VHLM Week Recap (Week Ending April 14th, Game 195-266)

[mmrs617 42]

 

Standings Shuffle
This week had a lot of changes to the standings, and with only about 25% of the season left, the final playoff seeding is still in flux. One of the most notable changes was between Saskatoon and Las Vegas, changing places in 2nd and 5th. I commented last week on this battle, and it seems my prediction with Saskatoon having the upper hand was correct.
Another change was at the bottom of the standings. San Diego overtook Miami to force Miami into last place. This may seem like a downside for San Diego in terms of draft position, but the Marlins hold very few of their own picks for the S94 VHLM Dispersal Draft.

 

Clinched - Ottawa Lynx and Halifax 21st
With still around 19 games left, the Ottawa Lynx and Halifax 21st have clinched a playoff spot. They are in a battle with each other for top spot in the league with only one point separating them. Both GMs recognize that there is still more work to do, with Ottawa's GM @Grape saying "Job's not done. ... The real effort going forward is to maintain our momentum and push to finish first in the league." Halifax's GM @LucyXpher agrees that, "The rest of the way, it’s all about consistency for us and working towards success in the playoffs.  We can’t take our position for granted because every playoff team will be improving, so now is the time for us to bring our best!"

 

Scoring Onslaught - Halifax 21st
Whoever faces the Halifax 21st on any given day is going to need to step up their defensive game. The 21st have scored 181 times this season, 26 more than any other team. This past week they added 57 goals to their total, averaging over 4 goals per game in that stretch. 
Halifax captain, Andrew Skilton (@ace_five_), knows the depth the team has. "It makes me confident that we can put anyone out there in any situation and still put points on the board. Players up front like Maple Dogwood, and on the back end like Alex Novotny really make us look good too."

 

Front Office Changes - Miami Marauders and Las Vegas Aces
On the heels of a tough week, the Miami Marauders and Las Vegas Aces have made some changes to their front offices. Both teams advertised their AGM position this week. The Marauders announced Thursday that they've hired newcomer @ace_five_. Marauders GM @Ricer13 said "I am very pleased with Ace so far. He’s new to the league and this is his first gig in the management world. I am always willing to give new members a chance to come in, learn and help be a part of the team." @ace_five_ shared the sentiment, saying "Ricer ... [is] a pleasure to speak to, and I look forward to learning from him. He has a pretty clear picture of what he wants for the future and I'm going to do my best to facilitate that as well."
Aces GM @McLovin commented that "The [AGM] position hasn't been filled yet, but we'll likely have a hire in about a day, give or take! The Aces have had a bunch of roster changes that we're obviously needing a bit of time to adjust to, but we're pressing through the challenges and figuring out line combinations that work so we can get back into the winning column!"

 

mmrs617's Stars of the Week
Pinn Jinn @Eagle Eye (PHI) - D - Jinn is the two-way defenseman that teams dream of having, only Philadelphia doesn't have to dream. He is top 10 in points with 58 in 53 games. Defensively, Jinn is a nightmare to play against. This week he added 36 hits and 30 blocked shots to his already top 5 numbers.
Ender @Ender9511 (SDM) - C - Ender jumped up 35 spots in the overall rankings this week with a league leading 11 goals and 22 points. With the Marlins in the position they are, Ender may be a high commodity at the trade deadline.
John Season @dylanjj37 (HFX) - D - Season is a defensive force to be reckoned with. He added +12 to his already outstanding +/- this week.
 

[LucyXpher 575]

Another great article!  I love these weekly recaps!

[dylanjj37 239]

14 hours ago, mmrs617 said:

John Season @dylanjj37 (HFX) - D - Season is a defensive force to be reckoned with. He added +12 to his already outstanding +/- this week.

wow thank you! glad i beat @ace_five_