Phil

WIW dat thrud period!

Faux shows up when it matters

wweeeeeeeeeeeee!

It's official.. .the STHS is butthurt because it can't have me

Crazy close games!!

Oslo storms back!

Mini wolves did it!

A-real Burnstein

I HEART U

VOTED! #6 IS BEAST

So… Hamilton. You know I just don’t get it… how can my player be the highest rated player in the sim (88 OA) – WinGod doesn’t count… and yet just completely suck? I got 68 points this season. This is more of the same STHS garbage. I honestly don’t see hard work being rewarded. I mean, all in all Hammy’s had a solid career but he should be in a position to win Labatte after Labatte. I should, by all intents and purposes, be king of this league, defenseman-wise. But I’m a scrub. I think with Shankly, I’ll want to hit free agency hard and often and just go to mediocre teams to either win Cups or rake in the points. Although knowing my luck that will fail. Maybe I should just take over a team… become the GM… and build the team around Shankly, or the player after Hamilton. Then I could legit make sure my hard work is written in VHL history. Yea, I like that idea.

So yesterday at work a couple of guys from engineering were cleaning a glass pane and it completely exploded into a bazillion pieces. Glass went in the pool, causing us to immediately shut it down and drained to be cleaned. It’s been empty all day but now they’ve been refilling it and it will remain shut until Saturday. How is this relevant to the VHL you ask? First of all, you don’t ask… this is a fan590, no one reads it… Secondly, it kind of is because now I have absolutely nothing to do except sit at the desk and tell people that the pool’s closed and make sure no one kills themselves with the gym equipment. So I guess I can use this article for my new player, Shankly, and then I’ll write something about what a terrible, terrible, utterly terrible player Hamilton is. Yea. That will do nicely.

AWESOME!!! Can Phil finally win!?!?! 299 amazing editions so far. Can't wait for the next 301!

SO CLOSE!!! GG!

#ArtomBomb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow... fantastic series so far. Come on Quebec, bring this back. Let's get to 7 games!!

LSP!!!!!!!

Pick Phil Shankly and I'll give you the job if I get it!

2 1

I mention Klose a couple times in here too @der meister Seems like you two were quite the pairing!

RW - Xin Xie Xiao Birthplace: Shanghai, China Height: 6'8" Weight: 250lbs Jersey Number: 88 Drafted: S36 NYA (3/6) Username: tfong This monstrous Chinaman was an essential piece in one of the most formidable dynasties to ever grace the VHL. Top VHL analysts say you need two things to win VHL Championships: goaltending and depth. New York had both for a very long time and XxX was the key factor in the depth chart. He spent the majority of his career on the second line, terrorizing opponents and racking up more and more points as his career went on. In fact, he could be the only second-line player to ever make it into the Hall of Fame. Career Awards: : S35 Esposito Trophy - VHLM Playoff MVP S35 Yzerman Trophy - VHLM Top Two-Way Forward S39 Devon Marlow-Marta Trophy - North American Playoff Champions (NYA) S40 Devon Marlow-Marta Trophy - North American Playoff Champions (NYA) S41 Devon Marlow-Marta Trophy - North American Playoff Champions (NYA) S43 Terence Fong Trophy - European Playoff Champions (COL) S38 Victory Cup - Regular Season Champions (NYA) S39 Victory Cup - Regular Season Champions (NYA) S40 Victory Cup - Regular Season Champions (NYA) S41 Victory Cup - Regular Season Champions (NYA) S39 Continental Cup - Playoff Champions (NYA) S41 Continental Cup - Playoff Champions (NYA) S40 Scott Boulet Trophy - VHL Top Two-Way Forward S43 Scott Boulet Trophy - VHL Top Two-Way Forward Season 36 Statistics: Regular Season: S36(NYA) 72GP | 29G - 43A - 72P | +12 | 439SHT | 6GWG | 151PIM | 366HIT | 30SB New York had three first round picks in the S36 VHL Entry draft that has turned out to so far only produce one Hall of Famer. Luckily, the Americans' scouting staff did their homework and picked XxX at 3rd overall. The Americans were in a retooling stage and wanted to set themselves up for a period of dominance. XxX was key to this plan. They ended up fourth in the Conference, missing out on a playoff spot by 5 points, but XxX showcased his offensive talent, collecting 29 goals and 72 points, as well as his physical dominance by smashing 366 hits, finishing second in the league in that category. In fact, that was the most hits in a single season he'd ever get, but it set the league up for what was to come. Season 37 Statistics: Regular Season: S37(NYA) 72GP | 42G - 40A - 82P | +41 | 342SHT | 6GWG | 61PIM | 218HIT | 28SB The Americans were now set to compete. With Odin Tordahl at the helm, they added to their roster future Hall of Famer Tom Slaughter and was led at the back with Conner Low. The Americans were poised for a playoff run, however luck would have other plans. The Americans improved to 83 points but still were not admitted into the playoffs because the Bears had just one more point. It had to be one of (if not the) most points earned in a season without making it to the post season. XxX broke the 40-goal mark and earned 82 points, as well as collecting 218 hits on the top line with Slaughter and Tordahl. Despite not making the post-season, the entire league knew that this Americans team could be the greatest one to ever step out on the ice. Season 38 Statistics: Regular Season: S38(NYA) 72GP | 43G - 55A - 98P | +56 | 413SHT | 10GWG | 116PIM | 251HIT | 19SB Playoffs: S38(NYA) 6GP | 2G - 4A - 6P | -1 | 39SHT | 0GWG | 6PIM | 19HIT | 5SB Season 38 was clearly on the same track in regards to the Americans’ development. The team improved, scoring more goals (239) and giving up fewer (129), tallying more points (116), and for the first time in this generation of players, winning some team hardware. Those 116 points were good enough to best Davos, earning them the Victory Cup and thereby by-passing the first round of the playoffs. Tordahl was torrid this season, scoring 129 points, while XxX, Slaughter, and Low, were all in the 90s, XxX just missing out on the century mark! He had upped his hit total to 251 They met the Legion in the Conference Finals for what was the vast majority of New York players’ first playoff experience. It was a hard-fought series that ended in six games, with the outcome not going the way of the Americans. However, it was playoff experience that would come to be essential further down the road. Season 39 Statistics: Regular Season: S39(NYA) 72GP | 42G - 41A - 83P | +29 | 496SHT | 9GWG | 154PIM | 354HIT | 31SB Playoffs: S39(NYA) 10GP | 5G - 3A - 8P | +4 | 77SHT | 1GWG | 8PIM | 40HIT | 6SB With some playoff experience under their belts, New York Americans had the confidence to dominate the league once more. Davos finished first in Europe for the 4th straight time but could not take the Victory Cup from New York’s grasp, as they finished with 114 points, 10 more than their European rivals. Miller managed to pick up Wesley Kellinger in the off-season, a move that would seem to work with Tordahl. The two of them combined for a shocking 248 points, with Tordahl getting 127 and Kellinger 121. XxX was moved down to the second line, and although his offensive numbers dropped, he was a wrecking ball, knocking over 354 players. New York scored 29 more times that Davos (and had the most in the league) and their high-octane offense was a match for no one. The rest while they waited for the Bears to beat the Wranglers did not break the stride of their Cup run, as they dispatched them in just 5 games before blowing the helmets off Davos in the Finals to earn them their first Continental Cup of the generation. Season 40 Statistics: Regular Season: S40(NYA) 72GP | 50G - 56A - 106P | +43 | 557SHT | 10GWG | 145PIM | 360HIT | 53SB Playoffs: S40(NYA) 10GP | 5G - 4A - 9P | -3 | 69SHT | 2GWG | 16PIM | 51HIT | 6SB It's safe to say that the Americans destroyed the league this season. They had a league-wide best of 121 points for another Victory Cup, 21 points clear of 2nd place Cologne Express. They scored the most goals (254) and let in the fewest (139). Tordahl, Slaughter, XxX, Bennett Wahl, and Low all had more than a hundred points, with Tordahl at 115 and XxX at a career-high 106. He also managed to hit 360 opponents, which would earn him his only ever individual accolade, the Scott Boulet Trophy. They stormed through the Wranglers in 5 games, who had just finished upsetting Quebec City, only to be stopped in their tracks by a team that finished 27 points back of them – Riga Reign, who won the Cup in just 5 games. It was a shock and the whole league was stunned by it (most of all Riga), but it was quite clear that this Americans dynasty was far from over. Season 41 Statistics: Regular Season: S41(NYA) 72GP | 53G - 55A - 108P | +49 | 546SHT | 8GWG | 149PIM | 294HIT | 51SB Playoffs: S41(NYA) 12GP | 8G - 3A - 11P | +3 | 60SHT | 1GWG | 20PIM | 60HIT | 5SB Odin Tordahl had retired and New York needed something to fill that gaping hole left by him. The first move made was an odd one, when New York acquired the second best defenseman in the league – Matt Bentley. More shockingly, however, was who they got to fill Tordahl’s shoes, and that player was Conner Low. He decided to switch to a Right Winger and let Bentley handle things alone in the back. This had a very similar feel to what Hall of Famer Matt Bailey did. Regardless, it seemed to work and the transition was basically flawless. They easily captured another Victory Cup with 121 points. XxX finished fourth in goals, with 53 and had another career-high with 108 points on the second line with Klose and 3 Moons. In the playoffs they outplayed Quebec en route to another final with Riga. The series went to seven and it was tied heading into the final three minutes of the games when Bentley slip the puck across to Slaughter who wired it home, giving the Americans their second Cup in XxX's career. Season 42 Statistics: Regular Season: S42(NYA) 72GP | 51G - 62A - 113P | +45 | 475SHT | 10GWG | 114PIM | 231HIT | 50SB Playoffs: S42(NYA) 12GP | 2G - 9A - 11P | -4 | 69SHT | 0GWG | 10PIM | 45HIT | 5SB XxX had yet another career-high in points in his final season, eclipsing the 50-goal mark and scoring 113 points. Once more, he did it with the same line as the previous season, with 3 Moons and Klose. This season, the Meute was too strong, finishing with 113 points which meant that for the first time in his career, XxX would have to play a first-round playoff series. They got rid of the Legion quite easily, however it all ended for XxX and the Americans with a Game-7 loss in the Conference Finals to Bruno Wolf and the Meute, marking the end of the dynasty for this Americans team. Season 43 Statistics: Regular Season: S43(COL) 72GP | 50G - 74A - 124P | +60 | 486SHT | 12GWG | 148PIM | 292HIT | 21SB Playoffs: S43(COL) 18GP | 7G - 11A - 18P | +3 | 83SHT | 0GWG | 36PIM | 74HIT | 10SB Finally, Mr. Miller gave in and went into a quick rebuild. He dealt XxX and his linemate, Klose, to Cologne in exchange for Caprivi, Yumalatopinto, Graves, and an S45 1st round pick. The Express had a great season, finishing with 115 points, which was aggravatingly close to the 116-point total that won the Victory Cup. Since that went to the Vikings, Cologne would have to play Davos to get to the Conference Finals. It's time like these were the 8-season force retirement is a shame here in the VHL. XxX had (I'm sounding like a broken record here) yet another career high in points, this time on the first line with Thomas O'Malley. He collected 124 points along with 292 hits, earning him his second Boulet Trophy. O'Malley and XxX were #1/2 in the league in points and everyone had their eyes on them in the playoffs. They dispatched Davos in 6 games before surprisingly running down the Vikings in 5 to meet a team that had no business being there - the Seattle Bears. It was a very close back-and-forth series, going all the way to Game 7. It was tied 2-2 heading into the third but a powerplay goal by Samuelsson from the Bears completed the biggest underdog story in VHL history and stopped XxX's chances for a 3 Cup and also marked the end of his career. Career Totals: Regular Season: 576GP | 360G - 426A - 786P | +336 | 3754SHT | 71GWG | 1038PIM | 2366HIT | 282SB Playoffs: 68GP | 29G - 34A - 63P | +2 | 397SHT | 4GWG | 96PIM | 289HIT | 37SB There were some VHL critics who never thought XxX would make it into the Hall of Fame. He never led the league in any category and only achieved two individual accolades in his career. However, looking at his career numbers, it's pretty easy to see that XxX was a prolific scorer would could win you back the puck with his body and was an essential piece in one of the most dominant teams in the history of the VHL. You can't ignore the 4 consecutive Victory Cups and two Continental Cups and since he played the majority of his career on the second line, it's safe to say that we are looking at probably the best ever second-line VHLer to ever step onto the ice.

Team Western Europe will continue its run with me at the helm! (Hopefully!) I'd love to apply