His Time Is Up: Tucker Leaving The Minors

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I mean, this has been a heckuva journey throughout the VHLM. But, unfortunately, Henry Tucker laced up his skates for the final time in the minors today in a 7-3 loss against the Mexico City Kings. It was a bitter ending to a 3 season career in the bush leagues, but Tucker made sure it wasn’t completely a horrible ending: With 2:21 left in his career (Game 4), Tucker received a pass from That Dude, @Cornholio, and slammed it into the back of the net, netting his final career goal and receiving a standing ovation from the Minnesota faithful. Since I want my 6 TPE, let’s recap his career.

 

Season 74, Miami Marauders

 

If you had ever read his biography, Tucker had a contract dispute with his old semi-pro team that forced him to play out the remainder of the season, so he entered his name into the VHLM Free Agent Pool in Season 74 after 59 games. Most rosters were full at that time, and only 2 teams bothered to offer to him: @rory with Halifax 21st and @Ricer13, who GMed the Miami Marauders at the time. Both offered 4th line minutes, so it came down to proximity, and living in Southeast Alabama, I was pretty sure that Miami was closer to me than Halifax, so I went there. I found myself with $1,500,000 in cash, a really chill Discord LR, and a contending team, which was good, because I was pretty damn confused about the VHL and earning TPE, and I also had to be confused on the EFL and SBA at the same time. Tucker played 13 games for Miami and got 1 assist, 6 shots, 12 PIM, 13 HIT, and a +/- of -7. At that point, Tucker received standing ovations from the opposing team’s fans when he skated on, as his incompetent reputation preceded him.

 

Then, the playoffs came and I’m told we just barely squeaked in. The rumor also seems to be that we won the championship, though Tucker did about everything possible to stop that from happening. No points in 18 games with 9 hits, 10 PIM, 3 SHT, and a -9 plus-minus was pretty amazingly... bad. Tucker may have got a ring, but he certainly didn’t earn it. Then the VHLM Draft came and turned his world upside down...

Season 75, Minnesota Storm

Well, I guess I expected for Miami to see the amazing ceiling I knew I had and select me again so they could keep me on the team. Well, um, if you read the title above me, you know that wasn’t the case. @Rayzor_7 and @Mr_Hatter made a pretty good decision my not only selecting me, but also by waiting until the 73rd pick to do it. Tucker inherited either the 2nd or 3rd line position (to this day, I’m really not sure), and got jolted into reality by coming into this impoverished and rebuilding team. Though Minnesota did pretty damn horrible, Tucker had a breakout campaign, registering 12 goals and 31 assists for 43 points, as well as contributing 200 hits, 15 blocked shots, 1 game winner, but he had 72 PIM, was only 12-144 on his shots (for a dismal 8.3% shot success rate), and had a horrible -30 +/-. The VHL Draft rolled around and though Tucker had a good bit of experience and TPE he had bad, bad stats...

 

Season 76, Minnesota Storm/Vancouver Wolves

Tucker tuned in to the VHL Draft as the then-23rd best prospect but slipped all the way to #26. Despite being glad that he was picked in the 2nd round, and picked by a lit team like @Beaviss and (at the time) @Spence King’s Vancouver Wolves, he felt FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY and was determined to make a legacy. He went on a max earning binge and got to 250 TPE with ease, guaranteeing a spot in the majors in Y2 and then some, flying straight onto the Wolves’ radar by going from the 26th pick to the guy with the 13th most TPE in his draft class.

 

But since this is about his time in the minors, we’ll talk about his final minors season. Tucker’s SC and PAS may have conflicted, but his DI stayed amazingly horrible, and he made the most of his season, scoring 20 goals on 196 shots for a 10.2% rate, with the 3rd most assists on the team with 53, for 73 points. He had 7 PPG, 5 SB, a +17 +/-, and 186 hits. However, his lack of discipline saw him sit in the penalty box for 99 minutes, which was 2nd on the team. Although his aspirations for a 2nd Founders Cup didn’t come to fruition, Tucker tried, netting 2 goals and 4 assists for 6 points in 8 games, with 10 hits, 8 PIM, 1 PPG, and 15 SHT. He even had a positive +/-, at 2. The send-off was emotional for him and he’s sure gonna miss them rustic arenas.

 

Ultimately, this was his career stat line in the regular season.
 

GM: 157

GL: 32

AS: 85

PTS: 117

+/-: -20

SHT: 346

PIM: 183

HIT: 399

SB: 20

GW: 1

PPG: 12

 

Now for the playoffs.

GM: 26

GL: 2

AS: 4

PTS: 6

+/-: -7

PIM: 18

HIT: 19

PPG: 1

 

Ultimately, it’s been a long road, and we really don’t know what’s ahead (well, except that I’ll play for Ricer my last season). I might be a Hall of Famer, I might not (though prolly not), I have no idea who Imma be traded be (if I get traded), ya know, but I do know that I’ll have fun.

 

Also, before I end this article, I’d like to give a big shoutout to @Trunkxolotl for turning on the TPE earning Jets and getting to (basically) 250 TPE. I can’t wait to see you stopping shots in the VHL like you did in Minnesota, while I pass the ball like I did in Minnesota.

 

And with that, Tucker has left the VHLM.

 

1,004 words

Claiming for weeks 3-7 and 3-14.

 

 

Edited March 2, 2021 by NotSoGood88