VHLM Season Preview

[Matt_O 896]

After the Saskatoon Wild swept the Ottawa Lynx in the finals to win the founders cup, the off season has brought many changes. Almost all of the players that were on the founders cup winning team have been either called up or were selected to different teams, including Carles Puigdemont getting drafted to Oslo, and Matthew Materazo heading south of the border to Las Vegas. The elite line of Dabarno, Peace and Trepanier is broken up, as they have all been moved up to the VHL. This years version of the Wild only has one player with more than 100 TPE, and only four above 50 TPE. This years team will more than likely not live up to their title defense, and there is actually a chance they finish in last and don't even make the playoffs.

 

The Oslo Storm, who finished in sixth place last year, had themselves a great draft, where they had three first round picks, and had 8 picks in the first three rounds. By the end of the season, their is a chance that they have five, maybe even six or even seven players with 200 TPE. They have put themselves in a great position to contend this year, and are my personal pick to finish first place in the league. They don't have the greatest depth pieces, and perhaps a waiver claim or trade during the season.

 

The Las Vegas Aces are also in a great position to contend this year, especially with their dangerous group of four forwards, which are Materazo, McDavid, Nathan N, and Dan Baillie. You can also include Shawn Mendes in that group, as he has 125 TPE. One part of the team that isn't great is their defensive group. They have Eric Parker, who is one of the best defenseman in the VHLM right now, but their talent on the back end takes a big drop after that. Lucky for them, their goalie is also one of the best in the VHLM. The Aces will make the playoffs, and have a great chance to make a championship run.

 

The Ottawa Lynx were the biggest surprise of last year, after they made the playoffs practically by default, and then beat the Aces and took down the first place Rush before getting swept in the finals. This year they lost Elias Dahlberg, but they did a pretty solid job of replacing him. They have way more players than any other team, with 22 total skaters. But with those 22 players, only five have more than 100 TPE. While they will definitely make the playoffs, they may have to end up playing in the wild card round. However, I would say this team is probably better than the one they had last year, especially since they got JB Rift to replace Finn Davidson.

 

The Halifax 21st enter the season after the disappointment of nearly edging of the Wild in the semi-finals, after they had a 3-1 lead before blowing it. This year, the team is definitely not as skilled as the team was last year. Of their 20 players, they only have four players of 100+ TPE. This team is very similar to the Ottawa Lynx, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them face each other in the wild card matchup. This team features the talent of John Madden, and goaltender Tyler Smith. This team doesn't have enough depth or enough high end talent as of now, although by the end of the season I'm sure a lot of these guys will be near 200 TPE.

 

Last but not least, the Yukon Rush are coming into this season with a chance at being even worse than the Saskatoon Wild. When I wrote that I could see the 21st and the Lynx playing the wild card round, that was before I looked at this roster. And to think this team may make the playoffs. They don't have anyone over 100 TPE, and are kind of short on players as well. This team will not have a chance to get their revenge this season, as they are simply not good enough.

 

That is a quick preview of the upcoming VHLM season. Here are my predictions for the year, assuming rosters stay the same the whole year (obviously they won't but just for the sake of this)

 

1. Oslo Storm

2. Las Vegas Aces

3. Ottawa Lynx

4. Halifax 21st

5. Saskatoon Wild

6. Yukon Rush

 

The Wild get an undeserved playoff spot, while the Storm take first place in the league.

 

Playoffs:

 

4v5: 21st vs Wild

21st win the series 2-1

 

2v3: Aces vs Lynx

Aces win the series 4-2

 

1v4: Storm vs 21st

Storm wins the series 4-1

 

Finals: Aces vs Storm

Aces win the finals 4-3, Aces win the founders cup.

 

While I'm probably biased, I think the Aces are good enough to knock of the Oslo Storm in a seven game series. Good luck to all six teams this upcoming year!

 

 

[Nykonax 1,550]

Everyone sleeping on Ottawa. Oslo will be S63 Yukon

Edited December 30, 2018 by Nykonax

[BluObieZ 1,125]

Forgot to mention Aces have Orion Slade

[Da Trifecta 1,896]

Don't think LV would take us in a series, sorry.

[diamond_ace 3,106]

1. We have 6 players over 100, not 5. Kyson Blake, JB Rift, Evgeni Komarov, Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen, Katie Warren, Chance Matthews. All of these will cap but Matthews (and Blake is already capped).

2. Technically not at 100 is Brady Stropko, who has existed for 3 days. He's at 97. He will also cap.

3. Gritty (89) and Fizzlebeef (80) will cap easily, and guys like Lynch (72), Draper (56), and Kai (55) should be close enough by the playoffs either way. Luke Allman is also active (but likely won't cap, he's adding a little more slowly than the others, which is fine just means I'll have him twice).

 

So that's a minimum of 8 guys who will definitely be on 200 at playoffs (Blake, Rift, Komarov, Werbenjagermanjensen, Warren, Stropko, Gritty, Fizzlebeef) considering one of your selling points on Oslo was they'd have 6 or 7. Your selling point on Vegas was 4 forwards - sounds like Blake, Warren, Gritty, and Fizzlebeef to me, plus we're objectively stronger than Vegas on defense after adding Stropko.


(To be completely fair to you, I know it's hard to do these ranking articles, because you don't always know who's active on other teams, and especially with how full my roster is you might see someone like Draper or Kai and not know they're active, compared to Rasputinov or Hill on similar TPE who aren't. That I think is one of the biggest reasons people who aren't in either the LR or the GM Forum are sleeping on us - this roster is built to be the best by playoffs, not by opening day, with a lot of newer active guys. Still not entirely sure it's forgivable for an actual GM not to see it, but for a regular member it's completely fine and I look forward to having the opportunity to prove otherwise.)

[Nykonax 1,550]

1 hour ago, BluObieZ said:

Forgot to mention Aces have Orion Slade

Who?

[BluObieZ 1,125]

12 minutes ago, Nykonax said:

Who?

Your mom

[Jubo 1,839]

28 minutes ago, diamond_ace said:

1. We have 6 players over 100, not 5. Kyson Blake, JB Rift, Evgeni Komarov, Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen, Katie Warren, Chance Matthews. All of these will cap but Matthews (and Blake is already capped).

2. Technically not at 100 is Brady Stropko, who has existed for 3 days. He's at 97. He will also cap.

3. Gritty (89) and Fizzlebeef (80) will cap easily, and guys like Lynch (72), Draper (56), and Kai (55) should be close enough by the playoffs either way. Luke Allman is also active (but likely won't cap, he's adding a little more slowly than the others, which is fine just means I'll have him twice).

 

So that's a minimum of 8 guys who will definitely be on 200 at playoffs (Blake, Rift, Komarov, Werbenjagermanjensen, Warren, Stropko, Gritty, Fizzlebeef) considering one of your selling points on Oslo was they'd have 6 or 7. Your selling point on Vegas was 4 forwards - sounds like Blake, Warren, Gritty, and Fizzlebeef to me, plus we're objectively stronger than Vegas on defense after adding Stropko.


(To be completely fair to you, I know it's hard to do these ranking articles, because you don't always know who's active on other teams, and especially with how full my roster is you might see someone like Draper or Kai and not know they're active, compared to Rasputinov or Hill on similar TPE who aren't. That I think is one of the biggest reasons people who aren't in either the LR or the GM Forum are sleeping on us - this roster is built to be the best by playoffs, not by opening day, with a lot of newer active guys. Still not entirely sure it's forgivable for an actual GM not to see it, but for a regular member it's completely fine and I look forward to having the opportunity to prove otherwise.)

So easily triggered.

Calm down a bit buddy...our main focus is to welcome new members and retain them. There are 3 strong teams, objectively you can make arguments for either team. Lets put away the measuring tapes.

[diamond_ace 3,106]

2 minutes ago, Jubo07 said:

So easily triggered.

Calm down a bit buddy...our main focus is to welcome new members and retain them. There are 3 strong teams, objectively you can make arguments for either team. Lets put away the measuring tapes.

"Put away the measuring tapes" says the guy who first pulled out the measuring tape, in a new member's thread of all places. Personally, I think a rankings thread like this is exactly the place to talk about strength of teams, seeing as the entire article is about strength of teams...

[Jubo 1,839]

5 minutes ago, diamond_ace said:

"Put away the measuring tapes" says the guy who first pulled out the measuring tape, in a new member's thread of all places. Personally, I think a rankings thread like this is exactly the place to talk about strength of teams, seeing as the entire article is about strength of teams...

Some people take criticism and use it as motivation...some take out the whine glass.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[diamond_ace 3,106]

4 minutes ago, Jubo07 said:

Some people take criticism and use it as motivation...some take out the whine glass.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Different people motivate differently. I know I'm the best VHLM GM, and every other VHLM GM but you has told me as much (not that there's much to tell, I'm in the HOF for a reason). I don't need motivation. I need accuracy. I need to be able to trust that my fellow GMs aren't about to lie about my team to a new guy. The rest of this has all basically been flavor text, the only thing I'm specifically pissed about was when you posted in Hadrian Melborn's thread and lied about my team to him. Classless and underhanded way to get him to not sign with me (although conveniently and to our new friend's credit, he didn't sign with you either). Unless of course you just genuinely didn't realize I was also as strong a contender as you if not more so, in which case that's just poor GMing in not scouting out your opponents but not you being sneaky about it, which is fair.

If you can acknowledge to me that you won't do that again, that you'll either paint an accurate picture of other teams should you choose to discuss other teams, or you'll simply leave your pitches about your team only, then we can move on from this. I will not have you pulling Matt Cooke level shit in new guys' threads though.

[Jubo 1,839]

4 minutes ago, diamond_ace said:

I know I'm the best VHLM GM

Thanks for this quote.

 

7 minutes ago, diamond_ace said:

lied about my team to him

Not once did I mention Ottawa in that thread, yet I lied about them. Neat. Opinions are just too hard to swallow sometimes I suppose. Sorry my list of favorites in a 6 team league was not 3 or 4 teams long...

 

8 minutes ago, diamond_ace said:

If you can acknowledge to me that you won't do that again

Is the pedestal you sit upon comfortable? Maybe I can prop you up with a pillow. How dare I question you oh worthy one.

[Peace 1,518]

11 minutes ago, diamond_ace said:

Different people motivate differently. I know I'm the best VHLM GM, and every other VHLM GM but you has told me as much (not that there's much to tell, I'm in the HOF for a reason).

 

[Heavy breathing intensifies.]

[Jubo 1,839]

2 minutes ago, Peace said:

 

[Heavy breathing intensifies.]

If we were all in a sandbox and were making sandcastles, I bet his would be the best. But it depends on how many grains of sand were used and how many times you were inducted into the hall of fame in a fictional hockey league.

Edited December 30, 2018 by Jubo07

[diamond_ace 3,106]

Just now, Jubo07 said:

Thanks for this quote.

Feel free to quote the truth, you're probably the only person in the league that doesn't realize it, which speaks more about you than it does about me.

 

Just now, Jubo07 said:

Not once did I mention Ottawa in that thread, yet I lied about them. Neat. Opinions are just too hard to swallow sometimes I suppose. Sorry my list of favorites in a 6 team league was not 3 or 4 teams long...

There's a thing called lying by omission. You mention the list of contenders, you say you and Oslo. Realistically, there is no reason to leave Ottawa off that list except for your own personal biases, which if you want to claim to be the high and mighty party with your other quote of "our main focus is to welcome new members and retain them" then perhaps you ought to leave your personal biases out of new members' threads. Do so going forward, and we're good. Unless you think the cup is won by who performs the best in week 1, and that having active guys who will develop into strong players by the end of the season is not valuable? In which case, it explains a lot about your GMing.

 

Just now, Jubo07 said:

Is the pedestal you sit upon comfortable? Maybe I can prop you up with a pillow. How dare I question you oh worthy one.

It's pretty comfortable knowing where I sit as compared to you.

[diamond_ace 3,106]

1 minute ago, Jubo07 said:

If we were all in a sandbox and were making sandcastles, I bet his would be the best. But it depends on how many grains of sand were used and how many times you were inducted into the hall of fame in a fictional hockey league.

You keep moving the goalposts. First you say I'm not better than you, then you say that it doesn't matter that I am because it's a meaningless accomplishment. Which is it?

Regardless, believe what you want to believe about relative quality of GMing. As I said before, that's not the point. Just keep your biases out of new member threads and we'll all be better for it.

[BluObieZ 1,125]

1 hour ago, diamond_ace said:

1. We have 6 players over 100, not 5. Kyson Blake, JB Rift, Evgeni Komarov, Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen, Katie Warren, Chance Matthews. All of these will cap but Matthews (and Blake is already capped).

2. Technically not at 100 is Brady Stropko, who has existed for 3 days. He's at 97. He will also cap.

3. Gritty (89) and Fizzlebeef (80) will cap easily, and guys like Lynch (72), Draper (56), and Kai (55) should be close enough by the playoffs either way. Luke Allman is also active (but likely won't cap, he's adding a little more slowly than the others, which is fine just means I'll have him twice).

 

So that's a minimum of 8 guys who will definitely be on 200 at playoffs (Blake, Rift, Komarov, Werbenjagermanjensen, Warren, Stropko, Gritty, Fizzlebeef) considering one of your selling points on Oslo was they'd have 6 or 7. Your selling point on Vegas was 4 forwards - sounds like Blake, Warren, Gritty, and Fizzlebeef to me, plus we're objectively stronger than Vegas on defense after adding Stropko.


(To be completely fair to you, I know it's hard to do these ranking articles, because you don't always know who's active on other teams, and especially with how full my roster is you might see someone like Draper or Kai and not know they're active, compared to Rasputinov or Hill on similar TPE who aren't. That I think is one of the biggest reasons people who aren't in either the LR or the GM Forum are sleeping on us - this roster is built to be the best by playoffs, not by opening day, with a lot of newer active guys. Still not entirely sure it's forgivable for an actual GM not to see it, but for a regular member it's completely fine and I look forward to having the opportunity to prove otherwise.)

Should have come to Vegas. Remember the good times? Vegas has a deeper forward base with those 4 plus Orion Slade. 

[diamond_ace 3,106]

Just now, BluObieZ said:

Should have come to Vegas. Remember the good times? Vegas has a deeper forward base with those 4 plus Orion Slade. 

He definitely should have had you in his selling points about Vegas. I still say we're the stronger team but that was a pretty big omission on the part of the guy who made the article, leaving you out of it, especially considering he threw in Mendes who you'll be ahead of in 2 weeks or so anyway. Although I do feel a little bad about hijacking his article (although I made one initial point, then Jubo continued it, so we're both in a way responsible for hijacking it)

[BluObieZ 1,125]

Just now, diamond_ace said:

He definitely should have had you in his selling points about Vegas. I still say we're the stronger team but that was a pretty big omission on the part of the guy who made the article, leaving you out of it, especially considering he threw in Mendes who you'll be ahead of in 2 weeks or so anyway. Although I do feel a little bad about hijacking his article (although I made one initial point, then Jubo continued it, so we're both in a way responsible for hijacking it)

I'm the main selling point in Vegas. it's my team after all. I would have picked Oslo if Vegas wasn't going to be good or wasn't a team. But since its my last player I picked Vegas. Too bad you didn't join the party

[Jubo 1,839]

Just now, diamond_ace said:

You keep moving the goalposts. First you say I'm not better than you, then you say that it doesn't matter that I am because it's a meaningless accomplishment. Which is it?

Regardless, believe what you want to believe about relative quality of GMing. As I said before, that's not the point. Just keep your biases out of new member threads and we'll all be better for it.

I will communicate with new members how I choose to. Vegas was the most active in waivers last season and retained many new members from a fairly dead list of people who had gone inactive due to site confusion, etc. Countless times I have contacted users and gave them a hand getting started. No regrets. @DilIsPickle can attest to that. His memes may be awful but he is a highly active member now. He was on page 3 of the available waivers list when I reached out to him.

[BluObieZ 1,125]

Just now, Jubo07 said:

I will communicate with new members how I choose to. Vegas was the most active in waivers last season and retained many new members from a fairly dead list of people who had gone inactive due to site confusion, etc. Countless times I have contacted users and gave them a hand getting started. No regrets. @DilIsPickle can attest to that. His memes may be awful but he is a highly active member now. He was on page 3 of the available waivers list when I reached out to him.

You should start adding me to your pitch to people. Just saying.

[Jubo 1,839]

Just now, BluObieZ said:

You should start adding me to your pitch to people. Just saying.

This wasn't my article. Also new members would not know the history behind the names.

[BluObieZ 1,125]

Just now, Jubo07 said:

This wasn't my article. Also new members would not know the history behind the names.

Wasn't talking about this article. You left out Orion of your pitch to Diamond. I'm assuming it's not a isolated incident. Orion will sell the team himself. But you are the GM. 

[diamond_ace 3,106]

Just now, BluObieZ said:

Wasn't talking about this article. You left out Orion of your pitch to Diamond. I'm assuming it's not a isolated incident. Orion will sell the team himself. But you are the GM. 

I didn't have a player. I'm GM of Ottawa. Jubo didn't have to pitch me anything.

[BluObieZ 1,125]

Just now, diamond_ace said:

I didn't have a player. I'm GM of Ottawa. Jubo didn't have to pitch me anything.

Ah. Well... my ignorance bites me in the ass again... Why didn't you offer a contract Mr GM?