Claimed:Verner Reinholdt On Joining The Brampton Blades

[Devise 4,475]

The VHLM recently had some interesting news as the latest player from the Mr. Power player agency decided to declare interest in joining the Victory Hockey League. Verner Reinholdt, a relative unknown among the younger hockey community has decided to come out of early retirement at the brisk age of 43 and try his hand out for one more career. Reinholdt received several offers, most at the $2,000,000 max but ultimately decided after much deliberation with his player agent Ryan Power, to join the Brampton Blades. We recently had a chance to sit down with Reinholdt and discuss his decision to join the Blades, and what his expectations are heading into his first nearly full hockey season since coming out of retirement. 

 

Verner Reinholdt meets with media prior to his first set of games with the VHLM's Brampton Blades

 

"Verner...over here Ted Lahey of the Brampton Guardian. First of all welcome to Brampton, can you give us some thought on why you decided to come out of retirement and declare for the VHLM, and more importantly...why you decided to go with the Brampton Blades?" 

 

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Thanks for the welcome I'm happy to be here. Regarding the retirement, for me I just felt I needed to challenge myself y'know? I've been playing hockey all my life, since I was six years old. For me it's never been about the persona glory, it's why I never decided to join the NHL or compete internationally before. I've always been a small league kind of guy, despite y'know my friends and family telling to reach for the clouds, or even NHL scouts telling me I would of had what it took to compete at that level, the allure wasn't there for me. It all goes back to a conversation I once had with Scotty Bowman, a good friend of mine one of the greatest Swedes to ever play the game Nick Lidstrom introduced me to Scotty and he had some of the same questions the scouts always had for me. Why don't you want to play at the highest level and try to be a star in the NHL? And while the allure to challenge myself to be the best was there, I just felt the NHL was beginning to become so star driven, and for me that isn't what the sport is about. Competing at smaller levels I got to see so many talented players at different points in their careers. It allowed me to play with these type of players, give them the confidence to enjoy their careers. I mean I played with a lot of players who still credit me as the motivator for why they went on to have great NHL careers. For me that type of impact was always greater than personal success. 

But it only took a year for me to settle down to the point that I realized I needed to challenge myself. So that is why I'm here. I still don't crave the attention or spotlight the NHL brings, and besides that based on my studies of the VHL I feel like it's harder to succeed in this league than anywhere. So what better way to see if all those years of hockey experience and people telling me I could of made it than to join a league that limits you to an eight season career and challenges you to do as much damage, earn as much awards as you can, in such conditions? Which is ultimately why I ended up selecting the Brampton Blades. Almost every VHLM GM gave me an offer, but talking with former VHL legend Conner Low really gave me a perspective on why Brampton was the ideal home for me this season. It's a team on the rise with a heaping of players who haven't touched the ice before. They may not appear like the favorites, but I think that is also a good thing. I'm looking forward to hitting the ice with this group, developing some friendship and hopefully helping them to push as deep as we can in the playoffs. 

 

"Black Jesus here from VHL Today, you mentioned you had some other offers, obviously the first place Ottawa Lynch who have yet to lose in regulation are one of them, one has to figure it was tough not to join a team that looks so poised to win?"

 

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I certainly considered the Lynx no doubt. But again it goes back to the challenge aspect of it. I think there are situations in your career where you for sure need to consider the big picture, the win, but for me that situation isn't right now. What right is it of mine to assume that I deserve to instantly be slotted on the team when I haven't played a real game in a year and am 43 years old? Besides that I think the fit with Brampton makes a lot more sense. This is a team that has some good defensive pieces you see Aleksei Federov and Roman Sokolov as well as stud Marcus King in net. Forward wise that got that big center in Mar-Alexandre Leblanc and we felt that with my play-style, I'm also a pretty big forward I protect the puck well and can finish, this would be the best play for me to not just succeed but grow as a player. It's very easy to accept the path of least resistance but it doesn't always make you a better player for it. I think at this stage where I"m at this is crucial, there are going to be some growing pains for me in this league just because I'm not used to it. In the long run, I'm in it to give it my all for eight seasons and position myself at a place where I can best grow and become an effective player out there is where I think I need to be. 

 

"Kyle Snow, I represent the VHL's Number One Podcast the Pajodcast Pew Pew Pew. Since nobody else here has the balls, I have to ask this. How familiar are you with the player history of the Mr. Power player agency? Without going into much detail on it, if you are at all familiar you'll know that historically players associated with that agency have often struggled in this league. At best they find some semblance of average consistency late in their career, save for the one standout in Skylar Rift who retired early. Do you feel this puts any added pressure on you as a player, to pardon my use of language here but prove that your not going to be just another fucking scrub like the rest?" 

 

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Haha, good to see so much fire and passion there thanks for the question. It's honestly exactly the opposite of what your thinking. I feel less pressure because of this, and it's actually a big reason why I chose this player agency to shepherd me into this new experience. You said it yourself players from this agency seem to come in with a certain expectation to finally prove that they aren't just scrubs. But I think that is exactly the entire essence of me and my career. I can tell you guys all the points I had in this league or that league. I can tell you all the former or current NHL players who've complimented me and told me that I need to start testing my skills. But to you guys the question that needs to be answered can only be done on the ice. What kind of player am I now? Do I still have it, or did I ever have it? But for me that is exactly the kind of challenges you want as a hockey player. In the same way that I could of gone to the NHL when I was younger and not mentor and engage with the under served working young athletes who make up a bulk of the hockey market, I could of easily been given a training camp tryout to a NHL contender and coasted my way to glory on a third or fourth line. Instead I chose a greater challenge with this league, and it is my hope that when all is said and done people will be viewing me as the standout from this player agency. It is my hope to be the first player from this agency to secure a Hall of Fame spot, because that is exactly what I'm here to do. Be the best player I can be. 

 

Verner playing in what he thought would be his last game

 

The future of Verner Reinholdt for now remains unwritten, but this promising "prospect" presents an interesting narrative to follow for the rest of his career. Will he prove that he was a hidden hockey legend, or will his age, and the relentless competitive pace of the VHL get the better of him? Only time will tell. 

Edited February 11, 2017 by Mr. Power

[TheLastOlympian07 2,388]

picked them over Sasky. have fun losing

[Corco 1,237]

Claimed