The Defensive Forward

[Plate 386]

Something I've always wanted to work in the VHL is proper two-way forwards. Before the hybrid attributes, the best "two-ways" had the most points among forwards. Since +/- is the most direct stat to track how responsible your player is. It's hard to justify naming true defensive forwards without things like puck interceptions, take-aways, etc. 

These are player types that are incredibly important for team success. In a league where almost every forward tries to get as much scoring and passing as possible, the direct counter will always have a ton of value. Hockey isn't just about putting the puck in the net. It's also about keeping it out of yours. 

It would be nice to see the defense placed on a higher pedestal. As I described, it's impossible to do from a technical standpoint within STHS. But I don't think it would be unrealistic to run a script that shifts through the game data and pulls out the number of times you stripped the puck or got hit off the puck or something to that effect. 

[jacobcarson877 2,528]

I know at least some version of the sim has giveaways and takeaways, since it is a column on the index, but obviously we don't track it and it makes me very sad. I also really want to make a proper 2-way forward and feel the exact same way.