DeFenz Mann - Pre-VHL Junior Review

[Mike 708]

Mann's VHL Introduction

 

Exactly two weeks ago, the VHL receieved some mundane news unheard of defenseman DeFenz Mann entered the Season 72 VHL Draft. This declaration would have gone entirely unknown if not for the fact he is associated with VHL Hall of Famer Mike Szatkowski. Mann has been attending "The Mike Szatkowski Center for Kids Who Can't Play Hockey Good and Who Wanna Learn to Do Other Stuff Good Too."   The center is an online school for athletes attempting to play hockey at a professional level. Mann (19) is the only student enrolled in this school and known to be participating in an online sports school.

 

 

Who is Defenz Mann, and where does he come from?

 

Mann is from the Dordogne area in southwest France, a small farming community speaking mostly English. There are no ice rinks or hockey players in his small town. If there is a nice freeze, you can skate on the tiny local stream. However, just because there is no formal hockey to watch or play locally doesn't mean there are no hockey fans. Mann grew up a considerable fan watching the late S50s into the S60s of the VHL. He was hooked and knew that his lifelong goal would be to play hockey professionally. As a near high school graduate with no hockey experience, he found no school willing to give him a chance on the rink.

 

...Szatkowski Center For Kids...

 

Mann searched for months online for a way to make his dream come true. Through some shady clickbait social media article, he found his way the Szatkowski Center. All of the comments said it had to be fake news and could not be real. An online school for professional hockey? Mann was determinned knowing Szatkowski is a VHL Hall of Famer. He applied online and within a week received a video call from Szatkowski himself. For the last two years, he has been studying online diligently at the Szatkowski Center.

 

Online Hockey School! How does that work?

 

Mann had this to say about his curriculum and path to the VHL over the last two years:

 

"Believe me, I know this whole process is weird and unorthodox. I've never even played a full game of 5vs5 hockey in a formal environment. What I liked about my training is we skipped all of the gen ed stuff like math and women's studies. My training has consisted of 1/3 part physical training, 1/3 part game/film study, and 1/3 part simulation."

 

 

When pressed more about how professional hockey is simulated without actually playing the game, Mann had this to say:

 

"I live-streamed a lot of NHL 94 on the Sega Genesis. Szatkowski would watch, and we'd go over tactics and training in real-time. I didn't even know what a SEGA was. I thought Szatkowski was joking, but a week later, the console and game showed up at my house."

 

There you have it Mann, a farm boy from southwest France, feels he is ready for the VHLM. Due to the excellent physical condition and name recognition, rumors are swirling this defenseman may go in the second round.