der meister

Content: 3/3 Great follow up to the first part. Klose was a huge part of the Olso success train. Keep at it and you will be a stud. Big things are in your future.
Grammar: 2/2 Nothing noteworthy
Appearance: 1/1
 
FINAL: 6/6

The Reign of Higgins - Part II
 

 
Introduction
Last week, we dove into the history of Helsinki’s former General Manager, Higgins. We covered his first 4 seasons in action, and chronicled his beat-downs at the hands of the Riga Reign. This week, we’re going to continue on that journey and take a look at his last 3 seasons with the organization that he loved.
 
Season 34 (55-12-5)
In Season 34, the Titans once again led the European Conference by a long shot throughout the regular season. While their record wasn’t as impressive as the former season, they were still a plentiful 35 points ahead of the second place team, Riga. Helsinki was made a big trade in the off-season prior to Season 34, sending forward Smooth Jive and a S35 Helsinki 2nd round pick in exchange for Odin Tordahl. They were also involved in another trade this season, sending a S37 Helsinki 2nd round selection to Riga in exchange for forwards Al Wilson and Felix Leiter.
 
Going into the playoffs, the Titans had earned a bye to the second round as a result of finishing first in the European Conference. Once again, they met the Riga Reign. It was, again, an extremely close series. However, this time, Helsinki prevailed in game seven! The Titans went on to defeat Calgary in the finals, also in seven games, winning Higgins his first Continental Cup.
 
Season 35 (52-14-6)
Continuing their run, Helsinki was active on the trade markets in the off-season prior to Season 35. They picked up defenseman Brandon Merritt and a S37 VAS 2nd in exchange for Till Lindemann, a S37 HSK 3rd, and a S37 HSK 4th. They also picked up another defenseman, this time from New York. They grabbed Ryan Sullivan and a S36 NYA 3rd, in exchange for a S36 HSK 1st and a S37 VAS 2nd.
 
Helsinki remained at the top of the European Conference throughout the regular season. Much to the pleasure of Higgins, Riga elected to begin a rebuild and was on the very bottom of the European Conference this season. Making it to the finals for the second year in a row, the Titans were ultimately defeated the Quebec City Meute.
 
Season 36 (44-24-4)
In the Titans’ final season with Higgins at the helm, we see them begin to fall from their former glory. Although still competitive, the HC Davos Dynamo unseated them at the top of the European Conference. The Titans stayed at second in the conference, with Cologne just behind them.
 
The Titans ultimately swept the Express in the first round, moving onto the semi-finals against HC Davos Dynamo. Davos, winning the series 4-2, eliminated the Titans. The Dynamo ended up going on to defeat Toronto in the playoffs to win the Continental Cup.
 
Conclusion
That marks the end of Higgins’ tenure in Helsinki. Following the S36 Playoff loss, he proceeded to trade off the team’s assets before stepping down and handing the reigns over to the current GM, STZ. Higgins still, to this day, lurks the hallways of the Hartwall Arena in the form of James Faraday, current Helsinki forward. 

Welcome to VHLM This Week.
 
TPE Earners
 
Pretty quiet on this front since it's off-season, but the Fantasy Zone Hockey League is starting up, so check that out for TPE after it ends.
 
Announcements
 
The S39 Off-season Schedule has been posted. We'll cover some of the big events, but check it out for the full details.
 
The VHL Entry Draft is scheduled for Tuesday, September 23. Big day for the juniors!
Prior to that, the VHLM Top Prospects game is scheduled prior to the draft so be on a lookout for that to see how you and your teammates/leaguemates performed!
 
After the draft, training camp is scheduled for Wednesday, September 24. After you get drafted you have a limited window to get into your drafted team's camp, so make sure you get into that.
Also on Wednesday, September 24 is a soft date for the VHLM Dispersal Draft. If you're eligible for that, it'll be a good date to mark on your calender.
 
VHL Season 40 Celebration is under way! Get your double week MS or GFX credit by doing something related to the history of the league. Check out all the details in the announcement.
 
In honour of the S40 Celebration, and to look back on some legends in the league some of the newer members may not have seen or heard of, Victor has set up a HoF tournament featuring some of the best players from pre-S18 and post-S18. The two teams will face-off in a best of 7 series for bragging rights. You can get more information on the teams and format here.
 
But wait, there's more! With such an exciting event, it was decided that the tourney would be using live-action play-by-plays for the games, meaning instead of just reading the index, members will get the chance to practice their best Doc Emerick (or whoever you want to be, I personally like Jim Hughson) impression and get to play-by-play the games of the series. Yours truly will be kicking it off with Game 1, and I encourage all of you to try and claim a game.
Not only is it a lot of fun to be an announcer for a day, but you can also earn TPE (or money as I understand) for doing the PbP! PM or IM Victor for more details, or to sign-up. If you're lost on how to PbP a game, watch for my coverage of Game 1, and you might have a more clear idea of what to expect when doing one, or feel free to PM/IM me and I'll walk you through how I do mine. Sign up before you miss your chance!
 
Two VHLM teams have new GMs. Ottawa has been taken over by Streetlight, and Jaladolar takes over the duties in Bern. Some fresh blood should be good for these two organizations and we wish them the best of luck in their endeavors.
 
There have been some rule changes that affect the VHLM. Some of the changes include all teams having a 50 TPE CPU back-up and some free agency adjustments. Check out the full announcment here.
 
There's a graphic tournament starting up and you have time to get your submissions in for round 3's deadline of September 20. Round 3 is going to be using 'trippy' tactics, so check it out and throw one in. Round 2 voting is already up so go cast votes for who you think has the best grunge sig. You can also vote for Round 3 sigs now.
 
Finally, the VHLM Draft Lottery was decided, you can find the results (*cough* Bratislava jebus *cough*) in the announcment.
 
Ok, enough of the boring TPE gaining and announcements!
 
Media
Here are some media spots and Fan590s I was looking at I thought you guys might find to be funny or a good read.
 
We have another piece with Ricky Bobby, but this time it's not as funny, as he's contemplating retirement. We hope not to lose this gem of a player, so check out his reasoning.
 
A piece for the S40 celebration, this piece by Kendrick overviews the top 10 players from the first draft in the league. A great read that will help us understand this league's rich history.
 
Christopher Klose had an interview where he shared his outlook on his future heading into the VHL Entry Draft. Great to see this storied player's views on his future.
 
You can check out all the weekly updates in media or fan590s.
 
Graphics
 
We'll take a quick look at some signatures. These are all made by users and we think these are really well done and recommend you check them out and other submitted sigs on ideas on how to make your own better.
 
A great sig done by Kikish, it's very intricately done with a cool flashing effect.
 
Gorlab's banner submission, it's very well done and should be looked at for the new choice.
 
Baller's banner submission, also very well done and is bright and nice to look at, another front runner in our opinion for the winner.
 
There's a ton of sigs in the sig tourney, check it out. You can also vote for your favourite one.
 
Lots of other that are worth checking out in the graphics section.
 
Games
 

 
Congratulations to the winners of the S39 VHLM Playoffs, the Ottawa Lynx!
Here's how the playoffs shook up.
 

 
VHLM Player Spotlight
 
This week we did an interview with Christopher Klose on his thoughts with the VHL Draft.
 
Where do you think you'll go in the draft?
I honestly have no idea where I will go in the draft. I am the oldest eligible player, and that might freak some teams out. I think that the Storm's playoff run showed that I am still amped to play this game and make my mark. To answer your question, though, I expect to be selected between 8 and 16.
Have any teams approached you regarding drafting?
A few teams have called me up to ask some questions and things of that nature. I don't want to say who, but I will say that it's odd being on the other side of those calls again.

Do you have any teams you want to go to?
I don't think that it is a secret that I would love to go to Cologne and play in my home country, but I expect that they won't have a pick in that 8-16 range. I am willing to play anywhere but my heart is in Germany.

How do you feel about the draft?
It is strange to admit, but I am a little nervous for the draft. As a GM, I am used to having some control over the draft. It is a bit unnerving to be a player again.

Are you looking forward to another season in the VHLM or are you going to try and push for the team that drafts you this season?
As I said in my interview that was just released, I am not a demanding person, but I am demanding a second season in Oslo. We surprised a lot of people, making the finals, and now it is time to finish the job

Jody 3-Way

We had the opportunity to chat with Oslo Storm’s superstar sniper Christoph Klose last week and shared part one of our interview. The following is the conclusion of that interview, wherein the legendary scorer talks about the upcoming VHL Draft.

******

Christoph Klose sat in a booth at a locally-owned restaurant in a suburb of Oslo, Norway. His black sport coat was obviously tailored, but he had it unbuttoned and was wearing a casual plain white tee-shirt beneath. His dark hair belied a managed-sloppiness that made the rest of his appearance work. Having finished a light lunch, Klose toyed with a plastic container of non-dairy creamer while he plainly gathered his thoughts.

"Now, I know that the VHL Draft is coming up on us really soon, and yes, I do have a few things to say about that," Klose said, taking a deep breath. "First, I will play for any team that drafts me, with a caveat. My top priority is managing the Riot, not playing. I had a very fulfilling playing career in the SHL, and my time in the VHL and VHLM is more for my amusement than anything else. If you can understand that there will be times where I might no-show a practice week because I have to take care of the Riot, then we're good. Second, I know that I just said that I'll play for anyone, but it would be unfair to not mention that I'd strongly prefer to play in my home country of Germany with the Cologne Express. I'm German, my Riot Assistant General Manager Chris McZehrl is German, and we have a few Austrians on the Riot, so my playing in Germany would definitely make managing the Riot a simpler and more practical task. I have a lengthy history with the German national team and with Cologne's retired David Collier. I think it would be a tremendous fit for myself and for the Express.”

Klose paused for a moment, as if to gather courage, before adding, “Finally, and this is tough for me to say because I've never demanded anything in my life, I demand a second season with the Oslo Storm. I'm reasonably satisfied with my 126 points in 72 games, but I have a lot of unfinished business in the VHLM, and I need another season to get into professional-league shape. Leading the playoffs in goals and total scoring was a real rush and made me feel like a teenager again, but there was still more that I should have been able to do out there, and I feel like I let my teammates down by not bringing a first star performance every game.”

Klose stopped to watch the waitress refill his water glass and to thank her. He smiled to himself as she left. ”Sometimes,” he said with a grin, “it’s nice to not be recognized. As I was saying, though, I've developed an excellent relationship with the Storm management and I owe them another year of production as a thank you for selecting me when it seemed like no one else would. I’m here to have fun and be a solid leader on a VHL team, but I’m also here to be as dominant as I can, and that starts in Oslo."


Klose, dressed like Criss Angel, walking the streets of Oslo before a game against the Bern Royals during the European Conference Championships. Klose registered his second consecutive 6-point game that night.






Please note that this is my submission for the week of 9/29->10/4

Oslo Storm Dissipates
 
Well the Norwegian sensation has finally met its match.  The Oslo storm fell in five games to the Ottawa Lynx in the VHLM Finals, unable to capitalize on the tremendous momentum gained from their systematic dismantling of the European Conference.  Though the more senior members of the Oslo squad had a very productive final round, it wasn’t enough to stop the relentless pressure of the Ottawa offense.  Overall, both teams gave their best performances of the postseason.
With three close games played, the Storm landed one resounding blow to the Lynx before finally collapsing in game 5.  The back and forth play of the series meant that even though Ottawa had taken a three games to none lead, anyone paying attention knew the series still hung in the balance.  With the Storm raging to a 6-1 win in game four, all bets were off as to what direction the next game would take.  Storm center, Til Baumann, was interviewed after the series loss about their only win,
 
“Yeah, we had a real good showing there.  Klose and Light were on fire.  It seemed like Ottawa really had their brooms ready, and were relying on them to finish the game.  We still had some fire in our guts, though.  We didn’t want to go home without showing that we at least belonged in the finals.”
 
Unfortunately, it would be the only mark that the Storm had to leave in the finals, exiting the series on a 5-3 loss the next game.
 

Vladimir Komarov of the Oslo Storm defends the puck against Ottawa Lynx forward Thomas O'Malley
 
Christoph Klose, points leader on the Storm this postseason, left a major mark as he exploded for 13 points in the final 5 games.  Carrying the offensive load, he even had a five goal game in the first of the series, a 7-6 overtime loss. His performance will be held as one of the finest in Storm postseason history.
 
Offensive defenseman, Lloyd Light, was a solid presence for the Storm all through the playoffs.  Ending up with 7 goals and 24 assists, Light helped push his team to the finals.  He was also a major reason the Storm’s powerplay was as lethal as it was, converting at an unbelievable 41.38%.  Light put up a team best 12 points with the extra man, quarterbacking powerplay units featuring the likes of Alecs van der Merder, Vincenzo Valentini, and pure scorer Christoph Klose.
 

Christoph Klose celebrating one of his many games of the finals
 
Unfortunately, Light, Klose, and Baumann will all face a long offseason, wondering what more they could have done to come out victorious during the S39 playoffs.  A few of the Oslo Storm players, including Baumann and android AIM-11, are eligible for the S40 VHLM Dispersal Draft in the next week.  It will be interesting to see what GM Don Draper will do to retain as much talent as he can from the squad that surprised with its tremendous title try.

Straightedge super powers tbh

Sure is, if by correct you mean wrong.

At least Klose's legend will live on with the playoff MVP. Right? #silverlinings

Managed to rig us*

Well Oslonians, our season has come to an abrupt end. It was a great year all around and I never expected us to take things as far as we did this season. Big shoutout to everyone who has been here since the beginning of the season, who had to endure the painful first half of the year. I think everyone who was drafted is staying, so here's to another season (except the next one is a winning one)
 
To the people who are leaving for the draft, or other reasons, thanks for being here and it's been great. I'm targeting everyone who played on this team this season in the upcoming VHLM draft so with any luck you should be back here in no time. Regardless, it's been great getting to know you and I wish you all the best of luck in the future of your careers/lives.
 
Now let's hope for a quick offseason 

Klose is still a warrior.

We'll see. Worry about stopping Ottawa first.

3-1 up means we lose the series. Congrats Storm

Content: 3/3
Nice read. I was also very surprised when you were still available when my pick came up. I'm quite happy about it though, you were the steal of the draft for sure, especially with the numbers you put up this season!
 
Grammar: 2/2
nothing, great!
 
Appearance: 1/1
Looks good to me.
 
Overall: 6/6

When retired SHL legend Christoph Klose announced that he would be attempting a comeback in the rival VHL, he was met with both skepticism and excitement. "I just want to give it a shot and see what happens," Klose said in the press conference. The German-born superstar referenced the team that he is the General Manager for, the Seattle Riot, saying that they would still be a daily priority for him during this comeback but that he also had utmost confidence in his Assistant General Manager, Chris McZerhl, when it came time to take care of the random day-to-day issues that crop up with being a part of a professional sports team's management group.


A fit and healthy Klose at his VHL Introduction press conference.

Entered into the VHLM waiver draft, Klose was picked up by the Bratislava Watchmen, a quiet team with very little success or excitement as they headed into the final stretch of an abomination of a season. Klose's arrival sparked some interest, but even putting up 26 points in 29 games wasn't enough to get the Watchmen out of the European cellar. Klose averaged over four shots a game during his time with the Watchmen, and even showed a surprising physical side, ending his short stint with 66 hits.

After the VHLM playoffs concluded, the Entry Draft was held, and to the confusion of many in the press, the 36-year-old winger dropped down the rankings, even being selected after a player who had never practiced in his life. That player, incidentally, went to Bratislava.

"The VHLM draft was a kick in the ass for sure," Klose admitted. "I'm definitely not used to being an oversight, especially after becoming a Hall of Famer in the SHL. When the Oslo Storm selected me, I was angry, but not at them. I was angry at every single team that passed me up. I know that I'm a lot older than these kids who I'm being drafted with, but I feel like I have the ability and desire to play a long, solid career in the VHL. If they let me, I'd play until I'm 50, but I think they have rules against that. So the VHLM Draft is definitely a motivating factor. As a General Manager, you never want to make other General Managers look stupid because then they might never trade with you again, but as a player, I have made it my goal to make other General Managers look like fools for discrediting me or ignoring me. This is no different."

Klose has played heavy minutes for the Storm all season and has produced at a significant clip. With 60 goals and 126 points in 72 games, Klose ranked first in scoring for right wingers, 19 points ahead of the second-place Magnus Hertzberg. The 60 goal season was the 7th most in the VHLM this season. "It's great to put up these kinds of stat lines, but honestly, my game isn't here yet. I'm still feeling pretty rusty," Klose admitted before switching gears.


Klose, about to literally switch gears.


End Part 1






Please note that this is my media submission for next week (9-21 -> 9-27)

The city in Finland?

#teamklose

Klose is MVP, end of discussion. AINEC.

Thats a whole nother' article 

Jody 2 Posts

You've won this time, Klose.  

The Klose train keeps rolling on.

Klose game.