CaptainSB

The end of the E has finally became a reality. For one it is sad that a team I just joined will be gone next season as I love the GM. But on the other side, I do love the decision and that this will allow players to be with the initial M team a season or more longer. As someone new to the league building connections and not having too much constant change is really appreciated. Having the same locker room I feel will definitely help engagement and retaining of newer players. The other positive is I have one less draft scouting process I need to go through as my second season I had 4 drafts - E, L and two offseason tourney drafts which was really confusing. This also means the now the quality and effort of M GMs will be much more important to our league and the future and give them better resources to plan a longer than 1 season future. Hope this allows teams to not just tank a season and find ways to be more competitive over multiple ups and downs of the season.

1. Rome would be a good landing spot needing a C to lead them to a better showing next season!
2. Rome because they need all the talent in the world!
3. Cologne and Bratislava. It would not be fair after this type of season.
4. Top 2 in the VHLE and no lower than 3.
5. 50% chance he goes drafted first but can definitely go 1st.
6. Why not Rome so you go 1 OA and they get an awesome user to make up for a bad season this year.

i confirm this message

What is key for defenders? Just looking at the various defenders in the E there seems to be different approaches with mixed success.
 
Ahsoka Tano style: High Skating and Puck Handling
Tano is a very popular returning user and has not only had a great M career but is also having a better E start to her career. Their approach is to make sure SK and ST is high and aligned and this has paid off greatly as it has enabled them to score and assist at a high rate.
 
Boris Bone-Breaker: High Checking and Defense
This is a build to punish the opposition and work on delivering strong hits to throw off the opposing scorer. They have constantly led the league in hits and has done well in shots blocked.
 
Ray Stanton: High Pass and Balanced Defense
This is a bit more balanced approach. Focused on passing on offense and a nice balance of checking and defense for the defensive ratings. This has allowed Stanton to lead the league in shots blocked as they are more focused on passing and going back to defense.
 
It'll be fun to see which of these styles will become more popular in the league.

What is key for defenders? Just looking at the various defenders in the E there seems to be different approaches with mixed success.
 
Ahsoka Tano style: High Skating and Puck Handling
Tano is a very popular returning user and has not only had a great M career but is also having a better E start to her career. Their approach is to make sure SK and ST is high and aligned and this has paid off greatly as it has enabled them to score and assist at a high rate.
 
Boris Bone-Breaker: High Checking and Defense
This is a build to punish the opposition and work on delivering strong hits to throw off the opposing scorer. They have constantly led the league in hits and has done well in shots blocked.
 
Ray Stanton: High Pass and Balanced Defense
This is a bit more balanced approach. Focused on passing on offense and a nice balance of checking and defense for the defensive ratings. This has allowed Stanton to lead the league in shots blocked as they are more focused on passing and going back to defense.
 
It'll be fun to see which of these styles will become more popular in the league.

What is key for defenders? Just looking at the various defenders in the E there seems to be different approaches with mixed success.
 
Ahsoka Tano style: High Skating and Puck Handling
Tano is a very popular returning user and has not only had a great M career but is also having a better E start to her career. Their approach is to make sure SK and ST is high and aligned and this has paid off greatly as it has enabled them to score and assist at a high rate.
 
Boris Bone-Breaker: High Checking and Defense
This is a build to punish the opposition and work on delivering strong hits to throw off the opposing scorer. They have constantly led the league in hits and has done well in shots blocked.
 
Ray Stanton: High Pass and Balanced Defense
This is a bit more balanced approach. Focused on passing on offense and a nice balance of checking and defense for the defensive ratings. This has allowed Stanton to lead the league in shots blocked as they are more focused on passing and going back to defense.
 
It'll be fun to see which of these styles will become more popular in the league.

Media Review
 
This is a really great spotlight article show casing three amazing rookies across the various leagues. VHL is Andrew Skilton who has been lighting up the league as of late. VHLE Dorji Khan is a sleeper that has been overperforming many GM's expectations and looks to have a bright future in the VHL. And lastly a late sleeper again in Steven Nichols. You did an amazing job highlighting these under appreciated player and hope you can keep shedding the light on these type of users and players. You are an amazing GM and am always impressed at how well your teams have done!

Samsayz is an 18 year old defenseman form the cold tundra in Antarctica. He can be described as the huge monster of the South. He is currently 6ft 8in and weighs an incredible 250 pounds. Those living in his hometown Antarctic field camps nicknamed him the "Southern Elephant Seal" growing up. He has always been tall since a young age as he was 6ft since the age of 12. He was originally skinny but since 12, he has worked to bulk himself up so that his body could be more thick and strong rather than a fragile giant. He has matured and grown wonderfully into a hockey prospect.
 
As his name states, the resident smell expert Samx from the VHL had visited the South Pole on her yearly expeditions. This particular year 17 years ago she noticed a small baby left in his crib. At that time she could smell a foul odor coming from the baby and all she could comment was that that baby smelled. Her fellow scientists would comment to the others that the baby was smelly and the first words of the child ended up being "I-Smell". So the family following tradition named the baby Samsayz I-Smell. Sam knew early on that the baby would be different and offered to host the kid when he grew up to 16 and teach him the sport of ice hockey. The parents would not forget and had waited until the kid would grow bigger in size before sending him to North America to follow his childhood dreams.
 
The only thing is he knew nothing about the sport. He didn't know how to play, the history or anything related to the rules. The first impression as a baby was so strong he just felt destined. So during his 6 month initial stay adjusting to the weather and city life, Sam sent him down to Houston to her good friend AJ to be taken care of.
AJ was the GM of the minor league Houston Bulls and took the young kid under his wing. He would have him attend the practice facilities and study game tape. He would spend the next 2 years living and breathing in the team facilities until he finally hit the age of 18 to play ice hockey. He is still a very raw talent and even with this diehard training is a novice to the sport. However due to his physical traits AJ feels I-Smell has the potential to not only play in the VHL but be the best bench warmer there could ever be. 
 
AJ was smart and knew this would be a long term project so he has always trained I-Smell to be humble and to consider him a bust so he would not disappoint any other teams, teammates and himself. So Samsayz takes a positive perspective in life and to the game so he cherries every moment and can be seen early in and out of the practice facilities. He just is a bit slow so the GMs and coaches hope the hard work will eventually catch up at some point. 
 
Regardless, he hopes to be figuratively the biggest bust and benchwarmer in the league and hopes to disappoint one unlucky GM sucker that drafts him. And that person can just blame poor AJ or Samx on the colossal failure of a pick as he is more hype than substance.

While this is a bit late in regards to the drama that occurred, it is better to air this out now than to allow it to fester within for any longer. It is time for the ugly truth to be dragged out from the shadows and put into the spotlight for all to see. The drama surrounding Diacope is not an isolated event, oh no, but a pattern exhibited since I have been in the league, back in the S60s, and likely longer than that, perhaps even from the creation of the VHL itself. Throughout the history of our modern internet, both creators and users have been predominantly men. It originated as something only a bunch of loser nerds would be a part of, and thus created a male-dominated sphere in which new creations, games, media, and platforms focused on the male idealization. As the internet became more mainstream, and women began to interact and involve themselves with the sphere, some platforms adjusted, welcoming this new demographic into their communities. Other platforms, however, stayed behind on the times, refusing to accommodate the opposing gender. Unfortunately, the VHL falls into the latter category.

Diacope

Diacope was a user who previously left due to unfair harassment, with a major factor being the great injustice of the filthy M Commies excluding a waiver player from joining the Ottawa team and then insinuating that DIACOPE was the ones in the wrong, not them. Why? It could have been that Ottawa had a full roster, and would need to remove some random irrelevant player, OR it could be because Diacope is a WOMAN. With the only support coming from soon to be ostracized Achilles, Diacope left. Having returned, she sought to remake her image and regain the trust of the league, despite having no legitimate wrongdoing. The league did not accommodate, however. Perennial inactive and the current world record holder of longest time without taking a shower, Mr. @twists, took it upon himself to berate and insult Diacope, baiting her into a confrontation that she could not win, thus causing the league to turn on her once again, causing her to leave once more, perhaps forever. Why, you may ask, would Twistler do this? Because he is an ugly troll, and was afraid to show his face, especially compared to the beautiful and fair Diacope.

BladeMaiden
 
This is a case of the league being afraid of a strong, powerful, and intelligent woman. BladeMaiden was part of this league for a fairly long period of time, and throughout that time, was influential both as a player, and as a GM. Under her rule as the Philadelphia Reapers GM, she was able to assemble one of the most successful VHLM teams of all time and was able to push her players further than any other GMs in the league. Of course, a sexist, male-dominated league couldn’t have that. They feared her strength and wisdom. When she cobbled together a tight-nit and cohesive community in Philadelphia, the haters said it was a CULT, devaluing the work she put in building up that culture. Yes, they were loyal to her. Yes, they did go after and “harass” members that either disagreed with her or those she felt had slighted her. But does that make it a cult? Should we not strive to be loyal and protective of those who have guided us, to those that have done the same for us? I will regretfully admit that I once questioned her wisdom as well. In a discussion about the NHL, I accidentally let it slip out that I did not think Erik Karlsson was a top 10 defenseman anymore, and that he has begun to regress, in which she, RIGHTFULLY SO, verbally berated and insulted me due to my ignorance. It takes a big man to admit when you are wrong, and I am definitely big, most assuredly above average at the very least. 
 
The Misogyny Master
 
While the league itself has had an issue unfairly scrutinizing women, there is one member in particular who is a true trailblazer in sexism. World renowned choke artist and hentai addict @Spartan has been putting in sexist practices throughout his tenure. While being an active participant in the discrimination against both the queens discussed previously, he has also taken action against other females in the league. When GMing his team, he decided to remove the only woman on his team, @asteria  for a “quick upgrade” (clearly doesn’t want a woman poisoning his boys club). He is steadfast in keeping a pure, man-only roster for his team. It’s no wonder he’s lost so many finals. It was only due to the heroics of the great and supportive male feminist and massive proponent of equal rights, Obuz Schneider Canet du Bocage, that he was able to overcome his own hubris and finally achieve victory at the highest level. In his commissioner role, he forced the illustrious @Blazzer to step down from her role in order for a less competent MAN to take over instead. And guess where Harvey Spartstein is now? That’s right, on a cruise. What pronouns do cruises and other nautical vessels have? Bingo: She/Her. But Spartan doesn’t have an issue with that. To him, the cruise is but an object, just like how he sees women.

The Future

From what I am hearing coming from extremely reliable sources that I am unable to expose due to safety risks, there is a plot to put down YET ANOTHER woman in the league. Many oldheads are discussing how when they recreate, they will join Halifax, GMed by @LucyXpher,and build up a faux cult of loyalty, akin to that of BladeMaidens, and then anonymously report it to the higher-ups to justify the removal of Lucy from her position and replace her with an alt account of the infamous inappropriate image sender @badcolethetitan , who will run Halifax into the ground and blame the failure of the team’s performance on Lucy, despite it at that point being like three seasons later and none of the picks or players being from her time.

I did not want to be the one to call this out, but sometimes a man needs to look introspectively into oneself, to see the flaws within, to gain the courage to expose the external flaws of the establishment we are a part of. I am truly ashamed of the injustice this league has committed against our female members and will continue to speak out against it (5'10”, 190, stable income and housing, loves dogs, has a queen size bed hmu).

(1097 culturally appropriate words)

1) How do you feel about where you landed in the VHL draft - either order or team?
2) Which pick went higher than you expected?
3) Which pick went lower than expected?

The three teams tied for 3rd place in your rankings are off to strong starts! It’ll be interesting on how the season unfolds and if Oslo and Cologne storm back to the top. Thanks for the article!

And we’re back! Hope everyone enjoyed the first week of sims, hope everyone is off to a decent start, and it’s great to be back in the VHL again! Jillian Woods had a pretty on and off start, but by the end of it, I’m feeling pretty good!
 
Enough about me, lets get to the meat of the past week!
 
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As I’m writing this on Monday, we’ve gotten a couple more updates in than I had the last time around, but that makes our achievements no less incredible!
 
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100 TPE (First Gens, don’t forget to claim the First Gen Bonus!)
 
We start off with Feka Ohi Kau, from the first generation @Hacob agency! I had the pleasure of AGMing for this player in the JST, and they always brought the energy after the sims, and I’m thrilled to see them making a return to Houston, and Feka really showcases exactly the kind of players that Houston has been putting out for a long time now. Off to a good start, and the TPE certainly helps!
 
Our second player this week to cross the 100 TPE threshold is the Latvian legend Laimdots Sarkanis @Anomalijs! Back after a lengthy departure, we’re thrilled to see Laimdots up and earning again, and has brought their scoring touch back to Mississauga. They’re picking up a very respectable amount of TPE a week and should be a great player in Mississauga and beyond for quite some time. Congratulations!
 
Another representative from Mississauga, and a First Generation player as well, we’ve got the big defender Kurt Bachmann @Blutch . They’ve been doing great with Trivia every week, getting to know our long history, and bringing the consistency we’re always looking for here in the VHL!
 
(Also shoutout to @mmrs617 for the incredible Press Conference GIFS, check it out in the Mississauga Press Conference thread!)
 
Finally we’ve got Dog Jagr @koty_k , a player I know @Ricer13 was very high on in the VHLM draft, and the bet seems to be paying out, with Jagr crossing the 100 TPE mark over the last week! Another huge defender, and having a great performance so far this season! Excited to see what comes next for the Dog!
 
200 TPE
 
Our first player to reach the graduation mark for the VHLM is none other than Captain Nugget Jr! As they quickly approach the threshold they set on their first player all those seasons ago, one must appreciate the consistency and the player performance Nugget jr has had so far! Keep it up @Captain nugget!
 
Next up is Bartholomew Lorequavius from @jaypc8237! After flying past their last player’s total, this goaltending prodigy has been facing shot after shot in San Diego, really getting those reps in. They’re making great work in the ISFL, and doing a bunch of Trivia, finding out how much the little things can put you ahead! Great energy, and a great career ahead of them!
 
Inker Belle, also currently in San Diego and is off to an incredible start in the VHLM! We’ve come to expect nothing less from @WildfireMicro, and I’m sure Stockholm and Toronto are excited to get their hands on this dynamic forward. We’ll be rooting for consistency and moderation here, and making sure to enjoy the process along the way! Careers and long, and Inker Belle has what it takes for the long haul!
 
400 TPE
 
The first of our VHLE Graduates is none other than the legendary @Phil, back this time in Sakic form! There are always Hall of Fame expectation when Phil comes through the ranks, and I’m not sure many have had the longstanding consistency that Phil has had throughout the years, and I’m sure we could all stand to learn a little something about avoiding burnout from him. A stand-up user and a stand-up player, coming back to Calgary soon, and I’m excited to see him there soon!
 
Immediately following is none other than Calgary’s own @Ricer13, and the second in the Panda line of goaltenders from @Lemorse7's agency. Another member with HOF pedigree, and someone I’m sure everyone is sick of hearing me praise at this point, so I’ll leave you off with one final congratulations, and move on to our next player!
 
Another member I have nothing but wonderful things to say about, is @Aimee 's sophomore player Ahsoka Tano, who has been dominating thus far, and is certainly used to dominating after a HOF first-gen career! You’ll hear lots more from me about that career soon, but for now, we should celebrate the achievements on this player, and enjoy what I’m sure will be a great VHL career starting next season!
 
Our final recreate in this bunch is a player that I always looked up to when I was first starting, as a dominant long-term forward for the then-dynastic Moscow Menace. I was super excited to see them back, and seems to have had no problem picking right back up where they left off! Another great career is surely in store, but for now, congratulations @Seabass!
 
For our first generation VHLE graduates, I can’t help but start with Samsayz I-Smell, truly the worst player to ever graduate to the VHL. A complete waste of 3+ draft picks, and surely has nothing to offer at any level. Sure, they may be a TPE machine, a locker room delight, and a great 2-way player, but have you smelled the stench on this one? I suppose I should be happy for @CaptainSB to have hit 400TPE, but I just can’t take the smell anymore!
 
Dorji Khan is back folks, tell a friend. They never actually went anywhere, but they are here to mess teams up in the VHLE, and earn a ton of TPE in the process. They have mastered the art of Supplemental TPE earning, and are truly a role model player for those who want to have a great player and rarely do PTs. @Oddpurplefly picks the perfect time to do them, usually Theme Week, and gets as many TPE from it as possible, before returning to old reliable, Trivia and Press Conferences! They’ve been getting Fantasy Zone TPE as well, which more than makes up any difference between a PT and Welfare. Smarter not Harder folks! And Khan will have a great career because of it. Congratulations!
 
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I believe that’s all for this week on the milestones front, and a great haul here, so lets celebrate the VHLM and VHLE GMs who are giving their players the tools to make it happen!
 
Our Media Prompt for this week, which once again can absolutely be written, graphical, or in Podcast form is as such:
 
You’ve just been traded. Management gives you a call, and you’re off to a new team. What thoughts are running through your head, and how do you process the sudden and major change?
 
@Spartan has been known to thrive in the big moments, including trades involving future or current superstars. I don’t know if there’s anyone better at it. So when I got traded, and heard I was off to a new team, I knew that I was somehow on the worse end of the deal. You always know that being traded away from Moscow means the team you’re going to just got worse. Even if I know I’ll be great! But I know myself, I know my game, and I know that whatever value was placed on my services, I know I can outdo them. So bring it on Moscow, let me show you how much better I can be! And of course I’ll be joining @Garsh in their daily “Spartan Sucks” emojis.
 See you soon everyone!
 
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Past Weeks
Week 1
 

What's up with the VHLE? This is an early week 1 view from a noobie so please bear with me as it is with limited knowledge. First of all, the VHLE has a tier system for sure this season. You have the elite team in Bratislava Watchmen who are 7-1 losing only to Vasteras. Their goal differential is at an amazing +15. You can definitely see them to be the season favorites. Then you have the next tier of challengers in the Vasteras Iron Eagles and the Stockholm Vikings. But even within this tier Vasteras seem like the one team that can really challenge consistently for the title and give Bratislava a scare. Stockholm looks to be more of a solid good team as the goal differential differs with Vasteras playing really similarly to Bratislava. Then the bottom tier is the three teams that look like first round exits in Cologne, Oslo and Rome. Rome in particular could have its own tier with their crazy -25 goal differential, but at the moment the three are grouped together.
 
If you look at Bratislave, their roster is stacked. They have 8 wings, 3 defensemen and 1 goalie of which 6 players have reached over 300 tpe. Their defense is still developing but their wing play is second to none. Their whole team is balanced sharing the puck and they are the odds on favorite to win the VHLE this season.
 
Vasteras Iron Eagles has 7 wings, 4 defensemen and 2 goalies. They have 7 players at 300+ with both goalies reaching that mark. Their strength is really on their 3 man combo of Alphonse Desjardins, Chuck E Cheese and Einar Mathiesen along with their nasty two goalies. Desjardins, Yolishev and Swift have been the key point leaders on the team.
 
Stockholm Vikings consist of 6 wings, 4 defensemen and 1 goalie. Unfortunately only 4 are 300+ so they are a younger team with more development needed. They don't have the depth as the top two teams but they do have the elite playmakers in Phil Sakic, Quinndillus Whopper and I dare to say it Samsayz I-Smell.
 
Cologne has 7 wings, 5 defensemen and 1 goalie so the roster is packed. They have an incredible 8 players at 300+ but their only weakness is their goalie play who has only 199 tpe. They can score with the best of them but without better goalie play they will constantly struggle to keep up with the big boys.
 
Oslo has 8 wings, 4 defensemen and 2 goalies. They have an incredible 8 players over 300+ including their star wing David Pastanap, defensemen Ahsoka Tano and goalie Spider Panda. They just have been underperforming and should be in the mid tier but something just seems amiss as a team as they aren't playing as good as their individual parts. 
 
Rome looks hopeless unfortunately this season with only 3 wings, 2 defensemen and no goalie. They will be looking to retool for next season and hope this season ends soon. Their scouts will be busy looking at the next wave of prospects from the VHLM.

The Stockholm Vikings are having a very solid number 2 like season with a strong emphasis on offense and a solid defense. The team is tied with the Vasteras Iron Eagles. The three man attack group of Artav, Sakic and Whopper along with the presence of the defensemen I-Smell have been the engine of the scoring as the team has had really good scoring production from the team. I-Smell and WWumbo have been doing their best on defense deflecting shots but the defensemen need a little more work to compete with the elites. Austin Goulet lll has been solid and will look to keep improving.
 
The team has had its ups and downs. It either scores in bunches or just outright struggle to score so as a young team the coaches will look to make sure the team plays at a more consistent level and that they are stronger in the face of adversity. The team looks to have the potential to make a deep run but if they keep having their ups and downs they could also be easily eliminated early.

What's up with the VHLE? This is an early week 1 view from a noobie so please bear with me as it is with limited knowledge. First of all, the VHLE has a tier system for sure this season. You have the elite team in Bratislava Watchmen who are 7-1 losing only to Vasteras. Their goal differential is at an amazing +15. You can definitely see them to be the season favorites. Then you have the next tier of challengers in the Vasteras Iron Eagles and the Stockholm Vikings. But even within this tier Vasteras seem like the one team that can really challenge consistently for the title and give Bratislava a scare. Stockholm looks to be more of a solid good team as the goal differential differs with Vasteras playing really similarly to Bratislava. Then the bottom tier is the three teams that look like first round exits in Cologne, Oslo and Rome. Rome in particular could have its own tier with their crazy -25 goal differential, but at the moment the three are grouped together.
 
If you look at Bratislave, their roster is stacked. They have 8 wings, 3 defensemen and 1 goalie of which 6 players have reached over 300 tpe. Their defense is still developing but their wing play is second to none. Their whole team is balanced sharing the puck and they are the odds on favorite to win the VHLE this season.
 
Vasteras Iron Eagles has 7 wings, 4 defensemen and 2 goalies. They have 7 players at 300+ with both goalies reaching that mark. Their strength is really on their 3 man combo of Alphonse Desjardins, Chuck E Cheese and Einar Mathiesen along with their nasty two goalies. Desjardins, Yolishev and Swift have been the key point leaders on the team.
 
Stockholm Vikings consist of 6 wings, 4 defensemen and 1 goalie. Unfortunately only 4 are 300+ so they are a younger team with more development needed. They don't have the depth as the top two teams but they do have the elite playmakers in Phil Sakic, Quinndillus Whopper and I dare to say it Samsayz I-Smell.
 
Cologne has 7 wings, 5 defensemen and 1 goalie so the roster is packed. They have an incredible 8 players at 300+ but their only weakness is their goalie play who has only 199 tpe. They can score with the best of them but without better goalie play they will constantly struggle to keep up with the big boys.
 
Oslo has 8 wings, 4 defensemen and 2 goalies. They have an incredible 8 players over 300+ including their star wing David Pastanap, defensemen Ahsoka Tano and goalie Spider Panda. They just have been underperforming and should be in the mid tier but something just seems amiss as a team as they aren't playing as good as their individual parts. 
 
Rome looks hopeless unfortunately this season with only 3 wings, 2 defensemen and no goalie. They will be looking to retool for next season and hope this season ends soon. Their scouts will be busy looking at the next wave of prospects from the VHLM.

The Stockholm Vikings are having a very solid number 2 like season with a strong emphasis on offense and a solid defense. The team is tied with the Vasteras Iron Eagles. The three man attack group of Artav, Sakic and Whopper along with the presence of the defensemen I-Smell have been the engine of the scoring as the team has had really good scoring production from the team. I-Smell and WWumbo have been doing their best on defense deflecting shots but the defensemen need a little more work to compete with the elites. Austin Goulet lll has been solid and will look to keep improving.
 
The team has had its ups and downs. It either scores in bunches or just outright struggle to score so as a young team the coaches will look to make sure the team plays at a more consistent level and that they are stronger in the face of adversity. The team looks to have the potential to make a deep run but if they keep having their ups and downs they could also be easily eliminated early.

MY S94 VHL AWARD BALLOT
 

 
FULL DISCLAIMER: I wrote most of this prior to awards being announced but had not finished it in time prior to them being revealed.  So keep that in mind while reading.
 
 
 
It’s that time of the year again…and frankly one of my favourites….AWARD SEASON!! Listen, for some it’s probably not as exciting but I love the debate, controversy and most importantly, the joy that comes from the lucky recipients.  As I did last season, I wanted to provide my award ballot for those selected for the S94 VHL Awards, as voted on by the Board of Governors.
 
This year, I decided to include the All-VHL Teams as well as the All-Rookie Team, just to add a little bit more transparency into my thinking.  Without further ado, let's take a look at my S94 VHL Award Ballot, starting with the Most Improved Player.
 
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Dustin Funk Trophy (Most Improved Player) - Raimo Tuominen  @SlapshotWrangler
S93 Statistics: 72 GP, 30 G, 35 A, 65 P, +7, 93 PIM, 100 Hits, 4 GW
S94 Statistics: 72 GP, 56 G, 64 A, 120 P, +38, 41 PIM, 149 Hits, 13 GW
 
Let’s start off with an award that always seems fitted with a bit of controversy.  Whether it is the person chosen, what the award stands for or even getting all the right candidates, this award has had a ton of incredible winners including eventual Hall of Fame talents like Tarik Saeijs @frescoelmo, Ryan Sullivan and Matt Thompson @Beketov…and many more.  
 
Some candidates I wanted to shine a light on before getting to my pick to win the Funk Trophy include Eric White Jr. @Mysterious_Fish, of the Seattle Bears, who stepped it up this season increasing his point total from 80 to 109.  He went from being a solid accessory forward to a top line, to someone that finished 5th in assists and 10th in points in the entire VHL.  I had to look at Darko Alexander Malkovich @AColdCanadian as well, with his drastic improvement from Season 93 on Chicago to Season 94 on Los Angeles.  The defender went from 5 goals and 18 points to 12 goals and 65 points, and while his plus/minus took a hit, Malkovich improved his physicality and was fifth in the VHL in blocked shots.  His team definitely wasn’t of the same quality, but Malkovich still was a driving force for the Stars.  Finally, Merome Dilson @MexicanCow123 had a much improved Season 94 after being traded by the Wranglers to the London United.  While the goalie improved significantly, jumping eleven points in SV% and sporting a .40 better GAA than his previous campaign, I just couldn’t justify voting for him when he has had far better seasons (MVP and Top Goalie in S92).  For me, that’s not in the spirit of the award which to me is to recognize someone that didn’t just improve, but also made significant strides in finding themselves as a player.  
 
This year, I felt the choice was fairly easy for me, as it deserved to go to someone who truly improved across the board.  Raimo Tuominen, of the Calgary Wranglers, rode a hot wave that the team had, and kept it going throughout the entire season, despite what was a colder finish for the Albertan squad.  Tuominen would almost double his goal total to finish second in the league, while also being number three in total points and improving his physicality while drastically reducing the number of penalties he took.  Most importantly, he became a clutch player that finished the season in fourth in game-winning-goals with 13.  Tuominen made up one half of one of the most feared 1-2 punches in the VHL, alongside winger Catia Goncalves @cLoWn.  They went back-to-back in Season 90 and are both coming off seasons that will find each of them in this media spot as an awards recipient (spoiler for later).  
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David Knight Trophy (Top GM) - Jacob Carson  @jacobcarson877
S94 Statistics: 51-15-6, 108 P, +84 DIFF, 1st in EU
 
This is probably one of my least favourite awards to vote on, and I have really never made that a secret.  One that I have won six times when I GM’d back for the New York Americans and the Stockholm Vikings, but also is miraed in a ton of controversy itself and is one of the only awards that seems to get consistent award cases made by the candidates for themselves (hi @Banackock).  
 
This year I really didn’t have a great idea of who I wanted to vote for.  Even in the Board of Governors, it seemed a lot of us shared that opinion, with there not really being a main candidate (multiple people even had originally put forward their opinion of @Spartan - who ended up not even being on the final ballot, likely due to the underperformance of his team this season (remember this is sadly a regular season trophy, so while the Continental Cup is a great indication of the team’s strength, it ultimately wasn’t part of the decision). @Lemorse7 (RIG), @Frank (VAN) and @badcolethetitan (CHI) all were part of the conversation, but ultimately I went in a different direction for the David Knight Trophy.
 
Jacob Carson, of the London United, were my eventual decision.  He helped propel the United to the best record in the European Conference, at 51-15-6 for a EU best 108 points.  While they finished just short of the Victory Cup, Carson used multiple trades and acquisitions in order to avoid a rebuild and giving them another shot this season, all while adding an elite goaltender in Merome Dilson @MexicanCow123 that made substantial improvements over the previous season.  The best part is he did this without sacrificing too much in the long run, leaving the United in a positive situation going forward.
 
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Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy (Top Rookie) - Antonia Bucatini  @CowboyinAmerica
S94 Statistics: 72 GP, 31 G, 62 A, 93 P, +8, 52 PIM, 111 Hits, 4 GW
 
This award has always hit a bit close to home for me, as it was the first award I really ever won in this league.  Michael Angelo, my first active player, went on to win the award in a high-scoring Season 20 that saw the defenseman break the record (IT STILL STANDS BTW) for the most assists by a rookie with 98!  This award is usually a great indication of the elite future the league has to offer, and while Angelo ultimately was just a solid defenseman for the entirety of his career, many that have won it after were much more the Hall of Fame talents you may have expected.  
 
I honestly thought this may have been one of the easier awards to vote for.  David Slezak @ShawnGlade had a really strong season for the Wranglers and helped propel them during their early success.  While he ultimately fell back to worth, the netminder finished with solid numbers with a 35-25-4 record and a .917 SV%.  Tom Dufour @Cookie of the Dragons also was mentioned as one of the leading candidates, after the winger hit the 30 goal and 70 point marks, despite the fact that his team was absolutely pitiful for much of the season, and were often hemmed into their own end (case in point with Dufour’s 91 blocked shots this season).  While these two had great seasons and showcased that they have bright futures, they really had no chance with the much-hyped Antonia Bucatini taking the ice this season.
 
Bucatini would record 31 goals and 93 points over the 72 game season, which would be the highest since Season 82.  Bucatini, who was drafted first overall in the Season 93 Dispersal Draft, played for a Dynamo team that finished near the bottom of the league and had a -64 goal differential throughout the season.  Despite that though, Bucatini finished a +8, contributed a solid 111 hits and finished the season nearly 52% on draws, which is honestly solid for a rookie.  Antonia had eight more points than any other player on the team, and was one of just two that hit the seventy point mark.  Which is why I do believe Bucatini will be a unanimous vote and certainly got mine.
 
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Scott Boulet Trophy (Top Two-Way Forward) - Catia Goncalves  @cLoWn
S94 Statistics: 72 GP, 50 G, 67 A, 117 P, +37, 60 PIM, 202 Hits, 5 GW
 
An award that has often previewed the league’s best all-around players, typically rewarded to those who not only produce offensively, but play sound defensive hockey through their physicality.  Some of the biggest legends in VHL history are plastered all over this award’s history, from Scott Boulet himself winning it four times in the first six seasons, to Duncan Idaho, who was the first player to win the award five consecutive times.  
 
This was the award I actually struggled with the most ultimately.  And to be honest, that isn’t usually the case.  I really considered two players here, but will give big shoutouts to Mac Atlas @v.2 and Wann Kerr @VattghernCZ, who both were discussed in the award talk (with Kerr actually getting some support).  Ultimately though, both players fell short of two others that seemed to gain the most support.
 
Jimi Jaks @ke1vi absolutely deserves this award if he ends up winning it.  While 209 hits is a bit pedestrian compared to some of the totals we used to see from the award winners, he actually has the same amount as Atlas and more than Goncalves, who was the other candidate.  More importantly, Jaks was the most terrifying offensive player in the VHL this season, with a blistering 62 goals and 131 points to go along with his 209 hits.  He did record 100 PIM and admittedly that was a factor for me with my decision.  
 
I have changed my opinion on this award a bit over the seasons.  I used to really not take PIM under much consideration, but have since made it a far more important focus for me.  Ultimately, I feel like if you are in the box, you aren’t contributing to the team in the moments they need strong defensive play the most.  So while I do value hits and offensive player for the Boulet Trophy, I do think a player’s discipline should be considered too.  And that’s why my vote ultimately went to Catia Goncalves.  The Wranglers forward had the second most points on the ballot list, with 50 goals and 117 points over the 72 game campaign.  While that did fall short to Jaks offensively, and they did technically have 202 hits versus Jaks’ 209….my thing was that Catia Goncalves did all this and was that physical, all while only having 60 penalty minutes.  To me, that was pretty astonishing and I wasn’t the only one that felt that way.  Even still, I went back-and-forth and had both players selected at separate teams.  I actually have a feeling Jaks will win this due to his ridiculous offensive season, I ended up siding with spreading the wealth a bit and going to the equally physical and very disciplined forward that still managed to finish seventh in goals, eighth in assists and fourth in points over the course of Season 94.
 
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Jake Wylde Trophy (Top Defensive Defenseman) - Jack Jeckler  @Uncommon
S94 Statistics: 72 GP, 20 G, 49 A, 69 P, +16, 128 PIM, 213 Hits, 200 SB
 
An award named after the Hall of Fame legend created by one of my favourite people in this league (shoutout to @STZ).  This award has won by some legends but has often also gone to those who have maintained their reputation of being very underrated in the grand landscape of the league.  Just look at someone like Phil Strasmore @Phil, who was essentially the epitome of this award throughout his VHL career, and ultimately won it in Season 88, only recently retiring after he played his final season for the Wranglers in Season 93.  Strasmore had only 477 points over his 648 game career, but also finished with over 2000 hits, almost 1300 blocked shots, and finished as a plus player for the majority of his career, while still heing a five-time 60+ point player.  He wasn’t someone that really ever got Labatte consideration, but was someone who exemplified incredible work ethic and a willingness to battle in every situation.
 
This season had a number of players who fit the above criteria to an absolute tee, including multiple write-in mentions.  It is safe to say that this was not an easy one to vote for either, and I was ultimately swayed by some of the discussion.  David Jokinen @Ahma received a lot of the discussion, and may honestly win it given what I read, after finishing the season with 17 goals and 67 points, while being a plus player on a bad team, and also racing 206 hits and 218 blocked shots.  Honestly, I wouldn’t even argue it if he won, as he was a positive player on a bad team (just like Bucatini @CowboyinAmerica) and managed to still hit the illustrious 200-200 mark while finishing just short of a PPG.  Fradin McGryer @Fradin99, of the Riga Reign, was also mentioned after he finished the season with 77 points, 268 hits and 136 blocked shots.  I think his lower blocked shot totals may hurt him with how voters evaluate this award, but he had an amazing season regardless.  There would be four other names mentioned who weren’t even on the original ballot, so there was definitely a ton of competition for an award that has been a difficult one to vote on in the past.
 
With that being said, I didn’t struggle with this one too much as the discussion progressed.  For those that do not know, being on a bad team in the VHL usually results in your team having high blocked shot totals.  Look at Tom Dufour @Cookie, who was nominated for the Christian Stolzschweiger after having a really great season on one of the worst teams in the VHL.  Due to how bad the Dragons were, Dufour ended up having 91 blocked shots, which is a number typically only reserved for forwards who play on really underperforming teams.  That’s why it is very impressive, almost to an insane degree, that Jack Jeckler hit the 200 blocked shot mark, and also finished with an illustrious 20 goals and 69 points while reaching that 200-200 measuring stick.  The fact he did this while being on one of the best teams in the league, is a great example of what a true top defensive stud is.  That’s why Jack Jeckler has my vote for the Jake Wylde Trophy.
 
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Alexander Valiq Trophy (Top Offensive Defenseman) - Skor McFleury  @Alex
S94 Statistics: 72 GP, 35 G, 63 A, 98 P, +6, 102 PIM, 180 Hits, 144 SB, 7 GW
 
The Alexander Valiq Trophy was named after a player who made the Hall of Fame despite not winning a single individual award.  Valiq @Koradek was unfortunate to have played in an era of two of the league’s best defenders of all-time.  Ryan Sullivan won the Labatte Trophy twice during Valiq’s career, being an elite offensive juggernaut that also racked up the hits and blocked shots at an incredible level.  However, the harder hit to Valiq’s chances of winning the award was Conner Low @Smarch, who is my vote for the best defenseman in league history.  Low, who played five seasons as a defender before transitioning to forward for his last two seasons, won the Labatte Trophy five different times, and ran supreme when Valiq was in the prime of his career.  With that being said, Valiq deserved far better in his career when it comes to votes and awards, after he hit fifty goals twice as a defenseman over his eight seasons in the league.  Valiq finished with 300 goals scored and honestly, if the league at the time wasn’t so focused on players that stat-padded in points, hits and blocked shots, maybe Valiq’s greatness would have truly been recognized.  Looking back, we fell short on our end.
 
I really think this is a clear two-horse race between Bobby Bob @Baby Boomer and Skor McFleury.  Bob finished with the most points by a defenseman in the VHL, with 92 of his 111 points being assists, a league best this season. I really do think Bob has a good chance of winning this award, as long as enough people think his point advantage outweighs the fact that 82.9% of Bob’s points were from setting up his teammates.  With that being said, the league has taken far more consideration into goals by a defender since the days of Valiq, and I tend to agree with them.  
 
That is why I have Skor McFleury as my recipient of this award.  McFleury did finish with just 98 points, compared to Bob’s 111.  With that being said, McFleury scored 35 goals and ultimately finished with 35.7% of his points coming off him filling the back of the net.  He did this while also being a more physical presence and someone that consistently been one of the league’s best shot blockers. This would be the third time that McFleury has won the Valiq Trophy, and while I definitely don’t think it’s a guarantee he will win, I do ultimately think he deserves it. 
 
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Sterling Labatte Trophy (Top Defenseman) - Skor McFleury  @Alex
S94 Statistics: 72 GP, 35 G, 63 A, 98 P, +6, 102 PIM, 180 Hits, 144 SB, 7 GW
 
At one time, this was probably one of the most hyped awards every single season.  You had flamboyant defenders like Daniel Braxton @Jericho chasing records while filling up his cupboard with the award and eventually one of the league’s best players ever, Conner Low, making an absolute mockery of it all.  This is probably my favourite award to vote on every single season, and while it isn’t always all that competitive, I have always been a bit of a sucker for an elite defenseman.  
 
Callum Gary Tannick Janser @Daniel Janser will likely fall short of winning the award, but was mentioned on the ballot, finishing his season with 14 goals, 88 points and 240 hits to go along with his 143 blocked shots.  Bobby Bob @Baby Boomer definitely has a bit of a case here with his 111 points being absolutely tremendous, while still being fairly physical and great in his own zone, on a very stacked offensive team.  That being said, that also may be his downfall, with some wondering if he is being helped along a bit by his elite offensive forwards like Mac Atlas, Diego Machado and Jimi Jaks, who more than did their part for the league’s Victory Cup winners and Continental Cup finalists.
 
I went with Skor McFleury again here, and if I am right, it would be the second Sterling Labatte Trophy win of his career, and another cherry on top of what is already a shut and locked Hall of Fame case.  McFleury ultimately did it all this season, scoring 35 goals, recording 98 points, being a very physical presence with 180 hits and getting in front of a lot of pucks with 144 blocked shots.  He even scored seven game-winning-goals, which for a defender is actually pretty impressive.  While it may not be quite as illustrious as his phenomenal Season 93 campaign, I do think that Skor is a favourite to win his second consecutive Sterling Labatte Trophy.
 
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Aidan Shaw Trophy (Top Goalie) - Lachlan Summers  @kirbithan
S94 Statistics: 64 GP, 38-20-6, 2.45 GAA, .934 SV%, 5 SO
 
An award that has been won by absolute titans like Aidan Shaw, Alexander Labatte @sterling, Hans Wingate @CowboyinAmerica and most recently, Lachlan Summers who is absolutely filling the shoes of some of the elite netminders that have come before him.  Summers has won the award twice already in his career, and figures to be a favourite once again this year, after taking it in Season 90 and 93.  
 
Merome Dilson @MexicanCow123, Fuuka Rask @Jubis and Ash Sparks @DarkSpyro were all mentioned in discussion.  Rask was celebrated for his ridiculous .936 SV% and 2.29 GAA, but ultimately doesn’t seem to be getting too much consideration due to his 42 games played, which is 22 less than each of the other three goalies on the ballot had.  Ash Sparks once again surprised some doubters and turned back the clock one more time, winning 43 games of the Nighthawks, while finishing with a .927 SV% and 2.31 GAA, narrowly losing out on winning the Greg Clegane Trophy (Best GAA) for a second consecutive season.  Merome Dilson finished a little bit better than Sparks from a save percentage POV, while also winning a league-high 45 goals and finishing with an impressive 2.38 GAA himself.
 
With that all being said, I had to give Summers his third win and a fitting end to the career of the VHL’s best goaltenders in league history.  An absolute bonafide Hall of Fame player already, Summers has already scored five individual awards over the course of his career, including League MVP in Season 93 and Top Goalie in both Season 90 and 93.  And once again he figures to be a potential favourite in multiple awards discussions, including this one.  Summers finished with a league-best .934 SV% among all goaltenders that played a full 64 game season.  He also had a 38-20-6 record and finished with a 2.45 GAA, despite facing almost 38 shots per game over the course of the year.  
 
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Brett Slobodzian Trophy (Most Outstanding Player) - Jimi Jaks  @ke1vi
S94 Statistics: 72 GP, 62 G, 69 A, 131 P, +55, 100 PIM, 209 Hits, 15 GW
 
The Brett Slobodzian Trophy is rewarded to the player that essentially has the most ridiculous statistical season in the league.  That's how I essentially see it at least.  The most incredible offensive seasons in the league are what is celebrated here, and more importantly it is the only award that is voted on by the public, and for that reason, I do think there is a certain significance labelled to this one.  I'm sad to say that I have never had the honour of winning this one, but it is probably the one I want to win the most because it is truly special to be recognized by your peers on that level.
 
This one is a public vote so I won't go too into this, outside of acknowleding that Lachlan Summers @kirbithan, Diego Machado @Dadam30 and others that have been mentioned throughout this ballot rundown were listed on the poll.  To me this was also always going to just be a two-horse race, with Lachlan Summers and Jimi Jaks ultimately being the most outstanding goaltender and skater in the VHL this season.  Some may give some love to someone like McFleury @Alex, but Jaks was just on another level from every skater in the league this season, including his teammate Machado.  
 
While I do think Jaks may be in tough to win League MVP (but more on that later..) I do think he is the absolutely deserved winner for Most Outstanding Player.  Jaks finished the season with the most points with 131, the most goals with 62 and the sixth most assists with 69.  He also hit the 200+ hit mark on top of that and was one of the clutchest players in the league, sporting a league best 15 game-winning-goals to show it.  These are straight up video game numbers and it shows with the last player to hit 60 goals being Paul Atreides @Mr_Hatter in Season 83.  While the Legion had a lot of elite players running their offense, none had the impact that Jaks did on their teams success, and it’s debatable whether anyone else in the league did either.
 
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Scotty Campbell Trophy (Most Valuable Player) - Lachlan Summers  @kirbithan
S94 Statistics: 64 GP, 38-20-6, 2.45 GAA, .934 SV%, 5 SO
 
Ultimately, the Scotty Campbell Trophy is the ultimate one that rewards the greatest the league has to offer.  The winners of this award aren’t always the ones with the most prolific statistics, but are rather the individuals who were the most valuable to their teams success.  The incredible Scotty Campbell, Thomas O’Malley @OrbitingDeath and Franchise Cornerstone @boubabi are just three of the most prolific players to dominate this award over the course of their careers, with three wins by each of them.
 
The notion that this award isn’t just won by the statistically prolific players is actually an important one when it comes to my vote.  Francesco Mancini @GioSivo, Ash Sparks @DarkSpyro, Daryl Dixon @Ricer13 and Skor McFleury @Alex are all names of players that did come up during discussion (along with several others).  Jimi Jaks seemed like the one that was getting discussed about a bit, and it’s hard to argue with that given the already mentioned 62 goals, 131 points and 202 hits this past season.  That being said, Jaks was on a team with Diego Machado @Dadam30, Mac Atlas @v.2 and Bobby Bob @Baby Boomer, who all hit the 110+ point mark.  While he was the most valuable player on their team, I don’t think he meant quite the same to his team as the person I picked.
 
And therefore, I ultimately went with another back-to-back win for Lachlan Summers.  Lachlan had the league’s best goaltending performance over the course of the 72 game season, and helped the team considerably in 38 of the team’s 41 wins this past season.  The Predators only had three players who hit the point-per-game mark, and just two players over eighty points.  His team allowed 38 shots per game against them, and despite that they finished with 41 wins and just one point out of third place in the European Conference.  They allowed just two goals more than the Seattle Bears, who allowed the least in the entire league, showcasing just how elite Summers was.  As for the offense? The Predators scored 207 goals over the season, which was good enough for 11th in the entire league.  
 
 
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ALL-VHL FIRST TEAM
F - JIMI JAKS @ke1vi
F - DIEGO MACHADO @Dadam30
F - CATIA GONCALVES @cLoWn
D - SKOR MCFLEURY @Alex
D - BOBBY BOB @Baby Boomer
G - LACHLAN SUMMERS @kirbithan
 
ALL-VHL SECOND TEAM
F - RAIMO TUOMINEN @SlapshotWrangler
F - MAC ATLAS @v.2
F - WANN KERR @VattghernCZ
D - JACOB STONE @scoop
D - CALLUM JANSER @Daniel Janser
G - MEROME DILSON @MexicanCow123
 
ALL-VHL ROOKIE TEAM
F - ANTONIO BUCATINI @CowboyinAmerica
F - TOM DUFOUR @Cookie
F - PHANTOM OF THE VHL @Hogan
D - LUCY LEITNER @LucyXpher
D - GUL DUKAT @MSouthworth
G - DAVID SLEZAK @ShawnGlade
 
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Around 4500 Words.  Hope everyone enjoys even if we don't agree on everything.  See you next award season!
 
Claimed Week 1 of 4

Spider Pandas journey in the VHLE has been an eventful one to say the least. Panda was drafted by Rome in the VHLE draft and after a short period of time Panda had requested a move out of Rome. Rome was very much set up for the future but this season they are projected to be sitting at the bottom of the league. Spider Panda only plans to be on the VHLE for one season and really didn’t want to spend it being on a team that isn’t going to be competitive hence the trade request. GM Nathan did honour his wishes and made a trade that sent Spider Panda over to Oslo.
 
     Since being over in Oslo, they’ve been sitting at the bottom of the league, how ironic haha. Despite the teams struggles out of the gate, Panda has been enjoying playing along side the likes of Pastanap, Tano, etc. What is holding Oslo back is having a brand new GM! Nothing against the GM, he’s actually a very good person and is doing the best he can but is very much learning the ropes as a GM. Luckily, Panda has natural GM abilities and has been working with the GM to help him learn how everything works. 
 
     Learning how to set up lines and strategies was a major struggle at first so Panda spent alot of time with the GM navigating how to do that and different ways they could manipulate these during the season. I do believe in the GM and do think he will navigate us through our early season struggles.
 
     The locker room in Rome was a tough experience for Panda because he thrives in active rooms where Rome was pretty dead. Oslo has been a lot better but even Oslo has some work to do to create a better locker room experience for players. Again, the GM is new and learning how to do this, he has hired an AGM who should help with this. I do believe the Oslo LR will be bumping at some point.
 
    As for Spider Panda’s personal performance, he has really struggled out of the gate. He hasn’t been an impact player for his team and he’s going to need to be one of Oslo has any chance to be a true contender. His goal is to continue to train every week and work on those skills that is holding him back now that he’s playing at a higher level. He wants to be the best and at the moment he’s struggling to even be apart of top group of goaltenders.
 
words: 432

This week has been a happy but sad day for Samsayz I-Smell. It had been doing all it could to go last in any of the drafts it was eligible for.
As a new create in its first season, it joined the VHLM and Junior Showcase Tournament draft.
 
This offseason it joined the VHL, VHLE, Junior Showcase Tournament and Pro-Am drafts and unfortunately for I-Smell no GM is listening. I-Smell is thankful for the LA Stars and Stockholm Vikings had faith in it, but not enough to have it drop to last in any of the key drafts. As scouts and analysts dissected every small inch of his prospect profile, I-Smell was criticized as not doing enough on defense and offense. And it was not a master of any trait and all its teams end up in failure. 
 
I-Smell needs to regroup before the start of the VHLE and re-create his image to have a brighter future with all the drafts now completed. Will I-Smell be the biggest and stinkiest let down of the drafts? Or will it prove the GMs right as being a key cog in the future? Only time will tell.
 

After being drafted by the Los Angeles Stars of the VHL, I-Smell is looking at how he can best improve his skills and play in the VHLE before making the jump to the pros. He has been working on his game mostly on the offensive side before now transitioning into clearing up his defense and body checking. The Stars have an aging defensive line with Erik Thorvaldsson being the young defensemen of the group. The other four prospects in the Stars pipeline seem to have ways to go before making it to the big leagues. WWumbo, Alexandr Novotny, Connor Mclaughlin and Miles Bryant need a bit more time to be ready. That leaves I-Smell ready to join in a season while the team calls up their star prospect Roger Eagles this season to shore up the goalie position. 
 
If you look at the current prospect pipeline, I-Smell has already shot up the ladder and is now the number 1 prospect heading in to the upcoming VHLE season. 6 of the prospects are in the 200 tpe range and 3 are in the 100 range. So in one season, you can expect I-Smell to take over for the aging Braeden Panarella and partner with Thorvaldsson and Eagles to form a scary defensive back for the Stars. Thorvaldsson has a strong defensive focus and has good speed. I-Smell has been working on his offensive a bit so having those two contrasting styles should benefit the team as a whole.
 
Now let's take a look at the whole team. The team is in an exciting path with the core all in the S94 and S95 class. For the wings, you have Pombo, Wally Lose and The Phantom of the VHL leading the group with most likley Pombo and Lose on the wings and Phantom playing center. The defense as mentioned will be led by Erik Thorvaldsson and future Samsayz I-Smell with the goalie being led by Roger Eagles. This is a great team where they can now fill in the remaining pieces with a mix of vets and second tier rookies to round out the roster. The two classes make up 6 core players with 8 prospects in the S93 to S95 range that they hope will work out. 3 vet wings and defensemen will be providing the leadership and this team will look to really change for the Cup in a few seasons time. 
 
The GM InstantRockstar and assistant KRZY has done a great job assembling the team and now it is up to the players to continuously earn and develop. The team doesn't have much draft picks in the next two drafts as they traded away their 1st and 2nd for next season and 1st in S97. The team will be leaning on the S94 and S95 class and has consolidated to give the team the best window to compete. The other big challenge for the team is with all the varying personalities how will the GMs be able to make sure everyone is on the same page. If he can get them all supporting each other and winning, you will see a future dynasty. If you see them bickering and frustrated with losing you will see a big internal meltdown so how this unfolds will be a fun storyline for the casual VHL fans to follow.

After being drafted by the Los Angeles Stars of the VHL, I-Smell is looking at how he can best improve his skills and play in the VHLE before making the jump to the pros. He has been working on his game mostly on the offensive side before now transitioning into clearing up his defense and body checking. The Stars have an aging defensive line with Erik Thorvaldsson being the young defensemen of the group. The other four prospects in the Stars pipeline seem to have ways to go before making it to the big leagues. WWumbo, Alexandr Novotny, Connor Mclaughlin and Miles Bryant need a bit more time to be ready. That leaves I-Smell ready to join in a season while the team calls up their star prospect Roger Eagles this season to shore up the goalie position. 
 
If you look at the current prospect pipeline, I-Smell has already shot up the ladder and is now the number 1 prospect heading in to the upcoming VHLE season. 6 of the prospects are in the 200 tpe range and 3 are in the 100 range. So in one season, you can expect I-Smell to take over for the aging Braeden Panarella and partner with Thorvaldsson and Eagles to form a scary defensive back for the Stars. Thorvaldsson has a strong defensive focus and has good speed. I-Smell has been working on his offensive a bit so having those two contrasting styles should benefit the team as a whole.
 
Now let's take a look at the whole team. The team is in an exciting path with the core all in the S94 and S95 class. For the wings, you have Pombo, Wally Lose and The Phantom of the VHL leading the group with most likley Pombo and Lose on the wings and Phantom playing center. The defense as mentioned will be led by Erik Thorvaldsson and future Samsayz I-Smell with the goalie being led by Roger Eagles. This is a great team where they can now fill in the remaining pieces with a mix of vets and second tier rookies to round out the roster. The two classes make up 6 core players with 8 prospects in the S93 to S95 range that they hope will work out. 3 vet wings and defensemen will be providing the leadership and this team will look to really change for the Cup in a few seasons time. 
 
The GM InstantRockstar and assistant KRZY has done a great job assembling the team and now it is up to the players to continuously earn and develop. The team doesn't have much draft picks in the next two drafts as they traded away their 1st and 2nd for next season and 1st in S97. The team will be leaning on the S94 and S95 class and has consolidated to give the team the best window to compete. The other big challenge for the team is with all the varying personalities how will the GMs be able to make sure everyone is on the same page. If he can get them all supporting each other and winning, you will see a future dynasty. If you see them bickering and frustrated with losing you will see a big internal meltdown so how this unfolds will be a fun storyline for the casual VHL fans to follow.

Forwards:
🇦🇶 Piston Maicupp @MandyManiac 
🇬🇱 Youre Not Fucking Retiring @twists
🇨🇿 David Pastanap @Jubis 
🇨🇦 Dwight Schrute @Jamomayo 
🇬🇧 Phil Sakic @Phil 
🇺🇸 Tim Robinson @Tim Robinson 
🇱🇻 Drosmis Sarkanis @Mr Bohannan 
🇺🇸 Bret Weier @Quanack 
🇺🇸 Nathan Blaize @Maple 
 
Defensemen:
🇲🇽 Bollos de Trueno @Thunder 
🇬🇱 Ahsoka Tano @Aimee  
🇦🇶 Samsayz I-Smell @CaptainSB 
🇲🇴 Pan Daffleck @OrbitingDeath  
 
Goalies:
🇬🇱 Jorgen Lovstrom @Pifferfish 
🇵🇹 Deadpanda @Alex
 
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Samsayz I-Smell didn't get the draft result it wanted. Out of the 5 drafts it has been a part of (Pro AM, JST x 2, VHLM and VHL), it has yet to be drafted last. However, there has been one player that was drafted last not once but twice during that period and I-Smell feels it has met its rival - A Holy Cow. A Holy Cow was drafted last JST and now the current VHL draft. The Cow is a vet user with a total of 69 tpe which could symbolize multiple things, very tall at 6ft 8in and only weights 140 lbs which would make it look more like Gumby than a Cow. On the flip side, I-Smell is a big fat white polar bear at 250 lbs. So what does I-Smell need to do to overtake this cow and be the last pick in the VHLE draft which will be its last chance at going last? Does it need to take up religion and be holy? Does it need to produce milk? I-Smell is perplexed and will be spending the the next coming days finding ways to beat A Holy Cow in the VHLE draft.

Samsayz I-Smell didn't get the draft result it wanted. Out of the 5 drafts it has been a part of (Pro AM, JST x 2, VHLM and VHL), it has yet to be drafted last. However, there has been one player that was drafted last not once but twice during that period and I-Smell feels it has met its rival - A Holy Cow. A Holy Cow was drafted last JST and now the current VHL draft. The Cow is a vet user with a total of 69 tpe which could symbolize multiple things, very tall at 6ft 8in and only weights 140 lbs which would make it look more like Gumby than a Cow. On the flip side, I-Smell is a big fat white polar bear at 250 lbs. So what does I-Smell need to do to overtake this cow and be the last pick in the VHLE draft which will be its last chance at going last? Does it need to take up religion and be holy? Does it need to produce milk? I-Smell is perplexed and will be spending the the next coming days finding ways to beat A Holy Cow in the VHLE draft.

Samsayz I-Smell didn't get the draft result it wanted. Out of the 5 drafts it has been a part of (Pro AM, JST x 2, VHLM and VHL), it has yet to be drafted last. However, there has been one player that was drafted last not once but twice during that period and I-Smell feels it has met its rival - A Holy Cow. A Holy Cow was drafted last JST and now the current VHL draft. The Cow is a vet user with a total of 69 tpe which could symbolize multiple things, very tall at 6ft 8in and only weights 140 lbs which would make it look more like Gumby than a Cow. On the flip side, I-Smell is a big fat white polar bear at 250 lbs. So what does I-Smell need to do to overtake this cow and be the last pick in the VHLE draft which will be its last chance at going last? Does it need to take up religion and be holy? Does it need to produce milk? I-Smell is perplexed and will be spending the the next coming days finding ways to beat A Holy Cow in the VHLE draft.