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VHL & VHLM Expansion and Relocations!


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  • Commissioner

Hello everyone!

@Members

 

With the trade deadline approaching, there is a fairly significant announcement to make that will change the landscape of the league, moving forward!

 

As most here know, the @Recruitment Crew has done an incredible job bringing in new members to this league, helping it grow daily from what used to be a nearly 100% re-create league, to where we are today. With increased membership, comes a need for growth in the league, starting with the entry point where these new members are starting their VHL journey. As many of you have heard the whispers, the league’s worst kept secret is finally becoming official: the VHLM will be expanding by two teams, starting in Season 65!

 

When exploring our options for where to locate these two teams, it soon became apparent that the VHL’s American representation is severely lacking. In a league with 14 teams combined, many members have voiced a wish for greater representation than 3 teams, with only 1 in the VHLM. With that in mind, knowing that a large portion of our membership hails from the Land of the Free, we focused on adding two new locations to the continental 48. Quickly, that lead to the realization that the VHLM would remain with a single non-North American team, and that a need for relocation has arisen.

 

When looking at locations to relocate the Oslo Storm, there was only one place that came to mind: the state with the largest Scandinavian population in the United States, known for its harsh winters and love of hockey. That’s right, beginning in Season 65, the Oslo Storm will be relocating to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and retain the Storm moniker, as they will henceforth be known as the Minnesota Storm!

 

Spoiler

 

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GM: @Eudaldkp

 

As for the two expansion franchises, the league has long known that it needed to represent this first city in some fashion. Many members have been clamoring for a team in this great city for years, knowing that it is a hockey hotbed, with ravenous fans and great ties to the game. The city that brought you Cheesesteaks and Rocky, Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love finally gets a franchise, as the Philadelphia Reapers hit the ice next season!

 

Spoiler

 

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GM: @BladeMaiden  

 

The second city to be granted a VHLM franchise is another with deep roots in the game, though they may no longer be apparent aside from a fruitless attempt at winning an NHL expansion bid. The lone Champion from the days of the WHA not to be included in the merger with the NHL, this city has been without professional franchise for some time. Once the home of the great Gordie Howe, and his sons Mark and Marty, this city is one we feel deserves to have a shot at redemption, and a fitting name to go with it. The VHLM’s 8th team, next season, will be the Houston Bulls!

 

Spoiler

 

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GM: @Sonnet

 

With these changes in the VHLM, there are still a couple more announcements to make, regarding some shuffling in leadership. We would like to thank @.sniffuM for his work as VHLM Co-Commissioner. He has done a fantastic job, working in conjunction with @Banackock. Effective immediately, he will be stepping down, and @diamond_ace will be taking his place as Banacock’s co-commissioner. As that will create a hole in the Ottawa GM slot, @Esso2264 will be taking diamond_ace’s position as Ottawa GM, at the conclusion of this season.

 

The final piece of housekeeping with the VHLM is that, effective immediately, @Peace will have the interim tag removed, as he will stay on as Saskatoon’s GM.

 

But wait, there’s more!

 

While most already knew about the VHLM expansion, we have done our best to keep another secret close to our chest. There will be a couple changes to the VHL, as well!

 

The first will be another relocation. While the league does have a strong connection to la belle Province, the team itself has failed to deliver on its great promise, with an abysmal record in Continental Cup Finals, which rivals the notoriety of the now defunct Vasteras/Stockholm franchise. Beginning next season, the team will across the land, to another heavily populated of area of VHL membership. Yes, for all you BC boys and girls out there, you will finally be getting yourselves a team, as the Quebec Meute will be heading west, to be known as the Vancouver Wolves!

 

Spoiler

 

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GM: @Beaviss

 

Naturally, with the VHLM continuing to grow, providing more and more VHL players every season, the VHL sees a corresponding growth. After originally expanding over 30 seasons ago, the league saw fit to return to its original 8-team format in Season 58, in order to maintain a healthy balance, knowing that one day expansion would return to the table. Eight seasons later, it is seeing that growth, and the league will be adding one team into the fold this season, as the first wave of expansion hits!

  

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Rather than me telling you about this team, I will let the league’s newest GM do the talking:

 

Quote

Ivan the Terrible. Cold winters. Rasputin. Gulags. Stalin. Nukes. Vodka. Putin. The KGB. Trump.

              

Some of the most menacing things in human history have come from Moscow, and I hope this new VHL franchise is the next in a proud lineage. It has been over 25 seasons since Davos won the cup in S38, and I stepped down as GM, and I am raring to go and upset the status quo again. 

             

RAB2hJ5.png

 

It is my utmost pleasure to introduce the Moscow Menace. As a logo we've chosen an unerring and intimidating monarch, someone on the verge of taking over your home and make no mistake, the threat of invasion is very real!

             

Be afraid. Be very afraid! Welcome to a new golden age, VHL, where nobody is safe!

 

odW8hMz.png

 

From Russia, with love,

 

The Victator

 

Spoiler

 

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GM: @Victor

 

Indeed, the VHL will be returning to Russia for the first time since Season 10, as Victor looks to continue his legacy as one of the league’s great builders!

 

Of course, with expansion teams, that also means Expansion Drafts, as well as changes to Entry/Dispersal Drafts. First, we will begin with the VHL:

 

Expansion Draft

  • Will take place prior to the S65 VHL Entry Draft
  • Each team may protect 7 players (skaters and/or goalies), as well as their GM Player.
  • All players eligible to play in Season 65 (S58-64) are eligible to be drafted, if left unprotected
  • Draft picks may not be selected, except for:
    • If a team cannot/does not put forth one active player who is under contract for S65, a 3rd round pick in any of the upcoming 3 drafts is attached to any inactive the expansion team will select

 

S65 Entry Draft

  • Moscow will select between 4 and 9 in each round of the draft, as determined by a random lottery
    • If Moscow is awarded the 4th slot, but the Wild Card team wins the Draft Lottery, Moscow will select 5th Overall in the 1st round, and then 4th in each subsequent round.

 

Draft Lottery; S66 and beyond

  • Beginning with the S66 Lottery, Wild Card teams will no longer be eligible for the draft lottery
  • The odds for winning will become 30% for 9th place, 25% for both 7th and 8th place, and 20% for 6th place.

 

Playoff Format

  • There will be no changes to the playoff format with the inclusion of a 9th VHL team

 

Now for the changes that will come to the VHLM:

 

Expansion Draft

  • Order will be determined randomly, and be conducted in a snake draft
    • Team 1, Team 2, Team 2, Team 1, Team 1, Team 2
  • Each expansion franchise will get 3 selections
  • Each team may protect 5 assets (players and/or draft picks in the next two Dispersal Drafts [S65 / 66]), and can only lose 1 asset to the Expansion Draft
    • Each team may protect two 1st round picks without counting against the protection limit

S65 Dispersal Draft

  • The two teams will select from the 7th and 8th slot, respectively, in each round
  • Whichever team selects 1st in the Expansion Draft will select in the 8th slot in the Dispersal Draft, while the team that selects 2nd in the Expansion Draft will select in the 7th slot in the Dispersal Draft

Draft Lottery; S66 and beyond

  • Will follow the current VHL lottery where the 3 non-playoff teams share an equal 30% chance at 1st overall, and the Wild Card loser will receive a 10% chance at winning 1st overall

Playoff Format

  • With 8 teams, the VHLM will follow the current VHL Playoff format, with a first-round Wild Card series between the 4th and 5th seeds, playing to a best-of-3.
  • After the first round, the playoffs will return to a best-of-7, with the 1st seed playing the Wild Card winner

 

So there it is. Everything to do with both leagues’ changes, relocations and expansions. As you can tell, it’s been a busy season in the @BOG , and there are still more announcements to come once the off-season hits. Until then, enjoy the remainder of the league’s 64th Season, and stay tuned for more announcements, including Sunday's revealing of this season's Theme Week!

 

We’re hoping you are all as excited as we are for this new chapter in the VHL!

@Commissioner

 

Edited by Banackock
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https://vhlforum.com/topic/57628-vhl-vhlm-expansion-and-relocations/
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All expansion is illegitimate until you bring back Vasteras

 

Glad to see we finally have a Russian VHL team after so long!  @Victor returning to the GM fold is pretty cool to see too.

Edited by solas

Things are getting exciting here :) Congratulations to @Victor on returning to your role as a VHL GM, your introduction of Moscow to the league was legendary!

  • Commissioner
14 minutes ago, Sonnet said:

 

Check again, the GMs are in the spoiler tags

FWIW I was dumb and forgot they were all agreed on so I had removed the reference initially.

GG.

 

Happy it’s over and done with (all the prepping and planning of expansion). Now time to enjoy the rewards and future! 

 

Good luck and congrats to those involved! Solid work by everyone involved. 

30 minutes ago, Beketov said:

The final piece of housekeeping with the VHLM is that, effective immediately, @Peace will have the interim tag removed, as he will stay on as Saskatoon’s GM.

NO @DilIsPickle

  • Commissioner
Just now, Nykonax said:

how many times are you going to edit this so i keep getting tagged

Haha sorry. I wasn’t sure on the GM’s so Quik fixed that and then I realized it listed the WC round as best of 5 instead of 3 so I had to fix that.

 

Its a big announcement, there’s a lot of parts to it haha

1 minute ago, Beketov said:

Haha sorry. I wasn’t sure on the GM’s so Quik fixed that and then I realized it listed the WC round as best of 5 instead of 3 so I had to fix that.

 

Its a big announcement, there’s a lot of parts to it haha

 

The trade deadline aint over yet also

  • Commissioner
Just now, Beaviss said:

This thread is bugged also it has pinged me like 5 times

That’s likely the edits. Especially since you’d be mentioned as BOG, recruitment, and individually.

  • Commissioner
Just now, Beaviss said:

 

The trade deadline aint over yet also

Minor detail. There were a lot of people on,  I wanted to capitalize and make a splash with the big announcement.

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