SITR: Las Vegas Aces AJ Season 81 End of Season Interview

[Rhynex Entertainment 447]

SITR: Las Vegas Aces AJ Season 81 End of Season Interview

 

Host:   We are back! Thanks for tuning into VHL Network, Stick In The Rink! We are currently in the early stages of the 82nd Season of the VHL, VHLE, and VHLM, and it has already been a thrilling season! We had a chance to catch up with a special guest a few weeks back to discuss about Season 81 and the offseason. Now that the offseason is over, let's see how things have turned out! Let's have a look at the time capsulated Zoom video call with the AGM of the VHLM LAs Vegas Aces, @ajwllmsn!

 

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Few weeks before the Season 82 VHL, VHLE, and VHLM dispersal drafts…

 

Host:   Hello AJ! It is good to see you! Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with us today!

 

AJ: Thank you for having me! It's a pleasure to speak with you guys!

 

Host: I know you must be quite busy with the draft and offseason coming right around the corner. So let's begin, what are your thoughts on the Las Vegas Aces' season in Season 81? Did the team meet expectations and year-end goals? Was there anything you would have done differently if you had a do over for the season?

 

AJ: We were an amazing, competitive team this season and were not projected to do as well as we did. It was like something out of a movie, you take a team that basically had nothing, add some players/assets and watch the chemistry and wins grow throughout the season.

I think the Las Vegas Aces went over and beyond most people's expectations especially my own.  When I received ownership to the team, I predicted we would be a mid tier to bottom of the playoffs seeding team. But instead, the Aces made a lot of powerful trades, great signings, and the players improved (on TPE earning) a lot this season to make us a Founder's Cup contender. Aces players lead the league in stat categories during the regular season and playoffs. So many goals were reached this season for players and the team.

I would not have done anything different. Everything happens for a reason, and with the team we had, I felt as if there was not much more improving we could have done throughout the season. I do wish I hired Mubble @MubbleFubbles right away though. We are a great duo and he had helped me out a lot during Season 81.

 

 Host: Who do you feel was the MVP for your team in Season 81? You'll be missing a lot of key players who helped you make the VHLM Finals, and you don't really have any top draft picks in the upcoming VHLM dispersal draft. What are your plans to replacing the missing components of the team? What is the direction Las Vegas Aces will be heading going forward?

 

AJ: Alex TheGreat @Alex Thegreat hands down. He had an amazing season, leading the league in points and assists. The reason Julien Bernier @Julien_Bernier, Adeline Delle Donne @Dtayl, and Girts Galvins @Girts had so many points (mostly goals), was because of TheGreat's skill. He was basically like a virtual (Connor) McDavid, being so good that everyone around him looked good and performed well. A runner up would for sure be Thomas Price @Thunderidge though. Price came from Yukon's Founder's Cup Finalists team and stood on his head the entire season to bring us to the playoffs and the finals.

We are losing a lot of players as it is natural for the VHLM to be great in one season, then lose it all the next with (TPE cap) player graduation. We did just recently complete a trade with Mississauga though, trading away three S83 picks (including a 2nd round) for five S82 picks in return (including a 3rd round). Although we do not have a lot of high round picks, we are not concerned as we believe our scouting strength will come in handy. With a very deep roster, having so many late round picks may benefit us for the future. Being able to draft players that have potential to be good this season by playoffs, but also will not be capped and will be able to return the following season. 

Las Vegas is heading on the way to success. We plan to build to never miss the playoffs and always be a top competitive team. One thing I never liked about the VHLM is the boom-bust cycle. You tank your season to stack draft picks and hope to be good and competitive the next season, just to do it all over again. It is painful to do and for your players to go through, so I never want to go down that path.

  

Host: What are your thoughts toward the upcoming draft? Who looks to be on the top of the list for Las Vegas? Any plans of adding more picks and moving up in the draft? What type of players would you be looking at getting with the picks you have in your disposal?

 

AJ: We are excited in Vegas! As stated above we have a lot more draft picks now, and after coming off a Founder's Cup Finals loss, we hope to bounce back and continue to be strong in the VHLM. Rumor has it that TheGreat could be making a return next season, so maybe you will all see his name again.

Like I said before, the trade we made contained a 3rd and a 5th round pick coming to us, so we should be able to add some key players with that! 

We look to add players who are active. The way their skill and attributes are represented does not matter too much to us. As long as you are active and ready to grow (earn TPE) and improve, we want you in Vegas.

 

 Host: What are the team's objective this offseason? Drafting is an important part, but what about free agency? Is there a first priority and focus? Any more in-coming trades?

 

AJ: Objectives for this off season would be to scout heavy for the draft, trying to find any hidden gems. Once the draft is complete and our roster is somewhat finalized, then the hunt for Free Agents will start. That is how I managed to take Thomas Price, a capped goaltender, last season. For in-coming trades, I am not sure, trades come when the time is right and at the moment we are open for whatever.

 

Host: Let's change the subject a bit. Alex TheGreat had a fantastic season with the Aces and is one of the few remaining players left on the Aces' roster at this point of time. Do you think Alex will be able to replicate their spectacular season? Do you have any information on whether Alex will be moving East to Europe in the VHLE for Season 82? If Alex leaves, how do you plan to replace such an important player on your team?

 

AJ: I definitely think Alex can replicate their most recent season if we get the tools necessary for the job. His success came from having amazing scoring built players on his line. At the moment we lack those type of players and are looking for replacements as the others are moving up to the VHLE. Alex should be coming back as he did show us interest in doing so. If he leaves, I really do not know how to replace someone like him. These players come out of nowhere and are almost great by luck (of STHS). We just happened to be lucky enough to stumble across the league's leading point scorer.

 

Host: What are your expectations for Season 82 for the Las Vegas Aces? Which team do you feel has the best chance to win it all in the VHLM in Season 82? How do you feel about the direction the league is headed?

 

AJ: I feel like we can mirror what we did in S81 and manage to stay in the top 4 all season. Ottawa is losing a lot of their players and most likely will not be as strong as their last two seasons. Teams who have the best shot in S82 would be Houston and Philadelphia. Houston is still going to be a competitor with a good core coming back next season, and will have a great draft ahead of them with lots of high round picks. Philadelphia falls in the same boat, they also have a great core coming back with a very top heavy draft as well. For the direction of the league, you only want to ever think in positives and hope for the best. One great thing they were talking about was to move waiver signings to the portal. It would seem like a huge benefit instead of the way we do them now.

 

 Host: It was a wild run of a season for you in Season 81! From being GM to being caught "cheating" and axed into being an AGM. How do you feel your season went? What would you have done differently? What are your plans going forward?

 

AJ: The season was great! Even with my GM firing I had an amazing time and was happy to see the team perform so well. So many players improved because they were part of this team, and the team as a whole improved so much from the previous season, so it was awesome. I wouldn't have done much differently as we found success all season, only falling short in the finals. Our plans going forward are to keep the engine rolling, mirror our success from the last season and always stay as a competitor in the league.

 

Host: Great! Looking forward to it! Is there any parting words you want to give to the audience and the fans out there?

 

AJ: We put Vegas on the map of the VHLM again, do not be surprised when you see our names hanging from a banner under Founder's Cup Winners. We plan to always be successful and hopefully build that name for us so players will be happy to come play here.

 

Host: Thank you for such a wonderful interview AJ! We hope to have you come on again in the future! Best of luck in the draft and free agency, and the upcoming season!

 

[Total word count 1737]

[Claim for Weeks ending 2022-02-06; 2022-02-13; 2022-02-20]

[Spartan 4,005]

15 hours ago, Rhynex Entertainment said:

[Total word count 1737]

[Claim for Weeks ending 2022-02-06; 2022-02-13; 2022-02-20]

Just a head's up, the non-AJ portions (which seem to have come directly from him) total 578 words, which is what you are eligible to claim. Unfortunately you can't use other folks' interview responses as part of your claim.

[Rhynex Entertainment 447]

2 hours ago, Spartan said:

Just a head's up, the non-AJ portions (which seem to have come directly from him) total 578 words, which is what you are eligible to claim. Unfortunately you can't use other folks' interview responses as part of your claim.

What? That's stupid. Then what's the point of collaboration for an interview to make it realistic. I should just make everything up then

[Spartan 4,005]

1 minute ago, Rhynex Entertainment said:

What? That's stupid. Then what's the point of collaboration for an interview to make it realistic. I should just make everything up then

It'd be pretty easy then for a GM to write 2k words in response to one of his player's questions, which isn't really work being done by the interviewer. This format makes more sense if the person claiming is the one answering the questions, or if there's more written by the claimer outside just the questions.

[Rhynex Entertainment 447]

16 minutes ago, Spartan said:

It'd be pretty easy then for a GM to write 2k words in response to one of his player's questions, which isn't really work being done by the interviewer. This format makes more sense if the person claiming is the one answering the questions, or if there's more written by the claimer outside just the questions.

I don't exactly agree with the assessment, but I also don't think I can do anything to change the judgment