that makes me chuckle every time I read it. How did an Amish guy find out about hockey? Where did he learn to play? And most importantly, who is tending to the fields and churning all the butter while Jebediah is living his best life on the ice? Free Gorlab: An honest plea to release a beloved VHL member, Gorlab, from his ban. However, what makes this silly is that there isn't anything to free him from: Gorlab is not banned, and he could come back and make a new player whenever he wants to. Jaja Dingdong Jr: It's ridiculous, it's silly, and I absolutely love it. But the best part of it, however, is that the name infers that a man named Jaja Dingdong existed, had a son, and named him after himself. A story like that's gotta be true. Aeschylus Jigglejawns CXXXVII II: What's better than a second Jaja Dingdong? How about a dynasty of Aeschylus Jigglejawns? It's such a preposterous and absurd notion that you can't help but crack a smile and laugh. Is there a book about this family, because if so, I know what my next story to immerse myself in is.

If you talk to Josh, he can manually change it so that your account gets 5 instead of 4 for Welfare. You just need two 700+ TPE players on that other account to qualify for it.

Pull in, fuck shit up, pull out.

1. The reason for his success is simple: he's a very talented player with a strong work ethic, and that is a recipe for success in the VHL. The flashes were there the past two seasons, and now the rest of the league is seeing how good he truly is. 2. It's not just whether a player is ready to come up, it's whether or not the VHL team itself is ready for them. If they aren't auto-promoting, then they can afford to get that extra time to grow, and then they'll be primed to be an awesome rookie. 3. Is anyone really surprised Helsinki is struggling? They're the most poorly managed franchise in the league. They didn't even sign their own draft picks this season for crying out loud. I wouldn’t be surprised if the VHL commissioners intervene and there's a new regime next season. 4. Honestly, I did not expect DC to bounce back like this as quickly as they did, and that goes to show you what great management like John Frostbeard and strong goaltending from Bubbles Utonium can get you. 5. I love Sour Patch Kids!! I can eat an entire bag if my discipline is weak enough, but my mouth hates me for it. 6. I love Bluey, and have watched it without my child present. It's not just for kids, it's just as much for the parents!

Time for another go!!

Renooooooooo

Claiming for week of 7/10 - 7/16 2/2

Could Oven Be On the Move? OTTAWA - It goes without saying that this season has not gone at all the way that the Ottawa Lynx have expected or hoped it would, and the hits just keep coming. On the heels of their fourth straight loss, they sit at 9th in the VHLM, just one point ahead of the last place Miami Marauders. Despite engineering a roster expected to compete, it simply hasn't come together on the ice, especially for defenseman YaBoi Oven. Expected to be a major contributor for an Ottawa team looking to make a big run, he and the Lynx as a whole have struggled offensively. Making matters worse for the Hungarian prospect, rumors are swirling with the trade deadline approaching tomorrow that he could be traded by Ottawa. "There's nothing I can do about it," said Oven in response to questions about trade rumors. "All I can do is work hard, do my best to improve and help my team get back on track. If I get traded, then I get traded. The sweater I'm wearing isn't going to change the level of effort I'm going to put forth at all." A defenseman of YaBoi Oven's caliber would certainly draw a big return, which could limit which teams could ultimately make an offer for the massive blue liner. His offensive struggles could be another factor, but there is also the possibility a change in scenery could improve that. However, what remains clear is that YaBoi Oven is going to continue to work hard at being the best player he can be, regardless of where he ends up finishing this VHLM season. Jethro Novacek is a writer for the MSFL Times, the premium purveyor of simulation sports news. He enjoys a quality watermelon, thrilling races at Silverstone, and classic American muscle cars.

1. I have outlined my changes here, but for VHL-specific changes, I would try to make more concrete guidelines discouraging tanking and promoting better competition. 2. The job I enjoyed the most was VHLM GM, but I need to have the right amount of free time in order to do the job properly. Doing it half-assed isn't enjoyable to me at all. 3. If I had to be traded in the VHLM, I think I'd want to go somewhere I haven't played before, and there are quite a few options there. 4. The biography is the only one that I feel is a ton of work, and even then it's entirely optional. It's also possible that my style preference of having correct details plays into that as well. 5. The Flyers had a big week for sure. Getting Michkov at seventh overall was the defining moment of this decade for the franchise, and I felt we had a really strong draft after that as well. 6. I'm not really a fan of either to be honest, but if I had to pick one, Nutella.

Commissioner For A Day: Doomsday Edition The work of the commissioner of a sim league is something that is largely overlooked on a day-to-day basis, yet something immediately noticed when it goes wrong. It takes a lot of work to make a sim league last, and veterans of leagues can attest to how many leagues of the past fizzled out quickly due to this. The designing, planning, and implementing of a brand new league is the fun part, the draw to being a commissioner. But once challenges begin to emerge, being able to press on and keep the league running takes tremendous focus and discipline, especially for a league like the VHL that is now in its 89th season. The fact that the league itself is older than some of the members in it is practically unheard of, and surely never something people expected to happen around this very time back in 2007. But yet, here we are. Being tasked with being commissioner for a day is a fun task, and one I can see generating a plethora of interesting ideas. But this article is about my ideas, so I have avoided reading others so far. That being said, there is one thing I anticipate being a common theme in these articles, so I will begin mine by… NOT KILLING THE VHLE That would be the easy, coward's way to that sweet, sweet uncapped TPE. Instead, we're going to make the VHLE stronk. Build it up, give it the credibility it deserves. There is ten seasons of history here, which is being rather woefully neglected. The problem there, however, is a lack of people able to work on the Portal, which leads directly into my first course of action: TRAIN/HIRE PEOPLE TO WORK ON THE PORTAL The Portal is perhaps the most important addition to the VHL in the history of the league, yet is also perhaps the most delicate aspect of the league. It is capable of incredible things, but one wrong button press or code can bring the whole thing down and grind the league to a halt. Unsurprisingly, this means that the only individuals capable of working on it must not only be trustworthy, but qualified and knowledgeable with coding. With the departure of Dil, this leaves primarily Josh for Portal-related matters, which is a tremendous burden. Simply put, the league needs help in this area. Either trustworthy individuals must be trained to work on minor tasks with the Portal, or help must be sought from outside the VHL itself. The way it is now is simply unsustainable, and must change for the long-term good of the VHL. Getting this help means that the history of the VHLE can finally be added to the Portal in the Hall of Fame, giving it the legitimacy it deserves. Additionally, extra hands can handle tasks such as updating award winners and league statistics, and ensuring that everything is reflected correctly on the Portal. Even if major, complicated tasks are left to Josh, the extra hands can keep these smaller tasks from bogging up and putting even more on his plate. ADJUSTMENTS: VHLE Additionally, there are some tweaks to be made to the VHLE. One of the biggest issues I have seen with the league that it ultimately turns into a graveyard for inactive players that have earned their way into the league, but leaves them stuck there. However, there need to be enough bodies in the VHLE to field full rosters, so eliminating inactives, like the VHLM does, creating a curious predicament. My idea to curb that is as follows: A player is deemed to be inactive after going four consecutive point task weeks without a single update or forum post. An inactive player cannot be placed higher on the depth chart than an active player at the same position (forward, defense, or goalie) with the exception of it causing an invalid STHS lineup. Rights to a player are held for two VHLE seasons, and seasons spent in the VHLM do not count against this. After those two seasons, a player still in the VHLE becomes a free agent, and may be signed/claimed for another two seasons. Once a player plays a VHL season, their VHLE rights are reset and they are considered a free agent if they would return to the VHLE. These changes address a number of issues seen in the VHLE. To start, this adds an official distinction between active and inactive players, and gives an immediate preference to active players without shedding the inactives altogether. To discourage teams from amassing inactives to field a roster, rights only last for two seasons, returning the inactives to the waiver wire. Active players should be the primary building blocks, and this change ensures that. Combined with adding the history and accomplishments of VHLE players to the Portal, this would be the biggest boost the league has gotten since the inaugural season back in S80. I am sure there are tons of articles from people using this theme to advocate for the end of the VHLE, but sometimes the "obvious" solution is one that will create additional problems and work down the line. By removing the league, you displace dozens of players and create a further crunch on the cap situation of the VHL teams as well. It doesn’t seem right to me to just abandon the VHLE without any sort of attempt at all to improve or fix any of the issues related to it. The VHL didn't reach the doorstep of 90 seasons by giving up on things, it did so through perseverance and the collaborative brainpower of the league's brightest minds. The VHLE hasn't been perfect, but that's exactly why it should be looked into more. Let's find ways to improve the process, make it a better stepping stone for those who need it, and an enjoyable experience for those passing through to the VHL. My challenge to you: let's work together and make this the best it can be!

1. We need to start winning more of those games that are going to overtime or shootouts. It's great to be picking up those extra points, but we gotta start getting both of those points, it will go a long way towards getting higher up in the standings. 2. The Philadelphia Flyers, and they need to cut as much dead weight and free up as much cap as possible. 3. Oven has been playing well, but I feel like for being the first overall pick, he should be doing more. I especially don't like that -6 rating, but it definitely seems like he's doing more offensively lately. 4. I'll go with 74. Looking good, but I don't know if he'll be tearing up the league as a rookie on that Chicago team. 5. Yeah, we will. Just watch. 6. Auston Matthews. He's in a contract season, I don't see him staying in Toronto, and the new GM isn't going to want to start his tenure with Matthews walking away for nothing.

You've made so many graphics for other people to celebrate winning a Cup, and I'm glad you finally got to make one for yourself!