Mutti

Hello, it is Ondřej Vencko writing you from a cozy homeplace, located somewhere in the Czech Republic (due to stalkers wanting me to sign their beer bottles I have to be careful about my privacy). As new year came around, I thought it would only be fitting to give you an insight at how I spent the Christmas Eve, following holiday and the New Year's Eve the good old Czech way! There aren't many people who still embrace our Christmas traditions, even though there are many of these. And I.. Wasn't an exception to that. I thought: 'Hey, let's make the first month of the miserable season winter is as the month of hockey sessions. More like watching hockey, anyway. And watch hockey I did! There was the expected World Junior's tournament I was excited about but before that, I watched many and many hours of hockey highlights. It is an inspirational experience, watching legends of hockey, especially goaltenders perform in a stellar way when they were in their prime. Of course, it was even more inspirational given that I drank like 10 beers per watch. One day, I got so wasted that I put up the memorial Phantoms jersey from my rookie season and ran outside, where some kinds were playing hockey at the moment. I didn't hesitate and immediately joined them. Needless to say, I absolutely dominated. 4 games, all shutouts. What a bunch of noobs. Anyway, New Year's Eve came and I was nervous, as we were supposed to host a massive party, which always make me lose my chilled out attitude. But luckily, I have a girlfriend that I have, so we plotted a plan to stay at home, relax and celebrate the completion of Earth's orbit around the Sun in peace. .. Which, in turn, led to a massive hangover on January 1. Turns out you cannot 'relax' that much. Especially if you have tons of beer in your cellar. Also, don't try to lift yourself on a goalie stick, kids. It won't hold your weight. I tried it and almost angered my neighbours. So, there's that, folks. My holidays, as usual, comprised of heavy drinking, watching hockey (congrats on the bronze medal, boys), movies (Die Hard still slaps) and mentally preparing myself for the ongoing season. And what to say about that, now that I've touched this topic? There's a lot of work in front of the whole team but I believe we can manage to show some progress. The morale in our team is stronger than ever, especially now after number of wins, including shutouts. Boys are fighting like lions, their performance is incredible and I would love to see it pay off.. In play-offs. However, keeping in touch with reality, we are facing the crucial leap forwards in the rebuild. We need to work on our depth and try to tighten our game. And also, we shouldn't allow opponents to have that many power plays. But I still feel like the future is really bright. I am rather optimistic and to our fans: We will fight till the end! Thank you for your time. Ondřej 523 words capped for week ending 01/19/2025

1. Hello there! To be honest, I am not that content with myself. I feel like there is so much I can do to improve, and the team thinks so, too. I tend to allow stupid amount of goal, which is not ideal. The team relies on me holding the back door shut. I need to get a grip. 2. Fuh, hard to pinpoint the exact game, there were several that went all south. I am not proud of these, not even a little bit. But I guess that the last game with Chicago was a nightmare. I allowed in 7 goals, which is just.. Unexcuseable. I should have cleared my head during the intermissions. Now I know I have to remain calm as much as possible. 3a. It has been awesome! I love it here! To be frank, I don't see much that should be changed in order to help newcomers in the league.. I feel like the system, websites and all are pretty coherent and makes sense. Plus, there are veterans who are eager to help you as a newbie, which is just lovely! 4. I love animals, dogs specifically. So I would run a "Phantom Dogs on Ice" event. Doggos would have bed sheets over them, they would run around the rink and then, we, the players, would submit our themed creations (like costumes, mini statues etc.) for public auction. The money gained would then be given to a doggo shelter. 5. Fuuuh, I would probably try to face spiders. Not that I have an arachnophobia, I actually adore them. It is just that.. I have a hard time picking spiders up. I would love to overcome this to be able to handle these gorgeous creatures. Even though they're not for cuddling and shouldn't be handled often, I know. 6. Depend on the beverage. But normally, I don't fill my cup more than halfway up. I feel like that's the absolute maximum necessary. Thanks for your questions!

1. I dunno, to be honest. I wasn't paying much attention, anyway, lul. But I am confident about our roster. 2. YES! WE WILL! And we'll FIGHT TILL THE END RAAHHHHHHH!!! 3. 666%. I'll make sure we will. 4. +-. I don't feel like it can say as much about the subjective player qualities as other stats. You're an amazing player but on a shitty team, and even if you score, you'll get a negative rating. I think that's kinda dull. 5. Watching hockey, drinking beer, playing videogames and making love, not war. 6. I AM NOT NOT, AT ALL!! No, seriously, it's so tiring.. I barely get to rest properly. I am excited about the fact that I have a free week now. Not about the Christmas thing itself. Kinda Grinchy, I know. But that's just me.

Answers shall come, if Metr finds more pages..

This is new reporter for Prague Sports 2 (or PS2) writing. I wanted to make an interview with our young goalie Ondrej Vencko but.. I couldn't get to him. At first, I thought he just went on a vacation but it seems that he has other business going on. I found a page that must have fallen from his diary. And I think it is important that I share it with you. Thank you for reading, - Metr Prazek "November 4 It is stupidly cold today. I have no clue how that is. But that's not important. It has finally come to tomorrow's meeting. The resolution of chain of events that started so innocently.. How in hell have I come to this? Everything was going so well. Career, friends, we all had fun.. Now, that idiot Ben has gone mad. He still thinks this 'fake drug trafficking' thing was a good idea.. What a load of horeshit. It has become fricking dangerous. He had troubles in Houston already. It almost ruined my career in the Minors. I warned him, he didn't listen. I would love him to stop but I am affraid it is too late for that.What's worse is that it has gone fucking international. First Houston, then Prague, followed by Vasteras and now Halifax. He keeps following me and has now dragged the person dearest to me into this.. Oh god. Pier 21.. This deal of his with some mofos called the 'Boat Gang'.. What on Earth will come next? Anyway, time to hit the road so I can prepare everything and get this over with. I just wish I had some people in front of me right now. Ben, I would love to tell you that I hate you with the most burning passion.. I hope that one day, I will be able to do so. .. Lauren, I beg you.. Hang on." 314 words capped for week ending 11/24/2024

1. Hey there! Well, it was a season full of surprises, we managed to pull off massive shockers against teams that should've just steamrolled over us. So I believe that Moscow can eihter dominate until the end or get upset in the first round. I'd say that they won't fall victim to the Curse, they will, however, fail in the next round. 2. He's at home, in his native country, on vacation.. What do you think? But he will get sober before the training camp, as his agent I promise this! 3. We're making the playoffs! No, like.. That would be the most awesome, epic result, if everything clicked the right way. But I feel like we're getting used to each other's game and becoming a contending team. If not for the cup, I believe we can wreck havoc in the playoffs for sure. 4. I hope it has been alright.. For any inconveniences caused by his alcoholic shenanigans I hereby apologize. 5. Oh man, don't even talk about that. It has been soooooo cold lately. And it's only going to get worse. I don't mind snow but freezing and cold wind is something I cannot withstand. Ew. 6. Music. Definitely. I got hooked on the idea of composing total bangers for tons of people to enjoy and/or to relate to! I love the energy and the ability of storytelling instruments have. You can express all kinds of emotions, feelings, opinions and moods. I love it! Thank you for the questions, they have been awesome!

When I first ever laced up my skates, I couldn't even imagine where I'd end up. And now I'm here in the VHL, the best league in the entire world. It is a huge honor to be part of this amazing experience, especially with a team from my homeland of Czech Republic, the Prague Phantoms. I did have to wait for my rookie experience a bit, as I dealt with some personal demons that held me back in my development. A lot of my teammates from the VHLE and VHLM are already kicking ass in here but I needed some 'extra time in the oven'. But that doesn't matter, as now I am finally here and my first season is already over. Man, what an experience it was. We, Phantoms are a rebuilding team, which means that I didn't really expect to go on and win a Continental cup in my rookie season, no matter how epic it would be and how blackout drunk I would've ended afterwards. Nevertheless, I think we pulled of an amazing season in terms of our team progress. This is further embraced by the fact that we managed to steal some big wins and both me and Amir recorded a shutout! We got used to each other in the locker room pretty quickly and we're also building up a strong chemistry on the ice. Guys are future MVPs for sure! I also gotta give a huge shoutout to aftermentioned Amir Redzic @Slav_Sloth who showed me how things work around here and what to expect from thr game. It was an honor to be this man's backup. And, with both of us having Slavic blood flowing in our veins, you can imagine that we had some wild celebrations following our shutouts. I'd also love to thank our GMs @Tetricide @Plate for giving me a chance, even though I caused some tough times for him for sure, referring to the time when I didn't even know if I'm ever going to start in the VHL. I am so glad and forever grateful that he didn't give up on me. He gave me tons of advices and even more motivation to be the best goalie I can be. As for the analytics, I think I did alright. In 10 games that I played, having 4 wins, 2 losses and 2 OT losses is all fine in my books. Of course, those losses make a bit of a stain on my resumé but.. Having .935 save percentage and 2.37 GAA alongside these game stats makes me really happy and content with myself. But, only future will tell how well things will go. I am ready to lock in and shut the net. Let's go, Phantoms! 453 words for week ending 11/24/24

Hey guys, Today, I would like to show you my idea of a new logo for Prague Phantoms. Without further ado, here it is: I used things and aspects which are connected to the city of Prague and to the team name as well. First of all, the sape itself is based on the mask from The Phantom of Opera. I used this direction as it is rather simple, but also visually 'threatening' in a way. And why opera? Well that's because secondly: Prague has a rich cultural life with many, many concerts to go to. And also, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart himself chose Prague for the premiere of his opera 'Don Giovanni'. And thirdly, the colour are based on the ones of city's emblem: Red, yellow, blue and some white. Blue, I thought, would be an awesome underlay for the jerseys, which I'd imagine could look like this: Of course I don't aim at changing the whole graphical outlet for a VHL team, it is for fun purposes only. But if someone really liked it, feel free to have some fun with it or use it, perhaps.. *cough cough* @Tetricide Finally, I'll just share a banner with this logo which I think looks really cool, so.. Thanks for coming to my gallery!

Hey there, let's get em questions! 1. Tough one. I'd say buy, to get some good pieces to help and further develop our prospects. But I don't really know, I'll just focus on keeping the pucks out of the net. 2. I think that as we progress further, into future seasons, we'll improve this statistic. Right now, we're in the middle of the rebuild and many people, our fans included, know that we can't really push it to make a deep run. But with that in mind, we can safely assume that we're going to be a competitive team really soon. 3. Honestly and with all the respect to said teams, I don't think so. We're kinda locked in, or at least as much as our situation allows us to be. We're going to finish in the stronger part of lower standings list, I believe. 4. Yes, I do! I mainly focus on playing the bass guitar but I also play a normal and an electeic guitar. I lvoe music. More questions on this topic, please? 5. As a born Czech native, it is my duty to say Kofola. It's really good, go and find out yourself once you're in the Czecv Republic! 6. To be honest, I don't quite know his story but my great-grandpa's brother was a legionare during the Great War, on the Russian front. I know where he's buried and I'm planning to go and visit him and pay my respects. To all of you who lost a relative during any horrible conflict, I send my condolences. May world never get this insane ever again.

Welcome to the VHL!

Hey there, thanks for having me! 1. We're approaching the number of points total last season, but we're just about to hit half-way! Are things finally looking less grim as we progress and add more players to our roster? - I believe so, yeah. The games are always very close, and we are able to steal some points. I think it's becoming to click. Soon, we'll haunt the league! 2. It's Trade Deadline (TDL) week! Do you think Prague will make any trades? If so, what would make the most sense? - Oh, I am not sure, to be honest. I don't like to get myself involved in trades didcussions much. I think now the team needs to solidify and then get some strong guns for offense, for example. 3. In conjunction with TDL is theme week! What are your thoughts on the theme of VHL History? - It's really cool! I think we've witnessed many impressive and amazing pieces written by many talented members. The level of creativity here is immense, you love to see it. 4. How is your favorite sports team(s) doing this year? - My favourite sports teams are: Blackhawks, Red Wings, Flyers, Devils and Kraken. I think that answers your question very well. 5. We had 2 incredible shutouts by both goalies the other day! What are your thoughts on our main goalie Amir Redzic and backup Ondrej Vencko? - I think Amir is doing a really fucking good job!! He is amazing, with the shifts he has (around 45+ shot on goal per night). I am so glad I can back him up! 6. Winter is coming! Though we are still seeing some tropical storms and hurricanes out in the Carribean/Gulf... How has the weather been where you live for the past week? - It has been freezing around here. I dunno what's happening but.. It's so fucking cold around here. I hate winter. Anyways, thank you so much for the questions. I'll see you later! - Ondrej Vencko

"I sure wonder who is this Ben guy and what lore does he mean.." - Ben Icio del Torro "My attorney advised me not to comment on this rather thrilling story." - Ondrej Vencko "This is awesome. Beautifully structured, perfectly paced. .. Now it's my turn to develop the lore, I guess.." - Mutti

Just trust me bro! ♥ Thanks, luv!

As season 100 is getting closer and closer, I wanted to dig up some myths about the VHL lore. The ‚THEY WON’T TELL YOU THIS ON THE TV‘ types of things, if you want to call it that. So, ready your tin foil hats and let me take you on a journey. Myth 1 – VHL makes Gary Bettman very angry After it was determined last season that Coyotes will move to Utah, it sparked a big discussion whether NHL hockey could come back to Quebec as well. This, as awesome as it would be, sadly won’t happen, probably. It is said that Gary Bettman holds grudge against Quebec because they won the S35 Cup Finals, with Helsinki being a runner-up. And it was the Finnish team Gary was, allegedly, member of. And as he was angry, he decided that he will instead give a team to Salt(y) Lake City. What an unfortunate Finnish. Myth 2 – Knights of Blaník We, Czechs, have many legends. One of them is about fallen knights who sleep inside of the hill Blaník. These warriors are said to come to help us when the times are bad. Now, I am not implying that times are unbearable in Prague, but amidst the rebuild, it would be nice for some crazy horsemen to come out and wreak havoc on the ice. It would only be fitting, as we got Phantoms playing there anyway. Perhaps the knights will hear the outcry for assistance, now that Phantoms have a Czech goalie on their roster. Myth 3 – Inter-International League We all know that VHL has teams in both Northern America and Europe. But what if I told you that the VHL wanted to go even further? That’s right, one of the forgotten markets with many possible fans available. Yep. It is rumoured that the VHL wanted to explore Africa. Now I know it sounds crazy. Hockey in the desert. Who would ever try to do such nonsense... (I see you, Gary!!) But think about it: It is nice and warm there. Meaning that hockey players could have a nice, relaxing time after a successful game. And if they lost, they’d be sent into the desert for an hour or two as a punishment. Or sent into Utah as a punishment for fans. Myth 4 – VHLE ended because of alcohol abuse This myth is fairly new and the wounds may not have healed yet. However, it is possible that the reason why VHLE ended was that many players, fans, coaches and team managers fell victims to the almighty alcohol problems. This can be backed by answers from two players who allegedly spent many days in their VHLE careers drinking: Lucy Leitner@LucyXpher and Ondřej Vencko. Lucy Leitner: “Oh man, I was with Ondřej a lot so… It Czechs out.” .. Well… “Nah, that’s false. I don’t have problems with alcohol. I have problems without it.” Make of that what you will, but it certainly seems that liquor ruled them all. But this myth has its flaws. The biggest one being that Ondřej is Czech, who basically have alcohol instead of their blood system. Anyways, it would be lovely if the VHLE made a comeback, sober or not. We’ll see how things go. These myths can certainly be busted. I thought they are irrelevant and shouldn’t be taken seriously. But then I saw her face… Now I’m a believer. .. But I guess I should just keep my (smash)mouth shut before I uncover something I shouldn’t. Anyways, take care and cheers for many more awesome seasons! - Ben Icio del Toro 600 words capped for week ending 11/10/2024

I dare you, I double dare you! I believe that teammates or not, we'll always find a way to goof around. Or we'll just notify our press writers to arrange interviews again, lul.